cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN THE COST OF DEBT CAPITAL

THE IRRELEVANCE OF financial policy was first noted by J. B. Williams [46] some forty years ago, as he stated that "no change in the investment value of the enterprise as a whole would result from a change in its capitalization."' In 1952, Durand [9], in contrasting the Net Operating Income and the Net Income approaches to market valuation, demonstrated that the value of a firm is independent of its capital structure under the Net Operating Income theory of market valuation. However, it was not until after the publication of Modigliani and Miller's (MM) [31] classic paper in 1958 that the theory of financial leverage began to attract a great deal of attention among researchers in finance and economics. In their paper, Modigliani and Miller first brought out more explicitly the relationship between market valuation and individual portfolio decisions under uncertainty and proved, based upon the risk-class assumption and the arbitrage argument, the famous proposition that the value of a firm is invariant to its capital structure in the absence of corporate income taxes and bankruptcy risk. Several subsequent studies have shown that the same result can be obtained under more general conditions.2 The meaning and the measure of a firm's cost of capital have been the subject of numerous theoretical and empirical inquiries in the past two decades, and the theory of financial leverage has now become an essential part of the modern theory of corporation finance. The cost of debt capital, an integral part of a firm's cost of capital, is defined as the equilibrium required rate of return on a risky corporate bond. Therefore, understanding the theory of corporate bankruptcy and the pricing of risky debt in an equilibrium capital market is the key to a better understanding of the determinants of a firm's cost of debt capital. The purpose of this paper is to review some recent developments in the theory of pricing risky debt and to examine more systematically the determinants of the cost of debt capital. In Section II, we review and discuss the pricing of risky bonds and the determination of the cost of debt capital within a framework of one-period capital asset pricing model under uncertainty. In Section III, the mathematically more elegant models of pricing risky bonds based upon the continuous-time option pricing model are reviewed and discussed. The determinants of the risk premiums
Dietary Patterns, Abdominal Visceral Adipose Tissue and Cardiometabolic Risk Factors in African Americans: the Jackson Heart Study

Objective: To examine the relative association of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) with cardiometabolic risk factors between African and European Americans. Design and Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study of 2035 African Americans from Jackson Heart Study (JHS) and 3170 European Americans from Framingham Heart Study (FHS) who underwent computed tomography assessment of VAT and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). The FHS participants were weighted to match the age distribution of the JHS participants and the metabolic risk factors were examined by study groups in relation to VAT. Results: JHS participants had higher rates of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and metabolic syndrome than FHS participants (all p = 0.001). The associations were weaker in JHS women for VAT with blood pressure, triglycerides, HDL-C, and total cholesterol (pinteraction = 0.03 to 0.001) than FHS women. In contrast, JHS men had stronger associations for VAT with high triglycerides, low HDL, and metabolic syndrome (all pinteraction = 0.001) compared to FHS men. Similar associations and gender patterns existed for SAT with most metabolic risk factors. Conclusions: The relative association between VAT and cardiometabolic risk factors is weaker in JHS women compared to FHS women, whereas stronger association with triglycerides and HDL were observed in JHS men.
Modeling Propagation Dynamics of Bluetooth Worms (Extended Version)

In the last few years, the growing popularity of mobile devices has made them attractive to virus and worm writers. One communication channel often exploited by mobile malware is the Bluetooth interface. In this paper, we present a detailed analytical model that characterizes the propagation dynamics of Bluetooth worms. Our model captures not only the behavior of the Bluetooth protocol but also the impact of mobility patterns on the Bluetooth worm propagation. Validation experiments against a detailed discrete-event Bluetooth worm simulator reveal that our model predicts the propagation dynamics of Bluetooth worms with high accuracy. We further use our model to efficiently predict the propagation curve of Bluetooth worms in big cities such as Los Angeles. Our model not only sheds light on the propagation dynamics of Bluetooth worms, but also allows to predict spreading curves of Bluetooth worm propagation in large areas without the high computational cost of discrete-event simulation.
POLITICAL TRANSFORMATIONS AND THE EVERYDAY IN POSTCLASSIC OAXACA

We use excavations of low-status houses to explore Postclassic political and economic transformations in the lower Rio Verde Valley, Oaxaca. Following the collapse of Classic period political institutions, commoners experienced greater economic and political autonomy. Residential excavations at Rio Viejo indicate that commoners took advantage of the absence of regional authority to gain greater control over surplus craft products, especially cotton thread, as well as access to social valuables and long distance trade. By the Late Postclassic period, the region was once again dominated by powerful rulers. Yet household excavations at Tututepec show that Late Postclassic commoners continued to control some surplus craft production and had access to social valuables like copper and polychrome pottery via market exchange. We argue that Late Postclassic political relations were a product of negotiations among elites and commoners that in part reflect the greater economic autonomy and political power that Early Postclassic people had acquired.
Investigations into Library Web-Scale Discovery Services

