cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cultural Orientations in the United States (Re)Examining Differences among Ethnic Groups

The authors investigate differences in individualism and collectivism between the four largest ethnic groups in the United States (African Americans, Asian Americans, Latino Americans, and European Americans). It has been asserted that U.S. minorities score higher in collectivism compared to European Americans, whereas European Americans score higher in individualism than minorities. The authors reexamined these assumptions using meta-analytic techniques with new data (total N = 1,510). Asian Americans and African Americans but not Latinos scored higher in collectivism than did European Americans. African Americans exhibited the highest levels of individualism. The authors discuss the cultural, historical, and social factors that should be taken into account to adequately characterize cultural orientation of socially constructed groups.
On the hydrodynamics of ‘slip–stick’ spheres

The breakdown of the no-slip condition at fluid–solid interfaces generates a host of interesting fluid-dynamical phenomena. In this paper, we consider such a scenario by investigating the low-Reynolds-number hydrodynamics of a novel ‘slip–stick’ spherical particle whose surface is partitioned into slip and no-slip regions. In the limit where the slip length is small compared to the size of the particle, we first compute the translational velocity of such a particle due to the force density on its surface. Subsequently, we compute the rotational velocity and the response to an ambient straining field of a slip–stick particle. These three Faxen-type formulae are rich in detail about the dynamics of the particles: chiefly, we find that the translational velocity of a slip–stick sphere is coupled to all of the moments of the force density on its surface; furthermore, such a particle can migrate parallel to the velocity gradient in a shear flow. Perhaps most important is the coupling we predict between torque and translation (and force and rotation), which is uncharacteristic of spherical particles in unbounded Stokes flow and originates purely from the slip–stick asymmetry.
Volatile organic compound distributions during the NACHTT campaign at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory: Influence of urban and natural gas sources

[1] A comprehensive suite of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) was measured at the semirural Boulder Atmospheric Observatory (BAO) in northeast Colorado during the Nitrogen, Aerosol Composition, and Halogens on a Tall Tower (NACHTT) campaign during the winter of 2011. A signature of elevated nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) mixing ratios was observed throughout the campaign. The C2-C5 alkane mixing ratios were an order of magnitude greater than the regional background. Light alkane mixing ratios were similar to those at urban sites impacted by petrochemical industry emissions with ethane and propane reaching maximums of over 100 ppbv. The mean (± standard deviation) calculated total OH reactivity (7.0 ± 5.0 s−1) was also similar to urban sites. Analysis of VOC wind direction dependence, emission ratios with tracer compounds, and vertical profiles up to 250 m implicated regional natural gas production activities as the source of the elevated VOCs to the northeast of BAO and urban combustion emissions as the major VOC source to the south of BAO. Elevated acetonitrile and dimethyl sulfide mixing ratios were also associated with natural gas emissions. Fluxes of natural gas associated NMHCs were determined to estimate regional emission rates which ranged from 40 ± 14 Gg yr−1 for propane to 0.03 ± 0.01 Gg yr−1 for n-nonane. These emissions have the potential to impact downwind air quality as natural gas associated NMHCs comprised ≈24% of the calculated OH reactivity. The measurements described here provide a baseline for determining the efficacy of future policies designed to control emissions from natural gas production activities.
Rat Coronary Endothelial Cell Membrane Potential Responses During Hypertension

Abstract —The purpose of this study was to provide the first membrane potential profile in coronary endothelial cells from normotensive sham-operated control and 1-kidney, 1-clip renal hypertensive rats. Dilator responses were assessed in cannulated coronary arteries from control and 1-kidney, 1-clip rats, and the perforated patch-clamp method was used to compare membrane potential responses between the intact endothelial cells. Under these conditions, acetylcholine (100 pmol/L to 10 μmol/L) induced similar large dilations of coronary arteries from control and 1-kidney, 1-clip rats that were associated with endothelial cell hyperpolarizing responses of 16±3 and 18±2 mV, respectively. Substance P (10 fmol/L to 1 nmol/L) and bradykinin (100 fmol/L to 10 nmol/L) also substantially dilated coronary arteries from control rats but only induced small (2 to 4 mV) endothelial cell hyperpolarizing responses. These dilations, which appeared independent of membrane potential changes, were highly blunted or absent in arteries from 1-kidney, 1-clip rats. Thus, dilator responses to acetylcholine that are associated with large endothelial hyperpolarizing responses are normal in the small coronary arteries of 1-kidney, 1-clip rats. However, dilator response to substance P and bradykinin, which apparently are not heavily dependent on endothelial cell hyperpolarizations, are selectively targeted for impairment in the coronary arteries of this model of hypertension
Optimal Design of Sequential Real-Time Communication Systems

