cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Are the Sources of Health Policy That Influence Nursing Practice

This article seeks to fill a gap in the existing nursing literature by answering the question, "Where does health policy come from?" Nursing leaders agree that nurses should be involved in developing health policy, yet most nurses are not engaged. Many factors contribute to nurses' low rates of involvement, but the primary drivers is that nurses believe they lack the knowledge and skills to influence policy formulation. This article proposes a framework of the sources of health policy. We classify health policy sources as public, organizational, or professional, and provide examples. Nurses with a deeper understanding of the varied sources of health policy can enhance their political competence and more readily act in the policy domain.
Cryptosporidium parvum Mitochondrial-Type HSP70 Targets Homologous and Heterologous Mitochondria

A mitochondrial HSP70 gene (Cp-mtHSP70) is described for the apicomplexan Cryptosporidium parvum, an agent of diarrhea in humans and animals. Mitochondrial HSP70 is known to have been acquired from the proto-mitochondrial endosymbiont. The amino acid sequence of Cp-mtHSP70 shares common domains with mitochondrial and proteobacterial homologues, including 34 amino acids of an NH2-terminal mitochondrion-like targeting presequence. Phylogenetic reconstruction places Cp-mtHSP70 within the mitochondrial clade of HSP70 homologues. Using reverse transcription-PCR, Cp-mtHSP70 mRNA was observed in C. parvum intracellular stages cultured in HCT-8 cells. Polyclonal antibodies to Cp-mtHSP70 recognize a approximately 70-kDa protein in Western blot analysis of sporozoite extracts. Both fluorescein- and immunogold-labeled anti-Cp-mtHSP70 localize to a single mitochondrial compartment in close apposition to the nucleus. Furthermore, the NH2-terminal presequence of Cp-mtHSP70 can correctly target green fluorescent protein to the single mitochondrion of the apicomplexan Toxoplasma gondii and the mitochondrial network of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. When this presequence was truncated, the predicted amphiphilic alpha-helix was shown to be essential for import into the yeast mitochondrion. These data further support the presence of a secondarily reduced relict mitochondrion in C. parvum.
A Spectrofluorometer for Recording of Intracellular Oxidation-Reduction States

A simple and versatile microspectrofluorometer is described together with suitable electronic circuits for single-differential-or double-aperture operation. The apparatus is suitable for measuring oxidation-reduction states of mitochondrial and cytoplasmic pyridine nucleotide in various organs with apertures ranging from 15 microns up to a few millimeters. Suitable optical and electronic components are briefly described together with some of their limitations. The application of the method to the state of oxygenation of brain and liver together with the recording of hormonal responses in the heart is indicated. An outline of the limitations of the present apparatus and desirable future developments is included.
Changes in physiology with increasing fat mass

Obesity has reached epidemic proportions in the USA with a nearly fourfold rise in the prevalence of childhood obesity. There are many possible etiologies of obesity as the adipose tissue plays a significant, complex role in the physiology of fuel metabolism and hormone regulation. The development of obesity represents a pathophysiologic increase in fat mass in which multiple metabolic pathways are deranged. The consequences of these metabolic derangements, including insulin resistance and inflammation, are reflected in obesity-related comorbidities and can be seen in the setting of pediatric obesity. Obese adolescents demonstrate increased rates of early maturation, orthopedic growth abnormalities, diabetes mellitus, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, steatosis, and polycystic ovarian syndrome, placing this group of children at risk for long-term health problems and reduced quality of life. Given the negative short- and long-term impact of obesity on children, careful attention should be paid to the unique health issues of this "at-risk" population with both prevention and early intervention strategies.
EFFECT OF STORAGE ON SENSORY PROPERTIES OF FRESH‐CUT CANTALOUPE VARIETIES

Abstract The sensory properties of fresh-cut fruit deteriorate before visual sensory properties. An appealing look that has lost its appealing flavor will not result in repeat purchases. The sensory attributes were characterized for 4 varieties of cantaloupes and monitored for change during storage using descriptive sensory analysis. The 4 varieties, Athena, Sol Real, Primo and Pacstart, were produced in 1999 and 2000. The melons were prepared and stored in rigid packaging. Variety significantly affected sweet aromatic, chemical, sweet, astringent, hardness, moisture release and surface wetness. Pacstart was lower in ‘Fruity’ and ‘Sweet’ intensity. At the ideal condition 4C, little change occurred during storage. Cucurbits, cohesiveness and surface wetness significantly changes during 7 days of storage. Sol Real and Pacstart were significantly harder than Athena and Primo. Sol Real decreased in hardness. Off-flavor development was minimal.
Identification of Residues in Yeast Spo11p Critical for Meiotic DNA Double-Strand Break Formation

