cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variance in mating success does not produce strong sexual selection in a polygynous songbird

The sexually dimorphic ornaments and songs of birds are generally thought to be the result of sexual selection. For some time, variation in dimorphism among taxa was attributed to differences in social mating patterns. However, extrapair mating provides an alternative mechanism for sexual selection in both monogamous and polygynous birds. In monogamous systems, extrapair mating typically increases variance in mating success and hence sexual selection. However, it is less clear how extrapair mating influences sexual selection in polygynous species. We measured sexual selection acting on 6 sexually dimorphic male traits in a polygynous songbird, the dickcissel (Spiza americana). We also examined patterns of association between social and extrapair mating success, between male traits and reproductive success within each mating context, and the contribution of each type of mating to overall reproductive success. Despite high variance in both mating success and male traits, we found no evidence for current sexual selection in dickcissels. Indeed, variance among males in dimorphic traits did not significantly contribute to male success in any mating context. These results add to an array of studies uncovering relatively weak sexual selection in polygynous species. It is possible that, in contrast to monogamous systems, extrapair paternity weakens sexual selection in polygynous systems. In addition, natural selection arising from high predation and interspecific brood parasitism, stochastic processes, or annual variation in selective pressures may also weaken sexual selection in this species.
Interferon-γ Is Required for Innate Immunity to Cryptosporidium parvum in Mice

Although CD4 T cells are required for recovery from cryptosporidial infection, mice with severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) remain infected for long periods without ill effect. In contrast, mice whose ability to use interferon(IFN)‐g is impaired, by neutralization or gene knockout, experience heavy cryptosporidial infection that may lead to death. To determine whether the innate immunity of SCID mice to Cryptosporidium parvum (CP) requires IFNg, doubly immunodeficient C57BL/6 SCID‐IFN-g knockout mice were bred. These mice experienced heavy CP infections of the gut; a significantly greater number became moribund or died, compared with mice carrying the SCID mutation alone or carrying disrupted IFNg genes alone. Mice with gene disruptions of inducible nitric oxide synthetase or Fas/Fas ligand recovered normally from CP infection. The results indicate that mice unable to produce specific immune responses because of the SCID mutation require IFN-g to avoid death after infection with CP. Cryptosporidium parvum (CP) is an apicomplexan parasite that infects epithelial cells in the intestine and the biliary tree. CP has attracted attention recently because it is difficult to eradicate from water supplies and can cause large outbreaks of infection. CP causes only transient diarrhea in healthy individuals, but it is responsible for severe enteritis and cholangitis in immunodeficient individuals, including individuals infected with AIDS. Experience in humans indicates that CD4 cells and an intact CD40‐CD154 pathway [1] are required for recovery from CP infections. These conclusions are confirmed in mice, where cytokine neutralization studies have identified interleukin (IL)‐12 and interferon (IFN)‐g as important or essential cytokines [2‐4]. Roles of these potentially separate effector mechanisms have been explored, in part, by infecting gene-knockout mice with CP. B6 mice with disrupted IFN-g genes have been
The Civil Society Sector: A Review of Critical Issues and Research Agenda for Organizational Communication Scholars

The civil society sector is a growing sector of societies across the globe. With 1.8 million registered nonprofits in the United States alone, it provides an exciting landscape for organizational c...
Development of a two dimensional synthetic aperture microwave radiometer

Research is being conducted at the Goddard Space Flight Center to develop aperture synthesis in two dimensions for future application to microwave remote sensing of the Earth from space. A laboratory prototype has been assembled consisting of a two element interferometer (two antennas connected together to form a coherent correlation radiometer) mounted on an x-y positioner so that all baselines an a cartesian grid can be measured. The minimum spacing is approximately one-half wavelength and the maximum spacing is about 50 wavelengths. Initial tests have been completed and an image has been successfully obtained. The image was obtained by discretizing the theoretical response of the instrument and using measurements on the actual instrument to correct for gains and offsets in the RF system. >
Diet beverages and the risk of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease: a review of the evidence.

“Diet beverage” is a common term used to describe beverages that are sweetened with non-nutritive or artificial sweeteners (ASBs). Marketing strategies often imply that consuming these beverages holds promise for weight control or weight loss. The objective of the present review is to provide a synthesis of the literature on the effects of ASBs on body weight, cardiovascular disease, and type 2 diabetes. Consumption of diet beverages is much lower than that of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs), and people trying to lose weight report the highest levels of ASB consumption. To date, prospective observational studies have revealed mixed results, and it appears that reverse causality is a particular problem, since individuals who are at higher risk for weight gain may choose to consume ASBs in an attempt to control their weight or reduce disease risk. As for experimental studies, the evidence currently suggests that obesity risk may be lower when ASBs replace SSBs in the diet. Still, additional evidence from experimental studies is needed to more definitively determine the benefits and risks of frequent ASB consumption.
An Exploratory Study of the Urban Hassles Index: A Contextually Relevant Measure of Chronic Multidimensional Urban Stressors.

