cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychosocial factors appear to predict postoperative pain: Interesting, but how can such information be used to reduce risk?

Psychosocial factors have emerged as consistent predictors of acute and chronic postoperative pain, exerting at least moderate effects on these outcomes. Factors identified involve negative affectivity, stress and distress, and poor coping, suggesting that perceptual/cognitive, emotional, and behavioral factors play key roles in influencing postoperative pain. Building on research documenting such effects, we illustrate 2 pathways by which information on preoperative psychosocial factors (using pain catastrophizing as an example) can be used to advance research and clinical agendas. One pathway treats pain catastrophizing as an empiric marker of risk. We computed mean effect sizes (Cohen's D ) linking pain catastrophizing to acute and chronic postsurgical pain and illustrate that a patient scoring above the median on a pain catastrophizing scale may incur twice the risk of developing chronic postsurgical pain than a patient below the median. The second pathway involves reducing the maladaptive patterns of pain-related thoughts and beliefs of a high pain catastrophizer via cognitive-behavioral therapies (CBT) to reduce the risk of chronic postoperative pain. By mapping effect sizes of CBT for reducing catastrophizing onto effect sizes of catastrophizing predicting pain, our calculations suggest that treating high catastrophizers with CBT may result in 50% fewer patients developing chronic postsurgical pain within this group. Thus, a definable and achievable amount of reduction in pain catastrophizing may translate into definable and achievable decreases in risk of chronic postoperative pain. Future research directions are outlined.
Phase relations among smectite, R1 illite-smectite, and illite

A variety of smectitic and illitic clays were studied by TEM and AEM, following ex- pansion by L.R. White resin, to define phase relations for clay minerals undergoing di- genesis and low-grade metamorphism. Samples included a prograde shale sequence from the Gulf Coast, a hydrothermal bentonite from Zempleni, Hungary, and shales from the Nankai Trough, Japan, Michigan, and the Welsh sedimentary basin. All samples were dominated by various proportions of only three kinds of clay minerals: smectite having no 10 Alayers, R1 illite-smectite (I/S) (50% illite), and illite with only small proportions of smectite-like interlayers; mixed-layer phases with intermediate ratios of I/S were observed only as minor components of other layer sequences. Lattice fringe images show that the common layer spacing of R1 I/S is 21 Aand that it has 0.7-0.8 K pfu; its properties are not an average of those of smectite and illite, which is consistent with the uniqueness of the R1 I/S structure. A prograde sequence of clay mineral transitions in the studied samples can be charac- terized by five stages with different combinations of the three major phases (i.e., smectite, R1 I/S, and illite) corresponding to different grades. The sequence from low to high grade is (1) pure smectite, (2) smectite with small proportions of discrete R1 I/S and illite, (3) R1 I/S with small proportions of smectite and illite, (4) illite with some R1 I/S and smectite, and (5) illite. Common exceptions to this scheme are inferred to be caused by the inherent metastability of all phases, in occurrences that are rate or path dependent.
Spike timing control of oscillatory neuron models using impulsive and quasi-impulsive charge-balanced inputs

We propose a method to control the spike timing of a Type II oscillatory neuron to match the phase of a given reference oscillator. The control method is inspired by the impulsive character of neural communication in nature, and leads to a simple mathematical solution. We show that the phase response curve, which describes the phase-shift of the oscillation due to an impulsive perturbation as a function of the phase at which the perturbation occurs, contains sufficient information to design a charge-balanced control law that provides global monotonic convergence of oscillator phase to the reference phase. This feedback law requires only the knowledge of the dynamics gained through the phase reduction, and the ability to detect a once-per-period marker event, such as the time at which a neuron fires. The effectiveness of this control law is demonstrated through analytical and numerical results, including application to the full-dimensional conductance-based neuron model from which the phase-reduced model was derived. This work represents a step toward a closed-loop form of electrical deep brain stimulation, a treatment for neuromotor disorders such as Parkinson's disease, with symptoms characterized by pathologically synchronized neural firing.
Comparative influence of temperature on development and biological control of two common vineyard pests (Acari: Tetranychidae)

Abstract We studied the effects of temperatures from 10 to 40 °C on development of the Pacific spider mite, Tetranychus pacificus (McGregor), and the Willamette spider mite, Eotetranychus willamettei McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae), feeding on grape foliage. In addition, we investigated the influence of temperatures from 10 to 37 °C on development of the western predatory mite, Galendromus occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acari: Phytoseiidae), feeding on T. pacificus and evaluated the suitability of E. willamettei as prey for the predatory mite at 28 °C. Using a non-linear development rate model we estimated that the lower threshold for development of the three mites lay around 10 °C. T. pacificus was the most heat-resistant, with its upper threshold for development at 40.3 °C, followed by G. occidentalis at 37.1 °C and E. willamettei at 31.0 °C. T. pacificus developed significantly more rapidly than E. willamettei above 22.8 °C, whereas G. occidentalis developed significantly faster than either spider mite from approximately 11 to 36 °C. G. occidentalis developed 5% faster when feeding on E. willamettei than T. pacificus at 28 °C. These results confirm field observations linking E. willamettei damage to cooler, coastal vineyards and early in the season in inland vineyards, and T. pacificus infestations to hot vineyards in inland and coastal areas. Although T. pacificus seems to be more heat tolerant than G. occidentalis , additional information on temperature effects on adult life history details of the two mites is needed to fully evaluate G. occidentalis performance at high temperatures.
Transmembrane interactions are needed for KAI1/CD82-mediated suppression of cancer invasion and metastasis.

