cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preservation of soluble proteins for histological staining in paraffin sections.

Human serum at full strength and in dilutions with physiological saline (0.85%) ranging from 1:1 to 1:72 was allowed to permeate rectangular masses of fibrin foam in small pieces (maximum diameters 0.2 × 0.4 × 1.0 cm), and then placed in 10% neutral formalin, Zenker's solution and Bouin's solution. After fixation for 4-12 hr, the fibrin foam and occluded serum proteins were imbedded, sections cut and stained with eosin bluish (CI. 771), 0.25% alcoholic solution, and by the McManus periodic acid-Schiff technique, using basic fuchsin (CI. 677). Undiluted serum (6.4 gin 100 ml) was not stainable after fixation in 10% formalin. With Zenker's solution stainable serum proteins are recognizable at 0.22 gm/100 ml and with Bouin's solution at 0.08 gm/100 ml. Dried aliquots (0.2 ml) of the same dilutions, spread over an area of 1.0 cm2, fixed and stained similarly, gave almost identical results.
Simple technique for measurements of pulsed Gaussian-beam spot sizes.

A simple technique for in situ measurements of pulsed Gaussian-beam spot sizes is reported. This technique is particularly useful for measurements on highly focused beam spots. It can also be used for absolute calibration of the threshold-energy fluences for pulsed-laser-induced effects. The thresholds for several effects in picosecond-laser-induced phase transformation on silicon-crystal surfaces are calibrated with this technique.
Evaluation of a Leukocyte Stabilization Reagent for Use in the Cytomegalovirus pp65 Antigenemia Assay

New erythrocyte lysis and leukocyte stabilization reagents (Streck Laboratories, Inc.) were tested in the cytomegalovirus pp65 antigenemia assay, to determine if whole-blood processing time could be delayed to 24 h postdraw. The combination of these reagents gave results comparable to those for patient samples processed immediately after blood draw.
Model for the structure of the HIV gp41 ectodomain: insight into the intermolecular interactions of the gp41 loop.

Abstract In human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) the viral envelope proteins gp41 and gp120 form a non-covalent complex, which is a potential target for AIDS therapies. In addition gp41 plays a possible role in HIV infection of B cells via the complement system. In an effort to better understand the molecular interactions of gp41, the structure of the HIV gp41 ectodomain has been modeled using the NMR restraints of the simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) gp41 ectodomain (M. Caffrey, M. Cai, J. Kaufman, S.J. Stahl, P.T. Wingfield, A.M. Gronenborn, G.M. Clore, Solution structure of the 44 kDa ectodomain of SIV gp41, EMBO J. 17 (1998) 4572–4584). The resulting model presents the first structural information for the HIV gp41 loop, which has been implicated to play a direct role in binding to gp120 and C1q of the complement system.
THE OXIDATION OF CHOLESTEROL BY HYDROXYL RADICAL

Abstract— The oxidation of chblesterol by hydroxyl radical generated by 60Co y-radiolysis of aqueous cholesterol dispersions or of dispersions saturated with N2O ave in low yields the products 38-hydroxy-cholest-5-en-7-one. the epimeric cholest-5-ene-3β,7-diols, 5,6α-epoxy-5α-cholestan-3β-ol, 5.6β-epoxy-5β-cholestan-3,β-ol, and 5α-cholestane-38,5,6β-triol. Sterol hydroperoxides were not detected except in the radiolysis of dispersions saturated with oxygen.
Biogenesis of synaptic vesicles.

SUMMARY The basic endosomal recycling pathway can be modified to generate transcytotic vesicles, storage vesicles and synaptic vesicles. Sorting into synaptic vesicles requires specialized sorting information not present in the transcytotic and Storage vesicle proteins. Using mutagenesis we have distinguished the signals for rapid endocytosis and SV targeting in synaptobrevin. Finally, we have evidence that synaptic vesicles can be generated from an endosomal compartment in vitro.
Vertical profiles of O 3 and NO x chemistry in the polluted nocturnal boundary layer in Phoenix, AZ: I. Field observations by long-path DOAS

Nocturnal chemistry in the atmospheric boundary layer plays a key role in determining the initial chemical conditions for photochemistry during the following morning as well as influencing the budgets of O 3 and NO 2 . Despite its importance, chemistry in the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL), especially in heavily polluted urban areas, has received little attention so far, which greatly limits the current understanding of the processes involved. In particular, the influence of vertical mixing on chemical processes gives rise to complex vertical profiles of various reactive trace gases and makes nocturnal chemistry altitude-dependent. The processing of pollutants is thus driven by a complicated, and not well quantified, interplay between chemistry and vertical mixing. In order to gain a better understanding of the altitude-dependent nocturnal chemistry in the polluted urban environment, a field study was carried out in the downtown area of Phoenix, AZ, in summer 2001. Vertical profiles of reactive species, such as O 3 , NO 2 , and NO 3 , were observed in the lowest 140 m of the troposphere throughout the night. The disappearance of these trace gas vertical gradients during the morning coincided with the morning transition from a stable NBL to a well-mixed convective layer. The vertical gradients of trace gas levels were found to be dependent on both surface NO x emission strength and the vertical stability of the NBL. The vertical gradients of O x , the sum of O 3 and NO 2 , were found to be much smaller than those of O 3 and NO 2 , revealing the dominant role of NO emissions followed by the O 3 +NO reaction for the altitude-dependence of nocturnal chemistry in urban areas. Dry deposition, direct emissions, and other chemical production pathways of NO 2 also play a role for the O x distribution. Strong positive vertical gradients of NO 3 , that are predominantly determined by NO 3 loss near the ground, were observed. The vertical profiles of NO 3 and the calculated vertical profiles of its reservoir species (N 2 O 5 ) confirm earlier model results suggesting complex vertical distributions of atmospheric denoxification processes during the night.
Affectivity in Heidegger I: Moods and Emotions in Being and Time

