cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antiarrhythmic Drug Therapy for Atrial Fibrillation

Antiarrhythmic medications have been available for nearly 100 years and remain a mainstay in the management of atrial fibrillation (AF). Goals of therapy with the use of these drugs include a reduction in the frequency and duration of episodes of arrhythmia as well an emerging goal of reducing mortality and hospitalizations associated with AF. The use of these drugs has been limited by both proarrhythmic and noncardiovascular toxicities as well as often modest antiarrhythmic efficacy. Despite these limitations, antiarrhythmic drugs remain widely prescribed for the management of symptomatic AF, and a host of new antiarrhythmic drugs are in various stages of clinical development. This review will focus primarily on antiarrhythmic drug use in patients with AF in the absence of significant structural heart disease or congestive heart failure. A multitude of studies have evaluated the health-related outcomes associated with a strategy of rate compared with rhythm control in patients with AF.1–5 These studies, which included primarily patients aged ≥60 years with at least 1 risk factor for stroke, failed to demonstrate a mortality benefit associated with a rhythm control strategy. This equivalence in outcome was in part related to toxicities associated with antiarrhythmic drug therapy as well as excess stroke risk in patients in whom anticoagulation was discontinued.6 Important groups of patients, including younger individuals without thromboembolic risk factors and the elderly (>80 years), were excluded from these trials, but the results were nonetheless applicable to a large percentage of the AF population. As a likely consequence of these landmark studies, rates of AF-associated hospitalization, cardioversion, and antiarrhythmic drug use plateaued or fell in the years after their publication.7 This trend has been reversed in the latter part of this decade, with an increase in rhythm control strategies driven largely by increased rates of AF …
Nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung of dark gauge bosons and revised supernova constraints

We calculate the rate of production of hypothetical light vector bosons (LVBs) from nucleon-nucleon bremsstrahlung reactions in hot and dense matter. We use the soft-radiation approximation and express the rates directly in terms of the measured nucleon-nucleon elastic differential cross sections. These results are combined with the observation of neutrinos from supernova SN1987a to deduce constraints on the couplings of vector bosons with masses $\ensuremath{\lesssim}200$ MeV to either electric charge (dark photons) or to baryon number. We establish for the first time strong constraints on LVB that couple only to baryon number and revise earlier constraints on the dark photon. For the latter, we find that the excluded region of parameter space is diminished by about a factor of 10.
Nitrogen Fixation in Perspective

As with any technology, progress in nitrogen-fixation research on the practical level is tightly correlated with understanding at the fundamental level. Success at both levels is required if we are to impact food supplies for future generations. Barring a catastrophe, all scenarios of the future encompass a concern of how to feed the increasing human population. While we work to solve our own special pieces of the nitrogen-fixation puzzle, we should not lose sight of the fact that our scientific efforts are ultimately aimed at new or improved methods for the production/ delivery of fixed-N to crops and so for the delivery of food to people.
Geographies of the News

This chapter considers journalism as a spatial practice and posits journalists as cartographers, as map-makers, as symbolic workers who forge geographies of news. That is, journalists, through their news coverage, map the “news world,” selecting from a constellation of current affairs which events, issues, peoples and places warrant their audiences’ attention. The first map journalists sketch is the map of the community their news organization proposes to serve. This community is a construction, comprising the news organization’s principal audience and advertising markets, the spatial parameters of its distribution network, and the political, economic, social and cultural institutions within that space. This “community of journalism” (Nord 2001) or “imagined community” (Anderson 1989) becomes the place the news organization seeks to cover with its editorial and advertising content and the vantage point from which it aims to view the rest of the world. Whether we are talking about a community weekly newspaper, a metropolitan daily, a local radio station, or a national television network, news organizations construct a ‘here’ and an ‘us’.
Evolution of Judicial Activism: The Supreme Court of India

In this paper, we trace the origin of the Judicial Activism of the Supreme Court to the aftermath of the Emergency of 1975-77. We document the expansive process of activism since the Emergency, in particular since 2000. We also discuss the economic and legal issues arising from judicial activism.
Complexity and Sustainability: Perspectives from the Ancient Maya and the Modern Balinese

Complexity is both a buzzword and a paradigm in the biophysical sciences and, increasingly, the social sciences. We define “social complexity” as the nonlinear escalation of costs and emergent infrastructure with rising energy use and concentrated power as societies develop. Two paths to social complexity are technotasking, which relies on technological break-throughs and is often politically hierarchical, and labortasking, which relies on skilled labor pools and is often heterarchical. We suggest several pathways to greater degrees of complexity and present two case studies emphasizing the role of labor-tasking; an in-depth review of the ancient Maya and a shorter introduction to the recent Balinese. Both of these complex societies used labortasking to adapt to local ecological limitations in semitropical settings. These societies used heterarchical organizations to accretionally engineer and manage their environments, strategies that promoted long-term resilience. Case studies such as these provide a nuanced picture of different paths to social complexity and highlight their relative costs, benefits, and potential for long-term sustainability.
Methyl effects on protein-ligand binding.

