cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrospun Nanoparticle–Nanofiber Composites via a One‐Step Synthesis

A facile approach to synthesize and incorporate metal nanoparticles (NPs) into electrospun polymer nanofibers (NFs) wherein the electrospinning polymer acts as both a reducing agent for the metal salt precursor, as well as a protecting and templating agent for the ensuing NPs, is reported. Such a true one-step process at ambient conditions and free of organic solvents is demonstrated using a system comprising AgNO(3) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) at electrospinnable molecular weights of 600, 1000, or 2000 kDa. The PEO transforms Ag(+) into AgNPs, a phenomenon that has not been previously possible at PEO molecular weights less than 20 kDa without the addition of a separate reducing agent and stabilizer or the application of heat. Results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and UV-Vis absorption spectrophotometry analyses support the formation of pseudo-crown ethers in high molecular weight PEO as the mechanism in the development of NPs. The AgNPs reduce fiber diameter and enhance fiber quality (reduced beading) due to increased electrical conductivity. Interestingly, several of the NFs exhibit AgNP-localized nanochain formation and protrusion from the NF surface that can be attributed to the combined effect of applied electrical field on the polymer and the differences between the electrical conductivity and polarizability of the polymer and metal NPs.
Heterogeneity of Functional Activation During Memory Encoding Across Hippocampal Subfields in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Abstract Pathology studies have shown that the anatomical subregions of the hippocampal formation are differentially affected in various neurological disorders, including temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). Analysis of structure and function within these subregions using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has the potential to generate insights on disease associations as well as normative brain function. In this study, an atlas-based normalization method (Yushkevich, P.A., Avants, B.B., Pluta, J., Das, S., Minkoff, D., Mechanic-Hamilton, D., Glynn, S., Pickup, S., Liu, W., Gee, J.C., Grossman, M., Detre, J.A., 2009. A high-resolution computational atlas of the human hippocampus from postmortem magnetic resonance imaging at 9.4 T. NeuroImage 44 (2), 385–398) was used to label hippocampal subregions, making it possible to examine subfield-level functional activation during an episodic memory task in two different cohorts of healthy controls and subjects diagnosed with intractable unilateral TLE. We report, for the first time, functional activation patterns within hippocampal subfields in TLE. We detected group differences in subfield activation between patients and controls as well as inter-hemispheric activation asymmetry within subfields in patients, with dentate gyrus (DG) and the anterior hippocampus region showing the greatest effects. DG was also found to be more active than CA1 in controls, but not in patients’ epileptogenic side. These preliminary results will encourage further research on the utility of subfield-based biomarkers in TLE.
Correlation of specific keratins with different types of epithelial differentiation: Monoclonal antibody studies

We have prepared three monoclonal antibodies against human epidermal keratins. These antibodies were highly specific for keratins and, in combination, recognized all major epidermal keratins of several mammalian species. We have used these antibodies to study the tissue distribution of epidermis-related keratins. In various mammalian epithelia, the antibodies recognized seven classes of keratins defined by their immunological reactivity and size. The 40, 46 and 52 kilodalton (kd) keratin classes were present in almost all epithelia; the 50 kd and 58 kd keratin classes were detected in all stratified squamous epithelia, but not in any simple epithelia; and the 56 kd and 65-67 kd keratin classes were unique to keratinized epidermis. Thus the expression of specific keratin classes appeared to correlate with different types of epithelial differentiation (simple versus stratified; keratinized versus nonkeratinized).
Mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers and applications

Quantum Cascade (QC) lasers are a rapidly evolving mid-infrared and THz, semiconductor laser technology based on intersubband transitions in multiple coupled quantum wells. The lasers' strengths are their wavelength tailorability, high performance and fascinating design potential.
Renal Relevant Radiology: Renal Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Because of its noninvasive nature and provision of quantitative measures of a wide variety of physiologic parameters, functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) shows great potential for research and clinical applications. Over the past decade, application of functional MRI extended beyond detection of cerebral activity, and techniques for abdominal functional MRI evolved. Assessment of renal perfusion, glomerular filtration, interstitial diffusion, and parenchymal oxygenation turned this modality into an essential research and potentially diagnostic tool. Variations in many renal physiologic markers can be detected using functional MRI before morphologic changes become evident in anatomic magnetic resonance images. Moreover, the framework of functional MRI opened a window of opportunity to develop novel pathophysiologic markers. This article reviews applications of some well validated functional MRI techniques, including perfusion, diffusion-weighted imaging, and blood oxygen level-dependent MRI, as well as some emerging new techniques such as magnetic resonance elastography, which might evolve into clinically useful tools.
A Dynamic Inversion Control Approach for High-Mach Trajectory Tracking