Web-scale discovery services for libraries provide deep discovery to a library’s local and licensed content, and represent an evolution, perhaps a revolution, for end user information discovery as pertains to library collections. This article frames the topic of web-scale discovery, and begins by illuminating web-scale discovery from an academic library’s perspective – that is, the internal perspective seeking widespread staff participation in the discovery conversation. This included the creation of a discovery task force, a group which educated library staff, conducted internal staff surveys, and gathered observations from early adopters. The article next addresses the substantial research conducted with library vendors which have developed these services. Such work included drafting of multiple comprehensive question lists distributed to the vendors, onsite vendor visits, and continual tracking of service enhancements. Together, feedback gained from library staff, insights arrived at by the Discovery Task Force, and information gathered from vendors collectively informed the recommendation of a service for the UNLV Libraries.
EFG1 null mutants of Candida albicans switch but cannot express the complete phenotype of white-phase budding cells.

The Candida albicans gene EFG1 encodes a putative trans-acting factor. In strain WO-1, which undergoes the white-opaque transition, EFG1 is transcribed as a 3.2-kb mRNA in white-phase cells and a less-abundant 2.2-kb mRNA in opaque-phase cells. cDNA sequencing and 5′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends analysis demonstrate that the major difference in molecular mass of the two transcripts is due to different transcription start sites. EFG1 null mutants form opaque-phase colonies and express the opaque-phase cell phenotype at 25°C. When shifted from 25 to 42°C, mutant opaque-phase cells undergo phenotypic commitment to the white phase, which includes deactivation of the opaque-phase-specific gene OP4 and activation of the white-phase-specific gene WH11, as do wild-type opaque-phase cells. After the commitment event, EFG1 null mutant cells form daughter cells which have the smooth (pimpleless) surface of white-phase cells but the elongate morphology of opaque-phase cells. Taken together, these results demonstrate that EFG1 expression is not essential for the switch event per se, but is essential for a subset of phenotypic characteristics necessary for the full expression of the phenotype of white-phase cells. These results demonstrate that EFG1 is not the site of the switch event, but is, rather, downstream of the switch event.
X-ray crystal structure of the tetra(tert-butyl)erbate anion and attempts to prepare tetravalent organolanthanide complexes

Abstract The new [Li(DME) 3 + ] salt of the previously-known tetra( tert -butyl)erbate(III) anion [Er( t -Bu) 4 − ] has been prepared and structurally characterized. The erbium(III) center is ligated by four tert -butyl groups in an approximately tetrahedral arrangement. The C–Er–C angles between the tert -butyl groups range from 108.8(3)° to 111.2(3)° and the Er–C distances range from 2.352(6) to 2.395(6) A. The lithium cation is surrounded by three DME molecules, which form a distorted octahedral coordination sphere. Attempts to oxidize the analogous terbate complex [Li(DME) 3 ][Tb( t -Bu) 4 ] and its cerium analog to electrically neutral tetra(alkyl)lanthanide(IV) compounds are described.
Detection of the third transition of InAs/GaAsSb quantum dots

We have investigated InAs quantum dots (QDs) on GaAsSb barrier layers. Low temperature photoluminescence (PL) for InAs/GaAsSb with various δ-doping levels is performed to observe interband transitions. PL spectra of heavily doped QD samples show that the electrons injected from the δ-doping plane increase the intensity of the emission peak between the electron and hole first excited states, E1H1, not observed from undoped and lightly QD samples. Time resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) data as a function of δ-doping density reveal that the introduction of a δ-doping plane in the GaAsSb barrier decreases a carrier lifetime making recombination between ground states in QD area faster. As an evidence of carriers more injected from a δ-doping plane an Arrhenius fitting curve taken from temperature dependent PL indicates that the doped samples have the greater thermal activation energies than those of the lightly doped samples. Additionally, intersubband transitions of 20 multiple InAs QDs embedded in GaAsSb barriers are experimentally determined by low temperature (77K) Fourier Transformation-Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) using a multiple internal reflection technique. It is noted that there is a broad peak around about 240meV corresponding to the energy separation between the electron ground state and the continuum state in the conduction band offset (CBO). The band structure based upon an eight band k.p method confirms the experimental results observed here. Furthermore, all related physical phenomena will be discussed as well
Beamstrahlung as an optics tuning tool at the SLC IP

Beamstrahlung radiation is discussed, with emphasis on its application to extracting the beam sizes from the observed signals and on monitoring the beam-beam collision in a nondisruptive manner. The calculations used include such effects as unequal beam sizes and aspect ratios, beam-beam offsets, and beam orientation. Techniques for finding the beam parameters for beams that are round or elliptical in the transverse plane are also discussed. The calculations are performed using assumptions which are justified under the operating conditions of the Stanford Linear Collider (SLC). It is concluded that beamstrahlung shows promise as a technique for monitoring the beam collisions at the SLC; but more work must be done to integrate fully the effects of the detector threshold and to understand the relationship between the beam parameters and the U/sub 1/ vs. xi distribution shapes for elliptical beams. >
Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Distinct and Preventable Entity or Inevitable Consequence?