Optimal design of sequential real-time communication of a Markov source over a noisy channel is investigated. In such a system, the delay between the source output and its reconstruction at the receiver should equal a fixed prespecified amount. An optimal communication strategy must minimize the total expected symbol-by-symbol distortion between the source output and its reconstruction. Design techniques or performance bounds for such real-time communication systems are unknown. In this paper a systematic methodology, based on the concepts of information structures and information states, to search for an optimal real-time communication strategy is presented. This methodology trades off complexity in communication length (linear in contrast to doubly exponential) with complexity in alphabet sizes (doubly exponential in contrast to exponential). As the communication length is usually order of magnitudes bigger than the alphabet sizes, the proposed methodology simplifies the search for an optimal communication strategy. In spite of this simplification, the resultant optimality equations cannot be solved efficiently using existing algorithmic techniques. The main idea is to formulate a zero-delay communication problem as a dynamic team with nonclassical information structure. Then, an appropriate choice of information states converts the dynamic team problem into a centralized stochastic control problem in function space. Thereafter, Markov decision theory is used to derive nested optimality equations for choosing an optimal design. For infinite horizon problems, these optimality equations give rise to a fixed point functional equation. Communication systems with fixed finite delay constraint, a higher-order Markov source, and channels with memory are treated in the same manner after an appropriate expansion of the state space. Thus, this paper presents a comprehensive methodology to study different variations of real-time communication.
Periodizing the Thought of Andre Gunder Frank: From Underdevelopment to the 19th Century Asian Age

Andre Gunder Frank's legacy is wide and deep. He was one of the founders of dependency theory and the world-systems perspective. He took the idea of whole historical systems very seriously and his rereading of Adam Smith inspired Giovanni Arrighi's (2007) reevaluation of the comparison of, and relations between, China and the West. This paper reviews Frank's contributions to our understanding of the modem world-system, the long-term evolution of world-systems and some of the issues raised in his posthumous book about the Global Nineteenth Century (Frank 2014). I divide Frank's thought into three periods ( early, middle and late) in order to explicate his ideas and to compare them with one another and with those of other scholars. All intellectuals change their thinking as time passes. Some elaborate on their earlier ideas or pursue directions that had occurred to them in earlier projects. Some make radical changes that require retraining. Andre Gunder Frank was unusual in the extent to which he sought to correct mistakes in his own earlier work and was willing to rethink basic assumptions. There are continuities in his work to be sure. He was passionate about grand ideas as new ways of looking at the world. He had a strong commitment in favor of the underdogs. He was never afraid of confronting his own earlier ideas and he enjoyed challenging taken-for-granted assumptions and myths. His detractors called him a gadfly and said he "painted with broad strokes." Broad strokes are often a good start down paths that are hard to think.
Ethnic Identity Through Transnational Media: The Case of Second-Generation Igbo Young Adults in the United States

Transnational media have been an avenue whereby ethnic identities can be constructed as well as negotiated. These media contribute to how the second-generation ethnic Americans articulate their multiple identities. Not enough attention has been paid to their African counterparts, however. Given the importance of transnational media in the lives of the second generation, this ongoing study seeks to understand how transnational media impact second-generation Igbo (SGI) young adults’ ethnicity and transnationalism in the United States. By employing a qualitative in-depth interview method, preliminary analysis data indicate that transnational media are vital among the SGI in articulating their ethnic and transnational identities in the United States.
Hematogenous Pyogenic Vertebral Osteomyelitis

Forty patients with hematogenous pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis have been considered. The clinical picture has been presented, emphasizing the often subtle and subacute nature of the disease. The laboratory findings in many patients demonstrated a high sedimentation rate with a normal or slightly elevated leukocyte count. Frequently, the lesion was not demonstrable by roentgenogram early in the disease. Eventual spontaneous interbody fusion was the rule. Optimum treatment should include an accurate bacterial diagnosis followed by therapy with the appropriate antibiotic, bedrest, and immobilization. Despite the long morbidity there is minimum residual disability. This study has emphasized the beneficial results obtained by immobilization in comparison with those following operative intervention.
Channeling your inner ear potassium: K(+) channels in vestibular hair cells.

During development of vestibular hair cells, K(+) conductances are acquired in a specific pattern. Functionally mature vestibular hair cells express different complements of K(+) channels which uniquely shape the hair cell receptor potential and filtering properties. In amniote species, type I hair cells (HCI) have a large input conductance due to a ubiquitous low-voltage-activated K(+) current that activates with slow sigmoidal kinetics at voltages negative to the membrane resting potential. In contrast type II hair cells (HCII) from mammalian and non-mammalian species have voltage-dependent outward K(+) currents that activate rapidly at or above the resting membrane potential and show significant inactivation. A-type, delayed rectifier and calcium-activated K(+) channels contribute to the outward K(+) conductance and are present in varying proportions in HCII. In many species, K(+) currents in HCII in peripheral locations of vestibular epithelia inactivate more than HCII in more central locations. Two types of inward rectifier currents have been described in both HCI and HCII. A rapidly activating K(+)-selective inward rectifier current (IK1, mediated by Kir2.1 channels) predominates in HCII in peripheral zones, whereas a slower mixed cation inward rectifier current (Ih), shows greater expression in HCII in central zones of vestibular epithelia. The implications for sensory coding of vestibular signals by different types of hair cells are discussed. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled .
Partition and Structure of Aqueous NaCl and CaCl2 Electrolytes in Carbon-Slit Electrodes