Saccharomyces cerevisiae Spo11 protein (Spo11p) is thought to generate the DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) that initiate homologous recombination during meiosis. Spo11p is related to a subunit of archaebacterial topoisomerase VI and appears to cleave DNA through a topoisomerase-like transesterase mechanism. In this work, we used the crystal structure of a fragment of topoisomerase VI to model the Spo11p structure and to identify amino acid residues in yeast Spo11p potentially involved in DSB catalysis and/or DNA binding. These residues were mutated to determine which are critical for Spo11p function in vivo. Mutation of Glu-233 or Asp-288, which lie in a conserved structural motif called the Toprim domain, abolished meiotic recombination. These Toprim domain residues have been implicated in binding a metal ion cofactor in topoisomerases and bacterial primases, supporting the idea that DNA cleavage by Spo11p is Mg2+ dependent. Mutations at an invariant arginine (Arg-131) within a second conserved structural motif known as the 5Y-CAP domain, as well as three other mutations (E235A, F260R, and D290A), caused marked changes in the DSB pattern at a recombination hotspot, suggesting that Spo11p contributes directly to the choice of DNA cleavage site. Finally, certain DSB-defective mutant alleles generated in this study conferred a semidominant negative phenotype but only when Spo11p activity was partially compromised by the presence of an epitope tag. These results are consistent with a multimeric structure for Spo11p in vivo but may also indicate that the amount of Spo11 protein is not a limiting factor for DSB formation in normal cells.
Potential Efficiencies of Open- and Closed-Cycle CO, Supersonic, Electric-Discharge Lasers

Computed open- and closed-cycle system efficiencies (laser power output divided by electrical power input) are presented for a CW carbon monoxide, supersonic, electric-discharge laser. Closed-system results include the compressor power required to overcome stagnation pressure losses due to supersonic heat addition and a supersonic diffuser. The paper shows the effect on the system efficiencies of varying several important parameters. These parameters include: gas mixture, gas temperature, gas total temperature, gas density, total discharge energy loading, discharge efficiency, saturated gain coefficient, optical cavity size and location with respect to the discharge, and supersonic diffuser efficiency. Maximum open-cycle efficiency of 80-90% is predicted; the best closed-cycle result is 60-70%.
Yoga Is as Good as Stretching–Strengthening Exercises in Improving Functional Fitness Outcomes: Results From a Randomized Controlled Trial

BACKGROUND Despite yoga's popularity, few clinical trials have employed rigorous methodology to systematically explore its functional benefits compared with more established forms of exercise. The objective of this study was to compare the functional benefits of yoga with the conventional stretching-strengthening exercises recommended for adults. METHODS Sedentary healthy adults (N = 118; M age = 62.0) participated in an 8-week (three times a week for 1 hour) randomized controlled trial, which consisted of a Hatha yoga group (n = 61) and a stretching-strengthening exercise group (n = 57). Standardized functional fitness tests assessing balance, strength, flexibility, and mobility were administered at baseline and postintervention. RESULTS A repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance showed a significant time effect for measures of balance [F(3,18) = 4.88, p < .01, partial η(2) = .45], strength [F(2,19) = 15.37, p < .001, partial η(2) = .62], flexibility [F(4,17) = 8.86, p < .001, partial η(2) = .68], and mobility [F(2,19) = 8.54, p < .002, partial η(2) = .47]. Both groups showed significant improvements on measures of balance (left-right leg and four square step); strength (chair stands and arm curls); flexibility (back scratch and sit-and-reach); and mobility (gait speed and 8-feet up and go), with partial η(2) ranging from .05 to .47. CONCLUSIONS These data suggest that regular yoga practice is just as effective as stretching-strengthening exercises in improving functional fitness. To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine functional benefits of yoga in comparison with stretching-strengthening exercises in sedentary, healthy, community-dwelling older adults. These findings have clinical implications as yoga is a more amenable form of exercise than strengthening exercises as it requires minimal equipment and can be adapted for individuals with lower levels of functioning or disabilities.
Reflections on Researching Yoga

I spend a great deal of time thinking about the most appropriate ways to design studies to evaluate various complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies. Each type of CAM therapy offers unique challenges to the researcher, and Yoga is no exception.
Die Schachtel der Pandora

Das Berufsleben eines Meteorologen ware verhaltnismasig einfach, konnten wir die Diskussion der Strahlstrome hier abbrechen. Wir hatten uns nur mit einem einzigen Jet-Stream zu befassen, und wir konnten seine Entstehung und Aufrechterhaltung und die Tendenz zur Erhaltung des Drehimpulses erklaren. Die bahnbrechenden Entdeckungen der Bomberpiloten des zweiten Weltkrieges waren somit auch theoretisch entratselt. Sie konnten sogar durch Laboratoriumsexperimente mittels rotierender Wasserbecken veranschaulicht und verifiziert werden.
Review: Glass Ceilings: Highlights from the International Archive of Women Architects

