cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-Time Management of Hardware and Software Tasks for FPGA-based Embedded Systems

Operating systems for reconfigurable devices enable the development of embedded systems where software tasks, running on a CPU, can coexist with hardware tasks running on a reconfigurable hardware device (FPGA). In this work, we consider real-time systems subject to dynamic workloads and whose tasks can be computationally intensive. We introduce a novel resource allocation scheme and an online admission control test that achieve high performance and flexibility; in addition, runtime reconfiguration is used to maximize the number of admitted real-time tasks. Moreover, in detail, we first discuss a 1D system architecture and its prototype for a Xilinx Virtex-4 FPGA; then, we concentrate on the online admission control problem. Online task allocation and migration between the CPU and the reconfigurable device are discussed and sufficient feasibility tests are derived for both the commonly used slotted and 1D area models. Finally, the effectiveness of our admission control and relocation strategy is shown through a series of synthetic simulations.
Role conflict in the postparental period. The effects of employment status on the marital satisfaction of women.

A theory of role conflict is developed in order to predict how the marital satisfaction of 190 postparental women might vary depending on their employment status (employed or retired) and their husbands' employment status (employed or retired), while controlling for number of demographic factors. The data used to test the hypotheses are obtained from a statewide survey of Washington state residents age 55 and over in 1980. The results of the first multiple regression analysis indicate that only the prestige associated with wives' present or former occupations (SEI) and husbands' present or former occupations (SSEI) have significant effects on marital satisfaction. However, when analyzed separately by wives' employment status, SEI and SSEI, along with chronological age, are found to significantly affect the marital satisfaction of employed women, but not retired women. Possible implications of the findings are discussed.
Different Paths to Writing Proficiency in a Second Language

One source of language variation sometimes discussed in the second-language (L2) literature is tied to the ESL learners’ length of residence in the United States. ESL learners who have lived in the United States a short time seem to have a somewhat different set of social values and norms than learners who have lived in the United States many years. These different sets of values and norms may lead to specific differences in L2 writing practices. Is it possible that different groups of learners follow somewhat different paths on their way to becoming proficient writers of a second language? More specifically, do ESL writers acquire the rhetorical, morpho-syntactic, and lexical features of their L2 along different routes? Or do these different groups merely travel the same roads at different speeds?
Crystallization of Precision Ethylene Copolymers

The crystallization and melting of polyethylene-like copolymer systems with co-units placed at the same equal distance along the backbone are reviewed on the basis of available thermal and structural data for a large variety of pendant and backbone-inserted groups. Data for a series of precision halogen-containing polyethylenes are used to describe the effect of size of the pendant group and the distance between groups along the backbone on crystallization and melting behaviors. The effect of crystallization kinetics on polymorphism observed for systems with co-crystallizable co-units is emphasized with data on polyethylenes containing Cl and Br. The major characterization techniques for identifying different modes of packing are also described. The melting behavior of alkyl-branched precision polyethylenes is analyzed in reference to branch partitioning between crystalline and non-crystalline regions, and also in reference to the behavior of analog polyethylenes containing halogens. Furthermore, the effect of interacting functional groups and tacticity on self-assembly and melting is analyzed using available literature data.
Variation in annual production of copepods, euphausiids, and juvenile walleye pollock in the southeastern Bering Sea

Abstract We synthesize recent research on variation in annual production of copepods (Calanus spp.), euphausiids (Thysanoessa spp.), and juvenile walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in the southeastern Bering Sea. We reach five conclusions: 1) the timing of the spring bloom is more important than the amount of annual primary production for the transfer of primary to secondary production (i.e., timing matters); 2) summer and fall, not just spring, matter: organisms must maximize energy intake devoted to somatic growth and storage of lipids and minimize energy expenditures during each season; 3) stored lipids are important for the overwinter survival of both zooplankton and age-0 walleye pollock; 4) variation in ice extent and timing of ice retreat affect the spatial distributions of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and age-0 walleye pollock; when these spatial distributions match in late-ice-retreat years, the annual production of copepods, euphausiids, and juvenile walleye pollock often increases (i.e., location matters); 5) if years with late ice retreat, which favor copepod, euphausiid, and juvenile walleye pollock production, occur in succession, top–down control increases. These conclusions help to explain annual variation in production of copepods, euphausiids and juvenile walleye pollock. Copepods and euphausiids often are more abundant in cold years with late ice retreat than in warm years with early ice retreat due to bloom timing and the availability of ice algae during years with late ice retreat. As a consequence, age-0 walleye pollock consume lipid-enriched prey in cold years, better preparing them for their first winter and their overwinter survival is greater. In addition, there is a spatial match of primary production, zooplankton, and age-0 walleye pollock in cold years and a mismatch in warm years.
Dynamics of the solar tachocline – III. Numerical solutions of the Gough and McIntyre model