Diabetes represents one of the greatest public health threats of the twenty-first century. It is well recognized that diabetes is an important risk factor for the development of cardiovascular disease including heart failure. Although heart failure in diabetic patients is often multifactorial, there is evidence that diabetes can have direct affects on cardiac function, a condition referred to as diabetic cardiomyopathy. The relationship between metabolic disease and cardiac dysfunction has been an area of intense basic and clinical investigation for nearly 4 decades. Despite these efforts, specific therapies to prevent and/or reverse diabetic cardiomyopathy have been lacking. This review will discuss the current state of the field with a focus on strategies to minimize the impact of metabolic stress on cardiac dysfunction and heart failure.
Dental School Continuing Education Courses: Ten-Year Retrospective Study

As the public has demonstrated concern for the continuing education of dentists through mandatory requirements, data derived from the continuing education course listings in The Journal and annual reports from ADA Council on Dental Education, Division of Educational Measurements, were used to characterize continuing dental education. Included in the analysis were tuition, course length, and content or subject areas of the courses.
Long‐term outcomes with first‐ vs. second‐generation drug‐eluting stents in saphenous vein graft lesions

Background As compared with bare metal stents, first-generation drug-eluting stents (DES) improved post-procedural outcomes in aortocoronary saphenous vein graft (SVG) lesions, but there is limited information on outcomes after use of second-generation DES in SVGs. Methods We compared the outcomes of patients who received first- (n = 81) with those who received second-generation (n = 166) DES in SVG lesions at our institution between 2006 and 2013. Major adverse cardiac events (MACE) were defined as the composite of all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and target vessel revascularization. Results Mean age was 66.0 ± 8.1 years and 97.6% of the patients were men. Mean SVG age was 11.1 ± 0.4 years. First-generation DES were sirolimus-eluting (n = 17) and paclitaxel-eluting (n = 64) stents. Second-generation DES were everolimus-eluting (n = 115) and zotarolimus-eluting (n = 51) stents. Median follow-up was 41 months. At 2-years post-procedure, patients with first- and second-generation DES had similar rates of death (20.91% vs. 20.27%, P = 0.916), target lesion revascularization (16.39% vs. 20.00%, P = 0.572), target vessel revascularization (20.97% vs. 23.16%, P = 0.747), myocardial infarction (26.15% vs. 23.00%, P = 0.644), and MACE (43.5% vs. 40.87%, P = 0.707), respectively. Conclusions Outcomes with first- and second-generation DES in SVGs are similar. Novel stent designs are needed to further improve the clinical outcomes in this challenging patient and lesion subgroup. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Potential role of atomic force microscopy in systems biology

Systems biology is a quantitative approach for understanding a biological system at its global level through systematic perturbation and integrated analysis of all its components. Simultaneous acquisition of information data sets pertaining to the system components (e.g., genome, proteome) is essential to implement this approach. There are limitations to such an approach in measuring gene expression levels and accounting for all proteins in the system. The success of genomic studies is critically dependent on polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for its amplification, but PCR is very uneven in amplifying the samples, ineffective in scarce samples and unreliable in low copy number transcripts. On the other hand, lack of amplifying techniques for proteins critically limits their identification to only a small fraction of high concentration proteins. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), AFM cantilever sensors, and AFM force spectroscopy in particular, could address these issues directly. In this article, we reviewed and assessed their potential role in systems biology. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2011 3 702–716 DOI: 10.1002/wsbm.154 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Making Investment Choices as Simple as Possible, but Not Simpler

Target-date funds (TDFs) for retirement, also known as life-cycle funds, are being offered as a simple solution to the investment task of participants in self-directed retirement plans. A TDF is a “fund of funds” diversified across stocks, bonds, and cash with the feature that the proportion invested in stocks is automatically reduced as time passes. Empirical evidence suggests that a simple TDF strategy would be an improvement over the choices currently made by many uninformed plan participants. This article explores a way to achieve even greater improvement for people who are very risk averse and have high exposure to market risk through their labor.
Vitamin D Modulation of Adipocyte Function

Calcitriol has recently been demonstrated to play an important role in modulating adipocyte function by regulating adipocyte lipid metabolism and energy homeostasis via both genomic and non-genomic actions. Physiological concentrations of calcitriol dose-dependently inhibit adipocyte apoptosis, although supra-physiological concentrations stimulate adipocyte apoptosis; the former is mediated by inhibition of mitochondrial uncoupling and the latter by mitochondrial calcium overload. Calcitriol also regulates adipose tissue fat depot location and expansion by promoting glucocorticoid production and release. Finally, calcitriol also modulates the cross talk between adipose tissue and both skeletal muscle and macrophages. Calcitriol modulation of adipocyte–macrophage cross talk results in a synergistic increase in expression and release of reactive oxygen species and inflammatory cytokines from both cell types, while calcitriol regulation of adipocyte–skeletal muscle cross talk results in inhibition of skeletal muscle fatty acid oxidation and preferential energy storage in adipocytes. Accordingly, conditions which chronically increase calcitriol levels, such as low-calcium diets, increase obesity risk, decrease metabolic flexibility, and increase oxidative and inflammatory stress.
Computational Studies of Ion Pairing. 10. Ion Pairing between Tetrabutylammonium ion and Inorganic Ions: A General Motif Confirmed