In transmembrane (TM) domains, tetraspanin KAI1/CD82 contains an Asn, a Gln, and a Glu polar residue. A mutation of all three polar residues largely disrupts the migration-, invasion-, and metastasis-suppressive activities of KAI1/CD82. Notably, KAI1/CD82 inhibits the formation of microprotrusions and the release of microvesicles, while the mutation disrupts these inhibitions, revealing the connections of microprotrusion and microvesicle to KAI1/CD82 function. The TM polar residues are needed for proper interactions between KAI1/CD82 and tetraspanins CD9 and CD151, which also regulate cell movement, but not for the association between KAI1/CD82 and α3β1 integrin. However, KAI1/CD82 still efficiently inhibits cell migration when either CD9 or CD151 is absent. Hence, KAI1/CD82 interacts with tetraspanin and integrin by different mechanisms and is unlikely to inhibit cell migration through its associated proteins. Moreover, without significantly affecting the glycosylation, homodimerization, and global folding of KAI1/CD82, the TM interactions maintain the conformational stability of KAI1/CD82, evidenced by the facts that the mutant is more sensitive to denaturation and less associable with tetraspanins and supported by the modeling analysis. Thus, the TM interactions mediated by these polar residues determine a conformation either in or near the tightly packed TM region and this conformation and/or its change are needed for the intrinsic activity of KAI1/CD82. In contrast to immense efforts to block the signaling of cancer progression, the perturbation of TM interactions may open a new avenue to prevent cancer invasion and metastasis.
Symbiote transmission and maintenance of extra-genomic associations.

Symbiotes can be transmitted from parents to offspring or horizontally from unrelated hosts or the environment. A key question is whether symbiote transmission is similar enough to Mendelian gene transmission to generate and maintain coevolutionary associations between host and symbiote genes. Recent papers come to opposite conclusions, with some suggesting that any horizontal transmission eliminates genetic association. These studies are hard to compare owing to arbitrary differences in modeling approach, parameter values, and assumptions about selection. I show that associations between host and symbiote genes (extra-genomic associations) can be described by the same dynamic model as conventional linkage disequilibria between genes in the same genome. Thus, covariance between host and symbiote genomes depends on population history, geographic structure, selection, and co-transmission rate, just as covariance between genes within a genome. The conclusion that horizontal transmission rapidly erodes extra-genomic associations is equivalent to the conclusion that recombination rapidly erodes associations between genes within a genome. The conclusion is correct in the absence of population structure or selection. However, population structure can maintain spatial associations between host and symbiote traits, and non-additive selection (interspecific epistasis) can generate covariances between host and symbiote genotypes. These results can also be applied to cultural or other nongenetic traits. This work contributes to a growing consensus that genomic, symbiotic, and gene-culture evolution can be analyzed under a common theoretical framework. In terms of coevolutionary potential, symbiotes can be viewed as lying on a continuum between the intimacy of genes and the indifference of casually co-occuring species.
THREE-DIMENSIONAL ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION OF WARM AND HOT JUPITERS: EFFECTS OF ORBITAL DISTANCE, ROTATION PERIOD, AND NONSYNCHRONOUS ROTATION

United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA Origins and Planetary Atmospheres grant NNX12AI79G))
Pseudomonas Bacteremia: Pharmacologic and Other Bases for Failure of Treatment with Gentamicin

The species Pseudomonas aeruginosa is sensitive to gentamicin, but among 21 patients treated for pseudomonas bacteremia, only six were cured and 15 (71%) died. Seven patients with a rapidly fatal underlying disease died; five of eight considered to have ultimately fatal diseases died, and three of six patients with nonfatal primary diseases died. The dose was not predictive of the level in serum, and most patients received a suboptimal dose. The concentration in the serum was directly related to eradication of bacteremia and survival of the patient. The protective level in serum corroborated the in-vitro sensitivity tests. Gentamicin had a slow maximal bactericidal rate on Pseudomonas. Leukemic leukocytes in leukemic serum were less effective than normal leukocytes in normal serum in killing P. aeruginosa. The high fatality rate from pseudomonas bacteremia results from inadequate treatment, resistance of the organism to killing, and defective defense mechanisms in the patients. Proper use of gentamicin should cure patients if they do not have fatal underlying diseases.
The Forkhead Transcription Factor, FOXP3: A Critical Role in Male Fertility in Mice