We present the first numerical simulations of the solar interior to exhibit a tachocline consistent with the Gough and McIntyre (1998) model. We find nonlinear, axisymmetric, steady-state numerical solutions in which: (1) a large-scale primordial field is confined within the radiation zone by downwelling meridional flows that are gyroscopically pumped in the convection zone (2) the radiation zone is in almost-uniform rotation, with a rotation rate consistent with observations (3) the bulk of the tachocline is magnetic free, in thermal-wind balance and in thermal equilibrium and (4) the interaction between the field and the flows takes place within a very thin magnetic boundary layer, the tachopause, located at the bottom of the tachocline. We show that the thickness of the tachocline scales with the amplitude of the meridional flows exactly as predicted by Gough and McIntyre. We also determine the parameter conditions under which such solutions can be obtained, and provide a simple explanation for the failure of previous numerical attempts at reproducing the Gough and McIntyre model. Finally, we discuss the implications of our findings for future numerical models of the solar interior, and for future observations of the Sun and other stars.
How to Respond to Knowledge About Biases.

Jennifer Blumenthal-Barby (2016) presents a useful discussion of the numerous ways in which biases become integrated into people's thinking. She provides informative descriptions that illustrate ho...
(Please Don't) Say It to My Face! The Interaction of Feedback and Distance: Experiments with Vulgar Language

Summary I extend current understanding of non-monetary punishments by introducing one-way unrestricted feedback (vulgar language) from responders in laboratory and online ultimatum games. Feedback changes in the expected direction. Negative feedback is returned in the event of low offers while higher offers receive positive feedback. Additionally, the possibility of unrestricted feedback significantly increases amounts sent by proposers, but only in the lab. This effect is statistically significant and large in magnitude but is not present in the online experiments. These results illustrate that increases in social distance and/or physical proximity can weaken the effectiveness of non-monetary punishments.
Relationship between Lab Color System and Human Color Vision on Black-White Discrimination

[Objective]To study the relationship between Lab color system and human color vision on black-white discrimination.[Methods]The difference of L value was used to quantify black-white discrimination in a pair of paper sheets using spectrophotometer. The discrimination also was determined by human eye vision.[Results]When the L value differences are among 0~7,the accuracy of human eyes were among 20.00%~98.57%;the accuracy of male was higher than that of female; when the L value differences were higher than 1,67.14% of people could discriminate them correctly.[Conclusion]Only when the L value difference was higher than 1,could the Lab color system be applied in assessment of cosmetic.
Incidental injury and repair of obturator nerve during laparoscopic pelvic lymphadenectomy

Abstract Objective To demonstrate a surgical video wherein left obturator nerve was iatrogenically injured during pelvic lymphadenectomy and repaired immediately with laparoscopic epineural end-to-end tension free anastomosis. Methods This is a step-by-step demonstration of an incidental injury and laparoscopic repair of left obturator nerve during pelvic lymphadenectomy. The patient was a 59year-old Hispanic female who was found to have endometrial adenocarcinoma. She was referred to our division for laparoscopic staging during which left obturator nerve was iatrogenically injured. After completion of left pelvic lymphadenectomy, proximal and distal cut ends of the obturator nerve were identified. Careful inspection revealed that the nerve was transected cleanly without any fraying of the edges. Tension-free reattachment of the edges seemed possible without further mobilization of the nerve since the resected part was approximately 5mm. The obturator nerve edges were oriented and stay sutures were placed in order to perform tension-free anastomosis. Epineural end-to-end coaptation was completed with 5–0 polypropylene sutures [1,2]. Results Postoperatively, the patient did not exhibit any clinically apparent loss of adductor function or any other neurologic deficiency and was discharged home on postoperative day one. Over 6months of follow-up, the patient experienced no residual neuropathy or deficit in the left thigh. Conclusion Laparoscopic repair of a transected obturator nerve during gynecologic surgery is feasible. In this case, immediate repair of the damaged nerve by an experienced laparoscopic gynecologic surgeon did not result in any neurologic deficit postoperatively.
Percutaneous Nephrostomy for Treatment of Intractable Hemorrhagic Cystitis

AbstractSix patients with severe hemorrhagic cystitis unresponsive to traditional localized therapy were treated with percutaneous nephrostomy for diversion of urine. Bladder hemorrhage ceased in 3 patients, decreased in 2 and was unchanged in 1. In 1 patient with profound thrombocytopenia perirenal hematoma developed as a result of the nephrostomy placement but this complication was self-limited and did not require surgery. Our experience with these 6 patients indicates that nephrostomy diversion is safe and effective in most cases of hemorrhagic cystitis refractory to traditional, nonoperative therapy. Percutaneous urine diversion may obviate the need for surgical urinary diversion in patients who have intractable hemorrhagic cystitis.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: POSTNARRATIVIST HISTORIOGRAPHY AND ANALYTIC PHILOSOPHY OF HISTORY

