cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The “Sales Tax” Theorem

Sometimes in mathematics there are several results which were obtained independently, and at first sight appear unrelated. Then someone finds a more general viewpoint that makes the earlier discoveries special cases of a single new theorem. In the process, it usually becomes clearer what was 'really going on" in the original results. One such example in the history of mathematics is the underlying similarity between the Chinese remainder theorem and the Lagrange interpolation formula. To state them similarly, the Chinese remainder theorem says: given integers mI, M2,..., mk which are "independent" in the sense that no two have a common prime factor, and given integer values cI, c2, ... Ck, we can find an integer N which "takes the value ci at mi" for each i = 1, 2,..., k, in the sense that N ci (mod mi); and N is unique modulo M = mIm2 nMk. Correspondingly, the Lagrange interpolation theorem says: given real numbers x X2, 2... , Xk which are "independent" (i.e., distinct points) on the real axis, and given real values y1, y2, .. ., yk, we can find a polynomial function f (x) which "takes the value yi at xi " for each i = 1,2, ..., k, in the sense that f(xi) = yi; and this f(x) is unique for degree less than k. The general result of which these are both special cases is called the "Theorem on Independence of Places" in algebraic geometry, and requires some specialized knowledge of "valuation theory" to state properly. In this paper, we shall look at a similar situation, but in this case the general result will be easier to follow than the historical special cases which preceded it. One of these special cases is the following mysterious result in number theory, illustrated in TABLE 1:
Readability of Trauma-Related Patient Education Materials From the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons

Context: According to the american medical association (AMA) and the national institutes of health (NIH), the recommended readability of patient education materials should be no greater than a sixth-grade reading level. The online patient education information produced by the american academy of orthopaedic surgeons (AAOS) may be too complicated for some patients to understand. This study evaluated whether the AAOS’s online trauma-related patient education materials meet recommended readability guidelines for medical information.
Cancer mortality in Shanghai suburbs in 1974-2007

[Objective] To analyze cancer mortality in Shanghai suburbs from 1974 to 2007,and provide evidence for cancer prevention and control. [Methods] Data were analyzed from Death Registration and Reporting system of cancer deaths reported during 1974-2007 in Shanghai suburbs.And the trend and situation of cancer mortality in Shanghai suburbs were analyzed. [Results] During 1974-2007,the aging population in Shanghai suburbs increased every year.There was 107.77 million people aged over 65 years old in 2007,3.69 times that in 1974(29.23 million).Aging coefficient in Shanghai suburbs was 14.23% in 2007,2.48 times that in 1974(5.74%).Since 1985,the aging coefficient has exceeded that for the aging population standard(7%).From 1974 to 2007,the crude death rate of cancer in Shanghai suburbs was significantly increased,which in 2007(213.78/10 million) was 1.94 times that in 1974(110.23/10 million).Aging coefficient and cancer mortality showed significant linear correlation,indicating that increase in the proportion of the elderly population was one of the major factors for increase in cancer mortality. [Conclusion] The standardized mortality of cancer was decreased steadily in Shanghai suburbs during 1974-2007.Owing to the increase of aging level in Shanghai,the mortality rate remains significantly increased.With the arrival of aging society,as the malignant tumor has become the major chronic disease endangering human health,especially in the elderly population,we should determine our focus and strategy on risk factor research,cancer prevention and treatment,aiming at Shanghai's typical aging population characteristics and combining the clinical characteristics of cancer occurring in each body part of the elderly people.
Business as Usual? The Roberts Court and Environmental Law

This chapter in Business and the Roberts Court (Oxford University Press, 2016) examines the Roberts Court’s approach to environmental cases. Overall, business interests have won more cases than they have lost in the Roberts Court. Most of the business wins occurred in relatively narrow cases that had little effect on pre-existing law, while some of the losses are quite dramatic and will have profound effects on economic interests. Whether or not the Court is sympathetic to business interests in environmental cases, it appears to have been sympathetic to government interests, but quite unsympathetic to environmentalist litigants and reluctant to expand litigation opportunities in environmental cases.
Alignment of Business Strategy and it Strategy: A Case Study of A Fortune 50 Financial Services Company

In recent years, information technology (IT) has become a critical tool for the execution of business strategy and a driver of business strategy. The alignment of business strategy and IT strategy has emerged as a critical issue for organizations. Using a case study approach, this research study identifies the reasons why alignment gaps exist between business strategy and IT strategy and suggests methods which can be used to minimize those strategy alignment gaps. Senior executives at a large Fortune 50 financial services company were interviewed in order to examine whether alignment gaps between business strategy and IT strategy existed at this organization, the reasons why the strategy alignment gaps exist, and how the strategy alignment gaps could be minimized. The results suggest that improving the business strategy and vision, and communication of the business strategy and vision has the greatest potential for improving the alignment of business strategy and IT strategy. The degree of alignment betwe...
LEAP: L1 Element Amplification Protocol.

