cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A new look at an old case: An auto-anti-P with pseudo-LKE activity

Aims: LKE is a high­incidence, minor RBC glycosphingolipid, related to both Pk and P antigens. Approximately 1% individuals are LKE­negative. However, antibodies against LKE are rare, with only six cases mentioned in literature. Past examples of anti­LKE have relied on serologic testing, with no direct testing against RBC glycosphingolipid (GSL). To test a historical ‘anti­LKE’ against a panel of RBC and glycosphingolipid standards by high performance thin layer chromatography and standard serology. Methods: Serum samples included human polyclonal anti­LKE, alloanti­P, alloanti­PP1Pk and untransfused controls. Hemagglutination was performed by gel method with ficin­treated RBC of known LKE, P and P1 phenotype. P antigen expression was determined by titration with a well characterized alloanti­P. Antibody specificity was determined by incubating serum against glycosphingolipids on high performance thin layer chromatography plates. Results: The patient’s serum reacted with most LKE+ RBC but not ficin­treated p, Pk, or LKE­negative donors, consistent with an anti­LKE. However, on direct testing, the patient’s antibody failed to recognize monosialogalactosylgloboside, the LKE antigen. The patient’s serum did recognize globoside (P) antigen. This was confirmed by hemagglutination, which showed a correlation between LKE phenotype, P antigen expression and serum reactivity. The patient’s weak auto­ anti­P was not inhibited by solubilized globoside. Conclusion: This historical anti­LKE is an auto­anti­P with ‘pseudo­LKE’ activity due to differences in P antigen expression between LKE+ and LKE–donors.
Mass transport in porous materials under combined gradients of composition and pressure

An expression is derived for the analysis of gas-phase mass transport in porous media in the presence of gradients in pressure and mole fraction. The behavior of porous media is contrasted with that of capillary tubes. A continuous-flow diffusion and permeation apparatus was employed for studies of mass transport in a fritted glass diaphragm. Measurements were obtained at varying levels of pressure and cover both isobaric binary diffusion and the permeation of pure gases and gas mixtures. These experimental results and previous data obtained by Hewitt and Sharratt and by Mason, et al. bear out the form of the equation and successfully provide independent checks of the three constants necessary to characterize a given porous medium.
Will recent murder charges filed against physicians for opioid-related deaths affect pain management?

In a recent article, Gevirtz (2012) mentions two murder cases that were recently prosecuted. One case involved a physician who allegedly was falsely prescribing oxycodone, alprazolam, and other drugs that are commonly abused. As reported in the Los Angeles Times (2012), three undercover investigators tied this physician to three overdose deaths. In the second case, a drugstore was robbed which resulted in the murder of a pharmacist, a cashier, and two customers. The robbery was committed by a drugs-seeking couple. After the murders, the prescribing physician, who ran a pain clinic, was charged by the state Department of Health with gross negligence, gross incompetence, and moral unfitness. The physician was charged with multiple counts of the criminal sale of a controlled substance. The paper Newsday (Van Sant & Lewis, 2011) reported that in a period of 6 months the couple had filled seven prescriptions for nearly 840 hydrocodone tablets prescribed by one physician. Lankenau, Schrage, Silva, Kecojevic, Abloom,
RF plasma synthesis of amorphous AIN powder and films

Amorphous powder and thin films of aluminum nitride (AIN) are deposited in a parallel-plate RF plasma reactor starting from trimethylaluminum (TMA) and ammonia. Film deposition is favored at lower pressures and NH3/TMA ratios; particle deposition occurs under higher pressures and NH3/TMA ratios. Electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, and UV reflectance measurements are used for product characterization. Films of AIN grown at 250°C are transparent, pure, and have high UV reflectivity. AIN powder is amorphous and has a particle size of 10–20 nm and surface area of about 85 m2/g. Amine impurities present in the as-deposited powder are removed by heat treatment at 600°C. The IR spectra of as-deposited powders do not show the characteristic Al-O bonding peak found in powders deposited by other methods.
Peptidoglycan deacetylation in Helicobacter pylori contributes to bacterial survival by mitigating host immune responses.

