cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pathophysiology and Treatment of Early-Onset Hydrocephalus in a Rat Model

Congenital hydrocephalus occurs in humans at a rate of 0.5–1.5 per 1000 births (eg. Williamson et al., 1984) and a significant proportion of cases can be attributed to aqueduct stenosis (Hirsch et al., 1986). Fetal hydrocephalus can be diagnosed as early as the second trimester by high-resolution ultrasound (e.g. Pretorius et al., 1986). Infants born with a long-standing prenatal hydrocephalus have a high risk for early death or severe handicap despite postnatal treatment (Fernell et al., 1987; Oi et al., 1990) and for those with prenatal aqueduct stenosis the outcome of postnatal shunt treatment is often poor (Hanigan et al., 1991). Little is known about the pathophysiology of intrauterine hydrocephalus, the outcome of which may be related to the time of onset and the potential for perturbations in neuronal proliferation, migration and maturation, since these are processes which take place before birth in the human (Oi et al., 1989). The usual treatment for infantile hydrocephalus is the postnatal insertion of a shunt device to remove the excess cerebrospinal fluid and it has long been known that early decompression is required for optimal prognosis and development of, at least, average intelligence (Young et al., 1973; McCullough & Balzer-Martin, 1982). A recent survey showed that the outcome is improved if surgery is carried out within two months of birth but that IQ was below average in 40% of cases (Hirsch, 1994). Furthermore, shunt-treated children with hydrocephalus that have a normal IQ, frequently have residual deficits in visuospatial skills and in verbal problem-solving ability, yet the neuronal basis for these are not known (Zeiner et al., 1985).
An introduction to the Acute Care for Elders

This book will highlight a model of care which is clinician led and data driven. The ACE model focuses on improving the health, function, and quality of life of older patients. We hope that this book will provide a resource for health professionals to take a systems approach to improving care.
A Multi-Group Latent Class Analysis of Chronic Medical Conditions Among Men Who Have Sex with Men

Until recently, research on the health of gay and other men who have sex with men (MSM) has focused on risk for and the health consequences of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections. A multigroup latent class analysis examined a range of lifetime chronic medical conditions (CMCs) among MSM. Covariates included sociodemographics, substance use, psychological distress, and HIV serostatus. A two-class model best fit the medical condition data: a low probabilities class for most CMCs and a moderate to high probabilities (MHP) class. HIV serostatus was associated with increased within-class probabilities for some CMCs, particularly gastrointestinal and skin disorders. Only increasing age and use of erectile dysfunction drugs were directly associated with increased odds of being in the MHP class whereas methamphetamine use, identifying as gay, and lower alcohol use were indirectly associated. Implications of the findings for future research and the health care needs of MSM are discussed.
Aconitine induced pulmonary edema.

SummaryAcute pulmonary edema is induced by bilateral injections of dilute solutions of aconitine into the preoptic area of the hypothalamus of rats. The severity of the edema is greatly reduced but not abolished by lesions of the posterior hypothalamus. Deep barbiturate anesthesia greatly reduces aconitine edema. Systemic injections of aconitine up to fatal dose levels do not induce pulmonary edema.
Synthesis and Catalytic Hydrogenation Reactivity of a Chromium Catecholate Porous Organic Polymer

A single-site chromium catecholate POP (catPOP A2B1) was synthesized and characterized via AT-IR, XAS, and EPR spectroscopy. The well-defined, four-coordinate, 11-electron Cr(III) centers bound to catecholate POP were demonstrated to be active hydrogenation catalysts for nonpolar unsaturated organic substrates under mild conditions (5 mol % of Cr, 200 psi of H2, 60 °C). This material constitutes the first example of a well-defined, supported organometallic chromium hydrogenation precatalyst.
Residues of Tepa on Chemosterilized Codling Moths

When codling moths, Carpocapsa pomonella (L.), were chemosterilized with an aerosol of tepa at initial levels of 4.5 and 22.8 µg per moth, the logarithm of the concentration of tepa on the moths decreased linearly with time. The loss was 0.012 and 0.022 log units per hour for the high and low levels, respectively; these figures correspond to an 88 and 97% loss 72 hours after treatment.
Influence of Galloping on Mechanical Performance of Conductor and Insulator String

Based on the length variation as a result of galloping,in this paper,the varying tensile force of conductors was calculated,and the influences of galloping amplitude,number of loops,span and sag on varying tensile force were analyzed.The results show that both the horizontal tension and the vertical component of the axial tension at the suspension point increase with the increase of the galloping amplitude,the decrease of span, and the increase of the sag.The one-loop galloping can lead to the most extensive variation range.The parity of the number of loops has great influence on the relative variation ratio.The deflection of insulator sting as a result of severe conductor galloping may greatly decrease clearance distance between the conductors and cross arm.
Research on secular trends in auxology.

