cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Bleomycin Model of Pulmonary Fibrosis

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) comprises a large number of chronic lung disease characterized by varying degrees of inflammation and fibrosis. Mostly they are idiopathic including idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), which is a specific disorder characterized by progressive fibrosis leading commonly to end-stage lung disease, respiratory failure, and fatal outcome. IPF and many of these fibrotic ILDs lack effective therapy despite recent approval of two drugs to slow progression in certain IPF patients. Because there are no natural models for IPF, the use of animal models that reproduce key known features of the disease is warranted. Thus, different animal models have been developed to investigate key mechanisms underlying pathogenesis of pulmonary fibrosis and identify potential therapeutic targets for IPF. While no animal model can recapitulate all features of human disease, several are available to address select features of IPF and other fibrotic ILDs. Historically, among the first to be developed and used widely is the bleomycin model, which is the best-characterized and currently most extensively used animal model due to its ability to reproduce many aspects of IPF and other fibrotic ILDs, good reproducibility, and ease of induction. Studies using the bleomycin model have identified many of the cellular and molecular mechanisms now recognized as being important in pathogenesis of IPF and other fibrotic ILDs, as well as novel therapies for these diseases, including two recent drugs approved for treatment of IPF. This chapter will describe commonly used techniques for induction of the model by endotracheal administration of bleomycin through surgical and nonsurgical (transoral instillation).
Have your cake and eat it too? Simultaneously pursuing the knowledge-sharing benefits of agile and traditional development approaches

Abstract This research examines how organizations manage knowledge-sharing processes in systems development projects that employ both agile and traditional development techniques. Using a longitudinal case study, we draw on one company’s experience with a system implementation that employed a traditional approach during its first phase and then a hybrid, agile-traditional approach in its second phase. By applying an ambidexterity theory lens, we find that the adoption of a hybrid approach allowed the project to continue to exploit the traditional techniques that were working well, abandon techniques that were underperforming, and explore the use of agile techniques in selected areas.
Word to the Wise: Crystal Form

The most common usage of the term form is for the shape of something and, as such, could be used synonymously with morphology or habit when describing a mineral. However, in crystallography and min...
Some Fundamental Misconceptions Concerning South America

The awakening interest in South American affairs has served to make prominent the confusion of the public mind on certain fundamental questions relating to the present situation and the probable future of political and social institutions in this quarter of the globe. This confusion is due, in large part, to the widely divergent opinions of writers on South America. At first this conflict of views was received with a certain amused indifference, it being assumed that this unknown land, so rich in adventure, was rapidly becoming the theatre of the modern romantic novel, displacing to a certain extent the battlements and towers of mediaeval Europe. During the last few years, however, the attitude of the public toward South America has undergone a profound change. We are no longer satisfied with the swashbuckler descriptions of revolutions and other armed conflicts but are demanding unvarnished statements of the actual situation. There is a real national interest that this demand be satisfied, for it is evident that the time is rapidly approaching, if indeed it is not already at hand, when the people of the United States must be prepared to express themselves clearly and unequivocally on certain, fundamental questions affecting their relation with the peoples of Latin America.
Prototyping Biotic Games and Interactive Experiments with JavaScript

Life-science research is often driven by advancements in biotechnology. In this demonstration, we explore technology which supports real-time interaction with living matter in the cloud. In order to enable scientists to perform more interactive experiments, we have developed a JavaScript API and corresponding online IDE which can be used to program interactive computer applications allowing the user to remotely interact with swarms of living single-celled micro-organisms in real time. The API interfaces with several remote microscopes which provide a magnified view of a microfluidic chip housing the microorganisms. We hope this work can be a start towards bringing techniques from HCI into bioengineering and biotechnology development.
Prolapse Pessary Tests

Urodynamic testing with and without pessaries or other vaginal supports are necessary to evaluate patients who have genital prolapse and associated urethral hypermobility even if they do not complain of urinary stress incontinence. This is particularly important since the prolapse may protect the patient from stress incontinence by a mechanical kinking effect in the urethra during periods of elevated intra-abdominal pressure from coughing or other activities (Chapter 28). Certain patients may apparently develop stress incontinence following surgical repair of their genital prolapse if sufficient attention is not paid to providing permanent support to the urethro-vesical junction. Urodynamics with a pessary or other vaginal support is designed to simulate, in the urodynamics laboratory, the surgical correc-tion of genital prolapse without resupporting the bladder neck. Urodynamic evaluation of these patients with and without support of their genital prolapse provides information on urethrovesical function which may guide the surgeon in selecting the most appropriate surgical procedure for that particular patient.
Manipulating Hedonic Strategies of Choice

