cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nepal’s Free Health Care Policy in Practice: Perspectives from Community Stakeholders, Providers and Users of Health Services in Myagdi District

Government of Nepal has introduced Free Health Care Policy (FHCP) through different tiers of health delivery system in 2007. With the objective of understanding the perspectives of community stakeholders, health service providers, and the services users towards free care policy, a qualitative-quantitative study was conducted in selected communities of Myagdi district from December 2010 to January 2011. Although the majority of user group thought that free care service is good but only two-third of them had received free care. Shortage of free essential drugs at health facility centers, absence of health workers and lack of clear information about free services or counseling on free services available at health facility centers are the most repeated issues raised by the service users. Similarly, the service providers had similar experiences and perceptions on FHCP. The majority of the community stakeholders also had positive perception on this implemented policy. They have observed that many facilities had shortage of drugs and people are not having free health care. Many health facilities lacked interaction on FHCP, and service users did not have equitable access to the services provided. Overall, though the free care was perceived to be good policy, its satisfactory implementation remains one of the challenges. Many of the areas relating to service delivery need to be strengthened. A reliable supply system of drugs and its regular monitoring mechanism can ensure the effective implementation of free health care services.
Surgical Ventricular Reconstruction for Heart Failure: Is There Life After STICH?

The major advances in medical therapy that have occurred over the past few decades have not diminished the impact of heart failure as one of the leading causes of death and disability in the developed countries of the world. Mortality rates remain high in patients with left ventricular (LV) systolic
Regulation of neuronal gene expression by local axonal translation.

RNA localization is a key mechanism in the regulation of protein expression. In neurons, this includes the axonal transport of select mRNAs based on the recognition of axonal localization motifs in these RNAs by RNA-binding proteins. Bioinformatic analyses of axonal RNAs suggest that selective inclusion of such localization motifs in mature mRNAs is one mechanism controlling the composition of the axonal transcriptome. The subsequent translation of axonal transcripts in response to specific stimuli provides precise spatiotemporal control of the axonal proteome. This axonal translation supports local phenomena including axon pathfinding, mitochondrial function, and synapse-specific plasticity. Axonal protein synthesis also provides transport machinery and signals for retrograde trafficking to the cell body to effect somatic changes including altering the transcriptional program. Here we review the remarkable progress made in recent years to identify and characterize these phenomena.
Mechanisms of Deflection Angle Change in the Near and Far Vortex Wakes behind a Heaving Airfoil

It has been reported that an asymmetric wake is formed downstream of a plunging airfoil at a moderate heaving amplitude and frequency. The behavior of vortex dipole in the wake is recognized as the key contributor that determines the deflection angle of the asymmetric wake. While previous literature deliberately discussed the vortex dipoles in the near wake region, this study shows that the deflection angle can change between the near wake and the far wake. The varying distance between the two consecutive vortices in the neighboring dipoles triggered by their unequal strength was found to be the primary mechanism that causes the deflection angle change from the near wake to the far wake behind the heaving airfoil. This switch of vortex pattern is also found to be the major reason that a heaving airfoil with an extremely high amplitude or frequency does not produce asymmetric wakes.
ROCK MOVEMENT IN LARGE-SCALE TESTS OF RIPRAP STABILITY UNDER WAVE ACTION

There have been several instances in the past four or five years of damage to the riprap protection of some earth dams and embankments in major reservoirs in the middle western portion of the United States. In particular, in small sections of the embankment of the Snake Creek sub-impoundment in the Garrison Reservoir in North Dakota, some riprap was removed by a severe storm in 1964. It was recognized at the time of construction that the riprap protection to be placed on this embankment was considerably lighter than desirable, and was knowingly placed as an experiment to see if lighter graded material might still provide sufficient protection in a reservoir where the water surface elevation changed periodically. High waves can develop over the 32-mile fetch in this area of frequent high wind velocity. Loss of some riprap in this area has led to an investigation of various schemes of upgrading the riprap. As a part of this investigation, tests have been made at the Coastal Engineering Research Center in Washington, D.C. of various types of riprap exposed to wave action. Tests have been made at both small and large scale. As with most wave tank tests of breakwater or embankment structures, the tests must be run as a short series of bursts of waves, followed by periods of calm. This is necessary because when the wave approaches the structure and breaks upon it, a small portion of the wave energy is not absorbed in the breaking process, but is reflected back along the wave tank. This reflected wave, upon reaching the wave generator, is re-reflected and travels again down the tank toward the structure. If mechanical generation of waves continues after the wave is re-reflected from the generator, this re-reflected wave adds to the mechanically generated wave, and gives a higher wave at the structure than is desired for tests. Accordingly, the wave generator must be stopped at the time the wave reflected from the structure has travelled to and reaches the generator. Thus the tests are run in a short burst of perhaps 10 or 1$ waves, followed by a period of time sufficient to allow the tank water level to calm, and then again a burst of 10 or 1'j waves.
Vocabulary of Toddlers Who Are Late Talkers