Glass Ceilings: Highlights from the International Archive of Women Architects . Virginia Center for Architecture, Richmond. 4 March–6 June 2010 Housed in a sprawling Tudor Revival mansion designed in 1916 by John Russell Pope for financier John Kerr Branch, the Virginia Center for Architecture in Richmond stands among the contentious memorials to Virginia-born Confederate heroes and Richmond native Arthur Ashe that dominate Monument Avenue. Set within this insistently masculine topography, the recent exhibition Glass Ceilings: Highlights from the International Archive of Women Architects recast this particularly potent site to challenge historical narratives built on male privilege (Figure 1). Showcasing twenty women drawn from the hundreds represented in the International Archive, the exhibition rewarded visitors with fresh materials and new discoveries. As the title suggests, however, the show advanced two ambitious, if ultimately competing, curatorial aims: to offer a critique of gender inequity within the architectural profession, as the fittingly architectural metaphor of the glass ceiling suggested, and to further the celebratory, recuperative project for which these archival collections were originally built. Figure 1 Glass Ceilings (author's photo, courtesy Virginia Center for Architecture, Richmond) Founded in 1985 by the Bulgarian-born architect Milka Bliznakov, the International Archive of Women Architects (IAWA) is now a joint project of Virginia Tech's University Libraries and College of Architecture and Urban Studies. Its stated mission is to “document the history of women's contributions to the built environment by collecting, preserving, storing and making available to researchers the professional papers of women architects, landscape architects, designers, architectural historians and critics, and urban planners, and the records of women's architectural organizations.”1 While materials from the IAWA have been showcased in previous exhibitions, including Contributions of Women Architects …
Ovotesticular Disorders of Sexual Development: A Case of Hernia Uteri Inguinalis.

Ovotesticular disorders of sexual development result in the presence of both testis and ovarian tissue. Most commonly, gonadal structures in the scrotum or inguinal canal are comprised of testis tissue. The presence of a uterus within an inguinal hernia sac in a phenotypically male patient is referred to as hernia uteri inguinalis. This condition has rarely been reported in patients with ovotesticular disorders of sexual development. We present a patient with rare mosaicism in combination with an unusual location of Mullerian duct structures within an inguinal hernia sac.
Response Statistics of a Nonlinear Coupled Oscillator Under Parametric Excitation

The nonlinear random response of a cantilever beam to a band limited parametric excitation is investigated numerically and experimentally. The beam response is represented by the first two modes which are found to be coupled through nonlinear inertia and parametric terms. The excitation is modeled by a filtered white noise whose center frequency is close to either twice the first, or twice the second, or the sum of the two modal frequencies. The response statistics are predicted by using Monte Carlo simulation. The results are compared qualitatively with the experimental measurements. It is found that both predicted and measured response statistics are nonstationary. When one mode is parametrically excited the other mode is also indirectly excited through nonlinear modal interaction. In addition the response probability density functions are characterized by multi-maxima curves.
How Multidisciplinary Are the Multidisciplinary Journals Science and Nature

Interest in cross-disciplinary research knowledge interchange runs high. Review processes at funding agencies, such as the U.S. National Science Foundation, consider plans to disseminate research across disciplinary bounds. Publication in the leading multidisciplinary journals, Nature and Science, may signify the epitome of successful interdisciplinary integration of research knowledge and cross-disciplinary dissemination of findings. But how interdisciplinary are they? The journals are multidisciplinary, but do the individual articles themselves draw upon multiple fields of knowledge and does their influence span disciplines? This research compares articles in three fields (Cell Biology, Physical Chemistry, and Cognitive Science) published in a leading disciplinary journal in each field to those published in Nature and Science. We find comparable degrees of interdisciplinary integration and only modest differences in cross-disciplinary diffusion. That said, though the rate of out-of-field diffusion might be comparable, the sheer reach of Nature and Science, indicated by their potent Journal Impact Factors, means that the diffusion of knowledge therein can far exceed that of leading disciplinary journals in some fields (such as Physical Chemistry and Cognitive Science in our samples).
The Color of Night: Race, Railroaders, and Murder in the Wartime West. By Max G. Geier.

The Color of Night: Race, Railroaders, and Murder in the Wartime West . By Max G. Geier. (Corvallis: Oregon State University Press, 2015. 374 pp. Illustrations, notes, index. $24.95, paper.) On 23 January 1943, Martha James, a young, white war bride from Virginia was brutally murdered on a train in rural Oregon. Although circumstantial evidence pointed to the white Marine who discovered the dying woman, investigators focused their attention on an African American trainman, Robert E. Lee Folkes. Based on questionable evidence, Folkes was arrested, tried, convicted, and executed. In The Color of Night , Max G. Geier analyzes this case, explaining how wartime conditions and deep-seated racial prejudice led the police and the prosecutor to target Folkes. He also …
Modulation of Receptor Pharmacology by G Protein-Coupled Receptor Dimerization

Although it was classically believed that G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) acted as monomeric entities, it is now well-established that they exist and function as dimers (or oligomers) in the plasma membrane. In addition to forming homodimers, GPCRs can associate with closely or distantly related members of the GPCR superfamily to form heterodimers. Dissection of the functional relevance of these associations is currently an area of enormous interest. Additionally, there is mounting evidence that heterodimerization can generate receptors with novel characteristics, leading to altered pharmacological properties. This could at least partially account for pharmacologically defined receptor subtypes for which no gene has been identified. This chapter reviews recent reports of GPCR dimerization and its effect on ligand pharmacology and function. Because current techniques do not readily allow the distinction between the functional effects of GPCR dimers and oligomers, the receptor complexes resulting from GPCR interactions are referred to as “dimers” and the phenomenon as “dimerization.” Additionally, interactions between identical proteins are referred to as “homodimers,” and interactions between nonidentical proteins are referred to as “heterodimers.”
Concomitant Staple Aneurysmorrhaphy and Flow-Calibrated Arteriovenous Fistula Banding Over a Coronary Dilator to Treat Hand Steal Syndrome.

