cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Theological foundations for an effective Christian response to the global disease burden in resource-constrained regions

Given the global disease burden and resource disparity that exists in the world and the globalization of Christianity, Christians are in a critical position to effect radical change in individuals, communities and systems for human flourishing. This paper describes the theological basis of seven key elements that the Church can contribute to sustainable development, global health equity, and universal access as an expanding movement: defining health, speaking truth, providing care, making peace, cooperating, setting priorities, and mobilizing resources for maximum stewardship in low resource settings.
Femoral hernia in children : an infrequent problem revisited

Femoral hernias are of very rare occurrence at any age, but are exceedingly rare in the pediatric population. A 10-year survey, 1979-1989, of our experience with pediatric hernias produced a total of 1,134 inguinal hernias and 6 femoral hernias, supporting an incidence of 0.5% for femoral hernias in our population. The correct diagnosis was made in only two cases preoperatively. These two patients had undergone inguinal herniorrhaphies less than 6 months prior to presenting with recurrent groin masses. Femoral hernias were most frequently misdiagnosed as inguinal hernias. Inclusion of this entity in the differential diagnosis of groin masses, an accurate preoperative physical exam, and a careful surgical exploration will allow one to make the correct diagnosis and prevent unnecessary reoperations. In addition, early recurrence of a groin mass after inguinal exploration and herniorrhaphy should make one suspicious of a femoral hernia. At surgery, our recommendations include a simple infra-inguinal exploration medial to the femoral vessels when an inguinal hernia is unexpectedly not found at groin exploration and a Cooper's ligament repair when a femoral hernia is encountered. All six cases in our review were repaired with Cooper's ligament repair without complication.
Westmere-EX: A 20 thread server CPU

This article consists of a collection of slides from the author's conference presentation on Intel's Westmere-EX, a 20 thread server CPU family of products. Some of the specific topics discussed include: the special features, system specifications, and system design of the Westmere-EX; system architecture; applications for use; platforms supported; processing capabilities; and targeted markets.
German Westerns: Popularity, Reception, Heroines, Miscegenation, Race, and Landscape

Not only did Karl May films prove to be the most successful film series in West German history, but they also revived the German film industry. Kolnische Rundschau, a West German newspaper, even headlined its review of Old Shatterhand, the third in the series of Karl May films, with: “Scriptwriter Karl May saves German film.”1 Indianerfilme, the East German response to West German Karl May films, became the most successful movie series in East Germany. Based on the popularity of the Indianerfilme in East Germany, as well as the fact that DEFA created Indianerfilme as a response to the popularity of Karl May Westerns, one might conclude that Karl May’s heroes, Winnetou and Old Shatterhand, not only saved West German cinema, but also contributed to the growth of cinema in East Germany. Furthermore, Karl May films triggered a wave of interest in Westerns across the European continent on a scale previously unknown. Some of them, Italian “Spaghetti” Westerns in particular, became very successful internationally.
Strategies of burrowing in soft muddy sediments by diverse polychaetes

Muddy sediments are elastic solids through which morphologically diverse animals extend burrows by fracture. Muddy sediments inhabited by burrowing infauna vary considerably in mechanical properties, however, and at high enough porosities, muds can be fluidized. In this study, we examined burrowing behaviors and mechanisms of burrow extension for three morphologically diverse polychaete species inhabiting soft muddy sediments. Worms burrowed in gelatin, a transparent analog for muddy sediments, and in natural sediments in a novel viewing box enabling visualization of behaviors and sediment responses. Individuals of Scalibregma inflatum and Sternaspis scutata can extend burrows by fracture, but both also extended burrows by plastic deformation and by combinations of fracture and plastic deformation. Mechanical responses of sediments corresponded to different burrowing behaviors in Scalibregma; direct peristalsis was used to extend burrows by fracture or a combination of plastic deformation and fracture, whereas a retrograde expansive peristaltic wave extended burrows by plastic deformation. Burrowing speeds differed between behaviors and sediment mechanical responses, with slower burrowing associated with plastic deformation. Sternaspis exhibited less variability in behavior and burrowing speed but did extend burrows by different mechanisms consistent with observations of Scalibregma. Individuals of Ophelina acuminata did not extend burrows by fracture; rather individuals plastically deformed sediments similarly to individuals of the related Armandia brevis. Our results extend the range of natural sediments in which burrowing by fracture has been observed, but the dependence of burrow extension mechanism on species, burrowing behavior, and burrowing speed highlights the need for better understanding of mechanical responses of sediments to burrowers.
Sperner’s Lemma and the Intermediate-Value Theorem

Let ABC be the triangle, positively oriented in ℝ2, shown in Figure 22.1(a). Construct a simplicial subdivision ℘ of ABC; one such subdivision is shown in Figure 22.1(b). Label each new vertex on the side AB with one of the letters A or B, chosen arbitrarily; similarly, label the new vertices on AC with A or C, and those on BC with B or C. Finally, label the vertices in ℘ which are in the interior of ABC with one of the letters A, B, C, chosen arbitrarily. Then according to the classical Sperner’s lemma, there is at least one triangle in the subdivision ℘ whose three vertices are labeled with the three letters A, B, C. More precisely, the number of triangles in ℘ which are labeled (A, B, C) exceeds by one the number of those which are labeled (A, C, B) [the letters are ordered as they appear on the positive oriented simple]. In Figure 22.1(b), two triangles are labeled (A, B, C) and one is labeled (A, C, B).
The role of glutamate transport and SLC7A11 expression in tumor-associate seizures and survival in patients with malignant gliomas.