The effects of addition of a methyl group to a lead compound on biological activity are examined. A literature analysis of >2000 cases reveals that an activity boost of a factor of 10 or more is found with an 8% frequency, and a 100-fold boost is a 1 in 200 event. Four cases in the latter category are analyzed in depth to elucidate any unusual aspects of the protein–ligand binding, distribution of water molecules, and changes in conformational energetics. The analyses include Monte Carlo/free-energy perturbation (MC/FEP) calculations for methyl replacements in inhibitor series for p38α MAP kinase, ACK1, PTP1B, and thrombin. Methyl substitutions ortho to an aryl ring can be particularly effective at improving activity by inducing a propitious conformational change. The greatest improvements in activity arise from coupling the conformational gain with the burial of the methyl group in a hydrophobic region of the protein.
Studies to determine the biological significance of the vitamins.

Earlier authors have fully appreciated that conditions other than food and oxygen are necessary for an active growth of cells in the body. This fact is well exemplified in the work of Morgan1 on the regeneration of the legs of salamanders. Morgan noted that the legs of these animals regenerate as rapidly in starved as in well fed animals. I have sought these other conditions by means of the tissue culture, and find they are a crowding of the cells and stagnation. Single isolated cells or small groups of cells will not grow in a drop of plasma. For these cells to grow they must be crowded with other cells to form a compact mass of considerable size, and be placed in a small amount of stagnant medium so that the loss of soluble materials from the mass is reduced to a minimum. In the presence of oxygen the cells in such a mass begin to grow after a given latent period.2In analyzing these factors of cell crowding, stagnation, oxygen and latent period more carefully, I have further found that they signify that...
Actomyosin isolated from bovine tracheal smooth muscle.

SummaryA contractile protein (actomyosin) was isolated from bovine tracheal smooth muscle by the use of “classical” procedures. The protein was considered to be actomyosin because it demonstrated: ATPase activity; superprecipitation upon the addition of ATP; and the solubility and extraction characteristics of actomyosin. The ATPase and superprecipitation reactions were not inhibited by EGTA, and did not require calcium. Lack of an effect of either calcium or EGTA could not be reversed by the addition of active bovine skeletal muscle troponin and tropomyosin. No troponin-tropomyosin like activities could be demonstrated in various tracheal muscle fractions.
Resection of Bilateral Bronchopulmonary Sequestrations via a Single Left-Sided Muscle-Sparing Thoracotomy

Abstract At 3 months of age asymptomatic bilateral bronchopulmonary sequestrations were both resected through a left muscle-sparing thoracotomy utilizing traction on the systemic arteries supplying the contralateral bronchopulmonary sequestration facilitating resection through the left chest.
Investigation of Subgrid Closure Models for Finite-Rate Scramjet Combustion

In recent years, there has been a substantial effort directed toward applying large-eddy simulation techniques to scramjet combustion processes. The choice of an appropriate turbulent combustion model to use is complicated by the nature of the problem, which can involve compressibility effects, shock-flame interactions, high turbulence levels, and short residence times. At high Mach numbers, finite-rate chemistry effects are predominant, and most successful combustion models include multi-step reaction chemistry as part of the formulation. As non-premixed combustion is necessarily preceded by macroand micromixing, it is generally accepted that some type of subgrid-scale model for micro-mixing and the effects of unresolved fluctuations on the filtered production rates is necessary. The exact form of this model and the range of influence that it must have as a function of the chosen mesh resolution is a matter of debate, and as yet, no clear consensus has emerged. In the present work, the influences of several finite rate chemistry type subgrid turbulencechemistry interaction models (‘laminar chemistry’, three Partially Strirred Reactor (PaSR) type models, and one Scale-Similarity (SS) model) on the predictive capability of NCSU’s hybrid large-eddy / Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (LES/RANS) solver (REACTMB) are studied, quantified, and presented. As test cases, reactive flows through two different scramjet configurations are simulated: the model scramjet investigated at the Institute for Chemical Propulsion of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and the Configuration A tested at the University of Virginia’s (UVa) Scramjet Combustion Facility. The overall influence of the subgrid closures for filtered species production rates on the reactive flow in the DLR combustor is not substantial. All subgrid closures predict results which closely resemble those predicted by the ‘laminar chemistry’ (where the turbulence-chemistry interactions are ignored) assumption. For the UVa combustor, the subgrid closures have a more pronounced effect on the predictions, most evident in temperature distributions. Error analysis and performance quantification of various models reveal that, relative to a baseline model, ‘laminar chemistry’ when used with the Jachimowski reaction mechanism and scale-similarity model when used with the Burke et al. reaction mechanism provide the most improvement, but the degree of improvement is quite modest.
A Coarse-Grained Model of Unstructured Single-Stranded DNA Derived from Atomistic Simulation and Single-Molecule Experiment.

