cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Debt Sustainability in Low-Income Countries: Policies, Institutions, or Shocks?

This paper estimates the determinants of external debt distress in low-income countries (LICs), disentangling the roles of institutions, shocks, and policies. The most prominent factors in raising the risk of debt distress are the weak protection of private property rights, adverse shocks to real non-oil commodity prices, and a high debt burden. Results also suggest that weak economic institutions tend to raise the probability of debt distress through persistently weak economic policies and high vulnerability to external shocks. The model enables a more granular analysis of debt sustainability in LICs and has a higher predictive power compared to the earlier scant literature.
Multi-layer Security Mechanism for Networked Embedded Devices

Networked embedded systems are impacting the way we interact with the world around us. They are at the core of the advancements in information and communication technologies which have been driving the fourth generation revolution in today’s industry and networks. This technology allows for better integrated communications, integrated local and global control, supervision and maintenance. Billions of smart devices are being implemented - from smart TVs and cars to other smart health monitors and wearable technologies and this resulted in the development of smart interconnected environments. The core vision of the aforementioned smart interconnected environment is the realization of a reliable and secure two way communication between smart devices. However, the high level of heterogeneity, coupled with the wide scale of smart embedded systems, has magnified the security threats. Traditional security countermeasures and privacy cannot be enforced directly on such systems due to their limited computing capabilities and their diverse set of hardware architectures. In this paper we are proposing a multi-level security approach for smart interconnected environments/networks. We address the security at three main pillars: application level, system level, and network level.
The Role of Supercritical/Dense CO2 Gas in Altering Aqueous/Oil Interfacial Properties: A Molecular Dynamics Study

One of the main mechanisms contributing to enhanced oil recovery (EOR) processes using compressed (supercritical) carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) is alterations in the oil-water interfacial properties. However, it has been a challenge to experimentally investigate such effects. In our investigation presented here, we performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulation to explore these changes. We studied the role of sc-CO2 in changing the interfacial and transport properties of systems composed of water and pure hydrocarbons, namely hexane, octane, benzene, and xylene. The simulations were performed at 100bar and 350K. It was observed that sc-CO2 accumulates at the interface which leads to a reduction in the interfacial tension (IFT) of water-oil systems. Our further analysis of such accumulation showed that the ratio of sc-CO2 density at the interface to sc-CO2 bulk density decreases as the sc-CO2 mole fraction increases. This interesting behavior owed to the difference in the interaction between CO2-water and CO2-hydr...
A Critical Review of Four Efforts to Resurrect MNI in Zooarchaeology

Evaluation of zooarchaeology’s quantitative units known as NISP (number of identified specimens) and MNI (minimum number of individuals) during the last three decades of the twentieth century suggested neither provided ratio scale measures of taxonomic abundances. Many researchers at that time began to use NISP as often as MNI to measure taxonomic abundances. In part because of a desire to determine the composition of human diet more precisely, and in light of the fact that different taxa have different numbers of identifiable bones, four zooarchaeologists have, since 1990, used assemblages with known ANI (actual number of individuals) to evaluate whether NISP or MNI provides the most accurate measure of ANI. ANI data from ethnoarchaeological and historical contexts suggest taxonomic abundance data quantified as NISP or MNI are ordinal scale at best, something previously shown to be highly probable. Experimental data used to evaluate the accuracy of NISP and MNI as measures of ANI are either inappropriate or not designed to assess which quantitative unit produces the most accurate measure. A new quantitative unit proposed as an alternative to MNE (minimum number of [skeletal] elements)—the NDE (number of distinct elements)—is said to provide proportional abundances of taxa but demonstrably undercounts skeletal parts and fails to provide ratio scale abundance data.
Experiments on the Effect of Mean Flow Unsteadiness on the Subharmonic Growth in a Plane Mixing Layer

Shen (1961) considered the effect of mean flow unsteadiness on the growth of the instability fluctuations for the case where the mean flow is represented as a steady profile modified by a time function. The analysis resulted in a perturbation of the stream function that is similar to that under steady conditions but over a stretched time variable. Solis (1986) showed that in the case where the variation of the mean flow is periodic, the instability fluctuations are modulated in amplitude and phase at the frequency of the mean flow unsteadiness. These modulations were experimentally verified by Solis (1986) in a series of experiments on unsteady wakes. The present work focuses on the role of small-amplitude mean flow unsteadiness on the subharmonic generation and growth in plane mixing layers.
Married Women's Economic Rights Reform in State Legislatures and Courts, 1839–1920

Beginning in 1839 and continuing through the early twentieth century, the American states passed laws expanding married women's economic rights, including the right to own property and sign contracts. In almost every state, these significant legal changes took place before women had the right to vote. I argue that married women's economic rights reform is best understood as a piecemeal, iterative process in which multiple state-level institutions interacted over time. This rights expansion often occurred as a by-product of male political actors pursuing issues largely unrelated to gender—such as debt relief and commercial development—combined with paternalistic views of women as needing protection from the state. State courts played a crucial role by making evident the contradictions inherent in vague and inconsistent legal reforms. Ultimately, male political actors liberalized married women's economic rights to the extent that they thought it was necessary to allow for the development of efficient and workable property rights in a commercial economy, leaving women's place in the economy partially but not fully liberalized.
Drugs and War: What Is the Relationship?