An oxidative stress-induced enzyme, peptidoglycan deacetylase (PgdA), in the human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori was previously identified and characterized. In this study, we constructed H. pylori pgdA mutants in two mouse-adapted strains, X47 and B128, to investigate the role of PgdA in vivo (to determine the mutants’ abilities to colonize mice and to induce an immune response). H. pylori pgdA mutant cells showed increased sensitivity to lysozyme compared to the sensitivities of the parent strains. We demonstrated that the expression of PgdA was significantly induced (3.5-fold) when H. pylori cells were in contact with macrophages, similar to the effect observed with oxidative stress as the environmental inducer. Using a mouse infection model, we first examined the mouse colonization ability of an H. pylori pgdA mutant in X47, a strain deficient in the major pathway (cag pathogenicity island [PAI] encoded) for delivery of peptidoglycan into host cells. No animal colonization difference between the wild type and the mutant was observed 3 weeks after inoculation. However, the pgdA mutant showed a significantly attenuated ability to colonize mouse stomachs (9-fold-lower bacterial load) at 9 weeks postinoculation. With the cag PAI-positive strain B128, a significant colonization difference between the wild type and the pgdA mutant was observed at 3 weeks postinoculation (1.32 × 104 versus 1.85 × 103 CFU/gram of stomach). To monitor the immune responses elicited by H. pylori in the mouse infection model, we determined the concentrations of cytokines present in mouse sera. In the mice infected with the pgdA mutant strain, we observed a highly significant increase in the level of MIP-2. In addition, significant increases in interleukin-10 and tumor necrosis factor alpha in the pgdA mutant-infected mice compared to the levels in the wild-type H. pylori-infected mice were also observed. These results indicated that H. pylori peptidoglycan deacetylation is an important mechanism for mitigating host immune detection; this likely contributes to pathogen persistence.
Experience with vena cava filters at a large community hospital and level-I trauma center: indications, complications, and compliance barriers.

Introduction:Inferior vena cava filters (IVCF) are used liberally in clinical practice and have been associated with multiple complications. Herein, we present results from our institution.Methods:Records of consecutive patients discharged between January 1, 2009 and 2012 were reviewed. Indications were subcategorized under absolute, relative, and prophylactic. Student t test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were employed.Results:During this period, 254 vena cava filters (VCF) were placed. Of these, 65 were placed for absolute indication, 28 for relative, and 161 for prophylaxis. Follow-up imaging was available for 96 patients of which 15 showed complications. Successful retrieval of 19 filters was achieved.Conclusion:The study demonstrates that most IVCF are being placed for prophylaxis with low retrieval rate. This contradicts current recommendations. Moreover frequent migration and penetration of IVCF can lead to serious complications. Strict enforcement of IVCF placement guidelines and setting up of...
A time-dependent Hartree–Fock approach for studying the electronic optical response of molecules in intense fields

For molecules in high intensity oscillating electric fields, the time-dependent Hartree–Fock (TDHF) method is used to simulate the behavior of the electronic density prior to ionization. Since a perturbative approach is no longer valid at these intensities, the full TDHF equations are used to propagate the electronic density. A unitary transform approach is combined with the modified midpoint method to provide a stable and efficient algorithm to integrate these equations. The behavior of H2+ in an intense oscillating field computed using the TDHF method with a STO-3G basis set reproduces the analytic solution for the two-state coherent excitation model. For H2 with a 6-311++G(d,p) basis set, the TDHF results are nearly indistinguishable from calculations using the full time-dependent Schrodinger equation. In an oscillating field of 3.17 × 1013 W cm−2 and 456 nm, the molecular orbital energies, electron populations, and atomic charges of H2 follow the field adiabatically. As the field intensity is increased, the response becomes more complicated as a result of contributions from excited states. Simulations of N2 show even greater complexity, yet the average charge still follows the field adiabatically.
Thinned interleaved linear arrays

Thinned interleaved linear arrays have aperiodic spacings that are integer multiples of a set minimum element spacing. The arrays fit together such that the resulting aperture appears to be uniform but actually consists of two separate arrays. These arrays are optimized to have a narrow main beam without high sidelobes.
Spatiotemporal Random Fields in Exposure Analysis and Assessment

What follows is a play which involves the philosophers St. Thomas Aquinas, Francis Bacon and August Comte (hence we will call it the ABC play). These philosophers promoted ideas that may help us understand important aspects of the random field concept. Aquinas (1225–1274) argued for a system of philosophy that is based on a combination of mystic Aristotelian faith and natural reason. Bacon (1561–1626) introduced the concept of scientific method that emphasizes experimentation and observations. Finally, Comte (1798–1857) promoted the view that one should focus on the connections between observable facts in order to make hypotheses and develop theories. In our theatrical play, Aquinas goes into an isolated room and generates a sequence of numbers. Our prior (initial) knowledge regarding the mechanism that Aquinas used to generate his data was that he tossed a die repeatedly (we assumed here that while God may not play dice, his Saints do!) and recorded the outcome, but the outcome itself is --of course-- unknown to us. Based on this limited knowledge we are asked to guess what the sequence looks like.
Opportunistic Exploitation of Bandwidth Resources through Reinforcement Learning

The enormous success of wireless technology has recently led to an explosive demand for, and hence a shortage of, bandwidth resources. This expected shortage problem is reported to be primarily due to the inefficient, static nature of current spectrum allotment methods. As an initial step towards solving this shortage problem, FCC opens up for the so-called opportunistic spectrum access (OSA), which allows unlicensed users to exploit unused licensed spectrum, but in a manner that limits interference to licensed users. Fortunately, technological advances enabled cognitive radios, which are viewed as intelligent communication systems that can learn from their surrounding environment by themselves, and adapt their internal operating parameters in real-time also by themselves to improve spectrum efficiency. Cognitive radios have recently been recognized as the key enabling technology for realizing OSA. In this work, we propose a machine learning-based scheme that will exploit the cognitive radios' capabilities to enable effective OSA, thus improving the efficiency of spectrum utilization. Our proposed learning technique does not require prior knowledge of the environment's characteristics and dynamics, yet can still achieve high performances by learning from interaction with the environment.
SCHWANN CELL PROLIFERATION IN DEVELOPING MOUSE SCIATIC NERVE: A Radioautographic Study

