cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multichannel search for minimal supergravity at pp̄ and e + e - colliders

We examine the phenomenology of minimal supergravity models, assuming only that the low energy theory has the minimal particle content, that electroweak symmetry is radiatively broken, and that [ital R] parity is essentially conserved. After delineating regions of supergravity parameter space currently excluded by direct particle searches at CERN LEP and the Fermilab Tevatron we quantify how this search region will be expanded when LEP II and the Tevatron main injector upgrades become operational. We describe how various experimental analyses can be consistently combined within a single framework, resulting in a multichannel search for supersymmetry, but note that this analysis is sensitive to specific assumptions about physics at the unification scale.
Quantification of left ventricular twisting mechanics by velocity vector imaging in an animal model of pericardial adhesions.

Abstract Diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis remains clinically challenging. Untwisting of the left ventricle (LV) is essential for normal LV diastolic function. Echocardiography is able to measure LV twisting mechanics. We designed an animal model of constrictive pericarditis to determine how pericardial-epicardial adhesions impair LV twisting mechanics. In eight open-chest pigs, the heart was exposed while preserving the pericardium. We simulated early constrictive pericarditis by pericardial constriction and patchy adhesions induced with instant glue and pericardial-epicardial stitches. Using Velocity Vector Imaging™ (VVI), LV magnitudes of twisting and untwisting were measured along with hemodynamic data at baseline and after the experimental intervention. Significant decreases in end-diastolic volume, ejection fraction, stroke volume, and late diastolic filling velocity reflected the effects of the pericardial adhesions. Magnitude of LV untwisting rate decreased from –80 ± 23°/s to –26 ± 10 °/s (p = 0.0009). LV twisting rate dropped from 78 ± 20°/s to 40 ± 8°/s (p = 0.0039) and LV twist magnitude decreased from 9 ± 2° to 5 ± 2 ° (p = 0.0081). Patchy pericardial adhesions are associated with reductions in LV untwisting rate and twisting magnitude, consistent with a negative impact of constrictive pericarditis on systolic and diastolic function. Impairments in LV twisting mechanics may have a diagnostic role in the detection of early stages of constrictive pericarditis. (E-mail: belohlavek.marek@mayo.edu )
Scavenger receptor class B type I as a receptor for oxidized low density lipoprotein.

Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) has been established as the primary mediator of the selective transfer of lipids from HDL to mammalian cells. In addition to its role in cholesterol metabolism, SR-BI has been shown to bind apoptotic cells and thus could in theory also function as a scavenger receptor. We now show that SR-BI binds oxidized LDL (OxLDL) with high affinity (K(d) of 4.0 +/- 0.5 microg/ml) and mediates internalization and degradation to an extent comparable to that of other scavenger receptors, when normalized to binding activity. The best competitors for OxLDL binding to SR-BI were oxidized lipoproteins, whereas native or acetylated lipoproteins only competed for a small fraction of OxLDL binding. Both the isolated lipids and the isolated protein from OxLDL bound with high affinity to SR-BI and showed partial reciprocal competition. Monoclonal antibody EO6, an antibody against oxidized phospholipids, and 1-palmitoyl-2-(5-oxovaleroyl) phosphatidylcholine (POVPC) both competed effectively with intact OxLDL and with isolated lipids from OxLDL for SR-BI binding.Together, these results demonstrate a potential function of SR-BI, in addition to its role in selective uptake of lipids, to mediate internalization of OxLDL by macrophages and suggest a central role for oxidized phospholipids in this process.
THE FINE STRUCTURAL ORGANIZATION OF NERVE FIBERS, SHEATHS, AND GLIAL CELLS IN THE PRAWN, PALAEMONETES VULGARIS

In view of reports that the nerve fibers of the sea prawn conduct impulses more rapidly than other invertebrate nerves and look like myelinated vertebrate nerves in the light microscope, prawn nerve fibers were studied with the electron microscope. Their sheaths are found to have a consistent and unique structure that is unlike vertebrate myelin in four respects: ( 1 ) The sheath is composed of 10 to 50 thin (200- to 1000-A) layers or laminae; each lamina is a cellular process that contains cytoplasm and wraps concentrically around the axon. The laminae do not connect to form a spiral; in fact, no cytoplasmic continuity has been demonstrated among them. ( 2 ) Nuclei of sheath cells occur only in the innermost lamina of the sheath; thus, they lie between the sheath and the axon rather than outside the sheath as in vertebrate myelinated fibers. ( 3 ) In regions in which the structural integrity of the sheath is most prominent, radially oriented stacks of desmosomes are formed between adjacent laminae. ( 4 ) An ∼200-A extracellular gap occurs around the axon and between the innermost sheath laminae, but it is separated from surrounding extracellular spaces by gap closure between the outer sheath laminae, as the membranes of adjacent laminae adhere to form external compound membranes (ECM's). Sheaths are interrupted periodically to form nodes, analogous to vertebrate nodes of Ranvier, where a new type of glial cell called the "nodal cell" loosely enmeshes the axon and intermittently forms tight junctions (ECM's) with it. This nodal cell, in turn, forms tight junctions with other glial cells which ramify widely within the cord, suggesting the possibility of functional axon-glia interaction.
Novel investigational biologics for the treatment of cancer cachexia.

