cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Explaining diverse national responses to the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative in the Andes: What sort of politics matters?

Abstract The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative originated in the international domain but can only operate if adopted at a national scale. This paper addresses how national political settlements and efforts to define the idea of “transparency” in line with particular interests, have led to diverse responses to EITI across three Andean countries: Peru (an early adopter), Colombia (a late adopter), and Bolivia (a non-adopter). We argue that national elites (in the state, private sector and civil society) have taken up EITI (or in Bolivia’s case, rejected EITI) as part of a strategy to secure broader goals and to convey particular messages about the state of democracy and political priorities in their countries, including toward actors on the international stage. We conclude that the EITI, and the idea of transparency, are leveraged by national actors to meet domestic political goals and interests, even as these domestic political goals may also be intertwined with other international pressures and contexts. While EITI, and arguments over transparency, can affect the nature of the domestic political settlement, they do so primarily by helping deepen domestic political changes that are already underway and that were the same political changes that created the initial space for EITI.
CHAPTER 274 – Corepressors in Mediating Repression by Nuclear Receptors

Activation of gene transcription has long been recognized as an essential component of regulation of gene expression by nuclear receptors, but repression of transcription plays an equally important role in developmental and homeostatic gene regulation. Transcriptional repression by nuclear receptors requires the actions of the closely related receptor-associated corepressors, nuclear receptor corepressor (N-CoR) and silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptors (SMRT), which were identified based on their ability to associated with and mediate transcriptional repression by nuclear receptors. These corepressors recruit many classes of transcription factors as components of multiprotein complexes, some containing specific histone deacetylases. This association with histone deacetylase activity provides one component of the mechanism that allows DNA-binding proteins interacting with N-CoR or SMRT to repress transcription of specific target genes. However, both N-CoR and SMRT are components of additional complexes that can result in permanent repression. The biological importance of these corepressor has emerged from genetic studies both of humans and mice. In turn, various signaling pathways regulate levels of expression, subcellular localization, and function of these corepressors. Nuclear receptors can serve as repressors of transcription, characterized by association with proteins with enzymatic functions. In addition to a ligand-dependent switch, various signal transduction pathways can modulate interactions of corepressors with nuclear receptors or mediate their activity or distribution between nuclear or cytoplasmic compartments.
Genetic Analysis of the Lambda Spanins Rz and Rz1: Identification of Functional Domains.

Coliphage lambda proteins Rz and Rz1 are the inner membrane and outer membrane subunits of the spanin complex, a heterotetramer that bridges the periplasm and is essential for the disruption of the outer membrane during phage lysis. Recent evidence suggests the spanin complex functions by fusing the inner and outer membrane. Here we use a genetics approach to investigate and characterize determinants of spanin function. Because Rz1 is entirely embedded in the +1 reading frame of Rz , the genes were dis-embedded before using random mutagenesis to construct a library of lysis-defective alleles for both genes. Surprisingly, most of the lysis-defective missense mutants exhibited normal accumulation or localization in vivo and also were found to be normal for complex formation in vitro . Analysis of the distribution and nature of single missense mutations revealed sub-domains that resemble key motifs in established membrane-fusion systems, i.e. two coiled-coil domains in Rz, a proline-rich region of Rz1, and flexible linkers in both proteins. When coding sequences are aligned respective to the embedded genetic architecture of Rz1 within Rz , genetically silent domains of Rz1 correspond to mutationally-sensitive domains in Rz , and vice-versa, suggesting that the modular structure of the two subunits facilitated the evolutionary compression that resulted in the unique embedded gene architecture.
Mining the isotopic complexity of nitrous oxide: a review of challenges and opportunities

Nitrous oxide (N2O) is an important focus of international greenhouse gas accounting agreements and mitigation of emissions will likely depend on understanding the mechanisms of its formation and reduction. Consequently, applications of stable isotope techniques to understand N2O cycling are proliferating and recent advances in technology are enabling (1) increases in the frequency of isotope analyses and (2) analyses not previously possible. The two isotopes of N and 3 isotopes of O combine to form a total of 12 possible isotopic molecules of N2O. Consequently, this remarkably simple molecule contains a wealth of isotopic information in the form of bulk (δ15N, δ18O), position dependent (site preference), mass independent (Δ17O) and multiply-substituted or clumped isotope compositions. With recent developments in high-mass resolution double sector instruments all 12 isotopic molecules will likely be resolved in the near future. Advances in spectroscopic instruments hold the promise of substantial increases in sample throughput; however, spectroscopic analyses require corrections due to interferences from other gases and frequent and accurate calibration. Mass spectrometric approaches require mass overlap corrections that are not uniform between research groups and interlaboratory comparisons remain imprecise. The continued lack of attention to calibration by both funding agencies and investigators can only perpetuate disagreement between laboratories in reported isotope values for N2O that, in turn, will compromise global assessments of N2O sources and sinks based on isotope ratios. This review discusses the challenges and opportunities offered by the isotopic complexity of N2O.
Clinical utility of serum miRNAs for the prediction and early detection of recurrence in melanoma patients.

