cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of perfusate [Ca2+] on cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release channel in isolated rat hearts.

The effect of perfusate [Ca2+] on the function of cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum (CSR) was assessed by the oxalate-supported Ca2+ uptake rate of ventricular homogenates of isolated rat hearts maintained in a modified Langendorff preparation. The total Ca2+ pumping activity of the CSR was determined by using 20 microM ruthenium red or 625 microM ryanodine to close the CSR Ca2+ release channel. The homogenate Ca2+ uptake rate in the absence of ruthenium red or ryanodine decreased progressively with increasing perfusate [Ca2+] (25.7 +/- 1.2, 21.4 +/- 1.5, 17.2 +/- 1.1, and 16.3 +/- 1.2 [mean +/- SEM] nmol Ca2+.min-1.mg-1 for hearts perfused for 5 minutes with 0.2, 1.4, 2.8, and 5.6 mM Ca2+, respectively; p = 0.0001; n = 8). This depression was not observed when Ca2+ uptake was assayed in the presence of ryanodine or ruthenium red. Since the Ca2+ uptake in the presence of ryanodine or ruthenium red is determined by the Ca(2+)-ATPase, this result suggests that perfusion with varying [Ca2+] did not affect the Ca(2+)-ATPase. The observed decrease in Ca2+ uptake in the absence of ryanodine or ruthenium red is caused by an increased efflux through the ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channel. When hearts perfused for 5 minutes with 0.2 or 5.6 mM Ca2+ were reperfused for 10 minutes with 1.4 mM Ca2+, homogenate Ca2+ uptake rates were restored to near control levels. These effects of perfusate Ca2+ were not direct effects, because changes in the [Ca2+] of the homogenization medium did not alter the homogenate Ca2+ uptake activity in either the presence or absence of ryanodine. The homogenate Ca2+ uptake rates were unaffected by prior active loading of the CSR with Ca2+. These results suggest a regulatory role of perfusate Ca2+ in increasing the open state of the ryanodine-sensitive Ca2+ release channel that is distinct from the beat-to-beat regulation of Ca2+ release from the CSR by Ca2+ (Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release).
On the Theory of Negotiation

I. Introduction, 77. — II. Distinction between "bargaining" and "negotiation," 78. — III. The choice theory model used in this analysis, 79. — IV. An explanation of why the parties negotiate at all, 82. — V. Analysis of the negotiation process itself, 85. — VI. An illustrative application of the model, 87. — VII. Five analytically separable ways in which negotiation may terminate, 90. — VIII. Conclusion, 96.
Pentoxifylline Inhibits Normal Human Dermal Fibroblast In Vitro Proliferation, Collagen, Glycosaminoglycan, and Fibronectin Production, and Increases Collagenase Activity

Abstract Fibroblasts from normal human adult skin were cultured in vitro in the presence and absence of different concentrations of pentoxifylline or a pentoxifylline analog, A81-3138 (10 −1 −10 3 μg/ml). Similar concentration dependent reductions in normal proliferation of fibroblasts in fetal calf serum-driven subconfluent cultures were detected following treatment with pentoxifylline or A81-3138. Fibroblasts assayed as confluent cultures produced sub-normal amounts of collagen, glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), and fibronectin in a fashion dependent upon the concentration of pentoxifylline. In contrast, fibroblasts exposed to pentoxifylline elaborated double the collagense activity produced by normal, untreated fibroblasts. The reduced proliferation and reduced synthetic activities were not due to a lethal toxic effect on fibroblasts by pentoxifylline and A81-3138, nor was the reduction in collagen synthesis simply due to an inability to secrete newly synthesized intracellular collagen. Unlike pentoxifylline-induced inhibition of collagen and fibronectin production, which was detected only in cultures supplemented with serum, pentoxifylline inhibits, to a similar degree, both constitutive and serum-driven production of GAGs. The addition of IL 1 beta (2.5 and 10.0 U/ml) to serum-driven fibroblast cultures resulted in greater proliferation, which was inhibitable by the presence of pentoxifylline. These findings may form the rationale for using pentoxifylline and A813138 as anti-fibrotic agents in certain disorders of fibrosis.
Enzymes of the glycolytic pathway in skin. I. Hexokinase.

