cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applications of Doppler in Complicated Obstetrics: A Literature Review

The value of Doppler assessment for physiologic function of placental circulation and fetal well-being has not been uniformly accepted despite the clinically noninvasive and readily accessible features for measurement. Uterine and fetal Doppler readings must be interpreted within the context of the vessel under interrogation, location along the vessel site, and gestational age. Definitions of “high risk” or “poor outcome” also qualify the feasibility for use of Doppler as a screening device. Because Doppler is not included as a standard of care in many aspects of high-risk pregnancy, it is probably underused as a valuable clinical tool.
MAINTENANCE OF MOUSE MALE GERM LINE STEM CELLS IN VITRO

The proliferation and differentiation of a stem cell are regulated intrinsically by the stem cell and extrinsically by the stem cell niche. Elucidation of regulatory mechanisms of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), the stem cell of the postnatal male germ line, would be facilitated by in vitro studies that provide a defined microenvironment reconstituted ex vivo. We analyzed the effect of in vitro environment on the maintenance of adult and immature SSCs in a 7-day culture system. Allthough the number of adult and immature SSCs decreased in a time-dependent manner, nearly one in four stem cells (24%) could be maintained in vitro for 7 days. Stem cell maintenance was enhanced by coculture with OP9 bone marrow stroma or L fibroblast cell lines, addition of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor, or utilization of specific culture medium. In contrast, coculture with TM4 or SF7 Sertoli cell lines and addition of activin A or bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) reduced stem cell maintenance in vitro. Only 4% of the stem cells remained when cultured with TM4 cells or activin A, and 6% remained when cultured with SF7 cells or BMP4. These results lead to the hypothesis that suppression of germ cell differentiation improves in vitro maintenance of SSCs by interrupting the unidirectional cascade of spermatogenesis and blocking stem cell differentiation.
Ecologic factors relating to firearm injuries and gun violence in Chicago

Abstract Background Firearm violence is a major burden on Chicago with greater than 1500 gunshot injuries occurring annually. Identifying ecologic variables related to the incidence of firearm-related injuries and crime could prove useful for developing new strategies for reducing gun-related injuries. Methods The Illinois Trauma Registry (ITSR) and the Chicago Police Department's CLEAR (Citizen Law Enforcement Analysis and Reporting) dataset were retrospectively analyzed to investigate group-level factors potentially related to the incidence of gun-related injuries and crime in Chicago from 1999 through 2012. Multivariate linear regression was used to evaluate the effects of day of the week, daily maximum temperature, precipitation, and snow on the incidence of firearm-related injuries and crime. Results A total of 18,655 gunshot wounds occurred during the study period (ITSR, 1999–2009). There were 156,866 acts of gun violence identified in the CLEAR dataset (2002–2012). Day of the week, daily maximum temperature, and precipitation were associated with differential risks of gun injury and violence. Rain decreased firearm-related injuries by 9.80% [RR: 0.902, 95% CI: 0.854–0.950] and crime by 7.00% [RR: 0.930, 95% CI: 0.910–0.950]. Gunshot wounds were 33% [RR: 1.33, 95% CI: 1.29–1.37] more frequent on Fridays and Saturdays and gun crime was 18% [RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.16–1.20] more common on these days. Snow was not associated with firearm-related injuries or crime. Conclusions Day of the week, daily maximum temperature, and rain are associated with the incidence of firearm-related injuries and crime. Understanding the effects of these variables may allow for the development of predictive models and for risk-adjusting injury and crime data.
Evidence that heterogeneity of cerebral blood flow does not involve vascular recruitment

Recent studies indicate that blood flow to cerebral cortex is not homogeneous but may vary both spatially and temporally. In addition, some investigators have reported that capillaries and arterioles can be recruited to increase cerebral blood flow, an issue that is extremely controversial. The goal of this study was to determine whether recruitment of cerebral blood vessels is an important mechanism in spatial and temporal heterogeneity of cerebral blood flow. In seven anesthetized ventilated rats, different fluorescent tracers were injected 45 and 10 s before decapitation. In addition, [14C]iodoantipyrine also was injected 10 s before decapitation. After the brains were sectioned, fields in the cerebral cortex were examined microscopically for fluorescence and processed for measurement of cerebral blood flow with techniques of quantitative autoradiography and image analysis. With examination of 24 +/- 2 (SE) points in cerebral cortex of each rat, similar numbers of small blood vessels ( 0.05). Large blood vessels (20-60 microns; 73 +/- 6 vessels in each rat) contained both fluorescent tracers. In addition, adjacent regions of high and low blood flow contained similar numbers of small and large vessels. Our findings indicate that vascular recruitment is not an important mechanism in temporal or spatial heterogeneity of cerebral blood flow.
In vivo and in vitro analysis of membranes from hip prostheses inserted without cement

