cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Halogen radicals contribute to photooxidation in coastal and estuarine waters

Although halogen radicals are recognized to form as products of hydroxyl radical ((•)OH) scavenging by halides, their contribution to the phototransformation of marine organic compounds has received little attention. We demonstrate that, relative to freshwater conditions, seawater halides can increase photodegradation rates of domoic acid, a marine algal toxin, and dimethyl sulfide, a volatile precursor to cloud condensation nuclei, up to fivefold. Using synthetic seawater solutions, we show that the increased photodegradation is specific to dissolved organic matter (DOM) and halides, rather than other seawater salt constituents (e.g., carbonates) or photoactive species (e.g., iron and nitrate). Experiments in synthetic and natural coastal and estuarine water samples demonstrate that the halide-specific increase in photodegradation could be attributed to photochemically generated halogen radicals rather than other photoproduced reactive intermediates [e.g., excited-state triplet DOM ((3)DOM*), reactive oxygen species]. Computational kinetic modeling indicates that seawater halogen radical concentrations are two to three orders of magnitude greater than freshwater (•)OH concentrations and sufficient to account for the observed halide-specific increase in photodegradation. Dark (•)OH generation by gamma radiolysis demonstrates that halogen radical production via (•)OH scavenging by halides is insufficient to explain the observed effect. Using sensitizer models for DOM chromophores, we show that halogen radicals are formed predominantly by direct oxidation of Cl(-) and Br(-) by (3)DOM*, an (•)OH-independent pathway. Our results indicate that halogen radicals significantly contribute to the phototransformation of algal products in coastal or estuarine surface waters.
Survey of imported malaria in Quanzhou County of Guangxi in 1997～2005

Objective To analyze the prevalent features of malaria in Quanzhou County,Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region from 1997 to 2005 so as to provide scientific basis for malaria surveillance at the late-stage of malaria control.Methods The data of reports of malaria infection,individual survey tables,registration of feverish patients in mobile populations were collected and ana- lyzed.Results The total number of imported malaria cases was 167 in the whole county from 1997 to 2005.51.5 %(86/167), 30.54%(51/167),6.59%(11/167)and 2.99%(5/167)of malaria case from Hainan province,Guizhou province,Guangdong province and Southeast Asian countries .94.41 % of these cases stayed in the malaria endemic area for over a month.42.51 %(71/ 167)and 26.95 %(45/167)of them engaged in mining and cultivation.88.62% of the patients sought treatment a week after onset. Conclusion From 1997 to 2005,there are no indigenous malaria and no secondary malaria in Quanzhou County.All malaria cas- es are imported from outside.The work of health education,monitoring and management of malaria be strengthened.
Regulation of monocyte induced cell migration by the RNA binding protein, FXR1

ABSTRACTFXR1 belongs to a family of RNA-binding proteins that play critical roles in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression in immunity, development and cancer. FXR1 is associated with regulation of specific mRNAs in myocytes and macrophages. In quiescent cells (> 24 h of extended serum-starvation, ∼30-48 h or more), a spliced isoform of FXR1, FXR1a, promotes translation of the cytokine TNFα, independent of the effects of RNA levels. Here we examined the role of FXR1 in THP1 human monocytic leukemic cells that were grown in serum, as well as in early (24 h) serum-starvation conditions that demonstrates differences in gene expression mechanisms and is distinct from quiescent (> 24 h extended serum-starvation) cells. Global RNA profiling, conducted to investigate the role of FXR1 on mRNA levels, revealed that FXR1 affects levels of specific mRNAs in serum-grown and in early 24 h serum-starvation conditions. FXR1 decreases levels of several mRNAs, including as previously identified, CDKN1A (p21CI...
Abstract 2727: LOX is a novel mitotic spindle-associated protein essential for mitosis

Lysyl oxidase (LOX) is a copper-dependent amine oxidase that plays a critical role in the biogenesis of connective tissue matrices. LOX is highly expressed in aggressive cancers; has been associated with a shorter survival and regulates cancer progression in a variety of human malignancies. Here, we report a new function of LOX in mitosis in anaplastic thyroid cancer cell line (THJ-16T), breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB231) and HeLa cells. We show that LOX co-localizes to mitotic spindles from metaphase to telophase, and p-H3(Ser10)-positive cells harbor strong LOX staining. Further, purification of mitotic spindles from synchronized cells show that LOX fails to bind to microtubules in the presence of nocodazole, whereas paclitaxel treated samples showed enrichment in LOX expression suggesting that LOX binds to stabilized microtubules only. Functional studies of LOX depletion resulted in decreased cellular proliferation, G2/M cell cycle arrest, and formation of gigantic nuclei. Further, LOX knockdown led to reduced p-H3(Ser10), cyclin B1, CDK1, and Aurora B expression. Lastly, LOX knockdown significantly increased sensitivity of cancer cells to chemotherapeutic agents that target microtubules and this effect was synergistic. Our results show identify a novel function of LOX in cancer cell mitosis, and that loss of LOX expression in cancer cells can enhanced effects of anti-microtubules agents used in cancer therapy. Citation Format: Myriem Boufraqech, Darmood Wei, Urbain Weyemi, Lisa Zhang, Martha Quezado, Petr Kalab, Electron Kebebew. LOX is a novel mitotic spindle-associated protein essential for mitosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2727.
Whoosh: non-voice acoustics for low-cost, hands-free, and rapid input on smartwatches

