cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated lung outline reconstruction in ventilation-perfusion scans using principal component analysis techniques.

Abstract The present work addresses the development of an automated software-based system utilized in order to create an outline reconstruction of lung images from ventilation–perfusion scans for the purpose of diagnosing pulmonary embolism. The proposed diagnostic software procedure would require a standard set of digitized ventilation–perfusion scans in addition to correlated chest X-rays as key components in the identification of an ideal template match used to approximate and reconstruct the outline of the lungs. These reconstructed lung images would then be used to extract the necessary PIOPED-compliant features which would warrant a pulmonary embolism diagnosis. In order to evaluate this issue, two separate principal component analysis (PCA) algorithms were employed independently, including Eigenlungs, which was adapted from the Eigenfaces method, and an artificial neural network. The results obtained through MATLABTM simulation indicated that lung outline reconstruction through the PCA approach carries significant viability.
PSMB9 codon 60 polymorphisms have no impact on the activity of the immunoproteasome catalytic subunit B1i expressed in multiple types of solid cancer.

The proteasome is a key regulator of cellular protein homeostasis and is a clinically validated anticancer target. The immunoproteasome, a subtype of proteasome expressed mainly in hematopoietic cells, was initially recognized for its role in antigen presentation during the immune response. Recently, the immunoproteasome has been implicated in several disease conditions including cancer and autoimmune disorders, but many of the factors contributing to these pathological processes remain unknown. In particular, the codon 60 polymorphism of the PSMB9 gene encoding the β1i immunoproteasome catalytic subunit has been investigated in the context of a variety of diseases. Despite this, previous studies have so far reported inconsistent findings regarding the impact of this polymorphism on proteasome activity. Thus, we set out to investigate the impact of the PSMB9 codon 60 polymorphism on the expression and activity of the β1i immunoproteasome subunit in a panel of human cancer cell lines. The β1i-selective fluorogenic substrate Acetyl-Pro-Ala-Leu-7-amino-4-methylcoumarin was used to specifically measure β1i catalytic activity. Our results indicate that the codon 60 Arg/His polymorphism does not significantly alter the expression and activity of β1i among the cell lines tested. Additionally, we also examined the expression of β1i in clinical samples from colon and pancreatic cancer patients. Our immunohistochemical analyses showed that ∼70% of clinical colon cancer samples and ∼53% of pancreatic cancer samples have detectable β1i expression. Taken together, our results indicate that the β1i subunit of the immunoproteasome is frequently expressed in colon and pancreatic cancers but that the codon 60 genetic variants of β1i display similar catalytic activities and are unlikely to contribute to the significant inter-cell-line and inter-individual variabilities in the immunoproteasome activity.
When Learning a Second Language Does Not Mean Losing the First: Bilingual Language Development in Low‐Income, Spanish‐Speaking Children Attending Bilingual Preschool

This article discusses two investigations which explored the bilingual language development outcomes of comparable groups of low-income, Spanish-speaking, Mexican American children who either did or did not attended a bilingual (Spanish/English) preschool. Study 1 is a replication of a study by Rodriguez, Diaz, Duran, and Espinosa, involving a new sample of 26 children who attended bilingual preschool for one year and 20 control children who remained at home. Study 2 represents a 1-year, longitudinal follow-up of Rodriguez et al.'s, sample of children during and after the children spent another year at home or in the preschool. In both investigations, standardized, objective measures of three components of children's language proficiency (productive language, receptive language, and language complexity) in English and Spanish were obtained at the beginning and end of the academic year. Contrary to fears that have been expressed by some that early exposure to English would lead to children's native language loss, the results of both studies offered no evidence of Spanish proficiency loss for children attending bilingual preschool. Children who attended bilingual preschool, compared to those who remained at home, showed significant and parallel gains in Spanish language development as well as significant and greater increases in English language proficiency over time. Results are discussed in terms of the need for more systematic research to be conducted in this area to inform policy and practice in the early education and development of language-minority children.
Reinsuring Risk to Increase Access to Health Insurance