This essay provides an analysis of the role of affectivity in Martin Heidegger's writings from the mid to late 1920s. We begin by situating his account of mood within the context of his project of fundamental ontology in Being and Time. We then discuss the role of Befindlichkeit (often translated as ‘attunement’ or ‘disposition’) and Stimmung (‘mood’) in his account of human existence, explicate the relationship between the former and the latter, and consider the ways in which the former discloses the world. To give a more vivid and comprehensive picture of Heidegger's account of mood, we focus on the experience of anxiety (Angst) by articulating both its function within fundamental ontology and, relatedly, its revelatory nature. We conclude by considering the place of emotions in Heidegger's thinking from this period. In a companion essay, ‘Affectivity in Heidegger II: Temporality, Boredom, and Beyond’, we complement our present analysis by revisiting the issue of affectivity in terms of Heidegger's discussion of temporality in Division II of Being and Time. We also expand our present discussion by considering the fundamental mood of boredom and other specific moods that Heidegger considers within his later thinking.
Exposure to Environmentally Relevant Doses of the Xenoestrogen Bisphenol-A Alters Development of the Fetal Mouse Mammary Gland

Humans are routinely exposed to bisphenol-A (BPA), an estrogenic compound that leaches from dental materials, food and beverage containers, and other plastic consumer products. Effects of perinatal BPA exposure on the mouse mammary gland have been observed in puberty and adulthood, long after the period of exposure has ended. The aim of this study was to examine fetal mammary gland development at embryonic day (E)18 and assess changes in the tissue organization and histoarchitecture after exposure to an environmentally relevant dose of BPA. In unexposed fetuses, the relative position of the fetus with respect to its female and male siblings in the uterus influenced growth of the ductal tree, which was more developed in females placed between two males than in females placed between two females. Exposure of dams to 250 ng BPA per kilogram body weight per day from E8 to E18 significantly increased ductal area and ductal extension in exposed fetuses and obliterated positional differences. In the stroma, BPA exposure promoted maturation of the fat pad and altered the localization of collagen. Within the epithelium, BPA exposure led to a decrease in cell size and delayed lumen formation. Because mammary gland development is dependent on reciprocal interactions between these compartments, the advanced maturation of the fat pad and changes in the extracellular matrix may be responsible for the altered growth, cell size, and lumen formation observed in the epithelium. These results suggest that alterations in mammary gland phenotypes observed at puberty and adulthood in perinatally exposed mice have their origins in fetal development.
Structuring programs for multiprogram time-sharing on-line applications

The modern art of computation has developed from plugboard programming through the stored machine instruction programs controlled by the users on the consoles, then to problem-oriented symbolic programs computed in the batch mode, towards the on-line computing during which the users have a large amount of control over their programs. The lower cost per computation and flexibilities of a large capacity high-speed computer naturally lead us to consider the provision of on-line computing service to several users on a single high-performance machine in a time-sharing mode, rather than several smaller machines, one for each individual. To maximize the efficiency of a man-machine team working in an on-line computing mode, it is desirable to let the man choose the language---say English---for communication and to let the machine do the translation. This idealistic goal is not impossible, but is currently impractical. A good compromise is to select as the user language a formal language such as ALGOL, FORTRAN or LISP which has a set of explicit syntactical rules and a small set of basic vocabulary. The user then may extend the vocabulary by declarative statements and communicate with the machine in the extended vocabulary. Due to frequent message exchanges between the man and the machine during on-line computing, the machine representation of users' programs must be easy to modify at the source language level. The technological trend towards large random access memory suggests the retention of several users' programs in core simultaneously, hence mutual memory protection must be ensured.
Insertional mutagenesis by a modified in vitro Ty1 transposition system

