cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Additive manufacturing of liquid/gas diffusion layers for low-cost and high-efficiency hydrogen production

Abstract A low-cost additive manufacturing technology, electron beam melting (EBM), is employed for the first time to fabricate titanium liquid/gas diffusion media with high-corrosion resistances and well-controlled multifunctional parameters, including two-phase transport and high electric/thermal conductivities. Its application in proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMECs) has been investigated in-situ with modular galvano (MG) and galvano electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (GEIS) and characterized ex-situ with SEM and XRD. Compared with conventional woven and sintered liquid/gas diffusion layers (LGDLs), much better performance is obtained with EBM-fabricated LGDLs due to a significant reduction of ohmic losses. The EBM technology components exhibited several distinct advantages in fabricating LGDLs: well-controllable pore morphology and structure, rapid prototyping, fast manufacturing, highly customizable design, and economic. In addition, by taking advantage of additive manufacturing, it is possible to fabricate complicated three-dimensional designs of virtually any shape from a digital model into one single solid object faster, cheaper, and easier, especially for titanium components. More importantly, this development will provide LGDLs with well-controllable pore morphologies, which will be valuable to develop sophisticated models of PEMECs with optimal and repeatable performance. Furthermore, it could lead to a manufacturing solution that greatly simplifies the PEMEC/fuel cell components.
Discussion: The Nature of Competition Among Food Retailers in Local Markets

Holdren's efforts to reconcile structure and performance in the retail food industry are to be applauded. Too few economists have attempted to analyze performance within a well-defined empirical framework and make some conclusions which are based upon more than speculation. The demand and cost functions provide the basis for Holdren's conclusions concerning the nature of competition among food retailers in a local market. Unfortunately, it is not possible from the paper which I received to determine precisely how the demand functions were derived, or how the local market was defined. In regard to the cost function, I believe that Holdren has underestimated the importance of variable costs. It is not uncommon for rental expense to be based upon a predetermined percentage of sales. Even though most of the labor expense is fixed, a substantial portion of the remainder can be variable. I have found cases where there is a close re-
Severe paravalvular mechanical hemolysis with a normal blood smear.

A 74-year-old white female presented with clinical and laboratory evidence of severe hemolysis caused by paravalvular leakage around a prosthetic mitral valve. The unique aspect of her case is the absence of red blood cell fragments in the peripheral smear. Red blood cell transfusions, which averaged three to four units per week, were no longer required after operative repair of the primary suture line. All evidence for hemolysis disappeared; hematologic values returned to normal and remained so during the subsequent six months.
Comparative Research on Vocational and Technical Education between China and Australia

The writer compares the advanced professional and technical education in China with those in Australia by analysing student's source,student's job hunting,teacher's quality,teaching pattern,etc.The author puts forward some effective ways to solve the questions.At first,we should clear away bars between skill training and diploma,and let the students have chances to study further or to work.Secondly,colleges should cooperate with enterprises,which makes teachers and students have more practice opportunities.Thirdly,the old teaching methods should be reformed.
Delta-8- and delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol comparison in man by oral and intravenous administration.

Delta-8-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has activity in man similar to that of its double-bond isomer, delta-9-THC. Its relative potency to the other isomer, as judged following both oral and intravenous administration, is 2:3. Intravenous administration of ethanolic solutions of cannabinoids in clinically active doses is feasible and desirable for experimental purposes. A range of doses of 1 to 6 mg of delta-9-THC intravenously produced a wide spectrum of cannabis-like effects. Relatively simple clinical techniques clearly detect cannabis-like activity in man, making both qualitative and quantitative camparisions of unknown materials with delta-9-THC feasible.
Warfarin Binding to Microsomes Isolated from Normal and Warfarin-Resistant Rat Liver

A warfarin-binding site which had previously been demonstrated in liver microsomal membranes was studied. Although the binding site displayed apparently typical saturation binding curves when incubated with radioactive warfarin, the bound warfarin was not readily displaced by incubation with unlabeled warfarin. Warfarin-binding capacity was increased in membranes isolated from vitamin K-deficient rats, but was returned to normal when deficient rats were treated with 1 mg of phylloquinone on its chloro analogue. Prior treatment of animals with nonradioactive warfarin greatly decreased the subsequent binding capacity of the microsomal membranes in vitro. The warfarin-binding capacity was also very low in microsomes isolated from a strain of warfarin-resistant rats. The majority of the warfarin associated with the microsomal membranes isolated from warfarin-resistant rats was either bound very loosely or entrapped in vesicles, or it could be removed by phospholipase treatment. However, the warfarin associated with microsomal membranes from normal rats was bound to other membrane components, presumably protein.
EDUCATIONAL POLICY OF ACCOUNTABILITY AND WOMEN'S REPRESENTATION IN SCIENCE

