cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The first recognized epigenetic signal: DNA glucosylation of T-even bacteriophages.

Host-induced modification of phage T2 to T*2 was discovered in 1952. This phenomenon, a reversible alteration in viral host range resulting from a single growth cycle in certain bacterial hosts, is an ‘epigenetic’ change. In 1963 the chemical basis for the T* modification was shown to be the loss of DNA glucosylation, which resulted from T-even phage growth in cells lacking the glucosyl donor UDPG. Thus, DNA glucosylation of T-even phages was the first recognized epigenetic signal.
A proof of the q, t -square conjecture

We prove a combinatorial formula conjectured by Loehr and Warrington for the coefficient of the sign character in ∇ (pn). Here ∇ denotes the Bergeron-Garsia nabla operator, and pn is a power-sum symmetric function. The combinatorial formula enumerates lattice paths in an n × n square according to two suitable statistics.
Absorption, metabolism and distribution of (14C)-O-methyldopa and (14C)-L-dopa after oral administration to rats.

Abstract 1 The absorption, tissue distribution, and metabolism of [14C]-O-methyldopa were compared with those of [14C]-L-DOPA after oral administration to rats. 2 Total radioactivity in the plasma and brain of rats treated with [14C]-O-methyldopa was significantly higher (2 fold and 30-50 fold, respectively) than that of rats treated with [14C]-L-DOPA. 3 Total radioactivity in the gut washings and intestinal tissue 2 h after oral administration was significantly higher in rats treated with [14C]-L-DOPA than in rats treated with [14C]-O-methyldopa. The reverse was observed in the stomach tissues. 4 Peripheral metabolism of [14C]-O-methyldopa was much lower than that of [14C]-L-DOPA; the major metabolite of [14C]-O-methyldopa in the plasma is L-DOPA, whereas L-DOPA is mainly metabolized to phenylcarboxylic acids.
Flow of a non‐linear (density‐gradient‐dependent) viscous fluid with heat generation, viscous dissipation and radiation

In this paper, we study the flow of a compressible (density-gradient-dependent) non-linear fluid down an inclined plane, subject to radiation boundary condition. The convective heat transfer is also considered where a source term, similar to the Arrhenius type reaction, is included. The non-dimensional forms of the equations are solved numerically and the competing effects of conduction, dissipation, heat generation and radiation are discussed
No laughing matter? Comedy and the politics of the terrorist/victim

This essay explores the ways in which the teen stoner comedy Harold and Kumar Escape from Guantanamo Bay (Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg 2008, USA) creates proximity to the ‘terrorist’ figure and by doing so, raise important questions about anxiety and ethnic difference in a post-9/11 US imagination. Through an analysis of the film, and a brief engagement with the 2010 Jon Stewart/Stephen Colbert-initiated Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear, this paper considers the emerging visibility of the Arab, Muslim, and/or suspected war-on-terror terrorist who could be reinterpreted through the framework of victimhood. In doing so, the article examines ownership of the status of victim and the way humor can contest the limitations of the definition of the victim.
The syntax of interactive command languages: A framework for design

Various qualities of simple command languages, such as ease of use and flexibility, are defined in terms of syntax. Certain design attributes—namely style, structure and level of abstraction—are described for command languages, and these attributes are shown to strongly influence the defined qualities. Commands are designed for three functions to show how the design trade-offs are made in light of the qualities and attributes discussed.
Significance of cerebellar atrophy in intractable temporal lobe epilepsy: a quantitative MRI study

Summary Purpose: To determine the incidence of cerebellar atrophy (CA) in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy, whether any clinical factors are significantly associated with CA, whether CA is unilateral or asymmetric and whether this feature has any relationship to the side of epileptogenicity, and whether the presence of CA is related to epilepsy surgery outcome. Methods: We developed a magnetic resonance imaging method of measuring the presurgical volumes of the cerebellar hemispheres of 185 patients who underwent temporal lobectomy for intractable epilepsy and of 80 control subjects. In addition, cerebellar volumes were normalized to the total brain volumes. CA was determined as being present when the measured volume was smaller than two standard deviations from the mean value found in control subjects. Results: Both absolute and normalized cerebellar volumes were found to be significantly reduced in the epilepsy patients compared with the control subjects. Without normalization of the cerebellar volumes, CA was present in 25.9% of the epilepsy patients; with normalization, it was present in only 16.2%. The atrophy was symmetric between the cerebellar hemispheres, and there was no significant difference in volume between the hemisphere ipsilateral and the hemisphere contralateral to the side of the temporal lobectomy. The duration of epilepsy was significantly longer and the age at onset of epilepsy was younger in patients with CA than in those without CA. The presence of CA was not associated with the outcome of temporal lobectomy. Conclusions: CA is symmetric and common in patients with intractable temporal lobe epilepsy. However, the results suggest that the atrophy in one third of patients with CA also proportionately affects the cerebral hemispheres. The duration of epilepsy and the age at onset of epilepsy are associated with the occurrence of CA. Seizure control after temporal lobectomy is not influenced by the presence of CA.
Charge sensitive and incentive compatible end-to-end window-based control for selfish users

