cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isoproterenol inhibits bacterial lipopolysaccharide-stimulated release of tumor necrosis factor-alpha from human heart tissue.

Recent evidence suggests that inflammatory cytokines, particularly tumor necrosis factor a (TNF-a), may play a role in heart disease. Elevated plasma levels of the cytokine have been reported in congestive heart failure and severe angina and after myocardial infarction. The exact role of TNF-a in heart disease and how production is stimulated and regulated in the heart are current areas of investigation. Regarding regulation of production, isoproterenol elevates cyclic AMP and inhibits TNF-a release in macrophages. Therefore we hypothesized that stimulation of β-adrenergic receptors of the sympathetic nervous system would inhibit release of the cytokine from heart tissue. With Institutional Review Board approval and patient consent atrial tissue was obtained during preparation for cardiac bypass. The tissue was divided into segments, placed in culture medium, and incubated for various times in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (20 μg/mL) and/or isoproterenol (1 μM). The medium was removed and analyzed for biologically active TNF-a by the L929 cell cytotoxicity assay. Tissue samples were weighed and TNF-a release was expressed as pg TNF-α/mg tissue. Initially, to determine the time course of release, measurements were made at 2, 5, 10,15, 30, 60, 120,180, and 360 minutes after the addition of LPS. Elevated TNF-a levels in the culture medium were reliably detected at 360 minutes after exposure to LPS. In atrial tissue obtained from seven patients TNF-a released into the culture medium at 360 minutes was 6 ± 3 pg/mg tissue. In the presence of LPS, levels of the cytokine in the culture medium increased to 604 ± 233 pg/mg tissue (P < 0.05 vs LPS alone). When isoproterenol and LPS were simultaneously added to the culture medium release of TNF-a was reduced by 87 per cent to 82 ± 40 pg/mg tissue (P < 0.05 vs LPS alone). Our results show that activation of the β-adrenergic receptor inhibits myocardial production of TNF-a. This finding suggests that the sympathetic nervous system inhibits production of the cytokine and that impaired sympathetic function in heart failure may play a role in the elevated levels of TNF-a.
William Stanley Jevons' Erroneous Comparison of Adam Smith and Robert Cantillon - Overlooking the Risk versus Uncertainty Divide.

William Stanley Jevons’ misevaluated Adam Smith’s contributions in the Wealth of Nations in 1881 by overlooking the originality of Smith’s unique contributions to decision theory, his definition of uncertainty, and his application of the uncertainty versus risk distinction in Smith’s analysis of occupational choice in chapter 10 of Part I of the Wealth of Nations.
Pellino-3 promotes endotoxin tolerance and acts as a negative regulator of TLR2 and TLR4 signaling

Development of endotoxin tolerance in macrophages during sepsis reprograms Toll-like receptor 4 signaling to inhibit proinflammatory cytokines without suppressing anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial mediators and protects the host from excessive inflammation and tissue damage. However, endotoxin tolerance renders septic patients immunocompromised and unable to control secondary infections. Although previous studies have revealed the importance of several negative regulators of Toll-like receptor signaling in endotoxin tolerance, the role of Pellino proteins has not been addressed. The present report shows that the induction of endotoxin tolerance in vivo in mice and in vitro in human monocytes and THP-1 and MonoMac-6 macrophages increases the expression of Pellino-3. Overexpression of Pellino-3 in human embryonic kidney 293/Toll-like receptor 2 or 293/Toll-like receptor 4/myeloid differentiation factor-2 cells inhibited Toll-like receptor 2/4-mediated activation of nuclear factor-κB and induction of CXCL-8 mRNA, and Pellino-3 ablation increased these responses. Pellino-3-deficient THP-1 cells had elevated Toll-like receptor 2/4-driven tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6 mRNA, and Toll-like receptor 4-driven CCL5 gene expression in response to Toll-like receptor agonists and heat-killed Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus, cytokines controlled by the MyD88 and Toll-interleukin-1R domain-containing protein inducing interferon-β-mediated pathways, respectively. In addition, deficiency in Pellino-3 slightly increased phagocytosis of heat-killed bacteria. Transfected Pellino-3 inhibited nuclear factor-κB activation driven by overexpression of MyD88, TIR domain-containing adapter inducing interferon-β, interleukin-1R-associated kinase-1, and tumor necrosis factor receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB-binding kinase-1, TGF-β-activated kinase 1, and tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor-6, and inhibited interleukin-1R-associated kinase 1 modifications and tumor necrosis factor receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB-binding kinase 1 phosphorylation. Finally, Pellino-3 ablation in THP-1 decreased the extent of endotoxin tolerization. Thus, Pellino-3 is involved in endotoxin tolerance and functions as a negative regulator of Toll-like receptor 2/4 signaling.
Time-of-Flight Microwave Camera