Abstract Long INterspersed Element-1 (LINE-1 or L1) retrotransposons encode two proteins (ORF1p and ORF2p) that are required for retrotransposition. The L1 element amplification protocol (LEAP) assays the ability of L1 ORF2p to reverse transcribe L1 RNA in vitro. Ultracentrifugation or immunoprecipitation is used to isolate L1 ribonucleoprotein particle (RNP) complexes from cultured human cells transfected with an engineered L1 expression construct. The isolated RNPs are incubated with an oligonucleotide that contains a unique sequence at its 5' end and a thymidine-rich sequence at its 3' end. The addition of dNTPs to the reaction allows L1 ORF2p bound to L1 RNA to generate L1 cDNA. The resultant L1 cDNAs then are amplified using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and the products are visualized by gel electrophoresis. Sequencing the resultant PCR products then allows product verification. The LEAP assay has been instrumental in determining how mutations in L1 ORF1p and ORF2p affect L1 reverse transcriptase (RT) activity. Furthermore, the LEAP assay has revealed that the L1 ORF2p RT can extend a DNA primer with mismatched 3' terminal bases when it is annealed to an L1 RNA template. As the LINE-1 biology field gravitates toward studying cellular proteins that regulate LINE-1, molecular genetic and biochemical approaches such as LEAP, in conjunction with the LINE-1-cultured cell retrotransposition assay, are essential to dissect the molecular mechanism of L1 retrotransposition.
Elements of Photometric Assaying

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of the elements of photometric assaying. The photometric method of assay is very simple in principle: the test substance is added to a suspension of the test organism in a nutrient medium, the mixture incubated, and the response of the test organism measured. The test organism may be any organism that will give a uniform suspension. The turbidity of the suspension is measured after appropriate incubation. The following are the physical factors influencing turbidity: (1) concentration of cells, (2) size of cells, and (3) opacity of cells. The microbiological elements of photometric assaying are included under the general headings of inoculum, media, incubation, and response of the bacteria to the test substance. An understanding of turbidimetric methods requires the consideration of the influences of physical factors upon turbidity and calibration of the photometers used to measure turbidity. The chapter also discusses the merits of commonly used expressions of the dosage–response curves.
NGOs as Alternatives to Nationalization, Leasing, and Other Forms of Utilization of Public Assets

In this chapter, we shall analyze an actual performance contract between a nongovernmental organization (NGO) and a government. Does it reflect the five factors of confidence? How are the principles revealed and what purposes do they serve? This chapter will show how the principles are revealed, and also how they enable the principal-agent relationship in a specific contract in a developing country1 facing a not too uncommon problem. What are the advantages of an NGO over a firm or nationalization by government? This body of evidence differs from that shown in chapters 6–8. Those chapters looked at specific types of applications (as distinguished from a specific contract that caused the application) in the United States.
Poch@teca: Re-understanding the Historical Trajectory of a Proto-Chican@ Identity

Chapter 5 traces the etymological connection between poch@ and pochteca by examining the traveling merchant role of the pochteca that crossed territories and spoke in the tongue of the foreign territory. The historical origin of poch@ outlines a salient re-understanding that provides context for the contemporary reclamation by poch@ pop artists. As the site of analysis, Gomez-Pena’s collaborative Codex Espangliensis provides a generative demonstration of how the integration of historical tropes resists colonial rhetoric about Latin@s in popular culture, drawing on Mesoamerican literacy practices. The visually-oriented text brings the conversation full circle by looking at comic-like representations that critically juxtapose mainstream pop culture icons like Mickey Mouse with images from the Conquest of the Americas.
The Archetypes of Power, Eros, Pneuma and Physis

This chapter is devoted to a detailed description of the four archetypes, Power, Eros, Pneuma and Physis, that serve as the core of archetypal- motivational typology. Because archetypes are fundamental to the human psyche, their earliest expression is found in mythology, which offers the richest illustration of archetypal contents and dynamics. Following the mythological description of each archetype, I provide historical and psychological examples of that archetype’s influence on cultural and personal attitudes and behavior.
Multistage Stochastic Optimization for Production‐Inventory Planning with Intermittent Renewable Energy

A growing number of companies install wind and solar generators in their energy-intensive facilities to attain low-carbon manufacturing. However, there is a lack of methodological studies on operating large manufacturing facilities with intermittent power. This paper presents a multi-period, production-inventory planning model in a multi-plant manufacturing system powered with onsite and grid renewable energy. Our goal is to determine the production quantity, the stock level, and the renewable energy supply in each period such that the aggregate production cost (including energy) is minimized. We tackle this complex decision problem in three steps. First, we present a deterministic planning model to attain the desired green energy penetration level. Next, the deterministic model is extended to a multistage stochastic optimization model taking into account the uncertainties of renewables. Finally, we develop an efficient modified Benders decomposition algorithm to search for the optimal production schedule using a scenario tree. Numerical experiments are carried out to verify and validate the model integrity, and the potential of realizing high-level renewables penetration in large manufacturing system is discussed and justified. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Reciprocal Cycles in International Politics: Summary and Conclusions