9046 Background: The improvement of recurrence risk assessment at the time of primary melanoma diagnosis and the development of better surveillance strategies to monitor recurrence remain critical challenges in melanoma patient care. In the current study, we examine the ability of serum-based miRNAs to 1) improve patient risk stratification and 2) improve early detection of melanoma recurrence. Methods: Sera levels of 12 miRNAs were measured using qRT-PCR (Exiqon) in serum prospectively collected at diagnosis from 201 melanoma patients (median FU of survivors 91 months). A multivariate logistic regression model that includes miRNAs in combination with stage was built using the training cohort and evaluated in an independent validation cohort of 82 patients (median FU of survivors 39 months). Sera levels of the most informative miRNA signature were assessed longitudinally in a subset of patients (n=82) with samples drawn pre- and post-recurrence when applicable (n=225 samples). An L1 penalized regression a...
Knob non-idealities in learning-based post-production tuning of analog/RF ICs: Impact & remedies

As CMOS technology continues to scale down, the effect of process variations on yield and performance of analog/RF ICs is becoming more prominent. To counteract this effect, learning-based post-production tuning has been proposed, wherein regression functions are trained and used to adjust tunable knobs based on low-cost alternate tests, thereby improving the performances of a circuit and, by extension, increasing yield. Of course, tunable knobs are also subject to process variations; yet this is not an issue when the knobs are part of the procedure that generates the data with which the regression models are trained, as this data reflects the impact of process variations on both the tunable circuit and the knobs. In various cases, however, such as in heterogeneous integrated systems, 3D ICs, or multi-chip modules, the knob circuitry may not be integrated on the same die, thereby limiting our ability to obtain a comprehensive set of training data. Accordingly, in this work we investigate the impact of knob non-idealities which are not captured in the training data, on the ability of the learned regression functions to accurately predict the optimum knob position that maximizes the performance of a circuit. Using a tunable cascode low-noise amplifier (LNA) fabricated in 130nm CMOS process, alongside external knobs designed as linear low drop out regulators (LDOs) and voltage dividers operating on the bias voltages of the LNA, we first quantify this impact. Then, we demonstrate that by explicitly introducing “noise” in the knob output values used during training set generation, we can effectively alleviate external knob non-idealities and improve quality of tuning.
The spatial accuracy of geographic ecological momentary assessment (GEMA): Error and bias due to subject and environmental characteristics

Abstract Background Geographic ecological momentary assessment (GEMA) combines ecological momentary assessment (EMA) with global positioning systems (GPS) and geographic information systems (GIS). This study evaluates the spatial accuracy of GEMA location data and bias due to subject and environmental data characteristics. Methods Using data for 72 subjects enrolled in a study of urban adolescent substance use, we compared the GPS-based location of EMA responses in which the subject indicated they were at home to the geocoded home address. We calculated the percentage of EMA locations within a sixteenth, eighth, quarter, and half miles from the home, and the percentage within the same tract and block group as the home. We investigated if the accuracy measures were associated with subject demographics, substance use, and emotional dysregulation, as well as environmental characteristics of the home neighborhood. Results Half of all subjects had more than 88% of their EMA locations within a half mile, 72% within a quarter mile, 55% within an eighth mile, 50% within a sixteenth of a mile, 83% in the correct tract, and 71% in the correct block group. There were no significant associations with subject or environmental characteristics. Conclusions Results support the use of GEMA for analyzing subjects’ exposures to urban environments. Researchers should be aware of the issue of spatial accuracy inherent in GEMA, and interpret results accordingly. Understanding spatial accuracy is particularly relevant for the development of ‘ecological momentary interventions’ (EMI), which may depend on accurate location information, though issues of privacy protection remain a concern.
Efficacy of a Transition Clinic on Hospital Readmissions

Abstract Background A primary care–staffed transition clinic is one potential strategy for reducing 30-day re-admissions for patients without an established primary care physician, but the effectiveness has not been studied. The objective was to test whether patients who completed a postdischarge transition clinic appointment were less likely to be readmitted within 30 days. Methods This retrospective cross-sectional study included adults with Medicare or Medicaid coverage who were discharged from general medicine units at Rush University Medical Center between October 2013 and October 2014. All patients had a follow-up appointment scheduled within 30 days of discharge in the transition clinic or with their primary care physician. A binary logistic regression model was constructed to test the relationship between 30-day readmission and follow-up appointment status, controlling for patient factors. Results The sample included 1149 patients with scheduled follow-up appointments (24% in the transition clinic and 76% with their primary care physician). After controlling for patient demographic characteristics and clinical factors, patients who did not complete a scheduled transition clinic appointment had approximately 3 times higher odds of readmission compared with patients who completed a transition clinic appointment (adjusted odds ratio, 2.80; P = .004). There was no significant difference in the likelihood of 30-day readmission between patients completing a transition clinic appointment and those who were scheduled with their primary care physician. Conclusions A primary care–staffed transition clinic is a promising strategy for providing access after a recent hospitalization and effectively managing the initial posthospital discharge needs of vulnerable populations.
Provider satisfaction with an inpatient tobacco treatment program: results from an inpatient provider survey.

