cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonspecific stress prevents relapses of experimental allergic encephalomyelitis in rats

Rats with experimental allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) develop paralysis, from which most of them recover. It has been hypothesized that spontaneous remission in EAE is due to the stress of paralysis and the subsequent hypersecretion of endogenous immunosuppressive adrenal glucocorticoids. Spontaneous relapse after a remission is thought to occur when the stress of paralysis and the adrenal response to it are terminated. In the present work, this theory has been tested in a newly developed relapsing form of EAE in rats. After an initial attack characterized by paralysis, the control rats had a remission and then a second episode of paralysis (relapse). In contrast, rats subjected to restraint during the remission period were protected from relapses. Injections of adrenal glucocorticoids during the remission had a similar protective effect. These findings support the hypothesis that remissions and relapses in EAE are caused by the occurrence and subsequent disappearance of the adrenals' immunosuppressive response to the stress of paralysis, because the addition of stress during the period of remission maintained the adrenals' hyperactive state and thereby prevented relapses.
Splitting on a pediatric consult liaison service

Objective: Although the concepts of splitting and projective identification have been useful in explaining certain group phenomena on adult psychiatric and medical wards, their application to pediatric settings has not been addressed in the literature. The authors demonstrate that early identification, staff conferencing, and family/staff conferencing can diffuse these dynamics in an academic pediatric setting. Method: The existing literature on splitting and projective identification is reviewed. Case vignettes are then used to illustrate the manifestations of splitting and projective identification in a pediatric setting and to demonstrate intervention strategies modified for children and their families from the adult literature. Results: Splitting and projective identification can be interrupted in pediatric settings with early identification, staff conferencing, and family/staff conferencing. The cooperation of pediatric clinicians is critical in the implementation of these intervention strategies. Conclusions: The development of liaison support groups for pediatric residents and interdisciplinary treatment teams will enlist their cooperation in identifying splitting early, and in employing staff conferencing and family/staff conferencing to diffuse this group dynamic which, if left unchecked, can disrupt professional relationships and compromise the treatment of pediatric patients.
Statistical Design Applied to Product Design

Great interest has been stimulated by Genichi Taguchi and his co-workers in the application of statistically designed experiments to industrial product design. Language difficulties (Japanese to English to Statistics) have served to obscure many of the ..
Lensing studies with diffuse backgrounds

Abstract The current weak lensing measurements of the large scale structure are mostly related to statistical study of background galaxy ellipticities. We consider a possibility to extend lensing studies with intrinsically unresolved sources and suggest that spatial fluctuations in the integrated diffuse emission from these sources can be used for a lensing reconstruction. Examples of upcoming possibilities include the diffuse background generated by dusty starburst galaxies at far-infrared wavelengths, first stars and galaxies in near-infrared wavelengths, and the background related to 21 cm emission by neutral gas in the general intergalactic medium prior to reionization. While methods developed to extract lensing information from cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature and polarization data can be easily modified to study lensing properties using diffuse backgrounds at other wavelengths, we suggest that the lensing extraction from these backgrounds using higher order non-Gaussian clustering information alone may not be the best approach. In contrast to CMB anisotropies, reasons for this include the lack of features in the clustering power spectrum such that the resulting lensing modification to the angular power spectrum of low-redshift diffuse backgrounds, at arcminute angular scales, is insignificant. While the use of low redshift backgrounds for lensing studies will be challenging, due to confusing foregrounds among other reasons, the use of suggested backgrounds will extend the reconstruction of the integrated matter power spectrum out to redshifts of 15–30, and will bridge the gap between current and upcoming galaxy lensing studies out to, at most, a redshift of a few and planned weak lensing studies with CMB out to the last scattering surface at a redshift of 1100.
A Necessary and Sufficient Condition for Identification of Confirmatory Factor Analysis Models of Factor Complexity One

After specification of a structural equation model and before estimation of parameters, the identification status of the model must be determined. For the measurement portion of the model, however,...
Coherent-Potential Approximation for Disordered Ferromagnetic Binary Alloys

The magnetic properties of spin-\textonehalf{} Heisenberg ferromagnetic alloys are calculated. We calculate the spin-wave Green's function in the random-phase approximation and treat the disordered composition-dependent exchange interaction in a coherent-potential approximation (CPA). In the weak-scattering limit, the CPA reproduces the result of the mean-field theory as expected, and in the strong-scattering limit, the CPA predicts such properties as critical concentration, which is beyond the scope of the mean-field theory.
Modeling Compromise at the International Table

A number of people have modeled Putnam's (1988) analogy of the two-level game to better understand the interaction between domestic and international politics. Milner and Rosendorff's model (1997) ...
Coronary Flow Velocity and Disturbed Flow Predict Adverse Clinical Outcome After Coronary Angioplasty