Our world continually presents us with anomalies: Things we don’t expect. Thingsthat don’t fit our norms. These anomalies can be rejected out of hand, or they can be examined more closely to challenge our expectations for how the world works. Certainly during her lifetime, Marie Curie was seen as an anomaly. She was one the first women to be awarded a Ph.D. in Science in Europe, the first woman to win the Nobel Prize and as well as the first scientist of either gender to receive the Nobel Prize for science twice in her lifetime.
Convex hull of two quadratic or a conic quadratic and a quadratic inequality

In this paper we consider an aggregation technique introduced by Yildiran (J Math Control Inf 26:417---450, 2009) to study the convex hull of regions defined by two quadratic inequalities or by a conic quadratic and a quadratic inequality. Yildiran (2009) shows how to characterize the convex hull of open sets defined by two strict quadratic inequalities using Linear Matrix Inequalities. We show how this aggregation technique can be easily extended to yield valid conic quadratic inequalities for the convex hull of open sets defined by two strict quadratic inequalities or by a strict conic quadratic and a strict quadratic inequality. We also show that for sets defined by a strict conic quadratic and a strict quadratic inequality, under one additional containment assumption, these valid inequalities characterize the convex hull exactly. We also show that under certain topological assumptions, the results from the open setting can be extended to characterize the closed convex hull of sets defined with non-strict conic and quadratic inequalities.
The butterfly whisperer: representing a gifted student’s connection with nature through poetic inquiry

ABSTRACTScholars suggest that children enjoy a greater connection with the natural world and encourage the nurturing of this relationship so they grow to value rather than fear nature. During this inquiry, I turned to poetic transcription to represent a gifted, fourth-grade student’s connection with natural surroundings. After collecting data through interviews, journal entries from the participant, and observational notes, I practiced Found Poetry by selecting key phrases and words that best captured the student’s experiences and crafted three, researcher-voiced poems (“Nature’s Child”, “Nature’s Mind”, and “The Butterfly Whisperer”). Examining the poems, I determined that this student’s connection with the natural environment closely mirrored research suggesting that children in fact experience nature differently. I also discuss how using poetic inquiry assisted me in vicariously and evocatively representing the student’s experiences, hopefully causing readers to reconsider their own relationship with n...
Review: Initial clinical assessment is accurate for determining causes of dyspnea

Source Citation Mulrow CD, Lucey CR, Farnett LE. Discriminating causes of dyspnea through clinical examination. J Gen Intern Med. 1993 Jul;8:383-92.
Glucocorticoid Regulation of Gene Expression: Mouse Mammary Tumor Virus as a Model System

Publisher Summary Glucocorticoids—as well as other classes of steroid hormones—appear to function via the two-step model. It is generally accepted that steroids interact with a soluble receptor protein inducing a structural alteration that increases the receptor's affinity for DNA or chromatin. This so-called activated form of the steroid–receptor complex accumulates within the nucleus of the cell leading to increased—and perhaps in some cases, decreased—transcription of specific genes. This chapter describes the glucocorticoid regulation of gene expression. The classes of new messenger RNAs (mRNAs) produced in response to a given steroid are in large part cell or tissue specific and their utilization in production of new proteins leads to the characteristic hormonal response of the target cell. The primary role of the steroid is to act as an allosteric effector that unmasks a DNA-binding site on the receptor protein. The chapter briefly reviews some of the studies on the glucocorticoid regulation of gene expression and presents a detailed account of the use of mouse mammary tumor virus (MMTV) in the mechanisms by which glucocorticoids regulate gene expression.
Surface-atmosphere exchange in a box: Making the control volume a suitable representation for in-situ observations

Abstract Using the eddy-covariance (EC) method to determine net surface-atmosphere exchange relies on extensive simplifications of the mass balance concept. Among others, it is assumed that the 3-D flux field within a control volume is divergence-free, which is shown to be violated e.g. from large-eddy simulations. To practically evaluate the severity of these assumptions, case studies have monitored the surrounding of an EC tower, so the control volume can be represented more explicitly. Alternatively, diagnostic tests during data processing can be used to subset the EC data for periods that more likely fulfill the underlying assumptions. However, these existing methods are constrained either by their degree of realism, resource demand, temporal coverage, varying spatial representativeness, or combinations thereof. It is hypothesized that these deficiencies can be overcome by using the environmental response function (ERF) technique: Relating flux observations at very high spatio-temporal resolution to meteorological forcings and surface properties, and utilizing the extracted relationships to map a single, regular and stationary control volume explicitly in 3-D space and time. Here, the novel ERF virtual control volume (VCV) concept and its implications are derived, and Xu et al. (this issue) are presenting its first practical application. Initial results show that even from a single EC tower, ERF-VCV reduces advective errors by at least one order of magnitude, and incorporates net low-frequency flux contributions. In the same process tower location bias is treated through attaining a fixed-frame, thus equitable and time-invariant representation of the net surface-atmosphere exchange across a target domain. With regard to the frequently observed non-closure of the surface energy balance, this offers the potential for reconciling “spatial heterogeneity” and “storage term” theories. In extension, ERF promises a rectifying observational operator for unbiased model-data comparison, assimilation, and process representation at model grid scale.
Effects of Anion Identity and Concentration on Electrochemical Reduction of CO2

