cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Surgery of the Vermiform Appendix

Though this article discusses the complications of surgery of the vermiform appendix, it is fair to say that an unnecessary operation is in itself a complication that is to be avoided whenever possible. The incidence of negative surgical exploration for acute appendicitis varies from 18 to 42 per cent in most large series.
Semiconductor quantum dots

Abstract Three-dimensionally confined semiconductor quantum dots have emerged to be a versatile material system with unique physical properties for a wide range of device applications. With the advances in nanotechnology and material growth techniques for both epitaxial and colloidal quantum dots, recently the research has been shifted largely towards quantum dot based devices for practical applications. In this short review, we have tried to assemble a selection of recent advances in the areas of quantum dots for computing and communications, solid state lighting, photovoltaics, and biomedical applications that highlight the state of the art.
A Study of Application Pressure on Thermal Interface Material Performance and Reliability on FCBGA Package

This paper looks at the impact of different application pressure on a phase change thermal interface material (TIM) used on a bare die FCBGA package with a heat sink solution. The application pressure is the key factor in determining the bond line thickness of the material which in turns dictates the performance of the material. To characterise TIM performance at end of package use life at various application pressure, the TIM was subjected to Isothermal Bake accelerated reliability stress. The raw data generated was then extrapolated to use temperatures using statistical models. By fitting the degradation curve in to an Arrhenius type statistical equation, TIM thermal resistance were derived at various application pressure and multiple use temperatures over time. It was observed that for this particular of TIM, thermal resistance saturates at different levels for a certain application pressure. It was found that the impact of pressure on TIM thermal resistance is more pronounced at the end of reliability stresses compared to post assembly. The statistical model indicates that the TIM may have a difference in thermal resistance of up to 45% between high and low pressure application.
Self-care Strategies for Maximizing Human Potential

Seeking constant and never-ending improvement is a life philosophy that can help inform and form people's attitudes and guide their thoughts and actions. This article describes self-care strategies for educators that can help nurture the best in oneself and others.
Evaluation of a pharmacy managed heparin protocol for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation patients

Introduction:Unfractionated heparin is the preferred anticoagulant in extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients. However, there is a lack of consensus on its titration and monitoring. The...
Relation between resting amygdalar activity and cardiovascular events: a longitudinal and cohort study

Summary Background Emotional stress is associated with increased risk of cardiovascular disease. We imaged the amygdala, a brain region involved in stress, to determine whether its resting metabolic activity predicts risk of subsequent cardiovascular events. Methods Individuals aged 30 years or older without known cardiovascular disease or active cancer disorders, who underwent 18 F-fluorodexoyglucose PET/CT at Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA, USA) between Jan 1, 2005, and Dec 31, 2008, were studied longitudinally. Amygdalar activity, bone-marrow activity, and arterial inflammation were assessed with validated methods. In a separate cross-sectional study we analysed the relation between perceived stress, amygdalar activity, arterial inflammation, and C-reactive protein. Image analyses and cardiovascular disease event adjudication were done by mutually blinded researchers. Relations between amygdalar activity and cardiovascular disease events were assessed with Cox models, log-rank tests, and mediation (path) analyses. Findings 293 patients (median age 55 years [IQR 45·0–65·5]) were included in the longitudinal study, 22 of whom had a cardiovascular disease event during median follow-up of 3·7 years (IQR 2·7–4·8). Amygdalar activity was associated with increased bone-marrow activity ( r =0·47; p r =0·49; p r =0·70; p=0·0083). Perceived stress was associated with amygdalar activity ( r =0·56; p=0·0485), arterial inflammation ( r =0·59; p=0·0345), and C-reactive protein ( r =0·83; p=0·0210). Interpretation In this first study to link regional brain activity to subsequent cardiovascular disease, amygdalar activity independently and robustly predicted cardiovascular disease events. Amygdalar activity is involved partly via a path that includes increased bone-marrow activity and arterial inflammation. These findings provide novel insights into the mechanism through which emotional stressors can lead to cardiovascular disease in human beings. Funding None.
Psychological Aspects of Simulator Training of Students of Kherson State Maritime Academy to Work in Extreme Conditions

Важливу роль у підвищення якості професійної та психологічної підготовки курсантів морських навчальних закладів відіграє тренажерна підготовка, що є головною складовою всієї системи навчання майбутніх фахівців морського та річкового транспорту. Метою даної статті є висвітлення психологічних аспектів тренажерної підготовки курсантів Херсонської державної морської академії до роботи в екстремальних умовах з використанням навчально-тренажерного комплексу «Віртуально-реальне судно морської індустрії». Заняття на тренажерах-імітаторах BOSIET ( Basic Offshore Safety Induction & Emergency Training ), HUET ( Helicopter Underwaterescape Training ), FOET ( Further Offshore Emergency Training ) дозволяють готувати майбутніх фахівців річкового та морського транспорту до роботи в умовах підвищеного ризику та забезпечити високий рівень психологічної підготовки курсантів на основі оптимізації їх людського ресурсу, зокрема психофізичного та інтелектуального.
Impact of Delayed Admission to the Intensive Care Unit from the Emergency Department upon Sepsis Outcomes and Sepsis Protocol Compliance

