cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Principal Leadership in Low-Performing Schools A Closer Look Through the Eyes of Teachers

This qualitative study of teachers in three low-performing elementary schools in Chicago reveals that transformational leadership behaviors were important to teacher motivation, affecting whether they believed that they could improve student performance as the accountability policy required. The findings suggest that principal leadership is critical to turning around low-performing schools. Implications include developing policies to hire principals with proven track records and increasing the capacity of current principals to ensure that they are able to support and motivate teachers in low-performing schools.
Occurrence of increased arterial stiffness in a cohort of adult patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus when compared to normoglycemic controls.

Objectives:The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among patients with type 1 diabetes is underestimated. This study was conducted to assess the cardiovascular risk by comparing arterial stif...
Digoxin and Reduction in Mortality and Hospitalization in Heart Failure: A Comprehensive Post-Hoc Analysis of the DIG Trial

Aims To determine the effects of digoxin on all-cause mortality and heart failure (HF) hospitalizations, regardless of ejection fraction, accounting for serum digoxin concentration (SDC). Methods and results This comprehensive post-hoc analysis of the randomized controlled Digitalis Investigation Group trial ( n =7788) focuses on 5548 patients: 1687 with SDC, drawn randomly at 1 month, and 3861 placebo patients, alive at 1 month. Overall, 33% died and 31% had HF hospitalizations during a 40-month median follow-up. Compared with placebo, SDC 0.5–0.9 ng/mL was associated with lower mortality [29 vs. 33% placebo; adjusted hazard ratio (AHR), 0.77; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.67–0.89], all-cause hospitalizations (64 vs. 67% placebo; AHR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.78–0.92) and HF hospitalizations (23 vs. 33% placebo; AHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.54–0.72). SDC≥1.0 ng/mL was associated with lower HF hospitalizations (29 vs. 33% placebo; AHR, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.59–0.79), without any effect on mortality. SDC 0.5–0.9 reduced mortality in a wide spectrum of HF patients and had no interaction with ejection fraction >45% ( P =0.834) or sex ( P =0.917). Conclusions Digoxin at SDC 0.5–0.9 ng/mL reduces mortality and hospitalizations in all HF patients, including those with preserved systolic function. At higher SDC, digoxin reduces HF hospitalization but has no effect on mortality or all-cause hospitalizations.
Real-time estimates of differential signal phase for spaceborne systems using FPGAs

The high cost and inaccessibility of spaceborne systems necessitates the adaptation of computing resources based on changes in environmental conditions. In this paper, a new, adaptive phase difference detection circuit that can be implemented in reconfigurable hardware is described. This circuit measures both phase changes of a single signal over time and phase drifts between two associated signals. This information can be used for anomaly detection for a variety of spaceborne applications, eliminating the need to transmit data for further terrestrial processing. We demonstrate the benefit of this adaptive circuit using a new state-of-the-art data acquisition system developed for the NASA Surface Water Ocean Topography (SWOT) project. Phase calculations with an error of less than 2% are determined using our adaptive approach.
QCD corrections to associated t anti-t h production at the Tevatron

We present in detail the calculation of the O(alpha_s^3)inclusive total cross section for the process (p pbar-> t tbar h) in the Standard Model, at the Tevatron center-of-mass energy sqrt(s_H)=2 TeV. The next-to-leading order QCD corrections significantly reduce the renormalization and factorization scale dependence of the Born cross section. They slightly decrease or increase the Born cross section depending on the values of the renormalization and factorization scales
The successive approximation procedure for finite-time optimal control of bilinear systems

It is shown that the successive approximation procedure simplifies computations of the optimal solution of a bilinear-quadratic optimal control problem. On the contrary to the results of Hofer and Tibken (1985) where the optimal solution has been obtained in terms of a sequence of the differential Riccati equations, in the presented method only solutions of a sequence of the differential Lyapunov equations are required. A chemical reactor example is used to demonstrate the efficiency of the new method. >
Parameterized Uncertainty Model Using a Genetic Algorithm With Application to an Electro-Hydraulic Valve Control System

This work proposes a new method of determining a parameterization of an uncertainty model using a genetic algorithm. A genetic algorithm is used in a unique way to solve the non-convex parameterization problem in this work. The methods presented here are demonstrated on an electrohydraulic valve control system problem. This demonstration includes parameterizing an uncertainty class determined from test data for 30 replications of an electrohydraulic flow control valve. The parameterization of the uncertainty is used to analyze the robust stability of a control system for a class of valves.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Chlamydia Trachomatis: Antibiotic Sensitivity and Chemotherapy

