cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of somatosensory neuronal sensitivity to alkaline pH.

Life for most species is best in a very narrow range of pH. Departures of tissue pH from this narrow range are guarded against by various neural and physiological defense mechanisms. In the past few years, we have gained a much better understanding of what the sensory bases of the defenses against acid insults are. Specifically, several ion channels (TRPV1, Caterina et al., 1997; ASIC3, Waldmann et al., 1997; Ugawa, this issue) have been identified and cloned that respond to even moderately acidic pH. Less is known about the mechanisms monitoring tissue alkalinity. Although tissue acidity is the more common condition that is encountered in pathological situations, there are several conditions that give rise to alkaline tissue. Respiratory alkalosis due to hyperventilation, for instance gives rise to tingling in the extremities and lowered peripheral nerve thresholds (Tenny and Lamb, 1965; Mogyoros et al., 1997). Moreover, alkaline environmental insults to unprotected epithelium such as cornea and nasal mucosa give rise to behavioral defenses such as pain (Acosta et al., 2001) or apnea (Lindberg et al., 1987a) and the physiological defenses of vasodilatation (Izumi and Karita, 1993), tearing and increased mucociliary activity (Lindberg et al., 1987b). In the cranial region these defenses are mediated by the branches of the trigeminal nerve. Ammonia, for instance, activates fibers in the ethmoid branch of the trigeminal nerve (Sekizawa and Tsubone, 1994). To elucidate the mechanisms underlying trigeminal sensitivity to alkaline pH, responses of cultured rat trigeminal neurons to alkaline stimulation were measured using fluorescence imaging of intracellular calcium, [Ca]i (Kirifides et al., 2004) and intracellular pH (James-Kraacke, 1992). Using this approach, the influence of epithelial permeability barriers and potential stimulatory contributions of the epithelium were eliminated.
DASIL: The Dermatologic and Aesthetic Surgery International League

The Dermatologic and Aesthetic Surgery International League (DASIL) is a new and exciting international group for dermatologic and aesthetic surgeons. The group has been founded on the premise of international teaching and mentoring to all dermatologic and aesthetic surgeons around the globe. The framework that has been developed allows transparency in all of the actions of the society and creates an opportunity for those interested in participating in teaching and leadership to be involved and have a voice. DASIL will be the international society of dermatologic and aesthetic surgeons with mentoring for our colleagues from all over the world, working together to build a united international dermatologic and aesthetic community.
Structural basis for modulation and agonist specificity of HCN pacemaker channels

The family of hyperpolarization-activated, cyclic nucleotide-modulated (HCN) channels are crucial for a range of electrical signalling, including cardiac and neuronal pacemaker activity, setting resting membrane electrical properties and dendritic integration. These nonselective cation channels, underlying the I(f), I(h) and I(q) currents of heart and nerve cells, are activated by membrane hyperpolarization and modulated by the binding of cyclic nucleotides such as cAMP and cGMP. The cAMP-mediated enhancement of channel activity is largely responsible for the increase in heart rate caused by beta-adrenergic agonists. Here we have investigated the mechanism underlying this modulation by studying a carboxy-terminal fragment of HCN2 containing the cyclic nucleotide-binding domain (CNBD) and the C-linker region that connects the CNBD to the pore. X-ray crystallographic structures of this C-terminal fragment bound to cAMP or cGMP, together with equilibrium sedimentation analysis, identify a tetramerization domain and the mechanism for cyclic nucleotide specificity, and suggest a model for ligand-dependent channel modulation. On the basis of amino acid sequence similarity to HCN channels, the cyclic nucleotide-gated, and eag- and KAT1-related families of channels are probably related to HCN channels in structure and mechanism.
Feeding Lactose to Increase Ruminal Butyrate and the Metabolic Status of Transition Dairy Cows

Abstract Twenty-four multiparous Holstein cows (775±24kg body weight; 3.4±0.11 body condition score) were used in a randomized complete block design experiment to determine the impact of increased ruminal butyrate from the fermentation of lactose on metabolism and lactation. Dietary treatments were either a corn-based control diet (CON) or a diet containing lactose at 15.7% of diet dry matter (LAC). Experimental diets were fed from 21 d before expected calving through 21 d in milk (DIM). Blood was sampled at −21, −14, −7, −2, 2, 7, 14, and 21 DIM, rumen fluid at −21, −7, and 7 DIM, and liver tissue via biopsy at 7 and 14 DIM. Pre- and postpartum dry matter intake (DMI) through 28 DIM averaged 12.8 and 17.7 kg/d, respectively, and did not differ between treatments; however, cows fed LAC did not exhibit a prepartum decrease in DMI. Milk yield was unaffected by treatments and averaged 45.7 kg/d during the first 70 DIM. Plasma glucose, insulin, and non-esterified fatty acids were not affected by dietary treatments. Feeding LAC increased the ruminal proportion of butyrate both pre- (11.3 vs. 9.2±0.45%) and postpartum (13.0 vs. 10.3±0.67%). Likewise, circulating plasma β -hydroxybutyrate was increased both pre- (6.1 vs. 4.2±0.31 mg/dL) and postpartum (14.6 vs. 8.34±1.7 mg/dL) when feeding LAC compared with CON. Liver lipid content was decreased (8.6. vs. 14.7±1.5% of wet weight) in cows fed LAC relative to those fed CON, whereas liver glycogen was not affected by dietary treatments. Feeding lactose to transition dairy cows increased the proportion of butyrate in the rumen and β -hydroxybutyrate in plasma and decreased liver lipid but did not affect lactation performance.
Taylor’s swimming sheet: Analysis and improvement of the perturbation series