At least 41 million Americans are currently without health insurance in any given month (U.S. Bureau of the Census, 2002). They are uninsured for a variety of reasons, and most people who lack coverage are affected by more than one reason. Two generalizations can be made, however. First, a majority simply cannot afford to purchase health insurance unless it is heavily subsidized. Most do not have access to employer-sponsored coverage and so must purchase any insurance in the non-group (individual) health-insurance market - a market where, as I explain below, insurance is typically twice as expensive as employer-group coverage if it is not denied outright. Since about two-thirds of the uninsured have incomes below $35,000, non-group health-insurance premiums often exceed 10 percent of their incomes. The second generalization is that, to an important extent, high premiums in the non-group market and denial of coverage reflect market failure due to asymmetric information. Insurers can never know as much as an individual does about his or her health, family history of health problems, and tendency to seek medical care. Because of this asymmetry, it is impossible for an insurer to set premiums that accurately reflect the non-random portion of health-care costs for different individuals. The non-group market is the only health-insurance option for people without employersponsored coverage. Tax-related subsidies as proposed by members of Congress and the Bush administration do not address the market-failure problems and so are unlikely to make insurance much more affordable. To increase access to health insurance, risk in the non-group market needs to be shifted to a broader population base. In what follows, I first describe the three distinct health-insurance markets in which people can obtain health insurance, and the special nature of competition among insurance companies in the non-group market. Then I make the case for government to act as reinsurer and assume the risk of extremely high-cost people. Efficiency in the non-group health-insurance market would be improved if the government reinsured the market. Equity also would be increased if the government acted as reinsurer because more uninsured people would have access to insurance. Finally, I describe precedents for this role for government in other markets, and why tax-related subsidies will not succeed in increasing health-insurance coverage unless the risks of extremely high costs are shifted to the government.
No Rest for the Democratic Peace

Proponents of the democratic peace are accustomed to criticism. Early refutations of the research program's findings focused on questions of measurement and statistical inference. Skepticism about such matters has not fully subsided, but many more now accept the democratic peace as an empirical regularity. The aim of recent complaints has shifted to democratic peace theory. The typical approach has been to highlight select historical events that appear anomalous in light of the theory and the causal mechanisms it identifies. Sebastian Rosato's (2003) is one such critique, noteworthy for the range of causal propositions held up for scrutiny and the unequivocal rejection of them all. But Rosato fails to appreciate the dyadic logic central to democratic peace theory, and much of his criticism is therefore misdirected. Those cases that remain unexplained by the theory are not especially problematic for this progressively evolving research program.
The Effect of Ultracentrifuging on the Cells of the Root Tip of the Bean (Phaseolus Vulgaris)

In several recent papers (Beams and King, 1934, a , b ; 1935; Beams, Muliyil and Gatenby, 1934) we have reported results on the effects of ultracentrifuging various animal somatic cells. We have shown that many of the cytoplasmic and nuclear materials could be readily displaced and stratified into distinct regions according to their relative specific gravity. Up to this time practically no work had been done on centrifuging animal somatic tissues with the exception of that on blood. The main deterrent in this type of investigation seems to have been the lack of sufficient centrifugal force available to displace materials of relatively little difference in specific gravity in these highly viscid cells. The results of our studies on ultracentrifuging animal cells seem to warrant the application of this technique to the study of plant tissues. Accordingly, we have used it as an experimental method, supplementing the usual cytological procedures in an attempt to cast some light on the debated and much confused problems concerning the structural elements of plant cytoplasm.
Low-Aspect-Ratio Rib Heat Transfer Coefficient Measurements in a Square Channel

Cooling channels, roughened with repeated ribs, are commonly employed as a means of cooling turbine blades. The increased level of mixing induced by these ribs enhances the convective heat transfer in the blade cooling cavities. Many previous investigations have focused on the heat transfer coefficient on the surfaces between these ribs and only a few studies report the heat transfer coefficient on the rib surfaces themselves. The present study investigated the heat transfer coefficient on the surfaces of round-corner, low-aspect-ratio (ARrib = 0.667) ribs. Twelve rib geometries, comprising of three rib height-to-channel hydraulic diameter (blockage ratios) of 0.133, 0.167, and 0.25 as well as three rib spacings (pitch-to-height ratios) of 5, 8.5, and 10 were investigated for two distinct thermal boundary conditions of heated and unheated channel walls. A square channel, roughened with low-aspect-ratio ribs on two opposite walls in a staggered manner end perpendicular to the flow direction was tested. An instrumented copper rib was positioned either in the middle of the rib arrangements or in the furthest upstream location. Rib heat transfer coefficient as well as the channel friction factor for these low-aspect-ratio ribs were also compared with those of square ribs, reported previously by the authors. Heat transfer coefficients of the furthest upstream rib and that of a typical rib located in the middle of the rib-roughened region of the passage wall were also compared.Copyright © 1997 by ASME
Recognizing Younger Citizens: Statutes and Structures in Support of Earlier Adulthood