Treatment for glioblastoma (GBM) remains largely palliative despite maximal combined approaches (surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy) with a median survival of approximately 15 months due to relentless invasion and recurrence (1).
Overdiagnosis of thyroid cancer

Non-lethal cancers picked up by screening are probably responsible Thyroid cancer incidence has increased dramatically in many countries in the developed world over the past three decades.1 Papillary thyroid cancer, which has been responsible for virtually the entire increase, is rarely lethal. The 20 year survival rate is greater than 90%, and approaches 100% for the smallest cancers.2 The increasing incidence is most likely due to overdiagnosis—the detection of subclinical cancers never destined to cause harm.3 4 This conclusion has been reached because the incidence has been primarily due to the detection of small papillary cancers, mortality due to thyroid cancer has not changed significantly, and small foci of papillary thyroid cancer are commonly found at autopsy in people who died of other causes. Overdiagnosis is a problem because it exposes people to the potential side effects of treatment, but without an equal expectation of benefit, because the cancer is unlikely to advance. In a linked article in The BMJ ,5 Park and colleagues extend our understanding of the issue in South Korea, which has seen a 15-fold increase in incidence over the past 10 years,6 …
Continuous Business Transformation: What Is It All About?

Business transformation is a long and complex process. It is an attempt to answer the greatest challenge that any business leader faces today: How to stay competitive amid a wide variety of internal and external triggers? And while the term is frequently used by management consultants and strategy writers, there is considerable confusion on what business transformation is all about. This chapter sorts through the chaos of opinion and hype; it examines the myriad usage of the term in practitioner and academic writings. In order to allow for a meaningful discussion toward the common goal of making organizations more competitive in the current dynamic marketspace, the various types of business transformation approaches are defined in a two-dimensional framework, which evolves around the key issues of the nature and scope of strategic change. Within this framework, continuous business transformation is understood as an approach to reach a new state through incremental steps in an evolutionary way rather than through a revolution. It occurs within the organization’s existing paradigm, and because it never stops, it helps the organization to accelerate, build momentum, and deliver impact. However, for a successful execution, it has to be underpinned by a winning strategy and an organizational structure. The employees go through a trajectory of their own; the Four Rooms of Change model is used to help provide existential insights into what is happening in an organization as it experiences strategic change.
Digital Media and Youth: a Primer for School Psychologists

The growing proliferation of digital media over the past few decades has engendered both significant promise and significant concerns regarding children’s development. Digital media have changed the ways young people learn, interact with others, and develop essential cognitive and social-emotional skills. This paper provides school psychologists with a comprehensive literature review about the effects of digital media on various aspects of children’s functioning. It discusses the effects of digital media use on youth’s physical and mental health, attention, and cognition. It further highlights risks for young people’s cognitive functioning associated with multitasking and reviews the outcomes of reading on a screen vs. reading on paper. Special attention is given to the effects of digital media on youth’s social-emotional functioning, including relationships with others and identity formation, and socio-emotional risks such as cyberbullying and aggressive behaviors. School psychologists are provided with recommendations on how to incorporate information about digital media in their work with parents, educators, and youth in order to promote healthy digital media use.
Synthesis and Study of Molecular Assemblies Formed by 4,6-O-(2-Phenylethylidene)-Functionalized d-Glucosamine Derivatives

Low-molecular-weight gelators are interesting small molecules with potential applications as advanced materials. Carbohydrate-based small molecular gelators are especially useful because they are derived from renewable resources and are more likely to be biocompatible and biodegradable. Various 4,6-benzylidene acetal protected α-methyl 2-d-glucosamine derivatives have been found to be effective low-molecular-weight gelators. To understand the influence of the 4,6-benzylidene acetal functional group toward molecular self-assembly and to obtain effective molecular gelators, we synthesized and analyzed a new series of d-glucosamine derivatives in which the phenyl group of the acetal is replaced by a benzyl group. The homologation of the acetal protection from aromatic to aliphatic functional groups allows us to probe the effect of increasing structural flexibility on molecular self-assembly and gelation. In this study, nine representative amides and nine urea analogs were synthesized, and their gelation prop...
Research and development and labour productivity: do high-tech firms exhibit labour- or capital-saving technical change?