Proliferation of Schwann cells in neonatal mouse sciatic nerve was studied radioautographically in 1-micro glycol methacrylate sections. 28 mice were injected with thymidine-(3)H, 4 microc/g, 48 hr after birth, and were killed serially over the next 4 days. For the cell cycle following injection, the generation time was approximately 24 hr as determined by grain-count halving data; the duration of synthesis phase was 8 hr as determined from a curve constructed from the per cent of mitotic figures containing label; and the labeling index was 9% at 2 hr after injection. With these estimates, the per cent of Schwann cells proliferating was calculated to be 27%. In addition, roughly 25% of dividing cells appeared to cease division during the cell cycle under study. The relationship of these findings to other events during maturation of nerve is discussed.
Sexual and Seasonal Variation in Foraging Patterns in the Stinkpot, Sternotherus odoratus, in Southwestern Missouri

Sternotherus odoratus is an omnivorous turtle inhabiting shallow littoral zones of lakes and swamps in the eastern United States. Previous studies have quantified the diet of this turtle, but few have addressed seasonal and sexual differences. Stomach and fecal samples were collected from June through October 1998. Although males and females consumed similar taxa, there were monthly dietary differences likely, in part, because of sexual differences in peak activity and reproductive conditions. Patterns of consumption suggest that Stinkpots are omnivorous but show some dietary preferences.
Congressional Papers: Collection Development Policies

The Documentation of Congress: Report of the Congressional Archivists Roundtable Task Force on Congressional Documentation presents a viable, working documentation strategy for the U.S. Congress. As part of the documentation strategy, the task force recommends the writing of a model policy statement for archival institutions collecting congressional papers. This article presents a model congressional papers collection development policy that can be appended to a repository's full collection development policy. The model is based on Faye Phillips, "Developing Collecting Policies for Manuscript Collections." The article includes discussion regarding ancillary persons or organizations to be collected in conjunction with congressional papers.
The impact of chemotherapy and radiation therapy on the remodeling of acellular dermal matrices in staged, prosthetic breast reconstruction.

BACKGROUND An acellular dermal matrix will typically incorporate, in time, with the overlying mastectomy skin flap. This remodeling process may be adversely impacted in patients who require chemotherapy and radiation, which influence neovascularization and cellular proliferation. METHODS Multiple biopsy specimens were procured from 86 women (n = 94 breasts) undergoing exchange of a tissue expander for a breast implant. These were divided by biopsy location: submuscular capsule (control) as well as superiorly, centrally, and inferiorly along the paramedian acellular dermis. Specimens were assessed for cellular infiltration, cell type, fibrous encapsulation, scaffold degradation, extracellular matrix deposition, neovascularization, mean composite remodeling score, and type I and III collagen. Patients were compared based on five oncologic treatment groups: no adjuvant therapy (untreated), neoadjuvant chemotherapy with or without radiation, and chemotherapy with or without radiation. RESULTS Biopsy specimens were procured 45 to 1805 days after implantation and demonstrated a significant reduction in type I collagen over time. Chemotherapy adversely impacted fibrous encapsulation (p = 0.03). Chemotherapy with or without radiation adversely impacted type I collagen (p = 0.02), cellular infiltration (p < 0.01), extracellular matrix deposition (p < 0.04), and neovascularization (p < 0.01). Radiation exacerbated the adverse impact of chemotherapy for several remodeling parameters. Neoadjuvant chemotherapy also caused a reduction in type I (p = 0.01) and III collagen (p = 0.05), extracellular matrix deposition (p = 0.03), and scaffold degradation (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION Chemotherapy and radiation therapy limit acellular dermal matrix remodeling. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, III.
A Distributed Calculation of Global Shift Factor Considering Information Privacy

As an important sensitivity study, the global shift factor calculation of the interconnected power systems is facing challenges due to the distributed management structure of the system and the information privacy between systems. This letter proposes a distributed calculation platform to obtain a global shift factor while protecting information privacy of individuals.
Nonlinear Dynamic Characteristic Analysis of Wedge Lock for Electronic Equipment

The nonlinear dynamic characteristics of wedge lock used in the electronic equipment are studied in this paper.By analysis of load vs displacement status,a simplified nonlinear dynamic model is established which can reveal the nonlinear dynamic characteristics of the wedge lock.The nonlinearity is modeled by nonlinear spring elements with different tensile and compressive stiffness.The numerical simulation is done based on this dynamic model and is compared with the test result.The result shows that this connecting model is reasonable and it is the wedge lock that makes the whole system have strong nonlinear dynamic characteristics.
Small Molecule Inhibition of miR-544 Biogenesis Disrupts Adaptive Responses to Hypoxia by Modulating ATM-mTOR Signaling.