Rationale. The impact of emergency department length of stay (EDLOS) upon sepsis outcomes needs clarification. We sought to better understand the relationship between EDLOS and both outcomes and protocol compliance in sepsis. Methods. We performed a retrospective observational study of septic patients admitted to the ICU from the ED between January 2012 and December 2015 in a single tertiary care teaching hospital. 287 patients with severe sepsis and septic shock were included. Study population was divided into patients with EDLOS < 6 hrs (early admission) versus ≥6 hours (delayed admission). We assessed the impact of EDLOS on hospital mortality, compliance with sepsis protocol, and resuscitation. Statistical significance was determined by chi-square test. Results. Of the 287 septic ED patients, 137 (47%) were admitted to the ICU in <6 hours. There was no significant in-hospital mortality difference between early and delayed admissions (p = 0.68). Both groups have similar compliance with the 3-hour protocol (p = 0.77). There was no significant difference in achieving optimal resuscitation within 12 hours (p = 0.35). Conclusion. We found that clinical outcomes were not significantly different between early and delayed ICU admissions. Additionally, EDLOS did not impact compliance with the sepsis protocol with the exception of repeat lactate draw.
Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir fixed-dose combination for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C virus infection

The fixed-dose combination of sofosbuvir, a nucleotide analogue NS5B polymerase inhibitor, and velpatasvir, a second-generation NS5A inhibitor, has been approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency for the treatment of adult patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 infection. This combination, administered over 12 weeks as a single-tablet regimen, has resulted in high cure rates in all 6 HCV genotypes and in a variety of patient populations, including patients without cirrhosis, patients with compensated cirrhosis and patients with HIV coinfection. In patients with decompensated cirrhosis, high cure rates were also achieved over 12 weeks with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir plus ribavirin. Patients who had failed prior treatment with an NS5A-containing regimen were able to achieve high cure rates following 24 weeks of treatment with sofosbuvir/velpatasvir plus ribavirin. Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir was well tolerated, the most common adverse events being headache, fatigue and nausea.
Blocking Bcl-2 resolves IL-13-mediated mucous cell hyperplasia in a Bik-dependent manner

Because IL-13 induces expression of the anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 and the pro-apoptotic Bik, blocking Bcl-2 causes a Bik-dependent death of hyperplastic mucous cells. Therefore, the Bcl-2-inhibitor, ABT-263, may be highly efficient in reducing mucous hypersecretion.
Subalgebras of the Split Octonions

We classify the subalgebras of the split octonions, paying particular attention to the null subalgebras and their extensions.
Evaluation of an Inclusive Design Framework for Apparel Designed for Baby Boomer Women

The purpose of the research was to evaluate an inclusive design framework that guided the apparel design process for a mini-collection of garments intended for baby boomer women. This is important because an aging U.S. baby boomer population has resulted in a larger percentage of individuals with disabilities and special apparel needs. Increasingly, apparel designers will need to develop solutions that can address a range of needs without calling attention to individual differences. The inclusive design framework has the potential to aid in apparel design processes that include segments of the population that are often overlooked. Additionally, the inclusive design process has not been fully evaluated for use in apparel design and there is a need to fully document and evaluate inclusive design frameworks.
Molecular Mechanics of Polymer Nanocomposites

Polymer nanocomposites have been a central theme in nanotechnology over the last decade. This activity was determined primarily by expectations generated by early experiments showing significant property enhancement associated with the addition of a small fraction of nano-fillers in thermoplastics. A large number of experimental, numerical and theoretical investigations of the physical basis of these enhancements followed. Today it is generally accepted that, while the fillers do not modify chemically the matrix material, the mechanical properties of the polymer are nevertheless altered. This chapter reviews some of the numerical and experimental works aimed at developing this basic understanding. We focus on modifications of the chain structure and relaxation time in the vicinity of impenetrable fillers, the residence time of polymeric chains on filler surfaces in melts, and the formation of a network of chains connecting fillers. This molecular-scale physics has been incorporated in rheological models aimed at predicting the macroscopic response of the composite. One such model is presented here. Despite not reviewing the entire, large literature produced to date on this subject, the discussion provides insight into the essential physics of these systems, and a starting point for future investigations.
Extended cluster weighted modeling methods for transient recognition control

