cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of lifestyle intervention on dietary habits, physical activity, and gestational weight gain in obese pregnant women: a randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND Maternal obesity and excessive gestational weight gain (GWG) are major short- and long-term risk factors for maternal and fetal complications. OBJECTIVE The objective was to study whether a lifestyle intervention based on a brochure or on active education can improve dietary habits, increase physical activity (PA), and reduce GWG in obese pregnant women. DESIGN In this randomized controlled trial, 195 white, obese pregnant women [age: 29 + or - 4 y; body mass index (in kg/m(2)); 33.6 + or - 4.2] were randomly assigned into 3 groups: a group that received nutritional advice from a brochure, a group that received the brochure and lifestyle education by a nutritionist, and a control group. Nutritional habits were evaluated every trimester through 7-d food records. PA was evaluated with the Baecke questionnaire. RESULTS Energy intake did not change during pregnancy and was comparable in all groups. Fat intake, specifically saturated fat intake, decreased and protein intake increased from the first to the third trimester in the passive and active groups compared with an opposite change in the control group. Calcium intake and vegetable consumption increased during pregnancy in all groups. PA decreased in all groups, especially in the third trimester. No significant differences in GWG and obstetrical or neonatal outcome could be observed between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Both lifestyle interventions improved the nutritional habits of obese women during pregnancy. Neither PA nor GWG was affected.
What You Should Know About Land-Cover Data

Wildlife biologists are using land-characteristics data sets for a variety of applications. Many kinds of landscape variables have been characterized and the resultant data sets or maps are readily accessible. Often, too little consideration is given to the accuracy or traits of these data sets, most likely because biologists do not know how such data are compiled and rendered, or the potential pitfalls that can be encountered when applying these data. To increase understanding of the nature of land-characteristics data sets, I introduce aspects of source information and data-handling methodology that include the following: ambiguity of land characteristics; temporal considerations and the dynamic nature of the landscape; type of source data versus landscape features of interest; data resolution, scale, and geographic extent; data entry and positional problems; rare landscape features; and interpreter variation. I also include guidance for determining the quality of land-characteristics data sets through metadata or published documentation, visual clues, and independent information. The quality or suitability of the data sets for wildlife applications may be improved with thematic or spatial generalization, avoidance of transitional areas on maps, and merging of multiple data sources. Knowledge of the underlying challenges in compiling such data sets will help wildlife biologists to better assess the strengths and limitations and determine how best to use these data.
Career-Making in Post-Revolutionary France: the Case of Jean-Baptiste Biot

Science is an occupation as well as an intellectual endeavour. This fact is extremely well known, but its consequences have been little explored by historians of science. Sociologists such as Merton, Hagstrom, and Storer have argued that occupational rewards motivate a scientist to publish and thereby further the intellectual ends of the scientific community. Yet, as I have shown in a recent paper, such rewards can also lead to work which is hasty, superficial, and blindly uncritical of the dominant paradigm. Thus the relationship between career motivation and genuine intellectual achievement must be regarded as problematic at best.
Separation of neonatal rat ventricular myocytes and non-myocytes by centrifugal elutriation.

The preparation of pure cardiac myocyte cultures from neonatal rats is hampered by the presence of non-myocytes, which can proliferate during culturing, thereby causing a progressive decrease in the proportion of myocytes. In order to obtain myocyte cell suspensions of high purity, a method based on centrifugal elutriation was developed. Cardiac cells, isolated from neonatal rat heart ventricles, were subjected to elutriation using flow rates that increased step-wise from 20 to 80 ml/min. The cell fraction obtained at 80 ml/min consisted of 68–90% myocytes. Still, upon culturing, the remaining non-myocytes proliferate, causing the proportion of myocytes to decrease to 60±2% at day 5. A second elutriation protocol was developed in which myocytes and non-myocytes were separated after a period of co-culturing for 4–5 days. By this approach a fibroblast-rich cell fraction (87±5%) and a myocyte-rich cell fraction (82±6%) were obtained. In conclusion, centrifugal elutriation creates the opportunity to separate neonatal rat myocytes from non-myocytes, either freshly isolated or after a period of culturing. Particularly, cell separation after a period of culturing ventricular cells offers an advantage to analyse the experimental effects on myocytes and non-myocytes separately.
Baseline cognitive function predicts rate of decline in basic-care abilities of individuals with dementia of the Alzheimer's type

Abstract Decline in basic self-care abilities is an important risk factor for institutionalization in individuals with dementia. The ability to predict such decline would be of clinical importance in working with families of dementia patients. Research has suggested that cognitive decline may precede loss of functional capacity. This paper utilized a large sample of probable Alzheimer's disease patients ( N = 150) who were evaluated longitudinally to assess the pattern of neuropsychological functioning predictive of rapid decline in self-care. The findings indicated that despite initial equality of Lawton Physical Self-Maintenance (PSM) scores, patients showing rapid decline of PSM function displayed significantly more impaired performance on neuropsychological measures at diagnosis. They also exhibited a statistically significant difference in the pattern of scores from patients who remained stable. The pattern of the rapid declining group included more severe impairment in visual spatial skills, processing speed, and concept formation. Difficulties in using individual patients’ cognitive profiles to make predictions about future rate of PSM decline are discussed.
Characteristics of the dropping mercury electrode below the limiting current: Part II. Drop time and scan rate effects

