cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electoral Behavior in the 2005 Albanian Parliamentary Election

This paper discusses results of the 2005 Albanian Election Study. The 2005 Albanian Election Study (AES) was organized in collaboration with the Comparative Study of Electoral Systems (CSES) of the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. CSES is a cross-national collaborative program among election studies in over fifty countries supported by the National Science Foundation of the United States. ALPSA is an Albanian professional organization. The AES survey fieldwork took place immediately after the last Albanian parliamentary election from July 4-20, 2005. The 2005 Albanian Election Study focused on three general themes: the impact of political institutions on citizens' political cognition and behavior (functioning of the parliament, the government, and the presidency; the electoral rules; and political parties); the nature of political, cultural, ethnic and social cleavages; ideological alignments in Albania; and the evaluation of democratic institutions and processes.
Ordered and partially-ordered variants of Ramsey's theorem

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . viii PRELIMINARIES AND NOTATION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ix CHAPTER 1. OVERVIEW . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1 The Graph Ramsey Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 1.1.1 Arrow Notation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 1.2 The Directed Ramsey Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 1.3 The Ordered Ramsey Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 1.4 Applications of the Ordered Ramsey Number . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.4.1 Erdős-Szekeres Type Problems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1.4.2 Track Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 1.5 Partially-Ordered Ramsey Numbers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 CHAPTER 2. ORDERED RAMSEY NUMBERS OF HYPERGRAPHS 13 2.1 Ordered Ramsey Numbers of Loose Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 2.1.1 A “Stepping Up” Argument for Loose Paths . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
Factors Affecting Quality of Life for Korean American Cancer Survivors: An Integrative Review.

Problem identification Understanding of Korean American cancer survivors' quality of life (QOL) within a cultural context is limited. This article examines factors associated with the QOL of Korean American cancer survivors. . Literature search A systematic literature search was conducted of PubMed, CINAHL®, Google Scholar, and EBSCO databases from January 2000 to January 2014. . Data evaluation The studies were assessed for the relevance to the purpose of the review. Each study was rated on a two-point scale using an 11-item quality criteria checklist. . Synthesis The 13 studies that met the criteria for inclusion included 7 descriptive, 5 qualitative, and 1 mixed-method. . Conclusions Social support, communication, and acculturation were key factors associated with Korean Americans' QOL. Cultural differences were evident for Korean Americans versus other Asian American ethnic groups. . Implications for practice More innovative and culturally driven research is needed to understand each minority group's cultural barriers, as well as to improve cancer survivors' QOL. Improving the doctor-patient relationship is critical to promoting better cancer experiences for Korean American cancer survivors.
OPTIMIZATION OF RUNBACK CONTROL LOGIC FOR SUBCRITICAL UNITS

To enhance the succesful rate of runback(RB) for subcritical units is a difficult problem in the thermodynamic control.The reliability of RB functions for units administrated by Guohua Electric Power Company,and scattered in power grid of eight regions,all are somewhat lower,along with increasing the output capacity of units participated into peak-load regulation,the influence of un-scheduled unit-trip upon safe operation of the power grid is increased.For this,directing against the defects existing in RB control logic of feed-water pumps and primary air fans,optimization of control logic for RB target load calculation,RB speed rate calculation,RB's reset circuit,trip circuit of the coal pulverizer,and the automatic interlocking of feed-water pumps etc.have been carried out.After optimization,the application on one subcritical 600 MW unit shows that the control system can satisfy the requirements of RB for feed-water pump and primary air fan.In the RB process of primary air fan,the pressure in primary air manifold can be reduced to minimum 4.94 kPa in time duration of 3 s;in RB process of the feed-water pump,water-level in the drum is decreased from-40 mm to the minimum-187 mm.
Neuromuscular characterization of the urethra in continent women.

OBJECTIVES : The study's objective was to describe quantitative urethral function parameters in a racially diverse group of continent women. MATERIALS AND METHODS : After institutional review board approval, we recruited women without urinary incontinence from the community. To be considered continent, participants answered "never" to the first 6 questions on the stress subscale of the Medical, Epidemiologic, and Social Aspects of Aging urinary incontinence questionnaire. Participants all underwent quantitative concentric urethral electromyography (EMG) and urodynamic testing. RESULTS : Thirty-one women with a mean (SD) age of 39 (14) years underwent EMG and urodynamic testing. The cohort was racially diverse with 13 (43%) white women, 13 (43%) African American women, and 4 (14%) Hispanic women. Body mass index (P = 0.12, 0.06), age (P = 0.40, 0.64), and vaginal parity (P = 0.53, 0.76) did not differ by race or ethnicity. We did not detect differences in any EMG parameter by race, ethnicity, or vaginally parity. A mean (range) of 30 (10-55) motor unit action potential (MUP) analyses was identified and analyzed in multiple MUP analysis, and 14 (8-21) were identified and analyzed in interference pattern (IP) analysis. On average, 37% (20%) (mean [SD]) MUPs were polyphasic.Age significantly correlated with several measures of urethral sphincter function. Increasing age was inversely correlated with IP turns (r = -0.57, P = 0.001), IP amplitude (r = -0.43, P = 0.02), IP turns-amplitude ratio (r = -0.54, P = 0.003), and maximum urethral closure pressures (r = -0.41, P = 0.04). Similarly, maximum urethral closure pressures correlated with IP amplitude (r = 0.38, P = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS : These urethral neuromuscular function data on the largest cohort of continent women fully characterized with quantitative urethral EMG demonstrate significant neuropathic MUP changes with advancing age.
Stress and Challenge: Kinds of Arousal