Microwaves can penetrate many obstructions that are opaque at visible wavelengths, however microwave imaging is challenging due to resolution limits associated with relatively small apertures and unrecoverable "stealth" regions due to the specularity of most objects at microwave frequencies. We demonstrate a multispectral time-of-flight microwave imaging system which overcomes these challenges with a large passive aperture to improve lateral resolution, multiple illumination points with a data fusion method to reduce stealth regions, and a frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW) receiver to achieve depth resolution. The camera captures images with a resolution of 1.5 degrees, multispectral images across the X frequency band (8 GHz-12 GHz), and a time resolution of 200 ps (6 cm optical path in free space). Images are taken of objects in free space as well as behind drywall and plywood. This architecture allows "camera-like" behavior from a microwave imaging system and is practical for imaging everyday objects in the microwave spectrum.
Think tanks and foreign policy in a globalized world: New ideas, new “tanks,” new directions:

Think tanks in the last half-century have replaced universities as the main source of new policy ideas. The big Washington think tanks have taken their place alongside interest groups, media, and p...
Aspiration biopsy of breast cancers by the pathologist.

Aspiration biopsy has long been accepted as a safe and rapid method for the diagnosis of malignant tumors of the breast. Surgeons ordinarily obtain the biopsies prior to operations, but greater diagnostic accuracy can be obtained when the pathologist performs the procedure himself. This is accomplished in the operating room after the patient has been anesthetized and while the surgeon is scrubbing. In addition to increased diagnostic accuracy, the patient is spared discomfort and at least 30 min. of the surgeon’s operating time are saved. During the past 20 years 469 aspiration biopsies of breast cancer have been performed with 92% accuracy of diagnosis.
Will Competitive Bidding Decrease Medicare Expenditures

Recent measures to reduce Medicare spending include the use of competitive bidding in determining reimbursement prices. Several competitive bidding experiments have recently been conducted by The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to determine reimbursement prices. This paper investigates the use of competitive bidding to specifically set reimbursement prices for Durable Medical Equipment, Prosthetics, Orthotics, and Supplies (DMEPOS). First, the competitive bidding process is examined on a theoretical level. It is shown that the CMS competitive bidding process (auction) is inefficient, may actually lead to price increases, and may cause decreases in the quality of services. Next, data supporting the theoretical predictions is analyzed. Finally, we suggest switching to a Vickrey style auction that does not suffer from the problems of the current design.
Interrelation of Cadmium, Smoking, and Cardiovascular Disease (from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey)

Cadmium biomarker levels are associated with both cigarette smoking and cardiovascular disease. In this cross-sectional survey, we explore whether the association between cadmium and cardiovascular disease differs between cigarette smoking states. A cross-sectional analysis using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2003 to 2012 was performed accounting for the nationally representative complex sampling design. All participants 45 to 79 years old with blood and urinary cadmium levels were included (n = 12,511). We explored the inter-relationships of blood and urine cadmium levels with cigarette smoking and a composite cardiovascular outcome that included self-reported myocardial infarction or stroke or both. We used multivariable logistic regressing models to further adjust for age, income, gender, hypercholesterolemia, body mass index, diabetes, smoking intensity, and time period of smoking cessation. Of the 12,511 participants, 1,330 (8.5%) had previous myocardial infarction or stroke or both. The crude prevalence ratio (PR) comparing those in the lowest tertile of blood cadmium with those in the highest tertile for the composite outcome was 1.73 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49 to 2.01). After adjustment for age, gender, income, self-reported diabetes, self-reported hypercholesterolemia, body mass index, and smoking status, the PR was 1.54 (95% CI 1.30 to 1.84). The adjusted PRs for each smoking subgroup were 1.54 (95% CI 1.09 to 2.18) for never-smokers, 1.57 (95% CI 1.11 to 2.23) for current smokers, and 1.31 (95% CI 0.96 to 1.78) for former smokers. These descriptive data from a nationally representative sample suggest that cadmium is related to cardiovascular outcomes even after adjustment for smoking status.
Optimization of sludge reduction conditions

The activated sludge taken from the urban sewage plant were inoculated into simulated wastewater and then used to perform sequencing batch experiment.The mixture design approach was applied to exploring the effects of combination of Cu2 +,Zn2+and paranitrophenol(pNP) on sludge growth.The results showed that the sludge growth rate reached zero at the fractions of 0.492 9 for Cu2 +,0.400 0 for Zn2+ and 0.107 1 for pNP,accordingly their actual concentration were 4.93 mg·L-1,4.0 mg·L-1 and 1.07 mg·L-1,respectively,suggesting that the combination of inhibitors and uncoupler can effectively reduce excess sludge production.
Analyze the Product Configuration Management of TcAE

Product design is the base and key of survival and development in modern automobile enterprises,product data is the valuable technique resource,an effective product data management system can ensure the incessant development of enterprises of automobile.Product data management could synthesize highly and share all kinds of product data,and upgrade product data management grade.The precise product data management can form and maintenance the part data,define relation of part data with product data management system and display the product structure.
Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plans: A Clinician-Led Approach to Unwarranted Practice Variation

Standardized Clinical Assessment and Management Plans (SCAMPs), a novel decision-making tool, were created to standardize care, optimize resource use, and improve patient outcomes.
Syphilis and War as Substitute Fates

