cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of SiGe multiple quantum wells by spectroscopic ellipsometry and photoluminescence

Abstract Two SiGe multiple quantum well structures that had been characterized already by double-crystal X-ray diffraction (DCXRD) have been examined by spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) and photoluminescence (PL). Analysis of the SE measurements was based upon the nominal growth conditions rather than the DCXRD findings. This analysis was able to provide the thicknesses and compositions of the layers comprising the heterostructure easily and quickly. Moreover, the SE analysis also provided estimates of the variation in these thicknesses and compositions, as well as in the heterostructure periodicity. It was found that the SE results confirm and enhance the DCXRD findings. The interpretation of the PL spectra benefits from the SE characterization and illuminates the nature of the small uncertainties in composition and layer thickness found by SE. These results demonstrate that SE provides a quick, extensive and reliable post mortem analysis of such materials.
Automated assessment of bilateral breast volume asymmetry as a breast cancer biomarker during mammographic screening

The biological concept of bilateral symmetry as a marker of developmental stability and good health is well established. Although most individuals deviate slightly from perfect symmetry, humans are essentially considered bilaterally symmetrical. Consequently, increased fluctuating asymmetry of paired structures could be an indicator of disease. There are several published studies linking bilateral breast size asymmetry with increased breast cancer risk. These studies were based on radiologists’ manual measurements of breast size from mammographic images. We aim to develop a computerized technique to assess fluctuating breast volume asymmetry in screening mammograms and investigate whether it correlates with the presence of breast cancer. Using a large database of screening mammograms with known ground truth we applied automated breast region segmentation and automated breast size measurements in CC and MLO views using three well established methods. All three methods confirmed that indeed patients with breast cancer have statistically significantly higher fluctuating asymmetry of their breast volumes. However, statistically significant difference between patients with cancer and benign lesions was observed only for the MLO views. The study suggests that automated assessment of global bilateral asymmetry could serve as a breast cancer risk biomarker for women undergoing mammographic screening. Such biomarker could be used to alert radiologists or computer-assisted detection (CAD) systems to exercise increased vigilance if higher than normal cancer risk is suspected.
Incidence, morphology, angiographic findings, and outcomes of intramural hematomas after percutaneous coronary interventions: an intravascular ultrasound study.

Background— Intramural hematomas during percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have not been well studied. Methods and Results— We used intravascular ultrasound to determine the incidence, morphology, and clinical features of post-PCI intramural hematomas. In 905 patients with 1025 consecutive native coronary artery, non–in-stent restenosis lesions undergoing PCI, 72 hematomas were detected in 69 arteries in 68 patients. The incidence of intramural hematomas per artery was 6.7% (69 of 1025); 36% (26 of 72) involved the proximal reference artery, 18% (13 of 72) were confined to the lesion, and 46% (33 of 72) involved the distal reference artery. The entry site from the lumen into the hematoma was identified in 86% of hematomas (62 of 72) and had the appearance of a dissection into the media. Conversely, a re-entry site was identifiable in only 8% (6 of 72). The axial extension of the hematoma was distal in 63% and proximal in 37%. In 60% of the hematomas (42 of 72) the angiogram had the appearance of a d...
Organizational Behavior: Where We've Been, Where We're Going

WHERE HAS THE FIELD OF OB BEEN? 429 What ls OB? 429 Themes in OB-Research 429 WHERE IS THE FIELD OF MICRO-OB TODAY? 430 Motivation 431 Work Attitudes 435 Job Design 440 Turnover and Absenteeism 442 Leadership 443 Summary 445 WHERE IS THE FIELD OF MICRO-OB GOING? 446 The Importance of Context 446 The lmpact of Macro-OB Theory 448 CONCLUSIONS 449
Validation of a Method To Screen for Pulmonary Hypertension in Advanced Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

Background We have developed a method to screen for pulmonary hypertension (PH) in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) patients, based on a formula to predict mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) from standard lung function measurements. The objective of this study was to validate this method in a separate group of IPF patients. Methods Cross-sectional study of 60 IPF patients from two institutions. The accuracy of the MPAP estimation was assessed by examining the correlation between the predicted and measured MPAPs and the magnitude of the estimation error. The discriminatory ability of the method for PH was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Results There was strong correlation in the expected direction between the predicted and measured MPAPs (r = 0.72; p 21 mm Hg was associated with a sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 95%, 58%, 51%, and 96%, respectively, for PH defined as MPAP from right-heart catheterization > 25 mm Hg. Conclusions A prediction formula for MPAP using standard lung function measurements can be used to screen for PH in IPF patients.
Studying Human Disease Genes in Caenorhabditis elegans: A Molecular Genetics Laboratory Project

