cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Corneal Damage Thresholds for CO(2) Laser Radiation.

A gaussian beam from a CO2 laser emitting at 10.6 μ was used to measure damage thresholds on rabbit cornea at exposure times of 55 msec, 10 msec, and 3.5 msec. A theoretical model of the radiation–tissue interaction is presented and compared with experimental data. The comparison suggests that a critical temperature exists above which lesions are caused by protein denaturation. The model is useful for establishing safe exposure levels within a limited exposure range.
Metamorphic chronology—a tool for all ages: Past achievements and future prospects

![Figure][1] Metamorphic chronology or petrochronology has steadily evolved over several decades through ever improving analytical techniques and more complete understanding of the geochemical and petrologic evolution of metamorphosing rocks. Here, the principal methods by which we link metamorphic temperatures ( T ) and ages ( t ) are reviewed, focusing primarily on accessory minerals. Methods discussed include textural correlation, inversion of diffusion profiles, chemical correlation, and combined chronologic and thermometric microanalysis. Each method demonstrates remarkable power in elucidating petrologic and tectonic processes, as examples from several orogens illustrate, but limitations must also be acknowledged and help define future research directions. Correlation methods are conceptually simple, but can be relatively non-specific regarding pressure-temperature conditions of formation. A new consideration of errors indicates that modeling of chronologic diffusion gradients provides relatively precise constraints on cooling rates, whereas models of chemical diffusion gradients can lead to large (factor of 2 or more) cooling rate uncertainties. Although arguably the best method currently in use, simultaneous T-t measurements are currently limited to zircon, titanite, and rutile. Directions for future improvement include investigation of diffusion profiles for numerous trace element-mineral systems using now-routine depth profiling. New trace element models will help improve chemical correlation methods. The determination of inclusion entrapment P-T conditions based on Raman spectroscopic measurement of inclusion pressures (“thermoba-Raman-try”) may well revolutionize textural correlation methods. [1]: pending:yes
An Elementary Proof of the B. and M. Shapiro Conjecture for Rational Functions

We give a new elementary proof of the following theorem: if all critical points of a rational function g belong to the real line then there exists a fractional linear transformation φ such that φ ○ g is a real rational function.
Motion Sickness, Video Games, and Head-Mounted Displays

We evaluated the nauseogenic properties of console video games that are presented using head-mounted displays. Subjects played a standard console video game, using an Xbox game system. Subjects used a standard Xbox game pad, and viewed the video portion of the game using a bi-ocular head-mounted display system. Half the subjects played while seated, and half while standing. Subjects played the game for up to 50 minutes, and were asked to discontinue if they experienced any symptoms of motion sickness. Most subjects reported motion sickness, but sickness was more common among standing subjects. The severity of sickness was similar to previous studies of visually induced motion sickness. The results indicate that contemporary console video game systems are capable of inducing motion sickness.
Single electron tunneling in double and triple quantum wells

Electron localization and tunneling in laterally distributed double quantum well (DQW) and triple quantum well (TQW) are studied. Triangular configuration for the TQWs as well as various quantum well (QW) shapes and asymmetry are considered. The effect of adding a third well to a DQW is investigated as a weakly coupled system. InAs/GaAs DQWs and TQWs were modeled using single subband effective mass approach with effective potential simulating the strain effect. Electron localization dynamics in DQW and TQW over the whole spectrum is studied by varying the inter-dot distances. The electron tunneling appeared highly sensitive to small violations of the DQW mirror symmetry. We show that the presence of a third dot increases the tunneling in the DQW. The dependence of the tunneling in quantum dot (QD) arrays on inter-dot distances is also discussed.
Economics as a Science and Its Relation to Policy: The Example of Free Trade

Economic controversy has centred on questions of substantive doctrine, the conflict of schools and ideologies, and issues of scope and method. Somewhat more peripheral but no less fundamental in importance have been controversies over the social role of economists and the relation of economic theory (or science) to policy. These have involved the tension between the desire for analysis free of ideology or values, on the one hand, and the more or less reluctant belief in the inevitability of ideological or valuational elements, on the other;1 whether economic principles are independent of practical affairs or are applicable, directly or indirectly, to matters of policy; whether economic theory is an engine of inquiry or a corpus of truth; and, in general, the nature of economics as a science and its relation to policy. In all these and other respects, there have been considerable diversity, ambiguity, and conflict of views.
494 USE OF OMALIZUMAB FOR CESSATION OF CORTICOSTEROID THERAPY IN A PATIENT WITH PULMONARY SARCOIDOSIS, ASPERGILLOMAS, LONG-STANDING ASTHMA, AND ALLERGIC BRONCHOPULMONARY ASPERGILLOSIS.