Introduction: Cancer cachexia is a complex multifactorial syndrome characterized by ongoing, irreversible skeletal muscle loss, leading to progressive functional impairment. Several investigational biologics targeting key inflammatory pathways and/or the myostatin/activin type II receptor pathway are in development.Areas covered: Novel therapies include ALD518, MABp1, IP-1510, OHR/AVR118, bimagrumab and REGN1033 and are discussed. For each investigational therapy, the mechanism of action, preclinical data, cachexia definition, indication and clinical data are discussed.Expert opinion: A critical look of the study protocols and two key challenges limiting the successful evaluation of these agents include: i) lack of a clinically meaningful cachexia definition; and ii) identification and treatment of cachexia in late stage. We describe our observations and clinical experience in an effort to redirect and promote successful strategies to evaluate these novel investigational biologics.
The Sexual Division of Foraging Labor: Biology, Taboo, and Gender Politics

If women's biology is their economic destiny, nowhere is this destiny more inexorable than in anthropological representations of the sexual division of foraging labor. Physically weak, immobilized by nursing children, engrossed in the provisioning of reliable plant foods, redolent with odors that drive away the game, and subject finally to the axiom that specialization everywhere increases productivity, the foraging woman who gathers but does not hunt seems multiply inevitable, the product at once of logistical necessity and evolutionary selection.
How Far Can Data Loops Go

The switching of addressed blocks of data through a network (message switching) is particularly suited to the sort of inquiry-response communication characteristic of many business transactions. In a system of interconnected loops, efficient message switching can be attained with distributed control rather than common control. The initial capital investment in such a system would be low and the investment would grow only as the system grew.
Protection of salmon calcitonin breakdown with serine proteases by various ovomucoid species for oral drug delivery.

Abstract The current work compared protective effects of various ovomucoid species against salmon calcitonin (sCT) metabolism by serine proteases. sCT solutions (50 μM) were incubated at 37°C with trypsin (0.5 μM), α‐chymotrypsin (0.1 μM), or elastase (0.48 μM) in 50 mM Tris buffer (pH 8.0) containing or lacking different concentrations of turkey ovomucoid (tOVM), duck ovomucoid (dOVM), or chicken ovomucoid (cOVM) and aprotinin. Caco‐2 cell homogenate was also incubated with sCT and the contents of the proteases were assayed by using their specific substrates. Metabolites were identified by high‐performance liquid chromatography, gel electrophoresis, and matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry techniques. In the absence of inhibitors, there was a considerable degradation of sCT by the proteases. dOVM and tOVM increased the half‐life of sCT with trypsin and α‐chymotrypsin at enzyme‐to‐inhibitor ratio of 1:4 showing similar efficacy. dOVM was found to be superior to tOVM in protecting sCT from elastase. cOVM was ineffective in protecting sCT against α‐chymotrypsin. Caco‐2 cell homogenate degraded sCT, which was prevented by tOVM. sCT was cleaved into different molecular weight fragments with different proteases. In general, the metabolite formation decreased when inhibitor concentration increased. dOVM and tOVM effectively stabilized sCT against all three proteases. However, cOVM could not prevent the degradation by α‐chymotrypsin. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association J Pharm Sci 93:392–406, 2004
Prevention Strategies Other Than Male Condoms Employed by Low-Income Women to Prevent HIV Infection

This study sought to determine HIV prevention strategies other than male condom use employed by low-income women who have sex with men (WSM) and to identify variables that predict use of these strategies. A cross-sectional survey of nearly 4,000 women receiving Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) benefits in 21 Missouri counties was conducted. The response rate was 58%, with 2,256 completed questionnaires returned. Women were asked to indicate one or more of nine methods they had ever used to prevent HIV infection. Women were also asked about their use of male condoms, preference for male condoms versus female condoms, and which partner usually made decisions about STD/HIV prevention. Of the 2,256 questionnaires returned, 1,325 WSM indicated use of at least one HIV prevention strategy other than condom use. Strategies were: being tested for HIV (68.2%), partner being tested for HIV (44.1%), asking partner about his sex history (41.1%), using oral contraceptives (18.8%), asking him if he has HIV (13.7%), douching (11.8%), withdrawal (9.4%), and having anal or oral sex (6.6%). Common predictors of these strategies were race, education, history of STD, condom use, and marital status. Basic misunderstandings about HIV prevention are common in specified subpopulations of low-income women. HIV prevention programs for low-income WSM should capitalize on women's efforts to prevent HIV by designing programs to help women replace ineffective prevention strategies with effective prevention strategies.
Course Module: Formal Technical Reviews

This paper describes a SWENET course module on formal technical reviews. The module provides an overview of software reviews, walkthroughs and inspections. It then focuses in more detail on formal technical reviews as an example of one review approach. The module is intended to provide about two hours of class lecture material and can be used in combination with an exercise that would take two to three hours. The module includes instructor tips, sample exercise instructions, and presentation slides
Retinoic acid suppresses intimal hyperplasia and prevents vessel remodeling following arterial injury.