Current status of research on secular trends in growth and maturation is considered from several perspectives. The need to define secular trends as positive, negative or absent is initially discussed. Positive secular trends, i.e., increases in size and earlier maturation, characterize the majority of the auxological literature. However, some populations have experienced negative secular trends or no trends. Positive secular trends and cessation of secular trends in stature and age at menarche are described for developed countries, followed by a brief discussion of secular changes in body proportions and composition. Data from developing countries illustrate all three types of secular trends. Some segments of the population show positive changes in size and age at menarche, while others show no evidence of secular change or negative secular trends. Finally, comparisons of estimated statures in earlier European populations suggest a negative secular trend, i.e., a decline in estimated stature from about the 11th to the 19th centuries, which is followed by a positive secular trend starting about the mid-19th century.
Simultaneous Administration of AMN107 and Imatinib in the Treatment of Imatinib-Sensitive and Imatinib-Resistant Chronic Myeloid Leukemia.

Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) and Philadelphia chromosome positive (Ph+) acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) are caused by the Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase oncogene. The Abl inhibitor imatinib is an effective, frontline therapy for early, chronic phase CML. However, accelerated or blast crisis phase CML and Ph+ ALL patients often relapse because of drug resistance that results from the emergence of imatinib-resistant point mutations within the Bcr-Abl kinase domain. The aminopyrimidine ATP-competitive inhibitor, AMN107, was designed to fit into the ATP-binding site of the Bcr-Abl protein in such a way as to exhibit higher efficacy against imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl point mutants. AMN107 is active against many imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl mutants in vitro and in vivo , and is significantly more potent than imatinib against wild-type Bcr-Abl. AMN107 is currently showing promise in phase I/II clinical trials involving CML patients who are unresponsive to imatinib, and thus could potentially be used as a single agent in selected patients resistant or intolerant to imatinib. Alternatively, the use of more than one inhibitor of Abl should effectively lower the number of residual Bcr-Abl-expressing cells having the potential to undergo mutation, and therefore could potentially suppress the emergence of drug-resistant Bcr-Abl mutations. Thus, AMN107 and imatinib could be administered together to achieve higher responsiveness in CML patients. In the current study, we investigated the combination of imatinib and AMN107 in a panel of wild-type and imatinib-resistant Bcr-Abl-expressing cell lines, including 32D.p210, K562, F486S-Ba/F3, F317L-Ba/F3, M351T-Ba/F3, and T315I-Ba/F3. We found evidence of additive to synergistic effects in several of the cell lines examined. In addition, the combination of AMN107 and imatinib was studied in vivo using a bioluminescent Bcr-Abl model of CML. Mice harboring murine 32D.p210 cells engineered to stably express firefly luciferase were treated with vehicle, AMN107 alone (15mg/kg), imatinib alone (75mg/kg), or both AMN107 and imatinib at their respective doses. Mice treated with both agents were observed to carry an overall lower tumor burden (as measured by levels of total body bioluminescence and percent spleen weights) than vehicle-treated mice and mice treated with each agent alone. These results suggest that the combination of imatinib and AMN107 may be a more effective treatment for CML than either agent alone.
Duration of the anti-androgen in men undergoing six months of an LHRH agonist and radiation therapy for unfavorable-risk prostate cancer and the risk of death.

5070Background: Whether adding an anti-androgen (AA) to a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonist in the radiotherapeutic management of unfavorable-risk prostate cancer (PC) reduces all cause and PC-specific mortality (ACM and PCSM) risk is unknown. We evaluated whether the extent of AA received impacted the risk of ACM and PCSM within comorbidity subgroups. Methods: Between 1995 and 2001, 206 men with localized unfavorable-risk PC were enrolled on a randomized trial comparing radiation with (N = 102) or without (N = 104) 6 months of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT). Partial AA use (median: 4.2 months) occurred in 29 of the 102 men randomized to ADT due to discontinuation for elevated liver function tests or diarrhea. Cox and Fine and Gray's regressions were used to evaluate the impact of full versus partial AA use on PCSM and ACM risk within comorbidity subgroups adjusting for age and PC prognostic factors. Results: After a median follow-up of 16.62 years, 156 men died, 29 from PC (19%) in...
Why Married Women Can’t Jump: Specialization and Early Career External Mobility Penalties

This paper investigates the external mobility of women in their early professional careers after graduating from a top-MBA program in the United States. While scholarship in management, sociology, ...
Bottom-Up Linear Models: Estimating the Effect of Lower-Level Variables on Higher-Level Outcomes

Many theories in applied psychology and the organizational sciences suggest that the characteristics and behaviors of individual actors may have a direct bottom-up effect on dyad-, group-, and organization-level outcomes. Some of these theories also suggest that other individual-level variables moderate these bottom-up effects, increasing the effects for some actors while decreasing the effects for others. However, existing statistical models are not designed to estimate direct bottom-up effects or their moderators. This paper introduces a family of Bottom- up Linear Models (BLMs) that provide this missing functionality: (1) the BLM for Indistinguishable Actors (BLM-I), (2) the BLM for Actors in Distinguishable Subgroups (BLM-S), and (3) the BLM for Actors with Distinguishable Characteristics (BLM-C). All three of the BLMs estimate the direct effect of lower- level variables on higher-level outcomes. The BLM-S and the BLM-C can also estimate the extent to which other lower-level variables moderate these b...
Suture Augmentation: An Alternative to Reconstruction for Incomplete Posterior Cruciate Ligament Injuries in the Multiple Ligament–Injured Knee