A 47-year-old African American female with a history of asthma since childhood, stage IV sarcoidosis, and bilateral upper lobe aspergillomas was seen in follow-up for her multiple pulmonary disorders. She also had a history of frequent asthma exacerbations, an elevated total serum IgE level, and very high level positivity for serum Aspergillus precipitins. After several years of therapy with relatively high-dose corticosteroids and multiple antifungal agents for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis, she had developed diabetes mellitus and osteoporosis and had gained over 60 pounds. Multiple prior attempts to wean her from corticosteroids had failed. The patient was subsequently started on omalizumab with significant clinical improvement and successful cessation of corticosteroid therapy. When she later temporarily discontinued omalizumab therapy for insurance reasons, she experienced symptomatic deterioration, which was promptly reversed upon reinitiation of this agent. We present this case to illustrate a novel and effective use of omalizumab (which inhibits IgE-mediated activation of mast cells and basophils) in a patient with multiple pulmonary disorders, including sarcoidosis, aspergillomas, asthma, and allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis.
Responsibility judgments in voting scenarios.

How do people assign responsibility for the outcome of an election? In previous work, we have shown that responsibility judgments in achievement contexts are affected by the probability that a person’s contribution is necessary, and by how close it was to being pivotal (Lagnado, Gerstenberg, & Zultan, 2013). Here we focus on responsibility judgments in voting scenarios. We varied the number of people in different voting committees, their political affiliations, the number of votes required for a policy to pass, which party supports the policy, and the pattern of votes (creating 170 different situations). As expected, we found that participants’ responsibility judgments increased the closer the voter was to being pivotal. Further, judgments increased the more unexpected a vote was. Voters were assigned more responsibility when they voted against the majority in the committee, and when they voted against their party affiliation.
Are reporting errors under PPS random or systematic

This study examines how hospitals respond to the reimbursement and monitoring methods used under the Medicare Prospective Payment System. Under the reimbursement system, hospitals can follow several strategies to increase profit. The strategies examined here are: 1) providing inaccurate reports of diagnoses, and 2) unnecessarily admitting patients. Empirical evidence supports the contention that hospitals follow these strategies and that the extent to which they do differs across diagnoses. The results have implications for the form of monitoring done under the Prospective Payment System.
Pursue robust indefinite scalability

For research insights and development potential, we should explore computer architectures designed to scale indefinitely. Given physical limits, we argue an indefinitely scalable computer should or must (1) reveal to programmers its component spatial relationships, (2) forego unique addresses, and (3) operate asynchronously. Further, such a machine and its programming must be inherently robust against local failures and outages, and be operable during its own construction. We propose the indefinitely scalable Movable Feast Machine, which defers many architectural decisions to an execution model that associates processing, memory, and communications functions with movable bit patterns rather than fixed locations. We illustrate basic and novel computational elements such as self-healing wire, simple cell membranes for modularity, and robust stochastic sorting by movable self-replicating programs.
The moral significance of religion for bioethics

Religion is concerned with problems of health, medicine, and disease. Conversely, concepts of health and disease reflect values that are often influenced by religious postulates. Thus, the complex ways in which religion refers to and describes health, medicine, and disease help to explain its many-sided relationship to bioethics. This article examines the manner in which religion, as a descriptive and empirical entity, and also a normative and conceptual one, has moral meaning for bioethics and can enrich it. An analysis is also made of how a particularly complex problem in bioethics--whether the medical technology available for prolonging life should be used--could be approached from the standpoint of different religious traditions.
Sympathy, Community, and Promising: Adam Smith's Case for Reviving Moral Consideration

t B.A. 1994, Duke University; J.D. Candidate 1999, The University of Chicago. 1 See, for example, Lord Grey's Case, Bodl, MS Rawl, C112, F292 (1567) (opinion by Dyer) (noting that "the benefit of my friend is to my benefit and case also"), cited and quoted in Kevin M. Teeven, A History of the Anglo-American Common Law of Contract 59 n 103 (Greenwood 1990); Dutton v Pool, 1 Ventr 318, 86 Eng Rep 205, 205 (KB 1678) (arguably upholding a promise based on the theory that love and affection count as consideration), cited in A.W.B. Simpson, A History of the Common Law of Contract 479 (Oxford 1975); Hawkes v Saunders, 1 Cowpr 289, 98 Eng Rep 1091, 1091 (KB 1782) (holding that "[w]here a man is under a moral obligation ... the honesty and rectititude of the thing is a consideration"), cited in Friedrich Kessler, Grant Gilmore, and Anthony Kronman, eds, Contracts: Cases and Materials 510 (Little, Brown 3d ed 1986). For a discussion of the in213
Follicular Variant of Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Hybrid or Mixture?