Abstract In G.I. Taylor’s historic paper on swimming microorganisms, a two-dimensional sheet was proposed as a model for flagellated cells passing traveling waves as a means of locomotion. Using a perturbation series, Taylor computed swimming speeds up to fourth order in amplitude. Here we systematize the expansion so that it can be carried out formally to arbitrarily high order. The resultant series diverges for an order one value of the wave amplitude, but may be transformed into a series with much improved convergence properties and which yields results comparing favorably to those obtained numerically via a boundary integral method for moderate and large values of the wave amplitudes.
The Pontifex Minimus: William Willcocks and Engineering British Colonialism

SummarySir William Willcocks (1852–1933) was a prominent British irrigation engineer who served in various British colonies. Best known as the chief designer of the Old Aswan Dam, Willcocks was born and trained in India, achieved prominence with his contribution to the development of centralized and perennial irrigation in Egypt, and was hired at the end of his career by the Ottomans to restore the ancient irrigation works of Mesopotamia (which was then on the verge of being acquired by the British). In this article, I follow Willcocks' voyages across the British Empire and show how hydraulic science moved from one colonial centre to another, and how this movement contributed to the construction and maintenance of colonialism on the ground. Often sent to newly acquired territories with ambitious projects to redesign the landscapes of property and agriculture, Willcocks and other engineers who gained their expertise in the colonies relied on lessons from their day-to-day struggle with the land and other so...
Effect of plate thickness on the environmental fatigue crack growth behavior of AA7085-T7451

Abstract Fatigue crack growth rates (L–T) for 102 and 178 mm plates of 7085-T7451 are established at R = 0.1 and 0.5 for a wide-range of ΔK and environments. At R of 0.1, the 178 mm plate exhibits slower crack growth rates independent of environment. The crack growth trends correlate with changes in the fracture surface roughness and compliance-based closure indications, suggesting a dominant role of roughness induced closure. At R of 0.5 compliance-based metrics indicate that minimal closure exists, but plate thickness dependent crack growth behavior persists; grain-scale crack path tortuosity and crack branching govern this behavior. Increased crack path roughness, tortuosity, and branching in the 178 mm plate is attributed to strain localization/cracking along precipitate free zones formed in the thicker plate due to a slower quench rate.
Private Self-Degradation Ceremonies

Shannon, a 20-year-old college senior, reported at her intake session that she continued to suffer repercussions from an event that had occurred many years previously. While in the eighth grade at a parochial school, her class had held a graduation party at a state park. During the party, a boy to whom she was strongly attracted asked her to walk with him alone in the forest. In the course of their walk, the boy suddenly thrust his hand into her pants and touched her vaginal area. Shocked, confused, and in some measure not wanting to displease the boy, Shannon froze. Before she could recover and say or do anything (a period she estimated at perhaps five seconds), the boy removed his hand. Nothing further transpired between the two. As a result of this single, brief incident, Shannon branded herself a “slut,” and with this, radically reassessed her entire social position. In her eyes, she had “fallen” from being sexually whole, good, and valuable to being “easy,” “dirty,” and sexually devalued. She believed that she could no longer presume to have a place among the valued “nice boys and girls” in her peer group, but must regard herself a stigmatized outcast. As a result, she withdrew socially and experienced an extremely lonely and painful adolescence.
Unilateral Refusals to Deal in Intellectual and Other Property

The recent trend in the federal courts has been to reduce the already limited potential antitrust liability faced by dominant firms that individually refuse to supply their rivals with goods or services the latter need to compete. However, important differences have emerged among courts in the extent to which they allow antitrust to reach refusals to supply property protected by intellectual property rights. Courts have differed over whether a firm’s unilateral refusal to supply a rival with IP should be judged under the Section 2 approach that applies to other (non-IP) property or instead should be exempted from normal antitrust scrutiny. Some circuit courts treat refusals to supply IP as susceptible to rule-of-reason inquiry under Section 2 of the Sherman Act whereas at least one court, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, essentially exempts refusals to deal in IP from that antitrust inquiry. This article argues that neither economics nor IP policy considerations provide a sound basis for exempting refusals to supply IP from antitrust law’s general liability standard for unilateral refusals to deal. Where antitrust enforcement treats IP deferentially, it should be because in a particular case there is a link between IP and the innovation and competition considerations that in most cases weigh against antitrust mandates to deal in any property. Sometimes those factors will be magnified where IP is at stake; but they are not so systematically different for intellectual property that refusals to supply IP should be exempted from the antitrust standard applicable to other property.
Trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and tert-butyl alcohol (TBA) at hydrophobic interfaces: insights from molecular dynamics simulations.

