cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Noninvasive low-level laser therapy for thrombocytopenia

Thrombocytopenia is a common hematologic disorder that is managed primarily by platelet transfusions. We report here that noninvasive whole-body illumination with a special near-infrared laser cures acute thrombocytopenia triggered by γ-irradiation within 2 weeks in mice, as opposed to a 5-week recovery time required in controls. The low-level laser (LLL) also greatly accelerated platelet regeneration in the presence of anti-CD41 antibody that binds and depletes platelets, and prevented a severe drop in platelet count caused by a common chemotherapeutic drug. Mechanistically, LLL stimulated mitochondrial biogenesis specifically in megakaryocytes owing to polyploidy of the cells. LLL also protected megakaryocytes from mitochondrial injury and apoptosis under stress. The multifaceted effects of LLL on mitochondria bolstered megakaryocyte maturation; facilitated elongation, branching, and formation of proplatelets; and doubled the number of platelets generated from individual megakaryocytes in mice. LLL-mediated platelet biogenesis depended on megakaryopoiesis and was inversely correlated with platelet counts, which kept platelet biogenesis in check and effectively averted thrombosis even after repeated uses, in sharp contrast to all current agents that stimulate the differentiation of megakaryocyte progenitors from hematopoietic stem cells independently of platelet counts. This safe, drug-free, donor-independent modality represents a paradigm shift in the prophylaxis and treatment of thrombocytopenia.
Effective Strategies for Achieving Scope of Practice Reform in Pennsylvania

BackgroundCurrent regulatory impediments prohibit advanced practice registered nurses from practicing to their full capacity.PurposeTo examine the process of successful removal of scope of practice...
New Oral Anticoagulants and Their Reversal Agents

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOAC) are an attractive therapeutic option for anticoagulant treatment in the setting of venous thromboembolism or non-valvular atrial fibrillation. These drugs overall appear to have a lower risk of life-threatening hemorrhage than the vitamin K antagonists. In addition, they demonstrate more predictable and stable pharmacokinetics. Measurement of the degree of anticoagulation is desirable in patients with DOAC-associated hemorrhage, but commonly available coagulation assays show poor sensitivity for degree of DOAC effect. DOAC-specific tests are time consuming and not widely available. All coagulation tests should be interpreted considering the timing of last intake and renal function. When life-threatening bleeding occurs, hemostasis should be restored as rapidly as possible. Non-specific prohemostatic drugs may have a role in DOAC reversal, and specific antidotes are at different stages of development. In this review, we provide a summary of DOAC characteristics and an overview of the different therapeutic options available for DOAC reversal.
Economic Analysis and Patient Satisfaction Associated With Outpatient Total Ankle Arthroplasty

Background:Total ankle arthroplasty (TAA) is a rapidly growing treatment for end-stage ankle arthritis that is generally performed as an inpatient procedure. The feasibility of outpatient total ankle arthroplasty (OTAA) has not been reported in the literature. We sought to establish proof of concept for OTAA by comparing outpatient vs inpatient perioperative complications, postoperative emergency department (ED) visits, readmissions, patient satisfaction, and cost analysis.Methods:From July 2010 to September 2015, a total of 36 patients underwent TAA. Patients with prior ankle replacement, prior ankle infections, neuroarthropathy, or osteonecrosis of the talus were excluded from the study. All patient demographics, tourniquet times, estimated blood loss, comorbidities, concomitant procedures, complications, return ED visits, and readmissions were recorded. Patient satisfaction questionnaires were collected. Twenty-one patients had outpatient surgery and 15 had inpatient surgery. The cohorts were matched d...
GOAALLL!: Using Sentiment in the World Cup to Explore Theories of Emotion

Abstract Sporting events evoke strong emotions among fans and thus act as natural laboratories to explore emotions and how they unfold in the wild. Computational tools, such as sentiment analysis, provide new ways to examine such dynamic emotional processes. In this article we use sentiment analysis to examine tweets posted during 2014 World Cup. Such analysis gives insight into how people respond to highly emotional events, and how these emotions are shaped by contextual factors, such as prior expectations, and how these emotions change as events unfold over time. Here we report on some preliminary analysis of a World Cup twitter corpus using sentiment analysis techniques. After performing initial tests of validation for sentiment analysis on data in this corpus, we show these tools can give new insights into existing theories of what makes a sporting match exciting. This analysis seems to suggest that, contrary to assumptions in sports economics, excitement relates to expressions of negative emotion. The results are discussed in terms of innovations in methodology and understanding the role of emotion for “tuning in” to real world events. We also discuss some challenges that such data present for existing sentiment analysis techniques and discuss future analysis.
Computer science in a liberal arts school: convincing the skeptic

Much of the recent literature on the subject of the role a Computer Science program plays in a liberal arts school has to do with "model curriculum," and various questions of implementation[1][3][6][7][8]. This recent research is generally based on the assumption that the question of whether or not computer science is a good fit has been answered affirmatively. Although there is now wide consensus in the affirmative, [3][6][8] there are skeptics who would argue that traditionally we don't do such things in a liberal arts school. This is true, but traditionally mankind has not lived in a digital age.
Development by dispossession: the post-2000 development agenda and land rights in Lesotho