A simple coarse-grained model of single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was developed, featuring only two sites per nucleotide that represent the centers of mass of the backbone and sugar/base groups. In the model, the interactions between sites are described using tabulated bonded potentials optimized to reproduce the solution structure of DNA observed in atomistic molecular dynamics simulations. Isotropic potentials describe nonbonded interactions, implicitly taking into account the solvent conditions to match the experimentally determined radius of gyration of ssDNA. The model reproduces experimentally measured force–extension dependence of an unstructured DNA strand across 2 orders of magnitude of the applied force. The accuracy of the model was confirmed by measuring the end-to-end distance of a dT14 fragment via FRET while stretching the molecules using optical tweezers. The model offers straightforward generalization to systems containing double-stranded DNA and DNA binding proteins.
Primary Angiitis of the Central Nervous System Presenting with Microhemorrhages on Gradient Echo Imaging (P07.042)

Objective: To highlight the utility of magnetic resonance gradient echo (MR GRE) in the early diagnosis of primary angiitis of the central nervous system (PACNS) through a case report. Background PACNS is a rare form of vasculitis. The presenting symptoms of PACNS are often nonspecific, including encephalopathy, headaches, stroke, seizures, and cranial nerve palsies. Currently, biopsy is the gold standard for diagnosing PACNS. The sensitivity and specificity of less invasive testing, including conventional MRI, magnetic resonance angiography (MRA), CSF analysis, and four vessel angiography, are not as robust. Design/Methods: Case-report and literature review. Results: : A 52 year old gentleman presented for workup of episodic vertigo, dysphasia, and headaches. MRI brain revealed confluent subcortical T2 signal hyperintensities in the right frontotemporal and left temporal regions, corresponding small punctuate and linear zones of contrast enhancement, and a subacute left cerebellar hemorrhage. His MR GRE imaging revealed subcortical microhemorrhages and a left cerebellar hemorrhage. Serologic workup revealed normal CBC, electrolytes, INR, sedimentation rate, lactate dehydrogenase, angiotensin-converting enzyme level, myeloperoxidase, proteinase, antiphospholipid, and paraneoplastic antibodies. CSF examination revealed prominent lymphocytosis and negative cytology. MRA and conventional angiography were unrevealing. A cortical biopsy revealed chronic perivascular lymphocytic inflammation with focal granulomatous features and negative beta amyloid stain suggestive of PACNS. The patient was treated with a five day course of intravenous methylprednisolone (1 gram daily), followed by an oral prednisone taper. He reported no further episodes of vertigo or semantic paraphasia following initiation of steroids. Conclusions: Our case demonstrates the utility of GRE in the early diagnosis of PACNS. The presence of cortical and/or subcortical signal hypointensities on GRE (consistent with petechial hemorrhages) can help to distinguish PACNS from many of its mimickers. Such an imaging modality may be useful for promptly establishing the diagnosis and treating with immunosuppression, which is needed to avoid significant morbidity and mortality. Disclosure: Dr. Toledano has nothing to disclose. Dr. Smith has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dhamija has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jones has nothing to disclose. Dr. Moseley has nothing to disclose.
Prevention of active multiple myeloma (MM) using IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and low-dose dexamethasone (Dex) and monitoring the high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP)

8105 Background: IL-6 is the central myeloma growth factor and we have shown that abnormal production of IL-1beta in the myeloma microenvironment stimulates the generation of paracrine IL-6. A Phas...
A Social Domain Approach to Informant Discrepancies in Parental Solicitation and Family Rules.

An extensive body of research has explored the effects of parental monitoring on adolescent outcomes, but studies consistently find substantial discrepancies between parent and adolescent reports of different monitoring behaviors. Little research has examined whether parents and adolescents are more or less discrepant when reporting on parents’ rules or solicitation for different adolescent problem and health risk behaviors and few studies have explored potential explanatory variables to explicate individual variability in parent-adolescent discrepant reporting. To address this gap in the literature, the current study examined discrepancies in mother-adolescent reports of family rules and solicitation across five distinct adolescent behaviors: personal behaviors and four different risk behaviors (alcohol-related, cyber, over- and under-eating). Participants were 143 mother-adolescent dyads (Adolescent M age = 14.42, SD = 1.73, range = 12–18, 81 % white, 60 % female). Mean-level discrepancies between maternal and adolescent reports significantly differed by category of adolescent behavior and also varied as a function of reported parental monitoring behavior (rules vs. solicitation). Discrepancies in mother-adolescent reports of behavior-specific rules and solicitation were positively associated with discrepancies in mother and adolescent judgments of the harmfulness of the activities. The results demonstrate that discrepancies in mother-adolescent reports of family process differ by category of adolescent behavior and may be undergirded by differences in mother and adolescent informational assumptions about the potential harm involved with different activities.
Introduction to Random Processes

This chapter presents an introduction to random processes. It discusses classification of random processes; characterization of random processes including the autocorrelation function of a random process, autocovariance function, crosscorrelation function and crosscovariance function; stationary random processes; ergodic random processes; and power spectral density.
Biotechnological approaches for improvement and conservation of Prunus species

