cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantifying the individual-level association between income and mortality risk in the United States using the National Longitudinal Mortality Study.

Abstract Policy makers would benefit from being able to estimate the likely impact of potential interventions to reverse the effects of rapidly rising income inequality on mortality rates. Using multiple cohorts of the National Longitudinal Mortality Study (NLMS), we estimate the absolute income effect on premature mortality in the United States. A multivariate Poisson regression using the natural logarithm of equivilized household income establishes the magnitude of the absolute income effect on mortality. We calculate mortality rates for each income decile of the study sample and mortality rate ratios relative to the decile containing mean income. We then apply the estimated income effect to two kinds of hypothetical interventions that would redistribute income. The first lifts everyone with an equivalized household income at or below the U.S. poverty line (in 2000$) out of poverty, to the income category just above the poverty line. The second shifts each family's equivalized income by, in turn, 10%, 20%, 30%, or 40% toward the mean household income, equivalent to reducing the Gini coefficient by the same percentage in each scenario. We also assess mortality disparities of the hypothetical interventions using ratios of mortality rates of the ninth and second income deciles, and test sensitivity to the assumption of causality of income on mortality by halving the mortality effect per unit of equivalized household income. The estimated absolute income effect would produce a three to four percent reduction in mortality for a 10% reduction in the Gini coefficient. Larger mortality reductions result from larger reductions in the Gini, but with diminishing returns. Inequalities in estimated mortality rates are reduced by a larger percentage than overall estimated mortality rates under the same hypothetical redistributions.
Study on the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy

[Purpose] This study aims to analyze the factors that affect the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy. [Subjects and Methods] The study subjects were 138 children, aged 7-12, who suffer from cerebral palsy. Factors affecting subjects' quality of life were evaluated using the ICF-CY; quality of life was evaluated using the KIDSCREEN 52 - Health-Related Quality of Life questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis was conducted. [Results] The factors related to physical functions that affect subjects' quality of life were mental function, sensory function and pain, genitourinary and reproductive function, as well as neuromusculoskeletal and movement-related functions. Factors related to activities and participation were learning and applying knowledge, self-care, interpersonal interactions and relationships, major life areas, and community, social and civic life. Lastly, factors related to the environment were products and technology, natural environment and human made changes to environment, and attitude. [Conclusion] In order to improve the quality of life of children with cerebral palsy, the compound effects of several factors should be comprehensively considered without being limited to a specific variable from physical function. And children should be provided with ample opportunities to participate in diverse activities and their physical functions, as well as the environmental factors, should improve.
Qualitative and Quantitative Proteome Analysis of Oral Fluids in Health and Periodontal Disease by Mass Spectrometry

The significance of protein identification and characterization by classical protein chemistry approaches is clearly highlighted by our detailed understanding of the biological systems assembled over a time period of almost a century. The advent of state-of-the-art mass spectrometry (MS) with sensitivity, speed, and global protein analysis capacity without individual protein purification has transformed the classical protein chemistry with premise to accelerate discovery. These combined with the ability of the oral fluids such as whole saliva (WS) and gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) to reflect both systemic and locally derived proteins have generated significant interest to characterize these fluids more extensively by MS technology. This chapter deals with the experimental details of preanalytical steps using multidimensional protein separation combined with MS analysis of WS and GCF to achieve detailed protein composition at qualitative and quantitative levels. These approaches are interfaced with gold standard "stable-isotope" labeling technologies for large-scale quantitative MS analysis which is a prerequisite to determine accurate alterations in protein levels as a function of disease progression. The latter incorporates two stable-isotope chemistries one specific for cysteine containing proteins and the other universal amine-specific reagent in conjunction with oral fluids in health and periodontal disease to perform quantitative MS analysis. In addition, specific preanalytical steps demanded by the oral fluids such as GCF and WS for sample preparations to overcome limitations and uncertainties are elaborated for reliable large-scale quantitative MS analysis.
Effect of myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88 on expression profiles of genes during the development and progression of Helicobacter-induced gastric cancer