Abstract Treatment of posterior cruciate ligament injuries remains controversial, particularly in the case of partial or incomplete tears in the context of a multiple ligament–injured knee. Suture augmentation, or internal bracing, has been shown in other ligament and tendon repairs or reconstructions to provide stable biomechanics and facilitate early return to activity. In the knee, suture augmentation has previously been used for the treatment of medial collateral ligament tears and in the support of anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions. We describe our arthroscopic technique for suture augmentation of incomplete posterior cruciate ligament injuries.
Policy implications of work-trip mode choice using econometric modeling

Transportation agencies seek comprehensive policies and planning to overcome urban congestion and manage transportation demand with due cognizance of traveler behavior. This research develops a travel behavioral model for work-trip mode using revealed and stated choice data collected through a survey questionnaire in the city of Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The multinomial logit model specification is found best suited to develop a modal-split model and estimate travelers' perceived expectation utility functions. The model is used to calculate elasticities and demand response to the policies of improvement in transit/bus rapid transit (BRT) and implement congestion pricing on major arterials of an urban road network. Travel demand is found elastic with respect to congestion pricing and out-of-vehicle travel time. It is concluded that improvement in transit services by introducing BRT alone does not induce a major change in the share proportion of automobile demand; however, congestion pricing has a significant effect on the reduction of automobile demand. Furthermore, the combination of two policies induces more modal-split than does congestion pricing alone. This research highlights traffic congestion pricing as one of the means of traffic demand management by demonstrating its contribution to improving urban traffic congestion.
In-Situ Monitoring of Enantiomeric Excess During a Catalytic Kinetic Resolution

Vibrational Circular Dichroism combined with FTIR spectroscopy (VCD-IR) is demonstrated as a viable tool for the in situ measurement of enantiomeric excess during asymmetric catalytic transformations. Employing the Jacobsen (salen)Co-catalyzed hydrolytic kinetic resolution of racemic epoxides as a proof-of-concept case study, methodology is developed to monitor the enantiomeric excess of the epoxide substrate as a function of conversion of the limiting reactant, water. Comparison of results for monomeric and oligomeric catalysts probes the molecularity of the catalyst by investigating nonlinear effects in catalyst enantiopurity. These results are in excellent agreement with previous mechanistic investigations of this reaction based on kinetic measurements and computational studies.
Using Multiple Research Methods to Inform Transformation of a Software Application into a Web Survey for Businesses

Every 5 years the U.S. Census Bureau collects detailed economic data from over 4 million business establishments for an economic census. Starting in 1997, a software application was offered as an alternative to paper forms. In 2018, businesses will be answering this complex survey using the Web as their only reporting option. In order to prepare for this change in platform, the Census Bureau undertook a multi-year/multi-method research program to identify key requirements and to test prototypes and early versions prior to launching the Web survey. In addition to ensuring that key functionality from the legacy software was transferred to the Web instrument, researchers also took the opportunity to identify potential enhancements to the design based on feedback obtained from respondents, internal Census Bureau staff, and user experience experts.
Oversight of national security secrecy in the United States

Some secrecy in national security matters is appropriate and inevitable, but unilateral executive control over decisions whether to impose secrecy is not. Executive control over sensitive information presumes a unique executive expertise. Yet the executive branch is not the sole repository of the relevant knowledge and experience. Congress has considerable national security expertise, and courts have solid institutional capacities to elicit expertise. In any case, information-access judgments demand an appreciation for the value of both secrecy and transparency, and the ability to make fine-grained judgments that accommodate both. Yet national security officials are predisposed to abhor transparency. Courts offer not only the obvious advantage of independence from self-interested incentives, but also the rarely noticed point that they are superior in some essential forms of expertise. This paper, a chapter in the forthcoming comparative law volume Secrecy, National Security and the Vindication of Constitutional Law (David Cole, Federico Fabbrini & Arianna Vedaschi, eds.), examines the expertise and incentives of executive, legislative and judicial officials, and uses that framework to assess possible approaches to oversight of decisions to impose secrecy. It deploys that perspective to propose a framework for effective oversight of executive branch judgments about access to national security information.
Decompressive Hemicraniectomy for Spontaneous Supratentorial Intracerebral Hemorrhage: A Descriptive Analysis. (P3.099)