We present an alternate approach to smartwatch interactions using non-voice acoustic input captured by the device's microphone to complement touch and speech. Whoosh is an interaction technique that recognizes the type and length of acoustic events performed by the user to enable low-cost, hands-free, and rapid input on smartwatches. We build a recognition system capable of detecting non-voice events directed at and around the watch, including blows, sip-and-puff, and directional air swipes, without hardware modifications to the device. Further, inspired by the design of musical instruments, we develop a custom modification of the physical structure of the watch case to passively alter the acoustic response of events around the bezel; this physical redesign expands our input vocabulary with no additional electronics. We evaluate our technique across 8 users with 10 events exhibiting up to 90.5% ten-fold cross validation accuracy on an unmodified watch, and 14 events with 91.3% ten-fold cross validation accuracy with an instrumental watch case. Finally, we share a number of demonstration applications, including multi-device interactions, to highlight our technique with a real-time recognizer running on the watch.
“You Can Count on It!” Using County Auditors' Data for Marketing Research Group Projects: A Case Study

The purpose of this research was to develop an efficient and effective process for marketing educators to use in the teaching of an undergraduate marketing research course. Instructors should consider the use of readily available auditors’ data for pedagogical usage in semester-long courses. The research process posed by Neuman (2007) was followed in the development of a course assignment utilizing the use of auditors’ data. Students analyzed and presented their project results using SPSS software tools learned during the course and through videos provided by the American Marketing Association certificate offerings. Final group presentations also included the discussion of project conclusions, limitations, and recommendations to a community leader. A sample course assignment is included in the appendix.
The American Board of Thoracic Surgery Congenital Fellowship: Have We Lost Our International Heritage?

Abstract Since 2005 there have been very few (if any) individuals trained outside of the United States in congenital surgery. Confining congenital training to only programs in the US has with it some unintended consequences. First, we need to recognize that progress is made around the world and not only in the US. Second, we decrease our opportunity to establish international peers, which leads to less opportunity for multi-institutional and multi-national studies and intellectual isolation. Third, we are in a new age of globalization. Advances in technology, E-learning platforms, transportation, Internet, and other means of telecommunication have all expedited our capabilities to transmit knowledge and have created for us a "global village." I believe that it is time for us to reorganize and extend our programs beyond our own borders. To do this, we must think about creating Exchange Programs within our congenital fellowships. International fellowships will expose our trainees to new practice environments and help to open our minds to new ways of thinking. To be successful, our current board requirements will need to reflect these changes. The programs will need oversight, coordination, time and resources. In addition, and most importantly, we must make sure that it is a good learning experience. It will not be enough to "just send fellows abroad"; the programs must be guided by specific goals and objectives that need to be continually monitored and revised as needed.
Value iteration, adaptive dynamic programming, and optimal control of nonlinear systems

This paper presents a complete answer to the longstanding unanswered question of what value iteration (VI) is for continuous-time, continuous-state-action space nonlinear systems. Based on this proposed VI, we develop a new data-driven adaptive optimal control methodology for unknown nonlinear systems. As compared with the existing literature of adaptive dynamic programming (ADP) for continuous-time systems which often uses policy iteration (PI), an initial admissible control policy is no longer required. By means of the obtained result, a non-model-based adaptive optimal control design is given. The effectiveness of the proposed methodology is also illustrated by an example.
Religious Microaggressions: A Case Study of Muslim Americans

ABSTRACTThe increasing population of Muslims in America faces challenges not uncommon to other faith and immigrant communities. One particular challenge is Muslim experiences of various forms of discrimination, prejudice, anti-Muslim bigotry, and microaggressions, especially in post-9/11 America. While microaggressions have been discussed in the social sciences literature, religious microaggressions have not been clearly addressed in the social work literature. This article aims to fill this gap in the literature by examining the connections among racial microaggressions, the racialization of religion, and ultimately religious microaggressions. The article concludes by presenting implications for social work policy, practice, and education in the area of religious microaggressions.
Workplace bullying, perceived job stressors, and psychological distress: Gender and race differences in the stress process

