cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nash equilibrium in a spatial model of coalition bargaining

Abstract In the model presented here, n parties choose policy positions in a space Z of dimension at least two. Each party is represented by a “principal” whose true policy preferences on Z are unknown to other principals. In the first version of the model the party declarations determine the lottery outcome of coalition negotiation. The coalition risk functions are common knowledge to the parties. We assume these coalition probabilities are inversely proportional to the variance of the declarations of the parties in each coalition. It is shown that with this outcome function and with three parties there exists a stable, pure strategy Nash equilibrium, z∗ for certain classes of policy preferences. This Nash equilibrium represents the choice by each party principal of the position of the party leader and thus the policy platform to declare to the electorate. The equilibrium can be explicitly calculated in terms of the preferences of the parties and the scheme of private benefits from coalition membership. In particular, convergence in equilibrium party positions is shown to occur if the principals’ preferred policy points are close to colinear. Conversely, divergence in equilibrium party positions occurs if the bliss points are close to symmetric. If private benefits (the non-policy perquisites from coalition membership) are sufficiently large (that is, of the order of policy benefits), then the variance in equilibrium party positions is less than the variance in ideal points. The general model attempts to incorporate party beliefs concerning electoral responses to party declarations. Because of the continuity properties imposed on both the coalition and electoral risk functions, there will exist mixed strategy Nash equilibria. We suggest that the existence of stable, pure strategy Nash equilibria in general political games of this type accounts for the non-convergence of party platforms in multiparty electoral systems based on proportional representation.
Integrated optical addressing of an ion qubit

Individual ion qubits held in a planar ion trap are optically addressed with scalable nanophotonic waveguides and focusing grating couplers integrated with the trap chip. The long coherence times and strong Coulomb interactions afforded by trapped ion qubits have enabled realizations of the necessary primitives for quantum information processing1 and the highest-fidelity quantum operations in any qubit to date2,3,4. Although light delivery to each individual ion in a system is essential for general quantum manipulations and readout, experiments so far have employed optical systems that are cumbersome to scale to even a few tens of qubits5. Here we demonstrate lithographically defined nanophotonic waveguide devices for light routing and ion addressing that are fully integrated within a surface-electrode ion trap chip6. Ion qubits are addressed at multiple locations via focusing grating couplers emitting through openings in the trap electrodes to ions trapped 50 μm above the chip; using this light, we perform quantum coherent operations on the optical qubit transition in individual 88Sr+ ions. The grating focuses the beam to a diffraction-limited spot near the ion position with 2 μm 1/e2 radius along the trap axis, and we measure crosstalk errors between 10–2 and 4 × 10–4 at distances 7.5–15 μm from the beam centre. Owing to the scalability of the planar fabrication technique employed, together with the tight focusing and stable alignment afforded by the integration of the optics within the trap chip, this approach presents a path to creating the optical systems required for large-scale trapped-ion quantum information processing.
Thermal conductivity of copper and silica nanoparticle packed beds

Abstract We report here thermal conductivity measurements of packed beds of nanoparticles both under vacuum and at ambient pressure and compare those measurements to theoretical predictions. The thermal conductivity measurements of the nanoparticle beds under vacuum were found to be as low as 0.018 W/m °C, among the lowest thermal conductivities of solid materials ever measured. Theoretical predictions agreed with the conductivity measurements under vacuum within experimental uncertainty. In contrast, thermal conductivities measured for nanoparticle beds at ambient pressure were an order of magnitude higher than the measurements under vacuum, and significantly higher than the theory predicted. These results indicate a serious limitation that could impact the use of nanoparticle beds as very low conductivity insulating materials.
Examination of the Transferability of Safety Performance Functions for Developing Crash Modification Factors: Using the Empirical Bayes Method:

In this study, crash modification factors (CMFs) for the effect of signalization at intersections in Florida were estimated. This paper applies the empirical Bayes method to develop CMFs for KABCO, KABC, and rear-end crashes by using several safety performance functions (SPFs) from various jurisdictions, adjusted by calibration factors. [In the KABCO scale, K = fatal (killed), A = incapacitating injury, B = nonincapacitating injury, C = possible injury, and O = property damage only.] Florida and Ohio data were used to develop these SPFs. Also, the SPFs suggested in the Highway Safety Manual were used to calculate CMFs. Through development of the SPFs and comparison of SPFs from different states, the study concluded that it might not be suitable to apply SPFs from other states without thorough examination. The CMF was 0.785 for KABCO with the SPF from Florida, significantly smaller than 1; this result indicated that the signalization at intersections resulted in fewer total crashes. But when the SPFs from ...
Depression and Suicide

