cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
ASSESSING NORTHERN ELEPHANT SEAL FEEDING HABITS BY STOMACH LAVAGE

Stomach lavaging was used to study the feeding habits of northern elephanr seals (Mirounga angustirostris) found on San hliguel Island, California, during the spring of 1984. Fifty-nine elephant seals were chemically immobilized with an intramuscular injection of ketamine hydrochloride. Once immobilized, an animal's stomach was intubated, filled nith 3-4 liters of water to create a slurry of the undigested food items, and evacuated into a collection device. The sromachs of 57 (96.6%) of the animals lavaged contained identifiable parts of prey. Twentynine differenr food items were identified, 12 of which have not been previously reported as prey of the northern elephant seal: tu'o teleost fish. Corypbaenoides acrolepis (Pacific rattail) and another unidentified macrourid; nvo crustaceans, Paszpbaea pacifica (glass shrimp) and Enpbausia sp.; six squid, Abraliopsii /e/is. Gonatus benyj, Hisri0teutbi.f dofleini. Crancbia srahra, Taonius pavo. and Galiterrthis sp. and rwo octopi. Ortopus doj4eini and OC~O~~J rube5cen~. 308
Synthesis of array patterns with deep nulls by use of one couple phases

A method of forming a pattern with a deep null by a couple of phases is proposed. The proposed method yields a pattern with a null at a prescribed direction by modifying phases of elements. It has been found that, in order to steer the nulls or deep nulls, it is necessary to adjust a couple of phases. It is pointed out that the pattern modified by a couple of phases cannot form deep nulls in some directions. In that case, the pattern with deep nulls can be steered by adjusting more couples of phases. >
The NRL protocol analysis tool: a position paper

The author gives a brief description of the NRL protocol analysis tool, and contrasts its approach with other approaches. The NRL protocol analysis tool was developed in order to assist in security proofs for protocols. However, it has also proved to be useful in pointing out previously undiscovered flaws in already published protocols. The successes using the protocol analysis tool suggests, that in many cases a hybrid approach, relying upon human intuition when possible, and providing mechanical assistance when necessary, will provide the most practical advantage. >
Where is the difference between the genomes of humans and annelids

The first systematic investigation of an annelid genome has revealed that the genes of the marine worm Platynereis dumerilii are more closely related to those of vertebrates than to those of insects or nematodes. For hundreds of millions of years vertebrates have preserved exon-intron structures descended from their last common ancestor with the annelids.
Demographic Differences in a Growth Mindset Incentive Structure for Educational Games

Video games have great potential to motivate students in environments for learning at scale. However, little is known about how to design in-game incentive structures to maximize learning and engagement. In this work, we expand on our previous research that introduced a new "brain points" incentive structure designed to promote the growth mindset, or the belief that intelligence is malleable. We replicate our original findings, showing that brain points increase student persistence and use of strategy. We also explore how brain points impact students from different demographic groups. We find that brain points are less engaging for low-income students, and discuss methods of improving our design in the future.
The Predictive Validity of Teacher Candidate Letters of Reference

Letters of reference are widely used as an essential part of the hiring process of newly licensed teachers. While the predictive validity of these letters of reference has been called into question it has never been empirically studied. The current study examined the predictive validity of the quality of letters of reference for forty-one student teachers in relation to their attainment of full time employment and performance during their first year of teaching. Results indicated that while letter quality was predictive of whether or not full-time employment was obtained, it was not predictive of performance during the first year of teaching. Findings also suggest that hiring practices should be re-examined and additional measures of teacher quality should be incorporated to increase teacher excellence in schools.
Bailouts, Buy-Ins, and Ballyhoo: Forget K Street, Save Main Street, and You Will Save Wall Street - And Paulson - As Well

I propose here a critical amendment to Treasury Secretary Paulson's proposed "bailout" plan for troubled financial institutions. If we channel the plan through FHA and its recently re-federalized GSE siblings, I argue, we shall neatly avoid all objections currently raised to the plan - those sounding in unconstitutional delegation, moral hazard, and inequity alike. Rather than "rescuing Main Street by rescuing Wall Street" through new Treasury authority, in short, we should employ institutional means already at our disposal by which we shall readily "rescue Wall Street by rescuing Main Street."
Scale of Operations---An Empirical Study

This study concerns the optimum size of an ice cream branch plant and territory. The company operated ten plants covering a seven state area. At the time of the study, management was uncertain as to even the approximate size of an optimum plant. The study revealed that about six larger plants would be a better system. The company now operates six plants and is considering cutting this number still further.
Bordetella Avium Phase-Shift Markers: Characterization of Whole Cell, Cell Envelope, and Outer Membrane Proteins