This short paper describes some work related to the NASP program that was performed by the author and coworkers several years ago. The original motivation was to understand how atmospheric variations and dynamic uncertainties can affect trajectories of the NASP vehicle during atmospheric ascent. In an earlier paper [1] the author presented an analytic technique used in conjunction with the algorithms described below to perform perturbed trajectory analyses. The subject of the current paper is the approximate models and the tracking and control strategies used to generate the ascent trajectories. No perturbation analyses are presented here - those results might be published later.
Neogene marine climate trends: Implications for biogeography and evolution of the shallow-sea biota

A host of data on the biodistribution, diversity, and taxonomic age patterns of Neogene shallow-sea faunas can be accommodated within a climatic model which assumes that oceans in the late Paleogene were significantly cooler in low latitudes and wanner in high latitudes than at present. These climatic assumptions seem compatible with the state of the art in paleotemperature interpretation; if the model holds, it will effectively eliminate hypotheses of species diversity regulation that depend on the age of climates, and will explain the relative youth of genera and families in the tropics.
Low cost design of a high performance MCM

A highly successful MultiChip Module (MCM) processor family, demonstrating advanced microelectronics packaging technologies, was developed for a wide range of applications. The technical success of the modules, however, was diminished by their high price. The cost problem was attributed to still immature technologies and support in the areas of: known-good-die, substrate manufacturing, minimal standardization, over-designing due to lack of qualification and test data and of course, the lack of high-volume orders. These high-cost modules have been the focus of an intensive cost reduction effort aimed at reducing the module cost by at least an order of magnitude over the next few years. The same design architecture has been studied for implementation in MCM-D, MCM-C, MCM-L, and possible combination approaches. Alternatives in known-good-die, next-level packaging, test, and assembly have been studied as well. Open dialogues with participating vendors has been emphasized to identify the "most producible" design specification that meets the size, performance, and cost goals. >
The biological soil crusts of the San Nicolas Island: enigmatic algae from a geographically isolated ecosystem

Abstract Composite soil samples from 7 sites on San Nicolas Island were evaluated quantitatively and qualitatively for the presence of cyanobacteria and eukaryotic microalgae. Combined data demonstrated a rich algal flora with 19 cyanobacterial and 19 eukaryotic microalgal genera being identified, for a total of 56 species. Nine new species were identified and described among the cyanobacteria and the eukaryotic microalgae that were isolated: Leibleinia edaphica, Aphanothece maritima, Chroococcidiopsis edaphica, Cyanosarcina atroveneta, Hassallia californica, Hassallia pseudoramosissima, Microchaete terrestre, Palmellopsis californicus, and Pseudotetracystis compactis. Distinct distributional patterns of algal taxa existed among sites on the island and among soil algal floras of western North America. Some algal taxa appeared to be widely distributed across many desert regions, including Microcoleus vaginatus, Nostoc punctiforme, Nostoc paludosum, and Tolypothrix distorta, Chlorella vulgaris, Diplosphaera...
Parameter estimation: local identifiability of parameters

For biological systems one often cannot set up experiments to measure all of the state variables. If only a subset of the state variables can be measured, it is possible that some of the system parameters cannot influence the measured state variables or that they do so in combinations that do not define the parameters' effects separately. Such parameters are unidentifiable and are in theory unestimable. Given a model of the system, linear or nonlinear, and initial estimates of the values of all parameters, we exhibit a simple theory and describe a program for checking the local identifiability of the parameters at the initial estimates for given experiments on the model. The program, IDENT, is available from the authors.
Junctional adhesion molecule-A is overexpressed in advanced multiple myeloma and determines response to oncolytic reovirus

Despite the development of several new agents for multiple myeloma (MM) therapy over the last decade, drug resistance continues to be a significant problem. Patients with relapsed/refractory disease have high mortality rates and desperately need new precision approaches that directly target specific molecular features that are prevalent in the refractory setting. Reolysin is a proprietary formulation of reovirus for cancer therapy that has demonstrated efficacy in multiple clinical trials. Its selective effects against solid tumors have been largely attributed to RAS-mediated control of reovirus replication. However, the mechanisms regulating its preferential anti-neoplastic effects in MM and other hematological malignancies have not been rigorously studied. Here we report that the reovirus receptor, junctional adhesion molecule-A (JAM-A) is highly expressed in primary cells from patients with MM and the majority of MM cell lines compared to normal controls. A series of experiments demonstrated that JAM-A expression, rather than RAS, was required for Reolysin-induced cell death in MM models. Notably, analysis of paired primary MM specimens revealed that JAM-A expression was significantly increased at relapse compared to diagnosis. Two different models of acquired resistance to bortezomib also displayed both higher JAM-A expression and elevated sensitivity to Reolysin compared to parental cells, suggesting that Reolysin may be an effective agent for patients with relapsed/refractory disease due to their high JAM-A levels. Taken together, these findings support further investigation of Reolysin for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory MM and of JAM-A as a predictive biomarker for sensitivity to Reolysin-induced cell death.
Anisotropic active Lagrangian particle swarm control in a meandering jet