ABSTRACTEmployment and output in the advanced technology sectors have generally exhibited above-average growth for more than two decades. While this industry accounts for a relatively small share o...
History of the worldwide emergence of Kawasaki disease

Dr. Kawasaki saw his first case of the disease that would come to bear his name in 1961. His meticulous description of the clinical syndrome persists as the case definition to the present day. This review chronicles the emergence and recognition of Kawasaki disease in Asia and Western countries and articulates the old disease/new disease controversy.
Starling forces drive intracranial water exchange during normal and pathological states.

Aim To quantify the exchange of water between cerebral compartments, specifically blood, tissue, perivascular pathways, and cerebrospinal fluid-filled spaces, on the basis of experimental data and to propose a dynamic global model of water flux through the entire brain to elucidate functionally relevant fluid exchange phenomena. Methods The mechanistic computer model to predict brain water shifts is discretized by cerebral compartments into nodes. Water and species flux is calculated between these nodes across a network of arcs driven by Hagen-Poiseuille flow (blood), Darcy flow (interstitial fluid transport), and Starling's Law (transmembrane fluid exchange). Compartment compliance is accounted for using a pressure-volume relationship to enforce the Monro-Kellie doctrine. This nonlinear system of differential equations is solved implicitly using MATLAB software. Results The model predictions of intraventricular osmotic injection caused a pressure rise from 10 to 22 mmHg, followed by a taper to 14 mmHg over 100 minutes. The computational results are compared to experimental data with R2=0.929. Moreover, simulated osmotic therapy of systemic (blood) injection reduced intracranial pressure from 25 to 10 mmHg. The modeled volume and intracranial pressure changes following cerebral edema agree with experimental trends observed in animal models with R2=0.997. Conclusion The model successfully predicted time course and the efficacy of osmotic therapy for clearing cerebral edema. Furthermore, the mathematical model implicated the perivascular pathways as a possible conduit for water and solute exchange. This was a first step to quantify fluid exchange throughout the brain.
Thermomechanical peridynamic analysis with irregular non-uniform domain discretization

Abstract Irregular non-uniform discretization of the solution domain in models based on peridynamic theory can improve computational efficiency by allowing local refinement and remove mesh bias effects on crack initiation and propagation. However, the use of such discretizations generally requires adjustment of the classical peridynamic material parameters and usage of a variable horizon which results in the so-called ghost force effect in the interactions between differing horizons. This study presents a generalization of the original bond-based and ordinary state-based peridynamic models to permit the use of irregular non-uniform domain discretizations, in which the strain energy and thermal potential associated with a bond between two material points is split into two parts based on volumetric ratios. This division is potentially different for each bond due to the presence of irregular non-uniform discretization. The validity and accuracy of this proposed approach is established using several benchmark examples, and its applicability to real engineering problems is demonstrated by modeling thermally induced cracking in a three-dimensional nuclear fuel pellet.
Interleukin-6 does not mediate endotoxin-induced uveitis in mice: studies in gene deletion animals.

Purpose Interleukin-6 (IL-6) has been strongly implicated in anterior uveitis based on its presence in aqueous humor from infected eyes and its inflammatory effects when injected intravitreally into rats. We used IL-6-deficient mice to test further the hypothesis that IL-6 contributes to the development of endotoxin-induced uveitis. Methods Uveitis was scored by histologic analysis of C3H/HeN mice 24 hours after intravitreal injections of up to 200 ng of recombinant murine IL-6. Uveitis was similarly measured in IL-6-deficient mice and congenic controls 24 hours after intravitreal injection of 250 ng of Escherichia coli endotoxin. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was used to detect mRNAs for several cytokines at 3 hours postinjection. The IL-6 concentration in aqueous humor samples was determined with a bioassay using the murine B9 plasmacytoma cell line. Results Direct injection of IL-6 did not induce uveitis. Mice genetically deficient in IL-6 developed endotoxin-induced uveitis that was comparable or more severe than congenic control mice. Compensatory changes in the expression of mRNA for other cytokines were not detected in irises from the IL-6-deficient mice. In IL-6-competent mice that received bilateral endotoxin injections, no correlation was found between the number of infiltrating cells in one eye and the IL-6 concentration in the aqueous humor of the contralateral eye. Conclusions In marked contrast to previous conclusions with rats, IL-6 was not sufficient for inducing uveitis in mice. Additionally, IL-6 was not necessary for the development of uveitis subsequent to intravitreal injection of endotoxin in mice.
CT Diagnosis and Management of Focal Lung Disease: Small Pulmonary Nodules

The increasing use of CT, whether for screening for lung cancer or for other reasons, has led to the increasing detection of small pulmonary nodules. It was the development of the knowledge base needed to make scientific recommendations for the work-up of these small nodules that led us to the topic of CT screening for lung cancer [1].
The effect of the Waxy locus (Granule Bound Starch Synthase) on pasting curve characteristics in specialty rices (Oryza sativa L.)