Antigenic variation has been studied extensively in Bordetella pertussis , 8 , 1 2 and more recently in B. bronchiseptica , 2 , 1 3 and is characterized by the loss of virulence factors. This ability to switch between virulent and avirulent forms is controlled by the bvg locus and can be either phenotypic (antigenic modulation) or genotypic (phase variation). Antigenic modulation occurs in response to temperature, ions, or nutrients in the growth medium and is readily reversible. Phase variation is due to a frame shift mutation or deletion in the bvg locus and is considerably less reversible, with a frequency of 1 x 10 to 1 x 10 Regardless of the mechanism, the outcome is the same: a loss of antigenic properties and virulence-associated factors that correlate with a loss of pathogenicity in those bacteria. Phase variation has been recently reported in B. avium. When a nalidixic acid-resistant mutant of B. avium was plated on medium containing nicotinamide and nalidixic acid, 2 spontaneously induced variants were observed that lacked dermonecrotic toxin and 4 other outer membrane proteins (OMP). Those variants reverted to a pathogenic state following inoculation into 3-day-old turkeys. Recently a reversible colonial phenotypic variation occurring in B. avium was reported/ Two naturally occurring colony types (smooth and rough) were observed at a frequency of approximately 1 x 10 on artificial medium without antibiotics or other selection method. Characterization of those colony types revealed that isolates of B. avium with the smooth colonial morphology were pathogenic for turkey poults, whereas isolates with the rough colony type were nonpathogenic. Alterations in the protein profiles of B. bronchiseptica and B. pertussis are associated with a phase change. Unique proteins called phase-shift markers were identified in those bacteria and could be used to distinguish between pathogenic and nonpathogenic organisms. As a first step in determining whether the rough colony type represents a phase change in B. avium and to identify phase-shift markers that could be exploited in a diagnostic test, soluble proteins from whole cells (WC), cell envelopes (CE), and Sarkosyl-insoluble OMPenriched fractions of pathogenic smooth and nonpathogenic rough colony types were examined. Three smooth colony wild type B. avium isolates (002/S, 170/S, 198/S) and 3 isolates of the rough colony type originating from wild type isolates (002/R, 170/R, 198/R) were previously characterized and used in this study. The bacteria
Real-time scheduling with quality of service constraints

Whether or not the introduction of traffic classes improves upon the performance of ATM networks is discussed within the framework provided by a class of networks that guarantees quality of service. To provide a meaningful comparison the authors define the concept of a schedulable region, a region in the space of loads for which the quality of service is guaranteed. The authors show the dependence of the schedulable region on the scheduling algorithm employed, quality of service parameters, and traffic statistics. An efficient real-time scheduling algorithm is introduced that substantially increases the schedulable region without incurring prohibitive complexity costs. The schedulable region associated with this algorithm is compared with the ones generated by the static priority scheduling algorithm and a variant of the minimum laxity threshold algorithm. The size and shape of the schedulable region is explored by means of simulations. >
On the design of easily testable and reconfigurable systolic arrays

Methods to design easily testable and reconfigurable (ETAR) systolic arrays are proposed, and procedures to design linear unidirectional and bidirectional systolic arrays are given. The main feature of the proposed designs is that the processing elements in liner arrays can all be tested simultaneously, thus reducing the testing time significantly. Another feature is that the throughputs of the reconfigured linear unidirectional as well as bidirectional arrays can equal those of the fault-free linear arrays. >
Enzymatically Generated CRISPR Libraries for Genome Labeling and Screening

CRISPR-based technologies have emerged as powerful tools to alter genomes and mark chromosomal loci, but an inexpensive method for generating large numbers of RNA guides for whole genome screening and labeling is lacking. Using a method that permits library construction from any source of DNA, we generated guide libraries that label repetitive loci or a single chromosomal locus in Xenopus egg extracts and show that a complex library can target the E. coli genome at high frequency.
New Information and Australian Equity Returns: A Multivariate Analysis

Utilising multivariate techniques the study investigates the relationship between new macroeconomic information and weekly Australian equity returns and tests the joint hypothesis of market efficiency and constant equilibrium expected equity returns (or constant risk premium). The joint hypothesis is strongly rejected for the 1978–1981 sample period. On the other hand, Australian equity returns are found to be significantly positively related to U.S. equity returns, growth of the monetary base, and the rate of change of the US$/A$ exchange rate.
Novel angiotensin receptor subtypes in fowl