Biochemical, histological, and immunohistochemical studies of interface membranes surrounding failed hip prostheses that had been inserted without cement were done to examine specific factors involved in the development of aseptic loosening. Membranes from sixty-four femoral components were obtained from sixty-three patients during revision arthroplasty. Fifty-seven membranes were from implants that articulated with polyethylene (thirty-two were made of cobalt-chromium alloy and twenty-five, titanium alloy), and seven were from unipolar endoprostheses made of cobalt-chromium alloy that did not articulate with polyethylene. The membranes from implants with a polyethylene articulation produced significantly higher levels of collagenase and interleukin-1 (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the levels of prostaglandin E2 between the three groups. Furthermore, membranes from implants with roentgenographic evidence of focal osteolysis (endosteal erosion) released significantly higher levels of interleukin-1 (p < 0.05) than did membranes from implants without focal osteolysis. Although the membranes from the titanium-alloy implants tended to contain more metal debris than those from the cobalt-chromium-alloy implants, the biochemical findings were not significantly different between these two groups. Many macrophages that were filled with polyethylene and metal debris were present in the membranes from both groups with a polyethylene articulation. Few T lymphocytes or B lymphocytes were identified in the three groups.
Palestine, Israel, the USA & the Peace Talk Ritual

Talks to resolve the Palestinian/Israeli conflict have gone on for decades, taking on a form of treaty negotiation similar to the ritual relationships of Native Americans tribes to the United States government during the 18th and 19th centuries. The proposed outcomes in the past decade surround the creation of separate units of semi-independent Palestinian areas much like the reservations in the USA and the Apartheid “homelands.” The ritual cycle may resolve by addressing structural inequalities present in most all Middle Eastern countries.
PET scanner calibration using a small Ga68/Ge68 source

2052 Objectives A small Ga68/Ge68 source for easy and accurate routine cross-calibration of clinical PET scanners and dose calibrators is presented. Partial volume effect (PVE) is minimized by joint estimation of calibration factor and image resolution. Methods A Ga68/Ge68 source (10cc, 11g, 0.58-1.02mCi during study period) indirectly traceable to NIST at the center of a modified ACR phantom top was imaged on 4 PET/CTs (Biograph6, Biograph64, mCT, Discovery STE). Source activity was measured in the respective clinical dose calibrators. The phantom was aligned on the scanner axis. Images were reconstructed using filtered backprojection; average of 5 consecutive central slices through the source was used for cross-calibration-factor (CCF) calculation. CCF was computed as C_true (source activity measured in dose calibrator / source volume) divided by I_true (source image intensity in the absence of PVE). Reconstructed images were modeled as the convolution of a scaled binary image [I_true inside a 10.8mm radius circle, 0 outside] and a point spread function (PSF), assumed to be Gaussian. I_true and the full-width-at-half-maximum (FWHM) of the PSF were estimated by minimizing the mean square difference between the convolution and the reconstructed image. Standard F18 cross calibrations were done for comparison, using a standard cylindrical phantom (D=20cm) and large regions of interest. Results Difference of CCFs calculated from our method and F18 phantom is less than 4% without systematic bias, showing that our method is accurate (typical repeated F18 CCF variation is within 4%). Estimated image FWHM (mm): Biograph6 7.5, Biograph64 8.2, mCT 8.7, Discovery STE 7.5. Conclusions Data from 4 clinical scanners in 3 institutions confirm that easy and accurate cross calibration of PET scanners and dose calibrators can be done successfully using a small Ga68/Ge68 source and joint estimation of calibration factor and image resolution.
Characterization of Backbone Structures in Poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) Copolymers by Multidimensional 19F NMR Spectroscopy

Advanced modern multidimensional solution NMR experiments have been used to deduce the sequence distribution in poly(VDF-co-HFP) copolymers. Assignment of 19F resonances from different monomer- and regio-sequences in poly(VDF-co-HFP) copolymer were identified. In addition to corroborating some assignments reported in earlier literature, this work provides assignments of some new resonances from the spectra of poly(VDF-co-HFP) copolymer, which resulted from better dispersion of the resonances. These assignments are used for the monomer sequence analyses of two polymers using first-order Markovian statistics, and the relative reactivities of the monomers during polymerization are discussed. The results from this study provide insight into the polymerization chemistry for this fluoropolymer.
Ocean chemistry, ocean warming, and emerging hypoxia: Commentary

For 50 years, ocean scientists have represented deep sea biogeochemical rates as a temperature independent function of depth with form R = R0e−αz where z is depth in km. We show this resembles, but is not an identity for, a form of the classical Arrhenius equation K = Ae−Ea/RT where T is temperature in Kelvins, R is the gas constant (8.314 JK−1mol−1), and A is a preexponential factor. For a deep Sargasso Sea data set, we find oxygen consumption rates are accurately represented by an Arrhenius process with apparent activation energy of 86.5 kJ mol−1, and Q10 = 3.63.
Comparison of mosquito surveillance efficiency between theblack box method and carbon dioxide method