SUMMARY.— An optical technique for the assay of enolase in skin extracts is described. This has been used to confirm the presence of the enzyme in mouse and human skin. Certain properties of the skin enzyme were examined; in its solubility, its pH activity profile, and the degree of inhibition by fluoride in the presence and absence of orthophosphate it was very similar to enolase preparations from yeast and other tissues.
LOW-QUALITY HABITAT CORRIDORS AS MOVEMENT CONDUITS FOR TWO BUTTERFLY SPECIES

Corridors are a primary conservation tool to increase connectivity, promote individual movement, and increase gene flow among populations in fragmented landscapes. The establishment of effective conservation corridors will depend on constructing or pre- serving connecting habitat that attracts dispersing individuals. Yet, it remains unclear wheth- er corridors must necessarily be composed of high-quality habitat to be effective and promote dispersal and gene flow. We address this issue with two mobile, open-habitat butterfly species, Junonia coeniaHubner andEuptoieta claudiaCramer. Using experimental landscapes created explicitly to examine the effects of corridors on dispersal rates, we show that open-habitat corridors can serve as dispersal conduits even when corridors do not support resident butterfly populations. Both butterfly species were rare near forest edges and equally rare in narrow corridors, yet both species dispersed more often between patches connected by these corridors than between isolated patches. At least for species that can traverse corridors within a generation, corridor habitat may be lower in quality than larger patches and still increase dispersal and gene flow. For these species, abundance surveys may not accurately represent the conservation value of corridors.
A Novel Nucleic Acid-Binding Protein That Interacts with Human Rad51 Recombinase

Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we isolated a cDNA encoding a novel human protein, named Pir51, that strongly interacts with human Rad51 recombinase. Analysis in vitro confirmed the interaction between Rad51 and Pir51. Pir51 mRNA is expressed in a number of human organs, most notably in testis, thymus, colon and small intestine. The Pir51 gene locus was mapped to chromosome 12p13.1-13. 2 by fluorescence in situ hybridization. The Pir51 protein was expressed in Escherichia coli and purified to near homogeneity. Biochemical analysis shows that the Pir51 protein binds both single- and double-stranded DNA, and is capable of aggregating DNA. The protein also binds RNA. The Pir51 protein may represent a new member of the multiprotein complexes postulated to carry out homologous recombination and DNA repair in mammalian cells.
Epigenetic Food: A New Approach for Cancer Prevention and Therapy

Bioactive dietary components enriched in natural fruits and vegetables of our daily food have been showing great preventive and therapeutic potential in a wide variety of human diseases such as cancers. These bioactive components include polyphenol, (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), from green tea; isoflavone, genistein, in soybean products; isothiocyanate, sulforaphane (SFN), in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli sprouts and resveratrol from berries, etc. Therefore, the natural foods are not only excellent sources of fiber, vitamins and minerals, but also contain bioactive components that may serve more important biological functions for human health. Various studies have demonstrated potential mechanisms by which the bioactive dietary components prevent and treat human cancers may involve effectively influence tumor-related gene expression profiles via, at least in part, epigenetic mechanisms [1]. Epigenetic processes, which literally mean outside conventional genetics and do not involve mutations of DNA itself, have been described to influence patterns of gene expression through at least two main mechanisms: DNA methylation and histone modification [2]. Dietary components such as EGCG, genistein and SFN with properties in influencing epigenetic processes are also believed to have effects on cancer prevention and specific foods such as green tea, soybean and broccoli sprouts that are enriched with these compounds are called “epigenetic food”.
Multifaceted interventions to decrease mortality in patients with severe sepsis/septic shock—a quality improvement project

Despite knowledge that EGDT improves outcomes in septic patients, staff education on EGDT and compliance with the CPOE order set has been variable. Based on results of a resident survey to identify barriers to decrease severe sepsis/septic shock mortality in the medical intensive care unit (MICU), multifaceted interventions such as educational interventions to improve awareness to the importance of early goal-directed therapy (EGDT), and the use of the Computerized Physician Order Entry (CPOE) order set, were implemented in July 2013. CPOE order set was established to improve compliance with the EGDT resuscitation bundle elements. Orders were reviewed and compared for patients admitted to the MICU with severe sepsis/septic shock in July and August 2013 (controls) and 2014 (following the intervention). Similarly, educational slide sets were used as interventions for residents before the start of their ICU rotations in July and August 2013. While CPOE order set compliance did not significantly improve (78% vs. 76%, p = 0.74), overall EGDT adherence improved from 43% to 68% (p = 0.0295). Although there was a trend toward improved mortality, this did not reach statistical significance. This study shows that education interventions can be used to increase awareness of severe sepsis/septic shock and improve overall EGDT adherence.
Text-Based Clustering of the ImageCLEFphoto Collection for Augmenting the Retrieved Results

We present our participation in the 2007 ImageCLEF photographic ad-hoc retrieval task. Our first participation in this year's ImageCLEF comprised six runs. The main purpose of three of these runs was to evaluate the text and visual retrieval tools as well as their combination in the context of the given task. The other purpose of our participation was to experiment with applying clustering techniques to this task, which has not been done frequently in previous editions of the ImageCLEF Ad hoc task. We used the preclustered collection to augment the search results of the retrieval engines. For retrieval, we used two publicly available libraries; Apache Lucene for text and LIRE for visual retrieval. The clustered-augmented results reduced slightly the precision of the initial runs. While the aspired results have not yet been achieved, we note that the task is useful in assessing the validity of the clusters.
The Anti-cancer Effect of Vitamin D: What Do the Randomized Trials Show?