The purpose of this study was to understand vocabulary characteristics in toddlers who are late talkers (LT) as compared with age-matched (AM) and vocabulary-matched (VM) peers. The semantic categories (e.g., animals, foods, toys) and the percentage of nouns, verbs, and closed-class words in the vocabularies of 36 toddlers (12 LT, 12 AM, 12 VM) were examined. Results indicated that the semantic categories present in the vocabularies of toddlers who were LT were similar to those of VM peers but not of AM peers. Nouns represented the largest word class in all participant groups, but the percentage of nouns in the vocabularies of toddlers who were LT was less than the percentage of nouns in the vocabularies of AM and VM peers. These findings indicate that the vocabularies of toddlers who are LT may be atypical, rather than delayed. Clinical application and potential intervention strategies are discussed.
Fabio Silva and Nicholas Campion, Skyscapes: The Role and Importance of the Sky in Archaeology

These essays explore the importance of the heavens in the landscapes and wider environment of past societies, integrating archaeoastronomical studies with the archaeological disciplines. Most of th...
Structure-Dependent Thermal Defunctionalization of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Covalent sidewall functionalization of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) is an important tool for tailoring their properties for research purposes and applications. In this study, SWCNT samples were first functionalized by reductive alkylation using metallic lithium and 1-iodododecane in liquid ammonia. Samples of the alkyl-functionalized SWCNTs were then pyrolyzed under an inert atmosphere at selected temperatures between 100 and 500 °C to remove the addends. The extent of defunctionalization was assessed using a combination of thermogravimetric analysis, Raman measurements of the D, G, and radial breathing bands, absorption spectroscopy of the first- and second-order van Hove peaks, and near-IR fluorescence spectroscopy of (n,m)-specific emission bands. These measurements all indicate a substantial dependence of defunctionalization rate on nanotube diameter, with larger diameter nanotubes showing more facile loss of addends. The effective activation energy for defunctionalization is estimated to b...
China—Measures Related to the Exportation of Rare Earths, Tungsten, and Molybdenum

In a proceeding brought against the People’s Republic of China by the United States (in which Japan and the European Union joined), the Appellate Body of the World Trade Organization (WTO) ruled that China violated its obligations under the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade 1994 (GATT)1 by imposing export restrictions on “rare earths,” minerals used in mobile phones, hybrid cars, and other high-tech products. In upholding the earlier decision of a WTO dispute settlement panel, the Appellate Body rejected China’s argument that export duties, quotas, and other restrictions could be justified by health and environmental concerns.
Optimum particle size of corn and hard and soft sorghum for nursery pigs.

A total of 240 weanling pigs (22 d of age and 5.3 kg average BW) were used to determine the effects of particle size of corn and two sorghum hybrids on diet processing, growth performance, apparent digestibility of nutrients, and morphology of the stomach and intestines in weanling pigs. Treatments were corn, hard endosperm sorghum, and soft endosperm sorghum milled to particle sizes (geometric mean) of 900, 700, 500, and 300 microns, in a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement. All diets were pelleted and the pigs were allowed to consume feed and water on an ad libitum basis. As particle size was reduced, production rate (tons/hour) decreased and energy required to mill (kilowatt hours/ton) increased. Corn required more energy to mill and had a lower production rate than the sorghums. For d 0 to 14, ADG and gain/feed increased linearly (P < .009 and P < .002, respectively) as particle size was decreased to 300 microns. However, there was a grain source x particle size interaction; pigs fed corn responded to particle size reduction more than pigs fed the sorghums (P < .04). For d 0 to 35, pigs fed diets with corn grew 23% faster and were 6% more efficient (P < .001) than pigs fed diets with sorghum. Gain/feed responded quadratically to reduction of particle size (P < .01), with maximum gain/feed at 500 microns for all grains. Lowest cost of gain (including milling and ingredient costs) was achieved at 500 to 700 microns for corn and 500 microns for the hard and soft sorghums. These data suggest that response to reducing particle size is greatest during the first 2 wk postweaning and that optimal particle size for corn and sorghums increases with age of nursery pigs.
Emergent Interhospital Transport of Pediatric Patient With a Berlin Heart Device

Ventricular assist devices (VADs) for the mechanical support of cardiac failure are being used more frequently in children of increasingly younger age. These children have significant and multiple medical comorbidities, and their length of hospital stay has been increasing. As this population of hospitalized VAD-supported children increases, so does the possibility of their need for interfacility transport for specialized diagnostic or therapeutic procedures. Reports on such transports are limited to 3 children who underwent scheduled elective transfers. We report our experience with a child with a Berlin Heart EXCOR left ventricular assist device (Berlin Heart, Berlin, Germany) who required emergent interfacility transport between our hospital and an affiliated institution.
Differential contributions of ventral and dorsal striatum to early and late phases of cognitive set reconfiguration