Background True venous aneurysm formation can occur in patients with arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) for hemodialysis but association with steal syndrome is uncommon. Methods To describe a case of a patient on chronic hemodialysis through a right brachiocephalic fistula, who presents with associated steal syndrome and true arteriovenous access aneurysm. Results A 34-year-old female with true AVF aneurysm presented with hand steal syndrome confirmed by noninvasive studies. The patient underwent a successful vein aneurysmorrhaphy with a commercially available stapler device and duplex ultrasound flow-calibrated banding. At 1-year follow-up, she remains pain free and the fistula remains functional with no recurrence of venous aneurysmal degeneration. Conclusion The use of a commercially available surgical stapler devices along with flow-calibrated banding guided by duplex ultrasound over a coronary dilator during the same operation is an elegant, efficacious, and a durable alternative for patients with hand steal syndrome and concomitant AVF aneurysms.
Normal Nutritional Requirements

The rationale for normal nutritional requirements and the effects of surgical resection or disease on nutrient absorption or metabolism are presented.
The Landscape of Causal Inference: Perspective from Citation Network Analysis

AbstractCausal inference is a fast-growing multidisciplinary field that has drawn extensive interests from statistical sciences and health and social sciences. In this paper, we gather comprehensive information on publications and citations in causal inference and provide a review of the field from the perspective of citation network analysis. We provide descriptive analyses by showing the most cited publications, the most prolific and the most cited authors, and structural properties of the citation network. Then we examine the citation network through exponential random graph models (ERGMs). We show that both technical aspects of the publications (e.g., publication length, time and quality) and social processes such as homophily (the tendency to cite publications in the same field or with shared authors), cumulative advantage, and transitivity (the tendency to cite references' references), matter for citations. We also provide specific analysis of citations among the top authors in the field and present...
Polar Bear Foraging Behavior During the Ice-Free Period in Western Hudson Bay: Observations, Origins, and Potential Significance

During much of the year, polar bears in western Hudson Bay use energy-conserving hunting tactics, such as still-hunting and stalking, to capture seals from sea-ice platforms. Such hunting allows these bears to accumulate a majority of the annual fat reserves that sustain them on land through the ice-free season. As climate change has led to earlier spring sea-ice breakup in western Hudson Bay, polar bears have less time to hunt seals, especially seal pups in their spring birthing lairs. Concerns have been raised as to whether this will lead to a shortfall in the bears' annual energy budget. Research based on scat analyses indicates that over the past 40 years at least some of these polar bears eat a variety of food during the ice-free season and are opportunistically taking advantage of a changing and increasing terrestrial prey base. Whether this food will offset anticipated shortfalls and whether land-based foraging will spread throughout the population is not yet known, and full resolution of the issues requires detailed physiological and genetic research. For insight on these issues, we present detailed observations on polar bears hunting without an ice platform. We compare the hunting tactics to those of polar bears using an ice platform and to those of the closely related grizzly bear. We examine how the techniques are related and explore how they may have evolved. We also discuss how they may contribute to polar bear adaptability in the face of climate change projections.
Abstract 15083: Substitution of Adult Cardiac Troponin I, cTnI, With the Fetal Isoform, ssTnI, in Adult Mice Augments Metabolic Remodeling and Reduces Both Decompensatory Hypertrophy and Contractile Dysfunction During Chronic Pressure Overload

The fetal heart is primarily dependent on glycolysis, but following birth switches to oxidative, long chain fatty acid (LCFA)-dependent metabolism. Adult hearts under pathological stress revert to a fetal metabolic profile. Paralleling metabolic development is the replacement of the fetal isoform of the contractile protein, troponin I (slow skeletal- or ssTnI) by adult cardiac isoform (cTnI). Interestingly, troponin does not revert to its fetal isoform in response to stress unlike other contractile proteins. We previously found adult transgenic mouse hearts expressing ssTnI, to be protected from ischemia by increased glycolytic flux. Since pressure overload induces a fetal metabolic profile, we investigated the response of adult mouse hearts expressing ssTnI to transverse aortic constriction (TAC) for comparison to sham operated mice (Sham). Transgenic, ssTnI expressing mice and nontransgenic (NTG) littermates (2-3 mos) underwent TAC. At 10 weeks, TAC induced a 25% increase in NTG heart weight:tibila length but only a 7% increase in ssTnI hearts (P Expression of a single fetal myofilament protein into adulthood in the ssTnI mouse heart confers protection against cardiac decompensation due to pressure overload by inducing an enhanced metabolic remodeling with preserved energetics.
Our overt behavior makes us human.