Starch structure and functionality have a significant impact on the utilization of cereal grains as food and feed. Starch viscosity characteristics are used to characterize rice cooking, processing and eating quality. In order to examine the genetics of viscosity characteristics, we developed molecular markers for five of the major enzymes involved in starch synthesis in the endosperm: granule bound starch synthase, soluble starch synthase, rice branching enzymes 1 and 3 and starch debranching enzyme. These markers were polymorphic in a cross between specialty rice varieties of diverging amylose content and viscosity characteristics. Our results indicate that the Waxy locus, encoding the gene for granule bound starch synthase, has a significant effect on peak viscosity, hot paste viscosity, cool paste viscosity, breakdown and setback viscosity. We estimate that the tightly linked (5–10 cm)locus for starch synthase may have a lesser, additive effect.
Interactive three-dimensional computer graphics in molecular biology.

Interactive three-dimensional computer graphics was first used in 1964 to study biological macromolecules, particularly nucleic acids (3) and proteins (1). A good general description of this early work is given in (4). The hardware was the then unique Project MAC Electronic Systems Laboratory display at MIT. It was some time before comparable equipment became available elsewhere.
About Place Cells and Grid Cells

Almost half a century ago, it was discovered that there are special neurons in the hippocampus of mammals that are activated every time the animal is in a particular place within its familiar surroundings [2]. If you let the animal roam freely near this place (say, if its path is the black line in Fig. 1), then this cell will fire at the red dots. These neurons are called place cells, and they seem to be part of the mental map animals need to get around in the world: they navigate a familiar terrain by going from one place cell to the next.
The Dynamics of Persuasion : Communication and Attitudes in the Twenty-First Century

Now in its seventh edition, this essential text continues to provide students with a comprehensive yet accessible overview of the study and practice of persuasive communication. Attuned to the swift changes in the world of persuasion in the twenty-first century, this book covers how theories and research illuminate and adapt to our present digital era, with continued attention to ethical implications and today’s big topics. This new edition features updated definitions of key terms in the field as they relate to present-day practice; an integration of persuasion theories and the ubiquity of online influence; new examples and cases to illustrate persuasive communication’s approach to health campaigns, attitudes, communicator appeals, dissonance, and ethics; and a thorough reflection of the most current scholarship in the field. The Dynamics of Persuasion, Seventh Edition provides a solid foundation for undergraduate students in communication studies and psychology to grasp the key concepts and practices of persuasive communication today. The book is complemented by online resources for both instructors and students, including an instructor’s manual, lecture slides, sample test questions, and links to relevant articles and videos illustrating concepts presented in the text. Please visit www.routledge.com/cw/perloff.
Human neurons from Christianson syndrome iPSCs reveal allele-specific responses to rescue strategies

Human genetic disorders provide a powerful lens to understanding the human brain. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) represent an important, new resource for mechanistic studies and therapeutic development. Christianson syndrome (CS), an X-linked neurological disorder with attenuation of brain growth postnatally (postnatal microcephaly), is caused by mutations in SLC9A6, the gene encoding endosomal Na+/H+ exchanger 6 (NHE6). We developed CS iPSC lines from patients with a mutational spectrum, as well as robust biologically-related and isogenic controls. We demonstrate that mutations in CS lead to loss of protein function by a variety of mechanisms. Regardless of mutation, all patient-derived neurons demonstrate reduced neurite growth and arborization, likely underlying diminished postnatal brain growth in patients. Additionally, phenotype rescue strategies show allele-specific responses: a gene replacement strategy shows efficacy in nonsense mutations but not in a missense mutation, whereas application of exogenous trophic factors (BDNF or IGF-1) rescues arborization phenotypes across all mutations. Our data emphasize the important principle of personalized medicine whereby success of some therapeutic strategies may be more linked to patient genotype than others.
Redox Signaling in the Brain and Antioxidant-Based Therapeutics: Consequences for Hypertension

Over the past two decades, hundreds of studies examining neuronal populations in unique cardiovascular control regions of the brain have revealed a role for reactive oxygen species (ROS) in mediating the elevated sympathetic output known to contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension. We, and others, have been particularly interested in understanding the involvement of superoxide (O2--) in central neurons in mediating neuronal activation, sympathoexcitation, and hypertensive blood pressures. Numerous studies utilizing viral-mediated overexpression of copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (CuZnSOD) or manganese superoxide dismutase (MnSOD) in cardiovascular control brain regions have clearly identified O2-- as a primary ROS influencing sympathetic drive and systemic blood pressure. Recently, our group has focused on: 1) determining how O2-- mediates changes in neuronal excitability in hypertensive models; and 2) developing clinically relevant and novel antioxidant-based therapeutics to scavenge elevated O2-- levels in the brain for the improved treatment of hypertension. We have demonstrated that increased O2-- levels in neurons stimulated with angiotensin II (AngII), a pro-hypertensive peptide, inhibits outward potassium (K+) current, which contributes to enhanced neuronal firing. Additionally, we have identified redox-sensitive amino acids in neuronal calcium calmodulin kinase II-alpha (CaMKIIa) that mediate its inhibitory action on outward K+ current. In regards to developing novel antioxidant-based therapeutics, we have utilized nanotechnology approaches to create the so-called SOD nanozyme, which consists of CuZnSOD protein bound to poly-l-lysine (PLL50)-polyethylene glycol (PEG) block copolymer. We have shown that SOD nanozyme delivers active SOD protein to neurons and attenuates AngII-induced neuronal signaling. Most importantly, we have observed that central or peripheral (IV) administration of SOD nanozyme significantly decreases hypertensive blood pressures for up to 1 week following a single bolus injection. Collectively, these studies provide new insight into the precise intra-neuronal redox signaling mechanisms influencing blood pressure regulation, and identify novel antioxidant-based therapeutics for the improved treatment of hypertension.
Mobile genetic element insertions drive antibiotic resistance across pathogens