We reported previously that blood vessels of domestic fowl contain angiotensin (ANG) receptors on 1) endothelium, mediating vasorelaxation via endothelium-derived relaxing factor and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate; 2) vascular smooth muscles, mediating neither relaxation nor contraction; and 3) presumably adrenergic nerve endings, transmitting vasopressor action via a release of norepinephrine. We aimed in the present study to determine fowl vascular ANG receptor subtypes and relate them to function. [Val5]ANG II (native fowl ANG II) increased mean arterial pressure of anesthetized, ganglion-blocker-treated fowl. The dose-pressor response curve for fowl ANG II was not altered by pretreatment (i.v.) with the ANG receptor subtype 1 (AT1) antagonist Dup-753 (losartan, 10 mg/kg) or the subtype 2 (AT2) antagonist PD-123319 (10 mg/kg). Furthermore, cumulative doses (1-20 mg/kg) of losartan or PD-123319 did not selectively inhibit ANG II-induced pressor responses. In reserpine- and prazosin-treated anesthetized fowl, [Val5]ANG II caused dose-dependent vasodepressor actions inhibited by neither losartan (10 mg/kg) nor PD-123319 (10 mg/kg). Likewise, [Val5]ANG II-induced vasorelaxation of fowl aortic rings in vitro was not inhibitable by PD-123319 or losartan (10(-5) M). Specific binding of 125I-labeled ANG II to the aortic endothelium was markedly displaced by ANG II, but not selectively by PD-123319 or losartan. Specific binding of 125I-ANG II ligand to the membrane fraction of aortic smooth muscles was displaced (50% inhibitory concentration) by [Val5]ANG II (3.3 x 10(-8) M) and slightly by PD-123319 (3.7 x 10(-5) M), but not by losartan or EXP-3174, an active metabolite of losartan.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
CNS Barriers in Neurotrauma

Despite significant advances in designing neuroprotective therapies, multiple clinical trials in head trauma and spinal cord injury have produced mixed results. A better understanding of the pathophysiology of central nervous system (CNS) barriers may improve clinical translation of therapies for injury of the CNS. The blood–brain barrier and blood-spinal cord barrier are formed by specialized CNS endothelial cells. These barriers play a fundamental role in restricting the entry of blood-borne factors into the CNS. However, they also function as the gateway for the delivery of neuroprotective drugs. Neurotrauma changes the properties of CNS barriers, which may significantly affect the efficacy of neuroprotective therapies. The endothelial barriers of the CNS together with the blood-cerebrospinal fluid barrier, which is predominantly formed by the epithelial cells of the choroid plexus, also restrict the influx of circulating leukocytes into the CNS. Dysfunction of these barriers resulting from injury plays a key role in the initiation and progression of inflammation that accompanies neurotrauma.
Evaluation of a Solubility Test Kit and an Automated Machine for Detecting Hemoglobin S

A solubility test kit (Sicklequik) and an instrument (SCAT Screener) designed to semiautomate the reading of the solubility test for the detection of hemoglobin S were evaluated for accuracy, precision, and specificity. Two hundred blood samples from persons with normal and variant hemoglobins were tested. Results were satisfactory for the test kit. However, the instrument gave incorrect results for 7% of the samples tested for hemoglobin S.
Nine psychiatric inpatients who leaped from a height.

The authors describe nine psychiatric inpatients from the same hospital who leaped from a height. Common features included youth, social isolation, diagnosis of schizophrenia, and chronic psychosis despite neuroleptic therapy. All had prolonged hospitalizations and a history of assaults, suicide attempts, or both. The authors suggest that these characteristics in conjunction with a recent change in hospital treatment plan or loss of social supports may identify patients at high-risk for violent self-destructive acts. Language: en
Psychometric Properties of the Family Support Scale Adapted for African American Women with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Objective : The purpose of our study was twofold: 1) adapt and test a social support measure specific to the experiences of African American women with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM); 2) examine its relationship to psychosocial measures. Research Design and Methods : 200 rural African American women with uncontrolled T2DM participating in a randomized controlled trial completed surveys at baseline on their social support, empowerment, self-care, self-efficacy, depression and diabetes distress. Exploratory factor analysis and correlation analysis were conducted to test the psychometric properties of the Dunst Family Support Scale adapted for AA women with T2DM (FSS-AA T2DM) and its relationship with other psychosocial measures. Results : The 16 items of the FSS-AA T2DM loaded onto three distinct factors: parent and spouse/partner support, community and medical support, and extended family and friends support. Reliability for the entire scale was good (Cronbach’s a5.90) and was acceptable to high across these three factors (Cronbach’s a of .86, .83, and .83 respectively). All three factors were significantly correlated with self-reported empowerment, self-care, self-efficacy, depression and diabetes distress, although the pattern was different for each factor. FSS-AA-T2DM showed good concurrent validity when compared with similar items on the Diabetes Distress Scale. Conclusion : The FSS-AA T2DM, a 16-item scale measuring social support among rural African American women with T2DM, is internally consistent and reliable. Findings support the utility of this screening tool in this population, although additional testing is needed with other groups in additional settings. ( Ethn Dis . 2015;25[2]:193–199)
Broncholithiasis with aorto-tracheal fistula.

