cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel interaction between DNA ligase III and DNA polymerase γ plays an essential role in mitochondrial DNA stability

The data in the present study show that DNA polymerase γ and DNA ligase III interact in mitochondrial protein extracts from cultured HT1080 cells. An interaction was also observed between the two recombinant proteins in vitro. Expression of catalytically inert versions of DNA ligase III that bind DNA polymerase γ was associated with reduced mitochondrial DNA copy number and integrity. In contrast, overexpression of wild-type DNA ligase III had no effect on mitochondrial DNA copy number or integrity. Experiments revealed that wild-type DNA ligase III facilitates the interaction of DNA polymerase γ with a nicked DNA substrate in vitro, and that the zinc finger domain of DNA ligase III is required for this activity. Mitochondrial protein extracts prepared from cells overexpressing a DNA ligase III protein that lacked the zinc finger domain had reduced base excision repair activity compared with extracts from cells overexpressing the wild-type protein. These data support the interpretation that the interaction of DNA ligase III and DNA polymerase γ is required for proper maintenance of the mammalian mitochondrial genome.
EVOLUTION OF THERMAL DEPENDENCE OF GROWTH RATE OF ESCHERICHIA COLI POPULATIONS DURING 20,000 GENERATIONS IN A CONSTANT ENVIRONMENT

Twelve experimental populations of the bacterium Escherichia coli evolved for 20,000 generations in a defined medium at 378C. We measured their maximum growth rates across a broad range of temperatures and at several evolutionary time points to quantify the extent to which they became thermal specialists with diminished performance at other temperatures. We also sought to determine whether antagonistic pleiotropy (genetic trade-offs) or mutation accumulation (drift decay) was primarily responsible for any thermal specialization. Populations showed consistent improvement in growth rate at moderate temperatures (27-398C), but tended to have decreased growth rate at both low (208C) and high (41-428C) temperatures. Most loss occurred early in the experiment, when adaptation was most rapid. This dynamic is predicted by antagonistic pleiotropy but not by mutation accumulation. Several populations evolved high mutation rates due to defects in their DNA repair, but they did not subsequently undergo a greater decrease in growth rate at thermal extremes than populations that retained low mutation rates, contrary to the acceleration of decay predicted by mutation accumulation. Antagonistic pleiotropy therefore is more likely to be responsible for the evolution of thermal specialization observed in maximum growth rate.
Modulating retro-reflectors for space, tracking, acquisition, and ranging using multiple quantum-well technology

This paper describes a novel concept for optical interrogation, communication, and navigation between spacecraft platforms. The technique uses a gimbaled laser source on a pursuer spacecraft and an array of solid-state, multiple quantum well modulating retroreflectors on a target spacecraft. The sensor system provides high-bandwidth optical communication, centimeter-level relative positioning, and better than arc-minute-level relative attitude of the target platform with minimal sacrifice in target size, weight, and power. To accomplish the relative navigation, each target retroreflector return is modulated with a unique code sequence, allowing for individual discrimination of the detected composite signal at the pursuer location. Experimental results using a dual-platform, multi-degree-of-freedom testbed provide verification and demonstration of the concept, highlighting its potential for applications such as inter-spacecraft rendezvous and capture, long-baseline space interferometry, and formation flying.
Electrical Properties of Lead‐Barium Niobates and Associated Materials

The electrical properties of materials in the system lead-barium niobate are described. Particularly useful materials are obtained when between 25 and 50 mole % of lead niobate is replaced by barium niobate. Materials with a 40 to 45 mole % replacement have permittivities of more than 1500 and radial electromechanical coupling coefficients of more than 0.35, but the Curie temperature is then only about 250°C, the minimum value obtained in the system. Higher Curie temperatures are accompanied by somewhat lower values of permittivity and coupling coefficient. An indication is given of the effects of several other additives on the properties of lead niobate, and it is shown that barium-strontium niobates are only weakly ferroelectric at room temperature.
Strontium and Actinide Separations from High Level Nuclear Waste Solutions Using Monosodium Titanate 1. Simulant Testing

Pretreatment processes at the Savannah River Site will separate {sup 90}Sr, alpha-emitting and radionuclides (i.e., actinides) and {sup 137}Cs prior to disposal of the high-level nuclear waste. Separation of {sup 90}Sr and alpha-emitting radionuclides occurs by ion exchange/adsorption using an inorganic material, monosodium titanate (MST). Previously reported testing with simulants indicates that the MST exhibits high selectivity for strontium and actinides in high ionic strength and strongly alkaline salt solutions. This paper provides a summary of data acquired to measure the performance of MST to remove strontium and actinides from actual waste solutions. These tests evaluated the effects of ionic strength, mixing, elevated alpha activities, and multiple contacts of the waste with MST. Tests also provided confirmation that MST performs well at much larger laboratory scales (300-700 times larger) and exhibits little affinity for desorption of strontium and plutonium during washing.
A Model for the Complex Dielectric Constant of Supercooled Liquid Water at Microwave Frequencies

