cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Group Influences on Engaging Self-Control: Children Delay Gratification and Value It More When Their In-Group Delays and Their Out-Group Doesn’t:

Self-control emerges in a rich sociocultural context. Do group norms around self-control influence the degree to which children use it? We tested this possibility by assigning 3- to 5-year-old children to a group and manipulating their beliefs about in-group and out-group behavior on the classic marshmallow task. Across two experiments, children waited longer for two marshmallows when they believed that their in-group waited and their out-group did not, compared with children who believed that their in-group did not wait and their out-group did. Group behavior influenced children to wait more, not less, as indicated by comparisons with children in a control condition who were assigned to a group but received no information about either groups' delay behavior (Experiment 1). Children also subsequently valued delaying gratification more if their in-group waited and their out-group did not (Experiment 2). Childhood self-control behavior and related developmental outcomes may be shaped by group norms around self-control, which may be an optimal target for interventions.
Use of a Modified All-Epiphyseal Technique for Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in the Skeletally Immature Patient.

Background:Multiple surgical approaches have been described for the management of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears in skeletally immature patients.Purpose:To provide a detailed description of...
DC Power Supply Design in Portable Systems

In portable systems, a number of low-voltage, low-power DC voltage supplies are needed. To provide these from a single battery source, some form of voltage conversion is necessary. To facilitate portability and conserve battery capacity, this conversion should be accomplished in minimal space and mass, with the high efficiency more easily realized in larger converters. A monolithic CMOS DC power supply could meet the severe size and efficiency requirements of a hand-held device. This chapter describes a design methodology for such converters.
Release of Phytoalexin Elicitor-Active Oligogalacturonides by Microbial Pectic Enzymes

Linear α-l,4-linked oligogalacturonides of chain lengths between 10 and 13 have been shown to elicit phytoalexin accumulation and lignification in plants, but shorter oligogalacturonides do not have this effect (Hahn et al 1981; Nothnagel et al 1983; Jin & West 1984; Davis et al 1986; Robertsen 1986; De Lorenzo et al 1987b; Cervone et al 1989). Phytoalexin elicitor-active oligogalacturonides are thought to be released from the plant cell wall by the action of two groups of microbial pectic-degrading enzymes, the endopolygalacturonases and the endopectate lyases. These enzymes release elicitor-active oligogalacturonides from polygalacturonic acid in vitro but also quickly depolymerize the elicitor-active chains, converting them into shorter, elicitor-inactive molecules (Bruce & West 1982; Nothnagel et al 1983; Cervoneet al 1987). We will discuss two mechanisms by which the action of fungal endopolygalacturonases and bacterial endopectate lyases may be regulated such that the formation of elicitor-active oligogalacturonides is favored.
Energy-Based Modeling of Tangential Compliance in 3-Dimensional Impact

This paper studies modeling of tangential compliance as two rigid bodies collide in the space. Stronge’s spring-based contact structure [13, pp. 95-96] is extended to three dimensions. Slip or stick is indicated by the tangential motion of a massless particle connected to the contact point (viewed as an infinitesimal region) on one body via three orthogonal springs. We show that the effect of tangential compliance can be analyzed using normal impulse rather than time, contrary to a previous claim by Stronge. This is primarily due to the ability of updating the elastic energies of the three springs without knowledge of their stiffnesses or length changes. The change rates, nevertheless, are computable. So are sliding velocity and tangential impulse. The latter is then integrated into impact equations and contact kinematics, making the whole system driven by normal impulse alone. Examples include a ball and a pencil bouncing on a table, and a masse billiard shot. The theory has potential impact on impulsive robotic manipulation in which the ability to deal with friction and compliance is vital for skillful maneuvers.
Ahaziah's fall (2 Kings 1). The version of Josephus

2 Kgs 1,2-17a relates the dramatic circumstances surrounding the death of king Ahaziah of Israel after a reign of only two years. This article examines the Josephan version of the episode (Ant. IX 19-27) in relation to the biblical source. The study notes the various sorts of stylistic, terminological and content retouchings introduced by the historian in bis re-telling of the incident, and off ers suggestions about the reasons and effects of these changes. The historian's treatment of the double angelic intervention of the source text (2 Kgs 1,3.5) receives special attention.
Beyond Reporting Early Warning Score Sensitivity: The Temporal Relationship and Clinical Relevance of "True Positive" Alerts that Precede Critical Deterioration.