1. Carrie Hatcher-Kay, PhD* 2. Cheryl A. King, PhD† 1. *Postodoctoral Fellow, Department of Psychiatry 2. †Associate Professor of Psychiatry; Chief Psychologist; Director, Child & Adolescent Depression Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Discuss the prevalence of depressive disorders. 2. Recognize the comorbidities of early-onset depressive disorders. 3. Explain how pediatricians and other caregivers can help youth who may be depressed. 4. Describe the first line of treatment for youth who have depressive disorders. 5. Discuss the incidence of suicidal ideation, attempted suicide, and suicide in adolescence. 6. List the risk factors for suicide by youth. Most youth occasionally experience the blues, feel sad, or become irritable. Nevertheless, it is important to consider the possibility of a depressive disorder when a depressed or irritable mood is more than temporary, occurs in conjunction with other symptoms, or interferes with daily functioning. Major depressive disorder (MDD) is manifested by a depressed or irritable mood or diminished interest or pleasure that lasts for at least 2 weeks. This is accompanied by changes in cognitive and physical functioning. Dysthymic disorder (DD) is a less severe type of depression that involves chronic symptoms and lasts for at least 1 year. These specific types of depressive disorders are the focus of this article. Depressive disorders can be identified in children of all ages, but they become increasingly prevalent during adolescence. In fact, the peak ages of depressive symptom onset in lifespan studies are 15 to 19 years and 25 to 29 years. The sharpest rise in prevalence occurs among girls during adolescence and early adulthood. Approximately 2% of school-age children and 4% to 6% of adolescents struggle with MDD at any one point in time. Lifetime prevalence rates by late adolescence range between 20% and 25%. Prior to puberty, there is about a 1:1 gender ratio for depressive disorders. After puberty, this shifts to a 2:1 ratio of females to males, which continues throughout adulthood. A combination of hormonal and social changes during puberty may …
Franchise Affiliation and Promotional Techniques: Competition and Comparative Performance Among North Carolina Real Estate Brokers

Franchise affiliations by real estate brokers have increased greatly in the last decade, yet little research has been directed toward the impact of presumed franchise advantages on broker competition or comparative performance. This paper, using data from a 1979 Survey of North Carolina Homebuyers, studies the effectiveness of franchise mass media advertising in creating a professional image, enhancing consumer recognition, attracting distant clients, and obtaining listings. Results indicate that franchise affiliation achieves all of the above, and that clients of fran-chised brokers are satisfied with broker services rendered. Data from a Multiple Listing Service was used to examine performance differences between national and regional affiliations. It was determined that national franchises which utilize mass media promotion tend to assist purchasers of lower priced homes, and that other franchises tend to sell significantly higher priced homes.
Spin-resolved electron-phonon coupling in FeSe and KFe 2 Se 2

The effect of the static magnetic moments of iron on electron-phonon interactions in layered FeSe and KFe${}_{2}$Se${}_{2}$ is studied. First-principles techniques based on the pseudopotential density functional approach and the local spin density approximation are utilized to calculate the band structures, phonon dispersions, and electron-phonon coupling properties. Our results indicate that the introduction of iron magnetic moments leads to significant changes in electronic structure induced by Fe 3$d$ states near the Fermi level, to phonon frequency softening for several vibrational modes, and to a dramatic increase in electron-phonon coupling for specific modes. The increase in Brillouin-zone-averaged coupling is about twofold. Our estimates of superconducting transition temperatures based on the McMillan equation yield values closer to experimental results for the spin-resolved case. However, these values are not large enough to explain the observed transition temperature.
Sleep apnea in total joint arthroplasty patients and the role for cardiac biomarkers for risk stratification: an exploration of feasibility

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in patients undergoing total joint arthroplasty (TJA) and is a major risk factor for postoperative cardiovascular complications and death. Recognizing this, the American Society of Anesthesiologists urges clinicians to implement special considerations in the perioperative care of OSA patients. However, as the volume of patients presenting for TJA increases, resources to implement these recommendations are limited. This necessitates mechanisms to efficiently risk stratify patients having OSA who may be susceptible to post-TJA cardiovascular complications. We explore the role of perioperative measurement of cardiac troponins (cTns) and brain natriuretic peptides (BNPs) in helping determine which OSA patients are at increased risk for post-TJA cardiovascular-related morbidity.
STATE BOUNDARIES AND POLITICAL CULTURES: AN EXPLORATION IN THE TRI — STATE AREA OF MICHIGAN, INDIANA AND OHIO

This article attempts to answer the following question: Can separate "state political cultures" be detected in the attitudes and behavior of persons living in the immediate vicinity of the intersection of the state boundaries of Michigan, Indiana and Ohio? There are no natural boundaries which divide the people, and the inhabitants throughout the region have similar backgrounds. It was determined: (1) that there are differences in the behavior of the people from state to state; (2) that young people have different degrees of knowledge about politics (the Ohio students were the best informed); (3) that their attitudes about politics were essentially the same from state to state.
Specification Comparison and Circuit Optimization for Mixed-signal Validation

We provide an automatic verification and optimization tool to compare circuit with design specification in mixed signal design.The proposed tool can automatically compare the behavior model of design specification with circuit level design for both function and performance.If performance is mismatched,circuit sizing optimization is performed to make sure design meet both functional and performance specification.Waveform comparison is used for the functional check.Differential evolution(DE)is used for performance matching and circuit optimization.The optimization feature can also save the design efforts and achieve smaller area and power compare to manually circuit sizing.
The impact of urban expansion and agricultural legacies on trace metal accumulation in fluvial and lacustrine sediments of the lower Chesapeake Bay basin, USA.