Abstract A mathematical model of the dropping mercury electrode that includes the effects of electrochemical kinetics, ohmic potential drop, and mass transfer is used to examine the influence of scan rate and drop time on the shape of the polarographic wave. The system behavior is described in terms of three characteristic dimensionless parameters. For certain parameter values, the half-wave potential predicted for a metal deposition reaction is dependent on the drop time and scan rate used to obtain the polarogram.
NKT cell modulates NAFLD potentiation of metabolic oxidative stress-induced mesangial cell activation and proximal tubular toxicity

Obesity and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are associated with the development and progression of chronic kidney disease. We recently showed that NAFLD induces liver-specific cytochrome P-450 (CYP)2E1-mediated metabolic oxidative stress after administration of the CYP2E1 substrate bromodichloromethane (BDCM) (Seth RK, Das S, Kumar A, Chanda A, Kadiiska MB, Michelotti G, Manautou J, Diehl AM, Chatterjee S. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 274: 42-54, 2014; Seth RK, Kumar A, Das S, Kadiiska MB, Michelotti G, Diehl AM, Chatterjee S. Toxicol Sci 134:291-303, 2013). The present study examined the effects of CYP2E1-mediated oxidative stress in NAFLD leading to kidney toxicity. Mice were fed a high-fat diet for 12 wk to induce NAFLD. NAFLD mice were exposed to BDCM, a CYP2E1 substrate, for 4 wk. NAFLD + BDCM increased CYP2E1-mediated lipid peroxidation in proximal tubular cells compared with mice with NAFLD alone or BDCM-treated lean mice, thus ruling out the exclusive role of BDCM. Lipid peroxidation increased IL-1β, TNF-α, and interferon-γ. In parallel, mesangial cell activation was observed by increased α-smooth muscle actin and transforming growth factor-β, which was blocked by the CYP2E1 inhibitor diallyl sulphide both in vivo and in vitro. Mice lacking natural killer T cells (CD1d knockout mice) showed elevated (>4-fold) proinflammatory mediator release, increased Toll-like receptor (TLR)4 and PDGF2 mRNA, and mesangial cell activation in the kidney. Finally, NAFLD CD1D knockout mice treated with BDCM exhibited increased high mobility group box 1 and Fas ligand levels and TUNEL-positive nuclei, indicating that higher cell death was attenuated in TLR4 knockout mice. Tubular cells showed increased cell death and cytokine release when incubated with activated mesangial cells. In summary, an underlying condition of progressive NAFLD causes renal immunotoxicity and aberrant glomerular function possibly through high mobility group box 1-dependent TLR4 signaling and mesangial cell activation, which, in turn, is modulated by intrinsic CD1D-dependent natural killer T cells.
Concomitant Use of Topiramate Inducing Neutropenia in a Schizophrenic Male Stabilized on Clozapine.

This is a case of a 23-year-old African American male with a history of paranoid schizophrenia that developed neutropenia on a clozapine-topiramate therapy. Clozapine had well addressed the patient’s psychotic symptoms, while topiramate was used as a weight-lowering agent. The patient had fairly stable leukocyte counts for eight months on clozapine 300 mg and topiramate 100 mg daily. Doubling the dosage of topiramate led to severe neutropenia after two months. Reviewing the patient’s laboratory reports showed a gradual decline of neutrophils occurring at a lower dosage, followed by a rapid decline after an increased dosage. In this case, we report that not only did topiramate act as the neutropenic agent, but also it might have done so in a dose-dependent manner.
Making microbiology of the built environment relevant to design

Architects are enthusiastic about “bioinformed design” as occupant well-being is a primary measure of architectural success. However, architects are also under mounting pressure to create more sustainable buildings. Scientists have a critical opportunity to make the emerging field of microbiology of the built environment more relevant and applicable to real-world design problems by addressing health and sustainability in tandem. Practice-based research, which complements evidence-based design, represents a promising approach to advancing knowledge of the indoor microbiome and translating it to architectural practice.
The virtual notebook system™: An architecture for collaborative work

We have developed the Virtual Notebook System™ (VNS™) to facilitate information acquisition, sharing, and management in groups. The VNS allows teams to create shared electronic notebooks upon whose pages they can place text and images and, in certain cases, audio and video entities. Members of a team can interconnect the pages of a notebook with navigational links, making the notebook shared hypertext. Additionally special links, called action links, can be used to tie pages of a notebook to external programs. Here we discuss the architecture of the VNS and give a number of examples of its use. We also identify those aspects of the VNS development that seem to have been most important in its success.
Structure of peptides on metal oxide surfaces probed by NMR.

