cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase behavior of mixtures of sterically stabilized colloidal dispersions and free polymer

Abstract The effect of the addition of free polymer to a sterically stabilized nonaqueous colloidal dispersion is examined theoretically by considering that the interparticle potential is a sum of contributions from (i) the forces due to the presence of adsorbed polymers, (ii) the forces due to the presence of the free polymer, and (iii) the forces due to the van der Waals attraction. After suitable division of the pair potential into reference and perturbation parts, the second-order perturbation theory is used to determine the conditions for phase separation. Separation into a disordered dilute dispersion and an ordered concentrated dispersion occurs when the concentration of the free polymer exceeds a certain limiting value. This limiting free polymer concentration is shown to decrease with increasing molecular weight of the free polymer, and with increasing particle concentration. This is in agreement with experimental results. The calculation of the forces due to the presence of the free polymer in solution has been carried out for two limiting cases; one in which the free polymer can penetrate into the adsorbed layer and the second in which the polymer sheath around the particle is impenetrable to the free polymer. Calculations for the low-molecular-weight free polymer indicate that the actual situation might correspond to one intermediate between the two limiting cases.
A steady-state kinetic analysis of the prolyl-4-hydroxylase mechanism.

Published kinetic data by Kivirikko, et al.1-3 on the prolyl-4-hydroxylase reaction have been re-evaluated using the overall steady-state velocity equation in the forward and reverse directions for an ordered ter ter kinetic mechanism. Qualitatively, the published data for prolyl-4-hydroxylase appear to fit the predicted patterns for this kinetic mechanism. More kinetic data are needed to confirm these results and to quantitate the kinetic parameters but, tentatively, the order of substrate addition would appear to be α-ketoglutarate, oxygen, and peptide; and the order of product release would be hydroxylated peptide (or collagen), carbon dioxide, and succinate.
Impacts of genetically engineered crops on pesticide use in the U.S. -- the first sixteen years

Genetically engineered, herbicide-resistant and insect-resistant crops have been remarkable commercial successes in the United States. Few independent studies have calculated their impacts on pesticide use per hectare or overall pesticide use, or taken into account the impact of rapidly spreading glyphosate-resistant weeds. A model was developed to quantify by crop and year the impacts of six major transgenic pest-management traits on pesticide use in the U.S. over the 16-year period, 1996–2011: herbicide-resistant corn, soybeans, and cotton; Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) corn targeting the European corn borer; Bt corn for corn rootworms; and Bt cotton for Lepidopteron insects. Herbicide-resistant crop technology has led to a 239 million kilogram (527 million pound) increase in herbicide use in the United States between 1996 and 2011, while Bt crops have reduced insecticide applications by 56 million kilograms (123 million pounds). Overall, pesticide use increased by an estimated 183 million kgs (404 million pounds), or about 7%. Contrary to often-repeated claims that today’s genetically-engineered crops have, and are reducing pesticide use, the spread of glyphosate-resistant weeds in herbicide-resistant weed management systems has brought about substantial increases in the number and volume of herbicides applied. If new genetically engineered forms of corn and soybeans tolerant of 2,4-D are approved, the volume of 2,4-D sprayed could drive herbicide usage upward by another approximate 50%. The magnitude of increases in herbicide use on herbicide-resistant hectares has dwarfed the reduction in insecticide use on Bt crops over the past 16 years, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.
Novel cyclovirus discovered in the Florida woods cockroach Eurycotis floridana (Walker).

A novel cyclovirus (proposed genus “Cyclovirus”, family Circoviridae) was discovered in a specimen of Eurycotis floridana (Walker), also known as the Florida woods cockroach or palmetto bug, collected from Tarpon Springs, Florida. The Florida woods cockroach–associated cyclovirus GS140 (FWCasCyV-GS140) was obtained through a degenerate PCR assay and showed 64 % genome-wide pairwise identity to a cyclovirus identified in bat feces. This finding supports recent reports suggesting that Circoviridae members, traditionally thought to only infect vertebrates, are present within insect populations.
Pioneers in Pediatric Psychology: Personal Reflections on the Evolution of Pediatric Psychology

The Editor has offered me an opportunity to write a personal account of my three-decade fascination with pediatric psychology. Although I have written about many topics during my professional career, this is the first time I remember being asked to write about myself, and I find it a bit daunting. I must admit that, after receiving this generous invitation, my first instinct was to reject the offer because of a reluctance to focus so much energy on myself and my expectation that no one else would want to read it anyhow. I moved beyond that initial instinct, however, after considering that there are very few historical accounts of pediatric psychology and one way to improve the situation is to have people like me write about their careers. So here goes. I first heard about pediatric psychology while I was a graduate student at Brandeis University in the early l970s. At that time, I was still searching for my identity as a psychologist. I knew I wanted to be a psychologist working with children from early on; one of my earlier recollections is from high school when I wrote an essay proclaiming “psycology” as my career goal and my tenth grade English teacher responded that my first step should probably be to learn how to spell it correctly. I am not sure why I made that bold declaration as a tenth grader. I suspect that my mother was an important influence because she was always talking with me about people we knew and why they did what they did. Her keen observations led to numer-
Correlations of mesospheric winds with subtle motion of the Arctic polar vortex