Flexible decision-making, a defining feature of human cognition, is typically thought of as a canonical pFC function. Recent work suggests that the striatum may participate as well; however, its role in this process is not well understood. We recorded activity of neurons in both the ventral VS and dorsal DS striatum while rhesus macaques performed a version of the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, a classic test of flexibility. Our version of the task involved a trial-and-error phase before monkeys could identify the correct rule on each block. We observed changes in firing rate in both regions when monkeys switched rules. Specifically, VS neurons demonstrated switch-related activity early in the trial-and-error period when the rule needed to be updated, and a portion of these neurons signaled information about the switch context i.e., whether the switch was intradimensional or extradimensional. Neurons in both VS and DS demonstrated switch-related activity at the end of the trial-and-error period, immediately before the rule was fully established and maintained, but these signals did not carry any information about switch context. We also observed associative learning signals i.e., specific responses to options associated with rewards in the presentation period before choice that followed the same pattern as switch signals early in VS, later in DS. Taken together, these results endorse the idea that the striatum participates directly in cognitive set reconfiguration and suggest that single neurons in the striatum may contribute to a functional handoff from the VS to the DS during reconfiguration processes.
Abstract SY20-03: Metastatic latency and immune evasion by cancer stem cells

Metastasis frequently develops, years after the removal of a primary tumor, from a minority of disseminated cancer cells that survived as latent entities. An improved understanding of the location and survival mechanisms of disseminated cancer cells, and their ability to enter a quiescent state, evade immune surveillance, and retain tumor reinitiating capacity is needed in order to better prevent and treat metastasis. To this end, we developed latency competent cancer cell (LCC) models from early stage human lung and breast carcinoma cell lines and defined the mechanisms that prevent the outgrowth, support the long-term survival, and maintain the tumor-initiating potential of these cells during latent metastasis. LCC cells show stem cell-like characteristics and express Sox transcription factors, which are essential for their survival in host organs under restrictive conditions and for metastatic outgrowth under permissive conditions. Through autocrine suppression of WNT signaling and heightened TGF-β signaling, LCC cells self-impose a slow-cycling state with broad downregulation of NK cell activators. By actively entering quiescence, metastatic stem cells can evade innate immunity to remain latent for extended periods. By persistently reentering the proliferative state, these cells may evolve organ-specific colonization traits to take over the host stroma. Citation Format: Joan Massague. Metastatic latency and immune evasion by cancer stem cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr SY20-03.
Managing technical professionals: talent management

ONE quote we often hear during career discussions is that "we are responsible for our careers". While I do believe that this is true, I also believe that as managers we share the responsibility for the careers of our team members and that talent management is a critical aspect of our role as a manager.
Social factors and prostate cancer survival.

B34 Background: Racial variation in comorbidity at diagnosis and cause-specific mortality among men with prostate cancer suggests socio-demographic factors influence prognosis. Objective: Our objective was to examine the relation of concentrated disadvantage at the census tract level with comorbidity and mortality from prostate cancer vs. other causes following a diagnosis of prostate cancer. Methods: We collected clinical and demographic data on 833 patients diagnosed between 1986 and 1990 at two VA and two private sector hospitals in the Chicago area. The Charlson index measured comorbidity at diagnosis; hospital and state records established vital status; and underlying cause of death assigned based on death certificate review. We calculated concentrated disadvantage (CD) of the patient9s census tract of residence at the time of diagnosis as 0.85 x (% in poverty + %unemployed + %female-headed households) + 0.85 x (1 - %college educated) using 1990 U.S. census data. Its impact on comorbidity and survival was analyzed using linear regression and Cox proportional hazards models adjusted for patient demographics (age, race/ethnicity), tumor characteristics (stage, differentiation), treatments, and other clinical factors. Results: Concentrated disadvantage (range 37-236) increased the risk of death from prostate cancer among patients diagnosed in the private sector (2 nd thru 4 th quartile vs. 1 st quartile [lowest], multivariable hazard rate ratio [HRR] = 1.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.64,2.71], P = 0.008). Concentrated disadvantage positively associated with comorbidity score (range 0 - 14) among whites (β CD = 0.0187, P = CD = 0.0096, P = 0.011). It also increased all-cause mortality and risk of death from causes other than prostate cancer among whites (HRR = 1.39 [1.01, 1.89], P = 0.04 and 1.71 [1.11, 2.64], P = 0.016, respectively); and in the private sector (HRR = 1.99 [1.50, 2.63], P P = 0.0001, respectively). However, concentrated disadvantage was not a risk factor for comorbidity or mortality from prostate cancer or from other causes among blacks and among patients diagnosed in the VA. Conclusions: Concentrated disadvantage at the census tract level associates with higher comorbidity at diagnosis, increases risk of death from prostate cancer and from other causes following a diagnosis of prostate cancer, but the associations vary by race and by healthcare setting.
Transforming Growth Factors α and β Are Essential for Modeling Cholangiocarcinoma Desmoplasia and Progression in a Three-Dimensional Organotypic Culture Model.