Objective To compare mosquito densities using the black box method and the carbon dioxide method and explore the application of the black box approach. Methods The black box method and the carbon dioxide method were used to measure mosquito density and composition at seven locations in two districts of Shanghai. Correlations between species composition, sex ratios and seasonal variation were compared using the two methods. Results The average mosquito density using the black box method (25.63 mosquitoes/box) was 3.50 times higher than the carbon dioxide method (7.32 mosquitoes/device), and the average density of female mosquitoes using the black box method (14.65 mosquitoes/box) was 2.35 times higher than the carbon dioxide method (6.23 mosquitoes/device), densities were significantly different. The density indices of the two approaches were not correlated. The species composition recorded by the black box method was: Culex pipiens pallens (94.97%), Aedes albopictus (4.97%), Cx. tritaeriorhynchus (0.03%), and Anopheles sinensis (0.03%). The species composition recorded by the carbon dioxide method was: Cx. pipiens pallens (79.26%), Ae. albopictus (18.27%), Cx. tritaeriorhynchus (2.10%) and An. sinensis (0.37%). The differences in composition were also statistically significant. Conclusion As compared to the carbon dioxide method, the black box method is readily applicable, simple, affordable and can be used in most locations, particularly habitats dominated by Cx. pipiens pallens. The carbon dioxide method can be used for the monitoring of both Cx. pipiens pallens and Ae. albopictus.
Response of circular－arc alluvial valleys under incident plane P waves

An analytical solution was derived for dynamic response of circular－arc alluvial valley under incident plane P waves by Fourier－Bessel series expansion technique． The effects of wavelength and angle of incident waves and width and depth of alluvial valleys on the dynamic response were discussed．
Democratic Phoenix: Conclusions: The Reinvention of Political Activism?

There is widespread agreement among democratic theorists ranging from Jean Jacques Rousseau to James Madison, John Stuart Mill, Robert Dahl, Benjamin Barber, David Held, and John Dryzak that mass participation is essential to the lifeblood of representative democracy, although there is continued debate about how much civic engagement is either necessary or desirable. Theorists advocating “strong” democracy suggest that citizen activism and deliberation are intrinsically valuable in themselves. More minimalist conceptions, proposed by Schumpeterian theorists, suggest that the essential role of citizens should be relatively limited, confined principally to the periodic election of parliamentary representatives, along with the continuous scrutiny of government actions. If participation is indeed in secular decline across all modes, then this should indeed be a cause for alarm. But is the widespread concern justified? This chapter summarizes the central argument developed throughout the book, highlights the key findings, and considers the implications for understanding the evolution of democratic participation. To recapitulate, the heart of this book examines evidence concerning three core claims. The first is that there has been a steady secular erosion of the traditional avenues of political engagement, including electoral turnout, party work, and civic activism. The second claim is that long-term processes of societal modernization and human development (including rising levels of literacy, education, and wealth) are the primary drivers shaping these changes, in a predictable curvilinear trajectory from developing to industrialized societies, although the pace of change is conditioned by the structure of the state, the role of mobilizing agencies, and the resource and motivational differences among groups and individuals.
The Door to Society: European Models and Russian Peasants, 1861–95

‘The emancipation of the peasants with land made Russia a tabula rasa on which it is still possible to write one or another future … Everything done now will be imprinted on the future life of Russia; every blunder, every flippant decision will fall as a heavy curse on the present generation.’ Thus wrote the nobleman and public activist A. V. lakovlev in 1872, a little over a decade after the emancipation of Russian serfs. It was a typical expression of the positivism that characterized the era of Great Reforms of the 1860s and 1870s, and the spirit with which ‘society’ (obshchestvo) — a term denoting the formally educated, usually noble, and publicly active stratum of the population — approached the problems highlighted, compounded, and created by the Reforms themselves. Most impressive was Iakovlev’s sense of possibility. He called on public activists to identify the ‘laws’ and ‘axioms’ of economic and social development, and suggested how rationality could be applied to some 50 million peasants who were released from various forms of bondage into a single peasant estate.1
Aging of the Liver: What This Means for Patients with HIV

As the HIV population continues to live longer as a result of antiretroviral therapy, liver-related mortality has become one of the leading causes of non-AIDS related death in this patient population. The liver possesses a remarkable regenerative capacity but undergoes complex biological changes in response to aging and inflammation that result in decreased cellular regeneration and a tipping of the scales towards fibrogenesis. Patients with HIV infection have serological evidence of ongoing inflammation, with elevations in some biomarkers persisting despite adequate virologic control. In addition, HIV-co-infected patients have markers of advanced age on liver biopsy and increased prevalence of fibrosis as compared to an age-matched HCV mono-infected cohort. In this review, we will discuss the biology of aging, age-related changes in the liver, and the relevant mechanisms by which HIV causes inflammation in the context of accelerated aging, fibrosis of the liver, and other viral co-infection.
Stress Rupture of PMC's in End-Loaded Bending