OBJECTIVE: We performed a descriptive study of spontaneous supratentorial intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients who undergo hemicraniectomy with or without hematoma evacuation. BACKGROUND: Randomized-controlled trials of ICH patients have not demonstrated improved outcomes with blood pressure control, administration of hemostatic agents, or craniotomy with clot evacuation. Decompressive hemicraniectomy has been shown in selected patients with ischemic malignant MCA syndrome to improve functional outcome and mortality; data for ICH patients is scarce. DESIGN/METHODS: We conducted a retrospective study of patients admitted to our institution from January 2011 - June 2013 with spontaneous supratentorial ICH who underwent decompressive hemicraniectomy with or without hematoma evacuation; hemorrhages due to trauma, vascular malformation, and/or mass were excluded. Demographic and clinical data were obtained, and outcomes of interest included in-hospital mortality, discharge mRS, and discharge disposition. Means with standard deviation were obtained to describe continuous data, proportions for nominal data, and median with interquartile range for ordinal data. RESULTS: Thirty-one patients were included in our study. Mean age was 48.8 years and 55 percent were men. Median GCS was 8, and lobar hemorrhages occurred in 51.6 percent with mean hemorrhage volume 60cc (SD 25cc); IVH was present in 61.3 percent and 65 percent had right-sided lesions. Hypertension was the etiology for 55 percent, lower than that in epidemiologic ICH studies. Thirteen percent died during hospitalization (of which 75 percent were comfort measures), nearly half the risk of in-hospital all-cause mortality for ICH patients; median discharge mRS was 5. Thirty-nine percent of patients were discharged to either inpatient rehab or a skilled nursing facility. CONCLUSIONS: Decompressive hemicraniectomy does not increase risk of in-hospital mortality and may improve patient outcomes in spontaneous supratentorial ICH; our study is limited by small sample size, lack of a control group, retrospective design, and short-term outcome data. A prospective study may be warranted. Disclosure: Dr. Gildersleeve has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hirzallah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Pandurengan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Gonzales has nothing to disclose.
Carleman Estimates and Inverse Problems in the Last Two Decades

Carleman estimates are a powerful tool which was originally proposed by T. Carleman in 1939 for proofs of uniqueness results for ill-posed Cauchy problems. Since 1981 this tool has been applied to inverse problems for PDEs. The goal of this paper is to provide a tutorial-like short review of the role which Carleman estimates play in three fundamental issues of inverse problems: uniqueness, stability, and numerical methods.
Utility of Merchant View Radiographs for Assessment of TT-TG: A Comparison to MRI:

Objectives:Lateralization of the tibial tubercle plays a significant role in the pathophysiology of patellar instability and is most often assessed by the tibial tubercle to trochlear groove distan...
The Use of Regional or Local Anesthesia for Carotid Endarterectomies May Reduce Blood Loss and Pulmonary Complications.

Objective Over 150,000 carotid endarterectomy (CEA) procedures are performed each year. Perioperative anesthetic management may be complex due to multiple patient and procedure-related risk factors. The authorsaimed to determine whether the use of general anesthesia (GA), when compared with regional anesthesia (RA), would be associated with reduced perioperative morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing a CEA. Design Retrospective analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Setting The authors evaluated patients undergoing a CEA at multiple university- and community-based settings. Participants A total of 43,463 patients were identified; 22,845 patients were propensity matched after excluding for missing data. Interventions The study population was divided into 2 groups: patients undergoing RA or GA. The RA group included regional anesthesia performed by the anesthesiologist or surgeon, monitored anesthesia care, and local infiltration. Methods The primary endpoint was 30-day mortality. Secondary endpoints included surgical site infection, pulmonary complications, return to the operating room, acute kidney injury, cardiac arrest, urinary tract infection, myocardial infarction, thromboembolism, perioperative transfusion, sepsis, and days to discharge. Measurements and Main Results Younger age, Hispanic ethnicity, body mass index Conclusion The use of RA over GA in CEA is associated with decreased risk of postoperative pneumonia and a reduced need for perioperative blood transfusions.
Dietary Oxidative Balance Scores and Biomarkers of Inflammation among Individuals with and without Chronic Kidney Disease

Background Oxidative stress and inflammation are proposed mechanisms of nonspecific kidney injury and progressive kidney failure. Higher dietary oxidative balance scores (OBS) are associated with lower prevalence of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Methods We investigated the association between OBS and biomarkers of inflammation using data from the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) study. Nutrient estimates from the Block Food Frequency Questionnaires were used to define tertiles of 11 pro- and antioxidant factors. Points for each OBS component were summed, with a higher score indicating predominance of antioxidant exposures. Multivariable linear regression models were used to estimate the association between OBS and biomarkers of inflammation (interleukin-6 [IL-6], interleukin-8 [IL-8], interleukin-10 [IL-10], fibrinogen, C-reactive protein [CRP], white blood cell count, and cystatin C). An interaction term was included to determine if associations between OBS and inflammatory markers differed between individuals with and without CKD. Results Of 682 participants, 22.4% had CKD. In adjusted models, OBS was associated with CRP and IL-6. For every 5-unit increase in OBS, the CRP concentration was -15.3% lower (95% CI: -25.6, -3.6). The association of OBS with IL-6 differed by CKD status; for every 5-unit increase in OBS, IL-6 was -10.7% lower (95% CI: -16.3, -4.7) among those without CKD, but there was no association among those with CKD (p = 0.03). Conclusion This study suggests that a higher OBS is associated with more favorable levels of IL-6 and CRP, and that the association of OBS and IL-6 may be modified by CKD status.
Bats in southwest Wisconsin during the era of white-nose syndrome.