BACKGROUND Hospitalization offers an optimal environment for ensuring that patients receive evidence-based treatment. An inpatient tobacco treatment program can deliver interventions broadly, but minimal research has examined the impacts of a consult program on inpatient providers. The Nicotine Dependence Program at the University of North Carolina has provided an inpatient tobacco treatment consult service since 2010. OBJECTIVE The program sought feedback from inpatient providers to examine factors that prompted tobacco treatment consult orders, the impact on provider counseling behavior, provider satisfaction, and suggested program improvements. DESIGN Providers who had ordered a tobacco treatment consult received an online anonymous survey. SETTING The University of North Carolina Hospital is an academic medical facility with 803 beds and over 37,000 inpatient admissions annually from all 100 counties in North Carolina. Approximately 20% of these inpatients report current use of any tobacco product. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS Medical providers who ordered inpatient tobacco treatment consults from July 2012 to June 2013 (n=265) received the survey, with 118 providers responding (44.5% response rate). RESULTS Almost all providers reported being satisfied with the consult program and believed it was effective. Key factors in provider satisfaction included ease of accessing the service, saving provider time, and offering patients evidence-based tobacco use treatment. The consult program increased the likelihood of providers prescribing tobacco cessation medications at discharge, as well as following up at post-discharge appointments. CONCLUSION This is some of the first research to show provider satisfaction, program usage, and outcomes with an inpatient tobacco treatment program and demonstrates the important impact of implementing tobacco treatment services within hospitals.
Microbial stability of worm castings and sugarcane filter mud compost blended with biochar

Organic amendments such as worm castings and sugarcane filter mud compost can provide nutrient rich substrates for enhanced plant growth. Physico-chemical and microbial stability of these substrate...
Natürliche unbeweisbare Aussagen

Naturliche unbeweisbare Aussagen sind Aussagen uber die naturlichen Zahlen, die mit den Mitteln der ublichen Arithmetik nicht beweisbar sind. Eine solche Aussage ist der verallgemeinerte Satz von Goodstein, zu dessen Beweis man ebenfalls (wie fur den Beweis der Konsistenz der Arithmetik) die Induktion bis zu der Ordinalzahl e0 benotigt und der seinerseits die e0-Induktion impliziert. Entsprechendes gilt auch fur den gewohnlichen (in Kapitel 2 bereits mit hilfe der e0-Induktion bewiesenen) Goodstein-Satz, doch um das zu zeigen, wird eine detailliertere Analyse von Ordinalzahlen und Beweisen benotigt, die auch schnell wachsende Funktionen und ihre Zuordnung zu den abzahlbaren Ordinalzahlen einschliest. Weitere unbeweisbare Satze entstammen zwei gangigen Teilgebieten der Kombinatorik: Ramseytheorie und Graphentheorie. Das Beispiel aus der Ramseytheorie – der Satz von Paris-Harrington – hat eine ahnliche Wachstumsrate wie die Goodstein-Funktion, so dass es auf einem ahnlichen Niveau liegt wie der Satz von Goodstein. In der Graphentheorie gibt es zwei bemerkenswerte Satze, den Satz von Kruskal und den Minorensatz, die sogar auf einem noch hoheren Niveau liegen, also nur beweisbar sind, wenn man Eigenschaften der Unendlichkeit voraussetzt, die wesentlich starker als die e0-Induktion sind.
Appraisal and Counseling: Are They Compatible?

Counseling and conventional appraisal are two distinctive functions, but they make strange partners. Conventional appraisal is an analytic process and counseling is a catalytic process. Nevertheles...
Influence of Clinical Competency Committee Review Process on Summative Resident Assessment Decisions

ABSTRACT Background Clinical Competency Committees (CCCs) are charged with making summative assessment decisions about residents. Objective We explored how review processes CCC members utilize influence their decisions regarding residents' milestone levels and supervisory roles. Methods We conducted a multisite longitudinal prospective observational cohort study at 14 pediatrics residency programs during academic year 2015–2016. Individual CCC members biannually reported characteristics of their review process and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education milestone levels and recommended supervisory role categorizations assigned to residents. Relationships among characteristics of CCC member reviews, mean milestone levels, and supervisory role categorizations were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression, reported as mean differences with 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and Bayesian mixed-effects ordinal regression, reported as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% credible intervals (CrIs). Resul...
Influence of sonication conditions and wrapping type on yield and fluorescent quality of noncovalently functionalized single-walled carbon nanotubes