The prognosis of the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC) falls between that of classical papillary thyroid carcinoma (cPTC) and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) (1). FVPTC has lower mortality and less frequent distant metastases than FTC, but higher mortality and more frequent distant metastases than cPTC. FVPTC has fewer lymph node metastases and less frequent infiltrative disease and extrathyroidal extension than cPTC, but more than FTC. But is it a hybrid disease or a mixture of diseases? The pathological appearance of a follicular-patterned tumor with the nuclear features of cPTC suggests that FVPTC is a hybrid. However, the heterogeneous nature of the disease and the mutational profile of FVPTC strongly suggest that it is a mixture of diseases (2). It is the intersection of classical descriptive pathology and modern molecular biology that permits an understanding of this group of diseases.
E. M. Forster: Self and Neighbours

In the spring of 1946 E. M. Forster was one of ten BBC radio speakers invited to discuss ‘The Challenge of Our Time’. Since the time was the beginning of a momentous postwar era and the challenge was enormous, the series was intended to make radio listeners stop and think: in particular, to think ahead to what they hoped might be the future shape of the civilisation they had fought to preserve. Four scientists, two historians (Arthur Koestler being one), a classicist, a theologian, a philosopher and Forster were to consider ‘whether and how far the ills of our present world are traceable to causes in human thinking’. Was the war just concluded only a symptom of general unease about the durability of tradition? Was the nation-state consuming the individual? ‘Is there a chance of re-creating the social mould?’ What about a new synthesis? The present chaos was the dire alternative.1
Functional Neuroimaging, Free Will, and Privacy

The development of brain imaging technology in neuroscience has given rise to a new domain in ethics: neuroethics. This fledgling new branch of philosophy is interdisciplinary. Neuroethics covers areas of medicine, cognitive science, and philosophy of mind, and aims to produce systematic reflections about the ethical issues stemming from the rapid development of brain imaging technology in neuroscience. For clinicians, neuroscience promises to provide new diagnostic and therapeutic tools to treat neurological and psychiatric disorders. For philosophers and cognitive scientists, brain science helps lead the way towards the reduction of mental, or psychological states, to physical, or brain states. Traditionally, philosophers have tried to answer questions about free will, personhood and personal identity, and consciousness and other purportedly unique aspects ABSTRACT
Studies on the mechanism of ethanol-induced gastric damage in rats

Concentrated ethanol causes gastric lesions by a mechanism that is poorly understood. We have investigated this mechanism in the rat stomach via gross morphologic, videomicroscopic, histochemical, and pharmacologic approaches. Within 1 min of contact, ethanol caused diffuse mucosal hyperemia. By 5 min, hyperemia greatly intensified at some mucosal sites. Beneath sites where mucosal hyperemia developed, intramural venules strongly constricted at 3-13 s postethanol, whereas submucosal arterioles dilated more than two times in diameter by 25 s. Submucosal venular constriction began sooner than arteriolar dilation (9 vs. 16 s, p less than 0.05). One-third of the gastric mucosal mast cells degranulated by 15 s postethanol; 50% discharged by 30 s. Ethanol-induced hyperemia was markedly reduced by lipoxygenase-selective inhibitors BW755C or nordihydroguaiaretic acid, or by the H1-antihistamine pyrilamine, but not by indomethacin, cimetidine, phentolamine, or methysergide. Based on these results, a model for the pathogenesis of ethanol-induced gastric lesions is proposed.
Athermalization and achromatization of multiband optics using instantaneous Abbe number

Over the past few years, new detector technologies have enabled multiband detection through a single aperture. This creates significant SWAP advantages (size, weight and power) and has spurred significant interest in multiband optics (for instance SWIR/MWIR, MWIR/LWIR, etc.). However, due to the small number of materials available in the infrared regions, passive optical athermalization and achromatization can be challenging even over single waveband. This becomes even more challenging in the case of multiband optics. One method for determining appropriate material combinations for athermalization and achromatization is use of a y ∗ v vs. v diagram. We examine an updated form of the y ∗ v vs. v diagram using instantaneous Abbe number. While Abbe number is an effective metric for dispersion within single bands, it becomes less reliable when extended to wider wavelength ranges. Instantaneous Abbe number allows for a wider waveband to be defined, without a loss of generality; and this allows for an updated definition of the y ∗ v vs. v diagram for the development of multiband optics. We present an example of a multiband lens as well as compare the typical definition of Abbe number with instantaneous Abbe number to determine the validity of the updated model.
Nanowires as building blocks for nanoelectronics and nanophotonics

First, a general framework for the growth of single crystal nanowire building blocks is reviewed, with an emphasis on illustrating the level of control possible in defining composition, diameter, and electronic properties. Second, investigations of electrical transport properties of individual nanowires and nanowire heterostructures are discussed. Third, and as an example of a nanotechnology enabled application, we describe the use of nanowire field-effect devices as ultra-sensitive chemical and biological sensors. Finally, we describe studies of the fundamental optical and opto-electronic properties of compound semiconductor nanowires and nanowire heterostructures. In summary, challenges and goals for realizing nanotechnologies in the future are discussed, including schemes and progress towards highly integrated electronic and photonic systems.
All-Extremity Aerobic Exercise Training Improves Carotid Artery Compliance in Older Adults