A large body of empirical research documents the adverse mental health consequences of workplace bullying. However, less is known about gender and race differences in the processes that link workplace bullying and poor mental health. In the current study, we use structural equation modeling of survey data from the 2010 Health and Retirement Study (N = 2292) and draw on stress process theory to examine coworker support as a buffering mechanism against workplace bullying, and gender and race differences in the relationships between bullying and psychological distress. The results of the analysis indicate that coworker support serves as a protective buffer against workplace bullying, although the buffering effect is relatively small. We also find that the effects of workplace bullying more heavily impact women and persons of color. Specifically, women and African American individuals in our sample were less protected from the buffering mechanism of co-worker social support.
Na2SO4-Deposit-Induced Corrosion of Mo-Containing Alloys

Disk alloys used in advanced gas turbine engines often contain significant amounts of Mo (2 wt% or greater), which is known to cause corrosion under Type I hot corrosion conditions (at temperatures around 900 °C) due to alloy-induced acidic fluxing. The corrosion resistance of several model and commercial Ni-based disk alloys with different amounts of Mo with and without Na2SO4 deposit was examined at 700 °C in air and in SO2-containing atmospheres. When coated with Na2SO4 those alloys with 2 wt% or more Mo showed degradation products similar to those observed previously in Mo-containing alloys, which undergo alloy-induced acidic fluxing Type I hot corrosion even though the temperatures used in the present study were in the Type II hot corrosion range. Extensive degradation was observed even after exposure in air. The reason for the observed degradation is the formation of sodium molybdate. Transient molybdenum oxide reacts with the sodium sulfate deposit to form sodium molybdate which is molten at the temperature of study, i.e., 700 °C, and results in a highly acidic melt at the salt alloy interface. This provides a negative solubility gradient for the oxides of the alloying elements, which results in continuous fluxing of otherwise protective oxides.
A faster escape does not enhance survival in zebrafish larvae.

An escape response is a rapid manoeuvre used by prey to evade predators. Performing this manoeuvre at greater speed, in a favourable direction, or from a longer distance have been hypothesized to e...
Stability of Zika virus in urine: Specimen processing considerations and implications for the detection of RNA targets in urine.

Abstract Background Detection of Zika virus (ZIKV) RNA in urine is of increasing interest for the diagnosis of ZIKV infection. Pre-analytical variables can significantly impact the stability of RNA in urine. Methods To determine optimal specimen processing protocols that would maximize detection of ZIKV RNA in urine by real-time, reverse transcriptase PCR, we investigated the effect of temperature, initial ZIKV concentration, use of nucleic acid stabilizers, and time on ZIKV RNA levels. Urine samples from healthy donors were spiked with ZIKV using the Exact Diagnostics ® ZIKV Verification Panel, a commercially available panel composed of heat-inactivated ZIKV, at concentrations of 5.0 log 10 copies/mL (ZIKV-high) and 4.0 log 10 copies/mL (ZIKV-low). Samples were stored at room temperature, 4 °C, or −80 °C and frozen aliquots were exposed to no stabilizer (urine), Buffer ATL (Qiagen, Germantown, MD), or DNA/RNA Shield (Zymo Research, Irvine, CA). Results ZIKV RNA levels in urine declined steadily at room temperature, though was not significant by 48 h (ZIKV-high, p = 0.09; ZIKV-low, p = 0.20). ZIKV RNA titers were consistently higher when stored at 4 °C, suggesting that storage at 4 °C can slow the progression of RNA degradation. Freezing urine samples at −80 °C resulted in a significant loss of detectable ZIKV RNA in the ZIKV-low group. ZIKV RNA was detected in 5/6 replicates at 3 days, 1/6 replicates at 10 days, and 1/3 replicates at 30 days, with findings reproducible on repeat testing. Presence of either nucleic acid stabilizer in urine corrected this effect, and resulted in recovery of ZIKV RNA in all replicates. Use of a nucleic acid stabilizer in the ZIKV-high group did not add incremental benefit for the detection or quantitation of ZIKV RNA. Conclusions ZIKV RNA is prone to degradation in urine with loss of detectable virus even when specimens are frozen at −80 °C for 10 days. Detection of ZIKV-positive urine samples, particularly those containing low ZIKV titers may be aided with the addition of a nucleic acid stabilizer during urine specimen processing.
Recruitment of endosomal signaling mediates the forskolin modulation of guinea pig cardiac neuron excitability

Forskolin, a selective activator of adenylyl cyclase (AC), commonly is used to establish actions of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that are initiated primarily through activation of AC/cAMP si...
Perceptions of Recidivism Among Incarcerated Youth: The Relationship Between Exposure to Childhood Trauma, Mental Health Status, and the Protective Effect of Mental Health Services in Juvenile Justice Settings