Objective: This article discusses continued development of the Urban Hassles Index (UHI). The stressors identified in the UHI are chronic and differ substantively from the more acute life events indexes typically employed to measure adolescent stress. Method: Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the underlying factor structure of the UHI. Structural equation modeling was used to define the relationship between the latent factors and the observed variables and to test, a priori, the hypothesis that responses to the UHI could be explained by four first-order factors. Results: For study participants, urban hassles include four dimensions (harassment, anxiety, social disorganization, and coercion). However, the hypothesis that responses to the UHI could be explained by four first-order factors and one second-order factor could not be confirmed. Conclusions: The utility of the UHI for social work researchers and practitioners is discussed.
Process-model simulations of cloud albedo enhancement by aerosols in the Arctic

A cloud-resolving model is used to simulate the effectiveness of Arctic marine cloud brightening via injection of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), either through geoengineering or other increased sources of Arctic aerosols. An updated cloud microphysical scheme is employed, with prognostic CCN and cloud particle numbers in both liquid and mixed-phase marine low clouds. Injection of CCN into the marine boundary layer can delay the collapse of the boundary layer and increase low-cloud albedo. Albedo increases are stronger for pure liquid clouds than mixed-phase clouds. Liquid precipitation can be suppressed by CCN injection, whereas ice precipitation (snow) is affected less; thus, the effectiveness of brightening mixed-phase clouds is lower than for liquid-only clouds. CCN injection into a clean regime results in a greater albedo increase than injection into a polluted regime, consistent with current knowledge about aerosol–cloud interactions. Unlike previous studies investigating warm clouds, dynamical changes in circulation owing to precipitation changes are small. According to these results, which are dependent upon the representation of ice nucleation processes in the employed microphysical scheme, Arctic geoengineering is unlikely to be effective as the sole means of altering the global radiation budget but could have substantial local radiative effects.
Adultcentrism in Practice with Children

Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services. Copyright 1992 Families International, Inc.
Limits on weak magnetic confinement of neutral atoms

It is shown that when a magnetic field is used to support neutral atoms against the gravitational force $mg$, the total curvature of the field magnitude $B$ must be larger than ${m}^{2}{g}^{2}∕(2{\ensuremath{\mu}}^{2}B)$, where $\ensuremath{\mu}$ is the magnetic moment of the atoms. This limits the minimum confinement strength obtainable for a trapped atomic gas. It is also conjectured that the curvature must be larger than twice this value for a magnetic potential that varies in only one or two dimensions, such as an atomic waveguide.
The Role of the Occupational Therapist in the Treatment of Children With Eating Disorders

The prevalence of childhood eating disorders is increasing in pediatric practice across the country. It is therefore important for occupational therapists to be familiar with current research, resources, and intervention strategies related to a variety of eating diagnoses. In this column we highlight basic definitions of a variety of eating disorders, review current research related to eating disorders, and offer a continuum of resources for therapists, parents, children, and adolescents.
STEM Scalable Model for Enhancing Secondary and Postsecondary Student On-Line Services

The purpose of this paper is to examine the BreakThru e-mentoring model for scalability purposes. Two aspects of this STEM e-mentoring program were examined: (1) the use of virtual environments and social media settings; and (2) the development of e-mentoring relationships (i.e., quality and engagement). Three secondary and three postsecondary institutions participated in the project. Mentors (n = 33) were recruited from postsecondary faculty, secondary teachers, graduate students, and business leaders. Of the BreakThru participants (n = 188), 57 % of the students continued in the program for multiple years. Specific design issues are described as essential for developing and measuring the outcomes of a similar student on-line resource.
Concurrent validation of magnetic and inertial measurement units in estimating upper body posture during gait

Abstract We assessed the concurrent validity of commercially available magnetic and inertial measurement units (MIMUs) for estimating mean postural angles for head flexion, thorax flexion and shoulder girdle elevation during gait in seven healthy individuals. Postural angles estimated with the MIMUs were compared with angles calculated using marker data from a gold standard motion capture system. Coefficients of determination of mean postural angles between measurement systems were 0.82 for head flexion, 0.58 for thorax flexion, and 0.77 for shoulder girdle elevation. Bland–Altman analysis showed good agreement between measurement systems. Intraclass correlation coefficients were 0.9 for head flexion, 0.73 for thorax flexion, and 0.87 for shoulder girdle elevation. Root mean square errors were less than 3° between measurement systems for all body segments. The present findings suggest that the MIMUs tested in this study are valid for estimating head flexion, thorax flexion and shoulder girdle elevation during gait.
Abdominal Compartment Syndrome in a Pediatric Patient With Cloacal Exstrophy

