cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Stories Breed Commitment? The Influence of Mergers and Acquisitions Narratives on Employees Regulatory Focus

One determinant of merger and acquisition (M&A) success is the extent that an organization’s employees commit to the combination. However, employees often have low commitment to merger and acquisition activity. This paper examines the relationship between organizational commitment, regulatory focus, and M&A narratives. It is argued that employees with a promotion focus will have higher affective commitment during M&As than employees with a prevention focus. Further, it is hypothesized that organizations can use particular types of narratives to activate employees’ promotion focus, which will result in employees having higher affective commitment than employees in organizations using other narrative-types.
A Meta-Analysis of Bilateral Essure® Procedural Placement Success Rates on First Attempt

Abstract Background: The Essure® (Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Leverkusen, Germany) female sterilization procedure entails using a hysteroscope to guide a microinsert into the Fallopian tube openings. Failed placement can lead to patient dissatisfaction, repeat procedures, unintended or ectopic pregnancy, perforation of internal organs, or need for subsequent medical interventions. Additional interventions increase women's health risks, and costs for patients and the health care industry. Demonstrated successful placement rates are 63%–100%. To date, there have not been any systematic analyses of variables associated with placement rates. Objectives: The aims of this review were: (1) to estimate the average rate of successful bilateral Essure microinsert placement on first attempt; and (2) to identify variables associated with successful placement. Materials and Methods: A meta-analysis was conducted on 64 published studies and 19 variables. Following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews ...
Effects of the Asymmetric Tonic Neck Reflex and High-Frequency Muscle Vibration on Isometric Wrist Extension Strength in Normal Adults

The effects of the asymmetric tonic neck reflex and high-frequency muscle vibration on isometric wrist extension strength were studied in 150 normal, right-handed adults between the ages of 18 and 40. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of five groups. From data collected from two control groups, we determined any confounding effects of fatigue, experimental learning, or weight of the vibrator in contact with the skin surface overlying the wrist extensor muscle bellies. From measurements taken from three experimental groups, we determined the individual and combined effects of the asymmetric tonic neck reflex and vibration. The reflex was elicited with active head rotation. Strength significantly increased with active head rotation toward the extending wrist; active head rotation away from the wrist significantly decreased strength. Vibration of the extensor surface of the forearm with the head in neutral significantly increased strength. The combination of active head rotation toward the extending wrist and vibration of the extensor surface resulted in a greater increase in strength than did either technique individually.
Emerging drugs for the treatment of Primary Biliary Cholangitis

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune chronic disease of the liver that can progress to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. It affects approximately 1 in 4,000 with a 10:1 female to male ratio. The diagnosis of PBC can be made based on serum antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA) in a patient with abnormally high serum alkaline phosphatase after ruling out other causes of cholestasis and biliary obstruction. Genome-wide association studies have revealed several human leukocyte antigen (HLA) and non-HLA risk loci in PBC, and complex environmental-host immunogenetic interactions are believed to underlie the etiopathogenesis of the disease. Fatigue and pruritus are the most common and often problematic symptoms; although often mild, these can be severe and life-alternating in a subset of patients. Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) is the only drug approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of PBC. Clinical trials have shown that UDCA significantl...
Development of a sensitive assay for detection of uracil in DNA.

Folate deficiency causes chromosomal breakage. Chromosome abnormalities can lead to cancer and other pathologies. We are interested in determining the role that uracil misincorporation into DNA plays in folate deficiency-induced chromosome breaks. Previous work with cultured human cells indicates that methotrexate inhibition of thymidylate (TMP) synthesis results in substantial increases of deoxyuridylate (dUMP) and subsequent incorporation of uracil into DNA in the place of thymine.1 A number of researchers postulate that folate deficiency causes a futile cycle of uracil insertion and removal from DNA that accounts for the observed chromosome breaks4,7 and an increased risk of cancer1–3 (Figure 1). Our goal is to determine if uracil misincorporation into DNA is occurring in humans due to folate deficiency or marginal folate intake. To accomplish this we developed a sensitive gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (GCMS) method for the quantitation of uracil in DNA.
Influence of . niacin and Priscoline on ketonuria, liver glycogen and liver lipid.

SummaryWhen large amounts of niacin or priscoline were given daily to rats fasted for 5 days, an excessive excretion of urinary acetone bodies was noted in most of the animals. Niacin-injected rats had higher levels of liver glycogen, priscoline-injected lower levels. Total liver lipid was not altered by either drug. There appeared to be no correlation between the amount of liver fat or liver glycogen and the presence of excess ketone bodies in the urine.
Plant influences on predation and oviposition by Geocoris punctipes (Hemiptera: Lygaeidae) in soybeans

