cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
C-Reactive Protein as a Risk Predictor Do Race/Ethnicity and Gender Make a Difference?

Case presentation: M.A. is a 43-year-old female African-American airline pilot with a family history of stroke and insulin-dependent diabetes who comes to the cardiovascular clinic for a routine yearly physical required by her employer. She is asymptomatic and physically active as the mother of 2 young sons (aged 3 and 8 years). She is concerned about her risk for stroke and a heart attack because of her mother’s death from a stroke at age 55. She also has a 49-year-old brother who was recently hospitalized with heart failure. She has no significant past medical history and takes no medications. M.A. does not smoke, drink alcohol, or use illicit drugs. On physical examination, she has a systolic blood pressure of 160 mm Hg and a diastolic blood pressure of 95 mm Hg bilaterally. Her heart rate is 86, and respirations and oxygen saturation are within normal limits. Her weight is 170 lb and height is 6 ft. The remainder of her physical examination is also within normal limits. Testing performed included a 12-lead ECG that demonstrates sinus rhythm at 86 beats per minute and left ventricular hypertrophy and fasting lipid profile that shows a total cholesterol level of 208 mg/dL, LDL cholesterol level of 135 mg/dL, HDL cholesterol level of 52 mg/dL, and triglycerides of 142 mg/dL. Her high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) level is 4.5. What advice would you give to M.A. with regard to her concerns about her risk for cardiovascular disease? Morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular disease (CVD) differ significantly on the basis of race/ethnicity and gender. In the United States, where CVD accounts for nearly 40% of all deaths,1 black men have the highest mortality rate from CVD, and Asian women have the lowest (Figure 1).2 These race/ethnicity and gender differences are likely related to …
Paucity of candidate coastal constructional landforms along proposed shorelines on Mars: Implications for a northern lowlands-filling ocean

Abstract The case for an ocean having once occupied the northern lowlands of Mars has largely been based indirectly on the debouching of the outflow channels into the lowlands, and directly on erosional features along the margins of the lowlands interpreted to be the result of wave action. Two global shorelines were previously mapped from albedo variation, embayment relationships, and scarps interpreted as coastal cliffs. However, not since the early, Viking-based studies, has there been a focused assessment of the presence or absence of coastal constructional landforms such as barrier ridges and spits, located on or near the mapped “shorelines.” Such constructional landforms are typically found in association with coastal erosional features on Earth, and therefore warrant a detailed search for their presence on Mars. All presently available THEMIS VIS and MOC NA images located on or near either of the two “shorelines,” within the Chryse Planitia/Arabia Terra region (10° to 44° N; 300° to 0° E) and the Isidis Planitia region (0° to 30° N; 70° to 105° E), were examined in search of any features that could reasonably be considered candidate coastal ridges. Additionally, raw MOLA profiles were used in conjunction with a technique developed from Differential Global Positioning System profiles across terrestrial paleo-shorelines, to search for coastal ridges throughout these same regions. Out of 447 THEMIS VIS and 735 MOC NA images examined, only four candidates are observed that are plausibly interpreted as coastal ridges; no candidate coastal ridges are observed in the MOLA profiles. This overwhelming paucity of candidate features suggests one of five possible scenarios in terms of the existence of standing bodies of water within the martian lowlands: (1) No ocean existed up to the level of either of the previously mapped “shorelines”; (2) An ocean existed, however wave action, the primary agent responsible for construction of coastal landforms, was minimal to non-existent; (3) An ocean existed, but sediment input was not significant enough to form coastal deposits; (4) An ocean existed, but readily froze, and over time sublimated; and lastly (5) An ocean existed and coastal landforms were constructed, but in the intervening time since their formation they have nearly all been eroded away.
Using gravity to estimate accelerometer orientation

Several wearable computing or ubiquitous computing research projects have detected and distinguished user motion activities by attaching accelerometers in known positions and orientations on the user’s body. This paper observes that the orientation constraint can probably be relaxed. An estimate of the constant gravity vector can be obtained by averaging accelerometer samples. This gravity vector estimate in turn enables estimation of the vertical component and the magnitude of the horizontal component of the user’s motion, independently of how the three-axis accelerometer system is oriented.
Racial Discrimination in Housing: A Moving Target

L'A. se penche sur le livre de Stanley Lieberson sur la methodologie dans la recherche sociale, pour representer la discrimination raciale dans le parc des logements aux Etats-Unis. Malgre les efforts legislatifs pour eliminer l'inegalite dans l'acces aux logements, les injustices se perpetuent
The Centralization/Decentralization Paradox in Civil Service Reform: How Government Structure Affects Democratic Training of Civil Servants

