cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Cross-Linguistic Investigation of the Effect of Raters’ Accent Familiarity on Speaking Assessment

ABSTRACTThe project aimed to examine the effect of raters’ familiarity with accents on their judgments of non-native speech. Participants included three groups of raters who were either from Spanish Heritage, Spanish Non-Heritage, or Chinese Heritage backgrounds (n = 16 in each group) using Winke & Gass’s (2013) definition of a heritage learner as being someone who reports cultural or ethnic ties and has family members who are native speakers of that heritage language. Using a 1–7 Likert-type scale, all participants evaluated the “overall English proficiency” and “foreign accents” of 28 speech samples selected from Educational Testing Service’s TOEFL iBT public data set. Approximately half of the speech samples were from speakers with a Spanish language background, and the other half were from speakers with a Chinese language background and were matched on English language proficiency. Results revealed that familiarity with a particular accent facilitated the identification of that accent. Although the th...
Abstract 210: Biosynthesis of D-series Resolvin by Isolated Vascular Cells and Tissues

Introduction: Resolvin-D1 (RvD1) and other specialized pro-resolving lipid mediators (SPM) are synthesized in-vivo from docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) through transcellular pathways involving leukocytes. We investigated if vascular tissues, in the absence of inflammatory cells, can contribute to the local production of SPM. Methods: Primary cultures of human saphenous vein endothelial (EC) and smooth muscle (SMC) cells were supplemented with DHA in cell culture media (10% serum) for 4h-24h. Freshly harvested rabbit aorta was incubated intact or following gentle EC denudation in medium with or without DHA for 48h. RvD1 levels were quantified by ELISA, and lipoxygenase (LO) expression by western blotting. Results: In the absence of DHA supplementation, EC and SMC produced undetectable levels of RvD1. DHA treatment produced a dose and time-dependent increase in RvD1 production by EC and SMC (10.1 ±1.0 pg, 7.4 ±0.2 pg respectively; 1000nM DHA; 24h; Fig A, B). 5-LO expression was demonstrated in both cell types, however DHA induced increased 5-LO expression in EC (Fig C) but not in SMC. DHA-treated intact rabbit aorta segments produced 0.24±0.05 pg RvD1/mg tissue versus 0.13±0.01 pg RvD1/mg tissue in media alone. Moreover, EC-denuded aortas produced significantly less RvD1 (Fig D). Conclusions: Human vascular cells and rabbit vascular tissue can biosynthesize RvD1 de novo from its precursor DHA, signifying a potentially important local source of SPM in the vasculature. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Validation of a rapid cow-side test for the measurement of blood betahydroxybutyrate in fresh cows

Ketosis is an important metabolic disease in transition cows, associated with decreased milk production, impaired reproductive performance, and abomasal displacements. Cows with blood beta hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) concentrations greater than 14.4 mg/dL (1.4 mmol/L) are considered to be ketotic (Duffield et al). Producers or veterinarians may measure blood BHBA levels in individual sick cows (diagnostic purposes) or may periodically test representative groups of fresh cows to estimate the herd prevalence of ketosis (monitoring purposes). However, there are disadvantages to currently available tests. Though considered the gold standard, submitting serum samples to a veterinary diagnostic laboratory for BHBA analysis is inconvenient and expensive, and the delay in reporting does not lend itself as an individual animal diagnostic test. Conversely, and though they are inexpensive, rapid, and easy to use, available cow-side urine and milk ketone tests have been reported to have lower sensitivity and specificity (Carrier et al) and rely on visual interpretation of color change. Ideally, the industry would have an accurate, rapid, convenient, and inexpensive cow-side test to measure blood BHBA levels in cows. The objective of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of an electronic hand held BHBA meter, designed to measure blood BHBA in human diabetics, for cow-side use in dairy herds.
Engendering the United Nations: The Changing International Agenda

The unprecedented expression of concern by the UN over the oppression of women in Afghanistan in October 1996, and the apparent subsequent retreat of the organization in May 1998, exemplify both the higher visibility of gender issues in international relations, and the inherent constraints in putting the new policies into practice. The article analyzes how the conceptual evolution of UN approaches to social and economic development and human rights has led to recognition of the centrality of women's empowerment for the achievement of global objectives and hence to a consensus on the need to mainstream a gender perspective in all areas of international activity. It traces this evolution through the world conferences that since the early 1990s have defined international approaches to the challenges of the post-Cold War world in different fields. It also maps out the institutional mechanisms and procedures that have been established to carry out those decisions, and which provide a multiplicity of new avenue...
Ultrafast Photochemical Dynamics in Solution

This talk will outline the use of x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) for probing electronic and geometric changes dynamics following ultrafast charge transfer processes in transition metal complexes in solution.
Effect of Potassium Alginate on the Clinical Manifestations of Essential Hypertension Patients