One of the most exciting roles of vitamin D is its potential for preventing or slowing the development of cancer. The inverse association between sunlight exposure and malignancy has been recognized for decades, and numerous epidemiological studies support the inverse association of cancer and vitamin D. In vitro and in vivo studies have provided understanding of an underlying mechanism for the vitamin D effect. However, recently there has been increased intensity in vitamin D/cancer research after publication of a randomized trial that found that vitamin D3 and calcium reduced the risk of all-type cancer by 60–77%. The only other randomized trial had conflicting results. In this chapter, we evaluate the strength of those randomized trials and the associated hypothesis that adequate vitamin D status reduces incident cancer rate. We also describe present estimates of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] needed to prevent cancer and propose doses of vitamin D3 supplementation needed to maintain those 25(OH)D levels.
Connected Computing

While many computers have become small enough to disappear, computing has continued to be a very visible or explicit task for a large number of computer users. Computing platforms and the World Wide Web are undergoing significant architectural transitions driven by the unprecedented convergence of the need to process massive amounts of data with the availability of massive amounts of compute resources. This has the potential to enable a new class of connected computing applications. The service-oriented focus and real-time nature of these emerging applications make computing more implicit and capable of delivering a significantly more immersive experience to a broader class of end-users. This talk explores the platform implications of this trend.
Marketing Uses of Input-output Data

analysis which in the future may have very important implications for the field of marketing research. This new development is variously known as interindustry relations or input-output analysis. It will not benefit all industries equally. It will be of greatest value in appraising the marketing possibilities for those industries which primarily service or supply other industries, rather than those which sell directly to purchasers of finished goods. Those industries which in the main sell directly to end-product consumers-that is, to consumers, investors, the government, foreign buyers-will find it of minor help for marketing problems, but for these it may afford insight on analysis of probable cost trends. A prerequisite for the use of this approach is the collection in an organized form of a very large amount of quantitative information on purchases and sales among the industrial or processing sectors of the economy. Such a compilation covering the year 1947 has been made. It is the result of work done over the last
Clinical analysis on hemabate in treatment of 34 cases of postpartum hemorrhage

Objective:To investigate the clinical effects of hemabate in the treatment of postpartum hemorrhage.Methods:87 cases of postpartum hemorrhage were divided into control group and study group.53 cases in the control group was given the conventional therapy,and the other 34 cases in the study group were treated with hemabate.The efficacy and bleeding conditions were compared between the two groups.Results:The efficacy in the study group was very well after hemabate treatment with excellent effects in 28 cases and effects in 5 cases.The postpartum 24 h hemorrhage volume after treatment in the control group had significant difference compared with before treatment(P0.05),while which in the treatment group had no significant difference(P0.05).The difference of hemorrhage volume had no statistical difference between the two groups(P0.05).The adverse reactions of hemabate were mild.Conclusion:Hemabate is an effective and safe method to treat postpartum hemorrhage due to uterine atony,which is worthy of being promoted.
Expression and significance of Th17 Cells and IL-17 in children with henoch-schonlein purpura

Objective To study the expression and significance of Th17 Cells in peripheral blood and the serum level of IL-17 in children with henoch-schonlein purpura(HSP). Methods The objects were divided into 3 groups:health control group(n=30),henoch-schonlein purpura(HSP) group(n=30) and HSPN group(n=30). Healthy children were measured for the level of IL-17 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA) and the circulating frequencies of Th17 cells by flow cytometry(FCM). HSP group and HSPN group were measured for the levels of IL-17,Th17 cells when illness had acute attack and had not used any drugs. Results The circulating frequencies of Th17 cells and IL-17 in HSP group and HSPN group were higher than those in healthy control group(all P0.05),but there was no significant difference between HSP group and HSPN group(P0.05). Conclusion Increase plasma level of IL-17 and enhanced Th17 cells function were found in children with acute HSP;Both of Th17 cells and IL-17 are involved in the pathogenesis of HSP. Serum IL-17 is one of the activity index of HSP,Moreover it may be importantly biological markers for early diagnosis of HSP.
The Single-Well Chemical Tracer Method for Measuring Residual Oil Saturation——Review and Prospect