We hypothesize that the structural characteristics (i.e., centralization versus decentralization) of government affect the availability of training in values and skills that are fundamental to democratization. We test our hypothesis in statistical models predicting anticorruption training and policy skills training, using a model of technical skills training for comparison. We find that centralized government structure significantly increases the odds of receiving both anticorruption training and policy skills training. In contrast, we find no statistical correlation between government structure and receipt of technical skills training. In light of these empirical results, we describe a theoretical paradox in civil service reform associated with democratization: While the end goal of such reform is decentralized government with local services and a professionalized civil service, reform itself may best supported by a centralized environment to achieve the democratic value and skills training needed to support transition to democracy.
Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II mediates critical components of the hypoxic ventilatory response within the nucleus of the solitary tract in adult rats

Calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase II (CaMKII) is an ubiquitous second messenger that is highly expressed in neurons, where it has been implicated in some of the pathways regulating neuronal disch...
A simple method for stabilizing and granulating fungi

A simple method, 'Stabileze', is described for granulating fungi with water-absorbent starch, sucrose, corn oil and silica. The potential biological control fungi, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Fusarium oxysporum , were stabilized using this protocol. Bioassays were performed on C. gloeosporioides and showed retention of pathogenicity. Sucrose and oil were tested for their effects on the viability of F. oxysporum over time, and sucrose appears to be the most beneficial factor.
An Agency Theory of the Division of Managerial Labor

Should responsibility for strategic planning and execution be assigned to the same manager? Should a firm have a chief operating officer with responsibilities distinct from those of the chief executive officer? How does the division of labor affect managerial opportunism? This paper uses a formal agency-theoretic model to address these questions and present a new theory of the division of managerial labor. Building on Penrose's typology [Penrose E 2009 The Theory of the Growth of the Firm, 4th ed. Blackwell, Oxford, UK], the theory identifies when to assign i entrepreneurial services, which relate to strategic planning and the acquisition of resources, and ii managerial services, which relate to execution, to the same generalist manager rather than to different specialists. The analysis reveals the critical importance of separability, i.e., whether a supervisor can separately observe the outcomes of entrepreneurial and managerial services. If managers and their supervisor have symmetric information about separability, hiring a generalist dominates because managerial services, which are easier to assess, reduce the scope for opportunism associated with entrepreneurial services, which are harder to assess. Conversely, if managers have better information regarding separability and the probability of separability is low, hiring specialists dominates because hiring a generalist allows the potential for opportunism associated with entrepreneurial services to contaminate the provision of managerial services. Even so, the benefits of hiring a generalist may be restored if the services are sequenced appropriately. An implication of such sequencing is that a firm will grow in fits and starts, giving rise to a "Penrose effect" even if labor market frictions do not impede the assimilation of new managers.
Methane/GOX Air Augmented Rocket Plume Testing

An experimental study was performed to investigate primary flow plume expansion and its effects on aerodynamic choking inside a fixed geometry ejector. An oxygen and methane thruster, enclosed within a fixed rectangular duct, was ignited to entrain ambient air through secondary ducting. Primary and secondary flow mixing occurred in a downstream mixing duct. Plume interactions in the mixing duct were visible through optically clear glass. Primary stagnation pressure was varied from 325 psi to 1032 psi over a series of runs. Video provided qualitative visual references while pressure transducers and thermocouples characterized the flow and plume behavior on a quantitative level. Results indicated that the location of restriction for the secondary flow in the mixing duct was between 2 and 3 inches downstream of the primary exit plane and independent of primary chamber pressure and primary flow temperature. Hot testing achieved a maximum total pressure ratio of 74. Evidence indicated that the secondary flow was nearing the Fabri limit; however, no reduction in entrainment occurred.
A Generalized and Automatic Image Contrast Enhancement Using Gray Level Grouping

Contrast enhancement has an important role in image processing applications. Conventional contrast enhancement techniques either fail to produce satisfactory results for a broad variety of low-contrast images, or cannot be automatically applied to different images, because their parameters must be specified manually to produce a satisfactory result for a given image. This paper describes a new automatic method for contrast enhancement. The basic procedure is to first group the histogram components of a low-contrast image into the proper number of bins according to a selected criterion, then redistribute these bins uniformly over the grayscale, and finally ungroup the previously grouped gray-levels. Accordingly, this new technique is named Gray-Level Grouping (GLG). GLG not only produces results superior to conventional contrast enhancement techniques, but is also fully automatic in most circumstances, and is applicable to a broad variety of images.
An insurer's perspective on error and loss in pathology.

Abstract Objectives.—To identify errors in surgical pathology practice that lead to malpractice claims, and to define the frequency and severity of pathology malpractice claims and discuss the implications. Design.—Three hundred seventy-eight pathology malpractice claims reported to The Doctors Company of Napa, Calif, between 1998 and 2003, were reviewed. Nuisance claims and autopsy claims were excluded; the 335 remaining claims were analyzed. Results.—Pathology claim frequency is low. Pathology claim severity is high, especially for claims involving a misdiagnosis of melanoma or a false-negative Papanicolaou test. Fifty-seven percent of claims involved the following 5 categories: breast specimens, melanoma, Papanicolaou smears, gynecologic specimens, and operational error. Sixty-three percent of claims involved failure to diagnose cancer, resulting in delay in diagnosis or inappropriate treatment. Conclusion.—A false-negative diagnosis of melanoma is the single most common reason for filing a malpractice...
Trajectory analysis via a geometric feature space approach.