Laboratory experiments were conducted to quantify the influence of weed plant species common to soybean fields in north Florida on rates of predation and oviposition by Geocoris punctipes (Say). Predation rates were affected by plant species and prey abundance when weed species were presented alone and when soybeans were presented with each weed in a paired free-choice arena. Rates of predation were comparatively low on weeds such as sicklepod, crotalaria, and Florida beggarweed. Interactions between soybeans and certain weed plants appeared to alter overall predation rates in free-choice arenas, resulting in reduced rates of attack on prey on soybeans. Changes in plant leaf area were shown to have a significant influence on the searching behavior of the predator. As plant leaf area increased, the predator responded by searching a bigger area, thereby maintaining a fairly constant rate of attack. Alterations in predator searching behavior as a result of plant species and species interactions were most important at the lower range of prey densities (prey per square centimeter leaf area) examined. Oviposition rates were influenced by plant species but not by prey abundance. Soybeans appeared to be a highly suitable plant oviposition site although oviposition on plants in general was very low
High-density SNP array and genome sequencing reveal signatures of selection in a divergent selection rat model for aerobic running capacity

We have previously established two lines of rat for studying the functional basis of aerobic exercise capacity (AEC) and its impact on metabolic health. The two lines, high capacity runners (HCR) and low capacity runners (LCR), have been selectively bred for high and low intrinsic AEC, respectively. They were started from the same genetically heterogeneous population and have now diverged in both AEC and many other physiological measures, including weight, body composition, blood pressure, body mass index, lung capacity, lipid and glucose metabolism, and natural life span. In order to exploit this rat model to understand the genomic regions under differential selection within the two lines, we used SNP genotype and whole genome pooled sequencing data to identify signatures of selection using three different statistics: runs of homozygosity, fixation index, and aberrant allele frequency spectrum, and developed a composite score that combined the three signals. We found that several pathways (ATP transport and fatty acid metabolism) are enriched in regions under differential selection. The candidate genes and pathways under selection will be integrated with the previous mRNA expression data and future F2 QTL results for a multi-omics approach to understanding the biological basis of AEC and metabolic traits.
Resin Hemoperfusion for Drug Intoxication - An Update:

Hemoperfusion through Amberlite XAD-4 resin column has been shown to effectively remove sedative-hypnotics, analgesics and other drugs causing acute intoxication. There is no appreciable clinical toxicity and dramatic shortening of coma time and possible decrease in mortality may be achieved. Thrombocytopenia and clotting may be diminished by pre-perfusion coating with 2.5% albumin. Albumin coating may facilitate the repeated use of hemoperfusion without any complications. More recently, resin hemoperfusion has been used for procainamide, N-acetylprocainamide and theophylline intoxication achieving exceptionally high clearance rates.
The Operation Called Verstehen: Towards a Redefinition of the Problem

One of the more constant elements in the ‘legacy of logical positivism’ has been a rather low estimate of the importance of the concept of Verstehen for a logic of the social sciences. To be sure, it has been the accepted practice among philosophers under the influence of this movement that any extended treatment of the logic of the social sciences include an analysis of the role of Verstehen. But these analyses have almost invariably taken the form of a whittling down to size of an out-sized concept with, it is often noted, rather suspicious origins in German metaphysical thought.
Generating efficient and high-quality pseudo-random behavior on Automata Processors

Micron's Automata Processor (AP) efficiently emulates non-deterministic finite automata and has been shown to provide large speedups over traditional von Neumann execution for massively parallel, rule-based, data-mining and pattern matching applications. We demonstrate the AP's ability to generate high-quality and energy efficient pseudo-random behavior for use in pseudo-random number generation or in chip simulation. By recognizing that transition rules become probabilistic when input characters are randomized, the AP is also capable of simulating Markov chains. Combining hundreds of parallel Markov chains creates high-quality, high-throughput pseudo-random number sequences with greater power efficiency than state-of-the-art CPU and GPU algorithms. This indicates that the AP could potentially accelerate other Markov Chain-based applications such as agent-based simulation. We explore how to achieve throughputs upwards of 40GB/s per AP chip, with power efficiency 6.8x greater than state-of-the-art pseudo-random number generation on GPUs.
Hopping to the Beat: Hop Regulation of Cardiac Gene Expression

Hop is a recently discovered homeodomain only protein with atypical characteristics. Unlike other homeodomain proteins, Hop lacks DNA binding activity, although it localizes predominantly to the nucleus. During embryogenesis, Hop is expressed in the myocardium of the developing heart and it functions downstream of Nkx2-5, an early cardiac-specific transcription factor. One role of Hop is to modify the expression of cardiac-specific genes and thereby finely regulate heart development. This article reviews the discovery, characteristics, roles, and future perspectives of Hop.
Non-classical continuum theory for solids incorporating internal rotations and rotations of Cosserat theories

