cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Swapping styles: an exploration of fashion leadership, brands, and group membership in the context of clothing swaps

The purpose of this study was to explore how consumers use clothing to identify with fashion consumer groups and the role of brands in this process. To address this purpose, I examined the consumption behaviors of fashion leaders within the clothing swap environment. An emerging consumption phenomenon, clothing swaps involve the exchange of clothing items between two consumers to acquire "new-to-them" clothing without spending money. An increasingly popular means of acquiring clothing, swaps occur both in person at swap parties and online through swap websites. Although swaps have become popular among consumers, very little academic research exists on swaps as a particular consumption environment. Thus, this study addresses a major gap that exists within the consumer behavior literature. An ethnographic approach to research was used to address the purpose of the study. Specifically, consumption behaviors of fashion leaders were investigated relative to the clothing swap. Three methods of data collection were employed, including participant observation, in-depth interviews, and netnographic observation. A total of five in-person swap parties were observed. Interviews were conducted with sixteen females aged 19 to 37. In addition, five clothing swap websites were observed over a one month period. Data were analyzed for similarities and differences which were then used in the development of the thematic interpretation. Three conceptual areas surfaced and are used to structure the interpretation: The Fashion Leadership Experience, Fashion Leaders and Group Membership, and The Clothing Exchange Experience. Within each area, themes that emerged through the analysis of data are interpreted and issues important to each theme are addressed. The broader relevance of the interpretation was then considered in relation to the existing literature on the topic. Findings indicate that fashion leadership reflects individual needs for uniqueness as well as group identification. Brands were not found to be a motivation for apparel consumption among fashion leaders, however, they are important to the expression of fashion leadership. Findings also shed light on the role of swapping in facilitating fashion leadership and the extent to which clothing swaps broaden traditional concepts of exchange and the consumption cycle. Although this study addresses major gaps in the literature, it also points to the need for further inquiry into fashion consumer group membership, brands, and consumer behavior within the clothing swap environment.
Conflict Resolution Processes in Contractual Channels of Distribution

On the basis of power theory, theory of relational exchange, and related literature from the fields of organizational behavior, political science, and communications, a set of hypotheses are derive...
A QUANTITATIVE GENETIC ANALYSIS OF OVIPOSITION PREFERENCE AND LARVAL PERFORMANCE ON TWO HOSTS IN THE BRUCHID BEETLE, CALLOSOBRUCHUS MACULATUS.

The presence of positive genetic correlations between oviposition or feeding preference for hosts, and performance on those hosts, is of fundamental importance to models of host race formation, sympatric speciation, and the maintenance of genetic variation within phytophagous insect populations. In this paper, I estimate the amount of genetic variation in oviposition preference and larval performance present in two California populations of a cosmopolitan pest of stored legumes, Callosobruchus maculatus (Bruchidae: Coleoptera), and examine whether positive genetic correlations exist between preference and performance. High levels of genetic variation in both preference and performance were detected in one population (Bay Area population, h2 = 0.73 for oviposition preference), but not in another population (Davis population). A second estimate of the amount of genetic variation for oviposition preference in the Bay Area population, after three generations of laboratory rearing, supports the hypothesis that the absence of significantly nonzero heritabilities in the Davis population is probably due to the three generations of laboratory rearing prior to the start of the experiment. No positive genetic correlations were detected between preference and any performance character measured. Data are also presented on the genetic correlations between performance on azuki (Vigna angularis) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). Genetic correlations were found to be positive for all characters in both populations of C. maculatus (range 0.132 to 0.542).
Pipeline Embolization Device for treatment of high cervical and skull base carotid artery dissections: clinical case series

Background Most cervical dissections are treated with anticoagulation or antiplatelet agents with very good results; however, some patients may benefit from endovascular intervention. High cervical and skull base dissections are often more challenging to treat because of the distal location and tortuous anatomy. The Pipeline Embolization Device (PED) may be a reasonable treatment option for this indication. Objectives To report a case series of patients treated with the PED for high cervical and skull base dissections, focusing on their presentation, indications for treatment, dissection revascularization success, and pseudoaneurysm obliteration evaluated by imaging, and to review available pertinent literature. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all cases of high cervical and skull base dissections treated with a PED at our institution. Patient clinical characteristics, presentation, procedural and follow-up imaging, and clinical course were analyzed to evaluate for procedure complications, dissection revascularization success, pseudoaneurysm obliteration, and clinical outcome. Results This is a retrospective case series including 11 patients with 13 carotid dissections treated in our center. There were nine traumatic and four spontaneous dissections. The most common presentation was cerebrovascular accident/transient ischemic attack (CVA/TIA; 5 patients) and headache/face pain (4 patients). Eleven dissections were associated with pseudoaneurysms. Three patients failed medical management with anticoagulation, although flow-limiting stenosis was the main indication for endovascular intervention. Up to three PEDs per vessel were deployed. Angioplasty was used in 10 cases. Complete revascularization ( Conclusions Our initial experience with treatment of high cervical and skull base dissections with the PED appears to show that this technique may be a safe and viable treatment option. However, long-term results are needed to fully evaluate the efficacy of such treatment.
Nanofibrous Snake Venom Hemostat

