cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neurophenomenology of an Altered State of Consciousness: An fMRI Case Study

A research participant came to our lab with self-proclaimed, ecstatic, Kundalini meditative experiences. Using neurophenomenology and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), we were able to identify brain activation in the left prefrontal cortex [primarily in left Brodmann׳s areas (BAs) 46 and 10, but also extending into BAs 11, 47, and 45] associated with this experience. The Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory provided evidence that this was a perceived altered state of consciousness. Additionally, the Physio-Kundalini Syndrome Index strongly suggested that what he was experiencing was indeed Kundalini. The feelings of joy, happiness and the left prefrontal brain region found in this study are consistent with many published neuroimaging and electrophysiological studies of meditation. This case study suggests that using first-person subjective experience within a phenomenological reduction process can be combined with neuroimaging to divulge objective brain regions associated with such experiences. Furthermore, this provides evidence that at least in this participant, the Kundalini experience is associated with brain activation in the left prefrontal cortex. Future research is needed to confirm these results in a large group study, perhaps contrasting brain activation of those who experience spontaneously emerging Kundalini with trained Kundalini practitioners.
Transgenic fish – where we are and where do we go?

Transgenic fish have been developed that have improved growth, color, disease resistance, sur- vival in cold, and body composition, and produce pharmaceutical proteins. Transgenes elicit pleiotropic effects, some positive and some negative. In general, transgenic fish appear to have lower fitness than controls and pose little environmental risk, but this research is not fully con- clusive. Transgenic zebrafish with altered coloration have been commercialized and growth hor- mone transgenic salmon, carp, and tilapia are near commercialization. To enhance commer- cialization and minimize environmental risk, additional technologies such as transgenic steriliza- tion need to be developed. Genomic research has produced an abundance of molecular genet- ic information including many genes for consideration for gene transfer, highly regulated gene promoters, and knowledge about their expression and function. Functional genomics analysis should be applied in the future to enhance the capacity and versatility of transgenic technology.
Characterizing the Phenotypic Responses of Escherichia coli to Multiple 4-Carbon Alcohols with Raman Spectroscopy

The phenotypic responses of E. coli cells exposed to 1.2% (v/v) of 1-butanol, 2-butanol, isobutanol, tert-butanol, and 1,4-butanediol were studied in near real-time using Raman spectroscopy. A method of “chemometric fingerprinting” was employed that uses multivariate statistics (principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis) to identify E. coli phenotypic changes over a 180 min post-treatment time-course. A toxicity study showed extreme variability among the reduction in culture growth, with 1-butanol showing the greatest toxicity and 1,4-butanediol showing relatively no toxicity. Chemometric fingerprinting showed distinct phenotype clusters according to the type of alcohol: (i) 1-butanol and 2-butanol (straight chain alcohols); (ii) isobutanol and tert-butanol (branched chain alcohols); and (iii) control and 1,4-butanediol (no terminal alkyl end) treated cells. While the isobutanol and tert-butanol treated cells led to similar phenotypic responses, isobutanol was significantly more toxic. In addition, the phenotypic response was found to take place largely within 60 min of culture treatment; however, significant responses (especially for 1,4-butanediol) were still occurring at 180 min post-treatment. The methodology presented here identified different phenotypic responses to seemingly similar 4-carbon alcohols and can be used to study phenotypic responses of virtually any cell type under any set of environmental conditions or genetic manipulations.
Perioperative analgesia with subarachnoid sufentanil administration.

Background and Objectives. Thirty-seven ASA Physical Status I parturients undergoing elective cesarean delivery were evaluated to determine the effects of subarachnoid sufentanil administration. Methods. This study was carried out in a randomized, double-blind fashion. All patients received 1.4 ml 0.75% bupivacaine with 8.25% dextrose following 10 μg, 15 μg, or 20 μg sufentanil, or 1 ml of normal saline containing no sufentanil. Onset and duration of sensory and motor anesthesia, duration of complete analgesia, duration of effective analgesia, and intraoperative parenteral opioid requirements were evaluated. Incidence of side effects such as respiratory depression, pruritus, nausea, and vomiting were evaluated. Results. Duration of complete analgesia and duration of effective analgesia were prolonged significantly in all patient groups receiving sufentanil as compared to control groups receiving no narcotic. Pruritus was significantly increased in patient groups receiving subarachnoid sufentanil. Respiratory depression was not observed in any patient studied. One- and five-minute Apgar scores; umbilical, venous, and arterial blood gas results; and Early Neonatal Neurobehavioral Scale results were all within normal limits and were not significantly different among the groups.
Dowry and Inheritance in Colonial Spanish America: Peninsular Law and Chilean Practice