The construct of utility has a long history in the social sciences. In the eighteenth century, Bernoulli (1738/1968) used the term to refer to a riskless construct associated with wealth. He noted that “a gain of one thousand ducats is more significant to a pauper than to a rich man, though both gain the same amount” (p.24). To capture this intuition, Bernoulli proposed the idea of diminishing marginal utility. Bentham (1823/1968) later discussed utility in hedonic terms of pleasure and pain. During this period, utility represented the subjective value, moral worth, or pleasure associated with an outcome. Then, in 1947, von Neumann and Morgenstern deduced the principle of maximizing expected utility from a set of preference axioms. Within this framework, utility is a risky construct linked to the satisfaction with an outcome in a decision context.
Immunomodulatory Effects of Endotoxin

Exposure of cells of the lymphoid system to endotoxin in conjunction with conventional antigens results in a dramatic modification of the specific immune response that would otherwise occur. Johnson et al. (1956) initially observed that endotoxin administered concomitantly with protein antigens resulted in markedly increased antibody titers. The effect could be obtained using endotoxin prepared from several species of gram-negative bacteria. The ability of endotoxin to thus act as a conventional adjuvant was found to depend on the time of administration relative to antigen, as demonstrated by Kind and Johnson (1959) and Franzi and McMaster (1968). They showed that enhanced antibody responses occurred only when endotoxin was administered at the same time or within a few days after antigen administration, but a depressed antibody response occurred if endotoxin preceded antigen. Thus, these early investigations demonstrated the dual nature of the effect of endotoxin on the immune response.
Investigation of consumer’s acceptance of product-service-systems: A case study of cell phone leasing

Abstract Product-Service-Systems have been introduced as a practical way to implement the Circular Economy concept. Consumer acceptance of such systems has been a barrier to their widespread implementation. However, it is not clear what contributes to the consumers’ likelihood of acceptance of product service systems. This article investigates consumers’ acceptance of leasing cell phones instead of buying them through conducting a survey analysis. A regularized logistic regression model has been developed to construct the consumers’ decision model. The decision model then has been used to develop an Agent-Based Simulation (ABS) framework in order to model the effects of social influences, previous decisions, and heterogeneous personal traits on consumers’ decisions to lease. The results of the study suggest that a segregation exists within the consumer attitudes toward leasing. Meaning that the consumers who are currently leasing their cell phones are more prone to lease again in the future and the consumers who own their current cell phone are more prone to also buy their future cell phones.
Real-Time Quad-Rotor Path Planning for Mobile Obstacle Avoidance Using Convex Optimization

In this paper, we employ convex optimization to perform real-time 3-dimensional path planning on-board a quad-rotor and demonstrate its real-time capabilities. Building on our previous work, we make the following modifications: (1)we assume the obstacles are mobile, and (2)we introduce a simple framework to continuously recompute and update the trajectory. The contribution of this paper is to demonstrate the feasibility of real-time on-board convex-optimization-based path planning. For multi-rotors with fixed-pitch propellers, this path planning problem has two sources of non-convexity. First, since fixed-pitch actuators produce uni-directional thrust, the commanded total thrust must be maintained above a non-zero minimum in order to retain sufficient independent attitude control authority. The second source of non-convexity is due to the keep-out zones that envelop each obstacle. To circumvent the non-convexities introduced by these control and state constraints, we employ lossless and successive con-vexification, respectively. Consequently, we cast the original problem as a sequence of Second-Order Cone Programming problems, which can be solved quickly and reliably on-board. We conclude by presenting indoor flight demonstration and timing results of a scenario with three mobile obstacles. In this scenario, our algorithm assumes that the obstacles move with constant acceleration, and is re-executed regularly to account for uncertainties in the motion of the obstacles. The results show that new trajectories can be computed at rates in excess of 10 Hz, quickly enough to adapt to the uncertainty introduced in our flight demonstration.
Circulatory YKL-40 & NLR: Underestimated Prognostic Indicators in Diffuse Glioma

In addition to histopathological parameters, evaluation of associated hematological factors is essential for devising a sensitive prognostic scale in glioma. Increased neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a marker of systemic inflammatory response, has recently been associated with worse outcome in various cancers. Given that glioma progression is characterized by inflammation, aggressive angiogenesis, and invasion, increased levels of systemic human-chitinase-3-like-one protein (YKL-40) have also been linked to poor prognosis. The aim of the present study was to assess the plausible association of YKL-40, NLR, and platelet count with increasing tumor grade, and evaluate their status as independent prognostic factors in terms of overall survival (OS) in treatment naive patients with diffuse glioma. Plasma levels of both biochemical markers in 72 diffuse gliomas, median age 42 years, were compared with 36 controls. Comparison of YKL-40, NLR, and PC with respect to tumor grade was found to be significant for each of the markers (P <0.0001) while an inverse significant correlation was seen for YKL-40 and NLR with OS (r = -0.4619, P <0.0001, and r = -0.5561, P < 0.0001, respectively). NLR was the best performing marker with AUC 0.9417 at 97% specificity. In addition, YKL-40 had a positive correlation with NLR (r = 0.4902, P <0.0001), indicating that expression of both markers was linked to inflammation and tumor progression as they were significantly correlated with tumor grade. Expression of YKL-40 and NLR was independently associated with worse survival (HR 1.0062, P = 0.039, and HR 1.1787, P = 0.0003, respectively), thus establishing their clinical utility as prognosticators for diffuse gliomas.
Economic demand analysis of within-session dose-reduction during nicotine self-administration.

