cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Risk and worry in everyday life: Comparing diaries and interviews as tools in risk perception research

A recent structured review of the qualitative risk perception literature (Hawkes and Rowe 2008) found that research has tended to focus on a narrow range of samples, using a limited range of techniques, looking at immediate perceptions (rather than changes over time), and focusing upon a limited range of hazards. As such, it may be argued that the risk perception ‘universe’ remains relatively unexplored. One method little utilised in the risk perception domain is the diary. Diaries are more commonly associated with historical, personal documents, and rarely have been used in wider social research. Nevertheless, contemporary, solicited diaries can provide a different perspective on risk than that acquired through the more traditional route of interviews and focus groups. Diaries may allow the elicitation of narratives of risk contextualised within people's everyday lives, as well as allowing consideration of how people's perceptions of risk develop and change over time. In this paper, we discuss the benefi...
The Squam Lake Report: Fixing the Financial System

In the fall of 2008, fifteen of the world's leading economists--representing the broadest spectrum of economic opinion--gathered at New Hampshire's Squam Lake. Their goal: the mapping of a long-term plan for financial regulation reform.The Squam Lake Report distills the wealth of insights from the ongoing collaboration that began at these meetings and provides a revelatory, unified, and coherent voice for fixing our troubled and damaged financial markets. As an alternative to the patchwork solutions and ideologically charged proposals that have dominated other discussions, the Squam Lake group sets forth a clear nonpartisan plan of action to transform the regulation of financial markets--not just for the current climate--but for generations to come.Arguing that there has been a conflict between financial institutions and society, these diverse experts present sound and transparent prescriptions to reduce this divide. They look at the critical holes in the existing regulatory framework for handling complex financial institutions, retirement savings, and credit default swaps. They offer ideas for new financial instruments designed to recapitalize banks without burdening taxpayers. To lower the risk that large banks will fail, the authors call for higher capital requirements as well as a systemic regulator who is part of the central bank. They collectively analyze where the financial system has failed, and how these weak points should be overhauled.Combining an immense depth of academic, private sector, and public policy experience, The Squam Lake Report contains urgent recommendations that will positively influence everyone's financial well-being--all who care about the world's economic health need to pay attention.
Parametric and nonparametric Bayesian model specification: A case study involving models for count data

In this paper we present the results of a simulation study to explore the ability of Bayesian parametric and nonparametric models to provide an adequate fit to count data of the type that would routinely be analyzed parametrically either through fixed-effects or random-effects Poisson models. The context of the study is a randomized controlled trial with two groups (treatment and control). Our nonparametric approach uses several modeling formulations based on Dirichlet process priors. We find that the nonparametric models are able to flexibly adapt to the data, to offer rich posterior inference, and to provide, in a variety of settings, more accurate predictive inference than parametric models.
Streptococcal β-hemolysins: genetics and role in disease pathogenesis

A zone of beta-hemolysis surrounding colonies on blood-agar media is a hallmark phenotypic feature of the pathogens group A Streptococcus (GAS) and group B Streptococcus (GBS). In each case, lysis of red blood cells reflects the action of a potent protein exotoxin. Although these toxins have been the subjects of numerous investigations over the years, their purification and molecular identification have proven elusive. These difficulties reflect the instability of hemolytic activity, as both toxins function only in the context of the bacterial surface or certain high molecular weight 'stabilizer' molecules. This review highlights the recent discoveries of two markedly distinct genetic loci, necessary and sufficient for the beta-hemolytic phenotypes of GAS and GBS, respectively. The generation of isogenic GAS and GBS beta-hemolysin-deficient mutants and their analysis using in vitro and in vivo model systems has shown that both toxins function as virulence factors in the pathogenesis of invasive infections.
Condition-dependent alternative mating tactics in a sexually cannibalistic wolf spider

Condition-dependent male mating tactics often involve high-quality males capitalizing on the outcome of intersexual selection, whereas low-quality males use behaviors that circumvent female choice to achieve copulation. In the wolf spider Rabidosa punctulata, males display 2 distinct mating tactics: 1) ‘‘courtship’’—consisting of visual and seismic components or 2) ‘‘direct mount’’—consisting of males grappling/holding females until they assume a copulatory posture. We tested for conditiondependent tactic expression using both field-collected individuals (representing natural variation in body mass and condition) and individuals whose diet we manipulated in the laboratory (representing extreme divergences in body size and condition). Across both natural and diet manipulated individuals, mating tactic was found to be condition dependent; however, the pattern of tactic expression was initially unexpected. Larger males with better body condition primarily adopted a direct mount tactic, whereas smaller males with poorer body condition primarily utilized courtship. Across all males, copulation success tended to be greatest for the direct mount tactic. We suggest that small, poor condition males predominantly utilize the less-successful mating tactic (courtship) in part due to their increased susceptibility to female cannibalism when attempting a direct mount.Keywords: courtship, Lycosidae, mate assessment, mating systems, Rabidosa punctulata. [Behav Ecol]
Changes in social support for professional development and retirement preparation as a function of age