By a close reading of these two plays, I demonstrate (in this, the longest chapter) how Ibsen in Ghosts and Brecht in Mother Courage used syphilis and war, respectively, as substitutes for classical Greek fate—the fate that governs Oedipus Rex.
Gloves and Aprons

To avoid contact with liquid nitrogen (LN) personnel handling it should wear gloves able to withstand extreme cold and be waterproof. None is available for submersion in LN. Aprons protecting from extreme low temperatures are available.
Communicating Gender in Education Development

While women’s access to education and health services has been improving in most countries, clear disparities between women and men remain, particularly in terms of poverty and political rights. Although women are estimated to constitute 40% of the global workforce, women earn far less than men for the same positions, and are much less likely to be among the global political and economic elite. When women do accrue their wealth separately from familial networks, typically they do so through fame enabled by their commodification in global media industries. But for the vast majority not privileged with fame or fortune, gender inequities in education remain, along with the resulting loss of subsequent social, cultural, and financial capitals.
Elimination Diets in Pre-School-Aged Hyperactive Boys

The effect of an experimental elimination diet was examined in 24 hyperactive boys aged 3.5 to 6 years at the Alberta Children’s Hospital, and the Learning Center, Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
The Economic Fallout

The global financial crisis hit advanced economies hard. Emerging economies, on the other hand, fared rather well, mainly because of the massive stimulus China’s leadership administered. While the stress in financial markets quickly abated, the stress in rich countries’ main street lasted and lasted. Although the unemployment rate in the USA fell, this was in no small part due to workers dropping out of the workforce. By 2014, economic growth was still so sluggish that Larry Summers raised the specter of secular stagnation. Tepid investment spending, together with subdued household consumption, prevents the attainment of full employment for many years. Secular stagnation is a demand-side concept but some have argued that the stagnant economic growth is the result of supply-side problems as well.
Evidence of Magnetic Inversion in Single Ni Nanoparticles

Superparamagnetism is an unwanted property of small magnetic particles where the magnetization of the particle flips randomly in time, due to thermal noise. There has been an increased attention in the properties of superparamagnetic particles recently, because of their potential applications in high density storage and medicine. In electron transport through single nanometer scale magnetic particles, the current can also cause the magnetization to flip randomly in time, even at low temperature. Here we show experimental evidence that when the current is then reduced towards zero in the applied magnetic field, the magnetization can reliably freeze about a higher anisotropy-energy minimum, where it tends to be inverted with respect to the magnetic field direction. Specifically, we use spin-unpolarized tunneling spectroscopy of discrete levels in single Ni particles 2–4 nm in diameter at mK-temperature, and find that the the magnetic excitation energy at the onset of current decreases when the magnetic field increases, reaching near degeneracy at nonzero magnetic field. We discuss the potential for spintronic applications such as current induced magnetization switching without any spin-polarized leads.
A and V Patterns

• A and V Patterns can be found in association with: (a) “overacting” oblique muscles; (b) orbital abnormality; (c) adduction deficiency, such as in largeangle exotropia or with a slipped muscle; (d) muscle anomaly, such as lax or missing muscle(s); and (e) no apparent oblique dysfunction or orbital abnormality.
Abstract A06: Novel NF-kB reporter murine model of spontaneous, metastatic breast cancer for spatiotemporal monitoring of local and systemic therapeutic response

Characterization of therapeutic response in primary and metastatic tumors is limited by endpoint studies and tissue collection. We have successfully developed a unique double-transgenic mouse model, which combines the polyoma virus middle T oncogene (PyVT), a model of human breast cancer, with a nuclear factor-kappaB (NF-kB) reporter model (NGL). PyVT mice spontaneously form primary mammary fat pad tumors, with 80% of mice developing metastatic lesions in the lungs. The reporter is luciferase, driven by NF-kB activation, to provide quantitative bioluminescent measurements of spatially-specific NF-kB activity. The resulting double transgenic (PyNGL) mice were monitored using in vivo imaging systems (IVIS) multiple times, before and after treatment, to quantitatively and spatially characterize NF-kB therapeutic response, both locally and systemically. High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) was guided by magnetic resonance (MR) thermometry for tumor-localized hyperthermia which was dosage-controlled by the thermal feedback MR guided HIFU (MRgHIFU) system. A single primary mammary tumor in each PyNGL was treated with sub-ablative hyperthermia of 42⁰ for up to 25 minutes. Pre-treatment IVIS measurements were collected to determine baseline NF-kB activity within each mouse, followed by IVIS imaging every twelve hours after treatment until tissue collection. Treated tumor, contralateral (untreated) tumors, and spleens were collected for immunophenotyping and cytokine analysis using flow cytometry. PyNGL mice exhibited decreased NF-kB activity, spatially correlated with HIFU treatment, as early as 12 hours. In contrast, NF-kB increased in contralateral tumors as early as 24 hours following treatment. Immunophenotyping reveals changes in tumor infiltrating leukocyte populations in HIFU-treated and contralateral tumors, including quantity and phenotype of T cells. The unique murine model developed allowed quantitative, temporal characterization of local and distant tumor response to MFgHIFU. The spontaneous, metastatic nature of PyVT tumor formation in concert with the non-destructive, spatiotemporal imaging capabilities of the NF-kB reporter transgene make the PyNGL model an unparalleled tool for research in metastatic disease. Citation Format: Mary Dockery, Megan Poorman, Stephanie Dudzinski, Whitney Barham, Vandiver Chaplin, Ryan Spears, Jiro Kusunose, Fiona Yull, Charles Caskey, William Grissom, Todd Giorgio. Novel NF-kB reporter murine model of spontaneous, metastatic breast cancer for spatiotemporal monitoring of local and systemic therapeutic response. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Tumor Metastasis; 2015 Nov 30-Dec 3; Austin, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(7 Suppl):Abstract nr A06.
Queering colonial power: Sikh resistance in the Ghadr movement