The four commentaries all make excellent points; they are all fair and serve to complement the target article. Because they are also quite diverse, it makes more sense to respond to them individually rather than topically.
Insulin and IGF-I analogs: novel approaches to improved insulin pharmacokinetics

Current insulin formulations do not mimic the normal glucose-induced release of insulin by the pancreas in a physiological manner.1 One limitation is the delayed absorption of hexameric insulin from the subcutaneous site of injection, such that soluble insulins (currently the most rapid acting formulations) are too slow and have too long a duration of action.2 Another limitation is that longer acting insulin formulations, such as human ultralente, exhibit too short a duration of action, show a pronounced peak in activity and are suspensions, resulting in variability in administration.3 The use of recombinant DNA technology and peptide chemistry have allowed the generation of insulin analogs with a wide variety of amino acid substitutions, which in turn halve been useful in mapping regions of the insulin nucleus that are associated with Zn2+ binding, dimer formation and insulin receptor interaction. This report will review the physical, biological and clinical characterization of several insulin analogs that have been designed to improve absorption characteristics and pharmacodynamics. Because of the structural homology between insulin and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), we have investigated specific IGF-like modifications in the insulin sequence to determine if these will transfer to pharmacokinetic differences in insulin absorption and clearance.
PCNU Phase I Study in the Northern California Oncology Group

The nitrosoureas are a family of antitumor agents that have been the subject of intensive laboratoy and clinical study for the past decade. In the United States a great many nitrosourreas have been sequentially studied under the sponsorship of the National Cancer Institute. From a large number of possible compounds there have been, however, three principal nitrosoureas extensively investigated in man. The first to be clinically evaluated was urea, l,3-bis(2-chloroethyl)-l-nitroso, (BCNU), then was urea, l-(2-chloroethyl)-3-cyclohexyl-l-nitroso, (CCNU), and more recently urea, l-(2-chloroethyl)-3-(4-methyl cyclohexyl)-l-nitroso, (MeCCNU). Other related drugs have or are undergoing evaluation in the United States (including streptozotocin and chlorozotocin) but will not be discussed here.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass: Anatomy, Physiology, and Pharmacology

The idea of an artificial heart and lung extra-corporeal circuit occurred to Dr. John H. Gibbon in 1931 because of circumstances surrounding the death of a patient with a massive pulmonary embolism. Following many years of work, he developed a model of the heart-lung machine that, in the period from 1949 to 1952, was able to maintain animals for periods of 30 minutes with a mortality rate of 80% in 1949. By 1952 the technique had been improved to yield a mortality rate of 12% (37). Early in 1951, Clarence Dennis made the first attempt to do an open heart operation with a heart-lung machine, but he encountered a more complicated defect than anticipated and the patient died in the operating room (22). Gibbon made a similar unsuccessful attempt in 1951, but on May 6, 1953, he performed the first successful open heart operation with a heart–lung machine (screen oxygenator) on an 18-year-old girl with an atrial septal defect (37,38).
Recursive Mathematics: Living with Church’s Thesis

The doctrine stated above (in 1927) became, in the late forties and the fifties, the foundation of a fairly extensive body of mathematics, in which one replaces the vague intuitive concept of “law” or “rule” by the precisely-defined concept of “recursive function”. This chapter presents the main results. Of course, every positive result of constructive mathematics translates into a corresponding theorem of recursive mathematics. A large number of such translations of positive results has been spelled out explicitly in Aberth [1980]. There also exists a variety of strange and delightful, sometimes counter-intuitive, negative results in recursive mathematics. Negative, that is, in the sense that they show that some classical theorem fails in recursive mathematics; although many of these results are positive in the sense that they actually exhibit a counterexample to the recursive version of the theorem. One value of such results is the following: if we show that a theorem fails in recursive mathematics, we can stop wasting our time trying to prove it in constructive mathematics — at least unless we are willing to use some axiom which contradicts Church’s thesis. Just to give one example: a number of mathematicians tried to prove that if ƒ: [0,1]→R is uniformly continuous and everywhere positive, then inf ƒ(x) is positive too — a problem which was mentioned in Bishop [1967] and Bridges [1979]. But this fails in recursive mathematics, as we shall see below.
Sarcoidosis and Its Splenic Wonder: A Rare Case of Isolated Splenic Sarcoidosis

Sarcoidosis is a systemic granulomatous disease of unknown etiology characterized by presence of noncaseating granulomas in the involved organs. The pulmonary interstitium is most commonly affected but extrapulmonary involvement can occur in almost any other organ system. Such an involvement can occur with or without the presence of pulmonary involvement, but isolated extrapulmonary involvement has been noted only in around 10% of cases. Isolated splenomegaly is very rare and an uncommon presentation of sarcoidosis. It is clinically challenging because of the extensive differential diagnosis. Among the many considerations are hematologic malignancies, primary splenic or metastatic tumors, infiltrative disorders, inflammatory disorders, and infections. We hereby discuss an interesting case of a 40-year-old female with isolated splenic sarcoidosis.
Inclusion for All? An Exploration of Teacher’s Reflections on Inclusion in Two Elementary Schools:

Teachers face numerous challenges. Pressure exists to meet Common Core Standards and increase state test scores while operating on shoestring budgets. In addition, public schools have seen an incre...
A Ferroelectric FET-Based Processing-in-Memory Architecture for DNN Acceleration