Until recently, little has been known about the nature of the factors governing the stereochemistry of the interactions between organic ions, even though such information should be directly relative to issues of molecular recognition and supermolecular self-assembly. The present study of the preferred structures of the ion pairs between tetrabutylammonium and 22 common inorganic ions, a continuation of previous studies in this series, brings to 93 the number of such species that have been examined in this way. In every one of these ion pairs, the minimum energy orientation of the cation relative to the anion is the same, reinforcing the conclusion that this structural motif is completely general. This is the first such pattern to be identified for the mode of association between organic cations and polar species in solution.
AUTOMATIC ISLAM: DIVINE ANARCHY AND THE MACHINES OF GOD

This essay explores how particular variants of “Muslim anarchism”, as distinct forms of radical anti-authoritarian religion, subvert conventional approaches to Islamic hermeneutics by drawing on intellectual traditions and discursive strategies external to them. Through recourse to the mutuality between autonomy and automatism, most notably in Western avant-garde and countercultural aesthetics, it elucidates the import of automatic transcendence and retro-futurist imaginaries as novel interpretative techniques for spiritual emancipation in radically libertarian approaches to Islam. My aim is to show how the rich, multivalent concept of automatism, neglected in studies of social and religious phenomena, can be a useful way of elucidating the hermeneutics of specific strands of Muslim anarchism. In doing so, the paper also challenges received understandings of “radical” Islam and the restrictive polarity between militancy and liberalism that has come to frame discussion on global Islam. To this end, I focus on the thought of Peter Lamborn Wilson (aka Hakim Bey), Michael Muhammad Knight and Yakoub Islam.
Supporting System-Centered View of Operators Through Ecological Interface Design: Two Experiments on Human-Centered Automation

Human operators faced with an unexpected situation while controlling a complex system can take effective action if they are provided a system-centered view based on Ecological Interface Design (EID). To date there is only limited empirical support for the efficacy of EID in enhancing human-automation interaction. This paper presents results from two studies of EID in human-automation interaction, drawn from different domains, flight simulation and process control. In Experiment 1, use of an integrated display with an emergent perceptual feature was found to eliminate the automation complacency effect in monitoring for engine system malfunctions during a flight simulation task. In Experiment 2, a display with a multi-level representation of the intention of the automated controllers in a process control system was found to improve human-automation collaboration. These studies show that explicit visualization of the functional structure of a human-automation system in the interface supports the system-cente...
Surgical management of midshaft clavicle nonunions is associated with a higher rate of short-term complications compared with acute fractures.

Background Little is known about the perioperative complication rates of the surgical management of midshaft clavicle nonunions. The purpose of the current study was to report on the perioperative complication rates after surgical management of nonunions and to compare them with complication rates of acute fractures using a population cohort. Methods The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify patients who had undergone open reduction–internal fixation of midshaft clavicle fractures between 2007 and 2013. Patients were stratified by operative indication: acute fracture or nonunion. Patient characteristics and 30-day complication rates were compared between the 2 groups using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results A total of 1215 patients were included in our analysis. Of these, 1006 (82.8%) were acute midshaft clavicle fractures and 209 (17.2%) were midshaft nonunions. Patients undergoing surgical fixation for nonunion had a higher rate of total complications compared with the acute fracture group (5.26% vs. 2.28%; P = .034). On multivariate analysis, patients with a nonunion were at a >2-fold increased risk of any postsurgical complication (odds ratio, 2.29 [95% confidence interval, 1.05-5.00]; P = .037) and >3-fold increased risk of a wound complication (odds ratio, 3.22 [95% confidence interval, 1.02-10.20]; P = .046) compared with acute fractures. Conclusion On the basis of these findings, patients undergoing surgical fixation for a midshaft clavicle nonunion are at an increased risk of short-term complications compared with acute fractures. This study provides additional information to consider in making management decisions for these common injuries.
Manifestations of Food Allergy in Infants and Children

Most adverse reactions to foods are the result of intolerances rather than food allergy. It is important to identify children with potential food allergy as life-threatening, and life-ending reactions can occur. A clear understanding of the manifestations of food allergy caused by both IgE- and non-IgE-related mechanisms will help the practitioner to identify children who likely have food allergy so that additional diagnostic evaluation can be performed and appropriate avoidance can be instituted.
Statistical Design and Evaluation of Biomarker Studies

We review biostatistical aspects of biomarker studies, including design and analysis issues, covering the range of settings required for translational research-from early exploratory studies through clinical trials.
Addressing the Real Problem: Draining the Swamps of Despair

In the film Control Room, a commentator from the Arab network Al-Jazeera watches as American forces tear down the statues of Saddam Hussein shortly after the beginning of the Iraq war. She shakes her head in disbelief at the apparent quick defeat of the Iraqi forces. “Where is the Republican guard?” she asks in a voice filled with humiliation, even though she did not support Saddam Hussein.
Development and evaluation of a clinical model for lung cancer patients using stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) within a knowledge-based algorithm for treatment planning