This dissertation considers cluster weighted modeling (CWM), a novel non-linear modeling technique for the electric load transient recognition problem. The original version of CWM is extended with a new training algorithm and a real-time CWM prediction method. In the training process, a new training algorithm is derived that is a mixture of expectation maximization (EM) - least mean squares (LMS). The algorithm addresses the singular matrix inversion problem in EM. A recursive EM-LMS algorithm is developed that allows the CWM to adapt to time varying systems. In the prediction process, a sequential version of CWM prediction based on the novel idea of tail prediction is proposed to improve the real-time performance of load transient recognition. This idea also gives rise to a real-time transient overlapping resolution method that is critical for robust online operation. Other aspects of real-time transient processing methods, such as transient scaling, detection under conditions of transient overlap, and off-training set transient indication are also developed and combined into the sequential CWM model. The sequential CWM technique is applied to an electric load transient recognition model for hybrid fuel cell system control. The model provides real-time information about the steady-state behavior of incoming load transients to control and allocate power between the fast sources and the fuel cell. An implementation of this system in a Xilinx FPGA is discussed.
Drug Discovery vs hERG

A number of marketed drugs have been withdrawn and numerous clinical and preclinical compounds discontinued due to prolongation of the time interval between Q and T waves of the electrocardiogram (long QT syndrome). Drug-induced QT interval prolongation, which may lead to life-threatening cardiac arrhythmia torsades de pointes (TdP), has been linked to blockade of a cardiac potassium channel, a product of the human ether-a-go-go-related gene (hERG). Consequently, drug discovery efforts across the pharmaceutical industry have been utilizing hERG in vitro assays to predict and minimize the risk of QT prolongation. This chapter discusses in silico, in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo methods employed to measure blockade of hERG and QT prolongation, as well as regulatory recommendations, and medicinal chemistry strategies utilized to circumvent interactions with hERG.
Pyridine nucleotide fluorescence measurements with simultaneous visualization of the microcirculation in skeletal muscle.

Spectrophotometric and fluoro-reflectometric observations on different kinds of tissues have received great attention of physiologists over the past thirty years. Their studies were aimed at providing in vivo information about the metabolic events taking place in the tissue. One of these techniques is the in vivo observation of intracellular redox changes by means of pyridine nucleotide fluorescence, which is based on the fact that the light of the 350 nm region elicits fluorescence from only the reduced pyridine nucleotide at around 460 nm. This technique was introduced and developed by Chance, Jobsis, Legallais, Thorell and further improved by Harbig, Dora, Kovach and others 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. These investigators made the fluoro-reflectometric measurements in a 1–2 mm diameter area. This approach gives an average tissue fluorescence change but does not spatially resolve such a change at the microcirculatory level and requires a strong correction for the changes of tissue blood content 4, 5, 6, 12.
Environmental Conditions Associated with Observed Snowband Structures within Northeast U.S. Winter Storms

AbstractNortheast U.S. winter storms commonly exhibit multiple meso-β-scale (L < 200 km) bands of enhanced radar reflectivity and precipitation. We use radar observations, upper-air soundings, and ...
Cheapness and (labor-)power: The role of early modern Brazilian sugar plantations in the racializing Capitalocene

This essay looks at the historical geography of sugar plantations in Northeast Brazil during the 16th- and 17th-centuries to critique the spatio-temporality of the discourse of the Anthropocene. I ...
Belief, credence, and evidence

I explore how rational belief and rational credence relate to evidence. I begin by looking at three cases where rational belief and credence seem to respond differently to evidence: cases of naked statistical evidence, lotteries, and hedged assertions. I consider an explanation for these cases, namely, that one ought not form beliefs on the basis of statistical evidence alone, and raise worries for this view. Then, I suggest another view that explains how belief and credence relate to evidence. My view focuses on the possibilities that the evidence makes salient. I argue that this makes better sense of the difference between rational credence and rational belief than other accounts.
Excitatory Amino Acid and Purinergic Transmitter Involvement in Ischemia-Induced Selective Neuronal Death

We have examined the effects of noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists (MK-801; LY154045), kainate/quisqualate receptor antagonists (glutamyltaurine; γ-aminomethylsulphonic acid), and adenosine A1 receptor agonists on selective nerve cell death in an unanesthetized rat model of transient forebrain ischemia. The N-methyl-D-aspartate, kainate, and quisqualate receptor antagonists, either singly or in combination, failed to attenuate striatal or hippocampal damage. In contrast, the adenosine A1 receptor agonist, R-phenylisopropyladenosine, and the A1 and A2 receptor agonist, N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine, significantly (p< 0.01) reduced CA1 pyramidal cell death in hippocampus. Excitatory amino acid neurotransmitter-mediated excitation appears not to play a major role in the pathogenesis of selective neuronal damage in this rat model. The ability of adenosine receptor agonists to attenuate hippocampal neuronal damage must be mediated via mechanisms other than inhibition of excitatory amino acid release. These results indicate that abnormalities of adenosinergic transmission are an important factor in ischemic injury to CA1 hippocampal pyramidal neurons.
Synthesis and crystal structure of the two-dimensional coordination polymer catena(bis(μ3-iodo)-(μ 2-pyrazine)-di-copper(I))

