cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Myosin Heavy Chain Isoform Expression and Contractile Function in Mechanically Unloaded Left Ventricles Following Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Implantation

The ventricles of human myocardium normally express low levels of α myosin heavy chain (MHC) on a predominately β MHC background. However, in heart failure the distribution changes to ∼100% β MHC with virtually undetectable levels of α MHC, a change that has been associated with contractile dysfunction. In cases of severe failure, surgical implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) may be used as destination therapy and has been previously associated with improvements in contractile function in single myocytes. Here, we used post-LVAD myocardium in which the heart has been explanted for transplantation to test the hypothesis that mechanical unloading of ventricular myocardium increases contraction kinetics, possibly through the re-expression of α MHC. Measurements of the maximal rate of ATP utilization and isometric force in permeabilized multicellular preparations revealed no significant difference between failing myocardium prior to LVAD implantation (pre-LVAD) and post-LVAD myocardium. Tension cost, which is calculated as the rate of ATP utilization divided by the isometric force, was also similar between groups. For comparison, normal myocardium displayed maximal rates of ATP turnover that were approximately 2.5-fold greater than in pre- and post-LVAD myocardium. SDS-PAGE indicated virtually undetectable levels of α MHC in pre- and post-LVAD myocardium, while protein phosphorylation gels revealed significant differences in the basal level of phosphorylation of myosin binding protein-C, TnT, and TnI between both groups. These results suggest that while mechanical unloading of failing myocardium may not cause a re-expression of α MHC, improvements in contractile function following LVAD implantation may be associated in part with alterations in the phosphorylation status of key regulatory proteins. This work supported by NIH RO1-HL61635 (RLM).
New and neglected aspects of atrial depolarization and repolarization.

The origin of the term P wave datesback to Eindhoven, who originally had labeled the electrical signals from the heart as A,B,C, and D. The great Dutch electrocardiographer, concerned about possible additional deflections to the left of A, chose to start again in the middle of the alphabet. Hence, atrial systole came to be called P (I). Now, a century later, we should not be too certain that to the left of P there are no new humps still to be named or more likely, renamed.
High-Resolution Tactile Imaging Sensor Using Total Internal Reflection and Nonrigid Pattern Matching Algorithm

A novel tactile imaging sensor, that is capable of measuring the elasticity of the touched object, is designed, implemented, and tested. In the proposed sensor, a multilayer Polydimethylsiloxane optical waveguide has been fabricated as the sensing probe. The light is illuminated at the critical angle to totally reflect within the flexible and transparent waveguide. When a waveguide is compressed by an object, the contact area of the waveguide deforms and causes the light to scatter. The scattered light is captured by a high-resolution camera. To find the elastic modulus of a touched object, multiple tactile images are taken from slightly different loading force values. The applied force has been estimated using the integrated pixel values of the tactile image. The strain has been estimated by matching the series of tactile images using the proposed nonrigid pattern matching algorithm. The measurement method was validated by the commercial soft polymer samples with the known elastic modulus. The experimental results showed that the tactile imaging sensor can measure the elastic modulus with the error less than 5.38%.
Hybridization and the species problem in conservation

Most biologists recognize the "species phenomenon" as a real pattern in nature: Biodiversity is characterized by dis- continuities between recognizable groups classified as species. Many conservation laws focus on preventing species extinction. However, species are not fixed. Discontinuities evolve gradually and sometimes disappear. Exactly how to define particular spe- cies is not always obvious. Hybridization between taxonomic species reminds us that species classification is not a perfect repre- sentation of nature. Classification is a model that is very useful, but not adequate in all cases. Conservationists often confront questions about how to apply species-based laws when hybridization confounds classification. Development of sophisticated techniques and nuanced interpretation of data in the basic study of species and speciation has exposed the need for deeper educa- tion in genetics and evolution for applied conservationists and decision makers. Here we offer a brief perspective on hybridiza- tion and the species problem in conservation. Our intended audience is conservation practitioners and decision-makers more than geneticists and evolutionary biologists. We wish to emphasize that the goals and premises of legislative classification are not identical to those of scientific classification. Sometimes legal classification is required when the best available science indicates that discrete classification is not an adequate model for the case. Establishing legal status and level of protection for hybrids and hybrid populations means choosing from a range of scientifically valid alternatives. Although we should not abandon spe- cies-based approaches to conservation, we must recognize their limitations and work to clarify the roles of science and values in ethical and legal decisions (Current Zoology 61 (1): 206-216, 2015).
Contract Enforcement and the Harm Principle