Abstract Mobile genetic elements contribute to bacterial adaptation and evolution; however, detecting these elements in a high-throughput and unbiased manner remains challenging. Here, we demonstrate a de novo approach to identify mobile elements from short-read sequencing data. The method identifies the precise site of mobile element insertion and infers the identity of the inserted sequence. This is an improvement over previous methods that either rely on curated databases of known mobile elements or rely on ‘split-read’ alignments that assume the inserted element exists within the reference genome. We apply our approach to 12,419 sequenced isolates of nine prevalent bacterial pathogens, and we identify hundreds of known and novel mobile genetic elements, including many candidate insertion sequences. We find that the mobile element repertoire and insertion rate vary considerably across species, and that many of the identified mobile elements are biased toward certain target sequences, several of them being highly specific. Mobile element insertion hotspots often cluster near genes involved in mechanisms of antibiotic resistance, and such insertions are associated with antibiotic resistance in laboratory experiments and clinical isolates. Finally, we demonstrate that mutagenesis caused by these mobile elements contributes to antibiotic resistance in a genome-wide association study of mobile element insertions in pathogenic Escherichia coli. In summary, by applying a de novo approach to precisely identify mobile genetic elements and their insertion sites, we thoroughly characterize the mobile element repertoire and insertion spectrum of nine pathogenic bacterial species and find that mobile element insertions play a significant role in the evolution of clinically relevant phenotypes, such as antibiotic resistance.
Photoinduced Kochi Decarboxylative Elimination for the Synthesis of Enamides and Enecarbamates from N-Acyl Amino Acids.

Decarboxylative elimination of easily accessible N-acyl amino acids to provide enamide and enecarbamate building blocks has been realized through the combination of an organophotoredox catalyst and copper acetate as the terminal oxidant. This operationally simple process utilizes inexpensive and readily available reagents without preactivation of the carboxylic acid. Enamides and enecarbamates are now accessible directly from N-acyl amino acids consequently improving upon the utility of Kochi’s oxidative decarboxylation of carboxylic acids.
Abstract P3027: Response to Exercise Dictates Metabolic and Microbiotal Effects of a High-Salt Diet With Aging

Individual variation in response to exercise could be critical to sustaining cardiorespiratory fitness with aging. In order to explore this idea, we developed preclinical animal models of low and h...
Acute and chronic toxicity of sodium nitrate and sodium sulfate to several freshwater organisms in water-only exposures

Elevated nitrate (NO3 ) and sulfate (SO4 ) in surface water are of global concern, and studies are needed to generate toxicity data to develop environmental guideline values for NO3 and SO4 . The present study was designed to fill existing gaps in toxicity databases by determining the acute and/or chronic toxicity of NO3 (tested as NaNO3 ) to a unionid mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea), a midge (Chironomus dilutus), a fish (rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss), and 2 amphibians (Hyla versicolor and Lithobates sylvaticus), and to determine the acute and/or chronic toxicity of SO4 (tested as Na2 SO4 ) to 2 unionid mussels (L. siliquoidea and Villosa iris), an amphipod (Hyalella azteca), and 2 fish species (fathead minnow, Pimephales promelas and O. mykiss). Among the different test species, acute NO3 median effect concentrations (EC50s) ranged from 189 to >883 mg NO3 -N/L, and chronic NO3 20% effect concentrations (EC20s) based on the most sensitive endpoint ranged from 9.6 to 47 mg NO3 -N/L. The midge was the most sensitive species, and the trout was the least sensitive species in both acute and chronic NO3 exposures. Acute SO4 EC50s for the 2 mussel species (2071 and 2064 mg SO4 /L) were similar to the EC50 for the amphipod (2689 mg SO4 /L), whereas chronic EC20s for the 2 mussels (438 and 384 mg SO4 /L) were >2-fold lower than the EC20 of the amphipod (1111 mg SO4 /L), indicating the high sensitivity of mussels in chronic SO4 exposures. However, the fathead minnow, with an EC20 of 374 mg SO4 /L, was the most sensitive species in chronic SO4 exposures whereas the rainbow trout was the least sensitive species (EC20 > 3240 mg SO4 /L). The high sensitivity of fathead minnow was consistent with the finding in a previous chronic Na2 SO4 study. However, the EC20 values from the present study conducted in test water containing a higher potassium concentration (3 mg K/L) were >2-fold greater than those in the previous study at a lower potassium concentration (1 mg K/L), which confirmed the influence of potassium on chronic Na2 SO4 toxicity to the minnow. Environ Toxicol Chem 2020;39:1071-1085. © 2020 SETAC.
The Effects of Cannabis Use: A Test Among Dual Electronic and Combustible Cigarette Users.