This work contemplates gender, and how it shaped both colonial power and the anticolonial Ghadr movement. I will examine how the Sikhs of the Ghadr movement disrupted, or queered, the colonial gend...
Analyzing Speciation Rates in Macroevolutionary Studies

Paleobiologists working in the area of macroevolutionary theory have made important contributions to our understanding of evolution by emphasizing how research programs that study evolutionary patterns of speciation and extinction within and among clades can be used to infer evolutionary processes (reviewed in Eldredge and Cracraft, 1980; Vrba, 1983, 1989; Lieberman, 1995; and refs. therein). It is partly ontological and epistemological advances that have made it possible to utilize such pattern-based approaches to study evolutionary processes. Among the ontological advances is the recognition that species are fundamental units in nature that are characterized by distinct birth and death points (Ghiselin, 1974; Hull, 1980), and they are also stable and cohesive throughout their existence (Eldredge, 1985, 1989; Vrba, 1989, 1995). Another advance that arises from this is the recognition that differences in rates of speciation and extinction within clades, due to extrinsic or intrinsic factors, play an important role in generating the large scale pattern of life (Eldredge and Gould, 1972; Stanley, 1979, 1990; Eldredge, 1979, 1982, 1989, 1999; Vrba, 1980, 1984, 1996).
A description of externally recorded womb sounds in human subjects during gestation.

Author(s): Parga, Joanna J; Daland, Robert; Kesavan, Kalpashri; Macey, Paul M; Zeltzer, Lonnie; Harper, Ronald M | Abstract: ObjectiveReducing environmental noise benefits premature infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU), but excessive reduction may lead to sensory deprivation, compromising development. Instead of minimal noise levels, environments that mimic intrauterine soundscapes may facilitate infant development by providing a sound environment reflecting fetal life. This soundscape may support autonomic and emotional development in preterm infants. We aimed to assess the efficacy and feasibility of external non-invasive recordings in pregnant women, endeavoring to capture intra-abdominal or womb sounds during pregnancy with electronic stethoscopes and build a womb sound library to assess sound trends with gestational development. We also compared these sounds to popular commercial womb sounds marketed to new parents.Study designIntra-abdominal sounds from 50 mothers in their second and third trimester (13 to 40 weeks) of pregnancy were recorded for 6 minutes in a quiet clinic room with 4 electronic stethoscopes, placed in the right upper and lower quadrants, and left upper and lower quadrants of the abdomen. These recording were partitioned into 2-minute intervals in three different positions: standing, sitting and lying supine. Maternal and gestational age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and time since last meal were collected during recordings. Recordings were analyzed using long-term average spectral and waveform analysis, and compared to sounds from non-pregnant abdomens and commercially-marketed womb sounds selected for their availability, popularity, and claims they mimic the intrauterine environment.ResultsMaternal sounds shared certain common characteristics, but varied with gestational age. With fetal development, the maternal abdomen filtered high (500-5,000 Hz) and mid-frequency (100-500 Hz) energy bands, but no change appeared in contributions from low-frequency signals (10-100 Hz) with gestational age. Variation appeared between mothers, suggesting a resonant chamber role for intra-abdominal space. Compared to commercially-marketed sounds, womb signals were dominated by bowel sounds, were of lower frequency, and showed more variation in intensity.ConclusionsHigh-fidelity intra-abdominal or womb sounds during pregnancy can be recorded non-invasively. Recordings vary with gestational age, and show a predominance of low frequency noise and bowel sounds which are distinct from popular commercial products. Such recordings may be utilized to determine whether sounds influence preterm infant development in the NICU.
Baccalaureate nursing faculty performance of nursing computer literacy skills and curriculum integration of these skills through teaching practice.