Despite a growing interest in the history of women in colonial Spanish America, the Castilian legislation which defined female juridical status has received scant attention. Some scholars have treated legal questions as a corollary to the themes of feminine endeavor and wealth. The law itself, relegated to a secondary position, has remained a maze of confusing mandates to all but a few historians who have wrestled with its directives. An analysis of the legal foundation which was central to the roles that Hispanic American women assumed in the colonies is therefore in order. The purpose of this article is accordingly to clarify pertinent legal terms, concepts, and procedures that were operative throughout the Indies. Particular emphasis is given to the subject of females as donors and beneficiaries of marital endowments and parental estates. Since the abstract legal principles are difficult to understand, concrete examples are drawn from Hispanic families in Chile to illustrate the workings of the law. These eighteenth-century cases comprise a dowry receipt, an estate settlement, and a set of testamentary dispositions. The family papers underscore the fact that norms established in peninsular legislation and applied in Spanish America constituted an important link in the chain of continuity with the past that characterized colonial life even as that life underwent change in the Bourbon era.
Bimolecular recombination reactions: K-adiabatic and K-active forms of the bimolecular master equations and analytic solutions

Expressions for a K-adiabatic master equation for a bimolecular recombination rate constant krec are derived for a bimolecular reaction forming a complex with a single well or complexes with multiple well, where K is the component of the total angular momentum along the axis of least moment of inertia of the recombination product. The K-active master equation is also considered. The exact analytic solutions, i.e., the K-adiabatic and K-active steady-state population distribution function of reactive complexes, g(EJK) and g(EJ), respectively, are derived for the K-adiabatic and K-active master equation cases using properties of inhomogeneous integral equations (Fredholm type). The solutions accommodate arbitrary intermolecular energy transfer models, e.g., the single exponential, double exponential, Gaussian, step-ladder, and near-singularity models. At the high pressure limit, the krec for both the K-adiabatic and K-active master equations reduce, respectively, to the K-adiabatic and K-active bimolecular Rice-Ramsperger-Kassel-Marcus theory (high pressure limit expressions). Ozone and its formation from O + O2 are known to exhibit an adiabatic K. The ratio of the K-adiabatic to the K-active recombination rate constants for ozone formation at the high pressure limit is calculated to be ∼0.9 at 300 K. Results on the temperature and pressure dependence of the recombination rate constants and populations of O3 will be presented elsewhere.
Geometric Interpretation of Adjoint Equations in Optimal Low Thrust Trajectories

Time-optimal control of two seemingly unrelated problems are solved using Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle. The first is a simple double integrator in R in which the state is driven to a desired terminal state in minimum time. The second is an orbiting spacecraft in R which transitions from its current orbit into a desired terminal orbit in minimum time. In both cases, thrust is continuously available but limited in magnitude. The two problems are related by the gravitational parameter of the major body orbited. As the gravitational parameter is mathematically varied to zero, the orbiting spacecraft takes on the dynamics of a double integrator. A two-point boundary value problem is created when Pontryagin’s Maximum Principle is applied to solve the two problems. Shooting methods are typically used in the solution, but they require reasonably close a priori estimates of the initial or final values of the costate for the shooting method to converge. The adjoint equations of the double integrator have a simple solution. The derived optimal control is shown to be related to the adjoint solution in a simple geometric manner. A method is presented to estimate the initial costate and terminal time for the double integrator problem. The possibility that the initial estimate for the double integrator may provide an initial estimate for the related orbital transfer problem is explored. Numerical examples of the two problems illustrate the method.
Regular Shifting System of Primary and Middle School Teachers:Affecting Factors and Solution

If education is the essence for a country's survival and development,teachers are the pushing power for this career.However,teachers are not equally distributed,which makes it hard to realize education equality and fairly distributed educational resource.This negatively affects China's education development.The paper proposes a regular shifting system for primary and middle school teachers based on the analysis of limitations hindering practice,such as welfare and salary,regional economic difference,and faculty management.There are also solutions to the problems.
Enterocytic gene expression in intestinal adaptation: evidence for a specific cellular response

After massive small bowel resection, the remnant gut epithelium undergoes an adaptive response marked by an increase in villus height, crypt depth, and crypt cell production rate. Although morphological features of gut adaptation have been well characterized, the differentiation status and response of epithelial cells populating the adaptive villus is unclear. To address these issues, cell-specific and spatial patterns of expression of a set of enterocytic genes were characterized in rats after 70% small bowel resection. The liver and intestinal (I) fatty acid binding protein (FABP) and apolipoprotein A-I (apo A-I) and apo A-IV genes were studied because they exhibit unique regional and cell-specific patterns of expression in the developing and adult gut. At 48 h after surgery, apo A-IV and I-FABP mRNA levels were increased up to 3.5-fold in adaptive remnant ileum compared with sham-operated or sham-resected control ileum. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical analyses revealed a marked increase in enterocytic apo A-IV mRNA and protein expression in the adaptive ileum, from villus base to tip but not in crypts. By 1 wk after resection, apo A-IV, but not I-FABP, mRNA levels remained elevated in remnant ileum, although duodenal I-FABP mRNA levels were still increased. In contrast, apo A-I mRNA levels were not significantly induced. These results indicate that the enterocyte can respond acutely to loss of small bowel surface area by increasing expression of several genes. This compensatory enterocytic response is spatially (from duodenum to ileum) and temporally regulated. These results suggest initiation of the adaptive response occurs by way of a complex set of molecular pathways involving villus and crypt cells.
Role Conflict, Role Overload, and Role Strain