This paper presents a non-classical continuum theory in Lagrangian description for solids in which the conservation and the balance laws are derived by incorporating both the internal rotations arising from the Jacobian of deformation and the rotations of Cosserat theories at a material point. In particular, in this non-classical continuum theory, we have (i) the usual displacements \(( \pmb {\varvec{u }})\) and (ii) three internal rotations \(({}_i \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }})\) about the axes of a triad whose axes are parallel to the x-frame arising from the Jacobian of deformation (which are completely defined by the skew-symmetric part of the Jacobian of deformation), and (iii) three additional rotations \(({}_e \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }})\) about the axes of the same triad located at each material point as additional three degrees of freedom referred to as Cosserat rotations. This gives rise to \( \pmb {\varvec{u }}\) and \({}_e \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }}\) as six degrees of freedom at a material point. The internal rotations \(({}_i \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }})\), often neglected in classical continuum mechanics, exist in all deforming solid continua as these are due to Jacobian of deformation. When the internal rotations \({}_i \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }}\) are resisted by the deforming matter, conjugate moment tensor arises that together with \({}_i \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }}\) may result in energy storage and/or dissipation, which must be accounted for in the conservation and the balance laws. The Cosserat rotations \({}_e \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }}\) also result in conjugate moment tensor which, together with \({}_e \pmb {\varvec{{\varTheta } }}\), may also result in energy storage and/or dissipation. The main focus of the paper is a consistent derivation of conservation and balance laws that incorporate aforementioned physics and associated constitutive theories for thermoelastic solids. The mathematical model derived here has closure, and the constitutive theories derived using two alternate approaches are in agreement with each other as well as with the condition resulting from the entropy inequality. Material coefficients introduced in the constitutive theories are clearly defined and discussed.
On Merleau-Ponty’s Crystal Lamellae: Aesthetic Feeling, Anger, and Politics

What I here call Merleau-Ponty’s crystal lamellae corresponds to a phenomenology of the crystal of the interstices of being: the between. Phenomenology’s crystal as I refer to this here is a layered in and through spatial tensions, shimmering, overlapping, intervals magnifying planes and surfaces in all dimensions. This is a crystallography in words to retrace the relations of lived space, tactically navigated, anticipated, recalled, as this experienced awareness of the world around, the places in which we live, especially public spaces, layered in layers, including lattice arrays of space, seen and unseen, including a reflection on art, aesthetic production, especially but not only in Lascaux, and perception, on anger, and the political including the terrorism of capital.
Sourcing strategies for a capacitated firm subject to supply and demand uncertainty

Abstract We study sourcing strategies for a capacitated manufacturer subject to supply and demand uncertainty. The manufacturer produces two products: low- and high-quality versions of the same product that differ in only one critical component. For the low-quality product, one supplier of the critical component is unreliable, failing to deliver ordered components with some positive probability. To mitigate the risk associated with the unreliable supplier, the manufacturer may: i) order from a perfectly reliable, but expensive secondary supplier (i.e., dual sourcing); ii) produce some or all of the component in-house (i.e., concurrent sourcing); or iii) substitute a higher quality component (i.e., downward substitution). All production activities share a limited capacity resource. We develop a stochastic programming formulation in a single period setting to study the optimal combination of these sourcing tactics, which we refer to as sourcing strategies, under a variety of conditions. An extensive screening experiment reveals that five of the 63 possible sourcing strategies occur as the optimal sourcing strategy in nearly 75% of problem instances. Additional experiments provide insight into the impact of limited capacity, the value of each available sourcing option, and the evolution of the optimal sourcing strategy as key problem parameters change. Most interestingly, our experiments reveal that the ability to produce a component in-house is a highly effective means for mitigating supply and demand uncertainty in a wide range of problem environments.
Rethinking the biopsychosocial model of health: Understanding health as a dynamic system

The biopsychosocial model has dominated research and theory in health psychology. This article expands the biopsychosocial model by applying systems theories proposed by developmental scholars, including Bronfenbrenner's ecological models and Sameroff's transactional model, as well as contemporary philosophical work on dynamic systems. The proposed dynamic biopsychosocial model construes human health as a product of the reciprocal influences of biological, psychological, interpersonal, and macrosystem contextual dynamics that unfold over personal and historical time. The importance, or centrality, of these influences varies within a person over time. The model is explicated using two hypothetical case studies derived from existing interdisciplinary health research. Implications for health, theory, research, and policy are discussed.
Refusing to Be Co-Opted: Revolutionary Multicultural Education amidst Global Neoliberalisation.

AbstractIn this article, I explore how neoliberalism dictates the terms of debate about education reform and equity in the U.S. and abroad. In particular, I explain how two paradigmatic reforms – the edTPA evaluation for preservice teachers in the United States and the global initiative Teach For All – have co-opted the discourse of multicultural education in an attempt to advance their own priorities and not those at the heart of the field, thus jeopardising the possibility of real justice. Finally, I envision a way forward, through a theory of revolutionary multicultural education, as we seek to reimagine the terms of debate about the goals of educating all students.
A TROSY CPMG sequence for characterizing chemical exchange in large proteins

A new NMR spin relaxation experiment is described for measuring chemical exchange time constants from approximately 0.5 ms to 5 ms in 15N-labeled macromolecules. The pulse sequence is based on the Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill technique [Carr and Purcell (1954) Phys. Rev., 94, 630–638; Meiboom and Gill (1958) Rev. Sci. Instrum., 29, 688–691; Loria et al. (1999) J. Am. Chem. Soc., 121, 2331–2332], but implements TROSY selection [Pervushin et al. (1997) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 94, 12366–12371] to permit measurement of exchange linebroadening contributions to the narrower component of the 1H-15N scalar-coupled doublet. This modification extends the size limitation imposed on relaxation measurements due to the fast decay of transverse magnetization in larger macromolecules. The new TROSY-CPMG experiment is demonstrated on a [U-98% 15 N] labeled sample of basic pancreatic trypsin inhibitor and a [U-83% 2H, U-98% 15 N] labeled sample of triosephosphate isomerase, a 54 kDa homodimeric protein.
Effect of Surface Roughness on the Shaft Resistance of Displacement Model Piles in Sand