Social factors, particularly age norms, are cited as a major influence on retirement and late career decisions; yet research has focused primarily on one feature of norms: shared beliefs. A sample of finance and accounting professionals between the ages of 22 and 70 is used to examine whether support for career development differs as a function of age. The levels of support for professional development, retirement preparation, and personal growth from five sources (family, co-workers, colleagues in other organizations, supervisor, and friends) are examined. Age is not a major factor in the amount of support reported. Support is associated with career-related intentions and beliefs (maintaining professional contacts, hours spent in training, career insight, expected development, and perceived organization support). Family support influences career development. These effects hold regardless of age. The results suggest emphasizing the informational role of social networks rather than the normative role with ...
Mending the past: Ix Chel and the invention of a modern pop goddess

For modern communities, she is the moon goddess and protectress of Maya culture and women; for scholars she is one of a number of deities with different roles in the Postclassic period. Which is the real Ixchel? The author excavates the story of the Maya goddess and her re-invention by myth-makers � including archaeologists.
Factor Analysis of Ethnographic Data

T HE history of the application of correlation concepts and coefficients to ethnological data has been sketched by Kluckhohn (1939), Driver (1953), and Clements (1954). The chief problem of this paper is identical with that posed by Clements: how to arrive at an objective classification or typology from square tables (matrices) of correlation coefficients. Our purpose here is to demonstrate the advantages of factor analysis over cluster analysis for certain kinds of ethnographic data. In order to facilitate comparison we employ the same data that Clements used, those of Driver (1939) on northwest California Indian cultures.
Components of Disinhibition (vs. Constraint) Differentially Predict Aggression and Alcohol Use

Disinhibition (vs. Constraint; DvC), which has been shown to represent a central aspect of the externalizing domain, consists of several correlated but distinguishable underlying traits, which may ...
A case study for the effectiveness of solar-powered attic ventilation fans

The market for solar-powered attic ventilation fans (SPAVFs) is rapidly expanding. Many homeowners are increasingly turning to alternative technologies to reduce energy use and increase comfort in their homes. However, there is very little research data available on SPAVFs, and a significant observation of this research is that no industry standards currently exist that attempt to identify how the performance of the technology can be measured and verified to perform as advertised. The main purpose of this study is to measure the effects of a SPAVF on reducing high attic temperatures. To verify the effectiveness of a SPAVF, a case study is presented using data collected from Boone, NC, USA. In addition, this paper introduces a new prototype SPAVF hood design and describes the results of the airflow analysis of the prototype, which indicated that the prototype has the potential to offer increased attic ventilation at a time when it is needed most.
Bachillerato Especializado en Prevención y Seguridad Pública de la Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa

El proposito de este trabajo es dar a conocer el programa de Bachillerato Especializado en Prevencion y Seguridad Publica ( bep y Sp ) que se ofrece en un modelo blended learning por el Centro de Universidad Virtual de la Universidad Autonoma de Sinaloa ( UAS ). Forma parte del Proyecto Institucional UAS Virtual, que se constituye como un proyecto estrategico de la Rectoria, de acuerdo con el eje “Innovacion Educativa para una Formacion Integral” del Plan de Desarrollo Institucional Vision 2013 . Esta opcion educativa se fundamenta en el convenio general de colaboracion y en el con- venio especifico firmados por el H. Ayuntamiento de Culiacan y la UAS , y se imparte en cumplimiento al acuerdo aprobado por el H. Consejo Universitario el 15 de julio de 2011.
Display Plasticity in Response to a Robotic Lizard: Signal Matching or Song Sharing in Lizards?

Many territorial songbirds alter the structure of their songs after listening to and interacting repeatedly with the same neighbors. Here, we use a robotic lizard to test for similar learned changes in signal structure in male Sagebrush lizards, Sceloporus graciosus. Subjects were exposed to two types of headbob displays (species-typical and unusual) both in short-term tests and in repeated exposures for 10 d. We found no evidence for immediate changes in signal structure to match a particular opponent (signal matching) or long-term changes after repeated exposure (‘song’ sharing). If anything, the lizards’ displays became less like that of the robotic stimulus over time. Further tests of other taxa are needed to identify the evolutionary forces that lead to these forms of behavioral plasticity and to determine whether song sharing and signal matching are unique characteristic of songbirds. Lizards also became more agitated and produced more highly aggressive displays of their own when confronted with headbob displays that violated the basic syntactic structure of their display system, confirming that they were paying attention to subtle differences in display structure despite the artificial nature of the treatments. Thus, our study also adds to the growing evidence supporting the use of robotic playbacks to study animal communication.
High efficiency, single-stage, 7 kHz, high average power ultrafast laser system