Role conflict exists when two or more social roles overlap and are incompatible. Conflict occurs because the performance of one role interferes with the performance of another. Role conflict can be time-based, strain-based, or behavior-based. Antecedents of work–family conflict can be within the same work or family domain or across domains. Role overload exists when an individual fulfills multiple roles simultaneously and lacks the resources to perform them. It can evolve from both excessive time demands and excessive psychological demands. Role strain is an outcome of role conflict and overload. Solutions to reducing the effects of role conflict, overload, and strain include reducing demands, increasing resources, or both. More specifically, role-sequencing, role-prioritizing, and role change, as well as increasing social resources and managing boundaries between work and family responsibilities, are options for reducing role conflict, overload, and strain. Keywords: role change; role conflict; role overload; role-prioritizing; role-sequencing; role strain; work–family conflict
How Will Statistical Agencies Operate When All Data Are Private

This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Centers, Institutes, Programs at DigitalCommons@ILR. It has been accepted for inclusion in Labor Dynamics Institute by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@ILR. For more information, please contact hlmdigital@cornell.edu.
Obstacles Faced by Latina Mothers of Children with Autism

The CDC’s most recent autism prevalence estimates document the continued trend of higher prevalence among non-Hispanic white children compared to Hispanic children. The disproportionate underrepresentation of Latino children in the health, education and service systems is measurable, disadvantaging the child and family. This quantitative study identifies support needs and obstacles experienced by 96 Latina mothers of children with autism, active in Spanish-language parent groups in California. Study measures included the Family Needs Survey and the Caring for My Child Survey. To determine the significance of the results on the Family Needs Survey, an item-by-item chi-square analysis compared results to those of to a similar population from a different study that used the same measure. A high proportion of mothers reported substantial levels of unmet needs in their role as primary caregiver using the Family Needs Survey: all 35 survey items were unmet for at least 50% of mothers; 28 items were common needs. The level and number of unmet needs of mothers in the present study in areas such as social support and care services were significantly greater than the comparison group. On the Caring for My Child Survey, mothers identified multiple barriers personally encountered in obtaining assistance for their children including psychosocial, economic, political, and healthcare factors. Findings are relevant to improve access for Latinos in the health, education and service systems, and to establish a baseline for comparison.
The toxicity and efficacy of concomitant chemoradiotherapy in patients aged 70 years and older with oropharyngeal carcinoma in the intensity-modulated radiotherapy era

BACKGROUND Despite controversy surrounding its benefit, the use of concomitant chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) in patients with oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) who are aged > 70 years is increasing. However, to the authors' knowledge, few studies to date have compared the outcomes of different systemic treatments in this population. METHODS Records from 74 patients aged ≥ 70 years with stage III to stage IVB OPSCC who were undergoing CCRT from 2002 to 2013 at a single institution were reviewed. Patients were stratified according to the systemic therapy received, including cisplatin, carboplatin with either 5-fluorouracil or paclitaxel (CARB), or cetuximab to compare oncologic outcome and toxicity. RESULTS The median follow-up was 36 months. The median age of the patients was 75.3 years (range, 70-91 years), with significantly older patients receiving cetuximab (P = .03). A total of 28, 20, and 26 patients, respectively, received CCRT with cisplatin, CARB, and cetuximab. RT interruptions of > 1 day were needed in 4% of patients receiving cisplatin, 20% of patients receiving CARB, and 15% of patients receiving cetuximab (P = .19). Unplanned hospitalizations during CCRT occurred in 25%, 55%, and 58%, respectively, of patients receiving cisplatin, CARB, and cetuximab (P = .03). There were 2 treatment-related deaths, both of which occurred among the patients who were treated with cetuximab. At 5 years, locoregional control was achieved in 100%, 88%, and 60% (P<.001), respectively, and the overall survival rate was 87%, 61%, and 47% (P = .03), respectively, among patients treated with cisplatin, CARB, and cetuximab. CONCLUSIONS Toxicity from CCRT remains a challenge for older adults with OPSCC. Herein, the authors found no evidence that this toxicity was mitigated by treatment with cetuximab. Nevertheless, a subset of patients aged ≥70 years appear to tolerate cisplatin-based treatment with acceptable toxicity and excellent outcomes. Further identification of this patient subgroup is crucial to optimize therapy for older patients with OPSCC. Cancer 2017;123:1345-1353. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Cardiac Pacemakers: Function, Troubleshooting, and Management: Part 1 of a 2-Part Series