Jouni-Matti Kuukkanen has written an important book. It directly confronts a key theoretical dilemma that has shadowed debate in historiography for several decades: histories cannot be written without using some narrative structure or other, but epistemological evaluation cannot be applied to narratives qua narrative. Thus, if empirical inquiry takes the form of a history, then it cannot be rationally evaluable, and if rationally evaluable, empirical inquiry cannot be in the form of a history. Kuukkanen's book both directly confronts and proposes a strategy for surmounting this tired and tiresome theoretical barrier. Kuukkanen deserves great credit for attempting to reshape a long-stalled debate in a way that enables the theoretical options to be imagined anew. Yet his structuring of the oppositional tendencies engenders some ongoing problems regarding how to understand the philosophical stakes and options. This review argues that achieving Kuukkanen's postnarrativist future requires going back to past epistemic concerns discarded because they were tied to conceptions of logic and explanation that could not be reconciled with narrative form. Kuukkanen practices postnarrativism but still preaches a prenarrativist conception of logic. To reach his promised future, to actually overcome the dilemma that he rightly seeks to transcend, one must actually have the courage of Kuukkanen's pragmatist convictions.
Estimating Bulk-Composition-Dependent H2 Adsorption Energies on CuxPd1–x Alloy (111) Surfaces

The bulk-composition-dependent dissociative adsorption energy of hydrogen on CuPd alloys has been measured experimentally and modeled using density functional theory. The hydrogen adsorption energy cannot be simply defined by a single reactive site or as a composition weighted average of the pure metal components. We developed a modeling approach that uses a basis of active sites weighted by a model site probability distribution to estimate a bulk-composition-dependent adsorption energy. The approach includes segregation under reaction conditions. With this method, we can explain the composition-dependent adsorption energy of hydrogen on Cu-rich alloy surfaces. In Pd-rich alloys, a Pd-hydride phase may form, which results in deviations from trends on the metallic alloy surface.
Delphi Injector Closed Loop Control Strategy Using the “Switch” Technology for Diesel Passenger Cars – Injector Hardware

Diesel engines continue to offer best-in-class fuel economy. Continuous development on all types of engines and an unprecedented thrust towards lower CO2 fleet average will ensure that they continue to be in high demand in European and other markets. This requires that fuel injection equipment provides improved injection rate and a highly flexible multi-injection capability. In addition, Diesel injection systems need very precise control of each individual injection event as this accuracy is necessary to promote the best combustion and exhaust after treatment results. In order to make sure that this control is accurate over the complete engine lifetime and for all injections, Delphi is developing a closed-loop control based on a unique technology.
Implantable phototherapy device to treat diabetic retinopathy

This paper reports on the first implantable phototherapy device to treat diabetic retinopathy by modulating rod cell metabolism through reduction of dark current. Utilizing a tritium-based radioluminescent light source capable of emitting around 505nm, the device achieves phototherapeutic activity for up to a 12-year service lifetime and <30mm3 size. The unique scleral anchoring system facilitates simple, rapid, and robust implantation into the eye. Implantation into a rabbit model demonstrated safety over a 4-week period with no adverse effects observed.
Dieldrin-induced neurotoxicity involves impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics and an endoplasmic reticulum stress response in rat dopaminergic cells

Mitochondria are sensitive targets of environmental chemicals. Dieldrin (DLD) is an organochlorine pesticide that remains a human health concern due to high lipid bioaccumulation, and it has been epidemiologically associated to an increased risk for Parkinson's disease (PD). As mitochondrial dysfunction is involved in the etiology of PD, this study aimed to determine whether DLD impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics in dopaminergic cells. Rat immortalized dopaminergic N27 cells were treated for 24 or 48h with one dose of either a solvent control, 2.5, 25, or 250μM DLD. Dopaminergic cells treated with 250μM DLD showed increased Casp3/7 activity at 24 and 48h. DLD also caused a dose dependent reduction in cell viability of ∼25-30% over 24h. No significant effects on cell viability, apoptosis, nor cytotoxicity were detected at 24 or 48h with 2.5μM DLD. Following a 24h exposure to 2.5 and 25μM DLD, viable cells were subjected to a mitochondrial stress test using the Seahorse XFe24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer. Following three independent experiments conducted for rigor, dopaminergic cells that were treated with 2.5 and 25μM DLD consistently showed a reduction in maximum respiration and spare capacity compared to the control group. Molecular responses were measured to determine mechanisms of DLD-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. There were no changes in transcripts associated with mitochondrial membrane potential and permeability (e.g. Ant, Hk1, Tspo, Vdac), nor PI3 K/Akt/mTor signaling or mitochondrial-associated apoptotic factors (Bax, Bcl2, Casp3). However, transcript levels for Chop/Gadd153 (DNA Damage Inducible Transcript 3), an apoptotic gene activated following endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, were 3-fold higher in N27 cells treated with DLD, suggesting that DLD-induced mitochondrial dysfunction is related to ER stress. Dopamine cells were also assessed for changes in tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) protein, which did not differ among treatments. This study demonstrates that DLD impairs oxidative respiration in dopamine cells, and ER stress is hypothesized to be associated with the DLD-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. This is important as ER stress is also linked to PD. This study presents mechanistic insight into pesticide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction using a chemical that is reported to be associated to a higher risk for neurodegenerative disease.
Pore structure of cementitious material enhanced by graphitic nanomaterial: a critical review