Objective To study the effect of potassium alginate on the clinical manifestations of essential hypertension (EH) patients. Method One hundred and two EH patients were randomly divided into potassium alginate treated group and control group. Antihypertensive drugs were taken as usual. Patients in the treated group were given milk powder mixed with 3. 5 g potassium alginate while the patients in control group were given milk powder only for 50 consecutive days. Blood pressure, blood routine, liver function, renal function, blood sugar and blood lipids of each subject were determined. The clinical symptoms and adverse reactions were investigated with questionnaires. Results The blood pressure of the potassium alginate treated group were decreased step by step following the intake of potassium alginate,and the blood pressure decreased significantly from the 21st day (P 0. 05) of the trial. After taking potassium alginate for 50 days,the decrease of systolic and diastolic pressure in the treated group was at an average of 13. 89 mmHg and 10. 15 mmHg respectively,and the effective power of lowing blood pressure was 60. 78% . The scores of main clinical symptoms were significantly improved in the potassium alginate treated group,such as headache,dizziness,palpitations,tinnitus, insomnia,malaise of knee and waist,and the total efficiency was significantly different between the treated and control group. The total efficiency of improvement was 76. 47% . Conclusion Potassium alginate is effective in assisting antihypertensive drugs for decreasing blood pressure and alleviating clinical manifestations of essential hypertension patients.
Molecular characterization of the 5' regulatory region of rat sodium-dependent multivitamin transporter gene

Previous studies have demonstrated the involvement of a specialized, Na+-dependent carrier-mediated system for biotin uptake in mammalian intestine. The molecular identity of the carrier protein, t...
The effect of geometrical parameters on the characteristics of ultrasonic processing for metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs)

Abstract Metal matrix nanocomposites (MMNCs) can offer significant improvement of properties such as higher specific strength, specific modulus, controlled thermal expansion and higher corrosion resistance, compared to the base metallic materials. However, agglomeration or clustering of nanomaterials makes it very difficult to disperse them in the metal matrix. Non-linear effects of ultrasonic processing, such as acoustic cavitation and acoustic streaming, help in the dispersion and distribution of the nanomaterials. Non-linearity of the ultrasonic processing makes it very hard to measure or characterize the process experimentally. There is very limited knowledge about the interactions between the geometrical parameters of the ultrasonic processing and the extent of cavitation achieved. Numerical modeling offers powerful tools to overcome the experimental difficulties involved. In this study, a non-linear numerical model was developed to resolve the acoustic pressure field, and the cavitation zone size was quantified from the numerical modeling results. The model was then used to study the effect of geometry on the cavitation zone size. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to identify the significant parameters. A parametric analysis involving these parameters was subsequently performed. A configuration of geometrical parameters offering the highest cavitation zone size was determined. It was found out that a probe immersion depth of 25.4 mm produced a maximum cavitation zone in the ultrasonic processing cell with a diameter of 35.9 mm for processing 57 ml of molten Al alloy. An experimental validation has been accomplished by ultrasonically processing an aluminum alloy with carbon nanofibers and silicon carbide microparticles. With selected parameters the area of micro pores in the MMNC was significantly decreased by 50% and a deviation of the hardness was also decreased by 46% due to further dispersion and distribution of the carbon nanofibers.
Bandwidth and density reduction of tabulated data using causality checking

A canonical interconnect model is studied to determine metrics for bandwidth and data density minimization using a causality checker for validation. It is found that insertion loss roll off to −30dB and logarithmic data spacing with 1.1 factor spacing interval preserves good causality checker error. Wide bandwidth is needed for the causality check even for low bandwidth applications.
Clinical Trials with Dismutec™ (Pegorgotein; Polyethylene Glycol-Conjugated Superoxide Dismutase; PEG-SOD) in the Treatment of Severe Closed Head Injury

Although the suspicion for a role of oxygen radicals in disease and degeneration was raised a long time ago, the first publications relating free radicals with traumatic brain injury appeared only in 1981.1,2 Since then, however, a rapid development has taken place, culminating in a phase II human trial with a superoxide scavenger started in 19893 and several phase III clinical trials taking place at present. The initial laboratory experiments were concentrated on elucidating mechanisms for vascular damage after head injury. First, it was shown that in the early minutes after experimental fluid percussion injury in the cat, prostaglandin concentration in the brain increases, secondary to activation of the arachidonic acid pathway; this pathway leads to superoxide anion formation through the enzyme PGH synthase.1 Pretreatment with radical scavengers or with indomethacin, which inhibits cyclo-oxygenase and thus deprives the prostaglandin hydroperoxidase of substrate, protects the endothelium of the cerebral microcirculation from the effects of experimental brain injury.2 Subsequently, it was shown that immediately after the impact there is an increase in phospholipase C activity, which can release arachidonic acid in tissue, leading to oxygen radical formation.4 Further work showed that the radicals are produced not only in cerebral blood vessel walls but also in leukocytes and macrophages that accumulate in the brain between 3 and 24 hours after experimental injury.5 With the method used to identify the site of generation of the superoxide anion,6 only the vessel walls could be implicated in this process, but this is possibly because of insufficient penetration of the reagents into brain tissue.
Introducing the “Bone-Screw-Fastener” for improved screw fixation in orthopedic surgery: a revolutionary paradigm shift?