We report molecular dynamics simulation results obtained for aqueous NaCl and CaCl2 solutions used as electrolytes in model electric double layer capacitors. The electrodes are carbon-slit pores of widths 0.65, 0.7, 0.79, 0.9, 1.2, and 1.6 nm. The applied voltage is represented as a uniform surface charge density on the pore surfaces. Toward replicating experimentally relevant conditions, the surface charge densities span between 0 (neutral pore) and 15 μC/cm2 (both positive and negative). Charge localization on pore entrances is not considered. As the neutral pores are charged, we monitor the accumulation of the ions from the bulk (at ∼1.8 M ionic strength) to the pores. Our results show that the ionic concentration inside the pores increases as the surface charge density increases, as expected. More interestingly, the surface charge density at which the ions begin to penetrate the pores increases as the pore width decreases and as the ion size and the ion hydration strength increase. The pore width at w...
Ezekiel's Poetic Indictment of the Shepherds

The Shepherd Chapter of Ezekiel, like the Shepherd Psalm, is one of the most beautiful chapters of the Old Testament. The first ten verses upon first examination appear to be a post eventum judgment upon the former shepherds of the nation. The glowing promises of 34:11–16 are a counterpart to this indictment. The Lord pledges that he will inaugurate a new order for his sheep whereby he himself will assume the role of the good shepherd and perform the functions neglected by Israel's erstwhile earthly rulers. Verses 17–22 are a supplement promising a firm hand against all recalcitrant elements that may appear in the flock itself. In verses 23–24, we return once more to the shepherd theme, but the Lord is no more the Shepherd, but David. Verses 25–31 comprise the final section wherein the Lord binds himself with a covenant to provide for the general well-being ( shalom ) of his flock.
Abstract 1870: Green tea polyphenol EGCG upregulates mir-210 expression in lung cancer cells by transiently stabilizing HIF1α

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) has been reported to affect many cellular regulatory pathways. This study aims to determine whether EGCG could target microRNA, one of the mechanisms for cells to achieve subtle change in multiple targets. We found that, in both human and mouse lung cancer cells in culture, EGCG specifically upregulated the expression of mir-210, a major microRNA regulated by HIF1α. Furthermore, we found that overexpression of mir-210 led to reduced cell proliferation rate and anchorage-independent growth as well as reduced sensitivity to EGCG. To explore the mechanisms of mir-210 regulation by EGCG, we demonstrated that the regulation was mediated through hypoxia-response element in mir-210 promoter. Consistently, the upregulation of mir-210 was found to be correlated with the transiently stabilized HIF1α in lung cancer cell lines after EGCG treatment. Such stabilization was further shown by the stabilization of HA-tagged HIF1α, but not the P402A/P564A mutated HIF1α, by EGCG, suggesting that EGCG targets the oxygen-dependent degradation (ODD) domain. Direct evidence was obtained by affinity binding assay showing that EGCG specifically binds HIF1α with a Kd=3.47 μM. This result implies that EGCG binding interferes with the hydroxylation of key Pro residues in the ODD domain, preventing HIF1α from the Pro hydroxylation-induced ubiquitination and subsequent proteosome-mediated degradation. In summary, our results demonstrate the elevation of mir-210 by EGCG and this is mediated by the stabilization of HIF1α. This event may contribute to the anti-cancer activity of EGCG (Supported by NIH grant CA 122474 and CA133021). Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1870. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1870
Closure to “Design of Zero Slope Microirrigation Laterals: Effect of the Friction Factor Variation” by Sayed-Hossein Sadeghi, R. Troy Peters, and Freddie R. Lamm

Sayed Hossein Sadeghi; Troy Peters; and Freddie R. Lamm Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept. of Crop and Soil Sciences, Washington State Univ., Pullman, WA 99164 (corresponding author). E-mail: s.hossein.sadeghi@wsu.edu Extension Irrigation Specialist and Associate Professor, Washington State Univ., 24106 N. Bunn Rd., Prosser, WA 99350. E-mail: troy_peters@ wsu.edu Professor and Research Irrigation Engineer, Kansas State Univ., P.O. Box 505, Colby, KS 67701. E-mail: flamm@ksu.edu
“He Hath Builded the Mountains” John Muir’s God of Glaciers

While the writer and naturalist John Muir may have disposed of his father’s Christocentric theology, he nevertheless firmly retained his faith in a loving Providence. For Muir, this divine love was...
Research on Transient Recovery Voltage of UHV Circuit Breakers