Measurements of the complex dielectric constant, or relative permittivity, spectrum of liquid water are modeled for frequencies up to 1 THz and temperatures up to 60 °C by a combination of two components: a Debye function, which characterizes the reorientation of the water molecules under the influence of an electric field, and a distributed-resonance function, which is associated with vibrations of intermolecular hydrogen bonds. This model provides a good representation of cloud measurements below 200 GHz at temperatures as low as -25 °C.
Isometric cervical muscle strength mitigates head impact severity

Objective To compare the risk of sustaining a mild, moderate, and severe head impact between athletes with high and low isometric cervical strength. Design Prospective cohort. Setting Clinic/On-field. Participants Twenty-one collegiate American football players. Interventions Isometric strength was measured prior to the season using a handheld dynamometer in four directions: flexion, anterolateral-flexion, rotation, and posterolateral-extension. Participants completed three 3 s trials. We used the Head Impact Telemetry System to record head impact biomechanics (N=8649 head impacts) at practices and games. Main Outcome Measurements Peak force values were averaged across trials and sides and then normalised to body mass. Players were categorised as either high or low performers based on a 50th percentile cut-off separately for each direction and for composite strength (sum across each direction). Using previous values, each head impact was categorised as mild (linear acceleration ≤66 g), moderate (>66 g or Results Players with low flexion, posterolateral-extension, and composite strength had a greater risk of sustaining moderate (RR=2.0, 1.8, 1.6, respectively) and severe (RR=1.6, 1.1, 1.2, respectively) impacts. Players with weaker anterolateral-flexors had a reduced risk of sustaining moderate (RR=0.8) and severe (RR=0.7) impacts. Conclusions The cervical musculature may play a role in mitigating head impact severity among collegiate football players. Sports medicine professionals and strength and conditioning coaches should continue exploring the potential benefits of cervical strengthening programmes on head injury prevention. Acknowledgements The authors thank Breton Asken for his assistance during data collection. Competing interests None.
Escherichia Coli Mutations That Prevent the Action of the T4 Unf/Alc Protein Map in an RNA Polymerase Gene

Bacteriophage T4 has the substituted base hydroxymethylcytosine in its DNA and presumably shuts off host transcription by specifically blocking transcription of cytosine-containing DNA. When T4 incorporates cytosine into its own DNA, the shutoff mechanism is directed back at T4, blocking its late gene expression and phage production. Mutations which permit T4 multiplication with cytosine DNA should be in genes required for host shutoff. The only such mutations characterized thus far have been in the phage unf/alc gene. The product of this gene is also required for the unfolding of the host nucleoid after infection, hence its dual name unf/alc. As part of our investigation of the mechanism of action of unf/alc, we have isolated Escherichia coli mutants which propagate cytosine T4 even if the phage are genotypically alc+. These same E. coli mutants are delayed in the T4-induced unfolding of their nucleoid, lending strong support to the conclusion that blocking transcription and unfolding the host nucleoid are but different manifestations of the same activity. We have mapped two of the mutations, called paf mutations for prevent alc function. They both map at about 90 min, probably in the rpoB gene encoding a subunit of RNA polymerase. From the behavior of Paf mutants, we hypothesize that the unf/alc gene product of T4 interacts somehow with the host RNA polymerase to block transcription of cytosine DNA and unfold the host nucleoid.
American Football Helmet for Preventing Concussion, a Literature Review

Abstract This paper reviews the studies that have been conducted on the performance of the American football helmet in preventing concussion. The review will also guide us to understand what problems still exist and what research directions we should take. Throughout the history of sports, injuries limiting the career life of the athletes have been the leading concern of the sport authorities. These injuries are more extensive in sports in which athletes are in severe contact with each. Mild Traumatic Brain Injury, concussion, widely occurs in American football because of the frequent strokes to players’ heads. Concussion includes several types of neurological dysfunctions such as headache, dizziness, confusion, blurred vision, delayed reaction time and etc. Lots of the studies have focused on understanding the concussion and improving the protective performance of the helmet, so that the dose of the injury in players is reduced. Researches in this area can be classified as two major methods: experimental studies and Finite Element Modeling (FEM) simulations. In experiments, researchers have tried to record head impacts or reconstruct the severe collisions using the game videos in the laboratory conditions. They have used the Hybrid III dummy in order to study the effects of the different impact parameters such as direction, velocity, region of the head being hit and etc. These studies have been done by analyzing the dynamic responses of head including linear acceleration (LA), rotational acceleration (RA), and different head injury criteria like Head Injury Criteria (HIC) and Gadd Severity Index (GSI). Mentioned impact parameters have been also examined using FEM simulations. Researchers have applied the results of experimental tests including linear and rotational acceleration in order to study the brain deformation responses to different types of impacts. In this regards, brain deformation responses like maximum principal strain have been considered and analyzed using the head injury and concussion thresholds.
New Approach to Automation and Robotics Vocational Education in Support of Europe Reindustrialization