Peptides that bind inorganic surfaces and template the formation of nanometer-sized inorganic particles are of great interest for the self- or directed assembly of nanomaterials for sensors and diagnostic applications. These surface-recognizing peptides can be identified from combinatorial phage-display peptide libraries, but little experimental information is available for understanding the relationship between the peptide sequence, structure at the nanoparticle surface, and function. We have developed NMR methods to determine the structures of peptides bound to inorganic nanoparticles and report on the structure of three peptides bound to silica and titania surfaces. Samples were prepared under conditions leading to rapid peptide exchange at the surface such that solution-based nuclear Overhauser experiments can be used to determine the three-dimensional structure of the bound peptide. The binding motif is defined by a compact “C”-shaped structure for the first six amino acids in the 12-mer. The orienta...
CHALLENGES IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF MICROSCALE PHENOMENA

Manufacturing processes that can create extremely small machines have been developed in recent years. Microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) refer to devices that have characteristic length of less than 1 mm but more than 1 micron, that combine electrical and mechanical components and that are fabricated using integrated circuit batch-processing techniques. Electrostatic, magnetic, pneumatic and thermal actuators, motors, valves, gears and tweezers of less than 100 μm size have been fabricated. These have been used as sensors for pressure, temperature, mass flow, velocity and sound, as actuators for linear and angular motions, and as simple components for complex systems such as micro-heat-engines and micro-heat-pumps. The technology is progressing at a rate that far exceeds that of our understanding of the unconventional physics involved in the operation as well as the manufacturing of those minute devices. The primary objective of this paper is to critically review the status of our understanding of fluid flow phenomena particular to microdevices. The emphasis here will be on liquid flows and surface phenomena.
Comparing the Implementation of a Best Practice Crime Policy Across Cities

There is a substantial gap in knowledge of the practical application of comprehensive “best practice” public policies and how these policies are actually implemented. This research examines impleme...
“You speak a language that I understand not”: The Rhetoric of Animation in The Winter’s Tale

B ETWEEN LEONTES'S OPENING IMPERATIVE, "Tongue-tied our queen? Speak )you" (1.2.28), and the final act, where Hermione as living statue returns to her husband yet says nothing directly to him, The Winter's Tale traces a complex, fascinated, and uneasy relation to female speech.' A play much noted for interrogating the "myriad forms of human narration"2-old tales, reports, ballads, oracles -The Winter's Tale begins its investigation of language when Hermione tellingly jests to Polixenes, "Verily, / You shall not go; a lady's 'verily' is / As potent as a lord's" (11. 49-51), for Leontes's swift turn to suspicion hinges on the power of his wife's speech. Unable to persuade Polixenes to stay, he first expresses annoyance when Hermione is able to do so. Polixenes has just assured his boyhood friend "There is no tongue that moves, none, none i' th' world, / So soon as yours could win me" (11. 20-21). Nonetheless, it is Hermione's tongue, not her husband's, that wins Polixenes. "You, sir, / Charge him too coldly," she chides Leontes before persuading their friend to stay (11. 29-30). Leontes therefore shifts quickly from "Well said, Hermione" (1. 33), to churlish acknowledgment of her rhetorical power. He understands her persuasive speech not as obedience to his desire-since he is the one who commanded "Speak you" -but as a force that eclipses his own:
Ovarian Cancer, the Revised FIGO Staging System, and the Role of Imaging

OBJECTIVE. It is now recognized that ovarian cancer includes a heterogeneous group of malignant epithelial tumors originating from the ovaries, fallopian tubes, or peritoneum. This development has prompted the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics (FIGO) to issue a revised staging system that can provide prognostic information and guidance on personalized management of ovarian cancer. CONCLUSION. We review the epidemiology of ovarian cancer, the new FIGO staging system, and the role of imaging in the assessment, staging, and follow-up of ovarian cancer.
A Novel Distractive and Mobility-Enabling Lumbar Spinal Orthosis

Lumbar spinal orthoses are often used as non-surgical treatment and serve to support the spine and alleviate low back pain. More recently, dynamic orthoses claiming to decompress the spine have been introduced. A previously-developed dynamic mobility orthosis (DMO1) prototype provided mobility and spinal off-loading, but had high bending moments and did not maintain spinal off-loading throughout extended ranges of movement. The objective was to design a new orthosis prototype (DMO2) that reduced bending moment build up and sustained spinal off-loading during flexion and extension movement. A mechanical analogue upper torso model and a programmable robotic testing platform were used to design features of DMO2: a mobility-enabling component and a distractive force component. Test conditions for DMO2 were 300N of applied vertical torso load over a range of 25deg flexion to 10deg extension. Loads carried by the brace were determined throughout flexion and extension ranges. Applied moments to upper torso model and transferred moments to spine were measured. The difference in applied and transferred moments represented brace moments. DMO2 improved loadsharing capacity from 172N to 290N at end range flexion and from 247N to 293N at end range extension. End range applied moments (flexion-DMO1: 32.4Nm / DMO2: 21.7Nm, extension-DMO1: 15.0Nm / DMO2: 10.9Nm) and brace moments (flexion-DMO1: 18.6Nm / DMO2: 6.6Nm, extension-DMO1: 15.0Nm / DMO2: 4.4Nm) were reduced. A novel dynamic spinal orthosis was designed that maintained spinal off-loading and required minimal effort for movement.
Chemopreventive effect of hCG on rat mammary carcinogenesis