Transposable elements are useful tools for insertional mutagenesis and have many potential applications in the characterization of complex genomes. Here we describe a system which facilitates the construction of large transposon insertion libraries useful for genome sequencing and functional genomic analysis. We developed two transposons, TyK and TyK'GFP+, which can be introduced into target DNAs by Ty1-mediated transposition in vitro, and several modifications which decrease the frequency of false transposition events and direct the recovery of transpositions into passenger rather than vector DNA. Insertions of TyK'GFP+ additionally may yield fusions to the Aequorea green fluorescent protein (GFP), useful in studies of gene expression and protein targeting. Transposition in vitro was obtained into target DNAs of up to 50 kb in size, restriction mapping showed insertion to be relatively random, and the sequence of 55 insertion sites showed neither strong site nor base compositional preference. Our data suggest that TyK-based artificial transposons will be suitable for a variety of genetic applications in many organisms.
Changes in Congressional Turnout, 1972–2006

This article investigates the causal relationship between campaign activity during U.S. House elections and district-wide turnout rates from 1972 to 2006. Utilizing panel data and a first differences modeling approach, turnout is conceptualized dynamically as change in turnout. Changes in campaign expenditures, competition, and other political campaigns are used to account for this conceptualization of turnout. This design permits inferences to be made about the causal relationship between changes in campaign activity and expected changes in turnout. The results indicate that House spending, competition, and Senate elections are important to turnout, especially during Midterm elections. Finally, a comparison between cross-sectional and first differences models provides evidence that problems can arise when attempting to make causal inferences using cross-sectional data.
The mass of sites visited by a random walk on an infinite graph

We determine the log-asymptotic decay rate of the negative exponential moments of the mass of sites visited by a random walk on an infinite graph which satisfies a two-sided sub-Gaussian estimate on its transition kernel. This provides a new method of proof of the correct decay rate for Cayley graphs of finitely generated groups with polynomial volume growth. This method also extend known results by determining this decay rate for certain graphs with fractal-like structure or with non-Alfors regular volume growth functions.
Sample-path stability conditions for multiserver input-output processes

We extend our studies of sample-path stability to multiserver inputoutput processes with conditional output rates that may depend on the state of the system and other auxiliary processes. Our results include processes with countable as well as uncountable state spaces. We establish rate stability conditions for busy period durations as well as the input during busy periods. In addition, stability conditions for multiserver queues with possibly heterogeneous servers are given for the workload attained service, and queue length processes. The stability conditions can be checked from parameters of primary processes, and thus can be verified a priori. Under the rate stability conditions, we provide stable versions of Little’s formula for single server as well as multiserver queues. Our approach leads to extensions of previously known results. Since our results are valid pathwise, non-stationary as well as stationary processes are covered.
Lean And RFID: Friends Or Foes?

The Lean Manufacturing principles and methodology seek to eliminate waste from systems. Many of the lean techniques emphasize simplicity. For example, 5S (sort, set in order, shine, standardize, and sustain) and visual workplace management strive to organize and maintain the workplace so that it is easy to identify, find, and count items. Visual signals such as Kanbans are used to time the movement of inventory. The most basic utility of radio frequency identification (RFID) is to provide timing and location information. Most RFID systems provide data that indicates when an item has passed by a reader. As long as it is known where the reader was at the time of the read, location information is also available. Readers are placed strategically so that after the read, the item’s location is known to be within a defined area. Additionally, real time locator systems (RTLS’) use an array of readers to triangulate a more precise location for the item. Implementation of RFID systems is being driven primarily by large retailers and the Department of Defense (DOD). They are requiring their suppliers to attach RFID tags to the items they supply. However, it has been noted that suppliers who just “slap and ship” tags will find RFID to be an added expense. Suppliers who use RFID tags to improve their inventory and production management will find RFID to be an investment with a fairly short payback. This article will explore the relationship between RFID and Lean Manufacturing. Are RFID and Lean competitive or compatible? Does RFID improve Lean systems or do Lean systems improve RFID?
Coasean Keep-Away: Voluntary Transaction Costs

The Coase Theorem predicts that, if there are no transaction costs, parties will always contract their way to an efficient outcome. Thus, no matter which legal rules society chooses, "Coasean bargains" will lead to efficient results. There are always some transaction costs. However, transaction costs are often thought to be low when there are no structural impediments to negotiation, such as large numbers of parties or barriers to communication. When these obstacles are not present, it is commonly assumed that the parties will achieve an efficient result through Coasean bargaining. We show that this assumption is incorrect. In particular, we demonstrate that transaction costs can be high, even when there are no structural impediments to bargaining, because the parties themselves may intentionally create transaction costs. Intuitively, an individual may prefer the Coasean bargain that is struck when certain parties are excluded from negotiations. Accordingly, that individual will wish to create transaction costs that keep those parties — potentially including herself — away from the negotiating table. We show that there are many contexts in which the parties will choose to create these "voluntary transaction costs," including environmental litigation, multilateral treaty negotiations, and creditor-debtor relationships. Because of the prevalence of voluntary transaction costs, Coasean logic applies to a significantly smaller class of cases than has previously been recognized. This renders law very important: Legal rules provide the starting point for the parties' negotiation; we find that when the parties’ starting point is closer to the efficient result, they are more likely to achieve an efficient outcome through Coasean bargaining. This insight favors reasonable use rules and other legal rules that attempt to assign entitlements in an efficient manner. We also find that liability remedies are more likely to encourage efficient outcomes than injunctive remedies are.
Attachment Processes inWilderness Therapy