Perhaps, like most people, you have not actually read Pollyanna’s undergraduate thesis. Never mind, it can be summarized: Dark clouds have silver linings, and our lives will be filled with flowers (probably) and successes (almost certainly) if we find some good in every situation. Pollyanna was somewhat nuts, but not entirely.
Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Resources

This chapter discusses agriculture, biotechnology, and resources. Agriculture is the science, art, and business of cultivating the soil, producing crops, and raising livestock that can be used for food for humans. The ability to each year increase the food produced to feed a growing population is due to the invention of the farm and the development of the science and technology to enhance the productivity of the farm. Biotechnology includes any technique that uses living organisms to make or modify products, improve plants or animals, or develop microorganisms for specific uses. Land, water, energy, biodiversity, and food distribution are the major resources. Over time, technology has been instrumental in increasing industrial and agricultural production, improving transportation and communications, advancing human health care, and, overall, improving many aspects of human life.
Wealth of Nations as Theology

If a great book such as Smith’s Wealth of Nations is read repeatedly, on even a fifth or a tenth reading one continues to learn new things. I doubt whether anyone will ever fully apprehend all the things that Smith wished to express, and there is even more to learn from an interesting mind than its owner wished to teach us.1
Transgender patients: Providing sensitive care

What to say? What to prescribe? When to refer? The authors offer advice on how best to communicate with and treat this unique patient population.
The Value of a Second Bite at the Apple: The Effect of Patent Dispute Settlements on Entry and Consumer Welfare

I analyze the effect on consumer welfare of settlements of patent infringement lawsuits that consist of a royalty-free license for delayed entry by a potentially infringing horizontal competitor of the incumbent patent-holder. Settlements that split the remaining patent life in a way that reflects the expected outcome of the trial do not in general improve consumer welfare compared to the litigation alternative. This result arises because such settlements can undermine potential entrants' incentives to challenge the incumbent's monopoly. If settlements of patent infringement lawsuits cause a reduction in the investment in development of competing products, consumers may prefer that the parties to such disputes litigate rather than settle.
The American Mathematical Monthly (1894-1919): A New Journal in the Service of Mathematics and Its Educators

In 1894, Benjamin Finkel, former secondary school mathematics teacher and then Professor of Mathematics at Drury College in Kidder, Missouri, began the publication of The American Mathematical Monthly to fill what he saw as the need to stimulate and encourage mathematics teachers in both the high schools and the normal schools. His thinking went that the teachers, and by association their students, would benefit from the challenges presented by a problems-and-solutions department as well as by articles of both a mathematical and a historical nature dealing with the subject matter presented in their classrooms. This defined the Monthly’s mission until 1913, when Herbert Slaught of the University of Chicago, George A. Miller of the University of Illinois, and Earle R. Hedrick then of the University of Missouri officially took over the journal’s editorship. They saw the Monthly more explicitly as a vehicle for the professionalization and, more formally, the legitimization of the teaching of collegiate mathematics. This was also the goal of the Mathematical Association of America, formed two years later in 1915 with the Monthly as its official publication. This chapter will examine the first twenty-five years of publication—1894-1919—of the Monthly in the context of the evolving American mathematical community.
INFIX versus plating for pelvic fractures with disruption of the symphysis pubis.

The purpose of this study is to compare INFIX to plating in the treatment of unstable pelvic ring injuries with disruption of the symphysis. Twenty-four patients treated with INFIX were compared to 28 patients fixed by plating. All patients had anterior and posterior fixation. Injuries were classified using the Young and Burgess and AO/OTA classification systems. Reductions of the pelvic ring were assessed using the pelvic deformity index (PDI) and symphyseal widening. Patients were contacted to get functional outcomes using the Majeed scoring system and complications were tabulated . INFIX was inferior to plating at reducing symphyseal widening (INFIX 10.72± 5.0 Plates 6.97 ± 3.39 P = 0.012) but similar in reducing the pelvic deformity index. (INFIX 0.0221± .015 Plates 0.0190 ± .0105 P = 0 .38). Majeed scores were similar 83.95 ± 15.2 (median 89, range 51-100) for INFIX and 77.67± 16.7 (median 79, range 54-100) for plating. Complications included infection (1 (4%) INFIX , 4 (14%) plates), improper hardware placement or failure (2 (8%) INFIX, 3 (11%) plates), and heterotopic ossification (11 (46%) INFIX, 16 (57.1%) plates). Infection in the plated patients was related to urological injury in 3/4 cases. Plating provides better reduction of the pubic symphysis and requires only one surgery. Outcomes scores were similar. INFIX may be preferable in obese patients, young women of childbearing age or those with urological injury.
The Cushing OK Crude Oil Futures Price Pass - Through to New York Harbor Reformulated RBOB Regular Gasoline Futures Price