Gastric cancer is one of the most common and lethal type of cancer worldwide. Infection with Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is recognized as the major cause of gastric cancer. However, it remains unclear the mechanism by which Helicobacter infection leads to gastric cancer. Furthermore, the underlying molecular events involved during the progression of Helicobacter infection to gastric malignancy are not well understood. In previous studies, we demonstrated that that H. felis-infected Myd88 −/− mice exhibited dramatic pathology and an accelerated progression to gastric dysplasia; however, the MyD88 downstream gene targets responsible for this pathology have not been described. This study was designed to identify MyD88-dependent genes involved in the progression towards gastric cancer during the course of Helicobacter infection. Wild type (WT) and Myd88 deficient mice (Myd88 −/−) were infected with H. felis for 25 and 47 weeks and global transcriptome analysis performed on gastric tissue using MouseWG-6 v2 expression BeadChips microarrays. Function and pathway enrichment analyses of statistically significant, differential expressed genes (p < 0.05) were performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) online tools. Helicobacter infection affected the transcriptional profile of more genes in Myd88 −/− mice compared to WT mice. Infection of Myd88 −/− mice resulted in the differential expression of 1,989 genes at 25 weeks (1031 up and 958 downregulated). At 47 weeks post-H.felis infection, 2,162 (1140 up and 1022 downregulated) were differentially expressed. The most significant differentially upregulated gene during Helicobacter infection in Myd88 −/− mice was chitinase-like 4 (chil4), which is involved in tissue remodeling and wound healing. Other highly upregulated genes in H. felis-infected Myd88 −/− mice included, Indoleamine 2,3-Dioxygenase 1 (Ido1), Guanylate binding protein 2 (Gbp2), ubiquitin D (Ubd), β 2 -Microglobulin (B2m), CD74 antigen (Cd74), which have been reported to promote cancer progression by enhancing angiogenesis, proliferation, migration, metastasis, invasion, and tumorigenecity. For downregulated genes, the highly expressed genes included, ATPase H+/K+ transporting, alpha subunit (Atp4a), Atp4b, Mucin 5 AC (Muc5ac), Apolipoprotein A-1 (Apoa1), and gastric intrinsic factor (Gif), whose optimal function is important in maintaining gastric hemostasis and lower expression has been associated with increased risk of gastric carcinogenesis. These results provide a global transcriptional gene profile during the development and progression of Helicobacter-induced gastric cancer. The data show that our mouse model system is useful for identifying genes involved in gastric cancer progression.
Neuropharmacology of Cocaine and Ethanol Dependence

Drug addiction includes two important characteristics, chronic compulsive or uncontrollable drug use and a withdrawal syndrome when use of the drug is stopped. Animal models for the motivational components of drug dependence have been developed allowing a systematic exploration of the neurobiological mechanisms of drug dependence. The reinforcing actions of acute cocaine as measured by intravenous cocaine self-administration appear to be mediated by the presynaptic release of dopamine in the region of the nucleus accumbens and may preferentially involve the dopamine D-1 receptor subtype. The nucleus accumbens circuitry involved in the reinforcing actions of cocaine may include the ventral pallidum and may be modulated by serotonin. Chronic cocaine produces increases in brain reward thresholds that may reflect the "dysphoria" and anhedonia associated with cocaine dependence and suggests a dysregulation of brain reward systems possibly involving dopamine. Reliable measures for the acute reinforcing effects of ethanol in nondependent animals have been established in the rat using a lever press operant and a taste habituation procedure. Important roles have been established for serotonin, GABA, dopamine, and opioids in the acute reinforcing properties of ethanol, perhaps acting on some of the same neural circuitry subsuming the reinforcing actions of other drugs of abuse. Studies of the motivational aspects of ethanol dependence have suggested a functional role for brain corticotropin-releasing factor. These results suggest that the neurobiology of drug dependence involves not only neurotransmitters that mediate the acute reinforcing properties of drugs, but also the aversive motivational and emotional aspects of drug withdrawal. Advances in our understanding of brain changes associated with the switch from acute effects to chronic actions may provide a key to our understanding of not only drug dependence, but also psychopathology such as, anxiety, and affective disorders.
Novel heteroclitic XBP1 peptides evoking antigen-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes targeting various solid tumors.

3067 Background: Activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) allows for tumor cells to survive prolonged endoplasmic reticulum stress and hypoxic conditions. XBP1 is an upstream element and a critical transcriptional activator of the UPR, and its up-regulation in a variety of human solid tumor cancers makes it as a promising immunotherapeutic target. The purpose of these studies was to evaluate immunogenic HLA-A2 XBP1-specific peptides for their ability to elicit cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against a variety of solid tumor cell lines. Methods: Upon the validation of XBP1 peptides for their strong HLA-A2 bindings and stabilities, peptide-specific CTL were generated ex vivo by repeated stimulation of CD3+ T lymphocytes obtained from HLA-A2+normal donors with XBP1 peptides-pulsed antigen-presenting cells, either dendritic cells or T2 cells. Results: A cocktail of heteroclitic XBP1 US184-192 (YISPWILAV) and heteroclitic XBP1 SP367-375 (YLFPQLISV) peptides with significantly improved HLA-A2 affinity an...
Evaluating the effectiveness of a skill building intervention in competitive athletes with developmental delays

Sport has been used as a means to provide opportunities for the (re)-integration of marginalized persons into society (Elling & Knoppers, 2005), highlighting the importance of designing appropriate sporting environments to aid in the development of life skills among persons with developmental delays (DD). The purpose of the current study was to examine behaviour patterns before, during, and following the implementation of a four week skill building training (SBT) package which targeted mental and social skills, among four Special Olympic track and field athletes with DD. The SBT package focused on improving adaptive behaviours (positive self talk, leadership skills, focus and task involvement) and decrease maladaptive behaviours (negative self talk and off task behaviours). Data was collected through mixed methods including frequency of observed behaviours, researcher field notes, and athlete interviews. Overall, the SBT was effective for all athletes. Specifically, athletes showed improvements and greater consistency in the adaptive behaviours of focus, task involvement, positive self talk, and leadership qualities, as well as a decrease in negative self-talk patterns and off task behaviours during the intervention phase when compared to baseline; however, long-term effectiveness varied depending on the targeted behaviour and the athlete. Findings are discussed within the context of Bandura's Social Learning Theory, and directions for future investigation are explored.
Screening Genetic Alterations of Biomarkers BRAF, ROS-1, and HER2 by Immunohistochemistry in Ovarian Carcinomas for Targeted Therapy