Broncholithiasis, although recognized in antiquity by Aristotle and well known to accompany the mediastinal calcifications of tuberculosis and histoplasmosis frequently seen in our society, is rarely mentioned in recent medical literature. Failure of early recognition of this lesion in the case presented contributed to a long and exasperating course and a dramatic and disastrous result. It is hoped that the presentation of a unique case of broncholithiasis with and aorta-tracheal fistula will serve to rekindle interest in and understanding of this neglected entity and preclude similar cases in the future.
Vascular Endothelial Cells Exposed to Sustained Hydrostatic Pressure: A Three Dimensional Evaluation of Cytoskeletal Rearrangement

The response of vascular endothelium to the hemodynamic forces present under normal and pathological conditions is important in understanding how mechanical injury of the endothelium effects vascular function. During hypertension, increased blood pressure exposes the vascular cells to increased normal stresses. Endothelial cell cytoskeletal changes in response to normal stress (hydrostatic pressure) are explored in this study in three dimensions.
Pattern-Directed Invocation with Changing Equalities

The interaction of pattern-directed invocation with equality in an automated reasoning system gives rise to a completeness problem. In such systems, a demon needs to be invoked not only when its pattern exactly matches a term in the reasoning data base, but also when it is possible to create a variant that matches. An incremental algorithm has been developed which solves this problem without generating all possible variants of terms in the database. The algorithm is shown to be complete for a class of demons, called {\it transparent} demons, in which there is a well-behaved logical relationship between the pattern and the body of the demon.
Automatically generating the dynamic semantics of gradually typed languages

Many language designers have adopted gradual typing. However, there remains open questions regarding how to gradualize languages. Cimini and Siek (2016) created a methodology and algorithm to automatically generate the type system of a gradually typed language from a fully static version of the language. In this paper, we address the next challenge of how to automatically generate the dynamic semantics of gradually typed languages. Such languages typically use an intermediate language with explicit casts. Our first result is a methodology for generating the syntax, type system, and dynamic semantics of the intermediate language with casts. Next, we present an algorithm that formalizes and automates the methodology, given a language definition as input. We show that our approach is general enough to automatically gradualize several languages, including features such as polymorphism, recursive types and exceptions. We prove that our algorithm produces languages that satisfy the key correctness criteria of gradual typing. Finally, we implement the algorithm, generating complete specifications of gradually typed languages in lambda-Prolog, including executable interpreters.
Diagnostic accuracy of echocardiography combined with chest CT in pulmonary hypertension

Background: Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) and computerized axial tomography (CT) are complementary imaging techniques. It is possible that a combination of the two may offer a better way of identifying pulmonary hypertension (PH) than either one alone. Objectives: To determine the diagnostic accuracy of TTE combined with chest CT in pulmonary hypertension. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of consecutive patients who had undergone TTE, CT and right heart catheterization (RHC) between 7/1/2008 and 6/30/2012. PH was defined as systolic pulmonary artery pressure (sPAP) >40 mm Hg or tricuspid regurgitant (TR) jet velocity >2.8m/s on TTE, ratio of diameter of pulmonary artery to ascending aorta (rPA) >1 or diameter of PA (dPA) >30 mm on CT, and mean PAP (mPAP) >25 mm Hg on RHC. Results: There was a total of 87 patients. The mean ± SD age was 54.3 ± 15.9 years and 69 (79%) were female. The prevalence of PH was 75%. The mean ± SD mPAP was 35.8 ± 14.2 mm Hg. The majority of the patients belonged to World Health Organization group I PH. Fifty per cent of the CT scans were done with intravenous contrast dye. The combination of TR jet velocity and rPA provided the best combination of sensitivity (98%) and specificity (70%) with an ROC area under the curve of 0.84. Conclusion: The combination of TTE and chest CT is better than either imaging technique alone in identifying patients with PH in a heterogeneous population and may exclude PH This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Belief network analysis: A relational approach to understanding the structure of attitudes

Many accounts of political belief systems conceive of them as networks of interrelated opinions, in which some beliefs are central and others peripheral. This article formally shows how such structural features can be used to construct direct measures of belief centrality in a network of correlations. This method is applied to the 2000 ANES data, which have been used to argue that political beliefs are organized around parenting schemas. This structural approach instead yields results consistent with the central role of political identity, which individuals may use as the organizing heuristic to filter information from the political field. In light of recent accounts of belief system heterogeneity, a search for population heterogeneity in this organizing logic was undertaken first by comparing 44 demographic subpopulations and then using inductive techniques. Contra these recent accounts, the study finds that belief systems of different groups vary in the amount of organization but not in the logic that o...
Pathogenic germline mutations in emerging cancer genes: What happens after panel testing?

1528Background: Next-generation sequencing technology enables more comprehensive germline genetic testing, including genes whose cancer risks are less well-characterized (particularly among patient...
Acromioclavicular Joint Injuries

Acromioclavicular (AC) joint injuries are common in the athletic population, particularly in those who participate in contact sports. A thorough history, physical examination, and imaging evaluation are critical to establish the correct diagnosis, guide treatment, and ensure optimal outcomes. The paradigm for managing complete AC separations has dramatically shifted over time and continues to evolve with new evidence and improved surgical techniques. In this chapter, we review of the pathoanatomy, workup, and treatment of AC joint injuries.
Maternal Monitoring Knowledge Change and Adolescent Externalizing Behaviors in Low-Income African American and Latino Families