Objective— Laminar flow becomes disturbed at high velocities, reducing shear stress and augmenting vascular inflammation and proliferation, processes that are pivotal in restenosis and atherogenesis. We hypothesized that disturbed blood flow after coronary angioplasty is associated with adverse long-term clinical outcome. Methods and Results— The cineangiograms from 97 patients undergoing laser-assisted coronary angioplasty were analyzed. Coronary blood flow velocity, the residual lesion dimensions, and the Reynolds number (an index of disturbed flow) were measured by using a frame-counting technique and quantitative coronary angiography. Cox proportional hazards were used to assess the relative risk of adverse events (target-vessel revascularization, myocardial infarction, or death) over a mean 2.5 years after the index procedure. There were 41 adverse events during 245 patient years of follow-up (17% per year of follow-up). The risk of an adverse event was increased for patients with a high flow velocity (>250 mm/s; relative risk 2.5, 95% CI 1.3 to 4.7) or a high Reynolds number (>200) at the stenosis inlet (relative risk 2.1, 95% CI 1.1 to 4.1) at the end of the procedure. Adjustment for other factors did not alter these results. Conclusions— High Reynolds numbers, indicating disturbed blood flow after coronary angioplasty, increase the risk of adverse clinical events, potentially through shear-stress–related molecular mechanisms that promote restenosis and atherogenesis.
Use of a Tool to Determine Perceived Barriers to Children's Healthy Eating and Physical Activity and Relationships to Health Behaviors

This pilot investigation assesses whether barriers to children's healthy eating and physical activity reported by parents on a newly developed brief pediatric obesity screening and counseling tool are related to healthy eating and physical activity behaviors. The sample included parents of 115 Medicaid-enrolled children in a general pediatric clinic. Of 10 barriers, 7 were statistically associated with parent-reported behaviors with odds ratios (ORs) ranging from 0.6 to 9.4. Relationships remained significant when child characteristics were controlled in the analysis. Although additional testing is needed, the tool provides clinicians with an approach to identify barriers and behaviors for targeted counseling.
Electrochemical Oxidation of N-Acyldopamines and Regioselective Reactions of Their Quinones with N-Acetylcysteine and Thiourea

The metabolism of catechols often involves their oxidation to quinones and subsequent nucleophilic addition reactions with sulfur-containing compounds. Adducts formed during these reactions may play important roles in many biological systems. We have studied the electrochemical oxidation ofN-acetyldopamine (NADA) andN-β-alanyldopamine (NBAD) in the presence of two sulfur-centered nucleophiles,N-acetylcysteine (NACySH) and thiourea (TU), and have characterized the adducts and reaction pathways. NADA and NBAD react similarly, but their adducts with NACySH and TU were formed regioselectively. NACySH yields mainly 5-adducts and TU only 6-adducts. The NACySH adducts are oxidized more easily than the parentN-acyldopamine, and their oxidations are chemically reversible. However, the TU adducts are more difficult to oxidize, and their oxidation products undergo further chemical reactions. An intramolecular base catalysis mechanism for adduct formation with NACySH is proposed, which facilitates removal of the proton from the sulfhydryl group of NACySH and directs formation of the 5-adduct via a 1,6-Michael addition reaction. The absence of a proton on the thioureylene sulfur atom leads to formation of the 6-thioureylene adduct via a 1,4-Michael addition reaction of TU. This mechanism is consistent with the formation of other sulfur-centered adducts of catechols previously reported in the literature.
The dehydration of fermentative 2,3‐butanediol into methyl ethyl ketone

A solid acid catalyst consisted of sulfonic groups covalently bound to an inorganic matrice was developed to dehydrate 2,3-butanediol into methyl ethyl ketone. Rate constant and apparent activation energy of the dehydration reaction were determined. The decay course of the catalyst was a two-stage curve. The catalyst was deactivated more rapidly in the first stage than in the second stage. The strategy of maintaining constant degree of dehydration was employed to lengthen the lifetime of catalyst. Treatment of the 2,3-butanediol containing fermentation broth with activated carbon greatly facilitated the subsequent dehydration reaction.
Witness gun for the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator

In order to probe the wakefields of the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator (AWA) a beam of medium energy (4-6 MeV) and relatively low charge (100 pC-1 nC) is needed. Two options for a witness gun meeting these specifications are currently under study. The first is a conventional iris loaded multicell gun. The second is a dielectric-lined cylindrical cavity operating in a pure TM/sub 01n/ mode. Since a more accurate probing of the wakefields can be obtained by improving the witness beam quality, this factor of merit will determine which gun is better suited for the experiment. It is thought that a brighter beam may be obtained using the dielectric gun. Since the dielectric gun will operate in a single accelerating mode, higher order modes will not be present. This in turn may lead to a slower emittance growth. This potential benefit comes at the cost of a lower cavity Q and dielectric charging considerations. Details of design, bench test and simulation results will be presented. >
Predictive Modeling of Chemical Hazard by Integrating Numerical Descriptors of Chemical Structures and Short-term Toxicity Assay Data

Quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models are widely used for in silico prediction of in vivo toxicity of drug candidates or environmental chemicals, adding value to candidate selection in drug development or in a search for less hazardous and more sustainable alternatives for chemicals in commerce. The development of traditional QSAR models is enabled by numerical descriptors representing the inherent chemical properties that can be easily defined for any number of molecules; however, traditional QSAR models often have limited predictive power due to the lack of data and complexity of in vivo endpoints. Although it has been indeed difficult to obtain experimentally derived toxicity data on a large number of chemicals in the past, the results of quantitative in vitro screening of thousands of environmental chemicals in hundreds of experimental systems are now available and continue to accumulate. In addition, publicly accessible toxicogenomics data collected on hundreds of chemicals provide another dimension of molecular information that is potentially useful for predictive toxicity modeling. These new characteristics of molecular bioactivity arising from short-term biological assays, i.e., in vitro screening and/or in vivo toxicogenomics data can now be exploited in combination with chemical structural information to generate hybrid QSAR‐like quantitative models to predict human toxicity and carcinogenicity. Using several case studies, we illustrate the benefits of a hybrid modeling approach, namely improvements in the accuracy of models, enhanced interpretation of the most predictive features, and expanded applicability domain for wider chemical space coverage.
Economic Effects of the 2003 Partial Integration Proposal in the United States

On January 7, 2003, President George W. Bush proposed a significant change in capital income taxation in the United States. In the context of a “jobs and growth” package, the President proposed to reduce substantially the double taxation of corporate-source income by eliminating investor-level taxes on dividends paid from earnings on which corporate tax had been paid. In addition, the President’s proposal would have reduced the tax on retained earnings by allowing a basis adjustment for accumulated previously taxed retained earnings. Taken together, these proposals would have moved the U.S. income tax much closer to an integrated tax system along the lines outlined by the Treasury Department in President George H.W. Bush’s administration a decade earlier. Putting together the impacts of the President’s proposal on economic activity through greater capital accumulation and improved calculation, I estimate that the proposal, if it had been enacted in its original form, would yield a permanent increase of 0.48 percent in the U.S. economy’s potential output. This estimated gain does not include any gains made possible by improved corporate financial policy.
Fairness and Emotions: Reactions to the Process and Outcomes of Negotiations

This study examines how the negotiation context affects evaluations ofprocedural and distrbutivejustice, which in turn influence emotional reactions to the bargainingprocess and thefinal outcome distribution. Data arefrom questionnaire responses provided by subjects in a computerized experiment who offered different group-pay allocations. Perceived procedural justice, which is affected by the conflict between initial pay divisions, enhances positivefeelings about the negotiation and attenuates depression over outcomes. One's own final pay level influences positivelyfairness of the outcome to self and negativelyfairness to others. Fairness to self decreases negativefeelings aboutfinal pay and increases pay satisfaction, but also guilt. Fairness to others, in contrast, only negatively affects guilt. The discussion emphasizes the importance of differentiating types ofjustice and of emotions to understand reactions to negotiations. Within the distributive justice literature, Homans's (1974) argument about emotional responses to injustice has been the cornerstone for research on the topic. He argues simply that those treated fairly will experience positive emotions, whereas those underrewarded are likely to feel anger and those overrewarded are likely to feel guilty. Although studies have drawn upon recent work in the sociology of
On the universality of diagenetic trends

For decades, the main use of seismic data has been to delineate sedimentary bodies and tectonic features in the subsurface. The mission of seeing inside the geologic body has been added recently. Mapping porosity, lithology, and other reservoir bulk properties inside the geologic body has become possible due to the recent dramatic improvement in seismic acquisition, imaging, and inversion quality as well as the accompanying progress of rock physics.
Biogeographic and phylogenetic effects on feeding resistance of generalist herbivores toward plant chemical defenses

Many terrestrial and most marine herbivores have generalist diets, yet the role that evolutionary history plays in their foraging behaviors is poorly documented. On tropical hard-bottom reefs, generalist fishes and sea urchins readily consume seaweeds that produce lipophilic secondary metabolites. In contrast, herbivores on temperate reefs less commonly encounter seaweeds with analogous metabolites. This biogeographic pattern suggests that tropical herbivores should evolve greater feeding resistance to lipophilic defenses relative to temperate herbivores, but tests of this biogeographic pattern are rare. We offered lipophilic extracts from nine subtropical seaweeds at two concentrations to sea urchins (four subtropical and three cold-temperate populations) and quantified urchin feeding resistance. Patterns of feeding resistance toward lipophilic defenses were more similar within genera than across genera of urchins, indicating a substantial role for phylogenetic history in the feeding ecology of these generalist herbivores. The biogeographic origin of urchins also influenced feeding resistance, as subtropical species displayed greater feeding resistance than did temperate species. Similarly, a subtropical population of Arbacia punctulata had greater feeding resistance for Dictyota and Stypopodium extracts relative to temperate A. punctulata. We conclude that evolutionary history plays a more central role in the foraging ecology of generalist herbivores than is currently appreciated.
Nonspecificity of Assaying for IgG Antibody to Pneumolysin in Circulating Immune Complexes as a Means to Diagnose Pneumococcal Pneumonia