Abstract Vitamin A and its derivatives (retinoids) are capable of inhibiting vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation in vitro. The present study examines the effect of two retinoids, all-trans retinoic acid and 13-cis retinoic acid, on intimal hyperplasia following arterial injury. After receiving varying doses of all-trans retinoic acid or 13-cis retinoic acid, 78 male Sprague–Dawley rats underwent standard balloon catheter denudation of the left common carotid artery. Morphometric analysis and immunohistochemistry for proliferating cell nuclear antigen was performed at early and late time points. Intimal/medial ratios were reduced in a dose-dependent fashion for animals treated with all-trans retinoic acid (P=0.001) and 13-cis retinoic acid (P=0.004). Proliferating cell nuclear antigen labeling indices were reduced after treatment with all-trans retinoic acid and 13-cis retinoic acid at early time points post-injury. At a dose of 10 mg/kg, both all-trans retinoic acid and 13-cis retinoic acid inhibited vessel remodeling as measured by increases in luminal diameter (P
Increased NGF proforms in aged sympathetic neurons and their targets

Target-derived neurotrophins such as nerve growth factor (NGF) and neurotrophin-3 (NT-3) regulate sympathetic neuron survival. Here, NGF and NT-3 protein and transcript were examined in sympathetic neurons and targets in order to determine their role in age-related neuronal atrophy. One obvious alteration was a dramatic increase (up to 50-fold) in NGF protein forms, corresponding to proNGF-B, in the superior cervical ganglion (SCG) and targets where sympathetic innervation shows atrophy. In the iris, where sympathetic innervation is protected into old age, proNGF-B was decreased. Alterations in NGF transcript paralleled changes in NGF protein, albeit to a lesser degree. Though significantly increased in aged SCG, NT-3 protein, found primarily as the ‘mature’ form, showed only minor changes in most tissues, though NT-3 mRNA generally was decreased. In contrast, both NT-3 transcript and NT-3 precursors were increased in iris. The dramatic increases in proNGF, together with minimal changes in NT-3, suggest that alterations in NGF regulation may contribute to the loss of sympathetic innervation observed in many aged peripheral targets.
A Dilated Cardiomyopathy Troponin C Mutation Lowers Contractile Force by Reducing Strong Myosin-Actin Binding

In this study we explore the mechanisms by which a double mutation (E59D/D75Y) in cardiac troponin C (CTnC) associated with dilated cardiomyopathy reduces the Ca2+-activated maximal tension of cardiac muscle. Studying the single mutants (i.e. E59D or D75Y) indicates that D75Y, but not E59D, causes a reduction in the calcium affinity of CTnC in troponin complex, regulated thin filaments (RTF), and the Ca2+ sensitivity of contraction and ATPase in cardiac muscle preparations. However, both D75Y and E59D are required to reduce the actomyosin ATPase activity and maximal force in muscle fibers, indicating that E59D enhances the effects of D75Y. Part of the reduction in force/ATPase may be due to a defect in the interactions between CTnC and cardiac troponin T, which are known to be necessary for ATPase activation. An additional mechanism for the reduction in force/ATPase comes from measurements of the binding stoichiometry of myosin subfragment-1 (S-1) to the RTF. Using wild type RTFs, 4.8 mol S-1 was bound per mol filament (seven actins), whereas with E59D/D75Y RTFs, the number of binding sites was reduced by ∼23% to 3.7. Altogether, these results suggest that the reduction in force and ATPase activation is possibly due to a thin filament conformation that promotes fewer accessible S-1-binding sites. In the absence of any family segregation data, the functional results presented here support the concept that this is likely a dilated cardiomyopathy-causing mutation.
Should You Order the Feedback Sandwich? Efficacy of Feedback Sequence and Timing

This study sought to investigate the efficacy of feedback sequence—namely, the feedback sandwich—and timing on performance. Undergraduate participants performed simulated office tasks, each associated with a feedback sequence (positive–corrective–positive, positive–positive–corrective, corrective–positive–positive, and no feedback), presented in a counterbalanced fashion. Half of the participants received individual verbal feedback delivered privately by the researcher immediately after each session, and the remaining participants received the same type of feedback immediately before each session. The aggregate data suggested no feedback was the most efficacious for participants who experienced feedback prior to performance, and the corrective–positive–positive sequence was the most efficacious for participants who received feedback following performance. Differences in feedback timing were not significant except for the no feedback condition. These results document that the feedback sandwich was not the ...
Changing Employers Cognition: Personal Mobile Technology as a Workplace Enabler for Blind and Visually Impaired Workers