This study aimed to organize a body of trajectories in order to identify, search for and classify both common and uncommon behaviors among objects such as aircraft and ships. Existing comparison functions such as the Frechet distance are computationally expensive and yield counterintuitive results in some cases. We propose an approach using feature vectors whose components represent succinctly the salient information in trajectories. These features incorporate basic information such as the total distance traveled and the distance between start/stop points as well as geometric features related to the properties of the convex hull, trajectory curvature and general distance geometry. Additionally, these features can generally be mapped easily to behaviors of interest to humans who are searching large databases. Most of these geometric features are invariant under rigid transformation. Furthermore, we demonstrate the use of different subsets of these features to identify trajectories similar to an exemplar, cluster a database of several hundred thousand trajectories and identify outliers.
Tissue Reaction to Prosthetic Materials

Prostheses are manmade materials to replace or augment diseased or damaged body parts in a safe, reliable, economical, and physiologically acceptable manner. This chapter is restricted to materials that remain in intimate contact with blood, tissue, or body fluids for a prolonged time (weeks to years). Eyeglasses, hearing aids, wearable artificial limbs, and so on, although very important to rehabilitation, are not covered. Tissue reactions to disposable devices, such as contact lenses, or extracorporeal materials that are used briefly (dialysis equipment, etc.) are also outside the scope of this discussion. In addition, no particular distinction between blood vs tissue biocompatibility is made, as the molecular events in both are similar and assumed to be a part of the same physiological continuum. This chapter focuses on recent literature (1990 to present) that primarily deals with histopathological investigations of implants in human subjects. Because the interplay between tissues and prostheses involves various aspects of chemical, physical, and biological sciences, some basic concepts that will be useful to both the surgeon and the materials scientist are first introduced. These concepts are subsequently integrated to address the complex interplay between molecular and cellular reactions that occur when a foreign object is placed in the body.
A primer on molecular biology for imagers: VIII. Equipment for imaging molecular processes.

Molecular imaging (MI) in the broader sense is the characterization and measurement of biologic processes at the cellular and molecular level to elucidate various disease processes (1,2); however, for radiologists, MI can be considered as the evolution of clinical diagnostic imaging techniques toward a more specific characterization of disease processes and gradually toward a personalized level (3). As genetic engineering progresses, MI may also be a way of following this process in vivo for improved presymptomatic disease detection and for providing tools to follow progression of the disease or response to various therapies (4). Since the inception of MI, its utility and development in clinical diagnosis and therapy monitoring has continued to evolve at a rapid pace (5–7). Just as visual observations of morphologic tissue changes on conventional clinical imaging techniques gave way to the physiological examinations of inner organs through the practice of radiology, novel MI applications will further develop the clinician’s ability to detect disease at earlier stages to more accurately follow the patient through the disease process. Further advances in clinical MI seek to extend disease characterization by harnessing rapid advancements of existing imaging technologies with the simultaneous evolutions in the field of molecular biology for the study of disease processes (8–12). With current technology, direct in vivo observation of molecules is beyond the scope of most noninvasive imaging technologies. However, many diagnostic studies can extend by inference down to the molecular level those events that may be used for a better
Reviewing Legal Fictions

To appreciate how much warmth and light were generated when law, humanities, and spring marched into Georgia together last March, you really had to be there. We pondered James Boyd White's question, "What should be the erotics of legal criticism?," and wondered how such a question might conceivably relate to Robert Cover's jeremiad," It is a plain and nasty thought that death and pain are at the center of constitutional interpretation." Milner Ball's excellent work on law and metaphor provided crucial connectives; his call to batter the bulwarks and work toward organic and utopian possibilities helped rally the skeptics and even responded to the cynics. But that glorious early spring turned into Georgia's worst drought in a century, and the sudden death of Bob Cover intruded to change us all.
Abstract 222: Inhibition Of Class I But Not Class IIb Lysine Deacetylases Is Responsible For Cardioprotection From Ischemia-Reperfusion.