Since 2004, my students and I have caught and examined 1441 individual bats representing 7 species from mist-net surveys in Grant County, WI. Across all years and sites, Myotis lucifugus (Little Brown Bat) was the most frequently captured bat (59.6% of all captures). We captured over 78% (n = 1106) of bats within the first 120 min after sunset. Based on the capture of lactating females, the following species raise young in southwest Wisconsin: Eptesicus fuscus (Big Brown Bat), Perimyotis subflavus (Tri-colored Bat), Little Brown Bat, M. septentrionalis (Northern Long-eared Bat), Lasiurus borealis (Eastern Red Bat), and L. cinereus (Hoary Bat). Secondary sexual dimorphism was most evident in Big Brown Bats and Eastern Red Bats. Trends at 1 primary research site for the 3 most commonly captured species showed that, from 2007 to 2017, there was no significant change in number of bats captured per mist-net-meter-hour for Big Brown Bats and Eastern Red Bats. In contrast, and coincident with the occurrence of white-nose syndrome in Wisconsin, there was a signicant decline in the number of Little Brown Bats captured per mist-net-meter-hour over that same time period. Monitoring of bat populations in southwest Wisconsin should continue.
Radio Signal Sensing and Signal Processing to Monitor Behavioral Symptoms in Dementia: A Case Study

Abstract Objectives Alzheimer's Disease (AD)-related behavioral symptoms (i.e. agitation and/or pacing) develop in nearly 90% of AD patients. In this N = 1 study, we provide proof-of-concept of detecting changes in movement patterns that may reflect underlying behavioral symptoms using a highly novel radio sensor and identifying environmental triggers. Methods The Emerald device is a Wi-Fi-like box without on-body sensors, which emits and processes radio-waves to infer patient movement, spatial location and activity. It was installed for 70 days in the room of patient ‘E’, exhibiting agitated behaviors. Results Daily motion episode aggregation revealed motor activity fluctuation throughout the data collection period which was associated with potential socio-environmental triggers. We did not detect any adverse events attributable to the use of the device. Conclusion This N-of-1 study suggests the Emerald device is feasible to use and can potentially yield actionable data regarding behavioral symptom management. No active or potential device risks were encountered.
Getting Engaged: Program and Event Planning for Clients with Diverse Abilities

For event planners, it is important to be inclusive of people with diverse physical and mental abilities when establishing accommodations for programs or events. This 3-page publication is one in the series Getting Engaged, and will aid Extension professionals and other program/event planners in appropriately accommodating audiences and attendees with various needs. Written by Kathryn Stofer and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Agricultural Education and Communication, March 2018. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/wc299
Vision-Based Construction Worker Activity Analysis Informed by Body Posture

AbstractActivity analysis of construction resources is generally performed by manually observing construction operations either in person or through recorded videos. It is thus prone to observer fa...
Oxidative Stress and Microvessel Barrier Dysfunction

Clinical and experimental evidence indicate that increased vascular permeability contributes to many disease-associated vascular complications. Oxidative stress with increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) has been implicated in a wide variety of pathological conditions, including inflammation and many cardiovascular diseases. It is thus important to identify the role of ROS and their mechanistic significance in microvessel barrier dysfunction under pathological conditions. The role of specific ROS and their cross talk in pathological processes is complex. The mechanisms of ROS-induced increases in vascular permeability remain poorly understood. The sources of ROS in diseases have been extensively reviewed at enzyme levels. This review will instead focus on the underlying mechanisms of ROS release by leukocytes, the differentiate effects and signaling mechanisms of individual ROS on endothelial cells, pericytes and microvessel barrier function, as well as the interplay of reactive oxygen species, nitric oxide, and nitrogen species in ROS-mediated vascular barrier dysfunction. As a counter balance of excessive ROS, nuclear factor erythroid 2 related factor 2 (Nrf2), a redox-sensitive cell-protective transcription factor, will be highlighted as a potential therapeutic target for antioxidant defenses. The advantages and limitations of different experimental approaches used for the study of ROS-induced endothelial barrier function are also discussed. This article will outline the advances emerged mainly from in vivo and ex vivo studies and attempt to consolidate some of the opposing views in the field, and hence provide a better understanding of ROS-mediated microvessel barrier dysfunction and benefit the development of therapeutic strategies.
Examining the Bidirectional Relations Between Language and Behavior in Head Start Children