Most employers believe blind and visually impaired people (BVIP) cannot perform essential job tasks and require expensive accommodation. The emergence of smartphones, enabling applications, screen readers, and Internet access provide a personal assistive mobile technology (PAMT) bundle which dramatically extends sensory capabilities for BVIP. PAMT should afford new workplace capabilities. However, the promise of these capabilities has not yet been accounted for by job-skill trainers, employers or policymakers. We articulate a theoretically informed model of task capabilities fit to account for the enhanced capabilities of PAMT-enabled BVIP. We offer our model as a diagnostic tool to help employers, vocational rehabilitation agencies, and policy makers evaluate the utility of these capabilities in various organizational settings and distribute resources in a more efficient way. We introduce experimental and exemplary demonstrations as a means of assessing the goodness of our model and disseminating information regarding these new BYOD capabilities into the workplace.
Mobile Phone and Social Media Use and Preferences for a Secondary Prevention mHealth Intervention Among Youth Living With HIV

Purpose: Adolescents and Young Adults account for nearly 40% of new HIV infections each year and are significantly less likely than their adult counterparts to achieve viral suppression. Individuals living with chronic disease like HIV spend approximately 5,000 waking hours per year outside the doctor’s office in which they make health behavior decisions. Youth constantly consume mobile technology which represents a tremendous opportunity to provide support for adherence to HIV+ youth in the real places and times they need it as they go about their daily lives. The purpose of this study was to (1) understand frequency and patterns of mobile phone and social media use among youth living with HIV and (2) determine youth preferences for a mobile phone based application targeted at improving medication adherence and reducing sexual risk behavior. Methods: The study employed a mixed methods design including (1) a Computer-Assisted Self-Interview (CASI) administered via REDCap on an iPad to determine mobile phone and social media use patterns and frequency and (2) two focus groups were conducted using nominal group technique to determine youth preferences for app features. Participants were asked to list features of a mobile phone app that they felt would be most helpful to increase medication adherence and reduce sexual risk behavior. They were then shown wireframes (drawings of the design, flow, and features) of a potential app developed by the multidisciplinary study team based on their clinical experience including game/app designers, an adolescent medicine physician who provides care for youth living with HIV, and an HIV+ young adult. Finally they were asked to rank the most important feature from their suggestions and those presented by the study team. Results: N1⁄410. Mean age was 21. Participants were 90% male, 80% African American, 60% Android users, and on average spent 13.7 hours per day on their smartphones. The key features identified in the 2 focus groups were (1) medication reminders, (2) a calendar showing adherence progress, (3) panic button, (4) resources and information on medication, housing, insurance, (5) STI testing and condom locator, (6) gaming functions including avatars and team support, (7) message boards and personal stories, (8) pill cam, (9) daily fun facts or inspiringmessages, and (10) direct link tomedical provider. Conclusions: HIV+ youth consume mobile technology frequently and identified key features for a potential mHealth secondary prevention intervention. Next steps include professional app development, usability testing, and a 3-month pilot feasibility trial that will collect data on satisfaction, usage, adherence to medication and other care outcomes. Sources of Support: NIH K23MH102128-01A1 (Dowshen); University of Pennsylvania Center for AIDS Research Pilot Award P30AI45008 (Hoxie). 155.
Lattice QCD: bulk and transport properties of QCD matter

Abstract We present an overview of the most recent results on bulk and transport properties of QCD matter inferred from lattice QCD simulations.
Proper Orthogonal Decomposition of a Wind Turbine Array Boundary Layer

The nearand far-wake characteristics of wind turbine arrays are studied using PIV data taken from wind tunnel experiments. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is employed to gain information about the energetically coherent structures present in the ow. Speci cally, the structures responsible for the entrainment of turbulent kinetic energy in the nearand far-wake are explored. Furthermore, the important POD modes are determined, not only in relation to remediation of the momentum de cit, but also in relation to the extraction and dissipation of kinetic energy by the turbine.
Von der Breite und Tiefe ostdeutscher Kohortenprägungen. Warum die letzte DDR-Jugend keine Generation wurde

Wie pragten die SED-Diktatur und ihr Zusammenbruch ihre Burgerinnen und Burger? Wie denken ehemalige DDR-Burgerinnen und Burger uber den im Staatssozialismus verbrachten Teil ihrer Biographie heute? Diese Fragen konnen sicherlich nur mit Blick auf verschiedene Alterskohorten beantwortet werden. Schlieslich veranderte sich selbst die scheinbar unbewegliche DDR nicht nur im Machtwechsel von Ulbricht zu Honecker, sondern unterlag einem zwar gedampften, aber doch merklichen Wandlungs- und Modernisierungsprozess. Zudem zeichnete sich das Leben in der DDR durch das konstante Aushandeln von diktatorischer Gewalt, Konformitat und eigensinniger Selbstbehauptung aus. Gleichfalls erlebten die Ostdeutschen, Wende und Transformationsprozess sehr unterschiedlich, was diverse Diskurse uber die Vergangenheit – man denke beispielsweise nur an „Ostalgie“ – in die Offentlichkeit beforderte oder eher zuruckdrangte. Diese Veranderungen und konstanten Anpassungsleistungen spielten somit genauso wie das Alter im Erleben historischer Momente fur diese Pragung eine grose, aber eben fur verschiedene Alterskohorten unterschiedliche Rolle.
Design of a PMSM Drive Circuit Based on SPM3 Smart Power Module