This study utilizes an Autoregressive Distributed Lag model to investigate the nature of crude oil futures price pass-through since 2006. The empirical results reveal a very high but incomplete short-run pass-through rate from the crude oil futures price to the gasoline futures price of 0.849298 with a corresponding negative long-run pass-through rate of -0.2440894. These empirical findings suggest that traders in the U.S. oil and gasoline futures markets overreact to fluctuations in the crude oil futures price as evidenced by subsequent corrections made over the sample period. The result of the bounds test for a long-term relationship between these two futures prices is inconclusive. The empirical findings further suggest that U.S. futures market traders considered futures prices of gasoline three weeks earlier in determining the current trading price while taking only one week to respond completely to the shock in the crude oil futures price. The empirical findings of this investigation may address the core elements of the price dynamics of the crude oil and gasoline futures markets and advance inquiry into assessment tools that could manage a very complex market challenge, especially for policy makers in countries with transitional economies in Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia.
Ecohydrological role of biological soil crusts across a gradient in levels of development

Though biological soil crusts (biocrusts) form abundant covers in arid and semiarid regions, their competing effects on soil hydrologic conditions are rarely accounted for in models. This study presents the modification of a soil water balance model to account for the presence of biocrusts at different levels of development (LOD) and their impact on one-dimensional hydrologic processes during warm and cold seasons. The model is developed, tested, and applied to study the hydrologic controls of biocrusts in context of a long-term manipulative experiment equipped with meteorological and soil moisture measurements in a Colorado Plateau ecosystem near Moab, Utah. The climate manipulation treatments resulted in distinct biocrust communities, and model performance with respect to soil moisture was assessed in experimental plots with varying LOD as quantified through a field-based roughness index (RI). Model calibration and testing yielded excellent comparisons to observations and smooth variations of biocrust parameters with RI approximated through simple regressions. The model was then used to quantify how LOD affects soil infiltration, evapotranspiration, and runoff under calibrated conditions and in simulation experiments with gradual modifications in biocrust porosity and hydraulic conductivity. Simulation results show that highly developed biocrusts modulate soil moisture nonlinearly with LOD by altering soil infiltration and buffering against evapotranspiration losses, with small impacts on runoff. The nonlinear and threshold variations of the soil water balance in the presence of biocrusts of varying LOD helps explain conflicting outcomes of various field studies and sheds light on the ecohydrological role of biocrusts in arid and semiarid ecosystems.
Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Protect the Salivary Gland from Radiation Damage by Inhibiting Activation of Protein Kinase C-δ

In patients undergoing irradiation (IR) therapy, injury to nontumor tissues can result in debilitating, and sometimes permanent, side effects. We have defined protein kinase C-δ (PKCδ) as a regulator of DNA damage-induced apoptosis and have shown that phosphorylation of PKCδ by c-Abl and c-Src activates its proapoptotic function. Here, we have explored the use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) of c-Src and c-Abl to block activation of PKCδ for radioprotection of the salivary gland. Dasatinib, imatinib, and bosutinib all suppressed tyrosine phosphorylation of PKCδ and inhibited IR-induced apoptosis in vitro To determine whether TKIs can provide radioprotection of salivary gland function in vivo, mice were treated with TKIs and a single or fractionated doses of irradiation. Delivery of dasatinib or imatinib within 3 hours of a single or fractionated dose of irradiation resulted in >75% protection of salivary gland function at 60 days. Continuous dosing with dasatinib extended protection to at least 5 months and correlated with histologic evidence of salivary gland acinar cell regeneration. Pretreatment with TKIs had no impact on clonogenic survival of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells, and in mice harboring HNSCC cell-derived xenografts, combining dasatinib or imatinib with fractionated irradiation did not enhance tumor growth. Our studies indicate that TKIs may be useful clinically to protect nontumor tissue in HNC patients undergoing radiotherapy, without negatively impacting cancer treatment. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(9); 1989-98. ©2017 AACR.
Pharmacogenomics and Prediction of Precise Treatment Outcomes in Major Depressive Disorder

