cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A whole cell biocatalyst for cellulosic ethanol production from dilute acid-pretreated corn stover hydrolyzates

In this research, a recombinant whole cell biocatalyst was developed by expressing three cellulases from Clostridium cellulolyticum—endoglucanase (Cel5A), exoglucanase (Cel9E), and β-glucosidase—on the surface of the Escherichia coli LY01. The modified strain is identified as LY01/pRE1H-AEB. The cellulases were displayed on the surface of the cell by fusing with an anchor protein, PgsA. The developed whole cell biocatalyst was used for single-step ethanol fermentation using the phosphoric acid-swollen cellulose (PASC) and the dilute acid-pretreated corn stover. Ethanol production was 3.59 ± 0.15 g/L using 10 g/L of PASC, which corresponds to a theoretical yield of 95.4 ± 0.15%. Ethanol production was 0.30 ± 0.02 g/L when 1 g/L equivalent of glucose in the cellulosic fraction of the dilute sulfuric acid-pretreated corn stover (PCS) was fermented for 84 h. A total of 0.71 ± 0.12 g/L ethanol was produced in 48 h when the PCS was fermented in the simultaneous saccharification and co-fermentation mode using the hemicellulosic (1 g/L of total soluble sugar) and as well as the cellulosic (1 g/L of glucose equivalent) parts of PCS. In a control experiment, 0.48 g/L ethanol was obtained from 1 g/L of hemicellulosic PCS. It was concluded that the whole cell biocatalyst could convert both cellulosic and hemicellulosic substrates into ethanol in a single reactor. The developed C. cellulolyticum–E. coli whole cell biocatalyst also overcame the incompatible temperature problem of the frequently reported fungal–yeast systems.
Collision cross section calibrants for negative ion mode traveling wave ion mobility-mass spectrometry

Unlike traditional drift-tube ion mobility-mass spectrometry, traveling-wave ion mobility-mass spectrometry typically requires calibration in order to generate collision cross section (CCS) values. Although this has received a significant amount of attention for positive-ion mode analysis, little attention has been paid for CCS calibration in negative ion mode. Here, we provide drift-tube CCS values for [M − H]− ions of two calibrant series, polyalanine and polymalic acid, and evaluate both types of calibrants in terms of the accuracy and precision of the traveling-wave ion mobility CCS values that they produce.
Constructing invariant polynomials via tschirnhaus transformations

The technique of using Tschirnhaus transformations to generate invariants was used successfully in the theory of binary quantics. These transformations led to systems of semi-invariants, called protomorphs, which then were used to construct invariants, themselves [2;Chapter X]
Attachment and Early Development of the Affective System

Consideration of the development of the affective system of the individual in its three aspects of appraisal, drive-discharge, and transaction requires an interactional approach to primarily maturational or learning perspectives. Affective development must be considered in relation to the situation or context. The context of major importance is the mother-infant relationship. Consequently, we will need to examine not only what is known about affective development within the individual but also what mother-infant relationship characteristics stimulate and foster this development. Likewise, the role of both the mother and infant in initiating and maintaining this relationship needs to be examined.
The Power of T-1 Returns

This study analyzes stock market performance in 70 countries to determine if return in month T-1 is useful for forecasting return in the current month. The analysis of full sample shows that the average return in each of the preceding months is useful for forecasting return in the respective following month across 70 equity markets except April. In the developed stock markets, only the average returns in Feb, Mar, May, Aug, Oct and Nov are usefully for forecasting their respective following months. Across the emerging stock markets, only the average returns in May and June which are not useful for forecasting returns in their respective following months. In the case of frontier stock markets, only returns in Feb, Mar, May, Jun and Jul have predictive power over returns in the following respective months. Finally, returns in Feb and Mar have a powerful predicting power regardless whether the stock markets are developed, emerging or frontier ones.
CHAPTER 1 – Preliminaries

This chapter discusses sets and n -tuples, functions, alphabets, and strings and predicates. One shall often be dealing with sets of objects of some definite kind and thinking of a collection of entities as a set simply amounts to a decision to regard the whole collection as a single object. One shall use the word class as synonymous with set and N is used for the set of natural numbers 0, 1, 2, 3……. Naturally, the elements making up an n -tuple need not be distinct. Functions play an important role in virtually every branch of pure and applied mathematics. Functions are often specified by algorithms that provide procedure for obtaining f(a) from a . This method of specifying functions is particularly important in computer science. An alphabet is simply some finite nonempty set A of objects called symbols. An n -tuple of symbols of A is called a word or a string on A . By a predicate or a Boolean-valued function on a set S , one means a total function P on S such that for each a ∈ S , either P(a) = TRUE or P(a) = FALSE, where TRUE and FALSE are a pair of distinct objects called truth values.
The Text and Context of “Enough and as Good”: John Locke as the Foundation of an Environmental Liberalism

Some green theorists have criticized John Locke's theory of property as the source of liberalism's failure to address environmental degradation. Yet when properly read, Locke's Second Treatise provides a fruitful source for constructing an environmentally sensitive and sustainable twenty-first-century liberalism. This article contends that Locke's economic, political, and social circumstances sensitized him to issues of scarcity and the importance of material resources that are critical to a twenty-first-century environmental liberalism. His theory of property limits individual rights by establishing rules of fair play (enough and as good), prohibiting waste (spoilage), and requiring the support of the poor (sufficiency). His text—particularly, the “enough and as good proviso”—connects equality, fairness, and the common good to the natural world.
The use of Laplace's equation in aneurysm mechanics.