The progressively declining ecological condition of the Chesapeake Bay is attributed to the influx of contaminants associated with sediment loads supplied by its largest tributaries. The continued urban expansion in the suburbs of Virginia cities, modern agricultural activities in the Shenandoah Valley, the anthropogenic and climate driven changes in fluvial system hydrodynamics and their potential associated impacts on trace metals enrichment in the bay's tributaries necessitate constant environmental monitoring of these important water bodies. Eight 210Pb and 137Cs dated sediment cores and seventy two sediment grab samples were used to analyze the spatial and temporal distributions of Al, Ca, Mg, Cr, Cd, As, Se, Pb, Cu, Zn, Mn, and Fe in the waterways of the Virginia portion of the Chesapeake Bay basin. The sediment cores for trace metal historical fluctuation analysis were obtained in lower fluvial-estuarine environments and reservoirs in the upper reaches of the basin. The trace metal profiles revealed high basal enrichment factors (EF) of between 0.05 and 40.24, which are interpreted to represent early nineteenth century agricultural activity and primary resource extraction. Surficial enrichment factors on both cores and surface grab samples ranged from 0.01 (Cu) to 1421 (Cd), with Pb, Cu, Zn, and Cd enrichments a plausible consequence of modern urban expansion and industrial development along major transportation corridors. Contemporary surficial enrichments of As, Se, and Cr also ranged between 0 and 137, with the higher values likely influenced by lithological and atmospheric sources. Pearson correlation analyses suggest mining and agricultural legacies, coupled with aerosol deposition, are responsible for high metal concentrations in western lakes and headwater reaches of fluvial systems, while metal accumulation in estuarine reaches of the major rivers can be attributed to urban effluence and the remobilization of legacy sediments.
Retinoid Endocrinology From Metabolism to Cellular Signaling

An interplay of differentiative and proliferative factors is necessary for the normal development and maintenance of complex multicellular organisms. Aberrations in this regulatory balance are the basis of developmental abnormalities and diseases such as cancer. One important group of such regulatory factors is the retinoids, a family of structurally related isoprenoid lipids that includes vitamin A alcohol, retinol-the physiological precursor of many bioactive retinoids. Biological activity of retinoids is regulated by retinoid-binding proteins present in extracellular, cytosolic, and nuclear compartments. These retinoid-protein complexes participate in cellular uptake, metabolism, signaling, and homeostasis of retinoids. The nuclear retinoid-binding proteins, called retinoid receptors, are ligand-regulated transcription factors. The retinoid receptors can modulate the expression of genes via a complex network of interactions with corepressors, coactivators, other nuclear hormone receptors, or other components of distinct signaling
Antiretroviral activity and safety of abacavir in combination with selected HIV-1 protease inhibitors in therapy-naive HIV-1-infected adults.

ObjectiveTo assess antiretroviral efficacy and safety of abacavir in combination with selected HIV-1 protease inhibitors.DesignA 48-week, open-label study.Materials and MethodsEighty-two antiretrov...
The Pathogenetic Role of Apoptosis in Hypercoagulable States

Hypercoagulable states are common disorders with high risk of thrombosis associated with cardiovascular and malignant diseases. The pathogenesis of hypercoagulability is multifactorial. The basic physiological mechanism is the imbalance between anticoagulant activities and procoagulant activities in hemostatic system. In this review, we discuss the correlation between apoptosis and thrombogenesis in hypercoagulable states. Some cell-associated cofactors in coagulation system, including phosphatidylserine, tissue factor, thrombomodulin and cancer procoagulant, are regulated during apoptosis of various cell types. Vascular endothelial cells may act as one of the most important aspects affecting the balance of anticoagulant and procoagulant activities. When endothelial cells are activated or induced to undergo apoptosis by a number of physiological factors, such as inflammatory cytokines and bacterial lipopolysaccharide, the procoagulant activities of endothelial cells are enhanced. Other cell types such as apoptotic vascular smooth muscle cells, monocytes and macrophages may also contribute to the pathogenesis in atherosclerosis. Apoptotic tumor cells, which express high level of procoagulant activities, may act as a direct trigger for coagulation activation.
Utility of MRI versus tumor markers for post-treatment surveillance of marker-positive CNS germ cell tumors