Background and objectives Despite greater rates of cannabis use among those that smoke combustible cigarettes, it is currently unknown whether cannabis use is related to e-cigarette dependence or maladaptive beliefs about combustible cigarettes. Therefore, the current study sought to identify whether adult dual users of combustible and e-cigarettes (ie, dual users) who also used cannabis differed from dual users who did not use cannabis on e-cigarette dependence severity, perceived barriers to quitting, and perception of risks and of benefits of e-cigarettes. Methods Participants were 414 current dual users (48.3% female, Mage = 35.1 years, SD = 10.0), 51% of whom were current cannabis users. Results Dual users who reported current cannabis use evidenced more severe dependence on e-cigarettes (ηp 2 = 0.12), higher perceived barriers for quitting e-cigarettes (ηp 2 = 0.06), and greater perceived benefits (ηp 2 = 0.03) as well as higher perception of risks (ηp 2 = 0.03) for using e-cigarettes. The results were evident after controlling for the variance associated with sex, age, education, income, and frequency of e-cigarette use. Discussion and conclusions Overall, the current findings suggest cannabis may be an important type of substance use behavior that is relevant to e-cigarette dependence and beliefs about use and quitting among adult dual users. Scientific significance The present data extend current understanding of dual users by contextualizing cannabis use within e-cigarette and combustible cigarette use behaviors and highlight a potential substance use behavior that may be targetable in the framework of nicotine cessation. (Am J Addict 2020;00:00-00).
Stabilization Rates for the Damped Wave Equation with Hölder-Regular Damping

We study the decay rate of the energy of solutions to the damped wave equation in a setup where the geometric control condition is violated. We consider damping coefficients which are 0 on a strip and vanish like polynomials, $$x^{\beta }$$ . We prove that the semigroup cannot be stable at rate faster than $$1/t^{(\beta +2)/(\beta +3)}$$ by producing quasimodes of the associated stationary damped wave equation. We also prove that the semigroup is stable at rate at least as fast as $$1/t^{(\beta +2)/(\beta +4)}$$ . These two results establish an explicit relation between the rate of vanishing of the damping and rate of decay of solutions. Our result partially generalizes a decay result of Nonnenmacher in which the damping is an indicator function on a strip.
Ascites development is associated with worse outcome in patients after kidney transplantation

BACKGROUND We provide detailed analysis and outcomes in patients post-kidney transplant (KT) developing ascites, which has never been categorically reported. METHODS Ascites was identified by ICD9/10 codes and detailed chart review in patients post-KT from 01/2004-06/2019. The incidence of patient death and graft loss were determined per 100-person-years, and the incidence rate ratio was obtained. RESULTS Of 3329 patients receiving KT, 83 (2.5%) patients had new-onset ascites, of whom 58% were male, 21% blacks, and 29% whites. Seventy-five percentage were on hemodialysis. Patients were maintained primarily on tacrolimus and mycophenolate for immunosuppression. Only 14% of patients with ascites had the appropriate diagnostic workup. There was a trend toward an increased mortality in patients with ascites (incidence rate ratio, IRR [95% CI]: 1.8 [0.92, 3.19], p = .06), and a significantly higher incidence of graft loss (IRR: 5.62 [3.97, 7.76], p < .001), compared with non-ascites patients. When classified by ascites severity, determined by imaging, moderate/severe ascites patients had the worst clinical outcomes, with a mortality of 32% and graft failure in 57%, compared with 9% and 10%, respectively, in those without ascites. CONCLUSION In this large cohort employing stepwise analysis of ascites post-KT, worse outcomes were noted, dictating the need for optimized management to improve clinical outcomes.
Theoretical Considerations for Transitioning the Grid Method Technique to the Microscale