Background Clinical deterioration is difficult to detect in hospitalized children. The pediatric Rothman Index (pRI) is an early warning score that incorporates vital signs, laboratory studies, and nursing assessments to generate deterioration alerts. Objectives (1) Evaluate the timing of pRI alerts and clinicians recognizing deterioration or escalating care prior to critical deterioration events (CDEs) and (2) determine whether the parameters triggering alerts were clinically related to deterioration. Design CDEs are unplanned transfers to the intensive care unit with noninvasive ventilation, tracheal intubation, and/or vasopressor infusion in the 12 hours after transfer. Using one year of data from a large freestanding children's hospital without the pRI, we analyzed CDEs that would have been preceded by pRI alerts. We (1) compared the timing of pRI alerts to time-stamped notes describing changes in patient status and orders reflecting escalations of care and (2) identified score component(s) that caused alerts to trigger and determined whether these were clinically related to CDE etiology. Results Fifty CDEs would have triggered pRI alertsif the pRI had been in use (sensitivity 68%). In 90% of CDEs, the first clinician note reflecting change in patient status and/or the first order reflecting escalation of care preceded the first pRI alert. All of the vital sign and laboratory components of the pRI and 51% of the nursing components were clinically related to the etiology of the CDE. Conclusions Evidence that clinicians were awareof deterioration preceded pRI alerts in most CDEs that generated alerts in the preceding 24 hours.
Diagnostic Challenges due to Atypical presentations of CMT in Charcot Marie Tooth Disease type 4C associated with SH3TC2 mutations (P5.124)

Objective: To analyze and describe atypical presentations of CMT 4C. Background: CMT4C is associated with both nonsense and missense mutations in the gene encoding the SH3 domain and tetratricopeptide repeats (SH3TC2), which is essential for peripheral nerve myelination. The clinical spectrum of CMT4C is suggested to be broad with likely mutation-specific variation. Previous reports have suggested that common features of CMT4C include thoracic spine scoliosis , moderate to severe neuropathy, and cranial nerve deficits such as cranial nerves 3, 7, 8, 12. Here we report four patients with atypical phenotypes associated with novel and rare SH3TC2 mutations and review previous published cases in the literature. Design/Methods: We present a case series comprised of four patients in whom CMT 4C is caused by either a novel or a rare mutation in the SH3TC2 gene. We focus on clinical presentation and electrodiagnostic analysis. Previous reported cases have also been analyzed. Results: Four unrelated patients with CMT 4C carrying disease causing SH3TC2 mutations were identified. Nerve conduction velocities were all in the demyelinating range and all had scoliosis. Age of onset of symptoms was at birth in three out of our four cases. Some cases presented with features atypical of classic CMT: nystagmus, dysarthria, attacks of weakness and sensory loss, and proximal limb girdle weakness. Conclusions: Our results suggest that certain mutations in the SH3TC2 gene can present with clinical features atypical of classic presentations of CMT. These atypical features have been described previously, and our results confirm the diagnostic challenge associated with CMT 4C. Study Supported by: This work was supported by intramural funding from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS), NIH (AM). The work was supported by a grant from the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (MES) and Office of Rare Diseases (MES, U54NS065712), Muscular Dystrophy Association (MES), Charcot-Marie-Tooth Association (MES), and MDA Clinical Research Training grant (NUJ). Disclosure: Dr. Jerath has nothing to disclose. Dr. Grunseich has nothing to disclose. Dr. Baloui has nothing to disclose. Dr. Nnamdi-Emeratom has nothing to disclose. Dr. Schindler has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chrast has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shy has nothing to disclose. Dr. Mankodi has nothing to disclose.
OLDER DRIVER SAFETY: HOT SPOT ANALYSIS OF FATAL CRASHES IN MASSACHUSETTS

Car crashes are events that result not only from the interaction of drivers and vehicles but also as a result of the spatial components of physical environments (e.g. roadways and land use). The GIS application is a tool to visualize the location of events and to identify hot spots or danger zones on the map by the interacting the location of crashes via latitude and longitude. This study pooled motor vehicle crashes that occurred in Massachusetts (2010–2012) in the Fatal Accident Recording System (FARS NHTSA). Sample (N=686) inclusion criteria were subjects had to have complete data on variables of interest and be involved in a crash resulting in at least one fatality. The majority of subjects were drivers age 35 to 59 (72.6%, n=498), with (27.4%, n=188) drivers age 65 and older. The Optimized Hot Spot analysis utilized the function of collapsing nearest points to test whether the collapsed points were clustered as hotspots significantly or not. By driver’s age and fatal crash, drivers age 35 to 59 had two specific hotspots near Boston and one hotspot near Fall River in MA. Drivers age 65 and older had five different hotspots along with the boundary of greater Boston. This difference in hotspots of fatal crash between younger and older drivers could be related with roadways, traffic volume, and population density. Identification of these crash hotspots will be beneficial for drivers and policy makers. The findings may alert drivers to high risk areas and policy makers can implement countermeasures.
Surgical options in hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic, debilitating disease managed by both medications and surgical therapies. The purpose of this study is to determine the indications for surgical therapies and compare the various surgical options for the treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa. A PubMed search found 32 articles on surgical therapies for hidradenitis. Search terms included hidradenitis suppurativa, cryoinsufflation, laser therapies, reconstructive surgery, and surgical therapies. About 88.9% of patients with Hurley Stage II/III are referred to surgery. Wide excision is superior to local excision based on consistently lower recurrence rates and high patient satisfaction. Healing by primary closure is inferior to skin graft and flap. Recurrence rate is most dependent on disease severity rather than the type of surgical procedure. Surgical options are offered alongside medical therapies as part of the treatment protocol. Procedures range from minimally invasive to aggressive therapies with variable recurrence rates. Minimally invasive surgeries produce better results in Hurley Stage I/II and aggressive options, such as wide excision, are superior to other options in patients with the more severe disease. Poor surgical candidates include those with comorbidities such type 2 diabetes mellitus which limits the use of more aggressive surgical interventions.
Prevalence of Mutual Fund Window Dressing