This paper introduces a method to study the time dependent behavior of polymer matrix composites. An end-loaded bending method and fixture are developed to emphasize the contribution of changes in matrix properties to the behavior of fiber dominated composites loaded in the fiber direction. This method has distinct advantages over other methods such as tensile stress rupture and three- and four-point bending rupture methods. This paper discusses the design and fabrication of an end-loaded bending fixture. A brief analysis is presented which relates strain level to end-to-end distance, eliminating the need for strain gauges. Time-dependent rupture in bending of polymer matrix composites is reported.
X-Ray and Gamma-Ray Emission from Middle-aged Supernova Remnants In cavities. I. Spherical Symmetry

We present analytical and numerical studies of models of supernova-remnant (SNR) blast waves in one spatial dimension expanding into uniform media and interacting with a denser cavity wall. We predict the nonthermal emission from such blast waves: synchrotron emission at radio and X-ray energies, and bremsstrahlung, inverse-Compton emission (from cosmic-microwave-background seed photons; ICCMB), and emission from the decay of mesons produced in inelastic collisions between accelerated ions and thermal gas, at GeV and TeV energies. Accelerated-particle spectra are assumed to be power laws with exponential cutoffs at energies limited by the remnant age or (for electrons, if lower) by radiative losses. We compare the results with those from homogeneous ("one-zone") models. Such models give fair representations of the 1D results for uniform media, but cavity-wall interactions produce effects for which one-zone models are inadequate. We study the time evolution of SNR morphology and emission with time. Strong morphological differences exist between ICCMB and -decay emission; at some stages, the TeV emission can be dominated by the former and the GeV by the latter, resulting in strong energy dependence of morphology. Integrated gamma-ray spectra show apparent power laws of slopes that vary with time, but do not indicate the energy distribution of a single population of particles. As observational capabilities at GeV and TeV energies improve, spatial inhomogeneity in SNRs will need to be accounted for.
The Impact of Exporting and FDI on Product Innovation: Evidence from Chinese Manufacturers

To understand the drivers of product innovation at the firm level, I compare the effects of foreign direct investment (FDI) and exporting on product innovation using a rich firm level database of manufacturing and industrial enterprises. The paper focuses on product innovation, as it is vital to economic development. Estimates from linear regressions and propensity score matching tests show that learning-by-exporting is a stronger predictor of product innovation. Firms that receive foreign investment also tend to engage in more product innovation, but not at the same level as the firms that export. Additional tests confirm that as they start and stop exporting, firms change their patterns of investment in the drivers of product innovation - fixed capital and research.
Strangler figs may support their host trees during severe storms

While strangler figs in the genus Ficus have been assumed to have only epiphytic and parasitic relationships with the host trees on which they grow, we suggest that a mutualistic relationship may also exist that benefits host trees during severe storms. Twenty-nine months after a cyclone, uprooted and standing trees in Lamington National Park, Queensland, Australia were compared for the presence of attached strangler figs. A significantly smaller percentage of uprooted (12.8%) than standing trees (58.5%) had large attached strangler figs. Strangler figs might provide four different mechanisms that make it less likely that their host trees will be uprooted in storms. Aerial roots may provide two distinct mechanisms, first through attachments to surrounding vegetation, and second through attachments to rooting points in the ground. The canopy closure added by strangler fig canopies may provide shielding from winds. Anastomosing root networks adhering to host tree trunks may also provide scaffolding support.
Risk Factors Associated with Perioperative Myocardial Infarction in Major Open Vascular Surgery

Background Among patients undergoing noncardiac surgery, major vascular surgery is associated with a high risk of perioperative myocardial infarction (MI). Currently, there are no perioperative MI risk calculators accounting for intraoperative and postoperative risk factors in vascular surgery patients. We aimed to investigate specific risk factors for perioperative MI after major open vascular surgery to determine which patients are at highest risk of MI and the association of perioperative MI with perioperative transfusion. Methods This statewide, retrospective cohort study analyzed risk factors for perioperative MI in major open vascular surgery between July 2012 and December 2015 using the Michigan Surgical Quality Collaborative, a multicenter quality collaborative. Patients were identified using current procedure terminology codes including open abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs (oAAA), aortobifemoral bypasses (AFB), and lower extremity bypasses (LEB). Rates of myocardial infarction were described for each procedure. A priori, preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative variables were evaluated using univariate and multivariable statistics after adjusting for intraoperative factors including anesthesia type, intraoperative blood loss, intraoperative transfusion, and intraoperative vasopressor medications. Results A total of 3,689 patients underwent major open vascular surgery, including 375 oAAA, 392 AFB, and 2,922 LEB procedures. The overall incidence of MI was 2.4%, varying from 1.8% for aortobifemoral bypass, 2.4% for lower extremity bypass, and 3.7% for open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Although preoperative risk factors for myocardial infarction included age, American Society of Anesthesiologists score, diabetes, coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, use of beta blocker, lower preoperative hematocrit, and surgical priority (urgent/emergent cases), after adjusting for intraoperative risk factors, all preoperative risk factors were not significant with the exception of surgical priority. After adjusting for intraoperative factors, only surgical priority (odds ratio [OR] = 1.70, 95% confidence interval [CI] [1.01–2.85], P P P Conclusions Among vascular surgery patients undergoing major open vascular surgery, surgical priority was the only preoperative risk factors independently associated with MI, and only postoperative variables such as nadir hematocrit and postoperative transfusion were associated with MI. This suggests minimizing intraoperative blood loss and prioritizing early intraoperative transfusion may be the potential targets for process improvement.
Chronic pain: Pathophysiology and mechanisms

