cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New pediatric applications and techniques for balloon valvuloplasty: Tetralogy of Fallot, complex pulmonary stenosis/atresia, and pulmonary atresia with intact septum

Abstract Palliative pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty in Tetralogy of Fallot has been proposed to promote growth of the pulmonary valve so that it can be incorporated in a later repair without transannular patch to avoid the late complications from free pulmonary regurgitation. We have used the procedure in patients with severe hypoxemia less than 3 months old. Synopsis of 141 published cases and our own experience in 15 patients shows technical success in 93%, a complication rate of 5%, cyanotic spells in 9%, and a mortality of 0.6%. Arterial oxygen saturation instantly increased from 78 to 91%. Based on the intention to treat, emergent surgery was avoided in 65%. Despite a significant increase in pulmonary valve diameter, the incidence of transannular patch was reduced in only one study, partly reflecting the surgeon's preference. Palliative pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty can also promote pulmonary artery growth in other complex cyanotic lesions. In pulmonary valve atresia with intact ventricular septum without right ventricular dependent coronary circulation, catheter valvotomy and subsequent pulmonary balloon valvuloplasty can establish right ventricle to pulmonary artery continuity. Perforation of the atretic valve can be accomplished with a bare wire (rarely), with a hot tip laser wire or with a radiofrequency wire if available. We use a standard steerable 5 French electrode catheter to deliver radiofrequency pulses at 8–26 watt with subsequent dilatation using a 7–8 mm low profile balloon. If tricuspid valve diameter or right ventricular size are below normal, additional stenting of the ductus with a flexible stent expanded to 4–5 mm diameter should be performed. In patients with severe hypoplasia, stent placement across the outflow tract is necessary. With this strategy, overall outcome should be superior to the published data on 68 attempted catheter perforations: Out of the 74% technically successful procedures, only 47% remained without surgical intervention during early follow-up.
Combined design of structures and controllers for optimal maneuverability

Approaches to the combined design of structures and controllers for achieving optimal maneuverability are presented. A maneuverability index which directly reflects the minimum time required to perform a given set of maneuvers is introduced. By designing the flexible appendages, the maneuver time of the spacecraft is minimized under the constraints of structural properties, and post maneuver spillover is kept within a specified bound. The spillover reduction is achieved by making use of an appropriate reduced order model. The distributed parameter design problem is approached using assumed shape functions, and finite element analysis with dynamic reduction. Solution procedures have been investigated. Approximate design methods have been developed to overcome the computational difficulties. Some new constraints on the modal frequencies of the spacecraft are introduced in the original optimization problem to facilitate the solution process. It is shown that the global optimal design may be obtained by tuning the natural frequencies to satisfy specific constraints. Researchers quantify the difference between a lower bound to the solution for maneuver time associated with the original problem and the estimate obtained from the modified problem, for a specified application requirement. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the capability of this approach.
Multi-configuration Hartree-Fock plus Breit-Pauli results for some forbidden transitions

The multi-configuration Hartree-Fock method, extended to include relativistic effects in the Breit-Pauli approximation (MCHF+BP), has been applied to the study of some forbidden transitions between levels of the 3s23p3 configuration in the phosphorus sequence. Term energy separations, fine-structure splittings, and E2 and M1 transition rates are reported for S II of interest in astrophysics and for several atomic systems with nuclear charge, Z, in the range 28<or=Z<or=42, where lines have been observed in laboratory plasmas. The results are compared with values derived from observation and with other theories.
Causal Attributions for Problematic Family Interactions A Qualitative, Cultural Comparison of Western Samoa, American Samoa, and the United States

A mixed quantitative and qualitative research design compared 23 U.S. college students to 25 students from Western Samoa and 25 from American Samoa, with regard to differences in cultural beliefs and attributions. Survey responses suggested that Samoan students endorsed significantly more vertical, collective and vertical, individualistic cultural attitudes than U.S. students. Qualitative analysis of narrative responses to four vignettes depicting family conflicts suggested cultural differences in patterns of attribution of blame and responsibility for resolving the conflicts. U.S. students emphasized stable, internal, global attributions to character flaws. Samoan students emphasized more easily changed, situation-specific attributions; nonlinear, multifaceted judgments of blame; deference to hierarchy in group relationships; and context-oriented resolutions that avoid individual confrontation and emphasize preservation of relationships.
Graph Complexity and Slice Functions

A graph-theoretic approach to study the complexity of Boolean func- tions was initiated by Pudlak, Rodl, and Savicky (PRS) by defining models of computation on graphs. These models generalize well-known models of Boolean complexity such as circuits, branching programs, and two-party communication complexity. A Boolean function f is called a 2-slice function if it evaluates to zero on inputs with less than two 1's and evaluates to one on inputs with more than two 1's. On inputs with exactly two 1's f may be nontrivially defined. There is a natural correspondence between 2-slice functions and graphs. Using the framework of graph complexity, we show that sufficiently strong superlinear monotone lower bounds for the very special class of 2-slice functions would imply superpolynomial lower bounds over a complete basis for certain functions derived from them. We prove, for instance,
Thermal Stresses at Spherical Inclusions in Uniform Heat Flow