Author(s): Resasco, J; Lum, Y; Clark, E; Zeledon, JZ; Bell, AT | Abstract: The electrochemical reduction of CO2 is known to be influenced by the concentration and identity of the anionic species in the electrolyte; however, a full understanding of this phenomenon has not been developed. Here, we present the results of experimental and computational studies aimed at understanding the role of electrolyte anions on the reduction of CO2 over Cu surfaces. Experimental studies were performed to show the effects of bicarbonate buffer concentration and the composition of other buffering anions on the partial currents of the major products formed by reduction of CO2 over Cu. It was demonstrated that the composition and concentration of electrolyte anions has relatively little effect on the formation of CO, HCOO−, C2H4, and CH3CH2OH, but has a significant effect on the formation of H2 and CH4. Continuum modeling was used to assess the effects of buffering anions on the pH at the electrode surface. The influence of pH on the activity of Cu for producing H2 and CH4 was also considered. Changes in the pH near the electrode surface were insufficient to explain the differences in activity and selectivity observed with changes in anion buffering capacity observed for the formation of H2 and CH4. Therefore, it is proposed that these differences are the result of the ability of buffering anions to donate hydrogen directly to the electrode surface and in competition with water. The effectiveness of buffering anions to serve as hydrogen donors is found to increase with decreasing pKa of the buffering anion.
Prognosis of breast cancer related to intramammary lymph nodes.

While correlating radiographic findings with histopathologic changes in the breasts during the 1950s certain benign-appearing lesions were found to be intramammary lymph nodes (Egan 1960). These nodes have been disregarded by surgeons and anatomists and are often overlooked today. Since these nodes were rather common, we examined our material to see if these lymph nodes were of any prognostic significance.
MEASUREMENT OF FAST- AND THERMAL-NEUTRON FLUXES USING A SMALL LiI(Eu) CRYSTAL DETECTOR.

A crystal detector system, composed of a small LiI(Eu) crystal, highly enriched in 6Li, and a flexible light pipe, has been used to determine the fast- and thermal-neutron distributions resulting from a Pu-Be neutron source.The thermal-neutron flux is determined by the cadmium difference technique. It is found that the thermal flux thus determined agrees well with the two-group diffusion solution and with absolute foil measurement, but gamma-ray backgrounds cause serious problems in the fast flux determination by crystal. It is also found that the non-rigid light pipe offers a great deal of flexibility in the measuring process. The high efficiency in thermal-neutron measurement obtained (41%) implies that smaller crystals or longer light pipes can be used, thereby improving the accessibility of the detector. The crystal detector used is also sufficiently sensitive to follow the small change in flux magnitude with increasing temperature.
Case 16: Postoperative Respiratory Complications in a Neonate

A 3-day-old boy is scheduled for repair of a tracheoesophageal fistula. No other abnormalities are noted. Anesthesia is induced with sevoflurane, and suxamethonium is given to place an endotracheal tube (ETT) (3 mm) in the trachea. Anesthesia is maintained with 70 % nitrous oxide in oxygen and halothane. Vecuronium is given as a muscle relaxant. A thoracic epidural is inserted via the caudal canal to approximately T6 [1]. During the operation, the catheter is infused with bupivacaine 0.125 % at a rate of 0.5 ml per hour. The operation is completed uneventfully, and the ETT is removed from the baby’s trachea. During the first 24 h, the baby’s vital signs are stable. The surgeon is keen to remove the epidural catheter and start the child on oral/rectal nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). You agree but leave the epidural catheter in situ. After 2 h, the respiratory rate increases from 45 to 55 breaths per minute. The baby’s saturation decreases from 95 % to 90 %. The inspired oxygen is increased to 30 % and more rectal analgesic is administered. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) (5 cm H2O) is given, and some improvement is seen in the vital signs. You feel happier about the baby until the nurse brings you a chest X-ray of the patient taken 5 min previously. This shows a right middle and lower lobe collapse. The oxygen saturation is now 88 %.
Drinking to Cope Motivations as a Mediator of the Relationship Between Sexual Coercion Victimization and Alcohol Use Among College Women: The Role of Depressive Symptoms:

This cross-sectional study examined whether depressive symptoms strengthened the relationship between different forms of sexual coercion victimization and drinking to cope motivations, which was hy...
Impact of Medication Screening to Increase Prescribing Rates of Medications that Improve Morbidity and Mortality in Patients with Heart Failure