This article describes a cross-sectional survey research study designed to collect data from nurse educators regarding their self-reported competence in the performance of 60 nursing computer literacy skills, as well as self-reported levels of integration of these skills, through teaching practice, into the curricula of their respective baccalaureate nursing programs. Data were received from 184 respondents representing 18 publicly funded, National League for Nursing-accredited, college and university generic baccalaureate degree programs in the New England region of the United States. Study findings revealed that 21 of the 60 skills were being performed "well" or "very well" as reported by 50% or more of respondents, while in the area of curriculum integration through teaching practice, only 3 of the 60 skills were being integrated into teaching practice either "moderately" or "extensively" as reported by 50% or more of respondents. Another major finding of this research study strongly suggested that faculty who have the ability to perform requisite nursing computer literacy skills comfortably are more likely to integrate these skills into the curriculum through their teaching practices (r = .76; p<.01). This article concludes with a discussion of the implications of the study findings for nursing education.
Electrocautery for ESD

The electrosurgical unit (ESU) is an essential tool in endoscopic treatment. It creates the necessary electronic current to create thermal energy in the target tissue delivered by endoscopic devices (e.g. snare, probes, and forceps). Advancement of ESUs has helped ESD procedure tremendously making it safer and more efficient. ESUs have their various modes specific to the company. In order to understand the theoretical basics and to benefit by help selecting the appropriate mode for each step of ESD, basic knowledge of electric current and energy are explained in the context of ESD procedure, and most used ESU settings are discussed on each specific modes. The optimal application of electrosurgical waveforms in ESD is as much an art as it is science.
Double-exclusive liquid repellency (double-ELR): an enabling technology for rare phenotype analysis

Double-exclusive liquid repellency (double-ELR) is an extreme wettability phenomenon in which adjacent regions selectively and completely repel immiscible liquids with different surface chemistries on a non-textured substrate (i.e., a substrate in absence of micro/nano-structures). Under double-ELR conditions, each liquid exhibits no physical contact (contact angle of 180°) with its non-preferred surface chemistry, thus enabling complete partitioning of adjacent fluidic volumes (e.g., between water and oil). This enables a new type of cell culture-based assay, where cell loss from common failure modes (e.g., biofouling from inadvertent cell adhesion, detrimental moisture loss/gain, and liquid handling dead volumes) is significantly mitigated. Importantly, the principles of double-ELR were leveraged to achieve underoil sweep patterning, a no-loss, robust and high-throughput distribution of sub-microliter volumes of aqueous media (and cells). In addition to high-efficiency distribution via sweep patterning, double-ELR can be used to construct "modular" (i.e., easily implemented and/or linked together with spatial and temporal control) higher-order architectures for in vitro imitation of physiologically relevant microenvironments that are of particular interest within the cell assay community, including multi-phenotype cultures with excellent spatial and temporal control, three-dimensional layered multi-phenotype cultures, cultures with selective mechanical cues of extracellular matrix (i.e., collagen fiber alignment), and spheroid cultures. Together, these features of double-ELR uniquely facilitate culture and high content analysis of limited cellular samples (e.g., a few hundred to a few thousand cells).
Chain-End Functionalization of Living Polyisobutylene via an End-Quenching Comonomer That Terminates by Indanyl Ring Formation

A method for chain end functionalization of polyisobutylene (PIB) has been developed whereby living PIB is end-capped with the comonomer, 4-(4-allyloxyphenyl)-2-methyl-1-butene (AMB), at full isobutylene conversion. Addition is readily limited to just over one comonomer unit per chain end through the use of a low [AMB]/[chain end] ratio. When difunctional (telechelic) living PIB was end-capped using [AMB]/[chain end] = 2 at −70 °C, NMR showed that between 1.08 and 1.22 comonomer units on average were added per PIB chain end, depending on solvent polarity. Chain end structure and mechanism of formation were investigated by 1H, 13C APT, 2D gradient HSQC, and 2D HMBC NMR. tert-Chloride chain ends formed via PIB+Ti2Cl9– or PIB-AMB+Ti2Cl9– ion pair collapse were not observed. Olefinic chain ends formed via β-proton loss also were not detected; instead, a cyclic end group structure was observed. Upon addition of AMB the resulting carbocation tends to undergo terminative chain transfer consisting of alkylation o...
Persistent Exertional Chest Pain in a Marathon Runner: Exercise-induced, Painful, Left Bundle Branch Block Syndrome Treated With His-Bundle Pacing

A 49-year-old woman presented with exercise-induced chest discomfort during long-distance running that was occasionally present during rest. Significant coronary artery disease was excluded and a diagnosis of "painful left bundle branch block (LBBB) syndrome" was made after correlation of LBBB aberrancy with symptoms during Holter monitoring. The patient underwent confirmatory testing consisting of rapid atrial pacing below and above 130 beats per minute, the rate cut-off for LBBB manifestation. His bundle pacing implantation was performed resulting in both non-selective and selective morphologies depending on output, both of which manifested with a painless narrow QRS regardless of rate. She was rendered completely pain free during long-distance running and remains so 6-months later. Her pain at rest, now thought to be due to severe anxiety secondary to her painful LBBB, has also subsided. Exercise-induced, painful LBBB is a rare phenomenon that manifests as chest discomfort when LBBB is present. This disease is frequently misdiagnosed as coronary angina, has limited medical treatment options, and can be disabling. HBP is an attractive treatment for this syndrome in an effort to avoid electromechanical dyssynchrony, the presumed mechanism of discomfort. This case report adds to the growing literature of painful LBBB syndrome and its effective treatment with HBP, with the added caveat that it can present with persistent symptoms at rest, in the setting of enhanced anxiety. HBP should be considered early on in the treatment of such patients.
Validation of Laser Power Beaming Applications with Enlarged Laser Beam Diameters Minimizing Hazardous Operation