Biotechnology has contributed to improvement and conservation of Prunus species. Biotechnological approaches involving in vitro tissue culture, genetic transformation, molecular marker development and cryopreservation were applied to various Prunus species. This report provides an overview of biotechnological research on Prunus species, with an emphasis on ornamental Prunus.
Wet scrubbing and gas filtration of syngas in IGCC systems

IGCCs, which convert solid fuels to power, integrate three process components: gasification, syngas cleanup, and the combustion of the clean syngas in the combustion turbine. Cleaning of the syngas is a multistage process which manages environmental emissions while producing a syngas that is acceptable for use in the combustion turbines. Discussed in this chapter are particulate removal and wet scrubbing which are the initial unit operations in the syngas cleaning process.
Putative Mechanism of Salt-Dependent Neurogenic Hypertension: Cell-Autonomous Activation of Organum Vasculosum Laminae Terminalis Neurons by Hypernatremia.

See related article, pp 163–170 Hypernatremia elicits multiple adaptive responses mediated via the central nervous system: the sensation of thirst, drinking (seeking and consuming fluids), changes in taste preference (water versus salt), and neuroendocrine responses that affect the circulatory system along with sodium and water excretion by the kidneys.1 In conscious humans, hyperosmotic stimuli elevate blood pressure (BP) and sympathetic tone,2 and this particular neurogenic response likely contributes to salt-dependent hypertension. In this issue of Hypertension , Kinsman et al3 suggest that the autonomic nervous system effects elicited by systemic hypernatremia result from a direct action of [NaCl] on neurons located within the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT). The OVLT along with the subfornical organ (SFO) and the median preoptic nucleus (MnPO) is an interconnected structure that line the anterior wall of the third ventricle (Figure) and orchestrate the behavioral and autonomic responses to hyperosmolarity.4 The SFO and OVLT detect and encode the concentration of sodium present in the brain extracellular space and possibly the cerebrospinal fluid. They have fenestrated capillaries that facilitate sodium equilibration between plasma and brain extracellular fluid and render their neuropil accessible to circulating hormones, such as angiotensin II. The MnPO bridges the SFO and OVLT (Figure) and probably also contain sodium and osmotic pressure sensors; this imperfectly defined structure is a crucial integrative center for sodium and fluid homeostasis.5,6 Figure. Organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OVLT) and salt-sensitive neurogenic hypertension. Hypernatremia activates OVLT neurons directly or via local astrocytes. OVLT activation augments muscle sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) and reduces renal SNA, thereby …
Analysis of Fit issues among Plus-size Females with varying BMI

This study explores the relationship between female body mass index (BMI) and fit issues for plus size female aged 18+ who wore size 14+. Participants were surveyed on their frequency of experiencing fit issues while shopping for apparel (Mintel, 2015). This study looks at how BMI classifications of overweight and obese effects the instances of fit issues among plus size consumers. A one-way ANOVA was used to analyze the data regarding fit between the two populations. Results showed significance between the populations where obese women tend to have more difficulty than overweight women. This study looks to strengthen the apparel industry’s concern with apparel fit for plus size women; thereby motivating manufacturers to implement changes to design processes to combat these issues.
Effective innovation or dumbed-down distraction: qualitative content analysis of 10 years of social media and writing research

The ubiquity of social media has stirred debate about how it should be addressed in the classroom. Questions about social media's benefits, affordances, and relevance to education abound, particularly in the area of what it means for teaching, learning, and defining writing. This qualitative content analysis reviews 10 years of studies about using social media in writing education, identifying themes and metanarratives around how and why social networking technologies are used in writing education, and what they achieve. Social media types, curriculum theory, technology paradigm, reasons for use, and outcomes are all explored. This research highlights the breadth and versatility of social media and its applicability in a wide range of contexts.
CRT-100.49 Clinical Presentation Influences The Type of Stent Used in Patients Presenting with Acute Coronary Syndrome

Patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with Drug eluting stents (DES) treated with dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) are at increased of bleeding in high bleed risk (HBR) population. However, the impact of acute coronary syndrome presentation on type of stent used is unknown.
Improving HPV Vaccination Through a Diverse Multi-state Coalition.

Rural and highly religious Intermountain West states demonstrate low levels of HPV vaccination uptake. The Intermountain West HPV Vaccination Coalition (IWHVC) was formed to improve HPV vaccination by enhancing collaborations between cancer centers, health departments, health clinics, religious groups, and community organizations. Coalition members’ perceptions and experiences are described within. A cross-sectional online survey was distributed to the IWHVC. N = 86 responded to the online survey. Six subsequent focus groups were conducted (N = 36). Participant demographics, barriers, and facilitators of HPV vaccination were summarized. The first three focus groups were coded in an iterative manner based on a coding scheme. The final three focus groups were selectively coded for content related to five themes: barriers and facilitators to HPV vaccination, how the coalition has been useful, future directions of the coalition, and how to engage religious communities. Participants suggested that HPV vaccination should occur in a doctor’s office (70.9%), public health clinic (64.0%), or at a community health fair (58.1%). Perceived barriers included a lack of education/low knowledge about the HPV vaccine (55.8%), concerns about sexuality/promiscuity (44.2%), and not knowing the vaccine is recommended for boys (38.4%). Participants stressed the importance of gaining buy-in from religious leaders, and felt the coalition helped them advocate for HPV vaccination through networking, idea and information sharing, and voicing their community’s needs. Future goals emphasized targeted outreach, sustainable funding, expanded environmental scans, gaining religious support, and policy reforms. Targeted coalition work builds community capacity and coordinates HPV vaccination efforts. A community driven coalition approach could help improve HPV vaccination in other rural and highly religious regions.
Synthesis and preliminary PET imaging of 11 C and 18 F isotopologues of the ROS1/ALK inhibitor lorlatinib