Controlling perioperative bleeding is of critical importance to minimize hemorrhaging and fatality. Patients on anticoagulant therapy such as heparin have diminished clotting potential and are at risk for hemorrhaging. Here we describe a self-assembling nanofibrous peptide hydrogel (termed SLac) that on its own can act as a physical barrier to blood loss. SLac was loaded with snake-venom derived Batroxobin (50 μg/mL) yielding a drug-loaded hydrogel (SB50). SB50 was potentiated to enhance clotting even in the presence of heparin. In vitro evaluation of fibrin and whole blood clotting helped identify appropriate concentrations for hemostasis in vivo. Batroxobin-loaded hydrogels rapidly (within 20s) stop bleeding in both normal and heparin-treated rats in a lateral liver incision model. Compared to standard of care, Gelfoam, and investigational hemostats such as Puramatrix, only SB50 showed rapid liver incision hemostasis post surgical application. This snake venom-loaded peptide hydrogel can be applied via syringe and conforms to the wound site resulting in hemostasis. This demonstrates a facile method for surgical hemostasis even in the presence of anticoagulant therapies.
Factorization Theory and Decompositions of Modules

AbstractLet R be a commutative ring with identity. It often happens that M1 ⊕ ⋯ ⊕ Ms ≅ N1 ⊕ ⋯ ⊕ Nt for indecomposable R-modules M1, …, Ms and N1, …, Nt with s ≠ t. This behavior can be captured by studying the commutative monoid {[M] ❘ M is an R-module} of isomorphism classes of R-modules with operation given by [M] + [N] = [M ⊕ N]. In this mostly self-contained exposition, we introduce the reader to the interplay between the the study of direct-sum decompositions of modules and the study of factorizations in integral domains.
Investigating the Relationship Between Helicity and Activity in Antimicrobial Peptides with Stabilized α-Helical Structures

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a novel class of antibiotics comprised of short peptide sequences made up of 5 to 50 amino acids. Of particular interest are α-helical AMPs that kill bacteria through either membrane lysis or translocation and binding to internal targets. Due to their mechanism of action, the ability of α-helical AMPs to interact with biological membranes selectively is critical to generating AMPs with a wide therapeutic window. Of the many biophysical factors to consider when studying this membrane selectivity, secondary structure has been shown to play a critical role. To elucidate the role of helicity in determining AMP membrane selectivity and potency, we have created a library of AMPs with varying stabilized α-helical structures and determined the degree of peptide folding in the presence of liposomes modeled after bacterial and mammalian membranes using circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. By correlating our measurements with data from antimicrobial and hemolytic assays, we found that a threshold point existed above which increasing α-helicity diminishes potency and membrane selectivity. The results from this study will aid us in building a biophysical model that could be used for the computational design of new AMPs that have a better chance of being translated into viable clinical treatments.
Five girls in search of a group: a group experience for adolescents of parents with AIDS.

This paper depicts a pilot school-based bereavement group initiated by four junior-high-school girls who experienced crying spells and suicidal ideation following a classroom discussion on AIDS. It...
Cascaded nonlinearity in lithium niobate waveguides

The second-order nonlinear interaction between a fundamental light wave and its second harmonic results in energy transfer between the interacting waves (second harmonic generation) and modifies nonlinearly their phases (cascaded nonlinearity).1 Whilst the energy exchange has been applied to the generation of light with new frequencies since the discovery of the effect the proposals for using the cascaded nonlinearity has gained attention just recently.2 It has been shown that the second-order nonlinear phase distortions can be used for realizing control of light propagation by light, such as all-optical switching or soliton propagation.3 In today available materials the nonlinear phase shift due to cascading can be orders of magnitude larger than phase shifts produced by the third-order nonlinear refractive index. This implies that typical third-order phenomena can be implemented with Watt or even mWatt power levels in waveguide geometries on the basis of cascading.
Variation and Life-History Evolution