This paper considers the problem of finding a tamper-resistant and charge-sensitive end-to-end window flow-control mechanism for greedy users. Using a mathematical model of resource distribution, we propose a distributed window flow-control mechanism leading to a flow-rate vector which achieves maximum total utility. Desirable features of the proposed window control algorithm and properties of the equilibrium points are explored. We also prove the convergence of the proposed window control algorithm.
Language Rehabilitation in Chronic Aphasia and Time Postonset: A Review of Single-Subject Data

Background and Purpose— This article is a comprehensive review of aphasia treatment studies for the purpose of investigating the relationship between time postonset of aphasia and response to treatment for aphasia in chronic patients at ≥1 year after symptom onset. Methods— Studies that demonstrated treatment response (defined as a measurable change in task performance compared with a control task performance) through the use of single-subject design methodologies on measures of verbal output or auditory comprehension were selected. Individual subject data were extracted from the 23 studies that met criteria identifying the subjects as those who received direct continuous therapy for spoken language deficits and whose changes in response to therapy were measurable. Percent of maximum possible change was used as a measurement of outcome. Results— Nonparametric correlation statistics (Spearman ρ) and comparisons of group means (Kruskal–Wallis) were used to compare the relationship between time postonset and...
All shortest paths in weighted grid graphs and its application to finding all approximate repeats in strings

Shortest paths in directed grid graphs of dimension (m/spl times/n) can be used to model the string edit problem, which consists of obtaining optimal (weighted) alignments between substrings of A, |A|=m, and substrings of B, |B|=n. We build a data structure (in O(mn log m) time) that supports O(log m) time queries about the weight of any of the O(m/sup 2/n) shortest paths from the vertices in column 0 of the graph to all other vertices. Using these techniques we present a simple O(n/sup 2/ log n) time and O(n/sup 2/) space algorithm to find all (the locally optimal) approximate tandem (or non-tandem) repeats xy within a string of size n. This improves (by a factor of log n) upon several previous algorithms for this problem, and is the first algorithm to find all locally optimal repeats. For edit graphs with weights in {0, -1, 1}, a slight modification of our techniques yields an O(n/sup 2/) algorithm for the cyclic string comparison problem, as compared to O(n/sup 2/ log n) for the case of general weights. >
Study on the Influence of Institutional Ownership on Capital Structure of China Listed Companies

With the recent years' development, institutional investors have played a more important role in corporate governance and operational decisions of China listed companies. However, the empirical research on the influence of institutional ownership on capital structure is rare. Based on the principle of minimizing financing cost, this paper constructs a dynamic optimizing model of capital structure from the angle of institutional ownership. We also use panel data of 568 China listed companies of manufacturing industry from 2002 to 2004 to make regression of fixed effects model. The evidences indicate that the percentage of institutional stockholdings has positive relation with capital structure, which means the debt ratio increases when the percentage of institutional stockholdings increases. We also find that the decentralized degree of institutional ownership is negatively related to capital structure, that is, a more decentralized degree of institutional ownership causes a lower debt ratio.
Development and validation of a high-throughput intrinsic ATPase activity assay for the discovery of MEKK2 inhibitors.

The kinase MEKK2 (MAP3K2) has recently been implicated in tumor growth and metastasis. Thus, selective inhibition of MEKK2 may be a novel strategy for cancer therapy. To identify inhibitors of MEKK2 kinase activity, we have developed a novel activity assay for MEKK2 based on the discovery that recombinant purified MEKK2 has intrinsic ATPase activity. This MEKK2 ATPase assay was validated for enzyme identity and enzymatic purity by multiple methods including mass spectrometry analysis, testing different sources of MEKK2 and comparing ATPase assay IC 50 data for multiple inhibitors to literature values and to IC 50 data generated using MEKK2 binding and transphosphorylation assays. Taken together, these data indicated that genuine MEKK2 activity was being measured in this assay and no other ATPases contributed to the signal. A miniaturized version of the assay was validated for high-throughput screening, and compound libraries were screened. The screening hits generated comparable potencies in the MEKK2 intrinsic ATPase, binding, and transphosphorylation assays. We identified a novel MEKK2 inhibitor and confirmed that crizotinib and bosutinib are potent in vitro inhibitors of MEKK2 activity with IC 50 values of <100 nM. Thus, this assay has utility for the discovery of small-molecule inhibitors of MEKK2 activity.
Electrotonic Myofibroblast-to-Myocyte Coupling Increases Propensity to Reentrant Arrhythmias in Two-Dimensional Cardiac Monolayers