Introduction Compared to enalapril, sacubitril/valsartan reduces mortality and hospitalizations among patients with HFrEF. Spironolactone has shown similar benefits in North Americans with HFpEF. Inpatient initiation of other mortality-improving heart failure medications has been associated with higher rates of use at 6 months of follow-up. The objective of this study was to develop screening criteria for inpatient initiation of sacubitril/valsartan or spironolactone, identify eligible candidates for these therapies, and assess the barriers to initiation during an admission for heart failure. Methods Patients admitted with a diagnosis of heart failure were screened daily to assess current inpatient medications, lab values, and vital signs. Due to concerns about monitoring for hyperkalemia, spironolactone candidates were required to be established patients at the Johns Hopkins Heart Failure Bridge Clinic (HFBC). In the absence of contraindications, the primary team was contacted and a recommendation for initiation was given. Barriers to initiation were documented when candidates failed to receive therapy during the hospitalization. Daily patient screening occurred from November 1, 2017 through February 28, 2018. Results Two-hundred patients were screened during the study period. There were 54 patients (23 with HFrEF and 31 with HFpEF) identified to be eligible for therapy. Of those, one patient was initiated on sacubitril/valsartan and three on spironolactone. Barriers to initiation included prescriber resistance, patient refusal, high copays, and lack of adequate follow up for electrolyte monitoring. One-hundred and forty patients had not been previously seen at the HFBC, and of those, only four had a new patient appointment scheduled upon discharge. Conclusion This study identified several barriers to initiating sacubitril/valsartan for HFrEF and spironolactone for HFpEF during inpatient admission. These findings indicate the need for additional physician and patient education about these therapies, as well as improved coordination of patient care during transition from hospital to home through clinics like the HFBC. Targeting inpatients for initiation of medications should be a priority, as these patients are at high risk for readmission, and inpatient initiation has been associated with higher long-term rates of medication use in HF. Increasing prescribing rates of medications that improve morbidity and mortality in heart failure have positive impact on patient quality of life and ultimately reduce healthcare costs associated with this disease.
Voting for women in nonpartisan and partisan elections

Abstract Evidence on whether there is a gender affinity effect in US elections is mixed. In this article, we develop a theory of when gender affinity effects will be present and when they will be absent. Crucial to our theory is electoral context. In nonpartisan contexts, we argue that candidate sex serves as a representational cue and will lead to gender affinity effects in vote choice. However, in partisan contexts, all voters will use partisanship as a cue and there will be no evidence of gender affinity effects. We test and find support for our theory using data on vote choice in the 2012 U.S. state supreme court elections and a set of conjoint experiments. Our results have implications for theories of descriptive representation and the design of electoral institutions.
Development of Polynomial Chaos Based Surrogate Models for Channel Simulation

Improvements in high frequency signal transmission places requirements on meticulous jitter modeling and prediction techniques, which have to provide precision below 1 ps. In general timing jitter is divided into random and deterministic jitter, where the latter includes data dependent jitter, which is the focus of this paper, since it can be the dominant cause of jitter and it has proven to be challenging to model. Traditionally, jitter arising in eye-diagrams of high speed channels is modeled using a transient simulation with a length of thousands or millions of bits. This approach can be very time consuming. Hence, statistical eye analysis techniques are developed, providing for fast prediction of eye diagram and jitter [1]. However these techniques are only applicable to linear systems, which can be an important constituent for jitter in high speed channel simulation.
The Social Economics of Adolescent Behavior and Measuring the Behavioral Culture of Schools

Schools are thought to have an important impact on adolescent behaviors, but the mechanisms are not well understood. We hypothesize that there are measurable constructs of peer- and teacher-related extrinsic motivations for adolescent behaviors and sought to develop measures of school culture that would capture these constructs. We developed several survey items to assess school behavioral culture and collected self-reported data from a sample of adolescents age 14–17 attending high school in low income neighborhoods of Los Angeles. We conducted exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to inform the creation of simple-summated multi-item scales. We also conducted a cultural consensus analysis to identify the existence of shared pattern of responses to the items among respondents within the same school. From 1159 adolescents, six factors were identified: social culture regarding popular (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.84) and respected (alpha = 0.83) behaviors, teacher support (alpha = 0.86) and monitoring of school rules (alpha = 0.85), valued student traits (alpha = 0.67) and school order (alpha = 0.68). Cultural consensus analysis identified a shared pattern of responses to the items among respondents at 8 of the 13 schools. School academic performance, which is based on standardized test results, is strongly correlated with social culture regarding popular behaviors (Pearson’s correlation coefficient r = 0.64), monitoring of school rules (r = 0.71), and school order (r = 0.83). The exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses did not support a single, overall factor that measures school culture. However, the six identified sub-scales might be used individually to examine school influence on academic performance and health behaviors.
Properties of Nucleoside Phosphorylase from Enterobacter aerogenes