Successful implementation of laser power beaming for the wireless transfer of electrical power will enable diverse applications, including extended operation time of remote ground vehicles, aerial drones and remote sensors. However, the required lasers are a cause of concern for the safe operation of such laser power beaming systems. Tissue damage to eyes and skin from direct beam exposure as well as the general burning hazards from these class 4 lasers need be addressed. In an attempt resolve these risks and validate LPB applications with readily available components, laboratory tests of this wireless power transfer method were performed. It was demonstrated that a 10-watt 976nm continuous wave laser utilized in conjunction with monocrystalline silicon photovoltaics successfully powered a small remote-controlled vehicle and an Arduino temperature sensor respectively in the lab while skin hazards from direct beam exposure were eliminated with an enlarged laser beam diameter of 9 cm. Component configurations that allowed for battery charging were also demonstrated.
Role of NT‐proBNP in the prediction of moderate to severe Bronchopulmonary Dysplasia in preterm infants

Objective The objective of the study was to determine the clinical utility of brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) for prediction of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). We hypothesized that elevated NT-proBNP levels at 4 weeks of postnatal age may predict the severity of BPD in preterm infants. Study design The study design was a prospective observational study. The research team enrolled and followed a cohort of 70 infants with gestational age less than or equal to 30 weeks. The plasma NT-proBNP levels were measured at the postnatal day 28th. We further followed and categorized infants into two groups. Infants with no or mild BPD (Group 1) and infants with moderate or severe BPD (Group 2). We compared plasma NT-proBNP levels at 28th day of postnatal life between Groups 1 and 2. The difference in NT-proBNP levels on day 28th between groups was used to predict the severity of BPD. Results Plasma NT-proBNP was significantly elevated in Group 2 compared with Group 1, median (IQR) of 845 pg/mL (553, 1632) compared with 726 pg/mL (391, 923), P = 0.02. NT-proBNP had a fair predictive accuracy (C statistics of 0.68) to determine moderate to severe BPD. Conclusion NT-proBNP may be a useful biomarker in conjunction with clinical factors as a predictor of severe BPD. For future directions, the trend of NT-proBNP in infants with BPD may have clinical significance in monitoring of the disease.
Prostitution, Simony, and Fees for Service: Walzer's Theory of Justice and a Defense of Communally Funded Information against the Tyranny of the Marketplace

The practice of charging fees for service in American libraries remains controversial, primarily because notions at the foundation of this issue lack a thorough and coherent theoretical framework within which they can be understood and properly related. By employing a theory of justice developed by Michael Walzer--one that argues for distributing goods on the basis of principles inherent in their shared meanings--to reframe the concepts at the root of the fee issue, I argue that information should be distributed in ways that are in keeping with its meaning in contemporary American culture. Within the United States, information is understood to be a good in the "sphere" of basic welfare and security, and, therefore (following Walzer's theory), it should be distributed on the basis of the principle appropriate to the meaning of goods in that sphere--communal provision (within limits) based on need and not on the basis of the distributive principle appropriate to the marketplace--money.
Demographic, Pregnancy-Related, and Health-Related Factors in Association with Changes in Sleep Among Pregnant Women with Overweight or Obesity.

Women with prepregnancy overweight/obesity are at high risk for obstetric complications and cardiometabolic disease. Poorer sleep quality is associated with obesity in non-pregnant individuals and, during pregnancy, poor sleep predicts negative obstetric and health outcomes. This study examined sleep patterns among women with overweight/obesity and factors associated with different sleep trajectories during pregnancy. Women (N = 146, 17–40 years old) with a prepregnancy body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2 were recruited during early pregnancy. Participants reported demographic information and completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) at up to six monthly assessments, with the first assessment occurring between 12 and 20 weeks gestation and the final assessment between 35 weeks gestation and delivery. PSQI scores > 5 indicate “poor sleep.” On average, women’s PSQI scores were 6.66 ± 3.58 in the first half of pregnancy and were significantly higher (worse) at the end of pregnancy (t(644) = 4.55, p 0.08). The percentage of women with PSQI scores > 5 (the threshold for poor sleep quality) was 37–63% across assessments, with the greatest increase occurring during the third trimester (t(633) = 2.92, p = 0.004). Sleep quality worsens during the third trimester and is associated with current smoking. Future studies of sleep during pregnancy should examine health outcomes among women with overweight/obesity and early intervention to mitigate sleep disturbances as pregnancy progresses.
The Aleph and the space of Shakespeare

In this article, I use the work of Argentine writer Jorge Luis Borges as a heuristic for engaging with Shakespeare and challenging established notions of universality. In Borges’s short story ‘The Aleph,’ the narrator sees a small sphere that encapsulates all of the spaces and time of the entire world at once. Whereas conceptions of Shakespearean universality are premised on the possibilities of Shakespeare’s language, Borges affirms the limits of language and its impossibility of describing the human experience. Despite language’s constraints, Shakespeare is an interlocutor for Borges to engage with the world. I demonstrate a Borgesian praxis for attending to Shakespeare creatively and critically, one that embraces cultural and linguistic identities and experiences that Shakespeare’s canon decenters or excludes.
Local irrigation response to ethanol expansion in the High Plains Aquifer

