cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Le choc des imaginaires dans Les Soleils des indépendances d'Ahmadou Kourouma et L'année maigre d'Alhassane Ag Baille

With regard to situations of intercultural contact the literature of Sub-Saharan francophone Africa embodies imaginaries that are both symbiotic and disjunctive. Its representation of the encounter between cultural identities draws on their respective characteristics highlighting discords and discrepancies. The present article shows how, in Ahmadou Kourouma's Les Soleils des independances and Alhassane Ag Baille's L'annee maigre, the logic of identity of the Nation-State and ethnicity is being confronted. The mimesis of identity gains in richness and complexity through the exploitation of the symbolism of identity papers and the totemic. The article analyses the reception of these symbols of identity in the two novels and how they come to transcend conceptions of identity founded on notions of the Republic or Nation-State.
Fostering Dialogical Community Through a Learning Experience

Dialogue and community are two common foci of the recent nursing education literature. The author came to a new understanding of these concepts while teaching a capstone seminar course for registered nurses who were obtaining a baccalaureate degree. In this paper, this transformation is discussed in the context of one particular learning experience for the capstone course. The philosophical basis for fostering dialogical community through this learning experience is explained. The experience is described, and students' comments about the experience are cited. Finally, conclusions drawn as a result of the experience are compared to the themes of dialogue and community in the recent nursing education literature.
Epidural analgesia does not increase the rate of inpatient falls after major upper abdominal and thoracic surgery: a retrospective case-control study.

Postoperative epidural analgesia for major upper abdominal and thoracic surgery can provide significant benefits, including superior analgesia and reduced pulmonary dysfunction. Nevertheless, epidural analgesia may also be associated with decreased muscle strength, sympathetic tone, and proprioception that could possibly contribute to falls. The purpose of this retrospective case-control study was to search a large national database in order to investigate the possible relationship between postoperative epidural analgesia and the rate of inpatient falls. Data from the nationwide inpatient sample for 2007-2011 were queried for adult patients who underwent elective major upper abdominal and thoracic surgery. Multiple International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes for inpatient falls and accidents were combined into one binary variable. Univariate analyses were used for initial statistical analysis. Logistic regression analyses and McNemar’s tests were subsequently used to investigate the association of epidural analgesia with inpatient falls in a 1:1 case-control propensity-matched sample after adjustment of patients’ demographics, comorbidities, and hospital characteristics. Forty-two thousand six hundred fifty-eight thoracic and 54,974 upper abdominal surgical procedures were identified. The overall incidence of inpatient falls in the thoracic surgery group was 6.54% with an increasing trend over the study period from 4.95% in 2007 to 8.11% in 2011 (P < 0.001). Similarly, the overall incidence of inpatient falls in the upper abdominal surgery group was 5.30% with an increasing trend from 4.55% in 2007 to 6.07% in 2011 (P < 0.001). Postoperative epidural analgesia was not associated with an increased risk for postoperative inpatient falls in the thoracic surgery group (relative risk [RR], 1.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.95 to 1.47; P = 0.144) and in the upper abdominal surgery group (RR, 0.84; 95% CI 0.64 to 1.09; P = 0.220). Inpatient falls compared with non-falls were associated with a longer median (interquartile range) length of hospital stay in both the thoracic surgery group (11 [7-17] days vs 9 [6-16] days, respectively; P < 0.001) and the upper abdominal surgery group (12 [7-20] days vs 10 [6-17] days, respectively; P < 0.001). Our study suggests that postoperative epidural analgesia for patients undergoing major upper abdominal and thoracic surgery is not associated with an increased risk of inpatient falls.
Septal oxytocin administration impairs peer affiliation via V1a receptors in female meadow voles

The peptide hormone oxytocin (OT) plays an important role in social behaviors, including social bond formation. In different contexts, however, OT is also associated with aggression, social selectivity, and reduced affiliation. Female meadow voles form social preferences for familiar same-sex peers under short, winter-like day lengths in the laboratory, and provide a means of studying affiliation outside the context of reproductive pair bonds. Multiple lines of evidence suggest that the actions of OT in the lateral septum (LS) may decrease affiliative behavior, including greater density of OT receptors in the LS of meadow voles that huddle less. We infused OT into the LS of female meadow voles immediately prior to cohabitation with a social partner to determine its effects on partner preference formation. OT prevented the formation of preferences for the partner female. Co-administration of OT with a specific OT receptor antagonist did not reverse the effect, but co-administration of OT with a specific vasopressin 1a receptor (V1aR) antagonist did, indicating that OT in the LS likely acted through V1aRs to decrease partner preference. Receptor autoradiography revealed dense V1aR binding in the LS of female meadow voles. These results suggest that the LS is a brain region that may be responsible for inhibitory effects of OT administration on affiliation, which will be important to consider in therapeutic administrations of OT.
CONGENITAL ABSENCE OF ODONTOID PROCESS OF THE AXIS WITH ATLANTO-AXIAL DISLOCATION

Dislocation of the atlas on the axis, complicated by congenital absence of the odontoid process of the axis, should be treated by reduction and operative fusion of these two cervical vertebrae, in order to prevent cord damage which would result from recurrent dislocation.
Interventions with medical and psychiatric evacuees and their families: from Vietnam through the Gulf War.