Abstract As nanomaterials have become more accessible, nanoscale biosensor research has expanded to many useful applications. One such nanomaterial is the single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT), which fluoresces in the near-infrared biological window, making it ideal for in vivo applications. SWCNT can be suspended in water when non-covalently functionalized with an amphiphilic polymer or surfactant (e.g. ‘wrapped’); the suspended SWCNT can act as a simple optical probe or as a sensor by engineering the wrapping to have selective domains. The process of suspending nanotubes is typically achieved by sonication. While much application-focused research has been performed on SWCNT sensors and probes, little has been done to understand factors affecting SWCNT fluorescent quality after suspension. We explored effects of sonication power and duration on an array of nine potential wrappings including proteins, DNA, oligosaccharides, polysaccharides, synthetic polymers, and surfactant solutions. Optimal sonication conditions were found to vary on an individual wrapping basis. These trends may be used to predict optimal processing conditions to suspend SWCNT with maximal start fluorescence for various wrappings, improving dynamic range and sensitivity. These results also point to the need for control of sonication conditions in large scale synthesis to ensure tighter batch-to-batch reproducibility of nanotube sensors.
Microdiversity and temporal dynamics of marine bacterial dimethylsulfoniopropionate genes

Dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP) is an abundant organic sulfur metabolite produced by many phytoplankton species and degraded by bacteria via two distinct pathways with climate-relevant implications. We assessed the diversity and abundance of bacteria possessing these pathways in the context of phytoplankton community composition over a 3-week time period spanning September-October, 2014 in Monterey Bay, CA. The dmdA gene from the DMSP demethylation pathway dominated the DMSP gene pool and was harboured mostly by members of the alphaproteobacterial SAR11 clade and secondarily by the Roseobacter group, particularly during the second half of the study. Novel members of the DMSP-degrading community emerged from dmdA sequences recovered from metagenome assemblies and single-cell sequencing, including largely uncharacterized gammaproteobacteria and alphaproteobacteria taxa. In the DMSP cleavage pathway, the SAR11 gene dddK was the most abundant early in the study, but was supplanted by dddP over time. SAR11 members, especially those harbouring genes for both DMSP degradation pathways, had a strong positive relationship with the abundance of dinoflagellates, and DMSP-degrading gammaproteobacteria co-occurred with haptophytes. This in situ study of the drivers of DMSP fate in a coastal ecosystem demonstrates for the first time correlations between specific groups of bacterial DMSP degraders and phytoplankton taxa.
Deltamethrin Exposure Daily From Postnatal Day 3-20 in Sprague-Dawley Rats Causes Long-term Cognitive and Behavioral Deficits.

Pyrethroids are synthetic insecticides that act acutely on voltage gated sodium channels to prolong channel opening and depolarization. Epidemiological studies find that exposure to pyrethroids are associated with neurological and developmental abnormalities in children. The long-term effects of type II pyrethroids, such as deltamethrin (DLM), on development have received little attention. We exposed Sprague-Dawley rats to DLM by gavage at doses of 0, 0.25, 0.5, and 1.0 mg/kg/day from postnatal day (P) 3-20 in a split-litter design. Following behavioral testing as adults, monoamine levels, release, and mRNA were assessed via high performance liquid chromatography, microdialysis, and qPCR, respectively. Long-term potentiation (LTP) was assessed at P25-35. Developmental DLM exposure resulted in deficits in allocentric and egocentric learning and memory, increased startle reactivity, reduced conditioned contextual freezing, and attenuated MK-801 induced hyperactivity compared with controls. Startle and egocentric learning were preferentially affected in males. Deltamethrin-treated rats exhibited increased CA1 hippocampal LTP, decreased extracellular dopamine release by microdialysis, reduced dopamine D1 receptor mRNA expression in neostriatum, and decreased norepinephrine levels in the hippocampus. The data indicate that neonatal DLM exposure has adverse long-term effects on learning, memory, startle, glutamatergic function, LTP, and norepinephrine.
ICER Can Do Better for Patients

DISCLOSURES: No outside funding supported the writing of this article. Mendez is president and CEO of the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America, which receives greater than 25% of its funding to...
Bringing value, balance and humanity to the emergency department: The Right Care Top 10 for emergency medicine

The emergency department (ED) is a unique practice environment that functions simultaneously as a place for high-acuity care of life-threatening illness and injury and also as a safety net for patients with chronic untreated disease. Patient presentations reflect not only pathophysiological derangements in individuals but also the consequences of social dysfunction as well as of healthcare itself, the latter related to the contrasting harms of poor access (in many cases) and excessive intervention (in many others). As changes in the larger healthcare system lead to more frequent use of the ED, clinicians have less time to spend with increasingly sick patients, resulting in more testing and less listening,1 as well as burnout among providers and medical harm and financial cost for patients.1–3 In attempting to address overuse in medicine, the Choosing Wisely campaign asked medical specialty societies to develop lists of diagnostic and therapeutic interventions that are being undertaken too frequently, leading to waste and harm.4 While different individuals and groups might not agree on every item identified, the ‘top 5’ lists that emerged from this process reflected in part an attempt to avoid controversy and left some important items—indeed some critical ‘elephants in the room’—unmentioned. While specialty societies do undertake advocacy work to address the health needs of the public, they also have a fundamental duty to advocate for and protect the interests of their specialty. Furthermore, healthcare dollars that are ‘wasted’ are of course not actually thrown away but rather end up in someone’s pocket; thus, there is clearly a conflict of interest when specialty societies address the overuse of extremely lucrative medical procedures that provide substantial income to their members. The Right Care Alliance (RCA) is a US-based collaborative effort of healthcare practitioners and patients to address systemic issues of both overuse and underuse …
Development of brassinin derivatives as IDO inhibitors for combinatorial cancer treatment