Background: While dual inhibition of class I/IIb KDACs protects the mammalian heart from ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury, class-specific effects have not been examined. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that specific inhibition of class I KDACs would preserve left ventricular (LV) function following IR in isolated hearts. Methods: Male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=4 per group) were injected with vehicle, the class I KDAC inhibitor entinostat, the class IIb inhibitor tubastatin A, or the class I/IIb inhibitor trichostatin A (TSA). After 18 h, hearts were isolated and perfused in Langendorff mode. A saline-filled balloon was placed in the LV to monitor contractile function. Following IR (30/120 min), LV free wall tissue was assayed for activation of pro-survival proteins. Group results are reported vs vehicle as mean±SE. Results: There were no differences between groups in LV function before ischemia. At the end of reperfusion, rate pressure product (mm hg/min) was improved with entinostat (27392±3474, p max and -dP/dt max . Most notably, entinostat alone blunted the rise in end diastolic pressure (mm Hg) during reperfusion (18.6±1.4 vs. 45.3±4.1, p Conclusions: Inhibition of class I KDACs was most effective at preserving contractile function following IR in isolated hearts, notably through prevention of LV contracture during reperfusion. Class I KDAC inhibition may preserve LV function by differentially modulating Src and eNOS activities. These results suggest that the protective effects of KDAC inhibitors in IR can be ascribed to specific inhibition of class I KDACs.
Racialization of Subaltern Populations Across the Globe: the Politics of Difference

The politics of difference - also named race or racism in various critical discourses - is the focus of this essay. The charge of being deviant, uncultured, “illegal” and out of place is leveled in a variety of ways, by those who claim the status of natural belonging, against subordinated and marginalized groups - from immigrants recently arrived in a place, to ancient inhabitants driven away from their lands and property and opportunities. The issue is not one of race but of racism, or what I describe as the deployment of difference. Whether grounded in genetic or biological condition, as it was in the 19th and early 20th centuries, or described more euphemistically as very deeply rooted (even if its sources supposedly lie in “history” and “culture”), the proposition commonly is that the difference at hand is not really bridgeable - at least in the foreseeable future. The deployment of such arguments of radical, incommensurable difference very often marks a shifting of weight from a barely acknowledged to a much more palpable prejudice and discrimination. A disdainful tolerance of groups that were generally ignored, that counted for little and sometimes remained literally uncounted, gives way to an increased marking and targeting of otherised communities.
Last Word on Viewpoint: Precedence and autocracy in breathing control.

to the editor: Here are two puzzling questions. How to reconcile the existence of a rapid stimulus to breathe originating from the circulatory system, which we ([3][1]) and others have long tried to characterize ([4][2]), with the observation that breathing remains unchanged for tens of seconds or
Fabrication and characterization of polarization-maintaining fiber Fabry—Perot interferometers

Fiber Fabry-Perot interferometers (FFPIs) made of regular single-mode fibers (SMFs) have high polarization sensitivity because of the random inherent and externally induced birefringence. The polarization sensitivity in a scanning FFPI generally produces two distinct resonances corresponding to the two principal polarization states inside the fiber. Under external disturbances, the two resonance peaks become unstable because of random polarization-mode coupling. FFPIs used in sensor and fiber-ring-laser systems, in which the random polarization-mode coupling is not tolerable, must therefore be formed with polarization-maintaining (PM) SMFs.
An Awkward Tango: Pairing Traditional Military Planning to Design and Why It Currently Fails to Work

Over the past decade, traditional military planning methodology and doctrine has gained an unlikely dance partner- the ambiguous, conceptual, and controversial process commonly called ‘design. Traditional planning reflects a military practice of developing specific, sequential, and highly scientific-based plans that are usually quantifiable or measurable according to an accepted language, format, and professional education. Unlike detailed planning, ‘design’ evokes eclectic combinations of philosophy, social sciences, complexity theory, and often improvised, unscripted approaches in a tailored or “one of a kind” practice, which often works against its acceptance in military applications. The two approaches do not dance well together, yet our western militaries continue to attempt to pair them together in doctrine, education, and practice.
First-trimester bleeding and twin pregnancy outcomes after in vitro fertilization

Objective To examine the association between first-trimester bleeding and live-birth rates in twin pregnancies conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF). Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Academic infertility practice. Patient(s) Women with two gestational sacs on first-trimester ultrasound after transfer of fresh embryos derived from autologous oocytes between January 1, 1999, and December 31, 2010. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Live-birth rate. Result(s) Sixty-five women reported vaginal bleeding, and 288 did not. The baseline characteristics were similar between the two groups, except for an increased prevalence of subchorionic hematoma in women with first-trimester vaginal bleeding (26.2% vs. 1.7%). Live-birth rates were similar between women with bleeding and those with no bleeding (87.7% vs. 91.7%, adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.73; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31–1.73). Two hundred eighty-eight women gave birth to live twins. Among the women who delivered twins, those with first-trimester bleeding had an increased risk of low birth weight of at least one twin (75.0% vs. 59.7%). The association between bleeding and low birth weight persisted after controlling for possible confounders with logistic regression (adjusted OR 2.33, 95% CI, 1.14–4.74). Conclusion(s) Live-birth rates are high in IVF twin gestations, regardless of the presence of first-trimester bleeding. Among women giving birth to IVF twins, however, first-trimester bleeding is associated with increased odds of low birth weight.
Effect of ion energies on the surface interactions of NO formed in nitrogen oxide plasma systems.