TMAO, a potent osmolyte, and TBA, a denaturant, have similar molecular architecture but somewhat different chemistry. We employ extensive molecular dynamics simulations to quantify their behavior at vapor–water and octane–water interfaces. We show that interfacial structure—density and orientation—and their dependence on solution concentration are markedly different for the two molecules. TMAO molecules are moderately surface active and adopt orientations with their N–O vector approximately parallel to the aqueous interface. That is, not all methyl groups of TMAO at the interface point away from the water phase. In contrast, TBA molecules act as molecular amphiphiles, are highly surface active, and, at low concentrations, adopt orientations with their methyl groups pointing away and the C–O vector pointing directly into water. The behavior of TMAO at aqueous interfaces is only weakly dependent on its solution concentration, whereas that of TBA depends strongly on concentration. We show that this concentra...
Supergeneric Collateral Descriptions in Financing Statements and Notice Filing

In this article I discuss two significant changes to financing statement requirements made by Revised Article 9 and how those changes affect “notice filing.” First, Revised section 9-504(2) permits “supergeneric” collateral indications, such as “all assets” or “all personal property,” in financing statements. Former section 9 402(1) required that the financing statement “contain a statement indicating the types, or describing the items of collateral,” and most cases under Former Article 9 that considered the issue concluded that a supergeneric indication was not permitted by this language. Second, Revised Article 9 does not require the debtor’s signature on the financing statement, as did Former section 9-402(1). Instead, under Revised section 9-509, the secured party is authorized to file a financing statement covering the “collateral described in the security agreement” when the security agreement is authenticated by the debtor, or to file an initial financing statement before the debtor has authenticated a security agreement if the debtor has authorized the filing in an authenticated record. This article analyzes these provisions further, considers their possible ramifications in several hypotheticals, reviews in detail one of the few cases discussing these issues, considers what effect these changes could potentially have on how “notice filing” is understood under Revised Article 9, and finally proposes some potential solutions.
Day care: A brief review

Studies examining the effects of day care are reviewed. Little evidence was found indicating a negative impact on child development. A number of weaknesses in the day care literature were pointed out, including problems of ecological validity and failure to examine for differential effects. Suggestions for future research are made, among them a “natural history” of day care and studies of children who have experienced trauma.
Charting the Course: An Empirically Based Theory of the Development of Critical Thinking in Law Students

Recent large-scale research studies indicate that many college students graduate with critical thinking skills no greater than those they possessed upon matriculation. These findings have sent shockwaves through the academy, calling into question the value and efficacy of higher education, particularly when it comes to equipping graduates with the advanced reasoning and problem-solving skills most in demand in the 21st Century. Many of these under prepared graduates pursue advanced education, including the study of law that traditionally has groomed citizens to assume positions of high leadership and solve society’s most complex problems using advanced reasoning and communication skills. As these students enter law school, the legal academy faces intense scrutiny for failure to adopt valid empirically based teaching approaches and demonstrate adequate educational results, prompting the American Bar Association to exercise its regulatory authority to mandate that law schools must now demonstrate learning outcomes. Traditional law school academic support programs cannot address the fundamental deficits in critical thinking among incoming students, and a scarcity of research in legal education has left the legal academy calling for empirical guidance to inform cohesive approaches to the systemic challenges it faces. To address the daunting challenges facing the legal academy, I conducted a qualitative grounded theory study to formulate a comprehensive conceptual model of the development of critical thinking skills in law students that may assist legal educators in establishing best practices for the advancement of higher order thinking skills in law students. The resulting Critical Thinking in Law Students model provides the legal academy with empirical guidance to formulate new strategies to improve learning outcomes and comply with regulatory mandates, while also offering the broader academy insight into the intricate combination of factors that affect the ability of higher education institutions to provide their students with effective education for the development of higher order thinking skills.
Angiotensin II-Induced Aortic Aneurysms in Mice

Angiotensin II (AngII) infusion into mice induces both abdominal and thoracic aortic aneurysms. Continuous delivery of AngII is achieved by subcutaneous implantation of osmotic pumps. The accumulated experience of many laboratories has provided templates for standardizing procedures to enhance reproducibility of data in the quantification and characterization of AngII-induced aortic aneurysms. This chapter provides suggestions for standard protocols, experimental designs, execution, and data interpretation. It includes discussion of the confounding issues in quantifying compositional characteristics of AngII-induced aortic aneurysms.
Three-dimensional assessment of postural tremor during goal-directed aiming