I question the way the law regulates adolescents by looking at the interaction between i) pre-Enlightenment norms in which scientific and political notions of human development did not exist for all practical purposes, ii) Enlightenment philosophical and scientific norms of human development, and iii) modern legal norms of human development. Are there ways in which pre-modern holistic notions of being human can contribute to a more rational approach to adolescents by the law? How can the ideology of childhood, which through Enlightenment scientific and political thought, is reified (has the illusion it is real), naturalized (has the illusion it is natural) and legitimized (encoded in the law), be overcome for adolescents? I make four contributions to the discussion of children’s rights: 1. I make an argument that the authority of science is overrated when dealing with children. Science is used by the medical and other professions to justify their authority and competence in certain environments, including the classroom and at the bedside. It is used primarily by physicians, but is used by the other authorities that make decisions on behalf of adolescents: parents, teachers, and, in general, the state. I argue that the life sciences are now both institutionally corrupt and theoretically unsound, and therefore should no longer be a proxy for or token of authority. Decisions about children, especially adolescents, based on the life sciences, or made by life scientists (including physicians) whose authority primarily flows from their social authority as scientists, should be seen as categorically problematic and therefore categorically devalued. 2. I suggest that states and other socio-political entities should recognize committees of adolescents to represent the wishes and needs of adolescents and other children. 3. I suggest that, as a general matter, the legal presumption that adult competence happens only at 18 or 21, with carve out exceptions for some earlier competencies, should be reversed, and that the law should recognize adult competence at 14 (e.g.) with exceptions for some later competencies. And 4. Until more general reforms can be enacted, I join with those who suggest that the general rule for adolescents facing terminal or grave illnesses should be to deem them competent to make their own medical decisions.
Chart Compilation - Field and Office

Procedures and techniques employed in the compilation of new charts and in periodic revision of existing charts are detailed beginning with the initial data collection to the final printing and distribution of each chart. Related and yet independent field and office compilation procedures are listed and analyzed in the sequence in which they are performed. Special field and office compilation procedures utilized to reduce lag time between field survey and chart printing are also considered. The production of reliable nautical charts depend primarily on the ability to maintain them as dependable navigation instruments. This requires that the latest available hydrographic data be included on each chart edition, with each new edition occurring at a frequently established to match the revision need.
Optimization and experimental validation of a thermal cycle that maximizes entropy coefficient fisher identifiability for lithium iron phosphate cells

Abstract This article presents a framework for optimizing the thermal cycle to estimate a battery cell's entropy coefficient at 20% state of charge (SOC). Our goal is to maximize Fisher identifiability: a measure of the accuracy with which a parameter can be estimated. Existing protocols in the literature for estimating entropy coefficients demand excessive laboratory time. Identifiability optimization makes it possible to achieve comparable accuracy levels in a fraction of the time. This article demonstrates this result for a set of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells. We conduct a 24-h experiment to obtain benchmark measurements of their entropy coefficients. We optimize a thermal cycle to maximize parameter identifiability for these cells. This optimization proceeds with respect to the coefficients of a Fourier discretization of this thermal cycle. Finally, we compare the estimated parameters using (i) the benchmark test, (ii) the optimized protocol, and (iii) a 15-h test from the literature (by Forgez et al.). The results are encouraging for two reasons. First, they confirm the simulation-based prediction that the optimized experiment can produce accurate parameter estimates in 2 h, compared to 15–24. Second, the optimized experiment also estimates a thermal time constant representing the effects of thermal capacitance and convection heat transfer.
Toward a General Approach to Organization Theory

Discusses the significance of the classification of the approaches to organization. Discussion on formalism in organization; Application of the spontaneity approach to organization; Emphasis of the...
The concept of stigma in mental illness as applied to Haitian Americans.

Aim To report on the analysis of the concept of the stigma of mental illness within the Haitian American community. Background Mental illness is a highly stigmatized condition within certain communities making it challenging for individuals to seek effective treatment. The consequences of such stigma can have lifelong corollaries for the individuals, the families and the communities. Introduction The concept of stigma is not fully developed in nursing; clarity of the concept of stigma of mental illness is still needed in the nursing literature. In order to assist patients in accessing mental health services, the concept of stigma must first be clarified. Methods The method used for this concept analysis was that of Walker and Avant. Findings Five attributes were identified, creating the following definition: labelling, stereotype, negative attitude, emotional response, and discrimination. The antecedents for stigma of mental illness are lack of knowledge about mental illness, emotional state and cultural beliefs and values. Implications for nursing and health policy The origins of stigmatization of mental illness among Haitian Americans need to be understood. Mental health illnesses are stigmatized within the Haitian culture, which presents as a barrier to accessing help for many Haitian American women suffering from mental illness. The defining attributes can be used to develop tools to help clinicians identify patients being stigmatized. Once stigma is recognized, nurses can develop strategies and policies that can mitigate the effects of stigmatization of mental illness among this patient population. Conclusion Further research is essential to examine the ways in which this concept impacts the Haitian American community, as well as effective strategies to help minimize its effects.
A Multitude of Eyes, Tongues, and Mouths: Readerly Agency in Shakespeare's Sonnets