To gain insight into the cellular and molecular interactions mediating the desmoplastic reaction and aggressive malignancy of mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), we modeled ICC desmoplasia and progression in vitro . A unique three-dimensional (3D) organotypic culture model was established; within a dilute collagen–type I hydrogel, a novel clonal strain of rat cancer-associated myofibroblasts (TDF SM ) was co-cultured with a pure rat cholangiocarcinoma cell strain (TDE CC ) derived from the same ICC type as TDF SM . This 3D organotypic culture model reproduced key features of desmoplastic reaction that closely mimicked those of the in situ tumor, as well as promoted cholangiocarcinoma cell growth and progression. Our results supported a resident liver mesenchymal cell origin of the TDF SM cells, which were not neoplastically transformed. Notably, 3D co-culturing of TDE CC cells with TDF SM cells provoked the formation of a dense fibrocollagenous stroma in vitro that was associated with significant increases in both proliferative TDF SM myofibroblastic cells and TDE CC cholangiocarcinoma cells accumulating within the gel matrix. This dramatic desmoplastic ICC-like phenotype, which was not observed in the TDE CC or TDF SM controls, was highly dependent on transforming growth factor (TGF)-β, but not promoted by TGF-α. However, TGF-α was determined to be a key factor for promoting cholangiocarcinoma cell anaplasia, hyperproliferation, and higher malignant grading in this 3D culture model of desmoplastic ICC.
CYP2C19 genetic variation and individualized clopidogrel prescription in a cardiology clinic

ABSTRACTBackground: Clopidogrel (Plavix) is an antiplatelet medication that is routinely used in patients with cardiovascular disease. Cytochrome P2C19 enzymes play a major role in its metabolism, which determines its varied therapeutic level and its effectiveness.Objectives: To customize clopidogrel therapy and evaluate its efficacy by using CYP2C19 genotypic and phenotypic information to improve clinical outcomes in patients.Methods: A total of 465 patients with underlying cardiovascular disease were selected from our out-patient cardiology clinic. DNA sequences of CYP2C19 were analyzed in 465 patients.Results: Of 465 patients, 183 were wild-type homozygous (*1/*1) and 18.8% gain-of function and 19.8% loss-of-function alleles in our patient population The following changes were made: 1) Switching to prasugrel in patients whose genotype noted them to be “Slow metabolizers. This medication adjustment improved clinical outcomes in this patient group.2) Discontinuing or lowering clopidogrel doses in patient...
Improving blog spam filters via machine learning

As an important platform of electronic commerce, blogs can greatly influence internet users' purchasing decisions. Spam, however, can substantially reduce blogs' positive impact on electronic commerce. This paper introduces SK, an alternative algorithm combining supervised learning (SVM) and unsupervised learning (K-means++) to detect blog spam. If either classifies a blog as spam, then the blog is assigned to the spam category. Feature selection includes term frequency, inverse document frequency, binary representation, stop words, outgoing links, advertiser content, and burst with keywords. Accuracy of each model was tested and compared in experiments with 3,000 blog pages from University of Maryland and 3,560 internet blogs. Findings suggest that combining the SVM algorithm and K-means++ clustering can increase accuracy of filtering spams by about 7% as compared to using just one of these methods. Strengths and weaknesses of various spam-filtering methods were discussed, providing considerations for businesses when choosing a spam filter.
Electroweak Symmetry Breaking: Top Quark Condensates

The fundamental mechanisms for the dynamical breaking of the electroweak gauge symmetries remain a mystery. This paper examines the possible role of heavy fermions, particularly the top quark, in generating the observed electroweak symmetry breaking, the masses of the W and Z bosons and the masses of all observed quarks and leptons.
Gastrointestinal Endoscope Reprocessing

Flexible endoscopes play an integral role in the evaluation and treatment of various gastrointestinal (GI) conditions. An estimated 20 million endoscopic GI procedures are performed annually [1]. With routine exposure to secretions, sputum, feces, and blood, it is not surprising that endoscopes are subject to an extraordinary degree of microbial contamination. Reprocessing therefore is essential for recycling endoscopes while preventing patient-to-patient transmission of potentially harmfulmicroorganisms. However, reprocessing of endoscopes is not easy and involves a multistep sequence that is time, labor, and resource intensive, with several potential pitfalls if performed inattentively. Indeed, lapses in endoscope reprocessing have been associated with several infectious outbreaks [2]. In this chapter, we outline the current approach to GI endoscope reprocessing and review emerging challenges in ensuring reprocessing efficacy and safety.
The Development of Moral Reasoning: Some Observations about Christian Fundamentalism:

The relationships between the phenomenon of Christian fundamentalism and several aspects of cognitive and moral development were discussed. Modern Christian fundamentalism has acquired a new sense ...
Developing an advanced daylight model for building energy tool to simulate dynamic shading device

