cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical Marijuana Legalization and Co-use in Adult Cigarette Smokers.

Author(s): Wang, Julie B; Cataldo, Janine K | Abstract: ObjectivesWe examined effects of long-term medical marijuana legalization on cigarette co-use in a sample of adults.MethodsWe conducted secondary analysis using data from the 2014 US Tobacco Attitudes and Beliefs Survey, which consisted of cigarette smokers, aged ≥ 45 years (N = 506). Participants were categorized by their state residence, where medical marijuana was (1) illegal, (2) legalized l 10 years, and (3) legalized ≥ 10 years. The Web-based survey assessed participants' marijuana use, beliefs and attitudes on marijuana, and nicotine dependence using Fagerstrom Tolerance for Nicotine Dependence (FTND) and Hooked on Nicotine Checklist (HONC) scores.ResultsIn cigarette smokers aged ≥ 45 years, long-term legalization of medical marijuana was associated with stable positive increases in marijuana use prevalence (ever in a lifetime) (p = .005) and frequency (number of days in past 30 days) (unadjusted p = .005; adjusted p = .08). Those who reported marijuana co-use had greater FTND and HONC scores after adjusting for covariates (p = .05).ConclusionsThese preliminary findings warrant further examination of the potential impact of long-term legalization of medical marijuana on greater cigarette and marijuana co-use in adults and higher nicotine dependence among co-users at the population level.
Partial shoot removal increases net CO2 assimilation and alters water relations of Citrus seedlings

Effects of defoliation on partial shoot removal by decapitation on seedling growth, water use and net gas exchange of remaining basal leaves, were examined in Citrus spp. Shoot and root growth rates were manipulated to test for effects of growth demands on net gas exchange. Partially defoliated plants had higher leaf pressure potentials, root conductivities and rates of water use than intact control plants. Shoot regrowth occurred at the expense of root loss. Basal leaves on defoliated plants consistently had higher rates of CO(2) assimilation (A) than leaves on intact plants. Stomatal conductance (g(s)) changed little after defoliation so the higher A of leaves on defoliated plants lowered the ratio of intercellular to ambient CO(2) concentration (C(i)/C(a)) in the mesophyll. In some cases, g(s) increased with A in defoliated plants but C(i)/C(a) was not affected. Stomatal conductance only limited A when intact seedlings were stressed by root confinement in small pots or when leaves were exposed to high vapor pressure deficits during gas exchange measurements. Increased carbon demand for shoot regrowth increased photosynthetic capacity and was more important than stomatal responses in determining A after partial shoot loss.
Toward unidirectional rotary motion in nickelacarboranes: characterization of diastereomeric nickel bis(dicarbollide) complexes derived from the [nido-7-CH3-7,8-C2B9H11]- anion.

Two diastereomeric pairs of nickel bis(C-monomethyldicarbollide) complexes, derived from the racemic [nido-7-CH3-7,8-C2B9H11]− anion, have been synthesized and characterized by NMR spectroscopy and...
Semantic Spatial Reasoning

In recent years, significant achievements have been made on handling qualitative spatial relations in the field of qualitative spatial reasoning. These achievements can be utilized to bridge the gap between geometries and semantics of real-world objects. With this purpose we introduce the Semantic Spatial Reasoning conceptual framework for reasoning with information of mixed types: qualitative-quantitative spatial and information described with the help of the Semantic Web technologies. The objective of this framework is not to be a particular reasoning algorithm but a conceptual decomposition suitable for showing benefits of the combined reasoning approach, forecasting practical applications and giving a clue for an implementation. Modular structure of the framework makes it useful to model various tasks in areas, such as, GIS, cognitive vision, computer-aided design, data integration.
Adding an Alternative Livestock Enterprise to a Grain Farm

Traditional pastured cow-calf (Bos taurus L.) herds are disappearing from cropable lands. Some cropland farmers may have the ability and facilities to add semiconfinement cow-calf herds to their grain farms. This study demonstrates a technique for determining the feasibility of adding a semiconfinement cow herd to a farm specializing in grain production. Thirty years (1958 to 1987) of crop yields and prices are used to establish profitability over several cattle cycles. The profitability of the two production systems is analyzed in a linear programming format (...)
American Jewry at Risk: “A Time to Act” and the Prioritization of Jewish Education