The thermal stresses in the vicinity of a spherical particle em bedded in an elastic matrix are investigated. An exact solution to the equations of thermoelasticity is presented for the case of a stationary heat flow. The results indicate that stress concentrations occur in a composite when the thermal properties of each of the constituents are different. These stress concentrations may be overlooked if one replaces the composite with an idealized thermal model.
Intercity Relations and Globalisation: The Evolution of the Global Urban Hierarchy, 1981—2007

How is the world city system changing in the context of globalisation? This question is addressed using data on the headquarter and branch locations of the world’s 500 largest multinationals. The paper employs techniques developed for the analysis of networks to evaluate the more than 6300 cities that are linked together by such firms in terms of their point centrality and, using blockmodelling techniques, in terms of the positions they occupy and roles that they play in the system. The analysis indicates that the world city system is in the midst of substantial restructuring and that it is changing in such a way as to concentrate power in a small number of cities. However, in contrast to some accounts, support is not found for the idea that globalisation is generating a ‘new geography of inequality’ at the level of intercity relations.
Effect of Oleic Acid on Growth and Cell Structure of Mycobacteria

Schaefer, Werner B. (National Jewish Hospital, Denver, Colo.), and C. Willard Lewis, Jr. Effect of oleic acid on growth and cell structure of mycobacteria. J. Bacteriol. 90:1438–1447. 1965.—The growth-stimulatory effect of fatty acids on Mycobacterium kansasii and other mycobacterial species is associated with transient changes in the morphology of the bacteria. One change observed is the appearance of intracellular vacuoles separated by chromatinic crossbars. Evidence is presented that these changes are due to the rapid metabolic uptake and the accumulation of lipid in the form of globules. This process provides the cells with an internal reservoir of a preferred carbon and energy source. In certain mycobacterial species, including M. kansasii, the morphological changes are elicited by free and by esterified fatty acid; in others, only by free fatty acid. The latter strains apparently lack the enzyme to split the fatty acid ester. Images
An adjoint method for second-order switching time optimization

Switched systems evolve over a sequence of continuous modes of operation, transitioning between modes in a discrete manner. Assuming a mode sequence is known, the evolution of a switched system is dictated by the set of times for which the modes transition. This paper presents second-order optimization of these switching times and compares its convergence with first-order switching time optimization. We emphasize the importance of the second-order method because it exhibits quadratic convergence and because even for relatively simple examples, first-order methods fail to converge on time scales compatible with real-time operation.
Sarcoidosis: An Exercise in Differential Diagnosis*

We have presented in some detail eight cases from a series of 70 patients with biopsy-confirmed sarcoidosis. These individuals are interesting either because of uncommon presenting symptoms or unusual developments during the course of the disease. Thus, two patients were first seen because of massive splenomegaly; one (R. S.) had portal hypertension and hypersplenism, while another (G. S.) had such abdominal enlargement that she thought she was pregnant, but did not have significant hypersplenism. One (R. T.) had exploratory surgery for parathyroid adenoma; another (C. E.) had biopsy of a suspected enchondroma before diagnosis of sarcoidosis could be made. Among the patients with uncommon features during the course of established sarcoidosis were two with repeated major hemoptyses. One of these (F. W.) bled to death; she, incidentally, first presented with ecthyma. The other patient with severe hemoptysis (T. Y.) also had repeated spontaneous pneumothoraces. Pericardial effusion with tamponade occurred in one patient (A. S.). One individual (J. H.) had phrenic nerve paralysis. From our experience it might well be said that sarcoidosis has usurped the place of syphilis and is now the "great imitator" which must be considered in the differential diagnosis of many obscure syndromes in all fields of medicine.
WCET Analysis for Multi-Core Processors with Shared L2 Instruction Caches

Multi-core chips have been increasingly adopted by microprocessor industry. For real-time systems to safely harness the potential of multi-core computing, designers must be able to accurately obtain the worst-case execution time (WCET) of applications running on multi-core platforms, which is very challenging due to the possible runtime inter-core interferences in using shared resources such as the shared L2 caches. As the first step toward time-predictable multi-core computing, this paper presents a novel approach to bounding the worst-case performance for threads running on multi-core processors with shared L2 instruction caches. The idea of our approach is to compute the worst-case instruction access interferences between different threads based on the program control flow information of each thread, which can be statically analyzed. Our experiments indicate that the proposed approach can reasonably estimate the worst- case shared L2 instruction cache misses by considering inter-thread instruction conflicts. Also, the WCET of applications running on multi-core processors estimated by our approach is much better than the estimation by simply assuming all L2 instruction accesses are misses.
Cryogenically-cooled laser based on resonantly-pumped Er 3+ :Y 2 O 3 ceramic