SUMMARYThis essay analyses how Shakespeare's sonnets theorise readerly agency. It begins with a brief analysis of English sonnet culture's development from its Continental roots, showing how English sonnets were initially perceived as documents of socially elite circles. By the 1590s, however, as English sonnets became widely popular, they exhibited a complex tension between elite social status and what many believed to be vulgar, empty popularity. By the time Shakespeare wrote his, much of the initial burst of popularity had waned. Belated as they are, Shakespeare's sonnets comment productively on the importance of popularity and the role of ‘ordinary’ readers in constructing cultural value. Many scholars have argued that an inability to control readership—and keep poetry out of the hands of low-status readers—was a source of anxiety to writers in this period. However, this essay claims that Shakespeare's sonnets regularly suggest that the very lack of control over readership is what gives sonnets their ...
Ethical issues and the role of anesthesiologists in non-heart-beating organ donation.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Demand for vital organs for transplantation continues to increase, and the supply of organs has not kept up with demand. The use of organs harvested immediately after death from patients who have requested withdrawal of life support may be one way to increase supply. Anesthesiologists frequently become involved with such 'non-heart-beating' organ donations when they are asked to withdraw life support from patients in the operating room and monitor them, providing terminal care, until death ensues. RECENT FINDINGS: Despite thorough debate in the literature and reviews by the Institute of Medicine, ethical controversies remain concerning the use of non-heart-beating donors. Further, non-heart-beating organ donation has failed to produce the windfall of vital organs for transplant predicted by optimistic early estimates. There is agreement in the medical specialties of palliative care, intensive care medicine, internal medicine, and family practice that competency in end-of-life care requires specialty training. Most anesthesiologists are poorly qualified to carry out the tasks involved in non-heart-beating donation, and may even potentially compromise care. SUMMARY: Ethical controversies in the use of non-heart-beating donors remain despite thorough review. No physician should be involved in withdrawal of life support in non-heart-beating donors, unless specialty trained in end-of-life care. Most anesthesiologists should not be involved in non-heart-beating organ donations; potential exceptions include those with specialty training or experienced in palliative care or intensive care medicine.
Does physician specialty affect persistence to pharmacotherapy among patients with overactive bladder syndrome

We compared persistence on overactive bladder (OAB) pharmacotherapy in patients treated in the Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) department compared with patients treated in the Internal Medicine (IM) and General Urology (GU) departments within an integrated health-care system. We hypothesized that persistence would be higher among FPMRS patients. This was a retrospective cohort study. Patients with at least one prescription for OAB between January 2003 and July 2014 were identified. Demographic, prescription and treatment specialty data and data on the use of third-line therapies were collected. The primary outcome was persistence, defined as days on continuous pharmacotherapy. Discontinuation was defined as a treatment gap of ≥45 days. Discontinuation-free probabilities were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared among the specialties. Predictors of persistence were estimated using logistic regression with adjustment for covariates. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to identify risk associations. A total of 252 subjects were identified. At 12 weeks, 6 months and 1 year, FPMRS patients had the highest persistence rates of 93 %, 87 % and 79 % in contrast to 72 %, 68 % and 50 % in GU patients, and 83 %, 71 % and 63 % in IM patients (p = 0.006, p = 0.007, p = 0.001, respectively). The median persistence in FPMRS patients was 738 days, in GU patients 313 days and in IM patients 486 days (p = 0.006). Of the FPMRS patients, 61 % switched to at least a second medication, as compared to 27 % of IM patients and 14 % of GU patients (p < 0.0001). Persistence on OAB pharmacotherapy was higher among FPMRS patients than among GU and IM patients in this community setting. These results suggest that persistence is higher under subspecialist supervision.
Environmental education.

Abstract The need for a new profession devoted to environmental matters is asserted. The qualities of such a profession are sketched, and it is argued that new initiatives in environmental education are needed in the form of graduate, professional programs with primary emphasis on practice. An example 2-year program is presented. A fundamental requirement is scientific competence; undergraduate preparation in the sciences or engineering is mandatory. The graduate curriculum itself is built on three primary cores: environmental science and engineering, business and management, and public policy. Additionally, an environmental round table is proposed as a focal point for academic, industrial, governmental, and public discussion on environmental matters. The round table would provide oversight for the professional educational program and an affiliated research institute.
High Thoracic Disc Herniation Causing Horner Syndrome with the Intraoperative Finding of Conjoined Nerve Root Compression: A Case Report.

Case: A 29-year-old man presented with right medial arm pain with paresthesia, as well as right-sided ptosis, miosis, and anhidrosis. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a right paracentral disc herniation at the T1-T2 level. The patient underwent a hemilaminectomy with a medial facetectomy through a posterolateral approach to the T1-T2 disc space, followed by a discectomy. Intraoperative findings were notable for a conjoined nerve root. Conclusion: Although high thoracic disc herniation is rare, its diagnosis should be considered when patients present with radicular arm pain and Horner syndrome. A high index of suspicion should be maintained for nerve root anomalies to limit iatrogenic injury and to ensure successful decompression.
Thermoanalytical investigation of the reactions causing the transuranic waste drum breach that occurred in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant

Abstract In February 2014, an energetic gas-producing chemical reaction occurred in remediated plutonium processing waste emplaced in the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant causing the drum’s seal to fail and release radioactive material into and outside of the plant. This article provides results of our probative study using simultaneous thermogravimetric and differential thermal analysis and accelerating rate calorimetry to determine the thermal sensitivities of selected simulated characteristic remediated wastes such as hydrogen- and hydrogen, metal-triethanolamine nitrates and nitric acid solidified and stabilized with wheat-based pet litter. These studies found that these nitrate wastes were chemically unstable and susceptible to gas-producing thermal runaway reactions. If undried or partially dried, self-sustaining or accelerating-exothermic reactions were delayed in nitrate- and organic-containing materials to above 100 °C while air-dried nitric acid and pet litter began self-heating exothermic reactions near 30 °C that led to thermal runaway. Caution must be exercised when managing nitrate-containing wastes.
Does artificial light pollution impair problem-solving success in peafowl?

Behavioral innovations allow animals to adjust their behavior to solve novel problems. While innovative behavior can be important for animals living in new environments, anthropogenic pollution may limit their ability to adapt by impairing cognition or motivation. In particular, exposure to light pollution at night can cause sleep deprivation and may, therefore, hinder innovative behavior. To test this hypothesis, we examined experimentally whether exposure to acute light pollution impacts problem-solving success in peafowl (Pavo cristatus). After peafowl were exposed to artificial light pollution for one night, they were presented with a problem-solving task in which they could extract food by piercing the lid of an unfamiliar food bowl. Their problem-solving success was unrelated to short-term light pollution exposure. Other factors, including persistence, sex of the bird, and moon illumination, influenced their success in solving the task. The results suggest that short-term exposure to light pollution does not limit behavioral innovation, but long-term studies are necessary to further probe this question.
Long-Term Outcomes After Extracardiac Fontan Takedown to an Intermediate Palliative Circulation

Background Acute failure of the Fontan circulation is rare but remains associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Little is known about the long-term outcome of patients who underwent Fontan takedown to an intermediate palliative circulation and their potential candidacy for redo Fontan completion. Methods Patients followed up at a single institution who underwent takedown of a Fontan circulation to an intermediate palliative circulation within 2 months of extracardiac Fontan completion were reviewed. Results Between October 1990 and December 2015, 18 patients underwent Fontan takedown to a superior cavopulmonary connection (with or without an additional shunt) at a median age of 3.3 years (range, 1.8 to 8.0) and median weight of 13.8 kg (range, 8.0 to 27.0 kg). Takedown was required during the Fontan procedure itself in 2 patients, and within the first 2 postoperative months in 16 patients (median time to takedown, 3 days). Seventeen patients survived the post–takedown period and 3 ultimately underwent successful redo Fontan. Four patients required heart transplantation, with 2 deaths. In patients with extended intermediate palliation, median arterial oxygen saturation was 84% (range, 76% to 92%) at a median follow-up of 6.3 years (range, 0.7 to 25.9). Conclusions Takedown to a superior cavopulmonary connection is an effective treatment option and, in some patients, acts as a bridge to subsequent redo Fontan completion or heart transplantation. An extended intermediate palliative circulation is tolerated for several years with reasonable oxygen saturation levels at rest. In our experience, an early takedown strategy to a superior cavopulmonary connection is the treatment of choice for acute Fontan failure.
A prospective same day discharge protocol for pediatric appendicitis: Adding value to a common surgical condition.

Abstract Purpose Standardized clinical pathways for simple appendicitis decrease length of stay and result in cost savings. We performed a prospective cohort study to assess a same day discharge (SDD) protocol for children with simple appendicitis. Methods All children undergoing laparoscopic appendectomy for simple appendicitis after protocol implementation (February 2016 to January 2017) were assessed. Length of stay (LOS), 30-day resource utilization (ED visits and hospital readmissions), patient satisfaction, and hospital accounting costs for SDD were compared to non-SDD patients. Results Of 602 children treated at our institution, 185 (31%) were successfully discharged per protocol. SDD patients had longer median PACU duration (3.0 vs. 1.0h, p Conclusions Safe and satisfactory outpatient management of pediatric simple appendicitis is achievable with appropriate patient selection. An SDD protocol can lead to significant generation of value to the healthcare system. Level of Evidence Prognosis study, Level II.
Analysis of tricarboxylic acid cycle of the heart using 13C isotope isomers