Abstract Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the most commonly used medication class for major depressive disorder (MDD); however, response to SSRI treatment varies considerably between patients. A number of genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of SSRI treatment outcomes have been performed with the goal of identifying genetic variants associated with SSRI response. The hope is that knowledge of the genetic variants contributing to treatment outcomes will facilitate more precise estimation of each patient’s probability of having a favorable treatment outcome, thus allowing the physician to select an appropriate treatment plan – This concept of precise estimation of treatment outcomes is at the heart of precision medicine. However, the prior GWAS of antidepressant response have had limited success, with no replicated genome-wide significant findings. Moreover, despite all the attempts to identify genetic variants to enable more accurate prediction of treatment response, prior studies have largely used broad (and thus imprecise) definitions of treatment outcomes, typically based on total scores on depression rating scales. We postulate that different genetic factors may play a role in how specific symptoms of depression change in response to a particular medication. For example whether a person’s mood improves after treatment may be influenced by different genes than whether a person’s sleep quality improves after treatment. Specific components of depression and antidepressant response can be derived from individual items assessed by depression rating scales such as the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD). By viewing depression as a multifaceted illness, and response to antidepressants as a complex, multi-component treatment outcome, we aim to identify genomic contributors to more precisely-defined aspects of treatment response, including items such as depressed mood, anxiety, interests/activity, and insomnia. We illustrate this concept using data from several existing studies of SSRI response to identify novel pharmacogenomic effects on specific aspects of treatment outcomes, demonstrating that decomposition of the total scores into specific components can increase the power of pharmacogenomics studies of antidepressants and provide more clinically useful information.
In-Situ TEM Studies of Sessile Dislocation Arrangements and N Vacancy Ordering in ZrN

Dissociation of perfect 1/2 single dislocations into two 1/6 Shockley partial dislocations in ZrN was observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The 1/2 single dislocations have a super-jog character and are not coplanar with the dissociated Shockley partials. This sessile arrangement of dislocations may be responsible for the brittleness of ZrN. The wide separation of the partial dislocations bounding stacking faults indicates that the stacking-faults energy (SFE) is low in ZrN. The low SFE can be explained on the basis of a high vacancy concentration, which was confirmed by the appearance of diffuse intensity maxima in electron diffraction patterns due to short-range ordering (SRO) of N vacancies. In-situ heating experiments in the TEM revealed that the diffuse intensity maxima disappear during heating and reappear on cooling. This indicates that N (or N vacancy) diffusion scrambles the SRO arrangement of N vacancies during heating. The width of the stacking faults in ZrN increases with temperature, indicating that the SFE decreases as the vacancy concentration increases.
Advancement of Web Standards and Techniques for Developing Hypermedia Maps on the Internet

In the past two decades, there has been a rapid growth of the use of multimedia in computer-assisted mapping systems to develop interactive, multimedia maps called hypermedia maps. The development of hypermedia maps foruse on the Internet relies upon the advancement of web standards (i.e., markup languages). This chapter first briefly describes the advancement of web standards, including Hypertext Markup Language (HTML), Extensible Markup Language (XML), and Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG). The chapter then describes the techniques for developing hypermedia maps on the Internet, including scripting in HTML, using Web development tools, scripting in SVG, using custom development software, and scripting in Virtual Reality Macro Language (VRML). Finally, the author describes two examples of hypermedia maps developed using the current web standards. One is a hypermedia animated map in the SVG format developed for the visualization of spatial health statistics; the other is a virtual reality movie for the visualization of 3D terrain landscapes and 3D artificial features (e.g., trees, buildings, light poles, text, and so on).
Chapter 18 Spatial Responses of Elk to Wolf Predation Risk: Using the Landscape to Balance Multiple Demands

Theme In the absence of an effective predator, spatial patterns of large herbivores in northern temperate regions are largely influenced by food acquisition and energy conservation during winter, when resources are limited and the energetic cost of movement is high. In these circumstances animals would be expected to minimize movement to avoid unnecessary energy expenditures. With the addition of a top predator such a strategy may not be compatible with avoiding predation risk, therefore animals may increase their movement to avoid detection or escape capture. Such increased movement may occur on relatively fine scales within an animal's home range or may be manifested in broader scale responses such as dispersal or migration. With the reintroduction of wolves ( Canis lupus ) to Yellowstone National Park in 1995 and 1996, much attention has focused on the behavioral responses of large herbivores to wolf predation risk and the implications of these responses on ecosystem structure and function. Investigations are numerous but evaluations are complicated due partly to a paucity of data on elk ( Cervus elaphus ) spatial patterns prior to wolf reintroduction. We quantified winter movement patterns of a non‐migratory elk herd in the Madison headwaters prior to the reintroduction of wolves, when animals were constrained only by nutritional restrictions, and following wolf colonization and establishment, when elk experienced significant wolf predation. We evaluated changes in home range size and fidelity and described broader scale elk movement patterns such as dispersal and migration. We predicted elk would shift from a winter strategy of being relatively sedentary and occupying areas based on energetic considerations in the absence of wolves, to a more spatially dynamic strategy as elk responded to increased predation risk from wolves. Furthermore, we incorporated our knowledge of landscape characteristics of the system to provide possible explanations for any changes in elk spatial responses.
Using Simulation to Teach Distributions

Many students doubt that statistical distributions are of practical value. Simulation makes it possible for students to tackle challenging, understandable projects that illustrate how distributions...
Integrating Multiple Algorithms in Autonomous Modal Parameter Estimation