As new applications demand the synthesis and validation of materials with specific mechanical performance targets, there is a need for improved characterization and understanding of reduced length-scale deformation processes which govern mechanical behavior (i.e., dislocation slip and twinning). The heterogeneous nature of deformation in polycrystalline materials makes it essential to employ length-scale-independent and material agnostic full-field measurement techniques during mechanics of materials studies. The intention of the current work is to demonstrate the fundamental steps of transitioning the Grid Method (GM), a macro-scale full-field measurement technique used in mechanics of materials studies, to the microscale. Two obstacles overcame when transitioning the technique are reported. The first is the deposition of ultra-fine grids with a pitch of 500nm using a focused ion beam. The second is the characterization and correction of equipment-dependent raster-based image distortions inherent to scanning electron microscope (SEM) image acquisition. The SEM-induced distortions are simulated using a closed-form model which more accurately represents the Fast Fourier Transform modulus obtained from SEM micrographs. The proposed model is validated against synthetic deformation cases, specifically uniaxial tension, uniaxial compression, pure shear, simple shear, and heterogeneous deformation. A two-step filtering procedure informed by the newly introduced closed-form model, consisting of a notch and frame filter is proposed in order to remove distortions observed in SEM micrographs. After correcting the SEM-induced distortions on the stationary microgrid micrographs using the proposed two-step filtering, the extracted strain distortion level is reduced from 0.02 to 0.005 strain. Combined, the efforts presented in the current work demonstrate the initial development and promise of the microscale scanning electron microscope grid method (SEM-GM) to capture distortion corrected strain maps in reduced length-scale.
Cost-effectiveness and affordability of novel cardiovascular therapies: what physicians need to know.

Cardiovascular clinicians are increasingly expected not only to optimise their patients’ health outcomes, but also to control costs and ensure the judicious use of healthcare resources. Clinicians must therefore have a rigorous understanding of cost-effectiveness in order to determine whether the increased effectiveness or safety of novel therapies justifies their higher costs, compared with usual care. These economic considerations are becoming increasingly salient as newly approved cardiovascular drugs enter the market at eye-wateringly high costs.1 Terms like cost-effectiveness , affordability and budget impact are sometimes erroneously used interchangeably, yet they can have profoundly different implications for patients, providers and payors. In this paper, we offer a foundational understanding of cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) through three case studies of novel cardiovascular medications: tafamidis, proprotein convertase/subtilisin type 9 inhibitors (PCSK9i) and direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs). By helping readers confidently and correctly interpret CEAs, we hope to ensure that novel and effective cardiovascular therapies reach the patients most likely to benefit from them. The cost-effectiveness of a novel therapy is estimated by comparing the cost and benefit of a new therapy with the best available alternative (often the pre-existing standard of care), to generate a ratio known as the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) (figure 1).2 If the ICER is equal to or lower than the society’s willingness-to-pay threshold, the new therapy is considered cost-effective in the population studied, that is, the health benefits are assumed to justify the additional costs. If the ICER exceeds the threshold, the therapy is not considered cost-effective. Willingness-to-pay levels vary among countries based on their economic development and political priorities. A consensus statement among US cardiovascular professional societies suggested that therapies with ICERs below $50 000/ quality-adjusted life-year (QALY) …
Alcohol, Cannabis and Crossfading: Concerns for COVID-19 Disease Severity

Risk factors for severe COVID-19 pathology are currently being investigated worldwide. The emergence of this highly infectious respiratory disease has plagued the world, with varying severity across populations of different age, race, and socio-economic level. These data suggest that other environmental or social factors may contribute to this disease’s severity. Using a mouse model, we identify heavy alcohol and cannabinoid consumption as risk factors for increased pulmonary pathology in the setting of exposure to a microbial pulmonary pathogen (K. pneumoniae). We present observational evidence that pneumonia patients admitted to North Carolina hospitals have longer lengths of stay when they endorse alcohol use or have conditions considered alcohol attributable. We are concerned that the observed increase in alcohol and legal cannabinoid sales during lockdown and quarantine may contribute to increased pulmonary pathology among patients who become infected with COVID-19.
Data Collection, Modeling, and Classification for Gunshot and Gunshot-like Audio Events: A Case Study

Distinguishing between a dangerous audio event like a gun firing and other non-life-threatening events, such as a plastic bag bursting, can mean the difference between life and death and, therefore, the necessary and unnecessary deployment of public safety personnel. Sounds generated by plastic bag explosions are often confused with real gunshot sounds, by either humans or computer algorithms. As a case study, the research reported in this paper offers insight into sounds of plastic bag explosions and gunshots. An experimental study in this research reveals that a deep learning-based classification model trained with a popular urban sound dataset containing gunshot sounds cannot distinguish plastic bag pop sounds from gunshot sounds. This study further shows that the same deep learning model, if trained with a dataset containing plastic pop sounds, can effectively detect the non-life-threatening sounds. For this purpose, first, a collection of plastic bag-popping sounds was recorded in different environments with varying parameters, such as plastic bag size and distance from the recording microphones. The audio clips’ duration ranged from 400 ms to 600 ms. This collection of data was then used, together with a gunshot sound dataset, to train a classification model based on a convolutional neural network (CNN) to differentiate life-threatening gunshot events from non-life-threatening plastic bag explosion events. A comparison between two feature extraction methods, the Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCC) and Mel-spectrograms, was also done. Experimental studies conducted in this research show that once the plastic bag pop sounds are injected into model training, the CNN classification model performs well in distinguishing actual gunshot sounds from plastic bag sounds.
Photo-thermal catalytic degradation of organophosphate simulant over Cu, Co, and Fe on titania