This paper presents a ferroelectric FET (FeFET)-based processing-in-memory (PIM) architecture to accelerate the inference of deep neural networks (DNNs). We propose a digital in-memory vector-matrix multiplication (VMM) engine design utilizing the FeFET crossbar to enable bit-parallel computation and eliminate analog-to-digital conversion in prior mixed-signal PIM designs. A dedicated hierarchical network-on-chip (H-NoC) is developed for input broadcasting and on-the-fly partial results processing, reducing the data transmission volume and latency. Simulations in 28-nm CMOS technology show $115\times $ and $6.3\times $ higher computing efficiency (GOPs/W) over desktop GPU (Nvidia GTX 1080Ti) and resistive random access memory (ReRAM)-based design, respectively.
A solid particle seeder for particle-based laser measurement techniques in low volume-flowrate gas streams

This article describes a device to seed solid micron-size particles into gases for particle-based laser diagnostic techniques. The particle seeder consists of a sealed vessel containing the particles, into which the gas to be seeded is introduced. Using an electric fan placed inside the vessel, a fine aerosol can be easily generated. It is demonstrated that (1) at a fixed fan speed the particle seeding density Np can be kept within the range 10–100 particles mm−3 across the gas volume flowrate range 0.05–5 LPM; and (2) at a fixed gas volume flowrate, the fan speed can be used for approximate adjustment of the particle seeding density in the range 1–100 particles mm−3. The device does not affect the volume flowrate of the gas stream. This simple method should prove useful for researchers wishing to generate solid particle aerosols in low volume flowrate gas streams.
Diagnostic of Line Loss Abnormal Causes in Transformer District Based on Big Data

Line loss rate is irreplaceable in evaluating the economic operation of power systems. Line loss management is one of the key management contents of power companies. The line loss in transformer district accounts for about 20% of the total loss of the power grid. It belongs to the heavy damage layer. Analyzing the important factors of affecting the line loss of the transformer district and clarifying the cause of the line loss abnormality, which is of great significance for improving the economic operation level of the distribution network. The line loss feature library of the transformer district is constructed. The improved K-means algorithm and the support vector machine classification method on the basis of PSO are used to diagnose the line loss anomaly. Taking the actual data of the actual power grid as an example, the calculation results verify the feasibility of the proposed method.
Mitochondrial Protein Poldip2 (Polymerase Delta Interacting Protein 2) Controls Vascular Smooth Muscle Differentiated Phenotype by O-Linked GlcNAc (N-Acetylglucosamine) Transferase–Dependent Inhibition of a Ubiquitin Proteasome System

Rationale: The mitochondrial Poldip2 (protein polymerase interacting protein 2) is required for the activity of the tricarboxylic acid cycle. As a consequence, Poldip2 deficiency induces metabolic ...
Genetics and Pharmacogenetics of Asthma

Asthma and asthma-related traits, including response to bronchodilator and glucocorticoid drugs, are heritable traits. Our understanding of asthma genetics and pharmacogenetics has increased with the advent of high-throughput genomic techniques that have led to the discovery of loci linked to pathobiological mechanisms underlying asthma and its related traits and uncovered new targets for drug development. Although genomic findings have not yet changed clinical practice, translation of major insights may soon lead to increased asthma precision medicine.
Propyne Hydrogenation over a Pd/Cu(111) Single-Atom Alloy Studied using Ambient Pressure Infrared Spectroscopy

The hydrogenation of propyne (C3H4) to propene (C3H6) using a Pd/Cu(111) single-atom alloy (SAA) has been studied using polarization-dependent reflection absorption infrared spectroscopy. This meth...
FPGA-Based Characterization and Q-Control of an Active AFM Cantilever

The slow transient response of Si cantilevers oscillating at resonance is a significant limiting factor to achieving higher scan rates in tapping-mode atomic force microscopy (TM-AFM). During a typical tapping-mode operation in air, when the cantilever encounters a steep drop in the topography, it experiences a transient response whose time constant is a function of the resonant frequency and quality factor (Q) of the cantilever. In order to achieve accurate surface tracking at higher scan rates, it is desirable to have a high resonance frequency and a relatively low Q factor. In this work, we demonstrate an active cantilever with resonant frequency of 46 kHz, featuring a piezoelectric layer for simultaneous actuation and sensing of cantilever’s vibrations. A field programmable gate array (FPGA) is employed to mitigate the electrical feedthrough from the on-chip actuation to sensing lines for achieving a high dynamic range and also controlling the quality factor of the AFM microcantilever for higher scanning rate dynamic atomic force microscopy. After the recovery of cantilever dynamics and system identification, a dynamic range of 19.8 dB is achieved. For actively controlling the Qfactor a positive position feedback controller is implemented that results in a reduction in quality factor of the cantilever from 268 to 81.7. AFM imaging results with both uncontrolled and controlled Q factor are exhibited, demonstrating a faster response time to image surface topographies.
Abstract A14: The p53R172H gain-of-function mutation promotes resistance to oral cancer immunoprevention