Recent work with autonomous modal parameter estimation has shown great promise in the quality of the modal parameter estimation results when compared to results from experienced user interaction using traditional methods. Current research with the Common Statistical Subspace Autonomous Mode Identification (CSSAMI) procedure involves the integration of multiple modal parameter estimation algorithms into the autonomous procedure. The current work uses possible solutions from different traditional methods like Polyreference Time Domain (PTD), Eigensystem Realization Algorithm (ERA) and Polyreference Frequency Domain (PFD) that are combined in the autonomous procedure to yield one consistent set of modal parameter solutions. This final, consistent set of modal parameters is identifiable due to the combination of temporal information (the complex modal frequency) and the spatial information (the modal vectors) in a Z domain state vector of relatively high order (5–10). Since this Z domain state vector has the complex modal frequency and the modal vector as embedded content, sorting consistent estimates from hundreds or thousands of possible solutions is now relatively trivial based upon the use of a state vector involving spatial information.
Simultaneous pace-ablate during CARTO-guided pulmonary vein isolation with a contact-force sensing radiofrequency ablation catheter

Elimination of pace-capture along pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) lesion sets reduces atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence in catheter ablation of paroxysmal AF. Pacing from the RF ablation electrode during RF application is prevented within the CARTO electroanatomic mapping system (Biosense Webster, Inc.) due to theoretical safety considerations. We evaluated a method of pacing the distal ablation electrode during RF application in the CARTO system, thus avoiding repeated activation and inactivation of the pacing channel and facilitating immediate recognition of pace-capture loss. We investigated the safety, feasibility, and utility of simultaneous pace-ablate (SPA) during AF ablation with the CARTO-3 system and a contact-force sensing RF ablation catheter. Safety of feasibility of SPA was evaluated in 250 patients undergoing first-time AF ablation. Frequency and regional distribution of pace-capture following PVI was evaluated in a cohort of 50 consecutive patients undergoing catheter ablation of paroxysmal AF. SPA was successfully performed in all 250 patients without adverse event. At least one pace-capture site was noted in 22 of 50 PAF patients (44%), and pace-capture following PVI was most common at anterior and superior left atrial sites. There were 2.0 ± 3.3 RF applications during pacing via the distal ablation electrode per patient, and all lesions sets were successfully rendered unexcitable. Pace-capture along the completed PVI lesion set remains common despite utilization of contact-force sensing RF ablation catheters and automated lesion annotation. Simultaneous pace-ablate in AF ablation using the CARTO system may be safely used to render atrial lesion sets unexcitable.
Real-Time Continuous Glucose Monitoring in Gestational Diabetes: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective To evaluate whether real-time continuous glucose monitoring improves glycemic control over intermittent self-monitoring of blood glucose in gestational diabetes. Study Design We performed a single-institution randomized controlled trial. Patients with gestational diabetes were randomized to use either real-time or blinded continuous glucose monitoring. The primary outcome was mean sensor glucose level during the fourth week of continuous glucose monitoring use. Secondary outcomes included glycemic control and a composite of obstetric and neonatal outcomes. Results Of the 40 enrolled patients, 12 (60%) patients in the blinded continuous glucose monitoring group and 11 (55%) in the real-time continuous glucose monitoring group completed 4 weeks of monitoring and were included in the final analysis. There was no significant difference in mean sensor glucose level between the blinded continuous glucose monitoring group (98.9 ± 8.9 mg/dL) and the real-time continuous glucose monitoring group (107.5 ± 11.4 mg/dL). There were also no significant differences in the time spent in glycemic target, maternal, or neonatal outcomes. Conclusion Our study shows that the use of continuous glucose monitoring with real-time feedback did not significantly decrease mean glucose values compared with intermittent self-monitoring of blood glucose after 4 weeks of continuous glucose monitoring use.
When Employee Gender Diversity Benefits Firm Performance: The Importance of TMT Gender Diversity

We argue that gender diversity in the top management team shapes collative and motivating work environment for both female and male employees, thus realizing performance benefits of gender diversit...
Peroxidase Sensitive Amplifiable Probe for Molecular Magnetic Resonance Imaging of Pulmonary Inflammation

An amplifiable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) probe that combines the stability of the macrocyclic Gd-DOTAGA core with a peroxidase-reactive 5-hydroxytryptamide (5-HT) moiety is reported. The incubation of the complex under enzymatic oxidative conditions led to a 1.7-fold increase in r1 at 1.4 T that was attributed to an oligomerization of the probe upon oxidation. This probe, Gd-5-HT-DOTAGA, provided specific detection of lung inflammation by MRI in bleomycin-injured mice.
The Criminogenic Effect of Marijuana Dispensaries in Denver, Colorado: A Microsynthetic Control Quasi-Experiment and Cost-Benefit Analysis