AbstractThis paper presents the results of tensile load tests performed with instrumented model piles with different surface roughnesses jacked into sand samples in a half-circular calibration cham...
Preoperative Glycemic Control Predicts Perioperative Serum Glucose Levels in Patients Undergoing Total Joint Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Diabetic patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) with postoperative hyperglycemia >200 mg/dL have increased the risk of prosthetic joint infection (PJI). We investigated the correlation between preoperative hemoglobin A1c (A1c) and postoperative hyperglycemia in diabetic patients undergoing TJA. Methods A retrospective review of 773 diabetic patients undergoing TJA was conducted. A Youden's J computational analysis determined the A1c where postoperative glucose levels >200 mg/dL were statistically more likely. Patients were then stratified into 3 groups: A1c 8.0%. Outcomes included the highest postoperative in-hospital serum glucose level and PJI. Results We determined an A1c >7.45% resulted in a greater chance of postoperative hyperglycemia >200 mg/dL. Average postoperative serum glucose increased with A1c (A1c 8 = 276 mg/dL, P Conclusion Preoperative hemoglobin A1c levels correlate with postoperative glucose levels. We recommend using an A1c cutoff of 7.45% for patients undergoing TJA and suggest that caution should be exercised in patients with elevated A1c levels undergoing TJA.
Burned forests impact water supplies

Wildland fire impacts on surface freshwater resources have not previously been measured, nor factored into regional water management strategies. But, large wildland fires are increasing and raise concerns about fire impacts on potable water. Here we synthesize long-term records of wildland fire, climate, and river flow for 168 locations across the United States. We show that annual river flow changed in 32 locations, where more than 19% of the basin area was burned. Wildland fires enhanced annual river flow in the western regions with a warm temperate or humid continental climate. Wildland fires increased annual river flow most in the semi-arid Lower Colorado region, in spite of frequent droughts in this region. In contrast, prescribed burns in the subtropical Southeast did not significantly alter river flow. These extremely variable outcomes offer new insights into the potential role of wildfire and prescribed fire in regional water resource management, under a changing climate.
The Riemann Integral

In this chapter we give an exposition of the definite integral of a real-valued function defined on a closed bounded interval. We assume familiarity with this concept from a previous study of calculus, but want to develop the theory in a more precise way than is typical for calculus courses, and also take a closer look at what kind of functions can be integrated. The integral to be defined and studied here is now widely known as the Riemann integral; in a later chapter we will study the more general Lebesgue integral.
Production of TiB2 from a precursor containing carbon coated TiO2 and B4C

The synthesis of titanium diboride (TiB2) by reduction of carbon-coated titania (TiO2) mixed with boron carbide (B4C) was investigated. Degussa P-25 TiO2 with a surface area of about 50 m2 g−1 powder and a 70/30% anatase to rutile phase, B4C with a surface area of about 18 m2 g−1 were used as starting powders. TiO2 was coated with C by decomposing propylene (C3H6) and allowing the C to adhere to the surface of the TiO2. This carbon coated TiO2 was then mechanically mixed with the B4C. This mixture was reacted at 1400◦C in flowing argon atmosphere for the production of TiB2. X-ray diffraction (XRD), free oxygen and carbon, BET surface area analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to characterize the produced TiB2 powders. The use of the C-coated precursor resulted in TiB2 with a BET surface area of 7.3 m2 g−1, submicron particle size (0.7–0.9μm), and oxygen content of 1.66 wt% when reacted at 1400◦C for 2 h in flowing argon gas. TiB2 has certain properties that make it a unique ceramic material. The properties that are currently being taken advantage of are its high strength (700– 1000 MPa), high melting temperature (2890◦C), low theoretical density (4.52 g cm−3) with respect to metals, and good electrical conductivity (resistivity of 15× 10−6 ohm · cm) [1–3]. It has an excellent resistance to molten metals. TiB2 has a simple hexagonal crystal structure. TiB2 is not the only combination of Ti and B. Face-centered TiB, tetragonal Ti2B, and hexagonal Ti2B5 have each been investigated as well [3]. With the awareness of these properties, TiB2 may some day become one of the most used ceramics in the economy. These properties allow TiB2 to be an excellent choice for many engineering applications. TiB2 is currently being used as crucibles for molten metals. TiB2 can be used for electrodes in harsh environments because it has high melting temperature, good electrical conductivity, and good stability with most chemicals. Its high strength allows it to be used for many applications from structural to military armor. It has a low wear that allows use as a wear resistant coating. TiB2 is a ceramic material with potential electrical and mechanical applications. However, to fabricate TiB2, the starting materials (powders) must be the highest quality: high chemical purity, fine (submicron),
Trajectory control of a computer arm