Clinical, milieu, and patient management psycho-social interventions are identified and discussed concerning medical and psychiatric evacuees from a war zone. The acute psychological state of evacuees, specific areas of inquiry from the onset of becoming a casualty through initial hospitalization stateside, and interventions to address psychological aspects of being wounded or a psychiatric evacuee are highlighted. Issues and dynamics to address with the families, to include clinical experiences with families of Vietnam, Panama, and Gulf War military returnees are described, as well as specific risk factors for Operation Desert Storm families and personnel. Distinctive stressors faced by women, national guard and reserves, and ethnic minority personnel in Operation Desert Storm are identified. Finally, complications and recommendations concerning the appropriate diagnoses for psychiatric evacuees, and the stressors faced by the health care provider, are presented. Specific recommendations by veterans who themselves were evacuated from Vietnam are described in the veterans' own words. Language: en
Vertical Anisotropic Microfibers for a Gecko-Inspired Adhesive

Geckos are able to adhere strongly and release easily from surfaces because the structurally anisotropic fibers on their toes naturally exhibit force anisotropy based on the direction of articulation. Here, semicircular fibers, with varying amounts of contact area on the two faces, are investigated to ascertain whether fiber shape can be used to gain anisotropy in shear and shear adhesion forces. Testing of 10-μm-diameter polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) fibers against a 4-mm-diameter flat glass puck show that shear and shear adhesion forces were two to five times greater when in-plane movement caused the flat face, rather than the curved face, of the fiber to come in contact with the glass puck. The directional adhesion and shear force anisotropy results are close to theoretical approximations using the Kendall peel model and clearly demonstrate how fiber shape may be used to influence the properties of the adhesive. This result has broad applicability, and by combining the results shown here with other curre...
Effects of Naphthenic and Paraffinic Petroleum Composition at a Comparable Molecular Weight or Viscosity on Photosynthesis of Eureka Lemon Leaves

Experiments were conducted for the purpose of comparing the effects of naphthenic and paraffinic petroleum composition at comparable levels of molecular weight or viscosity on the apparent photosynthesis of Eureka lemon leaves. The procedures followell were the same as those described in a prior report. At a deposit level comparable to that of a practical field dosage, no effects on photosynthesis were evident for the difference in paraflinicity at a molecular weight of 306 to 308 or a viscosity of 70. In the high range of oil deposit, indicative or the situation in oil-soaked tissue, initial inhibition or photosynthesis was about the same, but recovery was faster for plants treated with the naphthenic oil than for those treated with the paratfinie oil of comparable molecular weight or viscosity. The difference in rate of recovery associated with the difference in paraffinicity is greater for oils of com parable viscosity than for those of com- parable molecular weight.
Current Opinion on the Oncoplastic Approach in the USA

The management of women with breast cancer who wish to preserve their breasts often includes partial reconstruction at the time of tumor resection. This is referred to as the oncoplastic approach and has been shown to improve outcomes. The purpose of this review was to better understand the current surgeon mindset relative to the oncoplastic approach. A survey was designed to understand demographics and opinions on partial breast reconstruction at the time of tumor resection. This was disseminated to the registered members of the American Society of Breast Surgeons as well the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) through an online system and comparisons were made. There were 422 responders in the ABS and 214 responders in the ASPS for a response rate of 14.8% and 9.1%, respectively. Most (69.7%) breast surgeons felt that partial breast reconstruction following lumpectomy was not limited in their practice. Fifty percent of plastic surgeons felt that it was limited because they were not getting the referrals. Both groups agreed that complex partial reconstructions were best performed using the team approach. Margin involvement was a major concern in both groups, and the groups agreed that the aesthetic benefits were a major driving force. Future adoption of these techniques will rely on increased training and increased awareness of these procedures. There tends to be general agreement surrounding the concerns and benefits of immediately reconstructing the partial mastectomy defect. Disparity does exist between the two groups in terms of delivery likely due to the system-based inadequacies in the USA. This represents an area for improvement.
A Mother and Daughter's Reflections on Nursing Education. Interview by Sandra Schmidt Bunkers

The following column presents a conversation with a mother and daughter enrolled in nursing education programs. Both mother and daughter utilized the teaching-learning strategies of dialogue and reflective journaling in coming to understand the meaning of their experiences in nursing education. The following ideas surfaced from their conversation: the importance of nursing theory-based teaching-learning, the importance of mentoring across the academic-clinical spectrum, the importance of questioning as a teaching-learning strategy, and, the importance of valuing time when developing teaching-learning experiences in nursing.
Clinical Aspects of Reptile Behavior