Laser performance of Er3+-doped Y2O3 ceramic is reported for the first time. Resonantly-pumped, eyesafe, 1.6-mum Er:Y2O3 cryo-laser slope efficiency of ~48% and output power ~7 W have been achieved in this first experiment.
Toxicology of Avermectins and Milbemycins (Macrocylic Lactones) and the Role of P-Glycoprotein in Dogs and Cats

The macrocyclic lactones (MLs) are parasiticides able to kill a wide variety of arthropods and nematodes. They have a high margin of safety for labeled indications, and ivermectin has become the best-selling antiparasitic in the world. Dogs of certain breeds and mixtures of those breeds have a defect in the ABCB1 gene (formerly MDR1 gene) that results in a lack of functional P-glycoprotein, which leads to accumulation of the MLs in the central nervous system and a higher risk of adverse effects when exposed. There is no specific antidote for ML toxicosis so the most important part of treatment is good supportive care.
Size-dependent mechanical behavior of free-standing glassy polymer thin films

The mechanical properties of nanoscale free-standing polymer thin films exhibit size dependence due to surface effects. However, it remains a challenge to determine the length scales at which differences are exhibited between film and bulk polymer properties. Here we use molecular dynamics simulations to uncover the dependence of elastic modulus (E) of free-standing films on film thickness and bulk properties. Comparison of the glass transition temperature (Tg) and E indicates that Tg converges to the bulk value slightly faster as the film thickness increases. The free-surface effects that give rise to a depression in E and Tg are observed to be stronger for polymers with weaker intermolecular interactions. The most intriguing aspect of our study is the finding that despite the observed decrease in the modulus of the film up to a thickness of over 100 nm, the local stress distribution reveals that the preserved length scale of perturbation of the free surface is only several nanometers.
Consumer Evaluation of Sweepstakes Incentives: An Empirical Investigation

While sales promotions in general, and certain types of incentives such as price deals and coupons have received considerable attention in the academic literature, only a few studies have examined rebates, premiums, contests and sweepstakes. The purpose of this present study is to initiate the empirical investigation of consumer evaluations of sweepstakes incentives.
The Western as Male Soap Opera: John Ford's Rio Grande

Conflicts between career and family are commonly assumed, in social science and popular culture, to be women's problems. Recognition that men might have similar problems has been slower in coming, perhaps because we assume that the superior power men often have in domestic and work situations can resolve or mitigate them. John Ford's 1950 Western Rio Grande presents a male-role conflict that neither institutional power nor violent physical action can resolve. The struggle must be waged within rigid institutional constraints, a pattern commonly seen in 1950s melodrama and soap opera. These films gave us a preview of the Women's Movement of the 1960s. This article investigates the film Rio Grande qua male soap opera as a possible preview of men's concerns.
Protein and Tannin in Upper, Middle, and Lower Cotton Plant Strata and Cigarette Beetle (Coleoptera: Anobiidae) Growth on the Foliage

Upper, middle, and lower cotton plant foliage was compared for protein and tannin content and capacity to support cigarette beetles (CB), Lasioderma serricorne (F.). Foliage from all strata showed decreases in protein concentration as plants matured. Protein decline was most pronounced in midplant foliage. Upper plant foliage had higher protein and tannin concentrations. Tannin levels decreased in the upper foliage, whereas midplant and lower foliage had similar tannin concentrations without seasonal decreasing trends. Total number of CB adults reared on midplant foliage decreased as the plant grew and was correlated with foliar protein concentration in a linear relationship. Upper foliage supported greater CB numbers and the regression of the final populations versus protein was highly significant. Effect of nitrogen as a limiting nutritive factor and tannin in allelochemical plant defense for phytophagous arthropods in cotton is discussed.
Contrasting degradation rates of synthetic angiotensin amide and natural angiotensin in human plasma.

The rate at which angiotensin loses its biological activity when incubated in plama has been used as an in vitro measure of the angiotensinase activity of plasma. Studies of the rate of degradation of synthetic angiotensin II amide (asparaginyl 1-valyl 5-angiotensin) in plasma from patients with hypertension, pregnancy, liver disease, and renal disease have given conflicting results regarding alterations in angiotensinase activity in these diseases (1-5).Recent studies by Nagatsu et al. (6) have suggested that degradation of angiotensin amide requires a different proteolytic enzyme than the one that hydrolyzes the naturally occurring aspartyl 1-valyl 5-angiotensin. Thus, previous studies which have employed the synthetic material may not have afforded a meaningful measure of the rate of loss of biological activity of natural angiotensin.The purpose of the present study was to compare the rates of in vitro destruction of natural and synthetic angiotensin added to human plasma.Methods. Two forms of angioten...
Salvage Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Prior to “Bridge” Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

