cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) concentrations and resulting exposure in homes in California: relationships among passive air, surface wipe and dust concentrations, and temporal variability

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are used as flame retardants in furniture foam, electronics, and other home furnishings. A field study was conducted that enrolled 139 households from California, which has had more stringent flame retardant requirements than other countries and areas. The study collected passive air, floor and indoor window surface wipes, and dust samples (investigator collected using an HVS3 and vacuum cleaner) in each home. PentaBDE and BDE209 were detected in the majority of the dust samples and many floor wipe samples, but the detection in air and window wipe samples was relatively low. Concentrations of each PBDE congener in different indoor environmental media were moderately correlated, with correlation coefficients ranging between 0.42 and 0.68. Correlation coefficients with blood levels were up to 0.65 and varied between environmental media and age group. Both investigator-collected dust and floor wipes were correlated with serum levels for a wide range of congeners. These two sample types also had a relatively high fraction of samples with adequate mass for reliable quantification. In 42 homes, PBDE levels measured in the same environmental media in the same home 1 year apart were statistically correlated (correlation coefficients: 0.57-0.90), with the exception of BDE209 which was not well correlated longitudinally.
BRICS: a building-block approach for analyzing routing protocols in ad hoc networks-a case study of reactive routing protocols

One of the main challenges in ad hoc networks research is understanding the effect of mobility on the performance of routing protocols. In a previous study, we have shown why mobility affects the performance of routing protocols. In this study, we further extend our approach to analyze the interplay between mobility and the protocol mechanistic building blocks. Through this approach we hope to explain how performance varies with mobility by decomposing the protocol into parameterized mechanistic building blocks based on their functionalities. Then, we apply this approach to reactive MANET routing protocols like AODV and DSR, which enables us to build a common building block architecture that encompasses these reactive protocols. The effect of mobility on each building block is evaluated. We are specifically interested in understanding the contribution of each building block to the overall protocol performance. Through simulations, several lessons on protocol design are learnt. For example, in both AODV and DSR, flooding and caching seem to have a great effect on performance, while salvaging in DSR barely seems to have an effect on the protocol performance.
The Validity Effect: A Search for Mediating Variables

The validity effect is the increase in perceived validity of repeated statements. In the first experiment, subjects rated repeated and nonrepeated statements for validity, familiarity, and source recognition. Validity and familiarity were enhanced by repetition, but source dissociation was not. A path analysis suggested that familiarity mediates perceived validity. In Experiment 2, statements presented in a natural setting were later rated for perceived validity, familiarity, and source recognition. Repetition had parallel effects on validity and familiarity ratings, but source dissociation was unaffected. Controlling for familiarity statistically eliminated the validity effect. In Experiment 3, the effect of prior knowledge on validity judgments was studied. Subjects rated the validity of statements that were related or unrelated to their field of expertise. Those most knowledgeable about the topic were most likely to exhibit the validity effect. Overall, the results suggest that familiarity is the basis...
An examination of qualitative vs. quantitative elaboration likelihood effects

Researchers have investigated a number of different psychological constructs that occur as a result of advertising exposure and that contribute toward the formation of attitudes toward the ad (Aad) and brand (Ab). The dual mediation model (DMM), which defines hypothesized interrelationships among these constructs, has been well supported in previous research, but fails to empirically distinguish between the quantitative versus qualitative effects that can occur as a result of increased elaboration. To address this issue, the author incorporates cognitive resource matching theory into the DMM framework, arguing that construct means, the relative proportions of those means, and the links among model constructs are moderated by level of processing motivation. The results of empirical testing of a modified version of the DMM under alternate resource conditions are consistent with this theoretical explanation. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characteristics of the steady-state atmospheric pressure DC discharge

Summary form only given, as follows. We have carried out chemical, optical, and electrical studies of the steady-state, atmospheric pressure DC discharge, with the intent of identifying the chemically and biologically active species produced. The first investigation was a discharge in air. Chemical analysis was performed by a commercial unit used in environmental monitoring. Our results comprise measurements of ozone, NO, NO/sub 2/, and methane. The results show that the overwhelming production was of ozone. A trace of NO was found. No NO/sub 2/ or methane was found. The optical investigation was looking for far (chemically active) ultra violet light. As a tool we used a crystal of calcite (calcium carbonate) naturally activated with mercury. This crystal is phosphorescent for several seconds when activated with far ultraviolet, but ignores near (chemically inactive) ultraviolet or visible light. The result is that the far ultraviolet light production was negligible as compared to that of a 150-Watt mercury arc in a quartz tube.
Mortality Associated with Bloodstream Infection after Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery

Background Mortality attributable to bloodstream infection (BSI) is still controversial. We studied the impact of BSI on mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery, including the specific impact of different etiologic organisms. Methods Our cohort consisted of 4515 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass procedures at a university hospital from 1996 through 2004. We used Society of Thoracic Surgery data supplemented with laboratory and infection control data. Mortality dates were identified using Society of Thoracic Surgery data and the Social Security Death Index. BSI within 90 days after surgery was defined by a positive blood culture result. Cox proportional hazards and propensity score models were used to analyze the association between BSI and mortality. Results Patients with BSI had a 4.2-fold increased risk of death (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.0-5.9) 2-90 days after coronary artery bypass surgery, compared with uninfected patients. The risk of death was higher among patients with BSI due to gram-negative bacteria (hazard ratio [HR], 6.8; 95% CI, 3.9-12.0) and BSI due to Staphylococcus aureus (HR, 7.2; 95% CI, 3.3-15.7) and lowest among patients with BSI caused by gram-positive bacteria other than S. aureus (HR, 2.2; 95% CI, 1.1-4.6). The risk of death was highest among patients who developed BSI but had the lowest likelihood of infection (HR, 10.0; 95% CI, 3.5-28.8) and was lowest among patients who developed BSI but had the highest likelihood of infection (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.2-4.6). Conclusions BSIs due to gram-negative bacteria and BSIs due to S. aureus contributed significantly to mortality. Mortality attributable to BSI was highest among patients predicted to be least likely to develop infection and was lowest among severely ill patients who were most likely to develop infection. BSI appears to be an important contributor to death after coronary artery bypass surgery, particularly among the healthiest patients.
Regional Comparison of Rat Colon Mechanics

The purpose of this study was to examine the force-velocity characteristics of colonie muscle and to determine whether these factors contribute to regional specialization of the colon observed in adult Fischer rats. Four measurements were obtained from circular colon muscle strips: maximum shortening velocity, a reflection of crossbridge cycling rate; extension of the parallel elastic component, a measure of passive muscle properties of relaxed muscle; the series elastic component, a measure of passive muscle properties of contracted muscle; and peak isometric force, which is equal to the product of the number of activated crossbridges and the strength of individual crossbridges. Muscle length (L) was expressed in terms of the length of optimal tension development (Lo). Peak isometric force and maximum shortening velocity were 848.9 ± 114.7 g/cm2 and 0.082 ± 0.012 Lo/s for muscle strips from the proximal colon, and 948.0± 138.2 g/cm2 and 0.083 ± 0.014 Lo/s for muscle strips from the distal colon. Shortening velocity, isometric force, and load extension properties of the parallel elastic component and the series elastic component are similar in proximal and distal rat colon. This suggests that regional specialization is not determined at the myofibril level but is most likely determined by extrinsic regulatory factors at the neural or receptor level.
Templated grain growth of barium titanate single crystals

BaTiO3 single crystals were grown via templated grain growth (TGG), which is a process in which a single-crystal “template” is placed in contact with a sintered polycrystalline matrix and then heated to migrate the single-crystal boundary into the matrix. Millimeter-sized, stoichiometric single crystals of BaTiO3 were produced by heating polycrystalline matrix with a relative density of 97% and a Ba/Ti ratio of <1.00, which was bonded to a BaTiO3 single crystal, at temperatures above the eutectic temperature. Growth rates of 590–790, 180–350, and 42–59 μm/h were observed for {111}-, {100}-, and {110}-oriented single-crystal templates, respectively. Lower-surface-energy facets were formed for {111}- and {100}-oriented templates, whereas {110} crystals maintained a {110} growth front, which indicated that this plane orientation was the lowest-energy surface in this system. SrTiO3 also was shown to be a suitable substrate for TGG of BaTiO3.
Relationship between depth perception and hand-eye dominance and free-throw shooting in college women.

32 Ss took a total of 50 free throws, with 10 shots on each of five days. Depth perception measures used were the stereopsis test for the Bausch and Lomb Master Ortho-Rater and a modified version o...
Rubber plasticizers from degraded/devulcanized scrap rubber: A method of recycling waste rubber†

Seeking a solution to the problem of disposing scrap tires, we attempted to depolymerize or degrade vulcanized rubber scrap such that the resulting pseudo-liquid material could be used as an extender/plasticizer in virgin rubber compounds. As degraded natural rubber (DNR) and degraded styrene-butadiene rubber (DSBR) are polymeric in nature (confirmed from gel-permeation chromatography (GPC) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results), they can be unique substitutes for typical rubber plasticizers (oil). DNR-loaded samples have shown better mechanical property retention after aging and a lower extractable content in acetone than the respective oil-plasticized samples. Solvent swelling in toluene and 100% modulus values indicate that DNR-added rubber vulcanizates undergo a phase adhesion between the rubber matrix and the degraded polymer, as well as incurring extra reinforcement due to particulate carbon black present in the degraded rubber. Polym. Eng. Sci. 44:1338–1350, 2004. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Lithified and Unlithified Mg-Calcite Precipitates in Tropical Reef Environments