Out-of-home treatments for adolescents present a distinct challenge for attachment-based clinical work. How can treatment enhance the attachment bonds between family members when the treatment is residential, by definition keeping the adolescent and his parent apart? Further, in wilderness therapy programs, adolescents are far from their familiar family and friends, evoking strong attachment needs and the need for new relationships within the treatment setting. How can programs understand and support adolescents’ attachment needs in the context of out-of-home care? This article presents a reconceptualization of adolescent dynamics in wilderness therapy settings, exploring how acting-out adolescent behaviors can be best understood in the context of powerful attachment dynamics.
Probing the Low Fill Factor of NiO p-Type Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

p-Type dye-sensitized solar cells (p-DSCs) have attracted increasing attention recently, but they suffer from low fill factors (FFs) and unsatisfactory efficiencies. A full comprehension of the hole transport and recombination processes in the NiO p-DSC is of paramount importance for both the fundamental study and the practical device optimization. In this article, NiO p-DSCs were systematically probed under various bias and illumination conditions using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), intensity modulated photocurrent spectroscopy (IMPS), and intensity modulated photovoltage spectroscopy (IMVS). Under the constant 1 sun illumination, the recombination resistance (Rrec) of the cell deviates from an exponential relationship with the potential and saturates at ∼130 Ω cm2 under the short circuit condition, which is ascribed to the overwhelming recombination with the reduced dye anions. Such a small Rrec results in the small dc resistance, which decreases the “flatness” of the J–V curve. The quan...
Influence of commercial laying hen housing systems on the incidence and identification of Salmonella and Campylobacter

The housing of laying hens is important for social, industrial, and regulatory aspects. Many studies have compared hen housing systems on the research farm, but few have fully examined commercial housing systems and management strategies. The current study compared hens housed in commercial cage-free aviary, conventional cage, and enriched colony cage systems. Environmental and eggshell pool samples were collected from selected cages/segments of the housing systems throughout the production cycle and monitored for Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalence. At 77 wk of age, 120 hens per housing system were examined for Salmonella and Campylobacter colonization in the: adrenal glands, spleen, ceca, follicles, and upper reproductive tract. All isolates detected from environmental swabs, eggshell pools, and tissues were identified for serotype. Two predominant Salmonella were detected in all samples:S.Braenderup andS.Kentucky.Campylobacter coli and C. jejuni were the only Campylobacter detected in the flocks. Across all housing systems, approximately 7% of hens were colonized with Salmonella, whereas >90% were colonized with Campylobacter Salmonella Braenderup was the isolate most frequently detected in environmental swabs (P<0.0001) and housing system impacted Salmonella spp. shedding (P<0.0001).Campylobacter jejuni was the isolate most frequently found in environmental swabs (P<0.01), while housing system impacted the prevalence of C. coli and jejuniin ceca (P<0.0001). The results of this study provide a greater understanding of the impact of hen housing systems on hen health and product safety. Additionally, producers and academia can utilize the findings to make informed decisions on hen housing and management strategies to enhance hen health and food safety.
Equilibrium Traffic Flow Models

In the previous chapter, it was shown that the following relationship holds among flow q , density k , and space mean speed v (the subscript “s” is dropped unless it is necessary to distinguish space mean speed v s from time mean speed v t ):
Prevention, Policy, and Paradox: What Is the Value of Future Health?

Cost-effectiveness is an integral part of health care policy, influencing both medical and administrative decisions. However, current research methodology for evaluating cost-effectiveness produces several paradoxes, perhaps because it incorrectly represents the general population’s view of future health states. Recent work introduces clinical and demographic factors to the traditional cost-benefit model for discounting health outcomes. It suggests a revised model that provides a more accurate basis for health policy decision-making. This revised model will likely improve the apparent cost-effectiveness of prevention programs, which are at a distinct disadvantage in present models. This article presents examples of current paradoxes resulting from the standard discounting methodology, findings on the variability of health outcomes discount rates in patients, and preliminary thoughts on developing a revised model for discounting future health outcomes. This revised model should present the value of health promotion programs more accurately.
Student outcomes from experiential learning on a student-run certified organic farm.

The USU Student Organic Farm was initiated in April 2008 on 1 acre (0.4 ha) of land at Utah State University (USU). Students plant, weed, harvest, and market the produce on campus. Proceeds support the student farm in terms of operating expenses, equipment purchases, and modest student stipends. Since 2009, the students have operated a community supported agriculture (CSA) program to fund summer internships. Each year the most dedicated volunteers are recruited for the internships and two of the most experienced former interns return as farm managers. Students can also take the Student Farm Practicum for credit. This variable-credit course is offered in the spring, summer, and fall and complements the classroom-based course Fundamentals of Organic Farming. There are no prerequisites for either course, and the goal is to attract students from all disciplines across campus. Both classes are registered as service learning classes with students required to participate in practical activities on the farm and reflect on their experience in writing. The essays were used for content analysis to demonstrate learning as a result of their involvement with the student farm. Students learned group work, decision making, personal initiative, research, and communication skills. Students working at other student-run organic farms could write journal entries or reflective papers that describe what they learn so that the benefits of experiential learning on student-run farms can be better documented.
Effects of acute rejection vs new-onset diabetes after transplant on transplant outcomes in pediatric kidney recipients: analysis of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network/United Network for Organ Sharing (OPTN/UNOS) database.