Advances in cardiac surgery toward the mid-20th century created a need for an artificial means of stimulating the heart muscle. Initially developed as large external devices, technological advances resulted in miniaturization of electronic circuitry and eventually the development of totally implantable devices. These advances continue to date, with the recent introduction of leadless pacemakers. In this first part of a 2-part review, we describe indications, implant-related complications, basic function/programming, common pacemaker-related issues, and remote monitoring, which are relevant to the practicing cardiologist. We provide an overview of magnetic resonance imaging and perioperative management among patients with cardiac pacemakers.
Ethical issues in fetal therapy

The introduction of routine fetal ultrasound and the technical improvements in ultrasound equipment have greatly increased our ability to diagnose fetal anomalies. As a consequence, congenital anomalies are diagnosed today earlier and in a greater number of patients than ever before. The development of fetal intervention and fetal surgery techniques, improved anesthesia methodology, and sophisticated perinatal care at the limits of viability, have now made prenatal management of some birth defects or fetal malformations a reality. The increasing number of indications for fetal therapy and the apparent desire of parents to seek out these procedures have raised concern regarding the ethical issues related to the therapy. While fetal therapy may have a huge impact on the prenatal management of some congenital birth defects and/or fetal malformations, because of the invasive nature of these procedures, the lack of sufficient data regarding long-term outcomes, and the medical/ethical uncertainties associated with some of these interventions there is cause for concern. This chapter aims to highlight some of the most important ethical considerations pertaining to fetal therapy, and to provide a conceptual ethical framework for a decision-making process to help in the choice of management options.
Sketch-up: Snowstorms on Mars

The Martian atmosphere has water-ice clouds, and water ice has been detected on the surface. It has been thought that snow on Mars would fall by slow gentle sedimentation of individual ice particles. Instead, Spiga and colleagues use high-resolution weather models to show that convective plumes can form in and below clouds during the cold Martian nights, producing powerful snowstorms.
Effective practice instructional strategies: Design of an instrument to assess teachers’ perception of implementation

Abstract The purpose of this research was to explore teacher implementation of effective practice instructional strategies. This included the creation of an instrument that can be used to assess how secondary teachers in the core content areas (English, math, science, social studies) in Minnesota, US, perceive implementation of effective practice instructional strategies. This instrument, The Minnesota Effective Practice Instructional Strategies Assessment (MEPISA), was developed using a four-step instrument development process, which included content domains, question creation, a review by a panel of experts, and a pilot. The MEPISA yielded a S/CVI = 0.72 and a reliability score of 0.73. This instrument may contribute to mitigating the theory-practice gap in the effective practice of instructional strategies and can provide insight into how teachers perceive the frequency in which they use instruction strategies when considering demographic data.
A novel port extraction technique for coupling circuits with full wave time domain integral equation solvers

Fully coupled transient analysis of electromagnetic-circuit systems is highly desirable for a number of applications. Over the last decade or so, there have been several papers that present effective solutions to this problem within the context of full-wave differential or integral equation solvers. The method typically espoused is as follows: discretize the underlying electromagnetic (EM) system, couple with the circuit subsystem self-consistently, and then solve the coupled system. Within this framework, non-linearities are easily accounted for in the solution process. This is in direct contrast to frequency domain analysis, wherein one defines ports that couple the electromagnetic and circuit subsystems, i.e., representation of the EM system using an effective impedance. This approach permits: (a) solution only at the circuit level, and (b) one can readily incorporate different circuits without having to solve the coupled system repeatedly. In this paper, we present a technique that helps realize the same efficiency in the time domain. We will prescribe the means to effectively represent the EM subsystem in terms of a transient admittance, thus facilitating a solution to the coupled system via a circuit-level solve. Several results are presented that serve to validate the proposed approach and demonstrate its effectiveness.
Assessing HIV Stigma on Prevention Strategies for Black Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States.

The deleterious effects of HIV stigma on HIV+ Black MSM care continuum outcomes have been well-documented. How HIV stigma shapes HIV prevention for HIV− persons in this community is poorly understood. We sought to test the relationship of HIV stigma with HIV− Black MSM on HIV testing, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) awareness, and PrEP use. We recruited 772 participants at Black Pride events across five US cities in 2016. Multivariable logistic regression models assessed the association of external HIV stigma on prevention outcomes adjusting for sociodemographic variables. Stigma was positively associated with PrEP awareness (AOR = 1.34; 95% CI = 1.09, 1.66; p value = 0.005), and not associated with PrEP use or HIV testing in our sample. These findings highlight the complex nature of HIV stigma among BMSM and include results for PrEP, which can affect uptake other prevention methods. We support anti-HIV stigma efforts and advise further exploration on HIV stigma among BMSM and prevention outcomes.
The Role of Attachment and Affect Regulation in the Development and Maintenance of Personal Peacefulness