Using the framework utilizing the variables of power symmetry, issue saliency, images, and domain of operation, some policy relevant observations are examined including conditions required for shifting the interaction from a negative to a positive cycle and vice versa. The framework analyzing conditions for the development of positive and negative reciprocal cycles is then used to evaluate present-day cases. Applying the framework to the contemporary case of US-China relations over the South China Sea (SCS) illustrates how difficult this case really is in more levels than usually presented. Then an analysis of US-Iran relations after the Iran nuclear deal suggests possibilities for nudging interactions into a positive reciprocal cycle.
Thermal Conductance in Cross-linked Polymers: Effects of Non-Bonding Interactions

Weak interchain interactions have been considered to be a bottleneck for heat transfer in polymers, while covalent bonds are believed to give a high thermal conductivity to polymer chains. For this reason, cross-linkers have been explored as a means to enhance polymer thermal conductivity; however, results have been inconsistent. Some studies show an enhancement in the thermal conductivity for polymers upon cross-linking, while others show the opposite trend. In this work we study the mechanisms of heat transfer in cross-linked polymers in order to understand the reasons for these discrepancies, in particular examining the relative contributions of covalent (referred to here as “bonding”) and nonbonding (e.g., van der Waals and electrostatic) interactions. Our results indicate cross-linkers enhance thermal conductivity primarily when they are short in length and thereby bring polymer chains closer to each other, leading to increased interchain heat transfer by enhanced nonbonding interactions between the ...
EXACT NONFACTORIZABLE ${\mathcal O}(\alpha_sg^2)$ TWO-LOOP CONTRIBUTION TO $Z\to b\bar b$

For , we calculate all the two-loop top-dependent Feynman graphs, which have mixed QCD and electroweak contributions that are not factorizable. To evaluate the graphs, without resorting to a mass expansion, we apply a two-loop extension of the one-loop Passarino–Veltman reduction. This is an analytic-numerical method, which first converts all diagrams into a set of ten standard scalar functions, and then integrates them numerically over the remaining Feynman parameters, with rapid convergence and high accuracy. We discuss the treatment of ir singularities within our methods. We do not resort to unitarity cuts of two-point functions for calculating decay rates; these are useful only to obtain an inclusive rate. For this reason, experimental cuts and the experimental ir energy resolution can be implemented in our calculation, once the corresponding one-loop gluon bremsstrahlung process is added to this calculation.
Interhemispheric subdural and subarachnoid haemorrhage in a patient with amphetamine-induced vasculitis.

A 27-year-old woman with a history of pulmonary embolism presented with confusion and depressed arousal after a night of alcohol and drug use. On examination, she was found to have lack of motivation and right leg weakness but had no other significant neurological findings. Trauma survey did not detect any signs of injury. CT scan of the head revealed interhemispheric subdural and subarachnoid haemorrhage with the highest volume in left frontoparietal region (figure 1). Urine toxicology showed presence of tetrahydrocannabinol and amphetamines. CT angiography demonstrated a small, incidental left supraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysm but no other significant findings (figure 1). MRI was remarkable only for the haemorrhage and MR venogram confirmed patent …
An innovative medical school curriculum to address human papillomavirus vaccine hesitancy.

Abstract Background Vaccination rates against Human Papillomavirus (HPV) in the US remain alarmingly low. Physicians can significantly influence a parent’s decision to vaccinate their children. However, medical education often lacks training on specific strategies for communicating with vaccine hesitant parents. Methods We created an innovative curriculum designed to teach medical students how to address HPV vaccine hesitancy. The curriculum consisted of (1) a presentation on the epidemiology, biology, and disease morbidity associated with HPV, (2) a video that teaches specific communication strategies and (3) role-playing simulations. This curriculum was delivered to medical students at two separate sites. Medical students were surveyed before and after completing the educational curriculum. The surveys assessed student comfort talking to HPV vaccine hesitant parents and their likelihood to recommend the HPV vaccine. Results Pre- and post-intervention surveys were completed by 101 of the 132 participants (77% response rate). After the intervention, student awareness of the benefits of the HPV vaccine increased by a mean of 0.82 points (Likert scale 1–5, p Conclusion Our innovative curriculum improved medical student comfort level discussing HPV vaccination with hesitant parents and increased the perceived likelihood of recommending HPV vaccination. The intervention is easy to implement, scalable, and requires minimal resources. Educating future providers on this important topic has the potential to improve vaccination rates nationwide and thus should be considered for all medical students.
Public Administration Emergency Management Pedagogy: Cultivating the Habit of Critical Thinking

There is a dearth of research focusing upon critical thinking skills of practicing local government emergency managers as well as the cultivation of critical thinking skills in public administratio...
Revision Joint Replacement: Proximal Femoral Replacement