Detection of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody to pneumolysin (PLY) in precipitated circulating immune complexes (CICs) has been used to diagnose pneumococcal pneumonia. With care to include appropriate controls, we precipitated and dissociated CICs and then assayed for IgG antibody to PLY. We detected IgG antibody to PLY in CICs that were precipitated from serum samples that were obtained at the time of admission to the hospital from 5 (23%) of 22 healthy adults, 7 (44%) of 16 subjects with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, 10 (63%) of 16 subjects colonized with Streptococcus pneumoniae, and 9 (60%) of 15 patients with nonbacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia. Of the 16 patients with bacteremic pneumococcal pneumonia, 4 (25%) had IgG antibody to PLY at the time of admission, and 8 (50%) had IgG antibody to PLY in convalescence. Levels of IgG antibody in CICs closely correlated with serum levels of IgG antibody to PLY, implicating precipitation of free serum antibody in tests with false-positive results. Detection of IgG antibody to PLY in precipitated CICs is not a reliable method for diagnosing pneumococcal pneumonia.
Introduction, Populations, Public Health and the Law

Law plays a crucial role in protecting the health of populations. Whether the public health threat is bioterrorism, pandemic influenza, obesity, or lung cancer, law is an essential tool for addressing the problem. Yet for many decades, courts and lawyers have frequently overlooked law’s critical importance to public health. Populations, Public Health, and the Law demonstrates why public health protection is a vital objective for the law and presents a new population-based approach to legal analysis that can help law achieve its public health mission while remaining true to its own core values. The Introduction presents the challenges that public health presents for legal analysis as well as why it is critical that that legal analysis keep population health in mind. The subsequent chapters expand that discussion and apply population-based legal analysis to federalism, due process, commercial speech, tort law, health law and international human rights law, while at public health issues that include food safety, pandemic preparedness, tuberculosis, and death and dying.
Diagnostic Performance of Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) for Non-Calcific Chronic Pancreatitis (NCCP) Based on Histopathology

Diagnostic Performance of Endoscopic Ultrasound (EUS) for Non-Calcific Chronic Pancreatitis (NCCP) Based on Histopathology
A mutation in Na(+)-NQR uncouples electron flow from Na(+) translocation in the presence of K(+).

The sodium-pumping NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Na+-NQR) is a bacterial respiratory enzyme that obtains energy from the redox reaction between NADH and ubiquinone and uses this energy to create an electrochemical Na+ gradient across the cell membrane. A number of acidic residues in transmembrane helices have been shown to be important for Na+ translocation. One of these, Asp-397 in the NqrB subunit, is a key residue for Na+ uptake and binding. In this study, we show that when this residue is replaced with asparagine, the enzyme acquires a new sensitivity to K+; in the mutant, K+ both activates the redox reaction and uncouples it from the ion translocation reaction. In the wild-type enzyme, Na+ (or Li+) accelerates turnover while K+ alone does not activate. In the NqrB-D397N mutant, K+ accelerates the same internal electron transfer step (2Fe-2S → FMNC) that is accelerated by Na+. This is the same step that is inhibited in mutants in which Na+ uptake is blocked. NqrB-D397N is able to translocate Na+ and...
Study of infection of HBV among catering enterprise staff in Kaifeng

Objective To understand the epidemic situation of HBsAg among catering enterprise staff in Kaifeng to provide basis to measure making for its control.Methods To test HBsAg by ELISA for catering enterprise staff and test HBeAg for HBsAg positive ones from 2009 to 2011. Results A total of 15 688 persons were tested, among which 753 were HBsAg positive, accounting for 4.8%. The positive rate of the male was 8.6%, with the statistic significance (P 0.05) compared with the female 2.8%.There were statistic significance of the positive rates between different age groups(P 0.05). As for different kinds of enterprises, drugstore, restaurant and market was lower than restaurant, there were statistic significance between them(P 0.05). Conclusion The HBsAg positive rate of catering enterprise staff showed decreasing trend. HBsAg test once a year for them is very important for HBV control and prevention.
Role of n-3 ( Omega - 3 ) Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Postpartum Depression: Mechanisms and Implications for Prevention and Treatment

The pathogenesis of postpartum depression remains to be fully elucidated but likely results from the interactions of genetic factors, environmental influences, and the physiological demands of pregnancy, childbirth, and lactation. Epidemiological evidence and clinical findings suggest that low dietary and/or tissue levels of n-3 (omega-3) polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) may be a factor contributing to the etiologies of both major depression and postpartum depression. Animal studies indicate that reproducing females are at particular risk of losing the n-3 PUFA DHA from tissues including the brain. A decrease in brain DHA content causes a number of neurobiological effects that also occur in major depression disorder. This evidence, which supports the involvement of decreased brain n-3 PUFAs in the etiology of postpartum depression and other depressive disorders, and their implications for the prevention and treatment of these disorders, are discussed.
Consciousness from the ground up