This paper describes the programming of a computer controlled arm. The programming is divided logically into planning and execution Communication between planning and execution is by a data file which specifies the arm trajectory with reapect to time, and actions that the arm should perform. The servo program which moves the arm along the trajectory is based on Legrangian mechanics and takes into account coupling between links, and the variation of inertial loading with change of arm configuration.
HOW TO IMPLEMENT AN ASTHMA EDUCATION PROGRAM

SUMMARY Given that poor asthma management leads to such devastating rates of morbidity and mortality in this country, efforts must be made to increase the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of persons with asthma. The suggestions and recommendations provided here represent a blend of academic opinion and practical advice on methods to implement an asthma education program. In developing an asthma education program, consideration must be given to what content should be included, how and by whom that content should be taught, and when education should take place. The identification of a key clinical staff member to take the lead in translating these and other asthma education guidelines will be a critical next step for clinicians committed to developing an effective asthma education program.
Increased responsiveness of hypoxic endothelial cells to FGF2 is mediated by HIF-1α-dependent regulation of enzymes involved in synthesis of heparan sulfate FGF2-binding sites

Binding of basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) to its high affinity receptors requires the presence of specific heparan sulfate (HS) moieties on the cell surface that act as coreceptors. To determine the contribution of cell-surface HS to modulation of FGF2-dependent cell growth, we studied the changes in the cell mass and FGF2 binding of endothelial cell HS under normoxic and hypoxic conditions in vitro. Both large vein and cardiac microvascular endothelial cells cultured under hypoxic conditions demonstrated an increase in the ratio of cell-surface HS to chondroitin sulfate (CS), as well as an increase in the number of low affinity (HS-associated) binding sites for FGF2 with no change in the apparent K(d). This increase in the number of HS-FGF2 binding sites, in the absence of a significant change in FGF receptor expression, resulted in enhanced responsiveness of hypoxic, compared with normoxic, endothelial cells to FGF2 stimulation. Gene expression studies demonstrated increased expression of the key regulatory enzyme responsible for HS chain synthesis, 1,4 GlcNAc transferase (GlcNAcT-I), as well as increased expression of 2-O sulfotransferase (HS2ST), the enzyme responsible for sulfation of IdoA, a crucial part of the HS-FGF2 binding site. Transduction of cells with an adenovirus encoding a HIF-1alpha expression construct resulted in a similar increase in GlcNAcT-I and HS2ST expression. We conclude that hypoxia increases endothelial cell responsiveness to FGF2 by promoting preferential synthesis of HS rather than CS chains and increasing the number of FGF2-binding sites on HS chains. Both of these events are mediated by a HIF-1alpha-dependent increase in expression of the enzymes GlnNAcT-I and HS2ST. This shift in cell-surface HS composition results in enhanced cell sensitivity to FGF2-induced growth stimulation.
The Other Side of Bolivian Modernity. “Vuelve Sebastiana” and the Reconfiguration of Space-Time Coordinates to Think the Nation

This article discusses the film Vuelve Sebastiana (1953) by Jorge Ruiz, focusing on its ideological and aesthetic aspects. The analysis establishes connections between the idea of “nation” in the context of cultural transformation prompted by the economic and social policies of the National Revolution of 1952 and the way the Chipaya community is represented. The central argument is that "Vuelve Sebastiana" can be read not only in relation to the new national identity but as an expression of a new national imaginary regarding the indigenous communities of the Altiplano. The author proposes that "Vuelve Sebastiana" represents the nation through the temporal and spatial cartographies of a modern nation-building project, making visible some of its tensions and contradictions and allowing us to explore the imaginary that has redefined the relationship between the State and the indigenous communities of the Altiplano throughout the second half of the 20th century.
Facilitating High-Quality Relationships for Students With Emotional and Behavioral Disorders in Crisis:

Teaching students who exhibit emotional and behavioral disorders (EBD) can be challenging and requires conscious and insightful strategies to be aware of how teachers interact with their students. ...
41) Utility of Early Magnetic Resonance Imaging after Severe Anoxic Brain Injury in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Background: Patients admitted to the pediatric critical care service after devastating anoxic brain injury have often undergone brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The literature regarding pediatric patients and MRI for brain injury is heavily shifted towards a neonatal population and hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy. Currently, there are no consensus guidelines regarding when is the right time to perform MRI to assess for brain injury in these patients. This study seeks to evaluate whether MRI has any …
Severe mitral regurgitation: does one size fit all?