This paper questions the novelty of post-2000 development strategies, in particular the US’s Millennium Challenge Corporation and its ethos of ‘poverty reduction through economic growth.’ Using land as a lens, I explore recent eras of development assistance and ask if the Millennium-era has been appreciably different from pre-2000 development. The backdrop of my study is an MCC-sponsored land reform in Lesotho. I use data drawn from fieldwork in Lesotho to argue that the logics and outcomes of the Development industry’s land policies have remained largely the same. Despite the anti-poverty rhetoric, the residents of a peri-urban village near Maseru, Lesotho’s capital, are more likely to be dispossessed of their land than they were before the MCC’s land reform began. The reform provided Lesotho with economic growth, but no apparent poverty reduction. I argue that the MCC’s land reform project in Lesotho demonstrates the continued primacy of economic growth in post-2000 international development. There is a...
The Effect of Psychosocial Factors on Success Rates of Hepatitis C Treatment.

Objective Our study was to determine which psychosocial factors interfere with patients reaching sustained virologic response (SVR), a marker for hepatitis C virus eradication. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed between January 6, 2015 and February 24, 2016. The primary outcome was to assess which social and psychological factors may interfere with patients reaching SVR. SVR was defined as having an undetectable viral load 12 weeks after the completion of the treatment regimen. Bivariate analysis was followed by a multivariate logistic regression analysis to determine significant factors for SVR. Depression and generalized anxiety disorder were included. Results A total of 204 patients completed treatment within the designated time frame and were included in the final analysis. Social or home support was associated with SVR (odds ratio=7.0, p = 0.02). Cocaine use was also a significant factor predicting SVR. Historical cocaine use compared with active cocaine use during treatment was associated with an odds ratio of SVR of 39.3 ( p = 0.04). Interestingly, historical cocaine use vs no history of cocaine use did not influence SVR. No history of depression or generalized anxiety disorder was associated with a higher rate of SVR (odds ratio=10.4, p = 0.05). No depression/generalized anxiety disorder compared with untreated depression/generalized anxiety disorder was associated with a 13.1 times greater rate of SVR ( p = 0.04). Conclusion It is important to recognize and address psychosocial factors related to mental illness and active cocaine addictions before hepatitis C virus treatment. Furthermore, patients without home or social support are at greater risk for failing treatment, thus strategies to provide support during treatment are necessary.
Role of Matrix Metalloproteinases in Brain Edema

Abstract Brain edema occurs in response to stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, traumatic brain injury, meningitis, brain tumors, and neuroinflammation. Disruption of the blood–brain barrier (BBB) is associated with vasogenic edema. Increased proteolytic activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) leads to increased BBB permeability by degrading tight junction proteins and basement membrane components, as well as interfering with cell–cell interactions in the neurovascular unit. In this chapter, we discuss the potential role of the MMPs in BBB dysfunction, edema formation, hemorrhagic transformation, and neuronal cell death following brain injury. Understanding how the MMPs contribute to the pathogenesis of cerebral edema could help to identify novel targets to reduce its devastating consequences in many neurological diseases.
Individual International Entrepreneurial Orientation: Construct Definition an Measurement

To further understanding of international venturing by entrepreneurs there is a need for an individual level measure of the entrepreneurial tendency to internationalize. The present study uses the ...
The (un)lettered frontier: power and literacy in the eastern Andes of Charcas, seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries

In colonial Latin America, notaries played a critical role in the generation of written, objective truth in an uncertain world. But were notaries indispensable? By the mid-seventeenth century, Spanish communities in the eastern Andean borderlands of the Audiencia of Charcas had not only begun to do without notaries, but even actively and sometimes violently kept them out of their jurisdictions. Borderland communities became spheres of legal activity where the ability to create law without notaries implied not only the transfer of writerly resources to new agents, but also a shift in the modalities of power and authority within the frontier. The impact of such a legal regime was not merely local. At times, frontier officials used their ability to create un-notarized documents as a tool to resist the spatial hierarchies of center and periphery, sometimes neutralizing the claims of officials in the Audiencia of Charcas to jurisdiction over local matters, while actively promoting local ties to the king.
Nutrition Therapy in Acute and Chronic Liver Failure

Nutritional support in the patient with liver disease is a complex challenge. The liver is a key organ in many metabolic processes with considerable reserve. Multiple etiologies and duration of liver disease factor into the challenge of managing nutritional support in these patients. Despite these obstacles, the basic tenants of nutrition therapy including risk assessment, attention to protein and energy requirements, provision of nutrients in compensated and decompensated states, and monitoring and treatment of complications enable these patients to receive the optimal benefits of nutritional therapy. The use of body composition assessment with advanced imaging has expanded our nutritional assessment toolbox and is predictive of quality of life, survival, and outcomes after surgery in cirrhosis and possibly after organ transplantation.
Guilt, Conscience, and Morality