The main focus of this chapter is to consider a developmental and psychosocial model of inner peace. Attachment theory suggests that early interpersonal experiences produce styles of attachment that are characterized as either secure or insecure. Attachment is thought to be an innate biological system which motivates the infant to seek the security of a caregiver. As an infant bonds with a caregiver, both physically and through limbic resonance, the infant develops affect-regulating ability. When the caretaker provides a secure base, affect regulation develops normally and the infant is soothed. However, when the caretaker provides an inconsistent or absent base of security, the infant develops affect-regulating behaviors that are often compensatory and ineffective. An insecurely attached child may grow into an adult who struggles with issues related to affect dysregulation. The chapter illustrates the role that affect regulation plays in intrapersonal and interpersonal peacefulness by presenting several case studies that portray attempts to develop and maintain inner peace through a variety of effective and ineffective coping mechanisms.
Validity and Rationality: The Rhetorical Constituents of Argumentative Form.

This essay reconsiders validity as the “soundness” of a rhetorical argument. Characteristics of rhetorical argument which contribute to this reconsideration are examined: the complicity of an audie...
1-Deoxy-1-( N -methyl-4-fluorophenylamino)- D - arabino -hexulose

The title compound, C13H18FNO5, consists of d-fructose with an aromatic amine. The carbohydrate chain is in the acyclic keto form and has the zigzag conformation, while the solid-state NMR data suggests a conformational dimorphism at the aromatic amine group. The carbohydrate portion is involved in extensive O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding, which forms a two-dimensional network parallel to (001) and organized into fused homodromic ring patterns. The Hirshfeld surface fingerprint plots reveal a major contribution of the non-polar H⋯H and C⋯H inter­actions to the crystal packing forces.
Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Analysis of Phthalic Anhydride’s Yield Using Lab Synthesized and Commercially Available (V2O5/TiO2) Catalyst

V2O5/TiO2 is an important catalyst used in many industrial reactions like selective oxidation of o-xylene to phthalic anhydride, selective catalytic reduction of NOx, selective oxidation of alkanes, etc. The partial oxidation of o-xylene to synthesize phthalic anhydride is an exothermic reaction and leaves hot spots on the catalyst’s surface. The yield of phthalic anhydride strongly depends on the activity and stability of the catalyst. In this work, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis has been conducted to compare the yield of lab prepared catalyst with the commercially used catalyst. This work is first attempt to simulate V2O5/TiO2 catalyst for cracking heavy hydrocarbons in the petrochemical industry using k- e turbulence and species transport models in CFD. The results obtained are in the form of scaled residuals, area-weighted average, and contours of pressure and temperature. Simulation results of lab synthesized and commercially used catalysts, applying finite volume method (FVM) are compared, which emphasize the scope of CFD modeling in the catalytic cracking process of petrochemical industry.
Interventions to Reduce Job Stress and Improve Work Organization and Worker Health

Employer/organizational level interventions tend to target human resource policies and organizational climate. An intervention on an inner city bus line in Stockholm was begun to reduce traffic congestion and improve passenger service. Interventions at the job/task level focus on job redesign, job enrichment, or increased job control or participation in decision making and can result from methods such as action research or labor management committees or initiatives. A wide variety of interventions and prevention programs have been developed and used in order to reduce job stressors and the health problems they cause. Work organization and job stressors are also shaped by the competition employers face in the global economy. Action Research (AR) efforts to reduce job stressors and improve worker health have been common in Scandinavia. AR involves a partnership between outside experts and members of an organization aimed at meeting both research and intervention goals.
Hard versus soft: zero-field dinuclear Dy(III) oxygen bridged SMM and theoretical predictions of the sulfur and selenium analogues

Two dinuclear lanthanide complexes (Gd and Dy) were prepared and characterized by X-ray, magnetic and computational methods. The Dy analogue shows SMM behavior with an energy barrier of 98.4 K in the absence of an applied dc field. Theoretical calculations were performed on model complexes which support the hypothesis that the energy barrier will increase if the soft-donor atoms S and Se are used in lieu of an O donor.
Pro-remodeling peptides modulate collagen α1(I) promoter activity in rat cardiac myofibroblasts