The contributions of various gas-phase species in surface reactions are of significant value to assess and improve catalytic substrates for abatement of vehicular emissions. The impact of ions on surface scatter of NO radicals is investigated with an aim toward improving and tailoring surfaces for the reduction or removal of nitrogen oxide (NxOy) species via inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs). Nascent ions are monitored via mass spectrometry and energy analysis for a variety of NxOy precursor gases. The total average ion energy (⟨Ei⟩total) determined for all ions within each respective plasma system shows a strong positive correlation with applied rf power and a negative correlation with system pressure. The imaging of radicals interacting with surfaces (IRIS) technique was used to determine the role ions play in the surface scatter of NO radicals. The net effect of ions on substrate processing is largely dependent upon ⟨Ei⟩total. Scatter coefficients (S), determined for ion-limited and ion-rich plasma sy...
Study on earring characteristic of loquat and its evaluating index innutrition periods

【Objective】The objective of this research was to study the earring characteristic of loquat and its evaluating index in nutrition periods. 【Method】The earring rate was researched from 2006 to 2009 on246 loquat genotypes under same field condition, which were in National Field Genebank for Loquat in Fuzhou. 【Result】The result showed that, the number of earring genotypes were 55 on the grafting year,and 28 on the planting year. The earring rate of all the loquat genotypes were up to 100% in 4 years. The shoot earring rate increased with growing years, from 2.3% on 1st year to 89.3% on 4th years. But the coefficient of variation reduced year by year, from 363.5% to 15.5%. There were very significant positive correlations between line earring rate and shoot earring rate from 1 to 3 years, for correlation coefficient as0.90, 0.66, 0.38 respectively. And there were 8 types during loquat nutrition periods, such as 1 year, 1-2 years, 2 years,2-3 years, 3 years, 2-4 years, 3-4 years and 4 years. Then the loquat nutrition periods could be classified as 5 grades, for very short(flowering after 1 year), short(1-2 years and 2 years),medium(2-3 years and 3 years), long(2-4 years, 3-4 years and 4 years), very long(more than 4 years).At the same time, the reference cultivars were selected based on the nutrition periods. 【Conclusion】There is abundant genetic in earring characteristic and nutrition periods of loquat. The evaluation index of 5 grades in loquat nutrition periods is suitable.
Double-Quantum ESR and Distance Measurements

“Allowed” double quantum ccherences (DQC) can now be routinely generated in disordered and oriented solids containing nitroxide biradicals and random distributions of stable radicals. The Pake doublets obtained from DQC pathways can be effectively used to determine a broad range of distances in the former case whereas decay constants yield concentrations in the latter. The DQC signals are strong and often comparable to standard single quantum signals. They are free of any large undesirable signals, so the DQ experiment is easy to perform. Their strong intensity permits the study of low concentrations of spins in samples typical of those ordinarily met in the case of doubly-labeled macromolecules such as proteins and polypeptides. The upper range of distances for systems labeled with nitroxides is estimated to be ca. 80 A. In the limit of non-selective pulses the interpretation of DQC signals becomes independent of complicating geometric features which affect other ESR distance methods. The method is compared to other existing pulse distance measurement techniques and future improvements are also discussed.
Surgical Reconstruction for Congenital Auriculomandibular Deformities

Congenital anomalies of the ear and jaw reflect complex disorder in the pattern of fetal maturation for the elements of the first and second branchial arches, grooves, pouches, and contiguous derived structures.
Similarities and Differences Between Younger and Older Suicidal People

More younger people attempt and more older people commit suicide, but the bulk of research and treatment activities, presumably by younger professionals, is devoted to the younger suicidal population. In this paper, both younger and older suicidal patients were compared for age differences, age similarities, and the relationships between generations. Examples are presented of the precipitants and family determinants that were most frequently associated with suicidal behavior, with a discussion of their theoretical and clinical implications. The precipitants were based upon developmental tasks and crises which differ with age, while the family determinants were similar at all ages. Families also played a major role in the origin, outcome, and healing of a suicidal state. To a great extent, the steps leading to a self-destructive episode occurred outside of awareness. The examples illustrated both the typical and the unusual experiences that take place during the treatment of suicidal individuals, often involving the therapist in emotional, dramatic, and moving situations.
Big data exploration requires collaboration between visualization and data infrastructures

As datasets grow to tera- and petabyte sizes, exploratory data visualization becomes very difficult: a screen is limited to a few million pixels, and main memory to a few tens of millions of data points. Yet these very large scale analyses are of tremendous interest to industry and academia. This paper discusses some of the major challenges involved in data analytics at scale, including issues of computation, communication, and rendering. It identifies techniques for handling large scale data, grouped into "look at less of it," and "look at it faster." Using these techniques involves a number of difficult design tradeoffs for both the ways that data can be represented, and the ways that users can interact with the visualizations.
Optimizing Inpatient Care