The purpose of this study was to describe the development of a clinical model for lung cancer patients treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) within a knowledge-based algorithm for treatment planning, and to evaluate the model performance and applicability to different planning techniques, tumor locations, and beam arrangements. 105 SBRT plans for lung cancer patients previously treated at our institution were included in the development of the knowledge-based model (KBM). The KBM was trained with a combination of IMRT, VMAT, and 3D CRT techniques. Model performance was validated with 25 cases, for both IMRT and VMAT. The full KBM encompassed lesions located centrally vs. peripherally (43:62), upper vs. lower (62:43), and anterior vs. posterior (60:45). Four separate sub-KBMs were created based on tumor location. Results were compared with the full KBM to evaluate its robustness. Beam templates were used in conjunction with the optimizer to evaluate the model's ability to handle suboptimal beam placements. Dose differences to organs-at-risk (OAR) were evaluated between the plans gener-ated by each KBM. Knowledge-based plans (KBPs) were comparable to clinical plans with respect to target conformity and OAR doses. The KBPs resulted in a lower maximum spinal cord dose by 1.0 ± 1.6 Gy compared to clinical plans, p = 0.007. Sub-KBMs split according to tumor location did not produce significantly better DVH estimates compared to the full KBM. For central lesions, compared to the full KBM, the peripheral sub-KBM resulted in lower dose to 0.035 cc and 5 cc of the esophagus, both by 0.4Gy ± 0.8Gy, p = 0.025. For all lesions, compared to the full KBM, the posterior sub-KBM resulted in higher dose to 0.035 cc, 0.35 cc, and 1.2 cc of the spinal cord by 0.2 ± 0.4Gy, p = 0.01. Plans using template beam arrangements met target and OAR criteria, with an increase noted in maximum heart dose (1.2 ± 2.2Gy, p = 0.01) and GI (0.2 ± 0.4, p = 0.01) for the nine-field plans relative to KBPs planned with custom beam angles. A knowledge-based model for lung SBRT consisting of multiple treatment modalities and lesion loca-tions produced comparable plan quality to clinical plans. With proper training and validation, a robust KBM can be created that encompasses both IMRT and VMAT techniques, as well as different lesion locations.
Macromolecules in the 20th Century

In this chapter we see how the idea that rubber could be a substance of very high molecular weight came to be accepted, largely through the pioneering work of Hermann Staudinger.
The role of inflammation in kidney cancer.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) constitutes more than 90 % of primary kidney tumors with the development of metastatic disease in the lung, bone, liver, and brain. Clear-cell RCC (CCRCC) is the most common histologic form of sporadic kidney cancer where the majority of tumors have inactivation of the von Hippel–Lindau (VHL) tumor-suppressor gene resulting in the accumulation of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) leading to dysregulation of cell growth and angiogenesis. Understanding of the genetic changes in RCC and the downstream events have led to the development of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) that target HIF-regulated proteins which currently represents front-line therapy for metastatic disease although resistance develops in most patients overtime. Despite the fact that RCC is an immunogenic tumor, there is mounting evidence that immune cells and inflammatory pathways can enhance tumor growth and immune escape. However, recent studies are beginning to uncover the mechanisms of immune escape in RCC, and the role inflammatory immune cells and cytokines play is this process. These new findings have led to renewed interest in the use of immunotherapy for the treatment of this disease that includes strategies to regulate inflammatory responses. Here, we will discuss the different inflammatory signaling pathways (e.g., VHL, hypoxia, TNF-α, STAT, and TGF-β) and the downstream transcription factors, cytokines, and chemokines involved in tumor development, and disease progression. This will include assessment of the role inflammatory molecules (e.g., pVHL, TGFb, IL6, select chemokines/chemokine receptors) play in promoting cell transformation, survival, proliferation of tumor cells, and metastasis derived from in vitro and in vivo studies. Included is a section on how select inflammatory cells (TAM, MDSC, and neutrophils) promote tumor evasion of immune cells. We also provide examples of molecules/cells that correlate negatively (CXCL12, CXCR4, and MMP, neutrophils, and MDSC) and positively (TH1 cells, IP-10, and MIG) with tumor progression and survival. Finally, there is a discussion of different inhibitors of inflammation that may be useful in the treatment of RCC.
Polynomial Harmonic Decompositions

Article on polynomial harmonic decompositions. For real polynomials in two indeterminates a classical polynomial harmonic decomposition is extended from square-norm divisors to conic ones.
The 2-hour marathon: what do students think?

### Overview this educational activity is designed to enhance teaching and learning of physiology by connecting the limits of human physiology to one of the most coveted barriers in athletic performance: the 2-h marathon. Moreover, investigation into the possibility of achieving this athletic feat
Hospital length of stay and cost burden of HIV, tuberculosis, and HIV-tuberculosis coinfection among pregnant women in the United States.