In order to confirm test parameters of the transient recovery voltage(TRV)of UHV circuit breakers reasonably,we investigated the prospect transient recovery voltages(TRV)of UHV circuit break on the basis of UHV system characteristics for the UHV Huainan-Wannan-Zhenxi-Huxi double circuit transmutation project in China.The TRVs of transformer limitative fault(TLF),break terminal fault(BTF)and out-phase breaking were statistically analyzed by EMTP simulation calculation.It is suggested that the RRRV 7 kV/μs at T10 load and 5 kV/μs at T30 load,which are specified by standard DL/T 402-2007,should be increased to 10 kV/μs and 7 kV/μs,respectively,and the out-phase splitting point can be specified at Wannan station.The comparison of the advantage and disadvantage of opening resistor suggests that the UHV breaker of this project does not need opening resistor.Those suggestions have been adopted by the UHV transmutation project.
Open versus laparoscopic unilateral inguinal hernia repairs: defining the ideal BMI to reduce complications.

Open inguinal hernia repair is felt to be a less expensive operation than a laparoscopic one. Performing open repair on patients with an obese body mass index (BMI) results in longer operative times, longer hospital stay, and complications that will potentially impose higher cost to the facility and patient. This study aims to define the ideal BMI at which a laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair will be advantageous over open inguinal hernia repair. The NSQIP database was analyzed for (n = 64,501) complications, mortality, and operating time for open and laparoscopic inguinal hernia repairs during the time period from 2005 to 2012. Bilateral and recurrent hernias were excluded. Chi-square tests and Fisher’s exact tests were used to assess associations between type of surgery and categorical variables including demographics, risk factors, and 30-day outcomes. Multivariable regression analyses were performed to determine whether odds ratios differed by level of BMI. The HCUP database was used for determining difference in cost and length of stay between open and laparoscopic procedures. There were 17,919 laparoscopic repairs and 46,582 open repairs in the study period. The overall morbidity (across all BMI categories) is statistically greater in the open repair group when compared to the laparoscopic group (p = 0.03). Postoperative complications (including wound disruption, failure to wean from the ventilator, and UTI) were greater in the open repair group across all BMI categories. Deep incisional surgical site infections (SSI) were more common in the overweight open repair group (p = 0.026). The return to the operating room across all BMI categories was statistically significant for the open repair group (n = 269) compared to the laparoscopic repair group (n = 70) with p = 0.003. There was no difference in the return to operating room between the BMI categories. The odds ratio (OR) was found to be statistically significant when comparing the obese category to both normal and overweight populations for the open procedure. Open hernia repairs have more complications than do laparoscopic ones; however, there does not appear to be a difference in treating obese patients with hernias using a laparoscopic approach versus an open one. One may consider using a laparoscopic approach in overweight patients (BMI 25–29.9) as there appears to be fewer deep SSI.
Liquid chromatographic determination of monensin in premix and animal feeds: collaborative study.

An interlaboratory study of a liquid chromatographic (LC) method for determining monensin in premix (60-80 g/lb or 132-176 mg/g) and animal feeds (5-200 g/ton or 0.0055-0.22 mg/g) was conducted in laboratories in the United States, Canada, France, and Germany. The LC system used a reversed-phase column, postcolumn derivatization with vanillin, and UV detection. The method separates monensin from other ionophores such as narasin and salinomycin. Each laboratory analyzed a total of 20 samples of premix, liquid feed supplements, poultry, and cattle feeds. Concentrations of monensin in all samples ranged from 0 to 176 mg/g (80 g/Ib). Reproducibility relative standard deviation (RSD R ) for premix ranged from 2.8 to 3.4%. For feed samples containing monensin, repeatability standard deviation (S r ) ranged from 0.9 to 7.0. Reproducibility standard deviation (S R ) ranged from 1.2 to 11. Repeatability relative standard deviation (RSD r ) ranged from 6.1 to 21% and RSD R values-ranged from 8.6 to 25%. Sample preparation for the LC method is less labor intensive than that for the microbiological assays. The LC assay is more efficient than the microbiological assays. This LC method for determination of monensin in premix and animal feeds has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.
Effects of velocity slip and temperature jump on the heat transfer and entropy generation in micro porous channels under magnetic field