In pathological conditions such as ischemic cardiomyopathy and heart failure, differentiation of fibroblasts into myofibroblasts may result in myocyte-fibroblast electrical coupling via gap junctions. We hypothesized that myofibroblast proliferation and increased heterocellular coupling significantly alter two-dimensional cardiac wave propagation and reentry dynamics. Co-cultures of myocytes and myofibroblasts from neonatal rat ventricles were optically mapped using a voltage-sensitive dye during pacing and sustained reentry. The myofibroblast/myocyte ratio was changed systematically, and junctional coupling of the myofibroblasts was reduced or increased using silencing RNAi or adenoviral overexpression of Cx43, respectively. Numerical simulations in two-dimensional models were used to quantify the effects of heterocellular coupling on conduction velocity (CV) and reentry dynamics. In both simulations and experiments, reentry frequency and CV diminished with larger myofibroblast/myocyte area ratios; complexity of propagation increased, resulting in wave fractionation and reentry multiplication. The relationship between CV and coupling was biphasic: an initial decrease in CV was followed by an increase as heterocellular coupling increased. Low heterocellular coupling resulted in fragmented and wavy wavefronts; at high coupling wavefronts became smoother. Heterocellular coupling alters conduction velocity, reentry stability, and complexity of wave propagation. The results provide novel insight into the mechanisms whereby electrical myocyte-myofibroblast interactions modify wave propagation and the propensity to reentrant arrhythmias.
Entanglement of remote collective atomic qubits

We observe entanglement of two remote atomic qubits, by generating entangled state of an atomic qubit and a single photon, transmitting the photon to an adjacent laboratory, and converting the photon into an atomic qubit.
Religious Values and Two Same-Sex Marriage Cases Decided by the Supreme Court of the United States

On 26 June 2013, the Supreme Court of the United States rendered judgment in two cases involving same-sex marriage. United States v Windsor, 570 US __, 2013 WL 3196928, No 12-307, invalidated a provision of a federal law, Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman for all purposes in federal law. Hollingsworth v Perry, 570 US __ , 2013 WL 3196927, No 12-144, held that the official sponsors of a California state constitutional amendment [Proposition 8 (Prop 8)], which defined marriage as the union of a man and a woman for purposes of state law, lacked standing to seek judicial review of a federal district court judgment that ruled Prop 8 was unconstitutional. Both cases were decided on 5-4 votes. The Windsor case was filed by Edith Windsor, who had entered into a samesex marriage in Canada that was deemed valid in New York, where she and her partner lived. New York is one of 12 American states which, at the time of the Windsor ruling, had legalized same-sex marriage. Her same-sex spouse died in 2009 leaving Ms Windsor her entire estate. Ms Windsor’s claim for a federal estate tax exemption as the surviving ‘spouse’ was denied under Section 3 of DOMA, adopted by Congress in 1996. Ms Windsor paid the federal estate tax allegedly owing ($363,053) but filed a claim for a refund, which also was denied by the Internal Revenue Service. Ms Windsor then sued in federal court. While her suit was pending, President Obama and his Attorney General took the unusual step of announcing that the administration would no longer defend DOMA. The House of Representatives thereupon voted to allow some of their members, the Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG), to intervene
The APC I1307K allele and BRCA-associated ovarian cancer risk.

This work was supported by National Institutes of Health grant R01-CA71840. The authors are also grateful to Drs. William J. Hoskins and Patrick I. Borgen for their support of this laboratory.
Structure-activity relationships (SAR) and structure-metabolism relationships (SMR) affecting the teratogenicity of carboxylic acids.

(1990). Structure-Activity Relationships (Sar) and Structure-Metabolism Relationships (Smr) Affecting the Teratogenicity of Carboxylic Acids. Drug Metabolism Reviews: Vol. 22, No. 5, pp. 411-449.
Development of direct antiglobulin reaction accompanying alloimmunization in a patient with Rhd (D, category III) phenotype.

. New examples of the Rhd (D, category III) red cell phenotype are described in three siblings. One of these individuals who had previously been transfused, received three units of Rho(D) positive blood several years later and developed a high titer anti-RhD antibody. This anamnestic response was associated with the development of an autoantibody which persisted for a period of at least 8 months. This observation represents another example of autoimmunization which has rarely been observed to accompany alloimmunization.
Contrast-enhanced photoacoustic tomography of human joints

Photoacoustic tomography (PAT) provides a unique tool to diagnose inflammatory arthritis. However, the specificity and sensitivity of PAT based on endogenous contrasts is limited. The development of contrast enhanced PAT imaging modalities in combination with small molecule contrast agents could lead to improvements in diagnosis and treatment of joint disease. Accordingly, we adapted and tested a PAT clinical imaging system for imaging the human joints, in combination with a novel PAT contrast agent derived from an FDA-approved small molecule drug. Imaging results based on a photoacoustic and ultrasound (PA/US) dual-modality system revealed that this contrast-enhanced PAT imaging system may offer additional information beyond single-modality PA or US imaging system, for the imaging, diagnosis and assessment of inflammatory arthritis.
Feasibility of Fumigating Unmodified River Barges with Phosphine While in Transit