Drawing on a sample of 318 African American and 354 Latino urban, low-income families, we identify maternal monitoring knowledge trajectories and examine which trajectory predicts fewer late-adolescent externalizing problems and which family and neighborhood factors predict trajectories with positive implications for late-adolescent externalizing behaviors. The majority of adolescents in both groups perceived long-term high levels of maternal monitoring knowledge throughout adolescence-stably high for the African American sample and high for the Latino sample. Long-term high levels of knowledge predicted fewer general late-adolescent externalizing problems for both groups and fewer late-adolescent delinquent behaviors for the African American sample. Family routine and mother-adolescent trust predicted long-term high levels of knowledge for both groups. For the African American sample, family routine and neighborhood cohesion predicted stably high levels of knowledge via the mediation of mother-adolescent trust. We discuss implications for improving positive adolescent development and family environments for both groups.
Honesty and trust in old and new democracies: Challenges and disappointments

In 2002, Janos Kornai and the author organized a project that sought to confront distrust, corruption, and dishonesty in the transition economies of Eastern Europe. In reflecting on that project, this essay highlights present-day weaknesses in the region’s transition and stresses equally troubling developments in the United States that could make government less open to input from civil society groups and low-income individuals. Building a trustworthy state and creating social trust remain challenges for committed democrats in both developed and developing societies.
Subclinical kidney injury induced by repeated cisplatin administration results in progressive chronic kidney disease

Cisplatin is used to treat many solid cancers, but its dose-limiting side effect is nephrotoxicity, causing acute kidney injury in 30% of patients. Previously, we have developed a mouse model that ...
Resolving IT-Culture Conflict in Enterprise 2.0 Implementations.

Social media technologies have grown from the personal recreation tools of college students to systems that can benefit business. In addition to using social networking to market, sell, and manage external stakeholder relationships, some organizations are leveraging social networking’s communication and collaboration tools to improve internal operations. However, implementing social networking systems (hereinafter SNSs) within an organization can prove challenging since the values associated with SNSs (i.e., having fun and getting to know people personally) may conflict with an organization’s culture (i.e., work, control, and authority). Therefore, the purpose of this case study is to understand how to resolve IT– culture conflict in workplace implementations of internal SNSs, often referred to as Enterprise 2.0.
Two essays on reputation effects in economic models

In this thesis we investigate formal economic models of repeated interactions where some players might be able to establish and/or maintain a reputation for choosing certain actions. In Chapter 1 of the thesis we review the literature on reputation models;In Chapter 2 we extend the basic chain-store game to the two-incumbent case. We consider a highly stylized model where two incumbents populate a finite number of markets. In each of these markets there is a threat of potential entry by a different competitor. In case of entry, each of the two incumbents simultaneously and independently decides whether to meet entry by aggressive (costly in the short-run) or a peaceful response. We investigate a model where each of the incumbents may have an initial reputation for being a "tough" type that enjoys fighting. We show that over some range of initial reputations a weak incumbent's pay off is a decreasing function of its reputation. This interesting result stands in sharp contrast to the predictions of the existing literature on reputation effects;In Chapter 3 we analyze issues of time consistency associated with strategic trade. From the results on time consistency, we know that ability to revise announcements can lead to suboptimal outcomes. Mechanisms are then explored that impose a "cost" for the failure to honor the initial commitment. Both trading parties gain, if these mechanisms are perfectly enforceable. We also examine a model in which the commitment mechanism is present, but imperfectly enforceable. We show that if the parties trade for sufficiently many periods and/or the initial reputation for being a commitment type is sufficiently high, then reputation effects dominate the play of the game. Both players gain compared to the case in which the commitment mechanisms are absent. Finally, we observe that the model of strategic trade has required innovations in the game theoretic formulation. The most important of these follow from the "personality" of the "commitment" type.
“To Boldly Go Where No Man [sic] Has Gone Before:” Approaches in Space Archaeology and Heritage

This chapter provides an introduction to the field of space archaeology and heritage. It defines archaeology as a sub-discipline of Anthropology which embraces the totality of human experience—it is the study of the relationships between material culture and human behavior. Archaeologists study material culture of all time periods (no temporal limits) and in all places (no spatial limits—it can be done off the Earth, in space and on other celestial bodies). It provides an overview of this recent field and the importance of the concept of the cultural landscape of space exploration.
Fundamentals and basic principles of tissue transfer

The advancements in tissue transfer techniques made recent years allow the reconstructive surgeon to view the whole body as a potential donor site. Now functional results, along with cosmetic results, can be considered as paramount in the thinking of the reconstructive surgeon. In the past, techniques of tissue transfer tended to be considered in ladder fashion with the surgeon applying techniques of transfer from simplest to "exotic" as opposed to considering optimal functional/cosmetic results. Now reconstructive surgeons routinely consider the "exotic" when it yields the best functional/cosmetic results. The basic that will be discussed in this chapter are designed to provide a platform from which GU reconstructive surgeon launches into more complex and imaginative procedures.
Klossiella equi infection in a Cheval Canadien Mare.