What is the relationship between psychoactive drugs and war? This review article identifies and traces five key dimensions of this relationship: war while on drugs, war for drugs, war through drugs...
Telemedicine and multiple sclerosis: A comprehensive literature review:

IntroductionPatients with multiple sclerosis (pwMS) face barriers accessing specialty care for evaluation and treatment. Telemedicine, the practice of clinical care at a distance with the aid of te...
Continuous Brachial Plexus Anesthesia Axillary Sheath Cannulation Using a Spinal Needle-Intravenous Catheter Combination

Cannulation of the brachial plexus by the axillary approach can be facilitated by use of a spinal needle-intravenous catheter combination. This technique may have advantages compared with previously described techniques. Two cases in which this technique was used are reported. The subject of brachial plexus cannulation and continuous brachial plexus anesthesia is discussed.
Hand modeling and simulation using stabilized magnetic resonance imaging

We demonstrate how to acquire complete human hand bone anatomy (meshes) in multiple poses using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Such acquisition was previously difficult because MRI scans must be long for high-precision results (over 10 minutes) and because humans cannot hold the hand perfectly still in non-trivial and badly supported poses. We invent a manufacturing process whereby we use lifecasting materials commonly employed in film special effects industry to generate hand molds, personalized to the subject, and to each pose. These molds are both ergonomic and encasing, and they stabilize the hand during scanning. We also demonstrate how to efficiently segment the MRI scans into individual bone meshes in all poses, and how to correspond each bone's mesh to same mesh connectivity across all poses. Next, we interpolate and extrapolate the MRI-acquired bone meshes to the entire range of motion of the hand, producing an accurate data-driven animation-ready rig for bone meshes. We also demonstrate how to acquire not just bone geometry (using MRI) in each pose, but also a matching highly accurate surface geometry (using optical scanners) in each pose, modeling skin pores and wrinkles. We also give a soft tissue Finite Element Method simulation "rig", consisting of novel tet meshing for stability at the joints, spatially varying geometric and material detail, and quality constraints to the acquired skeleton kinematic rig. Given an animation sequence of hand joint angles, our FEM soft tissue rig produces quality hand surface shapes in arbitrary poses in the hand range of motion. Our results qualitatively reproduce important features seen in the photographs of the subject's hand, such as similar overall organic shape and fold formation.
Risk Factors for Inpatient Mortality in Patients Born with Gastroschisis in the United States.

Objective This study aimed to characterize risk factors for inpatient mortality in patients born with gastroschisis in a contemporary cohort. Study Design This was a retrospective cohort study of infants born with gastroschisis using the Kids' Inpatient Database 2016. Simple descriptive statistics were used to characterize the patients by demographics, and illness severity was estimated using the All-Patient Refined Diagnosis-Related Groups classification. Variables associated with an increased risk of mortality on univariate analysis were incorporated into a multivariable logistic regression model to generate adjusted odds ratios (aORs) for mortality. Results An estimated 1,990 patient with gastroschisis were born in 2016, with a 3.7% mortality rate during the initial hospitalization. Multivariable logistic regression demonstrated the following variables to be associated with an increased risk of inpatient mortality: black or Asian race compared with white (aOR: 2.6, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.1–6.1, p = 0.03 and aOR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.3–13.3, p = 0.02, respectively), whereas private health insurance compared with government (aOR: 0.2; 95% CI: 0.2–0.8; p = 0.007) and exurban domicile compared with urban (aOR: 0.5; 95% CI: 0.2–0.9; p = 0.04) appeared to be associated with a decreased risk of inpatient mortality. Conclusion Inpatient mortality for neonates with gastroschisis is relatively low. Even after correcting for illness severity, race, health insurance status, and domicile appear to play a role in mortality disparities. Opportunities may exist to further decrease mortality in at-risk populations.
Encyclopedia of the History of Astronomy and Astrophysics

Preface Part I. General Astronomy: 1. Ancient (pre-telescopy) astronomy 2. Period overviews 3. International Astronomical Union Part II. The Solar System: 4. Overview - the Solar System 5. Sun, Earth, and Moon 6. Inner Solar System 7. Giant planets 8. Smaller objects 9. Exoplanets Part III. Stars: 10. Stars considered individually 11. Stars considered as a group 12. Types of stars Part IV. Galaxies and Cosmology: 13. Milky Way 14. Other galaxies and cosmology Part V. General Astronomical Tools and Techniques (After 1600) Part VI. Optical Telescopes and Observatories: 15. Overview - optical telescopes and observatories 16. Optical observatories Part VII. Radio Telescopes, Observatories and Radar: 17. Overview - radio telescopes and observatories 18. Early radio astronomy and observatories 19. Later radio observatories Part VIII. Other Ground-Based Observatories Part IX. Solar System Exploration Spacecraft: 20. Overview - Solar System exploration spacecraft 21. Individual Solar System spacecraft Part X. Selected Observatory Spacecraft: 22. Overview - spacecraft observatories 23. Individual spacecraft observatories Name index Subject index.
Local recurrence after breast-conserving therapy for phyllodes tumors: A 15-year retrospective review.