Publisher Summary Life histories are variable at many different levels, among species, among populations of a species, and within populations of a species. This chapter focuses upon the last category of variation. Variation is the norm for virtually all traits, particularly life-history traits. In part the variation is a consequence of genetic mechanisms—mutation–selection balance, antagonistic pleiotropy, heterozygous advantage—and in part a result of external factors that lead to, for example, frequency-dependent selection, bet-hedging, and the evolution of phenotypic plasticity. The challenge is to determine the role each of these phenomena plays in generating and maintaining variation. It most likely varies both among traits and among species. Variation can occur in each type of environment, but each has unique features. There are two sources of variation, genetic and phenotypic. Genetic variation, in most cases, will be manifested also as phenotypic variation, whereas phenotypic variation may be the result of a single genotype showing genotype by environment interaction. The role of bet-hedging is still uncertain, as is the importance of antagonistic pleiotropy (the latter is certainly important in determining the optimum combination of traits but not necessarily in preserving variation). Frequency-dependent selection is important for discrete traits, but its impact on quantitative traits remains to be demonstrated, except in the cases in which the quantitative variation is coupled to discrete variation.
Electronic Cigarette Use among Current Smokers: A Pilot Qualitative Study.

Objective This pilot study explored psychosocial influences of e-cigarette use among dual users. Methods Two focus groups among adult current smokers who had ever used e-cigarettes were conducted in Georgia. Discussions were audio-recorded. Principles of grounded theory and thematic analysis were employed. Results Reasons for initial use included curiosity and social influence. Themes related to regular use included enjoyment of sensory experiences and perception of reduced harm. Nicotine craving, social image, and convenience were reasons for initial and regular dual use. Two patterns of use emerged - (1) using e-cigarettes to supplement combustible cigarettes; and (2) to replace combustible cigarettes. Conclusions Reasons for dual use were related to nicotine dependence, social influence, product appeal, and perception of reduced harm. Understanding contextual nuances of dual use can inform policy and communication.
Temporal–spatial reach parameters derived from inertial sensors: Comparison to 3D marker-based motion capture

Reaching is a well-practiced functional task crucial to daily living activities, and temporal-spatial measures of reaching reflect function for both adult and pediatric populations with upper-extremity motor impairments. Inertial sensors offer a mobile and inexpensive tool for clinical assessment of movement. This research outlines a method for measuring temporal-spatial reach parameters using inertial sensors, and validates these measures with traditional marker-based motion capture. 140 reaches from 10 adults, and 30 reaches from nine children aged 18-20 months, were recorded and analyzed using both inertial-sensor and motion-capture methods. Inertial sensors contained three-axis accelerometers, gyroscopes, and magnetometers. Gravitational offset of accelerometer data was measured when the sensor was at rest, and removed using sensor orientation measured at rest and throughout the reach. Velocity was calculated by numeric integration of acceleration, using a null-velocity assumption at reach start. Sensor drift was neglected given the 1-2s required for a reach. Temporal-spatial reach parameters were calculated independently for each data acquisition method. Reach path length and distance, peak velocity magnitude and timing, and acceleration at contact demonstrated consistent agreement between sensor- and motion-capture-based methods, for both adult and toddler reaches, as evaluated by intraclass correlation coefficients from 0.61 to 1.00. Taken together with actual difference between method measures, results indicate that these functional reach parameters may be reliably measured with inertial sensors.
Using Online Databasing to Unlock the Full Value of Environmental Impact Assessment

This paper discusses how online databasing can be used to promote access to and utilization of environmental impact assessment (EIA) documents. It describes the utility of EIA documents, discusses the extent to which these documents are already available online, and outlines key considerations for developing a new, comprehensive database (or net work of databases) to improve public access to these documents. The report also includes a user guide to existing online EIA databases as an appendix.
Economic Burden of Hepatitis C Infection

The economic burden of chronic hepatitis C might exceed $10 billion annually in the United States alone. This disease has a worldwide prevalence of up to 3%, making the global burden of the disease comparably tremendous. The cost of the disease includes direct medical expenses for its hepatic and extrahepatic manifestations, and also indirect costs incurred from impaired quality of life and the loss of work productivity. Recent emergence of treatment options that are not only highly effective and safe but also costly has emphasized the need to study the disease from the economic point of view.
Survival and Resilience

I do not remember the exact year of my birth or the zodiacal symbol. My mother died while I was just a young child. Nevertheless, I still remember vividly that the early phase of my life, from my birth up to 1970, was quite wonderful. From 1970 to 1988, spanning 18 years, I lived in the horrible nightmares. After my arrival in the United States of America on September 1, 1988, my life has progressively improved. This is my story and a legacy of a Killing Fields survivor.
How Variance in a Person's Status 'Portfolio' Influences Psychological Well-Being: Evidence from the U.S. and China