Abstract Background This study determined if a within-session dose-reduction design sufficiently captures elasticity of demand for nicotine in male and female rats using environmental enrichment to manipulate demand elasticity. Methods Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to self-administer nicotine (60 μg/kg/infusion). In Experiment 1, rats began daily dose-reduction for nine sessions following acquisition. Rats then underwent a minimum of five within-session dose-reduction sessions where each dose was available for 10 min. In Experiment 2, rats were reared in isolated, social, or enriched housing followed by acquisition of nicotine self-administration. Rats then underwent within-session dose-reduction. Housing environments were then switched, followed by additional testing sessions. Consumption was calculated for each dose and exponential demand curves were fit. Results No sex differences in acquisition of nicotine self-administration were detected for either experiment. In experiment 1, demand intensity (Q0; estimated intake if nicotine were freely available), was higher with between- compared to within-session dose-reduction, although elasticity of demand (α; rate of decline in nicotine intake as a function of increasing unit price), was lower. In Experiment 2, animals reared in enrichment had fewer infusions during acquisition compared to animals in isolation. Enriched males had reduced demand intensity compared to both isolated and social males, whereas isolated females had reduced intensity compared to enriched females. Conclusions The within-session dose-reduction procedure for nicotine self-administration replicated effects of environmental enrichment on consumption behaviors. Additionally, this procedure captured differences in nicotine demand due to sex, laying important groundwork for future translational research on mechanisms of nicotine dependence.
Culture and the Individual

Humans live in niches of memes called culture. Dominant memes in culture maintain their dominance by building supporting memeplexes whose primary purpose is to watch for and suppress the emergence or entry of memes that might threaten their dominance. Culture is fraught with institutions consisting of such supporting memes - traditions, rituals, religions, etc. Memes enter the brain through acculturation. Dominant memes form prejudices. Zeitgeist consists of representative memes of the times. Pathologic memes include those that attenuate the brain’s executive function, those that enter the brain under false pretenses, and those that lie dormant but may become virulent later in combination with newly entered memes. Protective memes include love and placebo. Placebo is associated with changes in brain function and is an example of direct gene × meme interaction. Memes often wrap themselves in attractive capsules and are dispersed widely like spores in the wind on the internet and media. Thinking is the process of meme manipulation in the brain. Consciousness represents the brain activity that reaches a certain level of synchronization and is an evolutionary development to process memes efficiently. Decision making is an act of meme processing. The sense of conscious free will occur when the memetic processing impinges on the selfplex. Jungian collective unconscious represents pervasive memes in the culture that take up residence in the brains automatically. Most memes except those recruited by working memory are unconscious. Selfplex is the sense of one’s personality. Selfplexes within a given brain develop over time in the course of the epigenetic development of genes and memes and may cohere into several selfplexes with varying degrees of inherent compatibility. As memes are in charge of valuations, whatever served the memes were good, whatever served the genes more than memes were somewhat bad, and whatever served only genes and not memes were very bad. Thus, spirituality, a purely meme-oriented activity, acquired the most value. From the meme’s point of view, brains are like islands for colonization, and the more brains like memes dominate, the more the speed and breadth of their replication. Thus, there is a constant state of conflict among competing and incompatible memes in the meme pool called human society. For certain memeplexes, such as certain religions and political ideals, dominance may mean the extinction of competing incompatible memes and the brains that contain them. It is only through the strengthening of the reasoning powers of the brain, i.e., appropriate sorting, filtering, and processing of memes that it encounters that such toxic memes can be isolated and controlled rather than being controlled by them.
The ethnopragmatics of Yoruba personal names: Language in the context of culture

While the subject of Yoruba names has been significantly explored by previous studies, this paper discusses extensively the nature of such names from an ethnopragmatic framework, with the aim of explicating how Yoruba names are formed, their various cultural contexts as well as the significant functions they play in the Yoruba ethnolinguistic ecology. It identifies and categorizes personal names based on contexts such as family situation, circumstantces of birth, religious orientation, death situation and profession. This paper reinforces that names are not just arbitrary labels, but most notably, linguistic categories – lexical, phrasal or sentential – that have indexical relationship to sociocultural meanings and functions, places, time, people, and events. DOI: https://doi.org/10.32690/SALC53.4
The Microbiome and Chronic Rhinosinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is persistent inflammation and/or infection of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. Recent advancements in culture-independent molecular techniques have enhanced understanding of interactions between sinus microbiota and upper airway microenvironment. The dysbiosis hypothesis-alteration of microbiota associated with perturbation of the local ecological landscape-is suggested as a mechanism involved in CRS pathogenesis. This review discusses the complex role of the microbiota in health and in CRS and considerations in sinus microbiome investigation, dysbiosis of sinus microbiota in CRS, microbial interactions in CRS, and development of preclinical models. The authors conclude with future directions for CRS-associated microbiome research.
O4D.1 Longitudinal analysis of incidence of beryllium sensitization in a us nuclear workforce