The performance of fine motor tasks which require a degree of precision can be negatively affected by physiological tremor. This study examined the effect of different aiming positions on anterior–posterior (AP), medial–lateral (ML) and vertical (VT) postural tremor. Participants were required to aim a mock handgun at a target located in front of them at eye level. Changes in AP, ML and VT tremor from the forearm and gun barrel were assessed as a function of limb (i.e., whether one or both arms were used) and upper arm position (elbow bent or extended). Tremor was recorded using triaxial accelerometers. Results showed that, across all tasks, the ML and VT tremor for any point was characterized by two frequency peaks (between 1–4 and 8–12 Hz) with amplitude increasing from proximal (forearm) to distal (gun barrel). Interestingly, irrespective of the posture adopted, ML accelerations were of greater amplitude than VT oscillations. AP oscillations were markedly smaller compared to VT and ML tremor, did not display consistent frequency peaks, and were not altered by the arm conditions. Altering the aiming posture resulted in changes in VT and ML tremor amplitude, with oscillations being greater when using a single arm as compared to when two arms were used together. Similarly, tremor amplitude was reduced when the task was performed with the elbow bent compared to the straight arm condition. Overall, these results highlight that ML oscillations make as significant a contribution to the overall tremor dynamics as those observed in the VT direction. However, the origin of ML tremor is not simply the product of voluntary adjustments to maintain aim on the target, but also exhibits features similar to the neural generated 8–12-Hz tremor seen under postural conditions.
Rehabilitation: Occupational Therapy for Stroke

This chapter discusses the occupational therapy for stroke in the rehabilitation setting. Occupational therapy is a discipline that evaluates and treats functional deficits and disruptions in lifestyle due to a developmental disability, illness, injury, or normal aging. Occupational therapists assist individuals after stroke in adapting to their social and physical environment through increasing independence in self-care, mobility, instrumental daily living, work, and leisure tasks. Occupational therapists identify patient goals and the environment in which patients will be performing tasks of daily living. Occupational therapists rely on actual observation of performance as there may be a discrepancy between what a patient is able to do and what the patient actually does. In addition, observation of performance may provide a therapist with information regarding the cause for any difficulty the patient has performing daily tasks. Occupational therapy provides evaluation, training, and compensation for functional disabilities observed poststroke. Treatment consists of education in one-handed techniques, the provision of assistive devices, modifications to the environment, and design of therapeutic activities to remediate motor, sensory, perceptual, cognitive, or psychosocial impairments. In occupational therapy, patients practice daily tasks in a variety of environmental contexts to facilitate retention and generalization of learned skills to the home, community, and work environment.
Insomnias of Childhood: Assessment and Treatment

Insomnia in childhood includes difficulty initiating and maintaining sleep and bedtime resistance. These sleep problems are common in childhood and largely result from interactions between the caregivers or parents and their children. However that are other causes and origins of insomnia that can include child temperament, psychopathology, or variation in sleep need that can include decreased need for sleep and atypical circadian regulation. Chronic insomnia symptoms often precipitate a range of functional daytime impairments (e.g., academic impairment, hyperactivity, inattention, irritability, tiredness) which may further undermine subsequent parent–child interactions including the transition to sleep. Evidence-based interventions for childhood insomnia can address these sleep difficulties and family stress. However, dissemination of evidence-based interventions is limited by the dearth of clinicians trained to deliver these interventions, access to sleep disorder centers, and cost. This chapter provides an overview of approaches to diagnosis and management of childhood insomnia.
Hepatitis C Virus Infection in Patientsis Associated With C/EBPβ-Thr266 Phosphorylation and Hepatocyte Proliferation

AIM: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection in patients induces hepatocyte proliferation and also hepatocellular carcinoma. The mechanisms and the liver acinar distribution of the HCV infection remain unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the liver acinar localization of the infectious HCV and whether HCV infection is associated with the expression of proteins known to modulate hepatocyte proliferation. METHODS: We analyzed normal (n = 6), HCV genotype 1-infected non cirrhotic (n = 6) and HCV genotype 1-infected cirrhotic liver samples (n = 6). We performed immunofluorescent studies using antibodies against HCV Core, Glutamine synthetase (as a marker of hepatic acinar zone-3 in normal livers); phosphorylated C/EBPβ-Thr266 (since it is required for Transforming Growth Factorα-and Hepatic Growth Factor - induced hepatocyte proliferation) and ki-67 (as an indicator of hepatocyte proliferation). Also, we analyzed by QRT-PCR a proliferation microarray to compare the expression of genes associated with cell proliferation in HCV-infected patients. RESULTS: In patients with HCV infection, the HCV Core protein was preferentiallyco-localized with hepatocytes expressing Glutamine synthetase, phosphorylated C/EBPβ-Thr266, HIF-1α and β-Catenin. As expected, phosphorylated C/EBPβ-Thr266 was associated with hepatocyte proliferation in these patients. HCV infection markedly increased hepatocyte proliferation. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that HCV infection is preferentially localized to an expanded acinar zone expressing GS, where enhanced hepatocyte proliferation occurs in association with phosphorylated C/EBPβ-Thr266. A better understanding of the mechanisms of HCV infection may facilitate additional studies and potential therapeutic interventions.
Tracking The Changing Landscape Of Corporate Wellness Companies