The properties of uridine Phosphorylase (UPase) and purine nucleoside Phosphorylase (PNPase) at high temperature were investigated. Both enzymes were found to be distributed in a wide range of bacteria and were partially purified from Enterobacter aerogenes AJ 11125 by heat treatment, ammonium sulfate fractionation and column chromatographies onDEAE-cellulose and Sephadex G-150. The UPase was purified 109-fold, and it showed an optimum pH of 8.5 and optimum temperature of 65°C, and activity toward uridine, 2′-deoxyuridine, thymidine and uracil arabinoside but not cytidine. The Km values of UPase for uridine were 0.7 mm at 40°C and 1.8 mm at 60°C. The PNPase was purified 83-fold, and it showed an optimum pH of 6.8 and optimum temperature of 60°C, and significant activity toward purine arabinosides as well as purine ribosides. The Km values of PNPase for inosine were 0.8 mm at 40°C and 2.2 mm at 60°C.
First known case of catatonia due to cyclosporine A-related neurotoxicity in a pediatric patient with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome.

Catatonia is a neuropsychiatric syndrome characterized by diverse psychomotor abnormalities, including motor dysregulation and behavioral and affective disturbances. Once thought to occur primarily in the context of schizophrenia, recent data suggest most cases of catatonia develop in individuals with depressive or bipolar disorders. Moreover, catatonia may ensue in general medical and neurological conditions, as well as due to a variety of pharmaceuticals, drugs of abuse, and toxic agents. At one time considered rare in pediatric patients, evidence now suggests catatonia is both underrecognized and undertreated in this population, where it carries an elevated risk of morbidity and mortality. Here we present the case of a child with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome who developed catatonia due to cyclosporine A-related neurotoxicity. A 9-year-old African-American boy with no psychiatric history and a 9-month history of nephrotic syndrome due to focal segmental glomerulosclerosis was admitted to the local children’s hospital for management of mutism, posturing, insomnia, gait abnormalities, and somatic delusions. Seven days prior to admission, his cyclosporine plasma concentration was elevated at 1224 ng/mL (therapeutic range: 100–200 ng/mL). Upon admission, cyclosporine was discontinued and psychiatry was consulted, diagnosing catatonia. The patient subsequently received propofol 80 mg IV resulting in a transient lysis of catatonia. Over a lengthy hospitalization, the patient’s catatonia was initially treated with lorazepam, quetiapine being added later to target psychosis. All signs and symptoms of catatonia resolved, and the patient was eventually tapered off both lorazepam and quetiapine with no return of symptoms more than 6 months later. To our knowledge, this case represents the first reported instance of cyclosporine A-induced catatonia in a patient with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. It illustrates the importance of maintaining vigilance for signs and symptoms of cyclosporine A-related neurotoxicity (including catatonia) in patients with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. In addition, it highlights the challenges faced by clinicians in jurisdictions that prohibit the use of electroconvulsive therapy in pediatric patients.
Cowpea polyphenol extract regulates galectin gene expression in bovine blood.

Galectins (GAL) are animal lectins that play important roles in the immune response through regulation of homeostasis and immune function. Bioactive polyphenols are able to bind and regulate galect...
Math acceleration in elementary school: Access and effects on student outcomes

Abstract This paper examines curricular acceleration in mathematics during elementary school using administrative data from a large, diverse school district that recently implemented a targeted, test-based acceleration policy. We first characterize access to advanced math and then estimate effects of acceleration in math on measures of short-run academic achievement as well as non-test-score measures of grit, engagement with schoolwork, future plans, and continued participation in the accelerated track. Experiences and effects of math acceleration differ markedly for girls and boys. Girls are less likely to be nominated for math acceleration and perform worse on the qualifying test, relative to boys with equivalent baseline performance. We find negative effects of acceleration on short-run retention of math knowledge for girls, but no such performance decay for boys. After initial exposure to accelerated math, girls are less likely than boys to appear in the accelerated track during late elementary school and at the start of middle school.
Becoming Madam Chancellor: Angela Merkel And The Berlin Republic

Scholars studying gender and the executive branch have devoted considerable attention to documenting how positions of national leadership are highly masculinized, analyzing the hurdles to women see...
27 – Computational Metallurgy

This chapter is an overview on computational material science methods applied to understanding the process–microstructure–property relationships of metallic material systems, or computational metallurgy. The emphasis will be on modeling and predicting the stability (thermodynamics) and the temporal/spatial evolution (kinetics) of microstructures, or computational microstructural science using a combination of electronic/atomistic level first-principles calculations of structures and thermodynamic properties of individual structural phases in a microstructure and interfaces and mesoscale microstructure evolution models.
P/Ca in Carbonates as a Proxy for Alkalinity and Phosphate Levels