Lorlatinib (PF-06463922) is a next-generation small-molecule inhibitor of the orphan receptor tyrosine kinase c-ros oncogene 1 (ROS1), which has a kinase domain that is physiologically related to anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), and is undergoing Phase I/II clinical trial investigations for non-small cell lung cancers. An early goal is to measure the concentrations of this drug in brain tumour lesions of lung cancer patients, as penetration of the blood-brain barrier is important for optimal therapeutic outcomes. Here we prepare both 11C- and 18F-isotopologues of lorlatinib to determine the biodistribution and whole-body dosimetry assessments by positron emission tomography (PET). Non-traditional radiolabelling strategies are employed to enable an automated multistep 11C-labelling process and an iodonium ylide-based radiofluorination. Carbon-11-labelled lorlatinib is routinely prepared with good radiochemical yields and shows reasonable tumour uptake in rodents. PET imaging in non-human primates confirms that this radiotracer has high brain permeability.
Surgical Treatment of OSA on Cardiovascular Outcomes: A Systematic Review.

Background OSA is an increasingly prevalent clinical problem with significant effects on quality of life and cardiovascular risk. Surgical therapy represents an important treatment for those unable to use positive airway pressure. This systematic review examines the available cardiovascular risk reduction data for the surgical treatment of OSA. Methods A comprehensive literature search was performed. Articles were included if they met the following criteria: (1) the sample population consisted of adults (age ≥ 18 years); (2) OSA was diagnosed according to a sleep study; (3) surgical intervention was performed for OSA; and (4) one or more physical or biochemical cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular variables was measured preoperatively and at ≥ 14 days postoperatively. Results Thirty-three articles were included. The majority of studies were case series and cohort studies (42% and 44%, respectively), with wide-ranging follow-up periods (4 weeks-9 years) and sample sizes (range, 6-10,339; median, 34). The following classes of surgical intervention were examined: pharyngeal surgery (n = 23), tracheostomy (n = 6), maxillomandibular advancement (n = 3), and hypoglossal nerve stimulation (n = 1). In total, 19 outcome measures were assessed. Tracheostomy was most consistently associated with improvement in cardiovascular end points. Pharyngeal surgeries (eg, uvulopalatopharyngoplasty) were variably associated with improvement in cardiovascular end points. Conclusions The published literature examining cardiovascular end points following surgical treatment of OSA is limited and generally of poor quality. However, available data from mainly small and observational studies suggest that surgical treatment of OSA may provide improvement in some cardiovascular end points. Larger, randomized, and prospective trials with more rigorous study designs are needed. Trial Registry PROSPERO International Prospective Register of Systemic Reviews (PROSPERO 42016040120).
Correction to: Setting an evolutionary trap: could the hider strategy be maladaptive for white-tailed deer?

The article, “Setting an evolutionary trap: could the hider strategy be maladaptive for white-tailed deer?”, written by M. Colter Chitwood, Marcus A. Lashley, Christopher E. Moorman and Christopher S. DePerno, was originally published Online First without open access.
Aleatory entanglements: (Post)humanism, hospitality, and attunement—A response to Hugo Letiche

This article is a response to Hugo Letiche's “Bewildering Pedagogy,” an extended critique of many of Snaza's published texts. In it, Snaza selected four important points of disagreement and elabora...
Mass Transport in Capillaries, Tissues, Interstitial Space, Lymphatics, Indicator Dilution Method, and Peristalsis

In this chapter some applications of the basic equations derived in Chap. 8 are demonstrated. Flow across the walls of the capillary and lymph vessels is discussed in Sec. 9.2. Methods for measuring the permeability of vessel walls are presented in Sec. 9.3. A model of oxygen delivery and consumption in tissues is given in Sec. 9.4. Fluid movement in interstitial space is discussed in Sec. 9.5.
Prediction of carcass characteristics by real-time ultrasound in barrows and gilts slaughtered at three weights.