We propose a new proxy of window dressing of equity mutual funds based on the difference in momentum loading estimated using daily fund returns and the returns of a hypothetical portfolio comprised of the subsequently disclosed holdings. Using a technique that controls for significant change in momentum loading by random sampling alone, we find that 9.40% of the disclosures in our sample are subject to window dressing. This proportion drops after 2004 when the SEC increases the mandatory disclosure frequency. Our results also show that window dressing tends to be persistent and it is more prevalent among funds with poor past performance. Finally, we provide evidence that investors respond to window dressed funds with greater cash flows.
Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity: Audio of Presentation

Defined as the percent of the population of non-business-owning adults who start a business each month, the Kauffman Index of Entrepreneurial Activity was introduced in 2005. This measure of the business creation rate at the individual owner level captures all new businesses. It includes both businesses with employees and those without, businesses that are incorporated and those that are not, and all industries, from construction to high-tech.
Adjuvant Therapy for Patients With Early Large Cell Lung Neuroendocrine Cancer: A National Analysis

Background Current guidelines do not routinely recommend adjuvant therapy for resected stage I large cell lung neuroendocrine cancer (LCNEC). However, data regarding the role of adjuvant therapy in early LCNEC are limited. This National Cancer Database (NCDB) analysis was performed to improve the evidence guiding adjuvant therapy for early LCNEC. Methods Overall survival (OS) of patients with pathologic T1-2a N0 M0 LCNEC who underwent resection in the NCDB from 2003 to 2015 was evaluated with Kaplan-Meier and multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses. Patients who died within 30 days of surgery and with more than R0 resection were excluded. Results Of 2642 patients meeting study criteria, 481 (18%) received adjuvant therapy. Adjuvant chemotherapy in stage IB patients was associated with a significant increase in OS (hazard ratio, 0.67; 95% confidence interval, 0.50 to 0.90). However, there was no significant difference in survival between adjuvant chemotherapy and no adjuvant therapy for stage IA LCNEC (hazard ratio, 0.92; 95% confidence interval, 0.75 to 1.11). Adjuvant radiotherapy, whether alone or combined with chemotherapy, was not associated with a change in OS. In subgroup analysis, patients receiving adjuvant chemotherapy after lobar resection for stage IB LCNEC had a significant survival benefit compared with patients not receiving adjuvant therapy. Conclusions In early-stage LCNEC, adjuvant chemotherapy appears to confer an additional overall survival advantage only in patients with completely resected stage IB LCNEC and not for patients with completely resected stage IA LCNEC.
Can We Cure Atherosclerosis

Cardiovascular disease mortality rates have begun to rise in the United States. Based on the large body of supportive evidence, we propose a proof-of-concept, first-in-human trial to cure atherosclerosis: CURing Early ATHEROsclerosis (CURE ATHERO). This trial is based on a model of intensive induction therapy for extensive, if not complete, plaque regression, followed by intermittent maintenance therapy. An extensive body of evidence has demonstrated the causal role of apolipoprotein B lipoproteins in atherosclerosis progression and data suggest intensive low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) lowering may have a substantial impact on earlier stages of atherosclerosis. Compared with lifetime treatment to prevent atherosclerosis progression, this induction-intermittent treatment model will minimize costs and maximize adherence and safety.
TEMPORARY REMOVAL: A test of the variability vs. specificity hypotheses in the retention of a motor skill.

Abstract The variability of practice hypothesis suggests that practicing with task variations enhances motor learning (Schmidt, 1975). However, in tasks with only a single criterion goal to be learned, the evidence that variable practice enhances retention of this criterion task compared to constant practice (i.e. practicing without task variations) is somewhat mixed. We seek to address this question in a registered report by pre-registering the hypothesis, using a larger sample size, and using a Bayesian approach to directly quantify the evidence for the hypothesis (instead of conventional null hypothesis significance testing (NHST) using p-values). The proposed study is based on a prior study from Shea and Kohl (1990) examining this issue. Participants will learn a bimanual shuffleboard task where the goal is to slide a virtual puck towards a target. This task requires participants to release the puck at a specified speed consistently to hit the target. Two groups of participants will be tested - the constant group will practice with a specific criterion target location (which requires no variation in the puck speed), whereas the variable group will practice the criterion target location along with 4 additional target locations. Retention and transfer tests will be conducted after a 24-h period to examine learning in both groups, with the primary focus being on the first retention test.
The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II and III mucinous colon cancer