One of the more difficult problems encountered by orthopedic surgeons today is periarticular loss of bone as a result of aseptic loosening in the multi-revised arthroplasty patient, massive osteolysis in response to debris accumulation from the articulating components, stress shielding, fracture, infection or even iatrogenic damage. Such bone loss precludes the use of conventional arthroplasty components due to the lack of mechanical support. Femoral revisions relying on extensive cementation have failed prematurely [5,22,28]. It has become apparent that revision hip arthroplasty performed in the presence of poor quality bone will fail with further aseptic loosening, stem breakage, femoral fracture, or femoral subsidence. The importance of reconstituting quality bone to the revision arthroplasty patient is assuming greater significance in light of the lack of clinical success when performing such operations in patients with compromised or deficient bone.
Is the U.S. Recession Over Yet

As of March 2002 the U.S. economy is already showing signs of breaking out of the 2001 recession. However, the NBER announced in February 2002 that "the Committee will wait until a substantial period of expansion has elapsed before declaring that a turning point in the economy is a true trough, marking the end of a recession." Thus, the NBER dating procedure can not be used in real time. This raises some questions: How can we assess whether a recession is over until the NBER announces its decision? Are there models that can date business cycles in real time? Univariate Markov switching models and Dynamic Factor models with regime switching yield estimated probabilities or recessions and expansions that are very similar to the NBER dating. Thus, these formal analytic models can be useful to monitor turning points and evaluate forecasts in real time, overcoming delays inherent to the NBER dating procedure. In particular, these models can be used to assess when the 2001 U.S. recession actually started and whether the recession is over yet. Regarding the beginning of the recession, the models indicate that the NBER Committee was right on target -- that is, March 2001 was the beginning of the recession. With respect to the the possible end of the recession, the models indicate that the recession has already ended, using information available up to March 2002. A conservative estimate places the trough of the recession in February 2002 whereas an optimistic forecast places the end of the recession in January 2002.
Detecting the Dimensions of Depression

My intent in this chapter is to describe a series of psychotherapy outcome studies which we have conducted at the University of Pittsburgh. In doing so, however, I want to emphasize and make specific reference to the issues of assessing depression in its various aspects for the purposes of psychotherapy outcome research. In order to discuss the problems that arise in assessing depression, I will start out with a brief review of some current conceptions of the nature of depression which are relevant to assessment strategy. I will briefly discuss the symptomatology of depression and the broad spectrum of behaviors which it includes, I also want to comment on the current state of the art of methods currently used to assess depression. Given the variety of symptoms displayed by depressed persons, an assessment strategy needs to incorporate a variety of assessment modalities to adequately assess the disorder. The word “detecting” was used in the title of this paper not only for the purposes of alliteration, but to reflect the fact that, whereas there is some agreement as to the clinical phenomena of depression, the methods which have been devised to assess these phenomena have not been entirely successful.
Towards an Immersive Virtual Reality Game for Smarter Post-Stroke Rehabilitation

Traditional forms of physical therapy and rehabilitation are often based on therapist observation and judgment, coincidentally this process oftentimes can be inaccurate, expensive, and non-timely. Modern immersive Virtual Reality systems provide a unique opportunity to make the therapy process smarter. In this paper, we present an immersive virtual reality stroke rehabilitation game based on a widely accepted therapy method, Constraint-Induced Therapy, that was evaluated by nine post-stroke participants. We implement our game as a dynamically adapting system that can account for the user's motor abilities while recording real-time motion capture and behavioral data. The game also can be used for tele-rehabilitation, effectively allowing therapists to connect with the participant remotely while also having access to +90Hz real-time biofeedback data. Our quantitative and qualitative results suggest that our system is useful in increasing affordability, accuracy, and accessibility of post-stroke motor treatment.
Neuroanesthesiologists as interoperative neurophysiologists: a collaborative cognitive apprenticeship model of training in a community of clinical practice.

Directing intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring (IONM) is a patient care activity for which no formal training programs exist, even though the need for well-trained practitioners is readily evident while caring for patients with diseases of the brain, spinal cord, spinal column, or nervous system. Here, we present the theoretical basis and institutional experience for a successful model of learning a new and complex set of skills: the medical direction of IONM. In a major academic institution, a clinical community of practice absorbed new members with professional backgrounds ranging from a recent neuroanesthesia fellowship to several decades of neuroanesthesia practice and trained them in a collaborative cognitive apprenticeship model to medically direct IONM. Our community of practice comprises experienced technicians, a diplomate of the American Board of Neurophysiologic Monitoring (DABNM), and six neuroanesthesiologists. This group forms the base of the scaffolding or structure where the apprenticeship and learning take place. The clinical community of practice has trained eight new members in the medical direction of IONM. The group has also trained four outside anesthesiologists—one of whom went on to become certified as a DABNM—who went on to develop the IONM program at a major children’s hospital. This collaborative cognitive apprenticeship in anesthesiology to learn the medical direction of IONM is quite innovative as it integrates new members and expands the range of existing ones. In our model, the entire community is elevated by the reciprocal interactions of master clinicians, novice apprentices, and the community of practice.
Universal Design for Learning in postsecondary STEM education for students with disabilities: a systematic literature review