There are few data on the long-term outcomes of patients with phyllodes tumors following breast-conserving surgery with or without radiation therapy (RT). We reviewed 69 patients diagnosed from 2000 to 2015 with surgical specimens available for central pathology assessment for outcome in relation to histopathologic subtype, margin width, and utilization of RT. Median follow-up was 63 months (interquartile range, 35-131 months). Forty-eight patients had benign, 13 borderline, and eight malignant phyllodes tumors, with local recurrence rates of 4%, 0%, and 38%, respectively (P ≤ .04 comparing malignant lesions to both benign and borderline lesions). None of the eight patients who received RT suffered a local recurrence. Two of the 26 (8%) patients with benign phyllodes tumors who did not receive RT with margins that were positive or <1 mm had local recurrence, compared to none of 18 patients with margins 1 mm or wider who did not receive RT. The one patient with a malignant phyllodes tumor who did not receive RT with margins that were positive or <1 mm did not locally recur, while both patients with margins 10 mm or wider who did not receive RT had local recurrence. One patient with a malignant phyllodes tumor developed distant recurrence following local recurrence. Phyllodes histologic type and margin width were both associated with the risk of local recurrence following breast-conserving surgery without RT, though the number of events and patients was too small to show these trends were statistically significant.
Copyright, Fair Use, and Creative Commons: An Active-Learning Exercise for Studio Art Students

This article describes an active-learning exercise intended to help teach copyright, fair use, and Creative Commons licenses. In the exercise students use a worksheet to draw original pictures, create derivative pictures on tracing paper, select Creative Commons licenses, and explore commercial usage, fair use, and copyright infringement. Librarian-instructors may find the completed worksheets to be useful aids to supplement copyright lectures; student perspectives will be integral because they are generating the examples used in discussion. Although a scholarly communication librarian developed this exercise to help introduce some basic copyright information to an undergraduate studio art and design class, the exercise can be performed in a general educational setting.
Changes in behavior and fecal cortisol metabolites when dairy cattle are regrouped in pairs versus individually after calving

Regrouping occurs when dairy cows are moved between pens, and this can negatively affect cow behavior and production. Pen changes occur frequently around calving, a time when cows are vulnerable to health problems. Regrouping cows along with a familiar conspecific after calving may make social integration easier, but little work has tested this hypothesis. The objective of this study was to compare lying behavior, feeding behavior, social behavior, and fecal cortisol metabolite concentrations (a physiological indicator of stress) between cows regrouped individually and cows regrouped with a familiar partner after calving. Holstein (n = 8) and Jersey (n = 26) cows were monitored from approximately 2 wk before until 7 d after calving. Cows were held in 1 of 2 identical maternity pens until they calved. After calving, cows were held in a transition pen for 3 d before being regrouped into the main lactation pen (regrouping of interest). On d 3 postpartum, cows were assigned to a treatment, balancing for parity and breed: regrouped into the lactation pen alone (individual; n = 17) or with a familiar partner (paired; n = 17). A familiar partner was defined as a cow that spent 3 d in the transition pen with the focal cow. Using live observation, we quantified the time cows spent feeding, standing or lying in the lying stalls, grooming, and standing in different locations in the pen during the 1 h immediately after regrouping. The frequency of competitive interactions at the feed bunk was also measured during this observation period. Lying behavior was monitored from 2 d before until 5 d after regrouping using a data logger. Fecal samples were collected for 5 d beginning on the day of regrouping to assess fecal cortisol metabolite concentrations (11,17-dioxoandrostane, 11,17-DOA). We found no effects of regrouping treatment on behaviors observed during the 1-h period immediately following regrouping. Cows that were regrouped with a partner had more lying bouts than cows moved individually (9.2 ± 0.4 bouts/d vs. 7.5 ± 0.4 bouts/d) and shorter lying bout durations (66.6 ± 3.9 vs. 78.1 ± 3.5 min/d); however, we also observed these differences during the day before regrouping, suggesting that the differences in lying behavior could not be explained by the regrouping treatment alone. Individually regrouped primiparous cows had higher 11,17-DOA concentrations than individually regrouped multiparous cows but we found no differences in 11,17-DOA between parities when cows were moved with a familiar partner. In addition, 11,17-DOA was higher in primiparous cows moved alone compared with primiparous cows moved with a partner. More research is needed to understand the mechanisms by which social familiarity affects behavior and the physiological stress response following regrouping; this may provide new insight into how to better transition cows into new environments.
Viscoplastic Analysis of Plate-Impact Spallation

A constitutive model to predict material damage and spall fracture under high strain-rates is applied to plate impact experiments using OFHC copper plates. Stress wave profiles, damage distribution across the target plate thickness, the target rear surface velocity-time profile, and the stress wave transmitted to a backup stress gage are all calculated.
The impact of belatacept on the phenotypic heterogeneity of renal T cell‐mediated alloimmune response: the critical role of maintenance treatment and inflammatory load