Abstract Recent developments in materials engineering create a possibility of new building envelope systems to increase various aspects of building performance. One of the recent developments is a dynamically responsive material that changes its phase based on ambient environmental conditions. This is a major development in materials engineering, and exemplifies a material that responds to ambient temperature and changes its shape. This is a good candidate as a shading device that changes its location to block or allow sunlight during the daytime, to increase visible and thermal comfort of indoor spaces. Current building simulation tools are limited in testing new materials. The major hurdle is that existing building simulation tools are developed for conventional materials and have difficulties in modeling new dynamically responsive materials. This paper presents a method to capture the complexity of physical behaviors in new material through building energy simulations. A more efficient simulation tool to test new materials will allow for more reliable results and the advancement in innovative building materials. This paper develops a method to evaluate a new daylight control system that includes an analysis of a new dynamically tunable material. To assess the daylight control system composed with the new material, the paper integrates a daylight model, a whole-building energy model, and a Kriging model to evaluate the new system’s performance.
Drug Induced Sleep Endoscopy Identification of Adenoid Regrowth in Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

Objective. To establish the incidence and possible contributing factors leading to adenoid regrowth in children with pediatric sleep apnea using drug induced sleep endoscopy (DISE). Methods. Children treated for obstructive sleep apnea following previous adenoidectomy were evaluated using DISE. Adenoid regrowth was scored by the same attending physician using a 5-point grading scale. Age, sex, body mass index (BMI) percent for age, polysomnogram results, initial adenoid size before adenoidectomy, and postoperative complications were evaluated. Results. Fifty-six patients (age range 22 months to 16 years) met inclusion criteria. Twenty-five children (44.6%) had Grade 2 adenoid or larger. Mean age at the time of DISE was 7.11 years, with an average of 1.75 years since initial adenoidectomy. Mean preadenoidectomy size based on intraoperative nasopharyngeal mirror assessment was Grade 2.55 (95% CI 2.30–2.79). Adenoid size at time of sleep endoscopy was Grade 1.64 (95% CI 1.30–1.98). Characteristics associated with adenoid regrowth were higher body mass index for age percentile at time of endoscopy ( ), initial adenoid size ( ), and time between initial adenoidectomy and endoscopy ( ). Conclusions. Body mass index for age percentile, initial adenoid size, and time between initial adenoidectomy and drug induced sleep endoscopy correlate with regrowth in childhood obstructive sleep apnea.
The effect of prenatal exposure to Ramadan on children's height.

Abstract We examine the effect of prenatal exposure to Ramadan on children’s height by sex, age, region, and the degree of religiosity. Since Ramadan rotates on solar calendars, we pool demographic and health survey data from numerous developing countries to increase the number of birth years and fairly control for potential seasonal effects. Our results suggest that Ramadan-induced nutritional stress during early- and mid-gestation may negatively affect the height of 3 and 4 years old Muslim male children. The effect tends to be stronger in West Africa and Central Asia. It also tends to be stronger in more religious countries. We do not detect consistent negative effects on height in female children.
Epoxidation of fatty acids with membrane-supported peroxygenase

Peroxygenase is an enzyme that can convert a double bond to an epoxide. Peroxygenase activity from oat (Avena sativa) seeds was immobilized on synthetic membranes. The immobilized preparation was tested on oleic acid in aqueous and heptane media. The order of oxidant activity was tert-butyl hydroperoxide>cumene hydroperoxide>H2O2–Urea-H2O2. The immobilized preparation could be reused. Oleic acid was a preferred substrate compared to its trans analogue, elaidic acid.
The power of comparisons: Peer information as a management tool:

While previous research has explored how performance data can influence organizations and considered the factors that shape public managers' use of performance data, we know less about the way in w...
Relation between Superconducting Energy Gaps and Critical Magnetic Fields

In 1965 Toxen noted1 that for most elemental superconductors there exists a linear relation between the initial slope of the reduced critical magnetic field curve and the zero-temperature energy gap: $$-({{T}_{0}}/{{H}_{0}}){{(d{{H}_{c}}/dT)}_{T}}{{_{=}}_{T}}_{_{0}}\equiv -{{(dh/dt)}_{t}}_{=1}=\vartriangle /k{{T}_{0}}$$ (1) where T0 is the superconducting transition temperature, H c is the critical magnetic field [H o ≡ H c (T = 0)], and 2∆ is the zero-temperature energy gap. According to weak coupling BCS theory,2 $$\Delta /k{{T}_{0}}=1.016{{(dh/dt)}_{t}}{{=}_{1}}$$ (2) where (dh/dt) t = 1 and ∆/kT0 are not variables but are fixed numbers, 1.737 and 1.764, respectively. The importance of Toxen’s observation is that the weak coupling BCS expression is found to hold for moderate and strong coupling superconductors provided (dh/dt) t=1 and ∆/k T0 are treated as variables. One can therefore determine ∆ if T 0 , H 0 , and \({\left( {d{H_c}/dT} \right)_{T = {T_0}}}\) are known.
EFFECT OF THE GENE LETHAL(1) MYOSPHEROID ON DROSOPHILA EMBRYONIC CELLS IN VITRO