Universal Design for Learning is not widely used in postsecondary STEM education. The purpose of this literature review is to synthesize the empirical literature using Universal Design for Learning in postsecondary STEM education for all learners. The criteria for this review are (a) empirical literature in (b) peer reviewed journals (c) published after 2006. Keywords used were STEM, UDL/UDI/Universal Design, and postsecondary/university/college/higher education. This review identified four studies and three literature reviews that met the search criteria; the analysis of the identified literature provides a model for how Universal Design for Learning can impact postsecondary STEM instruction, including an increase in inclusive teaching methods and self-advocacy from students with disabilities, and leads to recommendations for additional research.
Cover Crop Biomass Production in Temperate Agroecozones

Cover crop (CC) biomass production dictates agricultural and environmental services that CCs deliver, but finding a review on this topic is difficult. We synthesized published data on CC biomass production for 20 common CC species in temperate regions and discussed factors affecting CC biomass production. Review of 389 papers indicated CC biomass production was 3.37 ± 2.96 Mg ha–¹ (mean ± SD). Cover crop biomass production for the top five biomass-producing species was: sorghum (Sorghum sp.) (5.99 Mg ha–¹) > sunn hemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) (5.77 Mg ha–¹) > millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) (4.95 Mg ha–¹) > rye (Secale cereale L.) (4.93 Mg ha–¹) > two-species mix (4.18 Mg ha–¹). In humid regions (>750 mm precipitation), CC biomass production ranged from 1.67 to 6.30 Mg ha–¹ depending on species. In regions with other systems [soybean (Glycine max L.), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.), and others] > maize (Zea mays L.) > small grains. Rye was among the most common and highest biomass producing species in most regions and cropping systems. Drill-planting and maximizing CC growing season, such as early planting or late termination, can increase CC biomass production. Irrigation at establishment increased CC biomass production for legumes and mixes in humid regions, and all CC groups in semiarid regions. Overall, CCs can produce significant amount of biomass, but this can be highly dependent on climate, CC species, cropping system, and management.
An Intramolecular Salt Bridge Linking TDP43 RNA Binding, Protein Stability, and TDP43-Dependent Neurodegeneration.

Summary The majority of individuals with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD) exhibit neuronal cytoplasmic inclusions rich in the RNA binding protein TDP43. Even so, the relation between the RNA binding properties of TDP43 and neurodegeneration remains obscure. Here, we show that engineered mutations disrupting a salt bridge between the RNA recognition motifs of TDP43 interfere with RNA binding and eliminate the recognition of native TDP43 substrates. The same mutations dramatically destabilize TDP43, alter its subcellular localization, and abrogate TDP43-dependent neurodegeneration. Worms harboring homologous TDP-1 mutations phenocopy knockout strains, confirming the necessity of salt bridge residues for TDP43 function. Moreover, the accumulation of functional TDP43, but not RNA binding-deficient variants, disproportionately affects transcripts encoding ribosome and oxidative phosphorylation components. These studies demonstrate the significance of the salt bridge in sustaining TDP43 stability and RNA binding properties, factors that are crucial for neurodegeneration arising from TDP43 deposition in ALS and FTD.
Technologies of Disintermediation in a Mediated State: Civil Society Organisations and India’s Aadhaar Project

The various lines of resistance against the Indian government’s Unique Identification Number project since its inception in 2009 form a national and publicly accessible narrative. But less is known...
Ageing on and off the red carpet: Joan Rivers, celebrity culture and postfeminist television

In 1994 Joan Rivers stepped onto the red carpet, a significant yet under-studied moment in fashion and celebrity culture. While she had been in the public eye for decades, Rivers discovered late ca...
IRF-1 mediates apoptosis and FADD/activated caspase 8 complex formation in breast carcinoma independent of the death ligands Fas, TNFa and TRAIL