The purpose of this study is to examine the bidirectional relationship between children’s language development and challenging behaviors as well as the moderating roles of gender and race/ethnicity...
Using the Harvesting Method to Submit ETDs into ProQuest

The following case study describes an academic library’s recent experience implementing the harvesting method to submit electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) into the ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global database (PQDT). In this lesser-known approach, ETDs are deposited first in the institutional repository (IR), where they get processed, to be later harvested for free by ProQuest through the IR’s Open Archives Initiative (OAI) feed. The method provides a series of advantages over some of the alternative methods, including students’ choice to opt-in or out from ProQuest, better control over the embargo restrictions, and more customization power without having to rely on overly complicated workflows. Institutions interested in adopting a simple, automated, post-IR method to submit ETDs into ProQuest, while keeping the local workflow, should benefit from this method.
Programmable refractive index of nanoporous organosilicate films through microsphere masking and sacrificial polymer mediated assembly

We present our preliminary results on experimentation towards designing thin nanoparticle films with programmable refractive indices controlled by amorphous packing density of particles. A sacrificial polymer approach is used with substrate surface energy controlling the wetting of the polymer. Thus the local packing density, and consequentially the refractive index, is controlled by the surface energy of the substrate. Through the use of microsphere lithography and plasma induced isotropic mask shrinking, high and low surface energy regions are patterned on a sub-micron scale. With feature sizes this small, the flow of both the particles and the sacrificial polymer between high and low surface energy regions is overlapped. This creates a film with refractive index proportional to the fractional coverage of high and low surface
Novel Agents for Metastatic Triple-Negative Breast Cancer: Finding the Positive in the Negative

Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with a poor prognosis, and the development of better therapeutics represents a major unmet clinical need. Although the mainstay of treatment of metastatic TNBC is chemotherapy, advances in genomics and molecular profiling have helped better define subtypes of TNBC with distinct biologic drivers to guide the therapeutic development of targeted therapies, including AKT inhibitors for PI3K/AKT-altered TNBC, checkpoint inhibitors for PD-L1-positive TNBC, and PARP inhibitors for BRCA1/2 mutant TNBC. This progress may ultimately convert TNBC from a disease traditionally defined by the absence of therapeutically actionable receptors to one that is defined by the presence of discrete molecular targets with therapeutic implications. Furthermore, antibody drug conjugates have emerged as an important therapeutic strategy to target genomically complex tumors that lack actionable oncogenes but have overexpressed actionable surface receptors such as trop-2. In this article, we discuss promising novel agents for advanced TNBC, some of which have been incorporated into current clinical practice, and others that will likely change the therapeutic landscape and redefine the TNBC terminology in the near future.
On the symmetric feedback capacity of the K-user cyclic interference channel

The K-user cyclic interference channel models a situation in which the kth transmitter causes interference only to the (k − 1)mod(K)th receiver. The impact of noiseless feedback on the capacity of this channel is studied by focusing on the linear shift deterministic cyclic interference channel (LD-CIC). For the case of symmetric channel parameters, the symmetric feedback capacity is characterized for all interference regimes. It is shown that the symmetric feedback capacity is in general a function of K, the number of users. Furthermore, the capacity gain obtained due to feedback decreases as K increases.
Opportunity Foregone: Ango-American Psychological Theory of Cost

This chapter reviews Wicksteed’s, Davenport’s and F Knight’s subjective theory of opportunity cost, and the ways in which this theory offered a superior explanation of the relationship between cost, price and utility to the mainstream neoclassical conception. Conventional Marshallian microeconomics regresses back to the “cost of production” theories of the classical school, by splintering the price theory into two unrelated subfields: consumer behaviour/demand explaining the “short-run” and the theory of the costs of production, explaining the “long-run”. Wicksteed, Knight and Davenport, in line with radically subjectivist views of marginalism, wanted to unify these two fields on subjectivist foundations. Wicksteed derived both consumer and producer behaviours from individual utility, and reduced the cost and supply to preferences by using the ‘total demand-stock’ analysis of price determination (instead of conventional supply-demand analysis). Davenport corrects the mistaken view by Bohm-Bawerk who admitted the Marshallian double standard of value (utility and disutility/cost), and insists that utility and scarcity together determine value, both of consumer and producer goods. The theory of entrepreneurship as forward-looking price speculation, and of costs as “objectified” entrepreneurial assessment by Knight and Davenport are contrasted with the Marshallian “real cost” theory, that leaves little room for the entrepreneur.
Thoracic Epidural Analgesia Improves Outcomes after Lung Transplant