For symptomatic patients presenting with chronic severe, primary mitral regurgitation, American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines recommend surgical mitral valve repair for those with ejection fraction ≥30% or consideration of transcatheter mitral valve repair (TMVR) for those with prohibitive surgical risk.1 2 Contemporary clinical trial evidence also suggests benefit of TMVR for patients with heart failure and moderate-to-severe or severe secondary mitral regurgitation who remain symptomatic despite optimal medical therapy.3 As such, clinicians are often on the lookout for patients with mitral regurgitation and subjective complaints of dyspnoea, fatigue, palpitations as well as objective findings including decreased exercise capacity, elevated left atrial pressure (LAP), elevated pulmonary pressures, atrial fibrillation and/or the presence of abnormal biomarkers including brain natriuretic peptide to inform clinical decision-making.2 In a young, otherwise healthy patient without multisystem disease and multiple concordant clinical and imaging findings consistent with haemodynamically significant mitral regurgitation, decision-making is generally clear-cut. More often than not, clinicians are faced with a nuanced picture involving an older patient with comorbid disease and/or discordant imaging findings. Whether these patients have symptoms of mitral valve regurgitation or some other physiological derangement may not be readily obvious. To what extent these individuals will benefit from mitral valve intervention to reduce mitral regurgitant volume may be equally challenging using contemporary clinical practice recommendations for guidance. The challenges inherent to evaluating and treating patients presenting with …
A Visualization and Patterning Flowchart Strategy for Teaching Accounting Cost Flows and Evidence of Its Effectiveness in Achievement of an AACSB Learning Objective

Undergraduate accounting students can have a difficult time conceptualizing manufacturing processes, their physical inventory flows, and the accompanying accounting cost flows. Traditional methods of teaching this material within the management and cost accounting classes stress the transactional and reporting requirements in great detail. This paper presents a simple flowcharting approach that can be used to aid accounting students in developing an innate understanding of inventory and cost flows across multiple cost accounting topics. We theorize that once this simple visual organizational flowchart is internalized, students are better able to organize and analyze complex situations by breaking the data down into their individual process components. In addition, this framework aids students in grasping the inter-relatedness of topics that they may have previously viewed as “unrelated and disjoint." This paper first discusses the flowchart pedagogy and related literature. Specific examples of the application of the flowchart approach are presented for three different topics in cost accounting. We then discuss the learning objectives and assessment procedures involved in measuring student achievement. The final section of the paper contains the statistical analysis of student achievement of those learning objectives and the related discussion. Within the cost accounting course, final exam data for 356 students over 6 semesters was collected and analyzed. Statistical evidence is presented (both numerically and graphically) indicating a significant improvement in student achievement in product costing when this pedagogy is utilized. Specifically, the paper observes that the use of the flowchart methodology in the student treatment group is associated with a mean increase in student performance of 4.2 percent, as well as an overall positive shift of the distribution of the performance of the students, in the product costing learning objective.
Surface and structural changes in root dentine by various chelating solutions used in regenerative endodontics.

Aim To evaluate the effects of the prolonged use of various irrigant solutions used during regenerative endodontic procedures on the physical and chemical structure of root canal dentine in extracted human teeth. Methodology Sixtyroot dentine samples from extracted, single-rooted, human teeth were assigned to 10 groups. Eight groups were irrigated with 1.5% NaOCl for 5 min, followed by 3%, 10%, 17% EDTA or 10% citric acid (CA) for 5 or 10 min. One group received only NaOCl irrigation, and samples with only distilled water irrigation were used as a control group. The changes in microhardness and flexural strength were determined using Vickers and 3-point flexural tester, respectively. Molecular and elemental compositions were recorded using FTIR and EDS spectroscopy. Data were analysed using one-way anova, Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results The application of 1.5% NaOCl for 5 min did not affect the mineral content or microhardness of dentine (P > 0.05). However, it significantly decreased the dentine collagen peak values (P 0.05). The effect of EDTA on the inorganic content was not concentration and time dependent (P > 0.05). CA resulted in a significantly greater reduction in the inorganic contents compared with the control and EDTA groups (P 0.05). Conclusions Use of 1.5% NaOCl for 5 min decreased the collagen content of samples of human dentine from extracted teeth while EDTA and 10% citric acid mostly affected the inorganic content and microhardness of dentine surfaces. None of the irrigant solutions significantly decreased the mechanical properties of the entire dentine specimen.
Abstract 5102: Gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel increase immunosuppressive environment in PDAC