AbstractIt is widely thought that the genesisexpansion, and rupture of intracranial aneurysms are each governed, in part, by mechanical mechanisms; and consequently that continuum mechanics has an important role to play in increasing our understanding of the natural history of these lesions. Mechanical analyses must, of course, be mathematically and conceptually consistent with fundamental principles, definitions, and findings. In this note, we identify and correct fundamental errors that appear in three recent papers on the mechanics of human intracranial aneurysms. In addition, we also show that, based on a simple analysis, it is unlikely that saccular aneurysms expand or rupture due to a limit point instability, and discuss directions for future mechanical analyses of aneurysms. [Neurol Res 1996; 18: 204–208]
Diagnosis of myocardial infarction and ischemia in the setting of bundle branch block and cardiac pacing

The diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI) in the presence of left bundle branch block (LBBB) or during ventricular pacing (VP) is challenging because of inherent changes in the sequence of ventricular depolarization and repolarization associated with both conditions. Although LBBB and right ventricular (RV) pacing may both produce abnormalities in the ECG, it is often possible to diagnose an acute MI (AMI) or an old MI based on selected morphologic changes. Primary ST-segment changes scoring 3 points or greater according to the Sgarbossa criteria are highly predictive of an AMI in patients with LBBB or RV pacing. The modified Sgarbossa criteria are useful for the diagnosis of AMI in patients with LBBB; however, these criteria have not yet been studied in the setting of RV pacing. Although changes of the QRS complex are not particularly sensitive for the diagnosis of an old MI in the setting of LBBB or RV pacing, the qR complex and Cabrera sign are highly specific for the presence of an old infarct. Diagnosing AMI in the setting of biventricular (BiV) pacing is challenging. To date there is minimal evidence suggesting that the traditional electrocardiographic criteria for diagnosis of AMI in bundle branch block may be applicable to patients with BiV pacing and positive QRS complexes on their ECG in lead V1. This report is a careful review of the electrocardiographic criteria facilitating the diagnosis of acute and remote MI in patients with LBBB and/or VP.
Pituitary Adenoma and oral Contraceptives: A Case-Control Study*

A search of the centralized data resource available at the Mayo Clinic for all cases of pituitary adenoma diagnosed in the population of Olmstead County, Minnesota, disclosed an increasing incidence of this tumor in women of childbearing age. The sex, age, and temporal relationships suggest that, if this increase is real, oral contraceptives should be considered as one of the possible etiologic factors. A case-control study, however, did not reveal an association of prior use of oral contraceptives with pituitary tumor--relative risk, 0.5; 95% confidence interval, 0.1 to 2.2. No association was found with other possible risk factors, i.e., prior head injury, radiation therapy, seizures, and smoking. Thus, unless other etiologic agents can be identified, it appears that the increasing incidence is due to advances in diagnostic and surgical technology rather than to a specific etiologic factor.
Turning Down the Noise in Classrooms

The use of micro-blogging in classrooms is a recently trending concept in computer-aided education. Micro-blogs offer an effective way of communication in large classrooms, and engage students in meaningful discussions. However, existing micro-blogging systems in education setting suffer from a few drawbacks. First, relevant content might be overwhelmed by irrelevant posts to the lecture which could jeopardize effective learning. Second, students might generate redundant content by posting similar questions to each other and create substantial information overload. Third, posts covering different aspects of the class might be left undiscovered due to real-time characteristics of micro-blogs. To address these issues, we present a principled approach for picking a set of posts that promotes relevant and diverse content while effectively turning down the noise created by redundant posts. We formulate this task as a submodular optimization problem for which we provide an efficient and near-optimal solution. We evaluate our framework on real micro-blog based classroom datasets and our empirical results demonstrate that our framework is effectively able to cover the most important and diverse content that is being discussed in classrooms.
Sino-Russian energy relations reversed: A new little brother