INTRODUCTION Mucinous adenocarcinoma is a subtype of colonic adenocarcinoma associated with worse survival compared to nonmucinous adenocarcinoma. Prior studies on the effect of chemotherapy on survival in mucinous adenocarcinoma have shown mixed results. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of chemotherapy on the survival of patients with stage II and III mucinous adenocarcinoma. METHODS The National Cancer Database was used to identify patients diagnosed with stage II or III nonmucinous adenocarcinoma or mucinous adenocarcinoma between 2004 and 2016. The primary outcome was overall survival. RESULTS Fourteen thousand and three hundred patients with stage II mucinous colon adenocarcinoma and 16 741 patients with stage III mucinous colon adenocarcinoma were identified. There was no significant difference in survival between nonmucinous adenocarcinoma and mucinous adenocarcinoma patients in adjusted analysis for stage II disease (HR:1.00, 95%CI:0.98-1.02, P = .99), but there was a significant difference for stage III disease (HR:1.05, 95%CI:1.03-1.07, P < .001). In propensity-matched cohorts of patients with mucinous adenocarcinoma, chemotherapy was significantly associated with survival in stage II (HR:0.79, 95%CI:0.69-0.90, P < .001) and stage III disease (HR:0.56, 95%CI:0.52-0.60, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS Patients with stage II or stage III mucinous adenocarcinoma of the colon who are given adjuvant chemotherapy have significantly improved survival compared to patients not given chemotherapy.
Regulation of Cartilage Matrix Protein by Transcription Factors, SOX9 and β-Catenin

Abstract Extracellular matrix (ECM) is an essential component of cartilage matrix in articular cartilage and intervertebral disc (IVD), where chondrocytes, annulus fibrosus, and nucleus pulposus cells reside, respectively. ECM proteins provide important biological and biochemical functions to chondrocytes in articular cartilage tissues, including the regulation of intercellular communication. Several transcription factors including SOX9 and β-catenin have been suggested to regulate ECM synthesis and/or degeneration. Since pathologic mechanisms of several types of Osteoarthritis and IVD degeneration remain undefined, the elucidation of ECM regulation by SOX9 and β-catenin will provide additional insights of the mechanisms of musculoskeletal disease pathology and possible therapeutic opportunities.
Regulatory and Market Risk Factors and the Emissions Reduction Potential for Energy Intensive Firms

In the last decade, one of the major global environmental concerns has been greenhouse gas emissions. As part of the political debate over climate change, various policy initiatives are being proposed. Energy intensive firms that emit large amounts of greenhouse gases (e.g., floriculture or nursery firms with heated greenhouses) will be operating in an environment of high regulatory and market uncertainties in the coming years. This 3-page fact sheet presents a brief introduction of the regulatory and market risks faced by energy intensive firms and a case study of emissions reduction potential in the horticulture industry. Written by Zhengfei Guan and published by the UF Department of Food and Resource Economics, March 2013. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fe919
The amount of surgical correction of the main thoracic curve is the best predictor of postoperative clinical shoulder balance in patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis

This study sought to analyze factors that predict postoperative shoulder balance based on clinical photography. Based on inclusion criteria, 132 AIS patients were selected. Age, sex, and BMI of each patient were recorded. The following parameters were recorded from radiographs: clavicle angle, T1 tilt, the upper instrumented vertebra (UIV), lowest instrumented vertebra (LIV) thoracic kyphosis, lumbar modifier, preoperative and postoperative proximal thoracic Cobb angle, preoperative and postoperative main thoracic Cobb angle, and preoperative and postoperative thoracolumbar Cobb angle, if applicable. Two spine surgeons independently assigned the photographs shoulder balance grades based on the WRVAS (1–2 = Acceptable, 3–5 = Unacceptable). Surgeons were blinded as to whether the photographs were taken preoperatively or postoperatively. The shoulders were also graded as right high, left high, or balanced. Of all variables analyzed, only main thoracic Cobb angle correction (MTCAC) showed a statistically significant relationship with postoperative shoulder balance (p = 0.01). Odds of having unacceptable shoulder balance increase by 21% for every 5° increase in MTCAC (Adjusted OR = 1.21, 95% CI 1.015–1.452). The odds of unbalanced shoulders are 4.7 times higher for patients whose MTCAC is 40° or more (p = 0.001). Inter-rater reliability was excellent (k =0 .7). Intra rater reliability was perfect for Surgeon 1 (kappa = 1.0) and showed substantial agreement for Surgeon 2 (kappa = 0.8) Greater correction of main thoracic Cobb angle predicts unacceptable postoperative shoulder balance with 40° of correction signifying a major dichotomy between acceptable and unacceptable.
A Prospective Ultrasound Study of Plasma Polychlorinated Biphenyl Concentrations and Incidence of Uterine Leiomyomata.