OBJECTIVE: To explore the chemopreventive effect and mechanism of human chorionic gonadochopin(hCG) on mammary carcinogenesis induced by methyl-nitroso-urea(MNU).METHODS: Sixty female,virgin,Sprague-Dawley and 50 d rats were divided into five groups randomly: Early hCG intervention group,Later hCG intervention group,TAM group,Exposure group,Control group.All the 60 rats were killed when 276 days old,the mammary tissues were obtained for pathological analysis,the incidences of adenocarcinomas and the proportions of various kinds of mammary structures were evaluated.RESULTS: The incidence of mammary adenocarcinomas in early hCG intervention group,later hCG intervention group,TAM group,exposure group,control group was 8.3%(1/12),16.7%(2/12),9.1%(1/11),60.0%(6/10) and 0,respectively.The proportions of the more differentiated structure Lobule(Lob) and Alveolar buds(AB) in early hCG intervention group and later hCG intervention group were more than exposure group,the proportions of the less differentiated structure Terminal duct(TD) and Terminal end buds(TEB) were less than exposure group.The proportions of Lob and AB in adenocarcinoma-absent were more than adenocarcinoma-present group.The proportions of TD and TEB were less than adenocarcinoma-present group.CONCLUSIONS: The administration of hCG can decrease the incidence of mammary adenocarcinomas induced by MNU on SD rats.The chemopreventive effect of hCG on the rat mammary carcinogenesis might be derived from the differentiation of mammary structures.
Ethical decision-making near the end of life.

The standard paradigm of decision-making asks a fully informed patient to make independent choices free of coercion. This paradigm is often insufficient for the dying patient. This article considers this standard, particularly in the case of attempted cardiopulmonary resuscitation, its alternatives, and the role of advance directives and surrogate decision-makers for patients who have lost their decision-making capacities. The ethical concepts of therapeutic privilege, voluntary active euthanasia, as well as principle of double effect, futility, and justice are reviewed as they apply to care of the dying patient.
Effects of focal inactivation of dorsal or ventral layers of the lateral geniculate nucleus on cats' ability to see and fixate small targets.

Tate, Andrew K. and Joseph G. Malpeli. Effects of focal inactivation of dorsal or ventral layers of the lateral geniculate nucleus on cats' ability to see and fixate small targets. J. Neurophysiol....
Argon laser phototherapy of superficial transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder.

AbstractAn argon laser was used to treat 11 patients with known superficial transitional cell bladder tumors. Effective destruction of existing lesions occurred in all patients and practical advantages over conventional treatment have been observed. Argon laser phototherapy of bladder cancer is safe and effective but the superficial effects of argon energy limit its use to patients with small tumors or carcinoma in situ.
Niche partitioning among sexual and unisexual Ambystoma salamanders

Organisms that have ecologically similar sexual and asexual forms present an evolutionary puzzle, as theory predicts that eventually one form should eliminate the other. However, both forms may persist if there is niche partitioning between them. Geographical parthenogenesis is a hypothesis that predicts that in terms of niche use the asexual form in such pairs should be more ecologically successful in marginal habitats. This model has rarely been considered for gynogenetic taxa, as they are sperm dependent and thus constrained to the geographical range of sexual “sperm donor” species. Unisexual Ambystoma salamanders present a unique opportunity to look for evidence of niche partitioning and geographical parthenogenesis in a gynogenetic lineage, as there are multiple possible sperm donor species and so the geographical distributions of unisexuals are less constrained. We used broad sampling, comparative ecological niche models, and a model selection approach to determine (1) whether niche partitioning occurs among sexual and unisexual salamanders and (2) whether unisexual lineages indeed occupy marginal habitat relative to their most similar sexual species. Nearly all unisexual and sexual types showed significant niche differentiation. Predictions consistent with geographical parthenogenesis were upheld for one sexual–unisexual pair (A. jeffersonianum and LJJ unisexuals), but not for a second pair (A. texanum and LTT unisexuals). Our study provides evidence that different biotypes within the unisexual lineage have distinct ecological interactions with sexual taxa, supporting a role for these differences as a mechanism promoting coexistence between some sexual and unisexual forms. However, geographical parthenogenesis is only a partial explanation for sexual–unisexual coexistence, suggesting that other ecological and genetic mechanisms also play important roles in mediating coexistence among these salamanders.
Nuclear Reactor Analysis

(1977). Nuclear Reactor Analysis. Nuclear Science and Engineering: Vol. 62, No. 2, pp. 347-347.
Play Group Therapy with Psychotic Adolescent Girls

(1954). Play Group Therapy with Psychotic Adolescent Girls. International Journal of Group Psychotherapy: Vol. 4, No. 3, pp. 303-311.
Use of dual donor T-cell chimerism to predict prognosis after double cord blood allogeneic transplantation.