Abstract In the wake of Russia's souring relations with the West over Ukraine, the clinching, on May 21, 2014, of the long-anticipated Sino-Russian gas deal has prompted a flurry of speculation on the deal's implications, not only for global energy markets but also for geopolitical security among the big powers in the rapidly changing world order. In Moscow, officials insist that the deal with China is only part of a more overarching “pivot to Asia.” In fact, in 2013, Russia sent more than 30% of its oil exports—more than 1.2 million barrels a day, the most ever—to Asia. But almost half of that energy is heading to one place in Asia: China, the biggest beneficiary of the deal. Russia's heightened tensions with Europe have created very favorable conditions for Chinese energy diplomacy with Russia. As Moscow's relations with the West deteriorate, Putin seeks to show the world and the Russian people that he has alternative friends to the East. Be that as it may, the incentives leading to the mega deal were in place much earlier. The article is laid out as follows. I review the details of the recent Sino-Russian gas deal and also of the preceding oil agreements, as well as their implications for Sino-Russian energy cooperation. I point out that Sino-Russian gas cooperation followed a different path than the two giants' oil trade for one crucial reason: the intrinsic differences between oil and gas as commodities. Unlike oil, gas is comparatively easy to produce but expensive to transport and difficult to replenish. As a result, gas can be much more readily used as a strategic policy tool. After reviewing the differences between oil and gas trade, the next section discusses the so-called Altai pipeline. I then focus on Vladivostok LNG, a giant project that is likely to be substituted with a third gas pipeline to China. Lastly, I review what I believe to be the most likely future developments in Sino-Russian energy cooperation. The political economics of the Sino-Russian energy relations involves four crucial issues: ownership of the Russian upstream resources, and Chinese technical participation in the plans to exploit these resources; ownership and financing of the pipelines linking Russian oil and gas to China; the decision on the pipeline routes; and the decision on the price. Evaluating Sino-Russian energy cooperation with these four crucial issues in mind, I conclude that Russia and China will continue to move toward greater energy trade integration. The benefits will, however, be increasingly uneven, to China's advantage.
Initial Review and Analysis of the Supreme Court's Decision in City of Ontario, California v. Quon

Initial review and analysis of the Supreme Court's decision in City of Ontario, California v. Quon, which held that regardless whether a city employee had a reasonable expectation of privacy in personal text messages sent and received through a city-provided pager, the City's review of some of those personal messages did not violate the Fourth Amendment under the standards set forth in O’Connor v. Ortega.
Treatment of Infantile Spasms

The rationale, dosage, and side effects of ACTH treatment of infantile spasms are reviewed from the Department of Neurology, University of Southern California School of Medicine, and Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, CA.
Imaging Intra- and Interparticle Acousto-plasmonic Vibrational Dynamics with Ultrafast Electron Microscopy.

We report real-space, time-resolved imaging of coherently excited acoustic phonon modes in plasmonic nanoparticles via femtosecond electron imaging with an ultrafast electron microscope. The particles studied were cetyl trimethylammonium bromide stabilized Au nanorods (40 × 120 nm), and the particular specimen configurations for which photoinduced vibrational modes were visualized consisted of a single, isolated nanocrystal and a cluster of four irregularly arranged and randomly oriented particles, all supported on an amorphous Si3N4 membrane. In both configurations, we are able to resolve discrete intraparticle acoustic phonon modes via diffraction-contrast modulation with bright-field femtosecond electron imaging. For the single nanorod, we spatiotemporally mapped the intraparticle vibrational energy distribution and decay times. With Fourier filtering, acoustic phonons ranging from 4 to 30 GHz (250 to 33 ps periods, respectively) were visualized, corresponding to bending, extensional, and higher-order ...
On Asymptotic Approximations for Some Nonlinear Filtering Problems

Abstract In this paper, we review the application of Lie algebraic and analytical methods to the determination of asymptotic expansions for the weak polynomial sensor problem. The two major aspects of the method are: (i) showing that a formal expansion of the unnormalized conditional density is indeed an asymptotic approximation in an appropriate norm; (ii) showing that each term in the expansion can be computed with a finite dimensional recursive filter. The estimation problem for linear systems with infrequently jumping parameters is then considered. A formal expansion in terms of a small parameter is constructed; however, for all but the first term, the above methods do not yield finite dimensional filters. As in the previous work, one can show that the zero-th order expansion is asymptotic. Finally, this filter is compared via simulation to other filters, many of which perform better. It is concluded that the applicability and utility of these methods is highly problem-dependent.
Solar Electron Access to the Magnetosphere

Solar flare particles, as suggested by Michel and Dessler (1970), can be used as probes of the geomagnetic topography. Low energy solar flare electrons, in particular, should be ideal natural test particles since their low magnetic rigidity permits them to be used to examine very small scale magnetic structure. The current status of magnetospheric topology (i.e., the lack of a clear consensus) and the fact that many groups are still making measurements of solar particles or analyzing data from previous events in an effort to establish a ‘correct’ magnetospheric model, indicate that our ‘probes’ have not been the ideal tools they were expected to be. As with any tool, quick success depends both upon the quality of the tool and the ability of the user. Here we shall examine the utility of the solar electron as a tool, its successes and failures, the use to which it has been put, and finally its areas of unexploited utility. We shall not dwell upon the solar proton access problem for several reasons: (a) The scale of geometry involved in solar proton access is such that apparently a complexity of access mechanisms is required for a complete solution; (b) The body of observational data indicate a marked dissimilarity in the electron and proton access phenomena (which may be due to the large difference in the rigidities of the particles involved); and, primarily, (c) The large volume of proton data tends to be contradictory. It is not clear that any theory, even an extreme or grotesque one, will ever explain all the proton observations due to the large number of conflicts that exist within the body of data. On the other hand, the electron data is much better behaved (due, probably, to the much smaller volume of observations and the small number of distinct research groups making the measurements). Hence, we shall limit ourselves to the small and pleasant task of organizing the electron observations.
True triaxial failure stress and failure plane of two porous sandstones subjected to two distinct loading paths