Physicians initiate antibiotic treatment of presumed chlamydial infection for one of several reasons. Most often, recognition of a clinical syndrome known to be associated with Chlamydia, such as nongonococcal urethritis (NGU) [1] or mucopurulent cervicitis [2], leads to treatment. In this circumstance, treatment cannot be regarded as specific, since Chlamydia causes only 40%-50% of cases of NGU [1] and only 30%-40% of cases of mucopurulent cervicitis [2]. Treatment of the sexual contacts of men with NGU or women with mucopurulent cervicitis results in other patients with chlamydial infections being given antibiotics. Again, treatment in this instance, although warranted by the high prevalence of infection in these groups [3, 4], cannot be regarded as specific. The frequent coexistence of chlamydial infection in patients with gonorrhea has led to recommendations that heterosexual patients with gonorrhea be given antibiotic treatment that will also be effective against Chlamydia [5]. And finally, although Chlamydia cultures are not yet widely available, some patients are identified on the basis of a positive screening culture rather than by the presence of signs and symptoms. Screening of high-risk populations suggests that at least one-third of infected men and probably the majority of infected women can be identified only by screening cultures [6-9].
Emotion Malleability Beliefs Influence the Spontaneous Regulation of Social Anxiety

The current study examined how manipulating individuals’ beliefs about emotion’s malleability influences the choices they make in how they spontaneously regulate their anxiety during a stressful social situation. Participants were randomly assigned to receive either an experimental manipulation that emotions are malleable or that emotions are fixed then completed an impromptu, brief speech task designed to elicit anxiety. We predicted that participants in the malleable emotion condition, compared to those in the fixed condition, would engage in more cognitive reappraisal to change the unfolding of an emotion earlier in the emotion generative process; we predicted that participants in the fixed emotion condition would engage in more expressive suppression, a late stage regulation strategy. Consistent with these predictions, participants in the malleable condition reported spontaneously engaging in more cognitive reappraisal during the stressful speech task, although this greater use of reappraisal was not significantly associated with a decrease in negative affect. These results suggest that beliefs about emotion malleability can systematically influence subsequent emotion regulatory behavior.
Of Mack Trucks, Road Bugs, Gilmore and Danzig: Happy Birthday Hadley v. Baxendale

There is plenty to justify the appellation "fixed star" for the great case of Hadley v. Baxendale other than just its historical importance for having established the basic structure for lost expectation damages for breach of contract. Although in its practical application the stringency of the foreseeability principle has declined steadily over the years as contracting has become more standardized and uniform, it still mightily serves the law of contract in discouraging outrageous claims for remote damages, in providing trial courts with a basis for summarily dismissing such claims when they are made, in providing a flexible guideline in instructing juries charged with deciding hard contract damage cases, and even in acting as a misused surrogate to achieve equitable results when the customary safeguards against excessive damage recoveries have failed. So "Happy 150th Birthday" old Hadley, and here is wishing you many, many more. Although you may not be what you used to be, or even what many thought you were, none of the rest of us is either, in either case.
Transient laminar cross-flow over a rigid cantilever plate

A time-dependent numerical study of the laminar cross-flow over a rigid cantilever plate of infinitesimal thickness is presented. Emphasis is on the temporal development of flow features in order to clarify the relevant physical mechanisms involved in the interaction of the shear layer with a bluff body and as a baseline for further studies in Fluid-Structure Interaction (FSI). A parametric study is conducted that considers a range of Reynolds numbers and geometric parameters. Results will be compared with those published in the literature for the steady-state case. Boundary layer formation and the surface shear stress distribution are of particular interest, as they relate to the separation phenomena and to the shedding of vortices from the plate. Insight into these mechanisms will aid in the understanding of Blade-Vortex Interaction (BVI) and contribute to the knowledge of flow energy harvesting.
The Nested Model of Well-Being: A Unified Approach:

Although well-being is a central topic in psychology in general and positive psychology in particular, it remains somewhat nebulous and more work is required to foster conceptual clarity that will ...
Management of fecal incontinence - focus on a vaginal insert for bowel control

Fecal incontinence, also referred to as accidental bowel leakage, is a debilitating condition that impacts quality of life in a significant number of women. Current treatments for fecal incontinence include behavioral modification, biofeedback, drug therapy, and invasive surgical procedures. However, these treatments have suboptimal efficacy due to patient adherence, variability of presentation across patients, cost, and additional health risks. A vaginal bowel control system (Eclipse™ System) was developed to offer a low-risk, effective, and patient-managed approach to treating accidental bowel leakage. The vaginal bowel control system consists of a vaginal insert and user-controlled, pressure-regulated pump. Once inflated, the balloon of the vaginal insert is directed posteriorly to occlude the rectum, allowing the woman to immediately regain control of bowel function. This article will introduce the design evolution and feasibility studies of the Eclipse System. In addition, this review will discuss the results from a recent clinical trial that demonstrated the safety and efficacy of the vaginal bowel control system in managing fecal incontinence and other symptoms of bowel dysfunction.
Looking beneath the surface: the cell death pathway of Fas/APO-1 (CD95).