According to some prominent commentators, John Stuart Mill’s “Harm Principle” raises important challenges to how we should understand contract law, and perhaps also for how it should be reformed. This paper explores this challenge, considering first how the purely prescriptive “Harm Principle” could be relevant to theories of contract law, which are usually understood as descriptive, explanatory or interpretive. Most theorists who view the harm principle as relevant to contract theory and practice see contract law as being essentially about the enforcement of promises.This paper then raises questions about the applicability of the harm principle based on a view of contract law that sees contract enforcement (at its best) as a resource available to people (to allow them to make a certain kind of commitment that would otherwise not be possible) rather than a duty imposed upon them. Finally, this paper considers limits to this view, based in part on the limits in the role consent actually plays in contract practice, and in part on the moral limits of consent.
Protecting the Franchise Brand in the Age of Social Media

While social media provides numerous inexpensive and easy ways to reach and interact with target customers, these new communication channels present significant challenges to marketing practitioners by empowering consumers to spread messages of which firms have no control over the content. This research examines the importance of corporate social media response strategy in the face of brand negative publicity from a franchise business. Franchise retailers are in the unique position in that franchisor and franchisee have a joint responsibility to maintain the corporate brand image (Rubin 1978). A single negative incident that occurred in one franchise branch may harm the overall brand image and result in customers’ adverse behaviors toward other branches bearing the same franchise brand. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate how the message structure as well as other executional elements of a social media response strategy influence customers’ perception of the franchise brand in the condition of consumer-initiated negative brand publicity. The initial experimental study result demonstrates that issuing a statement about franchise ownership separation is effective in safeguarding the franchise brand. In addition, we examine the roles of two moderators: stance and timing. This research contributes to a better understanding of franchise brand reactions to negative brand publicity and reputation management in a social media context.
On the Derivatives of (w/sin w)k at w=0

(1931). On the Derivatives of (w/sin w)k at w=0. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 38, No. 9P1, pp. 500-504.
Proteinuria after albumin infusion in patients with renal disease.

SummaryStudies were carried out in nine patients with massive proteinuria. The selectivity of the kidney in excreting six protein fractions was determined by an immunoprecipitation technique using specific antisera to orosomucoid, albumin, transferrin, seven-S, gamma-A, and alpha-2-M. These patients were given an intravenous infusion of salt-poor albumin and while the total amount of protein in the urine did increase, the protein selectivity pattern was constant before, during, and after the albumin infusion. While the exact mechanism of this proteinuria is not understood, possible explanations are given, with the net effect probably resulting from a critical glomerular-tubular balance. This balance has to do with glomerular loss of protein and tubular reabsorption or rejection of the filtered protein.
Partners for success? Undergraduate women’s post-feminist constructions of intimate relationships

ABSTRACTPast research suggests that undergraduate women have faced educational cultures in which their college experience is defined through romantic experiences. This study expands this literature by investigating how heightened achievement expectations for undergraduate women inform their broader conceptions of intimate relationships, by asking the following research question: how do high-achieving undergraduate women conceptualise intimate relationships? Through qualitative analysis of 76 semi-structured interviews, I find that study participants reject gendered narratives of romance and instead preserve their achievement by constructing two ideal relationship logics: independent and companionate logics. I suggest that participants’ conceptions of relationships have undergone a notable inversion: students’ constructions of positive intimate relationships centre on the maintenance of academic achievement and autonomy, and show the long reach of neoliberal, ‘post-feminist’ ideologies into women’s everyda...
The Early History of Partial Differential Equations and of Partial Differentiation and Integration

(1928). The Early History of Partial Differential Equations and of Partial Differentiation and Integration. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 35, No. 9, pp. 459-467.
Graduate students’ practicum experiences instructing students with severe and profound disabilities in physical education:

Students with disabilities are more likely than ever to be educated in physical education classes with their typically developing peers. Because of this, it is essential for all educational personnel, including physical educators, to have proper teacher education to help meet the unique needs of these students. Currently, the research base is underdeveloped with regard to the meaning that graduate-level pre-service adapted physical education (APE) specialists ascribe to practicum experiences teaching students with severe and profound disabilities during their graduate teacher education. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to describe and explain graduate students’ experiences instructing students with severe and profound disabilities during course-related practicum experiences. This study utilized a descriptive-qualitative approach using an exploratory case study design and was interpreted through the lens of occupational socialization theory. Nine graduate students enrolled in two master’s level A...
Research on Electric Information Network Security Situation Awareness Model Based on Intelligent Agent

Network security situation awareness(NSSA) is one of the effective ways to implement network security monitoring.It can be utilized to improve the operational security management and to enhance the proactive defense ability of the network.On the basis of the research work on NSSA models,a NSSA model based on intelligent agent was proposed with the consideration of current situation and demand of electric information network.With the aim of directing the security monitoring and management of electric information network,the proposed model describes the agent modeling and functional modules of four layers that are data collection and processing layer,evaluation and analysis la-yer,coordination and management layer and situation decision layer.
Human-Robot Collaborative Topological Exploration for Search and Rescue Applications