Scientists routinely integrate information from various channels to explore topics under study. We designed a 4-wk undergraduate laboratory module that used a multifaceted approach to study a question in molecular genetics. Specifically, students investigated whether Caenorhabditis elegans can be a useful model system for studying genes associated with human disease. In a large-enrollment, sophomore-level laboratory course, groups of three to four students were assigned a gene associated with either breast cancer (brc-1), Wilson disease (cua-1), ovarian dysgenesis (fshr-1), or colon cancer (mlh-1). Students compared observable phenotypes of wild-type C. elegans and C. elegans with a homozygous deletion in the assigned gene. They confirmed the genetic deletion with nested polymerase chain reaction and performed a bioinformatics analysis to predict how the deletion would affect the encoded mRNA and protein. Students also performed RNA interference (RNAi) against their assigned gene and evaluated whether RNAi caused a phenotype similar to that of the genetic deletion. As a capstone activity, students prepared scientific posters in which they presented their data, evaluated whether C. elegans was a useful model system for studying their assigned genes, and proposed future directions. Assessment showed gains in understanding genotype versus phenotype, RNAi, common bioinformatics tools, and the utility of model organisms.
Experimental warming drives a seasonal shift in the timing of host‐parasite dynamics with consequences for disease risk

Multi-species experiments are critical for identifying the mechanisms through which climate change influences population dynamics and community interactions within ecological systems, including infectious diseases. Using a host–parasite system involving freshwater snails, amphibians and trematode parasites, we conducted a year-long, outdoor experiment to evaluate how warming affected net parasite production, the timing of infection and the resultant pathology. Warming of 3 °C caused snail intermediate hosts to release parasites 9 months earlier and increased infected snail mortality by fourfold, leading to decreased overlap between amphibians and parasites. As a result, warming halved amphibian infection loads and reduced pathology by 67%, despite comparable total parasite production across temperature treatments. These results demonstrate that climate–disease theory should be expanded to account for predicted changes in host and parasite phenology, which may often be more important than changes in total parasite output for predicting climate-driven changes in disease risk.
Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders is now a fully open access journal

With the publication of the first articles of this 2012 volume, the Journal of Neurodevelopmental Disorders enters the exciting world of open access publishing. The Journal will now be published by BioMed Central, (part of Springer Science+Business Media) as a fully open access journal. This change will mean that all articles will be made freely and permanently accessible online immediately upon publication, will be available to readers throughout the world without subscription charges or registration barriers, and be indexed in both PubMed and PubMed Central.
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF ROOTS AND TOPS OF DIOECIOUS LYCHNIS IN VEGETATIVE AND FLOWERING PHASES OF GROWTH.

In view of the current interest in problems of nutritional ontogeny and the evident influence of reproductive processes thereon, experimental data on the composition of the dioecious species, Lychnis dioica L., are presented. Dioecious forms appear to have the advantage in studies of this type in permitting recognition of compositional and metabolic differences associated with sex expression. By virtue of their perennial habit, individual plants of Lychnis can be studied throughout their growth cycle, thus permitting repeated comparison of the nutritional trend in each of the two sexes in the vegetative and reproductive stages of a single plant. The fact that inception of the reproductive processes appears to exert a marked metabolic effect upon the entire parent sporophyte, made it seem advisable to include a study of the root systems of the two sexes in order to determine compositional alterations and top-root interrelationships distinguishing vegetative and reproductive plants. Observations and analyses thus include both roots and tops of plants in the vegetative (rosette or pre-blooming) as well as the early flowering stage. The former is of particular interest since few studies exist in which initial tests on roots of dioecious plants in the vegetative stage have been interpreted in the light of ultimate sex expression. In earlier publications (17,18) the writer has summarized certain quantitative determinations and their relation to sex in dioecious plants and has presented analytical data relative to the physico-chemical aspects of sexual expression in Lychnis dioica L. Subsequent to this report, the cogent work by Loehwing (15) has given the most comprehensive integration of data relative to the physiological aspects of sex in angiosperms to be found in the literature. Since that time additional investigations have been reported (6,8,9,10,11,12,13,16,21). Methods
Identifying target sites for cooperatively binding factors

Motivation: Transcriptional activation in eukaryotic organisms normally requires combinatorial interactions of multiple transcription factors. Though several methods exist for identification of individual protein binding site patterns in DNA sequences, there are few methods for discovery of binding site patterns for cooperatively acting factors. Here we present an algorithm, Co-Bind (for COperative BINDing), for discovering DNA target sites for cooperatively acting transcription factors. The method utilizes a Gibbs sampling strategy to model the cooperativity between two transcription factors and defines position weight matrices for the binding sites. Sequences from both the training set and the entire genome are taken into account, in order to discriminate against commonly occurring patterns in the genome, and produce patterns which are significant only in the training set. Results: We have tested Co-Bind on semi-synthetic and real data sets to show it can efficiently identify DNA target site patterns for cooperatively binding transcription factors. In cases where binding site patterns are weak and cannot be identified by other available methods, Co-Bind, by virtue of modeling the cooperativity between factors, can identify those sites efficiently. Though developed to model protein‐ DNA interactions, the scope of Co-Bind may be extended to combinatorial, sequence specific, interactions in other macromolecules. Availability: The program is available upon request from the authors or may be downloaded from http://ural.wustl. edu.
Fructose, sucrose, and high fructose corn syrup: modern scientific findings and health implications.