The biochemical basis of programmed cell death is poorly understood in mammals. The cell surface receptor Fas/APO-1 (CD95) is one molecule known to be central to a number of mammalian cell death processes. Several studies in the past year have led to insights about the role of Fas/APO-1 in vivo and have also given some clues about the biochemical components of the Fas/APO-1 death pathway. This article reviews those studies and discuss models of Fas/APO-1 signaling and function Cell death occurs as a normal process in a wide variety of developmental and homeostatic contexts in metazoan organisms (1); it represents the timely and appropriate fate for many or even the majority of cells born in certain organ systems. Despite the importance and ubiquitous nature of such physiologic, or “programmed”, cell death, little is known about the molecular events that mediate this process. That a conserved biochemical pathway exists is suggested by the observation that programmed cell death is almost always accompanied by a consistent set of morphologic changes, an appearance known as apoptosis (2). The identification of the genes that control programmed cell death in higher eukaryotes has been hampered by several inherent difficulties. First, the genetic tools so useful in dissecting cell death pathways in Caenorhabditis elegans (3) and Drosophila (4) have not been available in higher eukaryotes. Second, the death-inducing properties of such genes makes genetic selection an impractical means of identification. Third, it appears that many cell death genes are constitutively expressed and present in an inactive form (5), making it unlikely that they could be discovered by techniques relying upon differential gene expression. Finally, genes identified by virtue of an ability to induce death when overexpressed must be subjected to rigorous criteria to determine whether the cell death is of physiologic importance, since it is likely that overexpression of certain proteins may lead to toxic effects that are distinct from the in vivo roles of those proteins. Two approaches to date have yielded the most information about cell death processes: (i) identification of cell death genes by classical genetic means coupled with characterization of their mammalian homologs and (ii) screening for proteins capable of inducing cell death directly in mammalian cells. The Fas antigen/APO-1 is an example of a protein discovered using the latter approach, as it was first discovered as an inducer of cell death and later shown to be necessary and sufficient for certain programmed deaths in vivo. More recent studies have connected Fas to elements of cell death pathways in other species. It has been proposed that Fas is related to the Drosophila cell death protein Reaper, and that in signaling cell death Fas relies upon a relative of the C. elegans cell death protein CED-3. Fas may therefore represent an evolutionarily conserved component of a universal cell death pathway
Employee Health Services Integration: Meeting the Challenge: Successful Program

1. The first step of a successful Employee Health Service integration is to have a plan supported by management. The plan must be presented to the employees prior to implementation in a "user friendly" manner. 2. Prior to computerization of employee health records, a record order system must be developed to prevent duplication and to enhance organization. 3. Consistency of services offered must be maintained. Each employee must have the opportunity to receive the same service. Complexity of services will determine the site of delivery. 4. Integration is a new and challenging development for the health care field. Flexibility and brainstorming are necessary in an attempt to meet both employee and employer needs.
Hemodynamic Parameters during Laryngoscopic Procedures in the Office and in the Operating Room.

ObjectivePrevious research has shown that office-based laryngoscopic procedures can induce hemodynamic changes, including tachycardia and severe hypertension, calling into question the safety of these procedures. However, comparison between office and operating room (OR) procedures has not been carried out. Therefore, we prospectively measured hemodynamic variables in both settings to compare hemodynamic changes between office and OR procedures.Study DesignProspective cohort study.SettingSingle academic center.Subjects and MethodsSubjects undergoing office and OR laryngoscopic procedures were prospectively identified, and 92 OR and 70 office subjects were included. Heart rate and blood pressure were measured at established time points before, during, and after the procedures. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were conducted.ResultsSevere hemodynamic events, either tachycardia or severe hypertension (blood pressure >180 mm Hg systolic or >110 mm Hg diastolic), occurred significantly more fre...
Biomarkers for Individualized Oral Cancer Therapy

This chapter focuses on personalized medicine for oral cancer, with emphasis on selection of current and future therapies. Specifically, treatment selection of radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery and customized strategies for selection of targeted therapy are discussed. Worldwide, head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer by incidence and the fifth most common cause of cancer-related deaths. More than 90 % of oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), which are the focus of this chapter. SCC arises from the oral cavity including lip, oropharynx/tonsil, larynx, and hypopharynx. The risk factors for SCC are tobacco, alcohol, and human papillomavirus 16 (HPV16). HPV-positive SCC usually occurs in the oropharynx, and HPV-negative SCC usually occurs in the oral cavity, larynx, and hypopharynx. Personalized medicine is customization of treatment to the individual patient. The goals of personalized medicine are to improve clinical outcome, reduce side effects, and decrease expenses. Currently personalized medicine in oral cancer is based on tumor stage and location, but not tumor biology. Unfortunately, two patients with similar tumor stage may respond differently to the same therapy. Identification at the time of diagnosis of an early-stage lesion that will behave aggressively will facilitate selection of appropriate aggressive treatment at the time of initial diagnosis. However, aggressive treatment is not appropriate for all early-stage lesions due to toxicity of treatment. Although targeted treatment has been developed for SCC, it is not used in a customized approach. This chapter discusses evolving approaches to customize therapy based on the biology of the individual tumor. Furthermore, targeted therapy and potential biomarkers to match therapy to patients are also discussed.
Cultural Affects on Product Choice: An Empirical Study

