Multiprocessing techniques for unmanned multifunctional satellites Final report,

Simulation of on-board multiprocessor for long lived unmanned space satellite contro

The Role of the Colon Epithelium in Visceral Nociception and Gut Motility

Visceral pain and dysmotility are major symptoms of common gastrointestinal disorders like inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Both of these symptoms arise from changes in sensory signaling in the colon; visceral pain results from increased excitability of colon extrinsic primary afferent neurons (ExPANs) and disordered motility involves changes in neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS), including the intrinsic primary afferent neurons (IPANs) that initiate peristalsis. The colon epithelium is at the forefront of these sensory cascades, as it is the first to interact with all luminal contents and contains the machinery to detect and send sensory information. However, it is unclear exactly how epithelial cell activity influences surrounding afferent neurons in normal and pathological conditions, and this intercellular signaling has been difficult to study because of the close association between epithelial and afferent nerve endings. Therefore, the goal of my studies was to investigate how selective activation and inhibition of colon epithelial cells influences these processes. Using optogenetic tools, I demonstrated that specific activation of the colon epithelium initiates action potential firing in ExPANs in an ATP-dependent manner. Epithelial-induced ExPAN activation resulted in nociceptive behavioral responses. I then showed that inhibition of the epithelium could attenuate nociceptive signaling and reduce visceral hypersensitivity in a mouse model of IBD. Lastly, I showed that selective activation of the epithelium initiated Ca2+ activity in ENS neurons and initiated local colon contractions, which was also dependent on ATP signaling. Additionally, these experiments showed that epithelial activation influenced the frequency of neuronally-mediated rhythmic contractions in the colon. Together these results demonstrate for the first time how epithelial stimulation, in the absence of any other mechanical or chemical stimuli, initiates nociceptive signaling and gut motility. The ability of epithelial inhibition to reduce visceral hypersensitivity reveals the potential of targeting the colon epithelium for treatments of pain. Understanding the biology of this epithelial-neuronal interface and how it changes in pathological conditions will provide valuable insight into why visceral pain is often co-morbid with dysmotility

Variables Associated with Divorce in Northwest Georgia, 2007-2016

Variables Associated with Divorce in Northwest Georgia, 2007-2016 Abstract In this paper, there is an investigation of the main variables associated with divorce in Northwest Georgia, from data collected through 191 interviews, in 2007-2016. The data showed that sixteen such variables were identified by divorced interviewees. The study showed that marriage dissatisfaction and lack of readiness for marriage are the main factors, which explain divorce. The most frequently-mentioned variables were those related to infidelity, communication, abuse, financial problems, and conflict resolution

Comparison of Three Levels of Divorce in Whitfield County, State of Georgia, and the United States in Two Decades, 1990-2009

Comparison of Three Levels of Divorce in Whitfield County, State of Georgia, and the United States in Two Decades, 1990-2009 Abstract: In this paper, there is an investigation of the North West Georgia divorce ratios in 1990-2010 and how they are related to the same ratios in the State of Georgia and the United States as a whole. The data showed that there was a decline in divorce ratios on the three levels. However, the North West Georgia divorce ratios were still much higher than the State and the national ratios. I would like to thank the three anonymous reviewers for their valuable suggestions

Online Teaching in Sociology: Prospects, Successes, and Problems

Online teaching is promising to expand more in the future, as it meets student demands and provides more profit to the institutions of higher education offering it. However, it has two main challenges, represented by the physical absence of instructors and the perception that it’s easier to pass online courses than face-to-face courses. Using my ten-year experience in online teaching, I describe my best practices, offering solutions to these challenges and other problems. To engage students, I use a variety of course activities, such as chapter online tests, papers, structured discussion posts, substantive responses to classmates, as well as timely and frequent communication with students. The accusation leveled against online courses as easier to pass than face-to-face courses can be refuted by requiring two proctored unit exams, with considerable weight, as credible measures of the student learning of the course content

Development and validation of a high-throughput 3D cytotoxicity assay to predict CAR T cell efficacy in solid tumors

https://openworks.mdanderson.org/sumexp21/1155/thumbnail.jp

Ancient technology and punctuated change: Detecting the emergence of the Edomite Kingdom in the Southern Levant.

While the punctuated equilibrium model has been employed in paleontological and archaeological research, it has rarely been applied for technological and social evolution in the Holocene. Using metallurgical technologies from the Wadi Arabah (Jordan/Israel) as a case study, we demonstrate a gradual technological development (13th-10th c. BCE) followed by a human agency-triggered punctuated "leap" (late-10th c. BCE) simultaneously across the entire region (an area of ~2000 km2). Here, we present an unparalleled, diachronic archaeometallurgical dataset focusing on elemental analysis of dozens of well-dated slag samples. Based on the results, we suggest punctuated equilibrium provides an innovative theoretical model for exploring ancient technological changes in relation to larger sociopolitical conditions-in the case at hand the emergence of biblical Edom-, exemplifying its potential for more general cross-cultural applications