A 6-year-old Cheval Canadien mare was presented for clinical signs related to acute kidney injury after receiving a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy. Cytologic examination of concentrated urine revealed small protozoal organisms that were later identified as Klossiella equi. Both sporocysts and free-floating sporozoites were identified in the urine, which has not been previously documented. The mare responded well to intravenous fluid therapy, and as she regained tubular function, the presence of the protozoa in the urine also abated. The mare was discharged from the hospital after approximately 1 week of therapy. Repeat serum chemistries for up to 1 year following discharge demonstrated that all renal parameters had returned to normal, and the protozoa were not visualized on cytologic examination of the collected urine samples.
Family Matters? Voting Behavior in Households with Criminal Justice Contact

Contact with the criminal legal system has been shown to reduce individuals’ political participation, but its effect on friends and family members is less clear. Do people who see loved ones arrested or incarcerated become mobilized to change the system, or do they withdraw from political life? I address this question using administrative data from one large county, identifying registered voters who live with someone facing misdemeanor charges. Court records and vote histories allow me to accurately measure proximate criminal justice exposure and voting for a broader sample of people than survey data would. Using case timing for arrests shortly before and shortly after the election allows me to avoid bias from omitted variables. I find evidence of a short-term demobilization effect for people who see household members convicted or jailed in the weeks before the election, but no evidence of a lasting turnout effect from these experiences.
Combined nitrous oxide 70% with intranasal fentanyl for procedural analgosedation in children: a prospective, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial

Objective Nitrous oxide 70% (N2O 70%) is an excellent medication for procedural analgosedation (PAS), yet the limit of its analgesic power remains uncertain; therefore, a combination with intranasal fentanyl (INF) was suggested. However, this combination seems to result in a higher rate of vomiting and deeper sedation. This study aimed at assessing the analgesic efficacy, sedation depth and rate of adverse events of PAS with N2O 70% with and without INF. Methods Patients aged 2–16 years who qualified for PAS with N2O 70% were randomly assigned to receive either INF or placebo prior to N2O inhalation in this randomised, double-blind study, which was performed in a tertiary children’s hospital ED between September 2015 and October 2017. Behaviour during the procedure was evaluated using the Face, Leg, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scale and the Modified Behavioural Pain Scale (MBPS); analgesic efficacy was assessed with a self-reported pain scale. Sedation depth using the validated University of Michigan Sedation Scale and adverse events in the ED and during the following 12 hours were documented. Results A total of 402 patients were included; 3 did not tolerate N2O and therefore had to be excluded. Overall, 399 patients were analysed, of whom 201 (50.4%) received INF. No significant group differences with regard to FLACC scale score, self-reported pain, MBPS score and sedation depth were found. In addition, the two groups did not differ with regard to all types of adverse events. Conclusion Combining N2O 70% with INF resulted in no differences with regard to FLACC scale score, self-reported pain, MBPS score, patient and parental satisfaction rate, sedation depth, and adverse events. Trial registration number NCT02533908
High rates of undiagnosed vascular cognitive impairment among American Indian veterans.

As data on prevalence and etiology of dementia in American Indians are limited, we sought to determine rates and patterns of memory loss among American Indian veterans with vascular risk factors. Sixty consecutive outpatient American Indian veterans with a mean age of 64 years (range 50–86), without prior dementia or mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and with ≥ 2 vascular risk factors were enrolled. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) and the Beck Depression Inventory-II were used to screen for cognitive impairment and depression. Patients with MoCA scores < 26 were referred for additional evaluation, including imaging, serology, and neuropsychological testing. Overall rates, types, and distribution of cognitive impairment were determined. Most prevalent vascular risk factors included hypertension (92%), hyperlipidemia (88%), diabetes (47%), and smoking (78%). Eight patients (13%) with severe depression were excluded, leaving 23/52 with abnormal MoCA scores (44%, 95%CI 30%–59%). Fifteen completed additional evaluation for memory loss, including four with normal MoCA scores who requested evaluation based on symptoms. Results were adjudicated as normal (4), non-amnestic MCI (4), vascular MCI (5), and vascular dementia (2). These results show that rates of undiagnosed cognitive impairment among American Indian veterans with vascular risk factors exceed rates previously published in non-American Indian cohorts. The most common etiology is vascular. Our findings support the need to improve vascular risk reduction in this understudied population.
A comparison of outcomes for standard and multiplex partial nephrectomy in a solitary kidney: The National Cancer Institute experience