We describe a patient who presented in profound cardiogenic shock due to bioprosthetic aortic valve stenosis requiring salvage Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation followed by a "bridge" valve-in-valve transcatheter aortic valve replacement. doi: 10.1111/jocs.12750 (J Card Surg 2016;31:403-405).
Surveying theoretical approaches within digital religion studies

This article provides an overview of the development of Digital Religion studies and the theoretical approaches frequently employed within this area. Through considering the ways and theories of mediatization, mediation of meaning, and the religious–social shaping of technology have been engaged and applied in studies of new media technologies, religion, and digital culture we see how Digital Religion studies has grown into a unique area of inquiry informed by both Internet studies and media, religion, and culture studies. Overall, it offers a concise summary of the current state of research inquiry within Digital Religion studies.
Coronary blood flow and distribution in right ventricular hypertrophy.

Myocardial blood flow and distribution in animals with right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy have not been studied extensively in the experimental laboratory. This study was carried out to investigate whether or not ischemia can be induced in the hypertrophied right ventricle. Ten adult foxhounds underwent banding of the pulmonary artery. One year later coronary flow and distribution were studied by use of radioactive microspheres. Myocardial oxygen supply and demand were estimated by planimetry of aortic and RV pressure tracings. Data were obtained in the control state, during atrial pacing to a heart rate of 200 ± 4 beats/min (mean ± SD), during aorta-right atrial shunting to reduce mean aortic pressure to 60 ± 6 mm Hg, and during aortic constriction to produce a mean aortic pressure of 145 ± 8 mm Hg. RV weight/body weight ratio was 2.2 ± 0.2 gm/kg (normal, 1.3 ± 0.1 gm/kg) (p
Nucleotide Interdependency in Transcription Factor Binding Sites in the Drosophila Genome

A long-standing objective in modern biology is to characterize the molecular components that drive the development of an organism. At the heart of eukaryotic development lies gene regulation. On the molecular level, much of the research in this field has focused on the binding of transcription factors (TFs) to regulatory regions in the genome known as cis-regulatory modules (CRMs). However, relatively little is known about the sequence-specific binding preferences of many TFs, especially with respect to the possible interdependencies between the nucleotides that make up binding sites. A particular limitation of many existing algorithms that aim to predict binding site sequences is that they do not allow for dependencies between nonadjacent nucleotides. In this study, we use a recently developed computational algorithm, MARZ, to compare binding site sequences using 32 distinct models in a systematic and unbiased approach to explore nucleotide dependencies within binding sites for 15 distinct TFs known to be critical to Drosophila development. Our results indicate that many of these proteins have varying levels of nucleotide interdependencies within their DNA recognition sequences, and that, in some cases, models that account for these dependencies greatly outperform traditional models that are used to predict binding sites. We also directly compare the ability of different models to identify the known KRUPPEL TF binding sites in CRMs and demonstrate that a more complex model that accounts for nucleotide interdependencies performs better when compared with simple models. This ability to identify TFs with critical nucleotide interdependencies in their binding sites will lead to a deeper understanding of how these molecular characteristics contribute to the architecture of CRMs and the precise regulation of transcription during organismal development.
Multi-institutional Study of Voice Disorders and Voice Therapy Referral: Report from the CHEER Network

ObjectivesTo assess perspectives of patients with voice problems and identify factors associated with the likelihood of referral to voice therapy via the CHEER (Creating Healthcare Excellence through Education and Research) practice-based research network infrastructure.Study DesignProspectively enrolled cross-sectional study of CHEER patients seen for a voice problem (dysphonia).SettingThe CHEER network of community and academic sites.MethodsPatient-reported demographic information, nature and severity of voice problems, clinical diagnoses, and proposed treatment plans were collected. The relationship between patient factors and voice therapy referral was investigated.ResultsPatients (N = 249) were identified over 12 months from 10 sites comprising 30 otolaryngology physicians. The majority were women (68%) and white (82%). Most patients reported a recurrent voice problem (72%) and symptom duration >4 weeks (89%). The most commonly reported voice-related diagnoses were vocal strain, reflux, and benign vo...
Green IS in Education Industry: A Case Study

Green IS relates to environmentally sustainable Information Technology practices in order to reduce business cost and lower environmental impact. Currently, much of the discussion of Green IS is focused on businesses, but the same practices can be applied to education or to anywhere IT or IS related. It is viewed as needed in both business and education because it considers the long term impacts of technology. This study conducts several interviews with employees work in an American university to explore motivations behind Green IS adoption. The results are in line with work of Jenkin et al. 2011a, b showing that Organizations are still in the infancy stage of awareness and Green IS adoption. In addition, we found Green IS education is one critical factor current universities need to focus on in their process of Green IS adoption. We also suggest that standardization and a rating system of Green IS are necessary to encourage universities in adopting Green IS.
BPSK Radar Waveform