Carbon nano tubes (CNT) has been introduced as an efficient nanomaterial in order to improve the mechanical and durability properties of concrete. The effect of CNT on the microstructures of cementitious materials has been widely reported. This paper combines a critical review on the effect of CNTon the pore and microstructure of cement composite with a discussion on the porosity measurement of pastes containing CNT using mercury intrusion porosimetry techniques (MIP). It was found that, surface treatment by H2SO4 and HNO3 solution forms carboxyl acid groups on CNTs’ surfaces that lead to the improvement of reinforcement. In this scope, this review paper involves analyzing the effect of CNT on the microstructure and the pore structure of cementitious materials. The existing methods of measuring the porosity of cementitious material are reviewed, in particular, the contact angle measurement is discussed in detail in which the most effective parameters and possible errors of calculation is presented.
Mentors and Lessons Learned.

The passing of important mentors and friends over the last two years is the inspiration for this commentary. It provided me with the opportunity to reflect on the mentors and friends who have provided me with the most precious gifts -- time and caring -- so that I could continue to grow and learn as
The radius of convergence of the Heun function

Heun functions generalize well-known special functions such as Spheroidal Wave, Lame, Mathieu, and hypergeometric--type functions. They are applicable to diverse areas such as theory of black holes, lattice systems in statistical mechanics, solutions of the Schrodinger equation of quantum mechanics, and addition of three quantum spins. We consider the radius of convergence of the Heun function, and we show why the Poincare-Perron (P-P) theorem is not available for the absolute convergence since it is applied to the Heun's equation. Moreover, we construct the absolute convergence test in which is suitable for the three term recurrence relation in a power series.
Group 2 Innate Lymphoid Cells (ILC2s) Are Key Mediators of the Inflammatory Response in Polymicrobial Sepsis.

Sepsis remains a major public health concern, characterized by marked immune dysfunction. Innate lymphoid cells develop from a common lymphoid precursor but have a role in orchestrating inflammation during innate response to infection. Here, we investigate the pathologic contribution of the group 2 innate lymphoid cells (ILC2s) in a murine model of acute septic shock (cecal ligation and puncture). Flow cytometric data revealed that ILC2s increase in number and percentage in the small intestine and in the peritoneal cells and inversely decline in the liver at 24 hours after septic insult. Sepsis also resulted in changes in ILC2 effector cytokine (IL-13) and activating cytokine (IL-33) in the plasma of mice and human patients in septic shock. Of interest, the sepsis-induced changes in cytokines were abrogated in mice deficient in functionally invariant natural killer T cells. Mice deficient in IL-13–producing cells, including ILC2s, had a survival advantage after sepsis along with decreased morphologic evidence of tissue injury and reduced IL-10 levels in the peritoneal fluid. Administration of a suppressor of tumorigenicity 2 (IL-33R) receptor–blocking antibody led to a transient survival advantage. Taken together, these findings suggest that ILC2s may play an unappreciated role in mediating the inflammatory response in both mice and humans; further, modulating ILC2 response in vivo may allow development of immunomodulatory strategies directed against sepsis.
Lunar Exploration by Photography from a Space Vehicle

A description of a photographic system that may be used to obtain pictures of either the visible or hidden side of the moon from an early space vehicle. Existing components are suitable for the space vehicle. A panoramic-type camera can be designed in which the spin that stabilizes the vehicle also performs the scanning function for the camera. Tracking can be accomplished by radio. The recovery of the film after its return to earth appears feasible.
1037-LBP: Lineage marker “Negative” Fraction resolves discrepancy in lineage specific chimerism

Aim Donor Chimerism (DC) analysis documents engraftment, disease persistence and/or recurrence post allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Typically, unfractionated analysis (UA) is performed but lineage-specific chimerism analysis (FC) can document specific cell engraftment or early relapse. However, loss or alteration of cell surface marker expression may hamper selection of relapsed cells and results inaccurately show only donor genotype. We present two Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML) patients with discordant results between FC and UA where analysis of Negative Fraction (NF) furnished evidence of relapse. Purpose Demonstrate utility of NF analysis to resolve discrepant UA/FC results. Methods DC was evaluated using commercially available STR reagents (Life Tech. and Promega). Sequential separation of B, T and myeloid cells was performed on post HSCT blood (RoboSep, StemCell, Inc.). Cells remaining after selection were saved, i.e. Negative Fraction (NF). Chimerism analysis was performed on UA and cell fraction DNA. NF was analyzed if discrepant results between UA and FC were found. Results HSCT patients were tested for DC at 30 days post txp and for cause. Pt#1, whose 30 day analysis was missed, was tested 5 months post txp. FC showed no B cells, > 95% DC in T and myeloid fractions, but 11% DC in UA. NF was predominantly recipient genotype. For Pt#2, 90 day analysis showed 19.5 % DC in UA, > 92% in T and myeloid fractions with negligible B cells. NF showed 9% DC. In both patients, relapsed cells escaped the fractionation process. Both patients were diagnosed with relapse. Conclusions FC is useful in detecting relapse post HSCT but recurrent tumor cells may not express separation markers and results will be inaccurate. Concurrent UA analysis is recommended. NF testing may resolve discrepancies between UA and FC.
Biliary Obstruction due to a Pancreatic Plasmacytoma