Research suggests that youth involved the juvenile justice system have trauma histories that are two times higher than the general youth population. Juvenile justice-involved youth also have high rates of mental health symptoms. Fewer studies have examined how trauma links to mental health symptoms among youth offenders, and even less research focuses on how mental health status and service delivery can impact their perceived likelihood for success. This study examines the effects of mental health screening and service delivery on perceived future criminal justice interactions— arrest and incarceration—among adjudicated youth (n=7,073) housed in correctional facilities. Secondary data were used to examine trauma histories, mental health needs, and mental health screening and service delivery. Significant relationships between traumatic events and mental health problems were found, along with relationships between mental health problems and mental health screening and service delivery. Most interestingly, results pointed to the strong inverse relationship between mental health service delivery and youth’s perceived likelihood for recidivism. These findings show the promise of juvenile justice systems appropriately responding to the mental health concerns of youth.
‘This is my new normal’: teachers’ accounts of evaluation policy at local school board meetings

AbstractIn this study, we seek to illuminate teachers’ constructions of US teacher evaluation policies through close analysis of the way teachers in one district describe these policies. We conducted a thematic discursive analysis of 60 teachers’ speeches, recorded during local school board meetings in a Tennessee school district. Using discursive psychology as a lens, analysis focuses on the teachers’ constructions of teacher accountability policies and their own positioning within the policies. We also attend to the linguistic resources teachers used in justifying their decision to speak during the meetings. Findings showed that while drawing upon repertoires of human capital and one-size-fits-all education, the teachers’ patterned participation involved the contestation of status quo practices of teacher evaluation and effectiveness by contrasting them with imagined possibilities of what evaluation could be instead. Implications for developing teacher evaluation are discussed.
Ciprofloxacin vs levofloxacin for prophylaxis during hematopoietic stem‐cell transplantation

The objective of the current retrospective study is to compare differences in rate of breakthrough infections for ciprofloxacin versus levofloxacin prophylaxis in an autologous HSCT patients treated for multiple myeloma. This was a retrospective, cohort study comparing autologous hematopoietic stem-cell transplant (HSCT) recipients treated for multiple myeloma who received ciprofloxacin prophylaxis versus levofloxacin prophylaxis. A total of 297 patients, 143 levofloxacin and 154 ciprofloxacin-treated were included. There was a significantly higher incidence of bloodstream infections in the ciprofloxacin group (24/154) compared to levofloxacin group (10/143) p=0.03, primarily caused by a statistically higher incidence of gram positive bloodstream infections (ciprofloxacin (21/154) versus levofloxacin (8/143); p<0.01). Clinically relevant differences exist between fluoroquinolone agents used for prophylaxis. Levofloxacin prophylaxis was more effective than ciprofloxacin prophylaxis to reduce the incidence of bloodstream infections in this study. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
A New Frontier in Immunometabolism. Cholesterol in Lung Health and Disease

The lung has a unique relationship to cholesterol that is shaped by its singular physiology. On the one hand, the lungs receive the full cardiac output and have a predominant dependence on plasma lipoprotein uptake for their cholesterol supply. On the other hand, surfactant lipids, including cholesterol, are continually susceptible to oxidation owing to direct environmental exposure and must be cleared or recycled because of the very narrow biophysical mandates placed upon surfactant lipid composition. Interestingly, increased lipid-laden macrophage "foam cells" have been noted in a wide range of human lung pathologies. This suggests that lipid dysregulation may be a unifying and perhaps contributory event in chronic lung disease pathogenesis. Recent studies have shown that perturbations in intracellular cholesterol trafficking critically modify the immune response of macrophages and other cells. This minireview discusses literature that has begun to demonstrate the importance of regulated cholesterol traffic through the lung to pulmonary immunity, inflammation, and fibrosis. This emerging recognition of coupling between immunity and lipid homeostasis in the lung presents potentially transformative concepts for understanding lung disease and may also offer novel and exciting avenues for therapeutic development.
Neuromodulation Therapies for Cardiac Disease

Abstract The heart is controlled by dynamic interactions within the cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS). This interaction occurs between intrathoracic extracardiac and intrinsic cardiac ganglia as well as between peripheral autonomic ganglia, spinal cord, medulla oblongata, and higher centers. Imbalances in this interdependent neural network at any level in the hierarchy can play an important role in the genesis and maintenance of cardiac diseases. Cardiac neuromodulation therapies targeted to various ganglia in this neural hierarchy to restore such balance can improve cardiac function. In this chapter, different neuromodulation therapies for cardiac diseases with their detailed neuromodulation mechanism will be discussed.
Casework and ‘The Diminished Man’:

Caseworkers can aid in fulfilling promises inherent in recent theories of ego psychology by producing data significantly related to common living experiences
Identifying and Remediating Student Misconceptions in Introductory Biology via Writing-to-Learn Assignments and Peer Review.