The book Physics in Mind: a Quantum View of the Brain certainly aims high. Written by the eminent biophysicist Werner Loewenstein, its goal is nothing less than a theory that explains our sense of conscious existence, built from the bottom up.
Here comes the rain: Assessing storm hazards vulnerability in Northeast Ohio

Abstract The frequency and intensity of coastal storm events in the Great Lakes region, USA is predicted to increase in the coming decades, exposing at-risk populations to potential hazards including flooding, erosion, and combined sewer overflows. In response, applied research is needed to identify communities that are most vulnerable to storm hazards, and to support municipal officials and local residents with building capacity for resilience. This study analyzes the storm hazards vulnerability of 42 communities that are located within the Northeast Ohio Regional Sewer District (NEORSD), including the city of Cleveland and its inner and outer ring suburbs. Communities are ranked against each other for vulnerability according to a social and environmental indicator, each of which is comprised of five variables that operationalize the sociodemographic and biophysical challenges facing local populations. The indicators are combined to produce a composite Storm Hazards Vulnerability Index (SHVI). Results suggest that the most environmentally vulnerable communities are not always home to the most socially vulnerable populations. Overall storm hazards vulnerability correlates more closely with the environmental indicator than the social, especially among the most vulnerable communities.
Transradial versus Transfemoral Access for Hepatic Chemoembolization: Intrapatient Prospective Single-Center Study

Abstract Purpose To compare transfemoral approach (TFA) and transradial approach (TRA) in patients undergoing hepatic chemoembolization in terms of safety, feasibility, and procedural variables, including fluoroscopy time, radiation dose (reference air kerma [RAK]), and patient preference. Materials and Methods A single-center prospective intrapatient comparative study was conducted with 42 consecutive patients with hepatic malignancies who received 2 consecutive treatment sessions of unilobar hepatic chemoembolization within a 4-week interval over a 6-month period with both TRA and TFA. All procedures were performed by 1 interventional radiologist who assessed the eligibility of patients for inclusion in the study. The primary endpoint was intraprocedural conversion rate. Secondary endpoints were access site complications, angiographic and procedural variables, and evaluation of patient discomfort and preferences. Results A 100% technical success rate and a crossover rate of 0% were recorded. There were no major vascular complications and similar rates of minor complications (4.8% for TRA, 7.1% for TFA; P = .095), which were self-limited and without any clinical sequelae. TRA treatments required a significantly longer preparation time for the procedure ( P = .008) with no significant differences for other procedural variables. Greater discomfort at the access route and patient inability to perform basic activities after the procedure were recorded for TFA ( P Conclusions TRA is safe and feasible for transarterial hepatic chemoembolization, with high technical success, low overall complications, and improved patient comfort.
Obesity's impact on intrapartum electronic fetal monitoring.

Objective: The objective of this study is to evaluate the impact maternal obesity has on the percentage of unmonitored electronic fetal monitoring (EFM).Study design: Women undergoing induction of ...
Periprocedural Anticoagulation Management for Atrial Fibrillation Ablation: Current Knowledge and Future Directions

Catheter ablation (CA) for atrial fibrillation (AF) is an established first-line approach to the management of drug-refractory AF. Although, advancements in procedural techniques and technology have improved the efficacy and safety of CA, thromboembolism (TE) remains one of the most feared periprocedural complications. Minimizing the risk of TE during and after CA requires a multifaceted approach, in which periprocedural anticoagulation plays a central role. The goal of anticoagulation before, during, and after CA is to minimize TE risk without excessively increasing the risk of adverse bleeding. Generally, there are two broad approaches to periprocedural anticoagulation management, "interrupted" or "uninterrupted." Interrupted refers to those patients in whom their oral anticoagulant is stopped before the CA, with or without "bridging" with another anticoagulant, while uninterrupted refers to continuation of oral anticoagulation throughout the periprocedural period. The strongest evidence supports an uninterrupted oral anticoagulation strategy with warfarin, which is currently the standard of care. The introduction of the novel anticoagulants has added some complexity to the decision making. Current data generally supports that these are safe to use and are not associated with any additional procedural risk or adverse events (thromboembolism or bleeding) compared to warfarin. At present, based upon current evidence from randomized trials, dabigatran and rivaroxaban are reasonable alternatives to warfarin for an uninterrupted approach, while further data is needed (and trials are ongoing) for apixaban and edoxaban. In this article, we discuss the different approaches to the management of periprocedural anticoagulation and the data supporting their use.
Are corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives such as sustainable development and environmental policies value enhancing or window dressing

The natural‐resource‐based view of the firm suggests that there are benefits associated with voluntary disclosure of its corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, in that this signals quality of management, as well as the quality of the firm's financial strategy, to its investors. With increased demand for transparency of firm activities, this assertion needs re‐examination. We examine the effects of governance, environmental and social responsibility performance on the firm, and find moderate support for CSR disclosure increasing firm value. However, only the disclosure of social responsibility scores was associated with higher levels of firm value, as measured by Tobin's q. This relationship was positively moderated by the extent to which a firm was consumer facing. These findings suggest that strategic engagement in social responsibility, rather than merely sponsoring environmental initiatives, contributes to increasing firm value through CSR.
Individual Behavioral Counseling for Smoking Cessation.