Understanding the mechanisms of pain is important for any clinician since chronic pain is a global problem that transcends all medical specialties. By understanding pain at a cellular level, clinicians can better apply multimodal pain therapies for their patients that address the four steps of pain signaling and processing: transduction, transmission, modulation, and perception. The purpose of this chapter is to explore each of these avenues along the pain pathway and examine some of the therapies currently being employed to treat pain at these levels. The chapter is divided into four sections, which are the four steps of the pain pathway. Within transduction, nociceptors and the process by which they detect noxious stimuli are discussed. Transmission focuses on the types of nerve fibers involved in pain signaling and the differences among them. The section on modulation investigates peripheral, spinal, and supraspinal mechanisms by which “pain” transmission is modified, including peripheral and central sensitization mechanisms. Finally, perception describes the key centers of the brain responsible for pain processing and examines the influence of context and emotions.
Clinical Aspects of Superficial Fungal Infections

Factors such as immune status of the host, location of the infection, and species of dermatophyte causing the disease modify the clinical presentation, prognosis, and treatment of the superficial fungal infections. Newer developments in treatment, such as the discovery of griseofulvin and the imidazoles, have changed the grim prognosis of these diseases. New knowledge of the immunology of dermatophytoses will help in the understanding of the differences in clinical presentation and treatment.
Anesthesia for Heart and Lung Transplantation

The evolution of surgical technique and immunosuppression medications during the last half-century resulted in heart and lung transplantation becoming increasingly more common. While these life-saving procedures offer improved survival and quality of life, there are many challenges that need to be mitigated in order to realize these potential benefits. Advanced stage of primary disease, co-morbid conditions, and deconditioning are several factors that may place the recipient at risk of primary graft dysfunction, perioperative complications, and prolonged hospital course. In this chapter, we will review the underlying principles of anesthetic management that can contribute to successful outcomes for these complex operations. Tables 4.4 and 4.5 provide a summary of the considerations during heart and lung transplantation.
TIME DELAYS IN PREDATOR-PREY SYSTEMS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses time delays in predator–prey systems. It examines an integrodifferential system that describes the dynamics of a predator–prey interaction where N1 and N2 measure (in some appropriate units) the population sizes of the prey and predator species respectively. The interaction terms represented by the integrals account for delay effects (over possibly all past times) that interactions with the opposite species have on the growth rate of each species.
Salicylic Acid and Defense Responses in Plants

Salicylic acid (SA) is a simple phenolic compound distributed in a wide range of plant taxa. Depending on the plant species, developmental stage, and growth conditions, it can be synthesized from cinnamic acid produced by phenylalanine ammonia-lyase in the cytosol or from isochorismic acid generated by isochorismate synthase in chloroplasts. However, a fully defined SA biosynthetic pathway is still unavailable in plants. Besides its role in regulating various aspects of plant growth and development, SA is a plant immune signal essential for both local defense response and systemic acquired resistance. Significant progress has been made recently in understanding SA-mediated defense signaling networks including identification of SA receptors and elucidation of the crucial role of NPR1 (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related genes 1) in SA signal execution. Understanding of SA-mediated plant defense has facilitated the development of disease-resistant crops through genetic manipulation of the SA signaling pathway. Although the use of NPR1 and its orthologs in developing broad-spectrum transgenic disease resistance has been successfully extended to a variety of crop species, commercial application of these transgenic crops has been hampered by ethical concerns. In this regard, cisgenesis may hold the potential for application of bioengineered disease-resistant crops in agriculture.
An instructional scaffolding approach to teaching software design