Summary form only given. We demonstrate a single-stage, ultrafast, Ti:sapphire laser amplifier system that operates at a repetition frequency from 1 to 10 kHz, with millijoule pulse energy, and up to 8 W average power. The repetition rate can be adjusted continuously from 1-10 kHz, using new all-solid-state. pump laser technology. This represents, to our knowledge, the highest average power ever obtained from a single-stage ultrafast laser amplifier system. This laser will significantly increase the average power and repetition rate easily accessible for high-field experiments such as coherent x-ray generation, or for laser-synchrotron studies.
A color metric for computer vision

The authors develop a color space metric which is useful for computer vision. While there is no shortage of proposed methods for quantifying how the human eye perceives color differences, it is difficult to apply these perceptual metrics directly to the color images sensed by a computer vision system. The metric developed can be applied to images sensed using color filters (e.g. red, green, or blue) as is often done in computer vision. The metric is defined in terms of the spectral characteristics of the filters and camera and accounts for their noise properties. The color distance function is derived as an estimate of the physical distance between normalized spectral power distributions. Components of this distance are weighted to account for sensor noise properties. A color metric has several possible uses in a computer vision system. The usefulness of the color metric is demonstrated by evaluating its performance on regions of real images. >
Photodegradation of the antihistamine cetirizine in natural waters

The photodegradation rate of the anti-histamine cetirizine (Zyrtec®) was investigated in various water matrices. The average observed first-order photodegradation rate coefficient (kobs), obtained by linear regression of the logarithmic-transformed cetirizine concentrations versus irradiation time in simulated sunlight, was 0.024 h−1 (n = 6; standard deviation ± 0.004) in deionized water corresponding to a half-life of approximately 30 h. There was no statistical difference in the kobs of cetirizine photodegradation in coastal seawater compared with deionized water or deionized water amended with dissolved chromophoric organic matter. The quantum yield of cetirizine photodegradation decreased dramatically with increasing wavelength and decreasing energy of incoming radiation, with the average value ranging from 5.28 × 10−4 to 6.40 × 10−3 in the ultraviolet wavelength range (280–366 nm). The activation energy of cetirizine photodegradation was 10.3 kJ mol−1 with an observed increase in cetirizine photodegradation as temperature increased. This is a significant environmental factor influencing half-life and an important consideration, given that cetirizine has been detected in wastewater and receiving waters from different locations globally. Environ Toxicol Chem 2014;33:2240–2245. © 2014 SETAC
Scaling the modulation bandwidth and phase efficiency of a silicon optical modulator

We present an optimized design and detailed simulation of an all-silicon optical modulator based on a silicon waveguide phase shifter containing a metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitor. Based on a fully vectorial Maxwell mode solver, we analyze the modal characteristics of the silicon waveguide. We show that shrinking the waveguide size and reducing gate oxide thickness significantly enhances the phase modulation efficiency because of the optical field enhancement in the voltage induced charge layers of the MOS capacitor, which, in turn, induce refractive index modulation in silicon due to free carrier dispersion effects. We also analyze the device speed by transient semiconductor device modeling. As both optical absorption and modulation bandwidth increase with increasing doping concentration, we show that, with a nonuniform doping profile in the waveguide, balance between the device operation speed and optical loss can be realized. Our simulation suggests that a TE-polarized optical phase modulator with a bandwidth of 10 GHz and an on-chip optical loss less than 2 dB is achievable in silicon.
Convergent Beam Electron Diffraction of Ordered L10 Nanoparticles

We have determined the long-range order parameter of individual [001] oriented FePt L10 nanoparticles. Measurement of convergent beam electron diffraction intensities of single particles in scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) mode, and comparison of the measured intensities to multislice simulations of diffracted beam intensities allow determination of the order parameter of the particle.
Bureaucracy Versus Environment: The Environmental Costs of Bureaucratic Governance

The 15 contributors to this volume have an important message. They are convinced that both environmental and economic costs of bureaucratic management of natural resources are too high, and unnecessarily so. The main reason is an institutional one: Authority is given to those who do not bear responsibility for the consequences o f their actions. A classic case is the set of specific numerical emission standards for automobiles in the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1970. Congress arrived at these standards without a scientific basis, without technical analysis, and certainly without any consideration of costs and benefits. Only 3 years later did Senator Muskie ask the National Academy of Sciences to conduct a cost-benefit analysis. The NAS results were presented in a fashion that seemed to support the action of Congress; yet, the statutory emissions standards yielded marginal costs well beyond their marginal benefits. They had a major impact on Detroit during the 1970's, and very likely damaged, perhaps irreversibly, the competitive standing of the American automobile industry, a major segment of the U.S. economy. But the economic costs of these actions were never considered, least of all by the responsible bureaucrats. They were completely buffered from any consequences flowing from the exercise of their authority.
Constraints on $L_\mu - L_\tau$ interactions at the LHC and beyond