Ovarian neoplasms are group of aggressive and lethal diseases. Surgical and radiochemical therapies on ovarian neoplasm are conventional approaches but with limited progress in years. Targeted therapy with drugs targeting specific genetic alterations and/or protein molecules have brought new hope fighting against ovarian neoplasms. Targeted therapy on genetic alterations of BRAF, ROS-1 and HER2 have been carried out in melanoma, lung cancer and breast cancer with promising results. However, knowledge of these genetic alterations in ovarian neoplasms is limited and deserves further exploration. In this study, we screened genetic alterations of BRAF, ROS-1 and HER2 by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on a variety of ovarian neoplasm, including 13 mucinous carcinomas, 12 clear cell carcinomas, 9 endometrioid carcinomas, 9 serous borderline tumors and 10 high grade serous tumor of fallopian tube. Although ROS-1 and HER2 abnormalities were not identified, BRAF V600E mutations were identified in 2 of 9 (22%) in borderline serous tumors. This finding has provided a knowledge base to further study the possibility of targeted therapy using BRAF inhibitor, such as vemurafeni, on borderline serous tumor of the ovary. [N A J Med Sci. 2017;10(2):53-55. DOI: 10.7156/najms.2017.1002053]
TDDB in HfSiON/SiO 2 dielectric stack: Büttiker probe based NEGF modeling, prediction and experiment

HfO2 based high-κ metal gate (HKMG) transistors offer low leakage current and high integration density. However, they are vulnerable to defect formation. In this paper, we have demonstrated a Buttiker probe based leakage current model [1][2] for determining the gate leakage current in a HKMG transistor due to defects in the gate dielectric layer. These defects can be pre-existing defects (PEDs) as well as the stress induced defects in the gate dielectric stack. The model was also used to determine the post breakdown gate current characteristics. We have verified our model with experimentally measured data from 28nm planar devices with HfSiON/SiO 2 gate dielectric layer. In addition, we have integrated the Buttiker probe method and percolation model [3] to predict the time to failure (t BD ) of the device. The proposed simulation methodology can also be used to determine the required stress condition (SC) to observe breakdown in a device within a certain period of time.
Experimental characterization of the tensile strength of ABS parts manufactured by fused deposition modeling process

Abstract Acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) is one of the most widely usedindustrial thermoplastic and it is the most common material used in fused deposition modeling (FDM) technology. While FDM is one of the most used additive manufacturing (AM) technology commonly employed formodeling, prototyping, and manufacturing applications, the major research issues have been to balance ability to produce aesthetically appealinglooking products with functionality. It is therefore critical to know the mechanical properties of these parts, which, is as expected different from their nominal values.A FDM manufactured part has an internal channel referred to as infill. This internal build pattern has different mechanical properties than the same shaped part without the internal channel. This paper aims to define the effect of specimen mesostructure on the monotonic tensile behavior of ABS parts manufactured by FDM. The experiment uses the uPrint SE 3D printer to produce samples from ABS thermoplastic. The samples are tested following a modified form of ASTM D638 standard for plastic. The printed pieces are tested to failure using an Instron testing machine, and a strain gage extensometer that measures the amount of elongation in the pieces until failure. These standardized pieces are compared to know values of traditionally manufactured materials. This test shows the strength loss of materials through the 3D printing process compared to traditional manufacturing methods. The experiment for plastics is designed around two key criteria, orientation of the pieces, and the percent of infill during the printing process. It was found that a value of maximum strength, of 3D printed ABS, was approximately 92% of accepted values for the material, with a certainty of 5%. The study also shows that the bonds between layers are only 79% as strong as an axil loading along the layers.
Perceived barriers to mental health treatment among men enrolled in a responsible fatherhood program

ABSTRACTLow-income men may experience elevated risk for mental health concerns and be less likely to seek treatment; this may be due in part to perceived barriers to accessing and receiving treatme...
Battleground States and Local Coverage of American Presidential Campaigns

Analyses of television news and major newspapers have led to the critique that “the media” ignore the issues in campaigns, which could explain studies that show limited effects for media coverage on knowledge. These studies overlook great variation in the quantity and quality of news coverage in local information environments. Using data collected from local newspaper websites during the 2012 American presidential election, we show the quality and quantity of local news campaign coverage differ substantially between battleground and nonbattleground states. In an effort to differentiate themselves from other news outlets, newspapers in battleground states play up the local angle (e.g., candidate visits), resulting in less attention to issues in their stories. These findings suggest the voters most important to the election outcome (i.e., those in battleground states) may have less information on candidate issue positions available within their local media market.
Cytophilic properties of IgA to human neutrophils.