Belatacept offers superior long-term outcome relative to calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)-based immunosuppression. However, the higher frequency of early T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) in belatacept-treated patients hampered the widespread adoption of costimulation blockade. Here, we applied gene expression analysis and whole-slide inflammatory cell quantification to assess the impact of belatacept on intragraft immune signature. We studied formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded renal biopsies from 92 patients stratified by histopathologic diagnosis (TCMR, borderline changes, or normal) and immunosuppression regimen (belatacept, CNI). An interaction model was built to explore maintenance treatment-dependent expression level changes of immune response-related genes across diagnostic categories of normal, borderline changes, and TCMR. Ninety-one percent of genes overexpressed in TCMR showed significant correlation with whole section inflammatory load. There were 27 genes that had a positive association with belatacept treatment. These were mostly related to myeloid cells and innate immunity. Genes negatively associated with costimulation blockade (n = 14) could be linked to B-cell differentiation and proliferation. We concluded that expression levels of genes characteristic of TCMR are strongly interconnected with quantitative changes of the biopsy inflammatory load. Our results might suggest differential involvement of the innate immune system, and an altered B-cell engagement during TCMR in belatacept-treated patients relative to CNI-treated referents.
Health Correlates of Abuse History and Moderating Effect of Parenting Stress for Mothers with Mental Disorders

Parenting stress is common and may lead to worsening health, particularly in the context of other risk factors such as mental disorders or a history of abuse. This study investigated how parenting-related stress impacts the effect of abuse experiences on health among mothers with mental health disorders. Survey data was analyzed from 172 predominantly Hispanic mothers receiving outpatient behavioral health services. Most (80.2%) mothers had experienced abuse. Those reporting childhood abuse had 3.82 greater odds of experiencing abuse in adulthood. Findings demonstrated worse health outcomes among those experiencing abuse in both childhood and adulthood and those with a greater number of abuse experiences. Caregiving load intensified the relationship between abuse and anxiety and sleep disturbance. Parenting self-agency intensified the relationship between abuse and cigarette use. These findings have important implications for mental health nursing practice by identifying parenting-stress as an important target for interventions to improve health among women with histories of abuse and mental health disorders.
Probing reionization with Lyman-alpha emission lines

Lyman-alpha emission from high-redshift galaxies may be a powerful probe of the ionization history of the IGM at z>6: the observed Lyman-alpha emission line is sensitive to the neutral fraction of IGM hydrogen in the range 0.1-1. We present calculations of observed Lyman-alpha emission lines from z>6 galaxies, illustrating the effect of varying the many free parameters associated with the emitting galaxy, its halo, and the IGM around the galaxy. In particular, we use a dynamic model of the IGM that includes the effect of IGM infall toward the emitting galaxy. Galactic winds may play a crucial role in determining observed Lyman-alpha line fluxes. We compare our model predictions with observations of two z=6.5 galaxies and conclude that, if galactic winds are allowed for, existing observations place no constraint on the neutral fraction of the IGM at z=6.5. Future space-based observations will constrain the importance of galactic winds; if winds are unimportant for the observed z=6.5 galaxies, our models suggest that the IGM neutral fraction at z=6.5 is <~0.1.
Medical needs of emergency department patients presenting with acute alcohol and drug intoxication.

Abstract Study objective Some contend that patients with acute alcohol or illicit substance intoxication should be treated in outpatient detoxification centers rather than in the ED. However, these patients often have underlying acute medical needs. We sought to determine the frequency of medical interventions required by ED patients with alcohol or illicit substance intoxication. Methods This was a prospective observational study of consecutive ED patients presenting to an urban tertiary care ED with altered mental status due to alcohol or illicit substance use. We performed data collection for patients deemed to be low-risk for complications, as defined by receiving care in an intoxication observation unit. Trained staff observed and recorded all medical interventions, including medications administered, diagnostic testing, procedures performed, and airway interventions. The incidence of agitation was recorded using the Altered Mental Status Scale (AMSS, ordinal scale from −4 to +4, where +4 is most agitated). The data analysis is descriptive. Results This analysis included 2685 encounters (1645 unique patients; median age 39; 73% male) from January to May 2019. Average breath alcohol concentration was 0.20 g/dL (range 0.00–0.47). There were 89% encounters with alcohol intoxication, and in 17% encounters the patient was suspected or known to have drug intoxication (either alone or in conjunction with alcohol use). On arrival to the ED, 372 (14%) had agitation (AMSS +1 or higher) and 32 (1%) were profoundly agitated (AMSS +4). In total, 1526 (56%) received at least one intervention that could not be provided by a local detoxification or sobering facility. Of the study population, 955 (36%) received a sedating medication, 903 (34%) required physical restraints for patients or staff safety, 575 (21%) underwent imaging studies, 318 (12%) underwent laboratory testing, 367 (13%) received another intervention (IV access, EKG, splinting, wound care, etc). Additionally, 111 (4%) patients received an airway intervention (19 intubation, 23 nasal airway, 85 supplemental oxygen) and 275 (10%) required repositioning to protect the airway. There were 168 (6%) patients admitted to the hospital. Conclusion In this population of relatively low-risk ED patients with drug and alcohol intoxication, a substantial proportion of patients received medical interventions.
Filtro de vena cava inferior, resultados a mediano y largo plazo.