Obstructive jaundice, weight loss, and anorexia often raise a concern for pancreatic malignancy. Although pancreatic adenocarcinoma is the most common form of pancreatic cancer, not all pancreatic malignancies are exocrine in origin. With advancement in endoscopic ultrasound with fine needle aspiration, it has become easier to make correct diagnosis. Plasmacytoma of pancreas is a solitary tumor of plasma cells and it can also lead to the same clinical presentations. Immunohistochemistry is required to make the diagnosis of plasmacytoma. However, when there are other systemic manifestations, such as hypercalcemia, renal injury, and anemia, a diagnosis of multiple myeloma should be suspected and confirmed by cytology or biopsy. It is very important to differentiate plasmacytoma from multiple myeloma as the management for each is different. Herein, we describe a case of multiple myeloma presenting as a pancreatic plasmacytoma causing obstructive jaundice.
Causal Diagrams and Their Uses

Causal diagrams, sometimes called Directed Acyclic Graphs (DAGs), have become popular in epidemiology because they can help clarify our understanding of the relationships between variables. They ar...
Capital Flows into the United States Ahead of the Great North Atlantic Financial Crisis

Brad Setser finds that, first, sectoral imbalance in the United States shifted from the government sector to the household sector from 2004 to 2007; second, the available supply of Treasuries failed to grow in line with the enormous increase in central bank reserves, which incentivized more complex forms of financial engineering; third, after 2006, central bank flows fail to cleanly register in the U.S. data; fourth, the growth in private flows into the United States that coincided with record official reserve growth reflected the increasingly complex chains of financial intermediation needed to fund the U.S. deficit; and fifth and finally, some of the “missing” central bank flows—the gap between the growth in dollar reserves implied by the IMF’s data and the visible inflow into Treasuries and Agencies—likely was lent to European banks, both directly and indirectly, through the cross-currency swap market.
Reward Processing in Drug-Naive Youth with Various Levels of Risk for Substance Use Disorders: A Pilot Study.

Abstract Background: It has been hypothesized that attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and substance use disorders (SUDs) share common neurobiological features. When abnormalities in th...
Nicotine, Corticotropin-Releasing Factor, and Anxiety-Like Behavior

Abstract Tobacco addiction is characterized by compulsive smoking and negative affective withdrawal signs upon smoking cessation. Animal studies have started to explore the neuronal mechanisms that mediate anxiety-like behavior associated with nicotine withdrawal. These studies show that cessation of prolonged noncontingent nicotine administration leads to an increase in anxiety-like behavior in rats and mice. Cessation of long-access (> 21 h/day) nicotine self-administration, but not short-access (1 h/day) nicotine self-administration, also leads to an increase in anxiety-like behavior. Nicotine-induced changes in corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) transmission play a role in nicotine withdrawal. Recent studies have shown that blockade of CRF type 1 receptors and stimulation of CRF type 2 receptors diminish anxiety-like behavior associated with nicotine withdrawal. Overall, these studies indicate that rodents display increased anxiety-like behavior upon cessation of contingent and noncontingent nicotine administration, and these effects are partly mediated by nicotine-induced changes in CRF transmission in the brain.
Viral Hormones: Expanding Dimensions in Endocrinology

Viruses have developed different mechanisms to manipulate their hosts, including the process of viral mimicry in which viruses express important host proteins. Until recently, examples of viral mimicry were limited to mimics of growth factors and immunomodulatory proteins. Using a comprehensive bioinformatics approach, we have shown that viruses possess the DNA/RNA with potential to encode 16 different peptides with high sequence similarity to human peptide hormones and metabolically important regulatory proteins. We have characterized one of these families, the viral insulin/IGF-1-like peptides (VILPs), which we identified in four members of the Iridoviridae family. VILPs can bind to human insulin and IGF-1 receptors and stimulate classic postreceptor signaling pathways. Moreover, VILPs can stimulate glucose uptake in vitro and in vivo and stimulate DNA synthesis. DNA sequences of some VILP-carrying viruses have been identified in the human enteric virome. In addition to VILPs, sequences with homology to 15 other peptide hormones or cytokines can be identified in viral DNA/RNA sequences, some with a very high identity to hormones. Recent data by others has identified a peptide that resembles and mimics α-melanocyte-stimulating hormone's anti-inflammatory effects in in vitro and in vivo models. Taken together, these studies reveal novel mechanisms of viral and bacterial pathogenesis in which the microbe can directly target or mimic the host endocrine system. These findings also introduce the concept of a system of microbial hormones that provides new insights into the evolution of peptide hormones, as well as potential new roles of microbial hormones in health and disease.
Preferential targeting of MCL-1 by a hydrocarbon-stapled BIM BH3 peptide.