The two-dimensional coordination polymer [Cu2i2(pyz)]n (where pyz = pyrazine) has been synthesized hydrothermally and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. [Cu2i2(pyz)]n crystallizes in the space group P\({\bar 1}\) with a = 4.1759(4) A, b = 7.1281(7) A, c = 8.1279(8) A, α = 109.607(2)○, β = 101.769(2)○, γ = 96.676(2)○, and Z = 1. The sheet-like polymer is characterized by infinite “stair step” [Cu2i2]n double chains connected in two dimensions through bridging pyrazine ligands. The coordination environment about each copper is approximately tetrahedral having three Cu–I bonds and a single Cu–N bond.
Immunohistochemical Features of Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition in Feline Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Feline oral squamous cell carcinoma (FOSCC) is an aggressive malignancy with invasive and metastatic behavior. It is poorly responsive to chemotherapy and radiation. Neoplastic epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) portends highly malignant behavior and enhances resistance to therapy. In transitioning to a more malignant phenotype, carcinoma stem cells undergo transformation mediated by expression of proteins, endowing them with mesenchymal properties advantageous to cell survival. The goal of the current study was to identify proteins associated with EMT in FOSCC. This study documents protein expression patterns in 10 FOSCC biopsies and 3 FOSCC cell lines (SCCF1, SCCF2, SCCF3), compatible with an EMT phenotype. As markers of EMT, P-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin, nuclear transcription factors Twist and Snail, hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), programmed death ligand 1, and vascular endothelial growth factor D, as well as E-cadherin, were examined using immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. P-cadherin, Twist, HIF-1α, and programmed death ligand 1 were commonly expressed in biopsies and cell lines. N-cadherin, classically associated with EMT, was not highly expressed, and E-cadherin was coexpressed along with proteins characteristic of EMT in all specimens. Production of vascular endothelial growth factor A by cell lines, a process regulated by HIF-1α expression, was suppressed by the small-molecule inhibitor dasatinib. These data are consistent with EMT in FOSCC and shed light on cellular changes that could contribute to the aggressive behavior of FOSCC.
Epidural blood patch is an iatrogenic epidural hematoma: asymptomatic or symptomatic? This is the question

Epidural blood patch (EBP) conventionally refers to the injection of autologous blood into the epidural space with the intent to seal off a dural tear and to stop cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak. First introduced over half a century ago as a treatment for intractable postural puncture headache (PDPH
Differential Trends in Hookah Use Among New Jersey Youth

INTRODUCTION Use of 2 or more types of tobacco products is common among youth and young adults, highlighting the need for monitoring and intervention activities to encompass products beyond combustible cigarettes. This study documented patterns and trends of ever, current, and frequent hookah use among high school students in New Jersey by other tobacco product use status. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2008, 2010, 2012, 2014, 2016 waves of the New Jersey Youth Tobacco Survey. Point estimates and 95% confidence intervals described hookah use stratified by use of other tobacco products. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed trends and correlates of hookah use, controlling for the use of other tobacco products and users' sociodemographic characteristics. Negative binomial regression models examined the association between total number of tobacco products used and hookah use while controlling for sociodemographic variables and survey year. RESULTS The adjusted odds of current and frequent hookah use among New Jersey high school students were significantly higher in 2014, but not in 2016, compared to 2008. In recent years, hookah use among students who had ever smoked hookah, currently smoked hookah, or frequently smoked hookah was more common among students who had ever or currently smoked cigarettes or e-cigarettes. Hookah users consumed a wider variety of other tobacco products than those who did not use hookah. CONCLUSION Hookah use remains a public health concern for adolescents; it is more common among users of other tobacco products, especially cigarette and e-cigarette smokers. Questions remain as to whether users of multiple tobacco products are being adequately reached by existing policies and regulations.
Optimal Placement and Sizing of Distributed Generator in Meshed Distribution System

Voltage stability and reliability is the major concern in radial distribution system (RDS). Customer far away from the substation faces voltage reliability and system fluctuation issues. These issues should be resolved through different methodologies under smart grid paradigm. Studies proved that loop and mesh distribution systems (MDS) show better voltage reliability and stability than RDS. A comparative study of different load models is done in terms of losses, voltage profile and cost of active power losses in both radial and mesh distribution system. Two different multiple-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) techniques PROMETHEE and Weighted product model (WPM) are used to identifying the best decision by considering active power loss, voltage and cost of active power cost attributes. A distinctive voltage stability index (VSI) is used to find the critical bus which is highly sensitive to voltage collapse. The bus having lowest VSI value is the most critical bus which is optimal location for siting the distributed generation unit (DG). VSI is evaluated for both radial and mesh distribution network. Different load models; constant power (CP) and constant impedance (CZ) models are used in this paper. The impacts of CZ and CP load models have been observed on voltage profiles and system losses on IEEE 33 bus system.
Prognostic role of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy in medically indicated fertility preservation

