cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Sildenafil on Pressure–Volume Loop Measures of Ventricular Function in Fontan Patients

Sildenafil has been reported to improve exercise capacity in Fontan patients, but the physiologic mechanisms behind these findings are not completely understood. The objective of this study was to study the acute effect of sildenafil on pressure–volume loop (PVL) measures of ventricular function in Fontan patients. Patients after Fontan operation who were presenting for a clinically indicated catheterization were enrolled. Patients were randomized in a double-blinded fashion to receive placebo (n = 9) or sildenafil (n = 10) 30–90 min prior to catheterization. PVLs were recorded using microconductance catheters at baseline and after infusion of dobutamine (10 mcg/kg/min). The primary outcome was change in ventriculoarterial (VA) coupling. For the entire cohort, VA coupling trended toward improvement with dobutamine (1.4 ± 0.4 to 1.8 ± 0.9, p = 0.07). End-systolic elastance showed improvement (2.6 ± 0.9 to 3.8 ± 1.4 mmHg m2/ml, p < 0.01) with dobutamine infusion. The cohorts had similar VA coupling at baseline (p = 0.32), but the sildenafil cohort trended toward having less of an improvement in VA coupling with dobutamine stress (p = 0.06). There were no differences between PVL measures of systolic or diastolic function between treatment groups, both at baseline and after dobutamine infusion. Patients with Fontan circulation had improved contractility and trended toward improvement in VA coupling with dobutamine stress. Acute sildenafil administration was not associated with improved PVL measurements of ventricular function in this population. These results suggest that clinical improvements seen with administration of sildenafil in Fontan patients are not associated with an acute improvement in ventricular function. Clinical Trial Registration: www.clinicaltrials.gov ; Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT01815502.
Immune-response modifiers: a new paradigm in the treatment of human papillomavirus

Abstract Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is common across all races and socioeconomic groups and is prevalent throughout the world. A variety of HPV-associated diseases exist—from the highly prevalent but benign verruca vulgaris to cervical cancer, a leading cause of cancer death in women worldwide. Cellular rather than humoral immunity appears to be central to the control and eradication of HPV. It is likely that the HPV proteins responsible for viral replication and promotion of replication within the tissues are the targets of antigen-specific T cells. However, the host is slow to mount a therapeutic immune response to these proteins naturally, possibly because HPV has developed a means of preventing its viral antigens from being presented to the host's immune system. HPV infection is nonlytic; therefore, the viral antigen may not be released to the dendritic (antigen-presenting) cells. In addition, no local inflammation or proinflammatory cytokine production is associated with HPV infection. Objective: This review explores the role of the immune response in combating HPV infection and the mechanism of action by which imiquimod modifies this response. Results: The optimal treatment for HPV infection would be one that produces a strong virus-specific immune response through the induction of appropriate local inflammation and of those cytokines necessary for HPV-specific immunity. Studies have shown that topical application of imiquimod, an immune-response modifier, induces local cytokine production and reduces HPV load in patients with external genital warts.
Regulatory effects of intermittent noxious stimulation on spinal cord injury-sensitive microRNAs and their presumptive targets following spinal cord contusion

Uncontrollable nociceptive stimulation adversely affects recovery in spinally contused rats. Spinal cord injury (SCI) results in altered microRNA (miRNA) expression both at, and distal to the lesion site. We hypothesized that uncontrollable nociception further influences SCI-sensitive miRNAs and associated gene targets, potentially explaining the progression of maladaptive plasticity. Our data validated previously described sensitivity of miRNAs to SCI alone. Moreover, following SCI, intermittent noxious stimulation decreased expression of miR124 in dorsal spinal cord 24 hrs after stimulation and increased expression of miR129-2 in dorsal, and miR1 in ventral spinal cord at 7 days. We also found that brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) mRNA expression was significantly down-regulated 1 day after SCI alone, and significantly more so, after SCI followed by tailshock. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) mRNA expression was significantly increased at both 1 and 7 days post-SCI, and significantly more so, 7 days post-SCI with shock. MiR1 expression was positively and significantly correlated with IGF-1, but not BDNF mRNA expression. Further, stepwise linear regression analysis indicated that a significant proportion of the changes in BDNF and IGF-1 mRNA expression were explained by variance in two groups of miRNAs, implying co-regulation. Collectively, these data show that uncontrollable nociception which activates sensorimotor circuits distal to the injury site, influences SCI-miRNAs and target mRNAs within the lesion site. SCI-sensitive miRNAs may well mediate adverse consequences of uncontrolled sensorimotor activation on functional recovery. However, their sensitivity to distal sensory input also implicates these miRNAs as candidate targets for the management of SCI and neuropathic pain.
The influence of age and patient positioning on skin tension lines.