Oral squamous cell carcinomas (OSCC) tend to develop from oral premalignant lesions (OPLs) through the accumulation of genetic alterations. Therefore, effective prevention strategies designed to block the malignant progression of OPLs are expected to contain the development of aggressive carcinomas. Our previous studies showed that immune checkpoint blockade can prevent the progression of OPLs to OSCC, in a mouse model for oral carcinogenesis. However, a subset of the lesions continued to progress even after treatment with anti-PD1 antibodies. Mutations that accumulate in the epithelial cells of the oral lesions may shape the immune microenvironment of the oral lesions and impact the response to immunotherapies. The p53 gene (TP53) is the most frequently mutated gene in OSCCs, as over 80% of the OSCCs contain p53 mutations. Most p53 mutations found in human cancers are missense mutations that encode mutant forms of p53, some of which are associated with poor clinical outcomes and can transform cells as a result of their gain-of-function (GOF) activities. To assess the role of p53 mutations in the response to anti-PD-1 immunoprevention, we generated mouse models in which oral tumors were induced by the carcinogen 4NQO in genetically engineered mice in which the p53 GOF mutation p53R172H or deletion of p53, a loss-of-function (LOF) mutation, were activated in oral epithelial cells. Therefore, the OPLs that developed in these mice differed in their p53 status. We found that the oral lesions that developed in these mice showed a gradual increase in T-cell infiltration during oral cancer progression, the recruitment of immunosuppressive regulatory T-cells (Tregs), and induction of PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint proteins. Remarkably, while PD-1 blockade prevented the development of SCCs in mice with wild-type p53 or p53 deletion, the GOF mutant p53R172H abrogated the immunopreventive effects of anti-PD-1 antibodies, associated with depletion of exhausted CD8 cells in the microenvironment of the p53R172H tumors. Overall, these findings indicate that mutant p53R172H promotes the development of an immune microenvironment that prevents the efficacy of PD-1 inhibitors. These studies suggest that p53 profiling may help to predict the response to oral cancer immunoprevention, and patients with OPLs containing wild-type p53 or p53 LOF mutations may benefit from the immunopreventive effects of anti-PD1 antibodies. Citation Format: Jin Wang, Yuan Hu, Cassandra Gonzalez, Lin Tang, Bingbing Wang, Adel El-Naggar, Jeffrey Myers, Carlos Caulin. The p53R172H gain-of-function mutation promotes resistance to oral cancer immunoprevention [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; 2019 Apr 29-30; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_2):Abstract nr A14.
Reflections on COVID-19

COVID-19, Religious Markets, and the Black Church, Marla Frederick Can You See the Big Picture? COVID-19 and Telescoping Truth, Yunus Dogan Telliel Learning from Religious Diasporas in Pandemic Times, Heather Mellquist Lehto
“He May Do Harm . . .”: Translation and Meaning of 2 Sam 12.18

Three major English translations, NRSV, ESV, and NASB, render ואיך נאמר אליו מת הילד ועשה רעה׃‎ as “How then can we tell him the child is dead? He may do himself some harm.” These...
The Abyss, Detachment and Dreams: Thomas Müntzer’s Reception of Medieval German Mysticism

Thomas Muntzer was one of the most important inaugurators of the Radical Reformation. The paper opens with a brief biography comparing his career to that of Meister Eckhart. The paper then examines...
Political Exclusion and Cultural Difference: Challenging Objectivity in The Class and The Secret of the Grain

This chapter begins with an overview of the academic literature on the pretense of neutrality used by the neoliberal establishment to secure its hegemony. The exclusionary treatment of people of color in contemporary France is examined through an allegorical analysis of narrative space in Abdellatif Kechiche’s The Secret of the Grain (2007) and Laurent Cantet’s The Class (2008). Studies of family melodrama and the writing of Chantal Mouffe are used to relate these films to the inhuman rhythms of contemporary capitalism and the undemocratic characteristics of neoliberal rule. Attention is paid to the way affective intensity and rhetorical contestations in The Class and The Secret of the Grain challenge the internal exclusions of French Republicanism and the cold economism of neoliberalism. The chapter concludes with a discussion of how deviations from individualism and realism in these films go against the pretense of impartiality commonly associated with art cinema.
Ultrafine particles altered gut microbial population and metabolic profiles in a sex-specific manner in an obese mouse model.