The corporate wellness industry is diversifying and now includes legacy wellness companies, divisions of health plans or delivery systems, and new technology-focused solution enterprises. We conduc...
An unusual case of feline acute corneal hydrops: atypical disease presentation and possible in vivo detection of Descemet's membrane detachment in the cat's unaffected eye

A 1-year-old, female spayed, domestic shorthair cat presented for blepharospasm of the right eye. Slit-lamp biomicroscopic examination showed focal corneal ulceration and presumptive keratomalacia of the right eye. Examination of the left eye was normal apart from a focal endothelial opacity. Within the first 24 h of medical management, the right eye developed marked corneal edema and globular anterior protrusion of the corneal surface consistent with feline acute corneal hydrops (FACH). Surgical management consisted of a bridge conjunctival graft, nictitating membrane flap, and temporary tarsorrhaphy. Resolution of corneal edema and pain occurred in the right eye within 24 days. Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) of the anterior segment was performed in both eyes. Conjunctival tissue from the bridge graft precluded examination of deeper corneal structures in the right eye. The left eye displayed a focal separation of the corneal endothelium and Descemet's membrane from the overlying stroma. These SD-OCT findings are similar to the analogous syndrome found in humans and represent a potential etiology for FACH of the right eye in the case presented here. Unfortunately, the cat was lost to follow-up and the progression of this lesion to FACH in the left eye could not be determined.
Prevalence of the Nematode Hysterothylacium aduncum in the Amphipod Americorophium salmonis Consumed by Juvenile Chinook Salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Columbia River Estuary

Parasites transmitted through the consumption of infected prey items are commonly used to examine patterns of host feeding. However, an estimate of the prevalence of larval parasites in consumed prey items is often lacking restricting the ability to translate the number of parasites observed into the number of prey consumed. This study examined the prevalence of the nematode parasite Hysterothylacium aduncum in the benthic amphipod Americorophium salmonis recovered from the stomachs of juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) collected near the mouth of the Columbia River estuary (USA) in May, June, and July of 2011. This study represents the first estimate of the prevalence of H. aduncum in A. salmonis from this locality. The stomachs of 118 subyearling Chinook salmon were examined for prey items. We recovered 472 undigested A. salmonis from stomachs that were then examined for juvenile H. aduncum. Six of the 472 A. salmonis were infected with H. aduncum (1.3%). However, prevalence and mean intensity of H. aduncum was 74.6% and 12.9 ± 15.0 S.D. respectively in the gastrointestinal tracts of those salmon. The low prevalence of the parasite in the ingested A. salmonis and the high recovery of adult parasites in subyearling salmon suggest salmon fed on perhaps hundreds of this prey item to acquire the observed numbers of H. aduncum as opposed to the 4.0 ± 6.2 S.D. A. salmonis found on average during stomach content examination. This reemphasizes the importance of A. salmonis as a prey item for subyearling Chinook salmon within the estuary.
37: Caspase-11 controls inflammasome activation in response to bacterial secretion systems that access the host cell cytosol

Inflammasome activation is important for antimicrobial defense because it induces cell death and regulates the secretion of IL-1 family cytokines. The inflammasome activates caspase-1 to process and secrete IL-1 β . However, the mechanisms governing IL-1 α release are less clear. Recently, a non-canonical inflammasome was described that activates caspase-11 and mediates pyroptosis and release of IL-1 α and IL-1 β through TRIF-dependent interferon production. However, it is unknown whether additional bacterial signals trigger caspase-11 activation. Many bacterial pathogens use specialized secretion systems to translocate effector proteins into the host cell cytosol. These secretion systems can also deliver flagellin into the cytosol, which triggers caspase-1 activation and pyroptosis. However, specialized secretion systems still induce inflammasome activation in the absence of flagellin, but the pathways that mediate this response are unclear. We observe rapid inflammasome activation in response to the type IV or type III secretion systems of Legionella pneumophila and Yersinia pseudotuberculosis . Unlike IL-1 β secretion, IL-1 α secretion does not require caspase-1. Instead, caspase-11 is required for both IL-1 α secretion and cell death in response to the activity of these secretion systems. Caspase-11 promotes IL-1 β release through the NLRP3/ASC inflammasome, but caspase-11-dependent release of IL-1 α is independent of NLRP3/ASC, NAIP5/NLRC4, TRIF, and type I interferon signaling. Furthermore, we find both overlapping and non-redundant roles for IL-1 α and IL-1 β in mediating neutrophil recruitment and bacterial clearance in response to pulmonary infection by L. pneumophila . Our findings demonstrate that virulent, but not avirulent, bacteria trigger a rapid caspase-11-dependent innate immune response that is critical for host defense in vivo.
Single-Subject Structural Networks with Closed-Form Rotation Invariant Matching Improve Power in Developmental Studies of the Cortex