Background Uterine leiomyomata, or fibroids, are hormone-dependent neoplasms of the myometrium that can cause severe gynecologic morbidity. In previous studies, incidence of these lesions has been positively associated with exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), a class of persistent endocrine-disrupting chemicals. However, previous studies have been retrospective in design and none has used ultrasound to reduce disease misclassification. Methods The Study of Environment, Lifestyle, and Fibroids is a prospective cohort of 1,693 reproductive-aged Black women residing in Detroit, Michigan (enrolled during 2010-2012). At baseline and every 20 months for 5 years, women completed questionnaires, provided blood samples, and underwent transvaginal ultrasound to detect incident fibroids. We analyzed 754 baseline plasma samples for concentrations of 24 PCB congeners using a case-cohort study design. We used multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for the association between plasma PCB concentrations and ultrasound-detected fibroids incidence over a 5-year period. Results We observed little association between PCB congener concentrations and fibroid incidence. The HR for a one-standard deviation increase in log-transformed total PCBs was 0.94 (95% CI: 0.78, 1.1). The PCB congener with the largest effect estimate was PCB 187 (HR for a one-standard deviation increase in log-transformed exposure=0.88, 95% CI: 0.73, 1.1). Associations did not appear to vary strongly across PCB groupings based on hormonal activity. Conclusions In this cohort of reproductive-aged Black women, plasma PCB concentrations typical of the contemporary general population were not appreciably associated with higher risk of fibroids.
CONTINUOUS ENERGY COMET SOLUTION TO A SMALL MODULAR ADVANCED HIGH-TEMPERATURE REACTOR BENCHMARK PROBLEM (SmAHTR)

The continuous energy coarse mesh transport (COMET) method is a hybrid stochasticdeterministic solver that provides transport solutions to heterogeneous reactor cores. In this paper, COMET is tested against continuous energy Monte Carlo in solving the recently developed stylized Small Modular Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (SmAHTR) Benchmark Problems based on the Oak Ridge National Laboratory pre-conceptual design (core configurations). These problems are well-suited to test the performance of advanced neutronics tools because of their unique neutronics characteristics such as the multiple heterogeneities. The COMET solutions for the three benchmark problems were found to agree very well with the continuous energy Monte Carlo reference solutions. The discrepancy in the core eigenvalue (k-eff) varied from 40 pcm to 51 pcm. The average and maximum relative differences in the pin fission densities were in the range of 0.20% to 0.21% and 0.77% to 0.94%, respectively. It was also found that COMET was more than 2,000 times fast than MCNP. It can be concluded that COMET can model the SmAHTR core configuration with high fidelity and significantly high computational efficiency.
Development and Evaluation of Chemistry-Aerosol-Climate Model CAM5-Chem-MAM7-MOSAIC: Global Atmospheric Distribution and Radiative Effects of Nitrate Aerosol.

An advanced aerosol treatment, with a focus on semivolatile nitrate formation, is introduced into the Community Atmosphere Model version 5 with interactive chemistry (CAM5-chem) by coupling the Model for Simulating Aerosol Interactions and Chemistry (MOSAIC) with the 7-mode Modal Aerosol Module (MAM7). An important feature of MOSAIC is dynamic partitioning of all condensable gases to the different fine and coarse mode aerosols, as governed by mode-resolved thermodynamics and heterogeneous chemical reactions. Applied in the free-running mode from 1995 to 2005 with prescribed historical climatological conditions, the model simulates global distributions of sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium in good agreement with observations and previous studies. Inclusion of nitrate resulted in ∼10% higher global average accumulation mode number concentrations, indicating enhanced growth of Aitken mode aerosols from nitrate formation. While the simulated accumulation mode nitrate burdens are high over the anthropogenic source regions, the sea-salt and dust modes respectively constitute about 74% and 17% of the annual global average nitrate burden. Regional clear-sky shortwave radiative cooling of up to -5 W m-2 due to nitrate is seen, with a much smaller global average cooling of -0.05 W m-2. Significant enhancements in regional cloud condensation nuclei (at 0.1% supersaturation) and cloud droplet number concentrations are also attributed to nitrate, causing an additional global average shortwave cooling of -0.8 W m-2. Taking into consideration of changes in both longwave and shortwave radiation under all-sky conditions, the net change in the top of the atmosphere radiative fluxes induced by including nitrate aerosol is -0.7 W m-2.
Photocatalytic acyl azolium-promoted alkoxycarbonylation of trifluoroborates.

Abstract Despite recent advancements in the selective generation and coupling of organic radical species, the alkoxycarbonyl radical remains underexplored relative to other carbon-containing radical species. Drawing inspiration from new strategies for generating acyl radical equivalents utilizing dual N-heterocyclic carbene catalysis and photocatalysis, we have prepared dimethylimidazolium esters that can function as an alkoxycarbonyl radical surrogate under photocatalytic conditions. We demonstrate the synthetic utility of these azolium-based partners through the preparation of esters arising from the coupling of this radical surrogate with an oxidatively generated alkyl radical.
The Abdominal Hernia-Q: a critical analysis of the components that impact quality-of-life.