Culture along with demographic profile, life style and economic well being of consumers effects product choices. The most important difference between Western, Eastern and Pacific cultures may be the economic factors which determine the buying power of consumers. Many products which are available to consumers in Western cultures may not be available in Eastern cultures because of lack of buying power. As a result, consumers in different regions may not be able to satisfy their needs although they are willing to do so.
Differentiation of Staphylococcus Species by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based DNA Fingerprinting

Genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) of Staphylococcus species was analyzed by polymerase chain reaction-based (PCR-based) DNA fingerprinting to distinguish between species. A total of 123 staphylococci isolated from bovine mammary secretions, and nine type strains representing eight species were evaluated. Amplified DNA fragments were categorized as either primary, secondary or variable fragments. Primary [optical density > 0.3 absorbance units (AU)] and secondary fragments (optical density > 0.12 AU) were observed in all isolates within a species. Infrequent DNA fragments were designated as variable fragments (optical density > 0.12 AU). Profiles were discrete and reproducible for each species. A simple identification scheme was developed based on the occurrence of primary and secondary DNA fragments for a species. A computer integrated scanning laser densitometer was utilized to store, retrieve, compare and evaluate DNA fingerprint profiles. This permitted rapid and accurate evaluation of staphylococcal isolates. Results of this study suggest that PCR-based DNA fingerprinting is suitable for typing Staphylococcus species of bovine origin. This technique could be of value to researchers and clinicians involved in the study of bacteria isolated from food, humans and animals.
Adaptive Memory Projection Methods for Integer Programming

Projection methods, which hold selected variables fixed while manipulating others, have a particularly useful role in metaheuristic procedures, especially in connection with large scale optimization and parallelization approaches. This role is enriched by adaptive memory processes of tabu search, which provide a collection of easily stated strategies to uncover improved solutions during the course of the search. Within the context of pure and mixed integer programming, we show that intensification and diversification processes for adaptive memory projection can be supported in several ways, including the introduction of pseudo-cut inequalities that additionally focus the search. We describe how the resulting procedures can be embedded in constructive multistart methods as well as in progressive improvement methods, and how they can benefit by the application of target analysis.
The Radical Crescent: The United States, the Palestine Liberation Organisation, and the Lebanese Civil War, 1973–1978

ABSTRACTThis analysis examines the efforts by the Palestine Liberation Organisation [PLO] to formalise relations with the United States before and after the October 1973 Arab–Israeli War. It details the public and private attempts by PLO Chairman Yasir Arafat to present the organisation as a legitimate partner for negotiations with Israel. However, the American secretary of state and national security advisor, Henry Kissinger, hindered the PLO’s diplomatic initiatives during the Richard M. Nixon and Gerald R. Ford administrations. Kissinger viewed the PLO as an impediment to his efforts to resolve the Arab–Israeli conflict through separate peace agreements, rather than a comprehensive solution. Despite Washington’s objections to the PLO, the organisation had regional and international legitimacy, its stature aided by its political and ideological allies. Yet these ties also contributed to the PLO’s involvement in the Lebanese civil war. Kissinger encouraged Syria’s June 1976 invasion of Lebanon to weaken,...
Writing and Reading Knowledge of Spanish/English Second-Generation Bilinguals.

Written bilingualism represents a particular type of bilingualism that is not frequently approached. The aim of this study was to investigate the writing and reading abilities of second-generation immigrants, Spanish–English bilinguals in South Florida. 58 participants (36 females, 22 males; 18–39 years of age) were selected. Both parents were native Spanish speakers and the home language was Spanish; 37 were born in the United States and 21 were born in a Latin American country, but arrived to the US before the age of 10. Equivalent reading and writing tests were administered both in Spanish and English. Performance was significantly higher in English than in Spanish in the following tests: reading aloud (speed and errors), writing sentences, spontaneous writing number of words, and spontaneous writing errors (spelling and grammatical). When comparing those participants born in the US and abroad, no significant differences were found in Spanish, but in English; participants born in the US did better in reading aloud (errors), and spontaneous writing errors (spelling and grammatical). It was concluded that reading and writing abilities are in general higher in English than in Spanish in this group of bilinguals, which is correlated with the language used in the school they attended. This study emphasize the importance to analyze not only oral but also written bilingualism. Toward the future, it would be particularly important to study written bilingualism in other types of bilingualism.
Mapping seagrass and colonized hard bottom in Springs Coast, Florida using WorldView-2 satellite imagery