766 Background Interferon regulatory factor 1 (IRF-1) is a nuclear transcription factor with known tumor suppressor activity and has been shown to induce apoptosis in breast cancer. The mechanism of IRF-1 mediated apoptosis is largely unknown. We hypothesize that IRF-1 induces apoptosis through a caspase 8 mediated death pathway. Methods MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells were transfected with recombinant adenovirus (Ad-Null or Ad-IRF-1) at an MOI of 25 caspase 8 specific inhibitor IETD (50 uM). Whole cell lysates at 24 hours underwent immunoblotting for caspases 8, 3 and 7. Immunoprecipation was performed at 24 hours (Ad-Null or Ad-IRF-1) with anti-FADD antibody and analyzed by immunoblotting for caspase 8. Cells treated with recombinant TRAIL, FasL and TNFa (100 ng/mL) were analyzed at 24 hours for apoptosis by Annexin V/PI flow cytometry. Transduced cells (Ad-Null and Ad-IRF1) blocking antibodies to TNFR, Fas and TRAIL receptors DR4/DR5 (20 ug/mL) were analyzed at 24 hours for apoptosis by flow cytometry. Results IRF-1 induces marked apoptosis compared to control (Ad-Null 6.4% Annexin V positive, Ad-IRF-1 33.7%) and induces caspase 8 cleavage followed by cleavage of both caspase 3 and 7 which is blocked by a caspase 8 specific inhibitor. Immunoprecipitation of FADD in IRF-1 transduced cells shows formation of a FADD and activated caspase 8 complex. TRAIL, FasL and TNFa alone do not induce apoptosis nor caspase 8 cleavage/activation in MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. Blocking antibodies to TNFR, Fas or TRAIL receptors do not inhibit IRF-1 induced apoptosis (Ad-IRF-1 plus TNFR Ab 40.7% Annexin V positive, Ad-IRF-1 plus Fas Ab 33.7%, Ad-IRF-1 plus DR4 Ab 48.5%, Ad-IRF-1 plus DR5 Ab 43.6%). Conclusions IRF-1 induces apoptosis and is accompanied by caspase 8 cleavage and formation of a FADD and activated caspase 8 complex in human MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. This appears to be independent of the death ligands FasL, TRAIL and TNFa. Targeting of IRF-1 expression may provide insight into a mechanism of cell death mediated by FADD and caspase 8 independent of death ligands.
Advances in Management of Neuropsychiatric Syndromes in Neurodegenerative Diseases

Neuropsychiatric syndromes (NPS) are common in neurodegenerative disorders (NDD). This review describes the role of NPS in the diagnosis of NDD, criteria for the diagnosis of NPS, management of NPS, and agents in clinical trials for NPS. NPS play an increasingly important role in the diagnosis of NDD. Consensus diagnostic criteria have evolved for psychosis, depression, agitation, and apathy in NDD. With one exception—pimavanserin is approved for the treatment of hallucinations and delusions in Parkinson’s disease—there are no drugs approved by the FDA for treatment of NPS in NDD. Trials show that atypical antipsychotics reduce psychosis in AD and in Parkinson’s disease, although side effect concerns have constrained their use. Antidepressants show benefit in treatment of Parkinson’s disease with depression. Several agents are in clinical trials for treatment of NPS in NDD. Neuropsychiatric syndromes play a major role in NDD diagnosis. Clinical criteria allow recognition of NPS in NDD. Psychotropic medications are often useful in the treatment of NPS in NDD; efficacious, safe, and approved agents are needed.
Nanoluciferase-Based Method for Detecting Gene Expression in Caenorhabditis elegans.

Genetic reporters such as the green fluorescent protein (GFP) can facilitate measurement of promoter activity and gene expression. However, animal autofluorescence limits the sensitivity of GFP and other fluorescent reporters in whole-animal settings like in the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we present a highly sensitive Nanoluciferase (NanoLuc)-based method in a multiwell format to detect constitutive and inducible gene expression in C. elegans. We optimize detection of bioluminescent signals from NanoLuc in C. elegans and show that it can be detected at 400,000-fold over background in a population of 100 animals expressing intestinal NanoLuc driven by the vha-6 promoter. We can reliably detect signal in single vha-6p::Nanoluc-expressing worms from all developmental stages. Furthermore, we can detect signal from a 1/100 dilution of lysate from a single vha-6p::Nanoluc-expressing adult and from a single vha-6p::Nanoluc-expressing adult “hidden” in a pool of 5000 N2 wild-type animals. We also optimize various steps of this protocol, which involves a lysis step that can be performed in minutes. As a proof-of-concept, we used NanoLuc to monitor the promoter activity of the pals-5 stress/immune reporter and were able to measure 300- and 50-fold increased NanoLuc activity after proteasome blockade and infection with microsporidia, respectively. Altogether, these results indicate that NanoLuc provides a highly sensitive genetic reporter for rapidly monitoring whole-animal gene expression in C. elegans.
EcAMSat spaceflight measurements of the role of σs in antibiotic resistance of stationary phase Escherichia coli in microgravity.

