cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Neighborhood Characteristics Associated With Access To Patient-Centered Medical Homes For Children

Understanding social determinants of health, such as the social and physical conditions under which children and their families live, work, and play, is essential to reducing disparities and improving the quality of primary care. We studied the relationship between perceptions of neighborhood characteristics such as cohesion, safety, physical environment, and whether children receive care from a patient-centered medical home. We found that place matters. Children were less likely to have access to a medical home if they were from less socially cohesive neighborhoods, less safe neighborhoods, or neighborhoods with fewer amenities. These associations persisted even after adjustment for socioeconomic factors and proved to be more strongly associated than race and income. Our findings underscore the need to foster medical practice models that make use of trusted community partners, such as churches and schools, expand care teams to include community health workers, and identify additional ways to build collaborative relationships between providers and their patients and their families from less cohesive neighborhoods.
Small-vessel lower extremity arterial disease and erectile dysfunction: The Rancho Bernardo study.

Abstract Objective Although erectile dysfunction (ED) has been associated with heart disease risk factors and large-vessel lower extremity arterial disease (LEAD), no community-based studies have reported the association between ED and small-vessel LEAD, despite the similar size of the arteries affected. We examined whether small-vessel LEAD is associated with ED, and whether this association is independent of cardiovascular risk factors and medications. Methods and results Community-dwelling men, average age 71, completed the International Index of Erectile Function-5 questionnaire and had measurements recorded of toe-brachial index (TBI), a measure of small-vessel LEAD. TBI, 12 cardiovascular risk factors, and medications were used as categorical predictors in age-adjusted bivariate analyses, and as continuous covariates in multivariable linear regression analyses, to determine their independent association with severity of ED. In the age-adjusted categorical model, the level of TBI (low, medium, high) was associated with the severity of ED ( β =0.364; 95% CI: 0.102, 0.625). In the final multivariable linear regression model, which controlled for age and systolic blood pressure, lower TBI (i.e., more severe small-vessel LEAD) was significantly and independently associated with more severe ED ( β =0.422; 95% CI: 0.019, 0.826). Conclusions The severity of small-vessel LEAD is significantly and independently associated with the severity of ED. The mechanism for this association remains to be determined, but these data are compatible with the hypothesis that concurrent ED and small-vessel LEAD signify a diffuse microvascular process involving multiple small-vessel arterial beds.
Effect of dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei knife cuts on ingestive behavior.

Previous findings show that rats with electrolytic or excitotoxic lesions in the dorsomedial hypothalamic nucleus (DMN) are hypophagic and hypodipsic and have reduced ponderal and linear growth but...
Cerium-, Samarium-, Holmium-Doped Bi88Sb12

Bi88Sb12 alloy has been doped with 0, 0.066, 0.66, 1.32, and 3.91 % Sm and prepared under two different fabrication conditions. The first being ball milled for 12 h and hot pressed at 240 °C and the second ball milled for 6 h and hot pressed at 200 °C. The results are in agreement with previously studied Ce and Ho samples prepared under similar conditions. A slight ZT enhancement is seen due to doping which is an effect of an enhanced Seebeck coefficient as a result of a decrease in the carrier concentration. The enhancement does not appear to be caused by the magnetic moments of Ce, Sm, and Ho based on the similar change to the gap size with the widely varying magnetic moments of the dopants. In addition, lattice thermal transport in these materials was investigated experimentally and theoretically where phonon dispersions were obtained from first principle calculations, and semiclassical models were used to calculate phonon lifetimes. We have not observed a strong thermal conductivity dependence on the type of the impurity.
Developing Concepts of Ordinary and Extraordinary Communication.

We examine how understandings of ordinary and extraordinary communication develop. Three- to 10-year-old children and adults (N = 183) were given scenarios in which a protagonist wanted help from a human (their parent) or from God. Scenarios varied in whether protagonists expressed their desires aloud (by asking) or silently (by hoping), whether (for human scenarios) parents were nearby or far away, and whether (for God scenarios) protagonists expressed desires through ordinary means (asking or hoping) or more extraordinary means (praying). Following each scenario, participants were asked whether the recipient (either the parent or God) was aware of the protagonist's desire. Children as young as 3 to 4 years old understood that both loudness and distance limit the effectiveness of human communication, reporting that humans would most likely be aware of desires when they were expressed both aloud and nearby. As well, by this age children reported that God would more often be aware of desires than would humans, but children of all ages often reported that God (like humans) would be more aware of desires expressed aloud (rather than silently). These concepts of ordinary and extraordinary communication continued to be refined through middle childhood. Children's performance on standard theory-of-mind tasks and participants' religious background predicted whether they attributed awareness to God. (PsycINFO Database Record
Aortic valve stenosis: a new cardiovascular comorbidity of psoriasis?