Understanding mechanisms, rates, and drivers of past carbonate formation provides insight into the chemical evolution of Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. We paired geological observations with elemental and isotope geochemistry to test potential proxies for calcium‐to‐alkalinity ratios (Ca:ALK). Across diverse carbonate facies from Pleistocene closed‐basin lakes in Owens Valley, CA, we observed less δ^(44/40)Ca variation than theoretically predicted (>0.75‰) for the very low Ca:ALK in these systems. Carbonate clumped isotope disequilibria implied rapid carbonate growth—kinetic isotope effects, combined with the diverse carbonate minerals present, complicated the interpretation of δ^(44/40)Ca as a paleo‐alkalinity proxy. In contrast, we observed that the high phosphate concentrations are recorded by shoreline and lake bottom carbonates formed in eleven Pleistocene lakes at orders of magnitude greater concentrations than in marine carbonates. Because the maximum phosphate content of water depends on Ca:ALK, we propose that carbonate P/Ca can inform phosphate levels and thereby Ca:ALK of aqueous environments in the carbonate record.
Patient Outcomes Following Short-segment Lumbar Fusion Are Not Affected by PI-LL Mismatch.

STUDY DESIGN This is a retrospective cohort study. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to further elucidate the relationship between pelvic incidence-lumbar lordosis (PI-LL) mismatch and surgical outcomes in patients undergoing short segment lumbar fusions for degenerative lumbar disease. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There are few studies examining the relationship between spinopelvic parameters and patient reported outcome measurements (PROMs) in short segment lumbar degenerative disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS A retrospective review was conducted at single academic institution. Patients undergoing 1- or 2-level lumbar fusion were retrospectively identified and separated into 2 groups based on postoperative PI-LL mismatch ≤10 degrees (NM) or PI-LL mismatch >10 degrees (M). Outcomes including the Physical Component Score (PCS)-12, Mental Component Score (MCS)-12, Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Visual Analog Scale (VAS) back and leg scores were analyzed. Absolute PROM scores, the recovery ratio and the percentage of patients achieving minimum clinically important difference between groups were compared and a multiple linear regression analysis was performed. RESULTS A total of 306 patients were included, with 59 patients in the NM group and 247 patients in the M group. Patients in the M group started with a higher degree of PI-LL mismatch compared with the NM group (22.2 vs. 7.6 degrees, P 0.05). In addition, having a PI-LL mismatch was not found to be an independent predictor of any PROM on multivariate analysis (P>0.05). CONCLUSION The findings in this study show that even though patients in the M group had a higher degree of mismatch preoperatively and postoperatively, there was no difference in PROMs. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III.
Gain–loss framing and patients’ decisions: a linguistic examination of information framing in physician–patient conversations

When discussing risks and benefits with cancer patients, physicians could focus on losses such as mortality rates and cancer recurrence or, alternatively, gains such as survival rates and curing cancer. Previous research has shown that the way health information is framed influences individuals' preferences and choices. We operationalized gain-loss framing as physicians' choice of words related to gains (cancer survival), or losses (cancer mortality). In an exploratory analysis, we investigated (a) whether physicians used gain or loss words as a function of their recommendation, (b) whether physicians' choice of words was associated with patients' treatment choices. We analyzed transcribed consultations with male patients who had intermediate-risk prostate cancer. Using an iterative process of gathering and evaluating words, we created gain- and loss-dictionaries. The loss-dictionary included words related to cancer death and cancer progression. The gain-dictionary included words related to survival and cure. Using Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count software, we calculated the number of words related to gains and losses in each transcript. We found that physicians who recommended immediate cancer treatment for prostate cancer (vs. active surveillance) used slightly fewer words related to losses and significantly fewer words related specifically to death from cancer. Further analysis showed that loss words were associated with the patient's choice of immediate cancer treatment. A novel method of automated text analysis showed that physicians' use of loss words was correlated with physicians' recommendations for cancer treatment versus active surveillance. Additionally, loss words in consultations were associated with patients' choice of cancer treatment.
Trust in blockchains: Algorithmic and organizational

Abstract The recent emergence of blockchains has reconceptualized our understanding of crowdfunding, platforms, organization, and governance. The disruption, and disintermediation made possible by blockchains has rightfully received increasing attention from entrepreneurs, and entrepreneurship researchers alike. In this article, I broaden these perspectives by paying particular attention to trust in blockchains, and contrasting it with perspectives on trust from Transaction Cost Economics, Agency Theory, and the Resource Based View. In sum, I compare perspectives on trust in these traditional theories to the conception of trust in blockchains – a mix of algorithmic, and organizational – to offer new insights into the implications of the rise of blockchains.
Convolutional Neural Network Analysis of Social Novelty Preference using DeepLabCut

Abstract The description and quantification of social behavior in laboratory rodents is central to basic and translational research. Conventional ethological approaches to social behavior are fraught with challenges including bias, significant human effort and temporal accuracy. Here we show proof of principle that machine learning can be applied to laboratory tests of social decision making. Rats underwent social novelty preference tests which were scored both by hand and again by a convolutional neural network generated in the DeepLabCut computer vision package of Mathis and colleagues. The CNN generated temporally (30Hz) and locally (
Review of the New World Notomicrus Sharp (Coleoptera, Noteridae) I: Circumscription of species groups and review of the josiahi group with description of a new species from Brazil.