Advancing age is associated with decreased arterial compliance and increased arterial wall intima-media thickness (IMT), both independent predictors of cardiovascular disease. Aerobic exercise training is a recognized strategy for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, however, optimal exercise prescription in older adults remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of all-extremity aerobic exercise training on central and peripheral vascular structure and function in older adults. Twenty two sedentary older men and postmenopausal women (age 55 to 76 yrs, 64±1yrs; mean±SE), free of major clinical disease (e.g., diabetes, cardiovascular, renal and liver disease) were randomized to 8 weeks of all-extremity aerobic exercise training (EX; n=12) or non-exercise control condition (CON; n=10). Aerobic training was performed 4 days/week under supervision and consisted of 47 min of exercise on an air-braked all-extremity ergometer (Airdyne, Schwinn) at 70% of maximal heart rate. Cent...
The art of knowing: Designing a nursing professional development program based on American nurses’ experiences of providing care to Arab Muslims

Objective and methods: The purpose of this project was to gain insight into American nurses’ experiences of providing care to Arab Muslims in order to design a nursing professional development program that supports the provision of culturally congruent care to Arab Muslims. Empirical, personal, ethical, and aesthetic ways of knowing were used to generate a comprehensive view of how American nurses describe their experiences of providing care to Arab Muslims. Results: Prevailing themes included culture care knowledge, modesty, gender-specific considerations, privacy and dignity, cleanliness, worship rites, and the concept of In Shallah. Not having enough time was a significant factor influencing nurses’ intentions to provide culturally congruent care. Nurses also shared that it was less important to meet the culture care needs of acutely or critically ill patients. Conclusions: The themes underscored the value of including empirical, personal, ethical, and aesthetic knowledge in the design of a nursing professional development programs in the United States and globally.
Transforming Ways of Enhancing Foreign Language Acquisition in the Spanish Classroom: Experiential Learning Approaches.

The researchers used qualitative and quantitative instruments to measure students’ linguistic gains and their opinions and attitudes toward intercultural awareness while studying Spanish as a foreign language under four different pedagogical models: a traditional face-to-face classroom, face-to-face classes with a community-based learning component, face-to-face courses with an online telecollaborative language-learning component, and study abroad. Quantitative findings from two knowledge-based assessments indicated that students’ language learning was equivalent in all four pedagogical models. Students’ survey responses indicated that they believed that moving beyond traditional instructional models by adding classes with experiential learning boosted their second language acquisition and fueled their curiosity about cultural similarities and differences. Qualitative findings also confirmed that students’ engagement was higher in the experiential models
Light exposure induces ubiquitin conjugation and degradation activities in the rat retina

Purpose To evaluate the consequences of light exposure on retinal ubiquitin (Ub) conjugation and degradation. Methods Two-month-old Long Evans pigmented rats were exposed to constant light (180 foot-candles) or were left in complete darkness for 18 hours. Rats used for cyclic light and diurnal rhythm experiments were removed from their light cycles at different times (24-hour clock): 0700 (before the light was turned on), 1000 (3 hours into the light cycle), 1000D (continued in the dark cycle), 1900 (before the light was turned off), 2200 (3 hours into the dark cycle), and 2200L (continued in the light cycle). The retinas were examined for Ub conjugation, adenosine triphosphate-Ub-dependent degradation, levels of Ub messenger RNA, and localization of Ub immunocytochemistry. Results There was a statistically significant increase in Ub conjugation and degradation in retinas isolated from light-exposed animals compared with degradation in retinas of dark-adapted animals. However, no significant differences were observed in the levels of Ub messenger RNA from cyclic light, or light-exposed or dark-adapted retinas, suggesting that light-stress-induced changes do not reflect increased transcriptional activity. The daily variations observed in Ub conjugation and degradation suggest that these processes are probably the result of a circadian rhythm. Results of immunohistochemical studies revealed that Ub and its conjugates were uniformly distributed throughout the retinal cell layers in light- and dark-adapted retinas. However, in light-exposed retinas, a strong positive immunoreactivity was observed in the inner retina, specifically in horizontal and ganglion cells. Conclusions These results suggest that light exposure may play a role in inducing Ub-conjugating activity in certain retinal cells. Furthermore, the results support the hypothesis that Ub is a stress protein that plays an important role in protecting cells under stress conditions.
Get Funded: An Insider's Guide to Building An Academic Research Program

Learn all the basic principles involved in initiating an academic career and building an externally funded academic research program with this practical guide. Based on the author's extensive experience as a government funding agency director and successful academic, it provides step-by-step advice on how to identify an appropriate funding agency and program manager, how to present your research in a concise and effective manner, and, ultimately, how to obtain your first research grant. It explains the faculty recruitment process in detail and outlines the key timelines associated with being on the tenure track. Providing a unique insight into research funding agency operation and expectations, this is the 'go to' guide for new faculty members in engineering, the sciences, and mathematics looking to gain a head start in their academic careers.
Early-age performance characterization of hot-mix asphalt overlay with varying amounts of asphalt binder replacement