We address the coordination between humans and robots in tasks that involve exploration and reconnaissance with applications to search and rescue. Specifically, we consider the problem of humans and robots cooperatively searching an indoor environment in a distributed manner where we assume that each robot is equipped with sensors that are able to locate targets of interest. Rather than have humans issue explicit commands to and guide robots, we allow humans to make decisions on their own and let the robots adapt to decisions taken by the human. The main contribution of this paper is a framework in which the robots in the team respond and adapt to the behavior of the human agents in the task of exploring and clearing an indoor environment. The central idea is the assignment of robots to homotopy classes that are complementary to the classes being pursued by human agents. By the virtue of the sparse topological representation of the agent trajectories, our algorithm lends itself naturally to a distributed implementation. The framework has three advantages: it (a) ensures that robots and humans pursue different homotopy classes; (b) requires very little communication between the humans and the robots; and (c) allows robots to adapt to human movement without having to model complex human decision-making behaviors. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed algorithm through a distributed implementation on a ROS (Robot Operating System) platform.
Big data and predictive analytics for supply chain sustainability

Big data/predictive analytics (BDPA) impacts financial/strategic performance in SCM.We suggest that BDPA can also be used to enhance and enable sustainable SCM.We review extant theories that can inform research in this area.A theory-based research agenda is proposed. Big data and predictive analytics (BDPA) tools and methodologies are leveraged by businesses in many ways to improve operational and strategic capabilities, and ultimately, to positively impact corporate financial performance. BDPA has become crucial for managing supply chain functions, where data intensive processes can be vastly improved through its effective use. BDPA has also become a competitive necessity for the management of supply chains, with practitioners and scholars focused almost entirely on how BDPA is used to increase economic measures of performance. There is limited understanding, however, as to how BDPA can impact other aspects of the triple bottom-line, namely environmental and social sustainability outcomes. Indeed, this area is in immediate need of attention from scholars in many fields including industrial engineering, supply chain management, information systems, business analytics, as well as other business and engineering disciplines. The purpose of this article is to motivate such research by proposing an agenda based in well-established theory. This article reviews eight theories that can be used by researchers to examine and clarify the nature of BDPA's impact on supply chain sustainability, and presents research questions based upon this review. Scholars can leverage this article as the basis for future research activity, and practitioners can use this article as a means to understand how company-wide BDPA initiatives might impact measures of supply chain sustainability.
Modeling the abandonment of the Central Plains: radiocarbon dates and the origin of the Initial Coalescent

Ext de res. d'A.: This paper examines two models for the abandonment of the Central Plains and the northward migration of Caddoan speakers into territory formerly held by the Initial Middel Missouri variant.
Fractionation of the methane isotopologues 13CH4, 12CH3D, and 13CH3D during aerobic oxidation of methane by Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath)

Abstract Aerobic oxidation of methane plays a major role in reducing the amount of methane emitted to the atmosphere from freshwater and marine settings. We cultured an aerobic methanotroph, Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) at 30 and 37 °C, and determined the relative abundance of 12CH4, 13CH4, 12CH3D, and 13CH3D (a doubly-substituted, or “clumped” isotopologue of methane) to characterize the clumped isotopologue effect associated with aerobic methane oxidation. In batch culture, the residual methane became enriched in 13C and D relative to starting methane, with D/H fractionation a factor of 9.14 (De/13e) larger than that of 13C/12C. As oxidation progressed, the Δ13CH3D value (a measure of the excess in abundance of 13CH3D relative to a random distribution of isotopes among isotopologues) of residual methane decreased. The isotopologue fractionation factor for 13CH3D/12CH4 was found to closely approximate the product of the measured fractionation factors for 13CH4/12CH4 and 12CH3D/12CH4 (i.e., 13C/12C and D/H). The results give insight into enzymatic reversibility in the aerobic methane oxidation pathway. Based on the experimental data, a mathematical model was developed to predict isotopologue signatures expected for methane in the environment that has been partially-oxidized by aerobic methanotrophy. Measurement of methane clumped isotopologue abundances can be used to distinguish between aerobic methane oxidation and alternative methane-cycling processes.
Proposed Origins of Irreversibility

The earliest approach to the resolution of the paradox of how macroscopic irreversibility can emerge from a reversible molecular model was to question the model itself, or the methods applied to develop the model. (We refer here back to Chapter 2.) It is difficult for us today to appreciate the problems of those days, for we all believe today in atoms and molecules and in some kind of dynamical law. We have to try to put ourselves in the turmoil that attended the final stages of the birth of the molecular hypothesis. Fortunately, we have excellent studies, (Brush, 1967) including the one by Daub (1969), which should be read after the study of earlier problems by Koenig (1959). And we have the heavy major contributions referred to in Chapter 2.
PARTIAL PURIFICATION OF GLUTATHIONE (GSH)-S-ARYL- AND EPOXIDE-TRANSFERASE (S) OF TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI

The GSH-S-transferase activity of Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes appears to correspond to a single enzyme of moleeular weight 37,000 which follows a random mechanism.
Headache as Risk Factor for Vascular Disease

The association of severe or recurrent headache or migraine with vascular disease in childhood or adolescence was examined by a National Health and Nutrition Survey at the National Institute of Neurological Disease and Stroke and of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD.
Validation of the Fitbit Zip for monitoring physical activity among free-living adolescents.