A comprehensive laboratory study was conducted on the mechanics of failure in two compactive, porous, quartz-rich sandstones, subjected to true triaxial compressive stresses ( σ 1 ≥ σ 2 ≥ σ 3 ). True triaxial experiments using the polyaxial testing apparatus were performed in cuboidal specimens of Coconino (17% porosity) and Bentheim sandstone (24%) as both rocks are representative of formations that tend to undergo compactive deformation. Two sets of tests were conducted on each rock. In tests using the common loading path (constant σ 2 and σ 3 ), we demonstrated failure stress and failure-plane angle are affected by σ 2 . Tests using a novel loading path (constant Lode angle Θ ) characterized the failure stress and the failure-plane angle dependence on the mean stress and the Lode angle. Comparison of failure-plane angle was made between the bifurcation theory and experimental data, and qualitative agreement was found between them.
Partial constraint satisfaction

A constraint satisfaction problem involves finding values for variables subject to constraints on which combinations of values are allowed. In some cases it may be impossible or impractical to solve these problems completely. We may seek to partially solve the problem in an "optimal" or "sufficient" sense. A formal model is presented for defining and studying such partial constraint satisfaction problems. The basic components of this model are a constraint satisfaction problem, a problem space, and a metric on that space. Algorithms for solving partial constraint satisfaction problems are discussed. A specific branch and bound algorithm is described. Some initial experimental experience with this algorithm is presented.
Rickettsia felis infection in the cat flea (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)

We compared fecundity and eclosion rates of two cat flea Ctenocephalides felis (Bouche) lines, one infected with Rickettsia felis and the other not infected. Egg and feces production were compared ...
Understanding Breast Cancer Knowledge and Barriers to Treatment Adherence: A Qualitative Study Among Breast Cancer Survivors.

Abstract Disparities in breast cancer treatment receipt are common and multifactorial. Data are limited on how knowledge about one's breast cancer and understanding treatment rationales may impact ...
Noda Hideki’s The Bee and Being Transnational/Intranational

This chapter discusses the Japanese leading playwright/director/actor Noda Hideki’s play of the macabre, The Bee. The play was co-written by Noda Hideki and the Irish playwright Colin Teevan inspired by the Japanese novelist Tsutsui Yasutaka’s short story. Its English version was premiered at Soho Theatre, London in 2006 by Noda with British actors, and the all-Japanese cast version at Theatre Tram, Tokyo in 2007. In 2012, the play made a world tour including New York City, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo. Noda, now known as intercultural performance facilitator in Japan, began his intercultural collaboration in the Japanese version of The Red Demon in 1996, performing with the British Actor Angus Barnette in the role of the Red Demon. Noda went a step ahead of the older style of interculturalization, not just becoming borderless by theatre but examining memories, history and the cruelty of human beings using the light, playful and fast-paced theatrical style, atypical of Japanese theatre. The chapter investigates how Noda uses a globalized technique of interculturalization to explore transnational issues by repeating the production of his plays in multiple locations both in Japan and in the world and questions why his play still preserves the “very Japanese” elements as described by the audiences overseas.
A highly automated computational method for modeling of intracranial aneurysm hemodynamics

Intracranial aneurysms manifest in a vast variety of morphologies and their growth and rupture risk are subject to patient-specific conditions that are coupled with complex, non-linear effects of hemodynamics. Thus, studies that attempt to understand and correlate rupture risk to aneurysm morphology have to incorporate hemodynamics, and at the same time, address a large enough sample size so as to produce reliable statistical correlations. In order to perform accurate hemodynamic simulations for a large number of aneurysm cases, automated methods to convert medical imaging data to simulation-ready configuration with minimal (or no) human intervention are required. In the present study, we develop a highly-automated method based on the immersed boundary method framework to construct computational models from medical imaging data which is the key idea is the direct use of voxelized contrast information from the 3D angiograms to construct a level-set based computational "mask" for the hemodynamic simulation. Appropriate boundary conditions are provided to the mask and the dynamics of blood flow inside the vessels and aneurysm is simulated by solving the Navier-Stokes equations on the Cartesian grid using the sharp-interface immersed boundary method. The present method does not require body conformal surface/volume mesh generation or other intervention for model clean-up. The viability of the proposed method is demonstrated for a number of distinct aneurysms derived from actual, patient-specific data.
Detection of Somatic Mutants of Hemoglobin

The successful screening of large populations of somatic cells for the presence of cells of mutant phenotype has been the goal of several investigations [1–9]. A system for detecting somatic-cell mutants would serve many valuable ends. In addition to its utility in estimating the genetic risks to subjects exposed to mutagenic agents, the system would constitute a means for investigation of various aspects of somatic-cell biology in man, including the testing of models of proliferation and renewal of pluripotent and committed stem-cell pools [8]. We have been attempting to develop a system for the detection of rare erythrocytes that contain abnormal hemoglobins as a consequence of somatic-cell mutation. Our purpose in this paper is to summarize our efforts to date and to outline certain possibilities for further research that derive from the availability of monoclonal antibodies specific for particular globin chains.
Evidence that Lokern virus (family Peribunyaviridae) is a reassortant that acquired its small and large genome segments from Main Drain virus and its medium genome segment from an undiscovered virus.