background. The best cosmetic results are obtained if certain “skin lines” are followed. However, which “skin lines” are the correct ones has been controversial. objective: To review the histo y of skin lines, the physiological basis of skin tension lines, and the factors that govern them. method: Twenty-seven individuals were observed, 15 greater than 65 years of age, and 12 less than 30 years of age. Patients were placed at 0″ and 90″ and the shift in skin tension lines was observed. result: In older patients there was a significant shift in the skin lines with changes in positioning that was not present in the younger patients. In the older group of patients the shift in skin lines appeared to follow the direction of gravity's effect on the skin. conclusions: Skin tension lines in older patients may become movable with position changes and are not static as previously stated.
Huntingtin Interacting Protein 1 Is a Novel Brain Tumor Marker that Associates with Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor

Huntingtin interacting protein 1 (HIP1) is a multidomain oncoprotein whose expression correlates with increased epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) levels in certain tumors. For example, HIP1-transformed fibroblasts and HIP1-positive breast cancers have elevated EGFR protein levels. The combined association of HIP1 with huntingtin, the protein that is mutated in Huntington's disease, and the known overexpression of EGFR in glial brain tumors prompted us to explore HIP1 expression in a group of patients with different types of brain cancer. We report here that HIP1 is overexpressed with high frequency in brain cancers and that this overexpression correlates with EGFR and platelet-derived growth factor beta receptor expression. Furthermore, serum samples from patients with brain cancer contained anti-HIP1 antibodies more frequently than age-matched brain cancer-free controls. Finally, we report that HIP1 physically associates with EGFR and that this association is independent of the lipid, clathrin, and actin interacting domains of HIP1. These findings suggest that HIP1 may up-regulate or maintain EGFR overexpression in primary brain tumors by directly interacting with the receptor. This novel HIP1-EGFR interaction may work with or independent of HIP1 modulation of EGFR degradation via clathrin-mediated membrane trafficking pathways. Further investigation of HIP1 function in brain cancer biology and validation of its use as a prognostic or predictive brain tumor marker are now warranted.
The Relation Between Unit Nonresponse and Item Nonresponse: A Response Continuum Perspective

Nonresponse is a significant problem for survey research. The phenomena encompass nonresponse at both the unit and the item level. Unit nonresponse refers to the complete absence of an interview from a sampled household whereas item nonresponse refers to the absence of answers to specific questions in the interview after the sampled household agrees to participate in the survey. Traditionally, survey research has treated unit and item nonresponse as two separate problems with different impacts on data quality, different statistical treatments and adjustments, and different underlying causes (Beatty & Herrmann, 2002; Groves, 1989; Groves, Cialdini & Couper, 1992; Groves, Presser, & Dipko, 2004; Gorves, Singer, & Corning, 2000). Unit nonresponse is usually considered to pose a much greater threat to survey research than item nonresponse. Quantitatively, unit nonresponse is usually much larger than item nonresponse and there are a wide variety of statistical techniques that have been developed to address unit nonresponse. Item nonresponse poses additional threat to data quality because it reduces sample size if only completed cases are used in an analysis. Imputation techniques can be employed to impute for missing data to avoid the shrinkage of sample size. However, it is still problematic for surveys when item nonresponse produces nonignorable missing data. Nonignorable missing data happen when the missing data pattern is correlated with the values of the variable of interest (Little & Rubin, 1987). Of course, unit nonresponse can also create nonignorable nonresponse if the missing pattern in sample persons is related to the values of the variable of interest. The survey literature has recorded a persistent and well-documented rise over the past few decades in unit nonresponse rates for household surveys (Atrostic, Bates, Burt, & Silberstein, 2001; Curtin, Presser, & Singer, 2005; de Heer, 1999; de Leeuw
Self-excited jet: upstream modulation and multiple frequencies

The self-excited oscillation of a planar jet impinging upon a wedge can give rise to not simply a single, but as many as seven well-defined frequency components in the range of Reynolds-number (based on nozzle width and mean velocity) 250 ≤ Re ≤ 1150. All of these components are traceable to the nonlinear distortion/interaction (i.e. sum and difference) frequencies of two primary components: the most stable frequency of the jet shear layer (β); and a low-frequency modulating component (β, which eventually gives way to the most unstable component β further downstream.
Anodic deposition of colloidal iridium oxide thin films from hexahydroxyiridate(IV) solutions

A facile, in-situ deposition route to stable iridium oxide (IrO(x)·nH(2)O) nanoparticle thin films from [Ir(OH)(6)](2-) solutions is reported. The [Ir(OH)(6)](2-) solution, made by alkaline hydrolysis of [IrCl(6)](2-), is colorless and stable near neutral pH, and forms blue IrO(x)·nH(2)O nanoparticle suspensions once it is adjusted to acidic or basic conditions. IrO(x)·nH(2)O nanoparticle thin films are grown anodically on glassy carbon, fluorine-doped tin oxide, and gold electrodes by electrolyzing [Ir(OH)(6)](2-) solutions at +1.0-1.3 V versus Ag/AgCl. The thickness of the IrO(x)·nH(2)O films can be controlled by varying the concentration of [Ir(OH)(6)](2-) , the deposition potential, and/or the deposition time. These thin films are stable between pH 1 and 13 and have the lowest overpotential (η) for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) of any yet reported. Near neutral pH, the Tafel slope for the OER at a IrO(x)·nH(2)O film/Au rotating disk electrode was 37-39 mV per decade. The exchange current density for the OER was 4-8 × 10(-10) A cm(-2) at a 4 mC cm(-2) coverage of electroactive Ir.
Variation in hydrogen peroxide sensitivity between different strains of Neisseria gonorrhoeae is dependent on factors in addition to catalase activity