Hypoxia induces a complex circuit of gene expression that drives tumor progression and increases drug resistance. Defining these changes allows for an understanding of how hypoxia alters tumor biology and informs design of lead therapeutics. We probed the role of microRNA-544 (miR-544), which silences mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), in a hypoxic breast cancer model by using a small molecule (1) that selectively impedes the microRNA’s biogenesis. Application of 1 to hypoxic tumor cells selectively inhibited production of the mature microRNA, sensitized cells to 5-fluorouracil, and derepressed mRNAs affected by miR-544 in cellulo and in vivo, including boosting mTOR expression. Thus, small molecule inhibition of miR-544 reverses a tumor cell’s physiological response to hypoxia. Importantly, 1 sensitized tumor cells to hypoxia-associated apoptosis at a 25-fold lower concentration than a 2′-O-methyl RNA antagomir and was as selective. Further, the apoptotic effect of 1 was suppressed by treatment of cel...
Paclitaxel, 5-fluorouracil, and folinic acid in metastatic breast cancer: BRE-26, a phase II trial

5-Fluorouracil plus folinic acid and paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ) are effective salvage therapies for metastatic breast cancer patients. Paclitaxel and 5-fluorouracil have additive cytotoxicity in MCF-7 cell lines. We performed a phase II trial of paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 over 3 hours on day I followed by folinic acid 300 mg over 1 hour before 5-fluorouracil 350 mg/m2 on days 1 to 3 every 28 days (TFL) in women with metastatic breast cancer. Analysis is reported on 37 patients with a minimum of 6 months follow-up who received a total of 192 cycles of TFL: nine cycles (5%) were associated with grade 3/4 neutropenia requiring hospitalization; seven (4%) cycles in two patients required granulocyte colony-stimulating factor due to neutropenia; no patient required platelet transfusions. Grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxicities were uncommon. Among the 34 patients evaluable for response, there were three complete responses (9%) and 18 partial responses (53%) for an overall response rate of 62%. Of the 19 evaluable patients with prior doxorubicin exposure, 11 (58%) responded compared with nine of 15 (60%) without prior doxorubicin. Plasma paclitaxel concentrations were measured at the completion of paclitaxel infusion and at 24 hours in 19 patients. TFL is an active, well-tolerated regimen in metastatic breast cancer.
Internal and external fixation of fractures in children.

Summary We have illustrated instances in which open reduction with internal or external fixation should be used in the care of fractures in children. These methods should be used when closed reduction fails or in other circumstances in which they are the initial treatment of choice. At no time should the surgeon hesitate to utilize these operative options if they represent the best method of achieving the most functional end result in a pediatric fracture.
Borges and Photography

Borges is unquestionably the most photographed Argentine author. As someone who assumed something of an international celebrity status before he was widely accepted in his native country, the photographic images of Borges, which outside Argentina quickly went from newsprint to book jackets to gallery walls, were less the consequence in Argentina of any canonical role in national letters than they were the attention of local artists to their acquaintances and associates in rather closed circles.
A reconstruction of 19th-century surgical techniques: Bones in Dr. Thompson’s Privy

Archaeological excavation of a later 19th-century doctor’s privy in Annapolis, Maryland, yielded portions of two adult femora and one subadult hand bone. The femora have surgical cuts at both the proximal and distal ends, suggesting postmortem anatomical experimentation. The bones offer insight into behaviors and surgical practices of 19th-century physicians. These specimens are an example of an unusual placement in an historic site.
Chapter 3 – Clinical Trials

The chapter gives an overview of clinical trials. Medical practice has entered an era of “evidence-based medicine” characterized by an increasingly widespread societal belief that clinical practice should be based on scientific information in addition to intuition, mechanistic reasoning, and opinion. The primary tool used to generate definitive medical evidence is the randomized clinical trial, the essential basis of which is the allocation of a research subject to one intervention or another through a deliberate scheme that uses a table of random numbers to determine the assignment of the intervention. This process ensures that underlying risks are randomly distributed between or among the arms of a study, thus enabling an internally valid comparison of the outcome of interest. There has lately been a growing level of interest in assessing the quality of clinical trials, not only with regard to internal validity, but also in terms of a host of parameters that might guide the application of trial results to informing decisions about the development of medical products, medical practice, or health policy. While the critical importance of clinical trials is widely acknowledged, as a scientific tool, they remain a work in progress. When designing or interpreting the results of a clinical study, the purpose of the investigation is critical to placing the outcome in the appropriate context. Researchers and clinicians who design the investigation are responsible for constructing the project and presenting its results in a manner that reflects the intent of the study. The structural characteristics of trials can be characterized as a function of the attributes such as pragmatic versus explanatory, entry criteria, data collection instrument, etc.
Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma arising within the median nerve