A mass of oil that be reserved after primary and secondary recoverying can not be availability recovered. Exploitation is becoming more and more difficult while the newly discoverable petroleum oil is less. New fields were not being discovered fast enough to replace the old ones as they were depleted. It became clear that the oil remaining in our developed reservoirs could be considered a valuable primary resource. The need for determining residual oil saturation (S OR ) has existed.S OR is a critical parameter in the evaluation of the potential for the third recovery. There are a number of recognized methods for estimating remaining oil content of reservoirs and these methods have inherent advantages and limitations. One method which was thought to be further developed was the single-well chemical tracer procedure.The method is developed by Deans in later 1960's. The chromatographic effect was first proposed as a way to measure S OR by injecting two tracers dissolved in brine into one well, and producing the brine and tracers from a second well nearby. The first laboratory experiments using a chemical reaction to produce a tracer in-situ in a sand pack containing a refined oil at residual saturation has succeeded and the method was applied in fields in 1968. The technology is proprietary to Exxon Production Research Company in 1971.It was applied widely since 1968. One advantage of the single-well method is the larger amount of reservoir volume that is sampled as compared to other methods.This results in a more effective estimate of the S OR value of the entire reservoir than would be possible by traditional methods.This article review the background,method fields application and further development of the method based on plenty of literature search.Then it look forward to the method's development prospect.
Oxalate-silica gel thin-layer system for free 2-hydroxy fatty acids and for fatty acyl coenzyme A

The 2-hydroxy fatty acids tend to yield streaks in thin-layer chromatography on silica gel plates. If potassium oxalate is included with binder-free silica gel, good spots are obtained. Similar difficulties are found in paper chromatography of the fatty acid derivatives of coenzyme A, especially with long-chain acids. The same thin-layer system gives good spots with these compounds.
Morphology of Prostate Cancer: The Effects of Multifocality on Histological Grade, Tumor Volume and Capsule Penetration

AbstractA series of 151 radical prostatectomy specimens were subjected to whole-mount analysis. Features examined included histological grade, tumor volume, pathological stage and multifocality. Only 43.7% of the prostates contained a single carcinoma, 31.1% had 2 separate foci and the remaining 25.2% contained 3 to 6 tumors. Multifocality was greatest among tumors with the lowest mean volumes. Tumors with volumes of less than 3 cc were found in all grades (Gleason sums of 2 through 10). The highest volume tumors were those of intermediate grade (Gleason sums 4 through 8). Among tumors with volumes of less than 1 cc 70% that were confined within the prostatic capsule had Gleason sums of 4 or less. However, tumors with volumes of less than 3 cc that had invaded through the prostatic capsule were nearly equally divided between Gleason sums of 2, 3 or 4 and those of 5, 6 or 7.While studies examining the largest tumor per prostate have suggested that histological grade and volume are closely related, our resu...
How Supreme Court Justices Supervise Ideologically Distant States

Because the Supreme Court can decide only so many cases per term, justices carefully target which cases they hear and which parties they supervise. We focus on their decisions to hear cases involvi...
Optical 64-QAM transmitter using binary driven QPSK modulators

Optical 64-QAM transmitter using QPSK modulators in tandem driven by binary electrical signals is proposed. The proposed transmitter eliminates the need for complex electronics required for the generation of multiple-level signals and provides a Gray-coded constellation with high quality eye diagrams. The design could be scaled to higher-order QAM based on the user needs.
Frequency domain stability criterion for discrete delay systems

Abstract This paper extends earlier work on stability of discrete time delay systems, and derives an analog to the known frequency sweep for continuous time delay systems.
First Demonstration of Single-Mode Polymer Optical Waveguides with Circular Cores for Fiber-to-Waveguide Coupling in 3D Glass Photonic Interposers

A simple and low-cost fabrication method for single-mode polymer optical waveguides with circular cores was demonstrated for fiber-to-waveguide coupling. The waveguide structure consists of trenches with semicircular cross sections, fabricated with dry film benzocyclobutene (BCB) as the bottom cladding layer, circular cores embedded inside the trenches, and another layer of dry film BCB as the top cladding layer. Simple photolithography is used to pattern both trenches in the bottom cladding layer and cores, and only one mask is used for both lithography steps. The advantages of single-mode circular waveguides on ultra-thin 3D glass interposers are discussed by comparing optical properties of those with conventional polymer waveguides with trapezoidal cross sections. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first demonstration of single-mode polymer waveguides with circular cross sections. Fabrication of circular-core waveguides are discussed and geometry characterization and analysis are performed.
Orthotopic patient-derived xenografts of paediatric solid tumours

Paediatric solid tumours arise from endodermal, ectodermal, or mesodermal lineages. Although the overall survival of children with solid tumours is 75%, that of children with recurrent disease is below 30%. To capture the complexity and diversity of paediatric solid tumours and establish new models of recurrent disease, here we develop a protocol to produce orthotopic patient-derived xenografts at diagnosis, recurrence, and autopsy. Tumour specimens were received from 168 patients, and 67 orthotopic patient-derived xenografts were established for 12 types of cancer. The origins of the patient-derived xenograft tumours were reflected in their gene-expression profiles and epigenomes. Genomic profiling of the tumours, including detailed clonal analysis, was performed to determine whether the clonal population in the xenograft recapitulated the patient's tumour. We identified several drug vulnerabilities and showed that the combination of a WEE1 inhibitor (AZD1775), irinotecan, and vincristine can lead to complete response in multiple rhabdomyosarcoma orthotopic patient-derived xenografts tumours in vivo.
Doomed by Dialogue: Will ASEAN Survive Great Power Rivalry in Asia?