Underwater robot swarming is of great importance to the development of novel strategies for oceanographic research, oceanic meteorology, and surveillance. Nevertheless, it has not drawn as much attention as its aerial or ground counterparts. In this paper, we investigate the mobility of a robot swarm in dominant and dynamically changing ocean currents. An active Lagrangian particle swarm (ALPS) consists of mobile agents with local sensing and communication capabilities. Motion of these agents is mostly dictated by background flows. Limited self-propulsion is applied intermittently in order to maintain swarm connectivity and avoid inter-agent collisions. To preserve the predictability of the swarm motion through ocean general circulation models, a physicomimetic swarm control law is proposed such that pair-wise self-propulsion is applied analogously to internal forces among atoms or molecules. Interactions among neighboring agents are weighted by local agent densities, which are calculated through a compact smoothing kernel function. The ALPS' movement is simulated in a meandering jet. Results show that swarm connectivity can be effectively maintained by controlling a small portion of the agents with the proposed swarm control method even when large background flow variations present.
Convention Violations and Investment Claims

In theory, treaty commitments remain a foundation of international law, often expressed in the adage pacta sunt servanda : ‘agreements are to be kept’.1 In practice, however, some treaty violations remain without realistic sanctions. Here as elsewhere, the divergence between theory and practice remains greater in practice than in theory. Mature legal thinking implicates more than one principle. The Convention requires that signatory nations give effect to the treaty. Article II and Article III contain mandatory language, stating that contracting states ‘ shall recognize’ (respectively) arbitration agreements and arbitral awards. If a national constitution so requires, giving effect to agreements and awards might call for implementing legislation. If a country fails to implement the Convention, its national courts might well look to domestic constitutional law rather than treaty provisions. Such failure to implement the Convention nevertheless constitutes a breach of treaty obligation. Similar lines of analysis obtain when national judicial decisions interfere unduly with respect to the New York Convention.2 However, the availability of remedies in such cases remains highly fact specific.3 In some instances, investment treaties offer a way to close the gap between theory and practice, permitting investors to bring private actions against a host country rather than relying on government-to-government measures. Not all failure to respect the New York Convention fits within the framework of investment treaties. Many clear Convention violations remain without remedy, due to the absence of any relevant ‘investment’ providing the jurisdictional hook on which to hang a claim. The contours of national respect for the New York Convention might be addressed by comparing two strands of analysis. The first, represented by the ICISD decision Saipem v. Bangladesh , implicate arbitral tribunal jurisdiction with respect to domestic court decisions that allegedly run afoul of the New York Convention. By contrast, in …
Differentiation between Chelate Ring Inversion and Aryl Rotation in a CF3-Substituted Phosphine-Sulfonate Palladium Methyl Complex

The solution conformations and dynamic properties of the CF3-sbustituted (ortho-phosphinoarenesulfonate)Pd complexes (PO-CF3)PdMe(L) ([PO-CF3]− = 2-{(o-CF3-Ph)2P}-4-Me-benzenesulfonate, L = 2,6-lutidine (3), pyridine (4)) were studied by NMR spectroscopy, taking particular advantage of 31P–19F through-space couplings and 1H–1H and 1H–19F nuclear Overhauser effects. In CD2Cl2 solution in the temperature range of −80 to 20 °C, 3 adopts an exo2 conformation. One o-CF3-Ph ring is positioned such that the CF3 group points toward Pd (exo) and exhibits through-space 4JPF coupling. The other o-CF3-Ph ring is positioned such that the CF3 group points away from Pd (endo) and does not exhibit through-space 4JPF coupling, and the o-H lies in the deshielding region near an axial site of the Pd square plane and exhibits a low-field chemical shift (δ > 9). Complex 4 exists as a 2:1 mixture of exo2 and exo3 isomers in CD2Cl2 solution at −90 °C. In exo2-4, one CF3 group is exo and exhibits through-space 4JPF coupling, whi...
Age-Related Alterations in Actin Cytoskeleton and Receptor Expression in Human Leukocytes