Perhaps all of the emotions play some part, directly or indirectly, in the development of conscience and morality. Fear, anger, and shame are likely to emerge if harsh physical punishment is used in teaching right-wrong discriminations. Excitement and joy in caring for and helping others, especially when no reciprocation can be expected, may characterize the mature conscience and the highest form of moral behavior. Nevertheless, guilt is the emotion most essential to the development of the affectivecognitive structures of conscience and the affective-cognitive-action patterns of moral behavior.
The Validity of the Point Kinetics Model During Reactor Start-Up

A variational principle made stationary by the time-dependent, continuous-energy, P-1 equation is used to derive few-group diffusion equations. Flux adjoint spectrum weighted few-group parameters result. However, numerical tests indicate that the standard flux-weighted parameters provide sufficient accuracy for most cases. A two-group, three-dimensional nodal method is then used to test the accuracy of the point kinetics model with reactivity computed by perturbation theory for a start-up transient, starting from cold shutdown with a source present, to full power. As expected, the point model using fixed weight and shape functions to compute reactivity (perturbation theory) provides completely erroneous results.
Inter-radiologist agreement using Society of Abdominal Radiology-American Gastroenterological Association (SAR-AGA) consensus nomenclature for reporting CT and MR enterography in children and young adults with small bowel Crohn disease.

To assess inter-radiologist agreement using the Society of Abdominal Radiology-American Gastroenterological Association (SAR-AGA) consensus recommendations for reporting CT/MR enterography exams in pediatric and young adult small bowel Crohn disease (CD). Institutional review board approval was obtained for this HIPAA-compliant retrospective investigation; the requirement for informed consent was waived. 25 CT and 25 MR enterography exams performed in children and young adults (age range: 6–23 years) between January 2015 and April 2017 with a distribution of ileal CD severity (phenotype) were identified: normal or chronic CD without active inflammation (40%), active inflammatory CD (20%), stricturing CD (20%), and penetrating CD (20%). Five fellowship-trained pediatric radiologists, blinded to one another, documented key imaging findings and standardized impressions based on SAR-AGA consensus recommendations. Inter-radiologist agreement was evaluated using Fleiss’ multi-rater kappa statistic (κ) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Inter-radiologist agreement was moderate for all key imaging findings except presence of ulcerations (κ 0.37 [95% CI 0.28–0.46]) and sacculations (κ 0.31 [95% CI 0.23–0.40]). Agreement for standardized impressions was substantial for stricturing disease (κ 0.79 [95% CI 0.70–0.87]) and moderate for presence of inflammation (κ 0.49 [95% CI 0.44–0.56]) and penetrating disease (κ 0.58 [95% CI 0.49–0.67]). No significant difference in agreement was found between CT and MRI. Agreement among five pediatric radiologists was moderate to substantial for SAR-AGA standardized impressions and fair to moderate for key imaging findings of pediatric and young adult CD.
General local rank estimation for single-index varying coefficient models

Abstract In this paper, we consider rank-based estimation of the index coefficient and the functional regression coefficients for the single-index varying coefficient regression model. The consistency and asymptotic normality of the proposed estimators are established under mild assumptions. An extensive Monte-Carlo simulation study demonstrates the robustness and efficiency of the proposed estimators compared to the least squares estimators. An application in ecology is provided and shows that the rank-based regression procedure effectively provides more accurate estimates compared to its least squares counterpart.
Aerosol light absorption from optical measurements of PTFE membrane filter samples: sensitivity analysis of optical depth measures

Abstract. Mass absorption cross section (MAC) measurements of atmospherically relevant aerosols are required to quantify their effect on Earth's radiative budget. Estimating aerosol light absorption from transmittance and/or reflectance measurements through filter deposits is an attractive option because of their ease of deployment in field settings, low cost, and the ability to revisit previously analyzed samples. These measurements suffer from artifacts that depend on a given filter measurement system and aerosol optics. Empirical correction algorithms are available for commercial instruments equipped with optically thick fiber filters, but optically thin filter media have not been characterized in detail. Here, we present empirical relationships between particle light absorption optical depth – measured using multiwavelength integrated photoacoustic spectrometers – and filter optical depth measurements for polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) membrane filter samples of carbonaceous aerosols generated from combustion of diverse biomass fuels and kerosene (surrogate for fossil fuel combustion). Through radiative transfer modeling, we assessed the suitability of three measures of filter-based optical depth for robustly describing particulate-phase light absorption over a range of single scattering albedo (SSA) values: (1) OD s – a measure of transmission of the fraction of incident radiation that is not backscattered by the filter system – which utilizes transmittance and reflectance of the sample side of the filter; (2) the commonly used OD c , which uses transmittance and reflectance of the clean side of the filter; and (3) ATN or the Beer–Lambert attenuation. Modeling results were also validated experimentally, with OD s showing the least variability around the mean in this multidimensional parameter space. We establish a simple, wavelength-independent formulation for calculating aerosol MAC and absorption coefficients from measurements of OD s . We find the ratio between in situ particulate absorption optical depth and OD s to be inversely proportional to aerosol SSA. Our findings underscore that OD s is a better optical depth measure than OD c for applying appropriate correction factors when estimating particle-phase light absorption from filter-based techniques.
Changes in thyroid hormone activity disrupt photomotor behavior of larval zebrafish