In this paper we examine the constraints dedicated LHC multilepton searches can place on ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ bosons coming from a gauged muon number minus tau number, ${L}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$. As the ${L}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$ gauge boson does not couple to proton constituents or electrons at tree level, the current bounds are fairly loose, especially for ${M}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}1\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$. For $2{m}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}l{M}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}l{M}_{Z}/2$ we develop search strategies using the $pp\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}4\ensuremath{\mu}$ channel. The cleanliness of the final state, combined with the fact that $pp\ensuremath{\rightarrow}Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}4e$, $Z\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2e2\ensuremath{\mu}$ can be used as background control samples, allow us to spot ${L}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$ ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ with couplings $\mathcal{O}(1{0}^{\ensuremath{-}3})$ times the Standard Model couplings. For lighter ${Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}$, we propose the mode $pp\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2\ensuremath{\mu}+{\overline{)E}}_{T}$. The presence of missing energy means there is a wider set of backgrounds to consider in this final state, such as Drell-Yan production of leptonically decaying $\ensuremath{\tau}$ pairs; however, we find that these can be controlled with careful cuts. Combining the $4\ensuremath{\mu}$ and $2\ensuremath{\mu}+{\overline{)E}}_{T}$ modes, we find that with $\ensuremath{\sim}3\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{ab}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of integrated luminosity we are sensitive to couplings ${g}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.005{g}_{1}$ for $0.5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}\ensuremath{\le}{M}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\le}40\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{GeV}$ and ${g}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.001{g}_{1}$ for ${M}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}l2{m}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}$. This region includes the parameter space where ${L}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{-}{L}_{\ensuremath{\tau}}$ models can ameliorate the muon $g\ensuremath{-}2$ anomaly. We repeat these analyses at a future ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ $Z$-factory, where we find improved sensitivity. Specifically, given $2.6\text{ }\text{ }{\mathrm{ab}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ of luminosity, we can exclude ${g}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.001{g}_{1}$ for $2{m}_{\ensuremath{\mu}}\ensuremath{\le}{M}_{{Z}^{\ensuremath{'}}}\ensuremath{\le}{M}_{Z}/2$.
Characterization of Defects and Interfaces by the Ion Channeling Technique

Channeling of fast, light ions in crystals has been widely used as a tool for studying crystal defects. This subject has been reviewed earlier at MRS-1980. During MRS-1980, principles of ion channeling, and examples of channeling analysis on bulk defects and surface structures, lattice location of impurities, and clustering phenomena were given. In this review, we give a brief overview of defect studies by the channeling technique and then elaborate on recent developments in channeling analysis of interfacial structure. The ion beam channeling technique permits characterization of heteroepitaxial growth starting at monolayer coverages and allows quantitative measurement of the lattice strain in heteroepitaxial layers. The strain analysis has been developed for multilayer structures and, for example, the tetragonal distortions of strained-layer superlattices can be determined for lattice mismatches as low as 0.2% corresponding to lattice distortions of 0.01A.
Why grown-ups cry

Adults appear to cry only during a “recovery” phase following a period of arousal. Depending on the perturbation that caused the arousal, the first phase is sometimes described by them in positive terms (e.g., excitement, anticipation) and sometimes in negative terms (loss, threat). However, the tears always seem to be associated with tension reduction and signify that a second event has permitted the system to shift into recovery. In this sense, all tears can be thought of as “tears of joy” they follow the same mechanism regardless of the tone of the initiating circumstances. To provide evidence for this point of view the responses of 11 individuals (including 2 filmmakers) toThe Miracle Worker were analyzed. Their responses supported the hypothesis that crying occurs when a psychological barrier or perturbation “disappears”—it signifies recovery and adaptation rather than the continuation of distress or arousal.
Lamin B1 and lamin B2 are long-lived proteins with distinct functions in retinal development

Lamin B1 and lamin B2 are essential building blocks of the nuclear lamina, a filamentous meshwork lining the nucleoplasmic side of the inner nuclear membrane. Deficiencies in lamin B1 and lamin B2 impair neurodevelopment, but distinct functions for the two proteins in the development and homeostasis of the CNS have been elusive. Here we show that embryonic depletion of lamin B1 in retinal progenitors and postmitotic neurons affects nuclear integrity, leads to the collapse of the laminB2 meshwork, impairs neuronal survival, and markedly reduces the cellularity of adult retinas. In stark contrast, a deficiency of lamin B2 in the embryonic retina has no obvious effect on lamin B1 localization or nuclear integrity in embryonic retinas, suggesting that lamin B1, but not lamin B2, is strictly required for nucleokinesis during embryonic neurogenesis. However, the absence of lamin B2 prevents proper lamination of adult retinal neurons, impairs synaptogenesis, and reduces cone photoreceptor survival. We also show that lamin B1 and lamin B2 are extremely long-lived proteins in rod and cone photoreceptors. OF interest, a complete absence of both proteins during postnatal life has little or no effect on the survival and function of cone photoreceptors.
Abstract PR10: HiClinc-1, a highly conserved Cancer-Testis lncRNA, regulates cell proliferation and tumor onset