Abstract Push cores from the branching-coral framework of lagoonal reefs in Belize and Panama indicate that the micritic Mg-calcite in the unlithified mud matrix is similar in composition to the well documented submarine lithified micritic crusts and infillings found in open reef framework. The sediment matrix of the lagoonal framework contains significant concentrations of 12 to 13 mole % MgCO3 calcite that shows almost no signs of skeletal origins, as indicated by a fairly consistent mineralogy and independent distribution patterns in sand-, silt-, and clay-size fractions. Its sedimentological and mineralogical similarity to cemented micritic crusts and infillings suggests that the precipitation of micritic Mg-calcite is widespread in tropical-reef waters and becomes lithified when precipitated in open frameworks but remains unlithified when trapped in impermeable lagoonal muddy sediments.
IGF-I Signaling in Osterix-Expressing Cells Regulates Secondary Ossification Center Formation, Growth Plate Maturation, and Metaphyseal Formation During Postnatal Bone Development.

To investigate the role of IGF-I signaling in osterix (OSX)-expressing cells in the skeleton, we generated IGF-I receptor (IGF-IR) knockout mice (OSXIGF-IRKO) (floxed-IGF-IR mice × OSX promoter-driven GFP-labeled cre-recombinase [OSXGFPcre]), and monitored postnatal bone development. At day 2 after birth (P2), OSXGFP-cre was highly expressed in the osteoblasts in the bone surface of the metaphysis and in the prehypertrophic chondrocytes (PHCs) and inner layer of perichondral cells (IPCs). From P7, OSXGFP-cre was highly expressed in PHCs, IPCs, cartilage canals (CCs), and osteoblasts (OBs) in the epiphyseal secondary ossification center (SOC), but was only slightly expressed in the OBs in the metaphysis. Compared with the control mice, the IPC proliferation was decreased in the OSXIGF-IRKOs. In these mice, fewer IPCs invaded into the cartilage, resulting in delayed formation of the CC and SOC. Immunohistochemistry indicated a reduction of vessel number and lower expression of VEGF and ephrin B2 in the IPCs and SOC of OSXIGF-IRKOs. Quantitative real-time PCR revealed that the mRNA levels of the matrix degradation markers, MMP-9, 13 and 14, were decreased in the OSXIGF-IRKOs compared with the controls. The OSXIGF-IRKO also showed irregular morphology of the growth plate and less trabecular bone in the tibia and femur from P7 to 7 weeks, accompanied by decreased chondrocyte proliferation, altered chondrocyte differentiation, and decreased osteoblast differentiation. Our data indicate that during postnatal bone development, IGF-I signaling in OSX-expressing IPCs promotes IPC proliferation and cartilage matrix degradation and increases ephrin B2 production to stimulate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression and vascularization. These processes are required for normal CC formation in the establishment of the SOC. Moreover, IGF-I signaling in the OSX-expressing PHC is required for growth plate maturation and osteoblast differentiation in the development of the metaphysis. © 2015 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
The daughter of Celia, the French flag, and the firing squad: (Progress report on a cellular linear iterative-array simulator)

In earlier work we have reported on CELIA, a program for simulating the behavior of linear iterative arrays of cells. The action of a cell is influenced by both its neighbors. Our main application area was biology, where the program can be used to test hypotheses about the developmental rules for organisms.More recently we have been applying our program to test proposed solutions to some fairly complicated biozogically-based problems. We have investigated whether one can achieve regulative global polarity in organisms without polarity in individual cells, by solving the French flag problem of Wolpert, using only symmetric elements. In our attempted simulation of pigmentation patterns on the shells of sea-snails, we have found it necessary to find a solution to a generalized version of the firing squad synchronization problem, in which the firing squad is growing while it is trying to synchronize itself.We found that our original program CELIA was some what awkward for simulating such complicated situa tio...
Electrical stimulation of the posteromedial thalamus modulates breathing in unanesthetized fetal sheep

Having previously shown that lesions in the posteromedial group of thalamic nuclei abolish hypoxic inhibition of fetal breathing, we devised this study to identify thalamic loci that depress breath...
Hobartian Voluntarism: Grounding a Deontological Conceptionof Epistemic Justiﬁcation

Our concept of epistemic justification is often thought to be deontological, so that justified and unjustified are epistemic terms of praise and blame. This conception of justification requires the truth of voluntarism - the thesis that we have control over our beliefs which seems false. I attempt to present a mostly plausible version of voluntarism by disentangling our incoherent concept of voluntary control and developing a single coherent component. I build on the work of R. E. Hobart. arguing that his compatibilistic conception of voluntary control can be generalized to allow for control over most of our beliefs.
A domain decomposition scheme based on equivalence theorem

