cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Demographic Diversity in the Boardroom: Mediators of the Board Diversity–Firm Performance Relationship

Whereas the majority of research on board diversity explores the direct relationship between racial and gender diversity and firm performance, this paper investigates mediators that explain how board diversity is related to firm performance. Grounded in signalling theory and the behavioural theory of the firm, we suggest that this relationship operates through two mediators: firm reputation and innovation. In a sample of Fortune 500 firms, we find a positive relationship between board racial diversity and both firm reputation and innovation. We find that reputation and innovation both partially mediate the relationship between board racial diversity and firm performance. In addition, we find a positive relationship between board gender diversity and innovation.
Abbreviated WAIS forms for a stroke population

Abstract The WAIS protocols of 22 subjects with unilateral stroke were rescored according to two “short form” methods. Correlations among versions were extremely high for the summary indices and only slightly smaller for most individual subtests. The use of an abbreviated version of the WAIS appears to be warranted, within limits, for certain purposes.
Length-mass relationships among an assemblage of tropical snakes in Costa Rica

Length-mass relationships within an assemblage of tropical snakes are used to describe morphological groups. We report patterns of body size based on length and mass measurements of 603 individual snakes of 27 species captured at La Selva, Costa Rica from March 1982 through August 1984. This assemblage of snakes is composed of at least four morphological groups each of which consists of species with similar habitat preferences. These groups are heavy-bodied terrestrial forms, light-bodied arboreal forms, long-tailed leaf-litter forms, and forms of unextreme relative mass and tail length. This tropical snake assemblage is more diverse in species richness and morphological diversity than a temperate assemblage.
1,25 Dihydroxycholecalciferol-Mediated Calcium Absorption and Gene Expression Are Higher in Female than in Male Mice

Recent advances in bone and calcium (Ca) metabolism have relied upon genetically modified mice. However, although human studies have identified gender as an important modulator of Ca metabolism, its effect on Ca metabolism has not been examined in mice. Here we examined basal and vitamin D-regulated Ca absorption (in situ ligated loops) and mRNA levels for the apical membrane calcium channel, TRPV6, and the calcium binding protein, calbindin D(9k) (CaBP) mRNA levels (real-time PCR) in duodenum of female and male mice. At 2 mo of age, females fed a 5 g Ca/kg diet had higher Ca absorption (62.3 +/- 4.8 vs. 47 +/- 3.6%) and TRPV6 mRNA levels than males even though plasma 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D [1,25(OH)(2) D] was not different. In mice fed high (20 g/kg), normal (5 g/kg), or low (0.2 g/kg) Ca diets for 7 d to alter plasma 1,25(OH)(2) D (91 +/- 12, 322 +/- 25, and 587 +/- 43 pmol/L, respectively), the relation between Ca absorption (slope = 0.116 vs. 0.084, P = 0.021) or duodenum TRPV6 mRNA (slope = 0.042 vs. 0.025, P = 0.034) and circulating 1,25(OH)(2) D was steeper in females. After a single 1,25(OH)(2) D injection (200 ng/100 g body weight), peak induction of TRPV6 mRNA was 2-fold greater (at 6 h) and CaBP mRNA was 20% higher in females (at 16 h). Duodenal vitamin D receptor mRNA levels did not differ between genders. Our data indicate that female mice are more sensitive to changes in serum 1,25(OH)(2) D levels than males and that this must be considered when using mice to study calcium and bone biology.
Influence of age on neuromuscular control during a dynamic weight-bearing task.

Neuromuscular control strategies might change with age and predispose the elderly to knee-joint injury. The purposes of this study were to determine whether long latency responses (LLRs), muscle-activation patterns, and movement accuracy differ between the young and elderly during a novel single-limb-squat (SLS) task. Ten young and 10 elderly participants performed a series of resistive SLSs (~0–30°) while matching a computer-generated sinusoidal target. The SLS device provided a 16% body-weight resistance to knee movement. Both young and elderly showed significant overshoot error when the knee was perturbed (p < .05). Accuracy of the tracking task was similar between the young and elderly (p = .34), but the elderly required more muscle activity than the younger participants (p < .05). The elderly group had larger LLRs than the younger group (p < .05). These results support the hypothesis that neuromuscular control of the knee changes with age and might contribute to injury.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Bubbly Flows and Application to Cavitation Mitigation