Lokern virus (LOKV) is a poorly characterized arthropod-borne virus belonging to the genus Orthobunyavirus (family Peribunyaviridae). All viruses in this genus have tripartite, single-stranded, negative-sense RNA genomes, and the three RNA segments are designated as small, (S), medium (M) and large (L). A 559 nt. region of the M RNA segment of LOKV has been sequenced and there are no sequence data available for its S or L RNA segments. The purpose of this study was to sequence the genome of LOKV. The genome of LOKV was fully sequenced by unbiased high-throughput sequencing, 5′ and 3′ rapid amplification of cDNA ends, reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Sanger sequencing. The S and L RNA segments of LOKV consist of 952 and 6864 nt. respectively and both have 99.0% nucleotide identity with the corresponding regions of Main Drain virus (MDV). In contrast, the 4450-nt. M RNA segment has only 59.0% nucleotide identity with the corresponding region of MDV and no more than 72.7% nucleotide identity with all other M RNA segment sequences in the Genbank database. Phylogenetic data support these findings. This study provides evidence that LOKV is a natural reassortant that acquired its S and L RNA segments from MDV and its M RNA segment from an undiscovered, and possibly extinct, virus. The availability of complete genome sequence data facilitates the accurate detection, identification and diagnosis of viruses and viral infections, and this is especially true for viruses with segmented genomes because it can be difficult or even impossible to differentiate between reassortants and their precursors when incomplete sequence data are available.
Scalable Deposition of Polycrystalline Perovskite Thin Films towards High-Efficiency and Large-Area Perovskite Photovoltaics

We report scalable deposition of perovskite thin film by blade coating and slot-die coating towards large-area perovskite solar cell and module development. We find that extending perovskite ink processing window is critical to transitioning from laboratory-scale spin coating to scalable deposition. Using blade coated perovskite thin films, we demonstrate perovskite mini-modules with efficiency near 16‥. Using slot-die coating, we show uniform deposition of perovskite thin films on substrate with area larger than 200 cm2. Using slot-diecoated perovskite thin films, we obtain perovskite solar cells with efficiency higher than14‥. Further optimization of coating conditions is expected to improve device performance comparable to those prepared by spin coating for small area devices.
Polarimetric Interferometric SAR Change Detection Discrimination

A coherent change detection (CCD) image, computed from a geometrically matched, temporally separated pair of complex-valued synthetic aperture radar (SAR) image sets, conveys the pixel-level equivalence between the two observations. Low-coherence values in a CCD image are typically due to either some physical change in the corresponding pixels or a low signal-to-noise observation. A CCD image does not directly convey the nature of the change that occurred to cause low coherence. In this paper, we introduce a mathematical framework for discriminating between different types of change within a CCD image. We utilize the extra degrees of freedom and information from polarimetric interferometric SAR (PolInSAR) data and PolInSAR processing techniques to define a 29-dimensional feature vector that contains information capable of discriminating between different types of change in a scene. We also propose two change-type discrimination functions that can be trained with feature vector training data and demonstrate change-type discrimination on an example image set for three different types of change. Furthermore, we also describe and characterize the performance of the two proposed change-type discrimination functions by way of receiver operating characteristic curves, confusion matrices, and pass matrices.
READABILITY OF THE DISABLEMENT OF THE PHYSICALLY ACTIVE (DPA) SCALE IN PEDIATRIC ATHLETES

Background:The assessment of patient outcomes in pediatric (ie, youth and adolescent) athletes is critical for comprehensive and whole person healthcare. The Disablement of the Physically Active sc...
Financial Measures to Identify Financial Distress Risk of Corporations

The prospect of economic failure is of grave concern for an on-going business. Using empirical evidence, many researchers promote ad hoc approaches to identify potential financial distress. In this study, we evaluate and then advocate financial measures based on sound financial theory of a firm. In addition, we examine a major corporate bankruptcy using these measures and find that these measures in combination with the traditional financial ratios do provide insights into a firm’s deteriorating financial position.
Uslar, Petr Karlovich (1816–1875)

Petr Karlovich Uslar (1816–1875) was a Russian linguist, ethnographer, a pioneering researcher of Northern Caucasian languages, and one of the founders of the field of linguistics in Russia. Uslar gave detailed descriptions of Abkhaz, Avar, Chechen, Dargwa, Lak, Lezgi, Svan, Tabassaran, and Ubykh, and created an alphabet for many Caucasian languages using the Russian alphabet as a base.
RELATIONSHIPS AMONG PERCEIVED STRESS, PREMENSTRUAL SYMPTOMATOLOGY AND SPIRITUAL WELL-BEING IN WOMEN