Students often find introductory computer science courses boring and mechanical, leading many to drop from the major. Educators have suggested that bringing realistic design problems into the introductory courses would increase student retention and better prepare students for the major. However, the design and implementation of a solution to a realistic problem is often nontrivial and can therefore be very stressful to students. By using the pedagogical paradigm of scaffolding, this anxiety can be ameliorated. A prototypical design course is described where students implement solutions to progressively more difficult design problems. The solutions to these initial assignments are then continually refactored and used as the code-base for subsequent assignments and the culminating team project. The social interactions necessary for instructional scaffolding are facilitated by having each final project be unique, but similar enough to allow students to help each other. We describe the framework of assignments used in our course, including the capstone projects in which students develop computer vision-based systems that do things like read dice and poker hands, and sort M&Ms.
ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE AND CORRUPTION: A MULTIPLE CASE STUDY OF NON-GOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS IN KENYA

Organizational Culture and Corruption: A Multiple Case Study of Non-Governmental Organizations in Kenya Douglas K. Kimemia, Ph.D A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2013 Dissertation Chair: Herbert Hirsch, Ph.D Professor of Political Science L Douglas Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs The primary purpose of this dissertation is to examine if there is a significant relationship between organizational culture and tolerance of corrupt practices among the NonGovernmental Organizations located in Kenya. Despite the fact that NGOs have been attributed with a strong organizational culture, previous literature indicates that there is a connection between the organizational culture and decisions to engage in corrupt practices. Another purpose is to investigate tolerance of corrupt practices and determine the dominant organizational culture among NGOs. The study applied the competing values framework, which describes four dimensions of organizational culture. Mixed methods techniques were used to collect data from a sample of 185 participants selected from 30 organizations in Nairobi. The organizational culture data was collected using the organizational culture assessment instrument while tolerance of corruption was collected using ten scenarios in the first phase. The qualitative data was collected through telephone interviews with six participants.
Mineralocorticoid Excess Secondary to Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma

AbstractAdrenal cortical carcinoma may present solely with a syndrome of mineralocorticoid excess. Primary aldosteronism, resulting from adrenal carcinoma, is unusual and has only been reported rarely. A review of the literature revealed 19 cases with marked hypertension and hypokalemia, resulting from mineralocorticoid excess produced by adrenal cortical carcinoma. We report an additional case that supports the hypothesis that adrenal carcinoma may mimic hyperaldosteronism. Extensive assay of adrenal function will demonstrate the presence of biologically inactive steroids, suggesting the presence of adrenal cortical carcinoma.
The Effects of Immobilization on Circulation and Respiration

Any individual who has spent several days in bed has experienced the deconditioning effect caused by prolonged bed rest. When first resuming an upright position, the heart pounds, the head feels drained of blood, the skin becomes moist with sweat, and fainting is not uncommon. The patient feels weak with a diminished tolerance to exertion. One of the major advances in medical care during World War II was the institution of early ambulation after illness and surgical operations. The period of bed rest after repairs of hernias, for instance, was reduced from 2 weeks to a few days. Early ambulation drastically reduced the morbidity of surgical procedures which, as it turned out, had been due to immobilization as much as to the procedures themselves.
Mortality and Management of 96 Shark Attacks and Development of a Shark Bite Severity Scoring System

Humans share a fascination and fear of sharks. We predict that most shark attacks are nonfatal but require skilled, timely medical intervention. The development of a shark bite severity scoring scale will assist communication and understanding of such an injury. We retrospectively reviewed records of the prospectively maintained International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the University of Florida. The ISAF contains 4409 investigations, including 2979 documented attacks, 96 of which have complete medical records. We developed a Shark-Induced Trauma (SIT) Scale and calculated the level of injury for each attack. Medical records were reviewed for the 96 documented shark attack victims since 1921. Calculated levels of injury in the SIT Scale reveal 40 Level 1 injuries (41.7%), 16 Level 2 injuries (16.7%), 18 Level 3 injuries (18.8%), 14 Level 4 injuries (14.6%), and eight Level 5 injuries (8.3%). The overall mortality of shark attacks was 8.3 per cent. However, SIT Scale Level 1 injuries comprised the greatest percentage of cases at 41.7 per cent. Injury to major vascular structures increases mortality and necessitates immediate medical attention and definitive care by a surgeon. Shark bites deserve recognition with prompt resuscitation, washout, debridement, and follow up for prevention of infection and closure of more complex wounds.
Preparing Rural Distance Education Preservice Special Educators to Succeed

A growing number of students living in rural communities access special education teacher preparation and professional development courses via technology-delivered distance education. Success in th...
Vaginal Hysterectomy in Perspective

The first successful vaginal hysterectomy is reported to have been done by Langenbeck in 1813. During the nineteenth century reports of vaginal hysterectomies accumulated as the techniques became modified and the procedure safer. During the later part of the century a few large series appeared that included enlarged uteri requiring morcellation and patients with significant pelvic inflammatory disease.
Neural Network Operations