The clinical evaluation of reptiles, in particular with regard to behavior, has centered previously on subjective assessments of responsiveness and overt aggression. The appreciation and understanding of normal (perhaps more importantly when dealing with captive reptiles) and abnormal behaviors will enable a more complete appraisal of the individual animal and captive population, however. This appraisal can be useful in identifying and correcting underlying stressors that might be the cause of aberrant behavior and disease and provide a valuable means of evaluating the welfare of reptiles. This article aims to introduce reptile behavior to the clinician, with particular emphasis on those aspects of behavior that frequently are noticed by owners, keepers, and veterinary personnel.
Neurochemical Correlates of Attention Deficit Disorder

Evidence from both epidemiologic and pharmacologic investigations into the biology of attention deficit disorder suggests that abnormalities in neurotransmitter function exist in children with attention deficit disorder. This article reviews this evidence and discusses the limitations imposed upon such clinical investigations.
A Scalable Active Battery Management System With Embedded Real-Time Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Electrochemical energy storage is critical for a range of applications spanning electrified transportation and grid energy storage, and there is a need to further improve both the active management and diagnostic capability of current battery management systems. Lithium-based battery chemistries have been favored for their high energy and power densities but require precise management to prevent premature degradation and failure. This work presents an efficient power converter (based on a switched-inductor ladder topology), instrumentation, and an embedded control platform that can provide both active balancing and real-time diagnostic capability through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). A digital proportional-integral controller enforces sinusoidal reference signals from a direct digital synthesizer, enabling the power converter to perturb the cells and extract their impedance. Cell-level diagnostics allow for noninvasive measurement of physical electrochemical battery properties that can be used to assess the state of charge and state of health of a battery. A ladder converter prototype was implemented on a printed circuit board to perform EIS on two Panasonic 18650 cells in series. Experimental results showed balancing converter efficiency of 95%, and the accuracy of the prototype was validated through comparison to a state-of-the-art commercial benchtop system.
The impact of accession to the European Union on suicide rates: A cross-national time-series analysis

Building upon prior research, this study examines the effects of European Union (EU) accession on suicide rates in the Eastern European countries that joined the EU in 2004 and 2007 using pooled cross-sectional time-series data that cover approximately 20 years (1990–2011). Results from fixed-effects regression analyses indicate that EU entry has no effect on total suicide rates and suicide rates among males, but has a negative effect on female suicide rates in the fully specified models. In addition, we find that EU entry also has a negative effect on the ratio of suicide rates to an aggregated indicator of lethal violence (homicide rates + suicide rates, or the suicide–homicide ratio) for the total population and for the female population. Consistent with previous research, we find some significant negative effects on suicide rates for economic growth and life expectancy at birth, and a positive effect for females. When interpreted with reference to the ‘stream analogy’ for understanding the two major f...
Spatially dependent biotic and abiotic factors drive survivorship and physical structure of green roof vegetation.

Plant survivorship depends on biotic and abiotic factors that vary at local and regional scales. This survivorship, in turn, has cascading effects on community composition and the physical structure of vegetation. Survivorship of native plant species is variable among populations planted in environmentally stressful habitats like urban roofs, but the degree to which factors at different spatial scales affect survivorship in urban systems is not well understood. We evaluated the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on survivorship, composition, and physical structure of two native perennial species assemblages, one characterized by a mixture of C4 grasses and forbs (Hempstead Plains, HP) and one characterized by a mixture of C3 grasses and forbs (Rocky Summit, RS), that were initially sown at equal ratios of growth forms (5:1:4; grass, N-fixing forb and non-N-fixing forb) in replicate 2-m2 plots planted on 10 roofs in New York City (New York, USA). Of 24 000 installed plants, 40% survived 23 months after planting. Within-roof factors explained 71% of variation in survivorship, with biotic (species identity and assemblage) factors accounting for 54% of the overall variation, and abiotic (growing medium depth and plot location) factors explaining 17% of the variation. Among-roof factors explained 29% of variation in survivorship and increased solar radiation correlated with decreased survivorship. While growing medium properties (pH, nutrients, metals) differed among roofs there was no correlation with survivorship. Percent cover and sward height increased with increasing survivorship. At low survivorship, cover of the HP assemblage was greater compared to the RS assemblage. Sward height of the HP assemblage was about two times greater compared to the RS assemblage. These results highlight the effects of local biotic and regional abiotic drivers on community composition and physical structure of green roof vegetation. As a result, initial green roof plant composition and roof microclimate may have long-term effects on community dynamics, ecosystem function, and urban biodiversity.
Sonority Theory and Syllable Pattern as Keys to Sensory-Motor-Cognitive Interactions in Infant Vocal Development