Abstract This study examined five field projects in Illinois, with eight different surface mixes having varying asphalt binder replacement (ABR) achieved by using binders from recycled asphalt shingles (RAS) and reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP). The performance testing was conducted on plant-mixed laboratory-compacted (PMLC) specimens and consisted of dynamic modulus, overlay tester, Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT), flow number, and Hamburg wheel tracking tests. The early-age field performance was evaluated, and correlation with performance tests was conducted. Results showed that ABR, asphalt content, and binder grade have effects on rutting and cracking resistance. No rutting issues were found with any of the tested mixes. The flexibility index (FI) values of field cores were higher than PMLC specimens, as no specimen thickness and air void corrections were applied at this time. I-FIT is recommended as a simple performance test to screen and distinguish between mixes for potential cracking.
Global clock distribution on standing wave with CMOS active inductor loading

In this paper, an X-tree clock distribution topology based on standing wave oscillator is introduced. To increase output amplitude at the loading point and saving chip area, a novel CMOS active inductor is designed and applied to each loading points of the network. The cascoded differential active inductor is 1 nH with Q = 344 at 10 GHz. This makes the two stage, 6.2 mm × 6.2 mm dimensional standing wave based clock distribution network perfectly convey clock signals everywhere on the chip without taking much of the chip area while keeping a relatively high output voltage swing. The clock jitter introduced by active inductor loading is 0.139 ps and almost zero clock skew.
Use of Twitter to Assess Viewer Reactions to the Medical Drama, Code Black.

Fictional medical television programs are popular with viewers and have been shown to influence health-related outcomes. We sought to systematically analyze real-time viewer discourse on Twitter re...
Travel Satisfaction and Well-Being

One approach to assessing the quality of life associated with a person’s daily travel is to obtain a summary judgment of that individual’s satisfaction with travel. Such a judgment could be considered a measure of the transportation-domain-specific subjective well-being (SWB). A number of such summary measures have been developed, including happiness, liking, pleasantness, a subjective valuation of the time spent traveling, and two different Satisfaction with Travel Scales (STS). In this chapter, we discuss some of the conceptual differences among these various measures, and review some key empirical results associated with them. In particular, we conceive of travel satisfaction as being directly influenced by five components of travel, as well as by socio-economic/demographic (SED) traits, attitudes, and trip-/travel-related characteristics. The chapter includes an analysis of data drawn from the well-being module of the 2013 American Time Use Survey (ATUS), to offer preliminary insights into how people feel about their travel episodes, differences in travel-related emotions across socio-economic groups, and how travel compares with other activities in terms of engendering feelings of well-being. We follow with a discussion of the relationship of travel satisfaction to overall well-being, and conclude with some brief reflections on the role of this research domain in our rapidly changing transportation milieu.
Using On-Board Diagnostic and Global Positioning System to Price Emissions from On-Road Heavy-Duty Vehicles

AbstractEconomists have long urged governments to use Pigouvian taxes to efficiently reduce emissions. This has rarely happened, mostly because until now, technology has not existed to precisely me...
Augmentation of AM fungi fails to ameliorate the adverse effects of temporal resource variation on a lettuce crop

While agricultural research has traditionally focused on average environmental conditions, environmental variability, independent of the mean, can also have biological consequences. Using lettuce (Lactuca sativa) as a model system, we tested two hypotheses: (1) increased temporal variability in water supply impacts plant growth, yield, photosynthesis, water relations and nutrition and (2) arbuscular mycorrhizal AM fungal associations benefit this agricultural crop, especially when plants experience temporal variability in water supply. The experiment used a randomized complete block design with two blocks and three variables (each with two levels): ± mycorrhizal inoculation, high or low variability in watering intervals, and high or low total watering volume. Temporal variability in water supply, at a time scale similar to what is common in agricultural practices, had negative effects on lettuce production. Inoculation treatments were successful in doubling the extent of AM fungal infection in lettuce roots. There were no main effects of mycorrhizal inoculation on any measured variable, but augmented mycorrhizal associations interacted with variability in water supply to increase root/shoot ratios and decrease tissue concentrations of N and P. Successful application of AM fungi to sustainable agriculture probably requires a general theoretical framework for predicting when effects on plants will be beneficial versus neutral or even detrimental.
The Monte Carlo Method: Computer Simulation of Experiments

Many times we wish to simulate the results of an experiment by using a computer and random variables, using the pseudo-random number generators available on computers. This is known as Monte Carlo simulation. This is often done because the experiment is very complicated and it is not practical to analytically summarize all of the different effects influencing our results. We try to generate a set of representative simulated events and let them, on a computer, run through our apparatus. In this chapter, we will examine techniques for doing this efficiently. This method is necessarily connected with computers and we will introduce some simple computer problems here also.
Magnesium: Forgotten Mineral in Cardiovascular Biology and Atherogenesis