Improving long-term transplant and patient survival is still an ongoing challenge in kidney transplant medicine. Our objective was to identify the subsequent risks of new-onset diabetes after transplant (NODAT) and acute rejection (AR) in the first year post-transplant in predicting mortality and transplant failure. A total of 4687 patients without preexisting diabetes (age 2-20 years, 2004-2010) surviving with a functioning transplant for longer than 1 year with at least one follow-up report were identified from the OPTN/UNOS database as of September 2014. Study population was stratified into four mutually exclusive groups: Group 1, patients with a history of AR; Group 2, NODAT+; Group 3, NODAT+ AR+; and Group 4, the reference group (neither). Multivariate regression was used to analyze the relative risks for the outcomes of transplant failure and mortality. The median follow-up time was 1827 days after 1 year post-transplant. AR was associated with an increased risk of adjusted graft and death-censored graft failure (HR 2.87, CI 2.48-3.33, P < .001 and HR 2.11, CI 1.81-2.47, P < .001), respectively. NODAT and AR were identified in 3.5% and 14.5% of all study patients, respectively. AR in the first year post-transplant was a major risk factor for overall and death-censored graft failure, but not mortality. However, NODAT was not a risk factor on graft survival or mortality.
Prevalence of stressful life events during pregnancy and its association with postpartum depressive symptoms

Experiencing stressful life events (SLEs) has negative consequences for both mother and infant. This study examined the predictive contributions of (1) experiences of each SLE separately and its association with postpartum depressive symptoms (PDS), (2) experiences of cumulative number of SLEs and PDS, and (3) the cumulative experiences of SLEs across three domains (relational, financial, physical health). Georgia’s Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data were obtained from 2004 to 2011. Chi-square tests and a combination of weighted logistic regression models were conducted to predict self-reported PDS. Odds ratios (OR) and 95 % confidence intervals (CI) were reported. A total of 10,231 women were included in the analysis; 15 % of the mothers reported PDS. Arguments with partner, trouble paying bills, and separation/divorce significantly predicted increased odds of PDS. Increased odds of PDS were observed with increasing numbers of cumulative SLEs. Experiencing high stress in any domain significantly predicted PDS with the highest predictor being high stress across all domains, followed by experiencing a combination of high relational and financial stress. SLEs were associated with reporting PDS among new mothers in Georgia. It is important to assess for SLEs during prenatal care and provide resources aimed at reducing the impact of SLEs.
Stumbling at the first step: Efficiency implications of poor performance in the foundational first five years

This paper highlights patterns in school enrollment indicators that affect the efficiency and effectiveness of education systems in a set of low-income countries: those that have expanded access quickly in the last decade or two, but have not yet absorbed that expansion efficiently. Although the patterns in these indicators are observable in the first few years of schooling, they could constitute a cause of low learning outcomes at the end of primary school. The data show strong empirical relationships between an early primary enrollment bulge, low levels of pre-primary participation, and poor performance on early grade cognitive skills. This work does not attribute causal precedence to these patterns but instead argues that the indicators are reflections of each other, constituting a “knot” of issues undermining the foundations of the affected education systems. The article presents some of the cost implications and suggests that many countries are already paying for pre-primary education without realizing it.
Ronald Reagan in heels: constructing the Mama Grizzly political persona in the 2010 US elections

This study investigated the ways in which ‘Mama Grizzlies’ – female Tea Party politicians – in the US strategically made use of socially dominant constructions of both masculinity and femininity in...
4 Cases of Aseptic Encephalitis Mimicking Right Middle Cerebral Artery Syndrome (P6.028)

There are no prior reports of aseptic encephalitis mimicking a middle cerebral artery (MCA) syndrome. We present 4 cases of presumed aseptic encephalitis in Southern California all causing a transient right MCA syndrome (eyes deviated to the right, left hemianopia, left hemiparesis, and inattention), with 3 of them presenting within a 10 day period, and all within a geographic radius of 40 miles. None of these cases had right MCA vascular occlusions, ischemic infarcts on imaging or severe hyperglycemia. All patients had near-complete resolution of the right MCA syndromes between 3-12 days. 2 of 4 cases developed complex or secondary generalized partial motor seizures requiring treatment with antiepileptic drugs. Every patient was severely hypertensive, often > 200 systolic however brain MRI did not show subcortical white matter edema suggestive of PRES. 3 of the 4 cases exhibited CSF pleocytosis ranging from 20-70 WBC’s with all having mildly elevated protein and normal glucose. Of the 3 patients with abnormal cell count, all were neutrophil predominant. Viral serology including HSV, WNV, VZV, mycoplasma and enterovirus were negative in all 4 patients. 2 of 4 cases had recurrent symptoms of unclear etiology. An EEG was performed in 3 of 4 cases, none revealing epileptiform activity. 2 of the 3 EEG’s showed right or left hemisphere slowing. Cases 2-4 all presented within a 10-day period from the greater Los Angeles area. Given the temporal and geographic proximity of these cases with 2 of 4 cases demonstrating fevers and 3 of 4 with CSF pleocytosis and all having mildly elevated protein, the authors speculate that aseptic encephalitis is the etiology of the transient right MCA syndromes seen with these patients. However, no organisms were isolated from the CSF to confirm this diagnosis. Disclosure: Dr. Way has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sangha has nothing to disclose.
Monitoring Versus Crowding-Out Effect: The Role of Social Capital in Managerial Compensation