The direct numerical simulation (DNS) method has been used to the study of the linear and shock wave propagation in bubbly fluids and the estimation of the efficiency of the cavitation mitigation in the container of the Spallation Neutron Source liquid mercury target. The DNS method for bubbly flows is based on the front tracking technique developed for free surface flows. Our front tracking hydrodynamic simulation code FronTier is capable of tracking and resolving topological changes of a large number of interfaces in two- and three-dimensional spaces. Both the bubbles and the fluid are compressible. In the application to the cavitation mitigation by bubble injection in the SNS, the collapse pressure of cavitation bubbles was calculated by solving the Keller equation with the liquid pressure obtained from the DNS of the bubbly flows. Simulations of the propagation of linear and shock waves in bubbly fluids have been performed, and a good agreement with theoretical predictions and experiments has been achieved. The validated DNS method for bubbly flows has been applied to the cavitation mitigation estimation in the SNS. The pressure wave propagation in the pure and the bubbly mercury has been simulated, and the collapse pressure of cavitation bubbles has been calculated. The efficiency of the cavitation mitigation by bubble injection has been estimated. The DNS method for bubbly flows has been validated through comparison of simulations with theory and experiments. The use of layers of nondissolvable gas bubbles as a pressure mitigation technique to reduce the cavitation erosion has been confirmed. DOI: 10.1115/1.2720477
Using ion-exchange resins to study soil response to experimental watershed acidification.

Ion-exchange resins (IER) offer alternative approaches to measuring ionic movement in soils that may have advantages over traditional approaches in some settings, but more information is needed to understand how IER compare with traditional methods of measurement in forested ecosystems. At the Bear Brook Watershed in Maine (BBWM), one of two paired, forested watersheds is treated bi-monthly with S and N (28.8 and 25.2kgha−1yr−1 of S and N, respectively). Both IER and ceramic cup tension lysimeters were used to study soil solution responses after ∼11 years of treatment. Results from both methods showed treatments resulted in the mobilization of base cations and Al, and higher SO4—S and inorganic N in the treated watershed. Both methods indicated similar differences in results associated with forest type (hardwoods versus softwoods), a result of differences in litter quality and atmospheric aerosol interception capacity. The correlation between lysimeter and IER data for individual analytes varied greatly. Significant correlations were evident for Na (r=0.75), Al (r=0.65), Mn (r=0.61), Fe (r=0.57), Ca (r=0.49), K (r=0.41) and NO3—N (r=0.59). No correlation was evident between IER and soil solution data for NH4—N and Pb. Both IER and soil solution techniques suggested similar interpretations of biogeochemical behavior in the watershed.
Space-charge calculation for bunched beams with 3-D ellipsoidal symmetry

A method for calculating 3-D space-charge forces are developed that is suitable for bunched beams of either ions or relativistic electrons. The method is based on the analytical relations between charge-density and electric fields for a distribution with 3-D ellipsoidal symmetry in real space. At each step a Fourier-series representation is used for the smooth particle-density function obtained from the distribution of the macroparticles being tracked through the elements of the system. The resulting smooth electric fields reduce the problem of noise from artificial collisions, associated with small numbers of interacting macroparticles. Example calculations are shown for comparison with other methods. >
Flexible piezopolymer ultrasonic guided wave arrays

Ultrasonic guided wave technology is being applied to a variety of gas and liquid transmission pipeline inspection applications. There are a variety of promising transduction techniques used to excite longitudinal, torsional, and flexural modes in pipe. Some of the more common methods include electromagnetic-acoustic, magnetostrictive, and piezoceramic array transducers. The objective of the work presented in this paper was to develop an array design that is simpler to manufacture and attach to pipelines compared to the current piezoceramic design. The design considerations for a flexible piezopolymer-based array are discussed in this paper along with the basic principles behind the selection of the array element width and spacing. The performance of a piezoceramic and piezopolymer array, with identical element spacing and width, are compared at four different frequencies. Tests were undertaken on a carbon steel pipe with a simulated defect. Evaluation of the different arrays was performed in terms of the defect response, in terms of amplitude, of the lower-order axisymmetric modes. It is shown that while the piezopolymer array provides comparable sensitivity to the piezoceramic array, the amplitude of the signals reflected from the simulated defect are 30 dB lower compared to those generated using the piezoceramic array.
Developmental changes in fatty acid biosynthesis and composition in the house cricket, Acheta domesticus

Incorporation of [1-14C] acetate into various phospholipid and triacylglycerol fatty acids showed cyclic fluctuations in fatty acid biosynthesis that were similar for all of the major fatty acids in both male and female house crickets, Acheta domesticus, during development. All three stadia showed low levels of biosynthesis near ecdysis followed by increased synthesis to a peak at midstadium. In the phospholipid fraction, the incorporation of newly synthesized saturated fatty acids, 16:0 and 18:0, predominated near ecdysis, while at midstadium linoleic acid was the most actively synthesized fatty acid. In the triacylglycerol fraction, 18:0 and 18:1 predominated throughout the entire stadium. In contrast to the large fluctuations in fatty acid biosynthesis, the fatty acid compositions of the phospholipid and triacylglycerol fractions did not change within a stadium. However, significant differences were demonstrated between the stages and were associated primarily with differences between nymphal and adult stadia. Males and females differed in the proportions of 16:0 and 18:2 incorporated into phospholipids with females showing a greater proportion of 18:2 and a corresponding smaller proportion of 16:0 than males. The greater proportion of linoleic acid in females and in adults in general compared to nymphs and the predominance of the incorporation of newly synthesized linoleic acid into the phospholipid fraction of all stadia are consistent with the importance of this fatty acid in a number of biological roles.
Mortality trends for 23,505 Medicare patients hospitalized with heart failure in Northeast Ohio, 1991 to 1997.