We present a rare complication of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) in a child undergoing complex urologic reconstruction. A 10-year-old female born with the abdominal wall defect cloacal exstrophy who had previously undergone multiple abdominal procedures then developed findings consistent with ACS following a complex Mitrofanoff procedure. Although intravesical pressures were not documented because of the nature of her reconstruction, her ACS-type findings were (1) abdominal pain, (2) melena, (3) pulmonary hypoinflation, (4) renal insufficiency, (5) tachycardia, and (6) segmental ischemic small bowel. Management consisted of abdominal decompression, segmental bowel resections, and wound vacuum-assisted-closure management. Patient was eventually discharged home.
Psychometric Validation of the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale in People With Spinal Cord Injury: A Brief Report

The main study objective was to further evaluate the factorial validity of the Moorong Self-Efficacy Scale (MSES) with 266 Canadians with spinal cord injuries (SCI). Exploratory factor analysis yielded three reliable factors (Interpersonal, Instrumental, and Participation Self-Efficacy) building on earlier studies that extracted two factors. The MSES appears to be a promising rehabilitation assessment tool for individuals with SCI.
CCAAT/enhancer binding protein-βtrans-activates murine nitric oxide synthase 2 gene in an MTAL cell line

Nitric oxide production by nitric oxide synthase 2 (NOS2) has been implicated in epithelial cell injury from oxidative and immunologic stress. TheNOS2 gene is transcriptionally activated by lipopol...
Micro and Nano Thin Film Devices as Bio-Assays for Cancer Diagnosis

Micro and nano Au/Cr and Al thin film devices have been fabricated using DC sputtering and e-beam evaporation in combination with e-beam and photo lithography. These devices can be coated with specific reagents to detect and measure the presence of particular antigens and/or complementary DNA sequences with a smaller sample size and at much earlier stages of disease progression compared to current medical diagnostic technologies. Using the device material stack (Au/Cr/Si), we have assessed the binding affinity of Au, Cr, and Si with Protein G, and antibodies for Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) and Cancer Antigen 125 (CA125), an ovarian cancer-associated antigen. Based on our experiments, we see that the thin gold layer of the Au/Cr/Si samples, provides increased bio-material binding affinity, and the chromium layer has a similar, if not less, binding affinity compared to the silicon chip alone.© 2006 ASME
Preservice Art Teachers’ Attitudes Toward Addressing LGBTQ Issues in Their Future Classrooms

For this study, I surveyed 146 urban university preservice art teachers about their attitudes toward lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) issues, including the stereotypes, biases, and misconceptions of this population that these teachers acquired from the media. A three-part questionnaire asked their response to several gay publications and their familiarity with gay issues, partly to explore their own relationships to the LGBTQ community. This research specifically explored the participants’ attitudes toward teaching LGBTQ topics in their future visual art classrooms in public schools. The results indicated that most of the respondents were ready and willing to learn about and teach these topics in their future art classrooms. However, they expressed anxieties and concerns about encountering a conservative school administration or community culture that would prevent them from actively supporting and covering LGBTQ issues. This article addresses these challenges, discusses the st...
Euromarketing: Facts and Fiction

This paper aims to start a debate on the concept of Euromarketing by attempting to answer the following questions. What is Euromarketing ? What are the boundaries of Euromarket ? Is it a political issue or more of a cultural, historical and geographic matter ? What are the determinants of Euromarketing ? Who is the Euroconsumer? Additionally, strategies for Euromarketing and other related issues are also discussed.
Hospital board and staff: partners for change.

A board and staff committee formed to advocate for the rights of dependent children can positively affect their treatment by other community agencies
Abstract 1634: The RALA pathway drives invasion and metastasis of soft tissue sarcomas by regulating MMP14 localization and activity

Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are a heterogeneous group of tumors originating from mesodermal tissues such as skeletal muscle, adipose, and fibrous tissue. The propensity of STS to metastasize, particularly to the lung which occurs in approximately 20% of all cases, is the major source of mortality associated with this disease. Currently, themolecular mechanisms that drive STS metastasis are poorly understood greatly limiting our ability to determine which STS will metastasize and impeding the development of targeted therapies for the treatment of STS metastases. In this study we utilized analysis of publicly available gene expression data to identify loss of PPP2R1B expression as a strong prognosticator of STS metastasis. In vitro analyses using SW872 liposarcoma (LPS) and HT1080 fibrosarcoma cell lines determined that PPP2R1B plays an essential role in the dephosphorylation and inactivation of RALA, a major downstream effector of the Ras pathway. RALA was found to be essential for invasion of STS cells in modified Boyden chamber assays as knockdown of RALA by either siRNA or shRNA significantly decreased invasion through matrigel. Analysis of publicly available gene expression data revealed that RALA expression correlated with more aggressive LPS subtypes and was prognostic of LPS metastasis. Furthermore, we identify the transmembrane matrix metalloprotease MMP14 (MT1-MMP) as a key downstream effector of RALA mediated invasion in STS. Stable knockdown of RALA in SW872 and HT1080 cells resulted in significant mislocalization of MMP14 and reduced MMP14 enzymatic activity. MMP14 expression was also significantly prognostic of metastasis in a publically available LPS cohort. Finally, we demonstrate that a three gene signature comprised of PPP2R1B, RALA, and MMP14 can retrospectively stratify LPS patients into groups of low, moderate, or high risk for metastatic recurrence. To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a vital role for PPP2R1A and RALA in STS invasion and metastasis and these data demonstrate a novel role for RALA in the localization and activity of MMP14. In conclusion, we have identified the PPP2R1B-RALA-MMP14 axis as driver of STS metastasis with potential clinical value as both a prognostic marker and therapeutic target. Citation Format: Steven T. Sizemore, Fen Xia, Arnab Chakravarti. The RALA pathway drives invasion and metastasis of soft tissue sarcomas by regulating MMP14 localization and activity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 1634.
The Role of Abstraction in Scientific Illustration: Implications for Pedagogy