A domain decomposition scheme based on the equivalence theorem and the method of moments is introduced. The unknowns on every subscatterer are transferred to the unknowns on its surrounding equivalent surface. With this scheme, both the number of unknowns and the memory usage are reduced. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1853–1857, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21777
A Simple Method for In-Field Sex Determination of the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetle Harmonia axyridis

The multicolored Asian lady beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), has become a popular study organism due to its promise as a biological control agent and its potential adverse, non-target impacts. Behavioral and ecological research on H. axyridis, including examinations of its impacts, could benefit from non-destructive or non-disruptive sexing techniques for this coccinellid. External morphological characters were evaluated for H. axyridis (succinea color form) sex determination in laboratory and field studies. The shape of the distal margin of the fifth visible abdominal sternite accurately predicted H. axyridis sex for all beetles examined. Males consistently had a concave distal margin, while females had a convex distal margin. In addition, pigmentation of the labrum and prosternum were both significantly associated with H. axyridis sex; males had light pigmentation and females had dark pigmentation. Labrum and prosternum pigmentation increased from light to dark with decreasing rearing temperature and increasing time after adult eclosion for females. Male pigmentation was only affected by a decrease in rearing temperature. Validation through in-field collections indicated that these predictors were accurate. However, labrum pigmentation is a more desirable character to use to determine sex, because it is more accurate and easily accessible. Therefore, we recommend using labrum pigmentation for in-field sex determination of H. axyridis. Implications of this diagnostic technique for applied and basic research on this natural enemy are discussed.
Our cultures, our selves: toward an honest dialogue on race and end-of-life decisions.

This patient's situation is well known to the ethics case consultation service as having been the subject of two previous consult requests from the same service. The patient is a nursing home resid...
Leader's dilemma game: An experimental design for cyber insider threat research

One of the problems with insider threat research is the lack of a complete 360° view of an insider threat dataset due to inadequate experimental design. This has prevented us from modeling a computational system to protect against insider threat situations. This paper provides a contemporary methodological approach for using online games to simulate insider betrayal for predictive behavioral research. The Leader's Dilemma Game simulates an insider betrayal scenario for analyzing organizational trust relationships, providing an opportunity to examine the trustworthiness of focal individuals, as measured by humans as sensors engaging in computer-mediated communication. This experimental design provides a window into trustworthiness attribution that can generate a rigorous and relevant behavioral dataset, and contributes to building a cyber laboratory that advances future insider threat study.
Risk Factor Management of Atherosclerotic Peripheral Vascular Disease

Individuals with atherosclerotic peripheral vascular disease (APVD) are at significantly increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events such as myocardial infarction, stroke, and death. 1, 2 Accordingly, the management of all patients with APVD should include comprehensive risk factor modification that is focused on the secondary prevention of cardiovascular events.
Gross motor skills are related to postural stability and age in children with autism spectrum disorder

Abstract Motor skill and postural stability deficits are commonly reported for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), however the relationship between these variables is not well established. We explored the relationship between motor skills, postural stability, restricted and repetitive patterns of behavior, diagnosis, age, and sex. Children (11 with and 11 without ASD), 5–12 years of age, participated in the study. The Test of Gross Motor Development-3 (TGMD-3) was used to assess fundamental motor skills. Postural sway was measured on a force plate during quiet standing on a solid and compliant surface. Center of pressure was calculated and used to compute sway area. Linear regression analysis showed that sway area on a solid surface, age, and diagnosis were significant predictors of motor skill performance (R2 = .854). Severity of ASD, as assessed by the Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised (RBS-R), was not predictive of motor skills. Children with ASD exhibited deficits in postural stability compared to children without ASD. Postural stability appears to influence the ability of children to perform gross motor skills. However, the RBS-R does not seem to be a useful tool for identifying those children with ASD who exhibit the greatest deficits in motor skills.
Illnesses and injuries reported at Disaster Application Centers following the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.

The 1994 Northridge, California, earthquake caused extensive structural damage and disrupted lives for thousands of residents. Local resources treated those initially injured. Many victims were unable or unwilling to reenter their dwellings. Record numbers of victims spent many hours at Disaster Application Centers (DACs) applying for financial assistance and other services. This created a concern for the provision of primary health care services at these centers. Under the Federal Response Plan, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants from the Department of Veterans Affairs treated 17,883 patients at the DACs. This report documents the injuries and illnesses sustained by the public and response workers at the DACs. The findings demonstrate that this care eased the burden on the local health care system. This article illustrates applications for estimating health services needs and demands at similar mass gatherings that might be experienced in response to catastrophic events and in U.S. military operations involving humanitarian relief missions.
Evaluation of Generalized Performance Across Materials When Using Video Technology by Students With Autism Spectrum Disorder and Moderate Intellectual Disability

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of four high school–aged students with a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder and moderate intellectual disability to generalize performance of skills when using materials different from those presented through video models. An adapted alternating treatments design was used to evaluate student performance when using materials depicted directly in the custom-made video programs compared with materials different from those depicted in the custom-made video programs. Results indicated that overall, students committed more errors and required more sessions to reach criteria when using the generalized materials; however, three of the four students completed tasks under Comparisons 1 and 2 with 100% accuracy when using materials that differed from those in the video model.
Chronic bronchitis: the "English disease".