Abstract. This paper investigates the relationship between high latitude upper mesospheric winds and the state of the stratospheric polar vortex in the absence of major sudden stratospheric warmings. A ground based Michelson Interferometer stationed at Resolute Bay (74°43' N, 94°58' W) in the Canadian High Arctic is used to measure mesopause region neutral winds using the hydroxyl (OH) Meinel-band airglow emission (central altitude of ~85 km). These observed winds are compared to analysis winds in the upper stratosphere during November and December of 1995 and 1996; years characterized as cold, stable polar vortex periods. Correlation of mesopause wind speeds with those from the upper stratosphere is found to be significant for the 1996 season when the polar vortex is subtly displaced off its initial location by a strong Aleutian High. These mesopause winds are observed to lead stratospheric winds by approximately two days with increasing (decreasing) mesospheric winds predictive of decreasing (increasing) stratospheric winds. No statistically significant correlations are found for the 1995 season when there is no such displacement of the polar vortex.
Integrin Structure, Allostery, and Bidirectional Signaling

Alphabeta heterodimeric integrins mediate dynamic adhesive cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix (ECM) interactions in metazoa that are critical in growth and development, hemostasis, and host defense. A central feature of these receptors is their capacity to change rapidly and reversibly their adhesive functions by modulating their ligand-binding affinity. This is normally achieved through interactions of the short cytoplasmic integrin tails with intracellular proteins, which trigger restructuring of the ligand-binding site through long-range conformational changes in the ectodomain. Ligand binding in turn elicits conformational changes that are transmitted back to the cell to regulate diverse responses. The publication of the integrin alphaVbeta3 crystal structure has provided the context for interpreting decades-old biochemical studies. Newer NMR, crystallographic, and EM data, reviewed here, are providing a better picture of the dynamic integrin structure and the allosteric changes that guide its diverse functions.
Frequency-Dependent Activation of a Constitutive Nitric Oxide Synthase and Regulation of Contractile Function in Adult Rat Ventricular Myocytes

Cardiac myocytes have recently been shown to express a constitutive Ca(2+)-sensitive isoform of NO synthase (NOS3), although the mechanism(s) responsible for activation of NOS3 and its physiological function remain to be determined. Since the activity of NOS3 is known to be regulated in part by the intracellular Ca2+ activity ([Ca2+]i) in endothelial cells, we determined whether increasing myocyte [Ca2+]i by uniform electric field pacing was accompanied by an increase in NOS3 activity, detected as nitrite accumulation in the medium. A higher [Ca2+]i with increasing pacing frequencies was shown to be accompanied by a time-dependent accumulation of nitrite in medium that bathed adult rat ventricular myocytes stimulated at 3 Hz. Nitrite release by paced cells was significantly attenuated by treatment with either the NO synthase inhibitor nitro-L-arginine (L-NA, 1 mmol/L) or the intracellular Ca2+ chelator BAPTA-AM (20 mumol/L). Paced myocytes also exhibited a frequency- and time-dependent increase in intracellular cGMP content that could be inhibited significantly by either L-NA or the soluble guanylate cyclase inhibitor LY83583 (5 mumol/L). To determine whether the increase in NOS3 activity with pacing affected contractile function, myocytes were sequentially paced at frequencies from 0.5 to 3 Hz. Methylene blue, L-NA, and LY83583 all increased the amplitude of shortening of myocytes paced at 3 Hz. Furthermore, a significantly greater positive inotropic response to high extracellular Ca2+ (3 mmol/L) was demonstrated by myocytes pretreated with L-NA compared with control cells. These data indicate that myocyte NOS3 activity is regulated in part by [Ca2+]i, whether induced by changes in pacing frequency or [Ca2+]o, and depresses myocyte contractile responsiveness to higher stimulation frequencies.
Negotiating efficient outcomes over multiple issues

It is difficult to reach optimal outcomes in bilateral negotiations with multiple issues when the agents' preferences and priorities of the issues are not common knowledge. Self-interested agents often end up negotiating inefficient agreements in such situations. Some existing multiagent negotiation frameworks involve agents revealing their preferences to a trusted mediator. But in real-life situations, such a third party, trusted by both the agents may not be found. We design a protocol for bilateral multi-issue negotiation. This protocol guarantees envy-free and Pareto optimal agreement with minimum revelation of their preferences when both negotiators are rational and have the same ordinal preferences. This protocol also leads rational agents to envy-free and near-optimal solution in all cases.
Multiple Origins of Human Neocortical Interneurons Are Supported by Distinct Expression of Transcription Factors