Six unmodified barges containing corn were fumigated in transit on the Mississippi River between St. Louis, Mo., and New Orleans, La., with aluminum phosphide pellets at the rate of 1.7 g/m3. Insufficient concentrations of phosphine in most areas of the cargo precluded control of either natural pest infestation or caged insects. Also, extensive leaking of phosphine through hatches and lids of barges could lead to hazardous conditions aboard the barge tow or towboat or both. Largest phosphine residue on the grain following fumigation was 0.046 ppm, below established tolerance of 0.1 ppm. Results indicate that fumigation of river barges as presently practiced is ineffective, potentially hazardous, and could lead to development of significant levels of resistance.
Analysis of the Reproductive Behavior of Heliothis virescens (F.) under Laboratory Conditions

The reproductive behavior of Heliothis virescens (F.) has been broadly categorized into two distinct phases. Precourtship behaviors include female calling, male activation, and orientation behaviors; these all rely on a unidirectional flow of behavioral information and are rather stereotyped in their sequence. Courtship involves numerous variably committed interactions between the sexes. Nonetheless, a common courtship sequence is apparent, with several points at which reproductive isolation from closely related species could be effected.
Structural Transformations Due to Intermixing During Deposition oF Fe/Pt(001) Epitaxial Multilayers

Previous studies of the structure of epitaxial Fe/Pt(001) multilayers have shown that the structure of the Fe layers depends on the Fe layer thickness. For small thicknesses ( 22 A) the Fe has a bcc structure. We speculated that this transition of the Fe structure is a result of intermixing with subsequently deposited Pt. We explore this transition further by examining superlattice satellite peaks around the (111) fundamental reflection, and by using grazing incidence x-ray scattering (GIXS) to examine the structure of epitaxial Fe/Pt(001) multilayers during sputter deposition. The GIXS observations show that the initial growth of Fe is in the bcc structure; thin bcc Fe layers are partially transformed to fcc by subsequent deposition of Pt. The transformation is thermodynamically favorable because the intermixed fcc phase has lower epitaxial mismatch and bulk chemical free energy than the bcc phase.
IMPACT OF LESION CORONARY CALCIUM SCORE ON OUTCOMES FOLLOWING EVEROLIMUS-ELUTING STENT IMPLANTATION

Previous studies have reported that calcified lesions have worse outcomes following percutaneous coronary intervention, but the evaluation of coronary calcium was often qualitative and not quantitative. Computed tomography enabled us to quantitatively analyze coronary calcium. We sought to elucidate
Morphometric studies using neuroimaging

Quantitative methods are being employed to characterize cerebral and cerebellar morphology in pediatric neurogenetic syndromes. Although such brain morphometry is a relatively recent endeavor, the field is enjoying a steady advance in its methodology and power. Morphometric studies on Rett, Down, Williams, and other neurogenetic syndromes illustrate progress in the field. In the future, brain morphometry has the potential to contribute both diagnostic and prognostic information for clinical practice, and to help advance the understanding of the brain mechanisms that underlie behavior.
Growth Factors and Testicular Development

During the last 5 years significant advances have been achieved in defining the endocrine, paracrine and cellular interactions required for normal testicular development. Numerous paracrine factors are likely to regulate spermatogenesis throughout the cycle of the seminiferous epithelium. These factors create the local hormonal milieu required for germ cell proliferation, meiosis and differentiation. The studies of the c-kit oncogene and the stem cell growth factor in the migration and survival of the primordial germ cells to the genital ridge during development have defined at least 1 important role of growth factors in spermatogenesis. 72, 142-146, 148, 149, 154, 159 It is likely that in the next 5 years the role of many of these other paracrine factors in the regulation of testicular development will be determined.
Integral Theory: An Expanded and Holistic Framework for Sustainability

The meme of sustainability continues to gain traction in almost every corner of the planet, and yet, there is still wide spread resistance against the basic premise. While the Triple Bottom Line has proved useful and has aided in the movement forward, deeper and more holistic frameworks are required to engage wider and more diverse audiences. For those working in fields dominated by subjective thinking and qualitative analysis, such as design, sustainability presents a cold, neutral and unbending proposition. This paper will examine the promise of Integral Theory as a framework for sustainability that unites the subjective and objective aspects of human existence. Furthermore, Mark DeKay’s Integral Sustainable Design and Barrett’s Whole System Change Methodologies, which both use Integral Theory as their foundation, will also be discussed. Finally, the proposed Quadruple Bottom Line will be introduced as a new and superior framework to what is used in practice today. In this way, the likelihood of the adoption of sustainability as THE core meta-value for humanity will be increased, thus spurring deeper levels of environmental regeneration, social equity, economic viability, and cultural significance. Examples of how this leap forward has transformed curriculum development and campus operations will be shared.
Bitcoin as a Complement to Emerging Market Currencies

ABSTRACTBitcoin is a digital currency that has gained significant traction as an economic instrument. Despite its rise, it has received little attention from the scholarly community. This study is one of the first studies to examine Bitcoin’s use as a complement to emerging markets currencies; more specifically, I analyze the value and volatility of Bitcoin relative to emerging market currencies and explore ways in which Bitcoin can complement emerging market currencies. The results suggest that Bitcoin has characteristics that make it well-suited to work as a complement to emerging market currencies and that there are ways to minimize Bitcoin’s risks.
Communication, Language, and Lana: A Perspective