The English do not have a monopoly on chronic bronchitis. It is becoming an increasing problem throughout the Western world. There is evidence that bacterial infection plays some role in development or prolongation of exacerbations and that viral infection precedes the exacerbation in a large proportion of cases. Prompt treatment of exacerbations seems to be as effective as long-term use of an antibiotic; a 7 to 10 day course of antibiotic therapy is recommended.
A theory of intimate massacres: Steps toward a causal explanation:

School shootings and other attacks that indiscriminately target victims pose special challenges for explanation. Their rarity, enigmatic psychology, and media appeal make it difficult to define the...
Intrinsic dynamics of state self-esteem: The role of self-concept clarity

Abstract Change in self-esteem is commonly viewed as random variation or a response to external influence. The present research investigated whether changes in self-esteem are produced instead by the structure of the self-system and thus reflect intrinsic as opposed to extrinsic dynamics. In this view, temporal variability in self-esteem reflects the landscape of attractors and repellers in a person's self-concept. Using a computer mouse procedure (Vallacher, Van Geert, & Nowak, 2015), we recorded 3-min time series of participants' self-esteem and examined whether the temporal patterns stabilized on evaluative states (attractors) or converged on but departed from such states (repellers). We hypothesized and found that participants with higher self-concept clarity (signaling a well-integrated system) had positive self-esteem attractors and weaker self-esteem repellers, whereas those with lower clarity demonstrated less positive self-esteem attractors and stronger self-esteem repellers. Discussion centers on individual variation in self-esteem dynamics and the interplay of exogenous and endogenous sources of self-esteem.
An Early Planning Model for Increasing International Content in Social Work Education

Social work educators are challenged to prepare social work students for practice in an increasingly globalized world. They may respond to this situation with a broad-spectrum planning approach, but knowledge is limited about how to begin. This conceptual analysis proposes an early curriculum-planning model that can be used to increase international content within social work education programs. Educators can prepare, scan, and plan for increasing international curriculum content. They can consider student learning opportunities within classrooms and field sites of their institutions, as well as those of international host institutions, as shown in examples drawn from the social work education literature. The model provides a place for social work educators to begin the journey of international curriculum planning and enhancement.
Principles of anti-discriminatory design

Technical design can produce exclusionary and even discriminatory effects for users. A lack of discriminatory intent is insufficient to avoid discriminatory design, since implicit assumptions about users rarely include all relevant user demographics, and in some cases, designing for all relevant users is actually impossible. To minimize discriminatory effects of technical design, an actively anti-discriminatory design perspective must be adopted. This article provides examples of discriminatory user exclusion, then defining exclusionary design in terms of disaffordances and dysaffordances. Once these definitions are in place, principles of anti-discriminatory design are advanced, drawing upon a method of phenomenological variation employed in the context of standpoint epistemology.
Employer-Sponsored Insurance Offers: Largely Stable In 2014 Following ACA Implementation

Affordable Care Act provisions implemented in 2014 could have influenced employers’ decisions to offer health insurance. Using data for 2014 from the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey–Insurance Component, we found little change in employer-sponsored health insurance offerings: More than 95 percent of employers either continued offering coverage or continued not offering it between 2013 and 2014. Fewer than 3.5 percent of employers dropped coverage, and 1.1 percent added coverage.
THE PERIOD-ADDING PHENOMENA IN THE UNIJUNCTION TRANSISTOR SECOND ORDER CIRCUIT

This paper introduces the period-adding phenomena which occur in the unijunction transistor second order circuit. We also studied the generating process of period-adding phenomena on the phase plane and spetrum diagram.
A Report of Information Technology and Health Deficiencies in U.S. Nursing Homes.

Objective The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of nursing home (NH) information technology (IT) sophistication on publically reported health safety deficiency scores documented during standard inspections. Methods The sample included 807 NHs from every U.S. state. A total of 2187 health inspections were documented in these facilities. A national IT sophistication survey describing IT capabilities, extent of IT use, and degree of IT integration in resident care, clinical support, and administrative activities in U.S. NHs was used. The relationship between NH health deficiencies and IT sophistication survey scores was examined, using weighted regression. Results Controlling for registered nurse hours per resident day, deficiency scores decreased as total IT sophistication increased. Controlling for total IT sophistication score, deficiency scores decreased as registered nurse hours per resident day increased. Ownership status significantly influenced health deficiency scores. Conclusions These results highlight the necessity to understand benefits of implementing NH IT and demonstrating its impact on patient safety.
Contrast-induced acute kidney injury in interventional cardiology: Emerging evidence and unifying mechanisms of protection by remote ischemic conditioning

Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common complication of many diagnostic and therapeutic cardiovascular procedures. It is associated with longer in-hospital stay, more complicated hospitalization course, and higher in-hospital morbidity and mortality. With increasing use of contrast media in various diagnostic and interventional procedures, the prevalence of CI-AKI is expected to rise. Although pre-hydration with intravenous normal saline is recommended in patients with elevated risk of CI-AKI, this approach is often not feasible in many clinical settings. Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC), elicited by application of one or more, brief, non-injurious episodes of ischemia and reperfusion of a limb, is a promising therapy for preventing or attenuating the deleterious effects of contrast media on the kidney. Although the mechanisms of protection by RIC have not been completely defined, complex humoral, neural, and inflammatory pathways have been hypothesized to be in play. Given that RIC is non-invasive and cheap, it is attractive from clinical and economic perspective as a therapy to protect the kidney from CI-AKI. In this succinct review, we highlight the unifying mechanisms of CI-AKI and provide an overview of proposed biological mechanisms of renal protection by RIC. Emerging pre-clinical and clinical evidence in interventional cardiology is also discussed.
A 10-year institutional experience with open branched graft reconstruction of aortic aneurysms in connective tissue disorders versus degenerative disease

Abstract Objective Aortic reconstruction for complex thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) can be challenging, especially in patients with connective tissue disorders (CTDs) in whom tissue fragility is a major concern. Branched graft reconstruction is a more complex operation compared with inclusion patch repair of the aorta but is frequently necessary in patients with CTDs or other pathologies because of anatomic reasons. We describe our institutional experience with open branched graft reconstruction of aortic aneurysms and compare outcomes for patients with CTDs vs degenerative pathologies. Methods We retrospectively analyzed all patients undergoing open aortic reconstruction using branched grafts at our institution between July 2006 and December 2015. Postoperative outcomes, including perioperative morbidity and mortality, midterm graft patency, and the development of new aneurysms, were compared for patients with CTD vs degenerative disease. Results During the 10-year study period, 137 patients (CTD, 29; degenerative, 108) underwent aortic repair with branched graft reconstruction. CTD patients were significantly younger (39 ± 1.9 vs 68 ± 1.0 years; P P P P = .003) than patients with degenerative disease. Perioperative mortality (CTD: 10% [n = 3] vs degenerative: 6% [n = 6]; P = .40) and any complication (62% vs 55%; P = .47) were similar between groups. At a median follow-up time of 14.5 months (interquartile range: 6.5, 43.9 months), CTD patients were more likely to develop both new aortic (21%) and nonaortic (14%) aneurysms compared with the degenerative group (7% and 4% for aortic and nonaortic aneurysms, respectively; P = .02). Loss of branch graft patency occurred in 0 of 99 grafts (0%) in CTD patients and in 13 of 167 grafts (7.8%) in degenerative disease patients ( P = .005). Loss of branch graft patency occurred most commonly in left renal artery bypass grafts (77%) and was clinically asymptomatic (creatinine: 1.77 ± 0.13 mg/dL currently vs 1.41 ± 0.25 preoperatively; P = .22). Conclusions CTD patients with aortic aneurysms who undergo open branched graft reconstruction have reasonable outcomes compared with patients with degenerative pathology, including better branched graft patency and a similar risk of perioperative mortality and complications. Open repair of aortic aneurysms with branched graft reconstruction can be performed safely in both populations with low perioperative mortality, but ongoing surveillance is critical for the detection of new aneurysms, especially among patients with CTD.
Fracturing a dysfunctional Edwards Perimount bioprosthetic valve to facilitate percutaneous valve‐in‐valve placement of SAPIEN 3 valve with modified delivery system

Pulmonary valve replacement via surgical implantation of a bioprosthetic valve (BPV) is a well-established treatment for patients with dysfunctional RV outflow tracts. BPVs are prone to structural deterioration, and will eventually require replacement. Recently, percutaneous valve-in-valve (VIV) placement of transcatheter valves has established itself as a safe and effective alternative to surgical revision. Unfortunately, VIV therapy is inherently limited by the inner diameter of the BPV, which restricts the number of eligible patients. Other centers have reported on the feasibility of cracking certain BPVs with ultra high-pressure balloons in bench testing. We now report cracking an Edwards Perimount BPV in the pulmonary position to facilitate VIV placement of an Edwards SAPIEN 3. The ability to crack the Perimount valve allowed placement of a larger valve than previously considered and minimized the final valve gradient. In an effort to avoid the morbidity and mortality of surgical pulmonary valve replacement, this new strategy will expand the number of patients eligible for percutaneous VIV therapy.
Capacity Spectrum Seismic Design Methodology for Bridges with Hybrid Sliding-Rocking Columns