Cortical γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic interneurons in rodents originate mainly in ventrally positioned ganglionic eminences (GEs), but their origin in primates is still debated. We studied human fetal forebrains during the first half of gestation (5-23 gestational weeks, gw) for the expression of ventral transcription factors, Nkx2.1, Dlx1,2, Lhx6, and Mash1, important for development of neocortical interneurons. In embryonic (5-8 gw) human forebrain, these factors were expressed in the GE but also dorsally in the neocortical ventricular/subventricular zones (VZ/SVZ). Furthermore, their expression was retained in cells of all fetal cortical layers up to midgestation (20 gw). Nkx2.1 continued to be expressed not only in the GE but also in a subpopulation of neocortical interneurons. Moreover, proliferation marker Ki67 revealed that calretinin(+), Mash1(+), and Nkx2.1(+) cells proliferate in the neocortical VZ/SVZ at midgestation. At least some of the Mash1(+) progenitors in the neocortical SVZ could be colabeled with GABA, whereas others were oligodendrocyte progenitors, indicating a link between the 2 lineages. Taken together, these results suggest the existence of several categories of dorsal interneuronal progenitors in the human neocortical VZ/SVZ, in addition to ventrally derived cortical interneurons described in rodents. These human-specific developmental events may underlie human brain's higher complexity and capacity to process information.
A Service System with Unfilled Requests Repeated

The object of this paper is to analyze a model of a queuing system in which customers cannot be in continuous contact with the server, but must call in to request service: If the server is free, then the next request to arrive is served immediately; if the server is occupied, however, the unsatisfied customer must break contact and later re-initiate his request. Thus, repeat requests for service from the pool of unsatisfied customers are superimposed on the normal stream of arrivals of first attempts. This system is characteristic of situations in which there is a single operator or source of information that must be called and busy signals are not held. This paper calculates several characteristic quantities of such systems, assuming a general service-time distribution and different exponential distributions for the times between arrivals of first requests and repeat requests.
Cellular and subcellular oxidative stress parameters following severe spinal cord injury.

The present study undertook a comprehensive assessment of the acute biochemical oxidative stress parameters in both cellular and, notably, mitochondrial isolates following severe upper lumbar contusion spinal cord injury (SCI) in adult female Sprague Dawley rats. At 24h post-injury, spinal cord tissue homogenate and mitochondrial fractions were isolated concurrently and assessed for glutathione (GSH) content and production of nitric oxide (NO(•)), in addition to the presence of oxidative stress markers 3-nitrotyrosine (3-NT), protein carbonyl (PC), 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and lipid peroxidation (LPO). Moreover, we assessed production of superoxide (O2(•-)) and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in mitochondrial fractions. Quantitative biochemical analyses showed that compared to sham, SCI significantly lowered GSH content accompanied by increased NO(•) production in both cellular and mitochondrial fractions. SCI also resulted in increased O2(•-) and H2O2 levels in mitochondrial fractions. Western blot analysis further showed that reactive oxygen/nitrogen species (ROS/RNS) mediated PC and 3-NT production were significantly higher in both fractions after SCI. Conversely, neither 4-HNE levels nor LPO formation were increased at 24h after injury in either tissue homogenate or mitochondrial fractions. These results indicate that by 24h post-injury ROS-induced protein oxidation is more prominent compared to lipid oxidation, indicating a critical temporal distinction in secondary pathophysiology that is critical in designing therapeutic approaches to mitigate consequences of oxidative stress.
The Development of Social Skills in Children

In recent years, there has been a tremendous surge of interest in the development of children’s peer relationships and social competence. Although children’s peer interactions have been the focus of considerable attention since the 1930s and 1940s, this area is now being explored with renewed vigor by clinical, developmental, and behavioral investigators.
The unfought chemical war

(1991). The Unfought Chemical War. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Vol. 47, No. 10, pp. 30-39.
Individual Morality and the Morality of Institutions

This paper discusses the relationship between moral philosophy and political philosophy. It holds that political philosophy in one way is part of moral philosophy since it deals with the content of moral standards governing the relations between individuals and institutions. This is the “morality of institutions”. But this also leads to conclusions about individual morality, which deals with standards applicable to individuals. On the basis of a contractualist conception of individual morality and a conception of the morality of institutions that closely follows John Rawls’ theory of justice, the paper addresses the question of the foundations of the obligation to comply with institution-defined standards that are directed towards individuals. At the end, it focuses in particular on the difficulty of rationalizing that obligation in the case of unjust institutions.
Modular ion mobility spectrometer for explosives detection using corona ionization.

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) has become the most widely used technology for trace explosives detection. A key task in designing IMS systems is to balance the explosives detection performance with size, weight, cost, and safety of the instrument. Commercial instruments are, by and large, equipped with radioactive 63Ni ionization sources which pose inherent problems for transportation, safety, and waste disposal regulation. An alternative to a radioactive source is a corona discharge ionization source, which offers the benefits of simplicity, stability, and sensitivity without the regulatory problems. An IMS system was designed and built based on modeling and simulation with the goal to achieve a lightweight modular design that offered high performance for the detection of trace explosives using a corona ionization source. Modeling and simulations were used to investigate design alternatives and optimize parameters. Simulated spectra were obtained for 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and cyclo-1,3,5-trimethyl...
Mapping Saldaňa’s Coding Methods onto the Literature Review Process

Onwuegbuzie and Frels (2014) provided a step-by-step guide illustrating how discourse analysis can be used to analyze literature. However, more works of this type are needed to address the way that counselor researchers conduct literature reviews. Therefore, we present a typology for coding and analyzing information extracted for literature reviews based on Saldaňa’s (2012) coding methods. We present stages for conducting these analyses using an actual body of published works and illustrate how to use a computer-assisted qualitative data analysis software program, namely, QDA Miner. Finally, we delineate how using this systematic approach promotes counselor identity and addresses the call for ethical, transparent research and evidence-based practices.
Is the Canonical RAF/MEK/ERK Signaling Pathway a Therapeutic Target in SCLC?