13C-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy provides a new approach to the analysis of metabolic pathways, because it detects an interaction between adjacent 13C nuclei. Previous models of isotope distribution in the tricarboxylic acid cycle were designed for analysis of radioisotope data and did not consider the information provided by 13C-13C coupling. A mathematical model of the tricarboxylic acid cycle was developed that preserves all isotope isomer (isotopomer) information and yields simple relationships between 13C-NMR spectra of glutamate and metabolic parameters under steady-state conditions. With the use of relative peak areas measured from the spectra of tissues supplied with 13C-enriched substrate(s), the relative fluxes through both oxidative (acetyl-CoA utilization) and nonoxidative (anaplerotic) pathways of the tricarboxylic acid cycle can be determined. Furthermore, with the judicious selection of 13C-labeling patterns in a mixture of substrates, direct substrate competition experiments can be performed. The perchloric acid extracts of Langendorff and working rat hearts oxidizing 13C-enriched fatty acids or carbohydrates are analyzed to illustrate this approach, and the importance of measuring the fractional enrichment of the available substrate is demonstrated. The technique can of course be used with all tissues, not just heart, and is applicable to the analysis of in vivo 13C-NMR spectra.
Effect of Cholestyramine on the Symptoms of Reflux Gastritis: A randomized, double blind, crossover study

Bile acids have been proposed to be important in the pathophysiology of the syndrome of "bile reflux gastritis" after surgery. To examine the role of cholestyramine, an ion exchange resin that binds bile acids, on symptoms of this syndrome, we did a randomized, double-blind crossover study on 16 patients. No differences in frequency of abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or bitter taste were observed among cholestyramine (4 g, three times daily for 3 weeks), placebo, and routine (dietary restriction and ad libitum antacid) treatment periods. We conclude that this regimen of cholestyramine was ineffective in symptomatic treatment of bile reflux gastritis.
Scales and Scaling as a Framework for Synthesizing Irrigated Agroecosystem Research on the Westside San Joaquin Valley

The salinity drainage issues may be viewed at different spatial and temporal dimensions across the irrigated crop production landscape from the micro scale processes and reactions, intermediate scale of production fields and farms, to the system scale of San Joaquin Valley. Up scaling approaches were used to analyze the spatial and temporal variability of soil hydraulic functions, basin wide hydrologic flows and salt transport, land subsidence, and irrigation practices and management.
Effects of lipopolysaccharide dosing on bacterial community composition and fermentation in a dual-flow continuous culture system

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) dosing on bacterial fermentation and bacterial community composition (BCC), to set up a subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) nutritional model in vitro, and to determine the best sampling time for LPS dosing in a dual-flow continuous culture system. Diets were randomly assigned to 6 fermentors in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square with three 11-d experimental periods that consisted of 7 d for diet adaptation and 4 d for sample collection. Treatments were control diet (CON), wheat and barley diet (WBD) to induce SARA, and control diet + LPS (LPSD). Fermenters were fed 72 g of dry matter/d. The forage:concentrate ratio of CON was 65:35. The WBD diet was achieved by replacing 40% of dry matter of the CON diet with 50% ground wheat and 50% ground barley. The LPS concentration in LPSD was 200,000 endotoxin units, which was similar to that observed in cows with SARA. The SARA inducing and LPS dosing started at d 8. The BCC was determined by sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene using the Illumina MiSeq platform (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA). The LPSD and CON maintained pH above 6 for the entire experimental period, and the WBD kept pH between 5.2 and 5.6 for 4 h/d, successfully inducing SARA. Digestibility of neutral detergent fiber and crude protein in LPSD were not different from WBD but tended to be lower than CON. Lipopolysaccharide dosing had no effect on pool of VFA concentrations and profiles but decreased bacterial N; the pattern changes of VFA and LPS in LPSD started to increase and be similar to WBD 6 h after LPS dosing. Pool of LPS concentration was around 11-fold higher in WBD and 4-fold higher in LPSD than CON. In the solid fraction, the BCC of LPSD was different from WBD and tended to be different from CON. In the liquid fraction, the BCC was different among treatments. The LPS dosing increased the relative abundance of Succinimonas, Anaeroplasma, Succinivibrio, Succiniclasticum, and Ruminobacter, which are main gram-negative bacteria related to starch digestion. Our results suggest that LPS dosing does not affect pH alone. However, LPS could drive the development of SARA by affecting bacteria and bacterial fermentation. For future studies, samples are suggested to be taken 6 h after LPS dosing in a dual-flow continuous culture system.
Understanding how high-performance anion exchange membrane fuel cells were achieved: Component, interfacial, and cell-level factors

Summary In recent years, it has become clear that there are 4 pillars to achieve high performing practical Anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFCs): (1) alkaline stable, high conductivity, high water transport membranes; (2) controlling the content and balance of water in operating cells; (3) electrode development and optimization; and (4) minimizing the effects of CO2. The primary focus of this perspective article is (2) and (3), where the component-level advances as well as the cell-level and interfacial factors that contribute to overall cell performance will be discussed – with a perspective on understanding how state-of-the-art AEMFC performance of ∼2.5 W cm−2 (with H2/O2 reacting gases) has been achieved. The hope is that others in the field can use this paper to not only achieve the same performance, but to exceed it. Also, several recommendations to guide the future work of the field are made.
Institutional Determinants of Trade Policy Formation: Issue Specific Testing in the Stigler-Peltzman Framework