Objective To investigate the use of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) among patients pursuing embryo banking (EB) for medically indicated fertility preservation (FP). Design Retrospective cohort. Setting University-affiliated fertility center. Patients All patients who underwent in vitro fertilization with or without PGT-A for medically indicated FP between January 2014 and April 2018. Interventions None Main Outcome Measures EB cycle characteristics, subsequent cycle pursuit/outcomes, and frozen embryo transfer (FET) outcomes. Results A total of 58 medical EB cycles were compared; 34 cycles used PGT-A. Of the EB patients with breast cancer, 67% used PGT-A; other indications were evenly divided between PGT-A (FP/PGT-A) and no PGT-A (FP). PGT-A use increased over the study period. Groups were similar in age, days of stimulation, and days from initial FP consultation to treatment initiation. Number of oocytes (14.5 [2−63] FP vs. 17.5 [1−64] FP/PGT-A), 2PN zygotes (7 [1−38] FP vs. 9 [0−36] FP/PGT-A), and blastocysts (5.5 [0−22] FP vs. 5 [0−18] FP/PGT-A) cryopreserved were similar between groups. Equal numbers cryopreserved both oocytes and embryos (5 vs. 3). Five FP/PGT-A patients underwent a second EB cycle. Among FP/PGT-A patients, an average of 6.7 ± 5 blastocysts underwent PGT-A, with 3.5 ± 3 (48.2%) euploid embryos cryopreserved for future FET compared to an average of 7.2 ± 7 untested embryos in the FP group. Conclusion PGT-A in medical EB cycles increased over time and did not limit the use of other FP methods such as oocyte cryopreservation. In some cases, poor PGT-A results informed patients to pursue a second EB cycle. When counseling patients, the prognostic benefits of PGT-A must be weighed against the financial costs and potential for “terminal” fertility diagnosis.
Context Aware Image Annotation in Active Learning.

Image annotation for active learning is labor-intensive. Various automatic and semi-automatic labeling methods are proposed to save the labeling cost, but a reduction in the number of labeled instances does not guarantee a reduction in cost because the queries that are most valuable to the learner may be the most difficult or ambiguous cases, and therefore the most expensive for an oracle to label accurately. In this paper, we try to solve this problem by using image metadata to offer the oracle more clues about the image during annotation process. We propose a Context Aware Image Annotation Framework (CAIAF) that uses image metadata as similarity metric to cluster images into groups for annotation. We also present useful metadata information as context for each image on the annotation interface. Experiments show that it reduces that annotation cost with CAIAF compared to the conventional framework, while maintaining a high classification performance.
Financial Ramifications of Funding a Biotechnology Venture: What You Need to Know About Valuation and Term Sheets

Abstract Funding a biotechnology company requires as much innovation and financial engineering as the efforts demanded in the laboratory. The foundation of capitalization rests on a rigorous formulation and analysis of the value-inflection points and milestones necessary to deliver on the grand vision of the company. The entrepreneur must be able to articulate what is needed, when it will be needed, and why. Only then can the company engage in a productive discussion with prospective investors about valuation. Valuation and the accompanying terms are not solely about negotiating who gets what. Valuation is fundamental to long-range planning and accomplishing technical objectives. It is not just a matter of what the company is “worth” now but includes the value and benefit in the future. There are straight-forward ways of modeling future ownership and the progression of value creation using a combination of capitalization table analysis and the venture capital method of valuation. These tools rely on building a vision of the future and determining a possible value of the company at the time of exit. In much the same way that any scientific development project works backwards in verifying its methods and findings, venture creation works in reverse from a vision to an operating plan and the financial requirements for that plan. Negotiation of value and investment terms is not a win–loss exercise, but a process of building the future.
Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009 polyhydroxybutyrate production from a lignin aromatic and quantification via flow cytometry

Abstract Polyhydroxyalkanoates are biopolymers with the potential to replace petroleum-based plastics but are limited by higher productioncosts. For the first time, (i) polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was produced by the metabolically versatile Rhodopseudomonas palustris CGA009 from the lignin breakdown product p-coumarate as a renewable carbon source, and (ii) quantification of PHB via flow cytometry was conducted with this highly pigmented bacterium. PHB titer ranged from 0.08 to 0.41 g/L and yielded a 68.4% carbon conversion efficiency. An optimized protocol using either Nile Red or BODIPY 493/503 lipophilic stains yielded high linear fitness for fluorescence intensity with both PHB titer (R2 = 0.9384 and R2 = 0.9747 respectively) and cell count (R2 = 0.9383 and R2 = 0.9955 respectively). This quick and precise method for high-throughput quantification of both PHB and cell count coupled with the highest PHB titer from a lignin breakdown product to date from R. palustris make this study novel.
Maternal Depression Is a Public Health Crisis: The Time to Act Is Now.