Abstract We report the results of the EcAMSat (Escherichia coli Antimicrobial Satellite) autonomous space flight experiment, investigating the role of σs in the development of antibiotic resistance in uropathogenic E. coli (UPEC) in microgravity (µ-g). The presence of σs, encoded by the rpoS gene, has been shown to increase antibiotic resistance in Earth gravity, but it was unknown if this effect occurs in µ-g. Two strains, wildtype (WT) UPEC and its isogenic ΔrpoS mutant, were grown to stationary phase aboard EcAMSat, an 11-kg small satellite, and in a parallel ground-based control experiment; cell growth rates for the two strains were found to be unaltered by µ-g. After starvation for over 24 h, stationary-phase cells were incubated with three doses of gentamicin (Gm), a common treatment for urinary tract infections (which have been reported in astronauts). Cellular metabolic activity was measured optically using the redox-based indicator alamarBlue (aB): both strains exhibited slower metabolism in µ-g, consistent with results from previous smallsat missions. The results also showed that µ-g did not enhance UPEC resistance to Gm; in fact, both strains were more susceptible to Gm in µ-g. It was also found, via a second ground-control experiment, that multi-week storage in the payload hardware stressed the cells, potentially obscuring small differential effects of the antibiotic between WT and mutant and/or between µ-g and ground. Overall, results showed that the ∆rpoS mutant was 34–37% less metabolically active than the WT for four different sets of conditions: ground without Gm, ground with Gm; µ-g without Gm, µ-g with Gm. We conclude therefore that the rpoS gene and its downstream products are important therapeutic targets for treating bacterial infections in space, much as they are on the ground.
Evaluating Celerity: A 16-nm 695 Giga-RISC-V Instructions/s Manycore Processor With Synthesizable PLL

This letter presents a 16-nm 496-core RISC-V network-on-chip (NoC). The mesh achieves 1.4 GHz at 0.98 V, yielding a peak throughput of 695 Giga RISC-V instructions/s (GRVIS), a peak energy efficiency of 314.89 GRVIS/W, and a record 825 320 CoreMark benchmark score. Unlike previously reported [1] , this new score was obtained without modifying the core benchmark code. The main feature is the NoC architecture, which uses only $1881~\mu \text{m}^{2}$ per router node, enables highly scalable and dense compute, and provides up to 361 Tb/s of aggregate bandwidth.
CCR5 -Δ32 biology, gene editing, and warnings for the future of CRISPR-Cas9 as a human and humane gene editing tool

Biomedical technologies have not just improved human health but also assisted in the creation of human life. Since the first birth of a healthy baby by in vitro fertilization (IVF) 40 years ago, IVF has been the mainstay treatment for couples struggling with infertility. This technology, in addition to increasingly accessible genetic testing, has made it possible for countless couples to have children. Since CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing was described in 2015, its potential for targeting genetic diseases has been much anticipated. However, the potential of using CRISPR-Cas9 for human germline modification has led to many fears of “designer babies” and widespread concerns for the impact of this technology on human evolution and its implications in Social Darwinism. In addition to these ethical/moral concerns, there remain many unknowns about CRISPR-Cas9 technology and endless unanticipated consequence to gene editing. In this paper, we analyze the current progresses of CRISPR-Cas9 technology and discuss the theoretical advantages of certain allelic variances in the C-C chemokine receptor 5 gene (CCR5) in the setting of recent ethical/moral concerns regarding gene editing using the CRISPR-Cas9 system. These uncertainties have been highlighted recently by the birth of Chinese twins whose C-C chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5) gene had been inactivated via CRISPR-Cas9 to be theoretically protective against HIV infection. CCR5 signaling is critical for the successful infection of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and people with homozygous inactivating CCR5-Δ32 mutations have been shown to be protected against HIV infection. Those with the CCR5-Δ32/Δ32 mutation also have greater neuroplasticity, allowing for improved recovery from neurological trauma, and decreased Chagas cardiomyopathy. However, the CCR5-Δ32/Δ32 mutation has also been associated with earlier clinical manifestations for West Nile infection, ambiguous effects on osteoclast function, and a four-fold increased mortality from influenza infection. These detrimental health impacts, in addition to the confounding factor that these CRISPR babies do not carry this exact CCR5-Δ32/Δ32 mutation, lead to many questions regarding the children’s future health and the moral conundrum of their birth. The creation and birth of these babies was not completed with any scientific, ethical, or governmental oversight, which has spurned the acceleration of talks regarding global regulations for human genetic editing. Although we can try to regulate for ethical, health-related only use of this technology, moral and governmental oversights need to be supplemented by technical regulations. For instance, whole genome sequencing needs to be used to eliminate off-target mutations that could affect the health and safety of infants born to this process. Like Pandora’s Box, we cannot pretend to forget CRISPR-Cas9 technology, all we can do is ensure a safe, moral, and equitable used of this technology.
Building and Reforming Institutions: From Technology Transfer to Policy Networks

This chapter examines the experience of building and reforming public institutions in Kenya. It begins by pointing to the challenges of filling organizations with institutional content that is directed to serving the public interest. Although major reform efforts have been carried out in Kenya, not the least the devolution of power to county governments, the focus has continued to be on government and its hierarchy. The recognition in recent decades that problems are multi-faceted as well as complex and therefore are best solved in multi-layered and multi-stakeholder fashion needs to be given greater weight in any future discussion about institutional reforms in Kenya. This chapter discusses more specifically the role that policy networks already play and how its role may be expanded to serve as an alternative to a policy agenda that is exclusively set and carried out by government ministries and their subordinate bureaucratic agencies. The chapter has three takeaways: (a) strengthening collaborative policy networks, (b) empowering and enhancing local participation in problem-solving, and (c) inculcating integrity and professionalism as part of the reform menu.
Financial Performance Analysis of Listed Pharmaceutical Companies