Patients with marker-positive central nervous system (CNS) germ cell tumors are typically monitored for tumor recurrence with both tumor markers (AFP and b-hCG) and MRI. We hypothesize that the recurrence of these tumors will always be accompanied by an elevation in tumor markers, and that surveillance MRI may not be necessary. We retrospectively identified 28 patients with CNS germ cell tumors treated at our institution that presented with an elevated serum or cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) tumor marker at the time of diagnosis. We then identified those who had a tumor recurrence after having been in remission and whether each recurrence was detected via MRI changes, elevated tumor markers, or both. Four patients suffered a tumor recurrence. Only one patient had simultaneously elevated tumor markers and MRI evidence of recurrence. Two patients had evidence of recurrence on MRI without corresponding elevations in serum or CSF tumor markers. One patient had abnormal tumor markers with no evidence of recurrence on MRI until 6 months later. We conclude that in patients with marker-positive CNS germ cell tumors who achieve complete remission, continued surveillance imaging in addition to measurement of tumor markers is indicated to detect recurrences.
Minority Report: Re-Reading Gilgamesh After Levinas

The Epic of Gilgamesh attempts to answer the question of how, given the finality of death, one might find meaning and happiness in life. Many commentators argue that the text provides two separate,...
Radiocapitellar contact characteristics during prosthetic radial head subluxation

Background Metallic radial head prostheses are often used in the management of comminuted radial head fractures and elbow instability. We hypothesized that during radiocapitellar subluxation, the contact pressure characteristics of an anatomic radial head prosthesis will more closely mimic those of the native radial head compared with a monopolar circular or a bipolar circular radial head design. Materials and methods With use of 6 fresh frozen cadaver elbows, mean radiocapitellar contact pressures, contact areas, and peak pressures of the native radial head were assessed at 0, 2, 4, and 6 mm of posterior subluxation. These assessments were repeated after the native radial head was replaced with anatomic, monopolar circular and bipolar circular prostheses. Results The joint contact pressures increased with the native and the prosthetic radial head subluxation. The mean contact pressures for the native radial head and anatomic prosthesis increased progressively and significantly from 0 to 6 mm of subluxation (native, 0.6 ± 0.0 MPa to 1.9 ± 0.2 MPa; anatomic, 0.7 ± 0.0 MPa to 2.1 ± 0.3 MPa; P P = .31]; bipolar, 1.7 ± 0.1 MPa to 1.9 ± 0.1 MPa [ P = .12]). The pattern of increase in contact pressures with the anatomic prosthesis mimicked that of the native radial head. Conversely, the circular prostheses started out with higher contact pressures that stayed elevated . Conclusion The articular surface design of a radial head prosthesis is an important determinant of joint contact pressures.
DEET potentiates the development and persistence of anticholinesterase dependent chronic pain signs in a rat model of Gulf War Illness pain.

Abstract Exposure to DEET (N,N-diethyl-meta-toluamide) may have influenced the pattern of symptoms observed in soldiers with GWI (Gulf War Illness; Haley and Kurt, 1997). We examined how the addition of DEET (400 mg/kg; 50% topical) to an exposure protocol of permethrin (2.6 mg/kg; topical), chlorpyrifos (CP; 120 mg/kg), and pyridostigmine bromide (PB;13 mg/kg) altered the emergence and pattern of pain signs in an animal model of GWI pain ( Nutter et al., 2015 ). Rats underwent behavioral testing before, during and after a 4 week exposure: 1) hindlimb pressure withdrawal threshold; 2) ambulation (movement distance and rate); and 3) resting duration. Additional studies were conducted to assess the influence of acute DEET (10–100 μM) on muscle and vascular nociceptor K v 7, K DR , Na v 1.8 and Na v 1.9. We report that a 50% concentration of DEET enhanced the development and persistence of pain-signs. Rats exposed to all 4 compounds exhibited ambulation deficits that appeared 5–12 weeks post-exposure and persisted through weeks 21–24. Rats exposed to only three agents (CP or PB excluded), did not fully develop ambulation deficits. When PB was excluded, rats also developed rest duration pain signs, in addition to ambulation deficits. There was no evidence that physiological doses of DEET acutely modified nociceptor K v 7, K DR , Na v 1.8 or Na v 1.9 activities. Nevertheless, DEET augmented protocols decreased the conductance of K v 7 expressed in vascular nociceptors harvested from chronically exposed rats. We concluded that DEET enhanced the development and persistence of pain behaviors, but the anticholinesterases CP and PB played a determinant role.
Neural Networks and First Principle Models for Bioprocesses

Abstract This paper analyzes the combination of prior knowledge in the form of first principle models (parametric models) and neural networks. These models are called hybrid models. Neural networks and hybrid models were used to identify a fedbatch fermentation. Different neural networks were integrated into the hybrid model structure. The performance of these hybrid models is compared with “traditional” neural networks.
Efficient and Reliable Error Detection Architectures of Hash-Counter-Hash Tweakable Enciphering Schemes