The study analyzed the criminogenic effect of legalizing recreational marijuana dispensaries in Denver. Street segments with recreational dispensaries experienced no changes in violent, disorder an...
Design optimization and performance comparison of three styles of one-dimensional acoustic black hole vibration absorbers

Abstract Structures whose thickness is tapered according to a power law exhibit the ‘acoustic black hole’ (ABH) effect, which can be leveraged for effective vibration reduction without a net increase in weight. However, classic ABH theory is not explicit about the precise topology of the taper, which may have significant practical effects in structures containing ABHs. In this paper, three styles of one-dimensional ABH vibration absorbers are examined, referred to herein as ‘standard symmetric’, ‘standard nonsymmetric’, and ‘double-leaf’. Each style of ABH is embedded in a beam and a multi-objective approach is used to identify the set of ABH designs that optimally minimize the beam's vibration response and its overall mass. Comparison of the results show that each style of ABH has a similar trade-off between the two objectives, but that the choice of style – particularly as regards the application of added damping – can have significant effects on overall performance.
Inhaled Albuterol Use and Impaired Lactate Clearance in Patients With Sepsis: A Retrospective Cohort Study:

Background:Lactate clearance has become important in the management of sepsis. However, factors unrelated to sepsis-induced hyperlactatemia, including β-2 adrenergic agonists, can interfere with la...
Enhancing Wind Energy Integration by Co-optimizing Energy Storage Systems and Transmission Switching

With an increasing integration of intermittent renewable energy, more and more energy storage systems (ESS) are used to smooth the output of renewable energy resources or perform generation time-shifting. At the same time, transmission congestion is a leading cause for renewable energy curtailment, and transmission switching (TS) a proven cost-effective technique for transmission congestion mitigation. At present, a co-optimization model for both technologies in an operation framework still does not exist. This work aims to propose an operation model for co-optimizing TS and ESS, in order to study the impact of transmission switching on the performance of ESS. Results show that optimally using TS can boost the capability of ESS to reduce renewable energy curtailment, and it is essential to co-optimize the two technologies for enhanced renewable energy integration.
“Said Some Things I Definitely (Don’t) Regret:” The Rhetorical Silence of American Vandal’s Criminal Heroine

In this chapter, I analyze how the intersections of communication across gender and race foster different considerations of the heroic criminal in American Vandal, the Peabody-winning and Emmy-nominated Netflix satire of true-crime documentaries. American Vandal interacts differently with its male and female “vandals,” almost all of whom, despite varying levels of wickedness, remain heroes to the narrative and the broader cultural conversations prompted. In short, men create assumed and proven guilty by oversharing, but their lovable natures and dim-witted reactions foster a pathos connection in the viewer, making them heroes. Women, in contrast, are suspicious when silent, but remain sympathetic and ethical when their motivations to commit crime come to light.
Thermodynamic modeling of the palladium-lead-tin system

A set of self-consistent, thermodynamic model parameters is presented to describe the phase equilibria of Palladium-Lead (Pd-Pb) and Palladium-Tin (Pd-Sn) systems. A sublattice model is used for thermodynamic modeling of the intermediate phases. The experimental data agree very well with the values calculated using the optimized model parameters. Several isothermal and vertical sections of the ternary system, relevant to microelectronic soldering applications, are calculated. Several experiments are proposed, the data from which will be extremely helpful in refining the thermodynamic model parameters.
Human alveolar Type 2 epithelium transdifferentiates into metaplastic KRT5+ basal cells during alveolar repair

Understanding differential lineage potential of orthologous stem cells across species can shed light on human disease. Here, utilizing 3D organoids, single cell RNAseq, and xenotransplants, we demonstrate that human alveolar type 2 cells (hAEC2s), unlike murine AEC2s, are multipotent and able to transdifferentiate into KRT5+ basal cells when co-cultured with primary fibroblasts in 3D organoids. Trajectory analyses and immunophenotyping of epithelial progenitors in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) indicate that hAEC2s transdifferentiate into metaplastic basal cells through alveolar-basal intermediate (ABI) cells that we also identify in hAEC2-derived organoids. Modulating hAEC2-intrinsic and niche factors dysregulated in IPF can attenuate metaplastic basal cell transdifferentiation and preserve hAEC2 identity. Finally, hAEC2s transplanted into fibrotic immune-deficient murine lungs engraft as either hAEC2s or differentiated KRT5+ basal cells. Our study indicates that hAEC2s-loss and expansion of alveolar metaplastic basal cells in IPF are causally connected, which would not have been revealed utilizing murine AEC2s as a model. HighlightsO_LIHuman AEC2s transdifferentiate into KRT5+ basal cells when accompanied by primary adult human lung mesenchyme in 3D organoid culture. C_LIO_LIAlterations of hAEC2-intrinsic and niche factors dysregulated in IPF can modify metaplastic hAEC2 transdifferentiation. C_LIO_LIhAEC2s engraft into fibrotic lungs of immune-deficient mice and transdifferentiate into metaplastic basal cells. C_LIO_LITranscriptional trajectory analysis suggests that hAEC2s in IPF gives rise to metaplastic basal cells via alveolar-basal intermediate cells. C_LI
Functional MPI (fMPI) of hypercapnia in rodent brain with MPI time-series imaging