Writing-to-learn is known to promote conceptual learning. A series of introductory biology writing assignments and associated peer-review comments were analyzed to identify misconceptions. Profiles...
Material Supposition and the Mental Language of Ockham's Summa Logicae

Etude de la conception du langage mental developpee par Guillaume d'Ockham dans la «Somme logique», a partir des notions de signification, verification et supposition. Soulignant l'ambiguite du langage parle et du langage ecrit du point de vue de la predication vraie et de l'hypothese d'un langage ideal, l'A. montre que la presence de la supposition simple et de la supposition materielle chez Ockham menace l'isomorphisme de la structure syntaxique et de la structure semantique du langagz mental
Rehabilitation Post Cardiac Surgery

Heart disease continues to be the number one cause of death in the United States. Approximately 94.5 billion dollars are spent on the diagnosis, treatment and procedures associated with cardiovascular illness. Approximately one-third of all these procedures are performed on patients over age 65.1 With the tremendous advances in technology, population continues to age. It is estimated that by the year 2010, one in five Americans will be over 65. The implication for the financial impact on our economy is astounding. Cardiac surgery is being closely scrutinized by consumers and third-party payors regarding costs, delivery systems, approaches and outcomes. Terms such as cost-containment, streamlining, fast-tracking, managed care, reengineering care and clinical pathways are becoming familiar to nurses involved with cardiac surgery patients. Tremendous pressures for cost-effective, quality outcomes are key factors driving the changes in the delivery of health care.
Current Concepts in Hemodialysis Vascular Access Infections.

Infection-related causes are second only to cardiovascular events for mortality among end-stage renal disease patients. This review will provide an overview of hemodialysis catheter-, graft-, and fistula-related infections with emphasis on diagnosis and management in specific settings. Use of catheters at the initiation of dialysis has remained unchanged at 80%. Of all access-related bloodstream infections (BSIs), 70% occur in patients with catheters. The risk factors for BSIs in tunneled, cuffed catheters include the duration of the catheter, past catheter-related bacteremia, left-sided internal jugular vein catheters, hypoalbuminemia, and immunosuppression. Surprisingly, human immunodeficiency virus infection has not been associated with a higher risk of catheter-related bacteremia. Catheter-related bloodstream infection is a clinical definition that requires specific laboratory testing to identify the catheter as the source of the BSI. A central line–associated bloodstream infection is a primary BSI in a patient who had a catheter within the 48-h period before the development of the BSI with no other identifiable source. Guidewire exchange of catheter is a viable alternative in select patients to aid in preserving venous access sites. Catheter lock therapy can decrease infectious complications and mortality. Arteriovenous graft infections are prevalent with significant morbidity. Studies evaluating the impact of stent use in infection risks of the arteriovenous graft are sorely needed.
EPA’s Existing Authority to Impose a Carbon “Tax”

EPA has existing statutory authority to impose a "user fee" on carbon emissions or other forms of pollution under The Independent Offices Appropriation Act, 31 U.S.C. §9701.
Clinical Use Cases for a Tool to Assess Risk in Superficial Bladder Cancer.

Background Among the approximately 53,000 patients newly diagnosed with early-stage (superficial) bladder cancer each year, there is substantial variability in the progression to muscle-invasive disease. Enhancing risk stratification and risk-stratified surveillance could minimize risks and harms to patients, as well as unnecessary costs to health systems. Objectives As a preliminary step in developing and validating a risk assessment tool for superficial bladder cancer in a population-based clinical cohort, we interviewed urologists who might use such a tool to assess need, determine potential use cases, and identify key features to include. Methods Using an opportunistic and purposeful sampling design, we invited 13 urologists from a variety of practice settings and with a wide range of clinical experience to take part in qualitative interviews; 9 (5 urologic oncologists and 4 general urologists) participated. Results All urologists reported using some form of risk stratification to determine surveillance schedules for patients with bladder cancer. The following use cases were endorsed by 4 or more interviewees: 1) provide evidence to guide clinical management in specific situations, 2) generate patient-facing communication aids, 3) improve documentation about recurrence/progression risk, and 4) create scheduling and callback supports to improve the quality of follow-up care. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated several potential clinical-use cases for a risk calculator and clinical decision-support tool for patients with superficial bladder cancer. Clinicians stressed the potential utility of such a tool to improve patient communication, scheduling, and tracking in general urology practice.
Evaluation of the effects of shaking history on liquefaction and cone penetration resistance using shake table tests

Abstract This paper presents a study of the effects of shaking history on liquefaction and cone penetration resistance of a clean sand by using 1-g shake table and piezo-cone penetration test (CPTu). A uniform liquefiable clean sand specimen was air-pluviated and saturated in a large laminar shear box. The sand specimen was subjected to four shaking events. Piezometers were embedded at different depths to measure the excess pore pressures during and after each event. A series of CPTu tests were conducted on the sand specimen across different shaking events to investigate the effect of shaking history on cone penetration resistance. The main findings of the paper are: 1) the relative density (Dr) increased as a result of prior shaking events; increase of liquefaction resistance was observed from Event #1 to Event #4-1, as a result of densification; 2) input motion with an acceleration amplitude of 0.4 g and 25 cycles induced dilatancy of very dense sand specimen and reduced the liquefaction resistance in subsequent shaking events; a mild shaking event with an acceleration amplitude of 0.1 g and 14 cycles was able to erase the disturbance caused by strong shaking, recompact the sand and increase the liquefaction resistance; 3) the post-shaking pore pressures increased with time after shaking had ended; the magnitude of increase was related to Dr and pore pressure ratio at the end of shaking; 4) liquefaction significantly disturbed the existing soil structure and thus reduced the cone resistance immediately after the shaking; both shaking disturbance and sand densification affected the cone resistance variation before and after shaking.
Geometric dynamic recrystallization of austenitic stainless steel through linear plane-strain machining