141 Multiple efficacy studies suggest that hospital EHRs, and particularly physician order entry (CPOE), have significant potential to improve patient safety, care quality, and care process efficiency (1–5). Although real-world effectiveness studies confirming this are hard to find, there is widespread consensus among healthcare informaticians, payers, and health policy experts that inpatient EHRs are essential to quality healthcare. Unfortunately, inpatient EHRs continue to be difficult to implement (6–8), in large part because of the number and complexity of inpatient orders (9).
LSC Abstract – Global gene expression analysis of the mucociliary differentiation process of human bronchial epithelial cells at the air-liquid interface

Background The gene expression profile of bronchial epithelial regeneration in health and disease is not well understood. Aims To understand the gene expression profile of differentiating normal human bronchial epithelial (NHBE) cells. Methods At 7 time points over a 28 day culture period morphological and global gene expression analyses were performed. Results Fully differentiated NHBEs exhibited goblet and ciliated cells along with significant increases in epithelial resistance ( P MUC5AC mRNA ( P P 1.4; adjusted P value P =1.8x10 -12 ) and an increase in cilium organization and morphogenesis (early exC2, P =7.5x10 -9 ; early exC3, P =2.5x10 -5 ; late exC2, P =2.5x10 -29 ). Adhesion molecule, chemokine/cytokine, matrix metallopeptidase, antimicrobial and inflammatory genes decreased (late exC4) and mucin genes increased (early exC4). Transcription factor (TF) analysis detected significant increases in FOXJ1 , RFX2 & RFX3 expression. Conclusions This data is a comprehensive list of genes important in bronchial mucociliary differentiation. An undifferentiated epithelium is primed for inflammation and ceases proliferation during differentiation under the influence of ciliogenic TFs. This provides a reference for studying disordered epithelial regeneration in asthma. This abstract has been presented previously at the European Respiratory Society9s Lung Science Conference in March 2016 .
The effect of Nordic hamstring strength training on muscle architecture, stiffness, and strength.

Hamstring strain injury is a frequent and serious injury in competitive and recreational sports. While Nordic hamstring (NH) eccentric strength training is an effective hamstring injury-prevention method, the protective mechanism of this exercise is not understood. Strength training increases muscle strength, but also alters muscle architecture and stiffness; all three factors may be associated with reducing muscle injuries. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of NH eccentric strength training on hamstring muscle architecture, stiffness, and strength. Twenty healthy participants were randomly assigned to an eccentric training group or control group. Control participants performed static stretching, while experimental participants performed static stretching and NH training for 6 weeks. Pre- and post-intervention measurements included: hamstring muscle architecture and stiffness using ultrasound imaging and elastography, and maximal hamstring strength measured on a dynamometer. The experimental group, but not the control group, increased volume (131.5 vs. 145.2 cm3, p < 0.001) and physiological cross-sectional area (16.1 vs. 18.1 cm2, p = 0.032). There were no significant changes to muscle fascicle length, stiffness, or eccentric hamstring strength. The NH intervention was an effective training method for muscle hypertrophy, but, contrary to common literature findings for other modes of eccentric training, did not increase fascicle length. The data suggest that the mechanism behind NH eccentric strength training mitigating hamstring injury risk could be increasing volume rather than increasing muscle length. Future research is, therefore, warranted to determine if muscle hypertrophy induced by NH training lowers future hamstring strain injury risk.
PENYEBAB KESULITAN MAHASISWA DALAM PEMBUKTIAN MATEMATIKA

Penyebab Kesulitan Mahasiswa dalam Pembuktian Matematika. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk menginvestigasi penyebab kesulitan pembuktian matematika mahasiswa Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika UNM Makassar. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian eksploratif yang bertujuan untuk mengeksplorasi penyebab kesulitan mahasiswa dalam pembuktian matematika, secara kualitatif. Penelitian ini dilaksanakan di Program Studi Pendidikan Matematika FMIPA UNM Makassar. Hasil penelitian ini menunjukkan terdapat dua kategori penyebab kesulitan mahasiswa dalam Pembuktian Matematika, yaitu: (1) kurangnya pemahaman tentang bukti matematika, (2) kurangnya pemahaman konsep dan prinsip matematika. Kata kunci: penyebab kesulitan, pembelajaran, pembuktian matematika
Understanding views on everyday use of personal health information: Insights from community dwelling older adults.

ABSTRACTBackground: Older adults apply various strategies to pursue healthy aging, but we know little about their views and use of personal health information to accomplish those ends. Methods: As a first step in formulating the role of personal health information management (PHIM) in healthy aging, we explored the perspectives of older adults on health and health information used in their everyday lives through four focus groups with 25 community-dwelling adults aged 60 and over. Results: We found that the concept of wellness–the holistic and multidimensional nature of health and wellbeing–plays prominently in how older adults think about health and health information. Participants expressed wellness from a position of personal strength, rather than health-related deficits, by focusing on wellness activities for staying healthy through: (1) personal health practices, (2) social network support, and (3) residential community engagement. Conclusion: Although these themes involve personal health information...
Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection among persons who inject drugs in San Diego, California.