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNAs) have been shown to play an important role is a variety of cellular processes including cancer initiation and progression. Recently, we described a landscape of lncRNA using RNA-Seq data from more than 5000 cancer samples from 18 tissue types. Using novel bioinformatics based approach we were able to discover almost 50,000 novel transcripts. This list includes a subset of lncRNAs that contain ultra-conserved elements (UCE) termed “Highly Conserved Long Intergenic Non-Coding RNAs (HICLINCs)”. This provides a new opportunity for exploring the functions of highly conserved lncRNAs using genomic approaches. Among them, we focus on an lncRNA which we have termed HiClinc-1 (Highly Conserved Intergenic long-noncoding RNA-1), that is specifically expressed only in testis in benign tissue, and re-expressed in a broad range of cancer types. We described that HiClinc-1 exists in the messenger Ribonucleoprotein (mRNP) complex and binds to Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2 mRNA Binding Protein 1 (IGF2BP1), one of the component of mRNP complex in both human and zebrafish. HiClinc-1 regulates cell proliferation both in vivo and in vitro through the regulation of IGF2BP19s downstream target Insulin-Like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2). HiClinc-1 also enhanced tumor growth in mouse xenograft model. Notably, Human-HiClinc-1 injection in zebrafish embryos accelerated the onset and growth of NRAS K61-induced melanoma. Similarly, HiClinc-1 knockout background showed delayed onset of NRAS K61-induced melanoma. Taken together, we identified a novel Cancer-Testis lncRNA, which is highly conserved through human to zebrafish that can be a potential therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Citation Format: Yasuyuki Hosono, John Prensner, Matthew Iyer, Yashar Niknafs, Rohit Malik, Anton Poliakov, Xuhong Cao, Jordan Shavit, Rohit Mehra, Weibin Zhou, Arul M. Chinnaiyan. HiClinc-1, a highly conserved Cancer-Testis lncRNA, regulates cell proliferation and tumor onset. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Noncoding RNAs and Cancer: Mechanisms to Medicines ; 2015 Dec 4-7; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(6 Suppl):Abstract nr PR10.
The Rise of Wage Theft Laws: Can Community–Labor Coalitions Win Victories in State Houses?

Seeking regulatory power unavailable at the urban scale, community–labor coalitions have persuaded dozens of state legislatures to enact legislation addressing the problem of wage theft in low-wage...
A History of Chile, 1808–2002: The Radicals, the General of Hope, and the Lion's Son, 1938–64

The political crisis has reached an unbearable point. Economic and moral bankruptcy, the result of a long period of political activity undertaken at the service of the privilege and greed of a partisan circle, has greatly accelerated the process of decomposition. – President Carlos Ibanez (1953) The successful restoration of constitutionalism by Arturo Alessandri after 1932 was perhaps the first step toward widening the Chilean democratic tradition. Politics itself was no longer the exclusive preserve of the traditional upper class; the parties themselves increasingly conducted their rivalries within a framework of mass politics. Too much should not be made of this. The widening of democracy still had some way to go in the 1930s and 1940s. With women (until 1949) and illiterates (until 1970) denied the vote in national elections, the electorate did not seriously expand much before the 1960s. Moreover, the 1925 Constitution had institutionalized proportional representation, and the complex system adopted (invented by the Belgian, Victor D'Hondt, in the late nineteenth century) both encouraged party fragmentation and limited the ability of insurgent parties (particularly those of the Left) to challenge the existing order. In addition to this, the government long refused to reapportion electoral districts to take account of changes in population. This clearly benefited the countryside, controlled by the Right, at the expense of the cities, where the Left was much stronger. The venerable tradition of vote-buying continued well into the 1950s.
ANTOINE MARFAN AND HIS SYNDROME : ONE HUNDRED YEARS LATER

In 1896, in the Bulletin of the Medical Society of Paris, Antoine Marfan described a five-year-old girl with arachnodactyly. It took almost 50 years to fully elucidate this syndrome including aneurysm of the ascending aorta. It is critical to make an early diagnosis of Marfan aneurysm because there is a high frequency of dissection and rupture once the aortic diameter reaches 6 cm. Before the availability of the Bentall composite graft procedure in 1968, the operative results were very poor. The Bentall operation now carries a 30-day mortality rate of less than 5% at major cardiac surgical centers. Two hundred and thirty-one Marfan patients underwent aortic root replacement at The Johns Hopkins Hospital between September 1976 and December 1997. The 30-day mortality for 198 patients undergoing elective aortic root replacement was 0%. Two of 33 patients undergoing urgent surgery died in the first 30 days after surgery; both of these patients arrived in the operating room with ruptured aortas. The actuarial survival for the 231 patients undergoing aortic root replacement was 88% at five years, 81% at ten years, and 75% at 20 years. Clearly, the outlook for Marfan patients undergoing elective aortic root replacement has been excellent. Accompanying the steadily improving surgical results have been spectacular developments in understanding the genetic role in Marfan families. Since 1991, over 150 mutations have been discovered in the gene that is critical in the production of the structural protein fibrillin. The identification of mutations in the fibrillin gene has enabled the diagnosis of Marfan disease in some patients before they become symptomatic; prenatal diagnosis has been achieved in some patients. The ultimate hope for Marfan families is to eliminate the disease by genetic manipulation; however, this may be years away.
Placeholders and Changemakers: Women Farmland Owners Navigating Gendered Expectations