In this review, a rationale is presented for how hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), end-stage renal disease (ESRD), prolonged stress, and exposure to magnesium (Mg)-wasting drugs can lead to atherosclerosis, ischemic heart disease, and stroke. The data, accumulated so far, indicate that Mg deficiency caused either by a poor diet or errors in Mg metabolism may be a missing link between diverse cardiovascular risk factors and atherogenesis. Early data from our laboratory and others indicate that reduction in extracellular free Mg ions can induce an entire array of pathophysiological phenomena known to be important in atherogenesis, that is, vasospasm, hypoxia, increased vascular reactivity, and elevation in intracellular calcium (Ca). More recent data has demonstrated molecular events, pointing the way to atherogenesis: that is, formation of pro-inflammatory agents, generation of free radicals, platelet aggregation, modulation of macrophage and leukocyte mobility, and emigration across the endothelial wall. Finally, oxidation of lipoproteins, changes in membrane fatty acid saturation, changes in membrane plasmalogens, and N-phospholipids suggest alterations in intracellular lipid signals. It has been shown that Mg deficiency can modulate membrane sphingomyelinase, generate vasoactive and pathogenic sphingolipids, which could alter multiple intracellular signaling pathways, modulate transcription factors, and thus cause intimal plaque formation.
Analysis of a mindset intervention

Abstract Mindset refers to a person’s beliefs about the nature of their abilities—whether they believe their ability in a given domain is malleable or fixed. We investigated whether a brief, online intervention could alter ability and non-ability traits, including mindset of intelligence, locus of control, challenge-approach motivation, grit, and performance on cognitive ability tests. Exploratory factor analysis indicated that measures of mindset, grit, and locus of control loaded onto a common self-determination factor, which was independent of a second factor reflecting fluid intelligence and crystallized intelligence. Multilevel modeling further revealed that participants who received a mindset intervention reported more growth mindset, internal locus of control, challenge-approach motivation, and self-determination. The mindset intervention did not alter cognitive ability scores or grittiness.
Immediate intravesical chemotherapy for low-grade bladder tumors in California: An underutilized practice and its impact on recurrence.

Abstract Objectives To demonstrate patterns of uptake and impact on recurrence of intravesical chemotherapy (IC) immediately following transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TURBT) for low-grade non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) at a population level. Methods Incident cases of low-grade (LG) Ta or T1 NMIBC from 2005 to 2012 were identified from the California Cancer Registry. We determined rates of IC utilization following TURBT. Multivariable logistic regression models were utilized to assess predictors of IC utilization. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression was used to assess the association of IC utilization with recurrence-free survival, bladder cancer-specific survival, and overall survival. Results Ten thousand thirty-one patients with LG NMIBC diagnosed in California between 2005 and 2012. The overall rate of IC utilization was 5.1%, and increased from 1.7% (2005–2006) to 9.6% (2011–2012). More recent year of diagnosis (Odds ratio 1.74, confidence interval 1.60–1.90 for 2-year increments) was associated with an increased likelihood of undergoing immediate postoperative IC. The cumulative incidence of recurrence at 24 months for patients who received IC was 25.2% compared to 30.2% among those who did not receive IC. Use of IC was significantly associated with improved recurrence-free survival (Hazards ratio 0.82, confidence interval 0.70–0.97). Conclusion Utilization of IC for LG NMIBC remains dismally low, with less than 10% of patients receiving this standard of care. Low utilization is associated with increased rates of recurrence. We demonstrate a major shortcoming in quality of care with potential widespread impact on outcomes and cost of care.
Maternal low protein diet decreases leptin expression in the brains of the neonatal rat offspring

Maternal low protein (LP) diets during gestation cause learning and memory impairment as well as cognitive deficits in the neonatal and adult offspring. The cellular and molecular mechanism that me...
Imagining the Mind: Empathy and Misreading in Much Ado About Nothing

Using Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Helms describes how imagination breaks down in complex social situations where multiple individual perspectives must be imagined simultaneously. To circumvent this difficulty, characters rely on the empathic connection they have with others, and overconfidence in that empathy leads to misreading. Recent criticism has focused on the inferential errors that Claudio makes when he misinterprets Hero’s blush in act four. Drawing on theories of cognitive ecology and the embodied, embedded, and extended mind, Helms shifts the focus of the discussion from misinterpretation of facts to misreading of emotions, arguing that Claudio’s trouble is not external—social forces or erroneous impressions—but internal; Claudio follows the tide of imagination, failing to combine inferential distance with his own readings of others.
Equity Market Liberalization, Fundamental Volatility, and External Finance

Using data for emerging market firms that are either investable or uninvestable to foreigners, we study the effects of investability on fundamental volatility, excess volatility, and external finance. We find that fundamental volatility is lower for investable firms, while excess stock return volatility is greater. Share issuance is lower for investable firms, while debt issuance is essentially unchanged. These firm-level findings pose challenges to current theories of equity market liberalization, which contend that investability increases risk sharing, does not increase stock return volatility, and reduces financial constraints.
Transformer: a database-driven approach to generating forms for constrained interaction