The post-industrial Europe cannot effectively fight the economic crisis. The Europa 2020 strategy goal is the advancement of the European Union economy which would be impossible without re-industrialisation. To reverse the declining role of industry, the re-industrialisation will notably be based on SMEs in which the production processes are not automated enough. In result the existing, as well as new companies will invest significant efforts in Automation and Robitisation (A&R) to minimise costs by eliminating manual work. The article presents the approach for preparation of the new generation vocational courses tailored especially to meet the needs and expectations of small and medium enterprises connected with introduction of new technologies, especially connected with Automation and Robotisation.
Seasonal response of ghrelin, growth hormone, and insulin-like growth factor I in the free-ranging Florida manatee ( Trichechus manatus latirostris )

Seasonal changes in light, temperature, and food availability stimulate a physiological response in an animal. Seasonal adaptations are well studied in Arctic, Sub-Arctic, and hibernating mammals; however, limited studies have been conducted in sub-tropical species. The Florida manatee (Trichechus manatus latirostris), a sub-tropical marine mammal, forages less during colder temperatures and may rely on adipose stores for maintenance energy requirements. Metabolic hormones, growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I, and ghrelin influence growth rate, accretion of lean and adipose tissue. They have been shown to regulate seasonal changes in body composition. The objective of this research was to investigate manatee metabolic hormones in two seasons to determine if manatees exhibit seasonality and if these hormones are associated with seasonal changes in body composition. In addition, age related differences in these metabolic hormones were assessed in multiple age classes. Concentrations of GH, IGF-I, and ghrelin were quantified in adult manatee serum using heterologous radioimmunoassays. Samples were compared between short (winter) and long (summer) photoperiods (n = 22 male, 20 female) and by age class (adult, juvenile, and calf) in long photoperiods (n = 37). Short photoperiods tended to have reduced GH (p = 0.08), greater IGF-I (p = 0.01), and greater blubber depth (p = 0.03) compared with long photoperiods. No differences were observed in ghrelin (p = 0.66). Surprisingly, no age related differences were observed in IGF-I or ghrelin concentrations (p > 0.05). However, serum concentrations of GH tended (p = 0.07) to be greater in calves and juveniles compared with adults. Increased IGF-I, greater blubber thickness, and reduced GH during short photoperiod suggest a prioritization for adipose deposition. Whereas, increased GH, reduced blubber thickness, and decreased IGF-I in long photoperiod suggest prioritization of lean tissue accretion. Hormone profiles in conjunction with difference in body composition between photoperiods indicate seasonal adjustments in manatee nutrient partitioning priorities.
Region and Race: The Legacies of the St Louis Olympics

St Louis staged the third modern Olympics in 1904, an event most historians have labelled as a less than memorable occasion and some have contended nearly derailed the nascent Olympic movement. Consigned to a regional hamlet rather than a global city, the 1904 St Louis games were supposedly a model of how not to conduct an Olympian spectacle. Taking a different perspective, however, the St Louis games had a profound influence on how the United States has staged Olympics. The Olympics have not been held in established or well-known American metropolises but have consistently gone to up-and-coming cities in border regions eager to make national and global reputations. In addition, the 1904 St Louis games were held in a legally segregated city but permitted the inclusion for the first time of African-American athletes in Olympic competition. Race and region provided foundations for American interpretations of the 1904 Olympics and have remained paramount in national memories of Olympian events ever since. Fr...
Evolution of physical and electronic structures of bilayer graphene upon chemical functionalization.

The chemical behavior of bilayer graphene under strong covalent and noncovalent functionalization is relatively unknown compared to monolayer graphene, which has been far more widely studied. Bilayer graphene is significantly less chemically reactive than monolayer graphene, making it more challenging to study its chemistry in detail. However, bilayer graphene is increasingly attractive for electronic applications rather than monolayer graphene because of its electric-field-controllable band gap, and there is a need for a greater understanding of its chemical functionalization. In this paper, we study the covalent and noncovalent functionalization of bilayer graphene using an electrochemical process with aryl diazonium salts in the high conversion regime (D/G ratio >1), and we use Raman spectroscopic mapping and conductive atomic force microscopy (cAFM) to study the resulting changes in the physical and electronic structures. Covalent functionalization at high chemical conversion induces distinct changes ...
Growth of Au on Pt icosahedral nanoparticles revealed by low-dose in situ TEM.

A growth mode was revealed by an in situ TEM study of nucleation and growth of Au on Pt icosahedral nanoparticles. Quantitative analysis of growth kinetics was carried out based on real-time TEM data, which shows the process involves: (1) deposition of Au on corner sites of Pt icosahedral nanoparticles, (2) diffusion of Au from corners to terraces and edges, and (3) subsequent layer-by-layer growth of Au on Au surfaces to form Pt@Au core–shell nanoparticles. The in situ TEM results indicate diffusion of Au from corner islands to terraces and edges is a kinetically controlled growth, as evidenced by a measurement of diffusion coefficients for these growth processes. We demonstrated that in situ electron microscopy is a valuable tool for quantitative study of nucleation and growth kinetics and can provide new insight into the design and precise control of heterogeneous nanostructures.
Effect of Humidity on Mechanical Property of HTPB Composite Propellant