Abstract A thermodynamic analysis was performed for thick walled microchannels using the velocity slip and temperature jump at the interface of the solid–fluid phases. The slip velocity and temperature jump effects were assumed to be equal for both the upper and lower walls. A Darcy–Brinkman model was used in the application of the momentum equation in the porous section of the channel and the effects of the magnetic field were considered. The thermal boundary conditions for two separate cases were proposed; case one assumed a constant high temperature for the lower wall and a constant low temperature for the upper wall, and case two which assumed constant heat flux boundary conditions for the lower wall and convective heat transfer for the upper wall. Constant, but different, internal heat generations were incorporated into the energy equations for all three parts of the system, and a combined analytical–numerical solution procedure was then applied. A comprehensive investigation of the effects of the slip velocity and temperature jump on the velocity field, temperature distribution, Nusselt number, and local entropy generation rate was performed. The results indicate that a variation on the magnetic field may change the fluid velocity at the solid–fluid interface. Interestingly, it was shown that by using a specific value for the temperature jump coefficient and variations in the thickness of the upper and/or lower wall thickness, it may be possible to achieve the maximum Nusselt number. However, depending on the value of the temperature jump, the Nusselt number may continuously increase or decrease, depending on the wall thickness.
Episodic, Network, and Intersectional Perspectives Taking a Communicative Stance on Mentoring in the Workplace

We propose a research agenda to study mentoring as constituted communicatively from episodic, network, and intersectional perspectives. The episodic perspective highlights the everyday communicational events and moments of interactions where actions and meanings of mentoring are co-constructed. The network perspective encourages a holistic analysis of myriad agents, relationships, and evolutions for mentoring at different levels and stages in the form of communicative networks. Finally, the intersectional perspective enables researchers to view men-torship as comprised of complex, politically invested, and socially constructed intersections of identities. We call for communication research and practice on mentoring from these perspectives.
Crowdsourced Clustering: Querying Edges vs Triangles

We consider the task of clustering items using answers from non-expert crowd workers. In such cases, the workers are often not able to label the items directly, however, it is reasonable to assume that they can compare items and judge whether they are similar or not. An important question is what queries to make, and we compare two types: random edge queries, where a pair of items is revealed, and random triangles, where a triple is. Since it is far too expensive to query all possible edges and/or triangles, we need to work with partial observations subject to a fixed query budget constraint. When a generative model for the data is available (and we consider a few of these) we determine the cost of a query by its entropy; when such models do not exist we use the average response time per query of the workers as a surrogate for the cost. In addition to theoretical justification, through several simulations and experiments on two real data sets on Amazon Mechanical Turk, we empirically demonstrate that, for a fixed budget, triangle queries uniformly outperform edge queries. Even though, in contrast to edge queries, triangle queries reveal dependent edges, they provide more reliable edges and, for a fixed budget, many more of them. We also provide a sufficient condition on the number of observations, edge densities inside and outside the clusters and the minimum cluster size required for the exact recovery of the true adjacency matrix via triangle queries using a convex optimization-based clustering algorithm.
Assessment and Treatment of Anxiety Among Children and Adolescents

Among children and adolescents, anxiety disorders are common psychiatric disorders that confer risk of comorbid psychiatric disorders and social and academic impairment. This review focuses on the assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents, with attention to separation anxiety disorder, social phobia disorder (social anxiety disorder), panic disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. Comprehensive assessment of child and adolescent anxiety disorders benefits from a multimethod approach to evaluation and diagnosis, including semistructured interviews; child and informant questionnaires; collateral information from parents, teachers, pediatricians, and school psychologists; and behavioral observations. Because anxiety symptoms can include avoidance behaviors, somatic complaints, social difficulties, and sleep disturbances, consideration of a differential diagnosis is important. Among the available psychosocial interventions, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and exposure-...
A Comparison of Florida Medical Examiners’ Reports and Death Certificates for Specific Drug Related Overdose Deaths:

Death certificates are a source of information on deaths caused by specific drugs. However, the completeness of such information has been questioned. This study compared counts in the Florida Medic...
How One City got Parents Involved

The city of Oakland in the State of California, USA, extending along the mainland side of San Francisco Bay, opposite the Golden Gate and the cosmopolitan metropolis of San Francisco, is an urban community of some 360,000 persons. Oakland is a city of many diverse ethnic, language and socioeconomic groups, a significant number of working mothers and a growing population of single parent households.
Defining the minimal clinically important difference for olfactory outcomes in the surgical treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis

Background Olfactory dysfunction is a common and defining symptom of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Many measures of olfactory dysfunction in CRS are limited by scoring criteria defined within general populations with interpretations of statistical significance to infer clinically meaningful improvement. In this investigation we define a minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT) in CRS patients electing endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS). Methods A multicenter cohort of 290 adult patients electing ESS for medically recalcitrant CRS were prospectively enrolled between March 2011 and June 2015 and completed BSIT evaluations before and after ESS. Distribution and anchor-based analytic approaches were utilized to define MCID values of the BSIT across patient cofactors. Results A total of 92 (∽32%) patients were found to have preoperative olfactory dysfunction (BSIT <9), significantly associated with nasal polyposis (χ2 = 35.0; p < 0.001). The effect-size distribution-based approach identified 1.0 as a MCID criterion value between “small” and “medium” effect (range, 0.61-1.52) overall. Significant mean postoperative change (ΔM) was reported for patients with olfactory dysfunction (ΔM = 2.28; p < 0.001), both with (n = 54; ΔM = 2.52; p < 0.001) and without (n = 38; ΔM = 1.95; p < 0.001) nasal polyposis, significantly exceeding the MCID criterion. Anchor-based approaches with regression modeling confirmed associations between MCID values and postoperative changes to olfactory-specific survey responses (p < 0.001). Conclusion Clinically meaningful change in BSIT scores may be defined as an absolute value difference of at least 1.0 unit for heterogeneous patients electing ESS for CRS. Significantly exceeding this criterion may be restricted to CRS patients with baseline olfactory dysfunction, regardless of nasal polyposis.
15 years later: Post 9/11 support for increased security and criminalizing muslims