The carcass characteristics of 27 market barrows and 27 market gilts were evalu- ated at various times (n = 8) with real-time ultrasound (Aloka 210 DXI from approximately 20 kg until slaughter at three end points. The pigs were randomly assigned to slaughter weight groups of 91, 104.5, and 118 kg at weaning time. Correlations were determined over slaughter weight group and sex, and the accuracies of ultrasound measurements were also evaluated. The regressions of ultrasound 10th-rib fat and ultrasound longissimus muscle area on live weight were also developed. Correlations between actual and ultrasound-measured last-rib fat, 10th-rib fat, and longissimus muscle area were high Ir = .91, 33, and .53, respectively; P < .011. The accuracy of ultrasound longissimus muscle area prediction was lower for 118-kg pigs than for the two lighter groups, whereas the accuracy for prediction of last-rib fat was lower for 91-kg pigs than for the two heavier groups, as indicated by higher abso- lute differences (P < .05). Last-rib fat and longis- simus muscle area tended to be overestimated and 10th-rib fat tended to be underestimated by real- time ultrasound. Prediction of last-rib fat by ultrasound was more accurate for gilts than for barrows, as indicated by a lower absolute differ- ence (P < .05).
2D titanium carbide (MXene) for wireless communication

With the development of the Internet of Things (IoT), the demand for thin and wearable electronic devices is growing quickly. The essential part of the IoT is communication between devices, which requires radio-frequency (RF) antennas. Metals are widely used for antennas; however, their bulkiness limits the fabrication of thin, lightweight, and flexible antennas. Recently, nanomaterials such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, and conductive polymers came into play. However, poor conductivity limits their use. We show RF devices for wireless communication based on metallic two-dimensional (2D) titanium carbide (MXene) prepared by a single-step spray coating. We fabricated a ~100-nm-thick translucent MXene antenna with a reflection coefficient of less than −10 dB. By increasing the antenna thickness to 8 μm, we achieved a reflection coefficient of −65 dB. We also fabricated a 1-μm-thick MXene RF identification device tag reaching a reading distance of 8 m at 860 MHz. Our finding shows that 2D titanium carbide MXene operates below the skin depth of copper or other metals as well as offers an opportunity to produce transparent antennas. Being the most conductive, as well as water-dispersible, among solution-processed 2D materials, MXenes open new avenues for manufacturing various classes of RF and other portable, flexible, and wearable electronic devices.
Basal cell carcinoma of the groin and buttocks: a clinical and histological analysis of a rare presentation of a common tumor.

Background Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is a common tumor but rarely presents on nonexposed skin. We sought to identify and characterize the traits of the malignancy over a 10-year period. Methods A retrospective chart review of all BCCs between 2007 and 2017 was performed. Clinical characteristics and histological features were evaluated. Results Of all BCCs biopsied in a 10-year period, 53 tumors in 50 patients were diagnosed in the groin or buttocks. This accounts for 0.094% of all BCCs during this time period. None of the cases had genetic diseases prone to skin cancer development or were immunosuppressed. The most common location was the buttocks, and the most frequently diagnosed histological subtype was nodular (49%). Conclusion To our knowledge, this is the largest report of BCC of the groin and buttocks. In this rare presentation of a common tumor, the histological characteristics of it are not more aggressive than other sites on the body.
The development of the serotonergic and dopaminergic systems during chicken mid-late embryogenesis

Serotonin (5-HT) acts as a morphogen influencing embryonic brain development, and as a neurotransmitter regulating multiple biological functions with lifelong effects on animal physical, physiological and mental health, especially during the rapid growth phase prior to birth when embryos face many challenges to reach structural and functional completion. In this study, the development of the serotoninergic (5-HTergic) system and its modulatory effect on the dopaminergic (DAergic) system and related neural circuits were investigated during the mid-late embryogenesis, embryonic day (E)12-E20, in the chicken's brain. During 5-HTergic neuronal maturation, a growth-related anatomical and functional remodeling was highlighted: the 5-HT neurons continuously grew during E12-E20 except for a remarkable regression during E14-E16. Correspondingly, there was a time-dependent change in the 5-HT synthetic capacity. Specifically, 5-HT concentrations in the raphe nuclei increased from E12 to E14, reaching a first plateau during E14-E16, then continuously increased up to E19, and reaching a second plateau between E19-E20. The second plateau of the 5-HT concentration was in correspondence with the establishment of the 5-HTergic autoregulatory loop during E19-E20 and the development of the DAergic system. The DA concentrations remained unchanged from E12 to E16, then started to increase at E16, reaching a maximum at E19, and diminished before hatching. The unique developing time sequence between the 5-HTergic and DAergic systems suggests that the 5-HTergic system may play a critical role in forming the 5-HT - DA neural circuit during chicken embryogenesis. These results provide new insights for understanding the functional organization of the 5-HTergic system during embryonic development and raise the possibility that prenatally modulating the 5-HTergic system may lead to long-lasting brain structural and functional alterations.
Anorectal Fistula and Pelvirectal Abscess

Drainage of anorectal abscess is indicated as soon as the diagnosis is made. There is no role for conservative management because severe sepsis can develop and spread before fluctuance and typical physical findings appear. This is especially true in diabetic patients.
Current work hours and coronary artery calcification (CAC): The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA)