High throughput in vitro, in silico, and computational approaches have identified numerous environmental chemicals that interfere with thyroid hormone (TH) activity, and it is posited that human exposures to such chemicals are a contributing factor to neurodevelopmental disorders. However, whether hits in screens of TH activity are predictive of developmental neurotoxicity (DNT) has yet to be systematically addressed. The zebrafish has been proposed as a second tier model for assessing the in vivo DNT potential of TH active chemicals. As an initial evaluation of the feasibility of this proposal, we determined whether an endpoint often used to assess DNT in larval zebrafish, specifically photomotor behavior, is altered by experimentally induced hyper- and hypothyroidism. Developmental hyperthyroidism was simulated by static waterborne exposure of zebrafish to varying concentrations (3-300 nM) of thyroxine (T4) or triiodothyronine (T3) beginning at 6 h post-fertilization (hpf) and continuing through 5 days post-fertilization (dpf). Teratogenic effects and lethality were observed at 4 and 5 dpf in fish exposed to T4 or T3 at concentrations >30 nM. However, as early as 3 dpf, T4 (> 3 nM) and T3 (> 10 nM) significantly increased swimming activity triggered by sudden changes from light to dark, particularly during the second dark period (Dark 2). Conversely, developmental hypothyroidism, which was induced by treatment with 6-propyl-2-thiouracil (PTU), morpholino knockdown of the TH transporter mct8, or ablation of thyroid follicles in adult females prior to spawning, generally decreased swimming activity during dark periods, although effects did vary across test days. All effects of developmental hypothyroidism on photomotor behavior occurred independent of teratogenic effects and were most robust during Dark 2. Treatment with the T4 analog, Tetrac, restored photomotor response in mct8 morphants to control levels. Collectively, these findings suggest that while the sensitivity of photomotor behavior in larval zebrafish to detect TH disruption is influenced by test parameters, this test can distinguish between TH promoting and TH blocking activity and may be useful for assessing the DNT potential of TH-active chemicals.
Abstract B14: Variations in the proteasome activity are associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) gene expression and patient survival in HPV+ oropharyngeal tumors

Variations in the molecular function of human papillomavirus (HPV) have been associated with outcome in HPV-positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinomas (HPV+OPSCC). HPV-mediated carcinogenesis is initiated by the E6 and E7 proteins, which promotes the inhibition of the p53 and pRb proteins by targeting them for degradation by the proteasome system. Considering that the proteasome system is an important mediator of HPV molecular activity, we hypothesize that its activity may be an important modifier of HPV+OPSCC phenotypes. To test this hypothesis, we analyzed the in silico expression of proteasome genes among HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma cases from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and explored the proteasome activity of HPV+ squamous cell carcinoma cell lines in vitro. Higher expression of proteasome genes was significantly associated with worse 5-year overall survival (p=0.0003), lower expression levels of E1^E4 gene (p = 0.032), and more HPV integration (p = 0.028). In vitro analysis indicated that proteasome activity was distinct between E1^E4 negative and E1^E4 positive HPV+ cell lines. Interestingly, E1^E4 negative cell lines, which exhibited higher levels of some proteasome genes, were more sensitive to proteasome inhibition than E1^E4 positive cells. These results indicate that proteasome activity may vary significantly among HPV+ OPSCC cases and may represent an important modulator of tumor phenotypes. Expression of proteasome genes and also proteasome activity was highly correlated with expression of HPV genes and may function as a potential predictive biomarker. Finally, proteasome targeting may represent a potential therapeutic alternative for a subgroup of HPV+ OPSCC patients. Citation Format: Frederico O. Gleber-Netto, Meng Gao, Li Shen, Jing Wang, Jeffrey N. Myers, Faye M. Johnson, Curtis R. Pickering. Variations in the proteasome activity are associated with human papilloma virus (HPV) gene expression and patient survival in HPV+ oropharyngeal tumors [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-AHNS Head and Neck Cancer Conference: Optimizing Survival and Quality of Life through Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research; 2019 Apr 29-30; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2020;26(12_Suppl_2):Abstract nr B14.
Self-sustaining High-power RF Signal Generation Using LDMOS Based Power Amplifier and Nonlinear Transmission Line