Conventional screws used for fracture fixation in orthopedic surgery continue to rely on the historic buttress thread design. While buttress screws generally provide solid resistance against unidirectional axial loading forces, their design suffers from several limitations, as the buttress thread does not adequately resist multiaxial forces. Furthermore, the buttress screw is prone to stripping at the bone-screw interface and can cause microfracturing of the surrounding bone due to its thread design. Standard buttress screws are therefore at risk of adverse postoperative outcomes secondary to failure of bone fixation. A new patented Bone-Screw-Fastener was recently designed that is based on an interlocking thread technology. This new fastener provides distributive forces from the threads onto the bone and therefore resists loads in multiple directions. The underlying concept is represented by a “female thread” bone cutting technology designed to maximize bone volume, preserve bone architecture, and create a circumferential interlocking interface between the implant and bone that protects the thread from stripping and from failing to multiaxial forces. We hypothesize that the new Bone-Screw-Fastener overcomes the classic shortcomings of conventional orthopedic screws with buttress threads by ease of insertion, improved bone preservation, increased resistance to off-axis multidirectional loading forces and to stripping of the threads. These advanced biomechanical and biological properties can potentially mitigate the classic limitations of conventional buttress screws by providing better resistance to implant failure under physiological loads, preserving bone biology, and thus potentially improving patient outcomes in the future. The presumed superiority of the new fastener will require testing and validation in well-designed prospective multicenter randomized controlled trials (RCTs), using the conventional buttress screw as control. Once validated in multicenter RCTs, the new Bone-Screw-Fastener may drive a change in paradigm with regard to its innovative biomechanical principles and biologic bone preservation for surgical applications requiring screw fixation.
Job-Seekers and Social Networking in the "Networked" Age

This paper discusses the influence social networks have upon job search successes, with implications for technologically facilitated networking in leveraged social network searches for employment by job seekers.
Design and Analysis of 140-Degree Miter Bend for High Power Electron Cyclotron Heating Transmission Lines

The ITER Electron Cyclotron Heating (ECH) system Transmission Lines (TL) require highly polished copper mirrors on miter bends (both 90° and 140°) to direct microwaves from their origin to the toka...
Spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar Survey of Subsidence in Hampton Roads, Virginia (USA).

Over the past century, the Hampton Roads area of the Chesapeake Bay region has experienced one of the highest rates of relative sea level rise on the Atlantic coast of the United States. This rate of relative sea level rise results from a combination of land subsidence, which has long been known to be present in the region, and rising seas associated with global warming on long timescales and exacerbated by shifts in ocean dynamics on shorter timescales. An understanding of the current-day magnitude of each component is needed to create accurate projections of future relative sea level rise upon which to base planning efforts. The objective of this study is to estimate the land component of relative sea level rise using interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) analysis applied to ALOS-1 synthetic aperture radar data acquired during 2007–2011 to generate high-spatial resolution (20–30 m) estimates of vertical land motion. Although these results are limited by the uncertainty associated with the small set of available historical SAR data, they highlight both localized rates of high subsidence and a significant spatial variability in subsidence, emphasizing the need for further measurement, which could be done with Sentinel-1 and NASA’s upcoming NISAR mission.
A platform for automated nanomole-scale reaction screening and micromole-scale synthesis in flow.

The scarcity of complex intermediates in pharmaceutical research motivates the pursuit of reaction optimization protocols on submilligram scales. We report here the development of an automated flow-based synthesis platform, designed from commercially available components, that integrates both rapid nanomole-scale reaction screening and micromole-scale synthesis into a single modular unit. This system was validated by exploring a diverse range of reaction variables in a Suzuki-Miyaura coupling on nanomole scale at elevated temperatures, generating liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry data points for 5760 reactions at a rate of >1500 reactions per 24 hours. Through multiple injections of the same segment, the system directly produced micromole quantities of desired material. The optimal conditions were also replicated in traditional flow and batch mode at 50- to 200-milligram scale to provide good to excellent yields.
Arithmetic practice that includes relational words promotes understanding of symbolic equations.

Abstract We tested whether using relational words to highlight the relational nature of equality during arithmetic practice can improve what children learn from that practice. Children were randomly assigned to one of four addition practice conditions: (a) relational words: equality symbols were sometimes replaced with relational words [e.g., “is the same amount as”], (b) traditional symbols only: equality was only symbolized with the equal sign or equal bar, (c) operational words: equality symbols were sometimes replaced with operational words [e.g., “adds up to”], or (d) no extra practice. As hypothesized, the relational words group showed evidence of a more relational understanding of symbolic equations at posttest: they were more likely than the other groups to encode the “=” when asked to reconstruct pre-algebra problems, to show transfer from addition practice to subtraction, and to use advanced solving strategies. Results suggest children can benefit from minor arithmetic practice modifications that highlight the relational aspects of equality.
A rare case of Clostridium septicum aortitis with colon adenocarcinoma.