Through pseudorandom permutation, tweakable enciphering schemes (TES) constitute block cipher modes of operation which perform length-preserving computations. The state-of-the-art research has focused on different aspects of TES, including implementations on hardware [field-programmable gate array (FPGA)/ application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC)] and software (hard/soft-core microcontrollers) platforms, algorithmic security, and applicability to sensitive, security-constrained usage models. In this article, we propose efficient approaches for protecting such schemes against natural and malicious faults. Specifically, noting that intelligent attackers do not merely get confined to injecting multiple faults, one major benchmark for the proposed schemes is evaluation toward biased and burst fault models. We evaluate a variant of TES, i.e., the Hash-Counter-Hash scheme, which involves polynomial hashing as other variants are either similar or do not constitute finite field multiplication which, by far, is the most involved operation in TES. In addition, we benchmark the overhead and performance degradation on the ASIC platform. The results of our error injection simulations and ASIC implementations show the suitability of the proposed approaches for a wide range of applications including deeply embedded systems.
Effects of Long-term Services and Supports on Survival of Poor, Highly Vulnerable Older Adults

Background and objectives We explore how an understudied population of older individuals addresses their ongoing care needs when ineligible for Medicaid waiver services. Research design and methods Using regression techniques, we identified factors associated with service use and health outcomes among 1,008 older adults (60+) who applied for Medicaid waiver assistance. Exploratory follow-up interviews with eight waiver-ineligible rural-dwelling individuals identified strategies used for managing their care needs. Results Mortality was high among study participants. Specifically, being waiver-ineligible increased the risk of mortality. Waiver-ineligible individuals were more likely to access alternative services and supports. Rural-dwelling older adults were less likely to be waiver-eligible, but twice as likely to access alternative services and supports, compared to nonrural older adults. Participants interviewed had ongoing unmet needs, relied on family and community services, and used internal and external strategies to manage care needs. Discussion and implications Having unmet needs increased the risk of mortality, whereas receiving full waiver services extended the lives of recipients. More generous services extend the lives of older, highly vulnerable, community-residing older people. Less generous services also extended life, but not to the same extent. Individuals without formal assistance relied on various strategies to confront ongoing daily challenges. Assisting a broader range of older adults with unmet needs is essential in addressing care needs and maintaining functional capacity to remain at home.
Prevention of Hepatitis Infection in HIV-Infected Patients

For HIV-infected persons with access to potent antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV infection can be controlled, and medically managed like other chronic medical conditions such as diabetes and hypertension [1, 2]. Despite the spectacular advances in therapy, there remain significant challenges for HIV care providers. Coinfection with viral hepatitis is one of these challenges, as liver-related diseases now are the leading significant cause of non-AIDS related deaths among HIV-infected patients [3, 4].
Pathophysiology of Acid Base Regulation

The need for the existence of multiple mechanisms involved in acid-base regulation stems from the critical importance of the hydrogen ion (H+) concentration on the operation of many cellular enzymes and function of vital organs, most prominently the brain and the heart [1]. The task imposed on the mechanisms that maintain acid-base homeostasis is large since metabolic pathways are continuously consuming or producing H+, and the daily load of waste products for excretion in the form of volatile (carbonic acid) and fixed acids is substantial. The equilibrium reaction of water and CO2, the end product of oxidative metabolism, results in the daily formation of large amounts of carbonic acid, approximately 15,000 mEq/day [2]. The acceptance of the H+ derived from carbonic acid by haemoglobin results in the transformation of carbonic acid into bicarbonate, and this ion transports ∼ 80% of the CO2 added to the blood from the peripheral tissues to the lungs. As red cells reach the lungs and oxygen is taken up by haemoglobin, H+ is released decomposing bicarbonate into CO2 that diffuses into the alveoli for final excretion. The presence of carbonic anhydrase in red cells facilitates bicarbonate generation in peripheral tissues and decomposition in the lungs, speeding up the mechanisms of blood CO2 loading and unloading.
Building blocks for workflow system middleware

We suggest there is a need for a fresh perspective on the design and development of middleware for high-performance workflows and workflow systems. We argue for a building blocks approach, outline a description of this approach and define their properties. We discuss RADICAL-Cybertools as one implementation of the building blocks concept, showing how they have been designed and developed in accordance with this approach. We discuss three case-studies where RADICAL-Cybertools have been used to develop new workflow systems capabilities and in-tegrated to enhance existing ones, illustrating the potential and promise of the building blocks approach.
Problems and Definitions

Philosophers of law traditionally asked questions of the form ‘What is X?’—“What is law?”, “What is a corporation?”, “What is a legal right?” This form of philosophical problem stems from Plato, who took it to be asking for a real definition of the nature or essence of the entity in question. The question ‘What is X?’ is ambiguous. It can ask for the purpose or cause or justification of institutions or practices as well as for definitions (EJP, 21). Long after this form of raising problems had been abandoned in most branches of philosophy, philosophers of law continued to use the old form and treat it as calling for a definition of the term.
Treatment of syndromic hypodontia in ectodermal dysplasia(s)