The modern industry has a huge need to high power density and high efficiency servo drive systems,and the power drive circuit is the hardware base of the system.A drive circuit for PMSM is designed based on the new SPM3 series smart power module.Focus on the thermal performance of the power device,the power losses and the thermal circuit are calculated.A good behavior is achieved when used the drive circuit in a high performance industry sewing machine servo control system.
ApoE genotyping by real-time fluorescence PCR

Objective To establish a new effective method by using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to detect single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing for rapid identifying apolipoprotein E alleles.Methods To determine alleles of human apolipoprotein E genetic polymorphism at Cys112Arg locus was detected by PCR melting curve analysis with fluorophore SYBR Green I. In order to increase the speciality of SNP assays, high fidelity Taq polymerase was used. The reliability of SNP typing was validated by comparison with the results of direct DNA sequencing.Results Each sample was determined by double tubes, and two melting curves were analysis. As compared the Tm value of samples with the Tm of standard substance, the apoE genotype of samples was determined. The apoE genotype of 30 samples were E3/3 (27/30) and E3/4 (3/30) respectively, which was accordant with the results of PCR-RFLP and DNA sequencing.Conclusion The presented allelic assay was specific, easy to operate and applicable for discrimination of apolipoprotein E genotyping of human blood.
Construction and empirical study of interactional discourse in the second language classroom under sociocultural theory

Under the sociocultural theory, this paper sorts out the study on the interactional discourse in the second language classroom home and abroad, aiming to combine the sociocultural teaching perspective with the strategies for classroom interactional discourse construction. Through applying the Adaption theory, Internalization theory, "Zone of Proximal Development" theory in the practice of second language classroom, the paper proves the promotion of the sociocultural theory on the study of interactional discourse in second language classroom. And the theoretical study is enhanced ultimately in the question-and-feedback between teacher and students in the second language classroom.
Detection, prediction, and significance of perioperative myocardial infarction following aorta-coronary bypass.

One hundred consecutive patients undergoing aorta-coronary bypass grafting (ACBG) alone, without ventricular venting, were prospectively studied to determine the incidence and consequence of perioperative myocardial infarction (PMI) and the clinical variables that were predictive of PMI. Incidence was determined by serial electrocardiography (ECG) (100 patients; serum CK, GOT, and LDH (100 patients), CK isoenzymes (qualitative 100 patients, quantitated 50 patients); vectorcardiography (VCG) (78 patients); and 99mtechnetium pyrophosphate scintigraphy (TcPyp) (52 patients). The incidence of PMI by ECG was 9%; an additional 8% of cases was diagnosed by enzymes alone. The incidence of diagnostic change by VCG was 19% and by scintigraphy, 25%. Using at least one changed variable of the remaining three as the reference standard, the relative sensitivity and relative specificity of given variables in the diagnosis of PMI were as follows: ECG 67% and 100%, respectively; VCG 85% and 94%; scintigraphy 92% and 97%; and serum enzymes 86% and 96%. By univariate analysis, unstable angina was the only significant predictor of PMI. The operative mortality rate was 2% and the mortality rate at 12 months was 5%. There was a significantly greater mortality rate in patients with PMI diagnosed by ECG (p
Immunopathophysiology of gastrointestinal disease in HIV infection.

SUMMARY In summary, gastrointestinal manifestations are a major complication of HIV infection. These manifestations present clinically as early, intermediate, and late-phase enteric illness due to HIV itself or the acquisition of opportunistic infections and neoplasms. HIV-induced defects in lymphocytes and mononuclear phagocytes, which circulate through and populate the gastrointestinal mucosa, and a sequence of HIV-dependent alterations in mucosal integrity represent the fundamental immunopathophysiologic basis for these clinical manifestations.
Unmasking the Effects of L-DOPA on Rapid Dopamine Signaling with an Improved Approach for Nafion Coating Carbon-Fiber Microelectrodes.

L-DOPA has been the gold standard for symptomatic treatment of Parkinson’s disease. However, its efficacy wanes over time as motor complications develop. Very little is known about how L-DOPA therapy affects the dynamics of fluctuating dopamine concentrations in the striatum on a rapid time scale (seconds). Electrochemical studies investigating the effects of L-DOPA treatment on electrically evoked dopamine release have reported conflicting results with significant variability. We hypothesize that the uncertainty in the electrochemical data is largely due to electrode fouling caused by polymerization of L-DOPA and endogenous catecholamines on the electrode surface. Thus, we have systematically optimized the procedure for fabricating cylindrical, Nafion-coated, carbon-fiber microelectrodes. This has enabled rapid and reliable detection of L-DOPA’s effects on striatal dopamine signaling in intact rat brain using fast-scan cyclic voltammetry. An acute dose of 5 mg/kg L-DOPA had no significant effect on dopam...
What's in a Grade? Grading Policies and Practices in Principles of Economics.