This editorial refers to ‘Increased risk of aortic valve stenosis in patients with psoriasis: a nationwide cohort study’[†][1], by U. Khalid et al ., on page 2177. Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disease of the skin and joints affecting >125 million people worldwide.1 There has been a revolution in our understanding of the natural history, pathophysiology, and genetics of this disease over the last decade that has been paralleled by dramatic advances in treatment options for patients with more severe disease.2 The pathophysiology of psoriasis involves chronic Th1 and Th17 inflammation, epidermal hyperproliferation, and chronic angiogenesis. Over 40 genes have been implicated in psoriasis susceptibility, and those in immune-based pathways confer the most risk for psoriasis at the population level. Psoriasis is increasingly recognized as a systemic disease. Measures of C-reactive protein and inflammatory cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM-1), and growth factors such as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEG-F) are increased in patients with psoriasis in a manner that correlates with disease severity. Moreover, skin inflamed by psoriasis overexpresses genes related to cardiovascular (CV) risk, with resultant production of proteins such as renin that may promote CV disease.3 Indeed, mouse models of psoriasis in which the construct is confined to the skin develop aortic inflammation, indicating a proof of principle that chronic inflammation and hyperproliferation of the skin can result in inflammatory changes in the systemic vasculature. … [1]: #fn-2
Synthesis, Characterization, and Infrared Reflectance Spectroelectrochemistry of Organoruthenium Nitrosyl Porphyrins

Metal–carbon bonds are known to form during the metal-catalyzed transformations of various organic compounds such as phenylhydrazines by the heme-containing proteins cytochrome P450, hemoglobin, and myoglobin. The preparation and characterization of synthetic organometallic porphyrins of the group 8 metals are thus of interest, and their properties help enlighten the general discussion of metalloporphyrin–carbon bond chemistry. We have prepared a representative set of (por)Ru(NO)R compounds (por = T(p-OMe)PP, T(p-CF3)PP; R = Me, Et) containing Ru–alkyl bonds trans to NO. We have determined the X-ray crystal structure of (T(p-OMe)PP)Ru(NO)Et, which represents the first crystal structure reported for any organometallic nitrosyl porphyrin with an alkyl ligand trans to NO; the structure reveals a significantly bent RuNO moiety at 153° in this {RuNO}6 compound. We have characterized the redox behavior of the (T(p-OMe)PP)Ru(NO)-containing compounds by cyclic voltammetry and infrared spectroelectrochemistry, and...
Retrieval of a coherent anti-stokes Raman spectrum using a broadband chirped pump pulse

Using spectral interferometry, we time-resolve the anti-Stokes signal stimulated from isopropanol using a chirped pump pulse and short Stokes pulse. From this signal, we calculate the complex Raman spectrum.
Recurrence of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Following Liver Transplantation Within Milan Criteria

The optimal curative options for the management of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are surgical resection and/or liver transplantation (LT). Recent data suggest that ablative treatment such as radio frequency ablation (RFA) may be comparable to surgical resection for small tumors. The 5-year tumor-free survival after surgical resection (or RFA) is less than LT irrespective of the risk factor for HCC. LT is considered the best option in people with HCC and portal hypertension, or those with advanced cirrhosis because of lower surgical mortality rates. Prior to the introduction of Milan criteria, the long-term results of liver transplantation in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma have been variable and disappointing, with an overall 5-year survival rate ranging from 30 to 40 %. Application of Milan criteria has reduced tumor recurrence rates to ~10 % and has improved 5-year tumor-free survival (~70 %). The UNOS data also suggested that the survival improved after the publication of Milan criteria in the United States. There is an ongoing debate whether Milan criteria could be expanded without having an adverse effect on tumor-free survival. Published studies suggest that HCC patients transplanted outside the Milan criteria have 5-year survival rates between 46 and 60 %. One of the major criticisms of Milan criteria is that it is based on pre-LT imaging findings, and only 70 % of explant pathology findings correlate with imaging. Moreover, imaging techniques, protocols, and interpretations of images are not uniform, and additionally, Milan criteria do not take into consideration the variability of tumor biology. As we understand the variability of HCC tumor biology better and develop reliable molecular markers, we may be able to redefine the LT selection criteria for patients with HCC without any negative effects of outcomes. Until then, Milan criteria appear to be a reasonable benchmark for selecting HCC patients for LT.
The moderating role of biomass availability in biopower co-firing — A sensitivity analysis

Abstract Of the various types of renewable energy technologies being promoted in response to concerns about climate change and energy security, co-firing biomass for electricity is one that is potentially feasible in many states and regions of the USA. This study contributes to our understanding of the factors that influence the economic feasibility of this technology. Using a recently developed spatial evaluation tool we perform sensitivity analyses to investigate how the cost of co-firing biomass is affected by power plant scale, level of biomass used as feedstock, local feedstock availability, transportation costs, and resource and harvesting costs. Specifically, we demonstrate the use of this tool by exploring the cost of co-firing biomass in existing qualified coal-fired power plants in Missouri. We find that the cost of electricity generated is higher when biomass is cofired under all assumption. However, it finds significant and interesting interaction among the cost-related features. We are able to conclude that abundant and reasonably-priced biomass feedstocks can dramatically increase the feasibility of biopower by reducing transportation costs. Also, the scale of the technology must be right—large enough to exploit economies of scale but small enough to avoid high transportation costs incurred to procure large volumes of feedstocks.
Evidence of altered membrane phospholipid metabolism in the anterior cingulate cortex and striatum of patients with bipolar disorder I: A multi-voxel 1H MRS study