The widespread availability of affordable consumer-oriented devices for monitoring physical activity offers an appealing option to physical activity researchers, but studies are needed to demonstrate the validity and reliability of these products. To examine the validity of the Fitbit Zip, we recruited three cohorts (N’s = 25, 35, and 27) of middle-school students to wear the Fitbit and the ActiGraph simultaneously for a week. Adolescents were healthy volunteers representing a range of activity levels. Mean daily minutes of MVPA and mean steps per day were compared between the Fitbit Zip and the Actigraph. The step data for the Fitbit Zip correlated highly with the step data yielded by the ActiGraph (r’s = .72, .92, .96), and the MVPA data for the Fitbit Zip correlated highly with the MVPA data from the ActiGraph (r’s = .67, .79, .94). Bland–Altman plots revealed that the Fitbit Zip overestimated activity in comparison to the ActiGraph, especially for Cohort One, which completed the study before Fitbit modified their algorithms to count as activity only bouts that continued for at least 10 min. Our data suggest that the Fitbit Zip is a reasonable alternative to the ActiGraph for estimating activity among free-living adolescents. However, data from the Fitbit should not be used interchangeably with data from the ActiGraph, as there is a consistent tendency for the Fitbit to overestimate steps in comparison to the ActiGraph. Also, the findings confirm concern about using for research a consumer-oriented device that does not make public their algorithms.
According to him: barriers to healthcare among African-American men.

Presented in part at the 23rd Annual Meeting of the Society of General Internal Medicine, May 4-6, 2000, Boston, MA. Objectives: We sought to elicit barriers to health and primary healthcare use among African-American men residing in a low-income, urban area. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study of African-American men using focused group interviews. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit 8 select subgroups: adolescents (age 16-18), trauma survivors, HIV-positive men, homeless men, men who have sex with men (MSM), substance abusers, church affiliated men and a mixed sample (N=71). Focus groups were moderated by trained, African-American male focus group leaders. Results: Qualitative analysis of focused group transcripts yielded 2 major categories—intrinsic barriers and extrinsic barriers. Within the intrinsic barriers category, 5 subcategories emerged: lack of health awareness, fear, healthcare as needed, medical mistrust and fatalism. Extrinsic barriers included cost/benefit, clinic experience, and cultural and linguistic differences. Participants also offered solutions to address key barriers. Conclusions: African-American men identified key intrinsic and extrinsic barriers to health and primary healthcare, including lack of health awareness and providers' cultural and linguistic differences. These barriers constitute important areas of future research and intervention to address African-American men's health and willingness to seek healthcare.
Low-temperature effects on the removal of soluble manganese in MnOx(s)-coated media systems

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of low-temperature conditions in potentially impacting soluble Mn2+ removal in MnOx(s)-coated media systems. The study involved an extensive examination of water quality and process data for a ten-year period (2005–2014) from the Harwood's Mill Water Treatment Plant in Newport News, VA. Additionally, laboratory-scale shallow depth column studies were performed employing MnOx(s)-coated media for soluble Mn2+ removal. Data were evaluated for the impacts of low temperature conditions, water pH, soluble Mn2+ concentration, and free chlorine concentration on the ability of MnOx(s)-coated media to promote effective soluble Mn2+ removal. The results show that the uptake of soluble Mn2+ onto MnOx(s)-coated filter media is significantly impacted by water temperatures below 15 °C, with impacts being very substantial under lower temperature (T < 10 °C) conditions. Also, the adverse effects of low temperature on MnOx(s)-coated treatment processes can be at least partially mitigated by an increase in solution pH.
Sonographic View of Pelvic Congestion Syndrome

A particular pelvic pathology that may not be recognized, and is easily missed, is pelvic congestion syndrome. There is limited understanding about this condition, and many sonographers may have limited to no knowledge of this disorder. This article is to bring an awareness of this condition and the sonographic images necessary to obtain, so that further testing and possible treatment could relieve the patient of symptoms. Since a pelvic sonogram is generally the first modality of choice when an assessment of the pelvic organs is ordered, detailed imaging of all the pelvic region should be evaluated, including the vessels within this area. When evaluating a patient with chronic pelvic pain and visualizing any dilated vessels during a transabdominal or transvaginal sonogram, further imaging and documentation are essential. With this additional information, further testing with computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, along with a venogram, may result in a definitive diagnosis of pelvic congestion...
A perfect blame: Conflict-promoting attributions mediate the association between perfectionism and forgiveness in romantic relationships