Abstract Previous studies have extensively demonstrated the effect of endothelin-1 (ET-1), angiotensin II (Ang II), and TGF-β1 on the stimulation of collagen type I expression in cardiac myofibroblasts. However, the role of pro-remodeling peptides in the transcriptional regulation of the collagen promoter remains unclear. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the net regulatory effects of pro-remodeling peptides on collagen type I promoter activity. Constructs of various lengths (300 bp, 1.1 kbp, 1.7 kbp, 2.3 kbp and 3.5 kbp) of the rat collagen α1(I) promoter were transfected into cardiac myofibroblasts in vitro and promoter activity was measured using chloramphenicol acetyl transferase (CAT) assays. Reduced promoter activity occurred across all treatments in myofibroblasts transfected with the 1.7 kbp construct. ET-1 was unable to increase promoter activity with constructs 300, 1.1, and 1.7 kbp, but induced promoter activity in cells with the 2.3 kbp construct. Additionally, while a combination of pro-remodeling peptides induced promoter activity across constructs, the resultant increase in the 2.3 and 3.5 kbp constructs were comparable to that observed from ET-1 treatment alone. Lastly, cells transfected with the entire promoter sequence had the lowest promoter activity. This data suggests that the collagen promoter is tightly regulated and that pro-remodeling factors produce an overall net effect on collagen expression, rather than additive.
Outpatient buccal mucosal graft urethroplasty outcomes are comparable to inpatient procedures.

Background: We sought to compare outcomes between inpatient and outpatient buccal mucosal graft (BMG) urethroplasty among a large tertiary referral center series. Methods: A retrospective review of consecutive patients who underwent BMG urethroplasty between 2007 and 2018 was performed, including only first stage and one stage graft procedures. Patients were divided into inpatient and outpatient groups. Demographic and outcome data were collected and analyzed, with success defined as no need for further endoscopic or open reoperative management. Results: Of 143 patients undergoing BMG urethroplasty during the study period, 87 cases (60.8%) were performed on an inpatient basis, and 56 (39.2%) on an outpatient basis. Patient characteristics such as age, BMI, prior endoscopic procedures and co-morbid factors were similar between inpatient and outpatient groups. Perioperative characteristics such as estimated blood loss were also similar between groups, but the inpatient cohort had a longer operative time (157.6 vs . 123.1 min, P vs . 76.8% outpatient, P=0.7) as were rates of complications (29.9% inpatient vs . 26.8% outpatient, P=0.07). Conclusions: BMG urethroplasty can be safely performed in an ambulatory setting without increased complications or compromised outcomes.
High-speed wide-field multi-parametric photoacoustic microscopy (Conference Presentation)

We report a new multi-parametric photoacoustic microscopy (PAM) system, which enables high-resolution imaging of blood perfusion, oxygenation and flow at 0.2-Hz frame rate over an area of 4.5×4.5 mm2. Extending the laser scanning range by using a cylindrically focused transducer (focus: 50 µm by 4.5 mm), it increases the speed of our previous hybrid-scan system with a weakly focused transducer (focal diameter: 250 µm) by 18-fold without compromising the sensitivity. We have demonstrated the feasibility of this technique in the transmission mode in vivo. Further development of a reflection-mode system will enable real-time cortex-wide imaging of cerebral hemodynamics and metabolism.
Active Breathing Suppression for Improved Sleep Monitoring Heartbeat Detection Using UWB Radar

In this paper, we present a new observation when processing backscattered radar signals from a sleeping subject on a normal mattress. A breathing motion magnification effect is observed because of mattress surface displacement due to human respiratory activity. This undesirable motion artifact causes existing methods for accurate heart-rate estimation to fail. We therefore propose a novel active motion cancellation technique to deal with this problem by intelligently selecting slow-time series from multiple ranges and examining the corresponding phase difference. Finally, we validate our approach through experimental study.
Acute stress induces chronic neuroinflammatory, microglial and behavioral priming: A role for potentiated NLRP3 inflammasome activation

Abstract Prior exposure to acute and chronic stressors potentiates the neuroinflammatory and microglial pro-inflammatory response to subsequent immune challenges suggesting that stressors sensitize or prime microglia. Stress-induced priming of the NLRP3 inflammasome has been implicated in this priming phenomenon, however the duration/persistence of these effects has not been investigated. In the present study, we examined whether exposure to a single acute stressor (inescapable tailshock) induced a protracted priming of the NLRP3 inflammasome as well as the neuroinflammatory, behavioral and microglial proinflammatory response to a subsequent immune challenge in hippocampus. In male Sprague-Dawley rats, acute stress potentiated the neuroinflammatory response (IL-1β, IL-6, and NFκBIα) to an immune challenge (lipopolysaccharide; LPS) administered 8 days after stressor exposure. Acute stress also potentiated the proinflammatory cytokine response (IL-1β, IL-6, TNF and NFκBIα) to LPS ex vivo. This stress-induced priming of microglia also was observed 28 days post-stress. Furthermore, challenge with LPS reduced juvenile social exploration, but not sucrose preference, in animals exposed to stress 8 days prior to immune challenge. Exposure to acute stress also increased basal mRNA levels of NLRP3 and potentiated LPS-induction of caspase-1 mRNA and protein activity 8 days after stress. The present findings suggest that acute stress produces a protracted vulnerability to the neuroinflammatory effects of subsequent immune challenges, thereby increasing risk for stress-related psychiatric disorders with an etiological inflammatory component. Further, these findings suggest the unique possibility that acute stress might induce innate immune memory in microglia.
The Price of Higher Order Catastrophe Insurance: The Case of VIX Options