The activity of the RAF/MEK/ERK signaling pathway is critical for the proliferation of normal and cancerous cells. Oncogenic mutations driving the development of lung adenocarcinoma often activate this signaling pathway. In contrast, pathway activity levels and their biological roles are not well established in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), a fast-growing neuroendocrine lung cancer subtype. Here we discuss the function of the RAF/MEK/ERK kinase pathway and the mechanisms leading to its activation in SCLC cells. In particular, we argue that activation of this pathway may be beneficial to the survival, proliferation, and spread of SCLC cells in response to multiple stimuli. We also consider evidence that high levels of RAF/MEK/ERK pathway activity may be detrimental to SCLC tumors, including in part by interfering with their neuroendocrine fate. On the basis of these observations, we examined when small molecules targeting kinases in the RAF/MEK/ERK pathway may be useful therapeutically in patients with SCLC, including in combination with other therapeutic agents.
Atypical white-matter microstructure in congenitally deaf adults: A region of interest and tractography study using diffusion-tensor imaging

Considerable research documents the cross-modal reorganization of auditory cortices as a consequence of congenital deafness, with remapped functions that include visual and somatosensory processing of both linguistic and nonlinguistic information. Structural changes accompany this cross-modal neuroplasticity, but precisely which specific structural changes accompany congenital and early deafness and whether there are group differences in hemispheric asymmetries remain to be established. Here, we used diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) to examine microstructural white matter changes accompanying cross-modal reorganization in 23 deaf adults who were genetically, profoundly, and congenitally deaf, having learned sign language from infancy with 26 hearing controls who participated in our previous fMRI studies of cross-modal neuroplasticity. In contrast to prior literature using a whole-brain approach, we introduce a semiautomatic method for demarcating auditory regions in which regions of interest (ROIs) are defined on the normalized white matter skeleton for all participants, projected into each participants native space, and manually constrained to anatomical boundaries. White-matter ROIs were left and right Heschl's gyrus (HG), left and right anterior superior temporal gyrus (aSTG), left and right posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG), as well as one tractography-defined region in the splenium of the corpus callosum connecting homologous left and right superior temporal regions (pCC). Within these regions, we measured fractional anisotropy (FA), radial diffusivity (RD), axial diffusivity (AD), and white-matter volume. Congenitally deaf adults had reduced FA and volume in white matter structures underlying bilateral HG, aSTG, pSTG, and reduced FA in pCC. In HG and pCC, this reduction in FA corresponded with increased RD, but differences in aSTG and pSTG could not be localized to alterations in RD or AD. Direct statistical tests of hemispheric asymmetries in these differences indicated the most prominent effects in pSTG, where the largest differences between groups occurred in the right hemisphere. Other regions did not show significant hemispheric asymmetries in group differences. Taken together, these results indicate that atypical white matter microstructure and reduced volume underlies regions of superior temporal primary and association auditory cortex and introduce a robust method for quantifying volumetric and white matter microstructural differences that can be applied to future studies of special populations.
Cell Cycle Specific Cancer Chemotherapy for Homogeneous Tumors

In this chapter, we analyze a class of cell cycle specific compartmental models for cancer chemotherapy. Besides drug resistance, cell cycle specificity of drugs is viewed as one of the major obstacles against successful chemotherapy [83, 52]. By considering the phases of the cell cycle separately, it is possible to appropriately model the different actions of various drugs involved. A first such model was introduced for leukemia in the work of Kimmel and Swierniak [150] and later has been expanded greatly in the work by Swierniak and his co-workers (e.g., see [313, 321, 322, 323, 324] and many more).
Clinical Efficacy of Lenalidomide in Fludarabine-Refractory Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia Patients.