Abstract Background Clinical trials have identified major therapeutic advances for heart failure (HF), but the degree to which survival has improved among the general population of patients with HF is not known. This study analyzed mortality trends from 1991 to 1997 for 23,505 Medicare patients hospitalized with a first admission for HF at 29 Northeast Ohio hospitals. Methods We linked databases from the Cleveland Health Quality Choice (CHQC) program and Medicare to allow identification of first admissions for HF and death date. We adjusted for changes in admission illness severity using chart data from CHQC (eg, vital signs, do-not-resuscitate status, comorbid conditions, and laboratory results). Logistic regression was used to analyze trends in risk-adjusted mortality. Results At baseline (1991), crude inhospital, 30-day and 1-year mortality rates were 6.4%, 8.6% and 36.5%, respectively. Between 1991 and 1997, mean length of stay declined steeply from 9.2 days to 6.6 days ( P P P Conclusions Long-term mortality for patients hospitalized with HF improved from 1991 to 1997, although mortality remains very high. The 30-day mortality declined far less than inhospital mortality, indicating that mortality shortly after discharge increased. This raises concerns that the marked reduction in length of stay is causing adverse consequences.
Digital face cloning

This sketch describes the process and the technology used in the creation of a digital clone of a human face for a story in the November 2002 issue of National Geographic on skin[Swerdlow 2002].
LASER SINTERING OF c-YAG FIBER

A small section of extruded green fiber of ceramic YAG has been densified by means of laser beam sintering with a 1.6W beam from a CO2 laser, sintered for approximately 1 minute.
Comparison of Trends in Incidence, Revascularization, and In-Hospital Mortality in ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Versus Without Severe Mental Illness

Patients with severe mental illness (SMI), including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, are at elevated risk of ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) but have previously been reported as less likely to receive revascularization. To study the persistence of these findings over time, we examined trends in STEMI incidence, revascularization, and in-hospital mortality for patients with and without SMI in the National Inpatient Sample from 2003 to 2012. We further used multivariate logistic regression analysis to assess the odds of revascularization and in-hospital mortality. SMI was present in 29,503 of 3,058,697 (1%) of the STEMI population. Patients with SMI were younger (median age 58 vs 67 years), more likely to be women (44% vs 38%), and more likely to have several co-morbidities, including diabetes, chronic pulmonary disease, substance abuse, and obesity (p
The constitutionality of physician-assisted suicide: the cases and issues before the US Supreme Court.

How the Court rules on physician-assisted suicide will spur further legal debate for decades.
Tracheal Stenosis: A CFD Approach for Evaluation of Drug Delivery

The existence of obstructions such as tracheal stenosis has major impacts on respiratory functions. Therapeutic effectiveness of inhaled medications is influenced by tracheal stenosis, and particle transport and deposition pattern are modified. The majority of studies have focused on obstructions in branches of the airways, where the flow is diverted to the other branches to meet the needed oxygen intake. In this study we have investigated the effects of trachea with and without stenosis/obstruction on particle depositions and air flow in a human respiratory system. Patient specific CFD simulations were conducted; CT-scans of a patient with tracheal stenosis were used to create 3D models of bronchial tree up to 8 generations. The section of the stenosis was manually modified to create a healthy trachea. Comparisons between CFD simulations before and after intervention demonstrate the impact of the stenosis on flow characteristics and particles distribution. The numerical investigations were performed using the implicit Unsteady Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes equation (U-RANS), using the commercially available software (STAR-CCM+) from CD-Adapco, along with K-ω; shear stress transport model. Two sets of CT-images of inhalation and exhalation were used for assigning Patient-specific boundary conditions at the outlets. Lagrangian Phase model was used to simulate particle transport and depositions of 10, 5 and 2.5 micron diameter particles. Results of the particle depositions for 10 micron particles highlight the difference in depositions and ultimately inhaled medications in patients with and without tracheal stenosis. Particle deposition for normal Tidal volume increased due to stenosis from 47% to 51% for 10 Micron particles and not a significant change for the 2.5 Micron particles (from 4.5% to 4.7%).Comparisons of pressure drop in each generation between patient with tracheal stenosis and the healthy lung showed significant increase in pressure drop after the stenosis, which were experienced in all generations downstream. Experimental validation of the CFD results were made with a model of healthy trachea up to 3rd generation, manufactured using Additive Layer Manufacturing (ALM) from CT-images and pressure results were compared with the corresponding CFD results. Good agreements were found.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Quantitative examination of the collapse of spin splitting in the quantum Hall regime