In this chapter, BPSK radar waveforms for spectrum sharing are designed, i.e., the problem of designing MIMO radar BPSK waveform to match a given beampattern in the presence of a cellular system is considered.
Clinical Utility of Free Drug Monitoring

The free concentration of a drug is an important parameter in pharmacology, toxicology and environmental chemistry because the free (unbound) concentration is the driving force for the transport, distribution and bioaccumulation of a drug or a chemical. Accordingly, there are important clinical implications of plasma protein binding in characterizing a drug's behavior and proper dosing. Furthermore, there is an increased need to make this measurement as early as possible in the discovery process, in order to understand drug disposition and to optimize individual drug therapy. While the importance of monitoring free concentrations is well recognized, there are several technical and financial difficulties that prevent it from becoming the routine in clinical practice. Nevertheless, current development of new analytical techniques based on microextraction and biosensors promises to make clinical monitoring of free drug concentrations more convenient in the near future. This chapter will discuss the importance of monitoring free concentrations in clinical practice, current methods for measuring free concentrations, and the impact of new drug analysis approaches in therapeutic drug monitoring.
The Middle Eastern Gender Gap: The State of Female Political Participation Before, During and After the ‘Arab Spring’

For citizens of the Middle East and North Africa, the ‘Arab Spring’ has come and gone with varying degrees of change. No country was immune to the revolutions and their subsequent political upheavals but a major section of the citizenry is more vulnerable to systematic changes. Both women and men in these countries needed political agency after dictators fell, but the importance is not equal between the genders. Before the ‘Arab Spring’, gender inequality was one of the most pressing issues facing the region and, though the smoke has cleared from the city streets, women still yearn for more political inclusiveness. Every religion, gender, and social class was represented during these revolutions, but the question remains how equality will be distributed once a new government gains power. This chapter aims to uncover if women in the Middle East and North African countries benefited from the ‘Arab Spring’ revolutions, or if society reverted back to traditional gender norms. It is paramount that input from both sexes be used to create stable, lasting governments. The protests erupted due to a region-wide buildup of animosity toward authoritarian regimes for a past lessening of liberties. The aim of this chapter is to highlight the progress that has been made and the plenitude of work still left to do. For the ‘Arab Spring’ to have long-term success, gender equality will need to be strengthened. If there are no significant measures that show women are making progress in the political sphere, then impactful nation-building will not follow. Strong, prosperous countries cannot be created and maintained without the entire population contributing.
Outcome of heart transplantation after bridge-to-transplant strategy using various mechanical circulatory support devices.

OBJECTIVES Orthotopic heart transplantation (OHT) is limited by a chronic shortage of donors. With the evolution of technology, more patients have been bridged to transplant (BTT) through various pathways using various types of mechanical circulatory support. We compared short- and long-term outcomes among these various strategies of BTT. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 410 patients who had OHT between January 2009 and April 2015. Patients were divided into 4 groups according to BTT status: primary OHT without bridging (Group A, n = 246); bridge with implantable continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) (Group B, n = 130); bridge with short-term mechanical circulatory support (Group C, n = 16) and bridge with multiple mechanical circulatory supports, including short-term mechanical circulatory support and CF-LVAD (Group D, n = 18). Early and late outcomes after OHT were compared among the groups. RESULTS The total duration of device support was 110.4 patient-years, 1.8 patient-years and 21.0 patient-years in Groups B, C and D, respectively. Patients who were bridged with CF-LVAD (Groups B and D) were more likely to have larger body size, blood type O, idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy and ischaemic cardiomyopathy as an aetiology, lower total bilirubin level and longer waiting time on the United Network for Organ Sharing Status 1A. There was no statistical difference between the 4 groups in serum panel reactive antigen levels before OHT. Hospital mortality was 4% in Group A, 8% in Group B, 13% in Group C and 6% in Group D (P = 0.307). Post-transplant survival at 3 years was 80% in Group A, 82% in Group B, 75% in Group C and 88% in Group D (P = 0.752). CONCLUSIONS BTT strategies using various mechanical circulatory support devices can provide comparable clinical outcomes to primary OHT. Flexibility in the use of both short-term mechanical circulatory support and CF-LVAD is necessary depending on the patient's background.
Introduction: The Whole of the Parts

The legacy and influence of Monty Python on comedy and culture more generally remain profound. While the group and its various projects (Flying Circus, films, albums, live shows) have drawn admirable attention, the activities of the troupe’s members outside the group remain neglected and, more damagingly, are often seen as mere offshoots or side projects. Reinsch, in “The Whole of the Parts,” suggests that rather than regarding Monty Python as “more than the sum of its parts,” the comedy troupe may be the “same” as its parts or, better said, “other” than the whole of its parts. He argues that a careful study of the work of Python members, individually and in smaller clusters, illuminates our understanding of the group, comedy and global popular culture.
Finger-powered microfluidic electrochemical assay for point-of-care testing