We report a case of low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma arising within the median nerve. A 31-year-old woman presented with symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome and an enlarging mass in her right palm over 1 year. MRI demonstrated a mass associated with the right median nerve with solid and cystic components. At surgery, the mass was located within the epineurium, could be bluntly dissected from the nerve fascicles, and was suspected to be a schwannoma. A 3.4 cm, tan-pink, glistening, smooth, homogenous mass was submitted to pathology. Microscopically, the tumor was a solid and cystic circumscribed nodule with a dense fibrous pseudocapsule. The tumor cells were uniformly bland and spindle-shaped, with small, hyperchromatic oval nuclei and were embedded in an alternating fibrous and myxoid stroma with a prominent curvilinear vasculature and perivascular sclerosis. The differential diagnosis for this lesion included myxoid neurofibroma, schwannoma, soft tissue perineurioma, low-grade malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor and low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma. The tumor cells expressed MUC4, GLUT-1, and vimentin and were negative for S-100 protein, epithelial membrane antigen, smooth muscle actin, desmin, claudin-1, neurofilament and SOX10. Fluorescence in situ hybridization, with a break-apart probe strategy, demonstrated FUS rearrangement, consistent in this morphological context with the low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma-associated FUS-CREB3L2 or FUS-CREB3L1 fusions. Low-grade fibromyxoid sarcoma is exceptionally rare in the peripheral nerve, with only a single previously reported case. Nonetheless, as our case illustrates, this entity must be included in the differential diagnosis of unusual intraneural mesenchymal tumors. As in all other locations, intraneural low-grade fibromyxoid sarcomas should be excised with negative margins. Patients with this disease require long-term clinical follow-up, given this tumor's propensity for very late distant metastases to the lungs and other sites.
Proactive Infliximab Monitoring Following Reactive Testing is Associated With Better Clinical Outcomes Than Reactive Testing Alone in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Background and aims Reactive testing has emerged as the new standard of care for managing loss of response to infliximab in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD]. Recent data suggest that proactive infliximab monitoring is associated with better therapeutic outcomes in IBD. Nevertheless, there are no data regarding the clinical utility of proactive infliximab monitoring after first reactive testing. We aimed to evaluate long-term outcomes of proactive infliximab monitoring following reactive testing compared with reactive testing alone in patients with IBD. Methods This was a retrospective multicenter cohort study of consecutive IBD patients on infliximab maintenance therapy receiving a first reactive testing between September 2006 and January 2015. Patients were divided into two groups; Group A [proactive infliximab monitoring after reactive testing] and Group B [reactive testing alone]. Patients were followed through December 2015. Time-to-event analysis for treatment failure and IBD-related surgery and hospitalization was performed. Treatment failure was defined as drug discontinuation due to either loss of response or serious adverse event. Results The study population consisted of 102 [n = 70, 69% with CD] patients [Group A, n = 33 and Group B, n = 69] who were followed for (median, interquartile range [IQR]) 2.7 [1.4-3.8] years. Multiple Cox regression analysis identified proactive following reactive TDM as independently associated with less treatment failure (hazard ratio [HR] 0.15; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.05-0.51; p = 0.002) and fewer IBD-related hospitalizations [HR: 0.18; 95% CI 0.05-0.99; p = 0.007]. Conclusions This study showed that proactive infliximab monitoring following reactive testing was associated with greater drug persistence and fewer IBD-related hospitalizations than reactive testing alone.
Adsorption Studies Of Pure And Modified Imogolite As A Potential Pore Size Standard.

Abstract Imogolite is a microporous tubular aluminosilicate having the unique property of forming tubes of a single length and fixed inner diameter. With proper processing, the tubes can self assemble into aligned, densely-packed arrays exhibiting a high degree of microporosity orientated in a single dimension. These tubes have a nominal inner diameter of 0.8 nm but the diameter may be increased by replacing a portion of the silicon with germanium, or chemically modified via silylation reactions with the active silanol groups on the internal tube surface. These materials are attractive as pore size standards since they form continuous tubes (not throats and cavities typical of a zeolite), the pores are uniform in size, and the pore size may be varied or modified in a controlled fashion. We discuss the characterization of imogolite tube bundles by a range of adsorption experiments including nitrogen and carbon dioxide and by 129xe NMR. Gas phase silylation experiments are also explored in relation to changes in surface area, pore size, size distribution, total pore volume, and adsorption kinetics.
Homology of Fibre Spaces

We conclude this volume with an introduction to the method of spectral sequences for studying the homology of a fibration. In §1 we consider a filtered pair (X, A). The homology groups of the triples (X p , Xp-1, A) are linked together in an intricate way. They can, however, be assembled into two graded groups which are connected by an exact triangle Open image in new window Such a diagram is called an exact couple; the notion is due to Massey [1; 2]. The basic operation on exact couples, that of derivation, gives rise to a new exact couple Open image in new window Hence the process can be iterated to obtain an infinite sequence of diagrams.
Colored strip patterns and front-back symmetry in warp-faced pre-Columbian textiles

Among the textiles made by pre-Columbian weavers in Peru are double-faced warp-faced bands, with two or more differently colored yarns in each warp location, where figures woven on one face appear,...
Programmatic Dreams: Technographic Inquiry into Censorship of Chinese Chatbots