A model is described for early speech pattern representation that combines sensory processing, vocal motor control, and emergent phonological organization. A central hypothesis is that syllables and syllable-based rhythmic patterns induce a proto-linguistic representation compatible with certain constructs of nonlinear phonology. The syllable is defined in terms of sonority theory and aspects of rhythmic patterning. Implications of this model are discussed for intrasyllabic organization and the language-learning phenomenon of fast mapping. In addition, an analytic model that combines autosegmental phonology with ethologic descriptions of infants’ vocal behavior is used to develop metrics of infant vocal productivity and sound diversity.
Latino Diversity and Political Representation

This essay explores ethnic and class differences among Latino groups in Massachusetts and how these differences affect political participation and representation. My findings are based on data from a study that included in-depth, semi-structured interviews with seventeen Latino political candidates, community representatives and campaign managers. Presented here, they raise questions about the inter-group dynamics of Latino politics and how ethnic relations, class position, and identity affect political participation and representation. As I will suggest, Latino candidates and community residents in the cities of Massachusetts are well aware of the tensions among the various Latino groups, but they, for the most part, recognize the need to put forth a pan-Latino agenda in order to mobilize their communities and to gain as many resources as possible for their communities. This pan-Latino identity is not necessarily self-serving, but benefits community members as much as the Latino elites. A certain degree ...
Mathematical analysis of a weather-driven model for the population ecology of mosquitoes

A new deterministic model for the population biology of immature and mature mosquitoes is designed and used to assess the impact of temperature and rainfall on the abundance of mosquitoes in a community. The trivial equilibrium of the model is globally-asymptotically stable when the associated vectorial reproduction number (R0) is less than unity. In the absence of density-dependence mortality in the larval stage, the autonomous version of the model has a unique and globally-asymptotically stable non-trivial equilibrium whenever 1 andlt;R0 andlt;RC0 (this equilibrium bifurcates into a limit cycle, via a Hopf bifurcation at R0=RC0). Numerical simulations of the weather-driven model, using temperature and rainfall data from three cities in Sub-Saharan Africa (Kwazulu Natal, South Africa; Lagos, Nigeria; and Nairobi, Kenya), show peak mosquito abundance occurring in the cities when the mean monthly temperature and rainfall values lie in the ranges [22-25]0C, [98-121] mm; [24-27]0C, [113-255] mm and [20.5-21.5]0C, [70-120] mm, respectively (thus, mosquito control efforts should be intensified in these cities during the periods when the respective suitable weather ranges are recorded).
Reference frames in learning and control

Abstract This article is aimed at introducing the theory of reference frames in mathematical psychology to the control theory community and to point out its relevance in reducing the complexity of control systems design. As an example we. discuss the balancing problem for a multi-segment pendulum.
The Second Intermezzo

Let Q* be the multiplicative group of the positive rational numbers, and let a>0, A>0, b, B be integers which satisfy $$\Delta = \det \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}}a&b \\ A&B \end{array}} \right) \ne 0 $$ .
Analysis of Long-Term (100-year) Patterns of Rainfall Variability

Precipitation data from century-long rainfall records for three standard WMO rain gauge stations in the East Sahel—Khartoum (KHA), Kassala (KAS), and Gedaref (GED)—show strong interannual variability of rainfall in space and time. Spatial variations in the temporal variability of annual totals are assessed using ranked quantile statistics and the interquartile dispersion (IQD). The northern driest station, KHA, has an IQD of 0.62, and the southern wettest station, GED, has an IQD of 0.26. The middle station, KAS, has an IQD of 0.44. Comparing time series of annual totals for the three stations reinforces the extent of the interannual variability, with little evidence for long-term regional trends in the data. The annual values are reduced to three common types of normalized metrics: (1) standardized precipitation indices (SPI); (2) each year’s total as a percent of the expected annual value; and (3) each year’s total as a percent departure from the expected annual value. Single-station and multistation composites are compared to published results from other regions of the Sahel. While there are subdued indications that the results from GED, KAS, and KHA are sometimes coherent among several of the stations, and occasionally coherent with trans-African aggregations reported by other workers, such signals are most often dominated—even obscured—by episodic transients that are temporally incoherent over spatial scales on the order of the distance between the three study sites used here. The consequences present grave challenges to predicting and monitoring the type of interannual variability of rainfall that presents the most immediate and greatest threat to the sustainability of local cultures and economies in the East Sahel.
Academic Discourse on a Multilingual Campus

This chapter offers an overview of an initiative at Queens College designed to engage faculty in productive conversations about academic discourse as we understand and practice it. We begin with a general definition of academic discourse, followed by illustrations of the specific challenges that discourse conventions and technical language present to those outside the target community of practice. We then describe how faculty are working toward making academic discourse accessible to our students, many of whom are first-generation college students and speakers of languages other than English.
Natural enemy impact varies with host plant genotype