Although much attention has recently been focused on single-subject functional networks, using methods such as resting-state functional MRI, methods for constructing single-subject structural networks are in their infancy. Single-subject cortical networks aim to describe the self-similarity across the cortical structure, possibly signifying convergent developmental pathways. Previous methods for constructing single-subject cortical networks have used patch-based correlations and distance metrics based on curvature and thickness. We present here a method for constructing similarity-based cortical structural networks that utilizes a rotation-invariant representation of structure. The resulting graph metrics are closely linked to age and indicate an increasing degree of closeness throughout development in nearly all brain regions, perhaps corresponding to a more regular structure as the brain matures. The derived graph metrics demonstrate a four-fold increase in power for detecting age as compared to cortical thickness. This proof of concept study indicates that the proposed metric may be useful in identifying biologically relevant cortical patterns.
Genetic Influences on the Behavior of Chickens Associated with Welfare and Productivity

Many behaviors in poultry can be modified by genetic selection. Selection of laying hens for maximum egg production had the unfortunate side effect of increased rates of beak inflicted damage on other birds. Selective breeding has eliminated broodiness and has either increased or decreased other behaviors, such as hysteria, fearfulness, appetite in broilers, social dominance, ability and damage to other birds. Genetic selection can be used to reduce behaviors that cause welfare problems. However, it must be approached with caution to avoid unintended consequences that would be detrimental to welfare. A calm, docile bird that appears behaviorally calm, may take longer for its heart rate to return to normal after it is frightened. The use of group selection instead of single-bird selection can be effectively used to reduce undesirable behaviors such as feather pecking and to maintain high egg production. An entire group of birds is selected instead of selecting individuals.
The North American Great Lakes

The Great Lakes are a vast resource shared by two countries, ten states and provinces, and hundreds of Indian tribes or First Nations. They are the quint- essential commons that have seen their share of tragedies. Addressing competing pressures of economic development and environmental protection is only part of the challenge. The real struggle has been governance: How is management of an international transboundary resource best accomplished under the legal and political limitations of constitutional federalism? This chapter analyses the international agreements, court decisions, interstate compacts, and federal statutes that created a transboundary water regime, considering in detail the Great Lakes- St. Lawrence River Basin Sustainable Water Resources Agreement and Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact as models for responding to stresses on transboundary water resources from climate change.
Swarna × Oryza nivara introgression lines: a resource for seedling vigour traits in rice

Seedling vigour is an important indicator of crop establishment, subsequent crop growth and yield. Initial seedling vigour is most vital in case of water-limited conditions and in environments where the crop is exposed to different stresses at the early growth stage. Wild and weedy species are well known for their vigour and survival in adverse environmental conditions. Seedling vigour traits of backcross introgression lines (BILs) derived from Swarna × Oryza nivara IRGC81848(S) (accession from Uttar Pradesh, India) and IRGC81832 (K) (accession from Bihar, India) were studied in wet (Kharif) and dry (Rabi) seasons. Seedling vigour was estimated in terms of plant height and tiller number at 30 and 60 d after transplanting under field conditions. In both the seasons, 148S showed highest seedling vigour for plant height. The highest number of tillers were produced by 7K in Kharif and 248S in Rabi season. 75S showed the highest percentage increase in tiller number consistently. High yielding BILs 166S, 14S and 148S showed higher seedling vigour indices compared with checks Tulasi and Sahbhagidhan. Seedling vigour was also evaluated using paper roll method and shoot length, root length and dry weight were used to estimate vigour index. Season-wise association studies were conducted to determine the relative contribution of seedling vigour to yield traits. Seedling vigour was significantly correlated with yield traits. Markers RM217 and RM253 on chromosome 6 differentiated lines with high seedling vigour from those with low seedling vigour and have the potential for use in marker-assisted breeding.
Left Atrial Size and Function in Patients With Congenital Aortic Valve Stenosis.

Little information exists on left atrial (LA) function in healthy children and in patients with congenital aortic valve stenosis (AS). We sought to determine whether patients with significant congenital AS have detectable abnormalities in LA size and function compared with matched normal controls. Retrospective chart review and analysis of 2-dimensional echocardiographic images for phasic left atrial volumes (LAVs) and longitudinal LA strain by speckle tracking in children ≥1 years of age with ≥ moderate isolated congenital AS. LAVs and LA strain in AS cases were compared with age, gender, and body surface area-matched controls (healthy children with a normal echocardiogram). Between June 2004 and October 2012, there were 36 eligible AS cases [age 13 (range 3 to 27) years; 30 males] with a median maximal Doppler gradient of 63 (range 43 to 94) mm Hg. No significant interobserver and intraobserver differences were noted in the analyses of normal subjects. Significantly higher phasic body surface area-adjusted LAVs [preatrial contraction: p = 0.01; minimal: p = 0.04] and higher LA contractile function parameters [indexed active LA stroke volume: p = 0.03; peak negative strain p = 0.04] were noted in AS cases compared with matched controls. In conclusion, compared with normal, children with congenital AS have higher preatrial contraction and minimal phasic LA volumes and higher LA contractile function.
Fullerene and Its Derivatives for Organic Solar Cells