Author(s): Armenta, RF; Collins, KM; Strathdee, SA; Bulterys, MA; Munoz, F; Cuevas-Mota, J; Chiles, P; Garfein, RS | Abstract: BackgroundPersons who inject drugs (PWID) might be at increased risk for Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection and reactivation of latent tuberculous infection (LTBI) due to their injection drug use.ObjectivesTo determine prevalence and correlates of M. tuberculosis infection among PWID in San Diego, California, USA.MethodsPWID aged 18 years underwent standardized interviews and serologic testing using an interferon-gamma release assay (IGRA) for LTBI and rapid point-of-care assays for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections. Independent correlates of M. tuberculosis infection were identified using multivariable log-binomial regression.ResultsA total of 500 participants met the eligibility criteria. The mean age was 43.2 years (standard deviation 11.6); most subjects were White (52%) or Hispanic (30.8%), and male (75%). Overall, 86.7% reported having ever traveled to Mexico. Prevalence of M. tuberculosis infection was 23.6%; 0.8% were co-infected with HIV and 81.7% were co-infected with HCV. Almost all participants (95%) had been previously tested for M. tuberculosis; 7.6% had been previously told they were infected. M. tuberculosis infection was independently associated with being Hispanic, having longer injection histories, testing HCV-positive, and correctly reporting that people with 'sleeping' TB cannot infect others.ConclusionsStrategies are needed to increase awareness about and treatment for M. tuberculosis infection among PWID in the US/Mexico border region.
Carrier Resolution Multiple Access

Carrier Resolution Multiple Access (CRMA) is introduced as an approach for channel access in wireless local area networks with radios endowed with self-interference cancellation (SIC). CRMA operates in a single channel and consists of using SIC to try to allow one of multiple concurrent transmissions to succeed, rather than having all colliding transmissions fail. As a result, most channel-contention rounds result in successful collision-free transmissions. The throughput of CRMA is analyzed and compared with the throughput of CSMA, CSMA/CA, and CSMA/CD when priority acknowledgments are used. This analysis shows that CRMA can provide much better throughput than the other approaches thanks to the use of SIC.
Relaxation/Covert Rehearsal for Problematic Children: A Pilot Study

Hyperactivity has been associated with overactivity, distractability, short attention span, low frustration tolerance, impulsivity, aggressiveness, academic underachievement, and low self-esteem (Weiss & Hechtman, 1979). Prevalence estimates range from 4 to 20% for regular classroom children (Johnson, Kenney, & Davis, 1976), and from 35 to 80% for special education children (Safer & Allen, 1976). Weiss and co-workers (1979) cite evidence that these children tend to have continuing problems as adolescents and adults. Other children have problems associated with this diagnosis to a lesser degree but enough to interfere with their optimal development and with classroom instruction.
How (and why) to introduce Monte Carlo randomized algorithms into a basic algorithms course

We suggest a way of adding the fundamental subject of Monte Carlo randomized algorithms into a basic algorithms course. While this topic was discussed previously (see, e.g., [12]) it mainly concerns Las Vegas (no error) algorithms. Our goal is to present a simple but interesting example of a Monte Carlo (one-side error) algorithm. We discuss the algorithm to find long simple paths in a directed graph due to [2]. The long path algorithm illustrates the subject well, is very easy to follow, and requires minimal understanding in probability. Unlike examples like skip-lists and Randomized Quicksort, our example deals with graphs and that makes it very suitable for teaching in a basic algorithms course. Finally, we note that our example of the Monte Carlo algorithm is drawn from the recent research.
A p-norm Discrimination Model for Two Linearly Inseparable Sets

We propose a new p-norm linear discrimination model that generalizes the model of Bennett and Mangasarian (Optim. Methods Softw. 1:23–34, 1992) and reduces to linear programming problems with p-order conic constraints. We demonstrate that the developed model possesses excellent methodological and computational properties (e.g., it does not allow for a null separating hyperplane when the sets are linearly separable, etc.). The presented approach for handling linear programming problems with p-order conic constraints relies on construction of polyhedral approximations for p-order cones. A case study on several popular data sets that illustrates the advantages of the developed model is conducted.
Gustav Stolper’s Influence on U.S. Industrial Disarmament Policy in West Germany, 1945–1946

This paper was first presented at the 20th Heilbronn Symposium in Economics and the Social Sciences, June 21–24, 2007, Heilbronn, Germany
Development towards simple fabrication steps for flexible optoelectronic films