This paper presents a finger-powered microfluidic electrochemical assay for rapid measurements of protein biomarkers. This device employs a valveless, piston-based pumping mechanism which utilizes a human finger for the actuation force. Liquids are driven inside microchannels by pressing on pistons which generate pressure-driven flows. Reagents are preloaded in microwells allowing for the entire testing process to be completed on-chip. For proof-of-concept, this device was used to detect Plasmodium falciparum histidine-rich protein-2 (PfHRP2) in human plasma samples using a mobile phone biosensing platform. Using this device, PfHRP2 was detected from 0.1 to 20 µg/mL with high specificity and each measurement could be completed in ≤ 6 min. Based on its simplicity, portability and good analytical performance, this platform is promising for point-of-care testing, particularly in remote and resource-limited regions.
Lipoprotein-Associated Phospholipase A2 Review of its Role as a Marker and a Potential Participant in Coronary Endothelial Dysfunction

The role of inflammation in atherosclerosis continues to emerge. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2)), a novel plasma biomarker, circulates in the blood bound mainly to low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and promotes vascular inflammation. Several epidemiological studies have shown that circulating levels of Lp-PLA(2) are an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events. Recent studies demonstrate that Lp-PLA(2) is also associated with endothelial dysfunction and early atherosclerosis. This review provides an overview of these studies, suggests plausible mechanisms for the association between endothelial dysfunction and Lp-PLA(2), and highlights future potential therapies.
Whose STEM? Disrupting the Gender Crisis Within STEM

This article challenges implicit understandings of scientific inquiry and gender within contemporary responses to the underrepresentation of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Failing to recognize the gendered history of science, and thus STEM disciplines, we argue that much research and curricular interventions are overly invested in simply providing women institutional access to or creating feminized environments within STEM. Such shortsighted analyses lead to processes we term gender washing and painting pink, both of which diminish the possibilities for meaningful engagement with gendered ontologies within scientific inquiry. Working from important and diverse strands of feminist theory, we suggest that serious considerations of women and STEM must include a framework that critically engages the entanglement of gender and science. We conclude that a focused and intentional analysis of gender and scientific inquiry, that opposes constructions of STEM as fixed entities to...
Representational coexistence in the God concept: Core knowledge intuitions of God as a person are not revised by Christian theology despite lifelong experience

Previous research has shown that in the minds of young adult religious adherents, acquired theology about the extraordinary characteristics of God (e.g., omniscience) coexists with, rather than replaces, an initial concept of God formed by co-option of the person concept. We tested the hypothesis that representational coexistence holds even after extensive experience with Christian theology, as indexed by age. Christian religious adherents ranging in age from 18 to 87 years were asked to evaluate as true or false statements on which core knowledge intuitions about persons and Christian theology about God were consistent (both true or both false) or inconsistent (true on one and false on the other). Results showed, across adulthood, more theological errors in evaluating inconsistent versus consistent statements. Older adults also exhibited slower response times to inconsistent versus consistent statements. These findings show that despite extensive experience, indeed a lifetime of experience for some participants, the Christian theological God concept does not separate from the initial person concept from which it is formed. In fact, behavioral signatures of representational coexistence were not attenuated by experience. We discuss the broader implications of these findings to the acquisition of evolutionarily new concepts.
Abstract 139: PARP-1 Silencing Upregulates FOSL1 Transcription, Enhances Angiogenesis and Accelerates Ischemic-Diabetic Wound Healing

Objective: People with combined ischemic and diabetic wounds of the lower extremities have the highest risk for limb loss, especially for those without surgical revascularization options. We have d...
Borrow and Buy: Complementarity and Substitutability of Acquirers’ Alliances and Acquisitions

What is the relationship between a firm’s alliances and its acquisition choice? I argue that alliances may not only substitute for, but also be complementary to technology acquisitions. I highlight...
The Modification of Sexual Behavior Through Conditioning: An Avian Model

A critical aspect of the analysis of sexual behavior involves identifying which stimuli are effective in eliciting the behavior and determining how these stimuli acquire their effectiveness. These questions can be addressed with respect both to species-specific stimuli that animals are likely to encounter in their natural environment and to “arbitrary” stimuli that do not occur under natural circumstances.
Mode Awareness in Advanced Autoflight Systems

Abstract An examination of autoflight systems in modem aircraft was made, with empasis on the complex mode structure which is suspect in several recent accidents. Aviation Safety Reporting System reports from 1990-94 were examined. Flight Mode Annunciator conventions were inventoried. Focussed interviews with pilots and check airmen were conducted. Principal results identified the lack of a consistent global model of the AutoFlight System architecture and identified the vertical channel as requiring enhanced feedback. An Electronic Vertical Situation Display to help mitigate the identified problems was prototyped.
Cell-type and projection-specific dopaminergic encoding of aversive stimuli in addiction