Catalase, which catalyzes the reduction of hydrogen peroxide to oxygen and water, is considered the primary defense of Neisseria gonorrhoeae against exogenous hydrogen peroxide. Recent reports have demonstrated drastically different sensitivities of the organism to hydrogen peroxide ranging from greater than 80% survival after challenge with 30 mM hydrogen peroxide to less than 0.001% survival after challenge with 10 mM hydrogen peroxide. In this study, we have examined the hydrogen peroxide sensitivities of six clinical gonococcal isolates. The study demonstrates that the variations in gonococcal hydrogen peroxide sensitivities previously reported can be attributed to (i) differences in experimental methods employed or (ii) variation among different gonococcal strains. All of the gonococcal isolates examined generated similar concentrations of catalase, implying that the differences in the H2O2 sensitivity observed may depend on factors in addition to catalase.
Non-FPGA-based Field-programmable Self-repairable (FPSR) Microarchitecture

A non-FPGA-based adaptable microarchitecture is presented for fault/defect-tolerance. This paper also introduces an architecture-level fault/defect recovery capability implemented in an adaptable architecture with field-programmable self-repair (FPSR). This FPSR scheme that dynamically cures delay/permanent faults and soft-errors detected at circuit- and architecture-level, respectively, is demonstrated as a means to overcome the limitations of circuit-level fault/defect tolerance. The FPSR adaptable architecture was developed without employing reconfigurable devices (e.g., FPGAs). This architecture is adaptable enough to fix errors by reasserting different patterns and delays of the recovering signals via rerouted alternative resources/paths for the same operation without causing the same faults again. In order to dynamically respond to FPSR operations with less redundancy, the adaptable microarchitecture generates and delivers alternative sequences of repair signal patterns via its adaptable architecture; these can be implemented in ASIC, while continuously and seamlessly supporting post-fabrication defect-prevention in both hardware and software at system levels.
Common Mistakes in Making Value Trade-Offs

Value trade-offs define how much must be gained in the achievement of one objective to compensate for a lesser achievement on a different objective. Value trade-offs that adequately express a decision maker's values are essential both for good decision making in multiple-objective contexts and for insightful analyses of multiple-objective decisions. This paper identifies and illustrates 12 important mistakes frequently made that limit one's ability to determine useful value trade-offs. It then suggests how to avoid making these mistakes. The intent is to provide practical advice for making good value trade-offs, and hence, better decisions.
English interest in the treatment of alcoholism in the United States during the early 1870's.

Summary In 1872 Donald Dalyrmple, chairman of the House of Commons Select Committee on Habitual Drunkards, invited Joseph Parrish and Daniel Dodge, representing the American Association for the Cure of Inebriety, to testify before his committee. Dalyrmple believed that these Americans would give testimony about the treatment of inebriety in the United States which would support his efforts to pass a law establishing the authority to confine drunkards, under medical certificate, for as long as might be necessary to cure them. His witnesses did not disappoint him because they also had the optimistic assumption that the authority to confine inebriates would contribute to their cure. If, however, Dalrymple's committee had paid more attention to ironies in the testimony of these witnesses, heard testimony from other members of the AACI, who held different views that these witnesses, or known more about the early history of the inebriate asylum in the United States, they might have reached different conclusions than they did.
SEASONAL AND SPATIAL DIFFERENCES IN DIET IN THE WESTERN STOCK OF STELLER SEA LIONS (EUMETOPIAS JUBATUS )

We identified prey remains from 3,762 scats (feces) of Steller sea lions (Eumetopias jubatus). Scats were collected from 1990‐1998 on island sites across most of the range of the United States western stock of the species. Walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma ) and Atka mackerel (Pleurogrammus monopterygius ) were the 2 most common species of prey, followed by salmonids (Oncorhynchus) and Pacific cod (Gadus macrocephalus ). An additional 16 species of fish and unidentified cephalopods were considered primary in the diet, either because they occurred in .5% of scats collected across the range in winter and summer or because they consistently occurred among the top 3 prey items in particular islands or island groups. Capelin (Mallotus villosus) occurred at very low frequencies despite their predominance in the diet of Steller sea lions before the 1980s. Regions of diet similarity suggest area-specific foraging strategies, with strong seasonal patterns in consumption of most species of prey. Patterns in prey consumption and characteristics of prey indicate that Steller sea lions target prey that are densely schooled in spawning or migratory aggregations at the continental shelf or along oceanographic boundary zones. We suggest that regional diet patterns among the western stock reflect regional foraging strategies of females learned at islands near the natal rookery site.
The Quasi-Hydrostatic Approximation