Ventral hernias (VH) are a common surgical problem associated with significant morbidity. While assessment tools have examined quality-of-life (QoL), the relative change in specific domains of hernia-related QoL measures from pre- to post-operative period has yet to be comprehensively examined. Using the Abdominal Hernia-Q (AHQ), this study aims to assess the impact of ventral hernia repair (VHR) on key components of QoL. A retrospective chart review was conducted of patients undergoing VHR between September 2017 and September 2019 who had completed at least one pre- and post-operative AHQ. Post-operative intervals were created to capture AHQ responses around standard follow-up visits (< 1.5 months, 1.5–4.5 months, 4.5–11 months, and 11 + months) and scores were statistically analyzed. A total of 136 patients were included, with an average age of 54.8 years at the time of VHR. Compared to the pre-operative period, the appearance score increased significantly (p < 0.05). The physical domain score increased from < 1.5 month to the 1.5–4.5 month period (p = 0.03) and remained significantly higher in later time period. The appearance score decreased from the 1.5–4.5 month to 4.5–11 month period (p = 0.05). VHR leads to a sustained multi-dimensional increase in hernia-specific QoL measures during the post-operative course driven by early positive changes in appearance and sustained physical functioning. The initial increase in QoL is mainly driven by an improvement in appearance, while the sustained increase may be due to restored physical function.
The Association of Cannabis Use and Cigarette Smoking with Psychological Distress Among Adults in California

Background In November 2016, California voters passed the Adult Use of Marijuana Act making recreational cannabis sales legal to adults aged 21and older starting January 1st, 2018. This study aims to understand the relationship of cannabis use and cigarette smoking with serious psychological distress (SPD) in California in light of the legalization of recreational cannabis sales. Methods This cross-sectional study included 42,313 adult participants from the 2017 to 2018 California Health Interview Surveys. We used the Kessler-6 (K6) scale to measure psychological distress in the past 30 days. Multiple logistic regression models were used to examine the association between cannabis/cigarette use and SPD. Results Cannabis use was positively associated with SPD (AOR = 2.48, 95% CI = 1.57, 3.91), but this association was not significantly different before and after recreational cannabis sales legalization in California (AOR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.72, 2.05). Cigarette smoking was also positively associated with SPD (AOR = 2.76, 95% CI = 2.05, 3.71). Compared to those who used neither cannabis nor cigarettes, sole cannabis users (AOR = 2.51, 95% CI = 1.75, 3.60), sole cigarette smokers (AOR = 3.23, 95% CI = 2.28, 4.60), and dual users of cannabis and cigarettes (AOR = 5.65, 95% CI = 4.04, 7.89) were more likely to report SPD. Dual users were also more likely to report SPD than sole cannabis users (AOR = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.48, 3.43) and sole cigarette smokers (AOR = 1.75; 95% CI = 1.18, 2.59). Conclusions These findings provide evidence for the need to develop effective cessation intervention strategies targeting individuals with SPD to reduce their cannabis use and dual-use of cannabis and cigarettes.
LIRA: Lightweight Incentivized Routing for Anonymity

Abstract : Tor, the most popular deployed distributed onion routing network, suffers from performance and scalability problems stemming from a lack of incentives for volunteers to contribute. Insufficient capacity limits scalability and harms the anonymity of its users. We introduce LIRA, a lightweight scheme that creates performance incentives for users to contribute bandwidth resources to the Tor network. LIRA uses a novel cryptographic lottery: winners may be guessed with tunable probability by any user or bought in exchange for resource contributions. The traffic of those winning the lottery is prioritized through Tor. The uncertainty of whether a buyer or a guesser is getting priority improves the anonymity of those purchasing winners while the performance incentives encourage contribution. LIRA is more lightweight than prior reward schemes that pay for service and provides better anonymity than schemes that simply give priority to traffic originating from fast relays. We analyze LIRA's efficiency, anonymity, and incentives, present a prototype implementation, and describe experiments that show it indeed improves performance for those servicing the network.
Linearizers - distortion reduction in high power amplifiers

Linearization is of enormous interest because of the need to send greater and greater amounts of information over a limited spectrum. As a result there have been numerous innovative papers greatly advancing the technology. At the same time, there seems to be loss of appreciation of the fundamentals upon which these advances are based. This paper reviews the basics of linearization, sets limits on the performance that can be achieved the impact of memory effects, and concludes with a discussion of the upper limits on frequency and bandwidth.
Force Decomposition in Robot Force Control

It has been recently pointed out that the lack of unit invariance of the usual Euclidean norm on the twist and wrench spaces would render many of the results in robot force control invalid. This observation actually begs the more fundamental question of what force should be controlled. In this paper, we investigate this problem in the context of multiple-arm manipulation. Motivated by a simple one-dimensional example, we show that a reasonable choice for the force to be controlled is the internal force at a specified frame in the payload. The force control problem and the associated stability issues are then discussed.
The histopathology of the developing tubal ectopic pregnancy

Examination of histopathologic sections taken of tubal ectopic pregnancies and gross dissections of these specimens suggest that, in the majority of cases, the growth of the developing trophoblast takes place in a largely extratubal site and that the common clinical impression that the mass associated with the tubal ectopic pregnancy is a dilated fallopian tube is largely erroneous.
Frequency estimation and tracking of multiple sinusoidal components