BCL-2 family proteins are central regulators of apoptosis and represent prime therapeutic targets for overcoming cell death resistance in malignancies. However, plasticity of anti-apoptotic members, such as MCL-1, often allows for a switch in cell death dependency patterns that lie outside the binding profile of targeted BH3-mimetics. Therefore discovery of therapeutics that effectively inactivate all anti-apoptotic members is a high priority. To address this we tested the potency of a hydrocarbon stapled BIM BH3 peptide (BIM SAHB A ) to overcome both BCL-2 and MCL-1 apoptotic resistance given BIM's naturally wide ranging affinity for all BCL-2 family multidomain members. BIM SAHB A effectively killed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) cell lines regardless of their anti-apoptotic dependence. Despite BIM BH3's ability to bind all BCL-2 anti-apoptotic proteins, BIM SAHB A 's dominant intracellular target was MCL-1 and this specificity was exploited in sequenced combination BH3-mimetic treatments targeting BCL-2, BCL-XL, and BCL-W. Extending this MCL-1 functional dependence, mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) deficient in MCL-1 were resistant to mitochondrial changes induced by BIM SAHB A . This study demonstrates the importance of understanding BH3 mimetic functional intracellular affinities for optimized use and highlights the diagnostic and therapeutic promise of a BIM BH3 peptide mimetic as a potential MCL-1 inhibitor.
Dopamine Evokes a Trace Amine Receptor-dependent Inward Current that is Regulated by AMP Kinase in Substantia Nigra Dopamine Neurons.

Abstract We reported recently that activators of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) slow the rundown of current evoked by the D2 autoreceptor agonist quinpirole in rat substantia nigra compacta (SNC) dopamine neurons. The present study examined the effect of AMPK on current generated by dopamine, which unlike quinpirole, is a substrate for the dopamine transporter (DAT). Using whole-cell patch-clamp, we constructed current–voltage (I–V) plots while superfusing brain slices with dopamine (100 μM) for 25 min. Two minutes after starting superfusion, dopamine evoked a peak current with an average slope conductance of 0.97 nS and an estimated reversal potential (Erev) of −113 mV, which is near that expected for K+. But after 10 min of superfusion, dopamine-evoked currents had shifted to more depolarized values with a slope conductance of 0.64 nS and an Erev of −83 mV. This inward shift in current was completely blocked by the DAT inhibitor GBR12935. However, an AMPK blocking agent (dorsomorphin) permitted the emergence of inward current despite the continued presence of the DAT inhibitor. When D2 autoreceptors were blocked by sulpiride, I–V plots showed that dopamine evoked an inward current with an estimated slope conductance of 0.45 nS with an Erev of −57 mV. Moreover, this inward current was completely blocked by the trace amine-associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) antagonist EPPTB. These results suggest that dopamine activates a TAAR1-dependent non-selective cation current that is regulated by AMPK.
Academic career roles and responsibilities

The focus of this chapter is to describe some of the more common faculty roles and administrative and leadership roles in academic medicine. Advantages and disadvantages of academic careers are discussed so you can reflect upon your own personal values and professional interests to see if there is a match. And lastly, this chapter will focus on describing the three academic job components of research, teaching and service to lay the groundwork for subsequent chapters on academic promotion and scholarship.
Prevalence of Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has spread rapidly throughout the world. Infected persons who remain asymptomatic may play a role in the ongoing pandemic, but their rel...
Joint Local and Teleseismic Tomography in the Central United States: Exploring the Mantle Below the Upper Mississippi Embayment and the Illinois Basin

Three-dimensional, high resolution crustal and upper mantle P- and S-wave velocity (Vp and Vs) models are presented for the central United States. The study utilizes local and teleseismic data reco...
Patellofemoral joint loading during the forward and backward lunge.

Abstract Objective To examine patellofemoral joint (PFJ) loading in two lunge movements: Forward Lunge (FL) and Backward Lunge (BL). Design Repeated Measures. Setting University Biomechanics Laboratory. Participants 20 asymptomatic females. Main outcome measures Six trials of two lunge movements (FL and BL) to a depth of 75% of leg length were performed. 3-D motion capture and force platforms were used to collect data as input into a musculoskeletal model to determine quadriceps force, PFJ reaction force, PFJ stress, and knee flexion angle. Results Multivariate analysis indicated differences in PFJ loading variables and joint angles between the lunge movements (Forward vs. Backward) and phases (Down vs. Up). Quadriceps force, PFJ reaction force, and knee flexion angle were larger in the FL movement and Up phases. PFJ loading rate was greater in the FL movement along with a lower forward trunk tilt. Conclusion The FL produced greater PFJ loading variables compared to the BL. Further research is needed to examine a population of individuals who have patellofemoral pain (PFP) to see if their symptoms may be reduced when using the BL.
Battlefield Auricular Acupressure for Treatment of Pain in the Emergency Department: A Pilot Study