AbstractAbstraction is an important technique used in the creation and interpretation of scieneific illustrations. However, educational research has not fully explored the manner in which scientific illustrations are developed and used. This paper develops a framework for the study of scientific illustrations from three perspectives: ( a ) research into students’ misconceptions; ( b ) psychology of art; and ( c ) sociology of scientific knowledge. Examples from a variety of domains are used to develop an argument for the theory-laden nature of illustrations.
Exploring Correlates of Alcohol-Specific Social Reactions in Alcohol-Involved Sexual Assaults.

ABSTRACTThis exploratory study examined demographic, assault, and disclosure factors as predictors of survivors’ decisions to disclose preassault alcohol use and social reactions to their preassault alcohol use. Of survivors drinking prior to assault, those with more education and greater alcohol impairment or resistance during assault were more likely to disclose preassault drinking. Of women disclosing preassault drinking, those with more education and more violent assaults received more negative social reactions specific to their preassault drinking. Such negative reactions were more common for those telling parents, police, or medical professionals. Women with less education received more positive and negative social reactions specific to their preassault drinking. Disclosing preassault drinking in greater detail was related to positive social reactions specific to preassault drinking and greater alcohol impairment during assault was associated with both positive and negative social reactions specific...
BPTF Depletion Enhances T-cell–Mediated Antitumor Immunity

Genetic studies in fruit flies have implicated the chromatin remodeling complex nucleosome remodeling factor (NURF) in immunity, but it has yet to be studied in mammals. Here we show that its targeting in mice enhances antitumor immunity in two syngeneic models of cancer. NURF was disabled by silencing of bromodomain PHD-finger containing transcription factor (BPTF), the largest and essential subunit of NURF. We found that both CD8+ and CD4+ T cells were necessary for enhanced antitumor activity, with elevated numbers of activated CD8+ T cells observed in BPTF-deficient tumors. Enhanced cytolytic activity was observed for CD8+ T cells cocultured with BPTF-silenced cells. Similar effects were not produced with T-cell receptor transgenic CD8+ T cells, implicating the involvement of novel antigens. Accordingly, enhanced activity was observed for individual CD8+ T-cell clones from mice bearing BPTF-silenced tumors. Mechanistic investigations revealed that NURF directly regulated the expression of genes encoding immunoproteasome subunits Psmb8 and Psmb9 and the antigen transporter genes Tap1 and Tap2 The PSMB8 inhibitor ONX-0914 reversed the effects of BPTF ablation, consistent with a critical role for the immunoproteasome in improving tumor immunogenicity. Thus, NURF normally suppresses tumor antigenicity and its depletion improves antigen processing, CD8 T-cell cytotoxicity, and antitumor immunity, identifying NURF as a candidate therapeutic target to enhance antitumor immunity. Cancer Res; 76(21); 6183-92. ©2016 AACR.
Laser-generated-focused ultrasound transducers for microbubble-mediated, dual-excitation sonothrombolysis

A laser-generated-focused ultrasound (LGFU) transducer generates high-pressure (up to 20 MPa), high-frequency (>10 MHz) shock waves with a tight focal spot. In this work, we aim to demonstrate the feasibility of using LGFU transducers for sonothrombolysis in vitro. A carbon black LGFU transducer was designed, fabricated and characterized. The prototyped LGFU was applied with in-vitro thrombolysis tests involving microbubble contrast agent (MCA). A conventional piezo ultrasound transducer was used as a secondary excitation source to enhance the cavitation effect by dual-frequency excitation. The in vitro test results showed that microbubble-mediated LGFU treatment can yield the lytic rate of approximately 2 mg/min, suggesting that LGFU transducers may be useful in precision high lytic rate sonothrombolysis.
Who Gets the Ink? A Page-coverage Analysis of the Most Influential Scholars in Criminology and Criminal Justice Journals