7093 Background: Double cord blood transplantation (dCBT) is an important strategy to overcome dose limitation of single CBT. By day 21, over 80% of patients (pts) have single unit dominance mainta...
Measuring temperature induced phase change kinetics in subcutaneous fatty tissues using near infrared spectroscopy, magnetic resonance imaging and optical coherence tomography (Conference Presentation)

Monitoring phase transition in adipose tissue and formation of lipid crystals is important in Cryo-procedures such as cryosurgery or Selective Cryolipolysis (SC). In this work, we exploited a Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) method to monitor the onset of fat freezing/melting. Concurrent measurements using frequency domain NIRS and MR Spectroscopy during cooling/heating were performed on an in vitro porcine skin sample with a thick subcutaneous fat layer in a human MR scanner. The NIRS probe was placed on the skin measuring the average optical scattering of the fatty layer. Two fiber optic temperature probes were inserted in the area of the MRS and NIRS measurements. To further investigate the microscopic features of the phase-transition, an identical cooling/heating procedure was replicated on the same fat tissue while being imaged by Optical Coherence Tomography. The temperature relationships of optical scattering, MRS peak characteristics and OCT reflection intensity were analyzed to find signatures related to the onset of phase transition. The optical scattering in the fatty tissues decreases during the heating and increases by cooling. However, there is an inflexion in the rate of change of the scattering while the phase transition happens in the fatty layer. The methylene fat peaks on the MR Spectrum are also shown to be broadened during the cooling. OCT intensity displays a sharp increase at the transition temperature. The results from multiple samples show two transition points around 5-10 ˚C (cooling) and 15-20 ˚C (heating) through all three methods, demonstrating that adipose tissue phase change can be monitored non-invasively.
Human and Machine Hearing: Extracting Meaning from Sound

Human and Machine Hearing is the first book to comprehensively describe how human hearing works and how to build machines to analyze sounds in the same way that people do. Drawing on over thirty-five years of experience in analyzing hearing and building systems, Richard F. Lyon explains how we can now build machines with close-to-human abilities in speech, music, and other sound-understanding domains. He explains human hearing in terms of engineering concepts, and describes how to incorporate those concepts into machines for a wide range of modern applications. The details of this approach are presented at an accessible level, to bring a diverse range of readers, from neuroscience to engineering, to a common technical understanding. The description of hearing as signal-processing algorithms is supported by corresponding open-source code, for which the book serves as motivating documentation.
Synthesis of biotin-labelled core glycans of GPI anchors and their application in the study of GPI interaction with pore-forming bacterial toxins

A convergent strategy was developed for the first-time synthesis of biotin-labeled GPI core glycans. These GPI conjugates are useful for various biological studies showcased by their application in the scrutiny of pore-forming bacterial toxin–GPI interaction, revealing that the phosphate group at the GPI inositol 1-O-position had a significant impact on GPI–toxin binding.
Post-termination Ribosome Intermediate Acts as the Gateway to Ribosome Recycling

During termination of translation, the nascent peptide is first released from the ribosome, which must be subsequently disassembled into subunits in a process known as ribosome recycling. In bacteria, termination and recycling are mediated by the translation factors RF, RRF, EF-G, and IF3, but their precise roles have remained unclear. Here, we use single-molecule fluorescence to track the conformation and composition of the ribosome in real time during termination and recycling. Our results show that peptide release by RF induces a rotated ribosomal conformation. RRF binds to this rotated intermediate to form the substrate for EF-G that, in turn, catalyzes GTP-dependent subunit disassembly. After the 50S subunit departs, IF3 releases the deacylated tRNA from the 30S subunit, thus preventing reassembly of the 70S ribosome. Our findings reveal the post-termination rotated state as the crucial intermediate in the transition from termination to recycling.
Template-Free Mesoporous Electrochromic Films on Flexible Substrates from Tungsten Oxide Nanorods

Low-temperature processed mesoporous nanocrystal thin films are platforms for fabricating functional composite thin films on flexible substrates. Using a random arrangement of anisotropic nanocrystals can be a facile solution to generate pores without templates. However, the tendency for anisotropic particles to spontaneously assemble into a compact structure must be overcome. Here, we present a method to achieve random networking of nanorods during solution phase deposition by switching their ligand-stabilized colloidal nature into a charge-stabilized nature by a ligand-stripping chemistry. Ligand-stripped tungsten suboxide (WO2.72) nanorods result in uniform mesoporous thin films owing to repulsive electrostatic forces preventing nanorods from densely packing. Porosity and pore size distribution of thin films are controlled by changing the aspect ratio of the nanorods. This template-free mesoporous structure, achieved without annealing, provides a framework for introducing guest components, therefore en...
Poly(ectoine) Hydrogels Resist Nonspecific Protein Adsorption.