Introduccion: El tromboembolismo pulmonar sin tratamiento, presenta un riesgo de recurrencia del 20%, con una mortalidad del 18 al 26%, en pacientes con embolia pulmonar donde esta contraindica o fracasa la anticoagulacion, es necesario interrumpir parcialmente la vena cava inferior, siendo los filtros de vena cava la alternativa mas utilizada. Objetivo: Analizar las variables epidemiologicas involucradas en la enfermedad tromboembolica, y los resultados de la insercion del filtro de vena cava inferior. Material y metodos: Estudio retrospectivo, observacional y descriptivo, donde se analiza la insercion sucesiva de 82 filtros de vena cava inferior, en un periodo de 10 anos (2009 al 2019), en el del Hospital Dr. Eduardo Pereira de Valparaiso, Chile. Resultados: Sexo femenino 53,6%, edad promedio 60,4 anos (rango 19–86), la principal causa para desarollar enfermedad tromboembolica fueron las enfermedades oncologicas (56,09%), la principal via de acceso fue la vena femoral comun (69,51%), localizacion del filtro suprarenal (4,87%), se obtuvo un seguimiento actualizado en el 89,02%, la supervivencia a 5 anos fue del 73,17% y a 10 anos del 57,32%, morbilidad en relacion al procedimiento (9,75%), exito del procedimiento (97,5%), no hubo mortalidad relacionada. Discusion: Los grandes ensayos, demuestran el beneficio de la interrupcion de la vena cava inferior mediante filtros, especialmente en pacientes oncologicos, con elevado riesgo de embolia pulmonar. Conclusion: La insercion de un filtro de vena cava inferior, adecuadamente indicado, es un procedimiento minimamente invasivo, de bajo riesgo y con excelentes resultados, en la profilaxis de la embolia pulmonar.
Aminoalkoxycarbonyloxymethyl Ether Prodrugs with a pH-Triggered Release Mechanism: A Case Study Improving the Solubility, Bioavailability, and Efficacy of Antimalarial 4(1 H )-Quinolones with Single Dose Cures.

Preclinical and clinical development of numerous small molecules is prevented by their poor aqueous solubility, limited absorption, and oral bioavailability. Herein, we disclose a general prodrug approach that converts promising lead compounds into aminoalkoxycarbonyloxymethyl (amino AOCOM) ether-substituted analogues that display significantly improved aqueous solubility and enhanced oral bioavailability, restoring key requirements typical for drug candidate profiles. The prodrug is completely independent of biotransformations and animal-independent because it becomes an active compound via a pH-triggered intramolecular cyclization-elimination reaction. As a proof-of-concept, the utility of this novel amino AOCOM ether prodrug approach was demonstrated on an antimalarial compound series representing a variety of antimalarial 4(1H)-quinolones, which entered and failed preclinical development over the last decade. With the amino AOCOM ether prodrug moiety, the 3-aryl-4(1H)-quinolone preclinical candidate was shown to provide single-dose cures in a rodent malaria model at an oral dose of 3 mg/kg, without the use of an advanced formulation technique.
Influence of oxygen partial pressure on properties of monoclinic Ga2O3 deposited on sapphire substrates

Thin monoclinic Ga2O3 films were deposited on c-plane sapphire substrates by low pressure chemical vapor deposition. The thin films were synthesized using high purity metallic gallium (Ga) and oxygen gas (O2) as precursors. The effect of oxygen volume percentage on the growth rate of thin films was observed at two growth temperatures. Within the investigated growth window, a maximum growth rate of ∼2.9 μm/h was obtained for an oxygen volume percentage of 4.8% with a growth temperature at 800 °C. The film growth rate decreased as growth temperature increased when other growth parameters were kept the same. X-ray diffraction indicates that all films have the β-Ga2O3 structure with (−201) orientation, and those deposited with higher oxygen partial pressure are thicker and have improved crystalline quality. Polarized micro-Raman scattering is consistent with small grains of (−201) β-Ga2O3 having random in-plane orientations. The large variation of the relative intensities of overlapping emission bands contributing to the broad luminescence emission extending between 1.5 and 4.5 eV (∼825 and 275 nm) suggest that deposition conditions strongly affect different defect concentrations. Films deposited at 800 °C with a higher oxygen partial pressure yielded higher resistance, which may result from the incorporation of gallium vacancies, identified as a compensating point defect affecting the electrical conductivity of bulk monoclinic Ga2O3.
Present Bias and Debt-Financed Durable Goods

There is concern that present-biased agents incur too much debt because of its deferred costs – concern that has influenced regulation of consumer credit. While this concern is valid when debt is used to finance current consumption, credit may increase efficiency when it is used to fund durable good purchases, which is the most common use of debt. Without debt, present-biased agents underconsume durable goods because of their deferred benefits. The deferred cost of debt can offset the deferred benefit from the durable good. We study the effects of purchase-financing on the demand for durable goods by present-biased agents.
Extirpation of Recurrent Petrous Apex Cholesterol Granuloma Through the Zygomatic Approach: 2-Dimensional Operative Video.