Abstract The current research sought to explore underlying mechanisms that contribute to the relation observed between dyadic perfectionism and negative romantic relationship outcomes. Two studies were conducted to examine whether partner-oriented and partner prescribed perfectionists interpret a partners' behavior in a conflict-promoting manner, thus making them less willing to forgive their partner. Study 1 ( N = 137) used hypothetical scenarios to explore how perfectionists expected they would respond to their partner's undesirable behavior, revealing partner-oriented perfectionism to be the prominent predictor of conflict-promoting attributions and willingness to forgive. Study 2 ( N = 185) asked participants to write narratives about a past transgression in their relationship in which their partner was at fault. Findings indicated that both partner-oriented and partner prescribed perfectionism were associated with conflict-promoting attributions. Further analyses for both Studies 1 and 2 revealed that this maladaptive attribution style mediated the relation between perfectionism and forgiveness, such that perfectionists were more likely to make conflict-promoting attributions, thus leading to less forgiveness. Findings provide insight on how to foster forgiveness in couples where high expectations are either projected or perceived.
Inkjet Printing of Single-Crystalline Bi 2 Te 3 Thermoelectric Nanowire Networks

Large-scale and low-cost fabrication techniques are needed to commercialize highly efficient, nanomaterial-based thermoelectric generators (TEGs) for use in small-scale, flexible applications (e.g., wearable energy harvesters). This study presents the first demonstration of inkjet-printed networks of phase-pure, single-crystalline Bi2Te3 thermoelectric nanowires (BTNWs) that are amenable to large-scale production. The BTNWs are synthesized via chemical batch processing and formulated into a jettable ink that is printed onto glass substrates and subsequently annealed in nitrogen and forming gas environments. The inkjet-printed BTNWs annealed in forming gas provide the most favorable results with comparable thermoelectric performances to bulk Bi2Te3 materials (Seebeck coefficient up to 140 µV K−1) while approximately utilizing only 1% to 3% of the telluride materials found in their bulk counterparts. Thus, these printed BTNWs help pave the way for the development of low-cost and scalable TEGs.
“An agonizing death”: 1980s U.S. policy on Iraqi chemical weapons during the Iran-Iraq War

This study examines the rapprochement between the United States and Iraq in the period of 1981-1984 during the Iran-Iraq War. Severed since 1967, the reopening of full diplomatic relations between ...
Communication—O3-Type Layered Oxide with a Quaternary Transition Metal Composition for Na-Ion Battery Cathodes: NaTi0.25Fe0.25Co0.25Ni0.25O2

Author(s): Vassilaras, P; Dacek, ST; Kim, H; Fister, TT; Kim, S; Ceder, G; Kim, JC | Abstract: NaTi0.25Fe0.25Co0.25Ni0.25O2 is explored as a cathode material for Na-ion batteries. Synthesized by a solid-state reaction, the compound is phase-pure with the O3-type layered structure and consists of Ti4+, Fe3+, Co3+, and Ni2+ according to X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The cathode delivers 163 mAh/g and 504 Wh/kg at C/20 in the first discharge with 89% capacity retention after 20 cycles and demonstrates superior rate capability with micron sized particles, in which discharge capacity at 30 C is 80mAh/g. Our results indicate that the Ti-containing quaternary material can be a potential cathode composition for Na-ion batteries.
The Impact of Subjective Well-Being on Salesperson Relational and Economic Performances: An Abstract

The aim of this research is to study the much overlooked but critical issue of salespeople Subjective Well-Being (SWB) and its impact on performance. In particular, this study focuses on the impact of SWB on the salesperson cognitive and emotional state, their relationship quality with the customers, and their subsequent economic performance.
Individual Moral Choice

As Moore sees it, we ineluctably have only a partial and tenuous grip on the empirical information we need to accurately determine the best course of conduct. This fact poses an enormous obstacle to any claim to know where our duty truly lies. Nevertheless, Moore argues, as we have seen, that certain moral rules — in particular, most of the commonsense rules currently recognized and observed in our society — can be shown to be valid because they have generally greater utility than any obvious alternatives. These points, then, mark the boundaries of our moral knowledge. But what are their implications for individual moral choice? In light of them, how are individuals to decide what they ought to do? Moore’s answers to these questions are the subject of this final chapter. Part I examines situations where there is a valid moral rule to guide individuals; Part II examines situations where there is no such rule.
Local Bonding, Phase Stability and Interface Properties of Replacement Gate Dielectrics, Including Silicon Oxynitride Alloys and Nitrides, and Film ‘Amphoteric’ Elemental Oxides and Silicates