Nonlinear transmission lines (NLTL) are gaining extensive research focus as a way to generate high-power radio frequency (RF) signals. NLTLs can be classified into two groups: lumped transmission lines containing L-C sections, and external magnetic field-biased line loaded with continuous ferromagnetic materials known as gyromagnetic lines. Traditionally, without a continuous supply of input excitation, NLTLs cannot produce self-sustaining RF signals. In this regard, the authors present a design and demonstration of a self-sustaining soliton generator. The design is based on a 16-section Schottky diode-based NLTL prototype complemented by a solid-state switch (LDMOS) based 1.5 kW (continuous) rated power amplifier (PA), and a custom-made high voltage (650 V) pulse generator. A closed-loop configuration constructed from these components can produce a continuous stream of RF signals from a single input excitation. The prototype is able to generate a peak pulsed RF power of 2.1 kW across a 50 Ω resistive load. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, solid-state switch-based PA has not been introduced in any NLTL design until now to produce self-sustaining RF signals.
SMALLBug: A 30-mg Crawling Robot Driven by a High-Frequency Flexible SMA Microactuator

We present the design, fabrication and experimental testing of SMALLBug, a 30-mg crawling microrobot that is 13 mm in length and can locomote at actuation frequencies of up to 20 Hz. The robot is driven by an electrically-powered 6-mg bending actuator that is composed of a thin shape-memory alloy (SMA) wire and a carbon-fiber piece that acts as a loading leaf-spring. This configuration enables the generation of high-speed thermally-induced phase transformations of the SMA material to produce high-frequency periodic actuation. During development, several actuator prototypes with different mechanical stiffnesses were tested and characterized by measuring their bending motions when excited with pulse-width modulation (PWM) voltages with a variety of frequencies and duty cycles (DCs). In a similar manner, the displacement-force characteristic of the actuator chosen to drive SMALLBug was identified by measuring its bending displacements under a number of different loads ranging from 4.22 to 83.8 mN. The locomotion capabilities of SMALLBug were experimentally tested at three different input actuation frequencies, which were observed to produce three distinct gaits. At the low frequency of 2 Hz, the robot locomotes with a crawling gait similar to that of inchworms; at the moderate frequency of 10 Hz, the robot advances smoothly at an approximately constant speed using a shuffling gait; and at the high frequency of 20 Hz, the robot generates small and fast jumps in a galloping gait, reaching average speeds of up to 17 $\boldsymbol{\text {mm}} \cdot \boldsymbol{\text {s}}^{\boldsymbol{\text {--}}\boldsymbol{\text {1}}}$, equivalent to 1.3 body-lengths per second (BLPS).
Enhancing SNR and generating contrast for cryo-EM images with convolutional neural networks

Abstract In cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) of radiation-sensitive biological samples, both the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast of images are critically important in the image processing pipeline. Classic methods improve low-frequency image contrast experimentally, by imaging with high defocus, or computationally, by applying various types of low-pass filter. These contrast improvements typically come at the expense of high-frequency SNR, which is suppressed by high-defocus imaging and removed by low pass filtration. Here, we demonstrate that a convolutional neural network (CNN) denoising algorithm can be used to significantly enhance SNR and generate contrast in cryo-EM images. We provide a quantitative evaluation of bias introduced by the denoising procedure and its influences on image processing and three-dimensional reconstructions. Our study suggests that besides enhancing the visual contrast of cryo-EM images, the enhanced SNR of denoised images may facilitate better outcomes in the other parts of the image processing pipeline, such as classification and 3D alignment. Overall, our results provide a ground of using denoising CNNs in the cryo-EM image processing pipeline.
Genesis of Non-Coding RNA Genes in Human Chromosome 22—A Sequence Connection with Protein Genes Separated by Evolutionary Time

A small phylogenetically conserved sequence of 11,231 bp, termed FAM247, is repeated in human chromosome 22 by segmental duplications. This sequence forms part of diverse genes that span evolutionary time, the protein genes being the earliest as they are present in zebrafish and/or mice genomes, and the long noncoding RNA genes and pseudogenes the most recent as they appear to be present only in the human genome. We propose that the conserved sequence provides a nucleation site for new gene development at evolutionarily conserved chromosomal loci where the FAM247 sequences reside. The FAM247 sequence also carries information in its open reading frames that provides protein exon amino acid sequences; one exon plays an integral role in immune system regulation, specifically, the function of ubiquitin-specific protease (USP18) in the regulation of interferon. An analysis of this multifaceted sequence and the genesis of genes that contain it is presented.
Protein S-nitrosylation: A role of nitric oxide signaling in cardiac ischemic preconditioning

Nitric oxide (NO) has been shown as an important signaling messenger involved in cardioprotection of ischemic precondi- tioning (IPC). To date, most studies suggest that NO might provide its protective effects by regulating the mitochondrial ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel via the classic NO/cGMP-dependent pathway. However, there is emerging data suggesting that NO might also elicit its physiological role through protein S-nitrosylation. Protein S-nitrosylation, the covalent attachment of an NO moiety to sulfhydryl group(s) of cysteine residue(s) of proteins, is a reversible post-translational protein modification involved in redox-based cellular signaling. IPC has been found to increase S-nitrosothiol content and result in increased S-nitrosylation of proteins, which not only induces the structural and functional changes of modified proteins, but also prevents the target cysteine residue(s) from the further oxidative modification. In addition, S-nitrosothiols could elicit pharmacological preconditioning effect and protect against myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. Thus, protein S-nitrosylation is emerging as an important contributor to cardioprotection in IPC, pro- viding protection from cellular oxidative and nitrosative stress.
Associations among bullying role behaviors and academic performance over the course of an academic year for boys and girls.