Abstract Clostridium septicum aortitis is a rare, highly morbid condition typically accompanied by malignant disease, such as hematologic cancer or colon adenocarcinoma. Presenting symptoms commonly described include acute onset of abdominal pain, nausea, and fevers. Prompt diagnosis of infectious aortitis is critical to prevent deadly complications, such as sepsis and vascular catastrophe. The described management largely involves surgical resection of the infected aorta, debridement, and arterial revascularization through extra-anatomic bypass or aortic graft placement.
Is Health Care an Individual Necessity? Evidence from Social Security Notch

This paper exploits Social Security legislation changes to identify the causal effect of Social Security income on out-of-pocket medical expenditures of the elderly. Using the householdlevel consumption data from the 1986-1994 Consumer Expenditure Survey and an instrumental variables strategy, the empirical results show that the estimated income elasticities of out-ofpocket total medical costs, medical service expenses, and prescription drug expenses are about 0.89, 1.03, and 0.91, respectively. The estimated elasticities increase substantially and are statistically significant for elderly individuals with less than a high school education. The corresponding income elasticities are 2.40, 3.46, and 1.41, respectively. These findings are in sharp contrast to existing studies and provide empirical evidence that health care expenditures are highly income sensitive among the low education elderly.
2013 Special Issue: Computing with networks of spiking neurons on a biophysically motivated floating-gate based neuromorphic integrated circuit

Results are presented from several spiking network experiments performed on a novel neuromorphic integrated circuit. The networks are discussed in terms of their computational significance, which includes applications such as arbitrary spatiotemporal pattern generation and recognition, winner-take-all competition, stable generation of rhythmic outputs, and volatile memory. Analogies to the behavior of real biological neural systems are also noted. The alternatives for implementing the same computations are discussed and compared from a computational efficiency standpoint, with the conclusion that implementing neural networks on neuromorphic hardware is significantly more power efficient than numerical integration of model equations on traditional digital hardware.
A Review on Control Strategies for Integration of Electric Vehicles with Power Systems

Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered as portable sources of power which can be integrated with any infrastructure, including power grid at different geographical locations, forming a dynamically varying system. Grid-to-vehicle (G2V) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) connections are considered as essential parts of the future smart grids which can considerably enhance the performance of the system in different aspects. The control strategy for integration of EVs plays a key role in enhancing the performance of power system. The aim of this paper is to study different types of control strategies for integration of electric vehicles with power grid. The control strategies that are used for G2V and V2G connections include multi-agent control, frequency control, aggregated control, virtual synchronous machine-based control, etc. which are reviewed in detail. Detailed comparisons between these control methods are presented in this paper. This paper further highlights the transient stability of power system on both distribution and wide-area levels.
Congenital lumbar hernia–A feature of diabetic embryopathy?

Congenital lumbar hernia is a rare anomaly consisting of protrusion of abdominal organs or extraperitoneal tissue through a defect in the lateral abdominal wall. The majority of affected patients have additional anomalies in a pattern described as the lumbocostovertebral syndrome. We report four patients born to mothers with poorly controlled diabetes with congenital lumbar hernia. All patients exhibited features of lumbocostovertebral syndrome with lumbar hernia, multiple vertebral segmentation anomalies in the lower thoracic and/or upper lumbar spine, rib anomalies, and unilateral renal agenesis. Additional anomalies present in the patients included preaxial hallucal polydactyly, abnormal situs, and sacral dysgenesis, anomalies known to be associated with diabetic embryopathy. At least 11 other patients have been previously reported with the lumbocostovertebral syndrome in the setting of maternal diabetes. We suggest that congenital lumbar hernia and the lumbocostovertebral syndrome are related to diabetic embryopathy.
Market orientation, positioning strategy and brand performance

Abstract As the importance of B2B branding increases, literature has received considerable attention in the recent years. An underexplored area in B2B branding revolves around brand positioning and its antecedents. Towards this end, this study links market orientation (proactive and responsive) with the various positioning strategies. Specifically, we extend the extant literature by (1) exploring the possible connections (and alignments thereof) between market orientation types and brand positioning, and (2) examining the effects of these positioning strategies on brand performance. Based on data collected from individuals responsible for managing B2B brands in various industries, this study finds that both proactive and responsive market orientation types support the development of specific positioning strategies. These positioning strategies, in turn, mediate the relationship between market orientation types and brand performance. Implications for researchers and practitioners are provided.
Health Care innovation and children in poverty: lived experiences of caregivers of children with disabilities in a medicaid-serving ACO