We have quantitatively tested the theoretical model on the collapse of spin slitting in the quantum Hall effect regime proposed by Fogler and Shklovskii [Phys. Rev. B 52, 17366 (1995)] in a high-mobility two-dimensional electron system (2DES) realized in a heterojunction insulated-gate field-effect transistor. In the 2DES density range between $n$ $=$ 2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 10${}^{10}$ and 2 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} 10${}^{11}$ cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$, the Landau level number $N$ displays a power-law dependence on the critical electron density ${n}_{\mathrm{c}}$ where the spin splitting collapses and $N$ $=$ 11.47 \ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{} ${n}_{\mathrm{c}}$${}^{0.64\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.01}$ (${n}_{\mathrm{c}}$ is in units of 10${}^{11}$ cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$). This power-law dependence is in good agreement with the theoretical prediction in the low-density regime.
Hydropower in Sub-Saharan Africa: Making Energy and Development Possible

Although those of us in developed countries take power production and the efficiencies for granted, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) estimates that approximately 1.4 billion people have no access to electricity. In particular, those in the least developed countries could be described as being “energy-impoverished”. Sub-Saharan Africa is particularly afflicted with more than 70% of the population having no access to power whatsoever. The African continent possesses an invaluable resource, largely untapped, in its vast number and extent of tributaries including thousands of miles of waterways. Africa has been moving forward to exploit its hydropower potential and developing adequate infrastructure is a cornerstone in order to compete on the world’s economic stage.This empirical study is aimed to provide a descriptive case study of two pioneering, regional hydropower projects in SSA and partly financed by the World Bank. The initial analysis of the two projects reviewed have contrasting outcomes according to World Bank evaluations conducted upon project completion. Several years later, the expectations for these vanguard projects fell short according to experts around the globe. The testimony of World Bank lawyers, economists, international consultants and Ivory Coast’s Minister for Economic Infrastructure shed light on the formidable challenges encountered in the sustainability of large-scale energy infrastructure projects. While some short-term successes could be counted in the building of the actual energy generation and transmission infrastructures, long-term perspectives have been grave and largely affected by project administration deficiencies, political interference, inadequacy of electricity tariffication policy and lack of serious follow-through toward countries’ financial obligations. Over the last decade, the region has been implementing a common strategy promoting large scale cooperation in the energy sector and the creation of regional power pools. Such efforts combined with the development of new infrastructure projects and lessons learned from the past will ideally mitigate the most common challenges arising in projects of this magnitude. The concerted focus should be directed toward a cost-effective orientation intended to attract private sector investors who would demand accountable management thereby creating a market motivation for project sustainability. Ultimately, the successful delivery of affordable and reliable power will contribute to a vision where all have ready access to clean energy, the energizing catalyst driving a developed Africa.
Getting the Point

As scientific papers become increasingly specialized, they become more and more indigestible to those outside the field. For the casual reader—a majority—it can be difficult to get the point of the article. Can something be done about it? Some journals have the policy of publishing brief statements about the context, objectives, and general conclusions of the work. I find such “take-home messages” useful and urge the ASM journals to adopt such a policy with suitable modifications. This may not be very demanding on authors, as many include statements of this sort somewhere in the paper. One of the many gratifying examples appeared at the end of the abstract of the paper by Komeili et al., Science 311:242–245, 2006. It reads: “…it seems that prokaryotes can use cytoskeletal filaments to position organelles within the cell.” However, unless highlighted, such statements are easily missed.
Labor analgesia and anesthesia in a patient with spinal muscular atrophy and vocal cord paralysis. A rare and unusual case report.

Background and Objectives A case of labor analgesia and anesthesia in a 23-year-old woman with spinal muscular atrophy and vocal cord paralysis is reported. As spinal muscular atrophy is a progressive degenerative disorder of spinal anterior horn cells, with generalized neuromuscular weakness as a common sequela, the goal of anesthetic management is to provide satisfactory labor analgesia and anesthesia with minimal compromise of respiratory function. Methods A lumbar epidural anesthetic technique was used to provide satisfactory labor analgesia and anesthesia for a low forceps delivery. Results The anesthetic technique provided a safe delivery. As the patient was awake, she was able to assist with the expulsion phase of labor. The rare published reports of spinal muscular atrophy and obstetric management are reviewed, the known pertinent physiologic derangements of the syndrome in concert with pregnancy being detailed, along with any information provided regarding anesthetic techniques. Conclusions It is believed that labor analgesia and anesthesia can be provided adequately with lumbar epidural techniques. An understanding of the physiology underlying spinal muscular atrophy is essential to safe anesthetic management of the laboring parturient.
How to Survive a Cyber Pearl Harbor

An examination of parallels between the "Day of Infamy" and a major cyberattack reveals lessons for organizations about vulnerability, the nature of survival, and the tenets of protection that can help boost resilience against hackers and other cyberthreats.
The Cultural Politics of the Singular and the Specific: Chile, Avant-Garde Art, and The Body