Twenty-five years after the publication of A Time to Act, by the Commission on Jewish Education of North America (CJENA), we are in a position to evaluate this initiative with historical hindsight. At the time, the commission was heralded as an unprecedented communal undertaking and a signal that after years of perfunctory treatment and neglect by the organized Jewish community, Jewish education was gaining recognition as a vital concern. While accurate, this assessment benefits from contextualization both in the American and the American-Jewish situation of the 1980s and early-1990s. The CJENA and its report mirrored American anxiety during that same period about the state of K-12 education, while initiatives to address systemic weaknesses in Jewish education were concurrent with the spate of reform efforts spawned to address the perceived decline in public education. At the same time, A Time to Act exemplified a more general malaise within the Jewish community about the effects of rapid integration on Jewish ethnic and religious survival. Communal leaders became convinced that Jewish education could stem the assimilationist tide. The CJENA, which was funded by the Mandel Associated Foundations, also presaged a sea change in the funding of Jewish education, particularly the growing impact of mega-donors on the Jewish educational landscape. Among the commissioners were a number of the funders and foundation executives who emerged in the 1990s as formidable players in such areas as summer camping, adult education, leadership training, day schools and heritage tourism. Indeed, the greatest legacy of the Commission may be that it paved the way for the initiatives that followed. If A Time to Act was not a veritable voice crying out in the wilderness, its cri de coeur shaped the leading edge of a broad-based effort of reform and revitalization facilitated by an influx of family foundation funding. And while it is an exaggeration to claim that the commission generated the celebrated and fruitful mega-donor collaborations of the late-1990s and early 2000s, including the funding of Taglit-Birthright Israel and the Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education, it undeniably contributed to an environment that placed a premium on such partnerships.
Correlation between dimethylformamide(DMF) exposure and chronic non-atrophic gastritis

Objective To study the association of dimethylformamide(DMF) exposure with chronic non-atrophic gastritis.Methods Firstly,a cross sectional survey was performed.385 workers from 4 factories were examined,among them 28 cases of chronic non-atrophic gastritis were found as case group.All the objects were sorted according to gender and age.1∶4 match principle was used in the study that was 4 controls/1 case in each sub-group,therefore,112 controls were selected.Additionally,Chi-square test and multivariable conditional logistic regression model were used for analysis and assessment of the association.Results(1) There was a similar prevalence of chronic non-atrophic gastritis in men and women;the prevalence was different with age(P0.05).(2) The DMF exposure prevalence was significantly higher in case group.The major proportion of exposure duration were ≤5 years(P0.05).(3) After adjusting the confounding factors such as smoking,drinking and other occupational exposure etc.the risk of chronic non-atrophic gastritis was obviously correlated to DMF exposure,especially the exposure less than 5 years(P0.05).Conclusion The results suggested that DMF exposure may increase the risk of chronic non-atrophic gastritis.
Investigation on Spray and Combustion Processes of Refitted Direct Injection Diesel Engine Fueled with Biodiesel

Using the visualization facility,the differences in injection and combustion processes for DI diesel engine fueled with biodiesel and regular diesel fuel were studied.Results show that for the biodiesel,fuel injection timing is earlier,combustion phasing advances and ignition delay shortenes,and its combustion is faster in the initial pre-mixed combustion stage,but slower in the spread combustion stage compared with the diesel fuel.Analyzed the effects of three factors,fuel characteristics,engine speed and injection pressure on biodiesel injection and combustion processes,following conclusions are reached: for the mixed fuel,injection timing and combustion phasing advance and ignition delay shortenes,the max.combustion pressure of mixed fuel B5 is the highest and occurs a little earlier.For the biodiesel,the combustion is faster and the max.combustion pressure is higher in high speed conditions.With injection pressure increasing,the ignition delay and the combustion duration become shorter and the max.combustion pressure gets higher.
Vaginal administration of low-dose conjugated estrogens: systemic absorption and effects on the endometrium

OBJECTIVE: To test the hypothesis tha a very-low-dose regimen of vaginal estrogen would provide effective relief from atrophic vaginitis without endometrial proliferation. METHODS: Twenty postmenopausal women with symptoms, signs, and cytologic evidence of atrophic vaginitis were enrolled. Each subject was treated with 0.3 mg of conjugated estrogens, administered vaginally 3 nights per week for 6 months. We examined the following outcomes: symptoms, vaginal cellular (cytologic) maturity, endometrial histology, sonographic evaluation of endometrial thickness, Doppler measures of uterine artery blood flow, and serum levels of estrone and estradiol. Pre- and post-treatment data were compared for each subject. RESULTS: Satisfactory relief of symptoms occurred in 19 of 20 cases. Vaginal cellular maturation improved significantly with therapy (P < .01). There were no significant changes in endometrial thickness, uterine artery blood flow, or serum estrogen levels. Endometrial proliferation was observed in one case. CONCLUSIONS: Relief from atrophic vaginitis can be achieved with 0.3 mg of conjugated estrogens administered vaginally three times per week. Endometrial proliferation may occur at this low dose, albeit rarely.
Riding into the golden years: injury patterns and outcomes of advanced-age motorcycle trauma

Abstract Background Our objectives were to characterize injury, complications, and outcomes for older riders after motorcycle accidents due to the rising trend in advanced-age motorcyclists. Methods From 2008 to 2013, injured motorcyclists were compared by age group: younger (0 to 54 years) vs older (≥55 years) in a retrospective review of the trauma databank at North Memorial Medical Center, a Level-1 trauma center. Results Of 432 patients, the older group (n = 100) had more fractures (60% vs 42%), injuries per patient (2 vs 1), intensive care unit admissions (48% vs 32%), ventilator days (8 vs 5), in-hospital complications (16% vs 8%), and hospital days (5.5 vs 3) than the younger group (n = 332), P Conclusions Older riders are at risk for more severe injury, longer and more complex hospitalizations, and higher care demands after discharge. Both age-specific treatment and care systems will need to evolve to accommodate the needs of the aging trauma population.
Distortion-aware transmission in cognitive radio networks