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the perspective of communication, language, and Lana in an attempt to evaluate and reassess some widely held ideas regarding nonhuman primate communication in general. The perspective regarding communication and language, which has been significantly shaped by Lana and other linguistically trained chimpanzees, includes the following. (1) Nonverbal and verbal communicative processes do overlap. (2) Both processes rely upon a similar cognitive base and, up to a certain point of complexity, either process can be used interchangeably. (3) The cognitive base that undergirds both verbal and nonverbal communication arises out of sensory-motor interaction with the animate and inanimate surroundings. (4) The grammar of sensory-motor interaction comes to serve as the basic structure or rule base for communicative interchange, both linguistic and nonverbal. (5) Neither process can be adequately understood if viewed merely as a series of chained sequential responses. (6) The experimental analysis of either verbal or nonverbal communication must deal with the semantics of the transmission and not with the set of all behavioral acts or the set of all words. (7) The evolution of the verbal system out of the nonverbal system can be seen in the distancing of event and representation of event that is found as communicative units move from elaborated social patterns to incipient acts to iconic gestures to arbitrary representations. In conclusion, the chimpanzee language projects allow to state that neither the public production of language nor the cognitive prerequisites for this production are uniquely human.
Samarium and Ytterbium Reagents

In contrast to more traditional organometallic nucleophiles, the application of samarium and ytterbium reagents to selective organic synthesis has a relatively brief history. Early studies of lanthanide reagents simply sought to develop reactivity patterns mimicking those of more established organolithium or Grignard reagents. However, as the complexity of organic molecules requiring synthesis increased, demands for more highly selective reagents heightened accordingly. Consequently, the search for reagents which would complement those of the traditional organometallic nucleophiles brought more serious attention to the lanthanides, and an explosive expansion in the application of lanthanide reagents to organic synthesis began. This growth is perhaps best reflected by the publication of a number of excellent review articles. 1 In addition, quite thorough surveys on the synthetic and structural aspects of organolanthanide chemistry have appeared. 2 This chapter concentrates on applications of samarium and ytterbium reagents in selective organic synthesis, and specifically their employment in C X π-bond addition reactions. Emphasis is placed on transformations that are unique to the lanthanides, and on processes that complement existing synthetic methods utilizing more traditional organometallic reagents. Since additions to C X π-bonds comprise one of the most essential aspects of carbon–carbon bond formation, fundamental contributions made in this area are by definition of substantial importance to the art of organic synthesis.
Oral Antiplatelet and Anticoagulant Agents in the Prevention and Management of Ischemic Stroke

Despite numerous advances over the last 50 years, stroke continues to be a leading cause of death and disability worldwide. The treatment and prevention of stroke has undergone extensive study, and significant advances in medical management have occurred within the past decade principally with the development of new classes of orally active anticoagulant drugs. Here we review these recent breakthroughs and the varying roles of anticoagulants and antiplatelet agents in the prevention and management of different ischemic stroke subtypes, as well as describe the benefits and ongoing challenges to incorporating the novel oral anticoagulants (NOACs) into clinical management guidelines. Current guidelines recommend (a) administration of the antiplatelet agent aspirin in the acute management of ischemic stroke, (b) antiplatelet therapy - aspirin, clopidogrel, dypiridamole - in the secondary prevention of noncardioembolic (large artery atherosclerosis) ischemic stroke, and (c) anticoagulants - warfarin and the NOACs - in the secondary prevention of cardioembolic (atrial fibrillation related) ischemic stroke. In phase III clinical trials of the NOACs, dabigatran 150mg BID and apixaban 5mg BID were superior to warfarin in the prevention of stroke/systemic embolism while rivaroxaban 20mg QD demonstrated noninferiority. Both dabigatran and rivaroxaban had similar rates of major bleeding as warfarin but apixaban showed significantly reduced incidence of this complication. As application of novel anticoagulant agents increases, with concomitant study in a variety of clinical settings; their promise in reducing the incidence of stroke, as well as that of therapeutic complications related to warfarin, should be further elaborated.
Prevention of post-operative pediatric tracheotomy wounds: A multidisciplinary team approach.

Abstract Objective Tracheotomy-related pressure wounds have been reported as high as 29%. All advanced stage (stage 3 or 4) wounds are reported by hospitals, and CMS will no longer reimburse healthcare costs to manage them. We present the results of an intensive, multidisciplinary wound prevention strategy starting in the operating room at the time of tracheotomy placement. Methods Prospective analysis of a tracheostomy wound care protocol at an academic, tertiary-care pediatric hospital from September 2012 to February 2016. Participants include all patients having undergone tracheostomy placement followed by protocoled daily dressing changes until the first tracheostomy tube change by team consisting a senior level otolaryngology resident or pediatric otolaryngology fellow, certified wound care specialist, respiratory therapist, and bedside nurse. Results Post-operative tracheostomy-related wound data from 3 years prior to clinical intervention was obtained and compared to the intervention cohort. From March 2010–August 2012, 161 tracheotomy procedures were performed with 36 (22.4%) subsequent pressure wounds; 31% of these were stage 3 or 4 wounds. After multidisciplinary protocol implementation, there have been 121 additional tracheotomy procedures with reduction to 12 (9.9%) total tracheotomy-related wounds (p = 0.0064) and none (0%) were stage 3 or 4 (p = 0.0014). All stage 1 and 2 wounds were identified early, underwent appropriate intervention, and avoided further progression. Conclusions This protocol was successful in the elimination of all tracheostomy-related advanced stage, hospital-acquired pressure injuries and led to prompt identification of early stage wounds post-operatively.
Pathophysiology of Cirrhosis and Portal Hypertension