The change rule of mechanical property of HTPB composite propellant with test time was studied by humidity test.The effect of humidity on mechanical property of the propellant was remarkable.The mechanical property of HTPB composite propellant would resume in part after dryness. The surface state and tensile fracture of HTPB propellant before and after humidity test were analyzed by ESEM.The results revealed that the AT particle form on the propellant surface after test varied obviously,the naked area of the AP particle on the tensile fracture increased and the surface of abscission pit was smooth and regular.The reason for humidity affected mechanical property of HTPB propellant was analyzed.The results show that the mechanical property can not resume to the original state by dryness after the HTPB propellant absorbs moisture.
Selective Manipulation of Molecules by Electrostatic Force and Detection of Single Molecules in Aqueous Solution

Manipulation of biomolecules in aqueous solution has been a critical issue for the development of many biosensing techniques and biomedical devices. Electrostatic force is an effective method for increasing both sensitivity and selectivity of various biosensing techniques. In this study, we employed surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) as an in situ label-free method to monitor the motion of biomolecules driven by this manipulation technique. We present the results of a combined experimental and simulation study to demonstrate that electrostatic force could enhance SERS detection of molecules in aqueous solutions with respect to sensitivity and selectivity. In regards to sensitivity, we successfully observed the signature of single molecule addition to individual SERS hot spots, in the form of the stepwise increase of Raman signal with time. With regard to selectivity, we obtained discernible SERS signature of selected families of molecules from a mixture of other molecular families of higher concen...
Sickling-induced binding of immunoglobulin to sickle erythrocytes.

Previously we demonstrated that sickle erythrocytes sedimenting at high densities after gradient centrifugation contain higher levels of surface immunoglobulin bound in vivo in comparison to low-density erythrocytes from the same patient. The present study examines the possibility that binding of autologous IgG to sickle erythrocytes may be associated with the sickling phenomenon. In the present study we subjected low-density erythrocytes to prolonged sickling under nitrogen in the presence of platelet-poor autologous plasma with added glucose for 24 hours (37 degrees C). After reoxygenation IgG bound in vitro was quantified by a nonequilibrium 125iodinated protein A-binding assay and by flow cytometry. Results show that sickle erythrocytes incubated under nitrogen bound significantly (P less than .001) more IgG, 439 +/- 41, molecules of IgG per cell (mean +/- SD) compared with sickle cells incubated under oxygenation (227 +/- 12 molecules of IgG per red cell) or compared with 196 +/- 26 molecules IgG per cell for untreated sickle cells. In contrast, normal erythrocytes incubated in autologous plasma exhibited no detectable IgG binding in vitro under either oxygenation or deoxygenation. Flow cytometry shows that deoxygenation of sickle cells generated a two-to-sixfold increase in the subpopulation of brightly fluorescent IgG-positive cells in comparison to oxygenated sickle cells and a 13.5% +/- 3.1% (mean +/- SD) increase in median fluorescence intensity for fluorescein isothiocyanate-labeled deoxygenated sickled cells compared with labeled oxygenated sickle cells. Our studies demonstrate that prolonged sickling will induce in vitro binding of autologous IgG to sickle erythrocytes. These findings indicate that sickle erythrocytes may be unique when compared with erythrocytes from other nonimmunologic hemolytic anemias or senescent red cells in that the primary events producing surface antigens recognized by autoantibody may include the sickling process. These findings also suggest that sickling in vivo may generate membrane alterations in sickle erythrocytes that lead to cumulative binding of autoantibody in vivo.
Engraftment of normal murine marrow into nonmyeloablated host mice.

Abstract When 200 x 10(6) male BALB/c cells are given by tail vein injection to female nonmyeloablated hosts in one injection, a relatively low engraftment percentage is seen, but when the same total number of cells is given over five injections (separated by 24 hours), the observed engraftment is much higher. A further increase in engraftment appears to occur when the same number of cells is given in 10 injections separated by at least 24 hours. These data suggest that somewhere between 5 and 10% of marrow niches are available at intervals of 24 or more hours and that the keys to high levels of engraftment are the cell cycle status of the engrafting stem cell and the schedule of engraftment.
Trace Metal-Citric Acid Complexes as Inhibitors of Calcification and Crystal Growth: I. Effects of Fe(III), Cr(III) and Al(III) Complexes on Calcium Phosphate Crystal Growth

AbstractThe crystal growth of calcium phosphate has been shown to be inhibited by a low molecular weight Fe(III)-citric acid complex formed when there are high ratios of citratedron at neutral pH in aqueous solution. Synergism with citric acid was also observed in systems containing Al(III) or Cr(III) ion, but different unknown complexes seemed to be involved. These results are in qualitative agreement with a preceding study involving calcification of an organic matrix. Since chelating agents like citric acid can compete with the storage proteins for iron, we suggest that the Fe (III)-citrate complexes studied here may be formed in vivo and participate in regulating biologic calcification.
An imperfect syllogism: granulocyte colony-stimulating factor mobilization and cardiac regeneration.