Individual behavioral counseling conducted by a trained therapist provides some benefit when compared with brief counseling and support; however, this benefit is less pronounced in the context of pharmacotherapy.
Suspicion at Work: The Impact on Counterproductive and Citizenship Behaviors

The purpose of this research was to examine the impact of state suspicion in the workplace, specifically, employee suspicion of managers, on counterproductive work behavior (CWB) and organizational...
Complex Permittivity Measurement of Paraffin Phase-Change Material at 26 GHz–1.1 THz Using Time-Domain Spectroscopy

We report complex permittivity measurement of hexatriacontane films at the frequency range of 26 GHz–1.1 THz. Hexatriacontane (C36H74) has a melting point of 75 °C that exhibits a 15% volumetric change which is crucial in developing low-loss RF microactuators with large displacement. In this work, we employ time-domain spectroscopy to measure the transmission coefficient of the paraffin samples in the frequency range of 0.3–1.1 THz. In order to extract the dielectric constant and accurately estimate the small values of loss tangent, we developed a propagation model which measured data are fitted to through a new least-squares minimization method. A Debye relaxation model is used to model the frequency dependence of the permittivity. Described method is rapidly convergent with minimum amount of signal processing. This method can be used to determine the complex permittivity of the materials by devising an appropriate function for the frequency dependence of the complex permittivity. Transmission through 20 samples of paraffin with various thicknesses is measured and the average permittivity is found to be 2.25 with standard deviation of 0.028. The loss tangent is monotonically increasing with frequency and the maximum value is 6.32 × 10− 3 at 1.1 THz. Our study demonstrates that paraffin is a low-loss dielectric which makes it an attractive candidate for development of electro-thermo-mechanical actuators for sub-millimeter- and millimeter wave (mmW) variable capacitors, low-loss reconfigurable antennas, and phase shifters.
Cannabis and Cardiovascular Disease

The use of recreational drugs has increased globally, with the most commonly used recreational drug being cannabis. As of 2019, 10 states and the District of Columbia have legalized cannabis for recreational use, with more states potentially joining this movement. With the increased legalization of cannabis, leading to even greater recreational and medicinal use, it is important to recognize its effect on cardiovascular health. We propose to review the current literature regarding the pathophysiology of endocannabinoids, their hemodynamic effects, and their association with acute and chronic cardiovascular outcomes. The demonstrated effects of the endocannabinoid system on the cardiovascular system at the cellular level have led to great interest regarding its potential clinical impact. A number of studies have attempted to characterize the hemodynamic effects of cannabis use as well as its potential negative impact on the cardiovascular system, but the data are inconclusive at this time. The largest prospective study to date, the CARDIA study, failed to show an association between lifetime or recent cannabis use and cardiovascular events. There is suggestion on a molecular level and based on retrospective analyses that cannabis may have a negative impact on the cardiovascular system. However, prospective clinical data has not confirmed these suggested findings. Further research is needed to better elucidate the association, if any, between cannabis and cardiovascular disease.
Caesarean section and children's health: A quasi-experimental design.

The prevalence of inflammatory child health conditions—such as asthma, eczema, and food allergy—and their associated costs have increased rapidly over the last 30 years. While environmental factors...
Between lecture and flipped: The use of “labs” in the public administration classroom:

The use of applied labs has long been an established practice in the natural sciences as a means of stressing application of theoretical principles and fostering disciplinary excitement. The social...
Social and Situational Party Characteristics Associated With High‐Intensity Alcohol Use Among Youth and Young Adults

Background Rates of high-intensity drinking, which is alcohol consumption that exceeds standard heavy drinking levels, have increased in recent years and peak in young adulthood. To identify modifiable environmental targets for prevention of high-intensity drinking, we identified characteristics of parties attended by youth and young adults that were associated with high-intensity drinking and the consequences of this excessive form of drinking. Methods Data are from 15- to 20-year-old participants in an online survey (n = 2,442; 55.4% female, 74.8% White) who resided in 24 communities across 7 states that were a part of a community randomized intervention trial to reduce the incidence and consequences of underage drinking parties. We used multinomial logistic regression to predict level of drinking by 6 party characteristics (size, location, age and gender composition, supervision, others' drinking behavior), and to predict 6 consequences (hangover, not remember event, passed out, punished by parents, broke something/got in fight, and sex against will) from level of drinking. We tested study hypotheses in 2 models, one that used a single binge drinking threshold (below binge vs. at or above binge level) and one that additionally used a high-intensity drinking level (below binge, 1 to 2 times binge, 2+ times binge level). Results We found that larger party size and a mostly male composition were unique predictors of high-intensity drinking when compared to those who consumed 1 to 2 times the binge drinking level. Odds of passing out, not remembering the drinking event, breaking/damaging property, or getting in a fight were more than double for high-intensity drinkers compared to standard binge level drinkers. Conclusions Results from this study indicate there are unique precursors and consequences of high-intensity alcohol consumption among youth and young adults. These environmental factors associated with high-risk drinking contexts can be used to develop prevention strategies to mitigate the harms associated with excessive alcohol consumption.
Optical Properties and Swelling of Thin Film Perfluorinated Sulfonic-Acid Ionomer