MPI has been proposed as an alternative to fMRI for detecting cerebral blood volume (CBV) changes associated with brain activation due to potentially higher sensitivity, possibly enabling single-patient studies. In this work, we show preliminary neuroimaging data of CBV modulation with hypercapnia acquired in vivo on a rodent MPI scanner designed for time-series imaging. This continuously rotating 2D projection field free line imager enables time-series imaging with temporal resolution of up to 3 seconds. As a first demonstration of “fMPI”, we acquire time-series images of a rodent brain with 5 second temporal resolution with the animal undergoing alternating 3-minute periods of either hyper- or hypocapnia. Image intensity changes from CBV modulation of the injected SPIONs concentration were detected with a CNR of up to 14 in brain pixels. Int. J. Mag. Part. Imag. 6(2), Suppl. 1, 2020, Article ID: 2009009, DOI: 10.18416/IJMPI.2020.2009009
Radical Histories / Liberal Histories in Work Injury Law

Nate Holdren has written a brilliant, impassioned, and intellectually stimulating book on the legal history of industrial accidents. According to Holdren, work injuries were at their core a form of labor exploitation. He describes the law of work accidents as a machinery of injustice that bolstered the legitimacy of a violent and inhuman capitalist system. He fiercely critiques the workers’ compensation reforms enacted by progressive reformers a century ago as legitimating a form of systematic labor violence. He insists on recognizing and attending to the dignity of each accident victim, both in the content of his argument and as a matter of literary form. Injury Impoverished is a welcome if unsettling rebuke to complacent accounts of the field, perhaps my own among them. But Holdren’s analysis also raises many questions. Holdren attributes little value to the dramatically safer workplaces of the middle of the twentieth century. His cautious admiration for the litigation system of the years before workers’ compensation rests on a fantastical conception of the way 19th-century tort law actually worked. He calls for an impossibly demanding form of "justice as recognition" from the law. He misses the ways in which workers co-opted new forms of accident law and turned them to their own interests. And his single-minded focus on commodification and the point of production leads him to discount the surrounding political and legal institutions that shaped the social meaning of work injuries.
Innovations in otorhinolaryngology in the age of COVID-19: a systematic literature review.

Abstract Objective Otolaryngologists are at increased occupational risk of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection due to exposure from respiratory droplets and aerosols generated during otologic, nasal, and oropharyngeal examinations and procedures. There have been a variety of guidelines and precautions developed to help mitigate this risk. While many reviews have focused on the personal protective equipment (PPE) and preparation guidelines for surgery in the COVID-19 era, none have focused on the more creative and unusual solutions designed to limit viral transmission. This review aims to fill that need. Data sources PubMed, Ovid/Medline, and Scopus. Methods A comprehensive review of literature was performed on September 28, 2020 using PubMed, Ovid/Medline, and Scopus databases. All English-language studies were included if they proposed or assessed novel interventions developed for Otolaryngology practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines were followed. Results A total of 41 papers met inclusion criteria and were organized into 5 categories (‘General Recommendations for Otolaryngologic Surgery’, ‘Equipment Shortage Solutions’, ‘Airway Procedures’, ‘Nasal Endoscopy and Skull Base Procedures’, and ‘Otologic Procedures’). Articles were summarized, highlighting the innovations created and evaluated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Creative solutions such as application of topical viricidal agents, make-shift mask filters, three-dimensional (3-D) printable adapters for headlights, aerosol containing separation boxes, and a variety of new draping techniques have been developed to limit the risk of COVID-19 transmission. Conclusions Persistent risk of COVID-19 exposure remains high. Thus, there is an increased need for solutions that mitigate the risk of viral transmission during office procedures and surgeries, especially given that most COVID-19 positive patients present asymptomatically. This review examines and organizes creative solutions that have been proposed and utilized in the otolaryngology. These solutions have a potential to minimize the risk of viral transmission in the current clinical environment and to create safer outpatient and operating room conditions for patients and healthcare staff.
Trends in Body Mass Index before and after Left Ventricular Assist Device and Association with Pectoralis Muscle Measures: Evidence for Progressive Sarcopenia Prior to LVAD Implantation