Abstract Background Previous proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H MRS) studies have reported elevated glycerophosphocholine plus phosphocholine (GPC+PC) in the basal ganglia of patients with bipolar disorders (BD), which implicates an imbalance between synthesis and degradation activity of neuronal and glia membrane phospholipids (MPLs). However, the full extent of altered metabolites of MPLs in subareas within the basal ganglia, such as caudate and putamen, as well as anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) of BD patients is poorly understood. Methods Multi-voxel 1H MRS measurements were acquired in 50 type-one BD (BD-I) and 44 healthy controls (HC) on a 3-T MRI scanner. Four different anatomically defined voxels covering ACC, caudate and putamen were systematically extracted and quantified using LCModel. Group differences in absolute GPC+PC and other metabolites were tested with age and gender as covariates. Results BD-I patients had higher GPC+PC levels in the anterior-dorsal ACC (p = 0.037), caudate (p = 0.005) and putamen (p = 0.004) compared to HC. GPC+PC levels in the caudate were elevated most significantly in currently unmediated BD-I patients (p = 0.022) and were positively correlated with HAM-D scores (r = 0.51, p = 0.005). PCr+Cr and myo-inositol levels were also significantly higher in the caudate head (F(1,45) = 6.010, p = 0.018) of patients compared to HC. NAA and glutamate levels were not significantly different between BD-I and HC in these regions (p > 0.05). Conclusion The increased GPC+PC in BD-I patients may reflect an imbalance in the MPL metabolism. Caudate GPC+PC levels may be a potential biomarker for depressive symptoms in BD.
Toxicosis of Developing Pigs Fed Selenium from Various Sources: Clinical Pathology

Selenium is an essential trace element for many animal species and is a cofactor for some forms of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase. Glutathione peroxidase in concert with vitamin E protects tissues from endogenous oxida­tive damage. Clinical deficiency syndromes are well described in cattle, horses, chickens, pigs and sheep. The gross and microscopic lesions in se­lenium deficient animals are variable between species, but include skeletal and myocardial degeneration and necrosis, hepatic degeneration and necrosis, steatitis, encephalomalacia and exudative diathesis. Fibrinoid necrosis of arterioles, thrombi and endothelial loss are evident histologically.
Breastfeeding Practices Among Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders

Background. Breastfeeding is associated with a decreased risk of obesity in the early and adult years. Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (NHPI) experience high rates of obesity which is often obfuscated with aggregated data. Using disaggregated data, we examined breastfeeding practices among NHPI. Methods. Seven databases and reference lists were searched. Two independent researchers extracted relevant studies based on predetermined criteria. Nine studies met our inclusion criteria and a meta-analysis was conducted using random-effects, inverse-various weighted models. Results. Few studies disaggregated NHPI populations when examining breastfeeding practices. Most studies were cross-sectional and our search yielded no randomized or quasirandomized control trials. The results of the meta-analysis indicated that 46.5% NHPI women initiated breastfeeding with 40.8% breastfeeding exclusively. These pooled analyses show that NHPI breastfeeding practices are below the recommended national and international goals and guidelines. Conclusion. Breastfeeding practices among NHPI are heterogeneous and critical disparities exist among certain NHPI subgroups and additional research needs to be conducted to determine the reasons for the disparity. Future studies should work to disaggregate data for NHPI and the various subpopulations. Multicomponent, multilevel strategies are needed to support breastfeeding practices among NHPI.
A Brief History of the Relationship between Obstetrics and the Mental Health Professions

There is probably no subject that has fascinated mankind more during the course of history and across all cultures than that of pregnancy and childbirth.1 Perhaps the only subject that rivals it for sustained level of interest is that of death itself. Parenthetically, it is noteworthy that these two human experiences, having been the provinces of the medical profession and of hospitals for the past 50 years, are now becoming increasing concerns for alternative health care systems. It is perhaps no coincidence that with the appearance of alternative birthing centers, one sees the simultaneous appearance of hospices in which dying is becoming more focused as a human experience and a family concern rather than as a professionalized medical “event” (see Chapter 16).
Legislative art as Policy and Pedagogy

The primary medium for artist Laurie Jo Reynolds is that of political lobbying. She refers to her practice as “legislative art,” adapting the term “legislative theater,” a technique for grassroots lawmaking developed and coined by Brazilian director and playwright Augusto Boal, who both founded the Theater of the Oppressed and served as a member of the Rio city government from 1993 to 1997. By linking the discourses of art and law, Reynolds’ practice can be understood as a form of education, highlighting the restrictions required for creativity, and the possibilities afforded by structure. In my essay I bring together European political theory, modern American politics, and contemporary conceptual art in order to magnify the possibilities of what Friedrich Schiller called “aesthetic education.” While other scholars have understood art and art education as a process of pleasurable exploration, or formal disciplinary explication, I hope to suggest a way of engaging art education as an intellectual pursuit with open-ended political possibilities.
Fast time-domain simulation through combined symbolic analysis and piecewise linear modeling