Type 316L austenitic stainless steel was severely plastically deformed at room temperature using linear plane-strain machining in a single pass that imparted shear strains up to 2.2 at strain rates...
Measuring and Analyzing the Policy Agendas of American State Legislatures: 1991-2018

The policy content of the 50 state legislatures is not consistently measured by scholars or any central agency. After reviewing extant efforts in the literature, this paper expands on an approach that uses keyword searches of LexisNexis to estimate how many bills were introduced in 22 policy areas since 1991. The measure is validated using data from the states that do code their legislation by topic, showing high levels of agreement. The keyword estimates are used to investigate agenda setting in the context of federalism. It shows an association between the number of Congressional bills introduced in a policy area and the number of state legislative bills from the prior session, which is taken as evidence of ``bottom-up'' federalism. There is also an asymmetric relationship between the parties, as chambers controlled by Republicans have a closer contemporaneous association with their Congressional copartisans than Democrats.
A Rare Case of Submucosal Fibroid Presented With Acute Abdomen: A Case Report.

Spontaneous bleeding from uterine leiomyoma is an unusual cause of hemoperitoneum. Fewer than 100 cases have been reported in the literature so far. We report a 30-year-old woman who needed surgical exploration for an acute abdomen. There was massive hemoperitoneum due to bleeding from a subserosal myoma. This case was important because physician should be aware of this rare complication in patient with uterine myoma to avoid any morbidity and mortality. J Med Cases. 2020;11(6):145-147 doi: https://doi.org/10.14740/jmc3049w
Content Evaluation of Integrated Plastic Surgery Residency Program Websites Regarding Sub-internships.

Sub-internships are an integral part of the residency application process for competitive specialties, including plastic and reconstructive surgery (PRS). This study evaluates the quality of online information regarding sub-internships offered by PRS programs. Methods All the US integrated PRS residency programs were identified on Fellowship and Residency Electronic Interactive Database. Each program's website was assessed for the presence of 4 criteria: mention of a sub-internship offered, contact information of rotation coordinator, learning objectives, and a web page dedicated solely to the sub-internship. Each residency program was assigned a website sub-internship (WSI) score from 0 to 4 accordingly. Results We identified 81 residency programs. Fifty-two residency program received a score of 0, and 6 programs received a score of 4. The mean WSI score was 1.0 for community-based programs, compared with 0.98 for university-based programs (P = 0.93). There was a correlation between WSI score and number of faculty (r = 0.52; P < 0.0000) and number of residents per year (r = 0.34; P = 0.002). In logistic regression model, number of faculty [odds ratio (OR), 1.18; P = 0.003], large program size (OR, 12.1; P = 0.009), and southeast location (OR, 30.3; P = 0.034) were found to be important predictors for PRS programs to mention at least one criterion. Conclusions A majority of the programs did not have any online information available on their websites regarding plastic surgery sub-internships. There is no difference between academic and community-based programs with regard to the quality of information. Programs with more trainees and faculty have higher odds of providing information about sub-internships offered at their institution.
Ampullitis Superimposed Obstructive Jaundice in a Patient With COVID-19

While coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is well known to cause significant lower respiratory symptoms, recent literature has documented numerous cases of multi-systemic involvement that can present with atypical symptoms. We report a case of an 83-year-old man, recovering from abdominal aortic aneurysm repair complicated by colonic injury requiring colostomy rendering him dependent on gastrostomy tube feedings for 3 years, who was transferred from a nursing care facility to the emergency department with altered mental status, fever and jaundice. Abdominal imaging and biopsy studies eventually identified duodenitis and ampullitis complicated by a suspected Klatskin tumor leading to biliary obstruction, sepsis and hepatoencephalopathy. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for COVID-19 was positive. Despite the severity of the initial presentation, the patient had no respiratory symptoms or abnormal chest X-ray findings on admission and developed hypoxia late into the disease course. Thus, this case is a report of an abnormal initial COVID-19 presentation with gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary involvement leading to hepatoencephalopathy but no lung findings, highlighting the importance of investigating extrapulmonary processes in COVID-19-positive patients regardless of pulmonary symptoms.
Neuroprotective mechanisms of red clover and soy isoflavones in Parkinson's disease models