The goal of this study was to evaluate trends in incidence of beryllium sensitization (BeS) and the impact of exposure regulation in a US Department of Energy (DOE) nuclear worker cohort. The 1999 DOE final rule for Chronic Beryllium Disease Prevention Program was established to accomplish three goals: reduce the number of workers currently exposed to beryllium; minimize exposures and the potential for exposure; and establish medical surveillance requirements to ensure early detection of disease. While the impact of this rule has been evaluated through observational reports, with decreases in exposure and reported cases, there have been no published studies assessing whether exposure reduction measures result in the prevention of BeS. Methods We examined the incidence of beryllium sensitization in a cohort of 6915 workers with almost 29,000 BeLPT results obtained between 1994–2018. All workers were employed at a single DOE nuclear site that implemented the DOE beryllium rule between 1999–2002. Workers were classified as BeS when they met one of the following definitions: two abnormal blood BeLPT results, one abnormal and one borderline blood BeLPT result, three borderline blood BeLPT results, or one abnormal lung lavage BeLPT result. Descriptive statistics, longitudinal analyses, and correlation analyses were utilized to evaluate the trends in incidence before and after implementation of the beryllium rule. Results Results indicated a general decrease in exposure and BeS incidence rates, though there are some years with notable increases presumably due to increased clean-up activity, where construction and decommissioning workers had opportunity for exposure from legacy beryllium operation materials that were not part of normal current production activity. Conclusion These findings provide support for the hypothesis that the DOE Beryllium Rule helps prevent beryllium sensitization. Future research will more precisely assess the relationship between beryllium exposure levels and beryllium incidence over time.
Machine learning for optimizing complex site-specific management

Abstract Despite the promise of precision agriculture for increasing the productivity by implementing site-specific management, farmers remain skeptical and its utilization rate is lower than expected. A major cause is a lack of concrete approaches to higher profitability. When involving many variables in both controlled management and monitored environment, optimal site-specific management for such high-dimensional cropping systems is considerably more complex than the traditional low-dimensional cases widely studied in the existing literature, calling for a paradigm shift in optimization of site-specific management. We develop a machine learning algorithm that enables farmers to efficiently learn their own site-specific management through on-farm experiments. We test its performance in two simulated scenarios—one of medium complexity with 150 management variables and one of high complexity with 864 management variables. Results show that, relative to uniform management, site-specific management learned from 5-year experiments generates $43/ha higher profits with 25 kg/ha less nitrogen fertilizer in the first scenario and $40/ha higher profits with 55 kg/ha less nitrogen fertilizer in the second scenario. Thus, complex site-specific management can be learned efficiently and be more profitable and environmentally sustainable than uniform management.
Uncovering a membrane-distal conformation of KRAS available to recruit RAF to the plasma membrane

The small GTPase KRAS is localized at the plasma membrane where it functions as a molecular switch, coupling extracellular growth factor stimulation to intracellular signaling networks. In this process, KRAS recruits effectors, such as RAF kinase, to the plasma membrane where they are activated by a series of complex molecular steps. Defining the membrane-bound state of KRAS is fundamental to understanding the activation of RAF kinase and in evaluating novel therapeutic opportunities for the inhibition of oncogenic KRAS-mediated signaling. We combined multiple biophysical measurements and computational methodologies to generate a consensus model for authentically processed, membrane-anchored KRAS. In contrast to the two membrane-proximal conformations previously reported, we identify a third significantly populated state using a combination of neutron reflectivity, fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP), and NMR. In this highly populated state, which we refer to as "membrane-distal" and estimate to comprise ∼90% of the ensemble, the G-domain does not directly contact the membrane but is tethered via its C-terminal hypervariable region and carboxymethylated farnesyl moiety, as shown by FPOP. Subsequent interaction of the RAF1 RAS binding domain with KRAS does not significantly change G-domain configurations on the membrane but affects their relative populations. Overall, our results are consistent with a directional fly-casting mechanism for KRAS, in which the membrane-distal state of the G-domain can effectively recruit RAF kinase from the cytoplasm for activation at the membrane.
Plantar or Palmar Tactile Augmentation Improves Lateral Postural Balance With Significant Influence from Cognitive Load