The paper presents a discrete-time algorithm for the frequency estimation of signals containing two independent sinusoidal components. The magnitudes and the phases of the components are obtained as well as their frequencies, and extension of the scheme to a higher number of components is possible. The algorithm is analyzed in the case of a single component using a linear time-invariant approximation. The results give estimates of the convergence rate and of the noise sensitivity of the algorithm. Estimation of two frequencies is performed by combining two estimators in a parallel structure. To prevent the two estimates from converging to the same frequency, a separation algorithm is proposed. Simulations show that the resulting estimator is effective at discriminating between two closely-spaced frequencies. Tracking of slowly-varying frequencies is also demonstrated.
Unitarity restrictions on semi-classical approximations to certain functional integrals

Estimates of physically relevant quantities (cross sections, multiplicities, correlations) in eikonal models of high-energy field theories lead to a class of semiclassical solutions to non-linear Euler equations. The requirement of unitarity restricts these possible solutions to a unique function of energy and impact parameter.
Choline Supplementation Alters Carnitine Homeostasis in Humans and Guinea Pigs

We have previously shown that supplementary choline causes significant decreases in urinary excretion of carnitine in humans. The objectives of the present work were to study this interaction in a different human population and on other body pools of carnitine in an animal model. In young adult women, daily choline supplementation (20 mg/kg body wt) resulted in a 75% lower urinary carnitine excretion than in controls, without significantly altering plasma carnitine concentrations. Supplementary choline was added to the ground diet of Sprague-Dawley rats (2.5 g/kg diet) and guinea pigs (3 g/kg diet). Choline supplementation had no effect on plasma concentrations or urinary excretion of carnitine in the rats. In guinea pigs, however, choline supplementation resulted in a significantly lower urinary excretion and higher plasma total carnitine concentrations. The skeletal muscle carnitine concentration was higher in the choline-supplemented guinea pigs, but not significantly higher in other tissues. These studies demonstrated that choline supplementation results in decreased urinary excretion of carnitine in young adult women, that guinea pigs are a suitable animal model for studying the effect of choline supplementation on carnitine status in humans, and that choline results in a conservation of carnitine in guinea pigs and perhaps in humans.
Does democracy foster financial development? An empirical analysis

Abstract This paper examines whether democracy promotes financial development. While cross-section results show a positive association between democracy and bank development, this relationship disappears in panel regressions. The data also reveals that democracy is not positively related to stock market development.
Critical Multiplism: A Research Strategy for Nursing Science

This paper describes critical multiplism from the perspective of the world views and models of scientific inquiry that frequently guide the work of nurse scientists. Nurse scientists may wish to consider critical multiplism as a research strategy within a dialectical model of scientific inquiry to study the multiple realities of interest to nurses. This approach to nursing knowledge development may enhance the usefulness of nursing research findings in nursing practice.
The Acute Effect of Aerobic Exercise on Brachial Artery Endothelial Function in Renal Transplant Recipients

This study compared the effect of a 30-minute walk on brachial artery endothelial vasodilatation in kidney transplant (KT) recipients and healthy controls (HCs). Endothelial-dependent vasodilatation was measured by ultrasound before and after exercise. The HCs experienced a significant increase in vasodilatation after exercise 1 minute postocclusion when compared with the KT recipients (22%±13% vs 3%±4%; V<.05). Also, the HCs had a significantly higher vasodilatation from pretreadmill walk to post-treadmill walk (1 minute postocclusion) when compared with KT recipients (from 3%±6% to 22%±13% vs 1%±3% to 3%±4%; V<.05). This acute vasodilatory response observed in the HCs may be related to the immediate release of nitric oxide and the combined response to shear stress and exercise. The KT recipients had several coronary artery disease risk factors that may have adversely affected endothelial function.
Oral fluid contamination of etched enamel surfaces: an SEM study.

The compromising effects of different, contamination periods and washings on etched enamel surfaces are, examined with a scanning electron microscope. In as little time as 1 second, salivary exposure will compromise bonding of resin to enamel.
Polyvalent Cations as Permeant Probes of MIC and TRPM7 Pores

Recent studies in Jurkat T cells and in rat basophilic leukemia cells revealed an Mg(2+)-inhibited cation (MIC) channel that has electrophysiological properties similar to TRPM7 Eyring rate model expressed exogenously in mammalian cells. Here we compare the characteristics of several polyvalent cations and Mg(2+) to block monovalent MIC current from the outside. Putrescine, spermidine, spermine, PhTX-343 (a derivative of the naturally occurring polyamine toxin philanthotoxin), and Mg(2+) each blocked in a dose- and voltage-dependent manner, indicating a blocking site within the electric field of the ion channel. Spermine and the relatively bulky PhTX-343 exhibited voltage dependence steeper than that expected for the number of charges on the molecule. Polyamines and Mg(2+) are permeant blockers, as judged by relief of block at strongly negative membrane potentials. Intracellular dialysis with spermine (300 microM) had no effect, indicating an asymmetrical pore. At the single-channel level, spermine and Mg(2+) induced flickery block of 40-pS single channels. I/V characteristics and polyamine block are similar in expressed TRPM7 and in native MIC currents, consistent with the conclusion that native MIC channels are composed of TRPM7 subunits. An Eyring rate model is developed to account for I/V characteristics and block of MIC channels by polyvalent cations from the outside.
Structural Characteristics of Firms and Industries and Black and White Wage Inequality in the U.S. Economy: 1988