Although some research has evidenced a negative association between involvement in bullying and academic performance, more work is needed to understand the associations between academic performance and involvement in a more comprehensive range of bully role behaviors. The goals of the current study were to determine (a) the associations among a broader range of bully role behaviors (i.e., bullying, assisting, victimization, defending, and outsider behavior) and academic performance (i.e., grade point average; GPA), and (b) gender differences within these associations. The current study investigated these issues over the course of an academic year with 7794 students in middle through high school. Bullying behaviors were assessed in the fall and GPA data were gathered from school records from the spring of the same academic year. The results identified significant negative associations between bullying (b = -0.07, p = .001), assisting (b = -0.16, p < .001), victimization (b = -0.06, p < .001), and defending (b = -0.04, p < .001) with student GPA, whereas no significant association emerged for outsider behavior and GPA (b = -0.02, p = .13). In addition, several gender differences were found in these associations, including a stronger negative association between assisting and GPA for girls (b = -0.23, p = .001) than for boys (b = -0.08, p = .014) and a significant negative association between victimization and GPA for girls (b = -0.09, p < .001), but not boys (b = -0.02, p = .117). Differences in results across schools were also examined in an exploratory manner. The educational impact associated with bullying behaviors, limitations of the current study, and suggestions for future research are discussed.
The Influence of Household Income on Survival following Posterior Fossa Tumor Resection at a Large Academic Medical Center

Objectives The present study examines the effect of median household income on mid- and long-term outcomes in a posterior fossa brain tumor resection population. Design This is a retrospective regression analysis. Setting The study conducted at a single, multihospital, urban academic medical center. Participants A total of 283 consecutive posterior fossa brain tumor cases, excluding cerebellar pontine angle tumors, over a 6-year period (June 09, 2013-April 26, 2019) was included in this analysis. Main Outcome Measures Outcomes studied included 90-day readmission, 90-day emergency department evaluation, 90-day return to surgery, reoperation within 90 days after index admission, reoperation throughout the entire follow-up period, mortality within 90 days, and mortality throughout the entire follow-up period. Univariate analysis was conducted for the whole population and between the lowest (Q1) and highest (Q4) socioeconomic quartiles. Stepwise regression was conducted to identify confounding variables. Results Lower socioeconomic status was found to be correlated with increased mortality within 90 postoperative days and throughout the entire follow-up period. Similarly, analysis between the lowest and highest household income quartiles (Q1 vs. Q4) demonstrated Q4 to have significantly decreased mortality during total follow-up and a decreasing but not significant difference in 90-day mortality. No significant difference in morbidity was observed. Conclusion This study suggests that lower household income is associated with increased mortality in both the 90-day window and total follow-up period. It is possible that there is an opportunity for health care providers to use socioeconomic status to proactively identify high-risk patients and provide additional resources in the postoperative setting.
Synthesis of colloidal MnAsxSb1−x nanoparticles: compositional inhomogeneity and magnetic consequences

The ternary manganese pnictide phases, MnAs1−xSbx, are of interest for magnetic refrigeration and waste heat recovery due to their magnetocaloric properties, maximized at the Curie temperature (TC), which varies from 580–240 K, depending on composition. Nanoparticles potentially enable application in microelectronics (cooling) or graded composites that can operate over a wide temperature range, but manganese pnictides are synthetically challenging to realize as discrete nanoparticles and their fundamental magnetic properties have not been extensively studied. Accordingly, colloidal synthesis methods were employed to target discrete MnAsxSb1−x nanoparticles (x = 0.1–0.9) by arrested precipitation reactions of Mn2(CO)10 with (C6H5)3AsO and (C6H5)3Sb in coordinating solvents. The MnAsxSb1−x particles are spherical in morphology with average diameters 10–13 nm (standard deviations <20% based on transmission electron microscopy analysis). X-Ray fluorescence spectroscopy measurements on ensembles showed that all phases had an excess of Sb relative to the targeted composition, whereas energy dispersive spectroscopic mapping data of single particles revealed that the nanoparticles are inhomogeneous, adopting a core–shell structure, with the amorphous shell rich in Mn and O (and sometimes Sb) while the crystalline core is rich in Mn, As, and Sb. Magnetization measurements of the nanoparticle ensemble demonstrated the presence of both ferromagnetic and paramagnetic phases. By combining the magnetization measurements with precision chemical mapping and simple modeling, we were able to unambiguously attribute ferromagnetism to the MnAsxSb1−x crystalline core, whereas paramagnetism was attributed to the amorphous shell. Magnetization measurements at variable temperatures were used to determine the superparamagnetic transition of the nanoparticles, although for some compositions and particle sizes the blocking temperature exceeded room temperature. Preliminary magnetic studies also revealed a conventional dependence between core size and coercivity, in spite of variable compositions of the nanoparticles, an unexpected result.
The social dynamics of diverse and closed networks