Form-based data insertion or querying is often one of the most time-consuming steps in data-driven workflows. The small screen and lack of physical keyboard in devices such as smartphones and smartwatches introduce imprecision during user input. This can lead to data quality issues such as incomplete responses and errors, increasing user input time. We present Transformer, a system that leverages the contents of the database to automatically optimize forms for constrained input settings. Our cost function models the user input effort based on the schema and data distribution. This is used by Transformer to find the user interface (UI) widget and layout with ideal input cost for each form field. We demonstrate through user studies that Transformer provides a significantly improved user experience, with up to 50% and 57% reduction in form completion time for smartphones and smartwatches respectively.
Compensatory mechanisms in myoglobin deficient mice preserve NO homeostasis.

Abstract The mechanism for nitric oxide (NO) generation from reduction of nitrate (NO3−) and nitrite (NO2−) has gained increasing attention due to the potential beneficial effects of NO in cardiovascular diseases and exercise performance. We have previously shown in rodents that skeletal muscle is the major nitrate reservoir in the body and that exercise enhances the nitrate reduction pathway in the muscle tissue and have proposed that nitrate in muscle originates from diet, the futile cycle of nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS1) and/or oxidation of NO by oxymyoglobin. In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that lack of myoglobin expression would decrease nitrate levels in skeletal muscle. We observed a modest but significant decrease of nitrate level in skeletal muscle of myoglobin deficient mice compared to littermate control mice (17.3 vs 12.8 nmol/g). In contrast, a NOS inhibitor, L-NAME or a low nitrite/nitrate diet treatment led to more pronounced decreases of nitrate levels in the skeletal muscle of both control and myoglobin deficient mice. Nitrite levels in the skeletal muscle of both types of mice were similar (0.48 vs 0.42 nmol/g). We also analyzed the expression of several proteins that are closely related to NO metabolism to examine the mechanism by which nitrate and nitrite levels are preserved in the absence of myoglobin. Western blot analyses suggest that the protein levels of xanthine oxidoreductase and sialin, a nitrate transporter, both increased in the skeletal muscle of myoglobin deficient mice. These results are compatible with our previously reported model of nitrate production in muscle and suggest that myoglobin deficiency activates compensatory mechanisms to sustain NO homeostasis.
Toxicology literature, databases, and other online resources

Abstract This chapter provides an overview of resources related to toxicology and allied disciplines, covering both the online and print framework. It highlights critical books, journals, professional societies, other organizations, online databases, and social media and offers a global perspective. Specific resources and tools are selectively listed and described.
Chapter 4 – Germination Ecology of Seeds with Nondeep Physiological Dormancy

Publisher Summary The chapter illustrates the changes in dormancy states of seed with nondeep physiological dormancy. It also discusses how these changes in dormancy states are affected by various environmental factors. Emphasis is placed on how changes in germination responses of the seeds interact with the environment to control the timing of seed germination in the field. However, data from studies in which soil is plowed, or disturbed at regular intervals throughout the year, shows that seeds of many species germinate only at specific times of the year. Moreover, some species whose seeds have nondeep physiological dormancy (PD) at maturity, cycle back and forth between dormancy and nondormancy many times before they eventually germinate. The change from dormancy to nondormancy, or from non-dormancy to dormancy, is gradual and it occurs in response to changes in environmental factors. Thus, during the course of a year, seeds that go from dormancy to nondormancy and then back to dormancy, thereby exhibit an annual cycle. Seeds with nondeep PD are the only ones that can reenter dormancy and thus, exhibit annual cycles in their dormancy states.
The limited influence of neurosurgeons' behavior on inpatient satisfaction: a retrospective multihospital analysis.

OBJECTIVE The Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) is a survey that assesses patient satisfaction, which is an important measure of the quality of hospital care and ultimately the overall hospital rating (OHR). However, the survey covers several elements of patient satisfaction beyond the patient-surgeon interaction. In this study, authors investigated which admission and experience factors had the highest impact on the OHR. METHODS This was a retrospective cohort analysis of HCAHPS surveys from patients who, in the period between August 1, 2016, and January 31, 2018, had been discharged from the neurosurgical or orthopedic service at three hospitals serving a single metropolitan area. The top-box score was defined as the highest rating obtainable for each survey question. Baseline admission attributes were obtained, and multivariate logistic regression was used to determine predictors of the top-box OHR. RESULTS After application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 1470 patients remained in the analysis. Categories on the HCAHPS included OHR, communication, education, environment, pain management, and responsiveness. After excluding identifying questions from the survey and adjusting for subspecialty and hospital, 7 of 17 HCAHPS survey items were significant predictors of OHR. Only 2 of these were related to the surgeon: 1) discharge, "Did you get information in writing about what symptoms or health problems to look out for after you left the hospital?" (OR 5.93, 95% CI 2.52-13.94); and 2) doctor, "Did doctors explain things in a way you could understand?" (OR 2.78, 95% CI 1.73-4.46). The top three strongest correlating items were 1) discharge; 2) nursing, "Did nurses treat you with courtesy and respect?" (OR 3.86, 95% CI 2.28-6.52); and 3) hospital environment, "Were your room and bathroom kept clean?" (OR 2.86, 95% CI 1.96-4.17). CONCLUSIONS The study findings demonstrated that there are several nonmodifiable factors (i.e., specialty, experience) and items that are not under the direct purview of the neurosurgeon (e.g., nursing communication, hospital environment) that are significant influences on overall inpatient satisfaction on the HCAHPS survey. Furthermore, components of the survey that ultimately influence the OHR vary across different hospitals. Hence, HCAHPS survey results should be broadly interpreted as a way to make health systems more aware of the overall hospital factors that can improve quality of care and patient experience.
Navigating facilitated regulatory pathways during a disease X pandemic