In 1961 Boyden and Sorkin demonstrated that antigens can be bound to spleen cells which have previously been incubated with specific antisera (1). The term “cytophilic” immunoglobulins was coined for this type of antibody. Subsequently, it was shown that immunoglobulins attach via the Fc fragment to receptors on phagocytic cells such as macrophages (2,3), monocytes (4) and neutrophils (5). The biological importance of the cytophilic antibodies appears to be promotion of phagocytosis (opsonization) of antigens. Not all immunoglobulins are cytophilic. In rodents, IgG of slow electrophoretic mobility, γ2G, is cytophilic whereas γ1G, the anodally migrating IgG is not (3). In man, it has been shown by inhibition studies that IgG1 and IgG3 are cytophilic for monocytes (4) and neutrophils (5). Most of these findings were made by studying “rosette” formation, that is the adherence of antibody coated red cells to phagocytes (3,4,5). More recently, cytophilic properties have also been studied by measuring the uptake of radiolabeled immunoglobulins on macrophages (6) or by release of histamine from basophils (7). Relatively little is known about cytophilic properties of IgA, probably because it is difficult to obtain pure IgA antibodies suitable for cytophilic testing. Since the cytophilic reaction depends on the Fc fragment, immunoglobulins having no demonstrated antibody activity such as myeloma proteins can also be used as a source of IgA. Isolated IgA myeloma proteins were therefore used in this study. First, the release of lysosomal enzymes from neutrophils following incubation with aggregated IgA was analyzed (8) and second, the uptake of radiolabeled IgA onto neutrophils was measured and compared to that of other immunoglobulin classes (9).
Transient Decay Signal (Capacitor Discharge)

Experiments 3, 4, and 5 of the Logic Experiment section introduced you to the various devices which are necessary in order for the computer to acquire analog data in useful or digitized form. It is, of course, necessary that these devices be combined in such a way as to allow the computer complete control of the direct entry of the data. The necessary devices generally consist of four parts: an analog-to-digital converter to digitize the analog signal, a buffer register to store the digitized data temporarily, a time-base generator to determine the appropriate digitization frequency, and, finally, control logic to properly sequence the digitization of the analog signal and the transfer of the digital value into the computer.
Autoethnographic poetic inquiry: therapeutically engaging with violence toward queers

ABSTRACTTherapeutic applications of poetry provide a powerful means of exploring and portraying lived experiences of queer individuals. In this article, autoethnographic poetic inquiry is used to e...
δ‐Carbolines and Their Ring‐Opened Analogues: Synthesis and Evaluation Against Fungal and Bacterial Opportunisitic Pathogens.

A variety of substituted δ-carbolinium analogues (VIII) (10 examples) of the natural product cryptolepine is designed and synthesized.
Preemptive Analgesia With Oxycodone Is Associated With More Pain Following Total Joint Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background Preemptive multimodal analgesia (PMA) is a commonly used technique to control pain following total joint arthroplasty. PMA protocols use multiple analgesics immediately preoperatively to prevent central sensitization and amplification of pain during surgery. While benefits of some individual components of a PMA protocol have been established, there are little data to support inclusion or exclusion of opioids in this context. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of 550 patients undergoing elective, primary total joint arthroplasty at a single institution using a standardized preoperative perioperative protocol. Two hundred seventy-five patients received oxycodone in addition to a standard multimodal preoperative analgesia regimen just before surgery and were compared to a matched cohort of 275 patients who received the standard regimen alone. Outcome measures included inpatient visual analog scale pain scores, inpatient opioid consumption, length of stay, and ambulation distance with physical therapy. Results Patients who received opioids in preoperative holding reported significantly greater visual analog scale pain scores on postoperative day 1 (3.7 vs 3.1; P = .01), when compared to those who did not. These patients also walked shorter distances on postoperative day 0 (59.5’ vs 125.7’; P Conclusion Total joint patients who were given preemptive opioids immediately before surgery experienced more pain, consumed more postoperative opioids, and exhibited impaired early function as compared to those who were not given preemptive opioids. Orthopedic surgeons should reconsider routine use of preemptive opioids in this context.
Evaluating satellite estimates of particulate backscatter in the global open ocean using autonomous profiling floats

Satellite retrievals of particulate backscattering (bbp) are widely used in studies of ocean ecology and biogeochemistry, but have been historically difficult to validate due to the paucity of available ship-based comparative field measurements. Here we present a comparison of satellite and in situ bbp using observations from autonomous floats (n = 2,486 total matchups across three satellites), which provide bbp at 700 nm. With these data, we quantify how well the three inversion products currently distributed by NASA ocean color retrieve bbp. We find that the median ratio of satellite derived bbp to float bbp ranges from 0.77 to 1.60 and Spearman’s rank correlations vary from r = 0.06 to r = 0.79, depending on which algorithm and sensor is used. Model skill degrades with increased spatial variability in remote sensing reflectance, which suggests that more rigorous matchup criteria and factors contributing to sensor noisiness may be useful to address in future work, and/or that we have built in biases in the current widely distributed inversion algorithms.
Single Event Effects Testing for the ADC12DJ3200QML-SP 12-bit, Dual 3.2-GSPS Single 6.4-GSPS, RF-Sampling, JESD204B, Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC)