Abstract The offshore extent of seagrass habitat along the West Florida (USA) coast represents an important corridor for inshore-offshore migration of economically important fish and shellfish. Surviving at the fringe of light requirements, offshore seagrass beds are sensitive to changes in water clarity. Beyond and intermingled with the offshore seagrass areas are large swaths of colonized hard bottom. These offshore habitats of the West Florida coast have lacked mapping efforts needed for status and trends monitoring. The objective of this study was to propose an object-based classification method for mapping offshore habitats and to compare results to traditional photo-interpreted maps. Benthic maps were created from WorldView-2 satellite imagery using an Object Based Image Analysis (OBIA) method and a visual photo-interpretation method. A logistic regression analysis identified depth and distance from shore as significant parameters for discriminating spectrally similar seagrass and colonized hard bottom features. Seagrass, colonized hard bottom and unconsolidated sediment (sand) were mapped with 78% overall accuracy using the OBIA method compared to 71% overall accuracy using the photo-interpretation method. This study suggests an alternative for mapping deeper, offshore habitats capable of producing higher thematic and spatial resolution maps compared to those created with the traditional photo-interpretation method.
Homologous Prime-Boost Vaccination with OVA Entrapped in Self-Adjuvanting Archaeosomes Induces High Numbers of OVA-Specific CD8+ T Cells that Protect Against Subcutaneous B16-OVA Melanoma

Homologous prime-boost vaccinations with live vectors typically fail to induce repeated strong CD8+ T cell responses due to the induction of anti-vector immunity, highlighting the need for alternative delivery vehicles. The unique ether lipids of archaea may be constituted into liposomes, archaeosomes, which do not induce anti-carrier responses, making them an ideal candidate for use in repeat vaccination systems. Herein, we evaluated in mice the maximum threshold of antigen-specific CD8+ T cell responses that may be induced by multiple homologous immunizations with ovalbumin (OVA) entrapped in archaeosomes derived from the ether glycerolipids of the archaeon Methanobrevibacter smithii (MS-OVA). Up to three immunizations with MS-OVA administered in optimized intervals (to allow for sufficient resting of the primed cells prior to boosting), induced a potent anti-OVA CD8+ T cell response of up to 45% of all circulating CD8+ T cells. Additional MS-OVA injections did not add any further benefit in increasing the memory of CD8+ T cell frequency. In contrast, OVA expressed by Listeria monocytogenes (LM-OVA), an intracellular bacterial vector failed to evoke a boosting effect after the second injection, resulting in significantly reduced antigen-specific CD8+ T cell frequencies. Furthermore, repeated vaccination with MS-OVA skewed the response increasingly towards an effector memory (CD62low) phenotype. Vaccinated animals were challenged with B16-OVA at late time points after vaccination (+7 months) and were afforded protection compared to control. Therefore, archaeosomes constituted a robust particulate delivery system to unravel the kinetics of CD8+ T cell response induction and memory maintenance and constitute an efficient vaccination regimen optimized for tumor protection.
Find Your Fulfillment: Winning Habits of Highly Fulfilled Leaders

Fulfillment is not a place we go to; it is a place we all come from. The image of the path or the journey could be misleading for all paths are paths away from home. The self-discovery of fulfillment is from here to here. Real fulfillment is about transforming our search for success into a discovery of profound meaning and significance for life and leadership. This transition to “significance”, which is nurtured from within, is not about “acquiring” anything new; it is a matter of “re-discovering” what we already have. It is about belonging, not belongings. Significance is defined in terms of finding one’s real place and purpose in life and in terms of one’s contribution to the common good.
Mechanisms of resistance to topoisomerase inhibitors

Topoisomerases have been established to be important targets for many chemotherapeutic drugs, including anticancer drugs (reviewed in [1,2]). In order to understand drug resistance mechanisms of cancer cells, it is crucial to understand the cytotoxic mechanisms of topoisomerase-directed anticancer drugs. Topoisomerase activities are known to be important for many aspects of DNA metabolism, including DNA replication, RNA transcription, recombination, mitosis, and chromosome condensation [3–9]. Topoisomerases catalyze the interconversions of various topological isomers of DNA [10–15]. Based on differences in their fundamental mechanisms of action, topoisomerases have been classified into two types [13,16]. Type I DNA topoisomerases catalyze the breakage/reunion of the DNA double helix by introducing transient single-strand breaks and change the DNA linking number in multiples of one (reviewed in [15]). Type II DNA topoisomerases catalyze the topological crossing of two double helices by introducing transient double-strand breaks and change the DNA linking number in steps of two (reviewed in [15]).
Molecular phylogenetics and dating of the problematic New Guinea microhylid frogs (Amphibia: Anura) reveals elevated speciation rates and need for taxonomic reclassification