Ectodermal dysplasia (ED) is a diverse set of syndromic conditions that are derived from mutations. It affects developmental pathways including communication between the overlaying ectoderm and the underlying mesoderm in embryonic development. The most common form of ED syndromes is referred to as X-linked hypohidrotic ectodermal dysplasia or HED. The HED phenotype includes: (1) hypodontia (missing < 5 teeth); (2) oligodontia (missing six or more teeth); (3) anodontia (missing all teeth); (4) conical- shaped teeth; (5) altered hair growth, distribution, and amount (trichodysplasia); (6) reduced sweating (dyshidrosis); (7) altered mucosal sebaceous function (asteatosis); (8) altered keratin nail formation (onychodysplasia).
Targeting protein-protein interactions for therapeutic discovery via FRET-based high-throughput screening in living cells

We have developed a structure-based high-throughput screening (HTS) method, using time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer (TR-FRET) that is sensitive to protein-protein interactions in living cells. The membrane protein complex between the cardiac sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca-ATPase (SERCA2a) and phospholamban (PLB), its Ca-dependent regulator, is a validated therapeutic target for reversing cardiac contractile dysfunction caused by aberrant calcium handling. However, efforts to develop compounds with SERCA2a-PLB specificity have yet to yield an effective drug. We co-expressed GFP-SERCA2a (donor) in the endoplasmic reticulum membrane of HEK293 cells with RFP-PLB (acceptor), and measured FRET using a fluorescence lifetime microplate reader. We screened a small-molecule library and identified 21 compounds (Hits) that changed FRET by >3SD. 10 of these Hits reproducibly alter SERCA2a-PLB structure and function. One compound increases SERCA2a calcium affinity in cardiac membranes but not in skeletal, suggesting that the compound is acting specifically on the SERCA2a-PLB complex, as needed for a drug to mitigate deficient calcium transport in heart failure. The excellent assay quality and correlation between structural and functional assays validate this method for large-scale HTS campaigns. This approach offers a powerful pathway to drug discovery for a wide range of protein-protein interaction targets that were previously considered “undruggable”.
Turbofan Nose Cone Interactions With Inlet Swirl

With highly integrated airframe architectures emerging as the leading concept of next generation aviation vehicles, research is needed to understand the interactions between inlet swirl distortions and turbofan engines. To meet these research demands, a computational fluid dynamics investigation was conducted to monitor the streamwise development of a complex swirling velocity field in the inlet duct of a turbofan engine with and without the presence of the turbofan nose cone component. By modeling the two geometric setups, natural fluid development and forced fluid/nose cone interactions were distinguishable. To validate the model, computational results were compared to existing experimental data at the fan rotor inlet plane. With the nose cone included, flow angle and swirl intensity predictions from the computational approach agreed well with the experimental measurements. The computational results were expanded upstream to demonstrate the effects of the nose cone geometry on the incoming swirl distortion. Radial flow angles in the presence of the nose cone began to vary from natural swirl development at approximately 0.25 fan diameters upstream, reaching a maximum difference near the leading edge of the nose cone component. Results from this investigation provided a validated model for the prediction of swirl development in a turbofan inlet duct in the presence of a nose cone. Significant change in the swirl profile development was shown from natural vortex motion to induced fluid/solid interactions.Copyright © 2018 by ASME
Gaze as Embodied Ethics: Homelessness, the Other, and Humanity

In this chapter, we directly engage the issue of ethics and a culture that justifies cruelty to its own members, the homeless, by exploring the cultural conditions that facilitate such processes. By critically examining social trends of a society, we question how a modern society can construct a marginalized population as invisible and disposable. We explore the larger socio-cultural context that contributes to the complexity of homelessness in the United States. Rather than focusing on problems of individual factors or social structures, we examine the issue of homelessness from the perspective of cultural phenomenology (i.e., the cultural conditions that facilitate such structures). In the midst of wealth, a narcissistic understanding and focus on the Self and the desire to generate a context-free explanation of the marginalized facilitate the social reality of the new homelessness. As social scientists developed various theories to justify and even legitimize the suffering of the homeless, these “theories” and “scientific explanations” cannot escape our primordial obligation as fellow human beings, the embodiment of ethics: What is at stake is our humanity.
Consumers’ Self-Contradictory Behaviors for Post-Purchase Product Configurations

This research explores how consumers respond to subsequent product configurations that alter one attribute at the cost of the other. For example, how will laptop owners evaluate a configuration tha...
Comparison of Common Artifact Rejection Methods applied to Direct Cortical and Peripheral Stimulation in Human ECoG

Invasive and non-invasive electrical stimulation are increasingly being used for the diagnosis and treatment of neurological disorders, and for characterizing neural circuits involved in a range of behaviors. However, there are substantial challenges in understanding the effects of stimulation on brain activity due to contamination of electrophysiological recordings by electrical stimulation artifacts. Here, we compare the performance of several artifact removal methods on electrocorticographic (ECoG) recordings with simultaneous cortical or peripheral stimulation in humans. We systematically evaluated the effects of stimulation modality, stimulation frequency, and neural recording frequency on the ability to reconstruct neural activity amplitude and phase data. We found that no single method was most effective for all situations, however it was possible to reconstruct key neural data features in every case. The development of optimized artifact removal procedures will facilitate clearer understanding of the biological effects of electrical stimulation and allow for improved therapeutic applications.
How Does Park Use and Physical Activity Differ between Childhood and Adolescence? A Focus on Gender and Race-Ethnicity.