We develop a tractable equilibrium pricing model to explain observed characteristics in equity returns, VIX futures, S&P 500 options, and VIX options data based on affine jump- diffusive state dynamics and representative agents endowed with Duffie-Epstein recursive preferences. A specific model aimed at capturing VIX options prices and other asset market data is shown to successfully replicate the salient features of consumption, dividends, and asset market data, including the first two moments of VIX futures returns, the average implied volatilities in SPX and VIX options, and first and higher-order moments of VIX options returns. We document a time variation in the shape of VIX option implied volatility and a time-varying hedging relationship between VIX and SPX options which our model both captures.
Community-based Skill Building Intervention to Enhance Health Literacy Among Older Rural Adults:

The purpose of this article is to report the outcomes of a skill building intervention to improve general health literacy and health literacy about complementary and alternative therapies (CAM) among older rural adults. The intervention was implemented in eight rural communities. Descriptive statistics and general linear modeling were used for analysis. A total of 127 older adults completed the initial session and Time 1 questionnaire, 67 (51%) completed the intervention sessions and Time 2 questionnaire, and 52 (40.9%) completed the Time 3 questionnaire five months later. CAM health literacy scores and scores on one general health literacy measure were significantly higher at Time 2 compared to Time 1 and 3. The decline in scores over time suggests a need for continuing strategies to support older adults' health literacy. Assisting older adults to make safe health care choices is a critical role for investigators, nurses, and other health care providers.
Did 'Patent Trolling' Change the Incremental Ability of Patents Awarded to Predict Future Cash Flows From Operations?

This study examines whether companies’ patents obtained had less impact on future operating cash flows during the period of most patent troll litigation, 2010 to 2014. We conduct analyses using cash flow predictive models and observations from companies that had consistently obtained patents granted by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. Regression results provide evidence to support our hypothesis that the value of the number of patents obtained in predicting operating cash flow was lower from 2010 to 2014, than before 2010. From a policy standpoint, our findings support recent legislative and judicial actions that have limited the ability of entities to file patent infringement lawsuits.
Establishing the basis for a school bus emergency evacuation time standard

Abstract Though it is commonly accepted that transporting children by school bus is the safest way to move them to and from school, the frequency of events causing full or partial evacuations each year is relatively unknown. As research demonstrates that the interior of a bus can be completely burned-out in as few as three minutes, it raises the question as to why there is not a federal school bus evacuation time standard in place. The objective of this paper was to present the need of a school bus evacuation time standard that can enhance post-accident school bus passenger safety. Passenger train and commercial aircraft evacuation standards were studied to identify how school bus evacuation standards compare to those of other modes of mass transportation. Considerations for the proposal of an evacuation time standard while focusing on the unique challenges associated with school buses are discussed.
Bold Feynman Diagrams and the Luttinger–Ward Formalism via Gibbs Measures: Perturbative Approach

Many-body perturbation theory (MBPT) is widely used in quantum physics, chemistry, and materials science. At the heart of MBPT is the Feynman diagrammatic expansion, which is, simply speaking, an elegant way of organizing the combinatorially growing number of terms of a certain Taylor expansion. In particular, the construction of the ‘bold Feynman diagrammatic expansion’ involves the partial resummation to infinite order of possibly divergent series of diagrams. This procedure demands investigation from both the combinatorial (perturbative) and the analytical (non-perturbative) viewpoints. In this paper, we illustrate how the combinatorial properties of Feynman diagrams in MBPT can be studied in the simplified setting of Gibbs measures (known as the Euclidean lattice field theory in the physics literature) and provide a self-contained explanation of Feynman diagrams in this setting. We prove the combinatorial validity of the bold diagrammatic expansion, with methods generalizable to several types of field theories and interactions. Our treatment simplifies the presentation and numerical study of known techniques in MBPT such as the self-consistent Hartree–Fock approximation (HF), the second-order Green’s function approximation (GF2), and the GW approximation. The bold diagrams are closely related to the Luttinger-Ward (LW) formalism, which was proposed in 1960 but whose analytic properties have not been rigorously established. The analytical study of the LW formalism in the setting of Gibbs measures will be the topic of an accompanying paper.
Teaching Economics with Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is currently ranked fifth by the Internet Movie Database’s (IMDB) Top 250 television shows based on user rankings and second among 100 shows reviewed by The Hollywood Reporter. Despise the series ending in 2013, Al-Bahrani et al. (2016) find that current students still rank the show among their favorites. Building on the work of Duncan et al. (2020), this paper introduces five lesson plans associated with clips from Breaking Bad. The lesson plans also include clips from outside sources and classroom activities.
A gene-editing/complementation strategy for tissue-specific lignin reduction while preserving biomass yield