Abstract Asterophryinae is a large monophyletic subfamily of Anurans containing over 300 species distributed across one of the world's most geologically active areas – New Guinea and its satellite islands, Australia and the Philippines. The tremendous ecological and morphological diversity of this clade, with apparent specializations for burrowing, terrestrial, semi-aquatic, and arboreal lifestyle, suggests an evolutionary process of adaptive radiation. Despite this spectacular diversity, this and many other questions of evolutionary processes have received little formal study because until now the phylogeny of this spececies-rich clade has remained uncertain. Here we reconstruct a phylogeny for Asterophryinae with greatly increased taxon and genetic sampling relative to prior studies. We use Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference methods to produce the most robust and comprehensive phylogeny to date containing 155 species using 3 nuclear and 2 mitochondrial loci. We also perform a time calibration analysis to estimate the age of the clade. We find support for the monophyly of Asterophryinae as well as need for taxonomic reclassification of several genera. Furthermore, we find increased rates of speciation across the clade supporting the hypothesis of rapid radiation. Lastly, we found that adding taxa to the analysis produced more robust phylogenetic results over adding loci.
DOES WHERE YOU GO DEPEND ON WHENCE YOU COME?Institutions and FDI in the Petroleum Industry

We study how home-country institutions influence multinationals’ foreign direct investment locational strategies. We argue that the influence of home institutions is stronger when home countries ha...
Characterization of cell-free circulating tumor DNA in patients with brain metastases.

2023Background: Brain metastases are the most common malignant brain tumor and a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. As patients live longer from more effective systemic therapies, they are at increased risk of developing brain metastases. Genetic profiling of tumor tissue allows for targeted therapy, though biopsy of brain metastases is not always feasible. Cell-free circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) testing carries diagnostic potential for targeted therapy without the need for repeat biopsies, and the ability to rapidly respond to changes in the molecular profile. Methods: 37 patients with brain metastases (15 lung, 12 breast, 5 ovarian, 3 renal, 2 melanoma) were tested prospectively with the Guardant360 ctDNA panel at a CLIA-certified, CAP-accredited clinical laboratory. Samples were analyzed for amplifications in 18 genes, single nucleotide variants in 68 genes, and select fusions, rearrangements and indels. Results: 29/37 (78.4%) patients tested harbored at least one detectable genomic alterati...
Psychopathic traits and politics: examining affiliation, support of political issues, and the role of empathy

Abstract The relation of psychopathy to morality has been extensively examined, yet few studies have considered relations to political attitudes, which involve moral decision-making. We examined how psychopathic traits relate to political affiliation and opinions on political issues, using the triarchic conceptualization of psychopathy (Patrick, Fowles, & Krueger, 2009) and testing empathy components as mediators. Interpersonal-affective (Boldness and Meanness) traits were higher in Republicans compared to Democrats. Moreover, Boldness was associated with conservative opinions on economic issues, while Meanness evinced stronger relations to conservative opinions on social issues. Triarchic domains also evidenced unique associations to issues concerning minorities or discrimination. Further, empathy mediated relations between Meanness and decreased support for certain issues (e.g., affirmative action). Overall, psychopathy, particularly the interpersonal-affective traits, appear pertinent to political attitudes, while empathy deficits may statistically account for unique effects of Meanness.
PACAP38-Mediated Bladder Afferent Nerve Activity Hyperexcitability and Ca 2+ Activity in Urothelial Cells from Mice

Pituitary adenylate cyclase-activating polypeptide (PACAP; Adcyap1) and its cognate PAC1 receptor (Adcyap1r1) have tissue-specific distributions in the lower urinary tract (LUT). The afferent limb of the micturition reflex is often compromised following bladder injury, disease, and inflammatory conditions. We have previously demonstrated that PACAP signaling contributes to increased voiding frequency and decreased bladder capacity with cystitis. Thus, the present studies investigated the sensory components (e.g., urothelial cells, bladder afferent nerves) of the urinary bladder that may underlie the pathophysiology of aberrant PACAP activation. We utilized bladder-pelvic nerve preparations and urothelial sheet preparations to characterize PACAP-induced bladder afferent nerve discharge with distention and PACAP-induced Ca2+ activity, respectively. We determined that PACAP38 (100 nM) significantly (p ≤ 0.01) increased bladder afferent nerve activity with distention that was blocked with a PAC1/VPAC2 receptor antagonist PACAP6-38 (300 nM). PACAP38 (100 nM) also increased Ca2+ activity in urothelial cells over that observed in control preparations. Taken together, these results establish a role for PACAP signaling in bladder sensory components (e.g., urothelial cells, bladder afferent nerves) that may ultimately facilitate increased voiding frequency.
Microglia priming by interleukin-6 signaling is enhanced in aged mice