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by nigrostriatal degeneration and the spreading of aggregated forms of the presynaptic protein α-synuclein (aSyn) throughout the brain. PD patients are currently only treated with symptomatic therapies, and strategies to slow or stop the progressive neurodegeneration underlying the disease's motor and cognitive symptoms are greatly needed. The time between the first neurobiochemical alterations and the initial presentation of symptoms is thought to span several years, and early neuroprotective dietary interventions could delay the disease onset or slow PD progression. In this study, we characterized the neuroprotective effects of isoflavones, a class of dietary polyphenols found in soy products and in the medicinal plant red clover (Trifolium pratense). We found that isoflavone-rich extracts and individual isoflavones rescued the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the shortening of neurites in primary mesencephalic cultures exposed to two PD-related insults, the environmental toxin rotenone and an adenovirus encoding the A53T aSyn mutant. The extracts and individual isoflavones also activated the Nrf2-mediated antioxidant response in astrocytes via a mechanism involving inhibition of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and they alleviated deficits in mitochondrial respiration. Furthermore, an isoflavone-enriched soy extract reduced motor dysfunction exhibited by rats lesioned with the PD-related neurotoxin 6-OHDA. These findings suggest that plant-derived isoflavones could serve as dietary supplements to delay PD onset in at-risk individuals and mitigate neurodegeneration in the brains of patients.
Role of Interventional Radiology in the Management of Acute Cholangitis

Acute cholangitis presents with a wide severity spectrum and can rapidly deteriorate from local infection to multiorgan failure and fatal sepsis. The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and general management principles will be discussed in this review article. The focus of this article will be on the role of biliary drainage performed by interventional radiology to manage acute cholangitis. There are specific scenarios where percutaneous drainage should be preferred over endoscopic drainage. Percutaneous transhepatic and transjejunal biliary drainage are both options available to interventional radiology. Additionally, interventional radiology is now able to manage these patients beyond providing acute biliary drainage including cholangioplasty, stenting, and percutaneous cholangioscopy/biopsy.
Combined soluble receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (sRAGE) with cytotoxic chemotherapy effectively reduces metastatic tumor growth in a spontaneous mammary tumor model through modulation of cell proliferation and apoptosis

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 4624 INTRODUCTION: The receptor for advanced glycation endproducts (RAGE) has been implicated in tumor growth. Blockade of RAGE has previously been shown to halt the progression of breast tumors in an early intervention murine model of breast cancer through modulation of cell proliferation and increased apoptosis. High doses of a RAGE antagonist, soluble or (s)RAGE (100 μg), the extracellular ligand-binding domain of the receptor, have previously been shown to significantly reduce metastatic tumor growth. We hypothesize that the addition of sRAGE in doses lower than the maximally therapeutic dose to standard chemotherapeutic agents for metastatic breast cancer may enhance the effectiveness of monotherapy in a murine metastatic breast cancer model. METHODS: Female MMTV transgenic mice (age, 12-16 weeks) were divided into four groups: (1) Control group-no treatment, (2) doxorubicin (DOX) 2 mg/kg IP weekly (3) sRAGE 20 μg IP daily and (4) DOX 2 mg/kg IP weekly and sRAGE 20 μg IP daily for 4 weeks. The mice were sacrificed and tumors harvested on treatment day 35. Tumors were weighed, measured and lung surface metastases counted. RESULTS: There was a significant reduction in primary tumor weight between the control (n=9) and the combination (sRAGE/DOX) groups (n=6) (5.3g v. 3.9g) (p<0.05). The average tumor weight of the DOX alone group (n=6) was 3.4 (p<0.05) and for the sRAGE alone group(n=10) was 4.4g (p= NS). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in lung metastases in the DOX alone group compared to controls (23.2 vs 82.7, p < 0.05) and even further reduction in lung metastases in the combination group (15.4 vs. 82.7, p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in %PCNA positive cells in the combination group as well as a significant increase in TUNEL staining compared with controls as measured in the primary tumors. CONCLUSIONS: Although low dose sRAGE alone did not appear to have a significant effect on primary tumor growth in this metastatic model, the addition of sRAGE to doxorubicin enhanced the suppression of local tumor growth and lung metastases. Further, the addition of sRAGE to doxorubicin enhanced the effectiveness of this standard chemotherapy agent. The mechanism by which RAGE antagonism suppresses primary tumor growth and lung metastases appears to be through modulation of tumor cell proliferation and apoptosis.
The economics of oil exploration: A probability-of-ruin approach