Gendered expectations are central to the continuation of agricultural land tenure systems that concentrate land and power in the control of men. These expectations about how land should be used and by whom are communicated through cultural narratives and maintained through social interactions. Through analysis of qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with women farmland owners in Iowa, this article identifies a pivotal person without whom the success of these stories is in jeopardy: the “placeholder.” In this article, I identify how cultural narratives place two gendered expectations on women in the placeholder position: (1) that women landowners maintain farmland through the continuance of its use and preexisting land agreements with tenants or co-owners, and (2) that women landowners defer their authority as landowners to men. Further, I identify the “changemaker” as an emerging character within cultural narratives—one who refuses to fit the expectations of placeholder and whose behavior may or may not be accepted by the community. Finally, I find that alternative social networks provide enabling environments for changemakers as sites of potential narrative revisions or shifts.
Rapid identification of cytokine release syndrome after haploidentical PBSC transplantation and successful therapy with tocilizumab.

Rapid identification of cytokine release syndrome after haploidentical PBSC transplantation and successful therapy with tocilizumab
Determinants and Consequences of Auditor Conservatism

Lu and Sapra (2009) provide a theoretical framework to investigate the causes and effects of auditor conservatism. They refer to the attestation of an auditor who, when in doubt, disapproves a favorable client report as auditor conservatism. In this paper I examine several factors that affect auditor conservatism. The majority of the extant research in this area uses accounting conservatism measures, such as the level of discretionary accruals or the Basu (1997) model to measure auditor conservatism. In this paper I use a new measure of auditor conservatism based on issuing an adverse internal control report for clients with no financial statements restatements, and I examine the effect of client’s business risk, litigation risk, and client pressure on auditor conservatism. In addition, I examine the effect auditor conservatism has on information risk and audit fees. Data are collected over the period of 2004 to 2012, from Audit Analytics, Compustat, the Stanford Securities Class Action Clearinghouse website, and CRSP. The results show that auditor conservatism is positively affected by client business risk and the litigation risk, and negatively affected by client pressure. In addition, the results show that auditor conservatism reduces the information asymmetry and leads to an increase in audit fees.
A randomized trial to assess advancement of enteral feedings following surgery for hypertrophic pyloric stenosis.

Abstract Purpose The rate of feeding advancement following surgery for hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS) affects length of stay. We hypothesized that: 1) a relaxed feeding regimen following pyloromyotomy would allow infants to achieve feeding goals more quickly without affecting postoperative emesis, and 2) preoperative metabolic derangements would impair the ability to advance feedings following pyloromyotomy. Methods A prospective, randomized trial compared two postoperative feeding methods. The primary outcome was length of time to tolerate two consecutive goal feeds (GFs). Infants were randomized into the Incremental-arm (N=74), in which infants were gradually advanced on enteral formula, or the Relaxed-arm (N=69), in which infants were allowed to consume up to GF immediately. Preoperative variables, time to GF, preoperative laboratory values, and postoperative emesis were recorded. A p-value less than 0.05 was significant. Results Patient demographics, pyloric ultrasound measurements, and episodes of postoperative emesis were similar between groups. Infants in the Relaxed-arm reached GF more quickly than those in the Incremental-arm and had a shorter length of stay (p Conclusion Following surgery for HPS, surgeons can safely utilize a relaxed, nonstructured feeding regimen, which may allow infants to reach feeding goals more quickly without untoward vomiting. Level of evidence Level 1-therapeutic.
Interventional Spine Considerations for Dural Ectasia in a Patient With Marfan Syndrome

For patients with Marfan syndrome who present with radicular low back pain, interventional spine providers should be familiar with dural ectasia with variable diffuse thinning of the posterior wall of the lumbar spine and sacrum. Providers should carefully weigh the risks and benefits of offering elective procedures because altered anatomy may put these patients at higher risk of dural puncture. Patient selection is essential because hydrostatic pressures and/or neural tension should also be considered as potential pain generators that may not be relieved by steroid injections. Careful evaluation of recent magnetic resonance images and vigilant procedural technique is highly recommended.
From patients to partners

When we started graduate school 5 years ago, we were determined to learn everything we could about cancer. We spent all our time in the lab developing an arsenal of experimental techniques. However, in our daily work with petri dishes and microscopes, we felt that something was missing. We learned
Normal aging induces A1-like astrocyte reactivity