Critics write off the idea of “ASEAN centrality” in Asia’s regional architecture, and also the very survival of ASEAN as a regional community. ASEAN’s role is better described as the hub and the agenda-setter, a convening power with a normative leadership, not the leader of regional institutions. To revitalize itself, ASEAN should downsize in terms of issue areas. This does not mean removing itself from the SCS issue, but it should focus more on issues within Southeast Asia and its immediate environment. ASEAN’s marginalization—even death—from changing great power behavior has been predicted a few times before, and each time proven to be exaggerated. If ASEAN fails to adjust course now, it might not be so lucky this time. It needs a new agenda and organizational structure.
THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Our purposes in this chapter are (1) to catalog actions of morphine on the nervous system, (2) to assign sites of action, and (3) to examine modes of action. Insofar as possible, the nervous system will be viewed as a communications device that receives, stores, and processes input signals and responds in measurable ways to the kind and quantity of information delivered to it.
Re-situating fieldwork and re-narrating disciplinary history in global mega-geomorphology.

Abstract In 1985, more than thirty geomorphologists, planetary scientists, and remote sensing specialists gathered at a conference center in Oracle, Arizona, to discuss an emerging area of research that they called “mega-geomorphology.” Building on a conference of the same name held in London in 1981, they argued that new techniques of remote sensing and insights emerging from the study of extraterrestrial planets had created opportunities for geomorphology to broaden its spatial and temporal scope. This new approach was, however, neither unproblematic nor uncontested. In the discussions around mega-geomorphology that took place in the mid-1980s, the perceived conflict between the use of remote-sensing techniques to observe phenomena on vast spatial scales, on one hand, and the disciplinary centrality of fieldwork and field experience to geomorphology, on the other, was a recurrent theme. In response, mega-geomorphologists attempted to re-situate fieldwork and re-narrate disciplinary histories in such a way as to make remote sensing and planetary science not only compatible with geomorphological traditions but also means of revitalizing them. Only partially successful, these attempts reveal that the process of adopting a planetary perspective in geomorphology, as in other earth sciences, was neither straightforward nor inevitable. They also show how the field and fieldwork could remain central to geomorphology while also being extensively revised in light of new technical possibilities and theoretical frameworks.
A comparison of screw versus drill and curettage epiphysiodesis to correct leg-length discrepancy.

Abstract Purpose To compare two common surgical techniques of epiphysiodesis: drill/curettage epiphysiodesis (PDED) versus cross screw epiphysiodesis (PETS). The hypothesis is that the two techniqu...
One Word of Heart is Worth Three of Talent: Professional Communication Strategies in a Vietnamese Nonprofit Organization

This article reports findings from a month-long research project in Vietnam working with the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange (VAVA). The authors found that VAVA did not always abide...
The Emergence and Divergence in Performance: Management Systems in California State Government

An understudied aspect of performance management systems is how performance management systems emerge in public agencies. This research focuses on the emergence of performance management systems, studying two cases with divergent outcomes in the State of California. The first case study is about the Performance Management Council, which included the voluntary participation of more than 20 California state agencies, departments, and divisions. The second case study is about the Department of Toxic Substances Control within the California Environmental Protection Agency. These cases, which impacted 35 million residents in a state with a $200 billion annual budget, potentially offer findings valuable to nations and to large sub-national units of government such as large states, districts, and provinces. This research offers three contributions to public sector performance management research literature. First, it addresses a gap in the understanding of how performance management systems emerge through dialogue and learning forums. Second, the research extends the study of performance management to the policy arenas of environmental protection, water resources, and other policy domains typically not researched in performance management. Third, the research connects performance management to the research on the reform of public agencies, diffusion of practices, and organizational change.
Effects of post-draw processing on the structure and functional properties of electrospun PVDF-HFP nanofibers

Abstract This study reports the effects of post-draw processing on the structural and functional properties of electrospun poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) nanofibers. Previous studies have independently demonstrated the potential of the electrospinning process or the post-drawing process to enhance the piezoelectric properties of PVDF nanofiber, and thin film structures respectively. However, post drawing electrospun nanofibers has been difficult to achieve. To overcome this limitation, a parallel automated track device was implemented to post-draw thousands of individual PVDF-HFP electrospun nanofibers per minute. Relationships were established showing that yield strength, Young's modulus, and piezoelectric output were enhanced with increasing draw ratio. The normalized voltage output of PVDF-HFP nanofibers post-drawn to a draw ratio of 3 increased by four-fold compared to undrawn control. We hypothesize that polymer chain and crystal alignment in the direction of the fiber axis, which were increased by post drawing, resulted in enhanced voltage output of PVDF-HFP nanofibers under mechanical stimulation.
IDENTITY AND BODY BORDERS: THE PERCEPTION OF THE KENYA SOMALIA BORDER