The development of nonfouling zwitterionic materials has a wide range of biomedical and engineering applications. This work delineates the design and synthesis of a new zwitterionic material based on a naturally occurring compatible solute, ectoine, which is known to possess additional protective properties that stabilize even whole cells against ultraviolet radiation or cytotoxins. These properties and applications of ectoine inspire us to design a functional monomer containing the natural zwitterion moiety of ectoine imparting nonfouling properties and the methacrylate moiety for polymerization. The synthesis route designed for the ectoine methacrylate monomer is simple with a high yield, which is characterized by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and mass spectrometry. After monomer synthesis, we have prepared a poly(ectoine) hydrogel via thermal polymerization. The equilibrium water content, degree of cross-linking, mechanical strength, and nonfouling properties are determined for polyectoine hy...
Functional status predicts acute care readmission in the traumatic spinal cord injury population.

Acute care readmission has been identified as an important marker of healthcare quality. Most previous models assessing risk prediction of readmission incorporate variables for medical comorbidity....
Excluding the Income of State and Local Governments: The Need for Congressional Action

This article, although more than 25 years old, has renewed importance in light of the 2017 tax legislation. The 2017 legislation introduced limits on the deductibility of state and local taxes as well as an excise tax applicable to various exempt organizations, including some governmental affiliates, on certain kinds of excess compensation. These legislative changes have focused attention on how the federal government categorizes state governmental entities and their affiliates. The many potential categories include states, their political subdivisions, integral parts of states or political subdivisions, governmental instrumentalities, entities with income derived from an essential governmental function, and governmental affiliates exempt under section 501(c)(3). The article describes the criteria for and the implications of each of these categories, including their eligibility for deductible contributions. It examines the legislative history of these various statutory provisions as well as administrative and judicial interpretations of them. It explains that, in exempting the income of states and political subdivisions, the Internal Revenue Service relies on an implied statutory immunity rather than on the now discredited doctrine of a constitutional intergovernmental immunity. The contrast between this implied statutory immunity and the history of section 115(1), the provision that excludes “income derived from . . . the exercise of any essential governmental function and accruing to a State or any political subdivision thereof,” demonstrates how the understanding of the federal taxing power over states, their political subdivisions, and their affiliates has changed dramatically since the early 20th century. The constitutional, statutory, administrative, and judicial issues raised by this piece can usefully inform current debates, such as proposals to allow credits against state taxes for contributions to charitable programs established by state governments.
Resting-State Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Probabilistic Diffusion Tensor Imaging Demonstrate That the Greatest Functional and Structural Connectivity in the Hand Motor Homunculus Occurs in the Area of the Thumb.

Abstract The primary hand motor region is classically believed to be in the “hand knob” area in the precentral gyrus (PCG). However, hand motor task-based activation is often localized outside this area. The purpose of this study is to investigate the structural and functional connectivity driven by different seed locations corresponding to the little, index, and thumb in the PCG using probabilistic diffusion tractography (PDT) and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rfMRI). Twelve healthy subjects had three regions of interest (ROIs) placed in the left PCG: lateral to the hand knob (thumb area), within the hand knob (index finger area), and medial to the hand knob (little finger area). Connectivity maps were generated using PDT and rfMRI. Individual and group level analyses were performed. Results show that the greatest hand motor connectivity between both hemispheres was obtained using the ROI positioned just lateral to the hand knob in the PCG (the thumb area). The number of connected ...
α-Methyldopa selectively reduces alae nasi activity

1. Sedatives such as the benzodiazepines and alcohol reduce upper airway muscle activity. We hypothesized that a sedating antihypertensive, alpha-methyldopa, might have similar effects. To investigate this hypothesis we studied the effect of alpha-methyldopa on alae nasi electromyographic (EMG) activity during hypercapnia. 2. We studied ten healthy subjects and three subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea during CO2-stimulated breathing. In a preliminary study four subjects demonstrated a fall in alae nasi EMG activity 4 h after the ingestion of 500 mg of alpha-methyldopa during CO2 rebreathing. 3. In six additional normal subjects and three subjects with obstructive sleep apnoea, we studied the alae nasi EMG activity during steady-state hypercapnia with PCO2 held constant 5 torr (0.7 kPa) above baseline. On 2 separate days we studied subjects before and 2 h after they had ingested 750 mg of alpha-methyldopa or placebo. 4. In the normal subjects the mean alae nasi EMG activity fell by 34% 2 h after ingestion of alpha-methyldopa (P less than 0.05) without a change in other ventilatory parameters. 5. In the sleep apnoea group the individual mean alae nasi EMG activity fell 16-49%, with ventilation and tidal volume falling in one patient. 6. We conclude that alpha-methyldopa selectively reduces upper airway motor activity.
An Environmental, Energetic and Economic Comparison of Organic and Conventional Farming Systems

Various organic technologies have been utilized for about 6,000 years to make agriculture sustainable while at the same time conserving soil, water, energy and biological resources. Benefits of organic technologies include higher soil organic matter and nitrogen, lower fossil energy inputs, yields similar to conventional systems, and conservation of soil moisture and water resources, especially advantageous under drought conditions. Traditional organic farming technologies may be adopted by conventional agriculture to make it more sustainable and ecologically sound.
A subclass of mu glutathione S-transferases selectively expressed in testis and brain.