One of the primary design goals of wireless multi-media communication systems is to optimize the quality of user experience. This metric is often quantified using the end-to-end distortion between the original source at the encoder and the reconstructed version of it at the destination. Considering this performance metric, optimal multimedia transmission schemes using joint source-channel coding (JSCC) for fading cognitive radio networks are studied in this paper. Different underlay transmission protocols, based on single- or multi-user receiver capabilities, are compared in terms of their average distortion performance, using an outage analysis. It is demonstrated that JSCC provides significant performance gains over goodput-maximizing schemes that rely on the optimality of source-channel separation, and that, for the scenarios evaluated, one of the proposed protocols with JSCC achieves average distortion performance very close to a lower bound obtained by ignoring the primary interference.
OPINION: What Do the U.S. Election Results Mean to the Clinical Trials Industry?

Undoubtedly, the actions and inactions of the U.S. Congress have direct and indirect effects on the clinical trials industry. Also undoubtedly, anxiety is heightened at times after elections, especially when they result in changes of the administration. In this opinion piece, the author says that the change in leadership represented by the incoming Donald Trump administration calls into question the longevity of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, and analyzes what goes away in the event of its repeal and/or defunding.
Exoterisches und esoterisches Christentum

Wahrend Friedrich Schlegel in seinem Brief an Schleiermacher vom 15. November 1799 auf die Europa-Rede eher reserviert reagiert, ausert er sich voller Begeisterung uber ein anderes dichterisches Projekt von Hardenberg, das dieser wahrend des Jenaer Romantiker-Treffens vorgetragen hatte: »Auch christliche Lieder hat er uns gelesen; die sind nun das gottlichste was er je gemacht. Die Poesie darin hat mit nichts Aehnlichkeit, als mit den innigsten und tiefsten unter Goethes fruheren kleinen Gedichten« (IV, 646). Aus Hardenbergs Antwort vom 31. Januar 1800 auf einen nicht erhaltenen Brief Schlegels kann man entnehmen, dass diese Lieder ursprunglich fur eine Veroffentlichung im Athenaeum vorgesehen waren — zum Teil als »Stuck der Versohnung« (IV, 317) dafur, dass die Europa dort nicht erscheinen sollte, aber vor allem wegen des Interesses der Fruhromantiker an Religion, das auch Schlegels Ideen im funften Heft des Athenaeum ausdruckten. Jedoch enthielt das sechste und letzte Heft des Athenaeum im August 1800 nicht diese Lieder, sondern die Hymnen an die Nacht, die Schlegel offensichtlich noch mehr ansprachen. Der Erstdruck der Geistlichen Lieder I–VII erfolgte deswegen erst nach dem Tod Hardenbergs im Musenalmanach auf das Jahr 1802, den A.W. Schlegel und Ludwig Tieck herausgaben; es ist nicht sicher, aber wahrscheinlich, dass diese sieben Lieder ursprunglich fur den Druck im Athenaeum vorgesehen waren. Weitere acht Lieder kamen 1802 in den Schriften hinzu, ebenfalls unter dem Titel Geistliche Lieder.
Compressive and Entrapment Neuropathies of the Upper Extremity

Entrapment neuropathies of the upper extremities, particularly the carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome, are commonly seen in clinical practice. This chapter discusses the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and treatment of all entrapment and compressive neuropathies of the upper extremity.
Managing Student Behavior in Dual Immersion Classrooms: A Study of Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams:

Classroom management in dual immersion classrooms includes unique challenges. The teacher must instruct and correct in the L2 language, in which students are beginning learners, and effective classroom management strategies appropriate to the L2 context. Class-Wide Function-Related Intervention Teams (CW-FIT) is a positive classroom management program that teaches social skills and uses group contingencies to improve behavior. The present study examined the ability of French immersion teachers to implement CW-FIT in the L2, including the effects of CW-FIT on teacher praise and reprimand rates and as well as on students' classroom behavior. Social validity was also assessed. A single-subject multiple baseline design with embedded reversals was used to evaluate impact in second-, third-, and fourth-grade dual immersion classrooms. Results indicated that dual immersion teachers were able to implement CW-FIT in L2 with fidelity. The intervention significantly increased teacher praise and improved classroom on-task behavior. Changes in teacher reprimand rates were inconsistent. Students and teachers reported CW-FIT to be socially valid.
Polybenzoxazole (PBO)-based gas separation membranes thermally derived from blends of Ortho-functional polyimide and polyamide precursors

Abstract This study investigates the physical properties and gas separation performance of a series of PBO-based membranes derived from thermal conversion of blends containing ortho -OH polyamide (PHA) and polyimide (API) precursors. Homogeneous films were obtained in varying PHA/API molar ratios before and after thermal conversion, indicating good compatibility between the two precursors and resulting PBOs. This study reveals that PBO conversion efficiency, fractional free volume and gas transport properties of the resulting PBO-based blend films show an unexpected non-linear dependence on the blend composition (i.e., PHA/API ratio), due to an interplay between API thermal rearrangement (TR) process and PHA cyclodehydration process. Particularly, the B11 blend membrane, containing API and PHA in 1:1 M ratio, showed an optimal combination of gas separation performance and mechanical robustness, while the B31 blend (PHA:API = 3:1) showed little degradation of separation performance relative to both constituent polymers. This is possibly because of the localization of the excess PHA fraction that discourages the formation of inter-connected diffusive transport pathways. In summary, physical blending of API and PHA precursors at an optimal composition is demonstrated to be a simple yet instrumental approach to mitigate the mechanical deterioration issue of API-TR process while greatly improving the separation performance of the PBOs derived from the PHA cyclodehydration process.
A single institute retrospective trial of concurrent chemotherapy with SIR-Spheres ® versus SIR-Spheres ® alone in chemotherapy-resistant colorectal cancer liver metastases.