Background Lignification of secondary cell walls is a major factor conferring recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass to deconstruction for fuels and chemicals. Genetic modification can reduce lignin content and enhance saccharification efficiency, but usually at the cost of moderate-to-severe growth penalties. We have developed a method, using a single DNA construct that uses CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing to knock-out expression of an endogenous gene of lignin monomer biosynthesis while at the same time expressing a modified version of the gene's open reading frame that escapes cutting by the Cas9 system and complements the introduced mutation in a tissue-specific manner. Results Expressing the complementing open reading frame in vessels allows for the regeneration of Arabidopsis plants with reduced lignin, wild-type biomass yield, and up to fourfold enhancement of cell wall sugar yield per plant. The above phenotypes are seen in both homozygous and bi-allelic heterozygous T1 lines, and are stable over at least four generations. Conclusions The method provides a rapid approach for generating reduced lignin trees or crops with one single transformation event, and, paired with a range of tissue-specific promoters, provides a general strategy for optimizing loss-of-function traits that are associated with growth penalties. This method should be applicable to any plant species in which transformation and gene editing are feasible and validated vessel-specific promoters are available.
Translation and the Spanish Empire in the Americas

1. Preface 2. 1. Language, translation and empire 3. 2. Conquerors and translators 4. 3. Translation and the administration of the colonies 5. 4. Evangelizing the natives 6. 5. The chroniclers and the interpreters translated 7. 6. Native chroniclers and translation 8. Conclusions 9. References 10. Index
The Influence of Prior Product and Store Knowledge on Consumer Reference Price Estimates

The study examines the influence of product and store knowledge on estimates of internal price standards for two categories of electronic products via protocol analysis. Consumers who have low levels of product knowledge are expected to utilized brand name information to a greater degree than are high knowledge consumers, who should have the capability of utilizing product attribute information. The results of the protocol analysis generally support these expectations and suggest that the definition of consumers' product knowledge be expanded to include store and local market knowledge as well.
Literature on Organizational Performance

Factors affecting organizational performance include stress, organizational design, and task environment. Each factor also varies along multiple dimensions. We now describe those dimensions of stress, organizational design, and task environment as often discussed in the literature and their connections to performance. We start by looking into the literature on organizational performance.
Management of refractory tympanostomy tube otorrhea with ear wicks.

Objectives: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology mostly affected children younger than 5 years of age. Although KD is characterized by prolonged fever (more than 5 days duration) plus 4 of the following 5 signs: conjunctivitis, skin rash, changes in the mouth and extremities, and cervical lymphadenopathy; cervical lymphadenopathy is the least common. Some of the unusual neck presentations reported in KD included deep neck infection like peritonsillar abscess and retropharyngeal abscess. Although it is important for patients with KD to receive early diagnosis and intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), unusual presentation of KD presents a dilemma for clinicians.
Industrial Animal Agribusiness and Environmental Sociological Theory

Studying the consequences of industrial animal agribusiness provides an ideal entry point for environmental sociologists to begin incorporating animals into their analyses. To explore the contributions that environmental sociology can make toward understanding the effects of industrial animal agribusiness, we (1) review selected applicable environmental sociological perspectives, and (2) examine how they have been applied and/or could be applied to understand and interpret the changes in, consequences of, and possible alternatives to industrial animal agribusiness. Our primary purpose is to demonstrate how the interconnected categorizations and propositions of environmental sociological theories can help us better conceptualize, describe, and explain the environmental, public-health, and animal-welfare consequences of industrial animal agribusiness.
A Component by Component Listening Test Analysis of the IBM Trainable Speech Synthesis System

This paper reports on a listening test conducted to determine the impact on speech quality of each component in the IBM Trainable Speech Synthesiser. The study was originally conceived to direct future research effort to those components with the greatest potential for improvement. However, the results and conclusions regarding prosodic modification, concatenation unit length, and decision tree clustering are generally applicable and may be of wider interest.
On Polynomial Operators and Equations

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an overview of polynomial operators and equations. It presents qualitative results such as a quadratic formula in Banach space, Weierstrass Theory in normed linear spaces, Eigenfunction expansions for quadratic operators, and existence theory for solutions of polynomial equations. It also explores a few computational techniques for solving polynomial equations in normed linear spaces. The simplest of all nonlinear operators on a normed linear space are the so-called polynomials operators. Equations in such operators are the linear space analog of ordinary polynomials in one or several variables over the fields of real or complex numbers. Such equations encompass a broad spectrum of applied problems including all linear equations.