Neuronal networks in the brain produce very complex, multi-component pathways, and only the simplest of these are understood in any detail. Two examples of well-studied networks are the monosynaptic spinal stretch reflex and the tri-synaptic circuit of the hippocampus. These two circuits are sketched in figure 16.1. It is very misleading to define a neuronal network by simply counting synapses. The circuit of a spinal stretch reflex (figure 16.1A) includes afferent fibers from muscle spindle proprioceptors and motor neurons that innervate the muscle fibers of the same muscle. The basic reflex is modulated by inputs from spindle proprioceptors of antagonistic muscles and from tendon proprioceptors of the same muscle. To add to the complexity of the simple circuit shown in this figure, a muscle such as the quadriceps may contain several hundred spindle proprioceptors, each of which makes contact with 100 to 150 motor neurons. The afferent axons from each proprioceptor branch and make only some of the 10,000 individual synapses found on a typical motor neuron. Each of these synapses is capable of producing only a small response in the motor neuron, and 50 to 100 afferent fibers must fire reasonably simultaneously in order to produce an action potential in a motor neuron.
The Need for Cultural Inclusivity in Global Palliative Nursing: Caring for Selected Underserved Populations in the United States

It is estimated that 11.1 million people in the United States are living with serious illness, and most people with serious illness need palliative care. Quality palliative care incorporates culturally sensitive care, and with the increasing diversity in the United States, it has become even more critical that nurses and health care professionals be prepared to meet the unique needs of those living within the diverse and underserved populations of this country. Advocating for access to palliative care for the seriously ill, culturally respectful care at the end of life, and honoring values, practices, and beliefs are essential roles of the nurse. This article presents 4 examples of individuals from diverse and potentially vulnerable US populations who face unique challenges as they deal with their life-limiting diseases and face end of life.
An Integrative Literature Review of Psychiatric Rapid Response Teams and Their Implementation for De-escalating Behavioral Crises in Nonpsychiatric Hospital Settings.

OBJECTIVETo synthesize articles exploring the implementation of psychiatric rapid response teams (RRTs) for behavioral crises in hospital settings.BACKGROUNDPsychiatric/behavioral crises in nonpsychiatric hospital settings can lead to restraint use, staff injuries, and poor patient outcomes. Psychia
RECENT ADVANCES IN THE UNDERSTANDING OF WATER METABOLISM IN HEART FAILURE

Hyponatremia is common in advanced heart failure and relates to the severity of the disease. Non-osmotic arginine vasopressin (AVP) release and biosynthesis have been shown to be increased during chronic cardiac failure (CHF) and baroreceptors pathways have been demonstrated to play a major role in this non-osmotic stimulation of AVP. Decreased cardiac output unloads the baroreceptors and activates the sympathetic nervous system, thus stimulating AVP through a separate pathway which overrides the osmotic pathway. Besides sympathetic nervous system activation, neurohumoral peptides, such as angiotensin II, endothelins, natriuretic peptides and prostaglandins, could also participate in the non-osmotic AVP activation. The vasoconstrictor effect of AVP has been supported by the decrease systemic vascular resistance during the administration of V1 receptor AVP antagonist in CHF patients. Administration of V2 receptor AVP antagonists corrects the hyponatremia and has been demonstrated to improve survival in animal models of heart failure. Preliminary data in humans with CHF also demonstrate urinary dilution and correction of hyponatremia with orally active non-peptide V2 receptor antagonists. Finally, upregulation of the AVP-regulated water channels, aquaporin-2 (AQP2), located in the collecting duct cells has been shown in experimental heart failure. This AQP2 upregulation can be entirely suppressed by V2 receptor AVP antagonists paralleling the correction of the hyponatremia. Thus, non-osmotic release of AVP in CHF upregulates AQP2 water channels, enhances water reabsorption and causes hyponatremia. The V1, and perhaps the V2, receptor activation may also diminish cardiac function.
Structural Colors by Fano-resonances Supported in All-dielectric Metasurfaces Made of HfO2

Leveraging sharp Fano-resonances supported by an all-dielectric metasurface (MS) fabricated from high-index HfO2 nanopillars (NPs), with zero loss in the visible range, we demonstrate a high contrast structural color with wide color gamut map.
Impact of Sex on Survival and Neurologic Outcomes in Adults With In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest.