ABSTRACTIslamophobia appears to be growing, becoming a mainstream ideology in the United States. Despite the current spike in anti-Islamic sentiment and fear of the Islamic “other,” these ideas are not new and can be traced back to the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Using survey data collected only months after the attacks (N = 422), this study uses an integrated threat framework to examine predictors of public support for increased security in the United States. The results show that perceived personal threat and support for policies that criminalize Muslims predict support for security policies that compromise civil liberties. This is especially true among older individuals, conservatives, individuals less inclined towards individual freedom, and those living in the Northeast or in the South.
Surgical resection improves median overall survival with marginal improvement in long-term survival when compared with definitive radiotherapy in Merkel cell carcinoma: A propensity score matched analysis of the National Cancer Database.

Abstract Background Definitive radiotherapy has been suggested as a treatment alternative to surgical resection in Merkel cell carcinoma (MCC). Methods Patients with MCC were identified from the National Cancer Database. Propensity score matching accounting for age, Charlson-Deyo score, grade, and AJCC stage was used to match patients in 1:1 fashion by primary treatment (surgery vs. radiotherapy). Results There were 1227 patients in each group. Median overall survival was improved with surgical resection in stage I/II (76 vs. 25 months, p Conclusions Surgical resection for MCC improves median survival compared to definitive radiotherapy while marginally improving long-term survival.
Classification of lumbopelvic-hip complex instability on kinematics amongst female team handball athletes

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine how lumbopelvic-hip complex (LPHC) stability, via knee valgus, affects throwing kinematics during a team handball jump shot. Design LPHC stability was classified using the value of knee valgus at the instant of landing from the jump shot. If a participant displayed knee valgus of 17° or greater, they were classified as LPHC unstable. Stable and unstable athletes’ throwing mechanics were compared. Methods Twenty female team handball athletes (26.5 ± 4.7 years; 1.75 ± 0.04 m; 74.4 ± 6.4 kg; experience level: 4.8 ± 4.1 years) participated. An electromagnetic tracking system was used to collect kinematic data while participants performed three 9-m jump shots. The variables considered were kinematics of the pelvis, trunk, and shoulder; and segmental speeds of the pelvis, torso, humeral, forearm, and ball velocities. Data were analyzed across four events: foot contact, maximum shoulder external rotation, ball release, and maximum shoulder internal rotation. Results Statistically significant differences were found between groups in pelvis, trunk, humerus, and forearm velocities at all events ( p ≤ 0.05). Specifically, the unstable group displayed significantly slower speeds. Conclusions These findings suggest the difference in throwing mechanics are affected by LPHC instability for this select group of female team handball athletes. These differences infer an increased risk of injury in the upper and lower extremities when landing from a jump shot because of the energy losses throughout the kinetic chain and lack of utilization of the entire chain. It is recommended that further investigations also consider muscle activation throughout the throwing motion.
The 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry: cryo-EM comes of age

The 2017 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to Jacques Dubochet, Joachim Frank, and Richard Henderson for "developing cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) for the high-resolution structure determination of biomolecules in solution." This feature article summarizes some of the major achievements leading to the development of cryo-EM and recent technological breakthroughs that have transformed the method into a mainstream tool for structure determination.
Epigenetic Regulation of the Molecular Clockwork

Circadian rhythms control a wide range of physiological events in all organisms. Typical of our modern lifestyles is the flexibility to rest, exercise, eat, or socialize at any time of the circadian day or night; yet, these allowances correlate with rising disorders of a metabolic nature, which are thought to be mediated by changes in the molecular events underlying metabolic gene expression. Because the clock confers on gene expression changes in activity that are not necessarily related to changes in DNA sequence, the study of circadian rhythms is inseparable from epigenetics. Increasingly evident is that energy balance at the systems level relies on precise and collaborative circadian timing of epigenetic events within individual cells and tissues of the body. At the center of these rhythms resides the circadian clock machinery, a remarkably well-orchestrated transcription-translation feedback system that incorporates a fluctuating landscape of mRNA expression, protein stability, chromatin state, and metabolite abundance to keep correct time. Understanding more fully the ties that exist between cellular metabolism and the circadian clock at the epigenetic level will produce not only needed insights about circadian physiology but also novel strategies for the pharmacological and nonpharmacological treatment of metabolic disorders.
Heparin-Induced Thrombocytopenia

Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) is an uncommon condition with grave consequences. It is a clinicopathological diagnosis which can often be complex. However, delayed diagnosis and inadequate or inappropriate treatment can lead to life- and limb-threatening outcomes. This chapter will describe the syndrome of HIT (and HITT—heparin-induced thrombocytopenia with thrombosis) as it is now known, including its history, pathophysiology, diagnostic process with the current testing paradigm, and updated treatment options for HIT.
Solvable Models in Statistical Mechanics and Riemann Surfaces of Genus Greater than One

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the solvable models in statistical mechanics and Riemann surfaces of genus greater than one. Most recently, it was discovered that there is an N-state generalization of the Ising model which seems to possess all of its nice properties. This model is the chiral Potts model or ZN symmetric model. A most natural place to commence the investigation of any two-dimensional statistical mechanical model is to study its transfer matrix. The Ising model (N=2) holds its distinguished place amongst solvable models because of its relation to a free fermion field theory. This relation is what is ultimately behind all the various nonlinear difference equations, nonlinear differential equations, and deformation theory results which have been derived for the Ising model. If the spins of the Ising model are not on the diagonal, the correlations involve elliptic integrals of the third kind, and this has an immediate extension to Abelian integrals of the third kind for arbitrary Riemann surfaces.
HISTONE DEACETYLASE INHIBITORS: NOVEL TARGETED ANTI-CANCER AGENTS

The base sequence of DNA provides the genetic code for proteins. In any given cell, only a proportion of genes are expressed. The regulation of expression of genes is determined, in large part, by the structure of the chromatin proteins around which the DNA is wrapped — referred to as epigenetic gene regulation. Post-translational modifications of the histones of chromatin have been established as important factors in regulating gene expression. Among the most extensively studied of these epigenetic modifications are those which involve the acetylation and deacetylation of the lysines in the tails of the core histones. The acetylation/deacetylation of these lysines is controlled by the action of two families of enzymes, histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases (HATs). A balance between histone acetylation and deacetylation is essential for the normal growth of cells. This review will focus on HDAC and HDAC inhibitors. HDAC inhibitors represent a relatively new group of targeted anti-cancer compounds which are showing significant promise as agents which have activity against a broad spectrum of both hematologic and solid tumors at doses that are well tolerated by the patients. The HDAC inhibitors are a structurally diverse group of molecules that can induce growth arrest, differentiation and cell death of cancer cells in both in vitro as well as in vivo in tumor bearing animal models. Several of these agents are currently in clinical trials. Over the past 2–3 years a number of general reviews of areas related to the present review have been published (1–16). This review will primarily cover the literature of the past 3 years as of August 31, 2004.
Macroscopic and Microscopic Perspectives of Termolecular Association of Atomic Reactants in a Gas

The sequence normally invoked to explain the termolecular association process $$\text{A}\,\text{+}\,\text{B}\,\text{+}\,\text{M}\,\to \,\text{AB}\,\text{+}\,\text{M}$$ (1.1) where the associating pair (A-B) may be a positive ion-negative ion or a positive ion-neutral pair, is the energy-transfer sequence characterized in macroscopic terms as Open image in new window Open image in new window wherein intermediate complexes AB* formed with internal separations R≤RT at rate k1 (cm3 s−1) can decompose naturally at frequency k−1 (s−1) or can be stabilized at rate ks (cm3 s−1) via energy-changing collisions with the atomic or molecular species M of a thermal gas. The inverse of this sequence is known as the Lindemann mechanism (cf. Forst 1973) for collisional dissociation.
Cheyletiella dermatitis : a report of fourteen cases

Cheyletiella dermatitis is an infrequently reported eruption caused by an ectoparasite whose normal hosts are household pets. Fourteen cases, documented over an eight-year period, are reported. All cases were found in one practice in a small community. Typical patients are female, aged forty years or younger, who experience pruritic papules in the winter months. Cheyletiella dermatitis is not a rare problem.
Optimization by Way of the Trajectory Following Method

The trajectory following method is a relatively old concept for solving the nonlinear programming problem. It is based on the idea of solving continuous differential equations whose equilibrium solutions satisfy the necessary conditions for a minimum. The method is “trajectory following” in the sense that an initial point is moved along a trajectory generated by the differential equations to the solution point. The fact that this method has not been popular is understandable. It may require many function evaluations for a solution and it may suffer from the same slow convergence difficulties that the “gradient method” is known to have. However with the advent of fast computers and efficient integration solvers, these difficulties may no longer exist for many problems of practical interest. Here the focus is on ease of use rather than number of function evaluations as a performance criteria. It is shown that the trajectory following method, used in conjunction with a good “stiff” integration routine, can provide a tool that is easy to use for solving a wide variety of optimization problems including linear programming, quadratic programming and global optimization problems.
62 Outcomes of delayed sternal closure in paediatric patients underwent cardiac surgery in our lady’s children’hospital crumlin