This project explores the recent censorship of two Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots on Tencent’s popular WeChat messaging platform. Specifically, I am advancing a technographic approac...
Evaluating the Impact of Race and Gender on Environmental Risk Perceptions in the Houston Neighborhood of Manchester

Abstract Previous research has shown that white males tend to perceive risks from environmental exposures as lower than women and members of minority populations, often referred to as the white mal...
Modeling Coupled Durability and Performance in Polymer-Electrolyte Fuel Cells: Membrane Effects

Author(s): Ehlinger, VM; Kusoglu, A; Weber, AZ | Abstract: During operation, proton-exchange-membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are subjected to mechanical and chemical stressors that contribute to membrane degradation, performance loss, and eventual failure. Together, synergistic effects between mechanical and chemical degradation mechanisms lead to accelerated degradation. A physics-based model is developed to understand the synergistic effects of chemical and mechanical degradation and the coupled nature of performance and durability in PEMFCs. The model includes pinhole existence and growth in the membrane, which increases crossover of reactant gases as well as subsequent formation of chemical degradation agents that impact both transport and mechanical properties of the membrane. The fuel-cell model is fully coupled with a mechanical model to determine the stresses on the membrane and subsequent growth of pinholes during transient operation. Simulation results demonstrate pinhole growth under relative-humidity cycling and the resultant increased gas-crossover fluxes and decrease in polarization performance. Furthermore, the model results highlight nonlinearities and the importance of coupling mechanical and chemical degradation models in order to explain membrane degradation under various cycles, and serves as a foundation for examining coupled durability and performance.
Preparing your healthcare system to identify and respond to victims of abuse, neglect, and exploitation

Objectives: The participants will utilize best practice guidelines in developing a coordinated response to victims of abuse, neglect and exploitation in the healthcare setting. Background: The identification of abuse, neglect, and/or exploitation in patients’ lives is important for optimal care. Despite national recommendations to screen for intimate partner violence, many healthcare systems are not prepared to address abuse, …
Motivational Orientations: Evaluation of the Education Participation Scale in a Nontraditional Doctor of Pharmacy Program.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the Education Participation Scale (EPS) in determining motivational orientations of nontraditional PharmD students. Pharmacists in two different pharmacy education programs were administered the EPS. The groups were a weekend general continuing education (CE) conference that satisfied Florida mandatory CE requirements, and first year nontraditional PharmD students. Motivational orientations were measured using six factors extracted from a previous study: Competency-Related Curiosity, Interpersonal Relations, Community Service, Escape from Routine, Professional Advancement, and Compliance with External Influence. Two second order factors were extracted that related to external and internal motivational orientations. Nontraditional PharmD pharmacists were significantly different than the pharmacists in the general CE program on the Professional Advancement and Compliance with External Influence factors. These findings are consistent with adult education theory and add validity to this instrument. This information could be used to increase enrollment through incorporation in promotional messages.
Neutrino capture and r process nucleosynthesis

We explore neutrino capture during $r$-process nucleosynthesis in neutrino-driven ejecta from nascent neutron stars. We focus on the interplay between charged-current weak interactions and element synthesis, and we delineate the important role of equilibrium nuclear dynamics. During the period of coexistence of free nucleons and light and/or heavy nuclei, electron neutrino capture inhibits the $r$-process. At all stages, capture on free neutrons has a larger impact than capture on nuclei. However, neutrino capture on heavy nuclei by itself, if it is very strong, is also detrimental to the $r$-process until large nuclear equilibrium clusters break down and the classical neutron-capture phase of the $r$-process begins. The sensitivity of the $r$-process to neutrino irradiation means that neutrino-capture effects can strongly constrain the $r$-process site, neutrino physics, or both. These results apply also to $r$-process scenarios other than the neutrino-heated winds.
Small-Scale Mapping on a National Level

Canada stands pre-eminent among nations who are applying new techniques to the solution of national mapping problems. The mapping programs of Canada, Australia, and the United States can be similar...
An investigation of perceived family phubbing expectancy violations and well-being among U.S. older adults:

Phubbing refers to the nonverbal behavior of glancing at, or using, one’s mobile phone during a face-to-face (FtF) interaction, whereby the mobile-phone-checking behavior is perceived to breach exp...
Reforming computing education with new web technologies

The recent movement of Web 2.0 and the technologies beneath it provide opportunities to reform our educational environments. This paper discusses how to use these new technologies to develop our next generation educational environments that will foster deep learning. To demonstrate the potential impact of these new technologies on computing education, we introduce the architectural design of BRIDGE, our ongoing development of an integrated, collaborative educational environment that is capable of connecting computing theories and industrial practices. We hope that the concept of our design will inspire new developments of such collaborative educational systems.
Ant-icipating Change: An Epigenetic Switch in Reprogramming the Social Lives of Ants.