Abstract Second-order expansion of the aspect ratio gives rise to simple equations with a quasi-hydrostatic approximation that perform far better than the classical hydrostatic system in the simulation of moist convection in a mesoscale model. It also suggests that a simple modification to this system may extend the validity of schemes for aspect ratios larger than 1.
Sporcle Goes AI

Intelligent question answering systems provide specific answers to users' questions. This paper describes a unique AI system that uses online knowledge basesand reasoning tools to answers questions posed by the Sporcle quiz site.
Electrode–Electrolyte Interfacial Processes in Ionic Liquids and Sensor Applications

Ionic liquids (ILs) have gained practical and fundamental interests as replacements of conventional electrolytes in modern electrochemical devices (e.g., advanced batteries, fuel cells, super-capacitors, sensors, and electrochromic displays). All electrochemical applications require fundamental understanding of the interface reactions, interface structure, and properties which can be obtained through in situ characterization of the dynamic interface processes. In this chapter, we discuss fundamentals of the IL–electrode interface and the in situ characterization techniques including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), and in situ infrared spectroscopy (IR) for studying IL–electrode interface. Finally, we summarize recent developments and applications of task-specific ILs and their surface immobilization on solid supports as a replacement of conventional recognition elements and electrolytic media in many different sensor developments.
Voluntary Environmental Programs at Contaminated Properties: Perspectives from U.S. Regulators and Program Participants

Nearly every state in the United States has developed one or more voluntary cleanup programs (VCPs) to support an alternative approach to cleanup of contaminated sites. Thousands of sites have entered into these programs. Yet, despite the ubiquity of VCPs and the number of enrolled properties, we know little about the factors that influence voluntary action at these sites. This paper reports results from interviews of state officials involved in VCPs in all states, and from a survey of VCP participants in several states. It has two objectives. First, at an application level, the interview and survey results can be used to help improve policy and practice in voluntary cleanup programs. Second, the paper furnishes a unique study to the general literature on environmental voluntary behavior, contributing an empirical, survey-based study of volunteers engaged in cleanup.
Integrating Game-Based Learning Initiative: Increasing the Usage of Game-Based Learning within K-12 Classrooms through Professional Learning Groups.

In the past 15 to 20 years there has been an increased interest in the use of games for learning. A considerable amount of work has already been done by educational researchers and theorists (Gee, Squire, Malone, Lepper, Shaffer, etc.) to identify and to operationalize the native affordances of games that make them good for learning. Unfortunately this has not led to widespread adoption of game-based learning in the classroom. The root cause for this is the paucity of professional development opportunities centered on the proper integration of games within the curriculum. This article will discuss why professional development is the proper avenue for increasing the integration of games aligned with desired outcomes, what a game-based learning professional development curriculum should look like, and report on an ongoing game-based learning professional development opportunity.
Experiments on Disc Arrays: Coordination and Void Entropies

Summary Uncertainties in a theory of granular media have been expressed as probabilities which maximize the information entropy subject to the known statistical and bounding constraints. Implicit in this approach is that a preferred entropy state in a granular medium always exists. This paper treats this implication experimentally and reports tests on like discs on a plane which are disturbed by shear racking from an initial fixed array. These two-dimensional experiments suggested that the use of a maximum entropy approach to generate least-biased probabilities could be justified.
Abstract 504: Circulating Alpha-2-Antiplasmin Affects Microvascular Thrombosis, Ischemic Neurodegeneration and Mortality in Mice Following Cerebral Thromboembolism

Introduction: For unknown reasons, clinical studies suggest that high circulating levels of human alpha2-antiplasmin may increase the risk of thrombotic vascular diseases such as stroke and contribute to the failure of tissue plasminogen activator therapy. Hypothesis: We tested the hypothesis that circulating alpha2-antiplasmin affects thrombosis, tissue injury and fibrinolysis in a translational model of middle cerebral artery thromboembolism. Methods and Results: Elevated alpha2-antiplasmin levels significantly decreased thrombus dissolution (p<0.001), enhanced matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression (p<0.001) and worsened brain injury (p<0.001) and swelling (p<0.001). Conversely, genetic deficiency of circulating alpha2-antiplasmin, enhanced dissolution of thromboemboli (p<0.001) and reduced brain injury (p<0.001). Circulating alpha2-antiplasmin had dynamic effects on stroke outcomes because specific alpha2-antiplasmin inactivation after thromboembolism saved lives (p<0.001), prevented disability...
Radionuclide evaluation of circulatory shunts.