The scaling of silicon integrated circuits to smaller in-plane lateral dimensions of individual devices to increase speed and reduce cost through higher packing densities requires that insulating oxides and nitrides other than non-crystalline or amorphous SiO2 be incorporated into the gate stacks of field effect transistors, FETs. These replacement insulators must have dielectric constants, k, significantly larger than that of SiO2, e.g., in the range of 10 to 30, in order to increase the gate dielectric capacitance and thereby provide a sufficiently high density of channel charge under operating bias voltages to meet current drive requirements. The increased physical thickness associated with the higher values of k must reduce tunneling currents for the same effective capacitance as referenced to an SiO2 film. Finally, the alternative dielectrics must also have electronically-acrtive defect densities in the bulk, and at interfaces with crystalline Si that are respectively the same or less than those of thermally-grown SiO2 and Si-SiO2 interfaces. This paper provides a science base that underpins the technology challenges identified above. The approach is predicated on an empirical observation that any direct replacement for SiO2 must be a deposited, non-crystalline dielectric thin film. For example, the leakage current of films of non-crystalline deposited Al2O3 thin films increases by more than five orders of magnitude upon crystallization which occurs after a 900°C anneal. Since there are a large number of potential elemental and binary oxides to consider as replacement dielectrics, it is essential to develop a classification scheme that helps to narrow the process of identifying viable replacements to SiO2. This separates the potential replacement
Co-delivery of siAlox15 and sunitinib for reversing the new-onset of type 1 diabetes in non-obese diabetic mice.

Abstract Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is a chronic autoimmune disease caused by proinflammatory T cell infiltration associated cytokine secretion and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. In this study, our objective was to determine whether co-delivery of sunitinib, a member of tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) family, and siRNA against Alox15 (siAlox15) could reverse the new-onset of T1D in non-obese diabetic (NOD)/ShiLtJ female mice which spontaneously develop diabetes. A cationic copolymer methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(2-methyl-2-carboxyl-propylene carbonate-graft-dodecanol-graft-tetraethylenepentamine) (mPEG-b-PCC-g-DC-g-TEPA) was used to encapsulate sunitinib with 8.32-9.39% loading efficacy and form complex with siAlox15 at the N/P ratio of 16:1. These micellar formulations exhibited sustained release of sunitinib for around 50% at 24 h and protected siAlox15 from serum degradation for at least 10 h. Further, both sunitinib and siAlox15 inhibited human peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC) proliferation and activation by downregulating the phosphorylation of Akt, platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) at protein levels and Alox15 in mRNA levels, respectively. Besides, siAlox15 treatment reversed the cytokine induced ROS upregulation in rat INS-1E β cells. Finally, systemic administration of these micelles carrying sunitinib and siAlox15 efficiently reversed T1D in NOD mice as indicated by decreased blood glucose concentration to below 250 mg/dL. The mice showed fast response to high glucose which was determined by intraperitoneal glucose tolerance test and promoted serum insulin production. Tissue staining indicated that sunitinib and siAlox15 combination could inhibit T cell infiltration to mouse islets, thereby promoting islet survival and function. In summary, our results demonstrated that combination therapy of sunitinib and siAlox15 could be a novel, reliable and safe approach for patients who were recently diagnosed with T1D.
Resilience of Electricity Distribution Networks - Part II: Leveraging Microgrids

Advances in microgrids powered by Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) make them an attractive response capability for improving the resilience of electricity distribution networks (DNs). This paper presents an approach to evaluate the value of implementing a timely response using microgrid operations and DER dispatch in the aftermath of a disruption event, involving strategic compromise of multiple DN components. Firstly, we extend the resiliency assessment framework in [1] and develop a sequential (bilevel) model of attacker-operator interactions on a radial DN with one or more microgrids. Particularly, the operator response includes microgrid operations under various islanding configurations (regimes), and single- or multi-master operation of DERs in providing grid-forming services as well as frequency and voltage regulation. Secondly, we introduce a restoration problem in which the operator gradually reconnects the disrupted components over multiple periods to restore the nominal performance of the DN. The first problem, formulated as a bilevel mixed-integer problem, is solved using a Benders decomposition method. The second problem, formulated as a multi-period mixed-integer problem, can be solved using a greedy algorithm. Our results illustrate the benefit of using microgrids in reducing the operator's losses, both immediately after the disruption event and during the restoration process.
Semicircular Canal Biomechanics in Health and Disease

The semicircular canals are responsible for sensing angular head motion in three-dimensional space and for providing neural inputs to the central nervous system (CNS) essential for agile mobility, ...
Mobile apps for Incorporating Science and Engineering Practices in K-12 STEM Labs