Fertility is dependent on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. Each component of this axis is essential for normal reproductive function. Mice with a mutation in the forkhead transcription factor gene, Foxp3, exhibit autoimmunity and infertility. We have previously shown that Foxp3 mutant mice have significantly reduced expression of pituitary gonadotropins. To address the role of Foxp3 in gonadal function, we examined the gonadal phenotype of these mice. Foxp3 mutant mice have significantly reduced seminal vesicle and testis weights compared with Foxp3 +/Y littermates. Spermatogenesis in Foxp3 mutant males is arrested prior to spermatid elongation. Activation of luteinizing hormone signaling in Foxp3 mutant mice by treatment with human chorionic gonadotropin significantly increases seminal vesicle and testis weights as well as testicular testosterone content and seminiferous tubule diameter. Interestingly, human chorionic gonadotropin treatments rescue spermatogenesis in Foxp3 mutant males, suggesting that their gonadal phenotype is due primarily to a loss of pituitary gonadotropin stimulation rather than an intrinsic gonadal defect. fertility, forkhead, FOXP3, gonadotropin, pituitary, spermatogenesis, transcription factor
Robust Sahel drying in response to late 20th century forcings

[1] The African Sahel experienced severe drying between the 1950s and the 1980s, with partial recovery since. We compare Sahel rainfall in the 20th century, pre-industrial, and increased greenhouse gases (GHG) simulations produced for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The simulations forced by 20th century concentrations of aerosol and GHG reproduce (i) a global change in SST akin to that associated with Sahel drought and (ii) a correspondent drying of the Sahel. We conclude that late 20th century Sahel climate was significantly dryer than pre-industrial, and at least 30% of the drying was externally forced. Comparison between 20th century runs and runs forced by GHG alone reveals the key role of reflective aerosols: they force a gradient in SST that excites robust drying in the northern edge of the Atlantic Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and in the Sahel.
An Empirical Investigation of EDI Usage and Performance Improvement in Food Supply Chains

The use of electronic data interchange (EDI) and related coordination activities among supply chain members can improve supply chain performance. This study examines the relationship between a number of variables relating to EDI usage and supply chain coordination activities and performance improvements in efficiency, productivity, and competitiveness. Our main research questions are: (1) how does a firm's approach to its EDI implementation and supply chain coordination affect the type and amount of performance improvement? and (2) what factors are critical to the successful implementation of EDI? Using data from a survey of the food industry's supply chain members, we build logistic regression models to identify the most important factors relating to a successful EDI implementation and performance improvement. We find that, while several different factors contribute to the various aspects of the performance improvement, developing EDI systems with a focus on a firm's customers is critical to the improvement of all performance measures.
Communities, collaboration, and climate change adaptation: Case studies from coastal Maine and Oregon

Local communities are increasingly becoming concerned about what to do about changing climatic conditions and they want to know more about how to best work together to address complicated socioecological issues. This paper addresses this need by presenting findings from four exploratory case studies (two in Maine and two in Oregon). The investigation was framed around functional, organizational, epistemological, and discursive aspects of group interaction. Interviews were conducted with 39 participants and qualitative data coding and analysis was completed using NVivo software. The findings and recommendations presented are designed to support the application of collaborative community-based climate change adaptation efforts.
Vector-Based Sustainability Analytics: A Methodological Study on System Transition toward Sustainability

From the sustainability science point of view, sustainable development is a three-dimensional (3D), discretized state transition problem, where the dimension is determined by the core concept of sustainability, which is triple-bottom-line based, and the state transition reflects a fundamental feature of sustainability development. These require continuous sustainability assessment, decision analysis, and action taking. In this paper, we formulate sustainability analysis problems as a general vector-based analysis problem, where the sustainability vector is characterized by the degree of system status change and the direction in a 3D sustainability space. To quantify the balance of triple-bottom-line-based development, we introduce a parameter called the development imbalance angle. We describe a sustainability space partition method, by which a number of zones in the space can be defined and featured. As a sustainability improvement process involves a series of sustainability state transitions, we apply a...
Campus Suicide Prevention: Knowledge, Facts, and Stigma in a College Student Sample

A public health approach to suicide prevention (SP) emphasizes using a comprehensive plan utilizing multiple strategies to address suicide in the community of interest. Universities using this appr...
Feasibility and safety of frequent plasmapheresis of the same human donors.

SummaryBiweekly plasmapheresis on thesame human donors over a period of 40 weeks has been found to be feasible and safe. The possibilities for obtaining large amounts of concentrated human antibodies and for stockpiling sterile human plasmas are discussed.
Clinical experience with hinged silicone penile implants for impotence.