Added sugars have increased in diets in the United States and many other industrialized countries over the past 30 y. Controversies have arisen, because some investigators have suggested that sugars, in general, and sugar-sweetened beverages, in particular, may be associated with increased risk of obesity, metabolic syndrome, heart disease, and other serious health conditions. Many of these arguments have been based on epidemiologic studies, randomized clinical trials, and theoretical constructs.
Gingival cyst of the adult: regenerative therapy of associated root exposure. A case report and literature review.

Background: The gingival cyst of the adult (GCA) is an uncommon developmental cyst of odontogenic origin most frequently seen near mandibular canines and premolars and is routinely treated with excisional biopsy. This article presents a case of a GCA treated with a combined regenerative approach and reviews the GCA literature with an emphasis on the clinical aspects of this lesion.Methods: A 54 year-old man presented for treatment of generalized severe chronic periodontitis. Clinical examination revealed a cystic lesion in the gingiva of the mandibular canine-premolar area. Radiographs revealed a well-defined radiolucency in the coronal one-third of the tooth roots. Surgical enucleation of the lesion revealed root exposure of the second premolar. Because of the anatomy of the lesion-associated defect, regenerative treatment, using a combination of freeze-dried bone allograft and a collagen membrane, was considered the therapeutic approach of choice.Results: The biopsy revealed histologic features consiste...
Modeling condensed-phase chemistry through molecular dynamics simulation

The challenges and problems involved in simulating condensed-phase dynamics, particularly for systems involving cleavage and formation of chemical bonds, are substantial. The authors describe two methods for simulating protonated liquid water and condensed-phase reaction dynamics, in which the commonly used multi-atom empirical force fields are inadequate.
Global patterns of aquatic food chain length

Food chain length is a fundamental ecosystem property, and plays a central role in determining ecosystem functioning. Recent advances in the field of stable isotope ecology allow the estimation of food chain length (FCL) from stable nitrogen isotope (d 15 N) data. We conducted a global literature synthesis and estimated FCL for 219 lake, stream, and marine ecosystems. Streams had shorter food chains (� 3.5 trophic levels) than marine and lake ecosystems (� 4.0 trophic levels). In marine systems, inclusion of marine mammals increased FCL by 2/3 of a trophic level. For each ecosystem type, estimates of FCL were normally distributed and spanned two full trophic levels. Comparison with published connectance food webs revealed similar mean FCL values, though stable isotope-derived FCL estimates were less variable. At the global scale, FCL showed weak or no relationships with ecosystem size, mean annual air temperature, or latitude. Our study highlights the utility of stable isotopes for quantifying among-system food web variability, and the application of this approach for assessing globalscale patterns of food chain length.
Uniform myosin isoforms in the flight muscles of little brown bats, Myotis lucifugus

The present study used muscle histochemistry and polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of native myosin and myosin heavy chains to establish a correlation, if any, between chiropteran histochemical fiber types and myosin isoform composition. Histochemical analysis of the primary flight muscle, the pectoralis profundus, documented the presence of a single histochemical fiber type, here termed Type II. Electrophoresis of native myosin isolated from pectoralis muscle yielded a single isoform that comigrated with the FM-3 isoform of rat diaphragm. Heavy chain analysis of the Myotis pectoralis demonstrated a single heavy chain with comparable electrophoretic mobility to rat IIa myosin heavy chain. These data demonstrate unique histochemical and biochemical homogeneity in the myosin composition of the pectoralis muscle of Myotis lucifugus. Thus this muscle is extremely specialized for flight at histochemical, morphologic, and molecular levels. These data contrast with the mixed myosin and histochemical fiber types found in other mammals, as well as in other muscles of Myotis lucifugus.
Genes, genomes, and codes: revisiting some key terms with multiple meanings

Is a genome the full complement of an organism’s genes or of its DNA? Is genetics the study of genes or of heredity? Is the genetic code the mechanism for translating nucleotide sequence to amino acid sequence or to phenotype? Does «genetic information» refer to the sequences coding for proteins or to all DNA sequences? Each of these questions stems from an elision between one, concrete, meaning, and another, open-ended and ambiguous. Such elision invites the illusion that the ambiguity of the open-ended term has been resolved, and by implication, that the gap between actual achievement and promise has been closed. Yet, despite the phenomenal progress molecular biology has made, we remain without an adequate account of the organization of proteins into an organism.
NONINVASIVE ASSESSMENT OF MITOCHONDRIAL DYSFUNCTION IN BRAIN DISORDERS WITH PROTON MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been implicated in a wide range of brain disorders, which makes a compelling case for the need for effective noninvasive tools to investigate mitochondrial neurobiology in vivo. Proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) is a noninvasive metabolic imaging technique that can measure with relative ease the brain concentrations of several potential biomarkers of human disease. For two decades, we have been implementing 1H MRS to investigate metabolic disturbances in both primary and secondary mitochondrial disorders in vivo [1-4]. This has enabled us to establish that one of the earliest metabolic manifestations of cerebral mitochondrial dysfunction is the accumulation and elevation of ventricular cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactate, whose in vivo measurement with 1H MRS can thus serve as (a) a noninvasive screening test for mitochondrial disorders, (b) a clinical tool for confirmation or early diagnosis of mitochondrial dysfunction, (c) a noninvasive method for measuring CSF lactate when lumbar puncture is contra-indicated, and (d) a noninvasive approach for assessment of mitochondrial disease severity, progress, or arrest in clinical trials of promising therapies. The utility of 1H MRS measures of ventricular lactate as an early and sensitive biomarker of mitochondrial dysfunction will be demonstrated for selected brain pathologies.
Rebalancing Target Capital in the Financial Sector: The Case of Life Insurance