ABSTRACTSurvey results from a national sample of economics instructors describe the grading policies and practices in principles of economics courses. The survey results provide insights about absolute and relative grading systems used by instructors, the course components and their weights that determine grades, and the type of assessment items used for the major course components of exams, quizzes, and homework. The survey also provides information about the discretionary grading practices of instructors related to awarding bonus points, giving extra credit, or setting cut points for grade decisions. The overall finding is that there is a wide variety of grading policies used in principles courses and substantial discretion in how economics professors determine grades.
TCT-272 National Trend in Hospitalization Cost for In-patient Single Vessel Percutaneous Coronary Intervention in Patients with and without Diabetes Mellitus in the United States: An Analysis from Nationwide Inpatient Sample from 2006-2011

The objective of our study was to assess trends in hospitalization cost for single vessel percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in diabetics and non-diabetics. Data were retrieved from nationwide inpatient sample from 2006 to 2011, which is a 20% stratified probability sample of discharges in
Prevalence of Sperm Bound Antibodies in Infertile Men with Varicocele: The Effect of Varicocele Ligation on Antibody Levels and Semen Response

AbstractAn increased level of antisperm antibodies has been demonstrated in infertile men with varicocele compared with normal fertile men, suggesting a possible cause and effect relationship. To evaluate the possible etiological role of antisperm antibodies in varicocele patients, we performed a prospective study of 32 infertile men undergoing varicocele ligation. Semen analyses and antisperm antibodies as measured by the immunobead test were performed preoperatively and postoperatively at 3 and 6 months. Of the infertile men with varicocele 28% had a positive immunobead test compared with 0% of normal fertile men. The average total motile sperm count was significantly different (p <0.05, 2-tailed t test) for 9 varicocele patients with sperm-bound antibody (3.2 × 106) compared with 23 without antibody (8.4 × 106). Postoperatively, 68% of all patients exhibited improved semen parameters, with no change in antibody status in either group. Among the antibody positive group 71% showed an increase in motile s...
Brexit, the Rule of Law, and Hayek's Spontaneous Order

The Brexit vote surprised and even astonished a large number of people around the world who could not – and cannot – understand why citizens of the United Kingdom would vote to secede from the European Union. If, however, one understands not just the current problems the British citizenry believe the E.U. has caused them, but also understands the historical legal and cultural disconnect between England and the Continent, the Brexit decision is easier to understand. This article explores the spontaneous development of the English concept of the rule of law in context, in contrast to the Civilian rule through law. While the two legal traditions may have a lot in common, their conceptions of the relationship among man, law, and government differ. The Civilian system posits that law is given top-down by a legislature, and that rights given by the government are coupled with duties towards society on the part of citizens. In contrast, common law legal systems predicate that law grows from the bottom-up by way of judicial decision, that governmental and legislative powers are limited, and citizens tacitly consent to a government whose primary function is to protect their liberty.
Is survivorship care plan discussion important to patients

49Background: The 2015 Commission on Cancer standard requires that cancer survivors receive a personalized survivorship care plan (SCP). There exists a gap in consistency of how and when this plan is delivered. There is a need to evaluate patient satisfaction with personalized care along with direct education regarding the SCP and follow up. The aim of the current study was to determine the 1) rate at which cancer survivors find in-person discussion of SCP helpful, and 2) the rate at which they find the in-person discussion more helpful than the alternatives. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was routinely administered, for quality assurance purposes, to cancer patients who completed treatment in a radiation oncology setting at a NCI-Designated Cancer Center. The population consisted of survivors of breast, prostate, colon, anal, pancreatic, lung, and liver cancers. Patients were given the questionnaire at the conclusion of a survivorship visit with a nurse practitioner devoted to survivorship care. Dur...
Demand Forecasting for Inventory Control

Management is continually faced with a fast-paced flow of business planning and decision-making situations. A forecast of some type is used as a basis to meet many of these needs, whereby, the more reliable the forecasts , the better the outcome for the planning and decisions. Forecasting has plagued management for centuries, but now, with the advancement in computers, forecasting methods that previously were impossible to explore are currently achievable.
Preferential use of imaging modalities in staging newly diagnosed rectal cancer: a survey of US radiation oncologists.

Background: Accurate staging is crucial for management of patients with newly diagnosed rectal cancer. Endorectal ultrasound (EUS) has been the standard modality in the United States for decades, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) now preferred by national guidelines. Positron emission tomography (PET), conversely, is not recommended. The current utilization of imaging modalities by American radiation oncologists in staging newly diagnosed rectal cancer is unknown. Methods: American radiation oncologists completed an anonymous institutional review board-approved online survey probing their imaging preferences for initial staging of rectal cancer patients. Results: We received 220 responses from American radiation oncologists, with 39% in academic centers and with 45% seeing more than 10 rectal cancer patients per year. Most respondents utilize all three imaging modalities for rectal cancer staging—EUS, MRI and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT). Fifty-two percent and 38% of respondents are high utilizers of EUS and MRI, respectively, defined as ordering these tests at least 75% of the time. Forty seven percent were high PET utilizers. The latter was associated with practice in a private setting (P=0.015) and being within 10 years from residency training completion (P Conclusions: Our analysis reveals a dramatic discordance among national guidelines and the practice patterns among American radiation oncologists. More rely on PET for initial staging of rectal cancer patients than on pelvic MRI. Further research needs to determine the most effective imaging work-up of patients with an initial diagnosis of rectal cancer.
Cutaneous toxicity as a predictive biomarker for clinical outcome in patients receiving anticancer therapy.