We suggest that a person’s status can be conceptualized as a portfolio — with status coming from multiple sources with different and potentially changing levels — and that variance across this portfolio has significant effects on self-esteem and well-being. We conceptualize two forms of status variance: dynamic status variance (DSV), defined as status variance from one source over time, and static status variance (SSV), defined as status variance across sources/contexts at a given time point. We then test a series of predictions on the effects of DSV and SSV with two online survey studies and two large-scale archival datasets in the U.S. and China (total n > 80,000). We find that both forms of status variance can be harmful for self-esteem and wellbeing. Importantly, we find consistent evidence of an interaction between status variance and average overall status, such that variance is particularly detrimental to the psychology of those holding high average status. Overall, our findings demonstrate a more elaborate relationship between status and the self than has previously been assumed. In exploring individuals’ status variance across time and contexts, this research substantially extends existing models of status that have focused on unitary markers of overall status or status within one group. Research into the effects of status is widespread, yet a complete understanding of these effects requires examination of individuals’ entire status portfolios.
Exploring Ethics and Client Work in Public Relations Education

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of ethics and service learning client work in public relations education. Interviews were conducted with students at three universities who had com...
Comparison of the Chemical Composition of Dissolved Organic Matter in Three Lakes in Minnesota

New information on the chemical composition of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in three lakes in Minnesota has been gained from spectral editing and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods, indicating the effects of lake hydrological settings on DOM composition. Williams Lake (WL), Shingobee Lake (SL), and Manganika Lake (ML) had different source inputs, and the lake water residence time (WRT) of WL was markedly longer than that of SL and ML. The hydrophobic organic acid (HPOA) and transphilic organic acid (TPIA) fractions combined comprised >50% of total DOM in these lakes, and contained carboxyl-rich alicyclic molecules (CRAM), aromatics, carbohydrates, and N-containing compounds. The previously understudied TPIA fractions contained fewer aromatics, more oxygen-rich CRAM, and more N-containing compounds compared to the corresponding HPOA. CRAM represented the predominant component in DOM from all lakes studied, and more so in WL than in SL and ML. Aromatics including lignin residues and ...
Comparison of two intramuscular sedation protocols on sedation, recovery and ease of venipuncture for cats undergoing blood donation:

ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to compare the quality of sedation and recovery, and ease of venipuncture following sedation for feline blood donation using two intramuscular (IM) sedation prot...
A 47-Year-Old Man With Fever, Dry Cough, and a Lung Mass After Redo Lung Transplantation

Case Presentation A 47-year-old man who was a redo double lung transplant recipient (cytomegalovirus [CMV] status: donor positive/recipient positive; Epstein-Barr virus status: donor positive/recipient positive) presented to the hospital with 1 week of generalized malaise, low-grade fevers, and dry cough. His redo lung transplantation was necessitated by bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome, and his previous lung transplantation 5 years earlier was for silicosis-related progressive massive fibrosis. He denied any difficulty breathing or chest pain. There was no history of GI or urinary symptoms, and the patient had no anorexia, weight loss, night sweats, sick contacts, or history of travel. He had a history of 1 earlier episode of CMV viremia that was treated with valganciclovir. His immunosuppressive regimen included tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil, and prednisone, and his infection prophylaxis included trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, itraconazole, and valganciclovir. Results of a chest radiograph 8 weeks earlier were normal.
Testing and continuous integration at scale: limits, costs, and expectations

Build and verification systems and processes have changes significant in the past decade and so did the corresponding development processes. In fact, build and verification systems are a lower bound of how fast a company can ship new features—the more time spent to compile and test code the worse the company’s ability to compete on the market. In other words, verification is key but needs to be affordable—in terms of money but also in terms of time. This keynote will be about some fundamental concepts of modern industry software testing, costs and limits that apply to verification, and expectations of software developers and teams against build, test, and development processes.
Cryogenic Thermal Properties from the UM Fluids Laboratory

The Thermal Properties of Fluids Laboratory at the University of Michigan has been in operation for over fifteen years. During that time accurate calorimetric determinations have been made on a number of pure compounds and mixtures of cryogenic interest at temperatures down to 110 K. The purpose of this presentation is to summarize the past contributions of this laboratory and present plans for future work.
Drinking from the Firehose: Trump, Social Media, and Late-Night Comedy

Donald Trump is a master of distraction, seemingly diverting the public’s attention away from whatever accusation may be hurled at him, in part, through skillful use of social media. Once again, this chapter looks at the same question as in the previous chapter, if an individual’s status as a pop culture icon prior to revelations of politically related bad behavior affects the appearance of scandal. In this case, certainly more attention and more forgiveness come with Trump’s celebrity status. Trump himself notes this both on the now famous Access Hollywood tape and in his campaign statement about shooting people in the middle of 5th Avenue and not losing any support. Clearly, late-night comedy’s obsession with Trump qualifies for his continued contribution to pop culture.
Expressive Biosignals: Authentic Social Cues for Social Connection