Perfluorinated sulfonic-acid (PFSA) ionomers are members of a class of ion-conductive polymers that are commonly used in both membranes and catalyst layers in polymer-electrolyte fuel cells. Transport properties of thin film ionomers and their deviation from bulk properties are still unclear. Label free, high-speed Surface Plasmon Resonance imaging (SPRi) is proposed to simultaneously measure refractive index and thickness of a 30 nm thick Nafion film at relative humidity of 3%, 36%, and 93% . The result shows the thickness of the thin film increases with increasing the relative humidity. The refractive index of the thin Nafion film decreases from 1.310±0.003 to 1.228±0.003 when the relative humidity increases from 3% to 93%. The drop in optical properties of 30 nm thick Nafion film, indicates the void part of hydrated Nafion film is filled with a mixture of water and water vapor.
Maintenance of circulating red cell volume in rats after removal of the posterior and intermediate lobes of the pituitary.

The anemia which follows hypophysectomy is apparently due to absence of the anterior lobe of the hypophysis as removal of the intermediate and posterior lobes did not change the hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit or volume of circulating red cells.
Therapy Response Imaging in Gastrointestinal Malignancy

Gastric and colorectal adenocarcinomas are common malignancies, and have been one of the major causes of cancer related death. Although gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) is much less common compared to gastric or colorectal adenocarcinomas accounting for 0.2% of all gastrointestinal tumors, GIST is now considered a highly treatable tumor with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) imatinib mesylate, and became an important paradigm of molecular targeted therapy in solid tumors. Neoadjuvant and adjuvant chemotherapy is standard of care for operable gastric and colorectal adenocarcinomas, and has shown to improve survival. Target therapy and immunotherapy agents have shown survival benefit in subset of metastatic gastric and colorectal adenocarcinomas, for example, anti-HER2 trastuzumab for Her2-positive gastric cancers, and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Accurate assessment of treatment response is critical for planning of the optimal management. RECIST has been used for assessment of treatment response, but it can be insufficiently sensitive for evaluating response in targeted therapies. MDCT is the primary modality to assess treatment response of gastric cancer and GIST, and MRI is the primary modality to assess treatment response of rectal cancer. 18F-FDG PET/CT has gained widespread acceptance as a modality for therapy monitoring. Newer techniques including diffusion-weighted MRI, dynamic contrast-enhanced CT or MRI, and monochromatic CT using dual-energy CT potentially improve assessment of treatment response. Radiomics features extracted from CT, MRI, and PET may potentially provide information regarding treatment response and improve risk stratification.
Polyester and nylon powders used as pollen diluents preserve pollen germination and tube growth in controlled pollinations

Pollen acquisition for seed production, breeding programs and supplemental pollination can be costly and difficult. The identification of dry particulates for use as pollen diluents would facilitate the use of limited amounts of pollen and aid in accurate pollen application and dispersion. Four powders – Rilsan ES, polyester, wheat flour, and Lycopodium spores – were evaluated as pollen diluents using petunia as a model system. Diluents were combined with petunia pollen at a 5:1 (v/v) ratio. Two types of studies were conducted: (1) storage studies evaluated the viability of pollen combined and held with diluent for different durations; and (2) in vivo studies evaluated pollen tube growth in the styles of flowers pollinated with pollen-diluent mixtures. Pollen germination was not affected when stored as pollen-diluent mixtures for 4 days. Slight detrimental effects on pollen germination were observed after 6 days storage with Rilsan ES powders. Pollination with all the pollen-diluent mixtures resulted in fewer pollen tubes growing in the style compared to controls diluted with heat-killed pollen instead of diluent powders. Lycopodium-pollen mixtures were the most inhibitory, providing only 8% of the tube numbers observed in controls. Pollen mixed with polyester powders, Rilsan ES powders or wheat flour had tube numbers ranging from 47 to 61% of the control, but still had 175 or more pollen tubes per style, which would be sufficient for high rates of seed set in petunia. Wheat flour-pollen mixtures tended to clump and degrade pollen flow. Rilsan ES and polyester were identified as two promising pollen diluent powders that can facilitate accurate metering and distribution of pollen, produce large numbers of pollen tubes, and maintain pollen viability under storage.
Fucoxanthin Production from Diatoms: Current Advances and Challenges