Capital structure studies have been occupied for several years with the questions of whether firms have targets for their capital structure and whether they rebalance actual capital structure towards those targets. Such studies routinely exclude the financial sector from their purview. In this article, we extend the scope of these studies by analyzing the capital structure targeting practices of a large financial subsector, the U.S. life insurance industry. We find that life insurers have targets and close the gap between actual and targeted values within a single year. This is the fastest reversion rate known to us in the literature. In obtaining these results, we adopt the common practice of estimating targets from regression-type models. However, we adopt an innovative nonlinear simultaneous equation model (SSEM), based upon a semiparametric Bayesian methodology, to provide those targets. We argue that the special circumstances of life insurers suggest that they simultaneously target both capital and asset risk. In addition to estimating targets, SSEM also provides insights into theories of life insurer behavior and provides bench-marking tools for managers. In particular, our analysis suggests that hypotheses that insurers act to limit risk or use excessive risk are both right - but for different insurers, depending upon insurer location on the risk curve. Such insights would be obscured by linear models.
The impact of fluoride on oxidative stress and osteonectin expression of human osteoblast

Objective To observe osteonectin expression and the changes of oxidative stress in osteoblast treated with fluoride.Methods Human osteoblast cell(Saos-2) was cultured in McCOY's 5A medium and treated with fluoride(sodium fluoride,NaF).There were eight groups including 0(control group),0.625,1.250,2.500,5.000,10.000,20.000,40.000,80.000 mg/L groups.Expressions of osteonectin(ON) mRNA were detected by real-time PCR.Dual-standard curve method was used for analysis.Two oxidative stress indexes,superoxide dismutase(SOD) and malondialdehyde(MDA) were determined by measuring the absorbance using a micro titer plate reader.Results Expression of ON mRNA were lower in 0.625,1.250,2.500,5.000 mg/L groups than the control group which were 0.014 3±0.032,0.057 3±0.02,0.042 8±0.017 7,0.076 2±0.005,respectively(all P0.01);it was higher in the 10.000,20.000 mg/L groups than the control group at 24 hours after treated with fluoride.The differences among groups were significant(F=305.842,P0.01).Compared with the control group(122.34±6.99),the SOD activity was decreased in groups treated with fluoride(5.000-80.000 mg/L groups,were respectively 94.14±3.16,63.36±3.63,53.00±4.26,55.50±5.89,53.46±6.40),(all P0.05),the differences among groups were significant(F=21.734,P0.01).Compared with the control group(4.99±0.65),MDA activity of 10.000 mg/L group(7.74±1.43) cells exposed to fluoride was significantly increased,the difference between groups was statistically significant(F=3.067,P0.05).ON expression in osteogenic cells was a clear negative correlation with SOD.Conclusion Fluoride may affect osteonectin expression and oxidative stress status of osteoblast and change the normal osteogenic differentiation.
Application of Embedded Linux in Real-time Sampling Unit of Digital Substation

A sampling unit based on PowerPC hardware platform and embedded Linux operating system is introduced. The former can simultaneously communicate with four merging units via IEC 61850-9-1 with network coordination processor of PowerPC and a PCI-based extended Ethernet interface. First,the scheduling principle of Linux is analyzed and some optimization is employed for practical application of power system. Then,the implementation method of high real-time ability and reliability of network with embedded Linux operating system on PowerPC hardware platform is depicted. In addition,the check situation in the experiment of SCS-600 (a digital control device for security and stability) is presented. The result shows that the sampling unit can work well with four merging units based on IEC 61850-9-1,and it is able to satisfy the requirement of information sampling with high-speed sampling and high reliability for the control device of security and stability.
Nutritive content of the usual diets of eighty-two men.

Dietary intake of healthy men over periods of either six months or a year, as reported by monthly, three-day dietary histories was evaluated.
Evaluating the Needs of Patients Living With Solid Tumor Cancer: A Survey Design.