Several pathophysiologic changes occur in the patient with liver cirrhosis that should be considered when surgery is planned. This chapter discusses the intrahepatic environment in cirrhosis and the series of events leading to progressive fibrosis and eventually distortion of hepatic lobular architecture. This occurs through a series of interaction between a host of liver cells and cytokines leading to activation of stellate cells, the key player in formation of the fibrous matrix. Once this process advances into later stages, the patient is at risk for portal hypertension and the associated complications including variceal bleeding, ascites, and hepatorenal syndrome. Portal hypertension develops due to both intrahepatic changes (increased resistance) and extrahepatic changes in the form of systemic vasodilation and the concomitant circulatory and hormonal changes. Understanding the basis of these pathophysiologic changes is crucial for appropriate perioperative management of the cirrhotic patient.
Time domain analysis of self-frequency modulated combs in quantum cascade lasers

We have developed a time domain model confirming that the most efficient mode operation of a free running QCL is a pseudo-random frequency modulated mode with constant intensity.
The Effect of Contact Lenses on the Conjunctiva

The purpose of this paper is to review the effects contact lenses have on the conjunctiva. A review of the literature of the effects of contact lenses on conjunctival sensitivity, epithelial cells, bacterial flora, and inflammation reveals that contact lenses have no effect on bulbar conjunctival sensitivity, but appear to cause a decrease in the sensitivity of the tarsal conjunctiva and the lower lid margin. However, contact lens wear does cause an increase in mucous production and an increase in mucous-containing vesicles in the epithelial cells, as well as an increase in goblet cells. They may also cause squamous metaplasia with enlarged flattened epithelial cells, without evidence of keratinization, as well as snake-like changes in the conjunctival epithelium. Contact lenses do not have a significant effect on the conjunctival flora, but may affect the eye’s ability to eliminate microorganisms that are introduced. In addition, contact lens care solutions can cause a toxic or allergic reaction causing conjunctival erythema and chemosis with involvement of the cornea. Chlorhexidine and thimerosal appear to be two solutions with the highest incidence of allergic response. Also, either a poor contact lens fit or the use of thimerosal cancause a syndrome that mimics superior bulbar conjunctivitis of Theodore. The contact lens, especially when coated, can cause giant papillary conjunctivitis. Results of this review indicate that in the majority of patients, contact lens wear has little effect on the conjunctiva. However, a contact lens is a foreign body and can cause changes that can affect the conjunctiva
Use of Anxiolytic Medication in the Treatment of Vaginismus and Severe Aversion to Penetration: Case Report

A 23-year-old woman was referred by her gynecologist with severe vaginismus 6 months after her wedding. She was unable to tolerate sexual intercourse, insertion of tampons, orpelvic examination, wh...
Autism Spectrum Disorders: Family Demographics, Parental Stress, and Family Quality of Life

Background: Families of children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are confronted with ongoing challenges that can influence various aspects of family life. To assist these families in overcoming the impact of ASD and promote more positive family and child outcomes, research for a better understanding of variables associated with quality of life in families of children with ASD is needed. Specific Aim: This article examined the impact of family demographic characteristics and parental stress on the quality of life in families of children with ASD. Method: The sample was recruited from four autism service providers in a southwestern state in the United States and consisted of 236 parents of children with ASD. Data were collected using the Beach Center Family Quality of Life Scale and the Parental Stress Scale. Findings: Findings showed that parent's gender, marital status, education, family income, or perceived parental stress was a predictor of quality of life in families of children with ASD and that family income and parental stress were two significant predictors when considering these variables together. Discussion: The current findings indicate further evidence for the importance of intervention and support to reduce parental stress and income barriers, and tailor to the unique needs of each individual family so as to promote the quality of life of families of children with ASD.
Perioperatives Management von Patienten mit rheumatoider Arthritis

Die rheumatoide Arthritis (RA) ist eine chronisch-entzundliche Autoimmunerkrankung mit artikularen und systemischen Manifestationen. Bei einer Pravalenz von rund 1% in der erwachsenen Bevolkerung betreuen Anasthesisten regelmasig Patienten mit RA, die sich zu orthopadischen Eingriffen - z. B. an der Halswirbelsaule oder zum Gelenkersatz - vorstellen. Auch im Rahmen von anderen elektiven sowie dringlichen und notfallmasig durchzufuhrenden Prozeduren mussen Anasthesien bei Patienten mit RA durchgefuhrt werden. Aufgrund der erhohten Inzidenz eines schwierigen Atemwegs, aber auch der zahlreichen Organbeteiligungen und des deutlich erhohten kardiovaskularen Risikos stellen diese Patienten eine Herausforderung fur den Anasthesisten dar. Der Umgang mit der Dauermedikation der Betroffenen - insbesondere den immunmodulierenden Substanzen - kann ebenfalls Schwierigkeiten bereiten.
Roads to Nowhere: Irish Roads Protests