The concept of Three Trophic Level interactions (Price et al., 1980) states that interactions between members of two trophic levels will have effects on the third trophic level. Variation among host plants is predicted to affect traits of herbivores in ways that, in turn, influence the susceptibility of the herbivores to their natural enemies. Genetic variation among crop plant cultivars has been shown to affect natural enemy impact on herbivores, but the effect of plant genetic variation on natural enemy impact has seldom been demonstrated for natural populations of host plants, herbivores, and natural enemies. Previous work showed that survival and enemy impact on a gall-forming sawfly (Phyllocolpa sp.) varied significantly among potted clones of the willow (Salix lasiolepis Benth.) in Arizona (Fritz & Nobel, 1990). I tested the hypothesis that in a different willow-herbivore system, plant genetic variation would also have a significant effect on the susceptibility of two herbivore species to natural enemy impact. I also tested the hypothesis that densities of heterospecific herbivores are correlated with natural enemy impact.
Application of 2D Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy to the Study of Human Biopsies

Abbreviations: 2D, two-dimensional; AQ, acquisition time; COSY, correlated spectroscopy; DQF, doublequantum filtered; FID, free induction decay; GB, Lorentzian–Gaussian lineshape transformation fraction; J, scalar coupling constant; LB, Lorentzian line broadening; LG, Lorentzian–Gaussian; HMQC, heteronuclear multiple-quantum correlation; HSQC, heteronuclear single-quantum correlation; MAS, magic angle spinning; MM, magnitude mode; MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; MR(S), magnetic resonance (spectroscopy); NE, number of experiments; NS, number of transients; PS, phase-sensitive; (S)SB, (shifted) sine-bell; T1, spin– lattice or longitudinal relaxation time; T2, spin–spin or transverse relaxation time; TOCSY, total correlated spectroscopy; TPPI, time-proportional phase incrementation
Persistent muscle-invasive bladder cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy: an analysis of Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare data

Objectives To evaluate whether patients with persistent muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) after undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and radical cystectomy (RC) have worse overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) than patients with similar pathology who undergo RC alone. Materials and methods Using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare database, we identified the records of patients with pT2-4N0M0 disease who underwent RC, with and without NAC, for MIBC between 2004 and 2011. To evaluate survival outcomes in those with MIBC after NAC vs patients with MIBC who underwent RC alone, we used Kaplan-Meier time-to-event analysis and Cox proportional hazard regression modelling. Landmark analysis was conducted to mitigate immortal time bias. Propensity scoring was used to decrease the risk of selection bias. Results Of the 1 886 patients with persistent pT2-4 disease at the time of RC, 1505 underwent RC alone and 381 received NAC + RC. After adjusting for confounders, the propensity-weighted risk of death from bladder cancer after diagnosis did not differ between the groups (hazard ratio [HR] 0.72, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72-1.08; P = 0.23); however, the risk of death from all causes was worse in the RC-alone group (HR 0.79, 95% CI0.67-0.94; P = 0.006). Conclusions Patients who had persistent MIBC after platinum-based NAC + RC vs RC alone derived an OS benefit but not a CSS benefit from NAC. This may represent a selection bias favouring patients who were selected for NAC; however, the OS benefit was not evident in patients with persistent pT3-T4N0M0 disease. This study underscores the importance of future research investigating methods to identify patients who will respond to NAC for bladder cancer. It also highlights the need to consider adjuvant therapy in patients who have persistent MIBC after NAC.
Exploratory Qualitative Study of Fire Preparedness Among High-rise Building Residents.

INTRODUCTION Fire hazards are an extreme risk to occupants of high-rise buildings. Little attention has been paid to emergency and evacuation preparedness among people living in high-rise buildings. This paper reports on emergency fire preparedness among residents of a high-rise building that has experienced multiple fires in the past. METHODS An exploratory qualitative pilot study was conducted using key informant interviews. Six residents participated. Themes on preparedness for fires and emergency evacuation were extracted. RESULTS Findings indicated varying levels of preparedness for fires and emergency evacuation among residents. Factors influencing residents' emergency preparedness included fire risk perception, owner or renter status, and building-level emergency preparedness. Fire alarms were considered to be an ineffective evacuation cue. Severe cues such as seeing fire or smoke were more likely to prompt evacuation. Participants provided a series of suggestions to keep high-rise residents safe during fire emergencies. DISCUSSION The study revealed fire preparedness knowledge, decision-making processes, and actual behaviors of residential high-rise occupants who experienced a fire emergency in their building. Main findings of the study are discussed in two themes: influences on fire emergency and evacuation preparedness, and evacuation decision-making and response to fire. Results from this pilot study will be used as the basis for a follow up study involving residents from multiple high-rise buildings.
Gleam Lighting: A Collaborative Experiential Payroll Fraud Case:

This article presents the experiential, cross-curricular Gleam Lighting case exercise, which helps graduate students develop the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) needed to effectively work i...
33 CALCIUM DEPLETION PREVENTS ADENOVIRUS INDUCTION OF INTERLEUKIN-8 AND CELL ENTRY, BUT NOT ERK ACTIVATION

The host response to adenovirus (Ad) infection involves induction of cytokines in both hemopoietic cells and lung epithelia. This is accompanied by an initial neutrophilic alveolitis. We have demonstrated induction of the lung neutrophil chemokine IL-8 by Ad7, a major lung pathogen, in A549 lung epithelial cells and lung tissue in an Erk (extracellular-signal-regulated-kinase)-dependent manner. We wished to determine the mechanism of chemokine induction from the standpoint of the Ad infectious cycle in the epithelial cell, and whether Erk induction is sufficient for this process. A549 cells were exposed to Ad treated with psoralen/UV irradiation, which terminates the infectious cycle prior to viral gene expression. This treatment significantly diminished viral gene expression but not IL-8 gene induction as measured by semiquantitative RT-PCR. We then inhibited internalization of Ad by treatment of cells with EGTA in the presence of calcium-free media. The treatment inhibited internalization by 81% as determined by FACS for Ad hexon in the presence or absence of trypsin, and as visually determined by confocal microscopy. We next measured the effect of inhibition of internalization by EGTA + calcium free conditions on IL-8 induction and Erk induction. PMA (100 ng/mL) was used as a positive control, virus-free buffer as a negative control. Ad7 and PMA induced IL-8 release by 3-4 fold and 12-22 fold respectively over buffer-exposed cells. Conditions preventing Ad internalization inhibited IL-8 induction 70-80% by Ad7, but only 8-37% by PMA. The same conditions transiently delayed, but did not significantly inhibit Erk induction by Ad7. The results demonstrate that inhibition of Ad internalization, but not viral gene expression, prevents the cellular response of IL-8 induction by Ad. The data also show that Erk induction occurs prior to internalization and is required for IL-8 induction. Thus the site of induction of IL-8 by Ad is internal to the cell membrane, but external to the nucleus. In addition, Erk induction, while necessary, is not sufficient for IL-8 induction by Ad.
LACK OF OBSTRUCTIVE CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE ON INITIAL TESTING WITH CORONARY CT ANGIOGRAPHY (CCTA) IN SYMPTOMATIC PATIENTS LOWERS TOTAL AND DOWNSTREAM COSTS OVER A 5 YEAR PERIOD COMPARED TO NORMAL MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION IMAGING

Key strengths of coronary CT angiography (CCTA) are a high negative predictive value and near zero 5 year event rate in patients with no coronary artery disease (CAD). Published data suggests that CCTA may increase downstream costs, driven by increased invasive coronary angiography (ICA) and
Social cognition in animals.

Social cognition in human studies has been defined as “those aspects of mental life that enable and are shaped by social experience . . . mental phenomena such as belief, judgment, inference, attitude, affect, and motivation” (Gilbert 1999:777). In a study that compared the performance of captive apes with that of young children on a variety of cognitive tasks, Hermann et al. (2007) used this definition and concluded that, while chimpanzees and orangutans showed comparable performance to 2.5 year-old children in the domain of physical cognition (knowledge of space, quantities, and causality), they were inferior to children in measures of social cognition (communication with humans, attributing mental states to others). Subsequent studies have used the same definition and produced similar results (reviewed in Tomasello 2014; Warneken 2012).
Secular Trends in Survival Outcomes of Kidney Transplantation for Children: Is the Future Bright Enough?

In this issue of CJASN , Francis et al. ([1][1]) examine secular trends in cause-specific mortality among transplanted children in the Australian and New Zealand Dialysis and Transplant (ANZDATA) registry. Patients were observed from time of transplant through follow-up, regardless of transplant
Lipid Mixing Assay for Murine Myoblast Fusion and Other Slow Cell-cell Fusion Processes