Inherent to the dynamics of social networks is a paradoxical trade-off between closed networks that promote cooper- ation and efficiency and diverse networks that are flexible to new resources and ideas. Since actors cannot simultaneously max- imize both facets of a network, this has created a sharp debate on the social capital performance of closed and diverse network relationships. Research on this social capital debate has often focused on these described network affects without explaining the origins and dynamics of network performance. This paper advances a cognitive diversity approach that is based upon the subjec- tive and alert behaviors of Austrian entrepreneurs. These are key causal drivers to this paper's theoretical model of social dynam- ics and performance of closed and diverse networks. Such network behavior is subsequently modeled as a Complex Adaptive system. Using agent-based simulation, an agent-based model of entrepreneurship and social network dynamics is constructed to test the relationships described by the proposed theoretical model. The simulation results support the described hypothesized relationships. These findings also suggest the benefits of closed and diverse networks are logically distinct and, thus, should not be viewed as an either-or phenomenon. Agent-based simulation results show entrepreneurs can construct a balanced network of closed and diverse networks to optimize the benefits of both networks.
Biliary excretion of arsenic in rats, rabbits, and dogs

Abstract The disappearance of 74As from blood and plasma of rats and its excretion into bile was measured for 2 hr after the iv administration of 0.01, 0.46, 1.0, 2.1, and 4.6 mg/kg of arsenic given as the trichloride. Arsenic disappearance from plasma was biphasic; the half-life during the late phase was greater than 2 hr. Even though the arsenic was injected iv, the concentration in the blood increased through the first 2 hr. Arsenic was rapidly excreted into the bile, reaching its highest rate of excretion 6 min after administration, after which it rapidly decreased. This rapid decrease in excretion is due to redistribution of arsenic from the liver to the blood. Arsenic enters bile against an apparent bile/plasma concentration gradient of 630, 8 min after 1 mg/kg of arsenic. At this time the liver/plasma gradient is 17 and the liver/bile gradient is 37. Twenty-five percent of the arsenic administered to bile duct-cannulated rats is excreted into the bile within 2 hr. However, less than 10% of the administered dose is excreted into the feces of intact rats over a 7-day period. In the rabbit and dog, arsenic is excreted into the bile at a much slower rate. These data demonstrate that arsenic is excreted into the bile, and this occurs against a large bile/plasma concentration gradient in rats, suggesting excretion by an active transport mechanism. However, the overall importance of bile as a route of elimination for arsenic is minimized due to enterohepatic circulation and species variations in its biliary excretion rate.
Role of neutrophils in pulmonary vaso-occlusion during sickle cell disease acute chest syndrome (CAM3P.200)

Sickle cell disease (SCD) is a hematological disorder that leads to sickling of red blood cells within the microcirculation. The sickle red blood cells (sRBCs) are not only less deformable, but also express α4β1, ICAM-4, Sialyl Lewis X and glycolipids not expressed on non SCD-RBCs. These rigid sRBCs can get sequestered in the microcirculation to cause painful vaso-occlusive crisis (VOC) in SCD patients. In the lung, VOC can contribute to acute chest syndrome, which is a form of acute lung injury. Several factors including the pro-adhesive sRBCs, the large marginated pool of neutrophils, and the hyper-inflammatory state present in SCD can contribute to pulmonary VOC. Although neutrophil-RBC-endothelium interactions are known to play a role in systemic VOC, the cellular mechanism that drives pulmonary VOC remains unknown. Intravital study of the lung microcirculation of live BERK or Townes SCD mice is conducted using two-photon microscopy. Prior to observation, mice are challenged with lipopolysaccharide or PBS to cause lung inflammation and administered (iv) with fluorescent anti-mouse Gr-1 and Ter-119 antibodies to label circulating neutrophils and RBCs, respectively. Vaso-occlusion is defined as cellular aggregation and stasis of blood flow within the lumen of pulmonary capillaries. Preliminary results reveal that circulating macro-aggregates of neutrophils and RBCs may play a role in pulmonary VOC.
Protein synthesis in rat pancreas. II. Changes in the intracelluar distribution of pancreatic amylase during the secretory cycle.