Purpose: To describe the unmet needs of adult patients living with solid tumor cancer. Design: Survey design. Method: Adult patients living with solid tumor cancer from two outpatient clinics were mailed the Sheffield Profile for Assessment and Referral to Care, a holistic screening questionnaire for assessing palliative care needs, and a demographics questionnaire. One hundred fifteen patients returned the instruments, corresponding to a 62% response rate. Findings: There were no significant differences by cancer type (breast, non-breast) or gender. However, Caucasians reported significantly more psychological issues, such as anxiety, than non-Caucasians ([n = 101 (87.8%)] and [n = 14 (12.2%)], respectively, p = .032). Older patients reported more concerns about loss of independence/activity (p = .012) compared with younger age groups. Patients living with Stage III/IV cancer reported more distressed about independence/activity (p = .034), family/social issues (p = .007), and treatment side effects (p = ...
DKK1-Specific Cytotoxic T Lymphocytes Are Potent Effector Cells for the Treatment of Multiple Myeloma in SCID-hu Model.

Dickkopf-1 (DKK1), a secreted protein and Wnt signaling pathway inhibitor, is highly expressed by the tumor cells of most multiple myeloma (MM) patients and contributes to osteolytic bone disease by inhibiting the differentiation of osteoblasts. DKK1 has been targeted as a myeloma-associated antigen by immunotherapeutical approaches based on DKK1-directed monoclonal antibodies and DKK1-specific cytolytic T lymphocytes (CTLs). The present study was conducted to develop a treatment strategy through adoptive transfer of DKK1-specific CTLs in a SCID-hu system. Using DKK1 peptide-pulsed dendritic cells (DCs), we successfully generated DKK1-specific CTL lines and clones from HLA-A2+ MM patients in vitro. These CTLs not only had cytolytic activity against DKK1 peptide-pulsed T2 cells, but also significantly lysed autologous myeloma tumor cells, HLA-A2+ and DKK1+ MM cell lines U266 and IM-9, and primary tumor cells in vitro. No killing was observed against HLA-A2+ normal lymphocytes, including B cells and HLA-A2+ DKK1- XG1 or HLA-A2- myeloma cell lines or primary myeloma cells from patients. To determine the in vivo antitumor activity, SCID-hu mice were engrafted with primary MM cells expressing high levels of DKK1 from patients and treated with DKK1-specific CTLs after one month of tumor injection. Control mice were treated with naive CD8+ T cells or PBS alone. All mice were examined by X-ray, tumor burden was measured according to levels of circulating human IgG, and survival rates were determined. All mice established human myeloma within one month after tumor inoculation, at which time the level of circulating human IgG was greater than 600 ng/ml in mouse serum. After another 3 weeks, the level of circulating human IgG was greater than 2,500 ng/ml in the serum of all control mice, while only 40% mice treated with DKK1-specific CTLs had high levels of circulating human IgG. X-ray examination showed that osteolytic bone disease and a large tumor burden were found in all control mice, while the established tumor was eradicated in 60% mice treated with DKK1-specific CTLs. Results of immunofluorescence studies showed that only tumor-reactive DKK1-specific CD8+ T cells were able to infiltrate into the tumor and mediate apoptosis in tumor cells. All control mice succumbed to myeloma within one month of establishment of the myeloma, while 9 out of 15 mice treated with DKK1-specific CTLs were macroscopically disease-free at the end of the experiment. These results suggest that DKK1-specific CTLs are able to eradicate established patient-derived primary myeloma in the host and that adoptive transfer of DKK1-specific CTLs may be used for myeloma therapy.
How family influence, socioemotional wealth, and competitive conditions shape new technology adoption

Research summary: In family businesses, investment decisions often involve both socioemotional wealth and economic considerations. Focusing on new technology adoption, we argue that multiple dimensions of socioemotional wealth contribute to complex effects within different types of family firms—depending on the level of family control—as well as in contrast to non-family firms. Results based on cable TV operators from 1983 to 1987 confirm that family ownership correlates negatively with technology adoption, especially when family owners hold a minority rather than majority position. We also show contingencies based on performance improvements and competitive threats. Our arguments contribute new insights about the tensions between economic and socioemotional factors within minority family ownership that are absent from non-family firms and more pronounced than in majority family firms. Managerial summary: We find evidence of greater reluctance toward new technology adoption among firms with minority family influence than majority family influence. This suggests that goals related to socioemotional wealth only partly explain the cautious decision-making observed in family firms, with further caution arising from conflicting priorities between family and non-family owners. Recent performance improvements help offset the reluctance to adopt new technology, albeit to a lesser degree among firms with minority family ownership. High levels of competitive threats also offset the reduction in new technology adoption, and contrary to expectations, to a greater extent among minority family firms. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mechanical Properties and Cell Compatibility of Agarose Hydrogels Containing Proteoglycan Mimetic Graft Copolymers