AbstractBridges with hybrid sliding-rocking (HSR) columns offer an attractive alternative for accelerated construction in seismic regions. HSR columns include internal unbonded post-tensioning, end...
Bile-duct obstruction model imaged at the single-cell level

5660 Bile duct obstruction often occurs in pancreatic cancer and other tumors. We have developed a new model to visualize tumor cell obstruction of the bile duct as well as the nuclear cytoplasmic dynamics of the invading cancer cells. The cancer cells were genetically double-labeled with green fluorescent protein (GFP) linked to histone H2B in the nucleus and with retroviral red fluorescent protein (RFP) in the cytoplasm. The doubly-labeled fluorescent tumor cells were injected into the head portion of the pancreas. The tumor cells were followed intravitally in the live animal by dual-color fluorescence. Dual-labeled cancer cells spread rapidly in the pancreas, and by three days were visualized to invade the bile duct. The tumor cells rapidly divided within the bile duct. Duodenal obstruction and resulting jaundice in the mice resulted 20 days after cell injection. Most of the mice were dead by 40 days. It was possible to visualize single cells invading the bile duct and to determine the nuclear and cellular dynamics including apoptosis of the invading cells. This dual-fluorescent model should prove to be useful for understanding the cell biology of bile duct invasion in cancer. The ability to visualize bile duct invasion by cancer cells should also enable the selective targeting of this process by new agents.
Bounded Orbits in Mechanical Systems with Two Degrees of Freedom and Symmetry

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of bounded orbits in mechanical systems with two degrees of freedom and symmetry, and geodesies on surfaces of revolution. The two types of mechanical systems that have been considered are related in solving the equations of motion for a central force problem with fixed energy that can be reduced to the problem of finding geodesies on a surface of revolution, as shown by Whittaker and Wintner.
Risk and Resilience among Children Exposed to Family Violence

Research on the relationship between exposure to family violence and functional adaptation in children has been inconsistent and inconclusive. In this study, exposure to family violence was correlated with vulnerability, resilience, and protective factors in a clinical sample of 60 children aged 8 through 11. Exposure was found to be related to children's self-worth and to behavior problems. However, these relationships varied by gender, support, and type of functioning being measured. Exposure was positively correlated with behavioral problems among girls, and negatively correlated with self-worth among boys. High levels of support protected boys only from the effects of exposure.
Reinventing computing for real time

This paper studies models of computation, software techniques, and analytical models for distributed timed systems. By "timed systems" we mean those where timeliness is an essential part of the behavior. By "distributed systems" we mean computational systems that are interconnected on a network. Applications of timed distributed systems include industrial automation, distributed immersive environments, advanced instrumentation systems, networked control systems, and many modern embedded software systems that integrate networking. The introduction of network time protocols such as NTP (at a coarse granularity) and IEEE 1588 (at a fine granularity) makes possible time coherence that has not traditionally been part of the computational models in networked systems. The main question we address in this paper is: Given time synchronization with some known precision, how does this change how distributed applications are designed and developed? A second question we address is: How can time synchronization help with realizing coordinated real-time events.
Private Family Business Goals: A Concise Review, Goal Relationships, and Goal Formation Processes

Conventional wisdom holds that goals drive behavior and measured goals lead to results. The preeminent goals in business research revolve around financial performance. However, recently, more attention has been paid to non-financial goals, such as applied in the balanced scorecard. Family business research has also taken special note of goals, as family influence in business typically enhances the salience of non-financial goals that must be accommodated with more materialistic, financial objectives. For this and other reasons, goals are challenging to study in private family firms where goals reflect desired outcomes for family and business, and relative to publicly traded entities, owning-families have great freedom in goal selection, resulting in higher levels of goal idiosyncrasy and heterogeneity. To further the discussion of private family business goals, this chapter provides a concise review of the extant literature on family business goals, imparts relationships between financial and non-financial goals, and expounds processes of family business goal formation.
Investigating Cell Signaling with Gene Expression Datasets

Modern molecular biology is a data- and computationally-intensive field with few instructional resources for introducing undergraduate students to the requisite skills and techniques for analyzing large data sets. This Lesson helps students: (i) build an understanding of the role of signal transduction in the control of gene expression; (ii) improve written scientific communication skills through engagement in literature searches, data analysis, and writing reports; and (iii) develop an awareness of the procedures and protocols for analyzing and making inferences from high-content quantitative molecular biology data. The Lesson is most suited to upper level biology courses because it requires foundational knowledge on cellular organization, protein structure and function, and the tenets of information flow from DNA to proteins. The first step lays the foundation for understanding cell signaling, which can be accomplished through assigned readings and presentations. In subsequent active learning sessions, data analysis is integrated with exercises that provide insight into the structure of scientific papers. The Lesson emphasizes the role of quantitative methods in research and helps students gain experience with functional genomics databases and data analysis, which are important skills for molecular biologists. Assessment is conducted through mini-reports designed to gauge students' perceptions of the purpose of each step, their awareness of the possible limitations of the methods utilized, and the ability to identify opportunities for further investigation. Summative assessment is conducted through a final report. The modules are suitable for complementing wet-laboratory experiments and can be adapted for different courses that use molecular biology data.
Asymmetric Synthesis of Calyculin C. 1. Synthesis of the C1−C25 Fragment