Introduction: Fludarabine treatment has been shown to be beneficial for patients with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL), and fludarabine-based combinations may even further improve outcomes in patients with CLL. However, most CLL patients eventually become fludarabine refractory, a state which is associated with a relatively short survival. Treatment of fludarabine-refractory patients is challenging, with a median survival of about 10 months. Recently, 2 phase II clinical trials (Chanan-Khan et al. JCO 2006 and Ferrajoli et al. ASH 2006) demonstrated the clinical efficacy of lenalidomide, an immunomodulatory agent, in relapsed/refractory CLL patients. We conducted a subset analysis to examine the efficacy of lenalidomide in patients who are fludarabine refractory. Methods: All patients enrolled on the 2 phase II single agent lenalidomide clinical trials were evaluated and patients with fludarabine-refractory disease (progressed while on or within 6 months of fludarabine-based therapy) were assessed for clinical efficacy of lenalidomide. Lenalidomide was given orally either at 10 mg daily for 28 days followed by 5 mg increments every 28 days to a maximum dose of 25 mg or given at 25 mg on days 1–21 of each 28-day cycle. Response was assessed using the NCI-WG 1996 criteria. Results: A total of 80 patients were collectively enrolled in these clinical studies. Among these, 29 were identified to have fludarabine-refractory disease. Important clinical characteristics of these patients are reported in Table 1. The overall response rate in fludarabine-refractory patients was 34.5% (10/29). Complete remission was observed in 2 (6.8%) patients. Conclusion: Lenalidomide is a novel agent with immunomodulating properties demonstrating clinical efficacy in relapsed or refractory CLL patients. Interestingly, clinical responses to single agent lenalidomide were noted despite refractoriness to fludarabine (a subset of CLL patients with poor survival and limited therapeutic options). This observation of the clinical benefit of lenalidomide independent of responsiveness to prior fludarabine is encouraging and warrants further evaluation. Table 1 . Ferrajoli et al. Chanan-Khan et al. Fludarabine-refractory (N=12) Fludarabine-refractory (N=17) Median age, years (range) 62 (51–82) 68 (53–75) Sex, female/male 4/8 4/13 Median no. prior therapies (range) 4 (3–15) 4 (1–10) Median beta microglobulin (range) 5 (3–10) 5 (2–10) Advance Rai Stage (III/IV), n (%) 7 (58.3) 13 (76.4) ORR, n (%) 3 (25.0) 7 (41.2) Median PFS, months 12 14.9 Median OS, months All alive (range, 7–19) 23 ORR, overall response rate; PFS, progression-free survival; OS, overall survival.
Perioperative determinants of transient hypocalcemia after pediatric total thyroidectomy

Abstract Purpose We seek to identify risk factors associated with hypocalcemia after pediatric total thyroidectomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed patients younger than 21years undergoing total thyroidectomy between January 2002 and January 2016. We defined hypocalcemia as any serum calcium Results Ninety-one children underwent total thyroidectomy. The average age was 13.7±4.4years, and 77% were female. Transient hypocalcemia was diagnosed in 34% (n=31) of patients. There was one case of permanent hypoparathyroidism. Predictors of transient hypocalcemia included age (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.8–0.97, p=0.01), lymphadenectomy (OR 6.6, 95% CI 1.7–31.6, p=0.01), and hyperthyroidism (OR 13.3, 95% CI 1.3–1849, p=0.03). Patients with malignancy undergoing central (OR 7.1, 95% CI 1.5–33.4, p=0.01) or central plus lateral lymphadenectomy (OR 6.33, 95% CI 1.0–40.1, p=0.05) had significantly increased risk for transient hypocalcemia. Malignancy, MEN2A/B, goiter, preoperative calcium supplementation, incidental parathyroid removal, and postoperative PTH Conclusions Younger age, hyperthyroidism, and concomitant lymphadenectomy during total thyroidectomy increase risk of developing transient hypocalcemia. Malignant cases with central or central plus lateral lymphadenectomy are also at increased risk. Aggressive perioperative management of hypocalcemia should be initiated in patients with these risk factors. Level of evidence: 2b
Autonomous quadrotor collision avoidance and destination seeking in a GPS-denied environment

We present a new integrated guidance and control method for autonomous collision avoidance and navigation in an unmapped GPS-denied environment that contains unknown obstacles. The algorithm is implemented on an experimental custom quadrotor that uses onboard vision sensing (i.e., an Intel RealSense R200) to detect the positions of obstacles. We demonstrate autonomous collision avoidance and destination seeking in experiments, where the quadrotor navigates unknown GPS-denied environments. All feedback measurements are obtained from onboard sensors. The new guidance and control algorithm uses a nonlinear inner-loop attitude controller; a nonlinear middle-loop velocity controller; and an ellipsoidal-potential-field outer-loop guidance algorithm for collision avoidance and destination seeking. The main analytic result regarding the inner-loop control shows that every quadrotor attitude with pitch between $$\pm 90^{\circ }$$ is a locally exponentially stable equilibrium of the closed-loop attitude dynamics, and we quantify the region of attraction for each attitude equilibrium.
In Uncontrolled Diabetes, Hyperglucagonemia and Ketosis Result From Deficient Leptin Action in the Parabrachial Nucleus