Abstract Objectives To study the short and intermediate surgical, renal functional, and oncologic outcomes of multiplex partial nephrectomy (mPN) and standard partial nephrectomy (sPN) in the setting of a solitary kidney. Patients and Methods Review of a prospectively maintained database of patients undergoing solitary kidney partial nephrectomy at our institution was performed. Patients were stratified into 2 cohorts: mPN–where 3 or more renal tumors were resected and sPN–where 1 or 2 tumors were resected. Perioperative, renal functional, and oncological outcomes were compared. Results Ninety-three patients with a solitary kidney underwent a total of 121 surgical procedures; 43 (35.5%) were sPN and 78 (64.4%) were mPN. The total and major (Clavien Grade III and IV) complication rates between sPN and mPN were similar (57.1% vs. 70.1%, P = 0.2; 31.0% vs. 35.1%, P = 0.3). At 12 months post-op, the percentage of patients with eGFR > 45 was similar in each group (sPN 87.0%, mPN 73.7%; P = 0.2), and long-term hemodialysis rates were 4.7% and 6.4%, respectively. Completion nephrectomy was performed in 2.3% of sPN and 2.6% of mPN. At a median follow-up of 40.1 months, the metastasis rate was 8.6% in the sPN group and 4.1% in the mPN group (P = 0.4). Conclusions Partial nephrectomy in the setting of a solitary kidney can effectively preserve renal function. The renal functional and oncologic outcomes were similar in sPN and mPN, with low hemodialysis rates and complication rates within the expected range of these operations. Three or more tumors in a solitary kidney should not be a contraindication for nephron sparing surgery.
Writing in Palimpsests: Performative Acts and Tactics in Everyday Life of Chinese Muslims

Over the past decades, religious pluralism has been used as a heuristic tool to better understand the multiple modalities of religious interactions and expressions around the world. Inspired by the overarching theme of an ‘emergent religious pluralism,’ this chapter offers a critical examination of the religious pluralism in the everyday life of Hui Muslims in contemporary China. It is not an explication of different faiths coexisting in a liberal society, but an exploration of the relationship between an authoritarian state and its Muslim minority regarding the question of religious diversity.
Blood-Brain Barrier and Delivery of Protein and Gene Therapeutics to Brain

Alzheimer's disease (AD) and treatment of the brain in aging require the development of new biologic drugs, such as recombinant proteins or gene therapies. Biologics are large molecule therapeutics that do not cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB). BBB drug delivery is the limiting factor in the future development of new therapeutics for the brain. The delivery of recombinant protein or gene medicines to the brain is a binary process: either the brain drug developer re-engineers the biologic with BBB drug delivery technology, or goes forward with brain drug development in the absence of a BBB delivery platform. The presence of BBB delivery technology allows for engineering the therapeutic to enable entry into the brain across the BBB from blood. Brain drug development may still take place in the absence of BBB delivery technology, but with a reliance on approaches that have rarely led to FDA approval, e.g., CSF injection, stem cells, small molecules, and others. CSF injection of drug is the most widely practiced approach to brain delivery that bypasses the BBB. However, drug injection into the CSF results in limited drug penetration to the brain parenchyma, owing to the rapid export of CSF from the brain to blood. A CSF injection of a drug is equivalent to a slow intravenous (IV) infusion of the pharmaceutical. Given the profound effect the existence of the BBB has on brain drug development, future drug or gene development for the brain will be accelerated by future advances in BBB delivery technology in parallel with new drug discovery.
Terrorism and Kebab: The Administrative Grotesque and the Egyptian Chaplin––Notes on Humor, Resistance, and Biopolitics

Terrorism and Kebab (Sherif Arafa, Egypt, 1992) is a film rich in cultural and political meaning, both as it applies to the specificity of Egyptian politics and culture but also as it conveys the commonality of the plight of the Everyman, across borders and regions, in the face the Kafka-esque administrative machine housed in the famous Mogamma in Tahrir Square. This film presents the universal tale of the little man, the Chaplin or, here, Adel Imam—buffeted by forces beyond his control, yet able to resist with anarchic spontaneity and humor. The film’s comedic portrayal of a massive and violently incompetent state apparatus which frames its legitimacy in the “state of emergency” exposes the “grotesque mechanism of power” as not an exception but rather as a fundamental and necessary component of arbitrary power, resulting in the destruction of the imagination—here reduced to the dream of a kebab, a perfect example of the destruction of memory which is essential to the biopolitical administration of human beings.
Influence of coastal upwelling on micro-phytoplankton variability at Valparaíso Bay (~33ºS), Central Chile

In this work 10 years of data (1986-1996) from a fixed station located in the northern part of Valparaiso Bay (33o00’S; 71o35’W) were analysed to study the influence of coastal upwelling activity on the temporal variation of micro-phytoplankton (20-200 μm) and their relationship with oceanographic conditions. The upwelling activity at the bay was associated to semi-annual wind regime with an intensification of upwelling-favourable S-SW winds from September to March followed by a decrease and the occurrence of downwelling events from April to August. Oceanographic conditions showed the ascent of cold, nutrient-rich salty water in spring (September-November). However, during summertime under highest upwelling index, thermal stratification conditions were registered. This stratification might be associated to either the solar radiation or the presence of an upwelling shadow area in the bay. The upwelling period had the highest micro-phytoplankton abundance mainly dominated by diatoms. This period was associated with an increase in biomass and richness in the bay. Meanwhile during non-upwelling period —under homogenous conditions of temperature, salinity and nutrients— an increase in diversity (but low abundance and richness) associated to dinoflagellates and silicoflagellates was noted. Therefore, the results suggest the presence of a bi-modal regime of micro-phytoplankton in the bay in response to changes in oceanographic conditions related to local wind forcing and mixing/stratification.
Standardizing nurse practitioner student evaluation during high-stakes clinical examinations.