4764 Brassinin is an indole-containing phytoalexin reported to have chemopreventative properties. However, the mechanism of action for the anti-cancer activity of brassinin remains unclear. We have identified brassinin as an inhibitor of the enzyme indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO). IDO modulates immune responses by blocking T cell activation through its ability to catalyze the breakdown of the essential amino acid tryptophan. The physiological relevance of IDO was first established by the demonstration that treatment with the IDO inhibitory compound 1-methyl-tryptophan (1MT) elicits maternal immune rejection of allogeneic mouse concepti. Increased IDO activity has been associated with a broad spectrum of cancers and is implicated in the pathophysiological process of tumoral immune escape. We have recently reported that expression of the IDO gene product is negatively regulated by Bin1, an anti-cancer gene that is lost or attenuated during tumor progression [Muller et al., Nature Med 11:312, 2005]. Isogenic tumor grafts lacking Bin1 exhibited markedly enhanced outgrowth, but only in the context of an intact T cell response, and the IDO inhibitor 1MT suppressed the outgrowth of Bin1-null tumors in a T cell-dependent manner. Thus, a major contribution of Bin1 loss to tumorigenesis appears to be through dysregulation of IDO expression and the consequent promotion of anti-tumor immune tolerance. Using 1MT as a proof of principle compound, we have shown that inhibiting the IDO enzyme can leverage the efficacy achieved with cytotoxic chemotherapy in an autochthonous mouse model of breast cancer. We will present evidence that the structurally distinct brassinin molecule can also cooperate with chemotherapy to promote tumor regression and we will discuss the derivatization of brassinin to identify pharmacologically superior IDO inhibitors.
Movement-Related Signals in Sensory Areas: Roles in Natural Behavior

Recent studies have demonstrated prominent and widespread movement-related signals in the brain of head-fixed mice, even in primary sensory areas. However, it is still unknown what role these signals play in sensory processing. Why are these sensory areas 'contaminated' by movement signals? During natural behavior, animals actively acquire sensory information as they move through the environment and use this information to guide ongoing actions. In this context, movement-related signals could allow sensory systems to predict self-induced sensory changes and extract additional information about the environment. In this review we summarize recent findings on the presence of movement-related signals in sensory areas and discuss how their study, in the context of natural freely moving behaviors, could advance models of sensory processing.
System-level code TRACE

Abstract This chapter is about system-level code TRAC/RELAP Advanced Computational Engine (TRACE). It contains a brief introduction, code models, and some validation activities of TRACE.
How Do Students Collaborate? Analyzing Group Choice in a Collaborative Learning Environment

Collaborative learning has been effective and widely adopted in Computer Science education. Existing studies have controlled for group sizes by assigning members to determine the optimal collaboration environment, with some focusing on a peer-programming environment and others observing a wider range of sizes and tasks. We analyzed collaboration trends through an observational study of 189 students in a large upper-level Computer Science algorithms course, which uses a less-constrained collaborative setting. In the course, the collaboration policy encourages students to choose their own groups for each assignment, up to four other students, offering insight into how groups evolve in size and membership when students are given the freedom to self-select. Since each student is required to submit their own individual work, we collected information about the grade and self-reported collaborators of each research participant for nine assignments, including written and coding homework. Our results show that any collaboration improved individual performance on average. For programming assignments, groups of size four were optimal. Across both written and programming assignments, larger groups performed better, including chains of collaboration greater than the course policy allowed. However, sizes 4-5 performed best within the bounds of the policy. We also demonstrate that factors impacting collaboration include homework difficulty, time of grade release, students' relative performance with respect to the class, as well as the homework type.
Moderately Macrosteatotic Livers Have Acceptable Long-Term Outcomes but Higher Risk of Immediate Mortality.