The effects of heavy-ion irradiation on the single-event effect performance of the Texas Instruments ADC12DJ3200QML-SP and its JESD204B serialized interface were characterized using the K500 Cyclotron facility at Texas A&M University. The results demonstrate latch-up immunity up to LET EFF = 120 MeV-cm2/mg at T J = 125°C while operating at the maximum recommended operating supply voltages. Dynamic cross sections for the code error rate of the device and the serialized interface are also presented.
Hypertension in Cancer Patients and Survivors: Epidemiology, Diagnosis, and Management

Cancer patients and survivors of cancer have a greater burden of cardiovascular disease compared to the general population. Much of the elevated cardiovascular risk in these individuals is likely attributable to hypertension, as individuals with cancer have a particularly high incidence of hypertension following cancer diagnosis. Treatment with chemotherapy is an independent risk factor for hypertension due to direct effects of many agents on endothelial function, sympathetic activity, and renin-angiotensin system activity as well as nephrotoxicity. Diagnosis and management of hypertension in cancer patients requires accurate blood pressure measurement and consideration of potential confounding factors, such as adjuvant treatments and acute pain, that can temporarily elevate blood pressure readings. Home blood pressure monitoring can be a useful tool to facilitate longitudinal blood pressure monitoring for titration of antihypertensive medications. Selection of antihypertensive agents in cancer patients should account for treatment-specific morbidities and target organ injury.
When variants are reclassified—the importance of personalized communication

Thinking the e-mail was a system error, she almost didn’t learn that her genetic test result had been revised. With the advent of commercial genomic screening, who is ethically responsible for communicating variant reclassification?
A framework to model exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in indoor environments

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) include a wide range of halogenated chemicals, which have been used as water- and stain-resistant coatings for consumer products and industrial purposes. PFAS are persistent in the environment and several are bioaccumulative, and thus relevant for human and environmental health. Given their pervasiveness, we need to understand how we are exposed to PFAS, especially in indoor environments where many people spend most of their time. Research on indoor exposure to semivolatile organic compounds (SVOCs) has progressed rapidly in recent years. Because many PFAS can be considered SVOCs, much of what has been learned about SVOCs may be used to guide research on PFAS exposure in indoor environments. Here, we briefly review what has been done to assess indoor exposure to PFAS. Then, we propose a systematic indoor exposure framework for PFAS based on methods to estimate exposure to SVOCs. We illustrate how critical parameters such as partition coefficients for different media (particles, dust, surfaces, and clothing) for different types of PFAS could be measured, how these measurements can be used in exposure models for PFAS, and how fundamental, predictive relationships might be used to estimate necessary parameters for emerging compounds.
COVID-19 Pandemic Significantly Decreases Acute Surgical Complaints.

BackgroundThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic significantly reduced elective surgery in the United States, but the impact of COVID-19 on acute surgical complaints and acute care surger...
Cervical Cancer Screening in Postmenopausal Women: Is It Time to Move Toward Primary High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Screening?

Background: Cervical cytology in postmenopausal women is challenging due to physiologic changes of the hypoestrogenic state. Misinterpretation of an atrophic smear as atypical squamous cells of unc...
Development and optimization of hot-melt extruded moxifloxacin hydrochloride inserts, for ocular applications, using the design of experiments.

Abstract The current study sought to formulate sustained-release hot-melt extruded (HME) ocular inserts of moxifloxacin hydrochloride (MOX; MOX-HME) for the treatment of bacterial keratitis. The concentration of Eudragit™ FS-100 (FS) and propylene glycol (PG) used as polymer and plasticizer, respectively, in the inserts were optimized using the central composite design (CCD) to achieve sustained release. The inserts were characterized for weight, thickness, surface characteristics, pH, and in vitro release profile. The crystalline characteristics of MOX and surface morphology of the inserts were evaluated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Furthermore, ex vivo permeation through rabbit cornea and stability of the optimized MOX-HME insert was investigated. The results demonstrate an inverse correlation between FS concentration and MOX release from the MOX-HME inserts, and a potential 24 h release. The optimized MOX-HME inserts were found to be stable at room temperature for four months, showing no significant change in drug content, pH and release profile. MOX converted into an amorphous form in the MOX-HME inserts and did not recrystallize during the study period. SEM analysis confirmed the smooth surface of the MOX-HME insert. The ex vivo studies revealed that the MOX-HME inserts provided a much prolonged transcorneal MOX flux as compared to the commercial ophthalmic solution and the immediate-release MOX-HME insert. The results indicate that MOX-HME inserts could potentially provide a once-a-day application, consequently reducing the dosing frequency and acting as an alternative delivery system in the management of bacterial infections.
A Smoking Cessation App for Nondaily Smokers (Version 2 of the Smiling Instead of Smoking App): Acceptability and Feasibility Study.