The New World species of the minute aquatic beetle genus Notomicrus Sharp compose a much greater diversity than their Old World congeners, with 14 of the 17 known Notomicrus species occurring in the Neotropics. A recent phylogenetic study recovered four primary New World species groups and found that there are a number of undescribed species across all of these main lineages. Here, we provide a taxonomic key to these New World species groups, including two described species that we currently do not place in any group ("incertae sedis" species), complete with images and illustrations of diagnostic characters and taxonomic notes including a list of known species in each group. This work provides a scaffold for further planned taxonomic revisions within the genus. In addition, we review the first of the four New World groups, the josiahi species group and describe one new taxon, N. interstinctussp. nov. from northern Brazil. Provided are descriptions, habitus images and illustrations of diagnostic characters.
Under pressure: How faculty gender and contract uncertainty impact students’ grades

Abstract Although rising average grades appear to be common at post-secondary institutions in the U.S., there is still little work examining mechanisms driving this increase in grades. This paper uses data from a public research university to examine one mechanism in particular: instructor level incentives that are linked to gender and contract status. We hypothesize that instructors with more job uncertainty due to their rank will be most incentivized to award higher grades, as this may lead to better evaluations of teaching and an increase in retention probability. Our results indicate that students receive higher grades when their class is taught by a female instructor with more job uncertainty than if the class were taught by a tenured female faculty member. These higher grades appear to reflect more lenient grading rather than better preparation for follow-on courses. However, for students taking classes with male instructors, there is no significant difference across instructor rank in grades received. Our results have important implications for thinking about the role faculty contracts may play in affecting grading distributions.
Polygenic basis and the role of genome duplication in adaptation to similar selective environments.

Genetic changes underlying adaptation vary greatly in terms of complexity and, within the same species, genetic responses to similar selective pressures may or may not be the same. We examine both complex (supergene) and simple (SNP) genetic variants occurring in populations of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) independently isolated from ocean access and compared them to each other and to an anadromous below-barrier population representing their ancestral source to search for signatures of both parallel and non-parallel adaptation. All landlocked populations displayed an increased frequency of a large inversion on chromosome Omy05, while three of the four populations exhibited elevated frequencies of another inversion located on chromosome Omy20. In addition, we identified numerous regions outside these two inversions that also show significant shifts in allele frequencies consistent with adaptive evolution. However, there was little concordance among above-barrier populations in these specific genomic regions under selection. In part, the lack of concordance appears to arise from ancestral autopolyploidy in rainbow trout that provides duplicate genomic regions of similar functional composition for selection to act upon. Thus, while selection acting on landlocked populations universally favors the resident ecotype, outside of the major chromosomal inversions, the resulting genetic changes are largely distinct among populations. Our results indicate that selection on standing genetic variation is likely the primary mode of rapid adaptation, and that both supergene complexes and individual loci contribute to adaptive evolution, further highlighting the diversity of adaptive genomic variation involved in complex phenotypic evolution.
Evolution of liver transplant organ allocation policy: Current limitations and future directions.

Evolution of liver transplant organ allocation policy: Current limitations and future directions
A palette of fluorescent proteins optimized for diverse cellular environments

To perform quantitative live cell imaging, investigators require fluorescent reporters that accurately report protein localization and levels, while minimally perturbing the cell. Yet, within the biochemically distinct environments of cellular organelles, popular fluorescent proteins (FPs), including EGFP, can be unreliable for quantitative imaging, resulting in the underestimation of protein levels and incorrect localization. Specifically, within the secretory pathway, significant populations of FPs misfold and fail to fluoresce due to non-native disulphide bond formation. Furthermore, transmembrane FP-fusion constructs can disrupt organelle architecture due to oligomerizing tendencies of numerous common FPs. Here, we describe a powerful set of bright and inert FPs optimized for use in multiple cellular compartments, especially oxidizing environments and biological membranes. Also, we provide new insights into the use of red FPs in the secretory pathway. Our monomeric ‘oxFPs’ finally resolve long-standing, underappreciated and important problems of cell biology and should be useful for a number of applications. Quantitative live cell imaging of protein trafficking suffers from misfolding and inappropriate disulphide bond formation of fluorescent proteins in the secretory pathway. Here, the authors present an optimized collection of fluorescent proteins suitable for use in oxidizing subcellular compartments.
Phenobarbital adsorption from simulated intestinal fluid, U.S.P., and simulated gastric fluid, U.S.P., by two activated charcoals.