Petrous apex cholesterol granulomas are believed to result from blockage of the normal aeration of the petrous air cells, resulting in a repetitive cycle of mucosal engorgement, hemorrhage, and granuloma formation.1 The lesion usually progressively expands causing compressive symptoms. The thick granulomatous wall envelopes various ages of breakdown products, including a cholesterol-containing fluid, which is typically hyperintense on T1 and T2 weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Drainage procedures, regardless of the route (endoscopic, endonasal, or transtemporal), with or without stenting or marsupialization, will only temporarily drain this cholesterol-containing fluid, with consequently frequent recurrences.2-5 A total exoneration of the granuloma and obliteration of the cavity with vascularized tissue will assure a more durable outcome.1 The extradural zygomatic/middle fossa approach provides a short distance to the petrous apex and is purely extradural. By sectioning the zygoma, temporal lobe retraction is avoided.6 We present a case of a 29-yr-old male who presented in the year 2000 with progression of a left petrous apex cholesterol granuloma despite 2 previous drainage and stenting procedures. The patient consented for surgery and photo publication. Images in video at 2:41 © JNSPG, republished from Eisenberg et al1 with permission.
Treatment of Cancer with Radio-Immunotherapy: What We Currently Know and What the Future May Hold

Radiotherapy and immunotherapy are most effective as cancer therapies in the setting of low-volume disease. Although initial studies of radio-immunotherapy in patients with metastatic cancer have not confirmed the efficacy of this approach, the role of radio-immunotherapy in patients with limited metastatic burden is unclear. We propose that further investigation of radio-immunotherapy in metastatic patients should focus upon patients with oligometastatic disease.
Introduction to Serological Analysis

Exposure of an organism or a cell to certain types of foreign substances (antigens) may lead to an immune response characterized by two properties, specificity and memory. Immunological specificity is the selective reactivity of a given immunological reagent (molecule or cell) with a group of related antigens; immunological memory is the ability of an immunological system to recall a previous experience with an antigen and to respond much faster and more powerfully to subsequent exposures to the same antigen. The response to the first exposure is called primary, and the exposed animal (or cell) is said to be primed or sensitized’, the response to the second (“booster”) exposure is called secondary or anamnestic. There are two major types of immune response, humoral, characterized by secretion of free molecules (antibodies) into the body fluids, and cellular, characterized by the production of specifically sensitized cells.
Production of Ochratoxins in Different Cereal Products by Aspergillus ochraceus

The effects of temperature and length of incubation on ochratoxin A production in various substrates were studied. The optimal temperature for toxin production by Aspergillus ochraceus NRRL-3174 was found to be around 28 C. Very low levels of ochratoxin A are produced in corn, rice, and wheat bran at 4 C. The optimal time for ochratoxin A production depends on the substrate, ranging from 7 to 14 days at 28 C. Ochratoxin B and dihydroisocoumaric acid, i.e., one of the hydrolysis products of ochratoxin A, were produced in rice but at levels considerably lower than ochratoxin A. No ochratoxin C was produced in rice at 28 C. When added to rice cereal or oatmeal, the toxin was found to be very stable over prolonged storage and even to autoclaving for 3 hr.
A Decomposable Random Walk Model for Mobility in Wireless Communications

In this paper we develop models to represent the time until boundary crossing and associated statistics in cellular wireless networks. We propose modeling the terminal movements within a cell by a discrete two-dimensional random walk process. We note that in such an environment mobile units tend to move in roughly a straight line, with occasional backtracking, for a significant period of time before changing direction. We determine the time until crossing an exit point from a circular cell by choosing a random direction from the starting point to an exit point. The user would actually be moving in fluctuating directions until reaching this exit point. Subsequently, we calculate the expected time to reach the exit point as a function of the constant speed of travel and the propensity to change direction en route. The model is rather general and has the potential to be used for highly irregular cell shapes when boundary crossing is not distance-based but determined by propagation attenuation-based criterion.
Abstract 20538: Nrf2 Signaling Ameliorates Ventilator-Induced Lung Inflammation

Ventilator-induced lung injury (VILI) is an acute lung injury that develops during mechanical ventilation with high tidal volume in patients in the intensive care unit (ICU). VILI is a common entity with an unacceptable mortality rate (~20%). As no current therapies exist for VILI, novel therapeutic targets for VILI and mechanical stress-induced tissue injury are needed. In this study, we defined Nrf2 signaling in VILI and mechanical stress-induced endothelial cell pathobiology. Nrf2 is a transcription factor that alters ROS balance and is a novel therapeutic target for VILI. First, we defined Nrf2 as a sensory marker for mechanical stress-induced endothelial cell injury. Antioxidant response element (ARE) luciferase plasmids were transfected to both endothelial cells and murine lung tissues. EC exposed to 18% cyclic stretch (18% CS) or mice exposed to excessive tidal volume ventilation (40 ml/kg) resulted in ARE activation, site of Nrf2 binding. We next confirmed Nrf2 signaling is essential for gene expression dysregulation by 18% CS via Nrf2 knockdown that significantly ameliorates 18% CS-induced gene expression pattern, including signaling pathways regulating endothelial barrier function including MYLK. Finally, we validated that Nrf2 is a novel and effective therapeutic target for VILI in pre-clinical models of VILI. Nrf2 activator sulforaphane (SF, 11.5 mg/kg) significantly attenuated VILI (40 ml/kg, 4 hrs)-induced lung inflammation, including BAL protein leakage and white blood cell infiltration. These novel findings characterized Nrf2 as a sensor for mechanical stress, a central mediator of mechanical stress induced gene expression dysregulation, and a novel therapeutic target for VILI.
Abstract SY18-03: Therapeutically targeting the p53 pathway using miRNA-based approaches in mouse models of cancer