Background: Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) recently became the third-deadliest cancer due to its resistance to effective therapies. The tumor microenvironment (TME) in PDAC is thought to contribute to this resistance, with up to 80% of the tumor bulk consisting of stroma including cancer associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Gemcitabine (gem) and nab-paclitaxel (nab-p) is standard of care for PDAC with modest efficacy. Immunotherapies, effective in other cancers, are often combined with chemotherapy in an attempt to augment tumor response. We investigated the impact of gem and nab-p on the TME and antigen presentation of PDAC. Methods: A cancer organoid line from KPC (LSL-KrasG12D/+;LSL-Trp53R172H/+;Pdx-1-Cre) mice, was used as a murine model of PDAC. The organoids were treated in vitro with 50uM gem and 5.85uM nab-p for 12-24 hrs and subsequently tested for MHC class I expression via flow cytometry. A co-culture in Matrigel was created using KPC organoids, pro-tumor M2-polarized bone-marrow derived macrophages (BMDMs), and pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs). After 48 hrs the co-culture was treated with gem and nab-p for 24 hrs and collected to assess macrophage and fibroblast polarization markers via flow cytometry. KPC organoids were used to generate allografts in wild-type B6 mice randomized to receive 100 mg/kg gem (i.p.) and 30 mg/kg nab-p (i.v.) or control. After 96 hrs, tumors were processed for flow cytometry analyses. Results: The percentage of MHC I expressing KPC cells increased from baseline following 12 hrs of gem/nab-p treatment (32.7% vs 50.4%, p= 0.12 and declined at 24, 48 and 72 hour post-treatment time points (22.5%, p=0.3, 23.2%, p=0.31, and 13.1%, p=0.06, respectively). In the co-culture, gem and gem/nab-p significantly enhanced immunoregulatory inflammatory CAF (iCAF) subtype over control (17.5 vs 17.6 vs 10%, respectively, p Conclusion: Here we demonstrate reduced MHC class I expression, increased M2 TAM polarization, and increased iCAFs, all associated with an immunoregulatory phenotype. These finding suggest that further studies on alternative combinations of immunotherapies are warranted. Citation Format: Hanna R. Rainiero, Philip B. Emmerich, Nathaniel Verhagen, Rebecca Destefanis, Cheri A. Pasch, Linda Clipson, Kristina A. Matkowskyj, Dustin A. Deming. Gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel increase immunosuppressive environment in PDAC [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research 2020; 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 5102.
Network typology, information sources, and messages of the infodemic twitter network under COVID-19

During the COVID-19 crisis, fake news, conspiracy theories, and backlash against specific groups emerged and were largely diffused via social media. This phenomenon has been described as an "infodemic," and this study examined that the characteristics of infodemic on Twitter. Typological attributes of the infodemic Twitter network presented the features of "community clusters." The frequently shard domains and URLs demonstrated coherent characteristics within the network. Top domains and URLs were trustworthy information sources, popular blogs, and public health research institutions. Interestingly, the most shard conversational content of the network was a COVID-19 relevant incident occurred at a church in Korea based on misinformation and false belief.
Looking Deathworthy: Perceived Stereotypicality of Black Defendants Predicts Capital-Sentencing Outcomes

Researchers previously have investigated the role of race in capital sentencing, and in particular, whether the race of the defendant or victim influences the likelihood of a death sentence. In the present study, we examined whether the likelihood of being sentenced to death is influenced by the degree to which a Black defendant is perceived to have a stereotypically Black appearance. Controlling for a wide array of factors, we found that in cases involving a White victim, the more stereotypically Black a defendant is perceived to be, the more likely that person is to be sentenced to death.
Is digital diplomacy an effective foreign policy tool? Evaluating India’s digital diplomacy through agenda-building in South Asia

A question often raised in digital diplomacy literature is whether it is an effective tool in advancing a nation’s foreign policy agendas. Studies exploring this aspect have either taken a theoretical approach or analyzed only government-generated content. Very little attention has been paid to the content receivers. To address this literature gap, this study considers the digital diplomacy of India toward South Asia. Based on the agenda-building perspective, the study examines the following: (i) the agendas the Indian government builds on social media and (ii) the rank-order of these agendas with the agendas of its South Asian followers. Quantitative content analyses of 6000 tweets and status updates published on the 15 Indian diplomatic accounts along with a survey of 387 followers were conducted. Content metrics were also considered to assess prominent agendas. Results showed that a few prominent Indian policy agendas on social media correlated with the agendas of their ‘foreign’ South Asian followers—indicating an agenda-building function. The prominent agendas on social media also aligned with India’s foreign policy priorities in South Asia—indicating effective digital diplomacy at work. A few prominent agendas in terms of content metrics aligned with the foreign followers’ agendas, but none matched with the priority agendas of the Indian government on social media.
Double photoionization of helium

Many-body perturbation theory is applied to calculate double-electron photoionization for helium. While lowest-order results show reasonable agreement with experiment, it is found that certain higher-order correlation effects are significant. Techniques are presented for approximating these effects in a calculation which is first order in electron correlations.
CAT in the classroom: A multilevel analysis of students’ experiences with instructor nonaccommodation

This study incorporates communication accommodation theory to investigate how student perceptions of instructor nonaccommodation influence affective and cognitive classroom outcomes. A series of tw...
Use of 1064 nm Nd:YAG Laser Biostimulation for Immediate Reversal of a Long-Standing Paresthesia of the Superior Labial Branch of the Infraorbital Nerve Following a Root Coverage Procedure: A Case Report.

Introduction Paresthesia is a common cause of dental malpractice litigation. Symptoms range from minimal to severely affecting the quality of life. Effective treatments of post-traumatic paresthesias are scarce. This case report documents the first reported use of laser biostimulation to reverse a long-standing paresthesia of the infraorbital nerve, resulting from a root coverage procedure of the maxillary right canine. Case presentation A coronally repositioned flap with enamel matrix derivative was used to treat gingival recession on the buccal surface of tooth #6 of a 35-year-old Caucasian female. One week later the patient reported lip numbness. The patient declined further treatment, and the paresthesia remained unchanged for the next 13 months. The patient then consented to laser biostimulation with a 1064 nm neodymium:yttrium aluminum garnet laser. A single laser biostimulation treatment resulted in an immediate and dramatic improvement of lip sensation. The patient's symptoms improved over the next 2½ years without further treatment. Conclusion The cause of the paresthesia and the exact mechanism of its reversal remain unknown, although speculated causes and the possible mechanisms of action of low-level laser therapy are discussed. Laser biostimulation for treatment of peripheral nerve injury is noninvasive and may eliminate the need for corticosteroids or other more invasive treatment modalities. It may not be effective in all paresthesia cases, but when used properly, laser therapy offers a safe treatment alternative for an often troubling problem.
EEG SLEEP AND AFFECTIVE DISORDERS: WHAT CAN IT PREDICT?