Background: The use of selective internal radiation therapy with yttrium 90 resin microspheres (SIR-Spheres ® ) in chemotherapy-resistant colorectal cancer liver metastases has been associated with favorable progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival when given alone or concurrently with chemotherapy. We conducted a single institute retrospective trial to explore the potential impact of SIR-Spheres ® with concurrent chemotherapy vs . SIR-Spheres ® alone on liver PFS in patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM). Methods: Patients with 5-fluorouracil-refractory CRLM treated with SIR-Spheres ® between 2009 and 2014 were identified. Patients were excluded if they received any chemotherapy/targeted regimen following radioembolization on which they did not previously progress. This strategy was adopted to minimize the impact of post-SIR-Spheres ® systemic therapy bias on PFS. Results: Twenty-seven patients satisfied inclusion criteria and were included in this analysis. Patients’ demographics were similar between the two treatment arms, except for the median number of prior therapies. No associated ≥ grade 3 toxicities were noted. Liver disease control rates were 84% and 14% on the SIR-Spheres ® plus chemotherapy arms and SIR-Spheres ® alone arms, respectively (P=0.001). Median PFS in the liver was 176 days in the SIR-Spheres ® plus chemotherapy group vs . 91 days in the SIR-Sphere ® alone group (P=0.0009). Median overall survival was 212 days in the SIR-Spheres ® plus chemotherapy group vs . 154 days in the SIR-Spheres ® alone group (P=0.1023). Conclusions: In patients with 5-fluorouracil-refractory disease, SIR-Spheres ® plus chemotherapy is associated with an increased liver disease control rate and a prolonged liver PFS in comparison with SIR-Spheres ® alone.
A Reduced Model for the Direct Computation of Individual Tie Line Loads and Frequency in Emergency or Agc Conditions

Abstract A reduced model is introduced which retains the identity in full detail of individual tie lines and of the boundary buses where tie lines connect to the areas but which compresses the details of the areas themselves. This is the converse of the problem in the equivalency literature where the details of the local system are preserved and the outside system is equivalenced. The proposed model is useful in NY - 1977 type blanket emergencies where it facilitates the prediction of the future course of frequency and tie line loads during the emergency. Such results then form the basis of emergency control actions. Furthermore one of the most troublesome problems in AGC currently is the evaluation of power transport flow over otherwise uninvolved areas when two distant areas trade large amounts of power. With this model the resulting individual tie line flows can be easily computed. Once the tie line flows are known the internal load flow of any area is readily obtained.
Lewis acid enhancement by hydrogen-bond donors for asymmetric catalysis

Small-molecule dual hydrogen-bond (H-bond) donors such as ureas, thioureas, squaramides, and guanidinium ions enjoy widespread use as effective catalysts for promoting a variety of enantioselective reactions. However, these catalysts are only weakly acidic and therefore require highly reactive electrophilic substrates to be effective. We introduce here a mode of catalytic activity with chiral H-bond donors that enables enantioselective reactions of relatively unreactive electrophiles. Squaramides are shown to interact with silyl triflates by binding the triflate counterion to form a stable, yet highly Lewis acidic, complex. The silyl triflate-chiral squaramide combination promotes the generation of oxocarbenium intermediates from acetal substrates at low temperatures. Enantioselectivity in nucleophile additions to the cationic intermediates is then controlled through a network of noncovalent interactions between the squaramide catalyst and the oxocarbenium triflate.
Inborn Errors of Metabolism

Inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) are a set of relatively uncommon complicated medical conditions involving abnormalities in the complex biochemical and metabolic pathways of the human body system. They involve great complexity of the underlying pathophysiology, biochemical workup, and analysis and have complicated therapeutic options for management. These children are often sick with significant complications and high rates of morbidity and mortality. The understanding of these complex disorders requires special in-depth training and experience. Most primary care physicians are less familiar with these disease conditions and therefore less willing to deal with them because of the complexity involved. There are metabolic specialists available, mostly in large medical centers, with expertise to deal with these intricate complicated issues. Primary care physicians and pediatricians usually are the first point of contact for most of these newborns, children, or adolescents, however. Therefore, it is important that primary care physicians become comfortable in being able to recognize early signs and symptoms, be able to initiate appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic interventions, and be able to make appropriate referrals. This chapter summarizes the key issues basic to understanding IEMs.
Celiac Plexus Block and Neurolysis in the Management of Chronic Upper Abdominal Pain