The development of the pharmaceutical industry has always attracted wide attention from all walks of life because it is related to the health needs of the people and is closely related to the problems of our national livelihood. In recent years, China's medical and health system reform has entered the deep-water area, and the pharmaceutical industry is facing more severe tests. In this critical period, the pharmaceutical industry must overcome the immediate difficulties and correctly understand the overall competitiveness of the industry. As a representative of the pharmaceutical industry, the financial indicators of listed pharmaceutical companies play an important role in evaluating the company's operating performance, and at the same time provide a method for the company to formulate correct development strategies and operating policies. This article uses factor analysis to evaluate the financial performance of China's listed pharmaceutical companies in recent years to reflect the current situation of China's pharmaceutical companies. When selecting the sample, we excluded listed companies that could not obtain the required research data and untrue data disclosure and selected 58 listed pharmaceutical companies as research objects according to the sub-categories of the pharmaceutical industry and the market value ranking at the end of 2019. The performance level indicators were screened, and 14 indicators were finally determined. After running the SPSS software, 5 main factors can be extracted to construct a model to measure the financial performance level, calculate each factor score and comprehensive score, and evaluate the financial performance of listed pharmaceutical companies; on the basis, the performance levels of the listed companies in the pharmaceutical industry in the past three years can be compared and their financial performances can be concluded.
Competition Between Internet Search Engines

We develop a model of vertical differentiation in the Internet search engine market. A key property of the model is that users who try out one engine may be dissatisfied with the results, and consult another engine in the same session. This residual demand allows lower quality engines to survive in equilibrium. We consider a two-period game between an incumbent and an entrant who enters in the second period. Since users prefer to try out a higher quality engine first, the demand for an engine is discontinuous in quality, depending on whether the engine is a leader or a follower. We take into account brand loyalty for the incumbent. The interaction of brand loyalty and a cost advantage for the entrant determines which engine is the leader in equilibrium.
Spatial-temporal modeling of initial COVID-19 diffusion: The cases of the Chinese Mainland and Conterminous United States

COVID-19 outbreaks in China in late December 2019, then in the United States (US) in early 2020. In the initial wave of diffusion, the virus respectively took 14 and 33 days to spread across the pr...
Modeling the Structure of Glasses and Ceramic Grain Boundaries (an Interstitial Approach)

The characterization of atomic-scale structure has been a central issue in glass science since the pioneering work ofZachariasen and Warren in the 1930’s. The understanding of this subject was greatly expanded by the development of amorphous metals in the 1960’s. Grain boundary structure in crystalline metals and ceramics is closely related to the structure of corresponding glasses. A useful perspective on structure in these various materials systems is provided by concentrating on their interstitial geometry. The nature of the distribution of interstitial size in silicate glasses has been characterized by experimental methods (such as gas transport measurements) and by computer modeling exercises (such as molecular dynamics). The recent discoveries of medium-range ordering in silicate glasses are best defined in terms of interstitial structure. In order to intelligently design specific glass or interfacial structures at the atomic-scale, it is necessary to fully understand the fundamental structural building blocks which are available. In this regard, the total number of polyhedral “cages” that comprise interstitial structure has been defined. The number available for nonmetallic glasses and grain boundaries (126) is, of course, much larger than that for metals (8). A more compact set can be defined for nonmetals (44 = 28 convex polyhedra + 16 prisms and antiprisms), by considering only “simple” polyhedra which can not be further dissected.
Evaluating Hotel Marketing Effectiveness: The Audit

Hotel management is increasingly looking for ways to evaluate marketing effectiveness. A system is needed to assess objectives, strategies, and performance. The Marketing Audit provides a workable, worthwhile tool for managers to assess current performances and long-range goals.
Electrons as a Hydrodynamical Fluid

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the importance of electrons as a hydrodynamical fluid. The pressure of the electron component of plasma can exert a significant effect upon the mechanical behavior of the plasma. Because in the absence of currents the action of this pressure cannot be distinguished from that of any other component by the morphology of the effects, identification of its importance depends on measurements of the electron temperature or on a demonstration of the occurrence of the effect at an epoch when no other cause could as yet be active. When electron pressure is predominant, however, it represents a more efficient use of energy than otherwise, providing what amounts to an internal electronic and magnetic field (EMF) for the acceleration of the heavy ionic component. A strong magnetic field can coerce plasma into hydrodynamical motion. An idealized treatment of the magnetic action, based on an infinitely thin current shell advancing inwards and driving a shock wave which rebounds to reverse the advance of the layer, gave a reasonable qualitative agreement. It is suggested that the phenomenon of the striated positive column of the low pressure glow discharge certainly has a hydrodynamical basis, and probably bears the same relation to the ionic sound waves that forced oscillations do to free oscillations as the observed wave speeds are in the same range.