This work presents a method for fast time-domain simulation of analog systems with nonlinear parameters. Specifically, the paper focuses on /spl Delta/-/spl Sigma/ analog-to-digital converters (ADC). The method generates compiled-code simulators based on symbolic analysis. Code is optimized using loop invariant elimination, and constant folding. Circuits are described as structural macromodels. Nonlinear parameters are expressed using piecewise linear (PWL) models. The paper presents a technique for automatically creating PWL models through model extraction from trained neural networks (NN). As compared to existing behavioral simulation methods for /spl Delta/-/spl Sigma/ ADC, this technique is fully automated and more accurate. In our experiments, compiled-code simulation was about 100/spl times/ faster than Spectre (numerical) simulation.
Big data for omni-channel supply chain management: the need for greater focus on people and process

Omni-channel retailing is reshaping consumers' purchasing experiences, and expectations. Supply chain management plays a large role in enabling this experience, where big data is used to optimise fulfilment and other key functions. While discussions on the role of big data in support of supply chain management have centred upon the technological aspects required to enable these functions, less attention has been paid to important people and process aspects. The purpose of this conceptual paper is to demonstrate the need for a broader discussion of the people and process aspects of big data employment for supply chain management in general and omni-channel in particular. These two dimensions are described in greater detail, and areas for further research are identified.
Academic Tracking, High-Stakes Tests, and Preparing Students for College: How Inequality Persists Within Schools:

Academic tracking is a common feature of school organization, but it produces inequalities in student outcomes. High-stakes testing policies offer new opportunities for assessing students’ progress...
Economic analysis of pharmacokinetic (PK) studies in phase I clinical trials.

3103 Background: Although PK evaluation is a prevalent and critical component of cancer drug development, optimization of the cost-value relationship of PK studies has not been evaluated. Methods: ...
Neuropsychology Behind the Plate

In baseball, plate umpires are asked to make difficult perceptual judgments on a consistent basis. This chapter addresses some neuro-psychological issues faced by umpires as they call balls and str...
Citizen responses to female executives: is it sex, novelty or both?

ABSTRACTWomen increasingly have been elected to executive office – both at the national and subnational level – in countries throughout the world. Yet, we know little about the effects that the election of a woman to executive office has on citizen attitudes, political engagement, or political participation. In this paper, we argue that the election of a woman to an executive could have effects through the presence of a woman in the executive, the novelty of a woman assuming executive office, or both. We test these hypotheses with a survey experiment conducted in Brazil that focuses on the election of a hypothetical female governor. This project sheds light on how citizens respond to female executives with a causal analysis in an important region for gender and executive politics.
Expressions on the nature and significance of programming and play

Play is all around us, an essential and innate phenomenon that serves as an important mediator in creativity, interest, learning, and drive. Though play is thought to be universal, the way in which it materializes is situationally-dependent and not well-understood, particularly in software engineering. To understand how programmers express the concept of play, we conducted a qualitative study on the online social news website, Hacker News — a venue for software practitioners. From Hacker News, we qualitatively analyzed nearly 1,000 user-submitted comments containing the terms “programming” and “play.” The contribution of this work is a contemporary synthesis of how software practitioners interpret programming and play in experiential terms. Our findings suggest how programming and play can be understood through rich metaphors, among them, play as: art, playgrounds, spontaneity, and tinkering. Hacker News authors reflect about childhood experiences as a catalyst for learning programming, and contrast play against work.
Update on flea and tick associated diseases of cats.

Abstract There are multiple vector-borne diseases in cats, the most prominent being those transmitted by mosquitos, sand flies, fleas, and ticks. Many of the agents vectored by fleas or ticks have been grown or amplified from blood or have induced antibodies in the serum of normal cats or those with clinical signs like fever and will be the focus of this manuscript. As high as 80% of fleas collected from cats contain at least one organism that could induce illness in cats or people. Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Bartonella spp., Borrelia spp., Ehrlichia spp., hemoplasmas, and Rickettsia spp. infect cats and can be associated with clinical illness. Anaplasma phagocytophilum and B. burgdorferi are transmitted by Ixodes spp., Ehrlichia spp. and A. platys are transmitted by Rhipicephalus sanguineus. Fleas vector Bartonella spp., hemoplasmas, and R. felis. Recently, R. typhus was detected in cats in Spain. Lethargy and fever are common findings in cats with flea and tick borne diseases. Hemoplasmas are associated with hemolytic anemia. Moderate thrombocytopenia is associated with the tick-vectored agents. Polymerase chain reaction assays performed on blood collected in the acute phase of infection can be used to prove presence of the organisms. Doxycycline at 5 mg/kg, PO, twice daily or 10 mg/kg, PO, daily can be effective for resolving the clinical signs. If doxycycline is ineffective or not tolerated, fluoroquinolones can be effective for treatment of clinical illness associated with Bartonella spp., hemoplasmas, and Rickettsia spp. Use of flea and tick control products is effective for blocking transmission of many of the agents.
Temporal dynamics of pain: an application of regime-switching models to ecological momentary assessments in patients with rheumatic diseases