The mutationlethal (1) myospheroid causes death in affectedDrosophila melanogaster embryos. The action of this gene was investigated by culturing normal and mutant embryonic cells in vitro. Under these culture conditions, normal myoblasts and neuro-blasts differentiated to yield myocytes and neurons. The action of the mutant gene was manifested in an altered differentiation of at least two cell types, myocytes and neurons. It prevented differentiation of all myocytes and a fraction of the neurons in vitro. Failure of these cells to differentiate in vitro suggests that the mutation affects the integrity of myocytes and neurons in vivo and contributes to themyospheroid lethal effect.
Photodynamic Reactions in Photomedicine

According to standard evolutionary theory, the early atmosphere of the earth was reducing and the first living organisms thus evolved in the absence of free molecular oxygen (1). With the appearance of plants capable of using water as a hydrogen source in photosynthesis, molecular oxygen began to accumulate in the atmosphere, finally reaching its present concentration of approximately 20%. Although this event made possible the highly efficient aerobic respiration reactions and provided a substantial shield against short-wave solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation via ozone formation, it also posed a severe problem to the existing organisms, since oxygen and certain of its derivatives are highly toxic. Some of these derivatives are produced by metabolic reactions, and, of special pertinence to this chapter, several are produced in good yield by sensitized photobiologic processes involving visible and near-UV radiation.
A mini-STR typing system for degraded equine DNA.

Degraded biological samples are a challenge for testing laboratories. Genotyping success can be improved through the use of mini-STRs, by which primers are placed adjacent to the repeat motifs to reduce amplicon size. Here, we present a genetic profiling system comprising 13 autosomal and one X-linked dinucleotide-repeat markers and the SRY gene based on the internationally accepted equine parentage panel. The markers are divided into two panels with all alleles falling at or below 182 bp. The application of this method significantly increases the ability to profile difficult samples and to provide discriminating results to clients.
Separation and Analysis of Aspirin and Metformin HCl Using Green Subcritical Water Chromatography.

Organic solvents are widely used in pharmaceutical and chemical industry for chromatographic separations. In recent years, subcritical water chromatography (SBWC) has shown ability in replacing hazardous organic solvents used in traditional high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). In this work, a pain killer—aspirin—and an antidiabetic drug—metformin HCl—were successfully separated on an XBridge C18 column using no organic solvents in the subcritical water chromatography mobile phase. Both traditional HPLC and subcritical water chromatography were used for comparison purposes. SBWC separation of metformin HCl and aspirin were achieved at 95 °C and 125 °C, respectively. The recovery for both active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) obtained by SBWC is 99% in comparing with the stated content of each drug. The relative standard deviation is less than 1% for SBWC assays developed in this work. This level of accuracy and precision achieved by SBWC is the same as that resulted by the traditional HPLC analysis.
Is there a best approach to the rehabilitation of adult hemiplegia

Established neuro-rehabilitation approaches to the remediation of hemiplegia have been the mainstay of stroke rehabilitation. Approaches such as proprioceptive neuromuscular rehabilitation, neurode...
Development of Anti-Icing Airfield Heated Pavement Systems Using Solar Energy

This paper analyzes the development and assesses the viability of an anti-icing airfield heated pavement system using solar energy. Field experimentation investigates two systems: (i) an electrical...
THE PARADOX OF CHOICE: THERAPEUTIC DECISION MAKING WITH COMPLEX PULMONARY EMBOLI

Acute pulmonary embolism (PE) in the setting of a Patent Foramen Ovale (PFO) and clot-in-transit across the PFO poses a therapeutic dilemma. 64 year old male presented with acute dyspnea 3 weeks after ischemic stroke. CT PE-protocol revealed dilated right ventricle (RV) and proximal bilateral
Aristotle's Formal Identity of Intellect and Object: A Solution to the Problem of Modal Epistemology

In De Anima Book III, Aristotle subscribed to a theory of formal identity between the human mind and the extra-mental objects of our understanding. This has been one of the most controversial featu...
Chemical vapour deposition of nitride thin films

Abstract An overview of the atmospheric pressure chemical vapour deposition of nitride thin films from homoleptic early transition metal and main group amido complexes [M(NR2)n] and ammonia is presented. The homoleptic amido complexes were chosen as precursors because they undergo facile solution reactions, transamination and amido α-hydrogen activation reactions, that suggested they could lead to nitrides with an ammonia co-precursor. Nitrides with stoichiometries MN (M = Ti, V, Al, Ga), M3N4 (M = Zr, Hf, Nb, Si, Sn) and Ta3N5 are deposited. The temperatures of deposition are in the range 200–450°C, with exception of Si3N4 (600–750°C). There is little carbon contamination in the films, but the amount of hydrogen is significant.
Maternal digital media use during infant feeding and the quality of feeding interactions