This chapter continues with Chile as the geographical frame but moves into the postdictatorship era, analyzing a seminal debate between two crucial theorists of the post-Pinochet era: Nelly Richard and Willy Thayer. I argue that this debate is best understood, not as a debate cast in a traditional critique of neoliberalism versus leftism, but rather as a philosophical interrogation on the relationship between cultural practice as protest and individuation as the creation of critical community. Richard’s position, which emerges from her involvement with CADA, attests to the need to challenge dictatorship and the regime of censorship from the position of the specific, from the point of view of a unified movement that does not assert a rigid identity, but nonetheless, collective suffering imposed by dictatorship. And despite this counterintuitive formation, Richard asserts that a specific ethic is a fertile ground that unifies the collective, while simultaneously allowing for individual expression.
O Brave New World: The Dark Side of Cyberspace

This article focuses on some of the negative aspects of cyberspace andcyberculture. First, it offers an examination of the impact of our use ofsocial media, and Facebook in particular, on our psyches, pointing out thatusers of social media can be thought of as audiences. These audiencesand information about them can be sold to marketers and advertisers.Next, it offers a case study of a widespread social problem in Japan, morethan a million media-obsessed Japanese young men (and some youngwomen), the hikikomori, who shut themselves off from society for monthsor years at a time. This is followed by a discussion of the impact of mobiles,primarily smartphones, on American adolescents, some of whom textone hundred messages a day to their friends. The effects of the enormousamount of face-time young people spend with screens—around tenhours per day--are also considered. Finally, there is an examination of theimpact that Amazon.com, the leading e-commerce Internet site, has hadon American shopping practices and American culture and society. Thearticle concludes with a discussion of the work of Hubert Dreyfus aboutsome negative effects of the Internet and, by implication, cyberspace andcyberculture, which, he argues, drain life of meaning.
Discordance of Neonatal Herpes Encephalitis Clinical Improvement and Disease Progression

Two cases of neonatal herpes encephalitis that showed an apparent uneventful recovery had concurrent severe, diffuse cerebral imaging abnormalities, in a report from Gillette Children's Specialty Healthcare, St Paul, and Children's Hospital, Minneapolis, MN.
Radiomic analysis of pseudo-progression compared to true progression in glioblastoma patients: A large-scale multi-institutional study.

2015Background: Treatment-related imaging changes are often difficult to distinguish from true tumor progression. Treatment-related changes or pseudoprogression (PsP) subsequently subside or stabilize without any further treatment, whereas progressive tumor requires a more aggressive approach in patient management. Pseudoprogression can mimic true progression radiographically and may potentially alter the physician’s judgment about the residual disease. Hence, it can predispose a patient to overtreatment or be categorized as a non-responder and exclude him from the clinical trials. This study aims at assessing the potential of radiomics to discriminate PsP from progressive disease (PD) in glioblastoma (GBM) patients. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated 304 GBM patients with new or increased enhancement on conventional MRI after treatment, of which it was uncertain for PsP versus PD. 149 patients had the histopathological evidence of PD and 27 of PsP. Remaining 128 patients were categorized into PD and P...
Complementary Variety: When Can Cooperation in Uncertain Environments Outperform Competitive Selection?

Evolving biological and socioeconomic populations can sometimes increase their growth rate by cooperatively redistributing resources among their members. In unchanging environments, this simply comes down to reallocating resources to fitter types. In uncertain and fluctuating environments, cooperation cannot always outperform blind competitive selection. When can it? The conditions depend on the particular shape of the fitness landscape. The article derives a single measure that quantifies by how much an intervention in stochastic environments can possibly outperform the blind forces of natural selection. It is a multivariate and multilevel measure that essentially quantifies the amount of complementary variety between different population types and environmental states. The more complementary the fitness of types in different environmental states, the proportionally larger the potential benefit of strategic cooperation over competitive selection. With complementary variety, holding population shares constant will always outperform natural and market selection (including bet-hedging, portfolio management, and stochastic switching). The result can be used both to determine the acceptable cost of learning the details of a fitness landscape and to design multilevel classification systems of population types and environmental states that maximize population growth. Two empirical cases are explored, one from the evolving economy and the other one from migrating birds.
Using the CIPP Model to Assess Nursing Education Program Quality and Merit

Abstract Nursing programs must maintain a high-quality curriculum that graduates exemplary nurses. Systematic evaluation of key components of nursing education is required. Stufflebeam's Context, Input, Process, and Product model allows for evaluation of the quality and merit of end-of-life care education within a nursing program. Data analysis identified missing content, program strengths, and curricular redundancies within the program. When used appropriately, Stufflebeam's model serves as a valuable guide for in-depth curriculum evaluation.
Assessing the utility of asthma medication monitoring sensors in a group of high risk asthmatic children