The relationship between treatment outcome and cutaneous toxicity induced by anticancer therapy has gained attention in the past decade. In this article, we have provided an overview of the 3 main classes of anticancer agents—specifically, molecularly targeted kinase inhibitors, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and cytotoxic chemotherapeutics—and described the data evaluating the association between cutaneous toxicity induced by these agents and survival benefit. Although preliminary studies are promising with regard to the potential role of cutaneous toxicities as a surrogate biomarker of efficacy of treatment, larger prospective studies are needed to confirm this relationship. Dermatologists have a unique opportunity to collaborate with oncologists in the multidisciplinary treatment paradigm by helping to identify and manage these dermatologic events in patients with cancer. A heightened awareness of these toxicities is critical, as it can potentially allow recognition of the efficacy of anticancer therapy and may influence treatment decisions and patient outcomes.
Enabling real-time internet-of-people “4D” mobile applications

“4D” mobile applications have four significant features: a) information assimilation and visualization, b) personal customization based on physiology, c) customization based on information available in a networked community, and d) physical or psychological feedback. It can be implemented by the commercial wearable and apps with converting mobiles into data collection hubs. In this paper, we consider wearable carrying by various people as a networked cluster of computing power and information source. A developer can write a custom app to perform computation on this data and gain group level aggregate inferences and provide feedback. However, significant challenges exist with respect to security of data, safety of the device as well as the human user under physical feedback, and overall energy efficiency of the wearable. In this regard, we present an Internet-of-People (IoP) framework for developing “4D” mobile apps. IoP uses a high level specification and an automated code generator. We also show the IoP usage to develop one “4D” mobile app, Driver Assistant System (DAS) which avoids emergency situations by monitoring driver's physiological condition and car parameters, and issuing real-time feedbacks such as alarms.
Motivation and Overview

The determination of the transport, electromagnetic, and mechanical properties of heterogeneous materials has a long and venerable history, attracting the attention of some of the luminaries of science, including Maxwell (1873), Rayleigh (1892), and Einstein (1906). In his Treatise on Electricity and Magnetism, Maxwell derived an expression for the effective conductivity of a dispersion of spheres that is exact for dilute sphere concentrations. Lord Rayleigh developed a formalism to compute the effective conductivity of regular arrays of spheres that is used to this day. Work on the mechanical properties of heterogeneous materials began with the famous paper by Einstein in which he determined the effective viscosity of a dilute suspension of spheres. Since the early work on the physical properties of heterogeneous materials, there has been an explosion in the literature on this subject because of the rich and challenging fundamental problems it offers and its manifest technological importance.
Research Outside the Field of Education

Our progress in understanding human language, thinking, reasoning, and problem solving has been remarkable over the last quarter of a century. Part of this progress has resulted from attempts to extend our understanding of human cognition from the context of simple experimental tasks to that of tasks in everyday life. This development is fortuitous for present purposes, as our understanding of human cognition begins to encompass the kinds of challenges faced by leaders in real-world organizations.
Steroid hormone actions in tissue culture cells and cell hybrids--their relation to human malignancies.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses steroid sensitivity and resistance within the limits of those cells that appear to have natural sensitivity. The chapter explores how cells control their responses to steroids. The different responses by various receptor-containing cells to a given steroid require additional levels of control. This is true of all steroids; however, it is particularly striking in the case of the glucocorticoids, for which receptors have been found in many tissues. The many tissue-specific effects of glucocorticoids range from induction of various tissue-specific enzymes to inhibition of DNA synthesis and lymphocytolysis. Thus, while the receptor theory of steroid action has helped to visualize the first step in the path by which steroids exert their multiple effects, it has not solved entirely the problem of specificity of response.
Auditory distraction does more than disrupt rehearsal processes in children's serial recall.

As children mature, their ability to remember information improves. This improvement has been linked to changes in verbal control processes such as rehearsal. Rehearsal processes are thought to undergo a quantitative shift around 7 years of age; however, direct measurement of rehearsal is difficult. We investigated a measure of rehearsal ability in children and compared this measurement to serial recall performance in the presence of auditory distractors. Theories of auditory distraction effects in children rely upon a combination of attentionally based and serial-order-based processes (Elliott et al. in Journal of Memory and Language, 88, 39-50, 2016); the present work contributes to the understanding of auditory distraction effects by measuring both types of processes within one study. Children completed an individually adjusted serial-recall task with auditory distractors. To assess rehearsal, each child's proportionalized articulatory difference (PAD) score was calculated from performance on adaptive digit span tasks performed in quiet and under articulatory suppression (see also Jarrold & Citroen in Developmental Psychology, 49, 837-847, 2013). Attentional processes were measured in two ways: first, by using complex span tasks, and second, by children's vulnerability to disruption in the context of irrelevant sound. The results indicated that the rehearsal measure was significantly related to the auditory distraction effect, but this relation was isolated to the attentional-diversion component of the irrelevant-sound effect. The results provide preliminary evidence that children consume attentional resources during rehearsal. Moreover, irrelevant sound disrupts children's rehearsal not solely through automatic, obligatory conflict. Rather, irrelevant sound diverts children's attention, which prevents attentional resources from supporting rehearsal processes.
Feasibility of a Solid set canopy delivery system for efficient agrochemical delivery in vertical shoot position trained vineyards