Agency theory predicts that tighter monitoring can motivate managers to exert higher effort. However, psychology theory suggests that managers may perceive increased monitoring as an indication of distrust, thereby reducing their effort level -- known as a crowding-out effect. Prior research on the role of the crowding-out effect in incentive contracting is limited. To fill this void, we first develop a theoretical model with moral hazard and predict that incentive pay is decreasing in the effectiveness of monitoring. Using social capital as a proxy for the trust between firms and CEOs, we hypothesize and find that social capital is negatively associated with the proportion of incentive pay, suggesting that social capital mitigates the crowding-out effect created by increased monitoring. We further show that this negative association is more pronounced for firms with stronger boards, higher accounting quality, and Big 4 auditors, indicating that the effect of social capital on managerial compensation is greater when stronger monitoring intensifies the crowding-out effect. Our results are robust to controlling for headquarters relocations, alternative measures of social capital and incentive pay, additional corporate governance and firm characteristics, and regional fixed effects. Taken together, our evidence suggests that: 1) while not directly observable, the crowding-out effect does play an important role in incentive contracting; and 2) social capital alleviates the crowding-out effect through enhancing the mutual trust between the firm and the CEO.
Ethical Issues in Pediatric Consultation-Liaison

General principles of medical ethics are outlined as a basis for discussion of ethical issues in pediatric consultation-liaison psychiatry. Modern ethics is rooted in philosophical soils that extend across a wide intellectual terrain, from ideologic ethical systems such as rule utilitarianism and act utilitarianism to deontologic systems, exemplified by the categoric imperative. Differences between the conclusions pointed to by these systems give rise to the potential tensions among concepts of patient autonomy, physician beneficence, and distributive justice. The roles of the child psychiatrist consulting to pediatrics are reviewed. Using six clinical vignettes, several ethical issues and the child psychiatrist‘s response to them are explored. These are analyzed in relation to the underlying ethical theory.
Sensitivity Study of a 3D Electric Impedance Tomography Prostate Probe

In the current clinical practice the primary diagnostic method for testing for prostate cancer is ultrasound-guided biopsy. In this paper we consider using a sonolucent array of electrodes, printed on a thin Kapton layer and positioned on the imaging window of a transrectal ultrasound probe, as a method for providing coregistered electrical an ultrasound imaging of the prostate. As the electrical properties of malignant tissues have been shown to differ significantly to from benign tissues, the estimation of the electrical properties is expected to be helpful in distinguishing certain begin pathologies from cancer and in improving the detection rate that current biopsy methods provide. One of the main difficulties in estimating electrical properties of tissues with this electrode configuration is the rapid decay of the sensitivity with distance from the sensing array. In order to partially overcome this difficulty we propose to use prior information from US. Specifically we intend to delineate the boundaries of the prostate from US, to subdivide the organ in a small number of voxels and to estimate the conductivity as constant on each of these subvolumes. In the present work we use a 3D forward model based on the finite element method for modeling the probe and three different electrode array designs. Array designs presents a tradeoff choice: larger electrodes, having a larger area, result in a better contact with the tissues; electrodes which are too large result in small inter- electrode gaps, increasing the amount of current that is shunted by the array and thus reduce the sensitivity. We study the sensitivity of the three designs and show that one of these designs presents a good tradeoff in terms of area and sensitivity.
Routing, placement, and partitioning

Routing techniques a gridless routing system for macro-cell design placement VSLI placement partitioning channel definition in VLSI building-block layout optimal determination of block dimensions in general floorplans.
Phase equilibria in the semiconductor-rich portions of the Pt-Ti-Ga-As and Pt-Ti-In-As systems

Phase equilibria at 700 °C in the GaAs-rich portion of the Pt-Ti-Ga-As system and the InAs-rich portion of the Pt-Ti-In-As system have been investigated. These studies were undertaken to provide a better understanding of the metallurgy of contacts that contain both Pt and Ti on the semiconductors GaAs and InAs. The phases present in equilibrated samples were characterized through X-ray diffraction and in some cases electron probe microanalysis. This study reveals a tendency for Ti to form TiAs and Pt to form gallides (indides) in thermodynamic equilibrium with GaAs (InAs) over a wide range of Pt : Ti ratios. Thermodynamic stability of the semiconductor PtAs2, which could play a role in the electrical characteristics of Ti/Pt/III-As contacts, occurs when the Pt : Ti ratio exceeds 1 : 1 (1 : 2) on GaAs (InAs). © 1998 Kluwer Academic Publishers
Early experience with urgent robotic subtotal colectomy for severe acute ulcerative colitis has comparable perioperative outcomes to laparoscopic surgery.