Abstract Experimental research with parents of older children suggests parents’ engagement with technological devices (e.g., television, mobile devices) in the presence of their children decreases the quality of parent-child interactions. Many mothers report frequent use of technological devices during infant feeding but, to date, few studies have explored the potential association between maternal technological device use during feeding and the quality of infant feeding interactions. To this end, mothers (n = 25) and their infants (mean age = 19.3 ± 6.4 weeks) participated in a within-subject, experimental study to explore associations between maternal digital media use and feeding interaction quality within a laboratory setting. Dyads were video-recorded while breastfeeding under two counterbalanced conditions: Digital Media Use versus Control. Mothers engaged their infants in significantly less cognitive growth fostering during the Digital Media Use compared to Control condition. Infants of mothers with typically low levels of technology use during feeding showed a significant decrease in their responsiveness to their mother during the Digital Media Use compared to Control condition. These results illustrate maternal digital media use was associated with decreases in some, but not all, aspects of the quality of the feeding interaction, meriting further investigation with larger, more diverse samples.
Plant-Based Mucosal Immunotherapy: Challenges for Commercialization

Abstract Significant advances during the last few years continue to suggest the potential for plant-based mucosal immunotherapies. The diversity of technologies for transformation and the increasing efficiency of expressing recombinant proteins in plants provide a variety of manufacturing platforms to choose from. Despite these technological advances and a large body of preclinical trial data using animal models, there are currently no commercially marketed, plant-based mucosal immunotherapeutics. This review focuses on the actual and perceived challenges for future development and commercialization of such products.
Reconfigurable OTA Chamber Design Optimization

The reconfigurable over-the-air chamber has been shown capable of synthesizing the field incident on the device under test in over-the-air testing. However, to date, there has been minimal exploration of the chamber complexity required to achieve a specified accuracy of the synthesized fields. This paper uses an analytic solution for the fields in the chamber based on the modal Green’s function along with optimization of the antenna locations for synthesizing the desired fields according to three different cost functions. The results show that different cost functions achieve notably different results, with a traditional optimization based on minimizing error producing solutions that exhibit supergain characteristics.
Rachel Dolezal: An Intersectional Analysis

This paper uses intersectionality theory and identity politics to analyze the transracialism of Rachel Dolezal. I establish the social construction of racial identity, and the basis of all identity construction in white supremacist settler colonial logics. Using concepts of essentialism and identity politics, I then investigate the ways in which individuals define and perform racial identity. I include analyses on how Dolezal performs transracial identity, and the implications her actions have on social definitions and meanings of blackness. I then expand on Dolezal’s appropriation of blackness and her conflation of physical appearance with cultural and historical identity. I discuss Dolezal’s fixation as a means to cope with childhood trauma and, using this trauma as a point of departure, briefly examine the intergenerational passing of trauma, implicating Dolezal in the erasure of the voices and experiences of black women. I provide a brief discussion on colorism and privilege before moving to a comparison of transracial and transgender identities. Finally, I engage the power of social constructions and use de­colonial frameworks to assert that, while the concept of transracialism is not inherently at issue in the abstract, Dolezal’s misunderstanding of racial identity in contextual and practical application creates tensions and challenges that are, in fact, quite problematic.
Facing segregation: Housing policy solutions for a stronger society, edited by Molly W. Metzger and Henry S. Webber: New York, NY, Oxford University Press, 2019

The year 2018 marked the 50th anniversary of the enactment of the federal Fair Housing Act following the assassination of Martin Luther King. This has produced several notable publications assessin...
Listener perceptions of foreignness, precision, and accent attribution in a case of foreign accent syndrome

Abstract Purpose This paper will examine how listeners perceive foreignness, precision, and speaker origin in the speech of a speaker with neurogenic foreign accent syndrome, as compared to an unimpaired native speaker, an unimpaired foreign speaker, and a native speaker with ataxic dysarthria. Method Listeners with and without experience in speech-language pathology rated degree of foreignness and precision of speech sounds of a speaker with neurogenic foreign accent syndrome as compared to (a) an unimpaired native speaker, (b) an unimpaired foreign speaker, and (c) a native speaker with ataxic dysarthria. Listeners also attributed national origin to each speaker and rated confidence in all their attributions and ratings. Results Listeners rated a native speaker with foreign accent syndrome as less foreign than a true foreign speaker. They agreed less and were less accurate when attributing national origin to a speaker with foreign accent syndrome and were less confident in their attributions and ratings. Unexpectedly, listeners were equally as unsure when attributing origin to a native speaker with ataxic dysarthria as they were when attributing origin to a native speaker with foreign accent syndrome. Conclusions While previous literature has characterized foreign accent syndrome as perceptually unique in comparison to true foreign accents and other motor speech disorders, our results suggest that listeners do not universally discern a clear difference between foreign accent syndrome speech and other disordered speech. This may suggest that foreign accent syndrome is not a discrete diagnosis. If it is a discrete diagnosis, these results rebut the idea that foreign accent syndrome is the only motor speech disorder in which the speaker is perceived as foreign.
The Search Theory of Over-the-Counter Markets