A study of criminology textbooks recently proposed an alternative to citation analysis as a measurement of the influence of scholars. Drawing on techniques developed in content analysis, the study used inches-of-print and pages devoted to scholars to assess their influence. This paper extends the page-coverage technique to an analysis of six leading criminology and criminal justice journals published from 1991 to 1995. The 100 most influential scholars in the journals are reported, as measured in page-coverage. A comparison of these findings to a recent study listing the most-cited scholars in the same journals for the same years showed some interesting differences in the rival procedures. Specifically, the citation analysis seemed to underestimate the influence of earlier theorists and scholars known mostly for one work, while perhaps overestimating the influence of prolific contemporary quantitative researchers. Because these findings are similar to the ones reported in the earlier comparison of citation and page-coverage techniques in textbooks, page-coverage measurement appears to be an important alternative to citations in evaluating the influence of scholars.
An Apocalyptic yet Abject “Jubilee” Narrative in George Robert Gissing’s In the Year of Jubilee: Mobility, Restoration, and Materiality

George Robert Gissing’s In the Year of Jubilee (1894) brings together complex, contradictory and ultimately subversive views of late Victorian society, where social mobility and class, property, women’s rights, marriage, education, commerce, and advertising are problematized. Further, with the dramatic rate of social, economic, and political change that resulted from the Industrial Revolution, new banking and sources of capital, old ways of being and thinking simply cannot keep pace, resulting in the emergence of apocalyptic narratives on many fronts. Needless to say, the idea of "jubilee" is more or less antithetical to the idea of apocalypse, but ironically, Gissing's work is more informed by apocalypse and apocalyptic narratives than "jubilee" whether the concept of jubilee refers to liberation or an affirmation of monarchal reign. Gissing's "jubilee" juxtaposes self-congratulatory rhetoric (Victorian senses of self-actualization) with an underlying nihilism, particularly for women and those of lower classes. The fact that some of the women are able to break free and reinvent their worlds by means of education and a reinvented sense of self further reinforces the notion of apocalypse, particularly in the destruction of the “known” world and the emergence of a new one, essentially a “new heaven and earth.” The goal of this analysis is to conduct an analysis of Gissing’s In the Year of Jubilee and to demonstrate how the core narratives in the text contain elements of the apocalyptic narrative. In doing so, one object is to gain an understanding of how Gissing uses the abject jubilee (or apocalyptic) narrative in order to explore the social relationships and psychological states of the characters, and to use them to make certain observations and commentaries on the state of English society, the impact of industrialization, new technologies and urban sprawl, and the realities of social class and mobility (or lack of upward mobility) in late Victorian England.
Iron mediates catalysis of nucleic acid processing enzymes: Support for Fe(II) as a cofactor before the great oxidation event

Life originated in an anoxic, Fe2+-rich environment. We hypothesize that on early Earth, Fe2+ was a ubiquitous cofactor for nucleic acids, with roles in RNA folding and catalysis as well as in processing of nucleic acids by protein enzymes. In this model, Mg2+ replaced Fe2+ as the primary cofactor for nucleic acids in parallel with known metal substitutions of metalloproteins, driven by the Great Oxidation Event. To test predictions of this model, we assay the ability of nucleic acid processing enzymes, including a DNA polymerase, an RNA polymerase and a DNA ligase, to use Fe2+ in place of Mg2+ as a cofactor during catalysis. Results show that Fe2+ can indeed substitute for Mg2+ in catalytic function of these enzymes. Additionally, we use calculations to unravel differences in energetics, structures and reactivities of relevant Mg2+ and Fe2+ complexes. Computation explains why Fe2+ can be a more potent cofactor than Mg2+ in a variety of folding and catalytic functions. We propose that the rise of O2 on Earth drove a Fe2+ to Mg2+ substitution in proteins and nucleic acids, a hypothesis consistent with a general model in which some modern biochemical systems retain latent abilities to revert to primordial Fe2+-based states when exposed to pre-GOE conditions.
Emotions for a Cause: How the Emotion Expression of Nonprofit Leaders Produces Follower Engagement and Loyalty:

Although emotion and leadership is a flourishing topic in organizational research, little is known about the actual emotion-related leader behaviors within the context of nonprofit organizations. Through an inductive, multiple-case study drawing from 34 semistructured interviews with individuals who have occupied leader and/or follower roles in nonprofits organizations, a meso-level framework emerges that delineates the mutually strengthening interplay of emotion-related leader behaviors and organizational display norms in the nonprofit sector. These norms favor the expression of positive emotion and proscribe the display of negative emotion. Nonprofit leaders who enact emotion-related behaviors congruent with these display norms generate the follower outcomes of engagement and loyalty. Implications for nonprofit leadership research and practice are discussed.
Thermal Switching of Thermoresponsive Polymer Aqueous Solutions