ABSTRACT Background and aims Liver transplantation is the most effective treatment for end-stage liver disease (ESLD). Whether moderately macrosteatotic livers (30%-60%) represent a risk for worsened graft function is controversial. The uncertainty, in large part, is owing to the heterogeneous steatosis grading. Our aim was to determine the short- and long-term outcomes of moderately macrosteatotic allografts that were graded according to a standardized institutional protocol. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of transplants performed between 1994 and 2014. All patients with allografts biopsied pretransplantation were included. Relevant donor and recipient variable were recorded. Moderately macrosteatotic livers were compared with mildly macrosteatotic and nonsteatotic livers. Primary outcomes of interest were patient survival at 90 days, 1 year, and 5 years. Cox regression analyses were carried out to compare survival between the 2 groups. Results We compared 65 allografts with moderate macrosteatosis and 810 with no or mild macrosteatosis. Patients with moderately macrosteatotic allografts were 2.69 times as likely to die within the first 90 days after transplant (75.1% vs 91.6% survival) after adjusting for donor age, donor race, recipient age, recipient race, recipient body mass index, recipient diabetes, presence of hepatocellular carcinoma, days on waitlist, Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score at transplantation, cold ischemia time. However, for recipients who survive 90 days, moderately macrosteatotic allografts had comparable long-term survival. Conclusion Our study shows that moderate macrosteatosis is a strong predictor of early but not late mortality. Further studies are needed to distinguish the specific cohort of patients for whom moderately macrosteatotic allografts will lead to acceptable outcomes.
Fretting of AISI 9310 Steel and Selected Fretting-Resistant Surface Treatments

Fretting wear experiments were conducted with uncoated AISI 9310 mating surfaces and with combinations incorporating a selected coating to one of the mating surfaces. Wear measurements and SEM observations indicated that surface fatigue, as made evident by spallation and surface crack formation, is an important mechanism in promoting fretting wear to uncoated 9310. Increasing humidity resulted in accelerated fretting and a very noticeable difference in nature of the fretting debris. Of the coatings evaluated, aluminum bronze with a polyester additive was most effective at reducing wear and minimizing fretting damage to the mating uncoated surface by means of a self-lubricating film that developed on the fretting surfaces. Chromium plate performed as an effective protective coating, itself resting fretting and not accelerating damage to the uncoated surface. Presented at the 32nd Annual Meeting in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, May 9–12, 1977
Inflammatory cytokines and distant recurrence in HER2-negative early breast cancer in the ECOG-ACRIN 5103 trial.

520Background: Systemic inflammation may contribute to cancer progression (PMC2803035), including recurrence of early breast cancer (PMC4828958). We hypothesized that inflammatory cytokines and/or ...
Enhancing part demolding characteristics of additively manufactured fiber-reinforced polymer composite tools via surface coating

Abstract The influence of a surface coating on the demolding characteristics of an additively manufactured fiber-reinforced polymer composite tool was investigated. An experimental setup was developed to measure the reaction force developed as a part was demolded from an additively manufactured tool. The tool used in the demolding experiments consisted of a cylindrical geometry and was additively manufactured with 50% by weight of carbon fiber reinforced polyphenylene sulfide (PPS). A commercial thermoset-based liquid coating was applied, and a composite laminate was laid on the surface of the tool and cured in an autoclave process. The force was recorded as a function of the displacement during the part demolding process of both the coated and non-coated tools. The demolding test results showed that the initial force required to demold the part and the kinetic friction coefficient between the tool and the part decreased substantially with the application of the coating. Further, the stick-slip behavior developed during the demolding process of the part was significantly reduced with the coating. Stereoscopic images of the tool surface revealed that the coating filled voids initially present at the surface of the tool, thereby producing a smoother and more homogenous surface texture than the non-coated tool. Although a significant reduction in the part demolding force was obtained with the application of the coating, the coating started to chip off upon multiple part manufacturing cycles which compromised the part demolding characteristics of the coating.
Early and Late Outcomes of Cardiovascular Surgery in Patients With Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular surgical outcomes reports are few for vascular type IV of Ehlers- Danlos Syndrome (vEDS) compared to non-vascular types I-III (nEDS). METHODS To define cardiovascular surgical outcomes among adult patients (≥18 years) with EDS types, a review of our institution's in-house STS Adult Cardiac Surgery Database-compliant software and electronic medical records from Mayo Clinic (1993-2019) was performed. Outcomes were compared for vEDS patients and nEDS patients. Demographics, baseline characteristics, operative, in-hospital complications and follow-up vital status were analyzed. RESULTS Over the study time frame, 48 EDS patients underwent surgery (mean age 52.6 ± 14.6 years; 48% females). Of these, 17 patients had vEDS and 31 patients had nEDS. Six patients (12.5%) underwent prior sternotomy. Urgent or emergent surgery was performed in 10 patients (20.8%). Aortic (vEDS 76.5% vs. nEDS 16.1%) and mitral procedures (vEDS 11.8% vs. nEDS 48.4%) were the two most common cardiovascular surgeries performed (p < .01 and p = .007, respectively). Cardiopulmonary bypass time (CPB) (165 ± 18 vs. 90 ± 13 min; p = .015) and aortic cross clamp times (140 ± 14 vs. 62 ± 10 min; p < .001) were longer for vEDS patients. There was 1 (2.1%) early and 7 (14.6%) late deaths; 6 among vEDS and 2 among nEDS patients. Survival at 5 (80% vs. 93%), 10 (45% vs. 84%) and 15 years (45% vs. 84%) was lower in patients with vEDS (p = .015 for each comparison). CONCLUSION Cardiovascular surgeries are significantly more complex with longer bypass and cross clamp times for type IV vEDS compared to nEDS patients. Reduced overall survival underscores the complexity and fragility of vEDS patients.
High performance computing with microsoft windows 2000