Abstract A subclass of glutathione S‐transferases (GSTs), exemplified by the human hGSTM3 and rodent GSTM5 subunits, has properties that distinguish it from other Mu class GSTs. Thus, they originate from single copy genes that are in an inverted order and, apart from the coding regions, share little sequence homology relative to the others in the Mu cluster. The genes for this M3/M5 subgroup encode for proteins that are in many ways unique, including their extended lengths with key amino acid substitutions. The M3/M5 subclass is selectively expressed in testis and brain and could function differently from the other GSTs.
Interstitial cystitis: A complex visceral pain syndrome

Case reports of patients with painful idiopathic bladder ulceration and symptoms of dysuria and frequency first appeared in the late 19th century. The term interstitial cystitis (IC) was coined soon after, yet for nearly a century this disorder has been underrecognized or dismissed as a psychosomatic symptom complex seen mostly in women. Since the mid-1980s, patient self-advocacy has won federal and other support to develop consensus approaches to the clinical diagnosis and evaluation of IC, and to investigate its pathophysiology. Diverse etiologies, many supported by credible preclinical models, have been advanced for this disorder or group of disorders. Treatments remain heterogeneous and empirical. Recent insights into visceral pain and hyperalgesia, together with clinical and basic research on IC, suggest that self-sustaining peripheral and central nociceptive sensitization after any of several inciting events is the final common pathway that leads to IC. IC shares many features in common with other debilitating, self-sustaining neurogenic pain syndromes recognized in other visceral organs or somatic sites. One may advance the term complex visceral pain syndrome to encourage a holistic and mechanistic rather than organ-specific, empiric approach to the diagnosis, treatment, and taxonomy of chronic neurogenic pain evoked by a spectrum of insults to distinct visceral organs.
Visual cortical projections to the paraflocculus in the rat. An electrophysiologic study.

The visual cortex of the rat was electrically stimulated with monopolar tungsten electrodes to determine the response properties of single neurons in the parafloccular lobule of the cerebellum. Following stimulation of the contralateral visual cortex, mossy fiber (MF)-evoked responses were indicated in 80 of 91 cells (88%) by activation of single or double spike potentials at latencies of 6–16 ms followed by an inhibition in simple spike frequency. MF activations were further identified by the demonstration of graded responses with increasing stimulus intensity and by following stimulus frequencies up to 20 Hz. Fifteen percent (9/61) of identified Purkinje cells in the parafloccular lobule demonstrated activation by climbing fiber excitations, as identified by the characteristic all-or-none burst response, which were evoked at variable latencies between 15–31 ms and 68–115 ms. Experiments involving stimulation of the superior colliculus and lesioning of the cerebral peduncle suggest that the visual cortical projection to the paraflocculus is mediated by the cortico-ponto-parafloccular pathway rather than relayed through midbrain nuclei. The electrophysiologic evidence suggests that the paraflocculus is a major receiving lobule of the cerebellum for inputs from the visual cortices.
Demand Interactions in Sharing Economies: Evidence from a Natural Experiment Involving Airbnb and Uber/Lyft

We examine whether and how ride-sharing services influence the demand for home-sharing services. Our identification strategy hinges on a natural experiment in which Uber/Lyft exited Austin, Texas, in May 2016 due to local regulation. Using a 12-month longitudinal dataset of 11,536 Airbnb properties, we find that Uber/Lyft’s exit led to a 14% decrease in Airbnb occupancy in Austin. In response, hosts decreased the nightly rate by $9.3 and the supply by 4.5%. We argue that when Uber/Lyft exited Austin, the transportation costs for most Airbnb guests increased significantly because most Airbnb properties (unlike hotels) have poor access to public transportation. We report three key findings: First, demand became less geographically dispersed, falling (increasing) for Airbnb properties with poor (excellent) access to public transportation. Second, demand decreased significantly for low-end properties, whose guests may be more price-sensitive, but not for high-end properties. Third, the occupancy of Austin hotels increased after Uber/Lyft’s exit; the increase occurred primarily among low-end hotels, which can substitute for low-end Airbnb properties. The results indicate that access to affordable, convenient transportation is critical for the success of home-sharing services in residential areas. Regulations that negatively affect ride-sharing services may also negatively affect the demand for home-sharing services.
The relationship between end-expired carbon dioxide tension and severity of venous air embolism during sitting neurosurgical procedures - A contemporary analysis.