In 2018, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation convened over thirty subject matter experts in clinical development, manufacturing, and regulatory assessment to determine how the development and approval of medical countermeasures could be accelerated in the event of Disease X. Disease X is the result of a presently unknown pathogen with epidemic or pandemic potential. A key opportunity to accelerate the scientific assessment and regulatory approval of medical countermeasures exists within efficient navigation of facilitated regulatory pathways. It was identified that not all stakeholders will be able to skillfully navigate the facilitated pathways offered by the various regulatory agencies during a public health emergency. To democratize this knowledge, we have written an overview of the facilitated approaches which have been developed and refined by Stringent Regulatory Authorities and the World Health Organization for the primary assessment of medical products. We discuss the conditions necessary for use of these approaches, scenarios in which certain pathways may be applicable, and the pros and cons of these approaches. We also address opportunities available to developers in, or developers who wish to access, low-income countries that may have nascent regulatory frameworks.
Parents’ political activism on social media: The role of emotional engagement and perceived (in)civility

While political engagement on social media is fairly common, much remains unclear regarding why users politically engage online. This is particularly the case for positive emotions and how parents ...
Reaction Path Hamiltonian for Polyatomic Systems: Further Developments and Applications

Ab initio quantum chemistry has made important advances recently in developing methods1 for the accurate and efficient calculation of the gradient of the potential energy surface, i.e., the derivative of the Born-Oppenheimer electronic energy with respect to nuclear coordinates, for a general molecular system. This has been used most commonly to facilitate the search for transition states, i.e., saddle points on a potential energy surface, but once a saddle point is found it can be used to follow the steepest descent path down from the transition state to reactants and to products. If mass-weighted cartesian coordinates are used, this is the reaction path,2 and the distance along it the (mass-weighted) reaction coordinate.
Sequential anaerobic/aerobic biotreatment of bark leachate

Bark leachate is generated from sawmill operations such as log storage sites and contains polymeric tannins, carbohydrates, organic acids, phenolic and resin compounds. The present study was aimed at assessing the performance of a sequential anaerobic and aerobic treatment, for both chemical oxygen demand (COD) and phenol removal, under various combinations of operational conditions, in the continuous mode. After anaerobic treatment in a five litres upflow anaerobic sludge bed (UASB) reactor, the leachate was directed into two parallel aerobic reactors, either an activated sludge unit or a fixed film submerged filter (packed with polyethylene Flexirings), both of a volume of one litre and oxygenated by air diffusion. For a leachate of 22 gCOD/l, an overall COD removal of 96Ð98% was achieved at an hydraulic residence time (HRT) of 4 days for the anaerobic reactor and one day for either aerobic systems. The phenol concentration generally increased after anaerobic treatment but was below the detection limit (50 ppb) after aerobic polishing. Radiorespirometric microcosms with 14C-labelled phenol confirmed that phenol was mineralized in the aerobic reactors. The performances of both aerobic systems were similar for COD and phenol removal. Thus, a sequential anaerobic/aerobic treatment was able to effectively address the contamination of a bark leachate discharge, including phenols.
Quantitative measurement of precipitating antibodies in streptococcal grouping antisera by the single radial immunodiffusion technique.

Abstract A comparative study was made of the single radial immunodiffusion test and the classical quantitative precipitin test for determining the amount of precipitable antibodies present in streptococcal groups A and C antisera. The potency of 21 group A and 54 group C antisera was determined by both methods; purified group-specific carbohydrates were used as antigens. The coefficient of correlation between the results from the two methods was 0.976 for group A antisera and 0.946 for group C antisera. When the concentration of antigen, the volume of antiserum used, and the depth of the antigen-agar mixture are kept constant, the diameter of the precipitin disc is directly related to the concentration of precipitable antibodies present in the antiserum. The use of the radial immunodiffusion test for evaluating and standardizing streptococcal grouping antisera is discussed as well as the advantages and disadvantages of using a concentrated vaccine for producing these antisera.