Research demonstrates that psychological and physiological outcomes are impacted positively by spirituality. Yet, spirituality may also exacerbate the impact of stressors. In order to assess the relationships among spirituality, premenstrual symptomology (PMS) and stress in women, we performed the following survey of 145 females. Participants completed a measure of PMS symptoms, perceived stress and spiritual well-being. Our findings indicated that increases in spiritual well-being were positively related to PMS and stress endorsement. Furthermore, spiritual well-being served as a partial mediator between stress and PMS. As women who scored the highest on spirituality measures also had the highest PMS endorsement, women of Christian faith may benefit from heightened self-care practices surrounding stress management.
Safe Injectate Choice, Visualization, and Delivery for Lumbar Transforaminal Epidural Steroid Injections: Evolving Literature and Considerations

Lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injection (TFESI) is a widely used treatment for lumbar radicular pain refractory to conservative care. However, rare but serious risks exist. This article summarizes the recent literature regarding considerations relevant to safe performance of TFESIs. We collated recent case report reporting of permanent neurologic injury after TFESI, which has been theorized to occur as a result of disrupted radiculomedullary arterial blood flow to the spinal cord. We also review how injectate selection, visualization methods, and delivery techniques may impact the safety considerations of these injections. While TFESIs are safe, there is continued need to optimize injectate selection, visualization methods, and delivery techniques to minimize the possibility of complications while maintaining clinical effectiveness.
Effect of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprevention on Immune Markers of Exhaustion and Regulation.

Background Seasonal malaria chemoprevention (SMC) is a novel strategy to reduce malaria infections in children. Infection with Plasmodium falciparum results in immune dysfunction characterized by elevated expression of markers associated with exhaustion, such as PD1 and LAG3, and regulatory CD4+FOXP3+ T cells. Methods In the current study, the impact of seasonal malaria chemoprevention on malaria-induced immune dysfunction, as measured by markers associated with exhaustion and regulatory T cells, was explored by flow cytometry. Results Children that received seasonal malaria chemoprevention had fewer malaria episodes and showed significantly lower fold changes in CD4+PD1+ and CD4+PD1+LAG3+ compared to those that did not receive SMC. Seasonal malaria chemoprevention had no observable effect on fold changes in CD8 T cells expressing PD1 or CD160. However, children receiving SMC showed greater increases in CD4+FOXP3+ T regulatory cells compared to children not receiving SMC. Conclusions These results provide important insights into the dynamics of malaria-induced changes in the CD4 T-cell compartment of the immune system and suggest that the reduction of infections due to seasonal malaria chemoprevention may also prevent immune dysfunction. Clinical trials registration NCT02504918.
Association between dopamine and cerebral autoregulation in preterm neonates.

To test the hypothesis that dopamine is associated with impaired cerebral autoregulation (ICA) in a dose-dependent fashion. Non a priori designed secondary analysis of a prospectively enrolled cohort study subjects 0.5. Twenty-three of 61 subjects (38%) required dopamine. Time spent with ICA was 23% in dopamine-exposed subjects vs. 14% in those not exposed (p = 0.0001). On the epoch level, time spent with ICA was 15%, 29%, 34%, 37%, and 23% in epochs with dopamine titration of 0, 1–5, 6–10, 11–15, and 16–20 μg/kg/min, respectively. Using mixed-effect modeling, ICA for each dopamine titration was significantly higher than unexposed times when controlling for gestation, presence of a patent ductus arteriosus, day of life, MAP less than gestational age, and illness severity score (p < 0.02). Dopamine exposure during the first 96 h was associated with ICA. Time periods with ICA increased with dopamine exposure in a dose-dependent fashion peaking at a concentration of 11–15 μg/kg/min.
Site-selective [2 + 2 + n] cycloadditions for rapid, scalable access to alkynylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are attractive synthetic building blocks for more complex conjugated nanocarbons, but their use for this purpose requires appreciable quantities of a PAH with reactive functional groups. Despite tremendous recent advances, most synthetic methods cannot satisfy these demands. Here we present a general and scalable [2 + 2 + n] (n = 1 or 2) cycloaddition strategy to access PAHs that are decorated with synthetically versatile alkynyl groups and its application to seven structurally diverse PAH ring systems (thirteen new alkynylated PAHs in total). The critical discovery is the site-selectivity of an Ir-catalyzed [2 + 2 + 2] cycloaddition, which preferentially cyclizes tethered diyne units with preservation of other (peripheral) alkynyl groups. The potential for generalization of the site-selectivity to other [2 + 2 + n] reactions is demonstrated by identification of a Cp2Zr-mediated [2 + 2 + 1]/metallacycle transfer sequence for synthesis of an alkynylated, selenophene-annulated PAH. The new PAHs are excellent synthons for macrocyclic conjugated nanocarbons. As a proof of concept, four were subjected to alkyne metathesis catalysis to afford large, PAH-containing arylene ethylene macrocycles, which possess a range of cavity sizes reaching well into the nanometer regime. Notably, these high-yielding macrocyclizations establish that synthetically convenient pentynyl groups can be effective for metathesis since the 4-octyne byproduct is sequestered by 5 A MS. Most importantly, this work is a demonstration of how site-selective reactions can be harnessed to rapidly build up structural complexity in a practical, scalable fashion.
The Impact of Significant Adults’ Expectations on the Life Style of Visually Impaired Children:

Examines the behavior performance of blind persons in view of the role expectations of significant others. The findings suggest that there is a correlation between the expectations of significant o...
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Outcomes After Ileal Pouch-anal Anastomosis in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis and Ulcerative Colitis

BACKGROUND The optimal restorative surgical management of patients with concomitant diagnoses of primary sclerosing cholangitis and ulcerative colitis [PSC-UC] who require colectomy is controversial, given that patients may have an increased risk for pouchitis after ileal pouch-anal anastomosis [IPAA]. We aimed to compare rates of pouchitis and pouch failure among patients with and without PSC by performing a systematic review and meta-analysis. METHODS A systematic search performed through August 18, 2020, identified 12 studies that compared the rates of pouchitis [n = 11] and/or pouch failure [n = 6] among patients with PSC-UC and UC alone. We then performed a meta-analysis using random effects modelling to estimate the odds of developing any episodes of pouchitis or pouch failure. RESULTS A total of 4108 patients underwent an ileal pouch-anal anastomosis after proctocolectomy for UC. Of these, 3799 [92%] were performed for UC alone and 309 [8%] were performed for PSC-UC. In a meta-analysis of 11 studies, patients with PSC-UC compared with UC alone were significantly more likely to develop any pouchitis (63% vs 30%, odds ratio [OR] 4.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.86-6.18), chronic pouchitis [47% vs 15%, OR 6.37, 95% CI 3.41-11.9], and pouch failure [10% vs 7%, OR 1.85, 95% CI 1.08-3.17]. CONCLUSIONS Patients with PSC-UC were more likely to experience pouchitis and pouch failure than patients with UC alone. The risks of inflammatory complications after IPAA must be weighed against the potential complications with other surgical procedures, and future studies comparing outcomes among these procedures may inform decision making in this population.
Lack of Detection of Haemophilus influenzae Using Adult Blood Culture Bottles Inoculated at Low Volumes.

Background Based on guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America and the American Society for Microbiology, many pediatric hospitals are implementing weight-based collection guidelines for blood cultures. To simplify the process of culture collection, there has been interest in validating the use of adult blood culture bottles with low volumes, which may allow for a "one size fits all" bottle. Method This study examined 9 clinically relevant organisms (Staphylococcusaureus, Streptococcus pneumonia, Streptococcus agalactiae, Enterococcus faecium, Escherichia coli, Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Candida glabrata, and Candida albicans) utilizing the BD BacTec system at various inoculation volumes and dilutions to assess performance, based on time to positivity, of adult blood culture bottles compared with pediatric blood culture bottles. Results There was a lack of detection of H. influenzae using adult blood culture bottles inoculated at low volumes, whereas pediatric bottles detected H. influenzae regardless of dilution-volume combinations tested. Conclusions Exclusive use of adult blood culture bottles may not detect H. influenzae bacteremia in the setting of low-volume inoculum.
"That's dastardly ingenious": Ethical Argumentation Strategies on Reddit

Scholars have previously described how online communities engage in particular discourses and forms of argumentation. In parallel, HCI and STS researchers have described discourses surrounding ethics and values and their role in shaping design processes and outcomes. However, little work has addressed the intersection of ethical concern and the discourses of non-expert users. In this paper, we describe the argumentation strategies used by Redditors on the subreddit 'r/assholedesign' as they discuss ethically problematic design artifacts. We used content and sequence analysis methods to identify the building blocks of ethical argumentation in this online community, including ethical positioning when raising issues of concern, identification of potential remedies to the original design artifact or issues of concern, and means of extending or negating these elements. Through this analysis, we reveal the breadth of ethical argumentation strategies used "in-the-wild" by non-experts, resulting in an increased awareness of the capacity of community members to engage in "everyday ethics" regardless of specific ethics training. We describe future opportunities to connect these ethical argumentation strategies with design practices, education, and methods.
Conclusion: Play More

On New Year's Day of 2019, I explained the idea of ‘resolutions’ to my seven-year-old son. While he stubbornly refused to write any resolutions about himself, he did offer to write some for members of the family. a For mine, he wrote two words: ‘play more’ (see figure 6.1).
Legg-Calvé-Perthes Disease: Pathology, Pathophysiology, and Pathogenesis of Deformity