Purpose Pain management after lung transplant is of critical importance. Inadequate pain control can result in low tidal volumes and poor pulmonary toilet which can lead to atelectasis and even pneumonia; however, excessive opioid use can lead to hypercarbia and respiratory failure. Thoracic epidural analgesia has been shown to improve outcomes after lung transplants performed via clamshell incision or thoracotomy. We sought to determine the effectiveness of epidural analgesia at our institution where the majority of lung transplants are performed via sternotomy. Methods In December 2019, we implemented a protocol whereby all lung transplant patients receive an anesthesia consult for consideration of TEA. Baseline characteristics and outcome measures were collected for all patients that underwent lung transplant since that time. Outcomes were compared between patients that did and did not receive epidurals using t-tests, chi-squared tests and regression. Results Of the 39 patients that underwent lung transplant during the protocol period 19 patients received epidurals. The TEA group was slightly healthier (LAS 37.12 compared to 45.29), and used significantly more opioids pre-operatively. Patients with epidurals spent a shorter time in the ICU (5.5 compared to 11 days), and were intubated for a shorter period of time (2 versus 3.8 days) (see table 1). After adjusting for age, sex, BMI, incision type (sternotomy or thoracotomy), and pre-operative opioid use, patients with epidurals used less opioids on post-operative days 1 and 3, but slightly more opioids on day 2. Conclusion TEA is associated with improved outcomes in lung transplants via sternotomy, including reduced ICU stay and reduced length of mechanical ventilation. Secondarily, it appears that there is a trend towards lower opioid use in the epidural group, though this was not significant. We plan to further analyze these relationships by conducting a randomized trial where patients are assigned to either epidural or current standard of care preoperatively.
Structural Insights Accelerate the Discovery of Opioid Alternatives.

Opioids such as morphine and oxycodone are analgesics frequently prescribed for the treatment of moderate or severe pain. Unfortunately, these medications are associated with exceptionally high abu...
Computational Aerodynamics Study of Competing Conceptual Designs for Advanced Tactical Fighter Aircraft

Advanced tactical fighter (ATF) configurations are bound to perform high angle of attack (AoA) maneuvers. However, existing conceptual design tools available in aerospace industry are based on empirical or potential flows that cannot predict aerodynamic data in nonlinear regimes. High-fidelity computational fluid dynamics algorithms have to be incorporated during conceptual design phase for better assessment between competing configurations. In this research, steady state aerodynamic analysis is conducted to compare four conceptual designs of advanced tactical fighters through Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations. Prior to the study, two validation test cases were conducted based on ONERA M6 Wing and benchmark unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) design to assess the computational setup for the problem. Pressure based solver is used to model the flow field in subsonic, transonic and supersonic regimes at sea level for all four competing designs. The quantitative results include the aerodynamic forces and the longitudinal stability coefficient comparisons among the models and its components. The qualitative analyses include pressure distribution, eddy shedding and behavior of vortices at varying flow angle. Additionally, the empirical estimation for interpolation and post-stall extrapolation are carried out for further flight performance studies.
Adverse Events of Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Retrospective Chart Review.

Background The renal benefits of sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2) are now well established, and these agents are recommended by the American Diabetes Association and Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes guidelines for patients with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease. However, the safety profile of SGLT2 inhibitors in chronic kidney disease is not as clear. We describe the adverse event rates of SGLT2 inhibitors, primarily empagliflozin, in Kaiser Permanente Southern California members with diabetic kidney disease. Methods This study was a multicenter retrospective descriptive analysis evaluating Kaiser Permanente Southern California members with type 2 diabetes and chronic kidney disease 1, 2, or 3 who first filled an SGLT2 inhibitor prescription in 2018, with follow-up through 2019. Primary outcomes were event rates of diabetic ketoacidosis, bone fracture, amputation, urinary tract infection, genital mycotic infection, hyperkalemia, and acute kidney injury. Secondary outcomes were mean changes in estimated glomerular filtration rates, serum creatine levels, urine albumin-to-creatinine ratios, and hemoglobin A1c percentages during the follow-up period. Results Of 213 patients, 39 experienced at least 1 adverse event, for a total of 50 adverse events. Urinary tract infection had the highest incidence (62.1 events/1000 person-years), followed by genital mycotic infection (58.0 events/1000 person-years). Favorable changes were observed during the follow-up period for urine albumin-to-creatinine ratios and hemoglobin A1c percentages, with mean decreases of 81.8 mg/g and 0.7%, respectively. SGLT2 inhibitors were discontinued in 47.4% of patients, with the top reasons including increase in serum creatinine (8%) and urinary or genital side effects (5.6%). Conclusion Although most patients did not experience adverse events, urinary tract infections and genital mycotic infections were more common. Our detection of rates and types of adverse effects replicated most results reported in clinical trials. Discontinuations were largely attributed to reasons other than adverse events.
Biophysical and Conformational Properties of Modified Nucleosides in RNA (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies)