Abstract Study objective Determine if changes in expired carbon dioxide tension correlate with the severity of venous air embolism (VAE) associated hemodynamic changes in humans. Design Retrospective case series. Setting A single academic medical center with high-volume neurosurgical practice. Patients One hundred forty seven adult patients having neurosurgical procedures performed with general anesthesia in the sitting position who experienced venous air embolism. Interventions Identification of documentation of venous air embolism by either precordial Doppler sonography or transesophageal echocardiography. Measurement Retrospective determination of changes in end-expired carbon dioxide (EECO2) changes associated with venous air embolism. Main results Greater absolute and relative decreases in end-expired carbon dioxide tension were associated with greater hemodynamic manifestations of venous air embolism. However, based on receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, the absolute and relative changes in EECO2 have moderate utility for predicting the severity of hemodynamic consequences of venous air embolism as area under the curve for absolute and relative carbon dioxide tensions were 0.7654 and 0.7263, respectively. Conclusions Greater magnitude of decreases in EECO2 is associated with hemodynamically-significant VAE in mechanically-ventilated patients. However, the magnitude of changes may have limited utility to diagnose VAE or exclude the diagnosis of VAE in patients with unexplained intraoperative hypotension.
A Real Time Energy Management for EV Charging Station Integrated with Local Generations and Energy Storage System

With the fast development of the electrification of vehicles, Electric Vehicle (EV) charging stations will drastically increase in the coming years. In the meantime, the growing demand of charging power, and the intermittent nature of renewable energy are serious challenges for the charging infrastructures and the local grid. In this paper, a real time energy management for the EV charging station equipped with renewable energy generation (RE) and energy storage systems (ESS) is proposed to achieve the maximum consumption of renewable energy through the direct load control of EV charging. A convex optimization problem of energy scheduling is formulated considering the inhomogeneous EV load and real-time price market of grid electricity. The proposed energy management scheme is then evaluated through simulation case studies and results are drawn and discussed.
Text Selection: Perceptions of Novice Vs. Veteran Teachers

Using a mixed-methods approach, this article reports survey findings regarding the factors secondary English-language-arts teachers in the United States reported as influential to their text select...
Two distinct routes for inducing emotions in HCI design

Abstract While there is a proliferation of research on emotion detection, little research has focused on emotion induction in HCI literature. We propose an emotion-induction model that points out the two fundamental design goals (i.e., sensemaking vs. exploration) as antecedents of the four different types of emotions, which, in turn, introspectively reinforce cognitive outcomes (i.e., attitude; behavioral intention). Design elements that facilitate the sensemaking goal (i.e., coherence; legibility) induce emotions along a low-arousal-positive (LAN) to a high-arousal-negative (HAN) continuum (e.g., “quiescence” to “agitation”). By contrast, the design elements that facilitate exploration goal (i.e., mystery; complexity) induce emotions along a high-arousal-positive (HAP) to a low-arousal-negative (LAN) continuum (e.g., “cheerfulness” to “dejection”). Among them, only the two types of emotions (i.e., HAP; HAN) have a significant mediation effect of reinforcing attitude. The HAP emotions (e.g., cheerfulness) signal a success in exploration efforts. The HAN emotions (e.g., agitation) signal a failure in sensemaking efforts. Thus, the design elements for sensemaking goals are responsible for the emotions that enhance positive (but not negative) attitude, while the design features for exploration are responsible for the emotions that enhance negative (but not positive) attitude. Incidentally, our data reveals that people place more weight on emotional signals that are consistent with their concurrent motivational concern than those inconsistent with it.
Ageism in nursing education: A review of the literature

Abstract This literature review defines ageism, discusses attitudes of ageism and factors related to attitudes of ageism among nurses and student nurses, and describes educational interventions aimed at addressing ageism among undergraduate nursing students. A major gap in the literature was identified as no studies included associate degree nursing students or students in Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing bridge programs. Nurse educators can use evidence to address ageism in programs of nursing. Additional research is needed in underrepresented populations.
Out of the Tower and Into the Field: Fieldwork as Public Scholarship in the Face of Social Injustice

I argue for a new model of public scholarship in the field of communication—one that defines public-ness not in terms of publicity but in terms of the public good. Synthesizing work on public scholarship in communication and sociology with participatory action research frameworks, I narrate my experiences of fieldwork in the U.S. transgender rights movement. In doing so, I demonstrate the reciprocal benefits of fieldwork for both scholars and the publics served by social justice organizations. I further discuss the depths of public engagement permitted and achieved via fieldwork relative to publicity-centered scholarship. Finally, I address the ideal role of public engagement as scholars: contributing specialized skills and knowledge toward the mitigation of social problems. Ultimately, I argue, if a scholar publicly engages in issues of social justice without orienting their public work toward alleviating injustice, then they are actively sustaining the systems of oppression they benefit from researching.