Advances in pain measurement using ecological momentary assessments offer novel opportunities for understanding the temporal dynamics of pain. This study examined whether regime-switching models, which capture processes characterized by recurrent shifts between different states, provide clinically relevant information for characterizing individuals based on their temporal pain patterns. Patients with rheumatic diseases (N = 116) provided 7 to 8 momentary pain ratings per day for 2 weekly periods, separated by 3 months. Regime-switching models extracted measures of Average pain (mean level over time), Amplitude (magnitude of shifts in pain levels), Persistence (average duration of pain states), and Dominance (relative duration of higher vs lower pain states) for each patient and assessment period. After controlling for Average pain, the Persistence of pain states uniquely predicted emotional functioning measures, whereas the Dominance of higher pain uniquely predicted physical functioning and pain interference. Longitudinal analyses of changes over the 3 months largely replicated cross-sectional results. Furthermore, patients' retrospective judgments of their pain were uniquely predicted by Amplitude and Dominance of higher pain states, and global impressions of change over the 3 months were predicted by changes on Dominance, controlling for Average pain levels. The results suggest that regime-switching models can usefully capture temporal dynamics of pain and can contribute to an improved measurement of patients' pain intensity.
Differences in Chemical Engineering Student-Faculty Interactions By Student Age and Experience at a Large, Public, Research University

Adult undergraduate students aged 25+ in engineering disciplines are an important demographic bringing a wealth of life experience to the classroom. This study uses qualitative data drawn from semi-structured interviews with two groups of undergraduate chemical engineering students at a large, public research university: adult students with engineeringrelated work experience, and traditional-age students without engineering-related work experience, to compare student-faculty interactions. We find differences between these groups relating to intimidation and embarrassment, and question-asking behaviors.
Central Coding in the Somatic Senses

If at the end of this chapter the reader feels confused, he should be consoled by the thought that he is not alone. Reports are quoted from the literature supporting each of the following entirely factual statements: the dorsal columns of the spinal cord transmit information concerned with fine discrimination of mechanical stimuli; damage to these columns does not degrade performance based on such discriminations; all the input from spinal cord to the nuclei of the dorsal columns comes by way of the dorsal columns; the dorsal columns do not convey information on the position of joints; some of the neurons in the nuclei of the dorsal columns do fire as a function of joint position; the dorsolateral pathways are an alternative route for information on fine mechanical stimuli, including kinesthesis; the principal target of the dorsolateral pathway, the lateral cervical nucleus, contains no neurons which respond to either the movement or the position of joints; the neurons of the spinothalamic pathways are entirely concerned with crude (‘protopathic’) information, have large receptive fields, and are not modality-specific; some of the cells of origin of the spinothalamic pathways in the dorsal horns of the spinal cord encode finely discriminated tactual mechanical information, and some fibers of the spinothalamic tract end in the ventrobasal nuclei of the thalamus, where all neurons have small receptive fields and are strictly modahty specific. For homework the reader is invited to complete this inventory of paradoxical findings.
Chapter 9 “What do you Think if …”: Using Vignettes to Study Attitudes Toward Adult Sibling Caregiving and Competence of Parents of Children with Disabilities

Abstract Providing research participants with hypothetical situations in a vignette format can be a useful methodology in many contexts, including those in which live situations are difficult to study and timelines for the conduct of the research are limited, as is frequently true when students are active research investigators. In the current chapter, we describe two programs of research using vignettes in situations involving individuals with intellectual/developmental disabilities (IDD): adult sibling caretaking of a brother or sister with a disability, and judged competence of parents raising children with disabilities and/or behavior problems. The uses and limitations of the vignette methodology are discussed in terms of its research and didactic utility.
Neurofibromatosis 1 and 2

Neurofibromatosis (NF) 1 and 2 are genetically and phenotyp-ically distinct genetic disorders characterized by the development of benign and malignant tumors. Advances in molecular genetics have resulted in the identification of the NF1 and NF2 genes and their encoded proteins, neurofibromin, and merlin/schwannomin. Identification of these causative genes has led to an improved understanding of the molecular pathogenesis of NF1 and NF2, and has recently resulted in the development of targeted biologically based therapies for tumors in NF1. In this chapter, the epidemiology, clinical features, molecular pathogenesis, animal models, and therapeutic strategies for NF1 and NF2 will be discussed.
On Switala's Matlis duality for D-modules

Abstract We show that N. Switala's Matlis duality for D -modules yields a generalization of a result of R. Hartshorne and C. Polini.
CEST MRI of 3‐O‐methyl‐D‐glucose uptake and accumulation in brain tumors