The central focus of this work-in-progress is to investigate the following: (1) What do the lesson plans created by teachers reveal about their understanding of science and engineering practices? (2) Will including programming exercises in all lesson plans improve STEM skills in general, and coding skills in particular? And (3) Will integrating science and engineering practices in high school lesson plans improve student retention in STEM and STEM-related areas? To answer these questions, we develop project-based lessons and mobile app-based laboratories that incorporate science and engineering practices. Additionally, with these apps, we: a) enable and motivate students to learn STEM topics by immersing themselves in interactive apps, b) include lesson content and electronic labs delivered using the latest mobile technology and platforms, and c) provide teacher training to better improve content delivery. We will design innovative Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) lesson plans and immersive labs, to create a transformative educational experience for high school students. The lessons and labs will be deployed with the help of mobile applications (apps) that will use multi-sensory and multimodal inputs and outputs to interact with students, and be designed to align with the newly adopted 2017 New York State Science Learning Standards.
Do actions speak louder than words?: perceptions of women’s and men’s branched and coincident configurations of sexual identities and behaviours

A large body of research documents sexual prejudice towards sexual minority people, but less is known about perceptions of and attitudes towards same-sex behaviours that are not tied to self-identi...
Agency, Agents, and (Sometimes) Patients

Robert Sokolowski’s Moral Action 1 is a remarkably imaginative extension of Husserl’s doctrines of intentionality, categoriality, and identification and differentiation into the framework of Aristotle’s moral philosophy. The work explores the nature of what Sokolowski calls “moral transactions.” This paper shall explore a puzzle and a problem about the identities and differences between intrapersonal (or self-regarding) and interpersonal (or other-regarding) actions and their relevant virtues. By focusing on a few details of Sokolowski’s account of moral transactions, I hope to supplement his thoughtful reflection with additional detail.
Music Writ Large: The Potential of Music in Peacebuilding

Lederach argues that it is astounding that so little attention has been paid to music in the formal literature of peacebuilding. Poetic insights about the qualities of music are matched by more theoretical reflections on music’s potential to contribute to building peace in unexpected ways. Lederach’s chapter resonates with and builds upon his earlier 2010 work, When Blood and Bones Cry Out, which was written with his daughter, Angela Jill Lederach. Lederach explores how music writ large “evokes, provokes, and invokes.” He suggests that when approaching music and peacebuilding, we must enter through the doorway of soundscape, recognizing how music can evoke depth of meaning, provoke active responses and invoke engagements with and journeys through the past, present and future toward peace.
Telehealth increases access to palliative care for people with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders

The purpose of this review is to describe the role that telehealth has in the delivery of palliative care to people with Parkinson’s disease and related disorders (PDRDs), particularly as their disease advances, and they become homebound. A review of the Cochrane database, PubMed, and the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) guidelines was conducted to identify peer-reviewed publications on this topic. Telehealth has been found to increase access to neurological specialty care for people with PDRDs who live in more under-resourced areas or are homebound due to their advancing neurodegenerative disease. Given the benefits of palliative care for people with PDRDs and their caregivers, increasing access via telehealth to palliative care through research, education and policy efforts has the potential to significantly improve the landscape of care for those with PDRDs.
Cell-specific and targeted delivery of RNA moieties

Delivery of therapeutic moieties to specific cell types, such as neurons remains a challenge. Genes present in neurons are also expressed in non-neuronal cell types such as glia where they mediate non-targeted related functions. Thus, non-specific targeting of these proteins/channels has numerous unwanted side effects, as is the case with current small molecules or drug therapies. Current methodologies that use nanoparticles, lipid-mediated uptake, or mannitol in conjunction with lipids to deliver double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) have yielded mixed and unreliable results. We used a neuroanatomical tracer (B subunit of Cholera Toxin (CTB)) that binds to the ganglioside receptors (GM1) expressed on cells, including primary sensory neurons to deliver encapsulated dsRNA. This approach greatly improved delivery of dsRNA to the desired cells by enhancing uptake, reducing vehicle-mediated toxicity and protecting nucleotides from degradation by endonucleases. The delivery complex is internalized, and once inside the cell, the dsRNA naturally dissociates itself from the carrier complex and is very effective in knocking down cognate targets, both in vivo and in vitro. Past methods have used CTB-fusion proteins or chemically modified oligos or DNA moieties that have been covalently conjugated to CTB. Furthermore, CTB conjugated to an antigen, protein, or chemically modified nucleic acid is a potent activator of immune cell (T and B cells, macrophages) response, whereas CTB admixed with antigens or unmodified nucleic acids does not evoke this immune response. Importantly, in our method, the nucleic acids are not covalently linked to the carrier molecules. Thus, our method holds strong potential for targeted delivery of therapeutic moieties for cell types expressing GM1 receptors, including neuronal cell types.
Is There Still a Role for Succinylcholine in Contemporary Clinical Practice

Succinylcholine is a depolarizing muscle relaxant that has been used for rapid sequence induction and for procedures requiring only a brief duration of muscle relaxation since the late 1950s. The drug, however, has serious side effects and a significant number of contraindications. With the recent introduction of sugammadex in the United States, a drug that can rapidly reverse even large amounts of rocuronium, succinylcholine should no longer be used for endotracheal intubation and its use should be limited to treating acute laryngospasm during episodes of airway obstruction. Given the numerous risks with this drug, and the excellent ablation of airway reflexes with dexmedetomidine, propofol, lidocaine and the larger amounts of rocuronium that can now be administered even for an anesthesia of short duration. The use of succinylcholine for endotracheal intubation should disappear from clinical practice.
Addition by Subtraction: A Better Way to Forecast Factor Returns (and Everything Else)