My research introduces expressive biosignals as a novel social cue to improve interpersonal communication. Expressive biosignals are sensed physiological data revealed between people to provide a deeper understanding of each other's psychological states. My prior work has shown the potential for these cues to provide authentic and validating emotional expression, while fostering awareness and social connection between people. In my proposed research, I expand on this work by exploring how social responses to biosignals can benefit communication through empathy-building and social support. This work will scope the design space for expressive biosignals and inform future interventions for a variety of social contexts, including interpersonal relationships and mental health.
Formation of extracellular β-chitin nanofibers during batch cultivation of marine diatom Cyclotella sp. at silicon limitation

Diatoms are unicellular algae that make nanostructured biosilica shells called frustules possessing ordered pore arrays. Dissolved silicon (Si) in the form of Si (OH)4 is the required substrate for cell wall biosynthesis and cell division. The extracellular formation of β-chitin nanofibers by the centric diatom Cyclotella sp. was followed during batch cultivation of the cell suspension within a bubble-column photobioreactor at a low initial Si concentration (0.25 mM) leading to 1–2 cell divisions, and high Si concentration (1.7 mM) leading to 4–5 cell divisions. Fibers were excreted from 20 specialized pores (fultoportulae) lining the rim of each frustule valve face. In Si-limited batch cultivation, 80% of the fibers formed during the last cell division after dissolved Si was depleted from the medium. Within 24 h after the final cell division, fibers were nominally 56 nm diameter and 60 μm length, with 85% of the fibers between 20 and 80 μm, and one fiber per fultoportula was formed. After the final cell number density was maintained for 72 h, a second fiber per fultoportula was formed, presumably after breakage or scission of the first fiber from the cell. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis confirmed that isolated fibers were composed of pure β-chitin. The unprecedented length and purity of the β-chitin nanofibers suggest future advanced material applications.
Induction techniques that reduce redistribution hypothermia: a prospective, randomized, controlled, single blind effectiveness study

While much effort has been devoted to correcting intraoperative hypothermia, less attention has been directed to preventing redistribution hypothermia. In this study, we compared three different anesthetic induction techniques to standard IV propofol inductions (control) in their effect on reducing redistribution hypothermia. Elective, afebrile patients, age 18 to 55 years, were randomly assigned to one of four groups (n = 50 each). Group “INH/100” was induced with 8% sevoflurane in 100% oxygen, Group “INH/50” with 8% sevoflurane in 50% oxygen and 50% nitrous oxide, Group “PROP” with 2.2 mg/kg propofol, and Group “Phnl/PROP” with 2.2 mg/kg propofol immediately preceded by 160 mcg phenylephrine. Patients were maintained with sevoflurane in 50% nitrous oxide and 50% oxygen in addition to opioid narcotic. Forced air warming was used. Core temperatures were recorded every 15 min after induction for 1 h. Compared to control group PROP, the mean temperatures in groups INH/100, INH/50, and Phnl/PROP were higher 15, 30, 45 and 60 min after induction (p < 0.001 for all comparisons), averaging between 0.39 °C and 0.54 °C higher. In group PROP, 60% of patients had at least one temperature below 36.0 °C in the first hour whereas only 16% did in each of groups INH/100, INH/50, and Phnl/PROP (p < 0.0001 in each group compared to PROP). In this effectiveness trial, inhalation inductions with sevoflurane or with prophylactic phenylephrine bolus prior to propofol induction reduced the magnitude of redistribution hypothermia by an average of 0.4 to 0.5 °C in patients aged 18 to 55 years. Retrospectively registered on clinical-trials.gov as NCT02331108 , November 20, 2014.
A Comparative Analysis of Surgical Scar Cosmesis Based on Operative Approach for Radical Prostatectomy

Objective: Recent developments in minimally invasive approaches to radical prostatectomy (RP) for localized prostate cancer have improved oncological outcomes, but may also affect surgical scar cos...
Impact of Atrial Fibrillation on In-hospital Outcomes of Patients with Decompensated Heart Failure: Analysis of the Nis Database

Background The morbidity and mortality associated with atrial fibrillation (AF) and heart failure (HF) is a major public burden. These conditions often coexist and exacerbate each other. We aimed to investigate the impact of AF on in-hospital outcomes of patients admitted with HF exacerbation. Methods Using the National Inpatient Database (NIS) we identified patients 18 years and older admitted for HF exacerbation from 20120 to 2017. Baseline characteristics and in-hospital outcomes were recorded. Multivariate analysis model was used to adjust for statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics between the groups. Results A total of 153, 246 were identified, 53, 256 (35%) suffered from AF. Patients with AF were older (77 ± 0.49 vs. 69 ± 0.52, p Conclusions Despite a greater incidence of cardiogenic shock and longer length of hospital stay, the presence of AF was not associated with an increase in hospital all-cause mortality.
MAIN PROBLEMS OF DETECTION OF TRANSACTION COSTS IN ACCOUNTING-INFORMATION PROVIDED MANAGEMENT OF AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES AGRICULTURAL ENTERPRISES IN THE LIVESTOCK INDUSTRY