The effects of firm and job characteristics on the wages of blacks and whites are analyzed using data from the 1988 National Longitudinal Survey of Youth [Bureau of Labor Statistics, 1997]. This study focuses on 2,370 full-time private sector employees. The results show that, first, blacks are disproportionately employed in large establishments despite their lower cognitive achievements. Second, blacks do not enjoy significant wage premiums associated with supervisory positions. Third, although the wage gap between blacks and whites is reduced considerably, controlling for education and cognitive skills, the gap increases significantly when structural attributes are included in the wage regressions despite the large wage premiums associated with employment in large establishments.
An embedded mesh method in a multiple material ALE

Abstract A new approach for treating the mechanical interactions of overlapping finite element meshes is presented. Referred to as embedded mesh methods here, these overlapping mesh methods typically include a foreground solid mesh and a background Euler fluid grid or solid mesh. A number of different approaches have been used in previous work to characterize the interactions of the background and foreground meshes at the interface. Lagrange multipliers are well suited to enforce the continuity constraints but care must be taken such that the resulting formulation is stable. Several Lagrange multiplier techniques are examined in this work and applied to coupling solid meshes and fluid-structure interaction type problems. In addition, details regarding implementation in a two-step, multi-material, Arbitrary Lagrangian Eulerian (ALE) code are presented. Example problems demonstrate convergence and applicability to a range of problems. In particular, the fluid-structure interaction examples focus on blast applications.
Dynamic Systems and Organizational Decision-Making Processes in Nonprofits

Social purpose organizations (SPOs) are nonprofit organizations that fulfill their social missions by seeking revenue from traditional business activities. SPOs often face difficulties attracting and retaining organizational members with the necessary mix of social and business skills and values. When coupled with resource limitations and an unstable environment, these issues create serious strategic challenges for leaders of small SPOs. In the present article, the authors describe several systems thinking concepts that may enable leaders to understand and therefore more effectively contend with the challenges of the SPO context. The authors also present a case study demonstrating the utility of systems thinking and system dynamics modeling as decision-making tools leaders can use to analyze the impact of alternative strategies on the financial well-being of the SPO. The modeling process may facilitate organizational learning as leaders use the insight gained from adopting a systems approach to make effec...
Investigation of soot combustion in underexpanded jet plume flows

A new overlay technique to model and simulate the soot combustion in rocket plumes is proposed and examined. An efficient methodology for the accurate prediction of soot oxidation is discussed so that the sensitivity of soot combustion to the complex plume flow characteristics may be better understood. The accurate prediction of soot combustion in rocket plumes affects the plume radiation pattern and the location of the maximum radiation in underexpanded rocket plumes. A continuum approach for the soot overlay problem is presented for the example problem of a single-nozzle axisymmetric plume representative of the Atlas rocket. The overlay calculations are applied to a third-order-accurate converged Navier-Stokes result for a chemically reacting gas flow at the altitudes of 21, 30, and 40 km. Results are presented to demonstrate the sensitivity of soot oxidation to the initial spatial distribution of soot at the nozzle exit plane and the altitude dependence of soot combustion in the plume flowfield for various pressure ratios. It is shown that the majority of the soot combustion occurs in the plume shear layer due to the higher temperatures and penetration of oxygen into the flow. Also, there is more combustion at lower altitudes due to increased availability of oxygen for combustion, even though the shear layer at the lower altitudes is thin.
Medical and psychosocial predictors of sexual outcome among women with systemic lupus Erythematosus

The influence of medical and psychosocial variables on sexual outcome in 100 women with systemic lupus erythematosus was examined. Subjects were administered a sexual adjustment interview and scales assessing depression, body image, and relationship quality. Medical data were obtained from patients and physicians. Key predictors of sexual outcome were disease severity (P < 0.001), premorbid sexual adjustment (P < 0.05), and relationship quality (P < 0.05). Results suggest that the impact of systemic lupus erythematosus on sexual response may best be understood by considering a combination of interpersonal, psychological, and medical conditions in a patient's life.
Business process improvement through electronic data interchange (EDI) systems: an empirical study

Explores the effect of EDI systems on business process improvement (BPI) and the moderating effect of information intensity of the industry on the relationship between EDI systems and BPI. The data for the study were gathered through a survey of Fortune 1,000 US firms at branch levels. The results of study support the hypotheses that EDI systems spanning between a firm and its suppliers have a direct and significant relationship with BPI factors. Information intensity of the industry was not found to moderate the relationship between EDI systems and BPI; rather, it was found to have a direct and significant impact on BPI factors.