Drug addiction is a major public health concern across the world for which there are limited treatment options. In order to develop new therapies to correct the behavioral deficits that result from repeated drug use, we need to understand the neural circuit dysfunction that underlies the pathophysiology of the disorder. Because the initial reinforcing effects of drugs are dependent on increases in dopamine in reward-related brain regions such as the mesolimbic dopamine pathway, a large focus of addiction research has centered on the dysregulation of this system and its control of positive reinforcement and motivation. However, in addition to the processing of positive, rewarding stimuli, there are clear deficits in the encoding and valuation of information about potential negative outcomes and how they control decision making and motivation. Further, aversive stimuli can motivate or suppress behavior depending on the context in which they are encountered. We propose a model where rewarding and aversive information guides the execution of specific motivated actions through mesocortical and mesolimbic dopamine acting on D1- and D2- receptor containing neuronal populations. Volitional drug exposure alters the processing of rewarding and aversive stimuli through remodeling of these dopaminergic circuits, causing maladaptive drug seeking, self-administration in the face of negative consequences, and drug craving. Together, this review discusses the dysfunction of the circuits controlling different types of aversive learning as well as how these guide specific discrete behaviors, and provides a conceptual framework for how they should be considered in preclinical addiction models.
A Video Game to Supplement a Hybrid Principles of Microeconomics Course.

In this article, the author describes the structure and content of a video game that she developed for a hybrid principles of microeconomics course that consists of two 50-minute lectures and a 50-...
Germline or inducible knockout of p300 or CBP in skeletal muscle does not alter insulin sensitivity.

Akt is a critical mediator of insulin-stimulated glucose uptake in skeletal muscle. The acetyltransferases, E1A binding protein p300 (p300) and cAMP response element-binding protein binding protein...
Reducing inhalant use in Latino adolescents through synchronized parent-adolescent interventions.

This article presents the effects of a synchronized Latino youth/parent intervention on adolescent inhalant use. The analytic sample included only Latino adolescents (n = 487) between the ages of 1...
Effect of cover crops on the yield and nutrient concentration of organic kale (Brassica oleracea L. var. acephala)

Kale is a leafy green vegetable regularly grown using non-organic agricultural systems. In recent years, organic kale demand has increased at near-doubling rates in the USA due to its perceived nutritional value. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of organic cover cropping systems on subsequent kale biomass production and nutrient composition (protein, mineral, and prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations) and to assess organic kale as a potential whole food source of daily essential mineral micronutrients and prebiotic carbohydrates. A single 100-g serving of fresh organic kale can provide mineral micronutrients (43–438 mg Ca; 11–60 mg Mg; 28–102 mg P; 0.5–3.3 mg Fe; 0.3–1.3 mg Mn; 1–136 µg Cu; and 0–35 µg Se) as well as 5.7–8.7 g of total prebiotic carbohydrates, including sugar alcohols (0.4–6.6 mg), simple sugars (6–1507 mg), raffinose and fructooligosaccharides (0.8–169 mg), hemicellulose (77–763 mg), lignin (0–90 mg), and unknown dietary fiber (5–6 g). Fresh organic kale has low to moderate concentrations of protein (1.3–6.0 g/100 g). Study results indicate that Starbor and Red Russian are the most suitable kale cultivars for organic production without considerable biomass and nutrient composition losses. Among the cover crops, faba bean results in the highest mineral, protein, and prebiotic carbohydrate concentrations in subsequent kale crops but ryegrass increases kale biomass production. Results also demonstrated a significant interaction between kale variety and organic cover crop with respect to biomass and nutrient concentration. Future organic nutritional breeding of kale is possible by selecting cultivars that perform well following different cover crops.
Setting the Stage for Action: Teaching Social Justice in the Middle School Classroom.

AbstractIn an effort to better understand what it means to enact curriculum that helps students conceptualize issues of injustice and racism, this article describes an approach to comply with manda...
Benefits of Remote Microphone Technology in Health Care Management for the World War II Generation

Purpose The purpose of this article was to provide a review for hearing care providers of the need for improving the auditory signal for older adults who are often faced with hearing challenges in ...
Introduction of megacities

Abstract Ideally, a megacity is a very large city with a population in excess of 10 million people as per the definition of the United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs. The United Nations Development Program forecasts that today's urban population of 1.2 billion total global habitants is nearly 6 billion, which one out of five people live in the megacities. This increase will be the most dramatic on the least-urbanized continents of Asia and Africa. Recent research and projections indicate that nearly two billion people, almost 29% of the world's population, will live in slums in urban megacities by the year 2030. Consequently, these megacities will exhibit high rates of disease due to unsanitary conditions, malnutrition, and lack of basic health care. People's lives and health will be seriously jeopardized by living in such megacities if no sustainable urban systems are developed.
Trajectories and predictors of stress and depressive symptoms in spousal and intimate partner cancer caregivers.