Despite significant progress in pharmaceuticals and medical technology, heart failure remains a major worldwide problem. Most often, heart failure manifests when myocardium becomes injured, dies, and is replaced by fibrous scar tissue. Until recently, it was thought that the heart had no ability to
Sounding Alike and Meaning Alike

During the last quarter of the twentieth century, microwaving became a stable part of the cooking done by busy families. Food producers rushed to take advantage of this technological advance and to develop new easy-to-prepare individual entrees, deserts, side-dishes, whole meals, and even lunches. One such microwave lunch was packaged in 213 gram, single-serving cups that could provide a quick meal in about a minute and a half. Two different food producers began to market such meals, leading to a trademark battle over their competing microcup lunch meals.
The link between juvenile offending and victimization: Sources of change over time in bullying victimization risk among South Korean adolescents

Abstract This study involves a longitudinal analysis of whether changes in bullying victimization over time corresponded with changes in lifestyles and/or self-control. The data from the Korean Youth Panel Survey were collected from a national sample of 2844 fourth grade students in South Korea and were followed for five years. Latent growth curve modeling was estimated to examine how individual differences in bullying victimization changed over time and whether inter-individual differences in average victimization for the first wave and inter-individual changes in risk across all five waves could be explained by time-invariant individual-trait variables as well as time-varying lifestyle variables. The findings reveal the significant cross sectional and longitudinal effects on bullying victimization, supporting to propositions, derived from both state dependence and population heterogeneity perspectives.
Rilke and D. H. Lawrence

(1940). Rilke and D. H. Lawrence. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 15, No. 3, pp. 213-223.
Activity of bevacizumab-containing regimens in recurrent low-grade serous ovarian or peritoneal cancer: A single institution experience

Abstract Objective The aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of bevacizumab in a cohort of women with recurrent low-grade serous carcinoma of the ovary or peritoneum. Methods This single-institution retrospective study assessed all patients at MD Anderson Cancer Center with recurrent low-grade serous ovarian or peritoneal cancer who received bevacizumab from 2007 to 2016. Study endpoints included best response, median progression-free survival, median overall survival, and toxicity. Results Forty patients received 45 separate "patient-regimens." Most received bevacizumab in combination with chemotherapy. Complete response (CR) was seen in 7.5%, while 40% had partial responses (PR) and 30% achieved stable disease (SD). Disease progression occurred in nine patients (22.5%). Overall response rate (CR+PR) to bevacizumab-containing regimens was 47.5%. Clinical benefit (CR+PR+SD) was seen in 77.5% of patients. Median progression free survival was 10.2months (95% CI 7.9, 12.4). Median overall survival was 34.6months (95% CI 29.5, 39.7). Fifteen patients discontinued bevacizumab related to toxicity. Conclusions Bevacizumab, most often in combination with chemotherapy, has activity in recurrent low-grade ovarian cancer and should be considered a treatment option for these patients. Further investigation into the most effective chemotherapeutic agent in combination with bevacizumab is warranted.
Cryofocusing capillary microextraction of volatiles (Cryo-CMV) as a novel headspace extraction device for the analysis of volatile organic compounds and smokeless powders

Abstract A novel field sampling device for fast, sensitive, dynamic headspace sampling of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and smokeless powders from air is described. The capillary microextraction of volatiles (CMV) is an inexpensive, preconcentration technique that results in fast sampling times (as low as 2 min) with high efficiency and sensitivity. Analysis of the CMV with GC–MS is achieved with a thermal desorption probe to introduce the CMV directly into the injection port of a GC. A cryofocusing device consisting of a Peltier-cooled module that operates down to −10 °C was employed to improve the extraction efficiency of the CMV for sampling both VOCs and smokeless powders. The method performance using the CMV for the analysis of 17 VOC’s, including the BTEX compounds (Benzene, Toluene, Ethylbenzene, and Xylenes) is demonstrated using the criteria established by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for sorbent tube sampling of toxic organic compounds in ambient air (EPA TO-17). Experimental results with known standards yield absolute mass detection limits ranging from 2.0 to 4.6 ng for the target compounds, in a 2 L air sample. A 35–100% improvement in the analytical performance was achieved by sampling at −10 °C, in comparison to 20 °C, for most compounds. Using cryofocusing conditions, precision of 8–53 %RSD was achieved for headspace extraction for the majority of the compounds with recoveries of as much as 37% and low breakthrough. Furthermore, the headspace calibration curves show a linearity of 0.951 or better for the target compounds, suggesting the quantitation capabilities of the CMV device. The CMV method performance was further demonstrated for the detection of markers above the headspace of smokeless powder. Experimental results with known standards, yield method detection limits of 2.0 ng and 1.3 ng for nitroglycerine (NG) and diphenylamine (DPA), respectively, in a 2 L air sampling volume followed by simultaneous SIM mode GC–MS analysis. Using cryofocusing conditions for the headspace extraction of Hodgdon smokeless powder, a 29–38% improvement in the analytical performance of NG was achieved with 18 %RSD precision, by sampling at 2.5 °C to −10 °C, in comparison to room temperature at 20 °C.
THE NLRC4 INFLAMMASOME CONTRIBUTES TO BRAIN INFLAMMAGING