This paper reports the results of a qualitative study of caregivers of children with disabilities enrolled in a Medicaid-serving accountable care organization (ACO). The state of Ohio mandated ACO ...
Differentiation in ℝN

There are two principal extensions to ℝ N of the theory of differentiation of real-valued functions on ℝ1. In this section, we develop the natural generalization of ordinary differentiation discussed in Chapter 4 to partial differentiation of functions from ℝ N to ℝ1. In Section 7.3, we extend the ordinary derivative to the total derivative.
Effect of butyrate on passive transfer of immunity in dairy calves

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of supplemental butyrate on (1) Ig production in dams and (2) Ig absorption in their calves. Twenty dry dams fed a close-up total mixed ration were assigned to either a control treatment (CTRL-D) or a butyrate treatment where the close-up total mixed ration was supplemented with butyrate at 1% of dry matter intake (wt/wt; BUT-D). At calving, calves were assigned to 1 of 2 treatments: a control group fed colostrum replacer only (CTRL-C) and a butyrate group fed colostrum replacer with supplemental butyrate at 2.5% (wt/vol; BUT-C). Serum IgG, glucose, and β-hydroxybutyrate were measured weekly in both dams and calves. Additionally, calves were weighed weekly to determine average daily gain. In dams, serum IgG concentration was not different between CTRL-D and BUT-D (1,785 ± 117 vs. 1,736 ± 137 mg/dL, respectively), nor was there a change in Ig levels in the colostrum between control and butyrate groups. Serum total protein did not differ between CTRL-D and BUT-D dams. Dam dry matter intake did not differ between CTRL-D and BUT-D but did decrease 1 wk before parturition. Compared with CTRL-C calves, BUT-C calves had significantly decreased serum IgG concentration at 24 h (2,110 ± 124 vs. 1,400 ± 115 mg/dL), wk 1 (1,397 ± 121 vs. 866 ± 115 mg/dL), and wk 2 (1,310 ± 121 vs. 797 ± 115 mg/dL). Additionally, apparent efficiency of absorption was lower for the BUT-C group compared with the CTRL-C group (35.3 ± 2.1 vs. 25.9 ± 2.0). Differences in serum Ig concentrations between the CTRL-C and BUT-C groups did not affect average daily gain (0.59 ± 0.05 vs. 0.48 ± 0.05 kg/d, respectively), serum glucose concentrations, or serum β-hydroxybutyrate concentrations. These data demonstrate that butyrate inclusion in colostrum negatively affects IgG absorption in newborn calves, whereas calf body weight gains were unaffected.
Redefining Supervision: A Joint Inquiry Into Preparing School-Based Leaders to Supervise for Equity:

This article documents two professors’ inquiry into a lesson on supervising for equity in a supervisor preparation course. Through an iterative process of lesson design, lesson implementation, anal...
Immediate Postpartum Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Programs in Texas Hospitals Following Changes to Medicaid Reimbursement Policy

Provision of long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) after delivery and prior to discharge is safe and advantageous, yet few Texas hospitals offer this service. Our study describes experiences of Texas hospitals that implemented immediate postpartum LARC (IPLARC) programs, in order to inform the development of other IPLARC programs and guide future research on system-level barriers to broader adoption. Eight Texas hospitals that had implemented an IPLARC program were identified, and six agreed to participate in the study. Interviews with 19 key hospital staff covered (1) factors that led the development of an IPLARC program; (2) billing, pharmacy, and administrative operations related to implementation; (3) patient demand and readiness; (4) the consent process; (5) staff training; and (6) hospital plans for monitoring and evaluation of IPLARC services. Most hospitals in this study primarily served Medicaid and un- or under-insured populations. Participants from all six hospitals perceived high levels of patient demand for IPLARC and provider interest in providing this service. The major challenges were related to financing IPLARC programs. Participants from half of the hospitals reported that leadership had concerns about financial viability of providing IPLARC. The hospitals with the longest-running IPLARC programs were safety net hospitals with family planning training programs. We found that hospitals with IPLARC programs all had strong support from both providers and hospital leadership and had funding sources to offset costs that were not reimbursed. Strategies to reduce the financial risks related to IPLARC provision could provide the impetus for new programs to launch and support their sustainability.
Cap-Assisted Endoscopic Mucosal Resection of an Incidental Rectal Traumatic Neuroma.

A traumatic neuroma is a well-known complication after acute trauma to a peripheral nerve; the nerve tries to re-establish continuity by an orderly growth of axons from the peripheral to distal stump through the proliferation of Schwann cells. However, this process is not always perfect, and aberrant repair gives rise to a neuroma. We present a 50-year-old female who underwent an initial colonoscopy for change in bowel habits and was found to have a 7 mm submucosal lesion in the proximal rectum. Endoscopic ultrasound was done which showed a hypoechoic lesion in the submucosal plane without muscularis propria invasion. The patient underwent successful cap-assisted endoscopic mucosal resection of the lesion without complication. Pathology of the specimen revealed a traumatic rectal neuroma with immunostaining positive for S100. However, this patient did not have any known risk factors such as previous surgery including polypectomy or hemorrhoidectomy or any previous rectal manipulation. Interestingly, this is the second case of traumatic rectal neuroma reported in the English-language literature.
Feasibility of coronary angiogram-derived vessel fractional flow reserve in the setting of standard of care percutaneous coronary intervention and its correlation with invasive FFR.