With first-pass radionuclide angiography, it is possible to visualize sequentially the cardiovascular structures and to obtain computergenerated time-activity curves for regions of interest over these structures. Analysis of these curves permits the detection, localization, and quantitation of intracardiac shunts and shunts between the great arteries. The authors present the formulae used for the quantitative analysis and discuss clinical applications.
Bogliubov-de Gennes Equations for Superconductors in the Continuum Model

In this chapter, a general introduction to the correlated electronic materials as well as a brief account of superconductor discovery is given. The Bogoliubov-de Gennes equations for superconductors are derived in the continuum. The symmetry of the equations is discussed. Finally, a connection of the BdG equations to the Green’s function method is made.
Relational Exchange in Nonprofits: The Role of Identity Saliency and Relationship Satisfaction

Research and practice in nonprofit fundraising has increasingly been focused on the benefits of relational exchange. This dissertation examines relationships between donors and nonprofit organizations and their impact on the charitable giving levels using identity salience and relationship satisfaction as key mediators of nonprofit relational exchange. Previous research has shown that there are a plethora of charitable giving motivations that contribute to supportive behaviors in the nonprofit context; however, this research does not provide a comprehensive understanding of the intervening variables. This study modified previous studies by introducing relationship satisfaction in addition to identity saliency, as mediating constructs. Results confirm that both identity saliency and relationship satisfaction partially mediate charitable giving motivations and charitable giving. Additionally, perceived organizational performance, emotional utility, and parental socialization and youth participation were significantly related to identity salience. Finally, perceived organizational performance, emotional utility, and satisfaction with the solicitation process were found to significantly related to relationship satisfaction.
An Unexpected Chink in the Transcriptional Armor of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Neoplasms.

In this issue of Cancer Cell, Ceribelli et al. use functional genomic and chemical screening to reveal the existence of a TCF4/BRD4-dependent oncogenic regulatory network in blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm (BPDCN) and demonstrate that BPDCN cells are highly sensitive to therapeutic targeting of this novel dependency.
Contemporary Memory Politics in Catalonia: Europeanizing and Mobilizing the History of the Spanish Civil War

Messenger investigates the prominent and complex role that the memories of Catalonia’s experience in the Spanish Civil War play in ideas about Catalan identity. Focusing on how contemporary Catalan memory sites construct narratives that link experiences of the Spanish Civil War and the fight for democracy with the broader European struggle against Nazism in World War II, the chapter shows how these narratives not only connect Catalonia’s past to Europe’s, but also posit Catalonia as an essential part of contemporary efforts to further democracy in Europe. While these narratives Europeanize and transnationalize memories of the Spanish Civil War, making the memory of Franco’s victims more cosmopolitan, Messenger shows how memories of historical injustices and democratic activism can also be mobilized to create a new sense of civic nationalism in Catalonia.
R-FFAST: A Robust Sub-Linear Time Algorithm for Computing a Sparse DFT

The fast Fourier transform is the most efficiently known way to compute the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of an arbitrary $ n$ -length signal, and has a computational complexity of $O( n\log n)$ . If the DFT $ \vec {X}$ of the signal $ \vec {x}$ has only $k$ non-zero coefficients (where $ k ), can we do better? We addressed this question and presented a novel fast Fourier aliasing-based sparse transform (FFAST) algorithm that cleverly induces sparse-graph alias codes in the DFT domain, via a Chinese-remainder-theorem-guided sub-sampling operation in the time-domain. The induced sparse-graph alias codes are then exploited to devise a fast and iterative onion-peeling style decoder that computes $ k$ -sparse DFT of an $ n$ -length signal using only $O( k)$ time-domain samples and $O( k\log k)$ computations. In this paper, we generalize the FFAST framework by Pawar and Ramchandran to the noisy setting where the time-domain samples are corrupted by white Gaussian noise. We show that the noise-robust R-FFAST algorithm computes a $ k$ -sparse DFT of an $ n$ -length signal using $O( k\log ^{3} n)$ noise-corrupted time-domain samples in $O( k\log ^{4} n)$ complexity, i.e., sub-linear sample and time complexity . In Section IX , we provide extensive simulation results validating the empirical performance of the R-FFAST algorithm, e.g., we show that the R-FFAST algorithm computes a 50-sparse DFT of an ≈ 10 million length signal using only 4800 noisy samples with an effective signal-to-noise ratio of 5 dB. We also provide comparison of the run-time performance of several existing sparse Fourier transform implementations with that of the R-FFAST and show that it is almost 20 times faster, for comparable settings, than the state-of-the-art algorithm, while simultaneously providing better support recovery guarantees. While our theoretical results are for signals with a uniformly random support of the non-zero DFT coefficients and additive white Gaussian noise, we provide simulation results, which demonstrate that the R-FFAST algorithm performs well even for signals like magnetic resonance images, that have an approximately sparse Fourier spectrum with a non-uniform support for the dominant DFT coefficients.
Women at High Risk of HIV Infection

The need to know how individual women respond to and make decisions about acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related risk-taking behaviors has only recently come to the attention of psychosocial researchers. Before 1986, there was little recognition of HIV infection as a “women’s problem.”1 When public awareness of AIDS as a “heterosexual” problem developed, attention was focused on female prostitutes (who were seen as possible vectors of transmission to their male clients, although there was little evidence for such an assumption)2 and on women as mothers who were also seen as vectors of transmission—to their unborn children.3
On the Stability Properties of a General Control Scheme and Their Implication for Robustly Reliable Control