Abstract Global ethanol production has grown rapidly due to national renewable fuel programs. Concern has grown over impacts that land conversion and crop displacement driven by ethanol feedstock production might have on water resources. In this paper, we examine irrigation decisions of agricultural producers in the Kansas portion of the High Plains Aquifer in response to local ethanol market expansion. To identify the effects of ethanol expansion on irrigation decisions, we examine field-level data on irrigation water use, irrigated acreage, and crop decisions for the years 2003–2017 for nearly 23,000 fields in Kansas. We measure the response of three irrigation decisions, (i) irrigated acreage, (ii) irrigation per acre, and (iii) total water use to the introduction and capacity expansion of an ethanol plant. We find that ethanol market expansion did lead to increases in irrigation water use. Specifically, a 10 % increase in ethanol capacity within 50KM increases annual water use by 0.22 % per field (4.8 acre-inches/field). We predict that ethanol markets accounted for about 4% of total irrigated water use in 2017.
Comorbidity and clinical factors associated with COVID-19 critical illness and mortality at a large public hospital in New York City in the early phase of the pandemic (March-April 2020).

Background Despite evidence of socio-demographic disparities in outcomes of COVID-19, little is known about characteristics and clinical outcomes of patients admitted to public hospitals during the COVID-19 outbreak. Objective To assess demographics, comorbid conditions, and clinical factors associated with critical illness and mortality among patients diagnosed with COVID-19 at a public hospital in New York City (NYC) during the first month of the COVID-19 outbreak. Design Retrospective chart review of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 admitted to NYC Health + Hospitals / Bellevue Hospital from March 9th to April 8th, 2020. Results A total of 337 patients were diagnosed with COVID-19 during the study period. Primary analyses were conducted among those requiring supplemental oxygen (n = 270); half of these patients (135) were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). A majority were male (67.4%) and the median age was 58 years. Approximately one-third (32.6%) of hypoxic patients managed outside the ICU required non-rebreather or non-invasive ventilation. Requirement of renal replacement therapy occurred in 42.3% of ICU patients without baseline end-stage renal disease. Overall, 30-day mortality among hypoxic patients was 28.9% (53.3% in the ICU, 4.4% outside the ICU). In adjusted analyses, risk factors associated with mortality included dementia (adjusted risk ratio (aRR) 2.11 95%CI 1.50-2.96), age 65 or older (aRR 1.97, 95%CI 1.31-2.95), obesity (aRR 1.37, 95%CI 1.07-1.74), and male sex (aRR 1.32, 95%CI 1.04-1.70). Conclusion COVID-19 demonstrated severe morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Modifications in care delivery outside the ICU allowed the hospital to effectively care for a surge of critically ill and severely hypoxic patients.
Not on Bread Alone Doth Man Liveth (Deut. 8:3; Mat 4:4): Some Iconoclastic Views on Populism, Democracy, the Rule of Law and the Polish Circumstance

Polarization in today’s politics, pre- and post COVID, transcends nations, states regions and continents. It’s a feature of politics which, in and on itself, when played to extremes by demonizing one’s opponents, it threatens democracy itself—since it frays the demos some cohesion of which is necessary for the legitimacy of majoritarianism, one of the pillars of national democracies. Its lexical manifestation is to be found with expressions such as ‘traitors’ or ‘not real’ Americans, Italians, Israelis—take your pick and fill in the gap.
The Continuum of Sexual and Reproductive Health Talk Types Daughters have with Mothers and Siblings

Although sexual and reproductive health (SRH) is considered an important discussion topic for parents and their children, there is great variance in communication style and contradictory results on the effects of these contrasting styles. Research has explored SRH topics, yet still needs to investigate the types of parent-child SRH conversations to investigate how content gets relayed, and their effects, particularly among college-aged children. Data come from qualitative interviews in 2013 with 20 undergraduate Latina students about SRH conversations they had with their mothers and siblings. Analysis revealed that mother-daughter SRH conversation types fell along a four-category continuum, irrespective of daughters’ sexual practices, with open (n = 4) and no talk (n = 3) at the poles. The two middle categories, be careful (n = 6) and responsible sex (n = 7), were limited conversations that provided little guidance and tended to use risk language. Daughters in the no talk and be careful conversation categories tended to be more religious and have higher rates of sexual activity. Daughters’ conversations with their siblings, particularly sisters, directly reflected the conversation types that they reported having with their moms. Most daughters made assumptions about their mothers’ statements and views due to the lack of straightforward communication and reported that most mothers did not alter their conversation styles to match their daughters’ specific sexual histories. Moreover, these conversation styles could potentially affect the whole household due to siblings being other sources of sexual socialization and having talk types that reflected parental talk types, irrespective of siblings’ sexual activity. We recommend more attention and funding for SRH education programs that include extended family, especially siblings, given their importance in sexual socialization, and include college-aged children who still desire, and need, SRH information. Programs should equip parents and children with the tools to navigate multiple SRH conversations that evolve with and are sensitive to children’s specific behaviors and circumstances.
High-Throughput ECC with Integrated Chipkill Protection for Nonvolatile Memory Arrays