Background DSC (delayed sternal closure) is most frequently utilized in neonates and infants undergoing complex repairs. In the early days of cardiac surgery, primary closure of the sternum at the end of the operation was mandatory because of the concern of mediastinal infection. Potential risks of delayed sternal closure include sepsis, mediastinitis, bleeding, and late sternal instability. Does longer duration before DSC increase the risk of adverse outcomes or mitigate the negative effect of other risk factors? To assess this, we checked the outcomes of delayed sternal closure in our centre. Methods We did retrospective study. All patients were studied who required delayed sternal closure post cardiac surgery in our centre in Our Lady’s Children’ hospital Crumlin between March 2010 and March 2017. Results Total 3737 procedures to repair congenital cardiac anomalies were done between March 2010 and March 2017. 199 patients required delayed sternal closure (5.32%). Among these patients, 123 patients (61.81%) were male and 76 patients (38.19%) were female. Mean body weight at the time of surgery was 4.8 kg (median 3.6 kg). There were different types of primary cardiac surgeries performed. Truncus arteriosus repair was done in 13 patients (6.5%).59 patients (29.6%) were having arterial switch operation. In eight patients (4.0%) TAPVD repair was done. AVSD repair was done in eight patients (4.0%).19 patients (9.5%) were having IAA repair. Norwood procedure was done in 49 patients (24.6%). In 13 patients, Tetralogy of Fallot repair was done. Mean total cross clamp time was 103 min. Mean circulatory arrest time was 10.87 min. 62 patients (31%) required ECMO after primary surgery. Duration of mean days of sternum remained open was 3.6 days (88 hours). 52 patients (26.1%) were having positive culture. 24 patients (12.1%) required antibiotics more than 10 days. Mean stay in ICU was 17.2 days (413 hours). Overall mortality was 7 patients (8.5%) and 182 patients (91.5%) were alive (figure 1). Conclusion Delayed sternal closure is an important strategy for congenital cardiac surgery, particularly for very young infants. Elective delayed sternal closure does not reduce the morbidity but it confirms the efficacy of the cardiac procedure. Instead of delayed sternal closure in case of ECMO, cannulation through neck vessels by experienced hands with closed sternum may be preferred.
Effect of Planting Date and Peanut Cultivar on Epidemics of Late Leaf Spot in Georgia

Field trials were conducted in 2015 and 2016 in Tifton, GA to determine the effects of planting dates (24 and 27 April, 4, 11, 19, and 26 May 2015; and 11, 18, and 25 April and 2, 9, and 16 May 2016), peanut (Arachis hypogaea) cultivar (Georgia-06G and Georgia-12Y), and seed treatment (nontreated and treated with azoxystrobin, fludioxonil, and mefenoxam) on epidemics of late leaf spot (Nothopassalora personata), plant populations, and peanut yield. Final severity and AUDPC of late leaf spot increased with later planting dates in both years. For most planting dates in 2015 and the final planting date in 2016, final leaf spot severity and AUDPC were lower for Georgia-12Y than for Georgia-06G. Seed treatment increased plant populations for the 27 April and 4 May planting dates in 2015 and across all other treatments in 2016. Yields were higher for Georgia-12Y than for Georgia-06G in both years. In 2015, yields of both cultivars decreased according to linear functions of day of year of planting date, but there was no effect of planting date on yield in 2016. The combination of early planting with Georgia-12Y shows potential utility for management of leaf spot in situations such as organic production where fungicide use is minimal.
Network modules linking expression and methylation in prefrontal cortex of schizophrenia

Tremendous work has demonstrated the critical roles of genetics, epigenetics as well as their interplay in brain transcriptional regulations in the pathology of schizophrenia (SCZ). There is great success currently in the dissection of the genetic components underlying risk-conferring transcriptomic networks. However, the study of regulating effect of epigenetics, as a modulator of environmental factors, in the etiopathogenesis of SCZ still faces many challenges. In this work we investigated DNA methylation and gene expression from the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) region of schizophrenia patients and healthy controls using weighted correlation network approaches. We identified and replicated two expression and two methylation modules significantly associated with SCZ. Among them, one pair of expression and methylation modules were significantly overlapped in the module genes which were enriched in astrocyte-associated functional pathways, and specifically expressed in astrocytes. Another two linked expression-methylation module pairs were involved aging process with module genes mostly related to oligodendrocyte development and myelination, and specially expressed in oligodendrocytes. Further examination of underlying quantitative trait loci (QTLs) showed significant enrichment in genetic risk of most psychiatric disorders for expression QTLs but not for methylation QTLs. These results support the coherence between methylation and gene expression in a network level, and suggest a combinatorial effect of genetics and epigenetics in regulating gene expression networks specific to glia cells in relation with SCZ and aging process.