Adsorption of phenobarbital from simulated intestinal and gastric fluids by two activated charcoals was studied. Adsorption isotherm data were analyzed by the linearized Langmuir equation and by nonlinear least-squares regression employing both Langmuir and Freundlich models. These analyses indicated differences in the capacities of the two charcoals for phenobarbital which could not be completely explained by surface-area considerations.
Dynamo action in the ionosphere and motions of the magnetospheric plasma: III. The pedersen conductivity, generalized to take account of acceleration of the neutral gas

Abstract The generalized Pedersen conductivity is calculated by taking into account the mass motion of neutral particles in typical ionospheric conditions. It is shown that for electrostatic fields of periods more than 6 hr the generalized Pedersen conductivity is significantly less than the well-known Pedersen conductivity beyond 150 km in altitude. This suggests that the mass motion of neutral particles (namely a wind) is generated by the interaction between the charged particles and the neutral particles, resulting in dynamo action. The importance of this apparent reduction of the conductivity is discussed in the transmission of an electrostatic field from the magnetosphere (or from the dynamo effective region of the ionosphere) to the upper ionosphere.
Addressing diverse learning styles through the use of multimedia

The paper presents preliminary results of a study conducted to discern ways in which multimedia can be used to address the needs of a variety of student learners. The learning styles of students in an introductory material and energy class were evaluated and classified based according to B.S. Soloman's (1992) inventory of learning styles' four dimensions: processing (active/reflective), perception (sensing/intuitive), input (visual/verbal) and understanding (sequential/global). Students in the class used 3 multimedia based software programs developed in our laboratory. The paper presents examples of these and other multimedia programs to demonstrate the effectiveness of multimedia in addressing the learning styles typically neglected by traditional teaching methods. For example: active learners appreciate the use of movies and interaction; sensors benefit from additional reviews of abstract material, and appreciate the demonstrations; visual students appreciate the movies as well as the visual navigation scheme; global learners prefer placing the new material within a greater context. Future work will include the use of more refined surveys and individual follow up interviews that will provide the needed insight to develop guidelines for the effective use of multimedia.
Long-Term Isothermal Aging Effects on Carbon Fabric-Reinforced PMR-15 Composites: Compression Strength

A study was conducted to determine the effects of long-term isothermal thermo-oxidative aging on the compressive properties of T-650-35 fabric reinforced PMR-15 composites. The temperatures that were studied were 204, 260, 288, 316, and 343 C. Specimens of different geometries were evaluated. Cut edge-to-surface ratios of 0.03 to 0.89 were fabricated and aged. Aging times extended to a period in excess of 15,000 hours for the lower temperature runs. The unaged and aged specimens were tested in compression in accordance with ASTM D-695. Both thin and thick (plasma) specimens were tested. Three specimens were tested at each time/temperature/geometry condition. The failure modes appeared to be initiated by fiber kinking with longitudinal, interlaminar splitting. In general, it appears that the thermo-oxidative degradation of the compression strength of the composite material may occur by both thermal (time-dependent) and oxidative (weight-loss) mechanisms. Both mechanisms appear to be specimen-thickness dependent.
Involvement of interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme in apoptosis of irradiated retinoblastomas.

Purpose To investigate whether interleukin-1beta-converting enzyme (ICE), a mammalian homologue of the Caenorhabditis elegans cell death gene ced-3, is involved in gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis (programmed cell death) of human retinoblastoma cells. Methods The induction of apoptotic cell death in human retinoblastoma cell lines WERI-Rb-1 and Y79 by gamma-irradiation was determined with a modified 3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide colorimetric assay and the DNA-binding fluorochrome bis (benzimide) trihydro-chloride (Hoechst 33258) staining. The change of ICE protein level in tumor cells during apoptosis was determined by immunoblotting assay. Whether the specific tetrapeptide ICE inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CMK affected gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis in tumor cells was also examined. The effect of ICE overexpression on tumor cells was evaluated by a transient transfection assay using ICE expression vector. Results Gamma-irradiation inhibited the cell viability of WERI-Rb-1 and Y79 cells in a dose-dependent manner and induced apoptosis. The protein level of ICE was remarkably enhanced after the treatment. The apoptotic cell death induced by gamma-irradiation was suppressed by the tetrapeptide ICE inhibitor Ac-YVAD-CMK. Moreover, overexpression of ICE induced apoptosis in tumor cells. Conclusions These findings suggest that ICE may play an important role in gamma-irradiation-induced apoptosis in retinoblastoma cells. Transfer of the ICE gene induces apoptosis in these cells without gamma-irradiation.