Femoral head osteonecrosis (FHO) can affect children and adults. While there are similarities between childhood and adult FHO, the differences in the epidemiology, pathology, pathophysiology, pathogenesis of deformity, the natural history, and the outcomes of the childhood and adult FHO are notable. This chapter will focus on the pathology, pathophysiology, and the pathogenesis of femoral head deformity in Legg-Calve-Perthes disease (LCPD). Furthermore, the differences between childhood and adult FHO will be discussed. A discussion on the differences between the internal structure of the skeletally immature femoral head and the mature femoral head is useful in understanding the differences between childhood and adult FHO.
Chance, Strategy, and Choice: An Introduction to the Mathematics of Games and Elections

Games and elections are fundamental activities in society with applications in economics, political science, and sociology. These topics offer familiar, current, and lively subjects for a course in mathematics. This classroom-tested textbook, primarily intended for a general education course in game theory at the freshman or sophomore level, provides an elementary treatment of games and elections. Starting with basics such as gambling, zero-sum and combinatorial games, Nash equilibria, social dilemmas, and fairness and impossibility theorems for elections, the text then goes further into the theory with accessible proofs of advanced topics such as the Sprague–Grundy theorem and Arrow's impossibility theorem.Uses an integrative approach to probability, game, and social choice theoryProvides a gentle introduction to the logic of mathematical proof, thus equipping readers with the necessary tools for further mathematical studiesContains numerous exercises and examples of varying levels of difficultyRequires only a high school mathematical background.
Obesity is Associated With Sensorineural Hearing Loss in Adolescents

Objectives/Hypothesis Childhood obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥ 95%, is a significant health problem associated with a variety of disorders, and in adults it has been found to be a risk factor for hearing loss. We investigated the hypothesis that obese children are at increased risk of sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). Study Design A complex, multistage, stratified geographic area design for collecting representative data from noninstitutionalized U.S. population. Methods Relevant cross-sectional data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2005 to 2006, for 1,488 participants 12 to 19 years of age was examined. Subjects were classified as obese if their BMI ≥ 95th percentile. SNHL was defined as average pure-tone level greater than 15 dB for 0.5, 1, and 2 kHz (low frequency) and 3, 4, 6, and 8 kHz (high frequency). Results Compared to normal weight participants (BMI 5%–85%), obesity in adolescents was associated with elevated pure tone hearing thresholds and greater prevalence of unilateral low-frequency SNHL (15.2 vs. 8.3%, P = 0.01). In multivariate analyses, obesity was associated with a 1.85 fold increase in the odds of unilateral low-frequency SNHL (95% CI: 1.10–3.13) after controlling for multiple hearing-related covariates. Conclusions We demonstrate for the first time that obesity in childhood is associated with higher hearing thresholds across all frequencies and an almost 2-fold increase in the odds of unilateral low-frequency hearing loss. These results add to the growing literature on obesity-related health disturbances and also add to the urgency in instituting public health measures to reduce it. Level of Evidence 2b. Laryngoscope, 123:3178–3184, 2013
Evidence for a gene controlling the induction of transplantation tolerance.

Class I mismatched kidney transplantation in Massachusetts General Hospital MHC-defined miniature swine has been studied extensively as a model for induction of systemic allograft tolerance. In a large series of juvenile swine, long-term graft acceptance has been observed consistently following a 12-day course of cyclosporine. It was therefore surprising when three of five recipients in one of our studies rejected their grafts. Examination of the origins of the rejecting animals revealed that they were derived from a subline of the SLAdd miniature swine herd that was intentionally being inbred toward full homozygosity and had been inbred for eight generations prior to these experiments. A blinded study of additional class I mismatched renal transplants into animals from this subline confirmed the genetic basis of this rejection. We present here preliminary evidence suggesting that a likely explanation for this phenomenon is that the rejectors in this subline are homozygous for a recessive mutant allele of a gene normally involved in the induction of tolerance. Subsequent studies will be directed toward identification and characterization of the gene(s) involved, since existence of a similar genetic locus in humans might have implications for assessing an individual's likelihood of graft rejection versus tolerance induction prior to organ transplantation.
Signal processing software tools

A signal processing software system is described which allows the simulation of systems described by block diagrams or signal-flow graphs. Component systems are allowed to be multi-input, multi-output, and to be programmed in any language. A high level dataflow language describes the interconnection of the components. Special display software was written to allow any signal in the system to be displayed on any graphics device.
Using a distributed single address space operating system to support modern cluster computing

Recent 64-bit microprocessors have made a huge 18.4 quintillion byte address space potentially available to programs. This has led to the design of operating systems that provide a single virtual address space in which all code and data reside in and across all levels of storage and all nodes of a distributed system. These operating systems, called single address space operating systems (SASOSs), have characteristics that can be used to support modern cluster computing in a distributed system in ways that provide an improved program development environment and higher performance than is available from conventional operating systems. Sombrero, our SASOS design, makes use of its hardware support for object-grained protection, separate thread-related protection domains and implicit protection domain crossing to provide support for modern cluster computing which is not available in SASOSs built on stock processors. Its design, which provides direct system-level support for object-oriented programming, includes a number of features targeted specifically at modern cluster computing.