We describe in detail the features and characteristics of fullerene and its derivatives, specifically as acceptors in the field of bulk heterojunction solar cells. Examples of alterations on the PCBM structure are schematically presented, examining the effects of these modifications on device performance. Additionally, we discuss alternatively functionalized fullerenes, including the emerging bis-adduct derivatives.
BRST Resolution for the Principally Graded Wakimoto Module of $$\widehat{\mathfrak{s}\mathfrak{l}}_2 $$

BRST resolution is studied for the principally graded Wakimoto module of \(\widehat{\mathfrak{s}\mathfrak{l}}_2 \) recently found in math.QA/0005203. The submodule structure is completely determined and irreducible representations can be obtained as the zero-th cohomology group.
Slave Narratives, the Bible and Hymns, Oh My...: Religion Text-Mining as a Liaison Service

Learn how theological librarians can forge collaborative enterprises to help integrate digital humanities into academic research and teaching. Coordinating partnerships among digital humanities specialists, faculty, and other researchers allows theological librarians to provide additional services while also enhancing their standing within the academic community. We will highlight specific examples of text analysis, including identifying and visualizing Deuteronomic phrases with African-American slave narratives, and visualizing similarities between George Whitefield’s sermons and hymns. We will share and demonstrate custom-developed applications and methods to help theological librarians quickly get started in digital humanities. We look forward to sharing with you our successful collaborative endeavors.
Opioid-Induced Signaling and Antinociception Are Modulated by the Recently Deorphanized Receptor, GPR171.

ProSAAS is one of the most widely expressed proteins throughout the brain and was recently found to be upregulated in chronic fibromyalgia patients. BigLEN is a neuropeptide that is derived from ProSAAS and was recently discovered to be the endogenous ligand for the orphan G protein-coupled receptor GPR171. Although BigLEN-GPR171 has been found to play a role in feeding and anxiety behaviors, it has not yet been explored in pain and opioid modulation. The purpose of this study was to evaluate this novel neuropeptide-receptor system in opioid-induced antinociception. We found that GPR171 is expressed in GABAergic neurons within the periaqueductal gray, which is a key brain area involved in pain modulation and opioid functions. We also found that, although the GPR171 agonist and antagonist do not have nociceptive effects on their own, they oppositely regulate morphine-induced antinociception with the agonist enhancing and antagonist reducing antinociception. Lastly, we showed that the GPR171 antagonist or receptor knockdown decreases signaling by the mu-opioid receptor, but not the delta-opioid receptor. Taken together, these results suggest that antagonism of the GPR171 receptor reduces mu opioid receptor signaling and morphine-induced antinociception, whereas the GPR171 agonist enhances morphine antinociception, suggesting that GPR171 may be a novel target toward the development of pain therapeutics. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT GPR171 is a recently deorphanized receptor that is expressed within the periaqueductal gray and can regulate mu opioid receptor signaling and antinociception. This research may contribute to the development of new therapeutics to treat pain.
Mesoscale Shape Memory Alloy Actuator for Visual Clarity of Surgical Cameras in Minimally Invasive Robotic Surgery

This paper proposes a mesoscale shape memory alloy (SMA) actuator for cleaning the contaminated lenses of surgical cameras during minimally invasive robotic surgery. The proposed design features minimal intraopertive interruption to maintain visual clarity of fully insertable surgical cameras by quickly removing vapor condensation, particle debris, body fluids, etc. that adhere to the cover lenses. Inspired by the mechanical properties of 1-D SMA materials, a set of SMA wires are employed to drive an eyelid wiper that is concealed in the module’s edge. By analyzing the actuation mechanism, we provide a design guideline for developing a functional modular actuator. A numerical computation model is also proposed to predict the actuation cycles according to various combinations of design parameters. The performance of an initial prototype is experimentally evaluated by introducing three different contamination sources, i.e., fogging, bone dusts, and blood. The predicted actuation cycle is experimentally validated with 95.2% prediction accuracy. And the actuation cycle of the eyelid wiper is about 2 s.
Abstract C063: A novel Nrf2 inhibitor suppresses proliferation and enhances the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy

The Nrf2-Keap1-ARE pathway, a master defense mechanism against oxidative and electrophilic stresses, has emerged as a target for cancer therapy. Activation of Nrf2 has been a common strategy for cancer prevention, as Nrf2 deficiency enhances susceptibility to carcinogens in a wide variety of preclinical models. However, accumulating evidence suggests a tumor-promoting role for Nrf2 in established tumors. Constitutive activation of Nrf2 because of gain of functionmutations in NFE2L2 or loss of function mutations in its negative regulator Keap1, has been found in many cancers, especially lung cancer, and is associated with chemoresistance and poor survival in human patients. Nrf2 inhibitors, therefore, provide a potential novel strategy for treating cancer. Here, we report a novel Nrf2 inhibitor, MSU225, identified from an existing chemistry library. MSU225 dose-dependently downregulated tBHQ (tert-butyl hydroquinone)-induced Nrf2 transcriptional activity in a luciferase reporter assay without cytotoxicity. MSU225 also decreased the expression of Nrf2 downstream targets, including HO-1, NQO1, GST1A1, GCLC, GCLM, and UGT1A6 in A549 human lung cancer cells, in which Keap1 is mutated and Nrf2 activation is constitutive. Notably, MSU225 induced a striking and significant (p Citation Format: Di Zhang, Kelly Aldrich, Thomas Dexheimer, Edmund Ellsworth, Aaron Odom, Karen Liby. A novel Nrf2 inhibitor suppresses proliferation and enhances the sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapy [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference on Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2019 Oct 26-30; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2019;18(12 Suppl):Abstract nr C063. doi:10.1158/1535-7163.TARG-19-C063
CARDIOMYOPATHY CAUSED BY SECONDARY HEMOCHROMATOSIS IN A PATIENT WITH MYELODYSPLASTIC SYNDROME

The incidence of iron overload cardiomyopathy is increasing likely due to increased disease detection. Secondary hemochromatosis is commonly caused by chronic red blood cell transfusion therapy. Heart failure is considered a late complication in secondary hemochromatosis. Symptomatic progression can
Precursors and Black Holes

In defining precursor operators in AdS/CFT it is tempting to identify the single qubit operator W with a local low-dimension CFT field. However, local fields when they act inject infinite energy into the CFT system and this is not what we want. The remedy is to smear the field over a time interval. We would like the energy of the field to be such that it would increase the entropy of the black hole by one thermal unit. This means that the energy should be equal to the temperature. We therefore assume that \(W_L\) is an operator that adds a thermal quantum to the left-side black hole.
Identification of clinical combination therapies to induce durable responses in kidney cancers

Abstract The lack of effective treatment options for advanced non-clear cell renal cell carcinoma (NCCRCC) is a critical unmet clinical need. Applying a high throughput drug screen to multiple human kidney cancer cells, we identified the combination of the VEGFR-MET inhibitor cabozantinib and the SRC inhibitor dasatinib acted synergistically in cells to markedly reduce cell viability. Importantly, the combination was well tolerated and caused tumor regression in vivo. Transcriptional and phosphoproteomic profiling revealed that the combination converged to downregulate the MAPK-ERK signaling pathway, a result not predicted by single agent analysis alone. Correspondingly, the addition of a MEK inhibitor synergized with either dasatinib or cabozantinib to increase its efficacy. This study, by employing approved, clinically relevant drugs provides the rationale for the design of effective combination treatments in NCCRCC that can be rapidly translated to the clinic.
Delay Independent Truncated Predictor Feedback for Continuous-Time Linear Systems

The truncated predictor feedback design simplifies the predictor feedback design by discarding the distributed delay term. The implementation of the remaining static feedback term of the predictor feedback law requires the exact knowledge of the input delay. The truncated predictor state feedback law for continuous-time linear systems with a constant delay is such an example. The exact value of the delay appears in the exponential factor eAτ of the truncated predictor feedback law. Moreover, the determination of the value of the feedback parameter of the truncated predictor feedback law requires, although not the exact value of the delay, an upper bound of the delay to be known. This requirement of the information of the delay, which explicitly or implicitly appears in the truncated predictor feedback law, suggests that the truncated predictor feedback law is delay-dependent. The delay-dependency of the truncated predictor feedback law also manifests itself in the observer based feedback design. To construct an observer whose state asymptotically approaches the state of the open loop system, the dynamics of the observer generally contains the delayed input. This implies that the exact value of the delay is also required in the construction of the observer used in the observer based truncated predictor feedback law.
Approach to Common Chief Complaints

Flexible bronchoscopy is an efficient tool for diagnosing common respiratory complaints, including noisy breathing, chronic wheezing, and chronic cough. Accurate diagnosis involves not only recognition of anatomic abnormalities but also assessment of airway dynamics under conditions that can vary from sleep to forced exhalation. Thus, accurate diagnosis requires a recognition of the conditions under which the problem exists and an understanding of how the airways behave under normal and pathologic conditions. The bronchoscopist must understand the physiology of the airways under normal and abnormal conditions, taking into account how both transmural pressure and airways resistance can affect airway cross-sectional area. Aspects of the patient’s history, including timing, persistence, triggers, and predisposing factors for the problem, can all help identify which patient requires airway evaluation and under what conditions the evaluation will be most revealing. Similarly, the physical examination is directed toward the quality and characteristics of the abnormal sound, any associated changes to voice, clinical features that could predispose toward the problem, and the impact of the problem on the patient’s breathing effort and overall growth and development. Together, a careful history and physical examination, as well as an understanding of the conditions under which the respiratory abnormality occurs in a given patient, can enhance the diagnostic yield of the bronchoscopic procedure. Additionally, an understanding of dynamic airway mechanics under passive and dynamic conditions can help the endoscopist distinguish between normal and abnormal phenomena.