Growing evidence implicates neurons that project from the lateral parabrachial nucleus (LPBN) to the hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMN) in a neurocircuit that drives counterregulatory responses to hypoglycemia, including increased glucagon secretion. Among LPBN neurons in this circuit is a subset that expresses cholecystokinin (LPBNCCK neurons) and is tonically inhibited by leptin. Because uncontrolled diabetes is associated with both leptin deficiency and hyperglucagonemia, and because intracerebroventricular (ICV) leptin administration reverses both hyperglycemia and hyperglucagonemia in this setting, we hypothesized that deficient leptin inhibition of LPBNCCK neurons drives activation of this LPBN→VMN circuit and thereby results in hyperglucagonemia. Here, we report that although bilateral microinjection of leptin into the LPBN does not ameliorate hyperglycemia in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes mellitus (STZ-DM), it does attenuate the associated hyperglucagonemia and ketosis. To determine if LPBN leptin signaling is required for the antidiabetic effect of ICV leptin in STZ-DM, we studied mice in which the leptin receptor was selectively deleted from LPBNCCK neurons. Our findings show that although leptin signaling in these neurons is not required for the potent antidiabetic effect of ICV leptin, it is required for leptin-mediated suppression of diabetic hyperglucagonemia. Taken together, these findings suggest that leptin-mediated effects in animals with uncontrolled diabetes occur through actions involving multiple brain areas, including the LPBN, where leptin acts specifically to inhibit glucagon secretion and associated ketosis.
Electromagnetic characterization of white spruce at different moisture contents using synthetic aperture radar imaging

Detection and quantification of moisture content inside wood (timber) is key to ensuring safety and reliability of timber structures. Moisture inside wood attracts insects and fosters the development of fungi to attack the timber, causing significant damages and reducing the load bearing capacity during their design life. The use of non-destructive evaluation (NDE) techniques (e.g., microwave/radar, ultrasonic, stress wave, and X-ray) for condition assessment of timber structures is a good choice. NDE techniques provide information about the level of deterioration and material properties of timber structures without obstructing their functionality. In this study, microwave/radar NDE technique was selected for the characterization of wood at different moisture contents. A 12 in-by-3.5 in-by-1.5 in. white spruce specimen (picea glauca) was imaged at different moisture contents using a 10 GHz synthetic aperture radar (SAR) sensor inside an anechoic chamber. The presence of moisture was found to increase the SAR image amplitude as expected. Additionally, integrated SAR amplitude was found beneficial in modeling the moisture content inside the wood specimen.
Modification of Fresnel zone light field spectral imaging system for higher resolution (Conference Presentation)

Recent interest in building an imaging system using diffractive optics that can fit on a CubeSat (10 cm x 10 cm x 30 cm) and can correct severe chromatic aberrations inherent to diffractive optics has led to the development of the Fresnel zone light field spectral imaging system (FZLFSI). The FZLFSI is a system that integrates an axial dispersion binary diffractive optic with a light field (plenoptic) camera design that enables snapshot spectral imaging capability. This system suffered from poor resolution and a modified FZLFSI based on full resolution light field rendering has been built and tested. The modified FZLFSI shifts the optical elements to different positions which change the way the light field is encoded on the focal plane array. The new encoding increases the available spatial information at the expense of some spectral information. The system was tested for different internal system parameters, at a range of wavelengths, and the resulting tradeoffs between spatial and spectral performance were studied. The performance of the modified FZLFSI was compared to that of the conventional FZLFSI and optimal internal system parameters identified for different imaging scenarios.
Genetic Analyses of Cellular Functions Required for UV Mutagenesis in Escherichia Coli

In Escherichia coli, most UV and chemical mutagenesis is not a passive process and requires the participation of the umuD and umuC gene products. However, the molecular mechanism of UV mutagenesis is not yet understood and the roles of the UmuD and UmuC proteins have not been elucidated. The umuDC operon is induced by UV irradiation and regulated as part of the SOS response. Genetic evidence now indicates that RecA-mediated cleavage activates UmuD for its role in mutagenesis. The COOH-terminal fragment of UmuD is both necessary and sufficient for this role. The RecA protein appears to have a third role in UV mutagenesis besides mediating the cleavage of LexA and UmuD at the time of SOS induction. In addition, we have obtained evidence which indicates that the GroEL and GroES proteins also play a role in UV mutagenesis. Similarities of the amino acid sequence of UmuD to the sequence of gene 45 protein of bacteriophage T4 and of the sequence of UmuC to those of the gene 44 and gene 62 proteins suggest possible roles for UmuD and UmuC in mutagenesis that are supported by preliminary evidence.
Elvin V. Semrad (1909-1976): Experiencing the Heart and Core of Psychotherapy Training

Elvin Semrad was among the most influential and beloved teachers of psychotherapy in his generation. His legacy as a clinician, teacher, and mentor is still felt today, even among those who never knew him directly. What and how he taught remains as relevant as ever in the psychotherapeutic care of troubled individuals. His was primarily a psychiatry of affects and bodily feelings, and he focused uncannily and empathically on the patient's experience. The basis of his rich, heartfelt, wise, and inimitable approach was not just classically psychoanalytic, or existential, or ego-oriented, or self-psychological, or interpersonal-relational, or even humanistic or adaptational. Rather, it was all of these in a uniquely "Semradian" integration geared toward elucidating patients' experience that had arrested them during their life course and their avoidance of "acknowledging, bearing, and putting into perspective" what they were up against. This paper describes who he was and gives a personal perspective on his influence--how and what he taught and why he had such an effect on those who knew him.
Electronic Structure and Stability of Al-Ge Alloys Under Pressure