Purpose: The objective of the study is to investigate trajectories of stress and depressive symptoms of spousal and intimate partner caregivers in the context of cancer. We also examined the patien...
Bilateral Fractures of Anatomic Medullary Locking Hip Arthroplasty Stems in a Single Patient: A Case Report.

Introduction Stem fracture is a rare complication of total hip arthroplasty (THA) using fully porous-coated femoral stems. Bilateral fractures in a single patient have not been previously reported. Case Report A 48-year-old female underwent bilateral staged primary THA with fully porous-coated anatomic medullary locking femoral prostheses. She subsequently sustained stem fractures of her right and left prostheses in the 13thand 14thyears after their implantation, respectively. Conclusion The bilateral nature of this rare complication in a single patient supports the notion that stem fracture results from a mismatch between the mechanical stresses encountered in vivo and the structural properties of small-diameter stems. Surgeons should be cognizant of this potential complication when evaluating patients at long-term follow-up with new-onset pain.
A Parametric Grasping Methodology for Multi-Manual Interactions in Real-Time Dynamic Simulations

Interactive simulators are used in several important applications which include the training simulators for teleoperated robotic laparoscopic surgery. While stateof-art simulators are capable of rendering realistic visuals and accurate dynamics, grasping is often implemented using kinematic simplification techniques that prevent truly multimanual manipulation, which is often an important requirement of the actual task. Realistic grasping and manipulation in simulation is a challenging problem due to the constraints imposed by the implementation of rigid-body dynamics and collision computation techniques in state-of-the-art physics libraries. We present a penalty based parametric approach to achieve multi-manual grasping and manipulation of complex objects at arbitrary postures in a real-time dynamic simulation. This approach is demonstrated by accomplishing multi-manual tasks modeled after realistic scenarios, which include the grasping and manipulation of a two-handed screwdriver task and the manipulation of a deformable thread.
Repetitive optogenetic stimulation of glutamatergic neurons: An alternative to NMDA treatment for generating locomotor activity in spinalized zebrafish larvae.

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) application has conventionally been used to activate spinal networks to induce locomotion in spinalized animals. We recently described an alternative approach in which application of continuous blue light activates channelrhodopsin-2 in vesicular glutamate transporter 2a (vglut2a)-expressing spinal neurons to produce organized, rhythmic locomotor activity in spinally-transected larval zebrafish. This technique arguably enhances research validity, because endogenous glutamate is released into existing synapses instead of activating only a subset of glutamatergic (NMDA) receptors with an exogenous compound. Here, we explored the viability of this approach in the context of using it for longer-term experiments. Fictive swimming was induced through repetitive application of 10-s blue light stimuli to spinalized preparations for up to 60 min at intervals of 1, 3, or 15 min. Locomotor activity was maintained throughout the experimental timecourse, demonstrating the robustness of the system. Although locomotor bursts remained organized into episodes of activity, the number of bursts elicited during each successive stimulus decreased. This was in contrast to NMDA bath application, in which bursts became less episodically organized while the overall number of bursts remained unchanged. The efficacy of the repetitive optogenetic stimulation paradigm was demonstrated through application of exogenous dopamine, which reversibly decreased the number of bursts produced per stimulus compared with untreated preparations. Finally, increasing the stimulus interval to 15 min lessened, but did not eliminate locomotor fatigue from repetitive activation. Altogether, we established repetitive optogenetic stimulation of vglut2a-expressing neurons as a viable alternative to NMDA application for activation of the zebrafish spinal locomotor network.
Glucoregulation and coping behavior after chronic stress: sex differences across the lifespan

Exposure to prolonged stress during adolescence taxes adaptive and homeostatic processes leading to deleterious behavioral and metabolic outcomes. Although previous pre-clinical studies found effects of early life stress on cognition and stress hormone reactivity, these studies largely focused on males. The purpose of the current study was to determine how biological sex shapes behavioral coping and metabolic health across the lifespan after chronic stress. We hypothesized that examining chronic stress-induced behavioral and endocrine outcomes would reveal sex differences in the biological basis of susceptibility. During the late adolescent period, male and female Sprague-Dawley rats experienced chronic variable stress (CVS). Following completion of CVS, all rats experienced a forced swim test (FST) followed 3 days later by a fasted glucose tolerance test (GTT). The FST was used to determine coping in response to a stressor. Endocrine metabolic function was evaluated in the GTT by measuring glucose and corticosterone, the primary rodent glucocorticoid. Animals then aged to 15 months when the FST and GTT were repeated. In young animals, chronically stressed females exhibited more passive coping and corticosterone release in the FST. Additionally, chronically stressed females had elevated corticosterone and impaired glucose clearance in the GTT. Aging affected all measurements as behavioral and endocrine outcomes were sex specific. Furthermore, regression analysis between hormonal and behavioral responses identified associations depending on sex and stress. Collectively, these data indicate female susceptibility to the effects of chronic stress during adolescence. Further, translational investigation of coping style and glucose homeostasis may identify biomarkers for stress-related disorders.