The Cornell Theory Center (CTC) is a center of excellence in high-performance computing (HPC) and interdisciplinary research located at Cornell University. CTC supports faculty and staff from over 100 different research areas as well as corporate clients that require leading edge computational resources. For over ten years CTC ran proprietary Unix-based systems from IBM, SGI, and others as one of the four original National Science Foundation supercomputing centers. At the sunset of its national mission, CTC began to look for more cost-effective computing solutions for its users that would provide leading edge performance while improving reliability and manageability. This paper discusses the experiences and issues CTC had moving from proprietary Unix-based systems to industry-standard Microsoft Windows 2000 systems.
Increasing the Value of Physical Education

(2011). Increasing the Value of Physical Education. Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 82, No. 7, pp. 38-41.
Aortic-neck dilation after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR): can it be predicted?

Purpose This study was performed to evaluate whether dynamic computed tomography (CT) can provide functional vessel information predicting outcomes of aortic neck in patients undergoing endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).
Nominal Prices, Real Prices and Faux Prices: The Perils of Comparing Individual Prices at Purchasing Power Parity Exchange Rates

When comparing the price of an individual good or service across different countries, it is necessary to use to a common metric. In reporting the prices of telecommunications services, the OECD converts prices into U.S. dollars using the Purchasing Power Parity (PPP) exchange rate, which takes into account how generally expensive a country is relative to the United States. This note explores the relative merits of making this type of conversion when comparing prices across countries. It argues that PPP price comparisons address a very narrow set of questions, whose implications for economic behavior and policy are quite limited. It also suggests that the most important questions for telecommunications policy are better addressed with different measures, and in such instances, the use of PPP can be misleading and counterproductive. In particular, price comparisons based on PPP conversion are unreliable indictors of consumer demand. If the PPP price of good is lower in one country than another, and this difference is due primarily to a high PPP exchange rate, then there is little reason to believe that the good will be consumed more in that country. In the case of broadband Internet, the effect of the PPP price is shown to have no causal effect on broadband penetration rates across OECD countries. A simple alternative to PPP conversion is the ratio of price to per capita income. This measure is quite easy to construct, requires no information on exchange rates, and is generally an improvement over the PPP price as a predictor of demand. Moreover, this measure has theoretical justification and provides a consistent measure of affordability.
Aqueous polystyrene–fluor nanosuspensions for quantifying α and β− radiation

Fluor-containing nanoparticle suspensions prepared from styrene-in-water microemulsions were used to quantify 14C in various sample matrices by aqueous liquid scintillation counting. These suspensions exhibited greater quench resistance than a conventional organic cocktail and were very efficient at detecting higher energy β− emitters and α emitters. A polymerizable scintillant was prepared to prevent leaching of fluors. The relationship between particle size, kinetic energy of β− particles and counting efficiency was simulated by a theoretical model.
Computer simulation of due-date setting in multi-machine job shops

The due-date setting and operations scheduling problem is addressed in an unbalanced, multi-machine random job shop. The focus of the study is to demonstrate the feasibility of setting reliable static due-dates through operation flow time analysis. Response-surface mapping methodology via regression analysis is employed to model operation flow time characteristics, which are shown to be non-linear and dispatching rule dependent. Discussion points out the advantages and practicality of using static job information as opposed to dynamic shop information in setting due-dates. Simulation results and statistical analyses show the viability of setting due-dates that are tight, reliable, and consistent, using this methodology. A unique characteristic of the proposed method is that it shows simultaneous reductions in variability of manufacturing lead times, tardiness, proportion of tardy jobs, and maximum tardiness without resorting to looser due-dates.
Methods and Techniques for Engaging Learners in Experiential Learning Activities.

Instructional methods and techniques that are consistent with the tenets of experiential learning and that can be used at in-class or field-based sites are described.
Nicotinic cholinergic influences on sexual receptivity in female rats.

Abstract Drugs which alter nicotinic cholinergic transmission were administered to female rats to examine the neurochemical regulation of feminine sexual behavior. Nicotine (50, 100 or 200 μg/kg, IP) facilitated lordosis behavior 5 minutes after injection in estrogen-primed ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Pretreatment with the nicotinic antagonist, mecamylamine (MECA, 2.5 or 10 mg/kg) prevented this effect, while atropine pretreatment (30 mg/kg) reduced it. Mecamylamine pretreatment also reduced lordotic behavior by induced by bilateral intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of the cholinesterase inhibitor, eserine (5 μg/cannula). However, MECA treatment (5 or 10 μg/cannula, bilaterally, ICV, or 5 or 10 mg/kg, IP) did not reduce sexual receptivity in OVX rats made highly receptive with estrogen plus progesterone priming. By comparison with previously published results, MECA is apparently less effective than muscarinic antagonists in disrupting sexual receptivity in several paradigms. There appears to be a critical muscarinic link in the neural circuit for sexual receptivity, but there does not appear to be a comparable nicotinic link. In fact, the lordosis-facilitating effect of nicotine may be a pharmacological effect unrelated to the normal neurochemical regulation of sexual receptivity.
Advanced manufacturing as an online case study for global geography education