Although it seems intuitive to address the issue of reduced plantar cutaneous feedback by augmenting it, many approaches have adopted compensatory sensory cues, such as tactile input from another part of the body, for multiple reasons including easiness and accessibility. The efficacy of the compensatory approaches might be limited due to the cognitive involvement to interpret such compensatory sensory cues. The objective of this study is to test the hypothesis that the plantar cutaneous augmentation is more effective than providing compensatory sensory cues on improving postural regulation, when plantar cutaneous feedback is reduced. In our experiments, six healthy human subjects were asked to maintain their balance on a lateral balance board for as long as possible, until the balance board contacted the ground, for 240 trials with five interventions. During these experiments, subjects were instructed to close their eyes to increase dependency on plantar cutaneous feedback for balancing. Foam pad was also added on the board to emulate the condition of reduced plantar cutaneous feedback. The effects of tactile augmentation from the foot sole or the palm on standing balance were tested by applying transcutaneous electrical stimulation on calcaneal or ulnar nerve during the balance board tests, with and without a cognitively-challenging counting task. Experimental results indicate that the plantar cutaneous augmentation was effective on improving balance only with cognitive load, while the palmar cutaneous augmentation was effective only without cognitive load. This result suggests that the location of sensory augmentation should be carefully determined according to the attentional demands.
Removal of Arsenate and Arsenite in Equimolar Ferrous and Ferric Sulfate Solutions through Mineral Coprecipitation: Formation of Sulfate Green Rust, Goethite, and Lepidocrocite.

An improved understanding of in situ mineralization in the presence of dissolved arsenic and both ferrous and ferric iron is necessary because it is an important geochemical process in the fate and transformation of arsenic and iron in groundwater systems. This work aimed at evaluating mineral phases that could form and the related transformation of arsenic species during coprecipitation. We conducted batch tests to precipitate ferrous (133 mM) and ferric (133 mM) ions in sulfate (533 mM) solutions spiked with As (0–100 mM As(V) or As(III)) and titrated with solid NaOH (400 mM). Goethite and lepidocrocite were formed at 0.5–5 mM As(V) or As(III). Only lepidocrocite formed at 10 mM As(III). Only goethite formed in the absence of added As(V) or As(III). Iron (II, III) hydroxysulfate green rust (sulfate green rust or SGR) was formed at 50 mM As(III) at an equilibrium pH of 6.34. X-ray analysis indicated that amorphous solid products were formed at 10–100 mM As(V) or 100 mM As(III). The batch tests showed that As removal ranged from 98.65–100%. Total arsenic concentrations in the formed solid phases increased with the initial solution arsenic concentrations ranging from 1.85–20.7 g kg−1. Substantial oxidation of initially added As(III) to As(V) occurred, whereas As(V) reduction did not occur. This study demonstrates that concentrations and species of arsenic in the parent solution influence the mineralogy of coprecipitated solid phases, which in turn affects As redox transformations.
A new upwind weak Galerkin finite element method for linear hyperbolic equations

Abstract In this paper, we develop a new upwind weak Galerkin finite element scheme for linear hyperbolic equations. The upwind-type stabilizer is imposed in the scheme. An error estimate is investigated for a suitable norm. Finally, numerical examples are presented for validating the theoretical conclusions.
Quality-Quantity Tradeoffs in Pricing Public Secondary Education

Most governments provide some public education and must choose how to finance it from fiscal transfers and user fees. I study the effects of a shift from mixed funding to pure fiscal transfers in South African secondary schools. Fee elimination increased enrollment in early grades but decreased enrollment in later grades and both pass counts and pass rates on graduation exams. The latter patterns can be explained by crowding that generated reductions in proxies for instructional quality and hence learning outcomes. This demonstrates that price ceilings without supply-side investments may have limited or even negative effects on education outcomes.
Nurse-Talk Ratios as a Measure of Participation in a Cognitive Rehabilitation Intervention for People With Type 2 Diabetes.

Background Comprehensive cognitive rehabilitation teaches strategies to enhance strengths and has been used by nurses to target cognitive problems in chronic conditions. However, to date, no evaluations of web-based cognitive rehabilitation, based in empowerment theory, specifically for people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), have been done. Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyze a cognitive rehabilitation intervention for people with T2DM, using qualitative content analysis and 10-second event coding to determine to what extent the classes reflected empowerment theory. Methods Nineteen adults with T2DM and two nurses participated in an 8-week intervention that combined webinar classes with online home-based computer training. Classes were audio recorded and 10-second event coding was used to calculate nurse-talk ratios. Transcripts were examined using content analysis and compared with the talk ratios. Results Talk ratios ranged from 40% to 74% for each class. Qualitative themes included (a) importance of goal setting; (b) pairing cognitive strategies with diabetes self-management; (c) experience and information sharing; and (d) validation by healthcare providers. Positive participant outcomes related to empowerment were associated with low nurse-talk ratios in some classes. However, high nurse-talk ratios were associated with factual content that participants also considered valuable. Implications for practice Talk ratios did not completely reflect the communication skills of the nurse. The 10-second method should be applied to other educational interventions in combination with qualitative analysis. Future interventions should include components of discourse evaluation and examinations of relationships to adherence and clinical outcomes.
Dipeptidyl peptidase 9 sets a threshold for CARD8 inflammasome formation by sequestering its active C-terminal fragment.