We studied a number of parameters, which may all depend upon cytoskeletal function, comparing lymphocytes and granulocytes (PMN) from young and old healthy donors. F-actin content was measured by NBD-phallacidin staining, followed by flow cytometry and was expressed as mean channel fluorescence (MCF). There were no differences in the basal F-actin content of PMN obtained from young (under 35 years old) and old donors (above 65 years). In contrast, the basal F-actin content was higher in lymphocytes obtained from the old donors (MCF, 56.8 +/- 2.9 vs 48.1 +/- 2.6 in the young; mean +/- SEM, n = 20, p less than .03). Stimulus-induced actin polymerization was slightly lower in the older age-group both in PMN and lymphocytes, but a significant difference was found only in PMN stimulated with the chemotactic peptide, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (MCF 97.9 +/- 4.7 vs 88.6 +/- 3.4; young vs old, mean +/- SEM, n = 20, p less than .05). Interleukin-2 receptor expression was measured by staining with FITC-conjugated anti-CD25 antibodies and flow cytometry, following stimulation with phytohemagglutinin (PHA) or pokeweed mitogen (PWM). Perturbation of the cytoskeletal system with pentoxifylline, which has been shown to decrease F-actin content and inhibit the expression of several cell surface receptors, had similar effects on leukocytes from young and old donors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Life experience patterns and development of college leadership roles.

An 80% sample of the 1968 freshman class of the University of Georgia were administered a biographical questionnaire and were grouped according to similarity of factor score profiles. Grouped and non-grouped Ss were compared in their junior year in terms of incidence of office holders in campus organizations. 5 of the 23 male groups contained 59% of the grouped male leaders. Pre-college experiences may allow early identification of male groups with high college leadership potential.
Research on the development of social service of university libraries

This article points out the obstacles and deficiencies existing in current social services of the university libraries in China,proposes that the development of social service of university libraries should be promoted in three aspects: clarification in system,conversion in conception and intensification in service.The libraries should adopt the principles such as acting according to their capacities,differentiating what is primary and what is secondary,persisting in combing the public welfare service and the appropriately-paid services so as to guarantee the work to be smoothly carried out,which is beneficial to all,the state,the citizens and the university.
Practices of Building Cost Estimation of Construction into Higher Vocational Choice Course

Course construction is the central part in guaranteeing the quality of education and teaching,an important level indicator of establishing and running schools,and the basic way to realize talents training objectives.To achieve training objectives,improve education and teaching quality of the course,Cost Estimation of Construction,efforts should be made in building a strong contingent of teachers,optimizing teaching methods,enriching teaching experience and compiling multi-dimensional textbooks so as to build a choice course with characteristics of construction industry and in conformity with the goal of higher vocational education.
Investigation of Hazards in Dust and Highly Toxic Enterprise in Huarou District of Beijing City in 2010

[Objective]To understand the status of occupational hazards in workplaces of dust and highly toxic enterprises in Huairou District of Beijing City,to offer technical support for improving workplace environment,and provide scientific evidence for supervision department.[Methods]According to relevant state standards and norms,the chemicals in workplaces environment and air dust samples were collected with gas sampler,atmospheric sampler,the dust sampler.Noise Spectrum Analyzer was used to detect on-site noise.[Results]An occupational hazards testing and evaluation was performed on 36 enterprises' workplace with dust and high toxic substances.A total of 893 samples were collected,including toxic chemical,physical factors and dust.Fourteen enterprises(38.9%) exceeded standards with 121 samples(13.5%) exceeded.[Conclusion]The occupational hazards levels exceeding standards in some enterprises of this district indicates that relevant department should pay more attention to occupational health,to strengthen supervision and education,to improve the control awareness of occupational diseases among enterprises and workers,to enhance management of occupational health,to promote standardization and institutionalization of occupational health management in workplace so as to prevent and control the occurrence of acute and chronic occupational diseases.
Syntactic Alignment is an Index of Affective Alignment: An Information-Theoretical Study of Natural Dialogue.

We present an analysis of a treebank of spontaneous English dyadic conversations, investigating whether the degree of syntactic priming found across speakers is a function of the degrees of affective alignment and overall positivity of the speakers. We use information theory to measure the proportion of overlap between the syntactic structures of the speakers. The affective state of the speakers is indexed by aggregated measures of the affective valences of the words they use. We find that there is a positive relation between syntactic priming and affective alignment, over and above any lexical repetition effects. This constitutes evidence for the percolation of inter-speaker alignment across multiple levels of representation. This also illustrates the indexical value of syntactic alignment, as has been proposed in modern functional theories of grammar such as Dialogic Syntax.
Pulp therapy in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease: survey of American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry members.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to identify treatment options recommended by American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry (AAPD) members concerning pulp treatment in primary teeth in pediatric patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Methods A web-based survey was sent to all active members of the AAPD. The survey contained radiographs of pulpally involved primary teeth, a description of associated signs/symptoms, and a medical history of the patient who was positive for a type of CHD. Pediatric dentists were requested to report treatment recommendations. Results Of the 6,590 surveys sent, 1,493 surveys (23%) were completed. Most respondents preferred to extract the tooth with the clinical presentation of irreversible pulpitis followed by distal shoe space maintenance when the patient presented with a negative medical history. By contrast, approximately half of the respondents elected to extract this tooth without space maintenance for all of the cardiac conditions. By contrast, most respondents elected to perform a pulpotomy in the case of reversible pulpitis regardless of the medical history. Indirect or direct pulp therapy were the least chosen options for both presentations. Conclusions The presence of CHD affects treatment decisions in teeth exhibiting irreversible pulpitis with symptomatic apical periodontitis but not in teeth displaying reversible pulpitis with a normal periodontal status.
The Effect of Same-Day Observed Initiation of Antiretroviral Therapy on HIV Viral Load and Treatment Outcomes in a US Public Health Setting