Background: Recent evidence highlights the significant detrimental impact of nondaily smoking on health and its disproportionate prevalence in underserved populations; however, little work has been done to develop treatments specifically geared toward quitting nondaily smoking. Objective: This study aims to test the feasibility, acceptability, and conceptual underpinnings of version 2 of the Smiling Instead of Smoking (SiS2) smartphone app, which was developed specifically for nondaily smokers and uses a positive psychology approach. Methods: In a prospective, single-group study, nondaily smokers (N=100) were prescribed use of the SiS2 app for 7 weeks while undergoing a quit attempt. The app assigned daily positive psychology exercises and behavioral tasks every 2 to 3 days, which guided smokers through using the smoking cessation tools offered in the app. Participants answered surveys at baseline and at 2, 6, 12, and 24 weeks postquit. Feasibility was evaluated based on app use and acceptability based on survey responses. The underlying conceptual framework was tested by examining whether theorized within-person changes occurred from baseline to end of treatment on scales measuring self-efficacy, desire to smoke, and processing of self-relevant health information (ie, pros and cons of smoking, importance of the pros and cons of quitting, and motivation). Results: Participants used the SiS2 app on an average of 24.7 (SD 13.8) days out of the 49 prescribed days. At the end of treatment, most participants rated the functions of the app as very easy to use (eg, 70/95, 74% regarding cigarette log and 59/95, 62% regarding happiness exercises). The average score on the System Usability Scale was 79.8 (SD 17.3; A grade; A+ ≥84.1, B+ <78.8). Most participants reported that the app helped them in their quit attempt (83/95, 87%), and helped them stay positive while quitting (78/95, 82%). Large effects were found for within-person decreases in the desire to smoke (b=−1.5, 95% CI −1.9 to −1.1; P<.001; gav=1.01), the importance of the pros of smoking (b=-20.7, 95% CI −27.2 to −14.3; P<.001; gav=0.83), and perceived psychoactive benefits of smoking (b=−0.8, 95% CI −1.0 to −0.5; P<.001; gav=0.80). Medium effects were found for increases in self-efficacy for remaining abstinent when encountering internal (b=13.1, 95% CI 7.6 to 18.7; P<.001; gav=0.53) and external (b=11.2, 95% CI 6.1 to 16.1; P<.001; gav=0.49) smoking cues. Smaller effects, contrary to expectations, were found for decreases in motivation to quit smoking (P=.005) and the perceived importance of the pros of quitting (P=.009). Self-reported 30-day point prevalence abstinence rates were 40%, 56%, and 56% at 6, 12, and 24 weeks after the quit day, respectively. Conclusions: The SiS2 app was feasible and acceptable, showed promising changes in constructs relevant to smoking cessation, and had high self-reported quit rates by nondaily smokers. The SiS2 app warrants testing in a randomized controlled trial.
Social isolation and achievement of students with learning disabilities

Abstract Students with learning disabilities (LDs) experience heightened levels of social isolation, but researchers have not fully explored its various dimensions at school or determined which aspects contribute to educational gaps associated with LDs. Using the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, we find that middle and high school students with LDs are more likely to experience most types of isolation. Student with LDs have fewer friends, their friends are less educationally ambitious, they feel more detached and disliked at school, and they are more likely to avoid friendships, though surprisingly not more likely to be actively rejected. Mediation analyses indicate that the aspect of social isolation that contributes most to the LD-gap in high school graduation is one's number of school friends and their educational expectations. Perceptions of social isolation are also consequential, and together these account for nearly one-quarter of the LD-gap in high school graduation, net of past grades.
EEG Neurofeedback: An effective treatment for ADHD

In lieu of an abstract, below is the first paragraph of the paper. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is most commonly treated with psychostimulant medications due to the ease of administration. However, a new treatment called EEG biofeedback is proving efficacious in the treatment for ADHD without the side effects of psychostimulants. Neurofeedback is a process in which people learn to self-regulate their brain waves (Masterpasqua 8c Healey, 2003). The ability to alter brain activity ultimately has the ability to change behaviors that are causing people distress. This alteration occurs by operant conditioning, that is, reinforcement and punishment. This article is available in The Review: A Journal of Undergraduate Student Research: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/ur/vol9/iss1/9 E E G Neurofeedback: An effective treatment for A D H D
The Rhetorical View of Power and Authority

As applied to politics, the New Rhetoric can be described as a theory to preserve legitirnate authority, as against usurpation.
Assessing the Impact of Price and Yield Risk in the Southern U.S. Catfish Industry