BACKGROUND Long work hours may be associated with adverse outcomes, including cardiovascular disease. We investigated cross-sectional associations of current work hours with coronary artery calcification (CAC). METHODS Participants (n = 3046; 54.6% men) were from the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis. The number of hours worked in all jobs was obtained by questionnaire and CAC from computed tomography. The probability of a positive CAC score was modeled using log-binomial regression. Positive scores were modeled using analysis of covariance and linear regression. RESULTS Sixteen percent of the sample worked over 50 hours per week. The overall geometric mean CAC score was 5.2 ± 10.0; 40% had positive scores. In fully-adjusted models, prevalence ratios were less than 40 hours: 1.00 (confidence interval [CI]: 0.88-1.12), 40:(ref), 41 to 49:1.13 (CI: 0.99-1.30), and ≥50:1.07 (CI: 0.94-1.23) and longer current work hours were not associated with higher mean CAC scores (<40:56.0 [CI: 47.3-66.3], 40:57.8 [CI: 45.6-73.3], 41 to 49:59.2 [CI: 45.2-77.6], ≥50:51.2 [CI: 40.5-64.8]; P = .686). CONCLUSIONS Current work hours were not independently associated with CAC scores.
Variations in follow-up after atrial fibrillation ablation.

Background A multidisciplinary patient-centered approach using evidence-based care is recommended in recent atrial fibrillation (AF) guidelines to achieve quality patient outcomes. Professional society guidelines are conflicting and vague in recommendations on timing of follow-up after AF ablation. Purpose The aim of this secondary analysis was to examine whether the type and timing of follow-up care after AF ablation affected patient outcomes. Methods A 2-year, longitudinal, pilot study to explore patient experiences during the first 6 months following an AF ablation was conducted. Patients completed surveys and phone interviews before ablation, and at 1, 3, and 6 months after the ablation. Pearson correlations and repeated-measures analysis of variance were used for comparison of outcomes over time. Results The sample (N = 20) had a mean age of 65 (± 7) years, was 55% female, 35% paroxysmal AF, and 65% persistent AF pre-ablation. Timing of follow-up visits following AF ablation varied widely. Patients reported many concerns and difficulties reflecting the lack of knowledge and unrealistic expectations of post-ablation recovery. Better outcomes were noted in those who were seen at 1-week post-ablation by a nurse practitioner (NP) compared with those who were not seen until 1 or 3 months after ablation by a physician. Implications for practice Atrial fibrillation ablation is routinely performed in the United States, yet there seems to be a lack of standardization concerning the type and timing of follow-up care after AF ablation. These preliminary findings support a standardized approach to include an NP visit at one week after AF ablation to achieve quality AF patient outcomes.
Improving Student Success by Incorporating Instant-Feedback Questions and Increased Proctoring in Online Science and Mathematics Courses

Introductory courses in mathematics and the physical sciences are challenging for students and often have lower success rates than other comparable courses. In online courses, this problem is magnified given the greater propensity for students to engage in surface learning strategies. In particular, it has been shown that students are not actively utilizing learning materials provided in the structured course modules such as lecture videos. To combat this problem, we have implemented two different solutions to improve student engagement and retention of knowledge. Firstly, we have incorporated Quick Checks into courses in general chemistry and precalculus, where students answer auto-graded questions directly after viewing the course materials. These aim to promote the viewing of course materials beyond homework and quizzes, including engagement with course lecture videos. Secondly, with the incorporation of online proctoring options integrated into our LMS offerings, we have moved to increase the extent to which examinations are proctored. This encourages students to engage in more frequent reinforcement prior to examinations because they cannot use course materials during proctored examinations. We show that these measures lead to greater engagement with course materials and improved performance on proctored examinations, although student performance on formative assessments remained relatively consistent.
Letter from the Editors: Special Issue on the 2020 Peter J. Buckley and Mark Casson AIB Dissertation Award and AIB Presidential Recognition Award

Since 2013, AIB Insights has dedicated an issue to finalists for the prestigious Peter J. Buckley and Mark Casson AIB Dissertation Award. For the eighth consecutive year, we proudly feature articles by the four award finalists summarizing insights from their cutting-edge dissertation research. Converting to digital distribution allows us to essentially publish a double issue by also presenting a Topic Forum on this year’s AIB Presidential Recognition Award. This award honored the 30th anniversary of the World Investment Report (WIR) and its contribution to the field of international business. We include commentaries by the three leaders of the WIR report across its 30 issues, and two articles detailing the scope and impact of these reports.
Politicians and Local Economic Growth: Evidence from India

Political favoritism affects the allocation of government resources, but is it consequential for growth? Using a close election regression discontinuity design and data from India, we measure the local economic impact of being represented by a politician in the ruling party. Favoritism leads to higher private sector employment, higher share prices of firms, and increased output as measured by night lights; the three effects are similar and economically substantive. Finally, we present evidence that politicians influence firms primarily through control over the implementation of regulation.
Modeling of early- and late-time countercurrent spontaneous imbibition in porous media: A semi-analytical approach