Abstract A general two system (e.g. a plant and its controller) interconnection scheme is presented and its stability properties are studied using the notion of containment. A general definition and some new properties of this concept are proposed. A parameterization of all stabilizing controllers for this configuration is then developed and the problem of control system reliability against sensor-actuator failures is mathematically formulated. Furthermore the concept of robust reliability is introduced and conditions for the design of robustly reliable control systems are derived.
Serotonin and Self-control: A Genetically Moderated Stress Sensitization Effect

Abstract Purpose The current study seeks to examine how two widely studied serotonergic polymorphisms, MAOA-uVNTR and 5-HTTLPR, interact with early and later life stressors to explain between-individual variation in low self-control in a genetically moderated stress sensitization model (G × E × E). Methods Using a sample of male undergraduate students (n = 190), regression analyses were performed to examine three-way interactions of distal and proximal stress by MAOA-uVNTR and 5-HTTLPR separately, while controlling for age, race, parenting, and peer delinquency. Results Results suggest that MAOA-uVNTR and 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms moderate individual stress sensitization in the explanation of self-control. Conclusion Our findings highlight the need to study the etiology of self-control from both developmental and biological perspectives by demonstrating that molecular genetic variation related to serotonergic function interacts with distal stressors to increase reactivity to proximal stressors.
The pharmacist and medical aid in dying.

Medical aid in dying is the practice in which a competent, terminally ill, adult patient self-administers a lethal dose of medication prescribed by a physician. Depending on one’s philosophical viewpoint and the era in which it has been discussed, the practice has variously been called physician-
Environmental factors affecting European and Central Asian health-systems’ bias-corrected efficiency

Health expenditures comprise a large part of national incomes, which explains the growing interest of government agencies in establishing efficient control and management policies in the current co...
Costs of success: Financial implications of implementation of active learning in introductory physics courses for students and administrators

Introducing the metric of `total cost per student passing the class' as a method for comparing cost effectiveness of different instructional styles.
Managing Public and Nonprofit Organizations: Stories of Success and Failure by Charles Coe

Coe, C. (2018). Managing public and nonprofit organizations: Stories of success and failure. New York, NY: Routledge. $44.95 (paperback), ISBN: 978-1-138-06486-7.
Improving process robustness in ultrasonic metal welding of lithium-ion batteries

Abstract Ultrasonic metal welding is a solid-state joining method popularly adopted in the assembly of lithium-ion battery cells, modules, and packs for electrical vehicles due to its numerous advantages over traditional fusion welding techniques. Ultrasonic metal welding process yields quality welds under optimal conditions, but can result in poor welds when there are disturbances, such as the presence of oil contamination. State-of-the-art controllers cannot detect those disturbances or control the welding process accordingly. In this research, two methods are proposed to improve the process robustness, namely, a real-time controller and a new tool geometry design for the sonotrode. The developed controller monitors the on-line power signal and adjusts the weld clamping pressure through a calibrated step function accordingly. Experimental results show that with oil contaminated workpieces, the new controller yielded an average improvement of 14.5–440% in the T-peel strength over the current controller, depending on the level of oil contamination. Additionally, the process robustness was shown to be improved by the use of a spherical tool in place of a flat tool. Improvements are achieved for all tested clamping pressures, especially when the pressure is outside the optimal range for the flat tool.
Development of Dental Health Knowledge Tests for the Primary Grades

(1981). Development of Dental Health Knowledge Tests for the Primary Grades. Health Education: Vol. 12, No. 6, pp. 16-19.
Physical Constraints in Sensory Ecology

A “big picture” of sensory ecology is developed. The logic of biological investigation and the meaning of behavior and information are briefly addressed along with the importance of information to organisms. Ties between sensory ecology and physiology and behavior are stressed. The value of understanding physical constraints on what is possible is emphasized. The simplest physical environment is that of planktonic organisms living free of any surface, and consequences of physical constraints and biological generalities are described for such organisms, as examples. This provides new insights into why small bacteria are not motile, why most chemotactic bacteria are rods employing temporal mechanisms of comparison for gradient detection, why small planktonic animals do not employ pheromones for mate attraction, and explaining why male and female mating types are common among sexually reproducing species.
The FERMI system: inducing iterative macro-operators from experience

Automated methods of exploiting past experience to reduce search vary from analogical transfer to chunking control knowledge. In the latter category, various forms of composing problem-solving operators into larger units have been explored. However, the automated formulation of effective macro-operators requires more than the storage and parametrization of individual linear operator sequences. This paper addresses the issue of acquiring conditional and iterative operators, presenting a concrete example implemented in the FERMI problem-solving system. In essence, the process combines empirical recognition of cyclic patterns in the problem-solving trace with analytic validation and subsequent formulation of general iterative rules. Such rules can prove extremely effective in reducing search beyond linear macro-operators produced by past techniques.*
Testbed for cooperative robotic manipulators