The study characterizes catfish price and yield risk by empirically determining the probability distribution of stochastic price and yield variables. The impact of the stochastic variables is then evaluated in the context of a catfish enterprise budget. Probability distributions of net returns are evaluated using stochastic dominance criteria. Results indicated that the distributions of yields and catfish prices appear to determine the shape of the distribution of residual net returns, and that the beta distribution most appropriately described the expected net returns for all combinations of production systems and farm sizes. If a beta distribution describes reality, but the risk averse producer assumes his expected returns are normally distributed, then he or she will underestimate the probability of obtaining low net returns. Thus, under an assumption of normality, producers may make decisions that place their operations in greater financial peril than they may otherwise would if they understood the true distribution of their expected net returns. Results also showed that the single-batch production system for small size farms was the most inefficient technology/size combination.
Nationalism and Internationalism

An internationalistic approach in solving national questions is evident in the writings of Marx and Engels. They believed that the national states were creations of capitalistic relations of production, and that, with the dawn of socialism, national animosities would disappear as a matter of course. The Communist Manifesto predicted the end of the exploitation of one nation by another, and finally an end even to the national differences between peoples. It claimed, “the working-men have no country.”1
Gender and Self-Salience

Self-salience theory is a recently developed perspective on the relationship between gender and mental health. It proposes that differences between men's and women's expression of psychological distress are linked to differences in the relationship between self and other. These differences are based in the history of men's and women's participation in the public and private spheres of society. Self-salience theory proposes that women experience more internalizing psychological distress due to the historical socialization of women toward caretaking roles which are carried out within the private sphere of society, particularly the home. Women's social expectations therefore inhibit them from prioritizing the needs of the self, resulting in internalizing expressions of distress such as depression. Men, conversely, have been socialized historically toward independence and personal achievement in the public sphere, such as the workplace. Men's social expectations therefore facilitate the external expression of distress, such as alcohol abuse. Self-salience theory describes the mechanisms by which gendered social expectations lead to different self-concepts, resulting in dispositions toward gendered expressions of distress. Keywords: gender; identity; mental health; self; stress
Observations of the geomagnetic cavity boundaries.

This paper reviews the plasma and magnetic field data (Bonetti et al., 1963 ; Heppner et al., 1963) obtained in March 1961 from the space probe Explorer X. Particularly emphasized is the strong correlation of these separate results when viewed with respect to multiple crossings of the geomagnetic cavity boundary on the dark hemisphere of the Earth. In addition, the magnetic field data have been subjected to detailed analyses of its spectral characteristics for fluctuations of small amplitude (less than several gammas) and low frequency (less than 0.003 cps). Comparisons of the experimental data with theoretical models of the cavity reveals certain gross similarities but there exist substantial discrepancies which have yet to be explained. It is concluded that Explorer X traversed the cavity boundary on a number of occasions and tentatively established the experimental fact that the cavity tail is flared outward from the antisolar direction to a distance of at least some 280 000 km at an angle of approximately 20°.
Distinguishing superdislocation dissociation mechanisms in L12 crystal structures Examples with Al67Mn8Ti25

Abstract The nature of dissociated superlattice dislocations in Mn-modified Al3Ti deformed at 673 K has been studied with transmission electron microscopy weak-beam imaging assisted with computer simulations. The observed images of dissociated a〈110〉 superdislocations under a variety of diffraction conditions have been matched successfully with simulated images formed by assuming dissociation into two a/2〈110〉 partials separated by an antiphase boundary. The simulations show that both fringe contrast from stacking faults and single dislocation images should be observed with certain diffraction conditions for a superlattice-intrinsic stacking fault-dissociated superdislocation. These differences make it possible to select a series of imaging conditions beforehand to identify the dissociation mechanism even if the partials are very closely spaced. Evaluation of the g·b criteria often used in attempting to identify partial dislocations has shown that these criteria must be used with caution, especially when ...
Wnt signalling in mammalian development and cancer

Wnt signalling is involved in a variety of mammalian developmental processes, including cell proliferation, differentiation and epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, through which they contribute to the development of tissues and organs such as the limbs, the brain, the reproductive tract and the kidney. Wnts are secreted ligands that control cell processes via at least two pathways, one of which, the 'canonical' Wnt signalling pathway, operates through the cytosolic stabilisation of a transcriptional co-factor, beta-catenin. This is achieved by downregulating the activity of a beta-catenin turnover complex. Evidence from tumour expression studies, transgenic animals and in vitro experiments suggests that inappropriate activation of the canonical Wnt signalling pathway is a major feature in human neoplasia and that oncogenic activation of this pathway can occur at many levels. Inappropriate expression of the Wnt ligand and Wnt binding proteins have been found in a variety of human tumours. Further downstream, dysregulation of the beta-catenin turnover complex, by loss of the Adenomatous Polyposis Coli or Protein Phosphatase 2A proteins, or by activating mutations of beta-catenin, has been found in several tumour types, and is believed to be a key step in neoplastic progression. Transcriptional targets of the Wnt pathway include the cellular oncogenes cyclin D1 and c-myc. Activation of the Wnt signalling pathway by various means can therefore be a primary cause in oncogenesis, affecting cell proliferation, morphology and contact inhibition, as well as co-operating with other oncogenes in multistep tumour progression.
Pseudomembranous trigonitis in a male with Klinefelter syndrome: a case report and evidence of a hormonal etiology