Background Antiretroviral therapy (ART) is typically begun weeks after HIV diagnosis. We assessed the acceptability, feasibility, safety, and efficacy of initiating ART on the same day as diagnosis. Methods We studied a clinic-based cohort consisting of consecutive patients who were referred with new HIV diagnosis between June 2013 and December 2014. A subset of patients with acute or recent infection ( Results Among 86 patients, 39 were eligible and managed on the RAPID protocol. Thirty-seven (94.9%) of 39 in RAPID began ART within 24 hours. Minor toxicity with the initial regimen occurred in 2 (5.1%) of intervention patients versus none in the nonintervention group. Loss to follow-up was similar in intervention (10.3%) and nonintervention patients (14.9%) during the study. Time to virologic suppression ( Conclusions Treatment for HIV infection can be started on the day of diagnosis without impacting the safety or acceptability of ART. Same-day ART may shorten the time to virologic suppression.
Priming Potato with Thiamin to Control Potato Virus Y

Potato virus Y (PVY) is a major potato pathogen affecting potato yields worldwide. Thiamin, a water-soluble B vitamin (vitamin B1) has been shown to boost the plant’s immunity, thereby increasing resistance against pathogens. In this study, we tested different concentrations of thiamin (1 mM, 10 mM, 50 mM, 100 mM) and multiple thiamin applications (once, biweekly and monthly) on potato resistance to PVY in Ranger Russet potatoes. Plants were mechanically inoculated with PVYN:O. This PVY strain is known for causing well-defined foliar symptoms. We collected leaflets weekly through April and May 2015 and tested them with an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay specific to PVY as well as by real time quantitative RT-PCR. These assays allowed us to determine the presence and level of PVY in different parts of the plants. We found that the highest thiamin concentration treatment (100 mM) produced the lowest virus level in potatoes across all dates and leaflet samples. Also, it was found that multiple applications of thiamin had a positive effect on reducing virus level, especially when thiamin was applied every four weeks.
Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation: From Historical Foundations to Future Directions

During transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), low-amplitude currents are applied through the skull to the cortex via electrodes that are fixed to the scalp. These cortical currents can modulate brain activity and are being used for increasingly more clinical indications. This chapter reviews the history, technical foundations, stimulation parameters, safety, clinical applications, and future directions of tDCS.
Postoperative Surveillance for Renal Cell Carcinoma

Postoperative surveillance is an integral part of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) care. However, evidence supporting the practice is lacking. RCC guidelines offer disparate recommendations leading to variation in care. Recently, the effectiveness of guidelines has been questioned and a debate has ignited over whether current protocols merit optimization. Guidelines show limitations in RCC risk assessment, protocol stratification, and definition of duration of follow-up. Alternative strategies have addressed some of these limitations, but further analysis is warranted. Until challenges with assessing a survival benefit are negotiated, efforts should be made to optimize and standardize guidelines and learn of more tangible benefits to surveillance.
Student Engagement as a General Factor of Classroom Experience: Associations with Student Practices and Educational Outcomes in a University Gateway Course

The purpose of this study was to evaluate a model for considering general and specific elements of student experience in a gateway course in undergraduate Financial Accounting in a large university on the East Coast, USA. Specifically, the study evaluated a bifactor analytic strategy including a general factor of student classroom experience, conceptualized as student engagement as rooted in flow theory, as well as factors representing specific dimensions of experience. The study further evaluated the association between these general and specific factors and both student classroom practices and educational outcomes. The sample of students (N = 407) in two cohorts of the undergraduate financial accounting course participated in the Experience Sampling Method (ESM) measuring students’ classroom practices, perceptions, engagement, and perceived learning throughout the one-semester course. Course grade information was also collected. Results showed that a two-level bifactor model fit the data better than two traditional (i.e., non-bifactor) models and also avoided significant multicollinearity of the traditional models. In addition to student engagement (general factor), specific dimensions of classroom experience in the bifactor model at the within-student level included intrinsic motivation, academic intensity, salience, and classroom self-esteem. At the between-student level, specific aspects included work orientation, learning orientation, classroom self-esteem, and disengagement. Multilevel Structural Equation Modeling (MSEM) demonstrated that sitting in the front of the classroom (compared to the sitting in the back), taking notes, active listening, and working on problems during class had a positive effect on within-student variation in student engagement and attention. Engagement, in turn, predicted perceived learning. With respect to between-student effects, the tendency to sit in front seats had a significant effect on student engagement, which in turn had a significant effect on perceived learning and course grades. A significant indirect relationship of seating and active learning strategies on learning and course grade as mediated by student engagement was found. Support for the general aspect of student classroom experience was interpreted with flow theory and suggested the need for additional research. Findings also suggested that active learning strategies are associated with positive learning outcomes even in educational environments where possibilities for action are relatively constrained.
Examining the roles of self-compassion and resilience on health-related quality of life for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis

Abstract Background There are over 400,000 individuals living with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in the U.S. These individuals experience unpredictable relapses of disabling conditions and poorer quality of life than the general population. Recent literature suggests self-compassion and resilience may improve wellness in this population. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine the roles of self-compassion and resilience on perceived health-related quality of life for individuals with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) using mediation analysis. Methods Two hundred fifty-nine adults with MS from MS advocacy, support, exercise, and education groups around the United States participated in the study. Participants' self-compassion, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and resilience were assessed using self-report measures. A simple mediation analysis was conducted to examine the relationships between the independent variable, self-compassion, the depended variable, HRQoL, and the mediating variable, resilience. Results Results showed a significant direct effect between self-compassion and health-related quality of life (β = 0.49, p Conclusion These results contribute to the theoretical knowledge of how self-compassion influences HRQoL in this population. For individuals with MS, engaging in self-compassion may provide a strategy to cope with debilitating conditions and reframe perceptions of their health. Additionally, increasing resilience may help individuals overcome stressful and traumatic events and experience quality of life with disability. Self-compassion and resilience are both modifiable constructs that can be targeted by programs seeking to improve overall wellness.
Percutaneous gastrostomy site metastasis from head and neck tumors: A single institution case series.

Objectives Head and neck cancer (HNC) patients often require percutaneous gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement due to malnutrition and dysphagia. While beneficial, PEG tube placement can cause a rare but reportable complication of metastasis of the original tumor to the gastrostomy exit site. The objectives of this case series were to present HNC patients at a single institution that developed PEG tube metastases, their subsequent treatment, and review of the literature for similar cases. Methods We describe three HNC patients who underwent PEG tube placement and developed metastasis at their tube site. We also describe their metastatic disease treatment and compare these cases with similar cases in the literature. Results All three cases' initial staging were node positive and all three cases had their PEG tubes placed by the "pull" method. Two patients presented with masses at their PEG site while one patient had a site mass on surveillance positron emission topography (PET) imaging. Biopsy showed the original HNC metastasized to the gastrostomy site. Two patients were treated with surgical resection while one patient was treated with palliative chemotherapy. The "pull" method has been most associated with cases of metastasis in the literature. In the literature, risk factors for metastasis include initial tumor clinical and pathological staging. Conclusion PEG site metastasis should be suspected in patients with skin changes at the PEG site. "Pull" procedures may cause metastasis through physical contact with the primary tumor causing tumor seeding at the PEG site. Surgical resection of metastasis has been shown to be an effective treatment strategy for PEG site metastasis. In patients with higher stage cancers, tube insertion methods that avoid contact with the primary tumor should be considered. Level of Evidence NA.
Evidence-Based Interventions for Cultural Competency Development Within Public Institutions:

Cultural competency is critical to ensuring responsive public services. This article asks how we might develop individual cultural competency in a meaningful way, including which interventions are ...
A Comprehensive Understanding Toward Perceived Price and Willingness to Purchase

Today most firms assume that low price increases the likelihood of purchase. However, is the assumption always right? If the answer is no, when does the negative relationship between perceived price and willingness to purchase not hold true? The purpose of this study is to accurately understand the relationship between perceived price and willingness to purchase, incorporating with three antecedents of perceived price (i.e., symbolic brand benefits, perceived brand globalness, and perceived brand quality) and three moderators (i.e., perceived price fairness, vanity, and consumer sophistication) on the relationship between perceived price and willingness to purchase.
Design tool for estimating chemical hydrogen storage system characteristics for light-duty fuel cell vehicles