Abstract Changes in the intracellular distribution of amylase and in the biochemical properties of the microsome and supernatant fluid fractions of rat pancreas have been studied during a complete secretory cycle. In general, the amylase activity reached a minimum about two hours after the injection of pilocarpine returning gradually to normal at about eight hours after the injection. The most extensive early loss of amylase activity occurred in the secretory granules; the smallest relative loss occurred in the microsome fraction. Essentially no change was observed in the protein, ribose nucleic acid or phospholipid of the microsome and supernatant fluid fractions, but extensive changes were observed in the quantity of secretory granule material. Apparently the structural components of the microsome and supernatant fluid fractions are conserved throughout the secretory cycle, while the substance of the secretory granules undergoes marked changes in quantity.
A simple method of fetal and neonatal heart rate beat-to-beat variability quantitation: Preliminary report

Good base-line fetal and neonatal heart rate beat-to-beat variability appears to be a reassuring sign of well-being. Conversely, decreased base-line heart rate beat-to-beat variability during the latter part of the intrapartum period is often associated with neonatal acidosis and/or depression. A simple method of quantitation of the beat-to-beat neonatal heart rate is reported here. This method of variability quantitation (VQ) consists of a continuous integration and display of the baseline heart rate beat-to-beat variability on a scale of zero to four, expressed in beats per minute averaged over a one-minute period. Serial variability quantitation in 35 neonates with different clinical conditions appeared to demonstrate a good correlation between the variability quantitation and the outcome of the neonates. Further studies are planned for evaluating the method in the intrapartum period.
Book review: Theories of mathematics education: Seeking new frontiers

The number of theories used in mathematics education research keeps growing, especially since what Stephen Lerman describes as the field's "social turn" (p. 103) in the 1990s. What does this proliferation of theory mean for our field? How can we synthesize findings from so many perspectives and frameworks in order to make progress? In Theories of Mathematics Education: Seeking New Frontiers, a multitude of voices discuss this abundance of theory. The book contains 19 parts, most of which consist of a thematic chapter, at least one commentary on that chapter, and a preface, resulting in a grand total of 60 pieces written by 52 contributors from 13 countries. To make the endeavor even more complex, about a third of the book's chapters have been published previously, many as articles in 2005 and 2006 issues of Zentralblatt fur Didaktik der Mathematik, enabling each such chapter to be explicitly commented on not only its preface and commentaries but also many of the other chapters in the book. The purpose of this innovative and elaborate commentary structure is to put these theories and observations, many of which have already appeared in some form elsewhere, into conversation with one another. The resulting interplay of comment and interpretation feels like a boisterous town hall meeting: dynamic, diverse, and sometimes digressive. The book's purpose, to which the unusual commentary structure is well-suited, is to foster a rich meta-level discussion about theory in mathematics education research (hereafter, MER): what theory is for, how it should be used, refined, developed, etc. Thus, many of the book's chapters present observations and theories about mathematics education and its frameworks. However, there are also many chapters of a second kind, chapters that instead simply display particular theories being used in mathematics education without talking about theory at a meta-level. These chapters constitute a somewhat capricious sampling of particular theories being used in MER. Some of these particular theories do
The binding of IgM to B lymphocytes: I. Studies of the binding of aggregated IgM to normal and leukemic human B lymphocytes

Abstract In this study we have prepared purified fluorescent labeled human and rabbit IgM aggregates. Utilizing a direct immunofluorescence assay, binding of IgM aggregates to virtually the entire normal blood B-cell population and to B-cell-derived leukemic cells was achieved. Prior culture in IgM-free medium was not required for binding, particularly with the rabbit reagent. Blocking, enriching, and double labeling experiments confirmed that aggregates were bound by B cells and the interaction was distinct from binding to SmIg and the IgG aggregate receptor. IgM binding was profoundly effected by experimental conditions such as the washing, storage, and handling of cells and the culture media employed. Our data indicate that the vast majority of normal B lymphocytes and B-cell-derived CLL cells will bind aggregated IgM.
Application of scanning SQUID petrology to high-pressure materials science

High-pressure synthesis is increasingly being used in the search for new materials. This is particularly the case for superconductors1, but the synthesis products are difficult to analyse because they are small in size (∼50 mg) and often consist of a mixture of unknown phases exhibiting a low superconducting volume fraction. X-ray or electron diffraction cannot identify a superconductor unambiguously if it is a minority constituent. Here we report a methodology—‘scanning SQUID petrology’—that combines the use of a scanning SQUID microscope2 with petrological techniques to image and identify low concentrations of superconducting phases in complex phase assemblages. We demonstrate the power of this methodology by investigating the poorly understood origin of superconductivity in the high-pressure Sr–Cu–O system1. A Sr2CuO3 + KClO3 diffusion couple3 processed at 60 kbar and 950 °C yielded the superconductor Sr3Cu2O5Cl at the ∼3% level adjacent to the oxidizer. In addition to the unexpected participation of chlorine from an ostensibly ‘inert’ oxidizer that is commonly used in high-pressure synthesis work, the sample was highly zoned owing to limited oxygen diffusion kinetics, and contained non-superconducting Sr2CuO3.2. These contamination and diffusion problems probably affected all previous high-pressure copper oxide diffusion-couple experiments. Scanning SQUID petrology has general applicability to heterogeneous samples and is capable of detecting magnetic or superconducting phases at concentrations of less than 1 p.p.m.