Emerging evidence has highlighted the connection between exposure to air pollution and the increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, and comorbidities. Given the recent interest in studying the effects of ultrafine particle (UFP) on the health of obese individuals, this study examined the effects of gastrointestinal UFP exposure on gut microbial composition and metabolic function using an in vivo murine model of obesity in both sexes. UFPs generated from light-duty diesel engine combustion of petrodiesel (B0) and a petrodiesel/biodiesel fuel blend (80:20 v/v, B20) were administered orally. Multi-omics approaches, including liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based targeted metabolomics and 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, semi-quantitatively compared the effects of 10-day UFP exposures on obese C57B6 mouse gut microbial population, changes in diversity and community function compared to a phosphate buffer solution (PBS) control group. Our results show that sex-specific differences in the gut microbial population in response to UFP exposure can be observed, as UFPs appear to have a differential impact on several bacterial families in males and females. Meanwhile, the alteration of seventy-five metabolites from the gut microbial metabolome varied significantly (ANOVA p < 0.05) across the PBS control, B0, and B20 groups. Multivariate analyses revealed that the fuel-type specific disruption to the microbial metabolome was observed in both sexes, with stronger disruptive effects found in females in comparison to male obese mice. Metabolic signatures of bacterial cellular oxidative stress, such as the decreased concentration of nucleotides and lipids and increased concentrations of carbohydrate, energy, and vitamin metabolites were detected. Furthermore, blood metabolites from the obese mice were differentially affected by the fuel types used to generate the UFPs (B0 vs. B20).
Transition from transesophageal echocardiography to cardiac computed tomography for the evaluation of left atrial appendage thrombus prior to atrial fibrillation ablation and incidence of cerebrovascular events during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is variably performed before atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation to evaluate left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombus. We describe our experience with transitioning to the pre-ablation cardiac computed tomography (CT) approach for the assessment of LAA thrombus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods We studied consecutive patients undergoing AF ablation at our center. The study cohort was divided into pre- versus post-COVID groups. The pre-COVID cohort included ablations performed during the 1 year before the COVID-19 pandemic; pre-ablation TEE was used routinely to evaluate LAA thrombus in high-risk patients. Post-COVID cohort included ablations performed during the 1 year after the COVID-19 pandemic; pre-ablation CT was performed in all patients, with TEE performed only in patients with LAA thrombus by CT imaging. The demographics, clinical history, imaging, and ablation characteristics, and peri-procedural cerebrovascular events (CVEs) were recorded. Results A total of 637 patients (pre-COVID n = 424, post-COVID n = 213) were studied. The mean age was 65.6 ± 10.1 years in the total cohort, and the majority were men. There was a significant increase in pre-ablation CT imaging from pre- to post-COVID cohort (74.8% vs. 93.9%, p ≤ .01), with a significant reduction in TEEs (34.6% vs. 3.7%, p ≤ .01). One patient in the post-COVID cohort developed CVE following negative pre-ablation CT. However, the incidence of peri-procedural CVE between both cohorts remained statistically unchanged (0% vs. 0.4%, p = .33). Conclusion Implementation of pre-ablation CT-only imaging strategy with selective use of TEE for LAA thrombus evaluation is not associated with increased CVE risk during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The ketone body β-hydroxybutyrate mitigates the senescence response of glomerular podocytes to diabetic insults.

Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is one of the most common complications of diabetes and is clinically featured by progressive albuminuria, consequent to glomerular destruction that involves podocyte senescence. Burgeoning evidence suggests that ketosis, in particular β-hydroxybutyrate, exerts a beneficial effect on aging and on myriad metabolic or chronic diseases, including obesity, diabetes and chronic kidney diseases. Its effect on DKD is largely unknown. In vitro in podocytes exposed to a diabetic milieu, β-hydroxybutyrate treatment substantially mitigated cellular senescence and injury, as evidenced by reduced formation of γH2AX foci, reduced staining for senescence-associated-β-galactosidase activity, diminished expression of key mediators of senescence signaling like p16INK4A and p21, and preserved expression of synaptopodin. This beneficial action of β-hydroxybutyrate coincided with a reinforced transcription factor Nrf2 antioxidant response. Mechanistically, β-hydroxybutyrate inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β), a convergent point for myriad signaling pathways regulating Nrf2 activity, seems to contribute. Indeed, trigonelline, a selective inhibitor of Nrf2, or ectopic expression of constitutively active mutant GSK3β abolished, whereas selective activation of Nrf2 was sufficient for the anti-senescent and podocyte protective effects of β-hydroxybutyrate. Moreover, molecular modeling and docking analysis revealed that β-hydroxybutyrate is able to directly target the ATP-binding pocket of GSK3β and thereby block its kinase activity. In murine models of streptozotocin-elicited DKD, β-hydroxybutyrate therapy inhibited GSK3β and reinforced Nrf2 activation in glomerular podocytes, resulting in lessened podocyte senescence and injury and improved diabetic glomerulopathy and albuminuria. Thus, our findings may pave the way for developing a β-hydroxybutyrate-based novel approach of therapeutic ketosis for treating DKD.
Money for Happiness: The Hedonic Benefits of Thrift

Thrift, a lifestyle of strategic underconsumption, offers a compelling alternative to consumerism, materialism, and overconsumption. Although thrift is often neglected in consumer research, under the right conditions, it confers a number of hedonic benefits to its practitioners. First, we summarize decades of research on the surprising relationship between money and happiness. Next, we investigate three chief reasons that more money fails to produce more happiness (and can actually detract from it): affective forecasting errors, hedonic adaptation, and chronic overspending. Then, we discuss the meaning and history of practicing thrift, with an emphasis on how it contrasts with modern mindsets and habits. Finally, we draw from decades of research in social and consumer psychology to suggest ten ways that individuals can practice thrift in their daily lives—spending and consuming less, but becoming happier in the process.