Lipid mixing (redistribution of lipid probes between fusing membranes) has been widely used to study early stages of relatively fast viral and intracellular fusion processes that take seconds to minutes. Lipid mixing assays are especially important for identification of hemifusion intermediates operationally defined as lipid mixing without content mixing. Due to unsynchronized character and the slow rate of the differentiation processes that prime the cells for cell-cell fusion processes in myogenesis, osteoclastogenesis and placentogenesis, these fusions take days. Application of lipid mixing assays to detect early fusion intermediates in these very slow fusion processes must consider the continuous turnover of plasma membrane components and potential fusion-unrelated exchange of the lipid probes between the membranes. Here we describe the application of lipid mixing assay in our work on myoblast fusion stage in development and regeneration of skeletal muscle cells. Our approach utilizes conventional in vitro model of myogenic differentiation and fusion based on murine C2C12 cells. When we observe the appearance of first multinucleated cells, we lift the cells and label them with either fluorescent lipid DiI as a membrane probe or CellTrackerTM Green as a content probe. Redistribution of the probes between the cells is scored by fluorescence microscopy. Hemifused cells are identified as mononucleated cells labeled with both content- and membrane probes. The interpretation must be supported by a system of negative controls with fusion-incompetent cells to account for and minimize contributions of fusion-unrelated exchange of the lipid probes. This approach with minor modifications has been used for investigating fusion of primary murine myoblasts, osteoclast precursors and fusion mediated by a gamete fusogen HAP2, and likely can be adopted for other slow cell-cell fusion processes.
Parameter estimation for discretely sampled stochastic heat equation driven by space-only noise revised

We derive consistent and asymptotically normal estimators for the drift and volatility parameters of the stochastic heat equation driven by an additive space-only white noise when the solution is sampled discretely in the physical domain. We consider both the full space and the bounded domain. We establish the exact spatial regularity of the solution, which in turn, using power-variation arguments, allows building the desired estimators. We show that naive approximations of the derivatives appearing in the power-variation based estimators may create nontrivial biases, which we compute explicitly. The proofs are rooted in Malliavin-Stein's method.
Ribosomal incorporation of cyclic β-amino acids into peptides using in vitro translation

We demonstrate in vitro incorporation of cyclic β-amino acids into peptides by the ribosome through genetic code reprogramming. Further, we show that incorporation efficiency can be increased through the addition of elongation factor P.
Model for photothermal ionization and molecular recombination during pulsed ablation of polyethylene

The surface erosion of polyethylene is studied under conditions characteristic of extremely high-rate heating expected in laser-driven and high energy density experiments. A coupled model for photoionization and volumetric photothermal degradation of polyethylene is developed that includes finite rate chemistry and molecular recombination of radicals. First, the model is used to explore the evolution of radicals and hydrocarbons during isochoric heating, for which it is found that polyethylene is not in chemical equilibrium for rates > 10 8 K / s. Then, the model is used to explore the cooperativity between photoionization and photothermal ionization during one-dimensional ablation from a pulsed heating source, accounting for coupled energy deposition, thermokinetics, thermochemistry, hydrodynamics, mechanics, and thermal conduction in the ALEGRA multi-physics code. The ablation depth per energy pulse is found to agree with an analytical model for instantaneous energy deposition and absent molecular recombination or photoionization. Otherwise, molecular recombination of radicals reduces the depth of ablation per pulse, owing to thermal stabilization on forming branched molecules. Radical formation through photoionization can be compensated for by recombination, but it accelerates ablation at high enough photoionization rates. Finally, the influence of molecular recombination on the ablation depth is found to decrease for long pulses, owing to decreased recombination reaction rates at lower vapor densities near the ablated surface. These and other findings highlight competition between the processes of scission, recombination, and photoionization during pulsed ablation of polyethylene.
FAuto: An Efficient GMM-HMM FPGA Implementation for Behavior Estimation in Autonomous Systems

Driving behavior estimation in car-following scenario based on contextual traffic information is an essential capability for autonomous driving systems. Real-time motion planning based on incomplete environment perception requires complicated probabilistic model for interactions with surrounding objects and road conditions. Hidden Markov Model (HMM) with Gaussian emissions has been used to model driving behaviors for its ability of inferring unobserved states. While the high-dimensional contextual data is continuously processed, the system should be high-performance and power-efficient to make real-time decisions for safe operations. Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) is being increasingly used on embedded System-on-Chip (SoC) for mobile applications mainly because of its parallel computation and low-power consumption. This paper implements FAuto: the framework of HMM coupled with GMM algorithm on a Xilinx PYNQ-Z2 board for autonomous systems. We design the hybrid GMM-HMM model in python, and train the model using Next Generation SIMulation (NGSIM) trajectory data on a CPU platform. The hardware accelerator is designed through Vivado HLS 2018.2, and verified with Jupiter notebook. FAuto achieves 2.59 TOPS/W power efficiency, and 10.39x speedup compared to Python software implementation running on quad-core i7-7500U CPU.
Carbonated Green Tea Infused with Spices and Fruit as An Alternative to Sugary Carbonated Drinks.