Introduction. The article describes the market and globalization exacerbate the problem of competitiveness of products, enterprises, states. The role of accounting-formation support is increasing for the management, socioeconomic and environmental basis of the competitiveness of enterprises in the livestock sector. Accounting in the agrarian sector has unquestionable success. It is demonstrated clearly by the identification of transaction and transaction costs in the livestock industry today. The importance of accounting are achievements in the agricultural sector. The accountants' attention and therefore at all levels of management are not isolated in accounting standards for these costs in the economic activity of an agricultural enterprise. Purpose. The task is to substantiate: The need to isolate the composition of transaction costs in accounting accounts. We must to ensure competitiveness in the new economic environment. It is requires accounting and information management of agricultural enterprises engaged in the livestock industry. Results. Scientists are suggest: transaction costs depend on the institutional environment in which the agrarian business operates. It makes impossible to directly influence such costs. The problem of competitiveness transaction costs are of great importance.We must require greater control at all levels of management. It is requires appropriate response of accounting specialization in accountingThe information management of agricultural enterprises engaged in the livestock industry. It should be emphasized: Transaction costs have become particularly important in the socio-economic environment over the last century. This component operates outside the scope of transformational costs. This component has a significant impact on the convenience of doing business in agriculture. The presence of these costs derive from the availability and clarity of accounting. The information management of agricultural enterprises engaged in the livestock sector . This is determine the competitiveness of economies.
Findings and feasibility of major salivary gland ultrasound in childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: a pilot study

Childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) is a complex autoimmune disorder with multi-organ manifestations and can be associated with other rheumatic diseases including Sjogren’s syndrome (SS). Salivary gland ultrasound (SGUS) represents a noninvasive tool to screen for salivary gland disease in rheumatic disease patients. The aims of this cross-sectional study were to determine feasibility of major SGUS in a clinic setting and to identify characteristics in a cohort of cSLE patients (without confirmed SS) that may be associated with salivary gland abnormalities consistent with secondary SS. Patients with SLE onset prior to age 18 were recruited. Patients completed questionnaires rating symptoms and underwent major SGUS examination. Disease and demographic differences were compared between cSLE patients with abnormal SGUS vs. cSLE patients with normal SGUS using t-tests and Fisher’s exact tests. Thirty-one cSLE patients were recruited, 84% were female, 55% were Caucasian. The average disease duration among all patients was 5 years. Average time to complete the SGUS examination and scoring protocol was 7 min. 35% of SGUS scores were abnormal and significantly associated with IgG level at diagnosis, and anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies. This is one of the first studies to our knowledge that assesses major SGUS in a cohort of patients with cSLE without prior diagnoses of SS. The SGUS protocol was feasible to perform by rheumatologists in a clinic setting. Although the sample size was small, SGUS abnormalities were identified in one-third of patients. IgG level at diagnosis and anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies may be associated with SGUS abnormalities.
General Models of Pattern Formation: Some Uses, Problems and Successes

Understanding the evolution of spatial patterns and the mechanisms which create them are among the most crucial issues in developmental biology. Whether the process is the generation of cartilage patterns in the developing limb, the formation of feathers and scales, the myriad of colour patterns on butterfly wings, regeneration in Hydra, the segmentation in the egg of a developing Drosophila, the patterns on the coats of animals, the formation of the grex in Dictyostelium and so on, a key question is “How are these patterns formed and what is the mechanism (or mechanisms) that creates them?” Enormous progress has been made in understanding some of the basic principles that any mechanism must possess to be able to generate spatial patterns. In spite of this we still do not know, with any certainty, definitive details of a single pattern formation mechanism which is involved in development. Model mechanisms — morphogenetic models — for biological pattern generation can suggest to the embryologist possible scenarios as to how, and sometimes when, pattern is laid down and how the embryonic form might be created. Although genes control pattern formation, genetics says nothing about the actual mechanisms involved nor how the vast range of pattern and form that we see evolves from a homogeneous mass of dividing cells. However, with the enormous strides made in our understanding of a wide variety of developmental situations there is room for optimism that in the not too distant future we shall have isolated not only the biochemical and physical elements involved but also have discovered some of the actual mechanisms. There has, in the past few years, been an increasing recognition among experimentalists and theoreticians that the most dramatic progress in biology will come about through a genuine interdisciplinary approach in which biomedical scientists, mathematicians and physical scientists all play a role. The book by Murray (1989) discusses in detail many successful case studies of such an interdisciplinary approach.
An Efficient Segmentation Algorithm to Estimate Sleep Duration from Actigraphy Data