Physical activity typically declines between childhood and adolescence. Despite urban parks being a great venue for physical activity, children change both the frequency of park use and their park use habits as they age into adolescence. However, little is known about how these differences vary by gender and how distinct race/ethnicity groups differentially change their park habits. This study analyzed the differences in park use and per capita energy expenditure between children and teenagers of different gender and race/ethnicity backgrounds. Using the System for Observing Play and Recreation in Communities (SOPARC), systematic observations were conducted in 20 New York City parks in 2017, located in low-income areas with high presence of Latino or Asian residents. A total of 9963 scans in 167 distinct target areas counted 16,602 children (5–10 years old) and 11,269 teenagers (11 or older). Using adjusted marginal means, we estimated the number of park users of each age range, gender, and race/ethnicity expected to be found in each park activity setting. Teenagers of both genders and most race/ethnicity groups were less likely to be in a park and had lower per capita energy expenditure, compared with children. The difference in park attendance was greater than the difference in per capita energy expenditure. Dissimilarities were clearly gendered and race/ethnicity dependent. Asian and Latino females showed the greatest divergence between childhood and adolescence. African American boys were the only group to show a positive age contrast in park attendance and per capita energy expenditure.
Riot Control Agents: Issues in Toxicology, Safety & Health

This article is a revision of the previous edition article by Harry Salem, Bryan Ballantyne, and Sidney A. Katz, volume 3, pp 706–723, © 2005, Elsevier Inc.
Calcium and Phosphate Hormones: Vitamin D, Parathyroid Hormone, and Fibroblast Growth Factor 23

1. Lisa Underland, DO* 2. Morri Markowitz, MD* 3. Robert Gensure, MD, PhD† 1. *Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, the University Hospital for Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 2. †Tufts Medical Center, Tufts University School of Medicine, Boston, MA * 1,25-D: : 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 25-D: : 25-hydroxyvitamin D CaSR: : calcium-sensing receptor DMP1: : dentin matrix acidic phosphoprotein 1 FDA: : Food and Drug Administration FGF23: : fibroblast growth factor PTH: : parathyroid hormone PTHrP: : parathyroid hormone–related peptide Disorders of vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and fibroblast growth factor 23 encompass both very rare and fairly common patient presentations in the pediatric population, and so understanding the differential diagnosis is important. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Understand the basic interplay among vitamin D, parathyroid hormone, and fibroblast growth factor 23 in the maintenance of optimal calcium and phosphorous levels and bone health. 2. Understand the differential diagnosis and basic evaluation of hormonal disorders resulting in low calcium and/or phosphorous levels. 3. Understand the basics of presentation, pathophysiology, and treatment of these hormone disorders. Plasma calcium and phosphorous concentrations are regulated by 3 major players: hormonal vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and fibroblast growth factor 23 (FGF23). Understanding the interplay among them is essential for assessing calcium and phosphorous levels in children. This is especially important for pediatricians as they care for patients during the crucial times in bone formation and accrual as well as growth. This review focuses on the normal physiology as well as evaluation and treatment of the diseases associated with dysfunctions that result in too little calcium or phosphate in blood. ### Physiology: Vitamin D Production and Action Vitamin D is a precursor molecule to a critical hormone, calcitriol, involved in calcium and, to a lesser extent, phosphorus metabolism. It is not actually a vitamin because it can be produced in skin from 7-dehydrocholesterol by UV-B radiation. The product of this transformation is termed cholecalciferol or vitamin D3. This process is self-regulating, preventing vitamin D intoxication even in the setting of large amounts of sunlight exposure. A very similar compound, ergocalciferol (also called vitamin D2) is derived …
Comparative Cross-Sectional Pharmacovigilance Study of Medication Errors in Children and Adults in Community-Based Hospitals

Objective: To compare medication errors that reached pediatric and adult patients during hospitalization. Methods: Observational, non-experimental, cross-sectional study from January 2011 to March 2015 at two community-based, teaching hospitals Results: Over a 4-year period, there were 4.2 and 13.3 million doses dispensed in pediatrics and adults, respectively. Less than 0.25% of doses dispensed contributed to medication errors, with 9.6% of these medication errors reaching patients and 0.04% causing harm. There was no statistical difference in medication error rates based on doses dispensed, patient-days, admission rate, and severity. However, significantly more errors in the documentation and prescribing processes occurred in adults (21.9% vs 6.5% and 37.4% vs 29.8% respectively, p<.001) versus administration in pediatrics (42.5 vs 29.8% in adults, p <0.001). Errors in drug administration that occurred in pediatrics consisted of infusion devices, incorrect dose, the omission of medication, and time of administration. Pediatrics had higher medication errors related to electrolytes and total parenteral nutrition. Independent of age, there were more medication errors that caused harm in patients residing in the intensive care unit (5.5% of 769 vs 3.5% of 2800 patients, respectively, p =0.006). Conclusion: While the prevalence of medication errors that reached patients and caused harm were similar between adults and pediatrics, the types of errors within the medication use process, class of drugs, and severity of the mediation errors varied between the groups. Given these differences, it is quintessential to develop population-specific medication safety programs aimed at addressing the needs of pediatric patients to enhance safe medication use.
Simulation Methods as a Tool to Enhance Medical Student Education and Combat Stigma in Addictions