Abstract The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) developed a vehicle Framework model to simulate fuel cell-based light-duty vehicle operation for various hydrogen storage systems. This transient model simulates the performance of the storage system, fuel cell, and vehicle for comparison to Technical Targets established by DOE for four drive cycles/profiles. Chemical hydrogen storage models have been developed for the Framework for both exothermic and endothermic materials. Despite the utility of such models, they require that material researchers input system design specifications that cannot be estimated easily. To address this challenge, a design tool has been developed that allows researchers to directly enter kinetic and thermodynamic chemical hydrogen storage material properties into a simple sizing module that then estimates system parameters required to run the storage system model. Additionally, the design tool can be used as a standalone executable file to estimate the storage system mass and volume outside of the Framework model. These models will be explained and exercised with the representative hydrogen storage materials exothermic ammonia borane (NH3BH3) and endothermic alane (AlH3).
Struggling for Survival: Discussion of Dr. Kaplan’s Paper

This is a wide-ranging analysis of the factors that affect children and their families when faced with overwhelming chronic disease. The author quite rightly compares those issues, both intrafamilial and extrafamilial, with the phenomena observed in combat, for it seems to this discussant that, indeed, these families are embroiled in overwhelming struggles for survival. Certainly, there is no doubt that they are swept into a crisis atmosphere that is both the result of their disease and externally imposed by the institutions which are geared to dealing with the overwhelming biological threat to the organism.
Visualizing multivariate time series data to detect specific medical conditions.

Efficient unsupervised algorithms for the detection of patterns in time series data, often called motifs, have been used in many applications, such as identifying words in different languages, detecting anomalies in ECG readings, and finding similarities between images. We present a process that creates a personalized multivariate time series representation—a Multivariate Time Series Amalgam (MTSA) — of physiological data and laboratory results that physicians can visually interpret. We then apply a technique that has demonstrated success with the interpretation of univariate data, named Symbolic Aggregate Approximation (SAX), to visualize patterns in the MTSAs that may differentiate between medical conditions such as renal and respiratory failure.
The Geometric Tradition and the Wave Theory of Light

With its emphasis on accurate measurements, the geometric tradition should have enhanced the status of the wave theory in the ongoing debate by offering numerical data to test and to confirm the theory’s quantitative accounts. However, such a supportive relationship between the geometric tradition and the wave theory did not exist in the 1830s and 1840s. This chapter begins with an examination of the impact of Humboldtian sciences, which highlighted the importance of measuring complex natural phenomena. Because they became favorite research subjects of many wave theorists, Humboldtian sciences diverted the research interests, resources and manpower of the wave camp, and consequently the problem-solving ability of the wave theory stagnated. When the popularity of Humboldtian sciences waned in the early 1850s, a new generation of physicists revitalized the geometric tradition and the wave theory. The measurements of a couple of important optical parameters had a profound effect on the status of the wave theory in the second half of the nineteenth century.
α-Galactosidase activity in cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli☆

Abstract In vivo , the α-galactosidase (E.C. 2.3.1.22) activity of melibiose-induced cells of Escherichia coli can be easily measured by the hydrolysis of o-nitrophenyl-α-D-galactopyranoside (α-ONPG) (1,2,3). However, all previous attempts to demonstrate this activity in cell-free extracts have been unsuccessful. In this communication, we describe the conditions for extraction of α-galactosidase together with the mapping of a gene controlling its biosynthesis.
The Student Financial Aid Administrator and the Business Officer: A Management Team

Never before in the history of postsecondary education has the· need for sound financial management of our institutions and their resources been greater. With the ever-expandi~g role of the federal government in postsecondary education. the demand for· greater accountability to the institution's vario~s publics (students, parents, alumni, governmental agencies, etc.) has increased sharply. Rising' operating cos~s, limited resources, and an increasingly competitive market for students have caused institutions. to' become more and more aware of the need . for improved management of their operations, to re-examine their goals and objectives, and to rea~sess their proper role in.society .. : With the phen9menal growth of student financial aid programs in the past ten years, as well as the expansion of other programs of support to institutions, the future growth and stability of an institution may depend a .great deal on just how effectively the student financial aid administrator and the business officer work together as a ~anagement team. The first question for each of us to decide. whether we are aid administrators or business officers, is whether or not we .are .to be a part of the problem or part of the solution.
Nurses' Perceptions of Nurse Staffing and the Impact on Patient Falls

Patient falls contribute to unnecessary injury and incapacitation for patients and are also a major source of stress for the nurses caring for patients who fall. Hospitals are no longer being reimbursed for extended hospital stays related to injuries caused by patient falls and action is needed to decrease such events. Nurse staffing has been shown to play a critical role in determining the incidence of patient falls, with better nurse staffing decreasing the likelihood of a patient falling. The purpose of this study was to determine nurses’ perceptions of nurse staffing and its impact on the incidence of patient falls. The methodology included a short, self-administered survey developed by the researcher. Nurses answered 15 questions related to the number of patients they cared for, number of patient falls, and factors that could influence falls. Nurses who completed the survey reported caring for between 2-7 patients on their last shift and reported between 0-2 falls on their assignment within the previous three months. Nurses indicated that factors such as admission and discharge activity, the number of available staff on the unit, and the acuity of patients on the unit impacted patient falls. Further research is needed to determine the relationship between nurse staffing and the incidence of patient falls. Advanced Practice Registered Nurses (APRNs) are in an ideal position to participate in research related to this topic as well to advocate for nursing’s role in preventing patient falls.
Diagnosis and Classification of the Acute Myeloid Leukemias (with Discussion of the Role of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes in AML Pathogenesis)