Sleep duration is a recognized determinant of mental health, obesity and cardiovascular disease, cognition, and memory across the lifespan. Due to convenience and cost, sleep duration is often measured through self-report; yet, self-reported sleep duration can be highly biased. Actigraphy is a viable alternative as an objective measure of sleep. To analyze this actigraphy data, various sleep evaluation algorithms have been developed using regression methods, with coefficients constructed on minute-by-minute data measured at a specific device placement (wrist or hip). Because activity counts per minute may be affected by various factors in the study (e.g., type of device, sampling frequencies), regression-based algorithms developed within specific populations may not be generalizable to wider use. To address these concerns, we propose a new learning method to obtain robust and consistent sleep duration estimates. First, we identify temporal segments via pruned dynamic programming; then, we develop a calling algorithm with individual-specific thresholds and capture sleep periods. Our proposed method is motivated by and demonstrated in the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) Sleep study and the Early Life Exposure in Mexico to ENvironmental Toxicants (ELEMENT) study.
Immigration Law as a Social Determinant of Health

Public health research demonstrates that population health is shaped in large measure by numerous social factors, widely known as the social determinants of health. This Essay argues that immigration law acts as a social determinant that affects the health of both noncitizens and citizens. Looking at several of the Trump administration’s regulatory initiatives, this Essay explores three different pathways through which immigration law may influence population health: creating fear and trauma; restricting access to critical social goods, including health care, food, and housing; and influencing social understandings of health. The Essay concludes by examining the legal mobilization that has arisen in response to the initiatives discussed and arguing that legal mobilization may serve as an additional pathway through which immigration law can affect population health for good or ill.
Trade Integration in Latin America: A Network Perspective

The paper applies a network analysis framework to analyze the regional and global integration of Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries. We compare network-based measures of trade integration to conventional measures, decomposing integration along several dimensions to better understand the sources of trade connectivity and their impact on growth. The paper finds that LAC countries are relatively well integrated in terms of links to diversified markets, but the strength of those links is weak. Comparing trade integration to predictions from gravity models, we find many LAC countries have significant scope to improve connectivity and increase their roles in regional and world trade networks.
Is There a Role for Intramedullary Tissue Sampling During Internal Fixation of Metastatic Disease in Long Bones? A Systematic Review and an Institutional Experience.

Background The purpose of this investigation was to identify and summarize the current utility of intramedullary tissue sampling during long bone internal fixation (IF) for metastatic bone disease (MBD). The secondary aim was to provide the experience of a single institution using this technique. Methods First, a systematic database query of the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (1976 to 2020), Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to 2020), EMBASE, and PubMed (1964 to 2020) was performed. Following article identification, a description of the method of sampling and yield was recorded. Second, an institutional cohort was identified following Institutional Review Board approval. Cases of MBD treated with IF from 2018 to 2020 were reviewed. Data were collected and recorded from cases during which intramedullary reamings were sent for histopathology. Results Ten studies met inclusion criteria. Four of the ten were techniques or technical notes. The remaining six were retrospective reviews in which tissue was sent for histopathology. Among those six, a total of 262 tissue samples were sent, and a negative result was recorded in 37.2% (n = 97) of cases. A total of 18.0% (n = 47) were noted as inadequate for interpretation. For reamings-only studies, the negative rate was higher at 50.5%. In our institutional cohort, a total of 16 tissue samples were sent in the setting of known MBD. The negative rate was 37.5% (n = 6), with zero instances of a change in clinical management after a positive result. Conclusion There are limited descriptions of intramedullary tissue sampling during IF of long bones for MBD. The existing literature, along with our institutional data, suggest this technique is less than optimal for tissue retrieval given the high rates of negative results from samples sent for histopathology. Furthermore, given the lack of clinical impact of a positive sample, we believe a multidisciplinary group should discuss preoperatively the utility of whether treatment might change based off a tissue diagnosis.Level of Evidence: V.
Teamwork Makes the Dream Work: Revolution of Therapeutic Care at The Plaster House Through Collaboration With St. Catherine University