Summary CARD8 detects intracellular danger signals and forms a caspase-1 activating inflammasome. Like the related inflammasome sensor NLRP1, CARD8 autoprocesses into noncovalently associated N-terminal (NT) and C-terminal (CT) fragments and binds the cellular dipeptidyl peptidases DPP8 and 9 (DPP8/9). Certain danger-associated signals, including the DPP8/9 inhibitor Val-boroPro (VbP) and HIV protease, induce proteasome-mediated NT degradation and thereby liberate the inflammasome-forming CT. Here, we report cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures of CARD8 bound to DPP9, revealing a repressive ternary complex consisting of DPP9, full-length CARD8, and CARD8-CT. Unlike NLRP1-CT, CARD8-CT does not interact with the DPP8/9 active site and is not directly displaced by VbP. However, larger DPP8/9 active-site probes can directly weaken this complex in vitro, and VbP itself nevertheless appears to disrupt this complex, perhaps indirectly, in cells. Thus, DPP8/9 inhibitors can activate the CARD8 inflammasome by promoting CARD8 NT degradation and by weakening ternary complex stability.
Mapping the “naturecultural turn” in performance studies

This essay maps an emerging philosophical and praxiological turn in contemporary performance studies toward the concept of “natureculture.” Natureculture – a concept established in counterpoint to ...
Another brick in the wall: An exploratory analysis of digital forensics programs in the United States

Abstract We present a comprehensive review of digital forensics programs offered by universities across the United States (U.S.). While numerous studies on digital forensics standards and curriculum exist, few, if any, have examined digital forensics courses offered across the nation. Since digital forensics courses vary from university to university, online course catalogs for academic institutions were evaluated to curate a dataset. Universities were selected based on online searches, similar to those that would be made by prospective students. Ninety-seven (n = 97) degree programs in the U.S. were evaluated. Overall, results showed that advanced technical courses are missing from curricula. We conclude that most degree programs evaluated offer legal/cyber law & ethics, investigative processes, and lab & forensic operations courses. The courses offered the least were memory forensics, Internet of Things (IoT) forensics, and program & software forensics. The data shows that some universities with the Forensic Science Education Programs Accreditation Commission (FEPAC) accreditation are lacking instruction in timely digital forensics topics such as memory forensics (0%), hardware security (0%), program & software forensics (0%), and ethical hacking (0%). Investigative processes (100%), network forensics (100%), lab & forensic operations (100%), and a senior design/capstone project (100%) are offered at all FEPAC accredited universities in digital forensics and digital evidence. Undergraduate degree programs with the National Centers of Digital Forensics Academic Excellence (CDFAE) designation had over a 50% offering rate for 11 out of the 22 courses we evaluated. However, memory forensics (0%) and IoT forensics (12.5%) were largely underrepresented. Our work provides an overview of the current state of digital forensics programs and discusses the importance of these courses to educate the next digital forensics workforce.
Association of Lifetime TBI and Military Employment with Late Life ADL Functioning: A Population-Based Prospective Cohort Study.

Abstract Objective To determine associations of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and military employment with activities of daily living (ADL) in late life. Design Population-based prospective cohort study with biennial follow-up and censoring at the time of dementia diagnosis. Setting Community-based integrated health care delivery system. Participants Participants (N=4953) were men (n=2066) and women (n=2887) aged ≥65 years who were dementia free. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures ADL difficulties at baseline and accumulation during follow-up. Results TBI with loss of consciousness (LOC) before the age of 40 years was associated with slightly higher ADL difficulty at baseline for women (rate ratio [RR], 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.08-1.93; P=.01). For men, TBI with LOC at any age was associated with greater ADL difficulty at baseline (age Conclusions Further investigation into factors underlying greater late life functional impairment among survivors of TBI is warranted.
Small Ball in a Big Man’s Game

This chapter analyzes the conditions under which “small ball” lineups are effective in the NBA. It does so by investigating the variables that made the Golden State Warriors’ “Hampton 5 lineup” so successful, all while contrasting the Houston Rockets’ shortcomings with the small ball lineup. A series of mediation analyses utilizing the PROCESS macro in SPSS 26 revealed that small ball is effective under the condition when the small ball team has more assists and a higher 3-point percentage than the opposing team. It is important to note that both of these components have to occur for small ball to be effective, and not just one of the other.
Ligand-based control of nuclearity in (NHC)gold(I) sulfides