The location and identity of a large number of the modified nucleosides found in tRNA are highly conserved across diverse species and between tRNA isoacceptors. Conserved modification patterns in rRNAs and small nuclear RNAs also suggest that particular modified nucleosides have critical roles, although these functions are not well described compared to modifications found in tRNA. The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) determined biophysical properties have also provided an explanation for changes in important functions of tRNA during protein synthesis such as codon-anticodon recognition. This chapter talks about NMR determination of nucleoside conformation. The use of the percentage of 3'-endo sugar conformation as a measure of base stacking originated from NMR investigations on ribonucleotide dimers and trimers. Nucleoside modification in either the base or sugar can have significant effects on the sugar conformation, the glycosyl conformation, and base stacking. The 3'-gauche effect is mechanistically related to the anomeric effect in that it arises due to a geometrically dependent overlap between σ* and n lone pair molecular orbitals. Nucleoside bases that are in a stacked geometry generally have aromatic NMR proton shifts that are upfield of the positions seen in the absence of significant stacking. The chapter also focuses on conformational and thermodynamic effects of specific nucleoside modifications. Our knowledge of the fundamental biophysical properties of modified nucleosides will be critical to understanding how modification has been used throughout biology to optimize the function of biochemically critical processes involving RNA.
Executive Profile: Bill Sanders

Excerpt] William “Bill” Sanders is renowned as one of the greatest innovators in the world of real estate finance. Over the last 40 years, Mr. Sanders has been instrumental in the creation and operation of some of the largest and most successful real estate ventures ever undertaken. He has been described as the ‘Warren Buffett of real estate’ and is considered to be one of the most influential real estate strategists in the country. Mr. Sanders is both a member of the Cornell University Board of Trustees and the Cornell Real Estate Advisory Board.
Tactical Self‐Enhancement

People strive for positive self-esteem and are motivated to think well of themselves in comparison to others as evidenced by their tendency to rate themselves as better than average on a variety of abilities, traits, and personal characteristics. Self-enhancement is particularly likely when individuals are threatened, fail, or suffer a blow to their self-esteem. Self-enhancement strategies include inflated self-presentations that promote individuals’ self-esteem, downplaying the value of skills that they lack, and criticizing others whose achievements threaten their sense of accomplishment. Keywords: self and identity
Evidence that fish structure the zooplankton communities of turbid lakes and reservoirs

Summary 1. Visually foraging fish typically exclude large zooplankton from clear-water lakes and reservoirs. Do fish have the same effect in turbid waters, or does turbidity provide a refuge from visual predation? 2. To test the hypothesis that fish exclude large zooplankton species from turbid sites, I searched for populations of medium or large Daphnia species in turbid, fish-containing reservoirs of south-central Oklahoma and north-central Texas, U.S.A., and surveyed the literature for accounts of Daphnia species in turbid habitats worldwide. 3. Only small Daphnia species and the exuberantly spined Daphnia lumholtzi were detected in the turbid reservoirs. The Daphnia species in the reservoirs are smaller than other Daphnia species that occur in the area but were not detected. An extensive survey of the literature suggests that large Daphnia may be found in the lakes of extreme turbidity [Secchi disk depth (SD) SD > 0.2 m) unless some additional factor reduces the influence of fish predation in such sites. 4. The field samples from Texas and Oklahoma together with the literature review suggest that the effect of visually foraging planktivorous fish on the size structure of turbid-water zooplankton communities may often be as strong or even stronger than the effect of fish on clear-water zooplankton communities.
Negativity and Television Advertising in State Supreme Court Elections

This project evaluates whether television advertising and the changing electoral climate brought about by Republican Party of Minnesota v. White (2002) have had detrimental effects on voting in state supreme court elections. Almost universally, judicial elections - particularly expensive campaigns using attack advertising - are being condemned for having deleterious effects on citizens, judges, and courts. In fact, the consequences are believed to be so severe that leading advocacy groups are seeking to eliminate the practice of electing judges altogether. We examine these serious contentions by evaluating: 1) whether voters are “turned off” by aggressive campaigns and thus decline to vote and 2) whether broad interpretations of White have reduced citizen participation by poisoning the electoral climate with political messages and other campaign activities unbefitting judges. In doing so, we control for factors beyond campaigns that influence the propensity to vote. Our specific focus is on partisan and nonpartisan supreme court elections from 2002 through 2006. We also use CMAG advertising data and official campaign finance reports, to distinguish the effects of campaign spending generally from television advertising in particular. Overall, we find no evidence that citizen participation is influenced by advertising exposure or by contrast or promote ads. Voting also is not influenced by broad interpretations of White allowing greater latitude for political speech. However, attack ads increase citizen participation. These findings of the mobilizing effects of attack advertising highlight the striking similarities between supreme court elections and elections to other important legislative and executive offices and add to a formidable body of empirical evidence demonstrating that the sharp attacks on judicial elections merit careful scrutiny and critical reassessment.
CAUSATION AND THE CANBERRA PLAN

David Lewis has a general recipe for analysis: the Canberra Plan. His analyses of mind, color, and value all proceed according to the plan. What is curious is that his analysis of causation – one of his seminal analyses – doesn't. It doesn't and according to Lewis it can't. Lewis has two objections against using the Canberra Plan to analyze causation. After presenting Lewis' objections I argue that they both fail. I then draw some lessons from their failure.