Thermal switches are of great importance to thermal management in a wide variety of applications. However, traditional thermal switches suffer from being large and having slow transition rates. To overcome these limitations, we took advantage of abrupt second-order phase transitions in thermoresponsive polymer aqueous solutions to enable fast thermal switching. While thermoresponsive polymers have been widely studied for biomedical applications, their thermal switching capability has not been studied. In this work, we used poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) as a model system to demonstrate abrupt thermal conductivity changes of thermoresponsive polymer aqueous solutions across their transition temperatures by using a powerful approach, the transient thermal grating technique, which has high sensitivity. We observed a thermal switching ratio up to 1.15 in dilute PNIPAM aqueous solutions (up to 0.025 g/mL) across the transition. This work may provide new opportunities to engineer thermal switches using se...
Risk factors for organ space infection after ileal pouch anal anastomosis for chronic ulcerative colitis: An ACS NSQIP analysis.

Abstract Background Organ space infection (OSI) after ileal pouch anal anastomosis (IPAA) is a devastating complication. The aim of this was study was to determine separately risk factors for OSI after total proctocolectomy (TPC) with IPAA and completion proctectomy (CP) with IPAA. Methods 4049 patients with a diagnosis of chronic ulcerative colitis undergoing TPC with IPAA or CP with IPAA between 2005 and 2015 were identified in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Primary outcome was an OSI within 30 days of surgery. Multivariable analyses were conducted for the development of OSI after each operation. Results For TPC with IPAA, urgent surgery (OR: 2.0, p Conclusion Risk factors for OSI differed between the operations. This highlights the importance of the consideration of the physiologic status of the patient when deciding to perform TPC with IPAA or subtotal colectomy with ileostomy initially.
Suspicious breast lesions detected at 3.0 T Magnetic resonance imaging. Clinical and histological outcomes

Rationale and Objectives To evaluate the imaging features and histological and clinical outcomes of a series of suspicious, mammographically occult breast lesions detected at 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Materials and Methods Approval was obtained from the institutional review board. A Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act–compliant retrospective review was performed of 121 suspicious, mammographically occult lesions detected on 3.0 T contrast-enhanced breast MRI. All 121 lesions underwent histological sampling. Radiology and clinic reports were reviewed for patient demographics, MRI indication and findings, biopsy and localization details, histological results, and follow-up information. Positive predictive value (PPV) of biopsy recommendations were calculated and compared for screening versus diagnostic cases. Likelihood of malignancy was also compared with lesion size. Statistical analyses were performed using chi-square, Fisher's exact, and two-tail z-tests. Results Overall 43 malignancies were diagnosed from 121 suspicious, mammographically occult 3.0 T MRI-detected lesions. Seventy-eight (64%) of the 121 were benign. The overall PPV of 3.0 T MRI-detected lesions was 36% (43/121). The PPV for biopsy in the screening setting (22% [10/45]) was statistically significantly less (P = .018) compared to the PPV of a biopsy recommendation in the diagnostic setting (43% [33/76]). There was no correlation between lesion size and the likelihood of detecting malignancy. Conclusion Our PPV of suspicious, mammographically occult, breast lesions detected at 3.0 T breast MRI is similar to the PPV reported previously for suspicious breast lesions detected at 1.5 T. This study supports the use of 3.0 T breast MRI for both screening and diagnostic breast imaging.
The Central Pharmacology of Primary Afferents with Emphasis on the Disposition and Role of Primary Afferent Substance P

Apart from the cranial nerves, all somatic and visceral information enters the nervous system by the primary Afferents, which largely have their first-order synapses in discrete regions of the dorsal gray matter of the spinal cord. Morphological (synaptic vesicles, end-plate thickening, synaptic cleft) and electrophysiological properties (presence of monosynaptic EPSPs but not monosynaptic IPSPs, synaptic delay) provide support for the premise that the afferent exerts its effect on the second-order neuron by the release of excitatory neurotransmitter(s).
Bioactive Factors and Biosynthetic Materials in Bone Grafting

The ability to initiate bone repair with bioactive factors and delivery systems is contingent upon understanding and mimicking biochemical and cellular events that occur in response to autograft and allograft repair. This review develops the concept that osseous repair must be linked to a time-dependent sequence of structured events, the chronobiologic continuum of wound repair. Selected factors that have shown promise for promoting bone formation are discussed. The deployment of select factors by a biodegradable delivery system that fulfills physiologic requirements for osseous repair is explored.
Untangling process complexity in logistics delivery services with unpredictable service sequences: a mixed-method study of chemical tanker port calls

We explore the complexity issue relevant to a logistics service process characterized by unpredictable service stages and service sequences in the context of chemical tankers’ call in the Port of H...
Spinodal solution to swampland inflationary constraints

We show how the inclusion of non-perturbative, {\em dynamical} quantum effects on the evolution of the inflaton can allow for an inflationary phase that is both consistent with cosmological constraints {\em and} avoids the problems associated with the so-called swampland conditions. In particular, for concave potentials such as those preferred by the Planck data, spinodal instabilities associated with tachyonic masses for long wavelength modes induce a second round of inflation, which in essence decouples the tree-level potential from the inflationary phase. We illustrate these points using natural inflation as an example.
Motor endplate-expressing cartilage-muscle implants for reconstruction of a denervated hemilarynx.