Abstract Herein we demonstrate the degradation of organophosphate pesticide malathion in aerated alcohol over a tandem photo-thermal catalyst. TiO2-supported Cu, Co, and Fe was prepared by impregnation of metal-EDTA chelates or metal nitrates. Under UV irradiation, TiO2 generates H2O2 in situ (up to 1.8 ± 0.4 mmol/l) from dissolved O2 and alcohol, while the metals promote Fenton-like degradation reactions. The TOF of malathion degradation is maximum (11.9 ± 1.1 ks−1) for Cu/TiO2 at the highest metal dispersion, achieved by Cu-EDTA impregnation at low surface density (2.0 ± 0.3 atom/nm2). TOF of catalysts prepared from nitrates were at least 45% lower than those of catalysts prepared from chelates.
Attitudes and Perceptions of Fitness Professionals Regarding Obesity

The purpose of this study was to assess perceptions of exercise professionals regarding obesity. A three page, 25-item survey was mailed to a random sample of 500 certified Health Fitness Instructors, Exercise Test Technologists, and Exercise Specialists from a certification list provided by the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM). The return rate was 66%. Most exercise professionals (74%) supervised or worked directly with obese clients in an exercise/fitness setting. The majority of exercise professionals believed that normal weight is very important to a person's health, that physical activity is very important in the treatment of obesity, that they should be role models by maintaining normal weight, that they are obligated to counsel obese persons concerning the health risks of obesity, that they are very competent to prescribe exercise programs for weight loss, and that counseling obese persons on exercise for weight loss is professionally gratifying. The majority of exercise professionals also believed sedentary lifestyles, poor eating behavior, excessive calorie consumption, and psychological problems play a major role in most obesity. Exercise professionals reported that they received most of their information on weight control from textbooks, college classes, scientific journals, workshops/seminars, and past experience.
Characteristics of fibromyalgia independently predict poorer long-term analgesic outcomes following total knee and hip arthroplasty.

Objective While psychosocial factors have been associated with poorer outcomes after knee and hip arthroplasty, we hypothesized that augmented pain perception, as occurs in conditions such as fibromyalgia, may account for decreased responsiveness to primary knee and hip arthroplasty.
Branding of Post‐Purchase Ancillary Products and Services: An Application in the Mobile Communications Industry

Purpose – After the sale of a primary product, firms often have the opportunity to sell ancillary products or services in support of the primary brand. These add‐ons or services may be offered in a generic or in a branded form. The aim of the this paper is to study the demand for add‐on services in the mobile communications industry and to detail a methodology that can be employed to make this assessment.Design/methodology/approach – A field experimental design approach using two‐brand manipulations, four‐price points and six content applications was employed. The study was fielded at a mall intercept facility in a major urban center. Interviews with 389 mobile phone users between the ages 18‐31 were conducted.Findings – Results extend brand equity theory into the context of ancillary product sales and demonstrate that branded ancillary services can command a price premium and are less sensitive to price increases than unbranded alternatives.Practical implications – Given the growth of demand for non‐voic...
Ethics and the Professions

This chapter examines the changing nature of the professions and how they cope with the impact of technology on their fields. An ethical framework for decision making is developed. Professional and ethical responsibilities based on community values and the law are also discussed. Social issues including harassment and discrimination are thoroughly covered. Discussed in depth are the four pillars of professionalism that include commitment, integrity, responsibility, and accountability. We focus our discussion on professional dilemmas and guilt associated with decision making showing that these dilemmas, which are quite common in the everyday activities of a professional, are caused by questioning the values attached to one’s premises as inputs to the decision being made and that one’s input values may be clouded by conflicting codes of conduct, advances in technology, and/or incomplete or misleading information. We end the chapter with an in-depth discussion of professionalism and ethical responsibilities focusing on whistle-blowing, harassment, and discrimination.
Effects of handling during infancy on the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system of rats

We examined the effects of daily handling and maternal separation (5 min per day) on the responsiveness of the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system of Sprague-Dawley rats before weaning and in adulthood. Plasma levels of norepinephrine (derived primarily from sympathetic nerves) and epinephrine (released from the adrenal medulla) were elevated in handled pups compared to unhandled controls at 14 and 18 days of age but not at 6 and 10 days of age. When tested in adulthood, previously handled and control rats did not differ with respect to basal or stress-induced increments in plasma levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine. These results indicate that brief daily episodes of handling and maternal separation are attended by an increase in sympathetic-adrenal medullary tone in 14-18-day-old rats. However, the enhanced response of the sympathetic-adrenal medullary system of separated rats may not persist into adulthood.