Solid set canopy delivery systems (SSCDS) offer advantages such as reduced off–target drift and human exposure to chemicals compared to conventional axial–fan airblast sprayers. In this study, six different SSCDS configurations (C1–C6) with two different emitter types (E1 and E2) were installed in a vertical shoot position (VSP) trained grapevine and evaluated for spray deposition and coverage during early, mid, and late growth stages. Emitters E1 and E2 had full–circle and hollow–cone spray pattern, respectively. Configuration C1 had a pair of E1 emitters installed per vine at 760 mm above the cordon. Configurations C2 and C3 had 2 pairs of emitters (E2 and E1, respectively) installed per vine near the cordon and C4 was a combination of C1 and a pair of E2 emitters at the cordon. Configurations C5 and C6 had two E2 emitters per vine installed near the drip line, and C5 also had E1 emitters 760 mm above the cordon. Overall, configurations with emitters installed close to both the top and bottom canopy zones (i.e., C1, C4 and C5) provided the best coverage and deposition in a VSP trained vineyard. Deposition for C1, C4 and C5 was 588 ± 159 ng cm−2 (mean ± std. error), 653 ± 123 ng cm−2 and 607 ± 114 ng cm−2, respectively. Coverage for respective configurations was 19 ± 4%, 23 ± 4% and 25 ± 4%. Overall, deposition did not differ significantly between upper–and under–sides of leaves whereas deposition and coverage in the top and bottom zones differed significantly among different configurations.
Inversion of Enantioselectivity in Allene Gas versus Allyl Acetate Reductive Aldehyde Allylation Guided by Metal-Centered Stereogenicity: An Experimental and Computational Study

The use of gaseous allene as an allyl pronucleophile in enantioselective aldehyde reductive coupling is described. Notably, using the same antipode of chiral ligand, (S)-tol-BINAP, an inversion of ...
Autoimmune-mediated congenital heart block

Abstract Autoimmune-mediated congenital heart block (CHB) is a severe manifestation of neonatal lupus in which conduction tissues of the fetal heart are damaged. This occurs due to passive transference of maternal anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La autoantibodies and subsequent inflammation and fibrosis of the atrioventricular (AV) node. Notably, the disease manifests after the fetal heart has structurally developed, ruling out other anatomical abnormalities that could otherwise contribute to the block of conduction. Complete AV block is irreversible and the most common manifestation of CHB, although other cardiac complications such as endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE), dilated cardiomyopathy, and valvular insufficiency have been observed. In this review, we detail the classification, prevalence, pathogenesis, and clinical management recommendations for autoimmune CHB.
An Overview: Discretizing Manifolds via Particle Interactions

The problem of distributing points on a manifold (or discretizing a manifold) arises in many contexts that are of interest to the scientific community as well as in applied fields—statistical sampling, quadrature rules, information theory, coding techniques, computer-aided design, interpolation schemes, finite element tessellations, ground states of matter—to name but a few. Our goal is to address this problem from the perspective of particle interactions; namely, starting from a given formula for the pairwise interactions of N particles (points) that are confined to a given manifold A in the Euclidean space \(\mathbb R^{p},\) we wish to describe the structure of those configurations that arise when the N particles reach an equilibrium state (a state of minimal energy).
Folding of the β-Barrel Membrane Protein OmpA into Nanodiscs.

Abstract Nanodiscs (NDs) are an excellent alternative to small unilamellar vesicles (SUVs) for studies of membrane protein structure, but it has not yet been shown that membrane proteins are able to spontaneously fold and insert into a solution of freely diffusing NDs. In this article, we present SDS-PAGE differential mobility studies combined with fluorescence, circular dichroism, and ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy to confirm the spontaneous folding of outer membrane protein A (OmpA) into preformed NDs. Folded OmpA in NDs was incubated with Arg-C protease, resulting in the digestion of OmpA to membrane-protected fragments with an apparent molecular mass of ∼26 kDa (major component) and ∼24 kDa (minor component). The OmpA folding yields were greater than 88% in both NDs and SUVs. An OmpA adsorbed intermediate on NDs could be isolated at low temperature and induced to fold via an increase in temperature, analogous to the temperature-jump experiments on SUVs. The circular dichroism spectra of OmpA in NDs and SUVs were similar and indicated β-barrel secondary structure. Further evidence of OmpA folding into NDs was provided by ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy, which revealed the intense 785 cm−1 structural marker for folded OmpA in NDs. The primary difference between folding in NDs and SUVs was the kinetics; the rate of folding was two- to threefold slower in NDs compared to in SUVs, and this decreased rate can tentatively be attributed to the properties of NDs. These data indicate that NDs may be an excellent alternative to SUVs for folding experiments and offer benefits of optical clarity, sample homogeneity, control of ND:protein ratios, and greater stability.