Individuals with substance use disorders are besieged by stigma, within their community and also the broader social context. This stigma may also pervade interactions with health care professionals, preventing individuals with SUD from seeking treatment for medical and/or psychiatric conditions. Given the current opioid crisis, providers must be equipped with the skills to diagnose and treat individuals with SUD, as well as the ability to communicate in an empathic, nonjudgmental manner. While training in addictions has often been absent from medical school curriculum, increasing numbers of programs are incorporating such training. Simulation methods have been underutilized in mental health and addiction training. The present study sought to examine learner knowledge, perceptions, and confidence in treating patients with SUD and build upon existing findings regarding the utility of simulations in addictions. Although research in this area is scant, the existing evidence supports the value of simulations to enhance clinical skills, learner confidence, and perceptions of individuals with SUD. Results of the present pilot study appear to support previous findings. Simulation training methods appear to be a viable option to train providers to identify and treat individuals with SUD, while potentially combating stigma and increasing provider confidence and empathy.
Targeting the Mevalonate Pathway in Cancer

The mevalonate synthesis inhibitors, statins, are mainstay therapeutics for cholesterol management and cardiovascular health. Thirty years of research have uncovered supportive roles for the mevalonate pathway in numerous cellular processes that support oncogenesis, most recently macropinocytosis. Central to the diverse mechanisms of statin sensitivity is an acquired dependence on one mevalonate pathway output, protein geranylgeranylation. New chemical prenylation probes and the discovery of a novel geranylgeranyl transferase hold promise to deepen our understanding of statin mechanisms of action. Further, insights into statin selection and the counterproductive role of dietary geranylgeraniol highlight how we should assess statins in the clinic. Lastly, rational combination strategies preview how statins will enter the oncology toolbox.
Can Social Security Boost Domestic Consumption in the People's Republic of China?

This paper reviews the development of the social security system and trends in the urban labor market in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Despite its remarkable economic achievement, the PRC faces a difficult path before it can reform and improve its social security system and provide basic support for all of its people. The unemployment shock has caused rural and urban household income to decrease and has thus slowed down household consumption growth. The provision of broader social security would not only mitigate unemployment shocks in the short term, but it would also guarantee individuals and households more security for spending that could reduce the high savings rate and help achieve a balanced growth path in the long run. The author’s findings argue that households with social security coverage spend more and income distribution among urban households is improved through public transfers.
Wet Taps and Epidural Blood Patches

Anesthesiologists are the primary service consulted when patients present to the emergency department with post-dural puncture headaches (PDPH). Sometimes these PDPHs occur as a result of lumbar punctures or intrathecal contrast injections, which are performed by other specialty services such as neurology and interventional radiology. These procedures are performed using relatively large diameter needles, thus increasing the risk of PDPH. Other times, PDPHs are the result of unintended dural puncture, i.e., a wet tap, when an anesthesiologist is placing an epidural. It is important for the consultant anesthesiologist to correctly identify whether the patient truly has a PDPH and decide whether to proceed with conservative management or place an epidural blood patch. This chapter discusses risk factors for wet taps. It then moves to indications and contraindications to epidural blood patch and steps for placing a blood patch.
Possible Impact of Yearly Childhood Vaccination With Trivalent Inactivated Influenza Vaccine (TIV) on the Immune Response to the Pandemic Strain H1N1

Background. Annual vaccination of children against seasonal influenza with trivalent inactivated influenza vaccine (TIV) has shown to be beneficial. However, this yearly practice may have unintended effect. Studies have shown that infection with wild type influenza A viruses can stimulate protective heterotypic immunity against unrelated or new influenza subtypes. We hypothesized that a consequence of yearly TIV vaccination is lack of induction of heterotypic immunity against the recent H1N1 pandemic. Methods. This was a retrospective case-control study. We reviewed the medical records of polymerase chain reaction–confirmed cases of 2009 H1N1 influenza infection in children 6 months to 18 years and a matched control group seen during the pandemic. Results. We identified 353 polymerase chain reaction–confirmed H1N1 cases and 396 matching control subjects. Among the H1N1 group, 202/353 (57%) cases received a total of 477 doses of seasonal TIV compared with 218/396 (55%) in the control group who received a t...