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA The tumor suppressor gene, p53, is commonly mutated or lost in human cancer, and p53 reactivation has been shown to suppress tumors in-vivo. This strategy has proven difficult to implement therapeutically. One alternative strategy to overcome p53 loss is to manipulate the p53 family members, p63 and p73, which interact with p53 extensively to suppress tumorigenesis. Both p63 and p73 are composed of multiple isoforms. The isoforms can be placed into two groups: the TA isoforms, which structurally resemble p53 and act as tumor suppressors, and the ΔN isoforms, which bind to p53, TAp63, and TAp73 and inhibit their function, thus acting as oncogenes. Many current therapeutic strategies to target p53 focus on p53 solely, ignoring the existence of the other p53 family members. Over the last decade, we have learned that this family of genes acts together to suppress tumorigenesis and metastasis; therefore, a clear understanding of the cross talk between the p53 family as a whole is needed to effectively treat cancers with alterations in the p53 family of genes. Recently, my laboratory has shown that in vivo inactivation of ΔNp63 or ΔNp73 in the p53-deficient mouse model of thymic lymphoma leads to massive tumor regression and increased survival through upregulation of TAp63 and TAp73 and subsequent transactivation of a large network of genes and miRNAs identified through RNA sequencing (Venkatanarayan et al., Nature, 2014 Nov 17, doi: 10.1038/nature13910). Importantly, we have previously shown that Dicer and DGCR8 are transcriptional targets of p63 (Su et al., Nature, 2010 Oct 21;467(7318):986-90 and Chakravarti et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2014 Feb 4;111(5):E572-81. doi: 10.1073/pnas.1319743111). To identify inhibitors of ΔNp63 or ΔNp73 as a means to identify compounds that may be used to target the p53 pathway therapeutically, we screened a drug library of more than 850 FDA approved compounds. We found several small molecules that were able to reduce ΔNp63 protein stability and a specific set of miRNAs essential for the effectiveness of the drugs. In vivo analyses of these compounds as well as of these miRNA inhibitors have shown their efficacy in counteracting tumor formation and progression in genetically engineered mouse models deficient for p53 and in patient derived xenograft (PDX) mouse models with tumors that have p53 mutations. In summary, we have now identified multiple modalities to therapeutically target the p53 pathway through manipulation of p63 and p73. Citation Format: Elsa R. Flores. Therapeutically targeting the p53 pathway using miRNA-based approaches in mouse models of cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr SY18-03. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-SY18-03
The Automated Fluorometric Determination of Serum Magnesium

A modified flow diagram and a simplified reagent have been developed for the automated fluorometric determination of serum magnesium by the Hill procedure (1).
Nitrogen atom exchange between molybdenum, tungsten and carbon. A convenient method for N-15 labeling

The compound (ButO)3WN serves to exchange the nitrogen atoms between nitriles (MeCN and PhCN), itself and (ButO)3MoN in solution at room temperature.
Economic Integration and Converg e n c e : Lessons from Asia, Europe and Latin America

This paper examines whether economic integration facilitates converg e n c e in per capita income by investigating the post-war convergence experience within three regional economic areas: the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the European Union (EU), and the Latin American Free Trade Area (LAFTA). A number of different empirical tests and specifications provide evidence that convergence in income per capita has been the strongest and most rapid in the EU, milder but probably present in LAFTA, and nonex
New strategies for preventing epileptogenesis: perspective and overview.

Epilepsy is a common disorder with a major negative impact on patient quality of life, yet treatment so far is directed mainly at blocking the symptoms—epileptic seizures, not the underlying cause. In recent years, investigation of epilepsy development or epileptogenesis has yielded new insights into potential therapies that may ultimately prevent epilepsy before it starts. In this special issue of Neuroscience Letters the latest advances in the field are brought together, summarizing: (1) important animal models in both primary and secondary epilepsies, (2) promising biomarkers for monitoring epileptogenesis, (3) cellular and molecular mechanisms which may serve as viable targets for therapy, and (4) translational approaches to human clinical trials. Bringing together these intriguing new approaches to treating epilepsy as a preventable disorder will hopefully soon make symptomatic treatment of epilepsy unnecessary in most patients.
The Analytic Assessment of Online Portfolios in Undergraduate Technical Communication: A Model