Purpose: The study sought to understand how the identity of the ethnic Somalis and the geographic settings inform the perception of the Kenya-Somalia border.Methodology: The research took a poststructuralist approach via qualitative methodology where information was derived from five focus groups, key informants and one on one interviews from Garissa and Mandera Counties in the period of 2016-2017. Besides, observations, field experiences, films, and documentaries helped to triangulate the findings for validity purposes. Additionally, historiography was employed through archival materials from the Kenya National Archives.Result: The study shows that body borders elasticizes the Kenya-Somalia border and makes it spatial. Second, ethnic Somalis elastic view of the border through the body is a means of survival but gives the perception to the Kenyan government that the border community does not recognize the international border. Furthermore, the pastoral-nomadic norms of the ethnic Somalis shows elastic view of the Kenya-Somalia border due to the arid to semi-arid territory which calls for negotiated living spaces as opposed to the static view of the same by Kenyan governments.The unique contribution to the theory, practice and policy: Cognitive psychology, Constructivism and discourse analysis used together shows a pattern derived from everyday discourse and behaviors that shape the thinking on border studies. Language goes beyond verbal communication to a psychological tap that shows the behavior of a community as informed by fears and the need to alleviate the fears. The behaviors shape the norms, and therefore, constructivism displays state behaviors and actions or inaction. Also, transfer of the social-cultural to the state norms shows a divide in border thinking where two or more identities come together. The issue should, therefore, be how to alleviate the fears both current and historical from both the state and ethnic Somalis instead of looking at each as the threat to the other.
Comprehensive Modeling and Model Correction of Circulating Cooling Water System Based on Hierarchical Superstructure

The circulating cooling water system is an industrial auxiliary system with high application value and great energy saving potential. Establishing a general-purpose comprehensive model with high precision for this system is an important theoretical basis for relevant research. Based on the in-depth study of the system operation mechanism, this paper establish a hierarchical superstructure model of the circulating cooling water system based on the hierarchical idea with the superstructure method to realize a complete mathematical description of the system. Furthermore, the improved superstructure model can adapt to the variable equipment type, network structure and operating conditions, so it has a wide application range and can effectively reduce the repetitive modeling work in related research. In addition, this paper designs a model correction method based on the improved hybrid genetic algorithm, which effectively eliminates the influence of inaccurate parameters and can further improve the model accuracy. Finally, the practical effects of this paper are verified by the simulation application of two actual cases.
Detecting Structural Brain Connectivity Differences in Dementia Through a Conductance Model

Structural brain connectivity has been shown to be sensitive to the changes that the brain undergoes during Alzheimer’s disease (AD) progression. In this work, we use our recently proposed structural connectivity quantification measure derived from diffusion MRI, which accounts for all possible neural pathways (direct and indirect) to quantify brain connectivity. We analyze data from the ADNI-2 and OASIS-3 datasets to derive relevant information for the study of the changes that the brain undergoes in AD.
National Survey of US HIV Clinicians: Knowledge and Attitudes About the Affordable Care Act and Opinions of its Impact on Quality of Care and Barriers to Care.

Background The Affordable Care Act's (ACA's) major reforms started in 2014. In addition to assessing HIV clinicians' ACA knowledge and attitudes, this study aims to evaluate HIV clinicians' perspectives on whether the ACA has impacted the quality of HIV care and whether it addresses the main barriers to HIV care. Methods HIV clinicians were emailed a survey weblink in 2018. Descriptive statistics, Mann-Whitney U tests, and binary logistic regression were performed. Results Of the 211 survey participants, the majority (70%) answered all 4 knowledge questions correctly. About 80% knew correctly whether their state had expanded Medicaid. Participants from Medicaid expansion states were more likely to report an improved ability to provide high-quality care compared with participants from Medicaid nonexpansion states (50% vs 34%; P = .01). The average response to whether the ACA addresses the main barriers to HIV care was neutral and did not differ based on Medicaid status. The top 3 main barriers to HIV care cited were mental health, substance use, and transportation. Conclusions HIV clinicians in Medicaid expansion states were more likely to report an improved ability to provide high-quality care since ACA implementation compared with those in Medicaid nonexpansion states. However, HIV clinicians across the United States are concerned that the ACA does not address the main barriers to HIV care. To be successful, the "Ending the HIV Epidemic" initiative should address these identified barriers.
Valvular Heart Disease in the Elderly