Increasing public attention to health issues and disease prevention has created a favorable global market for naturally derived nutraceuticals. This has led to a dramatic increase in demand for carotenoids in general and fucoxanthin (FX) in particular. This orange-colored compound has an array of health stimulating properties, including antioxidant, anticancer, anti-obesity, and anti-diabetic. It is currently isolated from seaweeds, but fast-growing diatoms, a class of microalgae, synthesize FX at higher levels, making them a promising candidate for sustainable FX production. Still, to produce diatom FX cost-effectively at large scale, significant improvements in productivity are quintessential. In the present chapter we provide an overview of FX biosynthesis by diatoms and the effect of various abiotic growth factors on FX production. Eventual commercial deployment of diatoms will depend on genetically constructing superior FX producing strains and optimizing the diatom cultivation conditions.
“Connecting online”: The structure and content of students' asynchronous online networks in a blended engineering class

Abstract Asynchronous online discussion has been widely used in higher education settings to create blended learning environments. Students form intricate social networks in asynchronous online discussions that promote help-seeking and help-providing. However, we know little about how students seek and receive help in asynchronous online discussions in blended engineering classes. This study employed a mixed-method approach by combining social network analysis and content analysis to describe students' interactions and help-seeking behaviors and to estimate their predictive power for academic performance on an asynchronous online discussion across several semesters of the same course. Social network analysis was performed to analyze the students' interactions, and content analysis was conducted to analyze the substance of their posts. The findings of this study showed variation in the structure of the social network across semesters, which is further explained by taking into account the content of the posts and the people present, both in class and online. There was a statistically significant difference in Asking for Answer Verification behavior between high-performing students and low-performing students in one semester. In addition, most of the students across all of the semesters were inclined to engage with the asynchronous online discussion by exhibiting Asking Technical Questions behavior. Based on the study findings, instructors should take on an authority role both in the classroom and on the online discussion forum itself and support students' help-seeking behaviors in asynchronous online discussions.
Integrated capture and conversion of CO2 into methane using NaNO3/MgO + Ru/Al2O3 as a catalytic sorbent

Abstract Catalytic sorbents are prepared by physically mixing NaNO3/MgO sorbents and Ru/Al2O3 catalysts and the ability of the composite materials to capture and convert CO2 to methane in a combined capture and conversion cycle is evaluated. The catalytic sorbents are prepared using two preparation methods: i) packing the two components in two separate beds and ii) packing as a single bed after mixing and pelletization of the two components. The catalytic sorbents prepared as two separate beds are more effective, showing an elevated CO2 sorption capacity of 3.24 mmol CO2/g and methane production capacity of 2.21 mmol CH4/g. Mixing and pelletizing the two components together is found to significantly decrease the CO2 sorption capacity of the catalytic sorbent. CO2 methanation reaction pathways are also investigated over 1% Ru/Al2O3 catalysts and 5% NaNO3/1% Ru/Al2O3 catalysts via combination of kinetic studies elucidating the apparent CO2 and H2 reaction orders combined with insitu FTIR measurements. For 1% Ru/Al2O3, it is hypothesized that carbonyl species are reaction intermediates and formate species are spectator species, while for the 5% NaNO3/1%Ru/Al2O3 catalyst, both carbonyl species and formate species are potentially reaction intermediates for the methanation reaction. Hypothetical reaction mechanisms and rate laws are proposed for the two types of catalysts as well.
Analysis of Indirect Maternal Mortality in Romania in 2011 and 2014 - Associations between Causes of Death, Anthropological and Sociological Factors

The present study aims to analyse and underline certain associations between the causes of maternal indirect deaths and certain socio-demographic, cultural and behavioural factors such as the mother’s age, place of origin, socio-cultural and health condition and the use of medical services including the prenatal ones. The analysis is performed on the existing casuistry in 2011 and 2014. The authors analyse, in the limit of the existing information also whether the death was avoidable, and try to suggest some recommendations in this respect.
Aldosterone-induced cardiomyocyte growth, and fibroblast migration and proliferation are mediated by TRAF3IP2

Sustained activation of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) contributes to the pathogenesis of heart failure. Aldosterone (Aldo) is known to induce both myocardial hypertrophy and fibrosis through oxidative stress and proinflammatory pathways. Here we have investigated whether Aldo-mediated cardiomycocyte hypertrophy is dependent on TRAF3IP2, an upstream regulator of IKK and JNK. We also investigated whether the pro-mitogenic and pro-migratory effects of Aldo on cardiac fibroblasts are also mediated by TRAF3IP2. Aldo induced both superoxide and hydrogen peroxide in isolated adult mouse cardiomyocytes (CM), and upregulated TRAF3IP2 expression in part via the mineralocorticoid receptor and oxidative stress. Silencing TRAF3IP2 blunted Aldo-induced IKKβ, p65, JNK, and c-Jun activation, IL-18, IL-6 and CT-1 upregulation, and cardiomyocyte hypertrophy. In isolated adult mouse cardiac fibroblasts (CF), Aldo stimulated TRAF3IP2-dependent IL-18 and IL-6 production, CTGF, collagen I and III expression, MMP2 activation, and proliferation and migration. These in vitro results suggest that TRAF3IP2 may play a causal role in Aldo-induced adverse cardiac remodeling in vivo, and identify TRAF3IP2 as a potential therapeutic target in hypertensive heart disease.