Abstract Recent developments in flexible circuits and optoelectronic materials have the potential to provide innovative solutions for wearable sensing. The presented work explores how materials from these developments can reduce the complexity of developing flexible optoelectronics. The work uses simplified fabrication methods to develop a large area thin film optoelectronic device using conjugated polymers and Quantum Dots, with the goal of providing evidence that such devices can be developed outside of a clean room facility. Electroluminescence testing using a power source and an imaging spectrometer show that both conductive polymers and Quantum Dots in the functional layer contribute to light emission. High voltages needed for light emission are likely a result of the observed uneven thicknesses in the active layer, which should be the main focus for improvement in continued work. To study flexibility, the effects of cyclic bending using an Instron machine is observed. Visual analysis identifies four main flaw features that can occur from the fabrication process, and that cyclic bending causes cracking only at these flaw features. This work serves as evidence that use of clean room facilities are not necessary to provide significant contributions towards flexible optoelectronic materials development.
Future Avenues of Translational Care for Patients with Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

This chapter discusses the need for novel avenues and methodologies of fundamental and clinical research of translational healthcare for new and improved treatment of patients with TMD. It discusses certain aspects of current osteoarthritis and chondropathogenesis research, including the promising novel avenues of microRNA and genomic engineering research. The chapter discusses the extent to which these new approaches may improve the diagnosis and treatment and prognosis of patients with TMD in the next decades, with an emphasis on novel individual patient data research and analysis protocols and interpretation. Limitations and fallacies as currently entertained in the field are examined.
Clinically-relevant cardiopulmonary interactions for the pediatric intensivist

A thorough understanding of cardiorespiratory interactions is essential when caring for critically ill children. These interactions are linked to changes in intrathoracic pressure and their impact on cardiac preload and afterload. The predominant effect of positive-pressure ventilation in children with normal cardiac function is to decrease preload to the right heart with an eventual decrease in left ventricular stroke volume. This can be anticipated and mitigated by judicious fluid resuscitation. The effect of positive-pressure ventilation on right heart afterload is more complex and variable depending on lung volume. In patients with diminished left ventricular contractility, positive pressure reduces afterload to the left heart, significantly improving stroke volume. Monitoring of cardiorespiratory interactions in critically ill children is beneficial in assessing volume status and predicting fluid responsiveness.
Environmental Economics: An Integrated Approach -- Chapter 7: The Individual Household and the Benefits of Environmental Policies

This is Chapter 7 of Environmental Economics: An Integrated Approach. It raises the very real informational difficulties facing the household in their valuation of the benefits of environmental policies. The nature of environmental perceptions is seen to be critical to a later understanding of the limitations to various methods of environmental valuation.
Battlefield Acupuncture and Physical Therapy Versus Physical Therapy Alone After Shoulder Surgery

Abstract Objective: Opioid pain medications are commonly prescribed postsurgically for pain. Few studies have investigated the effects of Battlefield Acupuncture (BFA) on postsurgical pain and pain...
Wednesday morning, August 25, 2010—outskirts of Lafayette to West Lafayette, IN

“DELTA!” The persistent knocking, like the sound of an African tribal drum beat, continued at the door rousing Delta from the deepest sleep she had ever experienced, one laden with the weight of colorful and intense dreams, so real and yet so bizarre.
Pulsed Electrochemical Carbon Monoxide Reduction on Oxide-Derived Copper Catalyst.

Efficient electroreduction of carbon dioxide has been a widely pursued goal as a sustainable method to produce value-added chemicals while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. Processes have been demonstrated for the electroreduction of CO2 to CO at nearly 100 % faradaic efficiency, and as a consequence, there has been growing interest in the further electroreduction of carbon monoxide. Oxide-derived copper catalysts have promising performance for the reduction of CO to hydrocarbons but have still been unable to achieve high selectivity to individual products. A pulsed-bias technique is one strategy for tuning electrochemical selectivity without changing the catalyst. Herein a pulsed-bias electroreduction of CO was investigated on oxide-derived copper catalyst. Increased selectivity for single-carbon products (i.e., formate and methane) was achieved for higher pulse frequencies (<1 s pulse times), as well as an increase in the fraction of charge directed to CO reduction rather than hydrogen evolution.
Helicopter Transport Has Decreased Over Time and Transport From Scene or Hospital Matters

Abstract Objective Several reports have found helicopter emergency medical services (HEMS) to be associated with a lower risk of mortality compared with ground emergency medical services (GEMS); however, most studies did not control for transport time or stratify interfacility versus scene. We hypothesize that the HEMS transport rate has decreased nationally and that the risk of mortality for HEMS is similar to GEMS when adjusting for transport time and stratifying by scene or interfacility. Methods The Trauma Quality Improvement Program (2010-2016) was queried for adult patients transported by HEMS or GEMS. Multivariable logistic regression was used. Results The HEMS transport rate decreased by 38.2% from 2010 to 2016 (P Conclusion The rate of HEMS transports in trauma has decreased by nearly 40% over the past 7 years. Our results suggest that HEMS use for scene transports is beneficial for the survival of trauma patients.