Background We sought to determine hospital length of stay (LOS) and cost burden associated with hospital admissions among pregnant women with HIV monoinfection, tuberculosis (TB) monoinfection, or HIV-TB coinfection in the United States. Methods Analysis covered the period from 2002-2014 using data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Relevant ICD-9-CM codes were used to determine HIV and TB status. Costs associated with hospitalization were calculated and adjusted to 2010 dollars using the medical care component of the Consumer Price Index. Results We found modest annual average reduction in HIV, TB, and HIV-TB coinfection rates over the study period. The mean LOS was lowest among mothers free of HIV or TB disease and highest among those with HIV-TB coinfection. The average LOS among mothers diagnosed with TB monoinfection was 60% higher than for those with HIV monoinfection. The cost associated with pregnancy-related hospital admissions among mothers with HIV was approximately 30% higher than disease-free mothers, and the cost more than doubled among patients with TB monoinfection or HIV-TB coinfection. Conclusions TB significantly increased hospital care cost among HIV-positive and HIV-negative pregnant women.
Enhancement of Cricothyroidotomy Education Using a Novel Technique: Cadaver Autografting.

Abstract Background Cricothyroidotomy is a lifesaving procedure required in up to 2% of emergent airways. Emergency medicine training programs frequently instruct this procedure via cadaver training, but cadaver cost and availability limit the opportunity for all trainees to perform the critical initial skin incision. Cadaver autografting is a novel way to simulate all steps of the procedure. Objective Our aim was to determine whether the technique of autografting cadaver tissue improves the experience of cricothyroidotomy simulation education for emergency medicine trainees. The investigators hypothesized that autografted cadaver tissue would be a useful adjunct. Methods In this prospective crossover study, volunteers were randomized to first perform cricothyroidotomy on previously incised native neck tissue or on autografted tissue, and then vice versa. The autograft consisted of cadaver iliotibial band covered with lateral thigh skin and subcutaneous tissue to simulate cricothyroid membrane and native anterior neck anatomy. Volunteer emergency medicine residents and sub-interns were included. Twenty-seven residents and nine students participated. Outcomes were evaluated via Likert scale. Results Thirty of 36 (83%) participants agreed or strongly agreed that they preferred cadaver autografting to the previously incised native tissue. Thirty-two of 36 (89%) agreed or strongly agreed that cadaver autografting was useful vs. 23 of 36 (64%) who answered similarly regarding previously incised native tissue (p = 0.001). Twenty-six of 36 (72%) were more comfortable with cricothyroidotomy in the emergency department after using cadaver autografting vs. 19 of 36 (53%) after using the native tissue (p = 0.003). Conclusions Autografted cadaver tissue while simulating cricothyroidotomy was perceived to be a useful adjunct by the majority of participating emergency medicine trainees.
Demoralization in Parkinson Disease (P5.010)

Objective: To determine the prevalence of demoralization in idiopathic Parkinson disease (PD). Background: Demoralization is a state of mind characterized by bewilderment, deprivation of spirit and subjective incompetence (i.e., a self-perceived incapacity to perform tasks in a stressful situation). Design/Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 49 PD patients were assessed for demoralization and subjective incompetence using several measures: Diagnostic Criteria for Psychosomatic Research Demoralization (DCPR-D), Kissane Demoralization Scale (KDS), and Subjective Incompetence Scale (SIS). Demoralization was defined as having all DCPR-D criteria or KDS≥20. We assessed disability using the Gill Disability Scale, anxiety using the Brief Anxiety Scale (BAS), and depression using the PHQ-9. PD severity was assessed using the motor component of the Modified Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (MDS-UPDRS) and, quality of life, with the PD Questionnaire (PDQ-8). Results: The cohort was 67.4% male with mean±SD age of 68.1±8.1 years. Demoralization occurred in 26.5%. PD patients with demoralization were compared to those without demoralization; they were similar in age, were more anxious (BAS: 9.8±5.6 vs. 2.3±2.3; p=0.0004), scored worse on KDS (29.5±16.1 vs. 5.3±4.2; p=0.0001), had lower quality of life (PDQ-8: 10.1±5.6 vs. 5.4±4.3; p=0.008), were more depressed (PHQ-9: 10.1±5.6 vs. 3.9±3.7; p=0.002), and experienced greater subjective incompetence (SIS: 11.3±6.0 vs. 3.1±4.2; p=0.0003). They did not differ by MDS-UPDRS score (30.8±11.9 vs. 25.7±12.7, p=0.2o), antidepressant usage, education, PD duration, or dopamine agonist usage. A larger percentage of demoralized PD patients were disabled (69.2% vs. 30.7%; p=0.03). In logistic regression analyses, anxiety (but not other factors: age, education, disability, gender, depression, quality of life, diagnosis duration) was associated with increased odds of demoralization - every one-unit increase in BAS was associated with a 1.7-point (95% CI 0.8,2.6; p=0.0007) increase in KDS. Conclusions: Demoralization is prevalent in PD and is associated with anxiety. Disclosure: Dr. Koo has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chow has nothing to disclose. Dr. Shah has nothing to disclose. Dr. Khan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Derlein has nothing to disclose. Dr. Steinberg has nothing to disclose. Dr. Patel has nothing to disclose. Dr. Louis has nothing to disclose. Dr. de Figueiredo has nothing to disclose.
The Next Step: Priorities and Structure of an ITAA Graduate Education Alliance