Inflammation is a natural part of aging in a process known as inflammaging. Inflammaging has been associated with deleterious outcomes in the aging brain. It is believed that inflammaging precedes the onset of neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease. The inflammasome is an arm of the innate immune response involved in the activation of the inflammatory caspase-1 and the processing of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1b and IL-18. We have previously shown that inflammasome contributes to the inflammatory response in the central nervous system after brain and spinal cord injury as well as stroke. In addition, we have shown that inflammasome inhibition in the aging brain results in improved cognitive outcomes. In this study we analyzed the brain of young (3 months old) and aged (18 months old) mice for the expression of inflammasome proteins. Our findings indicate that the inflammasome proteins NLRC4, caspase-1, ASC, and IL-18 are elevated in the cytoplasm of cortical lysates in aged mice when compared to young. Similarly, in the cytoplasmic fraction of hippocampal lysates in aged mice, we found an increase in NLRC4, caspase-1, caspase-11, ASC and IL-1b. Moreover, ASC is involved in the cell death mechanism of pyroptosis. Interestingly, the pyroptosome is elevated in the brain of aged mice. Taken together, our data indicate that the NLCR4 inflammasome contributes to brain inflammaging and that pyroptosis contributes to cell death in the aging brain; thus highlighting the inflammasome as a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of brain inflammaging.
Performance analysis of IDS with honey pot on new media broadcasting

This research was an experimental analysis of the Intrusion Detection Systems(IDS) with Honey Pot conducting through a study of using Honey Pot in tricking, delaying or deviating the intruder to attack new media broadcasting server for IPTV system. Denial of Service(DoS) over wire network and wireless network consisted of three types of attacks: TCP Flood, UDP Flood and ICMP Flood by Honey Pot, where the Honeyd would be used. In this simulation, a computer or a server in the network map needed to be secured by the inactivity firewalls or other security tools for the intrusion of the detection systems and Honey Pot. The network intrusion detection system used in this experiment was SNORT (www.snort.org) developed in the form of the Open Source operating system-Linux. The results showed that, from every experiment, the internal attacks had shown more threat than the external attacks. In addition, attacks occurred through LAN network posted 50% more disturb than attacks occurred on WIFI. Also, the external attacks through LAN posted 95% more attacks than through WIFI. However, the number of attacks presented by TCP, UDP and ICMP were insignificant. This result has supported the assumption that Honey Pot was able to help detecting the intrusion. In average, 16% of the attacks was detected by Honey Pot in every experiment.
DEVELOPMENT OF A VALIDATED RISK SCORE FOR INTERSTAGE DEATH OR TRANSPLANT AFTER STAGE I PALLIATION FOR SINGLE VENTRICLE HEART DISEASE

The Interstage period between Stage 1 palliation (S1P) and Glenn operation is a time of high mortality for infants with single ventricle congenital heart disease (SVCHD). We sought to develop a risk score that could be employed at discharge post-S1P, to predict Interstage death or transplant. This
Biopsychosocial benefits of movement-based complementary and integrative health therapies for patients with chronic conditions.

ObjectivesComplementary and integrative health practices are growing in popularity, including use of movement-based therapies such as yoga, tai-chi, and qigong. Movement-based therapies are benefic...
Exploring entrepreneurial processes of emerging fashion designers

This study explored emerging designers' experiences and detailed accounts of how emerging designers' enterprises originated including the unique routes each designer took in the process. To achieve the research purpose, eight emerging fashion designers took part in semi-structured interviews, lasting approximately one hour. The collected data was analyzed and categorized based on the entrepreneurial process comprised of the innovation stage, a triggering event, implementation, and ultimately, growth. Personal factors played a critical role in the early stages of the entrepreneurial process while environmental factors took on greater significance in the later stages of the process. The study will contribute to the literature on fashion designers' entrepreneurial processes as well as support for policies and funding initiatives of start-up fashion companies.
Revision of Failed Elbow Arthroplasty

Over the last few years, our understanding of and techniques used to successfully revise failed arthroplasties have expanded considerably [1,2]. A broad spectrum of clinical and pathological states is encountered with the failed total elbow arthroplasty. Several specific features of the presentation are considered as the management plan is formulated (Table 1).
“‘Taiwan Expendable?’ Reconsidered”

In 2005, noted historian Nancy Bernkopf Tucker advanced the thesis that President Richard M. Nixon and National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger viewed Taiwan as an expendable asset in their rush to promote Sino-American normalization, resulting in the administration conceding more than necessary in disregard for Taiwan’s future or status. This article examines documents declassified since Tucker’s study to argue that this interpretation is no longer tenable. Nixon and Kissinger applied to their Taiwan policy a set of principles remarkably consistent with their broader views on foreign policy, namely an emphasis on peoples directly involved in conflicts undertaking gradual, peaceful changes, while maintaining in the interim some form of security arrangement to maintain peace. Moreover, both Nixon and Kissinger understood the myriad benefits of the U.S . relationship with the Republic of China in advancing American interests and maintaining credibility in a volatile world, and, in fact, did consider the future status of Taiwan and its government. This culminated in the Kissinger-Zhou Enlai discussions in 1971 where the former deftly defended, to the extent possible, a principled commitment to Taiwan. Ultimately, the administration’s insistence on establishing rapprochement with Beijing did not mean that Washington simply would cave to every Chinese demand. Taiwan was not expendable.
A field-deployable and handheld fluorometer for environmental water quality monitoring