The Acute Myeloid Leukemias (AML) are a diverse set of phenotypically similar diseases whose classification has been the source of some controversy in recent years. In this chapter we discuss the best current clinically and biologically relevant classification of these diseases, including appropriate laboratory studies for accurate diagnosis and subclassification. Understanding the basis for current classification of AML requires additional knowledge of the Myelodysplastic Syndromes (MDS) and their relationship to a subset of AML, which will also be discussed. Finally, some attention will be devoted to monitoring AML during treatment.
“The Charity of Christ Urges Us”: Women, War, and the Four Freedoms at the College of Mount St. Joseph

Peter M. Robinson examines the response to World War II by the College of Mount St. Joseph-on-the-Ohio (Mount St. Joseph University since 2014), then an all-female institution in Cincinnati and Ohio’s first degree-granting Catholic college for women. Though the Mount suffered no student deaths due to war, it prepared scores of nurses for military duty overseas and hundreds more for service at home. Robinson explores how the Four Freedoms articulated by Franklin D. Roosevelt—Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, Freedom from Want, and Freedom from Fear—aligned closely with the mission of the Mount and that of its founders, the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, at a time when American Catholics still sought full acceptance and women were gaining wider access to higher education.
Comparison of Electrostatic Charging at Different Locations in the Melt Blowing Process

Melt blown (MB) fabrics are composed of fine fibers which contribute to high filtration efficiency (FE) and low air flow resistance compared to high efficiency filtration media such as fiber glass ...
Association between postoperative opioid use and outpatient surgical adverse events

Abstract Background Opioid-related adverse drug events are common following inpatient surgical procedures. Little is known about opioid prescribing after outpatient surgical procedures and if opioid use is associated with short term risks of outpatient surgical adverse events (AEs). Methods VA Corporate Data Warehouse was used to identify opioid use within 48 h for FY2012-14 chart-reviewed cases from a larger VA study of AEs in outpatient surgeries. We estimated a multilevel logistic regression model to determine the effect of opioid exposure on risk of AEs between 2 and 30 days postoperatively. Results Of the 1730 outpatient surgical cases, 628 (36%) had postoperative opioid use and 12% had an AE. Opioid use following outpatient surgery was not significantly associated with higher surgical AE rates after controlling for relevant covariates (OR = 1.1 95% CI 0.79–1.54). Only procedure RVUs were associated with higher odds of postoperative AEs. Conclusions Postoperative opioid use following outpatient surgery is not a significant driver of postoperative AEs.
Biodiesel Production from Locally Sourced Restaurant Waste Cooking Oil and Grease: Synthesis, Characterization, and Performance Evaluation

Biodiesel was synthesized from locally sourced, on-campus, dining facility waste cooking oil and grease by base-catalyzed transesterification with methanol. The components and properties of the bio...
Mapping gender transition sentiment patterns via social media data: toward decreasing transgender mental health disparities

Objective Transgender people face substantial mental health disparities, and this population's emotional well-being can be particularly volatile during gender transition. Understanding gender transition sentiment patterns can positively impact transgender people by enabling them to anticipate, and put support in place for, particularly difficult time periods. Yet, tracking sentiment over time throughout gender transition is challenging using traditional research methods. This study's objective was to use social media data to understand average gender transition sentiment patterns. Materials and methods Computational sentiment analysis and statistics were used to analyze 41 066 posts from 240 Tumblr transition blogs (online spaces where transgender people document gender transitions) to understand sentiment patterns over time and quantify relationships between transgender identity disclosures, sentiment, and social support. Results Findings suggest that sentiment increases over time on average throughout gender transition, particularly when people receive supportive responses to transgender identity disclosures. However, after disclosures to family members, people experienced temporary increased negative sentiment, followed by increased positive sentiment in the long term. After transgender identity disclosures on Facebook, an important means of mass disclosure, those with supportive networks experienced increased positive sentiment. Conclusions With foreknowledge of sentiment patterns likely to occur during gender transition, transgender people and their mental healthcare professionals can prepare with proper support in place throughout the gender transition process. Social media are a novel data source for understanding transgender people's sentiment patterns, which can help reduce mental health disparities for this marginalized population during a particularly difficult time.