This special session focused on identifying priorities and structure of an alliance. The content below summarizes the 2017 special session, which centered on gathering information from session participants.
Abstract 367: Plasma Based cBIN1 Correlates with Myocardial Health in Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction

Background: Acquired heart failure (HF) originates with failing heart muscle, yet it is currently not possible to assay the biochemical health of cardiomyocytes. A key pathophysiology of HF is weak...
CYSTIC FIBROSIS | Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator (CFTR) Gene

Cystic fibrosis (CF), the most common autosomal recessive disorder in Caucasians, primarily manifests in epithelial cells in the gastrointestinal system, airways, reproductive system, and sweat glands. CF is caused by mutations in the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene, a 230 kb, 29 exon gene on chromosome 7q31.2. The 480 amino acid single-chain CFTR protein functions as a cyclic AMP-regulated chloride channel on the surface epithelium. Over 1000 different CFTR mutations have been identified and although there has been some success correlating CFTR genotype and the severity of CF disease, especially with regard to pancreatic disease, many questions remain unresolved. CF pulmonary disease is highly variable among individuals with the same genotype, most likely arising from the presence of modifier genes and environmental factors. This article summarizes the structure and function of the CFTR gene and the protein, the current classification of CFTR mutations, and the relationship of those classes to CF disease phenotype.
The Material Culture Pathway to the Ceremonial Center

Other than pottery, only six classes of artifacts are represented at the ceremonial center: discoidal artifacts, hones, awls, shell beads, mica grave offerings and gourd rattles. The presence of fragments of conch and oliva shells in bundle Burial 9 (255C) may represent an additional class of grave offering, but more likely represent incidental inclusions in the grave fill.
The Interactions of Proteins with Salts, Amino Acids, and Sugars at High Concentration

Salts are found universally in living systems. At low concentration they exert salting-in effects on poly electrolytes, such as proteins, and stabilize them through non-specific electrostatic interactions. These strong charge-charge interactions become saturated at low salt concentrations. Some salts interact specifically with particular proteins, e.g., metal-binding proteins, or calmodulin and tubulin which bind strongly Ca2+ and Mg2+, respectively. In addition to these strong bindings, salts at high concentrations also exert weak, but at times extensive, interactions with proteins and affect their stability, solubility, and other properties in a wide array of manners. Some amino acids, sugars, and organic compounds also affect these properties of the proteins. In this chapter, we shall describe first the effects of salts, sugars, and polyols on various properties of proteins. Second, the effects of osmolytes on the proteins and their mutual interactions will be discussed. This will be done by giving a number of examples of the manner in which these compounds affect the properties of the proteins. In the third part, the measured preferential interactions of these compounds with proteins will be summarized and used to explain their effects on proteins.
Asymptotic Completeness for Few Body Schrödinger Operators

We discuss a method for proving asymptotic completeness for many body quantum mechanics. The main idea depends on, an analysis of the time rates of decay of the wave function in certain regions of configuration space. These rates of decay depend on the scattering channel to which the wave function belongs. The method has been applied to prove asymptotic completeness for generic three and four body systems with short range two body potentials.
Moderate-intensity exercise reduces activated and apoptotic endothelial microparticles in healthy midlife women.

This study demonstrates that acute moderate-intensity exercise reduces activated and apoptotic endothelial microparticles in healthy midlife women.
The psychobiology of emotional development: The case for examining sociocultural processes

Psychobiological techniques to assess emotional responding have revolutionized the field of emotional development in recent decades by equipping researchers with the tools to quantify children's emotional reactivity and regulation more directly than behavioral approaches allow. Knowledge gained from the incorporation of methods spanning levels of analysis has been substantial, yet many open questions remain. In this prospective review, we (a) describe the major conceptual and empirical advances that have resulted from this methodological innovation, and (b) lay out a case for what we view as the most pressing challenge for the next decades of research into the psychobiology of emotional development: focusing empirical efforts toward understanding the implications of the broader sociocultural contexts in which children develop that shape the psychobiology of emotion. Thus, this review integrates previous knowledge about the psychobiology of emotion with a forward-looking set of recommendations for incorporating sociocultural processes into future investigations.
An integrated physico-chemical approach for explaining the differential impact of FLASH versus conventional dose rate irradiation on cancer and normal tissue responses.