Abstract Background Vessel Fractional Flow Reserve (vFFR), a new angiography-derived method for the functional assessment of coronaries, was recently shown to have good correlation with invasive wire-derived FFR, when vFFR-specific image acquisition requirements were followed. We sought to investigate the feasibility of vFFR analysis and its correlation with FFR in the situation where angiography is completed in routine fashion, without intention for virtual analysis. Methods Utilizing an anonymized database maintained at our Cardiovascular Imaging Core Laboratory, we included angiographic images from patients that underwent pre- and post-PCI FFR. CAAS Workstation 8.1 software (Pie Medical Imaging) was used for vFFR evaluation. Results Out of 624 angiograms (312 pre-PCI and 312 post-PCI), vFFR was successfully analyzed in 219 (35.1%) (115 pre-PCI and 104 post-PCI). Reasons for vFFR analysis failure were: 0.80) FFR. Pearson's correlation coefficient between them was 0.449 (p Conclusion vFFR could be analyzed in about one-third of previously completed angiographies and a weak correlation was seen between vFFR and FFR. Our results show the importance of following the pre-specified requirements for vFFR analysis. Further studies are needed to validate the software in different settings.
Association of Ankle-Brachial and Toe-Brachial Indexes With Mortality in Patients With CKD.

Rationale & Objective A low ankle-brachial index (ABI) is used to diagnose peripheral artery disease (PAD) but may be normal or elevated in patients with medial arterial calcification and stiff vessels, as is common in chronic kidney disease (CKD). The toe-brachial index (TBI) has been recommended because it is not influenced by medial arterial calcification, but alone the TBI does not capture risk associated with medial arterial calcification. We hypothesized that the difference between ABI and TBI (ABI−TBI) would capture both PAD and medial arterial calcification and thus better identify mortality risk from PAD, particularly in those with CKD. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Setting & Participants 471 patients with clinical suspicion for PAD referred for vascular testing. Exposures ABI, TBI, and ABI−TBI. Outcome All-cause mortality. Analytical Approach Cox proportional hazards models evaluating the association of ABI−TBI with mortality over 7 years. Results Mean age was 68 years, 89% were men, 35% had diabetes, 64% had CKD, and mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was 55mL/min/1.73m2. Median ABI was 0.96 (interquartile range [IQR], 0.73-1.08), median TBI was 0.62 (IQR, 0.46-0.81), and median ABI−TBI was 0.23 (IQR, 0.14-0.39). Higher ABI−TBI values were associated with increased risk in mortality only among participants with ABI values≥0.9 (P=0.03). Among participants with CKD and ABI values≥0.9, participants with ABI−TBI values higher than the median had greater (HR, 1.79; 95% CI, 1.18-2.72) risk for mortality (P=0.005). This was attenuated after age adjustment (HR, 1.41; 95% CI, 0.91-2.20) but did not change after further adjustment for confounders. Limitations Mainly male cohort derived from a vascular laboratory; lack of limb outcomes and data for albuminuria. Conclusions A high ABI−TBI value may be associated with higher risk for mortality in persons with CKD and a normal ABI. Age affects this association, and further studies evaluating ABI−TBI in larger populations are required.
Introduction to Special Issue: New Developments in Public Defense Research:

This special issue focuses on interdisciplinary research in public defense. Seven papers represent a diverse group of scholars in an understudied field. Two overarching themes emerge. The first the...
A Gaussian Process Model of Muscle Synergy Functions for Estimating Unmeasured Muscle Excitations Using a Measured Subset

Estimation of muscle excitations from a reduced sensor array could greatly improve current techniques in remote patient monitoring. Such an approach could allow continuous monitoring of clinically relevant biomechanical variables that are ideal for personalizing rehabilitation. In this paper, we introduce the notion of a muscle synergy function which describes the synergistic relationship between a subset of muscles. We develop from first principles an approximation to their behavior using Gaussian process regression and demonstrate the utility of the technique for estimating the excitation time-series of leg muscles during normal walking for nine healthy subjects. Specifically, excitations for six muscles were estimated using surface electromyography (sEMG) data during a finite time interval (called the input window) from four different muscles (called the input muscles) with mean absolute error (MAE) less than 5.0% of the maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and that accounts for 82-88% of the variance (VAF) in the true excitations. Further, these estimated excitations informed muscle activations with less than 4.0% MAE and 89-93% VAF. We also present a detailed analysis of a number of different modeling choices, including every possible combination of four-, three- and two-muscle input sets, the size and structure of the input window, and the stationarity of the Gaussian process covariance functions. Further, application specific modifications for future use are discussed. The proposed technique lays a foundation to explore the use of reduced wearable sensor arrays and muscle synergy functions for monitoring clinically relevant biomechanics during daily life.
Modeling neurodegeneration in Caenorhabditis elegans