Chronic upper abdominal pain occurs as a complication of various malignant and benign diseases including pancreatic cancer and chronic pancreatitis, and when present may contribute to lower quality of life and higher mortality. Though various pain management strategies are available as part of a multimodal approach, they are often incompletely effective and accompanied by side effects. Pain originating in upper abdominal viscera is transmitted through the celiac plexus, which is an autonomic plexus located in the retroperitoneum at the root of the celiac trunk. Direct intervention at the level of the plexus, referred to as celiac plexus block or neurolysis depending on the injectate, is a minimally invasive therapeutic strategy which has been demonstrated to decrease pain, improve function, and reduce opiate dependence. Various percutaneous techniques have been reported, but, with appropriate preprocedural planning, use of image guidance (usually computed tomography), and postprocedural care, the frequency and severity of complications is low and the success rate high regardless of approach. The main benefit of the intervention may be in reduced opiate dependence and opiate-associated side effects, which in turn improves quality of life. Celiac plexus block and neurolysis are safe and effective treatments for chronic upper abdominal pain and should be considered early in patients experiencing such symptoms.
A data trust framework for VANETs enabling false data detection and secure vehicle tracking

Future automated vehicles will rely on V2V communication to exchange information about their motion states and take corresponding control actions, to enhance road safety and efficiency. Evaluating the trustworthiness of such data in a VANET is critical as malicious vehicles may inject false data which will undermine the benefits of V2V communication and lead to severe consequences, such as collisions. Existing solutions are inadequate since they assume an honest majority of vehicles. In this work, we propose a novel data trust framework, which determines the truthfulness of each received message on the fly, and is able to detect false data and securely track vehicles even when they report false information. The basic idea is to verify the implied effect of vehicle's reported data using secure sensing mechanisms from the wireless physical layer, which is wrapped within a dynamic vehicle tracking system using extended Kalman filter. Our framework does require at least one honest neighboring vehicle, and simulation results show that it is effective in most highway traffic scenarios.
A Study of Visual Form in Literary Imagery

Michael Riffaterre has repeatedly explained that it is in the very nature of poetry to systematically determine itself through the coupling, opposing, and expanding of its linguistic strata, and that it is thanks to this dynamic process of tension that poetry can confer on referential and habitual language a larger span of significance.1 This larger or deeper layer of significance invites interpretation and, for semioticians, is available for classification or for decoding. Until the advent of post-structural epistemology — where expression is conceived as a storehouse for dominant or subjugating bodies of knowledge rather than merely as a system for representation — it has usually been in the very nature of literary analysis to be inspired by, if not directly predicated on, an Aristotelian method which categorizes recurring verbal resemblances and differences in order to accidentally define a work. This exploratory method achieves its goal by detecting the verbal components that will subsequently provide verbal meaning. In a flexible manner verbal meaning is understood here as a direction towards a referred world, and as a relation between the components that assemble the linguistic strata. Such a relation offers itself as an explanation of the dependence that words and references entertain among themselves.
Selected Contribution: Gender differences in cardiovascular regulation during recovery from exercise

Are women more susceptible to acute postexercise orthostatic hypotension compared with men? We hypothesized that decreases in arterial pressure during recovery from dynamic exercise are greater in ...
Acquisition parameters for dual-energy contrast-enhanced digital mammography using a micelle-based all-in-one nanoparticle (AION) contrast agent: a phantom study

The objective of our study is to optimize the acquisition parameters for imaging Ag2S nanoparticles using contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CE-DM) by varying parameters such as kV, mAs, and filtration. The efficacies of three different contrast materials (Ag2S nanoparticles, silver nanoparticles, and iodine) were assessed using a contrast-embedded gradient phantom. The phantom was constructed using tissue-equivalent materials and varied continuously in composition from 100% glandular tissue to 100% adipose tissue. Each contrast agent was prepared at six different concentrations (1, 2, 5, 10, 15, and 25 mg/mL). Holes were bored through the phantom in the direction of varying glandularity, and tubes of contrast agents were inserted into the holes. Phantoms were imaged at four different energies (26 kV, 32 kV, 45 kV, and 49 kV); 5 energy pairs were considered in this study. Our results demonstrate that for a given contrast agent, the contrast-to-noise ratio is linearly proportional to concentration, and its magnitude is dependent on the energy of the low-energy (LE) image. In our study, it was shown that the LE images at 26 kV are better suited for imaging silver-based nanoparticles, and the LE images at 32 kV are better suited for imaging iodine contrast. Thus, the energy of the LE image should be chosen so that it is as close as possible to the k-edge of the contrast material. Preliminary results from CE-DM imaging indicate that silver contrast has a significantly higher signal than iodine contrast when imaging at lower energies, thus demonstrating the feasibility of using silver-based nanoparticles in breast imaging.
Seeking Forgiveness: Considering the Role of Moral Emotions:

Sandage, Worthington, Jr., Hight, and Berry (2000) pointed out that most of the research on forgiveness has focused on the process of granting forgiveness rather than seeking forgiveness. Therefore, in this project, college students were asked to recall a recent event from their past where they harmed someone with whom they had a relationship. They were then asked to rate their feelings following the transgression such that it was possible to determine the extent to which they experienced sorrow or guilt (Narramore, 1984). Participants also indicated how they responded to the situation. In addition, a few weeks later, these same students were invited to respond to a dispositional measure designed to tap their general tendencies toward experiencing sorrow or guilt. One of the particularly interesting findings from this study was that the efforts to measure sorrow seemed to split into two factors. One of these sorrow factors seemed to predict healthy patterns of seeking forgiveness while the other factor di...
The role of immunotherapy in the management of patients with renal cell carcinoma and brain metastases

Patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) who have metastases to the brain have poor prognosis and median overall survival (OS) of 6 to 10 months (1,2). Local treatments such as surgical resection, stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) and whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) are the mainstay of treatment in these patients.
True Integration; the MoBI Hackathon for STEM Informing Arts and Arts Informing STEM

Hackathons support active learning by being a temporary space where an enormous amount of creative ideas can be shared, then through iterative design a prototype is created and pitched. Hackathons like the MoBi conference bring together artists and scientists allowing for true integration of arts and design into STEM (Science Technology Engineering Math) and the potential of true collaboration.
Environmentally Friendly Organic Chemistry Laboratory Experiments for the Undergraduate Curriculum: A Literature Survey and Assessment

Due to a growing awareness of environmental issues, green chemistry concepts are increasingly being incorporated into the undergraduate organic chemistry lecture and laboratory component. This minireview summarizes environmentally friendly organic chemistry experiments suitable for undergraduate laboratories. Whenever feasible, LD50 values for various chemicals are provided to allow readers to determine the suitability of an experiment for their curriculum based on the toxicity of reagents used.
Head and neck oncologic surgery in the COVID-19 pandemic: Our experience in a deep south tertiary care center.

Introduction The ongoing worldwide pandemic due to COVID-19 has forced drastic changes on the daily lives of the global population. This is most notable within the health care sector. The current paper outlines the response of the head and neck oncologic surgery (HNS) division within our academic otolaryngology department in the state of Alabama. Methods Data with regard to case numbers and types were obtained during the pandemic and compared with time matched data. Our overall approach to managing previously scheduled and new cases, personal protective equipment (PPE) utilization, outpatient clinic, and resident involvement is summarized. Discussion Our HNS division saw a 55% reduction in surgical volume during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. We feel that an early and cohesive strategy to triaging surgical cases, PPE usage, and minimizing exposure of personnel is essential to providing care for HNS patients during this pandemic.
Do Eligibility Criteria for Ductal Carcinoma In Situ (DCIS) Active Surveillance Trials Identify Patients at Low Risk for Upgrade to Invasive Carcinoma

Clinical trials are currently ongoing to determine the safety and efficacy of active surveillance (AS) versus usual care (surgical and radiation treatment) for women with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). This study aimed to determine upgrade rates of DCIS at needle biopsy to invasive carcinoma at surgery among women who meet the eligibility criteria for AS trials. A retrospective review was performed of consecutive women at an academic medical center with a diagnosis of DCIS at needle biopsy from 2007 to 2016. Medical records were reviewed for mode of presentation, imaging findings, biopsy pathology results, and surgical outcomes. Each patient with DCIS was evaluated for AS trial eligibility based on published criteria for the COMET, LORD, and LORIS trials. During a 10-year period, DCIS was diagnosed in 858 women (mean age 58 years; range 28–89 years). Of the 858 women, 498 (58%) were eligible for the COMET trial, 101 (11.8%) for the LORD trial, and 343 (40%) for the LORIS trial. The rates of upgrade to invasive carcinoma were 12% (60/498) for the COMET trial, 5% (5/101) for the LORD trial, and 11.1% (38/343) for the LORIS trial. The invasive carcinomas ranged from 0.2 to 20 mm, and all were node-negative. Women who meet the eligibility criteria for DCIS AS trials remain at risk for occult invasive carcinoma at presentation, with upgrade rates ranging from 5 to 12%. These findings suggest that more precise criteria are needed to ensure that women with invasive carcinoma are excluded from AS trials.
Using Feminist Theory and Social Justice Pedagogy to Educate a New Generation of Precautionary Principle Chemists

Students in the science classroom learn that science makes right, which devalues (whether inadvertently or very purposefully) other non-scientific areas of study and largely works against ideas of collectivism and community especially as science “rises to the top” in collaborative partnerships and interdisciplinary research and service. Applying feminist theory and social justice pedagogy within the chemistry classroom can help focus the student’s learning experiences away from hierarchical outcomes that perpetuate discriminatory practices toward change agency and the pursuit of equity, especially in regard to the design of safer chemicals. Most would agree that it is not ethically acceptable to continue to design and produce chemicals that cause adverse human health effects and environmental pollution; however, changes in the chemistry classroom to redirect this outcome has been slow. Emphasis on designing safer chemicals driven by the precautionary principle can advance the role of students and teachers as change agents in their communities.. When considering feminist theory and social justice pedagogy in the chemistry classroom, classrooms become inclusive and learning outcomes shift toward focusing on how to reduce health disparities due to chemical exposures and how to interact with systems of domination and decision making in the workplace and beyond. New chemistry curriculum is needed in these areas to help prepare a new generation of “precautionary principle chemists” who will advocate for all of our communities.
Planar Hall Driven Torque in a Ferromagnet/Nonmagnet/Ferromagnet System