This paper describes an innovative model for assessing the technical communication course by analytically scoring online portfolios, open to the internet, for ten separate (analytic) variables and one overall (holistic) score. The model is a statistically verifiable and sustainable method that strengthens the curriculum and fosters consensus within the teaching community. We achieved construct validity by redefining the elements of the course to incorporate communication in the digital age and then by creating new criteria for evaluation related to that construct. We achieved inter-reader reliability by beginning each assessment with a calibrated reading and by adjudicating non-adjacent scores. After using the model successfully for three semesters, we can see increased consistency in teaching among sections and semesters, more communication among instructors, and we are beginning a database with which we can test further change. The theory and method behind this model can be applied to other disciplines as well.
STEREOELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF PHOTOSYNTHETIC AND RELATED SYSTEMS — V. AB INITIO CONFIGURATION INTERACTION CALCULATIONS ON THE GROUND AND LOWER EXCITED SINGLET AND TRIPLET STATES OF ETHYL CHLOROPHYLLIDE a AND ETHYL PHEOPHORBIDE a

—Ab initio configuration interaction wavefunctions and energies are reported for the ground state and many low-lying excited singlet and triplet states of ethyl pheophorbide a (Et-Pheo a) and ethyl chlorophyllide a (Et-Chl a), and are employed in an analysis of the electronic absorption spectra of these systems. In both molecules the visible spectrum is found to consist of transitions to the two lowest-lying 1(π, π*) states, S1 and S2. The configurational compositions of S1 and S2 in both molecules are similar, and are described qualitatively in terms of a four-orbital model. The S1 S0 transition in each case is predicted to be intense, and is largely in-plane y-polarized, while the S2 S0 transition is predicted to be extremely weak and in-plane polarized. The orientation of the S2 S0 transition dipole is not conclusively established in the present calculations. The Soret band in both molecules is composed of transitions to no less than ten states (S3-S12 in Et-Chl a and S3-S7S9-S12. and S14 in Et-Pheo a), which exhibit primarily (π, π*) character. The configurational compositions of these states are generally a complex mixture of excitations from both occupied macrocyclic π molecular orbitals and occupied orbitals with electron density in the cyclopen-tanone ring and the carbomethoxy chain. No clear correspondences are evident between respective Soret states of the two systems. Transitions to these states are generally intense and display a variety of in-plane polarizations. Two additional Soret states of Et-Pheo a, S8 and S13, exhibit primarily (n. π*) character. S8 is characterized by excitations from u and non-bonding regions of the carbomethoxy chain, while S13 is described by n π* excitations involving the nitrogen atom of ring II. No corresponding (n, π*) states were found for Et-Chl a. In both molecules the lowest two triplet states, T1 and T2, are found to lie lower in energy than S1. while T, and S1 are approximately degenerate. The configurational compositions of T1-T4 of both molecules are nearly identical, and may be described by a four-orbital model. However, the compositions of T1-T4 differ sharply from those of S1 and S2. A number of higher-lying 3(π, π*) states of both molecules (T5-T13 in Et-Chi a and T8-T9, T11-T13 in Et-Pheo a) are found to have energies similar to the singlet Soret states, relative to S0. They are characterized by a complex mixture of configurations which do not include significant contributions involving the four-orbital model. In addition, two 3(n, π*) states of Et-Pheo a, T10 and T14, are found, which are somewhat analogous to S8 and S13. Additional data presented include the charge distributions and molecular dipole moments of the S0. S1, and T1 states of both molecules, as well as energies and oscillator strengths of computed SnS1 and Tn1 transitions.
Mapping Personal, Familial, and Professional Values in Long-term Care Decisions

We mapped the values of elders, family members or friends, and professionals involved in a recently implemented long-term care decision, based on 60 in-depth retrospective interviews. The language used to express values by elders and family members was often quite expressive and particular, whereas professionals tended to employ a more abstract and formulaic language of values. Elders emphasized self-identity and environment, whereas for families and professionals health and well-being of the elder were important.
Location of Insect Hosts By the Nematode, Neoaplectana Carpocapsae, in Response To Temperature

1. The infective stage juveniles of Neoaplectana carpocapsae, a parasitic nematode of insects, was found to aggregate at point sources heated to temperatures of only 0.3°C or less above ambient in either light or dark conditions. 2. The nematode also aggregated in response to heat conducted from a wax moth larva (about 0.3°C above ambient) in the absence of CO2 or chemical gradients. 3. The responses to heat sources (1° above ambient) occurred over a wide range of ambient temperatures. 4. The apparent response of the nematode to light is at least in part caused by effects of heat from light absorption by the agar medium and nematode. 5. The response to temperature appears to function in host location especially at close range from (within a few mm) the insect.
A comparison of the renormalized and active-space coupled-cluster methods: Potential energy curves of BH and F2

Abstract The renormalized noniterative CCSD(T) and CCSD(TQ) methods, which are the examples of the method of moments of coupled-cluster (CC) equations, and the active-space CC approach with internal and semi-internal triexcited clusters (CCSDt) are applied to the potential energy curves of BH and F 2 . It is shown that the renormalized CCSD(T) and CCSD(TQ) methods are practically as effective in removing the failing of the standard noniterative CC approaches at larger internuclear separations as the CCSDt method. The results of the CCSDt and renormalized CCSD(T) and CCSD(TQ) calculations are also compared with those obtained with other perturbative CC approaches that focus on bond breaking.