Research Objectives After participating in this interactive presentation, participants will: Verbalize an understanding of the program evaluation process utilized by the teams Explore ways to use similar strategies to evaluate rehabilitation services in a variety of settings Brainstorm the use of program evaluation to ensure processes and procedures are working toward the mission and vision of a program. Design Introduction / Rationale: The Plaster House provides holistic high love, low-cost care to almost 700 children with surgically treatable disabilities every year. By creating this temporary home away from home, The Plaster House is helping children realize their full potential. With a goal of a world where children do not have to live with treatable disabilities, The Plaster House saw the need to evaluate their programming and care pathways. To ensure The Plaster House is meeting the needs of Tanzanian children in a sustainable, purposeful way, a collaboration was forged with St. Catherine University (St. Paul, MN). Through virtual meetings, small group work, email, and site visits, The Plaster House team and the St. Catherine University team developed an interdisciplinary team to facilitate a program evaluation. Setting Pediatric rehabilitation center in Tanzania. Participants Children with surgically treatable disabilities in Tanzania. Interventions Program evaluation. Main Outcome Measures Program evaluation. Results Program evaluation. Conclusions Method / Approach: This presentation will explore the collaboration between a rehabilitation center in Tanzania and a University in the United States. Participants will engage in dialogue about the program evaluation process, obstacles that may appear in the process, and how to organize and facilitate effective collaboration between teams in a virtual environment. Through group discussions, and interactive brainstorming, participants will leave this presentation with an understanding of a collaborative program evaluation process facilitated by teams an ocean apart. Author(s) Disclosures Nothing to disclose at this time.
Red blood cells differentiated in vitro using sequential liquid and semi-solid culture as a pre-clinical model.

The in vitro erythrocyte differentiation model remains a strong, clinically relevant tool to model erythroid development in normal and disease related hematopoiesis. This model also has application to developing therapeutics for diseases related to red blood cells such as sickle cell anemia where targeting increased expression of fetal hemoglobin has been a major emphasis. Since the original protocol’s publication in 2002, many groups have published modified methodologies to address issues in efficiency of maturation and terminal enucleation, as well as in scalability. While all reports have merit and show efficient enucleation, the methodologies used vary widely in technique and cytokine content. Additionally, despite the strengths in these methods, reproducibility of efficient differentiation to the point of differentiation is difficult. To address these limitations, we developed a streamlined process where total PBMCs are first primed using the original liquid culture expansion phase (published in 2002) before being differentiated with minimal input via standardized, commercially purchased semi-solid medium culture pre-supplemented with erythropoietin. Our data show this methodology to produce similar levels of CD235/CD71 positivity as previous methods but with enhanced CD235 solo positivity and evidence of enucleated cells in comparison with other widely used methods. Given the difficulty and wide variation in in vitro differentiation techniques, we present this methodology as a streamlined methodology for production of mature erythroid cells with minimal input using easily purchased reagents.
Ellipsoids for anomaly detection in remote sensing imagery

For many target and anomaly detection algorithms, a key step is the estimation of a centroid (relatively easy) and a covariance matrix (somewhat harder) that characterize the background clutter. For a background that can be modeled as a multivariate Gaussian, the centroid and covariance lead to an explicit probability density function that can be used in likelihood ratio tests for optimal detection statistics. But ellipsoidal contours can characterize a much larger class of multivariate density function, and the ellipsoids that characterize the outer periphery of the distribution are most appropriate for detection in the low false alarm rate regime. Traditionally the sample mean and sample covariance are used to estimate ellipsoid location and shape, but these quantities are confounded both by large lever-arm outliers and non-Gaussian distributions within the ellipsoid of interest. This paper compares a variety of centroid and covariance estimation schemes with the aim of characterizing the periphery of the background distribution. In particular, we will consider a robust variant of the Khachiyan algorithm for minimum-volume enclosing ellipsoid. The performance of these different approaches is evaluated on multispectral and hyperspectral remote sensing imagery using coverage plots of ellipsoid volume versus false alarm rate.
Apoptotic and Inflammatory Role of TNF-α in Adult Rat Testis upon Ethylene Dimethane Sulfonate Treatment

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF- α) is multifunctional cytokine secreted in mammalian testis by germ cells, Sertoli cells and to some extent by macrophage. TNF-α regulates different cellular processes p...
Access and retrieval of digital content

This chapter describes a vision for the near future in digital content, its usage,formats,and influences on society. Not surprisingly,the broad appeal of the WWW has influenced this vision.There is a new human information discourse emerging [1-3]. There are masses of information and digital libraries becoming available. There are rapidly evolving segments of cultures changing everything from the fundamental relationship between buying and selling basic living products such as food and clothing to learning through experiential play. Digital content,at the core of the revolution, is multinational and knows no barriers.lt will become the common language crossing and sharing between cultures. Digital content will be the currency for these new societies. This currency, along with the natural human drive that defines the motivation for this revolution — people sharing experiences with people facilitated by digital media — will provide the fuel for his revolution. How we create it, how we manage it, how we play and learn with it, and how we distribute digital content will define part of this cultural revolution. Equally important is the realization of who will create the content — the youth of the world. This chapter first addresses changing foundations for digital content, then changing societal trends, followed by some core changes in digital content, and finally the top challenges for digital media.