N-Heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligands support gold(I) sulfide complexes of varying nuclearity and charge. For sterically undemanding ligands, gold(I) chlorides react with sulfide to form trigold μ3-sulfido cations as the first observed products. The ligand IMes [1,3-bis(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene] supports a monomeric cation, whereas the ICy-(1,3-dicyclohexylimidazol-2-ylidene-) supported cation crystallises as a dimer linked through an aurophilic interaction. The more sterically demanding IDipp [1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene] supports a terminal hydrosulfide, a (μ-hydrosulfido)digold cation, and a μ3-sulfido cation. Use of the expanded-ring NHC 7Dipp [1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1,3-diazepin-2-ylidene] allows the isolation of a neutral digold sulfide.
Risk Assessment and Policy

In this chapter, an assessment of the risks of developing lung cancer from exposures to radon will be discussed, and an attempt made to place such risks in perspective by comparisons to the “natural” risk of developing lung cancer and to the risk of developing it from cigarette smoking.
Endovascular Management of Solid Organ Transplant Complications

Vascular complications following organ transplantation are uncommon but the true incidence is likely to be higher than what is reported. Endovascular treatment offers a first-line, minimally invasive advantage over surgical revision in many instances.
Antibody Interactions with Rhinovirus

This chapter discusses the possible mechanisms of antibody-mediated neutralization of human rhinovirus to better understand how antibodies recognize their targets and neutralize viral infectivity. Understanding these fundamental processes is crucial for future vaccine development and new antibody therapeutics. This is especially true for viruses like the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), where the more traditional approach of using attenuated viral strains appears to be risky and insufficiently efficacious. The rhinoviruses, of which there are more than 100 serotypes, are major causative agents of the common cold in humans. The major difference in human rhinovirus 14 (HRV14) preparation between two crystals is the polyethylene glycol (PEG) 400 that was added as a cryoprotectant. This strongly suggests that the pocket factor found in the HRV14-Fab complex came from PEG 400. Since there has been no direct evidence that pocket factors are derived from the host cell, these results further suggest that pocket factors found in the other viruses might also be compounds used in purification or crystallization. For poliovirus and rhinovirus, interactions with their receptors appear to be essential for the proper release of the genomic RNA into the cytoplasm of the host cell. When antibody-poliovirus complexes enter cells, the viral RNA is quickly digested. Vaccine design strategies might, therefore, benefit by focusing on the production of high-affinity antibodies rather than on a particular in vitro neutralization property.
Down syndrome (trisomy 21) thymuses have a decreased proportion of cells expressing high levels of TCRα,β and CD3: A possible mechanism for diminished T cell function in down syndrome☆

Abstract T cell differentiation antigen expression by thymocytes from nine individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and 27 controls was examined using immunofluorescence and flow cytometry. We found no significant differences between DS and controls in the proportion of CD1 + or CD2 + cells or in the percentages of CD4 − 8 − , CD4 + 8 + , CD4 − 8 + , or CD4 + 8 − cells. However, a significantly smaller proportion of cells expressing high levels of T cell receptor α,β (TCRα,β) was observed in DS thymuses compared to controls (28.0% vs 47.5%, respectively; P ≤ 0.01). A similar observation was made for CD3, a signal-transducing complex for the TCR, where the proportion of cells expressing high levels of CD3 in DS was 24.3% compared to 53.3% for controls ( P ≤ 0.001). These data demonstrate aberrant T cell maturation in DS. Furthermore, our observation of diminished expression of critical molecules for antigen-specific recognition by T cells suggests a possible mechanism for decreased T cell function in DS.
Whole body leucine metabolism in adolescents with Crohn's disease and growth failure during nutritional supplementation

The adaptive response of whole body leucine metabolism to nutritional supplementation was determined in 6 adolescents with Crohn's disease and growth failure. Five healthy adolescents served as controls for body composition studies. In the first study period, all subjects received a constant diet comparable to usual intakes. In the second period, the patients were given overnight intragastric supplemental feedings that increased dietary protein and energy intakes approximately 40% (to 3.2 g/kg . day and 96 kcal/kg . day, respectively). During each dietary period, O2 consumption, nitrogen balance, whole body potassium (40K), and urinary creatinine measurements were obtained on all adolescents, and the patients received a primed, constant, intravenous infusion of [13C]leucine for 4 h in the fed state. Plasma leucine and expired carbon dioxide 13C-enrichments were determined by mass spectrometric techniques. In the first study, O2 consumption and nitrogen balances were similar between groups; in patients, 40K and urinary creatinine were reduced by 30% and 36%, respectively. With nutritional supplementation, nitrogen balance increased fourfold; O2 consumption and 40K increased by 32% and 10%, respectively. Similarly, whole body leucine flux increased from 166.9 +/- 5.9 to 201.3 +/- 11.2 mumol/kg . h (p less than 0.05) due to a 66% increase in leucine incorporation into body protein (p less than 0.01) and a 41% decrease in leucine oxidation (p less than 0.05). Thus, these studies demonstrate that the mechanisms responsible for lean body mass accretion during nutritional supplementation in adolescents with Crohn's disease and growth failure are increased rates of amino acid incorporation into body protein (via protein synthesis) and decreased rates of amino acid oxidation.
Defining the minimal signals necessary to generate an encephalitogenic T cell (IRC8P.476)