Data regarding the impact of sex on clinical outcomes in adults with in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) have yielded conflicting results. We aimed to study the impact of female sex on mortality and poor neurologic outcomes in adults with IHCA. The study population included 680 consecutive patients hospitalized with IHCA who underwent ACLS-guided resuscitation from 2012 to 2018 at an academic tertiary medical center. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcome of interest was favorable neurological outcome, defined as a Glasgow Outcome Score of 4 or 5. Of the 680 patients studied, 418 (61.5%) were men and 262 (38.5%) were women. Women had lower rates of coronary artery disease, previous myocardial infarction, and peripheral artery disease, and higher rates of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and depression. Although location of cardiac arrest, initial rhythm, and duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation were similar in both groups, women had lower rates of defibrillation. Rates of return of spontaneous circulation and receipt of targeted temperature management were similar in men and women. With respect to outcomes, women were noted to have significantly higher rates of in-hospital mortality (87.5% vs 78.0%; p = 0.001) and lower rates of favorable neurologic outcome (10.0% vs 15.8%, p = 0.030) compared with men. In multivariable analyses, female sex was independently associated with nearly two-fold higher rates of in-hospital mortality [odds ratio (OR) 1.93, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.22-3.04, p = 0.005] and a trend toward lower rates of favorable neurologic outcome (OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.38-1.04, p = 0.071). In conclusion, in this prospective, contemporary registry of adults with IHCA, female sex was independently associated with nearly twofold higher rates of in-hospital mortality and a trend toward lower rates of favorable neurologic outcomes.
Periarticular and Intra-articular Fractures

Intramedullary (IM) fixation is a reliable and predictable fixation strategy for long bone diaphyseal fractures with advantages that include preservation of periosteal blood supply and load sharing. It can be used to address peri- and intra-articular fractures but does have certain anatomical limitations. Disadvantages result from a wide metaphyseal diameter and thin cortical bone that may require supplemental fixation or alternative techniques to avoid malreduction. However, the indications to treat a peri- and intra-articular fracture with IM nails have increased with modern implant designs. Biomechanical studies support the use of IM nailing in these fractures. However, the basic principles of internal fixation, such as fracture reduction, minimizing fracture gap, and fracture morphology, need to be appreciated to obtain successful results when IM fixation is used in peri- and intra-articular fractures.
Gaining "The Quarantine 15:" Perceived versus observed weight changes in college students in the wake of COVID-19.

Objective Amidst restrictions to reduce the spread of COVID-19, jokes have surfaced regarding weight gain during the pandemic. The current study documents perceived changes since COVID-19 and compares these to observed longitudinal changes in reported weight, BMI, and how college students described their weight from January to April 2020. Method Undergraduates (N = 90; 88% female) completed on-line assessments before and after students were required to leave campus due to COVID-19. Time 1 and Time 2 surveys collected demographic information, height, weight, and a Likert-scale rating to describe perceived weight, ranging from 1 = very underweight to 5 = very overweight (weight description). Time 2 surveys added questions for perceived changes since COVID-19 in body weight, eating, physical activity, various forms of screen time, and concerns about weight, shape, and eating. Results Time 2 surveys indicated perceived increases in body weight, eating, and screen time, and decreases in physical activity along with increased concerns about weight, shape and eating since COVID-19. Longitudinal data indicated no significant change in weight, body mass index (BMI), or BMI category, but how participants described their weight changed significantly from January to April 2020. Compared to longitudinal changes in BMI category, students' weight description was significantly more likely to fall into a higher category from Time 1 to Time 2. Discussion Shifts in how body weight is experienced in the wake of COVID-19 that do not align with observed changes in reported weight may reflect cognitive distortions that could increase risk for disordered eating in some individuals.
Trap-dominated nitrogen dioxide and ammonia responses of air-stable p-channel conjugated polymers from detailed bias stress analysis

The improvement of conjugated polymer-based gas sensors involves fine tuning the backbone electronic structure and solid-state microstructure to combine high stability and sensitivity. We had previously developed a series of diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based polymer semiconductors by introducing a variety of fluorene linkers to study the trends and mechanisms governing gas sensitivities and electronic stability in air and under gate and drain bias stress. The proportional on-current change of organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) using a dithienyl DPP–fluorene polymer reached ∼600% for a sequential exposure from 0.5–20 ppm of NO2 for 5 minutes and also a high response-to-drift ratio under dynamic bias stress. In the present work we specify the roles of static bias stress and traps in the sensing process for the first time. Apart from electronic structure, defects at the molecular and microstructural levels govern the ability to form and sustain traps and subsequent backbone dopability. A polymer with a twisted backbone was observed to be capable of creating an energetically broad trap distribution while a polymer with a high degree of solid-state order shows a tendency to form an energetically narrow trap distribution and a fast passivation of traps on exposure to air. The stability and energetic distribution of traps on subjecting the polymers to bias stress was related to electronic structure and solid-state packing; and the ability of NO2 and NH3 to fill/create traps further was evaluated. At a bias stress condition of VG = VD = −80 V, the polymers retain their NO2 sensitivity both post NO2-aided recovery and air-aided recovery. In order to verify the ability of NH3 to create traps, traps were erased from the OFET sensors by charging with the aid of a positive gate voltage leading to an increase in the NH3 response when compared to air controls. This work demonstrates that the charge-trap filling and generation response mechanism is predominant and can even be leveraged for higher responses to vapors. Backbone dopability appears to be a minor contributor to responses in this category of polymeric semiconductors with engineered defects. Finally, bias stress generally does not preclude this category of OFET vapor sensors from recovering their original sensitivities.