Background: The Joint Commission mandates hospitals to offer non-pharmacologic therapies to treat pain given the current opioid epidemic. Auricular Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) is utilized in the United States military to treat pain for its rapid onset, safety, and ease of application. Broader usage of BFA with acupuncture needles is limited by certain state regulations. Studies on auricular acupressure with beads suggest achievement of similar pain relief to that with acupuncture needles; however, none …
Microbial single-strand annealing proteins enable CRISPR gene-editing tools with improved knock-in efficiencies and reduced off-target effects.

Several existing technologies enable short genomic alterations including generating indels and short nucleotide variants, however, engineering more significant genomic changes is more challenging due to reduced efficiency and precision. Here, we developed RecT Editor via Designer-Cas9-Initiated Targeting (REDIT), which leverages phage single-stranded DNA-annealing proteins (SSAP) RecT for mammalian genome engineering. Relative to Cas9-mediated homology-directed repair (HDR), REDIT yielded up to a 5-fold increase of efficiency to insert kilobase-scale exogenous sequences at defined genomic regions. We validated our REDIT approach using different formats and lengths of knock-in templates. We further demonstrated that REDIT tools using Cas9 nickase have efficient gene-editing activities and reduced off-target errors, measured using a combination of targeted sequencing, genome-wide indel, and insertion mapping assays. Our experiments inhibiting repair enzyme activities suggested that REDIT has the potential to overcome limitations of endogenous DNA repair steps. Finally, our REDIT method is applicable across cell types including human stem cells, and is generalizable to different Cas9 enzymes.
A Crowd-Sourced Obstacle Detection and Navigation App for Visually Impaired

Individuals with sight impairments rely heavily on various types of travel-aid when navigating their ways across their neighborhoods. Recently, there have been many breakthrough technologies that focus on the visually impaired by providing solutions such as wearable bands and optical wearable devices. However, such technologies are costly and not suited for the general market. Others have started investigating smartphone applications as a much more widely available solution but with limited applicability on outdoor barriers and obstacles that these groups of people face in their day to day journeys. In this work, we propose GeoNotify, a smartphone application which is tailored to detect unexpected temporary obstacles that could cause injury to visually impaired people. We present how advances in Convolutional Neural Networks merged with crowd-sourcing methodologies could be used to build more accurate models capable of recognizing wide representations of the real-world obstacles.
Theorem counting

Consider the set of tautologies of the classical propositional calculus containing no connective other than ‘and, ‘or’, and ‘not’. Consider the subset of this set containing tautologies in exactlyn propositional variables. This paper provides a method for determining the number of equivalence classes of each such subset modulo equivalence in the infinite-valued Lukasiewicz propositional calculus.
Experimental Investigation to Study the Feasibility of Fabricating Ultra-Conductive Copper Using a Hybrid Method

Ultra-conductive copper (UCC) has an enormous potential to disrupt the existing electrical and electronic systems. Recent studies on carbon nanotubes (CNTs), a new class of materials, showed the ballistic conductance of electricity. Researchers around the world are able to demonstrate ultra-conductivity in micro- and millimeter-length sections using various processing techniques by embedding CNTs in the copper matrix. Although multiple methods promise the possibility of producing copper-based nanocomposites with gains in electrical conductivity, thus far, scaling up these results has been quite a challenge. We investigated a hybrid method of both hot-pressing followed by rolling in order to produce UCC wire. Cu/CNT billets of 1/10%, 1/15%, and 1/20% were hot-pressed and the conductivity results were compared to a hot-pressed pure copper billet. Our results indicated that this method is not a viable approach, as the gains in electrical conductivity are neutralized, followed by attenuation of the wire cross-section.
Historical changes of a major juncture: Lower Old River, Louisiana

Old River is one of the most important river junctures in North America. It connects three large, navigable rivers – the Mississippi, Atchafalaya and Red – which support economies and environments critical to United States of America. Starting in the 1800s, the Atchafalaya River began receiving more flow through this juncture, and by the mid-1900s, an avulsion was likely so the Old River Control Project was authorized to prevent diversion of the Mississippi River to the Atchafalaya. This paper examines the historical changes of Lower Old River, the main juncture prior to 1963 before the flow became controlled by structures, including its flow changes, human modifications, and whether and how it was changing as the Atchafalaya received more flow. In contrast to some reports that suggest that bidirectional flow in Old River was just a few years in duration, occasional flow from the Red River is documented: starting in the 1880s and persisting for several decades through 1945. This paper identifies three tra...
Type I phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate 5-kinase isoforms are specifically stimulated by phosphatidic acid