Abstract This paper is a first attempt at developing the pure theory of a static, but stochastic, competitive market in oil exploration. Probability-of-ruin concepts are used to generate ‘risk averse’ type behavior in the context of expected net worth maximizing firms. Market entry and exit are shown to be more complex phenomena than can be captured by a simple count of firms. It is shown that different sizes of firms specialize in different types of exploratory activity and that the exploration efforts of ‘large’ firms create the necessary preconditions for the exploratory activity of ‘small’ firms. An ‘efficiency frontier’ for exploratory firms is defined and an explanation is given of its relevance to the distribution of exploration, both geographically and by type of exploration. Stochastic market equilibrium determines not only the equilibrium number of firms, but an equilibrium distribution of firms by size of net worth. A particular case is examined where increasing exploratory effort may be accompanied by a fall in exploratory output and rising fuel prices, even under constant geological conditions . This case is relevant to the existing US exploration market.
CXCL16 Influences the Nature and Specificity of CpG-Induced Immune Activation

Unmethylated CpG motifs are present at high frequency in bacterial DNA. They provide a danger signal to the mammalian immune system that triggers a protective immune response characterized by the production of Th1 and proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines. Although the recognition of CpG DNA by B cells and plasmacytoid dendritic cells is mediated by TLR 9, these cell types differ in their ability to bind and respond to structurally distinct classes of CpG oligonucleotides. This work establishes that CXCL16, a membrane-bound scavenger receptor, influences the uptake, subcellular localization, and cytokine profile induced by D oligonucleotides. This is the first example of a surface receptor modifying the cellular specificity and nature of the immune response mediated by an intracellular TLR.
Attentional processes in spatial stimulus-response compatibility

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the attentional processes in spatial stimulus-response (S-R) compatibility. In choice reaction time (RT) tasks, the time needed to respond to a stimulus depends not only on the characteristics of the stimulus and characteristics of the response, but also on the relation between the two. This phenomenon is known as S-R compatibility. Spatial compatibility effects also occur when attributes of the stimulus other than its location define response selection. The color of a stimulus presented on the left or the right side of a display may indicate which hand to use for responding. Two stimuli were presented on the same side of the body midline, and subjects responded by pressing one of two response keys, both of which were located in the same side of space. This experimental condition, it was argued, allows one to distinguish between the attentional and coding hypotheses. The attentional hypothesis predicts that compatibility effects will be absent, because differential hemispatial orienting is eliminated. The spatial coding hypothesis, in contrast, predicts that compatibility effects will be present, because there is a match between the relative spatial position of stimuli and response keys.
Sisters of NIA: A Cultural Enrichment Program to Empower African American Girls by Belgrave, F. Z., Cherry, V. R., Butler, D. S., & Townsend, T. G.

Sisters of NIA is a work book with the suggested use as a curriculum guide for a 14-week cultural enrichment program. The program is organized for group work with preadolescent and adolescent Afric...
Identifying Predictors of Hospital Readmission Following Congenital Heart Surgery through Analysis of a Multiinstitutional Administrative Database

Background Despite resource burdens associated with hospital readmission, there remains little multiinstitutional data available to identify children at risk for readmission following congenital heart surgery. Methods and Results Children undergoing congenital heart surgery and discharged home between January of 2011 and December 2012 were identified within the Pediatric Health Information System database, a multiinstitutional collection of clinical and administrative data. Patient discharges were assigned to derivation and validation cohorts for the purposes of predictive model design, with 17 871 discharges meeting inclusion criteria. Readmission within 30 days was noted following 956 (11%) of discharges within the derivation cohort (n = 9104), with a median time to readmission of 9 days (interquartile range [IQR] 5–18 days). Readmissions resulted in a rehospitalization length of stay of 4 days (IQR 2–8 days) and were associated with an intensive care unit (ICU) admission in 36% of cases. Independent perioperative predictors of readmission included Risk Adjustment in Congenital Heart Surgery score of 6 (odds ratio [OR] 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.8–3.7, P < .001) and ICU length of stay of at least 7 days (OR 1.9 95% CI 1.6–2.2, P < .001). Demographic predictors included Hispanic ethnicity (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.4, P = .014) and government payor status (OR 1.2, 95% CI 1.1–1.4, P = .007). Predictive model performance was modest among validation cohort (c statistic 0.68, 95% CI 0.66–0.69, P < .001). Conclusions Readmissions following congenital heart surgery are common and associated with significant resource consumption. While we describe independent predictors that may identify patients at risk for readmission prior to hospital discharge, there likely remains other unreported factors that may contribute to readmission following congenital heart surgery.
Organizational Innovation and Institutional Change: The Case of Valio in Finland

Firms in the agri-food industry are embedded in a system of institutions, regulations and policies that shape their economic environment and affect their conduct and performance. Changes in this system can propose new challenges for the firms that need to adequately and efficiently change and adapt to the emerging environment. The following article examines how deep structural changes in the institutional and regulatory setting can be effectively addressed by organizational innovation and what can be the catalysts behind a successful innovation effort. In doing so the analysis examines the case of Valio, the largest Finnish dairy company and its reconstruction effort due to Finland’s EU accession in 1995. After years of restructuring and changing its business model the company remains a major player in Finland and one of the most well-known brands in the region.