I review the recent literature that applies search-and-matching theory to the study of over-the-counter financial markets. I formulate and solve a simple model to illustrate the typical assumptions...
Dual Activation of cAMP Production Through Photostimulation or Chemical Stimulation

cAMP is a crucial mediator of multiple cell signaling pathways. This cyclic nucleotide requires strict spatiotemporal control for effective function. Light-activated proteins have become a powerful tool to study signaling kinetics due to having quick on/off rates and minimal off-target effects. The photoactivated adenylyl cyclase from Beggiatoa (bPAC) produces cAMP rapidly upon stimulation with blue light. However, light delivery is not always feasible, especially in vivo. Hence, we created a luminescence-activated cyclase by fusing bPAC with nanoluciferase (nLuc) to allow chemical activation of cAMP activity. This dual-activated adenylyl cyclase can be stimulated using short bursts of light or long-term chemical activation with furimazine and other related luciferins. Together these can be used to mimic transient, chronic, and oscillating patterns of cAMP signaling. Moreover, when coupled to compartment-specific targeting domains, these reagents provide a new powerful tool for cAMP spatiotemporal dynamic studies. Here, we describe detailed methods for working with bPAC-nLuc in mammalian cells, stimulating cAMP production with light and luciferins, and measuring total cAMP accumulation.
“We’re all here for the money”: solidarity and divisions in a worker-owned company

ITAS, a Croatian machine tool company, is arguably the best-known example of worker ownership in all the countries of the former Yugoslavia. In the context of rising commodification of everyday life, I trace how blue-collar workers in ITAS discussed their salaries. I reveal divisions among them, despite great similarities in their predicament as a group and as individuals. Workers used the generational division as the main emic concept to make sense of the relationships on the shop floor. I offer a reflection on their perception of belonging to different generations with different interests. I show how talking about “old workers” and “young workers” was tied to a host of other social factors, such as attitudes towards labor, historical experience of dispossession, and relationship to space and mobility, which did not neatly map onto the generational division. Everyday discussions on the shop floor correctly described differential inclusion of workers of different generations into the labor market, which broadly reflected transnational forces at work in the global market for metalworking. However, constant focus on divisions in everyday discussions prevented workers in ITAS from engaging in political work that could harmonize their interests across generational and other lines.
Temporary mechanical circulatory support prevents the occurrence of a low-output state in high-risk coronary artery bypass grafting: A case series.

BACKGROUND Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is a durable treatment for coronary artery disease. Left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) (a division of cardiothoracic surgery) (ejection fraction < 35%) significantly elevates perioperative risk for patients pursuing surgical revascularization. Periprocedural support with temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS) has shown benefit in this patient population. METHODS Four patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy and LVD underwent CABG at our institution between 2017 and 2018. Each patient received perioperative ventricular support using a microaxial tMCS device (Impella 5.0®). The occurrence of a postoperative low-output state (LOS) was assessed for as well as postoperative morbidity and mortality, device-specific complications, and tMCS support duration. RESULTS All patients survived to device explant without device-related complications. Two patients required reoperation for nondevice-related bleeding. All patients were without an LOS at 24 h postoperatively with cardiac indices of 2.9-3.6 L/min/m2 , normalized serum lactate, and vasoactive-inotrope scores of 0-12.0. There was a notably high incidence of acute renal failure (50%), which was observed in patients with preoperative cardiogenic shock. One patient died 10 days after the device explant. Of the three patients that survived to discharge, two were alive at the most recent follow-up. Postoperative device support varied widely (0-500 h). CONCLUSION Perioperative tMCS may be a viable strategy for preventing postoperative LOS in high-risk CABG patients with a low complication rate and acceptable morbidity. The application of microaxial tMCS devices in CABG is an area that warrants further investigation to delineate its impact on perioperative outcomes and potentially expand the indications for such devices.
A strategy to improve expert technology forecasts

Forecasts of the future cost and performance of technologies are often used to support decision-making. However, retrospective reviews find that many forecasts made by experts are not very accurate and are often seriously overconfident, with realized values too frequently falling outside of forecasted ranges. Here, we outline a hybrid approach to expert elicitation that we believe might improve forecasts of future technologies. The proposed approach iteratively combines the judgments of technical domain experts with those of experts who are knowledgeable about broader issues of technology adoption and public policy. We motivate the approach with results from a pilot study designed to help forecasters think systematically about factors beyond the technology itself that may shape its future, such as policy, economic, and social factors. Forecasters who received briefings on these topics provided wider forecast intervals than those receiving no assistance.