It has been established that patients undergoing subtotal colectomy for UC benefit from a minimally invasive approach, despite the longer operating times associated with laparoscopic surgery when compared to open surgery (Andersson and Soderholm in Dig Dis 27(3):335–340, 2009; Telem et al. in Surg Endosc 24(7):1616–1620, 2010; Wu et al. in Int J Colorectal Dis 25(8):949–957, 2010). Our objective is to present our early experience with urgent robotic subtotal colectomy (RSTC) and compare them to a matched cohort of patients who underwent urgent laparoscopic subtotal colectomy (LSTC). A prospectively maintained institutional database was queried. Six RSTC patients and 13 LSTC patients were identified from 2015 to 2017. There was no difference in ASA score, body mass index, preoperative steroid use, c. difficile infection, or inflammatory markers between the groups. All patients in the robotic group and eight patients in the laparoscopic group received preoperative biologics. Neither group had intraoperative complications, open conversions, or 30-day mortality recorded. Robotic STC took 29 min longer (323.0 vs. 294.0 min, p = 0.3). There was no significant difference in blood loss between the two groups (80 ml vs. 75 ml p = 0.9). There were six postoperative complications (46%) in the laparoscopic group and 1 (20%) in the robotic group. Of these 23% (3/13) for LSTC and 0% (0/5) for RSTC were Grade III or higher. Two laparoscopic and 0 robotic patients required reoperation. The RSTC group had earlier stoma function (1.4 ± 0.8 days vs. 2 ± 1.3 days) and shorter LOS (3.4 ± 2 vs. 4.6 ± 3.2) than the LSTC group, but these did not reach statistical significance. In conclusion, urgent robotic subtotal colectomy for UC is safe and offers technical advantages.
Cortisol, progesterone, 17α-hydroxyprogesterone, and TSH responses in dogs injected with low-dose lipopolysaccharide.

Background Stress and diseases such as endotoxemia induce cortisol synthesis through a complex biosynthetic pathway involving intermediates (progesterone, and 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (17α-OHP)) and suppression of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis. Objective To measure plasma concentrations of cortisol, progesterone, 17α-OHP, and thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) in dogs experimentally injected with intravenous low-dose lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Our hypothesis was that LPS treatment would elicit a significant increase in cortisol and its precursors, and a significant decrease in TSH concentration. Methods Hormone measurements were performed on blood samples left over from a previous investigation (2011) on the effect of low-dose LPS on hematological measurands. Five sexually intact female dogs, none in estrous at the time of the study, were administered saline treatment two weeks prior to LPS treatment. LPS was administered intravenously at a dose of 0.1 µg/kg. Blood was collected before (baseline, time -24 hours) and 3-, 6- and 24-hours post-injection. Mixed model analysis for repeated measures was used, with both treatment and time as the repeated factors. Ranked transformation were applied when diagnostic analysis exhibited violation of normality and equal variance assumptions. Post hoc multiple comparisons were performed with Tukey's adjustment. Statistical significance was defined as p Results Significant differences relative to baseline values were detected following both treatments. Compared to baseline, dogs had significantly higher cortisol and 17α-OHP at 3-hours, and significantly lower TSH at 3- and 6-hours following LPS treatment. Dogs had significantly lower TSH at 6- and 24- following saline treatment. Though not statistically significant, the trend in progesterone concentrations was similar to cortisol and 17α-OHP, with an increase at 3-hours post-injection followed by a decrease close to baseline following both LPS and saline. Cortisol and 17α-OHP concentrations were higher after LPS treatment than after saline treatment at 3- and 6-hours post-injection, but differences were not statistically significant, and no significant differences between treatments were detected for any other hormone or timepoint. Discussion and conclusion Cortisol and its adrenal precursors are released in the bloodstream following a low dose of LPS, while TSH appears to decrease. Similar changes occurred following saline treatment, suggesting that even routine handling and saline injection in conditioned dogs can elicit alterations in the internal equilibrium with subsequent modification of both hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal and thyroid axes. Changes to adrenal and thyroid hormone concentrations must be interpreted in light of clinical information. Further studies are needed to elucidate mechanisms of adrenal steroidal hormone synthesis and secretion in response to various stressful stimuli in both neutered and intact animals.
Epidermal Growth Factor and the Kidney

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), a 53 amino acid polypeptide, with a molecular weight of 6045, is derived by proteolytic processing from a precursor (prepro-EGF) of 1207 amino acids in humans or 1217 amino acids in rodents [1,2]. PreproEGF is a membrane-spanning protein that contains a hydrophobic domain adjacent to the EGF moiety. EGF was originally isolated as the factor that stimulates precocious tooth eruption and eyelid opening in newborn mice; subsequently, it has been found to produce a wide variety of effects both in vitro and in vivo, including proliferation of cultured cells, acceleration of lung maturation, corneal healing, and inhibition of gastric acid secretion [1].
Sinus arrest: A rare observation during radiofrequency ablation along the coronary sinus roof.