Proteoglycans have vital biochemical and biomechanical functions. Their proteolytic degradation results in loss of these functions. We have previously reported nonprotein proteoglycan-mimetic graft copolymers that stabilize and deliver growth factors and are not subject to proteases. Here we expand our investigation of these proteoglycan mimics by also investigating their effects on hydrogel mechanical properties. Four polysaccharide side chains, chondroitin sulfate, heparin, dextran, and dextran sulfate, are each grafted to a hyaluronan backbone. The polysaccharides and graft copolymers are added to agarose hydrogels. Cyclic compression and stress relaxation tests reveal how the addition of the polysaccharides and graft copolymers influence hydrogel modulus. Cells encapsulated in agarose hydrogels containing chondroitin sulfate and the chondroitin sulfate graft copolymer have decreased cell viability and metabolic activity compared to cells in unmodified agarose hydrogels. These multifunctional additives...
The Paradoxical Relationship between Renewable Energy and Economic Growth: A Cross-National Panel Study, 1990-2013

This cross-national study employs a time-series cross-sectional Prais-Winsten regression model with panel-corrected standard errors to examine the relationship between renewable energy consumption and economic growth, and its impact on total carbon dioxide emissions and carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP. Findings indicate that renewable energy consumption has its largest negative effect on total carbon emissions and carbon emissions per unit of GDP in low-income countries. Contrary to conventional wisdom, renewable energy has little influence on total carbon dioxide emissions or carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP at high levels of GDP per capita. The findings of this study indicate the presence of a “renewable energy paradox,” where economic growth becomes increasingly coupled with carbon emissions at high levels of renewable energy, and the negative effect of economic growth on carbon emissions per unit of GDP lessens as renewable energy increases. These findings suggest that public policy should be directed at deploying renewable energy in developing countries, while focusing on non-or-de-growth strategies accompanied with renewable energy in developed nations.
Fatty Infiltrate of the Lumbar Multifidus Muscles Predicts Return to Play in Young Athletes With Extension-Based Low Back Pain.

Objective To evaluate the predictive value of fatty infiltrate of the lumbar multifidus muscles (LMM) for return to play in young athletes with extension-based low back pain (EB LBP). Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Hospital-based sports medicine practice. Patients Sixty-two athletes, 61.3% female, and 38.7% male, mean age 14.8 years, with a primary complaint of EB LBP who underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); 46.8% had a pars interarticularis stress reaction or fracture and 53.2% were MRI negative. Interventions A musculoskeletal fellowship-trained radiologist reviewed MRI for all subjects and graded the degree of fatty infiltrate of the LMM, using the Goutallier classification system (GCS), at the L4/L5 and L5/S1 levels. Main outcome measure Days to return to play after first MD visit were correlated with the amount of fatty infiltrate in the LMM measured on MRI for each subject. Results When the level of fatty infiltrate increased to a 2 or 3 on the GCS (greater than fatty streaks in the muscle), the predicted probability of return to sport decreased significantly. Conclusion Our study demonstrated that athletes with EB LBP and fatty infiltrate in the LMM had lower odds of return to sport compared with athletes with normal muscle. Level of evidence II B. Clinical relevance This study provides sports medicine clinicians with a prognostic tool to help manage young athletes with EB LBP. Clinicians can make decisions regarding rehabilitation and return to play based on MRI findings.
Distal Femoral Nonunions

Distal femoral nonunions, although rare, can be challenging to manage. No consensus exists as to the best way to manage these problems. Locked plating has become used routinely in the management of distal femur fractures and as such new problems have arisen. There has been an increase in the incidence of nonunions with the use of these implants. One of the best ways to deal with nonunions is in the prevention of it in the first place. Risk factors for the development of distal femoral nonunions are described. Many of the mechanical factors are under the control of the surgeon. An understanding of the current literature with regard to these factors may help prevent nonunions. Injury characteristics that put fractures at risk of nonunion, cannot be avoided. Early bone grafting in cases of bone loss, comminution and open fractures may prevent nonunion formation. If the patient presents with a distal femoral nonunion, they should be carefully evaluated starting with the original injury and treatment. Infection and metabolic conditions should be ruled out. Smoking cessation should be part of the management as well as vitamin D replacement. Many options exist for the management of these nonunions. Careful evaluation and customized treatment options can lead to a successful outcome both in terms of healing and restoring the patient to a functional level.
Collective non-perturbative coupling of 2D electrons with high-quality-factor terahertz cavity photons

Condensed-matter physics meets quantum optics in a study of light–matter interaction in the strong-coupling regime using a two-dimensional electron gas in a high-quality-factor terahertz cavity.
Key managerial and financial accounting skills for private club managers: Comparison to lodging managers

ABSTRACTThis study provides empirical evidence of the comprehensive accounting skills by financial executives across the United States, and Canada believed important to private club general manager...
The association between angioembolization and splenic salvage for isolated splenic injuries.