Notable environmental protests that invoke the history of colonial dispossession have focused on road construction. Roads protests can be traced to Boudicca’s insurrection against Roman occupation in Britain and have been shaped in Ireland by famine roads—roads that the starving Irish were forced to build in exchange for food. In the twentieth century, roads protests have continued, including John Montague’s 1968 literary protest, “Hymn to the New Omagh Road” and Eddie Lenihan’s protest of the County Clare road to Shannon Airport, whose original path would have required cutting down a fairy tree. More recently, the protest of the M3 motorway through the Tara-Skyrne valley involved many prominent writers and musicians.
Impact of cross-linking of polymers on transport of salt and water in polyelectrolyte membranes: A mesoscopic simulation study

Our recent atomistic simulation studies demonstrated that the transport properties of salt ions and water in non-crosslinked polymer electrolyte membrane exhibit an intriguing dependence on salt concentration that is opposite to that seen in electrolyte solutions. Here, we extend our study to probe the influence of the degree of cross-linking of the polymer on the transport properties of salt and water in polymer electrolyte membranes. Towards this objective, we use a coarse-grained model embedded within dissipative particle dynamics (DPD) mesoscale simulations, which allows us to access time scales necessary for studying crosslinked polymer systems. Our DPD simulations on non-crosslinked membranes reproduce results that are in qualitative agreement with our atomistic simulations. For the case of crosslinked membranes, our results demonstrate that the diffusion of salt ions and water is reduced significantly relative to crosslinked systems. However, the trends exhibited by the salt concentration dependence of diffusivities and the coordination of the cations with anions and with the polymer backbone remain qualitatively similar to those observed in non-crosslinked membranes.
Internal structure and photosynthetic performance of Nostoc sp. colonies in the high Arctic

The physiological performance of Nostoc sp. colonies in the high Arctic was investigated based on their structure and function. To investigate the internal colony structure, a method based on vertical stacking of individual light microscopy images was tested under the conditions at a polar field station. The physiological state of sun-exposed and shaded surfaces of the colonies was assessed using variable chlorophyll fluorescence imaging under two distinct low- and high-light conditions. The 3D image of the internal structure of the colonies revealed a high number of cells in the central part of the colony. Two peaks of maximum cell density were observed, probably caused by two overlapping colony lobes or subcolonies. Light was the driving factor of photosynthetic activity, and the colony structure played a role in the rate of response to incoming light. Fluorescence imaging revealed heterogeneity of the photosynthetic activity in the colonies, with the maximum photosynthetic activity at the colony edge due to better access to nutrients. The differences between exposed and shaded surfaces were not as pronounced as was expected, either due to good photoacclimation to a broad range of light conditions, light distribution through translucent extracellular matrixes, or integration of fluorescence signals throughout the colonies. The slightly better photosynthetic performance under high light conditions may indicate photoacclimation of Nostoc sp. to a broad range of light conditions encountered in the field.
Aeronautics and Cranfield—why, — what and whither? —

It is a sign of greatness in a man that he leaves footprints like those of Good King Wenceslas to guide and invite others to follow. Sir Frederick left his boldly in the Aircraft Industry, SBAC, Cranfield, Royal Aeronautical Society, Air Registration Board and many other places. Not in every place but in all those I have named he has been my Good King Wenceslas and I his page. In this lecture I could choose to follow any one of these tracks but they are not divergent but criss-cross and intertwine with the result that in starting along one I may well switch onto another. The track I shall start to follow is aeronautics at Cranfield.
Vorpal: Vector Clock Ordering For Large Persistent Memory Systems

In systems with non-volatile main memories (NVMMs), programmers must carefully control the order in which writes become persistent. Otherwise, what will remain in persistence after a crash may be unusable upon recovery. Prior art has already explored semantic models for specifying this persist order, but most enforcement algorithms for the order are not scalable to large server machines because they assume that the machine contains only one or two memory controllers. In this paper, we describe a collection of provably correct algorithms for enforcing the persist-order across writes, generated at many different cores, and persisted across numerous different memory controllers. Relative to existing solutions, our algorithms improve performance by 48% by reducing both traffic and serialization overheads.
Critical Affect Literacy: A Call to Action in a Trump Administration.