This chapter serves three purposes. Firstly, it is intended to give an overview of many of the robotic engineering problems encountered when considering space-based applications. Secondly, during this overview, the approaches to some of these problems, as currently addressed in the robotic testbed facility at Rensselaer’s Center for Intelligent Robotic Systems for Space Exploration, are presented. Thirdly, throughout the survey of these space-based robotic engineering problems, the reader will be directed to the particular chapters in this book that treat these problems in more detail. It is intended that this chapter will motivate the contents of the book.
SUMP ADDITIVES AS A SOURCE OF BIOAEROSOLS IN A SCHOOL BUILDING

An investigation was launched following complaints of poor air quality and building-related illness in a public elementary school. Occlusion of air intakes put the building under negative pressure and caused vents from a below-ground sump to become air intakes. Outside air drawn through the sump pit traveled into the adjacent main air handling unit and was disseminated throughout the building. Sump additives introduced in an attempt to counteract foul odors contained spores of Bacillus species, which appeared as bioaerosols throughout the school. Viable microbial sampling identified B subtilis, B cereus, and B licheniformis in the sump room and classrooms at levels as high as 760 colony forming units/m3 (CFU/m3). Concentrations of CO2 in classrooms were 1250 ppm, indicating inadequate makeup air. Remediation was accomplished by opening the air intakes, isolating the sump room from the air handling system, venting the sump to the outside, and flushing the sump with fresh water on a regular basis.
Overcoming a Bad Day: a Qualitative Look into the Dementia Caregiving Experiences of Mexican-Origin Women in East Los Angeles.

The number of Latinos with Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is projected to more than double by 2030. Yet, the current literature is lagging on Alzheimer’s caregiving among Latinos. This study explores how Mexican origin women experience dementia caregiving, and the coping strategies they use to manage their caregiving situations. Nine women were identified as caregivers of a family member with AD or dementia from a larger study on caregiving. Interviews with them were collected and subsequently analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach to reduce the data to identify thematic content. All but one participant described caregiving as “tiring,” “wearing,” or “hard.” They reported suffering from stress, insomnia, nervousness, migraines, and/or depression because of their caregiving experiences. Participants engaged in various coping strategies to help combat the perceived negative consequences of their caregiving experiences. The most commonly reported strategies were various forms of distraction, and meditation or prayer. The Mexican origin women in this study experience faced two types of interpersonal challenges related to dementia caregiving: changes in the care receiver’s personality and behaviors, and physical care needs. They engaged in various coping to strategies to address the difficulties of their situation. This study provides formative research for identifying research questions and topics of examination in the future.
“How Dey Goin’ to Kill Othello?!” Key & Peele and Shakespearean Universality

Claims for Shakespearean universality often position Shakespeare's works as resonating with all people across all time. But how far can one take such a claim? A 2013 sketch on Comedy Central's Key & Peele, entitled “Othello Tis My Shite!”, uses satire precisely in order to challenge assertions of Shakespearean universality. I argue that the sketch – which follows two Renaissance Moors, Lashawnio and Martinzion, who attend Shakespeare's Othello – suggests that Shakespeare may find the limits of speaking for “all people” when depicting black masculinity. Yet the sketch's twist ending helpfully proposes the transformative potential in Shakespeare for more effective, authentic representation.
Cemeteries as Windows into Communities

Cemeteries are ubiquitous with communities, nearly regardless of size, proxies of the communities they represent. In the absence of written records and documents, cemeteries archive the socio-demographics and vital records of community. Just as a single gravestone tells an individual story, all gravestones from a single cemetery or community inform a reconstruction of community, historically. Engraved headstones yield a wealth of social data, including sex/gender, ethnicity, age, seasonal fertility and mortality patterns, familial status, marital status, and so on. Epitaphs suggest demeanor of the deceased or the perceptions by the living of the dead. Even unaltered field stones marking graves, and interment in particular cemeteries, as conscious and deliberate choices, are social data to be considered.
Mitad oscura de Luis Spota: una crítica a la homosexualidad

El autor examina la tematica homosexual en la nove la Mitad oscura de Luis Spota. De acuerdo con Manzo Robledo, el escritor mexicano asume una postura homofobica velada en el relato, ademas de realizar una condena no explicita basada en estereotipos. Asi, la actitud del novelista se apega a su "autoridad moralista y su papel de reforzar los valores patriarcales en la sociedad mexicana".
Albuminuria Is Associated with Endothelial Dysfunction in Sickle Cell Disease