Abstract Background Recent data suggest improved splenic salvage rates when angioembolization (AE) is routinely employed for high-grade splenic injuries; however, protocols and salvage rates vary among centers. Materials/Methods Adult patients with isolated splenic injuries were identified using the National Trauma Data Bank, 2013-2014. Patients were excluded if they underwent immediate splenectomy or died in the emergency department. To characterize patterns of AE, trauma centers were grouped into quartiles based on frequency of AE use. Unadjusted analyses and mixed-effects logistical regression controlling for center effects were performed. Results Five thousand and ninety three adult patients were identified. Overall, 705 (13.8%) underwent AE and 290 (5.7%) required a splenectomy. In unadjusted comparisons, splenectomy rates were lower for patients with severe spleen injuries who underwent AE (7% versus 11%, P = 0.02). In mixed-effect logistical regression patients with severe splenic injuries undergoing AE had a lower odds ratio (OR) for splenectomy (OR = 0.67, P = 0.04). Patients treated at centers in the highest quartile of AE use had a lower OR for splenectomy (OR = 0.58, P = 0.02). Conclusions The use of AE in patients with isolated severe splenic injuries is associated with decreased splenectomy rates. There is an association between centers that perform AE frequently and reduced splenectomy rates.
“It’s Just Natural”: A Critical Case Study of Family Language Policy in a 1.5 Generation Chinese Immigrant Family on the West Coast of the United States

The fast-growing immigrant population in the U.S. and the educational and linguistic characteristics of immigrant families have aroused a keen interest in the growing field of family language policy (FLP), the study of explicit and implicit planning of language use within family homes. Research shows that these informal language planning activities and processes have a profound impact on children’s cognitive development, racial and ethnic identity construction, and academic trajectories. With a particular interest in Chinese immigrant families, this study takes a close ethnographic look at the family language policies that inform the daily language practices of a 1.5 generation Chinese immigrant family on the West Coast of the United States. The study is guided theoretically by Spolsky’s three-component framework of language policy comprised of language practices, language ideology and language management. Findings indicate that the parents’ ideologies about their heritage language greatly impacts the family language policies expressed as a “natural” desire to use Mandarin Chinese at home for maintaining their racial and ethnic identity. This study fills a void in the educational linguistics scholarship, bridging the emergent field of FLP and language acquisition. It also contributes to FLP as a field of sociocultural practice, illuminating how immigrant families maintain heritage languages and ethnolinguistic identities and how these home language practices benefit their children’s social, cognitive and emotional development.
Applying Self-Determination Theory to Adolescent Sexual-Risk Behavior and Knowledge: A Structural Equation Model [Formula: see text].

BACKGROUND: National health priorities identify adolescent sexual-risk behavior outcomes as research and intervention targets for mental health. OBJECTIVE: Reduce sexual-risk behavioral outcomes by...
Structural Pest Management for Stored Product Insects

Stored product insects represent a diverse group of species that can infest raw grains but also can infest structures associated with the milling, processing, storage, and distribution of finished grains and grain-based products. One of the recent developments in managing these insects is documenting the extensive presence of these insects in and around milling, processing, and warehouse facilities (Semaeo et al. 2013), which represents a new awareness of the infestation potential.
Biosynthesis, Storage and Mobilization of Arachidonic Acid

A basic principle that has emerged from the last decade of research on lipid signaling is that membrane phospholipids should be regarded not only as structural components of the cell, but also as precursors for transmembrane, or even transcellular, signaling molecules. In Table 2.1, I have listed a series of examples to illustrate this principle. Three components play a major role in each of these examples: a phospholipid precursor, often but not exclusively found in the plasma membrane; a set of enzymes that synthesize this precursor; and a stimulus-activated phos-pholipase that hydrolyzes it, producing one or more metabolites with distinct biological effects.
Two-Pore Domain Potassium Channels (K2Ps) as Drug Targets in Neuroinflammation

Abstract Pathological neuroinflammation contributes to the negative impact and adverse outcomes of CNS autoimmune diseases, traumatic brain injury, stroke, and neurodegeneration. T lymphocytes are a major contributor to harmful neuroinflammatory responses in the brain. In these cells, K+ channels, in particular two-pore domain K+ channels (K2Ps), are essential for maintaining the resting membrane potential, creating the electrochemical drive for Ca++ entry and effecting T-cell memory (TEM) function. Genetic ablation or pharmacological inhibition of K2Ps blocks T-cell activation and provides protection in models of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). Here, we describe the critical function of K2Ps and other channels in T-cell activation and as novel therapeutic targets for preventing or limiting neuroinflammation.
Race and socoioeconomic status in pediatric allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation: A single-center study.

e18659Background: Survival disparities by race/ethnicity and socioeconomic status (SES) have been observed in pediatric cancer and adult allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (alloHCT) patients....
Impact of competitive landscape and ownership dynamics on oncology combination pricing.

e18942Background: Over the years, branded oncology combination therapies have become more widespread and expensive. This analysis aims to evaluate how number of competitors and ownership dynamics i...
C/EBPδ links IL-6 and HIF-1 signaling to promote breast cancer stem cell-associated phenotypes