The synthesis of new phases under pressure and the study of their structure-properties relationships yield valuable information on the general laws of phase formation in multi-component alloys. They also provide an important insight in the conditions of occurrence of particular phases in systems which exhibit typical phase diagrams at ambient pressure [1]. Although pressure-temperature diagrams are available for most elements and some compounds [2], very little work has been done so far on the study of the possible competition between structural and chemical order effects in alloys as a function of pressure.
Developmental and Reproductive Toxicity of Dioxins and Other Ah Receptor Agonists

A well-established principle of developmental biology is that ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny. The embryo/fetus of all vertebrate species undergoes a morphologic transition from a single cell embryo to a neonate.1 During this transition there are stages in which a casual observer would find it difficult to distinguish between the embryos of different vertebrate species, even if they were embryos of species in different vertebrate classes—fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. It is interesting to note that the form of toxicity in the neonate of one species can resemble that which occurs in adults of another species that is considered to be of a lower phylogenetic order. Human infants exposed perinatally to complex mixtures of halogenated aromatic hydrocarbons exhibit signs of toxicity similar to those of adult monkeys exposed only to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD).2–12 Thus, the signs of toxicity in human infants appear to be more similar to those that occur in adult monkeys than they are to those that have been most commonly reported in adult humans.
Univariate Integral Inequalities Based on Sobolev Representations

Here we present very general univariate tight integral inequalities of Cheby-shev– Gruss, Ostrowski types for comparison of integral means and information theory. These are based on the well-known Sobolev integral representations of a function. The inequalities engage ordinary and weak derivatives of the involved functions. Applications are given. On the way to prove the main results we derive important estimates for the averaged Taylor polynomials and remainders of Sobolev integral representations. The results are explained thoroughly. This chapter relies on [4].
Impact of Residual Valve Disease on Survival After Implantation of Left Ventricular Assist Devices.

Background This retrospective single-institutional study investigated the effect of significant valvular regurgitation after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation and the role of concomitant valve surgery during LVAD surgery. Methods All patients receiving an LVAD (HeartMate II; Abbott, Abbott Park, IL) during 2008 and 2015 were enrolled. The cohort was divided into two groups based on the valve status at the end of the operation: patients without significant valvular regurgitation (no-VR) and those with significant valvular regurgitation (residual-VR). Results An LVAD was implanted in 270 patients. Of these, 233 had significant preoperative valve disease(s), and 180 (66.6%) received concomitant valve interventions (35 aortic, 90 mitral, 138 tricuspid). At the completion of the LVAD operation, 204 had no-VR and 66 had residual-VR. Short-term outcomes were similar in two groups, except for longer cardiopulmonary bypass time in the no-VR group (149 minutes) than in the residual-VR group (132 minutes, p = 0.038). During follow-up, mean pulmonary artery pressure (24 mm Hg in no-VR vs 27 mm Hg in residual-VR; p = 0.018) and pulmonary vascular resistance (1.8 Wood units in no-VR vs 2.7 Wood units in residual-VR, p = 0.008) significantly improved in no-VR group compared with the residual-VR group. Survival and heart failure admission-free rates at 1 year were significantly superior in the no-VR group compared with the residual-VR group (1-year survival: 72% ± 3% No-VR vs 55% ± 6% residual-VR; log-rank p = 0.026; admission-free survival: 91% ± 2% no-VR vs 74% ± 7% residual-VR; log-rank p = 0.026). Concomitant valve intervention was not an independent predictor of in-hospital death and morbidity. Conclusions Absence of valvular lesion after LVAD implantation was associated with improved midterm hemodynamics and survival in the current study. Aggressive surgical intervention for significant valve disease(s) at the time of LVAD implant may be beneficial to selected patients.
Staging the Spanish Civil War: History and Re-enactment in Joris Ivens’ The Spanish Earth (1937)

This article studies how Joris Ivens deployed re-enactment in his Spanish Civil War documentary, The Spanish Earth (1937), relating it to the use of re-enactment by the historian R. G. Collingwood. By examining the historical context and analysing the film and texts by Ivens and Collingwood, I argue that re-enactment is in tension with the ethical responsibilities of documentary vis-a-vis criteria of authenticity. With re-enactment, Ivens inserts fictive elements into documentary even as he remains loyal to a certain ‘truth’ about the war, forging a style that is based on political documentary but which blurs the frontier between performativity and reality.
Sensors for Soil Health: The Evolution of Soil Technologies and Integration with Household Surveys

The linkages between land and poverty are many, with agricultural production serving as the primary junction. Key to agricultural production, and often omitted from statistical data collection efforts for cost and complication, is soil health and quality. Data on soil that can be linked with agricultural and household survey data are most commonly available from (i) geospatial data informed from a combination of remotely sensed imagery, ground data from sentinel sites, and other geospatial data sources, and (ii) household surveys on agriculture themselves, which occasionally include minimal questions on the subjective assessment of soil quality and/or type. Subjective questions on soil quality, however, offer little insights into specific soil constraints and suffer from problems of reliability. Geospatial data offers wider geographic coverage of soil data, while also providing quantitative data on specific soil properties. However, the use of geospatial soil data comes with potentially severe constraints in terms of resolution. Can sensors for soil quality address these critical data gaps? We illustrate the results from methodological studies conducted in Ethiopia and Uganda, first comparing the status quo (subjective soil assessment) with lab-based spectral soil analysis and subsequently presenting findings comparing lab-based analysis to the use of prototype tools for in-field spectrometry.
Abstract WP436: Sensory Distraction to Help Decrease Agitation in Stroke Patients