This work reports the development of a field-deployable and fully handheld fluorometer for environmental water monitoring. Our developed fluorimeter can detect both green algae and cyanobacteria (blue-green algae) while simultaneously differentiating and measuring two different species by selectively measuring chlorophyll a fluorescence from green algae and phycocyanin fluorescence from blue-green algae. As a demonstration, chlorophyll a and phycocyanin photopigments were estimated and differentiated. The system was also tested with an environmental water sample collected from a lake to validate the system functionality. The presented results suggest that our developed fluorimeter could be used as a portable water quality monitoring system for detection of different photopigment of algae.
Appropriate Choice of Statistical Tests

Choosing the appropriate test for a specific type of data and setting is important, in order to obtain an accurate measure of statistical validity. Understanding statistics is essential knowledge to allow providers to interpret the findings they read in literature. In addition, the individual needs to be able to design their own research with the appropriate statistical analysis.
Clinical neurophysiology of multiple system atrophy

Multiple system atrophy (MSA) is an adult-onset, rapidly progressive neurodegenerative syndrome. The diagnosis of MSA is primarily clinical. Neurophysiologic studies can provide important clues to the diagnosis of MSA and differentiate it from other neurodegenerative diseases especially when the clinical picture is unclear. This chapter reviews common and less common neurophysiological studies useful in the diagnosis of MSA.
Effect of herbicides on feeding, survival and development of Haltica cyanea , a biocontrol agent of dicot weed, Ammania baccifera L. in rice ecosystem

Ammania baccifera L. (Fam: Lathyraceae) is one of the predominant weeds in paddy fields. In nature, the adults and grubs of Haltica cyanea (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) feed varaciously on the leaves of this weed leading to drying of the plants. In recent times with the gradual change in cultivation practices and increase in labour shortage the use of weedicides in rice ecosystem has increased tremendously. In an endeavour to explore the possibility of the use of these beetles as biocontrol agents, laboratory studies were carried out at ICAR-IIRR to compare the efficacy of H. cyanea as a biocontrol agent in comparison with the two recommended herbicides and also study the effect of these herbicides on the biology of the beetle. The two recommended herbicides, 2,4-D Na salt 80% (for broadleaved weeds) @800g a.i/ha and Metsulfuron methyl 10% + chlorimuron ethyl 10% WP (for broadleaved and sedges) @4ga.i/ha were tested against A. baccifera and the larval stages of H. cyanea . The effect of these herbicides on survival, feeding, longevity and biology of the bioagent was studied through leaf dip and pot spray method. It was observed that there was 21.67% reduction in shoot weight in beetle released plants as compared to herbicide treatment wherein 38.5-49.3% reduction in shoot weight was observed within 48h. Both the herbicides affected the biology of the insect and between the two herbicides, 2,4-D Na salt was more toxic to the grubs as compared to Metsulfuron methyl + chlorimuron ethyl.
Biofabrication of microcapsules encapsulating beta-TC-6 cells via scalable device and in-vivo evaluation in type 1 diabetic mice.

Abstract Type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) is a disease characterized by lack of pancreatic islet function. Whole tissue transplantation appears to be a viable alternative in the management of T1DM. This study aims at the fabrication and evaluation of alginate-chitosan microcapsules encapsulating insulin-secreting beta-TC-6 cells using an automated spraying nozzle. Uniform spherical microcapsules (250–350 µm) encapsulated with beta-TC-6 cells were fabricated in large quantities in a short span of time. Microencapsulated beta-TC-6 cells were transplanted intraperitoneally into streptozotocin (STZ) induced diabetic mice and monitored for immune tolerance and decrease in blood glucose levels. Mice that received microencapsulated beta-TC-6 cells maintained normoglycemia for 35 ± 5 days before rejection. However, the group that received naked beta-TC-6 cells rejected the cells within 1–2 days, unable to control elevated blood glucose levels. They also exhibited high immune reactions, as evidenced by elevated levels of CD8+ and CD62L T cells. CD4+ T cells that mediated a Th2 response (humoral response) were predominant in microencapsulated beta-TC-6 cells and cells only group as evidenced by elevated levels of CD45R. Our findings from the in-vivo study demonstrated that transplantation of microencapsulated beta-TC-6 cells can be a viable alternative in the management of T1DM with acceptable immune response.
Emerging therapies in coronary balloon angioplasty, stenting, and bioabsorbable scaffolds