Valvular disease continues to be an important cause of morbidity and mortality across the globe with an increasing number of elderly patients affected by “degenerative” valvular diseases on top of a background incidence of unrecognized rheumatic and infective endocarditis (1, 2, 3). Although there are no recent population-based data regarding the prevalence of valvular heart disease in the elderly, several studies have provided relevant information (4,5) (Table 1). Aortic stenosis and ischemic mitral regurgitation are the most common valvular disorders in the elderly.
Pathways to prevention: Early Head Start outcomes in the first three years lead to long-term reductions in child maltreatment

Abstract While there is growing evidence that early childhood prevention programs can have positive outcomes for children and families, research has tended to focus on short-term outcomes, with fewer studies of long-term benefits. In addition, evaluations of such programs rarely go beyond the question, “does the program work?” despite numerous calls over the past decade for more research that can help understand how these programs have their effects. Using longitudinal, experimental data from the Early Head Start (EHS) Research and Evaluation Project (EHSREP) linked to child welfare agency records for 2794 children, we examined the effectiveness of EHS birth-to-three services in preventing child maltreatment during children’s first 15 years of life. Following this, we assessed whether changes in specific child and family outcomes at ages 2 and 3 acted as mediators for later maltreatment prevention. Results showed that EHS has a long-term impact on the likelihood of child welfare system involvement that is driven by earlier impacts on parenting behaviors, family well-being, and child developmental status. By children’s second birthday, families randomly assigned to participate in EHS had lower family conflict and parenting distress, and more positive parent-child interactions; these impacts, in turn, led to later reductions in the likelihood of children being involved with the child welfare system through age fifteen years. Furthermore, at age three, children in EHS were more attentive and engaged in play with their parents and had higher scores on cognitive development assessments compared to controls; these outcomes were similarly associated with long-term reductions in the likelihood of child maltreatment. These findings suggest that early two-generational programs, like EHS, that are able to successfully decrease family conflict and stress and support positive, emotionally responsive parenting and child development, may reduce the likelihood of abuse and neglect later in life.
The Relationship Between the Implicit Rationing of Nursing Care and Emotionally Intelligent Leadership Style.

Objective The study examined relationships between nurses' perceptions of implicit rationing of nursing care and leadership style in the nursing work environment. Background Nurses' perceptions of higher amounts of implicit rationing of nursing care relate to perceptions of lower quality of care and poorer patient outcomes. This study was the 1st to examine leadership style and implicit rationing of nursing care. Methods Using a cross-sectional survey study design, 35 039 RNs were randomly sampled during September 2017 to March 2018. Results Findings support an association between nurses' perceptions of an emotionally intelligent leadership style and lower amounts of implicit rationing of nursing care. Conclusion Implicit rationing of nursing care in the nursing work environment is significantly associated with emotionally intelligent leadership style. Nurse executives, and nursing faculty in administrative-focused graduate programs, can provide development and education in emotionally intelligent leadership skills.
The Effects of Financial Aid and Returns Information in Selective and Less Selective Schools: Experimental Evidence from Chile

Schools that provide higher education often belong to either a merit-based selective system or an open-access less selective system. This paper presents the results of a field experiment that provided Grade 12 students in Chile with tailored information about financial aid and average earnings and employment probabilities for schools and careers in both types of schools. No effect is found on the extensive margins of enrollment in the selective or in the less selective sector. Treated students change their intensive margin decisions: they choose careers and schools with lower expected wages and lower employment probabilities, but with higher quality relative to their baseline preferences.
Dual RNA-Seq Analysis of SARS-CoV-2 Correlates Specific Human Transcriptional Response Pathways Directly to Viral Expression

The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has challenged humankinds ability to quickly determine the cascade of health effects caused by a novel infection. Even with the unprecedented speed at which vaccines were developed and introduced into society, identifying therapeutic interventions and drug targets for patients infected with the virus remains important as new strains of the virus may evolve, or future coronaviruses may emerge, that are resistant to current vaccines. The application of transcriptomic RNA sequencing of infected samples may shed new light on the pathways involved in viral mechanisms and host responses. We describe the application of "dual RNA-seq" analysis to consider both the host and pathogen transcriptomes simultaneously, to investigate for the first time the co-regulation of human and SARS-CoV-2 genes. Together with differential expression analysis, we describe the tissue specificity of SARS-CoV-2 expression, an inferred lipopolysaccharide response, and co-regulation of CXCLs, SPRRs, S100s with SARS-CoV-2 expression. Lipopolysaccharide response pathways in particular offer promise for future therapeutic research and the prospect of subgrouping patients based on chemokine expression that may help explain the vastly different reactions patients have to infection. Taken together these findings illuminate previously unappreciated SARS-CoV-2 expression signatures, identify new therapeutic considerations, and contribute a pipeline for studying multi-transcriptome systems.
Metastatic or suspected metastatic cancer in patients 90 years of age or older: A single-institution, multi-site study