Abstract During peripheral infection, excessive production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the aged brain from primed microglia induces exaggerated behavioral pathologies. While the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-6 increases in the brain with age, its role in microglia priming is not known. This study examined the functional role of IL-6 signaling on microglia priming. Our hypothesis is that IL-6 signaling mediates primed states of microglia in the aged. An initial study assessed age-related alteration in IL-6 signaling molecules; sIL-6R and sgp130 were measured in cerebrospinal fluid of young and aged wild-type animals. Subsequent studies of isolated microglia from C57BL6/J (IL-6+/+) and IL-6 knock-out (IL-6−/−) mice showed significantly less MHC-II expression in aged IL-6−/− compared to IL-6+/+ counterparts. Additionally, adult and aged IL-6+/+ and IL-6−/− animals were administered lipopolysaccharide (LPS) to simulate a peripheral infection; sickness behaviors and hippocampal cytokine gene expression were measured over a 24 h period. Aged IL-6−/− animals were resilient to LPS-induced sickness behaviors and recovered more quickly than IL-6+/+ animals. The age-associated baseline increase of IL-1β gene expression was ablated in aged IL-6−/− mice, suggesting IL-6 is a key driver of cytokine activity from primed microglia in the aged brain. We employed in vitro studies to understand molecular mechanisms in priming factors. MHC-II and pro-inflammatory gene expression (IL-1β, IL-10, IL-6) were measured after treating BV.2 microglia with sIL-6R and IL-6 or IL-6 alone. sIL-6R enhanced expression of both pro-inflammatory genes and MHC-II. Taken together, these data suggest IL-6 expression throughout life is involved in microglia priming and increased amounts of IL-6 following peripheral LPS challenge are involved in exaggerated sickness behaviors in the aged.
Effect of Ultrasonic Vibration on Interlayer Adhesion in Fused Filament Fabrication 3D Printed ABS

One of the fundamental issues in the Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) additive manufacturing process lies in the mechanical property anisotropy where the strength of the FFF-3D printed part in the build-direction can be significantly lower than that in other directions. The physical phenomenon that governs this issue is the coupled effect of macroscopic thermal mechanical issues associated with the thermal history of the interface, and the microscopic effect of the polymer microstructure and mass transfer across interfaces. In this study it was found that the use of 34.4 kHz ultrasonic vibrations during FFF-3D printing results in an increase of up to 10% in the interlayer adhesion in Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), comparing the printing in identical thermal conditions to that in conventional FFF printing. This increase in the interlayer adhesion strength is attributed to the increase in polymer reptation due to ultrasonic vibration-induced relaxation of the polymer chains from secondary interactions in the interface regions.
True Autonomy/False Dichotomies? Genderqueer Kids and the Myth of the Quick Fix.

In her article “Transgender Children and the Right to Transition,” Maura Priest (2019) makes a compelling argument for why transgender children have a fundamental and legal right to access puberty-...
Broadband sound propagation in a seagrass meadow throughout a diurnal cycle

Acoustic propagation measurements were conducted in a Thalassia testudinum meadow in the Lower Laguna Madre, a shallow bay on the Texas Gulf of Mexico coast. A piezoelectric source transmitted frequency-modulated chirps (0.1 to 100 kHz) over a 24-h period during which oceanographic probes measured environmental parameters including dissolved oxygen and solar irradiance. Compared to a nearby less vegetated area, the received level was lower by as much as 30 dB during the early morning hours. At the peak of photosynthesis-driven bubble production in the late afternoon, an additional decrease in level of 11 dB was observed.
Towards successful digital transformation through co-creation: a longitudinal study of a four-year implementation of digital monitoring technology in residential care for persons with dementia.

Implementation of digital monitoring technology systems is considered beneficial for increasing the safety and quality of care for residents in nursing homes and simultaneously improving care providers’ workflow. Co-creation is a suitable approach for developing and implementing digital technologies and transforming the service accordingly. This study aimed to identify the facilitators and barriers for implementation of digital monitoring technology in residential care for persons with dementia and wandering behaviour, and explore co-creation as an implementation strategy and practice. In this longitudinal case study, we observed and elicited the experiences of care providers and healthcare managers in eight nursing homes, in addition to those of the information technology (IT) support services and technology vendors, during a four-year implementation process. We were guided by theories on innovation, implementation and learning, as well as co-creation and design. The data were analysed deductively using a determinants of innovation framework, followed by an inductive content analysis of interview and observation data. The implementation represented radical innovation and required far more resources than the incremental changes anticipated by the participants. Five categories of facilitators and barriers were identified, including several subcategories for each category: 1) Pre-implementation preparations; 2) Implementation strategy; 3) Technology stability and usability; 4) Building competence and organisational learning; and 5) Service transformation and quality management. The combination of IT infrastructure instability and the reluctance of the IT support service to contribute in co-creating value with the healthcare services was the most persistent barrier. Overall, the co-creation methodology was the most prominent facilitator, resulting in a safer night monitoring service. Successful implementation of novel digital monitoring technologies in the care service is a complex and time-consuming process and even more so when the technology allows care providers to radically transform clinical practices at the point of care, which offers new affordances in the co-creation of value with their residents. From a long-term perspective, the digital transformation of municipal healthcare services requires more advanced IT competence to be integrated directly into the management and provision of healthcare and value co-creation with service users and their relatives.
Zero-sum subsequences in bounded-sum {−r,s}-sequences