New coding schemes based on generalized concatenated codes are proposed for emerging nonvolative memory technologies. Key requirements are high code rate, low latency, high throughput and the ability to correct chipkill failures while sustaining high data reliability despite raw bit error rates up to 10−3. New concatenated codes based on Reed-Solomon codes have been designed for payload sizes of 512B, 1kB, and 2kB; they have high rates above 0.8 and a high data reliability with a decoder target BER of 10−15. An FPGA-based implementation of the decoder validates the low latency and high throughput: for an operating clock frequency of 250MHz, the decoding latency is 236ns and a 9.3GB/s throughput is achieved.
Spatiotemporal context modulates encoding and retrieval of overlapping events

Overlap between events can lead to interference due to a tradeoff between encoding the present event and retrieving the past event. Temporal context information -- 9when9 something occurred, a defining feature of episodic memory -- can cue retrieval of a past event. However, the influence of temporal overlap, or proximity in time, on the mechanisms of interference are unclear. Here, by identifying brain states using scalp electroencephalography (EEG) from male and female human subjects, we show the extent to which temporal overlap promotes interference and induces retrieval. In this experiment, subjects were explicitly directed to either encode the present event or retrieve a past, overlapping event while perceptual input was held constant. We find that the degree of temporal overlap between events leads to selective interference. Specifically, greater temporal overlap between two events leads to impaired memory for the past event selectively when the top-down goal is to encode the present event. Using pattern classification analyses to measure neural evidence for a retrieval state, we find that greater temporal overlap leads to automatic retrieval of a past event, independent of top-down goals. Critically, the retrieval evidence we observe likely reflects a general retrieval mode, rather than retrieval success or effort. Collectively, our findings provide insight into the role of temporal overlap on interference and memory formation.
iVisit – Practicing problem-solving in 360-degree panoramic site visits led by virtual humans

Abstract Construction professionals require to use problem-solving skills to resolve issues on projects. However, there are limited opportunities for students to practice problem-solving skills within real-world contexts. This research explored the use of iVisit – 360-degree panoramic site visits supported by virtual humans for learning problem-solving skills within difficult-to-reach construction locations. This study aimed to understand the effects of iVisit on student problem-solving skills learning using a comparative evaluation that contrasted paper-based and iVisit-based interventions. Study findings indicate that iVisit effectiveness varied depending on the methodological requirements of each situated activity. iVisit was found to significantly increase the student development of problem-solving skills during activities that require direct observation of site material properties and their spatial relationships. However, no significant differences were detected for enhancing student understanding of abstract knowledge and its relationship with site assemblies. It was also found that students with higher spatial visualization abilities performed better in problem-solving activities.
ReporterSeq reveals genome-wide determinants of proteasome expression

The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is critical for cellular and organismal health. To uncover mechanisms regulating the UPS in normal and stress conditions, we systematically probed the genome of the eukaryotic model system Saccharomyces cerevisiae for modulators of the UPS master regulator Rpn4 under basal and stress conditions using the reverse genetic method ReporterSeq. The top UPS regulators were the thioredoxin reductase Trr1 and proteins of the large ribosomal subunit, both of which had no previously known role in UPS regulation. Unlike all known mechanisms for Rpn4 regulation which regulate Rpn4 levels, we found that Trr1 modulates the molecular activity of Rpn4 and does so in response to oxidative stress. Our work illuminates the genetic landscape through which cells regulate the UPS, and provides insight into how cells combat proteotoxicity.
National Wealth and National Intelligence as Determinants of National Productivity and National Innovation

This paper proposes that both national productivity and national innovation depend positively on two key variables, the amount of national wealth and the extent of national intelligence. To test these ideas, the paper employs cross country regression analysis on a large set of countries from around the world. Overall, the regression results of the paper lend support to the idea. Empirically, it appears that national productivity is positively related to national wealth and national intelligence, and that national innovation is positively related to national wealth and national innovation.
Return Value Predictability Profiles for Self---healing

Current embryonic attempts at software self---healing produce mechanisms that are often oblivious to the semantics of the code they supervise. We believe that, in order to help inform runtime repair strategies, such systems require a more detailed analysis of dynamic application behavior. We describe how to profile an application by analyzing all function calls (including library and system) made by a process. We create predictability profiles of the return values of those function calls. Self---healing mechanisms that rely on a transactional approach to repair (that is, rolling back execution to a known safe point in control flow or slicing off the current function sequence) can benefit from these return value predictability profiles. Profiles built for the applications we tested can predict behavior with 97% accuracy given a context window of 15 functions. We also present a survey of the distribution of actual return values for real software as well as a novel way of visualizing both the macro and micro structure of the return value distributions. Our system helps demonstrate the feasibility of combining binary---level behavior profiling with self---healing repairs.