The decline of cognitive function occurs with aging, but the mechanisms responsible are unknown. Astrocytes instruct the formation, maturation, and elimination of synapses, and impairment of these functions has been implicated in many diseases. These findings raise the question of whether astrocyte dysfunction could contribute to cognitive decline in aging. We used the Bac-Trap method to perform RNA sequencing of astrocytes from different brain regions across the lifespan of the mouse. We found that astrocytes have region-specific transcriptional identities that change with age in a region-dependent manner. We validated our findings using fluorescence in situ hybridization and quantitative PCR. Detailed analysis of the differentially expressed genes in aging revealed that aged astrocytes take on a reactive phenotype of neuroinflammatory A1-like reactive astrocytes. Hippocampal and striatal astrocytes up-regulated a greater number of reactive astrocyte genes compared with cortical astrocytes. Moreover, aged brains formed many more A1 reactive astrocytes in response to the neuroinflammation inducer lipopolysaccharide. We found that the aging-induced up-regulation of reactive astrocyte genes was significantly reduced in mice lacking the microglial-secreted cytokines (IL-1α, TNF, and C1q) known to induce A1 reactive astrocyte formation, indicating that microglia promote astrocyte activation in aging. Since A1 reactive astrocytes lose the ability to carry out their normal functions, produce complement components, and release a toxic factor which kills neurons and oligodendrocytes, the aging-induced up-regulation of reactive genes by astrocytes could contribute to the cognitive decline in vulnerable brain regions in normal aging and contribute to the greater vulnerability of the aged brain to injury.
CRISPR/Cas9 Gene editing of RyR2 in human stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes provides a novel approach in investigating dysfunctional Ca2+ signaling

Type-2 ryanodine receptors (RyR2s) play a pivotal role in cardiac excitation-contraction coupling by releasing Ca2+ from sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) via a Ca2+ -induced Ca2+ release (CICR) mechanism. Two strategies have been used to study the structure-function characteristics of RyR2 and its disease associated mutations: (1) heterologous cell expression of the recombinant mutant RyR2s, and (2) knock-in mouse models harboring RyR2 point mutations. Here, we establish an alternative approach where Ca2+ signaling aberrancy caused by the RyR2 mutation is studied in human cardiomyocytes with robust CICR mechanism. Specifically, we introduce point mutations in wild-type RYR2 of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) by CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing, and then differentiate them into cardiomyocytes. To verify the reliability of this approach, we introduced the same disease-associated RyR2 mutation, F2483I, which was studied by us in hiPSC-derived cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs) from a patient biopsy. The gene-edited F2483I hiPSC-CMs exhibited longer and wandering Ca2+ sparks, elevated diastolic Ca2+ leaks, and smaller SR Ca2+ stores, like those of patient-derived cells. Our CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing approach validated the feasibility of creating myocytes expressing the various RyR2 mutants, making comparative mechanistic analysis and pharmacotherapeutic approaches for RyR2 pathologies possible.
How important is social support in determining patients’ suitability for transplantation? Results from a National Survey of Transplant Clinicians

Background National guidelines require programmes use subjective assessments of social support when determining transplant suitability, despite limited evidence linking it to outcomes. We examined how transplant providers weigh the importance of social support for kidney transplantation compared with other factors, and variation by clinical role and personal beliefs. Methods The National survey of the American Society of Transplant Surgeons and the Society of Transplant Social Work in 2016. Using a discrete choice approach, respondents compared two hypothetical patient profiles and selected one for transplantation. Conditional logistic regression estimated the relative importance of each factor; results were stratified by clinical role (psychosocial vs medical/surgical providers) and beliefs (outcomes vs equity). Results Five hundred and eighy-four transplant providers completed the survey. Social support was the second most influential factor among transplant providers. Providers were most likely to choose a candidate who had social support (OR=1.68, 95% CI 1.50 to 1.86), always adhered to a medical regimen (OR=1.64, 95% CI 1.46 to 1.88), and had a 15 years life expectancy with transplant (OR=1.61, 95% CI 1.42 to 1.85). Psychosocial providers were more influenced by adherence and quality of life compared with medical/surgical providers, who were more influenced by candidates9 life expectancy with transplant (p Conclusions Social support is highly influential in listing decisions and may exacerbate transplant disparities. Providers’ beliefs and reliance on social support in determining suitability vary considerably, raising concerns about transparency and justice.
A Comparative Fixation Analysis of Tetrahymena Pyriformis Ultrastructure

The ciliate, Tetrahymena pyriformis, has been of major importance to scientific inquiry since its successful growth as axenic cultures in 1922 (Hill, 1972). The pear-shaped fresh water protozoan has been referred to as the “Escherichia coli” of the non-photosynthetic eukaryotes (Elliott, 1973), much more than the classical Paramecium. Tetrahvmena has been widely accepted as a research model for studies in genetics, biochemistry, endocrinology and toxicology. Cell and developmental biologists have enjoyed a lasting relationship with Tetrahvmena as a result of its remarkable resemblance in structure and function to a typical cell.
QCD at Hadron Colliders