AbstractHerein is discussed 25 men between 26 and 66 years old who underwent implantation of paired hinged silicone penile prostheses for impotence. Subtraction of 20mm. from the maximum symphysis to the mid glans length obtained in the outpatient setting provided an accurate estimate of the rigid shaft length of the implanted prostheses. The prosthesis, itself, was a satisfactory corporeal dilator in 84 per cent of the patients. In 1 case the prosthesis had to be removed because of infection and 4 patients would have benefited from a narrower shaft diameter prosthesis. After implantation of the new prosthesis 96 per cent of the patients had satisfactory intercourse.
Immunolocalization of the mNav2.3 Na+ channel in mouse heart: upregulation in myometrium during pregnancy

mNav2.3 is a putative voltage-dependent sodium channel (NaC) gene expressed in both mouse heart and uterus that shares only 45% amino acid identity with NaCs from gene subfamily 1. Immunofluorescence studies using polyclonal antibodies against two distinct epitopes revealed that mNav2.3 protein in heart colocalized with nerve-specific antibody binding. Similar mNav2.3-specific antibody staining was observed in virgin uterus. However, mNav2.3 expression in uterine nerve disappeared during late pregnancy, concurrent with an appearance in both the longitudinal and circular uterine smooth muscle, which reached a maximum at term and quickly declined within 2 days postpartum. mNav2.3 expression in term uterus often colocalized on the myocyte surface with connexin 43. The immunofluorescence results are supported by Western analysis in which the 217-kDa NaC increased during late pregnancy and declined 2 days postpartum. These data provide perhaps the most dramatic example of NaC regulation. The acute and transient upregulation in myometrium during gestation suggests the Nav2.3 channel plays a role in uterine function at term.
Mentoring At-Risk Youth: an Examination of Strain and Mentor Response Strategies

Mentoring is a popular and widespread intervention for at-risk youth that can positively influence this population’s adaptation to stressors and increase overall resilience. Yet there is a lack of attention to how mentoring relationships work or the attributes of mentoring that contribute to successful outcomes. In this study, we employ qualitative in-depth interviews with mentors in a school-based program to learn about their perceptions of the strain experienced by their mentees, and how they respond to it during sessions. We focus on emotional regulation, conflict resolution, future orientation, and active listening - four positive coping strategies associated with enhanced resilience among at-risk youth. This study considers how these positive strategies fit into mentors’ descriptions of their approaches and the implications for intervention programming.
"Tolerance" in HR Education

Promoting tolerance has become a key weapon in battling prejudice and bias in multicultural training but has had its meaning hijacked over the last generation. Tolerance has changed from the classical definition of incorporating grudging forbearance and indifference toward others and their beliefs and practices to the neo-classical meaning suggesting that every individual’s beliefs, values, behavior, and truth claims are equally valid and worthy of acceptance. This change has alienated many who value equality and fairness and may have limited the effectiveness of human resource initiatives because the neo-classical meaning itself is intolerant. This paper proposes an approach to human resource education which offers authentic tolerance incorporating respect, dignity, and openness to persons, but not necessarily their values or practices.
Abstract 1462: Characterization of patient-derived bladder cancer xenografts: role of xCT in response to cisplatin

Background: A major challenge in cancer drug development has been largely attributed to the inability of cell lines to recapitulate the heterogeneity of human tumors. Patient derived xenografts (PDX) represent a major advance as they are more representative of the clinical setting. However, appropriate characterization of PDXs is necessary to guide biomarker driven drug discovery research. Methods: HE 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1462. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1462
Inflammatory breast cancer: a proposed conceptual shift in the UICC–AJCC TNM staging system

Summary In the absence of histological criteria that distinguish between inflammatory and non-inflammatory breast cancer, diagnosis of inflammatory breast cancer relies entirely on the existence of clinical criteria as outlined by the TNM classification. This classification restricts patients presenting with clinical criteria characteristic of inflammatory breast cancer to subcategory T4d, which immediately relegates all patients with non-metastatic inflammatory breast cancer to stage 3, regardless of tumour size or nodal spread. Patients who present with metastatic disease are consigned to stage 4, and the TNM classification does not distinguish patients on the basis of the presence of inflammatory criteria. Evidence by our group and others suggests that patients with inflammatory breast cancer have significantly reduced overall survival among those who present with distant metastasis at diagnosis (stage 4). In light of these results, this Personal View addresses whether the current TNM staging classification accurately represents a distinction between patients with inflammatory and those with non-inflammatory breast cancer.
Transcending the Tragedy Discourse of Dementia: An Ethical Imperative for Promoting Selfhood, Meaningful Relationships, and Well-Being