ABSTRACT The global burden of neurodegenerative diseases underscores the urgent need for innovative strategies to define new drug targets and disease-modifying factors. The nematode Caenorhabditis elegans has served as the experimental subject for multiple transformative discoveries that have redefined our understanding of biology for ∼60 years. More recently, the considerable attributes of C. elegans have been applied to neurodegenerative diseases, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Alzheimer9s disease, Parkinson9s disease and Huntington9s disease. Transgenic nematodes with genes encoding normal and disease variants of proteins at the single- or multi-copy level under neuronal-specific promoters limits expression to select neuronal subtypes. The anatomical transparency of C. elegans affords the use of co-expressed fluorescent proteins to follow the progression of neurodegeneration as the animals age. Significantly, a completely defined connectome facilitates detailed understanding of the impact of neurodegeneration on organismal health and offers a unique capacity to accurately link cell death with behavioral dysfunction or phenotypic variation in vivo. Moreover, chemical treatments, as well as forward and reverse genetic screening, hasten the identification of modifiers that alter neurodegeneration. When combined, these chemical-genetic analyses establish critical threshold states to enhance or reduce cellular stress for dissecting associated pathways. Furthermore, C. elegans can rapidly reveal whether lifespan or healthspan factor into neurodegenerative processes. Here, we outline the methodologies employed to investigate neurodegeneration in C. elegans and highlight numerous studies that exemplify its utility as a pre-clinical intermediary to expedite and inform mammalian translational research.
Putting Anti-Racism into Practice as a Healthcare Ethics Consultant.

Events in the US in 2020 have laid bare the reality that racism and its effects continue to take a heavy toll on the lives of Black Americans. The three articles in this issue of AJOB each provide ...
Utility of GATA-3 and Cytokeratin 5/6 Immunostains in Separating Condyloma Acuminatum Arising in the Urinary Tract From Non-Invasive Papillary Urothelial Carcinoma

Background Condyloma acuminatum is a squamous epithelial lesion which uncommonly involves the urinary tract. In this location, non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinoma constitutes one of the main differential diagnoses with significant prognostic and therapeutic implications. To date, no ancillary immunohistochemical stain has been described to differentiate these two entities. We assess the utility of cytokeratin 5/6 (CK5/6) and GATA-3 immunohistochemistry in distinguishing condyloma acuminatum from non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinoma. Design We reviewed 9 condylomata acuminata involving the urinary tract, 12 low-grade and 8 high-grade non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinomas. CK5/6 immunostaining was performed in all cases. GATA-3 immunostaining and low-risk human papilloma virus (HPV) chromogenic in situ hybridization was performed in all condyloma cases and 2 urothelial carcinomas with squamous differentiation. Results 8/9 condylomata acuminata were positive for low-risk HPV. All condylomata acuminata exhibited strong full-thickness cytoplasmic staining for CK5/6. In 10 of 12 low-grade non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinomas, CK5/6 expression was continuous and limited to the basal cell layer, while it was patchy and limited to the basal cell layer in all 8 high-grade non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinomas. Two low-grade non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinomas showed focal full-thickness CK5/6 expression in the areas of squamous differentiation. These 2 cases were negative for low-risk HPV. GATA-3 immunostaining was positive in all condylomata acuminata. Conclusions CK5/6 immunostaining is a useful and simple tool that can help separate low-grade and high-grade non-invasive papillary urothelial carcinomas from condyloma acuminatum involving the urothelium-lined organs. GATA-3 has no discriminatory role between condyloma acuminatum and papillary urothelial carcinomas.
Dopamine-dependent increases in phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) during precipitated morphine withdrawal in primary cultures of rat striatum

Chronic morphine leads to compensatory up-regulation of cAMP signaling pathways in numerous brain regions. One potential consequence of up-regulated cAMP signaling is increased phosphorylation of cAMP response element binding protein (CREB), a transcription factor that may regulate neuroadaptations related to morphine dependence. Altered gene expression within the nucleus accumbens (NAc), a ventral component of the striatum that receives substantial dopaminergic input, may play a role in some of the motivational aspects of opiate withdrawal. To determine if morphine withdrawal leads to increased CREB phosphorylation in striatal tissues, we examined the effects of naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal on CREB phosphorylation in primary cultures of rat striatal neurons. Precipitated morphine withdrawal was associated with enhanced dopamine-, SKF 82958 (D1 receptor agonist)-, and forskolin-induced CREB phosphorylation. During precipitated withdrawal, D1 receptor-mediated CREB phosphorylation was dependent on cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Precipitated withdrawal also led to up-regulation of c-fos mRNA in response to SKF 82958. CREB protein levels were not altered by acute or chronic morphine. These results suggest that D1 receptor-mediated signal transduction is enhanced during morphine withdrawal. Furthermore, they are consistent with in vivo evidence suggesting that increased CREB activation in portions of the striatum (e.g. the NAc) is related to dysphoric states associated with drug withdrawal.
Policymaking Under Pressure: The Perils of Incremental Responses to Climate Change