Abstract For decades the field of radiation oncology has sought to improve the therapeutic ratio through innovations in physics, chemistry, and biology. To date, technological advancements in image guided beam delivery techniques have provided clinicians with their best options for improving this critical tool in cancer care. Medical physics has focused on the preferential targeting of tumors while minimizing the collateral dose to the surrounding normal tissues, yielding only incremental progress. However, recent developments involving ultra-high dose rate irradiation termed FLASH radiotherapy (FLASH-RT), that were initiated nearly 50 years ago, have stimulated a renaissance in the field of radiotherapy, long awaiting a breakthrough modality able to enhance therapeutic responses and limit normal tissue injury. Compared to conventional dose rates used clinically (0.1–0.2 Gy/s), FLASH can implement dose rates of electrons or X-rays in excess of 100 Gy/s. The implications of this ultra-fast delivery of dose are significant and need to be re-evaluated to appreciate the fundamental aspects underlying this seemingly unique radiobiology. The capability of FLASH to significantly spare normal tissue complications in multiple animal models, when compared to conventional rates of dose-delivery, while maintaining persistent growth inhibition of select tumor models has generated considerable excitement, as well as skepticism. Based on fundamental principles of radiation physics, radio-chemistry, and tumor vs. normal cell redox metabolism, this article presents a series of testable, biologically relevant hypotheses, which may help rationalize the differential effects of FLASH irradiation observed between normal tissue and tumors.
Zone folding induced topological insulators in phononic crystals

This article investigates a flow-free, pseudospin-based acoustic topological insulator. Zone folding, a strategy originated from photonic crystal, is used to form double Dirac cones in phononic crystal. The lattice symmetry of the phononic crystal is broken by tuning the size of the center “atom” of the unit cell in order to open the nontrivial topological gap. Robust sound one-way propagation is demonstrated both numerically. This study provides a flexible approach for realizing acoustic topological insulators, which are promising for applications such as noise control and waveguide design.
Ground testing of a 1% gravo-aeroelastically scaled additively-manufactured wind turbine blade with bio-inspired structural design

Abstract A gravo-aeroelastic scaling (GAS) method is developed to design wind turbine blades that represent centrifugal, aerodynamic, and gravitational loads of extreme-scale turbines. To match these elements, certain blade characteristics are given priority: non-dimensional 1st flap-wise frequency, non-dimensional flapping tip deflection, and tip-speed-ratio. Using the GAS method, a 1% sub-scale blade was designed to match the mass distributions and ground tested to match the non-dimensional flap-wise dynamics and deflections of Sandia National Lab’s 13.2-MW blade. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first manufactured blade model to employ gravo-aeroelastic scaling using additive manufacturing and bio-inspiration. A series of scale models were designed, built, and ground-tested using weights consistent with scaled steady rated load conditions of an extreme-scale turbine. The models designed were evolved to increase gravo-elastic scaling performance by employing lightweight bio-inspirational morphology and carbon fiber reinforcements. The final version has non-dimensional gravo-elastic errors as follows: 3% in total mass, 15.6% in deflection from ground-based loads representing full-scale steady rated conditions, and 8.1% in the first flap-wise modal frequency (when normalized by the scaled rpm for rated conditions). This model demonstrates the GAS concept can be applied to manufacture sub-scale models as small as 1% of an extreme-scale rotor blade.
Influence of the RF drive potential on the acceptance behavior of pure quadrupole mass filters operated in stability zones A and B

Abstract The quadrupole acceptance of sinusoidal mass filters has been an area of interest for over fifty years. More recently, frequency dynamic rectangular waveform driven mass filters (colloquially digital mass filters) have been demonstrated. The acceptance of these devices has not been investigated. Commonly the acceptance of a quadrupole mass filter is calculated using the method of ellipses. Earlier this year, our group introduced an alternative method of calculating acceptance planes. The plane method is a simple and fast approach compared to ellipses. In this work, sinusoidal and digital RF driven mass filters modeled in stability zones A and B are explored using the plane method. The acceptance behavior of systems in zone B differ greatly from their zone A counterparts. There are considerable differences between the mass filter types operated in zone B. The type of RF drive potential plays an important role in the behavior of filters modeled in zone B.
Transformative interviewing and the experiences of multilingual learners not labeled “ELL” in US schools

Recent research has documented the ways that schools adapt to increasingly multilingual and multicultural student bodies. This qualitative study explores the schooling experiences of nine K-12 mult...
Big Data Analysis of Intelligent Electric Meters' Faults

At present, there are still some deficiencies in the use of intelligent electricity meters in China, which makes the staff often encounter some problems and faults. This paper will make an in-depth discussion on the big data analysis of intelligent electricity meters' faults, so as to promote the rapid development of intelligent electricity meters in the era of big data in China.
Thoracic duct embolization using direct hybrid angiography/computed tomography-guided cisterna chyli access for the treatment of chylous leak secondary to partial glossectomy and neck dissection

Thoracic duct embolization (TDE) is a minimally invasive alternative to surgery for the treatment of postoperative chylous leaks that fail conventional medical management. TDE can be a technically challenging procedure that requires real-time image guidance to visualize the thoracic duct. This case report describes using hybrid angiography/computed tomography technology to perform TDE through direct access of the cisterna chyli, potentially eliminating the need for intranodal lymphangiography, and reducing procedure length.