Supporting people living with dementia in maintaining selfhood, relationships, and well-being requires seeing beyond the common negative focus on disability. Furthermore, prioritizing the person rather than the disease requires rejecting the tragedy discourse, which is the negative lens through which dementia is typically considered. In this paper, we highlight qualitative research on dementia involving people living with dementia as active participants. Recognizing that many people living with dementia remain capable of making decisions that affect their lives, we highlight a research-based approach to support known as "authentic partnerships" that includes people living with dementia as equal partners. We conclude by proposing eight beliefs to mobilize positive change in transcending the tragedy discourse of dementia, thereby opening a space for selfhood, relationships, and well-being.
The use of gamma-survey measurements to better understand radon potential in urban areas☆

Accounting for as much as 14% of all lung cancers worldwide, cumulative radon progeny exposure is the leading cause of lung cancer among never-smokers both internationally and in the United States. To understand the risk of radon progeny exposure, studies have mapped radon potential using aircraft-based measurements of gamma emissions. However, these efforts are hampered in urban areas where the built environment obstructs aerial data collection. To address part of this limitation, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of using in situ gamma readings (taken with a scintillation probe attached to a ratemeter) to assess radon potential in an urban environment: DeKalb County, part of the Atlanta metropolitan area, Georgia, USA. After taking gamma measurements at 402 survey sites, empirical Bayesian kriging was used to create a continuous surface of predicted gamma readings for the county. We paired these predicted gamma readings with indoor radon concentration data from 1351 residential locations. Statistical tests showed the interpolated gamma values were significantly but weakly positively related with indoor radon concentrations, though this relationship is decreasingly informative at finer geographic scales. Geology, gamma readings, and indoor radon were interrelated, with granitic gneiss generally having the highest gamma readings and highest radon concentrations and ultramafic rock having the lowest of each. Our findings indicate the highest geogenic radon potential may exists in the relatively undeveloped southeastern part of the county. It is possible that in situ gamma, in concert with other variables, could offer an alternative to aerial radioactivity measurements when determining radon potential, though future work will be needed to address this project's limitations.
Fabrication and testing of a 5-node micro-pocket fission detector array for real-time, spatial, iron-wire port neutron-flux monitoring

Abstract Micro-Pocket Fission Detectors (MPFDs) can be used to monitor a neutron flux within the core of a nuclear reactor. When assembled into an array, MPFDs can be used to simultaneously monitor the neutron flux at multiple locations within the reactor. One permutation of the MPFD is designed to be deployed into an iron wire flux port, typical for most research and commercial reactors. A single 5-node MPFD array was fabricated at deployed into a dry flux port within the central thimble of the Kansas State University TRIGA Mk. II research nuclear reactor. The sensitivity of each MPFD node at operating voltages of +50 V, +100 V, and +200 V was observed and an optimal operating voltage of +100 V was identified. No cross-talk was observed between instrument channels during real-time neutron flux measurement. Linear power tracking and real-time response to reactor power were both observed between 10 kWth and 100 kWth reactor power.
Shooting Sports (Archery, Air Rifle, Trapshooting)

Adaptive shooting sports include adaptive archery, parashooting, and adaptive trapshooting. Adaptive archery is a safe sport with excellent accessibility. With only minimal modification and adaptive equipment, persons with disability can compete at high level with able-bodied individuals. Classification of adaptive archery is based on the presence of only lower-extremity versus both upper- and lower-extremity impairment, although an open competition class is also available. The injury pattern for adaptive archery is minor and generally avoidable with proper equipment and techniques. Parashooting has been growing in popularity since its introduction in 1976 Paralympic Games. The current classification rule is based on functional impairment instead of disability-oriented classifications. Parashooting encompasses air pistol and air rifle, fired from both prone and standing positions. Adaptive equipment such as a shooting table for stability or trigger adaptation can facilitate participation. Adaptive trapshooting is a popular sport but is currently the only adaptive shooting sport not recognized by the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) as an official Paralympic sport. Currently there are not any limiting rules in eligibility of participation due to lack of a specific sports governing body (SGB). Persons with disability are classified in accordance with the same rules as able-bodied trapshooters, except for competitions held by the Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), which has developed a handicap review system to appropriately adjust for any trapshooter’s impairments. Only minimal adaptive equipment is required to facilitate participation of adaptive trapshooting.
Ideological Whitening: does skintone shape colour-blind ideology adherence for Latina/os?

ABSTRACTProminent theories of the US racial order contend that phenotypically light Latina/os will elevate to an honorary White category as a result of their socio-economic advantages over darker Latina/os. Accordingly, light Latina/os are presumed to adopt colour-blind racial ideology to cement their elevated racial status. This study is among the first to examine the relationship between skintone and Latina/os’ colour-blind ideology adherence with nationally representative data. I examine these relationships with data from the 2006 Portraits of American Life Study, and test the robustness of findings across two alternative national data sets: the 2014 General Social Survey, and the 2006 Latino National Survey. Across data sets, different measurement approaches, and time periods, this study finds no evidence that skintone shapes Latina/os’ levels of colour-blind ideology adherence. The study concludes by considering why the racial ideology of light Latina/os is non-concordant with their elevated socio-ec...
Inflammatory arthritis in systemic sclerosis: What to do?:

Musculoskeletal involvement, including arthritis and tendinopathy, is a common and important determinant of disability and impaired quality of life in systemic sclerosis. However, the treatment of ...
Oil Shale Beneficiation for Processing

Physical beneficiation has frequently been proposed as a method for upgrading oil shale feedstocks in order to improve the economic feasibility of exploiting these resources to produce synthetic fuels. Oil shales typically contain four to six times as much ash-forming minerals as oil-forming kerogen; hence large amounts of inorganic material need to be processed along with the kerogen during retorting which increases the subsequent problems of waste disposal and management. The reduction of inorganic material prior to retorting offers the attractive alternative of reducing the capital and operating costs.
The Treatment Targets in Acute Decompensated Heart Failure

Acute decompensated heart failure is characterized by hemodynamic abnormalities as well as neuroendocrine activation, which contribute to heart failure symptoms, progressive cardiac dysfunction, and sudden death. The therapeutic goals in patients hospitalized with decompensated heart failure are to reverse acute hemodynamic abnormalities, relieve symptoms, and initiate treatment that will slow disease progression and improve long-term survival. Traditional hemodynamic targets in acute heart failure have been reduction in left and right ventricular filling pressures, reduction in systemic vascular resistance, and increase in cardiac output. Treatments aimed at these targets in patients with acute decompensated heart failure include diuretics, vasodilators, and inotropic agents. In patients hospitalized with acute decompensated heart failure, persistently elevated left ventricular filling pressure has been shown to be highly predictive of an increased risk of fatal decompensation and sudden death. Measures of systemic perfusion, arterial pressure, and vascular resistance have not. Thus, there is a more compelling physiologic rationale for the use of vasodilators than for inotropic agents in these patients. An ideal agent for acute decompensated heart failure would be one that rapidly reduces pulmonary wedge pressure, results in balanced arterial and venous dilation, promotes natriuresis, lacks direct positive inotropic effects, and does not result in reflex neuroendocrine activation.
Asymmetric synthesis of 7-aza-phomopsolide E and its C-4 epimer

Abstract A flexible, enantioselective route to highly functionalized α,β-unsaturated δ-lactones has been applied to the synthesis of 7-aza-phomopsolide E and its C-4 epimer. This approach relies on the application of the Noyori asymmetric hydrogenation of furyl ketone to produce the secondary furyl alcohol in high enantioexcess, which can be stereoselectively transformed into α,β-unsaturated-δ-lactones by a short, highly diastereoselective oxidation and reduction sequence. DCC and acid chloride couplings were used to introduce the side chains of the two natural product analogues.
Work Flexibility, Telepresence in the Office for Remote Workers: A Case Study from Austria.

There is an increasing need for technology to support remote workers in professional and personal activities, so as to reduce the consumption of fuel, reduce traffic and environmental issues, and enable the workers to stay in contact with their colleagues. Telepresence robotics helps the remote worker by providing a virtual presence, or telepresence, in the office. This tool is a robot controlled by computer, tablet or smartphone and includes a video camera, screen, speakers and microphones for mutual interaction, thereby allowing remote workers and their colleagues to see, hear and speak to each other. In this paper, we describe this technology. The home office is still taboo for many employers. Our experiment has found a solution, because the employee can have a presence in the office and always have audio and video contact. Telepresence robots were introduced a number of years ago, and these robots now allow any employee to be present in the office from anywhere in the world and at any time. This study is a small-scale exploratory case study that examines the use of a robot to interact with colleagues in a traditional office. One of the natural consequences of this kind of workplace flexibility is that less office space is required. We conducted the experiment with a Double 2 Robot over a period of three working days. Based on the data collected from this study, we present a set of guidelines for the use of this technology, and we try to find a solution that will allow the employee to have a presence in the office and enjoy the benefits of this even if he/she is not physically present.
Multi-scale Loading and Damage Mechanisms of Rat Tail, Plantaris, and Achilles Tendons

Tendinopathy, degeneration of tendon that leads to pain and dysfunction, is common in both sports and occupational settings, but multi-scale mechanisms for tendinopathy are still unknown. We recently showed that micro-scale sliding (shear) is responsible for both load transfer and damage mechanisms in rat tail tendon; however, rat tail tendon is a specialized non-load bearing tendon, and thus the load transfer and damage mechanisms are still unknown for load-bearing tendons. The objective of this study was to investigate the load transfer and damage mechanisms of load-bearing tendons using rat plantaris and Achilles tendons. We demonstrated that the micro-scale sliding is a key component for both mechanisms in plantaris tendon, similar to tail tendon. Namely, the micro-scale sliding was correlated with applied strain, demonstrating that load was transferred via micro-scale sliding in the plantaris and tail tendons. In addition, while the micro-scale strain fully recovered, the micro-scale sliding was non-recoverable and strain-dependent, and correlated with a tissue-scale mechanical parameters. When the applied strain was normalized, the % magnitudes of non-recoverable sliding was similar between the plantaris and tail tendons. Achilles tendon demonstrated some of the mechanical responses observed in plantaris and tail tendons, yet the results were inconclusive due to its complex structure. Statement of Clinical Significance: Understanding the mechanisms responsible for the pathogenesis and progression of tendinopathy can improve prevention and rehabilitation strategies and guide therapies and design of engineered constructs.
Investigation of Biodegradable Zn–Li–Cu Alloys for Orthopaedic and Cardiovascular Applications