Purpose To test the hypothesis that advanced heart failure patients lose weight prior to LVAD, gain weight after LVAD, and that weight loss prior to LVAD is associated with lower pectroralis muscle measures (PMM) quantified on pre operative chest CT scans. Methods The larger cohort for the BMI trend analysis included patients with first-time LVAD implantation at a single center (n=505). The following PMMs were quantified in patients with chest CTs performed within 3 months prior to LVAD implantation (n=194): pectoralis muscle mass indexed to height in meters squared (PMI) and mean Hounsfield units (PHUm). BMI trends before and after LVAD were computed and plotted using Locally Estimated Scatterplot Smoothing (LOESS). BMI prior to LVAD was then regressed longitudinally. The association between BMI trend and PMMs were assessed by including fixed effects for time, PMMs, and their interactions. Results BMI plots are displayed (Figure). For the entire cohort, BMI decreased prior to LVAD, continued to decrease further after LVAD, and then steadily increased. Across PMM tertiles, the same pattern was observed. At 100 days prior to LVAD, both PMMs were significantly associated with BMI (p Conclusion The trend in BMI across the larger cohort before and after LVAD suggests that LVAD recipients are largely sarcopenic at the time of LVAD. The correlation between more rapid weight loss and lower PMMs supports this hypothesis. As muscle wasting is progressive, and lower PMMs are assoiciated with increased post-LVAD mortality, there may be a role in utilizing PMMs to determining optimal implantation timing.
Psychological First Aid Well-Being Support Rounds for Frontline Healthcare Workers During COVID-19

Background and Objective: Frontline healthcare workers face unprecedented stress from the current SARS COV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic. Hospital systems need to develop support programs to help frontline staff deal with this stress. The purpose of this article is to describe a support program for front line healthcare workers. Methods: In this community case report, we describe a well-being support rounding program that was developed to deliver Psychological First Aid (PFA) to frontline healthcare workers in a large urban medical center to maintain their sense of psychological well-being and self-efficacy. A team of clinicians from the department of psychiatry, who were trained on the Johns Hopkins RAPID model (Reflective Listening, Assessment, Prioritization, Intervention, and Disposition) to provide PFA, were deployed throughout the hospital. These clinicians carried out daily well-being rounds from April to June during the peak of the pandemic. Results: Approximately 20% of the frontline staff members were going through an acute crisis and benefited from PFA. Anxiety, anger, exhaustion, economic worry, job insecurity, dehumanized interactions with patients due to Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), and stress of taking care of sick and dying patients without their families present, were the main themes identified by the staff. The deployed team used active listening, mindfulness, validation, reframing and other cognitive interventions to support staff. Conclusions: Our experience suggests that frontline staff are willing to engage with in-person, on-site support programs. Fostering resilience and self-efficacy through PFA is a useful model to provide emotional support to frontline healthcare workers during health crises.
Revisiting the need for radiation output measurements after X-ray tube replacement in computed tomography.

PURPOSE State regulations require that CT radiation output be measured using a dosimeter after major service. The most common major service is tube replacement. We hypothesized that historical QC data could be used instead to determine if output measurements are necessary, potentially reducing the need for output measurements that require an on-site visit by a qualified medical physicist. METHODS Records of 65 original equipment manufacturer (OEM) tube replacements were reviewed to determine with what frequency output was outside the manufacturer's specifications. The previous 7 days of historical quality control (QC) data prior to a tube change was used to establish a baseline mean noise level and 95% inferential confidence intervals (ICIs) about the mean. This was compared to an ICI constructed using 7 days of QC data post-tube change and the region of indifference. Different methods for acquiring samples of image noise were compared using a single factor analysis of variance (ANOVA). RESULTS None of the 65 tube replacements reviewed in this study resulted in an output change that exceeded the manufacturer's specifications. In all but one case, the results of the ICI analysis matched the measured output results. In the single case where results were discordant, the mean image noise was slightly higher after the tube change, which may have indicated the need for a larger sample size or service unrelated to the X-ray tube, for example, system calibration. The method used to sample image noise did not significantly affect the calculated mean noise. CONCLUSIONS This review of historical OEM tube replacement data indicated the likelihood of output falling outside manufacturer specifications is low. Considering this, it is likely that using QC data from programs required by regulation and the American College of Radiology (ACR), medical physicists can reliably verify radiation output stability remotely instead of making measurements using a dosimeter.
Tomography: A window on the role of sulfur in the structure of micrometeorites

Abstract– To determine the role played by sulfides in the formation of vesicles and FeNi metal beads, we mapped the locations and tabulated the numbers of sulfides, metal beads, and vesicles in 1583 sectioned micrometeorites (MMs) using conventional microscopy and in 190 whole MMs using synchrotron computed microtomography (SCMT). Both the section and the SCMT images show that sulfides melt, coalesce, and migrate to the MMs surface. The decomposition of sulfides may occur during all these stages. Given the sulfide morphologies and compositions that we see in section, we think the breakdown of Ni sulfides produces the FeNi beads. The SCMT images show that metal beads are common in melted MMs, >50% have them. Vesicles in porphyritic and scoriaceous MMs are also probably formed as sulfides decompose. Not only do sulfides abut the vesicles but also the temperatures at which sulfides decompose overlap those at which MM surfaces first melt and temporarily seal, suggesting that S gases could produce most of these vesicles. As the vesicle shapes and patterns of distribution differ among MM classes, tomography can be used to nondestructively screen for specific types of MMs. Tomography is a powerful tool for visualizing the three-dimensional distribution of metal beads, sulfides, mean densities, and vesicles in MMs.