Advanced manufacturing continues to be an important sector for emerging and industrialized economies, therefore, remaining an important topic for economic geography education. This article describes a case study created for the Association of American Geographer's Center for Global Geography Education and its implementation. The international machine tool industry is particularly useful for introducing students to the regional impacts of broader economic processes.
Comparative studies of cardiovascular effects of a new dopamine agonist (SK&F 38393A) and dopamine.

Abstract 1. 1. SK&F 38393A (DAA) dose-dependently decreased the contractility of isolated frog hearts with an ED50 of 6.60 ± 0.28 × 10−5 M, while, dopamine (DA) elicited a dose-dependent increase in the contractility of the preparation with an ED50 of 5.13 ± 0.36 × 10−5 M. 2. 2. The results of in situ investigation, using cardiac output as the index of cardiac contractility, were in agreement with the in vitro results. 3. 3. Haloperidol (10−6 M), a dopaminergic receptor blocker, did not block the cardiovascular effects of DAA and DA. However, propranolol (10−8 M), a β-adrenergic receptor blocker, prevented the positive inotropic effects of DA but had no effects on the negative inotropic effects of DAA. 4. 4. The results suggest that DAA might be acting on this preparation through a mechanism which is probably not associated with β-adrenergic and/or dopaminergic receptors.
Ridiculous Statements by Mental Health Experts

When mental health experts express their opinions in testimony, reports, and articles in professional literature, it is expected that their statements will accurately reflect the current state of knowledge. Experts may disagree about the data that they collected. In some cases, however, disagreement occurs because an expert has employed a methodology that is far outside usual procedures or simply disregarded objective facts. When that occurs, the expert's opinions may be considered ridiculous. The author presents examples of ridiculous statements by mental health experts and provides suggestions for how a forensic practitioner might address ridiculous statements by mental health experts.
New Chiral Molybdenum Catalysts for Asymmetric Olefin Metathesis that Contain 3,3‘-Disubstituted Octahydrobinaphtholate or 2,6-Dichlorophenylimido Ligands

Optically pure (R)-5,5‘,6,6‘,7,7‘,8,8‘-octahydro-1,1‘-bi-2-naphthol was derivatized with mesityl and benzhydryl groups in the 3 and 3‘ positions to give R-H2Mes2Bitet and R-H2Benz2Bitet, respectively. Addition of R-K2Benz2Bitet to Mo(NAr)(CHCMe2Ph)(OTf)2(dme) yielded Mo(NAr)(CHCMe2Ph)(R-Benz2Bitet)(THF) (7), while addition of R-K2Mes2Bitet to Mo(NAr)(CHCMe2Ph)(OTf)2(dme) in THF gave Mo(NAr)(CHCMe2Ph)(R-Mes2Bitet)(THF) (8). Four complexes that contained the 2,6-dichlorophenylimido ligand were prepared by similar procedures, namely, Mo(NArCl)(CHCMe3)(S-Biphen)(THF) (9), Mo(NArCl)(CHCMe3)(R-Trip2BINO)(THF) (10), Mo(NArCl)(CHCMe3)(R-Mes2Bitet)(THF) (11), and Mo(NArCl)(CHCMe3)(R-Benz2Bitet)(THF) (12). X-ray studies of 8, 9, and 12 revealed them to be typical distorted trigonal bipyramids with THF and one biphenolate oxygen occupying axial positions. In 9 and 12 the alkylidene orientation was found to be syn, while in 8 the alkylidene orientation was found to be anti. Catalysts 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, and 12 were all ...
Regulation of product safety design through product testing

The indirect regulation of product safety design through pre-market testing is common with pharmaceuticals and other products containing chemical ingredients. We model this problem as a three stage game in which the firm begins by designing safety, next the government supervises a testing process, and finally the firm markets the product if it is approved. We characterize and compare the Nash and the two leadership equilibria of this game, analyze the comparative statics of these solutions, and consider the effects of regulatory misbehavior. We show that the effects of regulatory misbehavior depend crucially the type of firm-regulator interaction.
Intrinsic viscosity dependence on polymer molecular weight and fluid temperature

Experimental solution intrinsic viscosity responses to temperature and polymer molecular weight variations were used to test the modeling capability of a simplified intrinsic viscosity equation. The multiple linear equation contains three parameters that are related to the thermodynamic properties of a polymer solution. Simple linear regression was used to produce an intrinsic viscosity equation containing unique fitted parameters for each of three solutions. These parameters describe the polymer coil size at unperturbed conditions and the polymer coil expansion capabilities of the solvent as a function of fluid temperature and molecular weight. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 2831–2835, 2003