ABSTRACT Nurse practitioners (NPs) require clinical competence in advanced health assessment skills to differentiate between normal, variations of normal, and abnormal patient findings. High-stakes clinical examinations, using live hands-on simulation scenarios and standardized patients (SPs) or other human role players, are accepted teaching and evaluation tools for NP students. Providing objective, valid, and reliable feedback to students during high-stakes clinical examinations is of considerable value for ongoing skill development. The study examined opportunities to improve the quality of student evaluation in simulation testing modes. A purposive sample of 17 video recordings of health students' comprehensive examination of an SP or physical examination teaching associate (PETA) from a nursing graduate level health assessment course was evaluated. Using a standardized rubric, students were scored live and after a comprehensive examination of a SP/PETA and via a secure web-based video platform by the faculty and an independent reviewer. Evaluator group examination score comparisons revealed that distributions of examination scores within evaluator groups were not similar. Median examination scores were significantly different between groups; faculty median examination scores significantly higher than SPs/PETAs. Efficiency of student evaluation may be increased by improving reviewer training, reducing checklist length, and adopting electronic scoring. Development of an exemplary teaching video providing explanation and detail for expected student skill performance will allow reviewers to practice and improve competence in reliable scoring, reduce time and effort of scorers, and increase accuracy of scoring.
Influence of Lab Adapted Natural Diet and Microbiota on Life History and Metabolic Phenotype of Drosophila melanogaster

Symbiotic microbiota can help its host to overcome nutritional challenges, which is consistent with a holobiont theory of evolution. Our project investigated the effects produced by the microbiota community, acquired from the environment and horizontal transfer, on metabolic traits related to obesity. The study applied a novel approach of raising Drosophila melanogaster, from ten wild-derived genetic lines on naturally fermented peaches, preserving genuine microbial conditions. Larvae raised on the natural and standard lab diets were significantly different in every tested phenotype. Frozen peach food provided nutritional conditions similar to the natural ones and preserved key microbial taxa necessary for survival and development. On the peach diet, the presence of parental microbiota increased the weight and development rate. Larvae raised on each tested diet formed microbial communities distinct from each other. The effect that individual microbial taxa produced on the host varied significantly with changing environmental and genetic conditions, occasionally to the degree of opposite correlations.
Excess mortality associated with the COVID-19 pandemic among Californians 18-65 years of age, by occupational sector and occupation: March through November 2020.

Author(s): Chen, Yea-Hung; Glymour, Maria; Riley, Alicia; Balmes, John; Duchowny, Kate; Harrison, Robert; Matthay, Ellicott; Bibbins-Domingo, Kirsten | Abstract: BackgroundThough SARS-CoV-2 outbreaks have been documented in occupational settings and in-person essential work has been suspected as a risk factor for COVID-19, occupational differences in excess mortality have, to date, not been examined. Such information could point to opportunities for intervention, such as vaccine prioritization or regulations to enforce safer work environments.Methods and findingsUsing autoregressive integrated moving average models and California Department of Public Health data representing 356,188 decedents 18-65 years of age who died between January 1, 2016 and November 30, 2020, we estimated pandemic-related excess mortality by occupational sector and occupation, with additional stratification of the sector analysis by race/ethnicity. During these first 9 months of the COVID-19 pandemic, working-age adults experienced 11,628 more deaths than expected, corresponding to 22% relative excess and 46 excess deaths per 100,000 living individuals. Sectors with the highest relative and per-capita excess mortality were food/agriculture (39% relative excess; 75 excess deaths per 100,000), transportation/logistics (31%; 91 per 100,000), manufacturing (24%; 61 per 100,000), and facilities (23%; 83 per 100,000). Across racial and ethnic groups, Latino working-age Californians experienced the highest relative excess mortality (37%) with the highest excess mortality among Latino workers in food and agriculture (59%; 97 per 100,000). Black working-age Californians had the highest per-capita excess mortality (110 per 100,000), with relative excess mortality highest among transportation/logistics workers (36%). Asian working-age Californians had lower excess mortality overall, but notable relative excess mortality among health/emergency workers (37%), while White Californians had high per-capita excess deaths among facilities workers (70 per 100,000).ConclusionsCertain occupational sectors are associated with high excess mortality during the pandemic, particularly among racial and ethnic groups also disproportionately affected by COVID-19. In-person essential work is a likely venue of transmission of coronavirus infection and must be addressed through vaccination and strict enforcement of health orders in workplace settings.