Catheter-based radiofrequency (RF) ablation targeting segments of the cardiac conduction system and/or selected regions of myocardium is an accepted treatment for many cardiac arrhythmias. On the other hand, while purposeful extension of RF ablation to include nearby cardiac neural elements, particularly epicardial ganglionated plexi (GP), remains a subject of ongoing study, inadvertent stimulation of such structures may occur during an otherwise conventional RF ablation procedure. Thus, asystolic pauses have been observed during RF ablation of left ventricular free-wall accessory pathways, slow AV node pathways, and the left superior pulmonary vein. In this report, sinus arrest occurred within 3.3 s of RF application (40 W at 50°C) along the coronary sinus roof for treatment of an atypical "slow-slow" atrioventricular nodal reentrant tachycardia. Energy delivery was immediately terminated, but asystole persisted for 4.7 s followed by sinus bradycardia. The procedure was temporarily halted, but later was successfully resumed. Given the latency from terminating RF to return of sinus node function, the sinus arrest was likely a centrally mediated reflex vagal response. Consequently, while parasympathetic ganglia near the CS os are believed to principally innervate the AV node, not the sinus node, our observation highlights the neural cross-communications that likely exist in this region of the heart.
Housing stability and the residential context of the COVID-19 pandemic

Housing and the residential context where individuals live will be critical to understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic will affect populations across the socioeconomic spectrum, but particularly fo...
Patient-Reported Health Outcomes and Quality of Life after Peripartum Hysterectomy for Placenta Accreta Spectrum

Objective Short-term morbidity of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) is well described, but few data are available regarding long-term outcomes and quality of life. We aimed to evaluate patient-reported outcomes after hysterectomy for PAS. Study design This is a prospective cohort study of women with risk factors for PAS who were enrolled antenatally. Exposed women were defined as those who underwent cesarean hysterectomy due to PAS. Unexposed women were those with three or more prior cesareans or placenta previa, but no PAS, who underwent cesarean delivery without hysterectomy. Two surveys were sent to patients at 6, 12, 24, and 36 months postpartum: (1) a general health questionnaire and (2) the SF-36, a validated quality of life survey. Aggregate scores for each questionnaire were calculated and responses were analyzed. Results At 6 months postpartum, women with PAS were more likely to report rehospitalization (odds ratio [OR] 5.83, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.40-24.3), painful intercourse (OR 2.50, 95% CI 1.04-6.02), and anxiety/worry (OR 3.77, 95% CI 1.43-9.93), but were not statistically more likely to report additional surgeries (OR 3.39, 95% CI 0.99-11.7) or grief and depression (OR 2.45, 95% CI 0.87-6.95). At 12 months, women with PAS were more likely to report painful intercourse, grief/depression, and anxiety/worry. At 36 months, women with PAS were more likely to report grief/depression, anxiety/worry, and additional surgeries. Women with PAS reported significantly lower quality of life in physical functioning, role functioning, social functioning, and pain at 6 months postpartum, but not in other quality of life domains. Decreased quality of life was also reported at 12 and 36 months in the PAS group. Conclusion Women with PAS are more likely to report ongoing long-term health issues and decreased quality of life for up to 3 years following surgery than those undergoing cesarean for other indications. Key points · Long-term placenta accreta spectrum data to guide peripartum patient education.. · This study addresses a critical knowledge gap.. · Women affected by PAS report long-term morbidity..
Uniformly Bounded Regret in the Multisecretary Problem

In the secretary problem of Cayley [Cayley A (1875) Mathematical questions with their solutions. Ed. Times 23:18–19.] and Moser [Moser L (1956) On a problem of Cayley. Scripta Mathematica 22(3/4):2...
Victim-Blaming in Disguise? Supervisors’ Accounts of Problems in Healthcare Delivery

Using data from 77 supervisors in seven hospitals across the U.S. that participated in a national workforce development program for low-wage frontline workers, we explain how supervisors justified and reproduced social inequalities by accepting culture of poverty and neoliberal discourses and how supervisors used these discourses to resolve identity-work dilemmas. We demonstrate how supervisors engaged in identity talk that justified deprivation for workers and shielded management from blame. We discuss how supervisors subtly invoked class, race, and gender stereotypes—and thus reproduced ideologies supportive of structural inequalities—as they crafted accounts that drew attention away from economic and organizational problems and focused on the victims. This research extends the literature on blame attribution, explained here as victim-blaming in disguise, which subsequently shaped supervisors’ perceptions of their staff, defined workers’ opportunities, and inadvertently, reproduced inequality.