While it is generally accepted that Multiple Sclerosis (MS) is a T cell-mediated disease, the factors determining the encephalitogenicity of T cells remains unclear. Myelin-specific T cells generated with antigen presenting cells (APCs) plus myelin peptide are encephalitogenic, whereas T cells generated with anti-CD3/CD28 antibodies are not, suggessting that APCs provide critical signals beyond T cell receptor activation and co-stimulation, contributing to an encephalitogenic phenotype. To recapitulate the signals provided by APCs, naive myelin-specific CD4+ T cells were activated with anti-CD3/CD28 in the presence of various cytokines. The degree of encephalitogenicity of T cells was examined by the severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Although no single cytokine was sufficient, the combination of IL-6/IL-23 or IL-12/IL-23 generated highly encephalitogenic T cells. IL-6 and IL-12 induced the initial expression of IL-23R on naive T cells, and IL-23 further enhanced the expression of its own receptor and the encephalitogenicity. Neutralizing IL-6 or IL-12 with antibodies significantly reduced the severity of EAE, which was induced by APC-generated T cells. We have identified that IL-6/IL-23 or IL-12/IL-23 combination in addition to TCR activation and co-stimulation were the miminal signals necessary to generate encephalitogenic T cells. This provides potential targets that can be manipulated therapeutically, resulting in innovative treatments for MS.
Assessments of Early Reading

Assessment of children's reading has a long history in U.S. education and remains a foundation for improving teaching and learning. This chapter examines developmental issues that surround practices for assessing beginning readers. In particular, we examine and re-interpret the evidence for federal policies emphasizing assessments that have been implemented across the nation, and we suggest an alternative interpretation of the research. Our analyses of early reading assessments reveal how developmental trajectories of different skills may contradict the prevailing component skills view of reading development. The nonlinear growth, universal mastery, and co-dependency of some reading skills (e.g., alphabet knowledge, concepts about print, phonemic awareness) may confound early reading assessments and lead to misinterpretations of data about early reading. This misinterpretation results in early reading practices that privilege some skills over others, and the consequences for teachers and students are enormous. We argue for a more balanced view of assessment that targets a wider variety of skills and accomplishments. Thus, the chapter connects conceptual, methodological, and practical aspects of children's reading development to show the value of an applied psychological perspective on educational issues. Keywords: applied psychology; early reading; linguistic assessment; literacy development
Distributed manipulation of multiple objects using ropes

This paper describes a system in which multiple robots cooperate to move multiple objects such as groups of boxes using a constrained prehensile manipulation mode, by wrapping ropes around them. The system consists of three manipulation skills: tying ropes around objects, effecting rotations using a flossing manipulation gait, and effecting translations using a ratcheting manipulation gait. We present algorithms for these operations, a numerical analysis for the motion of groups of boxes, and experimental results.
Effects of Ethanol Feeding on the Interaction of Rat Hepatocytes with Laminin Peptides

Laminin, a complex glycoprotein of the extracellular matrix, contains a number of biologically active sites. These sites are involved in cell growth, attachment, differentiation, and gene expression. Our previous studies have shown that chronic ethanol consumption by rats impairs hepatocyte attachment to various components of the extracellular matrix including laminin. In this study, three synthetic peptides (PA22-2, YIGSR, and RGD) that correspond to three distinct functional sites on the laminin molecule were used to investigate the effect of ethanol consumption on their cognate receptors. Initially, varying concentrations of each peptide were incubated with isolated hepatocytes from ethanol-fed and pair-fed control rats. These hepatocytes were then assayed for the ability to attach to laminin. The results Indicated that all three peptides effectively inhibited laminin-mediated cell adhesion: the degree of inhibition appeared similar between pair-fed controls and ethanol-fed animals. Of the three peptides, PA22-2 showed the most dramatic inhibition of attachment. Therefore, we investigated the ability of hepatocytes to attach directly to PA22-2 itself. Attachment of hepatocytes from ethanol-fed animals to PA22-2 was impaired by 30% after 4 days and 90% by 14 days. Conversely, no significant difference in attachment to the entire laminin molecule was observed in ethanol-fed animals at these early time points. These results indicated that the ethanol-induced impairment of hepatocyte attachment to laminin may be caused by the decreased interaction of hepatocytes with specific functional sites on the laminin molecule and that specific receptors on the hepatocyte may be affected differently. Because laminin has been shown to influence cell proliferation, differentiation, and gene expression, this defect could potentially result in structural and functional changes of the hepatocytes.