Our current studies on patients with primary depression have established that early EEG sleep changes on amitriptyline are highly correlated with the final clinical response four weeks after initial drug administration. These immediate changes which include rapid REM suppression (43%) and prolongation of REM latency (187%) suggest an initial alteration in multitransmitter levels which may relate to eventual clinical change. Since catecholaminergic and cholinergic neurons have been implicated in the control and intensity of REM sleep, a more active search for REM sleep-tricyclic drug mechanisms is warranted.
CLOSURE ON STABILITY ANALYSES FOR A SLOPING CORE EMBANKMENT

THE WRITERS AGREE WITH HORN AND HENDRON THAT THE SLIDING WEDGE METHOD OF ANALYSIS IS IDEALLY SUITED FOR COMPUTER SOLUTION AND A FULL PARAMETER STUDY WOULD BE A USEFUL CONTRIBUTION. THE WRITERS AGREE THAT A RELATIVELY LOW VALUE OF THE UNIT WEIGHT OF THE SHELL MATERIAL WAS USED IN ANALYZING THE SECTION. A VALUE OF 104 PCF WAS USED FOR THE SOIL CHARACTERISTIC BECAUSE: (1) THE UNIT WEIGHT OF THIS MATERIAL HAS RELATIVELY LITTLE INFLUENCE ON THE COMPUTED FACTOR OF SAFETY, (2) PRIMARY INTEREST WAS IN THE STABILITY OF THE UPSTREAM SLOPE OF THE EMBANKMENT FOR A CONDITION OF FULL RESERVOIR, AND (3) THE ABUNDANCE OF ANALYTICAL DATA FOR UNIT WEIGHT OF 104 PCF MADE IT UNNECESSARY TO COMPUTE VALUES FOR OTHER UNIT WEIGHTS. THE WRITERS AGREE THAT THE COMPUTED FACTOR OF SAFETY IS RELATIVELY INSENSITIVE TO VARIATIONS IN THE POSITIONS OF THE ASSUMED FAILURE SURFACES WITHIN THE EMBANKMENT. HOWEVER, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE IN- SENSITIVITY OF THE COMPUTED FACTOR OF SAFETY TO CHANGES IN THE POSITION OF .0 EVEN AS LARGE AS 40 FEET HAVE RELATIVELY LITTLE INFLUENCE ON THE GENERAL LOCATION OF THE SLIP SURFACE WITHIN THE EMBANKMENT IN VIEW OF THE EMBANKMENT UNDER CONSIDERATION. IN CONNECTION WITH THE POSITION OF FAILURE SURFACES, THE WRITERS HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO FIND ANY DISCREPANCY IN THE VALUE REPORTED IN THE ORIGINAL PAPER. REFERENCES: STABILITY ANALYSES FOR A SLOPING CORE EMBANKMENT, H. BOLTON SEED, HASSAN A. SULTAN, ASCE, (PROC. PAPER 5308), JULY, 1967.
Biosynthesis of gamma-guanidinobutyric acid from gamma-aminobutyric acid and arginine.

THE recent discovery by Irreverre et al.1,2 of γ-guanidinobutyric acid in mammalian brain and other tissues stimulated research on its biosynthesis and physiological role. Thoai et al.3 have shown that in many invertebrates γ-guanidinobutyric acid is synthesized by the oxidation of arginine through the action of L-amino-acid oxidase. The present communication shows that in mammals it is synthesized by a transamidination reaction4 involving γ-aminobutyric acid and an amidine donor such as arginine.
Effect of Adenotonsillectomy on Central and Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Children with Down Syndrome.

ObjectivesTo determine and quantify changes in both central and obstructive sleep apnea in patients with Down syndrome (DS) after adenotonsillectomy (AT).Study DesignCase series with chart review.SettingTertiary care children’s hospital.Subjects and MethodsThe records of all patients with DS who underwent AT for sleep-disordered breathing between November 2008 and December 2014 were examined. In total, 113 patients were identified, and 36 of these patients had pre- and postoperative polysomnograms (PSGs) that were analyzed for obstructive and central components. Wilcoxon signed-rank test, paired t test, and McNemar test were used to examine pre- and postoperative PSG differences. Logistic regression and multivariate analysis of variance of patient characteristics (between subjects) and PSG results (within subjects) were conducted.ResultsThe mean (SD) patient age was 5.5 (4.0) years (range, 0.9-15 years); 50.0% were male. After AT, significant reductions were identified in both obstructive apnea-hypopnea i...