To improve cancer patient outcome significantly, we must understand the mechanisms regulating stem-like cancer cells, which have been implicated as a cause of metastasis and treatment resistance. The transcription factor C/EBPδ can exhibit pro- and anti-tumorigenic activities, but the mechanisms underlying the complexity of its functions are poorly understood. Here we identify a role for breast cancer cell intrinsic C/EBPδ in promoting phenotypes that have been associated with cancer stem cells (CSCs). While C/EBPδ expression is not abundant in most metastatic breast cancers, our data support a pro-tumorigenic role of C/EBPδ when expressed in subsets of tumor cells and/or through transient activation by the tumor microenvironment or loss of substrate adhesion. Using genetic mouse models and human breast cancer cell lines, we show that deletion or depletion of C/EBPδ reduced expression of stem cell factors and stemnness markers, sphere formation and self-renewal, along with growth of tumors and established experimental metastases in vivo. C/EBPδ is also known as a mediator of the innate immune response, which is enhanced by hypoxia and interleukin-6 (IL-6) signaling, two conditions that also play important roles in cancer progression. Our mechanistic data reveal C/EBPδ as a link that engages two positive feedback loops, in part by directly targeting the IL-6 receptor (IL6RA) gene, and, thus, amplifying IL-6 and HIF-1 signaling. This study provides a molecular mechanism for the synergism of tumor microenvironmental conditions in cancer progression with potential implications for the targeting of CSCs.
Methylphenidate and alcohol effects on flash-evoked potentials, body temperature, and behavior in Long-Evans rats.

Abstract Methylphenidate (MPD) is a psychostimulant used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Most adult ADHD patients use ethanol in combination with MPD. This research examined the effects of MPD and ethanol on flash-evoked potentials (FEPs; cortical responses frequently used to assess neural activity and sensory processing) recorded from the visual cortex (VC) and superior colliculus (SC; a structure involved in attention and orientation) of chronically implanted male Long-Evans rats, and on body temperature and open field behavior. For one group of rats, either saline or ethanol (2.0 g/kg) was given 5 min prior to either saline or MPD (2.9 mg/kg). FEPs were recorded 10 and 20 min later. In the VC, ethanol decreased amplitudes of several components, but increased P2. MPD increased N3, but decreased P3 and P4. Ethanol increased the latency of several components. In the SC, ethanol decreased all three components, while MPD increased P3. Ethanol increased latency of all components. During FEP testing, ethanol decreased body movement while MPD increased movement. In the open field, line crossings were increased but rearings were decreased by ethanol. Both ethanol and MPD produced hypothermia. A second group of rats was given MPD at 11.6 mg/kg. Ethanol decreased several VC amplitudes, but increased P2. MPD increased N3 amplitude but decreased amplitude for other components. MPD also counteracted the effect of ethanol on the amplitude of P2 and N3. Both ethanol and MPD increased the latency of several components. In the SC, ethanol decreased all component amplitudes, while MPD increased P3 but decreased N4. Ethanol increased all component latencies, while MPD increased latency for two components. During FEP testing, ethanol decreased body movement while MPD increased movement. In the open field, line crossings were increased by ethanol and MPD. Rearings were eliminated by ethanol in the open field but increased by MPD, and MPD counteracted the effect of ethanol on rearings. Both ethanol and MPD produced hypothermia. Some of these results might help explain why users take MPD and ethanol in combination in order to enable consuming larger amounts of alcohol.
Assessing the Macroeconomic Impact of Structural Reforms in Chile

This study investigates the likely macroeconomic impact of various structural reforms that align the Chilean regulatory framework with international best practices. In this context, the analysis: i) presents a comparison across a large set of structural indicators; ii) identifies policy gaps with respect to OECD countries; and iii) provides quantification of the likely growth and fiscal impact of policy reforms needed to close the gaps. Chile’s economy is likely to benefit from streamlining business regulation and licensing, strengthening innovation and R&D capacity, improving labor market flexibility, and enhancing active labor market policies. Overall, the study presents a scenario in which Chile closes structural gaps with OECD’s 25th percentile over five years, with up to 6 percent higher output level and a cumulative net fiscal gain of about ½ percent of GDP.
Voltammetric, potentiometric and amperometric studies with a rotated aluminum wire electrode

Abstract In the amperometric determination of fluoride at the RAIE a half cell composed of 5% cadmium amalgam in equilibrum with a solution 1 M in cadmium sulfate and saturated with potassium chloride can be used as a reference electrode in a short-circuited cell instead of applying a potential of -0 75 V versus the saturated calomel electrode The standard addition method can be used in the presence of air, although removal of oxygen is recommended Using the Baker and Morrison electrode versus the above half cell and following their directions (10 ml solution, magnetic stirring) proportionality between current and fluoride concentration in a range between 1 · 10-5 and 1 · 10-4M was found in oxygen-free solutions Halides and perchlorates do not interfere. The standard addition technique can be used in the determination of fluoride in an unknown.