Background: Asthma medication adherence is low among high risk children. The objectives of this pilot study were to assess usability and feasibility of adherence monitoring devices to assess medication adherence over 3 months. Methods: Participants were aged 6-19 years with at least 1 hospital admission or 2 emergency visits in the last year. We identified 135 potential subjects, enrolling a convenience sample of 25 children. Sensors were placed on controller and rescue medications. Patients and provders were enrolled in the online system and completed surveys about the devices. Results: Twenty patients completed the final visit. Eighty-four percent (21/25) of families had eligible smartphones. Five of 9 providers (56%) stated that the intervention changed some aspect of their care. Of the patients who completed the study, 16 of 20 (80%) were very satisfied with the devices, 20 (100%) found the information easy to understand, and 16 (80%) stated that their children were more likely to take their medications. The average weekly adherence to prescribed controller medications ranged from 76% at entry to 36% at 3 months, with a mean adherence rate of 56% (Figure 1). Conclusions: The monitoring device was well accepted by both patients and providers, however adherence declined over time. Further studies are needed to evaluate ways to continue to engage this high-risk group of patients.
Altered self: the not-so-neo-antigens

Jedd Wolchok describes a 1996 study by Alan Houghton and colleagues that showed how immune tolerance to self antigens on cancer cells could be overcome.
Recruiting the Oldest-old for Clinical Research.

Author(s): Melikyan, Zarui A; Greenia, Dana E; Corrada, Maria M; Hester, Marilyn M; Kawas, Claudia H; Grill, Joshua D
“I won't let you down:” Personal ethical lapses arising from women's advocating for others

Abstract The current research examines whether women’s personal ethics are compromised when representing others in strategic interactions. Across five studies (n = 1337), we demonstrate that women’s ethical choices are more sensitive to whether they are representing themselves versus advocating for others compared to men’s ethical choices. We find that other-advocating women are more deceptive than self-advocating women, whereas men are just as likely to engage in morally questionable behaviors when representing themselves or others. We further show that women’s unethical behavior is driven by their anticipatory guilt as they seek to not let their constituents down in an advocacy role. Relative to men, women’s ethical behavior when advocating on behalf of others is especially likely to reflect the presumed ethical preferences of their constituents rather than solely a reflection of their own ethical preferences. Given women’s relatively high personal ethics, these results establish a risk to adopting an advocacy role for women: the social considerations inherent to advocacy put pressure on women to engage in deceptive behaviors that compromise their personal ethics.
Women in Radiology

The responsibilities of any medical specialty that has earned and continues to merit the public’s trust are to maintain quality, to expand the application of its expertise and to assess and later to employ new technologies that enhance its capability to provide care. But in our society we must add another consideration—i.e., the demography of any specialty should be in general accord with the various constituencies of the national population so that all those who aspire to enter the profession sense that the opportunity to do so is available to them.
Identification of G proteins in lacrimal gland.

PURPOSE: The intent of this study was to identify and characterize guanine nucleotide binding proteins (G proteins) that are a component of cell signaling of stimulus-secretion coupling in lacrimal gland. METHODS: Membranes were isolated from the lacrimal glands of male Sprague-Dawley rats and New Zealand rabbits and were used to identify G proteins in lacrimal gland by Western blot analysis. Solubilized membrane proteins from lacrimal glands and from a positive tissue control (SH-SY5Y cells) were separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The alpha subunits of the G proteins were identified by immunoreactivity, with specific peptide directed antisera against Gs alpha, Gi alpha 1, Gi alpha 1/2, and Go alpha. The initial characterization of coupling of specific G proteins to receptors was accomplished by preincubation of membranes with nonimmune serum, anti-Gs alpha, or anti-Go alpha antiserum and assay of adenylyl cyclase activity in the presence of the neuropeptide, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), or forskolin. RESULTS: Gs alpha, Gi alpha 3, and Go alpha were present in all three membrane preparations. Gs alpha subunits were detected as two bands at 45 to 48 kd and 48 to 54 kd. Gi alpha 3 was detected as a single protein at 40 to 41 kd, and at least one form of Go alpha with a molecular weight of 40 kd was detected in all three preparations. Gi alpha 1 was detected in immunoblots of rat lacrimal and SH-SY5Y membranes at 41 kd, and the density of the band was enhanced in blots probed with anti-Gi alpha 1/2 antiserum. Immunoreactivity to anti-Gi alpha 1 or anti-Gi alpha 1/2 was faint or not detectable in rabbit lacrimal membranes. A prominent band was detected in rabbit and rat lacrimal but not in SH-SY5Y membranes at 31 kd with anti-Gi alpha 1/2 antiserum, which may represent a G protein involved in exocytosis. Coupling of VIP receptor activation to adenylyl cyclase by Gs alpha was evidenced by the reduction of VIP stimulation of the enzyme by preincubation of rabbit membranes with anti-Gs alpha antiserum. In contrast, preincubation of membranes with anti-Go alpha antiserum resulted in an increase in activity of adenylyl cyclase in the presence of VIP. CONCLUSIONS: Detection of specific alpha subunits in lacrimal gland indicates that Gs, Gi, and Go are present in rabbit and rat lacrimal gland. Both Gs and Go influence VIP stimulation of lacrimal adenylyl cyclase and thus are presumed to be involved in signal transduction, leading to second-messenger accumulation and subsequent regulation of lacriminal function, including secretion. In addition, an unidentified protein is present in lacrimal gland that may represent one of the guanine nucleotide binding proteins involved in exocytosis.
Myocardial Substrate Utilization in Acute and Chronic, and in Latent and Severe Diabetes