Glastad et al. (2019) describe a role for the neuronal CoREST corepressor and changes in juvenile hormone (JH) and ecdysone signaling during the reprogramming of social behavioral phenotypes in ants that are reflective of a natural mechanism differentiating "Major" and "Minor" worker ants.
Genome Sequences of 20 Bacteriophages Isolated on Gordonia terrae

We report here the sequences of 20 bacteriophages isolated on Gordonia terrae 3612. These phages span considerable sequence diversity, represent 12 clusters and a singleton genome, and range in genome length from 16.2 kbp to 151.3 kbp. Phages Pupper and SCentae are the first reported Myoviridae phages of Gordonia spp.
Metal-oxide control of exciton-plasmon coupling

A key application of metallic nanostructures is enhancement of the radiative decay rates of quantum emitters. In this contribution we investigate control of emission dynamics of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) using combination of both metal oxides and plasmonic effects of gold thinfilms. Different metal oxides, including Cu, Ag and Al oxides are investigated. We show how such oxides can dramatically change the decay of QDs via photocatalytic processes in the absence and presence of plasmonic fields. The outcomes show the distinct impact of such oxides, ranging from total annihilation of QD emission to their plasmonic revival via Purcell effect.
Endovascular coiling of large mastoid emissary vein causing pulsatile tinnitus

The association of large mastoid emissary veins and pulsatile tinnitus has been reported. However, therapeutic options for this condition remain limited. We report a case of endovascular coiling of a large mastoid emissary vein in a patient with disabling pulsatile tinnitus with significant improvement of symptoms. To our knowledge, endovascular coiling of large mastoid emissary vein causing pulsatile tinnitus has not been reported.
Nifedipine and Amlodipine Are Associated With Improved Mortality and Decreased Risk for Intubation and Mechanical Ventilation in Elderly Patients Hospitalized for COVID-19

Dihydropyridine calcium channel blockers (CCB) are typically used agents in the clinical management of hypertension. Yet, they have also been utilized in the treatment of various pulmonary disorders with vasoconstriction. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been implicated in the development of vasoconstrictive, proinflammatory, and pro-oxidative effects. A retrospective review was conducted on CCB use in hospitalized patients in search of any difference in outcomes related to specific endpoints: survival to discharge and progression of disease leading to intubation and mechanical ventilation. The electronic medical records for all patients that tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 that were at or above the age of 65 and that expired or survived to discharge from a community hospital in Brooklyn, NY, between the start of the public health crisis due to the viral disease up until April 13, 2020, were included. Of the 77 patients that were identified, 18 survived until discharge and 59 expired. Seven patients from the expired group were excluded since they died within one day of presentation to the hospital. Five patients were excluded from the expired group since their age was above that of the eldest patient in the survival group (89 years old). With 65 patients left, 24 were found to have been administered either amlodipine or nifedipine (CCB group) and 41 were not (No-CCB group). Patients treated with a CCB were significantly more likely to survive than those not treated with a CCB: 12 (50%) survived and 12 expired in the CCB group vs. six (14.6%) that survived and 35 (85.4%) that expired in the No-CCB treatment group (P<.01; p=0.0036). CCB patients were also significantly less likely to undergo intubation and mechanical ventilation. Only one patient (4.2%) was intubated in the CCB group whereas 16 (39.0%) were intubated in the No-CCB treatment group (P<.01; p=0.0026). Nifedipine and amlodipine were found to be associated with significantly improved mortality and a decreased risk for intubation and mechanical ventilation in elderly patients hospitalized with COVID-19. Further clinical studies are warranted. Including either nifedipine or amlodipine in medication regimens for elderly patients with hypertension hospitalized for COVID-19 may be considered.
N-(4-Eth­oxy-2,5-di­nitro­phen­yl)acetamide

In the title compound, C10H11N3O6, the torsion angles about the bonds to the benzene ring are less than 4°, except for the nitro groups, which are twisted out of the ring plane by 25.27 (3) and 43.63 (2)°. The N—H group forms a bifurcated hydrogen bond, with an intra­molecular component to a nitro group O atom and an inter­molecular component to the other nitro group, thereby forming chains propagating in the [010] direction. Several weak C—H⋯O inter­actions are also present.
Patient Willingness to Accept Antibiotic Side Effects to Reduce Surgical Site Infection After Colorectal Surgery.

BACKGROUND Mechanical bowel preparation with antibiotics is associated with decreased surgical site infections (SSI) after colorectal surgery. However, antibiotics have side effects, such as vomiting. It is unknown how patient willingness to take antibiotics is affected by side effect severity. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a single-center study of 86 patients (37 undergoing colorectal surgery) using a modified standard gamble technique. We presented patients with four hypothetical scenarios, holding SSI reduction constant and varying antibiotic side effect severity. Patients reported willingness to take antibiotics using a scale from 0 to 100. Patients also reported the maximum level of side effects they would accept. We examined the association between side effect severity and willingness to take antibiotics with a multivariable mixed-effects regression model and investigated differences in surgical and nonsurgical patients. RESULTS After adjusting for age, sex, and patient type, willingness scores decreased with increasing side effect severity. No side effects: 92 (CI 86,99), mild: 83 (CI 76,90), moderate: 76 (CI 69,83), and severe: 46 (CI 38,52), P < 0.001. Surgical patients were more willing to take antibiotics at all severity levels compared with nonsurgical patients, P < 0.001. Surgical (57%) and nonsurgical (58%) patients reported that they would accept moderate side effects. Patients with prior SSI (n = 5) would take antibiotics regardless of side effect severity. CONCLUSIONS Increasing antibiotic side effect severity is associated with decreased willingness to take antibiotics during bowel preparation, despite a reduction in SSI. Adherence may be improved with strategies that increase patient education and decrease side effects during bowel preparation.
Decolonization on the Salish Sea: A Tribal Journey back to Mormon Studies