Popular trade policy literature utilizes an adapted Stigler-Peltzman model of regulation in order to predict the application of protectionist policies across an open economy (Hillman, 1982; Becker, 1983; Grossman and Helpman, 1994). These works provide the theoretical underpinnings for further empirical studies yet rarely offer empirical analysis to test their hypotheses. Furthermore, most empirical efforts focus on the dynamic between producer and regulator (legislator) while saying little about the role of the consumer in this traditional three party game of trade politics: Regulator, Producer, and Consumer. More recently, Rogowski and Kayser (2002), and Rogowski Chang and Kayser (2008) brought forth a model to explain the role of political institutions in a government regulator's decision making process. Their claim - that Single Member District (SMD) systems systematically favor consumers over producers - is supported by the Taagepera-Shugart "vote-elasticity" model (Taagepera and Shugart; 1989) of electoral support which leads to a pro-consumer bias in SMD systems and pro-producer (consumer unfriendly) policies in Proportional Representation (PR) systems. These authors use a modified measure of purchasing power parity as the determinant of pro-consumer bias - the lower the prices the higher the bias. This is one of the better known and methodologically rigorous attempts to identify the institutional determinants of trade policy, yet the reviews of its conclusions are mixed.
Constitution and Family in the United States

Decisions of the United States Supreme Court beginning with Griswold v. Connecticut (1965) have transformed family law in the United States. By characterizing the right to marry as a fundamental constitutional right and procreative decision-making as both a fundamental liberty interest and privacy right, the Court has “deregulated” the institutions of marriage and family.During this same period the Court’s approach to legal questions involving the rights of non-marital cohabitating couples as well as individual procreative decision-making has tended to blur legal distinctions between the family based upon marriage and other living arrangements. The widespread adoption of mutual consent and/or marital breakdown as grounds for the dissolution of marriage in the United States has significantly altered the social dynamics of marriage and further reduces distinctions between marriage and other living arrangements.However, recent decisions by the Court in Hardwick, Michael H., and Webster point to a change of direction in the Court’s view of privacy which may signal a willingness to tolerate greater community involvement in establishing protective regulation of the institutions of marriage and the family based upon it. The Court also appears to be in the process of significantly narrowing the constitutionally recognized right of privacy when viewed as a zone of autonomous decision-making for the individual or non-marital couple.
Towards Clinical Translation of CD8+ Regulatory T Cells Restricted by Non-Classical Major Histocompatibility Complex Ib Molecules

In central lymphoid tissues, mature lymphocytes are generated and pathogenic autoreactive lymphocytes are deleted. However, it is currently known that a significant number of potentially pathogenic autoreactive lymphocytes escape the deletion and populate peripheral lymphoid tissues. Therefore, peripheral mechanisms are present to prevent these potentially pathogenic autoreactive lymphocytes from harming one’s own tissues. One such mechanism is dictated by regulatory T (Treg) cells. So far, the most extensively studied Treg cells are CD4+Foxp3+ Treg cells. However, recent clinical trials for the treatment of immune-mediated diseases using CD4+ Foxp3+ Treg cells met with limited success. Accordingly, it is necessary to explore the potential importance of other Treg cells such as CD8+ Treg cells. In this regard, one extensively studied CD8+ Treg cell subset is Qa-1(HLA-E in human)-restricted CD8+ Treg cells, in which Qa-1(HLA-E) molecules belong to a group of non-classical major histocompatibility complex Ib molecules. This review will first summarize the evidence for the presence of Qa-1-restricted CD8+ Treg cells and their regulatory mechanisms. Major discussions will then focus on the potential clinical translation of Qa-1-restricted CD8+ Treg cells. At the end, we will briefly discuss the current status of human studies on HLA-E-restricted CD8+ Treg cells as well as potential future directions.
Masters Program Flexible Endoscopy Pathway: Diagnostic Colonoscopy

It is important to understand the difference between screening and diagnostic colonoscopy. Screening colonoscopy is defined as a procedure performed on an asymptomatic patient to test for the presence of colorectal cancer or polyps. Diagnostic colonoscopy on the other hand allows physicians to evaluate symptoms, such as anemia, rectal bleeding, abdominal pain, or diarrhea. This chapter delineates guidelines for performance of diagnostic colonoscopy in emergent and non-emergent situations. It also discusses specific considerations salient to diagnostic colonoscopy in specific clinical settings, including bleeding, obstruction, abnormal radiographic findings, ischemia, and infectious colitis.
Corruption predictability and corruption voting in Asian democracies