Abstract Mortality from coronary artery disease, the leading cause of death globally, has been on the decline. Percutaneous coronary intervention, performed for over 40 years, has been a major contributor to this favorable trend, together with advances in surgical revascularization, adjunctive pharmacotherapy and risk factor modification. In this chapter, we provide an overview of percutaneous coronary interventions, focusing on the iterative development of devices that have facilitated treatment of increasingly complex coronary lesions, lower complication rates and increase procedural success. We review emerging technologies in percutaneous coronary interventions with their specific applications and advantages, including specialty angioplasty balloons for modifying calcific and fibrotic lesions, novel drug-eluting stents with improves safety profile, deliverability and designs to treat bifurcations, bioresorbable scaffolds that hold the promise of restoring vessel architecture as well as robotic percutaneous coronary intervention to tackle operator radiation exposure and orthopedic injuries related to wearing protective aprons, and the emerging use of 3D printing.
SuDocu: summarizing documents by example

Text document summarization refers to the task of producing a brief representation of a document for easy human consumption. Existing text summarization techniques mostly focus on generic summarization, but users often require personalized summarization that targets their specific preferences and needs. However, precisely expressing preferences is challenging, and current methods are often ambiguous, outside the user's control, or require costly training data. We propose a novel and effective way to express summarization intent (preferences) via examples: the user provides a few example summaries for a small number of documents in a collection, and the system summarizes the rest. We demonstrate SuDocu, an example-based personalized Document Summarization system. Through a simple interface, SuDocu allows the users to provide example summaries, learns the summarization intent from the examples, and produces summaries for new documents that reflect the user's summarization intent. SuDocu further explains the captured summarization intent in the form of a package query, an extension of a traditional SQL query that handles complex constraints and preferences over answer sets. SuDocu combines topic modeling, semantic similarity discovery, and in-database optimization in a novel way to achieve example-driven document summarization. We demonstrate how SuDocu can detect complex summarization intents from a few example summaries and produce accurate summaries for new documents effectively and efficiently.
Difference-in-Difference in the Time of Cholera: a Gentle Introduction for Epidemiologists

The goal of this article is to provide an introduction to the intuition behind the difference-in-difference method for epidemiologists. We focus on the theoretical aspects of this tool, including the types of questions for which difference-in-difference is appropriate, and what assumptions must hold for the results to be causally interpretable. While currently under-utilized in epidemiologic research, the difference-in-difference method is a useful tool to examine effects of population level exposures, but relies on strong assumptions. We use the famous example of John Snow’s investigation of the cause of cholera mortality in London to illustrate the difference-in-difference approach and corresponding assumptions. We conclude by arguing that this method deserves a second look from epidemiologists interested in asking causal questions about the impact of a population level exposure change on a population level outcome for the group that experienced the change.
Accuracy of diagnoses of inflammatory arthritis in administrative hospitalization databases.

PURPOSE Studies using administrative hospitalization data often classify patients as having inflammatory arthritis based on diagnoses recorded at the hospitalization. We examined the agreement of these diagnoses with patients' prior medical histories. METHODS We identified Medicare beneficiaries hospitalized in 2011 to 2015 for total hip arthroplasty (THA), total knee arthroplasty (TKA), acute myocardial infarction (AMI), or sepsis. We compared diagnoses of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS) at the index hospitalization to diagnoses over prior inpatient and outpatient claims. To assess the impact of potential misclassification, we compared hospital outcomes using the alternative methods of detecting beneficiaries with arthritis. Analyses were repeated using Medicaid data. RESULTS Among 506 781 Medicare beneficiaries with THA, 18282 had RA and 571 had AS at the arthroplasty hospitalization, while 13 212 had RA and 1519 had AS based on claims history. Diagnoses at the hospitalization were highly specific (0.98-0.99), but sensitivities (0.65 for RA; 0.31 for AS) and positive predictive values (PPV) (0.47 for RA; 0.83 for AS) were lower. For TKA, AMI, and sepsis, specificities were 0.97 to 0.99, sensitivities 0.60 to 0.66 for RA and 0.18 to 0.22 for AS, and PPVs 0.43 to 0.47 for RA and 0.73 to 0.77 for AS. In Medicaid, sensitivities were 0.21 to 0.67 for RA and 0.07 to 0.49 for AS. Frequencies of some hospital outcomes differed when arthritis was classified by the index hospitalization or claims history. CONCLUSION Diagnoses of RA and AS in hospitalization databases are highly specific but fail to identify large proportions of patients with these diagnoses.
From Diagnosis to Therapy—PET Imaging for Pheochromocytomas and Paragangliomas

Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGLs) are neuroendocrine tumors with diverse clinical presentations. PPGLs can be sporadic but often are associated with various syndromes, which can have variable clinical presentations. A thorough workup is therefore critical for staging, treatment, and follow-up. Imaging is an essential part of the workup and diagnosis of PPGLs. Improvements in cross-sectional imaging with radionuclides have increased specificity and sensitivity for identifying and treating PPGLs. Furthermore, a variety of targets on PPGLs has allowed for optimal imaging with radionuclides that can be used for staging and treatment. Currently, radionuclides are being evaluated for staging and treatment of PPGLs. Developing novel radionuclides that can identify disease sites and target them simultaneously provides a potential for improving survival and outcomes in patients with PPGLs. Given the clinical diversity among PPGLs, expanding the therapeutic arsenal against locally advanced or metastatic PPGLs can allow clinicians to evaluate and treat PPGLs thoroughly.