An important goal of spintronics is to covert a charge current into a spin current with a controlled spin polarization that can exert torques on an adjacent magnetic layer. Here we demonstrate such torques in a two ferromagnet system. A CoNi multilayer is used as a spin current source in a sample with structure $\mathrm{CoNi}/\mathrm{Au}/\mathrm{CoFeB}$. Spin torque ferromagnetic resonance is used to measure the torque on the CoFeB layer. The response as a function of the applied field angle and current is consistent with the symmetry expected for a torque produced by the planar Hall effect originating in CoNi. We find the strength of this effect to be comparable to that of the spin Hall effect in platinum, indicating that the planar Hall effect holds potential as a spin current source with a controllable polarization direction.
'Introduction,' to No Establishment of Religion: America’s Original Contribution to Religious Liberty

This Chapter introduces a new book-length study of the genesis and genius of the America’s constitutional commitment to granting religious freedom to all and religious establishments to none. The study analyzes the prescient movements for disestablishment in the colonies and the new states and the revolutionary new guarantees of religious freedom built into the First Amendment. It also shows how the ongoing battles over education, immigration, polygamy, funding, exemptions, and more have made the original and evolving understanding of the First Amendment disestablishment guarantee a source of perennial cultural and constitutional contest.
The immigrant rights movement: The battle over national citizenship, by Walter J. Nicholls

Urban scholars too often uncritically embrace the local scale (in terms of both place and community) as the privileged site of social change. For at least the past two decades, Marxian geographers ...
Vaccine Additives and Excipients

The active ingredient(s) included in vaccines are the pathogen-specific immunogens. Inactive ingredients are called excipients. A review of the long list of excipients included in any vaccine quickly reveals that the vast majority represent trace or residual concentrations of substances used during the manufacturing process. Residual substances include all components of the biologic culture medium used to support cell growth during amplification of the active vaccine components; any antibiotics used to prevent culture contamination; substances used to inactivate pathogens or toxins; and chemicals used to extract, purify, and concentrate the vaccine immunogen(s). All of these substances are essentially removed during subsequent manufacturing steps, leaving behind only trace amounts in the final vaccine product. A second group of vaccine excipients are the substances added to the vaccine during the final manufacturing steps. The precise amounts added remain in the final product to serve a specific purpose. Examples include agents used to stabilize the active vaccine component, substances called adjuvants that enhance vaccine immunogenicity, and vaccine preservatives. Every substance listed as an excipient in a vaccine plays a necessary role during manufacturing and production. Excipients necessary for manufacturing that do not serve a function in the final vaccine product are reduced to residual or trace concentrations in the final product.
Clot imaging characteristics predict first pass effect of aspiration—first approach to thrombectomy:

BackgroundThe value of clot imaging in patients with emergent large vessel occlusion (ELVO) treated with thrombectomy is unknown.MethodsWe performed retrospective analysis of clot imaging (clot den...
Regulations Matter: Epistemic Monopoly, Domination, Patents, and the Public Interest

This paper argues that regulatory agencies have a responsibility to further the public interest when they determine the conditions under which new technological products may be commercialized. As a case study, this paper analyzes the US 9th Circuit Court’s ruling on the efforts of the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate an herbicide meant for use with seed that are genetically modified to be tolerant of the chemical. Using that case, it is argued that when regulatory agencies evaluate new technological products, they have an obligation to draw on data, analyses, and evaluations from a variety of credible epistemic sources, and not rely solely or even primarily on the technology developer. Otherwise, they create conditions for their own domination and that of the polity by the technology developer. Moreover, in the interest of advancing the public interest, regulatory agencies must evaluate new technologies in a substantively and procedurally unbiased manner.
Defense against low-rate TCP-targeted denial-of-service attacks

Low-rate TCP-targeted denial-of-service (DoS) attacks aim at the fact that most operating systems in use today have a common base TCP retransmission timeout (RTO) of 1 sec. An attacker injects periodic bursts of packets to fill the bottleneck queue and forces TCP connections to timeout with near-zero throughput. This work proposes randomization on TCP RTO as defense against such attacks. With RTO randomization, an attacker cannot predict the next TCP timeout and consequently cannot inject the burst at the exact instant. An analytic performance model on the throughput of randomized TCP is developed and validated. Simulation results show that randomization can effectively mitigate the impact of such DoS attacks while maintaining fairness and friendliness to other connections.
Fast and Scalable Parallel Algorithms for Matrix Chain Product and Matrix Powers on Optical Buses