Maternal depression can have negative impacts during early childhood, which is a crucial period for neurodevelopment.1 Compelling evidence has demonstrated the harmful effects of maternal depression on the physical health, cognitive skills, and social-emotional development of children.2 The widespread prevalence of maternal depression in the United States and worldwide, with estimates ranging from 3% to 60%, constitutes a public health crisis, particularly one affecting low-income women and their children.3,4 In this month’s issue of Pediatrics , Wall-Wieler et al5 provide further evidence of these risks by showing that children exposed to maternal depression before age 5 had 17% greater odds of developmental vulnerability compared with children not exposed. The authors used a large population-based cohort with linked data to census demographics, physician and hospital claims, and results of the Early Development Instrument. They examined how specific developmental domains are differentially affected by exposure to maternal depression before age 5, finding the strongest association with difficulties in social-emotional development. Furthermore, they demonstrated that exposure to maternal depression during two “sensitive periods” had the strongest association with developmental vulnerability: before age 1 and the year before school entry. Although … Address correspondence to Yvette E. Yatchmink, MD, PhD, Hasbro Children’s Hospital, Children's Neurodevelopment Center, 335R Prairie Ave, Suite 1a, Providence, RI 02905. E-mail: yyatchmink{at}lifespan.org
Motivations for pursuing and challenges to completing geoscience majors at a public university

This qualitative study sought to determine undergraduate students’ beliefs about their motivations for pursuing, and challenges to completing, geoscience majors in a large public university. Eighte...
Facilitator Guidance during Interfaith Dialogue

Interfaith dialogue can encourage learning between members of different religions. Facilitators of interfaith dialogue must support, encourage, and challenge participants to engage with others in d...
Transactional and transformational leadership: An examination of the leadership challenge model

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine three different structural models the Leadership Challenge model to determine if they best capture transactional or transformational leadership. The three models are derived from the literature. Design/methodology/approach – The data for this study come from self-report surveys of middle managers that are attending the Administrative Officers Course at the Southern Police Institute. The managers completed the 30-item 360° leadership challenge measure. Because the leadership challenge measure is a 360° evaluation of leadership, up to five observers provided data about their manager. The authors use the data from the observer in this study. Using structural equation modeling, the authors examine the aims. Findings – The findings show two important advances. First, the leadership challenge model may capture both transformational and transactional leadership. Second, the findings support the view that the really captures transformational leadership. Originalit...
Surface Immunoglobulins of Circulating Lymphocytes in Mouse Plasmacytoma. II. The Influence of Plasmacytoma RNA on Surface Immunoglobulins of Lymphocytes

Circulating lymphocytes of plasmacytoma-carrying BALB/c mice were found to lose their normal surface immunoglobulins; in their place surface structures characteristic of the specific plasmacytoma globulin were demonstrated by the immunocytoadhesion technique. These changes were experimentally reproduced by the incubation of normal BALB/c lymphocytes with an RNA preparation obtained by hot phenol extraction from the excised plasmacytomas. RNA treated by RNAse was inactive, while DNAse or trypsin had no inactivating effect. Lymphocytes, killed with heat or KCN, underwent no alteration of surface receptors following incubation with the tumor RNA. Plasmacytoma RNA, injected intraperitoneally into normal mice, also altered the reactivity of circulating lymphocytes. These observations suggest the possibility that this effect contributes to the functional impairment of the immune system in this disease.
The stereochemistry of oxidation at sulfur

Abstract Oxidation of 2-thiabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane by a variety of oxidizing agents provided both endo and exo sulfoxides. The ratio of these sulfoxide isomers is a function of the relative stability of the sulfoxides and/or the mechanism of the oxidation reaction. It has been demonstrated that the exo oxide of 2-thiabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane is thermodynamically more stable than the corresponding endo oxide, a result not to be predicted from referenced researches in the field.
Collective Action Clauses for the Eurozone: An Empirical Analysis

One of the primary policy initiatives instituted in response to the Eurozone sovereign debt crisis is a requirement that all Eurozone sovereign bonds issued after January 1, 2013 include provisions referred to as Collective Action Clauses or CACs. These CACs are intended to enable an orderly restructuring of distressed sovereign debt by allowing for a super-majority of creditors to impose restructuring terms on minority holdouts. This paper assesses the likely effect of this proposal on the borrowing costs of Eurozone countries. Economic theory makes ambiguous predictions: on the one hand, making debt easier (cheaper) to restructure could increase the propensity of governments to borrow irresponsibly, which would increase the cost of capital; on the other hand, if restructurings proceed more smoothly, creditors will receive a settlement more quickly, which would reduce the cost of capital. Since this is ultimately an empirical issue, we have assembled a database consisting of over 900 sovereign bonds, issued by more than 75 countries, from 1990 through 2010. Relying on this database we demonstrate that the majority of the existing literature is based on inadequate or inappropriate data, which has led researchers to conclude that the inclusion of a CAC either has no effect or increases the cost of capital for weaker nations and decreases the cost of capital for stronger ones. In contrast, we find that the presence of CACs leads to a lower, not higher, cost of capital, especially for below-investment grade bonds.
Turning off jail turnover: do generational differences matter?