Abstract Background Metastatic cancer in nonagenarians and those older is rare and understudied. Here we explored whether these patients appear to benefit from antineoplastic therapy and whether outcomes differ based on whether or not untreated patients had a histologic/cytologic confirmation of cancer. Methods In this single-institution, multi-site study, we reviewed 10 years of consecutive medical records of patients 90+ years of age with a histologic/cytologic cancer diagnosis and metastatic cancer or, alternatively, a presumed metastatic cancer diagnosis. Results Sixty-eight patients are the focus with a median age of 93 years (range: 90, 103 years). Patients fell into 3 groups: 1) no tissue/cytologic cancer diagnosis and no treatment (=23); 2) tissue/cytologic diagnosis but no treatment (n = 21); and 3) cancer treatment rendered (n = 24). The median survival in groups 1,2, and 3 was 5 weeks (95% confidence interval (CI): 2, 11 weeks), 9 weeks (95% CI: 3, 23 weeks), and 60 weeks (95% CI: 38 weeks, not yet reached), respectively. For those patients in group 3 who received cancer therapy, chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery were administered in 11 (16%), 6 (9%), and 4 (6%), respectively. Fourteen received other cancer therapy: hormonal therapy (n = 6), targeted therapy (n = 6), and immunotherapy (n = 2). Only one patient experienced an adverse event that required hospitalization. Conclusions Although these older patients likely received cancer treatment on a selective basis, such treatment was associated with improved survival and was well-tolerated. However, based on survival outcomes, one might question whether to put patients through a biopsy, if they have limited therapeutic options.
Self-Perception of Voice and Swallowing Handicap in Parkinson's Disease

Background Hypokinetic dysarthria and dysphagia are known features of Parkinson's disease; however, self-perception of their handicapping effects on emotional, physical, and functional aspects of quality of life over disease duration is less understood. Objective 1) Based upon patient self-perception, to determine the relationship of the handicapping effects of dysphagia and dysphonia with time since diagnosis in individuals with Parkinson's disease; 2)To determine if there is a relationship between voice and swallowing handicap throughout the course of Parkinson's disease. Method 277 subjects completed the Dysphagia Handicap Index and the Voice Handicap Index. Subjects were divided into three groups based on disease duration: 0-4 years, 5-9 years, and 10 + years. Results Subjects in the longer duration group identified significantly greater perceptions of voice and swallowing handicap compared to the shorter duration groups. There was a significant positive correlation between the DHI and VHI. Conclusion Self-perception of swallowing and voice handicap in Parkinson's disease are associated with later stages of disease and progress in a linear fashion. Self-perception of voice and swallowing handicap parallel each other throughout disease progression in Parkinson's disease. Individuals may be able to compensate for changes in voice and swallowing early while sensory perceptual feedback is intact. Results support early targeted questioning of patient self-perception of voice and swallowing handicap as identification of one problem indicates awareness of the other, thus creating an opportunity for early treatment and maintenance of swallowing and communication quality of life for as long as possible.
Insights into Pathology and Pathogenesis of Coronavirus Disease 2019 from a Histopathological and Immunological Perspective

Since the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Wuhan, China, in December 2019, the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic has spread all over the world and has become a significant public health issue. The development of treatments for COVID-19 is currently in progress; however, their effects remain limited, and the development of more effective therapeutics is desired. Thus, sufficient understanding of the pathophysiology of COVID-19 is essential to develop effective therapeutics for this disease. Pathological analyses in particular play an important role to demonstrate the causal link between an infectious disease and the pathogen and elucidate the mechanism of pathogenesis. As per pathological analyses to date, respiratory organs are identified as the major affected organs in most COVID-19 cases; also, various lesions were noted in other organs. Further, there have been increasing reports that show that the immune responses of the host contribute to the deterioration of the pathological condition of COVID-19, and a novel concept of MIS-C/MIS-A is also being established. Thus, in this article, we have provided an overview of the pathology of COVID-19 from a histopathological and immunological perspective focusing on the mechanisms of COVID-19 pathogenesis.
Football and cultural citizenship in China: a study in three embodiments

In this study, we present three ‘embodiments’ of post-reform footballing China. Starting in 2015, the Chinese Football Association (CFA) initiated a series of reforms to advance player development,...
Proactive strategies for children with food refusal.

PROACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR CHILDREN WITH FOOD REFUSAL Sara E. Langlois April 10, 2009 Feeding disorders occur when a child rejects significant amounts of food or drink. Food refusals are maintained by factors which may be behavioral based, due to structural impairments, or a combination of the two. One of the first steps to increasing a child's diet is having them try novel or previously rejected food items. The current study includes 5 case studies of behavioral based food refusals in children and applies the use of a step by step desensitization procedure as a form of proactive intervention to increase the likelihood a bite of non-preferred food will be accepted. Results of the study indicated the food item was allowed to increase in proximity to the oral cavity when the step by step procedure was implemented. Future research should explore methodology of the current investigation, include a larger sample size, revise time constraints and more clearly define subject parameters.