We report our synthesis of the C1−C25 fragment of serine/threonine phosphatase PP1 and PP2A inhibitor, calyculin C. Synthetic efforts were directed initially toward the synthesis of a spiroketal core fragment (7), which culminated in completion of the bottom half of the natural product. The synthesis of fragment 7 and subsequent elaboration relied on an allylboration strategy for introduction of chirality. The C1−C8 fragment representing the potentially unstable tetraene moiety was introduced as a separate entity.
Provision of primary NIST traceability to support vapor phase mercury emissions monitoring of combustion sources using isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry

Abstract Primary mercury gas standards, traceable to the SI, have been developed which can be used to underpin a NIST traceability framework for the calibration of vapor phase continuous emission monitoring systems (CEMS). A gas standard, which is based on a commercial gas generator, has been certified for gaseous elemental mercury output at specified generator output set points. The standard, termed the NIST Prime (NP) was certified at selected set points in the range 0.25 μg/m3 to 38 μg/m3 by isotope dilution inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (ID-ICP-MS) using two alternative approaches, based on directly coupled gas sampling, and activated carbon sorbent trapping. Both approaches have been used to provide NIST traceability for electric utility mercury CEMS. The directly coupled method yielded expanded measurement uncertainties ranging from approximately 5.5% relative at 0.5 μg/m3, to approximately 1% relative at 38 μg/m3, and an estimated limit of quantitation (LOQ) of 0.06 μg/m3. The sorbent trapping method in contrast, yielded expanded uncertainties of approximately 1% relative at all sampling points, with an LOQ of 0.001 μg/m3.
Cutaneous polyautoimmunity in two unrelated dogs: pemphigus foliaceus and generalized discoid lupus erythematosus

Background Polyautoimmunity, the concurrent expression of two or more distinct autoimmune diseases (ADs) in a single individual, is a known phenomenon in humans and has been rarely reported in dogs. To the best of the authors' knowledge, comorbid pemphigus foliaceus (PF) and generalized discoid lupus erythematosus (GDLE) has not been reported in dogs. Hypothesis/objectives To describe the clinical, histological and immunological features and treatment outcome of two unrelated dogs with comorbid PF and GDLE. Animals One 10-year-old, spayed German shepherd dog and one 8-year-old, castrated American Staffordshire terrier presented for evaluation of a symmetrical, facial- and/or pedal-dominant pustular dermatitis with concurrent, truncal scaly plaques. Methods For each dog, clinicopathological characterization included physical examination, lesion cytological evaluation, bacterial culture and sensitivity testing, skin histopathological investigation and direct and indirect immunofluorescence testing. Additional diagnostic imaging and haematological testing was performed to exclude extracutaneous disease. Results Both dogs exhibited lesions clinically and histologically compatible with PF and GDLE. Moreover, one dog exhibited generalized leucotrichia and chronic superficial keratitis. Remission was achieved with immunosuppressive dosages of prednisolone [high-dose pulse (Case 1) or standard immunosuppressive dosage (Case 2)] and ciclosporin (5-6 mg/kg/day). Tissue-bound antikeratinocyte immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM were detected in both dogs. A weak basement membrane zone deposit of C3 was seen in one dog. Circulating antikeratinocyte and anti-desmocollin-1 IgG were detected in one dog. Conclusions and clinical importance Cutaneous polyautoimmunity can occur in the dog. Depending on the specific disease combinations, overlapping clinical features may present diagnostic and/or therapeutic challenges. Moreover, these cases should be monitored for development of additional cutaneous or extra-cutaneous AD(s).
The Nyquist Composition Environment: Supporting Textual Programming with a Task-Oriented User Interface

Nyquist is a programming language for sound synthesis and music composition. Nyquist has evolved from a text-only programming language to include an integrated development environment (IDE) that adds graphical support for many tasks. Nyquist is also hosted by Audacity, a widely used audio editor that can invoke Nyquist functions written in the form of scripted plug-ins. This article shows by example how task-oriented interface design can augment a text-based language.
“If You Don’t Want to Be Silenced, Be Silent: Tactical Silence & Jeffco Students for Change”

Silence has been a recurring focus of rhetorical criticism. This essay examines the role of tactical silence in political contestations, particularly during protests. To do so, it explores local de...