This paper reviews the status of Quantum Chromo Dynamics, when compared to measurements at hadron colliders. The emphasis is on a confrontation with results from the Tevatron collider experiments, varying from inclusive cross sections to more exclusive or differential measurements.
Defining, Assessing, and Treating Adolescent Insomnia and Related Sleep Problems

As parents, teachers, coaches, health care providers, and teenagers themselves know, adolescence is filled with significant physical, cognitive, emotional, and social change. Sleep is a crucial and often ignored aspect of adolescents’ lives as it changes and influences factors in their overall development, as well as in their daily lives. The quality and quantity of adolescents’ sleep significantly influences their ability to think, behave, and feel in school, on the playing field, at work, as well as in a variety of other situations. Over the last two decades, laboratory data have demonstrated that adolescents have an increased need for sleep and experience a phase delay during puberty (1, 2, 3, 4, 5). Despite this need, survey and field studies indicate that as early as sixth grade, adolescents obtain less sleep, report increased morning drowsiness, and have more spontaneous daytime naps than do younger children (6, 7, 8). School schedules, work and extracurricular hours, and other environmental constraints are not beneficial to adolescents’ sleep schedules and requirements (2,4,7,9). In fact, teenagers develop a sleep debt by getting a minimal amount of sleep on school nights and making up for this by sleeping longer on the weekends (7). Sleep debt results in frequent absences or tardiness from school, sleepiness and emotional lability, attention difficulties, and academic struggles (7,10, 11, 12, 13). Other adolescents may develop sleep disorders such as insomnia, phase-delay disorder, sleep apnea, or other sleep problems that also impair ability to function during the day. Recently, the National Institutes of Health recognized adolescents and young adults (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 years) as a population at high risk for problem sleepiness based on “evidence that the prevalence of problem sleepiness is high and increasing with particularly serious consequences” (14). This chapter focuses on insomnia and phase-delay disorders in adolescents.
DBFOM Contracting and Public Stewardship in the Norfolk-Portsmouth Elizabeth River Tunnels Public-Private Partnership

In 2011, the Virginia Department of Transportation issued a request for proposals to upgrade the Norfolk-Portsmouth Elizabeth River Midtown and Downtown Tunnels. The project involved government contracting with a local subsidiary of two foreign entities that would handle all project phases according to a Design-Build-Finance-Operate-Maintain (DBFOM) contract. The case of the Elizabeth River Tunnels (ERT) project is examined through the perspective of transaction cost theory and evaluates the DBFOM contracting method according to its impact on public stewardship. The research findings improve understanding of public-private partnerships (PPPs) by examining the connection between transaction costs and public stewardship.
Early Heart Rate Variability and Electroencephalographic Abnormalities in Acutely Brain-Injured Children Who Progress to Brain Death.

OBJECTIVES Heart rate variability is controlled by the autonomic nervous system. After brain death, this autonomic control stops, and heart rate variability is significantly decreased. However, it is unknown if early changes in heart rate variability are predictive of progression to brain death. We hypothesized that in brain-injured children, lower heart rate variability is an early indicator of autonomic system failure, and it predicts progression to brain death. We additionally explored the association between heart rate variability and markers of brain dysfunction such as electroencephalogram and neurologic examination between brain-injured children who progressed to brain death and those who survived. DESIGN Retrospective case-control study. SETTING PICU, single institution. PATIENTS Children up to 18 years with a Glasgow Coma Scale score of less than 8 admitted between August of 2016 and December of 2017, who had electrocardiographic data available for heart rate variability analysis, were included. EXCLUSION CRITERIA patients who died of causes other than brain death. Twenty-three patients met inclusion criteria: six progressed to brain death (cases), and 17 survived (controls). Five-minute electrocardiogram segments were used to estimate heart rate variability in the time domain (SD of normal-normal intervals, root mean square successive differences), frequency domain (low frequency, high frequency, low frequency/high frequency ratio), Poincare plots, and approximate entropy. INTERVENTIONS None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS Patients who progressed to brain death exhibited significantly lower heart rate variability in the time domain, frequency domain, and Poincare plots (p < 0.01). The odds of death increased with decreasing low frequency (odds ratio, 4.0; 95% CI, 1.2-13.6) and high frequency (odds ratio, 2.5; 95% CI, 1.2-5.4) heart rate variability power (p < 0.03). Heart rate variability was significantly lower in those with discontinuous or attenuated/featureless electroencephalogram versus those with slow/disorganized background (p < 0.03). CONCLUSIONS These results support the concept of autonomic system failure as an early indicator of impending brain death in brain-injured children. Furthermore, decreased heart rate variability is associated with markers of CNS dysfunction such as electroencephalogram abnormalities.