Abstract Introduction: Albuminuria is a common and sensitive marker of glomerular injury in SCD. We and others have previously observed the association of albuminuria with echocardiographically-derived tricuspid regurgitant jet velocity, systolic blood pressure, and history of stroke, suggesting a shared vasculopathic pathophysiology. However, the pathogenesis of albuminuria in SCD remains poorly defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association of albuminuria with endothelial dysfunction, assessed non-invasively using ultrasound imaging of the brachial artery in SCD patients. In addition, we evaluated the association of albuminuria assessed by spot urine collection with 24-hour urine collections for protein. Methods: Spot urine measurements for microalbumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) were obtained during the "non-crisis," steady state over 2-3 visits, with a 24-hour urine collection for assessment of protein at the final visit. We obtained routine laboratory tests, including markers of hemolysis (lactate dehydrogenase, and total and indirect bilirubin) at the baseline visit. Endothelial function was assessed non-invasively at the final visit using a brachial artery shear stress method, with measurements of flow-mediated dilation (FMD), an index of endothelium-dependent vasodilation and nitroglycerin-mediated dilation (NTMD), a measure of endothelium-independent vasodilation. Patients on renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) blocking agents (ACE-inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, direct renin inhibitors and mineralocorticoid receptor blockers), as well as those on hydroxyurea were on a stable dose for at least 3 months prior to enrollment. We evaluated associations between measures of endothelial function and other study covariates using Spearman's correlation coefficient for continuous covariates, and the Kruskal Wallis test for categorical covariates. Linear regression analysis was used to adjust for baseline arterial diameter. Reported p-values are for individual tests, unadjusted for multiple comparisons. Results: Spot urine samples were obtained in 23 subjects with sickle cell anemia (female = 13, male = 10), mean age, 43.3 ± 12.0 years, with normoalbuminuria (UACR Conclusion: In this exploratory study, we found that albuminuria is significantly correlated with FMD in patients with SCD, suggesting that endothelial dysfunction may contribute to the pathogenesis of this complication in SCD. We also find a very strong correlation between spot urine assessments for microalbumin/creatinine ratio and 24-hour urine collections for protein, providing validation for the use of spot urine assessments for the evaluation of albuminuria in patients with SCD. Disclosures Archer: Global Blood Therapeutics: Consultancy.
Biophysical Characterization of Constituents of the Glycera dibranchiata Oxygen Transport and Utilization System: Erythrocytes and Monomer Hemoglobins

Glycera dibranchiata, the common blood worm, contains multiple Hbs in nucleated erythrocytes. Without a highly developed, structural vascular system, these cells apparently circulate in the central body cavity in response to the organism’s movements. The total Hb content of the erythrocytes may be separated into high and low M w fractions (1), and the constituents of these two fractions have been the subjects of recent inquiry.
Association of the Meaningful Use Electronic Health Record Incentive Program With Health Information Technology Venture Capital Funding.

Importance Although the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health (HITECH) Act has accelerated electronic health record (EHR) adoption since its passage, clinician satisfaction with EHRs remains low, and the association of HITECH with health care information technology (IT) entrepreneurship has remained largely unstudied. Objective To determine whether the passage of the HITECH Act was associated with an increase in key measures of health care IT entrepreneurship. Design, Setting, and Participants This economic evaluation of venture capital (VC) activity in the US from 2000 to 2019 examined funding trends in health care IT, EHR-related companies, and all VC investments before and after the passage of HITECH. A difference-in-differences analysis compared investments in health care IT companies with those of companies in 3 categories: general health care (non-IT), IT (non–health care), and all US VC transactions. Data were analyzed from September 2018 to August 2019. Exposures Venture capital funding received by US companies before and after the HITECH Act. Main Outcomes and Measures Venture capital investment in health care IT companies and the proportion of those investments going to seed-stage companies, a proxy for very early-stage entrepreneurship and innovation. Results The data included 70 982 investments, of which 9425 (13.3%) were seed stage, 10 706 (15.1%) were early stage, and 50 851 (71.6%) were growth stage. After passage of the HITECH Act, investment in both health care IT companies and EHR-related companies increased at a rate much faster (13.0% and 11.4%, respectively) than VC as a whole (6.9%). In addition, the proportion of investments going to seed-stage health care IT companies increased compared with both overall VC investments and non-IT health care investments. Health care IT companies saw increased probabilities of transactions being seed-stage of 5.1% (SE, 2.2%; 95% CI, 0.8% to 9.3%;P = .02) compared with the entire sample of VC transactions and 13.6% (SE, 1.9%; 95% CI, 9.9% to 17.2%;P Conclusions and Relevance Although widespread clinician dissatisfaction with EHR systems remains a challenge, the HITECH Act’s incentive program may have catalyzed early-stage entrepreneurship in health care IT, suggesting an important role for incentives in promoting innovation.
Analytics and Privacy

When selecting a web analytics tool, academic libraries have traditionally turned to Google Analytics for data collection to gain insights into the usage of their web properties. As the valuable field of data analytics continues to grow, concerns about user privacy rise as well, especially when discussing a technology giant like Google. In this article, the authors explore the feasibility of using Matomo, a free and open-source software application, for web analytics in their library’s discovery layer. Matomo is a web analytics platform designed around user-privacy assurances. This article details the installation process, makes comparisons between Matomo and Google Analytics, and describes how an open-source analytics platform works within a library-specific application, EBSCO’s Discovery Service.