Federal policymakers' reluctance to enact a comprehensive climate change policy during the past decade has coincided with increased awareness of the inevitability and severity of the problems from global climate change. Thus, it is no surprise that piecemeal, sub-federal policies have garnered considerable support. Bolstered by the political science literature on the promise of incrementalism and democratic experimentalism, many proponents of climate change action favor incremental steps in the hope that they will improve the environment or at least serve as a basis for more comprehensive policies. Against this hopeful view, we explain why ad hoc responses to climate change may well be no better than, and possibly will be worse than, no action at all. Incremental climate change policies can give rise to predictable and nontrivial problems, such as non-effect, leakage, climate side effects, other side effects, lock-in, and lulling. Such problems not only can undermine the interim policies themselves but also may delay the adoption of a more comprehensive climate change policy. We present an upstream cap-and-trade policy as one such comprehensive alternative, showing how it would prove less susceptible to the kinds of policy failures that afflict incremental policies. Only by resisting the pressures to act immediately, and investing the necessary time and resources to craft a comprehensive solution, will environmental policymakers be able to guard against the perils that afflict ad hoc policymaking. Posted paper, uploaded January 2010, is the published version of the working paper originally posted June 2008.
Bringing people together while learning apart: Creating online learning environments to support the needs of rural and remote students

This paper has presented an analysis of the perceptions and actions of five Information Communication Technology (ICT) Education lecturers, at the University of New England (UNE), concerning issues associated with the online teaching to students in rural and remote areas. The authors reflect upon the strategies that support these models and discuss how these may in turn provide students with firsthand experiences to develop transferable skills and knowledge to create their own motivating and engaging online learning activities and environments. Key words: Rural education, online teaching, online engagement
CLINICAL AND LABORATORY SURVEY INTO THE OXYTOCIC EFFECTS OF DIMENHYDRINATE IN LABOR.

Abstract The recent literature has indicated that opinions regarding the effects of dimenhydrinate on labor have not been completely crystallized. In an attempt to resolve this problem a critical, double blind, clinical and laboratory survey involving 200 consecutive primigravidas was undertaken. The clinical impressions thus gleaned were then substantiated in the laboratory by in vitro studies utilizing muscle strips taken from pregnant and nonpregnant human and guinea pig uteri. These specimens were exposed to dimenhydrinate and other agents in an isolated muscle chamber, and their responses recorded on a kymograph drum. Clinically dimenhydrinate was observed to materially shorten the first stage of labor. The in vitro studies were exciting and indicated that dimenhydrinate possessed oxytocic properties and mediated its effects on this basis, rather than as an antihistaminic.
Enzyme activities following chronic exposure to crude oil in a simulated ecosystem. I. American oysters and brown shrimp.

Abstract Enzyme activities were investigated in whole-body homogenates from oysters and hepatopancreas homogenates from shrimp which had been exposed to crude oil for 8 months in a simulated estuarine ecosystem. Enzymes assayed included acetylcholinesterase, alkaline phosphatase, β-glucuronidase, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, lactic dehydrogenase, and malic dehydrogenase. Few seasonal trends in enzyme activity were observed in either species. Several alterations in enzyme activity were noted in oil-treated shrimp and oysters 6–8 months following the oil spill when the animals were stressed and may reflect physiological changes in animals which are severely stressed. However, few chronic alterations in enzyme activity were observed which could be attributed to the oil spill.
Trained to Kill: Soldiers at War

In two decades of clinical work with Vietnam veterans, psychiatrist Theodore Nadelson sought to understand a seeming paradox about his patients: even veterans being treated for post traumatic stress disorder often still felt attracted to the danger and violence of combat and killing. How this could be possible became a central focus of Nadelson's work and thought, as he looked to veterans' stories and within himself for pieces of the human puzzle. This compelling book is the result of that exploration. In it, Nadelson confronts a dark side of human psychology with sensitivity and depth, revealing startling truths about the allure of violence. Among the topics he addresses are the ways in which the concept of war shapes boys' lives from an early age, what happens when killing becomes a job, and how memories of the thrill of combat affect a soldier after the war is over. He probes the aftermath of September 11, including the historic implications of women's experience in the military. A veteran himself, the author weaves together insights from his own clinical and military experience and from the moving narratives of former soldiers with his thoughtful analysis of readings from world literature to answer tough questions: What does our attraction to killing mean for the future of war and civilization? What implications does it have for the way we understand peacetime violence in our society?