Objective Tissue engineering of the larynx requires a complex, multiple tissue layer design. Additionally, spontaneous reinnervation of the larynx after recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) injury is often disorganized, resulting in subpar function. This study investigates use of tissue-engineered cartilage and motor endplate-expressing (MEE) tissue-engineered skeletal muscle implants for laryngeal reconstruction and the promotion of organized reinnervation after RLN injury. Methods F344 rat primary muscle progenitor cells (MPCs) were isolated. Three-dimensional muscle constructs were created by encapsulating MPCs in type I oligomeric collagen under passive tension. Constructs were then cultured in differentiation medium (MPC control constructs) or induced to form motor endplates (MEE constructs) with neurotrophic agents. Three-dimensional cartilage constructs were created with adipose stem cells differentiated in chondrocyte medium. The muscle and cartilage constructs were implanted into surgically created myochondral defects in the F344 rat larynx with injured or intact (control) RLN. At 1-, 3-, and 6-month timepoints, videolaryngoscopy, electromyography (EMG), histology, and immunohistochemistry were used to assess outcomes. Results At all timepoints, cartilage-muscle implants were well integrated into host tissue. Functionally, there was increased vocal fold adduction and EMG activity in nerve-injured rats treated with the MEE constructs when compared to those treated with the MPC control constructs. Motor endplate-expressing constructs had increased myofiber cross-sectional area compared to MPC control constructs. Conclusion Although our laboratory previously demonstrated that muscle and cartilage constructs could be used separately for hemilaryngeal reconstruction, this study suggests combining them with the modification of MEEs rather than MPCs, resulting in improved muscle recovery after recurrent laryngeal nerve injury. Level of evidence NA Laryngoscope, 129:1293-1300, 2019.
Empowerment of Women in the Workplace and Labor Productivity: Which Company Policies Are Effective and Why

In this chapter, we will first demonstrate the positive correlation between the macro data of GDP per hour worked in OECD countries and the extent of empowerment of women in member nations. Next, using the micro data of Japanese firms from the Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry’s International Comparative Survey on Work–Life Balance, we will analyze how, among Japanese firms, the company policy that encourages employees to “fulfill their potential regardless of gender,” (hereafter referred to as “the GEO policy”), policies that systematically promote employees’ work–life balance (WLB), and other company policies related to WLB or flexible workplaces affect the productivity and competitiveness of regular employees—a measure based Cobb-Douglas production function and gross profit per hour of weekly hours worked. A tobit regression model is employed as the analytical model, which uses the logarithm of gross profit per hour as the dependent variable and handles instances in which gross profit takes a negative value as censored observations. Moreover, although this chapter’s analysis is based on a cross-sectional survey, we will make assumptions that we employ explicit regarding the causal interpretation of the policy effects we find in our analyses by taking into account the possible presence of unobserved confounders. The primary findings obtained from these analytical results of Japanese firms are as follows. Although the proportion of college graduates among male regular employees has a strong positive effect on productivity and competitiveness, the proportion of college graduates among female regular employees, on average, has no effect on productivity and competitiveness. Thus, Japanese firms are failing, on average, to utilize their female college graduate personnel. However, productivity and competitiveness are found to improve with the college graduation rate of female regular employees (1) in companies that possess a GEO policy—particularly, those employing more than 300 regular employees and that also possess the systematic WLB promotion policy—and (2) in companies that exhibit higher opportunities of female regular employees to become managers as indicated by a higher proportion of female managers for a given proportion of women among regular employees. In this regard those companies’ productivity and competitiveness are enhanced through the effective utilization of women with university degrees.
Composite Particles in Many-Body Theory

The stability of free atoms and molecules (and even interacting atoms and molecules, if the interactions are not too large) allows us to consider them as “particles” with structure. The successes of early kinetic theory and spectroscopy bear this out. We know in fact that atoms, molecules, nuclei, etc. may be thought of as being composed of particles more elementary than themselves. Of course the nuclei which are “elementary” for atoms and molecules are “composite” in terms of protons and neutrons. Composite structures when far enough apart or not interacting too strongly obey Fermi (Bose) statistics if they are themselves made of odd (even) numbers of fermions. This is just a statement of the famous Ehrenfest-Oppenheimer theorem. We present a method for treating interacting composites as though they were particles obeying simple Bose or Fermi commutation relations. Our method appears to generalize and unify a number of previous methods.
Quantifying the Influence of Relative Humidity, Temperature, and Diluent on the Survival and Growth of Enterobacter aerogenes