Abstract We study the problem of finding zero-sum blocks in bounded-sum sequences, which was introduced by Caro, Hansberg, and Montejano. Caro et al. determine the minimum { − 1 , 1 } -sequence length for when there exist k consecutive terms that sum to zero. We determine the corresponding minimum sequence length when the set { − 1 , 1 } is replaced by { − r , s } for arbitrary positive integers r and s. This confirms a conjecture of theirs. We also construct { − 1 , 1 } -sequences of length quadratic in k that avoid k terms indexed by an arithmetic progression that sum to zero. This solves a second conjecture of theirs in the case of { − 1 , 1 } -sequences on zero-sum arithmetic subsequences. Finally, we give for sufficiently large k a superlinear lower bound on the minimum sequence length to find a zero-sum arithmetic progression for general { − r , s } -sequences.
Allosteric Control of Icosahedral Capsid Assembly

During the life cycle of a virus, viral proteins and other components self-assemble to form an ordered protein shell called a capsid. This assembly process is subject to multiple competing constraints, including the need to form a thermostable shell while avoiding kinetic traps. It has been proposed that viral assembly satisfies these constraints through allosteric regulation, including the interconversion of capsid proteins among conformations with different propensities for assembly. In this article, we use computational and theoretical modeling to explore how such allostery affects the assembly of icosahedral shells. We simulate assembly under a wide range of protein concentrations, protein binding affinities, and two different mechanisms of allosteric control. We find that above a threshold strength of allosteric control, assembly becomes robust over a broad range of subunit binding affinities and concentrations, allowing the formation of highly thermostable capsids. Our results suggest that allostery...
Incidence of Encountering the Infrapatellar Nerve Branch of the Saphenous Nerve During a Midline Approach for Total Knee Arthroplasty.

The infrapatellar nerve branch (IPNB) of the saphenous nerve supplies cutaneous sensation to the anterolateral knee. Given its location and variable course, the IPNB is suspected to be at risk of injury with commonly used incisions around the knee. Nerve injury may lead to painful neuroma formation. To our knowledge, no study has evaluated the incidence at which the IPNB is encountered during the anterior approach incision for a routine total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The purpose of this study was to see whether the general joint arthroplasty surgeon can identify and examine the location of the IPNB encountered during primary TKA and to determine whether these branches would be transected during a standard medial arthrotomy. Methods Seventy-three patients (76 knees) underwent primary TKA using a standard midline approach with a medial parapatellar arthrotomy. The IPNB was identified, and the distance was measured from the inferior pole of the patella to the point where the nerve crossed the medial border of the patellar tendon. This distance was then compared with the length of the arthrotomy in the same knee to determine whether the nerve would be transected. Results The IPNB was encountered in all knees with a mean distance of 2.82 cm (95% confidence interval, 2.58-3.06) distal to the inferior pole of the patella during the arthrotomy. Patient characteristics including sex, height, and body mass index were not markedly associated with nerve location. Conclusion The IPNB of the saphenous nerve is at risk for injury and routinely encountered by the general orthopaedic surgeon during a standard TKA medial parapatellar approach without the aid of magnification or dye.
The in-utero diagnosis of choledochal cyst: can postnatal imaging predict benefit from early surgical intervention?

Background: Infants prenatally suspected of having a choledochal cyst (CDC) typically undergo ultrasound imaging shortly after birth. This study sought to evaluate features on the initial postnatal...
Environmental impact on physical activity and health in transgender youth

Background: Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans suggest that youth should participate in at least one hour of age appropriate PA per day. Yet, fewer than 30% of high school students participate in at least 60 minutes of PA every day; ethnic minority youth report even less. Within the transgender community, students were less likely to be physically active, due to safety concerns which is mostly related to a sedentary adult. Purpose: To investigate the barriers and facilitators transgender adults faced when they were adolescents and experiencing PA environments (e.g. physical education, sport teams). Methods: Quantitative study using a questionnaire with 27 closed-ended questions. A sample of convenience was used to recruit participants. Data was coded, cleaned, and analyzed using Microsoft Excel 2018 and SPSS Statistics 24. Results: Quantitative results indicate that there is transphobic behavior present in a physical activity environment, furthermore, facilities prevented participants from participating in physical activity. Implications: The results of this study may possibly be used to inform programming in educational institutions, coaches, and support policy makers in developing what interventions are needed to increase safety for transgender youth.