The multiple metabolic manifestations of diabetes have been extensively investigated both in man and in experimental animals. Several procedures have been used to produce experimental models of diabetes which resemble, to a greater or lesser extent, the human disease. Some studies have utilized these models in the acute state, whereas others employed more chronic conditions. The severity of the diabetic state may also vary from one experimental model to another. Although these variables may have an important bearing on the outcome of experimental studies, only scattered reports are available concerning the influence of duration or severity of the diabetic state on the experimental results.
Making Sense When it Matters Most: Leadership in Extremes

Leading during in extremis situations when lives are in peril remains one of the least addressed areas of leadership research. In particular, although lives may depend on it, little is known about ...
Cadets motivation types and their relationship with various indicators of attitude to the military profession

Traditionally, military service differs from other professions in special requirements of patriotism, loyalty and corporate ethics. These qualities are developing in the process of socialization during training at the military academy and the motivation for military service is critical in this context. The article presents the results of a sociological study of the issues of military-professional motivation and value orientations of air forces cadets. The results of the analysis revealed that the cadets primarily comprised three types, that is, the Idealists, the Pragmatists and the Skeptics. Different types of motivation correlate with different indicators of attitude to the military profession. The Idealists are more likely to share the institutional values of the military service, identify themselves with various categories of servicemen and are planning to serve in the military for the long period. The Pragmatists are attracted by career opportunities of military service and material advantages to the greatest extent, though they also share the traditional military values and keep loyalty to military organization, are planning to serve in the military organization for sufficiently long time. The Skeptics are displaying less sympathy for the institutional values of the military service, orders and discipline, they also are planning to serve in the army for a relatively short time. The obtained data are consistent with value shift marked by sociologists and support the existence of two ideal types of motivation for military service. The author concludes that idealistic type of cadets have the greatest potential as most patriotic and faithful. The pragmatic type of motivation appears to be less reliable, given a dramatic decrease in the number of pragmatically motivated cadets from the first to the fifth course, and replacement of this type by Skeptics. The Pragmatists generally agree with the military values, but their devotion to the army is lower in comparison with the Idealists, and life circumstances with a high probability can lead them to the completion of military career. .
HIV-1 Nef promotes cell proliferation and microRNA dysregulation in lung cells.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) represents about 85% of all lung cancer cases. Lung cancer is the most frequent non-AIDS-defining malignancies in HIV-infected patients. The mechanism of the incr...
Eigencages: Learning a Latent Space of Porous Cage Molecules

Porous organic cage molecules harbor nanosized cavities that can selectively adsorb gas molecules, lending them applications in separations and sensing. The geometry of the cavity strongly influenc...
Evaluation of a Simplified Risk Stratification Twice-Daily Aspirin Protocol for Venous Thromboembolism Prophylaxis After Total Joint Replacement.

ObjectiveTo determine using a simplified risk-stratified protocol to select candidates for aspirin therapy have similar death and postoperative complications as universal warfarin therapy in patien...
Influence of work zone signage on driver speeding behavior

Speeding in a work zone needs to be tackled effectively to enhance work zone safety. This study evaluates the influence of three different work zone signs—speed photo enforced signs, dynamic speed display signs and reduced speed limit signs—on driver speeding behavior using a medium-fidelity driving simulator. The speed photo enforced and reduced speed limit signs were placed at intervals before the start of the work zone and in the work zone. A virtual work zone network was built to replicate the Baltimore–Washington Parkway (MD-295). A total of 66 participants from different socioeconomic backgrounds participated in 264 driving simulation sessions. The speeds were measured over four phases: initial speed area, sign visible area, sign readable area and post sign area. An analysis of variance and post hoc analysis showed that the speed photo enforced sign was the most effective of the three signs. The second speed photo enforced sign within the work zone was more effective at reducing speed than the sign before the start of the work zone, especially in the post sign area. It was observed that female participants tend to slow down more when encountering a speed photo enforcement sign.
The Effects of Self-Construal and Masculinity vs. Femininity: A Comparison of American and Japanese Attitudes Toward Mental Health Services

This study investigated how interdependent/independent self-construals (SC) and masculinity or femininity moderated Japanese and American college students'attitudes toward mental health services. Data were analyzed from a survey that asked 316 American students (122 men and 194 women) and 362 Japanese students (147 men and 215 women) about their attitudes toward seeking professional help, their sense of self in relation to others, and their level of masculinity or femininity. Japanese and male participants tended to hold more negative help-seeking attitudes than did American and female participants. In both countries individuals with independent SC held positive attitudes. However, the roles of interdependent SC and masculinity/femininity were different for Japanese and American participants. While previous studies indicated that SC and gender have predictive roles, mental health counselors should be aware that other factors, such as indigenous beliefs about mental illness, may explain the national differ...
Motion for Leave to File Brief and Brief Amicus Curiae in Support of Defendant's Opposition to Plaintiff's Motion for Preliminary Injunction