Decolonization is vital to undoing the legacy of racism and colonialism in today’s world but is also challenging work that is tasking for the researcher and those with whom we work. This auto-ethnographic narrative offers important lessons for the decolonization of Mormonism. It highlights the experiences of Thomas Murphy as he has navigated the terrain of Mormon Studies early in his career, shifted focus to decolonization projects on the Salish Sea, and returns again to look at Mormonism anew. Murphy reflexively examines his own identity as a light-skinned Mormon raised with stories of Indigenous ancestry and the inspiration these gave for ethnographic fieldwork among Mayan, Ladino, Nahua, Zapotec and Coast Salish communities. He draws from his experiences on the Tribal Canoe Journey’s 2014 Paddle to Bella Bella, British Columbia in Canada to offer a vision for a decolonized Mormonism, one in which Indigenous sovereignty is respected and artifacts associated with the production of Mormon scripture are repatriated. In the process of decolonizing ourselves, he argues, we need to deconstruct Lamanite identity, reconsider our truth claims, and move Indigenous voices to the center of our analysis.
American Adult Pornography Consumers’ Beliefs and Behaviors Related to Pornography Studios Mistreating Their Performers

Previous research provided limited information regarding pornography consumers’ beliefs and behaviors related to pornography studios mistreating performers, as well as the relationships between these variables. Consumers’ potential impact on studios makes this information important for researchers, as well as individuals and organizations seeking to reduce mistreatment. To address this gap in the literature, this project analyzed data provided by 476 American adult pornography consumers obtained via Amazon Mechanical Turk regarding: consumers’ exposure to media accounts of how studios treat performers, consumers’ beliefs about the prevalence of mistreatment, how often consumers thought about performers or looked for information about how studios treated performers, how consumers looked for this information, and what actions consumers took after determining studios mistreated their performers or being exposed to media accounts of mistreatment. Univariate analyses were conducted to provide a baseline of consumers’ experiences, beliefs, and behaviors, and bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to ascertain if data supported anticipated connections between the variables. The results indicated most participants were unconcerned about mistreatment and did not pay attention to, or seek out, information about how studios treat performers, though the majority of participants who learned about mistreatment took at least one type of action. In addition, nearly every anticipated relationship was significant and in the expected direction. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed after the presentation of conclusions and implications derived from the analyses.
Why Carr v. Saul Should Signal the End of Common Law Issue Exhaustion in Inquisitorial Proceedings

This past April, the Supreme Court in Carr v. Saul, unanimously held that claimants need not have raised at the social security administration’s (SSA) hearing stage, an Article II Appointments Clause challenge to the appointment of their administrative law judges (ALJ), to preserve these structural constitutional issues for judicial review under the common law issue exhaustion doctrine. The Court’s decision extended a 2000 decision by a bare majority of the Court in Sims v. Apfel, categorically rejecting common law issue exhaustion for SSA’s inquisitorial administrative appeals stage of review but reserving the question of applying it at the hearing stage. In this year’s Carr decision, however, the Court also reserved the additional question whether common law issue exhaustion should more broadly apply to bar judicial review of “routine” (non-structural constitutional) objections not raised at the hearing—an issue which divided the Justices in separate concurring opinions. Since SSA annually adjudicates approximately 800,000 disability benefits hearings, virtually all involving “routine” issues with critical life support benefits for medically infirm and low-income persons at stake, this open question has raised serious concerns for claimants and agency adjudicators alike. This article addresses the important question reserved by the Court in Carr. It concludes that the Carr Court’s reasoning should put to rest the debate over the propriety of judicially created issue exhaustion in any inquisitorial SSA adjudicative proceeding, including those at the ALJ hearing stage involving “routine” issues. The Carr and Sims decisions require express consideration of the non-adversarial and informal nature of the adjudication context in question and those considerations will decisively weigh against common law issue exhaustion’s application to any of SSA’s inquisitorial proceedings. The federal courts’ extension of common law issue exhaustion into these proceedings was mistaken from the outset and heedlessly adapted from inapposite and questionably supported precedents from adversarial adjudicative systems. Its further application should be discontinued, and any further consideration of its use in inquisitorial SSA proceedings should be confined to the open, deliberative, participatory and democratically accountable regulatory rulemaking or congressional lawmaking processes.