Klinefelter syndrome is a clinical syndrome with a distinct 47, XXY karyotype. Patients are characterized by a tall eunuchoid stature, small testes, hypergonotrophic hypogonadism, gynecomastia, learning difficulties and infertility. These patients have also been found to have raised estrogen levels. We report a 16 year old boy with Klinefelter syndrome presenting to our institution with gross hematuria. Cystoscopy and biopsy revealed the diagnosis of pseudomembranous trigonitis. Immunohistochemical stains showed an increase in estrogen and progesterone receptors in the trigone area but not in the rest of the bladder. In view of the patient’s mildly raised estrogen levels and the histological findings, we postulate that estrogen is the driver of the development of pseudomembranous trigonitis. This is the first reported case of pseudomembranous trigonitis seen in association with Klinefelter syndrome, and also the first case of pseudomembranous trigonitis occurring within the male adolescent age group.
Energies and Derivative Couplings in the Vicinity of a Conical Intersection Using Degenerate Perturbation Theory and Analytic Gradient Techniques. 1

Analytic gradient techniques in conjunction with degenerate perturbation theory are used to analyze the energetics and the derivative couplings in the vicinity of a conical intersection. The precision of the analytic gradient based evaluation of the derivative couplings in the vicinity of a conical intersection is established. An approach for the rigorous treatment of two-dimensional Jahn-Teller problems in the absence of C3v symmetry is suggested.
The effect of geometric shape on two-dimensional finite elements

Abstract Three quadrilateral elements are defined. These are an eight-nodal-point serendipity element (QUAD8s), a nine-nodal-point Lagrangian element (QUAD9l), and a nine-nodal-point quadrilateral element composed of two six-nodal-point triangular elements (QUAD9t). The effect that the geometric shape of the element has on the approximation function of each element is discussed. Two beam problems demonstrate that when the shape of the elements becomes skewed, the QUAD9t element significantly improves the calculated results. Finally, a recommendation is made that the QUAD8s and QUAD9t be used together for the most efficient and accurate results.
An incremental algorithm for reconstruction of surfaces of arbitrary codimension

A new algorithm is presented for surface reconstruction from unorganized points. Unlike many previous algorithms, this algorithm does not select a subcomplex of the Delaunay Triangulation of the points. Instead, it uses an incremental algorithm, adding one simplex of the surface at a time. As a result, the algorithm does not require the surface's embedding space to be R^3; the dimension of the embedding space may vary arbitrarily without substantially affecting the complexity of the algorithm. One result of using this incremental algorithmic technique is that very little can be proven about the reconstruction; nonetheless, it is interesting from an experimental viewpoint, as it allows for a wider variety of surfaces to be reconstructed. In particular, the class of non-orientable surfaces, such as the Klein Bottle, may be reconstructed. Results are shown for surfaces of varying genus.
Protection from reperfusion injury in the isolated rat heart by postischaemic deferoxamine and oxypurinol administration.

A Langendorff isolated rat heart preparation was used to determine the effect of oxypurinol, a xanthine oxidase inhibitor, and deferoxamine, an iron binding agent, on the extent of myocardial reperfusion injury after 60 minutes of ischaemia. Thirty rats were divided into three groups of 10, and an isolated heart preparation made from each rat. The isolated hearts were perfused for 15 minutes with a modified Krebs-Henseleit perfusate solution to permit stabilisation of the preparation. Each heart was then subjected to 60 minutes of total ischaemia at 37°C followed by 60 minutes of reperfusion with either saline treated perfusate, oxypurinol treated perfusate (1.3 mmol·litre−1), or deferoxamine treated perfusate (0.61 mmol·litre−1). Reperfusion injury was assessed by the total amount of creatine phosphokinase released into the perfusate, by changes in myocardial vascular resistance, and by morphological examination. The saline treated group released significantly more creatine phosphokinase into the perfusate than either the oxypurinol treated group (p<0.05) or the deferoxamine treated group (p<0.05). The mean vascular resistance increased for all groups during the 60 minutes of reperfusion compared with that just before ischaemia but was significantly greater in the saline treated group than in the drug treated groups (p<0.01). Ultrastructural examination of a randomly selected heart from each group after 60 minutes of reperfusion showed pronounced attenuation of mitochondrial and endoplasmic reticulum swelling, increased maintenance of membrane integrity, and diminished separation of myofilaments in the oxypurinol treated and deferoxamine treated hearts. The mean cross sectional area of mitochondria after 60 minutes of reperfusion was significantly greater in the saline treated group than in the drug treated groups. Thus both oxypurinol and deferoxamine, given after 60 minutes of ischaemia at the onset of reperfusion, can protect the isolated rat heart from reperfusion injury.