Background: Dysphagia is a common complication after stroke. To ensure adequate nutritional intake, nasogastric (NG) or other feeding tubes may be inserted. Post-stroke agitation and aggression can...
Percutaneous access of the superior vena cava in patients with bilateral jugular-subclavian vein occlusion using wire-target access for placement of tunneled hemodialysis catheters: An important new tool for gaining upper body vascular access.

Abstract This study presents the technique of percutaneous wire-target access of the superior vena cava (SVC) in patients with bilateral jugular-subclavian vein occlusion requiring a tunneled hemodialysis catheter. A 3-year retrospective review of five patients was performed. The femoral vein is accessed percutaneously and a 5F sheath inserted. This is followed by placement of a pigtail catheter (wire-target) in the SVC with cavography. The SVC is percutaneously cannulated at the level of the pigtail under fluoroscopy, and a guidewire is passed into the vena cava with confirmation by injection of contrast material. A tunneled hemodialysis catheter is then placed. The wire-target technique of SVC access can be used safely and effectively to establish upper body catheter access when traditional techniques are not possible.
Opioid analgesic use and its sequelae: Opioid and other substance use disorders.

Objectives While use of opioids is a well-established risk factor for opioid use disorder (OUD), its association with lifetime use of other addictive substances and the emergence of other lifetime substance use disorders (SUDs) has not been studied. Methods We used data from 36 309 US adults in the 2012-2013 National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions III to identify those with lifetime opioid use (n = 4090; 11.3%). Of these individuals, we quantified use of other addictive substances; development of OUD and other SUDs; and whether use of opioids and development of OUD came before or after use of other substances and the emergence of other SUDs. Results Of the 11.3% of adults who reported any opioid use, 98.2% of such users reported use of other addictive substances. Of these opioid users, 18.1% met criteria for lifetime OUD but only 3.5% had OUD alone; 47.6% had SUDs other than OUD and 14.6% had OUD plus another SUD. In most instances, opioid use followed use of other substances and OUD followed development of other SUDs. Conclusion Opioid use is typically linked to use of multiple substances and while less than 20% developed OUD, more than half developed either OUD or another SUD. Opioid use and OUD most often followed other substance use and the emergence of other SUDs. Early intervention in OUD should consider potential complications of other present or past SUDs, and both prevention and treatment development efforts should focus on the multi-morbid dimensions of the current opioid epidemic.
On Wedderburn principal theorem for Jordan algebra bundles

In this article, we give Wedderburn principal decomposition for locally trivial Jordan algebra bundles using Levi decomposition of Lie algebra bundles.
Unions, Race, Ethnicity, and Wealth: Is There a Union Wealth Premium for People of Color?

Black, Latinx, Native American, and many Asian households often have less wealth than White ones do. This racial wealth gap may be smaller among union members than nonunion members if union membership positively correlates with more wealth and if that correlation is greater among people of color than among White households. We use summary statistics and regression analyses based on the Federal Reserve’s triennial Survey of Consumer Finances from 1989 to 2019 for our analyses. We find that households of all races and ethnicities have more wealth as union members than as nonunion members. This increase is larger for Black households and households of other races than it is for Whites.
Lifestyle Modification and Weight Loss

For overweight patients with IIH, weight loss is an important step in improving overall health but also in reducing symptom severity. In this chapter we discuss how doctors characterize a “healthy” weight and the relationship between weight and IIH and focus on strategies to achieve a healthier weight with exercise and diet changes. We then discuss bariatric (weight loss) surgery and its role in IIH.
Molecular Biology of Jaagsiekte Sheep Retrovirus

Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus (JSRV) is the causative agent of ovine pulmonary adenocarcinoma (OPA), a contagious lung cancer of sheep. Until recently, research on JSRV/OPA was hampered by the lack of a tissue culture system for the propagation of the virus. Historically, pathological samples (lung fluid) collected from sheep affected by OPA were the only source of infectious JSRV. Thus studies on the JSRV/OPA system were conducted only where field isolates of OPA cases were readily available. In the past 10 Years, the deduction of the JSRV sequence (York et al. 1991; York 1992), the isolation of an infectious and oncogenic JSRV molecular clone (JSRV21) (Palmarini et al. 1999a) and the establishment of a rapid method to produce infectious virus in vitro (Palmarini et al. 1999a) sparked many studies at the molecular level that strengthened past observations and revealed new properties of this unique virus. Here, we will review the data accumulated so far on the molecular biology of JSRV using the infectious and oncogenic JSRV21 molecular clone as virus of reference.