Political discourses and practices surrounding the current presidential administration are propagating familiar stereotypes of immigrants as “diseases,” “criminals,” and questionably “American.” Em...
A Nonlinear Reduced-Order Model of the Corpus Callosum Under Planar Coronal Excitation.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is often associated with microstructural tissue damage in the brain, which results from its complex biomechanical behavior. Recent studies have shown that the deep white matter (WM) region of the human brain is susceptible to being damaged due to strain localization in that region. Motivated by these studies, in this paper, we propose a geometrically nonlinear dynamical reduced order model (ROM) to model and study the dynamics of the deep WM region of the human brain under coronal excitation. In this model, the brain hemispheres were modeled as lumped masses connected via viscoelastic links, resembling the geometry of the corpus callosum (CC). Employing system identification techniques, we determined the unknown parameters of the ROM, and ensured the accuracy of the ROM by comparing its response against the response of an advanced finite element (FE) model. Next, utilizing modal analysis techniques, we determined the energy distribution among the governing modes of vibration of the ROM and concluded that the demonstrated nonlinear behavior of the FE model might be predominantly due to the special geometry of the brain deep WM region. Furthermore, we observed that, for sufficiently high input energies, high frequency harmonics at approximately 45 Hz, were generated in the response of the CC, which, in turn, are associated with high-frequency oscillations of the CC. Such harmonics might potentially lead to strain localization in the CC. This work is a step toward understanding the brain dynamics during traumatic injury.
ASSOCIATION BETWEEN AFRICAN AMERICAN RACE AND POORER OUTCOMES AFTER MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION

African Americans tend to develop coronary artery disease (CAD) at a younger age than other groups. Previous data on racial disparities in outcomes of myocardial infarction (MI) have not been consistent and have mostly been limited to older populations. Young African American MI patients may
A Systematic Review of the Electrodiagnostic Assessment of Neonatal Brachial Plexus.

Despite improvements in obstetric care, neonatal brachial plexus palsy continues to significantly impact infants’ lives worldwide, with an incidence of 1 to 4 per 1000 live births. While a majority of affected infants recover spontaneously by three months, 20-30% suffer permanent functional deficits that significantly impair their quality of life. Anatomical complexity of the brachial plexus results in varying degrees of injury and pathological changes at multiple levels within the plexus. Current clinical diagnosis relies on electrodiagnostic techniques such as nerve conduction (i.e., motor and sensory) and electromyography studies. These techniques not only aid clinicians to differentiate between axonal and demyelinating lesions, evident by changes in signal shape and conduction, but also provide prognostic information in cases of brachial plexus injuries. The presented study offers a comprehensive review of existing literature on electrodiagnostic techniques employed for assessing neonatal brachial plexus injuries.
Abstract P230: Depletion Of Cyclic-gmp Levels And The Inhibition Of Cgks Activate P21 Cip1 /p27 Kip1 Pathways And Trigger High Blood Pressure With Renal Fibrosis And Dysfunction

Targeted-deletion of Npr1 gene (coding for guanylyl cyclase/natriuretic peptide receptor-A, GC-A/NPRA) exhibits hypertrophic and proliferative effects in target organs of Npr1 gene-knockout mice. F...
Challenges and Risks in the Due Diligence Process Answered with an Innovative Approach

In existing academic studies on the Due Diligence process, the different areas have been considered separately. This is time consuming and causes inefficiencies. The proposed approach to Due Diligence integrates these separate areas into one process. While every company’s success can be defined by a few key factors, these differ by industry. The goal of this analysis is to develop a basis for decision-making regarding Mergers and Acquisitions for small- and medium-sized manufacturing companies by generating a scorecard model that enables the potential acquirer to perform an overall analysis of the existing data as well as to generate an informed outlook for the future using a standardized and efficient approach that also has a positive impact on the success rate of mergers and acquisition transactions. The model is based on different research methods. First of all, a literature research was executed, to define the theoretical framework. There are two main areas, the Strategic Controlling on the one hand and M&A on the other hand. The theoretical findings are specified through expert interviews. The expert interviews are semi-standardized. There is a quantitative and a qualitative part. Based on the analysis, a concept for a leaner DD approach is developed. The article presents a sum up of the research. Doi: 10.28991/HIJ-2021-02-01-06 Full Text: PDF
Breast and tumor volumes on 3D‐MRI and their impact on the performance of a breast conservative surgery (BCS)

Breast conservation rate is being increasingly used nowadays as a marker of breast cancer care among hospitals. Searching for the ideal technique to predict the feasibility of BCS is ongoing. For this matter, the preoperative MRIs of 169 patients operated with radical or conservative surgery were reviewed. We estimated the tumor volume (TV) and breast volume (BV) on enhanced 3D-MRI and compared the tumor-to-breast volume ratio (TV/BV) in both groups. The mean ratio was 9.5% in the mastectomy group and 1.7% in the BCS group. A tumor-to-breast volume ratio less than 4% seemed to favor the adoption of a conservative option. Our data suggest that preoperative 3D-MRI can orient the surgical approach by assessing the TV/BV ratio, increasing lumpectomy rates with clear margins and good cosmetic outcome.
On the amenability profile of infinite dimensional algebras

Given a module T over an F-algebra A, and a basis B for T, the amenability domain of B is the subalgebra of A consisting of all elements r∈A with row finite matrix representation [lr]B with respect...
Mutual Nonperformance of Sales Contracts

Commentary on a recent California decision dealing with the failure of both parties to complete their escrow obligations by the closing date.