Abstract Countercurrent spontaneous imbibition (SI) is an important flow mechanism to recover oil in water-wet porous media through capillarity. Experimental imbibition tests conducted in core samples show that oil recovery as a function of time occurs in a characteristic S-shaped curve, which describes the infinite-acting and the boundary-dominated regime. Although several dimensionless time groups have been proposed to model countercurrent SI in porous media, they fail to properly scale the results, causing inaccurate estimates of oil recovery. In this work, we present a new approach, using a hybrid solution, to model countercurrent SI for oil-water systems dominated by capillary forces. The infinite-acting regime is modeled by an early-time solution using a new dimensionless time group, which enables the correct scaling of imbibition results onto a universal single curve. To model the boundary-dominated regime, we introduce a late-time solution derived as a function of a characteristic distribution of saturation to estimate the flow behavior after the imbibing fluid reaches the no-flow boundary. The novelty of the model is that it enables the accurate estimation of fluid imbibition under the boundary-dominated regime, a flow condition critical to evaluate the true potential of countercurrent SI driven by capillarity for oil recovery in porous media. We verified the model against numerical simulations under a wide range of flow conditions relevant in water-oil systems, and used experimental data reported in the literature to validate our model. The solution presented provides an accurate approach to model countercurrent SI, which could be extended for dynamic conditions and the modeling of the flow of fluids in fractured media.
Stalinism on the Frontier of Empire: Women and State Formation in the Soviet Far East. By Elena Shulman (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2008. xiv plus 260 pp. $79.00.)

In 1937, at the height of the Soviet terror, a Communist youth league activist and wife of an official in the Soviet Far East wrote to a central newspaper to invite young women to volunteer to join her to help build socialism on the easternmost frontier of the Soviet Union. In the next three years, over 300,000 women volunteered, and about 25,000 were chosen to lend their skills and labor to the construction of farms, schools, administration, and industry of the Far East. They received the name “Khetagurovites,” after the woman who issued the original call, Valentina Khetagurova. This deeply researched and exquisitely argued book uses the phenomenon of the Khetagurovites to explore a number of key issues in the history of the Soviet Union, and it makes major contributions to our understanding of state-building, empire, gender, and sexuality in the context of the Soviet experiment. Above all, the book successfully punctures arguments about a “great retreat” to a pre-revolutionary domesticity in the 1930s, and instead offers a compelling picture of women who enthusiastically seized the opportunity to test their mettle in difficult conditions and to contribute to the common effort of the construction of socialism.
Mindfulness: A Transtherapeutic Approach for Transdiagnostic Mental Processes

Mindfulness as a current topic of academic inquiry derives from two main historical roots: (1) Eastern contemplative psychology embedded in meditation (Germer, 2005; Gunaratana, 2002; Kabat-Zinn, 2011); and (2)Western social psychology (E. J. Langer, 1989). From both a contemplative and a social-psychological perspective, mindfulness concerns freeing oneself frommisperceptions, thinking patterns, and selfimposed limitations that impede creativity, clear seeing, and optimal mental and physical health. Moreover, from both the Eastern and Western view, every individual has the intrinsic capacity to be mindful, and with intention and practice, mindfulness can garner strength and stability. In this sense, the greatest potential of mindfulness may emerge when one consciously decides to pursue mindfulness not as just a “tool” in the proverbial toolbox, but as a way of seeing oneself and the world, or a conscious way of being and interacting (Kabat-Zinn, 2005). In the contemplative tradition, the fundamental shift in perspective associated with mindfulness is called Beginner’s Mind (Suzuki, 2010); this refers to the meditation practice of remaining open, curious, unattached, and mentally flexible. Hence, meditation practice offers a traditional method for cultivating the core qualities of mindfulness. In Western societies, mindfulness meditation is now taught—using the skills of Beginner’s Mind—as a way to relieve suffering associated with stress, pain, and illness (Kabat-Zinn, 1982, 1990, 2011). Jon Kabat-Zinn described the fundamental shift in perspective that comes about through mindfulness meditation practice as an
River gods: personifying nature in sixteenth-century Italy

This essay traces the Renaissance appropriation of the ancient river god type from the discovery of several ancient statues and their display in the Vatican Statue Court to the first example of their use in a garden. Through an association with water, the natural element that the figure personified, the river god came to express the Renaissance understanding of nature as fertile and effortlessly bountiful, a male counterpart to female images of abundance. This is demonstrated in both installations of ancient statues and modern recreations in print (The Judgement of Paris, a collaboration of Raphael and Marcantonio Raimondi), paint (Giulio Romano in the Palazzo del Te), and sculpture (Niccolo Tribolo's statues). The Medici Pope Leo X was the first to employ river gods to denote political entities in public festivities, and in the borders of the tapestries that Raphael designed for him, personifications of cities, rivers, and mountains identify geographical regions and anticipate their later use in gardens. Tribolo's lost river gods at the Villa Medici at Castello, reflected in title pages to works by Cosimo Bartoli, translated the river god type into a Florentine aesthetic, influenced by Michelangelo's body torsions, to signify through their form both the specific place and the flourishing of nature there.