Given N matrices A 1, A 2 ..., A N of size N − N, the matrix chain product problem is to compute A 1 × A 2 × ... × A N Given an N x N matrix A, the matrix powers problem is to calculate the first N powers of A, i.e., A, A 2, A 3,... A N. We show that the two problems can be solved in $$ O\left( {\frac{{N^{\alpha + 1} }} {p} + \frac{{N^{2(1 + 1/\alpha )} }} {{p^{2/\alpha } }}\log \frac{p} {N} + (\log N)^2 } \right)$$ and $$ O\left( {\frac{{N^{\alpha + 1} }} {p} + \frac{{N^{2(1 + 1/\alpha )} }} {{p^{2/\alpha } }}\log p + \log N\log p} \right)$$ times respectively, where α < 2.3755, and p, the number of processors, can be arbitrarily chosen in the interval [1‥ N α+1] Our highly scalable algorithms can be implemented on a linear array with a reconfigurable pipelined bus system, which is a distributed memory system using optical interconnections.
Significance of Radiographic Findings in Early-Onset Group B Streptococcal Infection

Chest radiographs on 73 neonates with early-onset group B Streptococcus (GBS) infection were reviewed. Eighty-six percent of the infants were premature (less than 38 weeks); 68% weighed less than or equal to 1,500 g. In infants weighing less than or equal to 1,500 g, the predominant radiographic pattern was hyaline membrane disease (HMD) (80%). There was a significant increase in radiographic HMD in 1,000 to 1,500-g neonates with GBS infection (77%) when compared to a control group of infants without GBS infection (44%). Mortality in 1,000 to 1,500-g infants with GBS infection and radiographic HMD (95%) was also significantly higher than in the control group of infants with hmd HMD and no GBS infection (38%). In larger premature and full-term infants, the radiographic findings were not specific and also were not helpful in distinguishing GBS infection from other newborn respiratory disorders.
In-Situ Measurements for Validation of Microwave Data: Problems, Accuracies

This review covers the relationship between remotely sensed microwave data and data obtained in-situ or from earth based remote sensing systems both for validation of algorithms and as supplemental information for deriving a geophysical quantity. Parameters obtained from the satellite borne microwave radiometers, the Scanning Multichannel Microwave Radiometer (SMMR) and the Special Sensor Microwave Imager (SSM/I) are emphasized. These include sea surface temperature and wind speed, integrated atmospheric water vapor, cloud liquid water and rain rate.
Exercise performance increases coincident to body weight over the first two years following cardiac transplantation.

Chaudry H, Yip DS, Bush T, Reynolds V, Witzke L, Taylor V, Hosenpud JD. Exercise performance increases coincident to body weight over the first two years following cardiac transplantation. Clin Transplant 2011: 25: 685–688. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Abstract: Background: To determine whether exercise performance changed over time once patients stabilized after heart transplantation, metabolic stress testing was performed in patients one and two yr post-heart transplantation. Methods: The patient cohort includes those transplanted in our program who survived at least two yr and were able to perform metabolic stress tests during their one- and two-yr annual evaluations. Standard stress test parameters were assessed, including weight, body surface area, rest and exercise heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP), exercise time, anaerobic threshold (AT), and maximum VO2 (MVO2). Ejection fraction by echo was also collected. Each patient served as their own control and data were compared using paired t-testing. Results: Fifty patients were included in the cohort, 48 of whom were able to exercise to at least AT. Patient weight increased from year 1 to year 2 (82.4 ± 15.1 vs. 85.0 ± 17.0 kg, p = 0.035). Systolic BP increased approximately 40 mmHg with exercise with no change in diastolic BP, and there was no difference between years 1 and 2. HR increased approximately 25 bpm with exercise. There was no difference in resting HR but exercise HR increased significantly between yrs (148 ± 15 bpm vs. 154 ± 18 bpm, p = 0.017). Both VO2 at AT and MVO2 increased significantly from year 1 to year 2 (1116 ± 347 mL/min vs. 1192 ± 313 mL/min, p = 0.049 and 1523 ± 337 mL/min vs. 1599 ± 356 mL/min, p = 0.012, respectively) but when corrected for body weight, there were no differences (VO2-AT 13.6 ± 4.0 mL/kg/min vs. 14.0 ± 4.0 mL/kg/min; MVO2 18.7 ± 4.2 mL/kg/min vs. 18.8 ± 4.1 mL/kg/min). All other measured parameters were not different. There was a weak but statistically significant correlation between change in peak HR and change in VO2 at AT between one and two yr post-transplantation (r = 0.30, p = 0.04). Conclusions: We conclude that exercise performance as measured by VO2 can increase over time post-heart transplantation and in our cohort appears to be related to both an increase in body weight and an increase in HR from years 1 and 2.
Characterization of Purified Staphylococcal Lipase

Abstract Purified staphylococcal lipase had an optimal pH of 8.3 for activity at 37 C, and an optimal temperature of 45 C at pH 8.0. During storage, the enzyme lost less than 10% of the activity over a period of 21 days at 4 and -23 C. The enzyme retained 93% of the activity when heated for 30 min at 50 C and was 95% destroyed in 30 min at 70 C. The purified lipase was capable of hydrolyzing a variety of natural fats and oils. However, the enzyme was three times more active on nonhydrogenated soybean oil than on hydrogenated soybean oil with an iodine value of <3.0. The enzyme was also capable of hydrolyzing fatty acids on the α, β, and α′ positions of a synthetic mixed triglyceride. In general, the presence of oxidizing agents increased the activity and the presence of reducing agents decreased the activity of the lipase enzyme.