Financial analysts assume that the reliability of predictions derived from regression analysis improves with sample size. This is thought to be true because larger samples tend to produce less noisy results than smaller samples. But this is not always the case. Some observations are more relevant than others, and often one can obtain more reliable predictions by censoring observations that are not sufficiently relevant. The authors introduce a methodology for identifying relevant observations by recasting the prediction of a regression equation as a weighted average of the historical values of the dependent variable, in which the weights are the relevance of the independent variables. This equivalence allows them to use a subset of more relevant observations to forecast the dependent variable. The authors apply their methodology to forecast factor returns from economic variables. TOPICS:Portfolio management/multi-asset allocation, risk management, quantitative methods Key Findings • The prediction from a linear regression equation is mathematically equivalent to a weighted average of the past values of the dependent variable, in which the weights are the relevance of the independent observations. • Relevance within this context is defined as the sum of statistical similarity and informativeness, both of which are defined as Mahalanobis distances. • Together, these features allow researchers to censor less relevant observations and derive more reliable predictions of the dependent variable.
Direct conversion of Teflon into nanodiamond films

We report a novel nonequilibrium approach for direct laser writing diamond by melting amorphous polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE:(C2F4) n) in ambient conditions. The nanosecond laser pulses disintegra...
Acute Kidney Injury

The primary function of the kidneys is to excrete end products of metabolism, to regulate electrolytes and mineral concentrations, and to maintain fluid and electrolyte balance. Other functions include urine production, dilution, and concentration; maintenance of blood pressure; concentration of extracellular and intracellular fluids; gluconeogenesis; maintenance of calcium phosphorus balance; and activation of vitamin and hormone synthesis.
Urethral Multiplicity: When Two Are Better Than One

Urethral multiplicity is a rare congenital anomaly that may be associated with lower urinary symptoms, whereas congenital urethral diverticulum is even more rare and may predispose to obstructive uropathy and urinary sepsis. We report 2 cases of boys with urethral multiplicity, to include urethral duplication associated with duplicated urethral diverticula and a case of urethral triplication.
Version Control of Speaker Recognition Systems

This paper discusses one of the most challenging practical engineering problems in speaker recognition systems - the version control of models and user profiles. A typical speaker recognition system consists of two stages: the enrollment stage, where a profile is generated from user-provided enrollment audio; and the runtime stage, where the voice identity of the runtime audio is compared against the stored profiles. As technology advances, the speaker recognition system needs to be updated for better performance. However, if the stored user profiles are not updated accordingly, version mismatch will result in meaningless recognition results. In this paper, we describe different version control strategies for different types of speaker recognition systems, according to how they are deployed in the production environment.
Insulin deficiency, but not resistance, exaggerates cognitive deficits in transgenic mice expressing human amyloid and tau proteins. Reversal by Exendin‐4 treatment

Epidemiological studies have pointed at diabetes as a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease (AD) and this has been supported by several studies in animal models of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. However, side-by-side comparison of the two types of diabetes is limited. We investigated the role of insulin deficiency and insulin resistance in the development of memory impairments and the effect of Exendin-4 (Ex4) treatment in a mouse model of AD. Three-4-month-old female wild type (WT) mice and mice overexpressing human tau and amyloid precursor protein (TAPP) were injected with streptozotocin (STZ) or fed a high-fat diet (HFD). A second study was performed in TAPP-STZ mice treated with Ex4, a long-lasting analog of GLP-1. Plasma and brain were collected at study termination for ELISA, Western blot, and immunohistochemistry analysis. Learning and memory deficits were impaired in TAPP transgenic mice compared with WT mice at the end of the study. Deficits were exaggerated by insulin deficiency in TAPP mice but 12 weeks of insulin resistance did not affect memory performances in either WT or TAPP mice. Levels of phosphorylated tau were increased in the brain of WT-STZ and TAPP-STZ mice but not in the brain of WT or TAPP mice on HFD. In the TAPP-STZ mice, treatment with Ex4 initiated after established cognitive deficits ameliorated learning, but not memory, impairments. This was accompanied by the reduction of amyloid β and phosphorylated tau expression. Theses studies support the role of Ex4 in AD, independently from its actions on diabetes.
Barrel-Induced Variation in the Microbiome and Mycobiome of Aged Sour Ale and Imperial Porter Beer

Traditional styles of beer that undergo spontaneous fermentation and/or maturation in oak barrels are becoming increasingly popular amongst craft beer consumers. These products are costly to produc...