Purpose 3-O-Methyl-D-glucose (3-OMG) is a nonmetabolizable structural analog of glucose that offers potential to be used as a CEST-contrast agent for tumor detection. Here, we explore it for CEST-detection of malignant brain tumors and compare it with D-glucose. Methods Glioma xenografts of a U87-MG cell line were implanted in five mice. Dynamic 3-OMG weighted images were collected using CEST-MRI at 11.7 T at a single offset of 1.2 ppm, showing the effect of accumulation of the contrast agent in the tumor, following an intravenous injection of 3-OMG (3 g/kg). Results Tumor regions showed higher enhancement as compared to contralateral brain. The CEST contrast enhancement in the tumor region ranged from 2.5-5.0%, while it was 1.5-3.5% in contralateral brain. Previous D-glucose studies of the same tumor model showed an enhancement of 1.5-3.0% and 0.5-1.5% in tumor and contralateral brain, respectively. The signal gradually stabilized to a value that persisted for the length of the scan. Conclusions 3-OMG shows a CEST contrast enhancement that is approximately twice as much as that of D-glucose for a similar tumor line. In view of its suggested low toxicity and transport properties across the BBB, 3-OMG provides an option to be used as a nonmetallic contrast agent for evaluating brain tumors.
You're Hired! Applying the Human Resource Selection Process to Team Formation.

This article explains an activity that can be conducted to form teams in university business classes. It allows students to actively participate in the team selection process and learn valuable hum...
Selective lateral metalation and electrophilic quenching of C-4 functionalized isoxazoles. IX, Direct formation of the C-N bond utilizing an electrophilic nitrogen source

C-5 Lithio-alkylisoxazoles were quenched with dialkyl azodicarboxylates to form the C-5 alkylhydrazine derivatives in synthetically useful yields.
The Evolution of Sexual Reproduction and the Mating-Type Locus: Links to Pathogenesis of Cryptococcus Human Pathogenic Fungi.

Cryptococcus species utilize a variety of sexual reproduction mechanisms, which generate genetic diversity, purge deleterious mutations, and contribute to their ability to occupy myriad environment...
Risk Factors for Urinary Tract Infection or Pneumonia After Admission for Traumatic Subdural Hematoma at a Level I Trauma Center: Large Single-Institution Series

Background The development of infections such as urinary tract infections (UTIs) or pneumonia after a traumatic subdural hematoma (tSDH) can worsen patient outcomes and increase healthcare costs. We herein identify clinical parameters that influence the risk of infections after tSDH. Methods This single-institution retrospective cohort study examined the incidence and risk factors for UTI and pneumonia among tSDH patients from 1990 to 2015. Multivariate logistic regression assessed the impact of various demographic and clinical variables on these outcomes. Results 3024 patients with tSDHs were identified (73.1% male); Of those, 208 (6.9%) experienced a UTI and 434 (14.4%) experienced pneumonia. Of the 559 patients (18.5%) who underwent a craniotomy and/or craniectomy for evacuation of a tSDH, 62 (11.1%) experienced a UTI and 222 (39.7%) experienced pneumonia. Risk factors for both pneumonia and UTI included length of stay (LOS) ≥7 days (odds ratio [OR] = 6.0, P Conclusions Patients with prolonged hospitalizations and/or intensive care unit stays were more likely to experience UTIs and pneumonia. Male gender and younger age were protective against UTI, and higher GCS was protective against pneumonia. These data may aid the identification and treatment of at-risk populations after admission for a tSDH.
Why is bribery pervasive among firms in sub-Saharan African countries? Multi-industry empirical evidence of organizational isomorphism

Abstract Motivated by the prevalence and persistence of corruption in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) despite high-profile anti-corruption efforts, and by calls for more research on unethical organizational behavior by firms in Africa, we investigated the link between bribery in 12 SSA countries and the phenomenon of organizational isomorphism, long used to explain legitimate, but rarely, illegitimate firm practices. Analysis of 5989 SSA firms in three distinct industries known for high levels of bribery reveals direct positive relationships between bribery and its perception as frequently practiced in specific industries (“mimetic isomorphic effect”); institutional constraints on businesses (“coercive isomorphic effect”); and local market rivalry (“competitive isomorphic effect”). Institutional coercion is the strongest determinant of bribery, while imitation and competitive rivalry routinize the practice. However, the effect of isomorphic pressures on bribery practices varies across industries. Therefore, institutional redesigns, policy remediations and managerial actions to mitigate bribery must consider the cross-industry variations.
Change in Prevalence of Disabilities and Accommodation Practices Among US Medical Schools, 2016 vs 2019.