A phosphatidylinositol 4-phosphate (PIP) kinase was isolated and purified to near homogeneity from bovine erythrocyte membranes. The PIP kinase was extracted from bovine erythrocyte membranes with a high salt wash, followed by phosphocellulose and phenyl-Sepharose chromatography. The predominant protein after phenyl-Sepharose purification had a molecular size of 68 kDa. Renaturation of PIP kinase activity after SDS-PAGE showed that a 68-kDa protein was able to phosphorylate PIP. An antibody developed against the 68-kDa protein Western blots the 68-kDa protein and is able to immunoprecipitate the 68-kDa protein and PIP kinase activity from membrane extracts. Based on functional studies, the 68-kDa protein is indistinguishable from the type I PIP kinase previously characterized from human erythrocyte membranes (Bazenet, C. E., Ruano, A.R., Brockman, J.L., and Anderson, R.A. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 18012-18022). These studies also show that the type I PIP kinases, but not the type II PIP kinase, are stimulated by phosphatidic acid, suggesting alternative roles for these enzymes. Two immunoreactive isoforms of the type I PIP kinase, of 68 and 90 kDa, were identified in rat brain and partially purified. Both of these isoforms are also stimulated by phosphatidic acid.
Laplace Transform and Moments of Waiting Times in Poisson Driven (max,+) Linear Systems

(Max,+) linear systems can be used to represent stochastic Petri nets belonging to the class of event graphs. This class contains various instances of queueing networks like acyclic or cyclic fork-and-join queueing networks, finite or infinite capacity tandem queueing networks with various types of blocking, synchronized queueing networks and so on. It also contains some basic manufacturing models such as kanban networks, assembly systems and so forth. In their 1997 paper, Baccelli, Hasenfuss and Schmidt provide explicit expressions for the expected value of the waiting time of the nth customer in a given subarea of a (max,+) linear system. Using similar analysis, we present explicit expressions for the moments and the Laplace transform of transient waiting times in Poisson driven (max,+) linear systems. Furthermore, starting with these closed form expressions, we also derive explicit expressions for the moments and the Laplace transform of stationary waiting times in a class of (max,+) linear systems with deterministic service times. Examples pertaining to queueing theory are given to illustrate the results.
The impact of tracking : An examination of outcomes

Abstract The educational practice of tracking (ability grouping) is a widespread and controversial practice in the nation's schools. The charge has been made that poor, working-cJass and especially African-American schoolchildren are adversely impacted by this school policy. Critics believe that lower track children are not given the type of knowledge and instruction that allows for social mobility. Using a sample from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, the author compares outcomes of 1900 tracked students. Results show that more than just the placement in academic tracks impacts outcomes for these young people. Race and class of origin are critical factors for life outcomes and also impact on who gets placed in which academic tracks.
Globalization and the Nations of the South: Plan for Development or Path to Marginalization

Differences between the countries of the Northern and Southern Hemispheres recommend drastic changes in political, economic, and social attitudes, especially among the nations of the North. Especially significant is their influence on the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Trade Organization and their resulting imposition of policies favorable to their own interests at the cost of those of the Southern nations.
Vision models and visual quality

One grand challenge for the engineering of multimedia quality has been to develop algorithms that can convert physical measurements - of displays, of images, of graphics, of video sequences, or of complete imaging systems - into metrics that have perceptual meaning. These metrics should enable automated detection of artifacts, quantification of system performance, and optimization of positive multimedia attributes. In the last decade, we and others have made some progress towards this goal. The progress has been achieved by joining display and image measurements to simplified models of processing in the human visual system. In this talk I will describe several of the key concepts and components of these models, and will show how the models can be applied to key problems in display design, image and video processing, and computer graphics.
Complexity of computing optimal stackelberg strategies in security resource allocation games

Recently, algorithms for computing game-theoretic solutions have been deployed in real-world security applications, such as the placement of checkpoints and canine units at Los Angeles International Airport. These algorithms assume that the defender (security personnel) can commit to a mixed strategy, a so-called Stackelberg model. As pointed out by Kiek-intveld et al. (2009), in these applications, generally, multiple resources need to be assigned to multiple targets, resulting in an exponential number of pure strategies for the defender. In this paper, we study how to compute optimal Stackelberg strategies in such games, showing that this can be done in polynomial time in some cases, and is NP-hard in others.
Teacher-to-Teacher Consultation: Facilitating Consistent and Effective Intervention across Grade Levels for Students with ADHD.

Teacher-to-teacher consultation (TTC) is an extension of standard behavioral consultation that seeks to transfer an established and effective intervention across a grade-level transition by including teachers from both grade levels as conjoint consultees at the beginning of the second school year. The purpose of the current study was to determine if TTC could facilitate the maintenance of previous intervention-level behavioral functioning across a grade-level transition for three students with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A multiple baseline, multiple probe design was employed. Results indicated that the TTC procedure was able to maintain the behavioral gains made during Year 1, across a grade-level transition into Year 2. Additionally, acceptability data demonstrated that both teachers and students found the procedure and resultant interventions acceptable.