Survival of bacteria on surfaces plays an important role in the cross-contamination of food. Temperature, relative humidity (RH), surface type, and inoculum diluent can affect bacterial survival. This study was conducted to examine how temperature, RH, and diluent affect the survival of Enterobacter aerogenes on stainless steel, polyvinyl chloride, and ceramic tile. Although surface type had little effect on survival, temperature had a clear effect. E. aerogenes survival was highest at 7°C and 15 and 50% RH on all surfaces. Some diluents allowed growth under high RH conditions. Cell populations in distilled water inoculated onto each surface decreased initially compared with populations in 1% phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) and 0.1% peptone broth. At 15 and 50% RH, cell populations in 1% PBS declined more sharply after 120 h than did those 0.1% peptone, but populations in both diluents had similar declines up to 3 weeks. Cell populations in 0.1% peptone had the greatest growth and reached the highest population density (∼8 log CFU/mL). Cell populations in PBS and distilled water increased by ∼2 log CFU/mL. When cells in 0.1% peptone were inoculated onto stainless steel at 100% RH, populations increased to ∼7 log CFU per coupon, whereas cells in 1% PBS increased to ∼5 log CFU per coupon followed by a decline over 3 weeks. DMFit and GInaFiT software modeled inactivation on surfaces at all conditions other than 100% RH at 21°C. These findings have important implications for experiments in which microorganisms are inoculated onto foods or food contact surfaces because the growth observed may be affected more by the inoculum diluent at high or uncontrolled RH than by the type of inoculated surface.
Sex Differences in Myocardial Flow Reserve by Positron Emission Tomography in Heart Transplant Recipients

Purpose Coronary allograft vasculopathy (CAV) following heart transplantation (HT) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Assessment of myocardial flow reserve (MFR) by positron emission tomography (PET) is increasingly used in clinical practice; reduced MFR has been associated with adverse cardiovascular (CV) outcomes. Little is known regarding sex differences in MFR and associated outcomes in HT recipients. Methods Consecutive HT recipients who underwent rest and stress N13 ammonia PET as part of standardized protocol for assessment of CAV were included. Clinical characteristics including demographics, medications, and co-morbidities were recorded. Imaging characteristics including MFR, visually estimated coronary artery calcium (VECAC) scores, and degree of ischemia were examined. Coronary angiograms performed within 1 year of PET were reviewed for degree of CAV. Events including CV hospitalizations and death were captured. Results Complete clinical and imaging information was available for 181 patients (48 women, 26.5%) from 2016-2017. Women and men differed with respect to age [54.7±16.0 vs 52.0±16.3 years, p 1.96 and women irrespective of MFR (Figure, p Conclusion Reduced MFR on PET following HT may not be as predictive of CV events in women. These findings need to be validated in other cohorts.
Assessment of wind power scenario creation methods for stochastic power systems operations

Abstract Probabilistic scenarios of renewable energy production, such as wind, have been gaining popularity for use in stochastic variants of power systems operations scheduling problems, allowing for optimal decision-making under uncertainty. The quality of the scenarios has a direct impact on the value of the resulting decisions, but until now, methods for creating scenarios have not been compared under realistic operational conditions. Here, we compare the quality of scenario sets created using three different methods, based on a simulated re-enactment of stochastic day-ahead unit commitment and subsequent dispatch for a realistic test system. We create scenarios using a dataset of forecasted and actual wind power values, scaled to evaluate the effects of increasing wind penetration levels. We show that the choice of scenario set can significantly impact system operating cost, renewable energy use, and the ability of the system to meet demand. This result has implications for the ability of system operators to efficiently integrate renewable production into their day-ahead planning, highlighting the need for the use of performance-based assessments for scenario evaluation.
Opioid Prescribing Patterns After Anorectal Surgery

Abstract Background Anorectal procedures are frequently performed and have the potential to be particularly painful. There are no evidence-based guidelines regarding opioid prescribing after anorectal surgery and limited data on how surgeons determine opioid prescriptions after anorectal procedures. We hypothesize significant variations in prescribing practices. The aim of this study is to determine current opioid prescribing patterns after anorectal surgery. Methods A survey was sent to members of the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons. It included demographics, opioid prescribing habits after anorectal procedures, and factors influencing prescribing. Median morphine equivalents were calculated. Respondents prescribing higher than the median for >4 procedures were considered high prescribers. Results 519 surveys were completed (3160 sent). 38.6% of respondents were high prescribers, and 61.4% were low prescribers. There were significant differences by years in practice (P = 0.049), hospital type (P = 0.037), region (P 10 y, report >25% of patients request refills, or significantly consider patient satisfaction or phone calls when prescribing. Conclusions Opioid prescribing patterns are highly variable after anorectal procedures. Creating opioid prescribing guidelines for anorectal surgery is important to improve patient safety and quality of care.