This survey study assesses the prevalence of students with disabilities and types of accomodation provided at US allopathic medical schools in 2019, and compares the numbers with those of a 2016 survey to characterize 3-year changes.
Do Firms Get High? The Impact of Marijuana Legalization on Firm Performance, Corporate Innovation, and Entrepreneurial Activity

We find that state-level marijuana legalization has a positive financial impact on firms, likely by affecting firms’ human capital. Firms headquartered in marijuana-legalizing states receive higher market valuations, earn higher abnormal stock returns, improve employee productivity, and increase innovation. Exploiting firm level inventor data, we directly test the human capital channel and find that post legalization, firms retain inventors that become more productive and recruit more innovative talents from out of state. We also find that marijuana-legalizing states experience an increase in the number of new startups and venture capital investments.
Magnetoreception and Biomineralization of Magnetite in Cetaceans

Living cetaceans comprise two suborders, Mysticeti (the baleen whales) and Odontoceti (the toothed whales). Within both groups are species which migrate over extended areas (reviews in Kinne, 1975; Baker, 1978). In general, the mysticetes are more predictable in their migration patterns and appear to range over a larger area. Although much remains to be learned about specific migration routes, it is probably safe to say that most mysticetes follow a similar pattern. They feed during the summer in polar and subpolar waters and breed in temperate to tropical waters in the winter. Bowhead whales, which are predominantly arctic in distribution, and Bryde’s whales, which are primarily tropical, appear to be the only exceptions. The migrations between feeding and breeding grounds can be extensive, e.g., 5000 miles in the case of the gray whale (Pike, 1962). They can also be remarkable in their precision, e.g., humpback whales are able to locate the Hawaiian Islands after a journey over thousands of miles of open ocean on their southern journey from Alaska (Baker et al., 1982; Darling and Jurasz, 1983; Darling and McSweeny, 1983). The odontocetes have less spectacular migrations, but they still travel over substantial stretches of ocean.
Investigating the Photochemistry of C7 and C8 Functionalized N(5)-Ethyl-flavinium Cation: A Computational Study

Flavins are a diverse set of compounds with a wide variety of biological and nonbiological applications. Applications of flavins receiving attention recently consist of electro- and photocatalytic oxidation of substrates for organic synthesis, bioengineered nanotechnology, and water splitting catalysts, among others. While there is vast knowledge regarding the structure-property relationships of flavins and their electrochemistry, there is much less work elucidating the structure property relationships as they pertain to flavinium photochemistry. Herein, we report the effect of molecular tailoring on the molecular properties of N(5)-ethyl-flavinium cation (Et-Fl+), a derivative of the biocatalytic coenzyme riboflavin, by incorporating electron withdrawing and donating groups at the C7 and C8 position of the isoalloxazine ring. The presence of electron withdrawing groups at the C8 position caused a red shift in the absorption spectrum, while the electron donating groups caused a blue shift. Functionalization at the C7 position had the opposite effect on the absorption spectrum. The effects of single substitution were relatively negated with simultaneous functionalization at both the C8 and C7 positions. Difference density plots indicate no change in the nature of the S1 excited state, which was confirmed by optimization of the excited state geometries. The results presented in this study indicate that functionalization of the isoalloxazine unit affects the photophysical properties of N(5)-ethyl-flavinium cations.
Eradication of sea lampreys from the Laurentian Great Lakes is possible

Abstract Eradication has been achieved for many vertebrate pest control programs, primarily on small, isolated islands, but has never been considered a practical goal for invasive sea lampreys in the Laurentian Great Lakes. Our objective was to examine evidence relevant to the feasibility of setting eradication as a management goal for Great Lakes sea lampreys. Bomford and O'Brien (1995) listed six conditions for successful eradication of a vertebrate pest; here we examine evidence that these conditions are likely to be met for Great Lakes sea lampreys, with a focus on the first condition: that removal of the pest through control can exceed their rate of replenishment. We analyzed two data sets – one empirical and one synthetic – to estimate stock-recruitment relationships and calculate the exploitation rate necessary for extinction. The empirical data set included the effect of existing lampricide control and suggested an exploitation rate of 59%, in addition to lampricide control, would be sufficient for eventual eradication. The synthetic data set, derived from a simulation of stream-level recruitment dynamics in the absence of lampricide control, suggested that an overall exploitation rate of 90% would be sufficient. We suggest that both of these targets could be achieved. Meeting the other conditions will depend on the scale of the eradication effort, and on development of an exploitation strategy, such as genetic biocontrol, that can target sea lampreys in presently invulnerable habitats. Overall, we concluded that eradication of sea lampreys from the Great Lakes should not be dismissed as a prospective goal.
Queer Theology: Beyond Apologetics: by Linn Marie Tonstad, Eugene, Cascade Books, 2018, $22 (paperback), ISBN 13: 978-1498218795

Rarely does a text succeed in presenting itself as a competent propaedeutic and a scholarly intervention. Linn Marie Tonstad’s Queer Theology manages both in memorable fashion – and this, despite i...
Criminal justice system involvement and food insufficiency: findings from the 2018 New York City Community Health Survey.