The ternary Zn–Li–Cu alloy system is investigated as a potential biodegradable metal for orthopaedic and cardiovascular applications. The phase composition, microstructure, hardness, and in vitro corrosion rate of hot-rolled Zn, Zn–0.3Li, Zn–0.3Li–3.5Cu, and Zn–0.3Li–5Cu are examined. The addition of Li and Cu produce LiZn4 and CuZn5 binary phases within the Zn matrix, while there is no interaction between Li and Cu. Hot rolling induces grain refinement and a rolling texture with the addition of Li and Cu. The hardness substantially increases from 39.16 ± 1.49 Hv (pure Zn) to 133.85 ± 4.38 Hv (Zn–0.3Li–5Cu). Immersion-based corrosion rate in Hanks’ solution increases with small additions of Li and Cu content due to microgalvanic behavior. Large addition of Cu promotes a lower corrosion rate due to the noble contribution of CuZn5 phase. The outcome of this study promotes further analysis of the Zn–Li–Cu ternary system for biodegradable metal applications.
Seeding rate and nitrogen application effects on oat forage yield and nutritive value

Nitrogen (N) is the most limiting nutrient for forage production. This study determined seeding rate effects and optimum N rate for spring oat (Avena sativa L.) forage production in the central Gre...
When silver is gold: Forecasting the potential creativity of initial ideas

Abstract Past research on idea evaluation has focused on how individuals evaluate the creativity of finalized ideas. But idea evaluation is also important early in the creative process, when individuals must forecast the potential creativity of rough initial ideas as they decide which to develop. Using five experiments, this paper examines individuals’ accuracy in forecasting the potential creativity of their initial ideas. Participants ranked the potential creativity of their initial ideas before developing them into final ideas. Results suggest that participants tended to under-rank their highest-potential idea. The initial idea that participants thought was their second best tended to actually be their best idea in the end. Broadly, the results suggest that creators exhibit myopia when forecasting the potential creativity of their initial ideas, leading them to overlook their most promising initial ideas. However, forecasting at a higher (more abstract) construal level helped participants identify their best initial idea.
National patterns and factors predicting employment disruption in women diagnosed with endometrial cancer.

e18093Background: Cancer patients are less likely to return to work after diagnosis. As endometrial cancer is highly curable, it is important to assess whether patients are able to resume work afte...
The Blair Education Bill: A Lost Opportunity in American Public Education

Through the 1880s, Senator Henry Blair (R-NH) spearheaded an effort to erode local control of education by turning Congress into a source of funds and oversight for state-level primary and secondary schools. The Blair Bill won support from an interregional, interracial, bipartisan coalition. It passed in the Senate on three separate occasions, was endorsed by presidents, and was a frequent topic of discussion among party elites. Yet in 1890 the bill failed for the last time, and local control would go largely unchanged until the 1965 Elementary and Secondary Education Act. In this article we explore the decade-long battle surrounding Blair's proposal. Our analysis focuses on this lost opportunity as a way of highlighting the coalitional and institutional dynamics that work to prevent reform in an otherwise favorable environment. In this way, we contribute to a large literature on the uneven course of American state development.
Particle clustering dynamics in dense-phase particle-fluid slurries

Abstract This study investigates clustering mechanisms during flow and transport of dense-phase particle–fluid slurry, evaluating the slurry’s complex internal composition effects on particle conveyance. Dense-phase particle–fluid flow and transport are affected by frequent particle–particle collisions, leading to development of particle clusters. Particle conveyance and irregularities of particle placement in fractures due to clustering influence is a topic of interest for proppant injection used during hydraulic fracturing for enhancement of geothermal and hydrocarbon reservoirs. A micromechanical (particle-level) approach using the Discrete Element Method coupled with computational fluid mechanics (DEM-CFD) reveals interesting underlying mechanisms which govern overall slurry conveyance. In this study, qualitative clustering shapes and quantitative clustering characteristics are related to variances in the Durand-Froude number and injected particle volumetric concentrations. Furthermore, this study compares coupled DEM-CFD model results with simplified particle transport evaluations used in some hydraulic fracture simulation software. Results show that particle deposition dynamics do not fully follow predictions based on simplified evaluations at higher injection volumetric concentrations. In most of these cases, conveying particle suspension concentration is non-linear in behavior that differs from the anticipated particle behavior described by simplified evaluations. Overall, this work improves understanding of flowing particle slurry structure and slurry clustering influence on flow and transport.
Measuring and Predicting Divergent Thinking With a Self-Report Questionnaire, Teacher Rating Scale, and Self-Regulated Learning Microanalysis:

This study examined the relationships among three measurement methodologies that are used to assess characteristics and processes associated with creativity (i.e., a self-report questionnaire, teac...
In situ detection of fatty acid C=C positional isomers by coupling on-tissue mCPBA epoxidation with infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

Rationale Unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs) play vital roles in regulating cellular functions. In-depth structural characterization of UFAs such as localizing carbon-carbon double bonds is fundamentally important but poses considerable challenges in mass spectrometry (MS) given that the most widely accessible ion activation method, low-energy collision-induced dissociation (CID), primarily generates uninformative fragments (e.g., neutral loss of CO2 ) that are not suggestive of the double-bond positions. Methods m-Chloroperoxybenzoic acid (mCPBA) was uniformly deposited onto the sample slides using a TM Sprayer, converting the carbon-carbon double bonds into epoxides under ambient conditions. The epoxidation product was ionized in situ by infrared matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (IR-MALDESI-MS), and subsequently cleaved via CID, generating a diagnostic ion pair associated with the double-bond position. The reaction efficiency, sensitivity and relative quantification capability of the method were validated with five UFA standards dried on glass slides, and then this strategy was demonstrated on thin tissue sections of rat liver and human bladder. Results The mCPBA reaction yielded conversion rates in the range of 44-60% in 10 min with high specificity and sensitivity. Further tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) of the mono-epoxidized products generated informative fragment ions specific to the double-bond positions, and relative quantification of positional isomers in binary mixtures was performed across a wide mole fraction from 0 to 1. An innovative spiral scan pattern was utilized during data acquisition, elucidating the major isomeric compositions of multiple UFAs from a tissue section in a single run. Conclusions The on-tissue mCPBA epoxidation was implemented into an ambient MS imaging workflow to offer a rapid and simple way for in situ identification and relative quantification of double-bond positional isomers without the requirement for instrument modification. The method can be readily implemented on many other MS platforms to reveal the role of double-bond positional isomers in lipid biology and to discover potential biomarkers.
Targeted and Omitted: Institutional Role of Protecting Minoritized Religious Groups Against Hate Crimes

Using data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program and the Department of Education Government Accountability Office (DOE GAO), this study examines the...
External food cue responsiveness and emotional eating in adolescents: A multimethod study.

Eating in response to external food cues (i.e., external eating) and internal emotional experiences (i.e., emotional eating) are associated with obesity. While external and emotional eating co-occur, little is known about how external food cue responsiveness may interact with internal emotional cues to influence eating episodes in adolescents. The current study examined how trait-level external food cue responsiveness modulates momentary associations between affective states and eating in adolescents. Participants were drawn from a prior study of siblings (N = 78; ages 13-17) who completed an ecological momentary assessment protocol to assess eating episodes and affective states. External food cue responsiveness was determined by comparing energy consumption following presentation of an appetizing food (pizza) on one day and a control activity (reading) on another day. Generalized linear mixed models examined positive and negative affective states, cue responsiveness, and their interactions as predictors of the likelihood of eating. The relationship between affective states and likelihood of eating was stronger among adolescents with higher versus lower external food cue responsiveness. Among adolescents with higher cue responsiveness, endorsing negative affect was associated with a lower likelihood of eating, whereas endorsing positive affect was associated with a higher likelihood of eating (within-person effects). Findings suggest that high sensitivity to external food cues and greater proclivity for emotional eating may be likely to coincide such that any cue, internal or external, is likely to disrupt sensitivity to internal hunger and satiety signals. Future studies are needed to elucidate how sensitivities to internal and external cues may interact to influence obesity risk.
Using Standardized Patients to Develop Clinical Competence in the Delivery of Bad News

Medical schools often neglect teaching the skills necessary to deliver bad news in a competent manner. Medicine is the art of healing. However, when life will be forever affected by a disability or there is no treatment available to preserve life, the physician is obligated to relate the news to the patient or family. Being the bearer of bad news represents the antithesis to what the physician has been trained to provide. It is wise to prepare students for these situations rather than rely on observation or trial and error learning. In surveying forty practising physicians, most reported a definite lack of undergraduate or resident training in this area. Instead, these physicians reported being faced with anger, disbelief and other emotional storms but having no developed skills to deal with the situation. To better prepare medical students for the task of delivering bad news, standardized patients (SPs) can be effectively utilized. It is imperative that medical students are given training in this area since death and permanent disability are a realistic part of medicine. This survey reveals the failures in medical education to ensure competence in this area and provides a basis to correct this educational deficiency through the use of SPs.