Association for Accessible Medicines (AAM) warns that if this Court does not enjoin California's drug-patent settlement legislation, AB 824, there will be no more settlements, drug prices will rise, and patent law will be decimated. These claims offer no shortage of drama. But for at least three reasons, they are not justified. First, AAM ignores payment. The key issue in the antitrust analysis of settlements is whether a brand-name drug company pays a generic firm to delay entering the market. Precedent of the U.S. Supreme Court, California Supreme Court, and other courts draws an unmistakable distinction based on payment. Settlements without payment, such as those in which the parties settle based on the strength of the patent, do not threaten antitrust concern. But if the brand pays the generic to delay entry, that is a different story. For then, the generic is excluded from the market based not on the patent but on the payment. That is an antitrust violation. Despite this consensus view in the courts, the distinction between settlements with and without payment is missing from AAM’s motion. Second, AAM mischaracterizes AB 824. This legislation primarily codifies U.S. and California Supreme Court law, while modestly extending it in ways consistent with the caselaw. In particular, its approach of presumptive illegality for settlements involving payment and delayed entry is consistent with the streamlined Rule of Reason the Supreme Court adopted in FTC v. Actavis, which assumed anticompetitive effects and market power from a large and unjustified payment and which limited the defendant’s justifications to two: payments no higher than litigation costs and for generic services. It also is consistent with the structured Rule of Reason the California Supreme Court adopted in In re Cipro Cases I & II. In fact, AB 824 is even more protective of the settling parties than these two decisions in specifying six types of arrangements that do not provide “anything of value,” in other words, payment. Third, AB 824 is not preempted by the Hatch Waxman Act or patent law. The legislation promotes the Act’s purposes of expedited generic competition by reducing the number of settlements in which brands pay generics to delay entry, in the process inducing generics to abandon the patent challenges that Congress intended. Nor is patent law directly relevant to the antitrust analysis of settlements. As the U.S. Supreme Court made clear in Actavis, “it is normally not necessary to litigate patent validity” to assess the antitrust merits of settlements because the brand firm offers a “workable surrogate” on a silver platter: a large payment that cannot be justified as anything other than buying delay.
A Polyphase Filterbank for Computing Doppler Power Spectra in V2V Propagation Experiments

The standard polyphase channelizer from the software-defined radio literature is modified to produce a highly-efficient system for computing the narrowband output samples corresponding to the 64 unmodulated subcarriers in an IEEE 802.11p channel sounding signal. The reduction in computational complexity is important because V2V channel sounding experiments produce very large data files that must be processed as efficiently as possible. The results show that the reduction in the number of real-valued multipliers is more than 200,000 for downsample rates of interest.
A resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study of altered brain function of benign epilepsy in children with central-temporal spikes

Objective To analyze the brain functional fluctuation of benign epilepsy in children with central-temporal spikes(BECTS) by using ReHo algorithm based on the resting-state brain functional imaging, and to explore the connection of the brain function and changes of the connection pattern, so as to find the damage of the cognitive function of BECTS children in the early stage. Method s Perspectiveness and simple random selection of 20 BECTS children and 20 healthy control children admitted to Shenzhen Children′s Hospital from January 2015 to December 2017 were conducted for basic information collection and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) testing in a resting-state. Result s Significantly lower ReHo value appeared in the default mode network (DMN) area, and the precuneus (voxel=422, t=-5.085 6), cuneus (voxel=85, t=-4.240 3), angular gyrus (voxel=191, t=-4.681 2), cingulate cortex (voxel=313, t=-5.238 2), anterior central gyrus (voxel=12, t=-3.482 7), and supplementary motor area (voxel=1 356, t-6.596 2). The significantly increased ReHo was found in the bilateral cerebellum (voxel=71, t=5.658 2), right superior temporal gyrus (voxel=24, t= 5.184 0), operculum insulae (voxel=337, t=6.814 9), left parietal lobe (voxel=12, t=4.378 7), and inferior parietal lobule (voxel=11, t=3.433 7). Conclusions Significant impairment of DMN, Wernicke and angular gyrus functions in BECTS children may be one of the mechanisms of cognitive dysfunction.Enhanced sensorimotor area and cortical brain functions near the operculum insulae and central sulcus lead to seizures with typical clinical symptoms.fMRI has a high specificity and sensitivity for evaluating the brain function of children with BECTS, and it can detect the impairment of cognitive function in children with this type of epilepsy at an early stage. Key words: Benign epilepsy in children with central-temporal spikes; Functional magnetic resonance imaging; Regional homogeneity; Brain function