Reducing turnover in America’s jails is a significant fiscal concern and a serious organizational challenge. When determining how to improve retention, the private sector has been influenced by the literature on generational relevance. To explore whether similar cohort-driven motivators might be productively directed toward reducing jail turnover, the application of generational relevance theory to jails was empirically tested. To assess the impact of retention-related variables on various age cohorts working in America’s jails, a national survey was administered to jail staff throughout the country. Results indicate that less than half of the variables included in the analysis reached levels of statistical significance when analyzed by generational cohorts, and even among significant variables, over one-third were age-driven by nature. Although the findings do little to advance the cause of generational relevance theory, they are not without merit for jail administrators seeking to reduce turnover, point...
The Motivational Impact of Perceived Control on Behavioral Intentions

This research explores the moderated influence of perceived control and its underlying motivational processes. Perceptions of control can change one's motivation to engage in deliberative or nondeliberative processing when forming a behavioral intention. Studies were designed to test the moderated relationships of perceived control on decision theoretic variables (Study 1), to provide experimental evidence of differences in processing relative to levels of perceived control (Study 2), and to examine how levels of control induce motivation to engage cognitive resources toward a decision (Study 3). Findings support predictions that lower vs. higher levels of control result in the formation of behavioral intention based on deliberative rather than nondeliberative processing. Theoretical implications of the findings are discussed.
Reproductive outcomes in women with uterine anomalies.

Purpose: Because of diagnostic improvements in the evaluation of uterine anomalies, more patients desirous of pregnancy come to clinicians with identified uterine anomalies. It is desirable for the family physician, internist, and obstetrician/gynecologist to provide accurate information during preconceptional counseling of these patients. This review attempts to provide a concise summary of the current English-speaking literature concerning the reproductive outcome in women with uterine anomalies following both natural conceptions and those pregnancies occurring with assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Methods: A literature review of reproductive anomalies and pregnancy outcomes was performed using PubMed databases. Obstetrical outcomes were compiled from the medical literature and compared with the known rates of pregnancy outcomes in subjects presumed to have normal uterine anatomy. Results: In general, obstetrical complications, such as preterm delivery and first trimester miscarriage, are higher ...
Is Gleason Grade 5 Prostate Cancer Resistant to Conventional Androgen Deprivation Therapy

Synthesis of data from randomized trials suggests that long-term versus short-term androgen deprivation therapy may be most effective in men with Gleason grade 4 prostate cancer (PCa) and less or ineffective in men with Gleason grade 5 PCa.
ITR: developing and testing a high telepresence virtual agora for broad citizen participation: a multi-trait, multi-method investigation

The Virtual Agora Project has two major scientific research goals. We will develop video, audio, and text-based software tools that permit online groups to educate themselves and draw policy conclusions on complex issues. These online research and policy discussions are accomplished through collaborative information sharing and through structured discussions that can relay information and ideas among large numbers of people. We will also identify the factors that contribute to effective community engagement and individual empowerment through computer-mediated communication, in comparison with face-to-face deliberation within an experimental setting.
Building Human Resilience: The Role of Public Health Preparedness and Response As an Adaptation to Climate Change

Abstract Global climate change will increase the probability of extreme weather events, including heatwaves, drought, wildfire, cyclones, and heavy precipitation that could cause floods and landslides. Such events create significant public health needs that can exceed local capacity to respond, resulting in excess morbidity or mortality and in the declaration of disasters. Human vulnerability to any disaster is a complex phenomenon with social, economic, health, and cultural dimensions. Vulnerability to natural disasters has two sides: the degree of exposure to dangerous hazards (susceptibility) and the capacity to cope with or recover from disaster consequences (resilience). Vulnerability reduction programs reduce susceptibility and increase resilience. Susceptibility to disasters is reduced largely by prevention and mitigation of emergencies. Emergency preparedness and response and recovery activities—including those that address climate change—increase disaster resilience. Because adaptation must occur at the community level, local public health agencies are uniquely placed to build human resilience to climate-related disasters. This article discusses the role of public health in reducing human vulnerability to climate change within the context of select examples for emergency preparedness and response.
Island Wakes in Deep Water

Abstract Density stratification and planetary rotation distinguish three-dimensional island wakes significantly from a classical fluid dynamical flow around an obstacle. A numerical model is used to study the formation and evolution of flow around an idealized island in deep water (i.e., with vertical island sides and surface-intensified stratification and upstream flow), focusing on wake instability, coherent vortex formation, and mesoscale and submesoscale eddy activity. In a baseline experiment with strong vorticity generation at the island, three types of instability are evident: centrifugal, barotropic, and baroclinic. Sensitivities are shown to three nondimensional parameters: the Reynolds number (Re), Rossby number (Ro), and Burger number (Bu). The dependence on Re is similar to the classical wake in its transition to turbulence, but in contrast the island wake contains coherent eddies no matter how large the Re value. When Re is large enough, the shear layer at the island is so narrow that the ver...
Making Room for the Middle Grades: High-Stakes Teaching in an Era of High-Stakes Testing

This case study describes a middle school language arts teacher attempting to maintain high standards of instruction while attending to the increasing demands of high-stakes assessments. Understanding how this teacher, Lisa, maintained effective pedagogy while attending to the external demands of standardized assessments offers ideas for maintaining responsive pedagogy in an era where assessment is moving toward uniform expectations for all middle school students. The tensions that emerged between Lisa’s professional beliefs and the opportunity to enact these in her daily practice raise questions about the current trend in assessment procedures in middle school language arts classrooms.
3-Aminobenzamide, an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, is a stimulator, not an inhibitor, of DNA repair.

An inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) synthesis, 3-aminobenzamide (3AB), at low concentrations (0.01–0.1 mM) was found to reduce strand-break frequencies and increase repair replication in human lymphoid cells damaged by methyl methanesulfonate. A concentration of 0.1 mM 3AB was adequate to produce a maximum effect on strand-break frequencies and repair replication. This evidence, together with our previous measurements, demonstrates that 3AB cannot be regarded as an inhibitor of DNA repair; rather, it actually accelerates the ligation of DNA repair patches. Previous considerations of 3AB as a repair inhibitor may have derived from the use of excessive concentrations above 1 mM that may have stimulated additional damage and from the use of ethyl alcohol as a solvent for 3AB. Interpretations of the role of single-strand breaks and poly(ADP-ribose) in DNA repair, differentiation, and gene activity may need reevaluation because they have frequently been based on an erroneous notion of 3AB as a repair inhibitor, when its mode of action is, in fact, more complex.
Holographic study of conventional and negative Poisson's ratio metallic foams: elasticity, yield and micro-deformation

An experimental study by holographic interferometry is reported of the following material properties of conventional and negative Poisson's ratio copper foams: Young's moduli, Poisson's ratios, yield strengths and characteristic lengths associated with inhomogeneous deformation. The Young's modulus and yield strength of the conventional copper foam were comparable to those predicted by microstructural modelling on the basis of cellular rib bending. The re-entrant copper foam exhibited a negative Poisson's ratio, as indicated by the elliptical contour fringes on the specimen surface in the bending tests. Inhomogeneous, non-affine deformation was observed holographically in both foam materials.
Point-of-care lung ultrasound.

Ultrasonography is an effective tech- nique that uses ultrasound waves to cre- ate images of the body for diagnostic purposes and for guiding invasive pro- cedures. Medical use of ultrasonography was developed during the second half of the past century, and nowadays it is widespread. Ultrasonography is based on a transducer emitting a brief pulse of high-frequency sound penetrating the Abstract Point-of-care lung ultrasound rep- resents an emerging and useful tech- nique in the management of pulmo- nary diseases. For many years, thoracic ultrasonography was limited to the study of pleural effusion and thoracic superficial masses because alveolar air and bones of the thoracic cage limit the propagation of the ultrasound beam. Only recently has been high- lighted that, by the fact, lung ultra- sound works like a real densitometer that is highly sensitive to variations of the pulmonary content and bal- ance between air and fluids. Dynamic and static analysis of a combination of sonographic artifacts and real im- ages makes it possible an accurate diagnosis of many lung disorders, particularly when lung ultrasound is applied in the emergency and critical care setting. Sonography is useful in the diagnostic process of lung diseases where the alveolar air is reduced and interstitial fluids are increased, but also when air or fluids are collected in the pleural space. This article analyzes the basic principles of point-of-care lung ultrasound and all the supposed limi- tations to the diagnostic usefulness of this technique. Moreover, the article reviews the three main fields of appli- cation for lung ultrasound: interstitial, alveolar and pleural syndromes.
Multiple Indicator Models Estimation of Unconstrained Construct Means and their Standard Errors

Expressions are given for the calculation of the estimates and the standard errors of the estimates of the unconstrained means of the constructs in multiple indicator models. If the “reference” indicators—that is, the indicators whose loadings are fixed to 1., thereby identifying the variance of the construct and establishing its scale or units of measure—are exclusive—that is, load only on the construct for which it is a “reference”—then the construct means are simply the means of the reference indicators.
Every tree is 3-equitable

Abstract A labeling of a graph is a function f from the vertex set to some subset of the natural numbers. The image of a vertex is called its label. We assign the label | f ( u )− f ( v )| to the edge incident with vertices u and v . In a k-equitable labeling the image of f is the set {0,1,2,…, k −1}. We require both the vertex labels and the edge labels to be as equally distributed as possible, i.e., if v i denotes the number of vertices labeled i and e i denotes the number of edges labeled i , we require | v i − v j |⩽1 and | e i − e j |⩽1 for every i , j in {0,1,2,…, k −1}. Equitable graph labelings were introduced by I. Cahit as a generalization for graceful labeling. We prove that every tree is 3-equitable.