I examine how the structure of corrupt exchanges between voters and politicians—an important-yet-underexplored form of informal institutions—shapes voters’ electoral behavior toward corruption. I argue that when voters have a clear idea of whom to bribe to secure desired services and how much they need to offer, they are less likely to engage in corruption voting and hold corrupt incumbents electorally accountable for their malfeasance. Utilizing the World Business Environment Survey on corruption predictability and the Asian Barometer survey on voters’ electoral behaviors, I report empirical evidence that institutionalized corruption promotes greater electoral tolerance of corrupt politicians in Asian democracies. The results hold against a number of robustness checks. The paper thus furthers our understanding of the effect of informal political institutions on corruption voting as well as Asia’s corruption exceptionalism.
Mitral valve leaflet response to ischemic mitral regurgitation: From gene expression to tissue remodeling

Aims: Ischemic mitral regurgitation is frequently observed following myocardial infarction and is associated with higher mortality and poor clinical prognosis if left untreated. Accumulating evidence suggests that mitral valve leaflets actively remodel post-myocardial infarction, yet the cellular mechanisms underlying these responses and how this affects tissue function remain largely unknown. We sought to elucidate mitral valve remodeling post myocardial infarction at the tissue, cellular, and transcriptomic levels. Methods and Results: The mechanical behavior of ovine mitral valve leaflets pre- and 8 weeks post-myocardial infarction reveal a significant decrease in radial direction extensibility, which essentially eliminated the mechanical anisotropy typically observed in healthy mitral valves. Quantitative histology and ultrastructural assessment by transmission electron microscopy revealed altered leaflet composition and architecture at 8 weeks post-myocardial infarction. Assessment of the mitral valve interstitial cell nuclear aspect ratio, a metric of cellular deformation, revealed that they were on average rounder following myocardial infarction. RNA sequencing indicated that YAP-induced genes were elevated at 4 weeks post-myocardial infarction and genes related to extracellular matrix organization were some of the most downregulated in sheep with IMR compared to sheep without ischemic mitral regurgitation at 4 weeks post-myocardial infarction. Additionally, RNA sequencing revealed the possible recruitment of immune cells in this remodeling process due to the drastic elevation of CXCL9 and CLEC10A. Conclusions: Our multiscale assessment revealed significant mechanical and microstructural changes due to myocardial infarction. RNA sequencing provided a baseline for global gene expression changes in response to myocardial infarction with and without ischemic mitral regurgitation and suggests YAP-induced mechanotransduction, altered expression of extracellular matrix-related genes, and recruitment of immune cells as mechanisms contributing to altered mitral valve biomechanics post-myocardial infarction.
Primary central nervous system marginal zone B-cell lymphoma arising from the dural meninges: A case report and review of literature

Primary central nervous system (CNS) marginal zone B-cell lymphoma (MZBCL) arising from the dural meninges is a rare but indolent disease. This malignancy can present in various ways, hence making it difficult to diagnose. Biopsy results dictate an appropriate treatment plan, which commonly consists of a combination of surgical resection, whole brain radiotherapy and systemic therapy.
Two-temperature Collisional-radiative Modeling of Partially Ionized O2-Ar Mixtures over 8000-10,000 K Behind Reflected Shock Waves.

The collisional excitation kinetics of atomic oxygen was studied behind reflected shock waves using tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. A test gas mixture of 1% O2/Ar was shock-heated to t...
A novel comprehensive efficacy test for textiles intended for use in the healthcare setting.

Abstract Soft surfaces, including textiles are found throughout healthcare settings. Pathogens can survive for long periods of time on textiles, and can be transferred to and from the skin. Antimicrobial fabrics are used as an engineering control to prevent infection. Efficacy testing standards have limitations, including single microorganism challenges, multiple fabric plies tested, and lengthy contact times. We developed a novel method that better models in-use conditions through testing standardized mixtures of pathogens and normal skin microorganisms, artificial soils, and a 15-min contact time. Reproducible growth of all microorganisms from frozen stocks was achieved using this method. A novel rechargeable, monitorable N-halamine cotton cellulose fabric, containing 5885 ± 98 ppm of active chlorine, was evaluated with the new method using PBS, artificial sweat, and artificial sweat plus 5% serum as soil. Pathogens tested included Acinetobacter baumannii, Candida albicans, Escherichia coli, vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus faecalis, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Each was tested singly and in the presence of a representative normal skin flora mixture, including: Acinetobacter lwoffii, Corynebacterium striatum, Micrococcus luteus, and Staphylococcus epidermidis. When tested singly, all microorganisms were reduced by 3.00 log10 or greater, regardless of artificial soil. In mixture, 4.00 log10 or greater reductions were achieved for all microorganisms. These results suggest that the novel testing method can be used to provide more comprehensive and realistic efficacy information for antimicrobial textiles intended for use in healthcare. Furthermore, the N-halamine fabric demonstrated efficacy against multiple pathogens, singly and in mixtures, regardless of the presence of artificial soils.