Consumption of carbonated sugary drinks which also contains caffeine is increasing extremely worldwide. Despite the drinks have been known for their health effects its famous, especially among young population. Reinventing the carbonated beverages to its healthy alternative with ingredients rich in nutraceutical properties is necessary. Our study aims to discuss the healthier alternative to the sugar sweetened beverage containg green tea as a major ingredient.
A Quality Improvement Plan to Ensure Receipt of Prescribed Home Respiratory Equipment

Background: In our pediatric institution, a dedicated respiratory therapist (RT) discharge planner coordinates the inpatient acquisition of home respiratory equipment, while multiple RTs assist with outpatient orders. Lengthy delays in receiving equipment have occurred, including cases with significant delays not discovered until hospital readmission. With no process in place to ensure that ordered equipment was provided, delays and associated obstacles were unknown or inconsistently reported. Methods: We conducted a quality improvement study in which a follow-up process was implemented to confirm delivery of home equipment ordered through inpatient discharges and the outpatient pulmonary clinic. The process consisted of the RT who assisted with the order placing a follow-up call to the caregivers, intervening when necessary, confirming receipt of equipment. To evaluate the process, a retrospective and prospective chart review was done from November 2017-April 2019. The length of time to obtain equipment and reasons for delay were monitored before and after process implementation. Orders for oxygen, pulse oximeter, suction, airway clearance devices, CPAP, and bi-level devices were included. Home ventilators were excluded because they must be utilized prior to discharge. Results: Records were reviewed for 257 orders for home respiratory equipment. Of 182 inpatient orders (92 pre/90 post), there was no change in the mean number of days to obtain the equipment after process implementation. Delays were due to late notification to the discharge planner, orders placed after discharge or on a holiday, and difficulty contacting caregivers for delivery. For the 75 orders originating in the pulmonary clinic (35 pre/40 post), the mean number of days to obtain equipment decreased from 24 days to 12 days post implementation. Outpatient delays were due to the equipment provider not receiving faxed orders, difficulty in obtaining a provider of pediatric-specific equipment, insurance verification, and the need for additional documentation of medical justification. See table. Conclusions: As equipment ordered during an inpatient hospitalization is generally delivered prior to discharge, the follow-up process had minimal effect on equipment delays. By providing early problem identification and timely intervention, the outpatient RTs role is valuable in reducing delays in equipment acquisition.
Openness and Factor Shares: Is Globalization Always Bad for Labor?

The secular decline in the labor share since the 1980's is a global phenomenon, and a trend that is concurrent with large liberalization episodes worldwide. In this paper we investigate the liberalization episode in India during the 1990's, which has been characterized by large and unexpected changes in trade and foreign investment policies. Contrary to what might be expected given the reduction in the aggregate data, we uncover a trade channel that raises the labor-to-capital relative factor shares in India. A reduction in capital tariffs and liberalization of FDI raise the share of income paid to labor relative to capital. Our results reveal access to foreign capital as a new mechanism through which openness affects factor shares. An increasing share of foreign capital in the total capital stock provides a capital-augmenting technical change and potentially reduces rental rates, both of which raises the relative labor share. We find capital and R&D intensities, and the borrowing capacity of the firm, to be important determinants of the factor share response to openness. Finally, we identify domestic deregulation policies and credit expansion as potential determinants of the observed decline in the labor share.
Gallium-Doping Effects on Structure, Lithium-Conduction, and Thermochemical Stability of Li7-3xGaxLa3Zr2O12 Garnet-Type Electrolytes.

One of the most promising electrolytes for all-solid-state lithium batteries is Li7 La3 Zr2 O12 . Previously, their thermodynamic stability, Li-ion conductivity, and structural features induced by Ga-doping have not been empirically determined or correlated. Here, their interplay was examined for Li7-3x Gax La3 Zr2 O12 with target xGa=0, 0.25, 0.50, 0.75, and 1.00 atoms per formula unit (apfu). Formation enthalpies, obtained with calorimetry and found to be exothermic at all compositions, linearly decreased in stability with increased xGa. At dilute xGa substitution, the formation enthalpy curve shifted stepwise endothermically, and the conductivity increased to a maximum, coinciding with 0.529 Ga apfu. This correlated with percolation threshold analysis (0.558 Ga apfu). Further substitution (0.787 Ga apfu) produced a large decrease in the stability and conductivity due to a large increase in point defects and blocked Li-migration pathways. At xGa=1.140 apfu, a small exothermic shift was related to defect cluster organization extending the Li hopping distance and decreased Li-ion conductivity.
Libertarian Paternalism: Making Rational Fools

This paper examines criticisms of libertarian paternalism, focusing in particular on so-called knowledge problems: the set of problems associated with the question of whether a choice architect would, or even could, have sufficient information to implement a successful libertarian paternalist policy. The paper builds on arguments presented in Mario Rizzo and Glen Whitman's book Escaping Paternalism: Rationality, Behavioral Economics and Public Policy (2020). Although the paper supports Rizzo and Whitman's arguments about knowledge problems, it moves in a different, more social, direction when it comes to the implications of these criticisms for microeconomic-based governmental policy more generally.