Abstract Purpose To assess whether personal and family history of criminal justice (CRJ) involvement is related to food insufficiency. Methods Data are from the 2018 New York City Community Health Survey (n = 9580). Cross-sectional multinomial logistic regression was used to analyze the association between CRJ involvement and food insufficiency. Results Personal (relative risk ratio= 2.019, 95% confidence interval = 1.363, 2.994) and family history (relative risk ratios = 1.447, 95% confidence interval = 1.014, 2.066) of CRJ involvement is associated with a higher likelihood of experiencing moderate-to-severe food insufficiency, net of covariate for demographic and socioeconomic characteristics. Conclusion Developing interventions such as expanding access to nutrition assistance programs for criminal justice involved populations may yield benefits for alleviating food insufficiency and promoting greater health equity.
Towards Automated Performance Assessment using Velocity-based Motion Quality Metrics

Acquiring proficiency in endovascular surgery requires a significant investment of time and resources, both from trainees who are developing skills and from experienced surgeons who must serve as evaluators. These experienced surgeons typically provide feedback to trainees using structured grading scales that offer a qualitative and subjective assessment of performance. To address these limitations, we previously established that spectral arc length (SPARC), a frequency-domain measure of movement smoothness, was a quantitative and objective indicator of surgical experience. Still, trainees have indicated that performance feedback based on SPARC is not intuitive or easily understandable. In this work, we evaluate the potential of alternative quantitative measures of endovascular tool navigation proficiency. One set of metrics is available from a commercial endovascular surgical simulator, and another set of metrics is derived from tool tip velocity profiles. Results indicate that average guidewire tip velocities and idle times (the amount of time the guidewire remains stationary) are significantly different across experience groups. In contrast, only one of the performance metrics currently implemented on the simulator shows significant differences across experience groups. Subsequent analysis showed that average velocity and idle time correlate strongly with SPARC for these tasks. These results support the potential of metrics based on tool tip velocity for real-time objective assessment of endovascular skill. Further, these metrics, which correlate strongly to movement smoothness, are likely to be easier for participants to interpret than feedback based on spectral arc length, which could positively effect training effectiveness.
Effects of chloroquine or hydroxychloroquine treatment on non-SARS-CoV2 viral infections: A systematic review of clinical studies.

Chloroquine (CQ) and hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) have been used as antiviral agents for the treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) infection. We performed a systematic review to examine whether prior clinical studies that compared the effects of CQ and HCQ to a control for the treatment of non-SARS-CoV2 infection supported the use of these agents in the present SARS-CoV2 outbreak. PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science (PROSPERO CRD42020183429) were searched from inception through 2 April 2020 without language restrictions. Of 1766 retrieved reports, 18 studies met our inclusion criteria, including 17 prospective controlled studies and one retrospective study. CQ or HCQ were compared to control for the treatment of infectious mononucleosis (EBV, n = 4), warts (human papillomavirus, n = 2), chronic HIV infection (n = 6), acute chikungunya infection (n = 1), acute dengue virus infection (n = 2), chronic HCV (n = 2), and as preventive measures for influenza infection (n = 1). Survival was not evaluated in any study. For HIV, the virus that was most investigated, while two early studies suggested HCQ reduced viral levels, four subsequent ones did not, and in two of these CQ or HCQ increased viral levels and reduced CD4 counts. Overall, three studies concluded CQ or HCQ were effective; four concluded further research was needed to assess the treatments' effectiveness; and 11 concluded that treatment was ineffective or potentially harmful. Prior controlled clinical trials with CQ and HCQ for non-SARS-CoV2 viral infections do not support these agents' use for the SARS-CoV2 outbreak.
Numerical wave speed sensitivity study for assessment of myocardial elasticity in a simplified linear elastic and isotropic left ventricle model.

Abstract Since tissue elasticity can change with pathology, noninvasive assessment of elasticity has received increasing attention. Emerging methods for assessing cardiac elasticity utilize either an external source to induce propagating shear waves or intrinsic longitudinal waves created by natural cardiac events such as left ventricle stretching that occurs due to atrial kick during late diastole. However, the effect of morphological variations that occur in diseased hearts on this longitudinal stretch wave and the corresponding estimate of elasticity is not well understood and is an active area of research. This study investigated the sensitivity of longitudinal wave speed to material properties and chamber geometry parameters through numerical simulations using a finite element model of a bullet-shaped chamber with homogeneous isotropic linear elastic material properties. A longitudinal impulse displacement was applied to the base edge of the model to investigate wave propagation from this boundary. Parametric studies were performed for variables of interest related to geometry and material properties. The wave speeds estimated from simulation results were used to determine wave speed sensitivity to each variable. Wave speed was found to be a strong function of material elasticity and a weak function of chamber geometry and viscous damping. Simulated wave speed as a function of elasticity was in good agreement with wave speeds determined from an analytical expression for longitudinal wave speed in elastic thin plates. These promising preliminary results increase our understanding of how these parameters affect intrinsic longitudinal wave speed and warrant future studies addressing the impact of patient-specific model geometry, material anisotropy and hyperelasticity, and boundary conditions on wave speed.