cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae colonisation in long-term care facilities: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract The objectives of this study were to estimate the colonisation rate by extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) among residents of long-term care facilities (LTCFs) and to identify pertinent risk factors. A systematic search of PubMed and EMBASE databases for studies published up to May 2016 that provided raw data for gastrointestinal colonisation by ESBL-PE among LTCF residents was performed. Twenty-three studies reporting data on 9775 screened subjects met the inclusion criteria. The pooled prevalence of ESBL-PE among LTCF residents was 18% [95% confidence interval (CI) 12–24%]. Risk factors for colonisation included recent antibiotic use (within 6 months) [odds ratio (OR) = 2.06, 95% CI 1.78–2.38], previous hospitalisation (within 2.5 years) (OR = 1.50, 95% CI 1.04–2.15), history of invasive procedures (within 2 years) (OR = 2.79, 95% CI 1.66–4.70), previous ESBL-PE colonisation or infection (OR = 6.77, 95% CI 1.33–34.62), history of urinary tract infection (OR = 2.66, 95% CI 1.76–4.01) and urinary catheter use (OR = 2.55, 95% CI 1.29–5.04). In conclusion, almost one in five LTCF residents is colonised with ESBL-PE, and colonised residents are more likely to have a history of recent antibiotic use or healthcare facility utilisation. Strict adherence to antimicrobial stewardship in LTCFs is needed to address these high resistance rates.
Engaging Men in Gender Equality Programs: The Case of Nicaragua

Over the last 30 years, feminists have made significant contributions to the international development field. Starting in the 1970s, feminist scholars and practitioners called for development institutions to include women in their programs and projects. Some of those feminists soon argued that simply adding women to the usual development processes was insufficient. Instead, they recognized the need to challenge those very processes and the ways in which they interrelate with power structures, particularly gender structures. Gender relations, rather than women, became the unit of analysis in the gender and development (GAD) approach. This shift opened the opportunity for GAD to include men in both theory and practice. Yet, in practice most “gender” programs include only women as participants, often adding to women’s burdens by increasing their productive roles, without encouraging men to relieve some of this burden. When this is the case, “gender” projects do not challenge unequal power relations or socially determined roles directly. Indeed, how can they be challenged effectively if half of the gender equation (men!) is missing?
Self-regulation and academic learning: Self-efficacy enhancing interventions.

Publisher Summary This chapter argues that students' self-regulatory competence can be enhanced through systematic interventions that are designed to teach skills and raise students' self-efficacy for learning. Self-regulation (or self-regulated learning) refers to self-generated thoughts, feelings, and actions that are planned and systematically adapted as needed to affect one's learning and motivation. Self-regulation comprises such processes as setting goals for learning, attending to and concentrating on instruction, using effective strategies to organize, code, and rehearse information to be remembered, establishing a productive work environment, using resources effectively, monitoring performance, managing time effectively, seeking assistance when needed, holding positive beliefs about one's capabilities, the value of learning, the factors influencing learning and the anticipated outcomes of actions, and experiencing pride and satisfaction with one's efforts. Self-regulation is not an all-or-none phenomenon; rather, it refers to the degree that students are metacognitively, motivationally, and behaviorally active in their learning. Students may self-regulate different dimensions of learning, including their motives for learning, the methods they employ, the performance outcomes they strive for, and the social and environmental resources they use. Thus, self-regulation has both qualitative and quantitative aspects because it involves which processes students use, how frequently they use them, and how well they employ them. The hallmarks of self-regulation are choice and control: Students cannot self-regulate unless they have options available for learning and can control essential dimensions of learning. Students have little opportunity for self-regulation when teachers dictate what students do, when and where they do it, and how they accomplish it.
Counselors as Leaders Who Advocate for Undocumented Students’ Education:

Research has yet to fully explore counselor advocacy for undocumented students and the leadership they use in their advocacy. This study asks the following questions: (1) What motivates counselors ...
Reproducing Dystopia: The Politics of Transnational Surrogacy in India, 2002–2015:

In the decade following legalization of commercial surrogacy in 2002, India became the largest provider of surrogacy services. Then, in December 2015 commercial surrogacy was banned. In this articl...
Kinetic effect on the freezing of ammonium-sodium-carbonate-chloride brines and implications for the origin of Ceres’ bright spots

Abstract Prominent bright spots containing natrite (Na2CO3) and smaller amounts of NH4Cl or NH4HCO3 observed in Ceres' Occator crater have been proposed to originate from an internal reservoir, where subsurface brines freeze upon reaching the surface. Our group has previously examined the freezing of putative subsurface brines containing ammonium, sodium, carbonate, and chloride ions at a cooling rate of 30 K/min (Vu et al., 2017), and found support for this hypothesis. The present study investigates this further by examining the formation of minerals on Ceres’ surface upon kinetic vs thermodynamic freezing. Using Infrared and Raman spectroscopies, flash frozen brines were found to form predominantly ammonium chloride and ammonium bicarbonate, even in sodium-dominated solutions. In contrast, hydrohalite (NaCl·2H2O) only formed when sodium and/or chloride were present in excess in the brine solutions. Additionally, the effect of vacuum exposure on these frozen brines was further analyzed to simulate the surface conditions of Ceres. It was observed that the vacuum exposure did not affect speciation, although it did clarify spectral features and confirm the presence of the aforementioned species. Our results provide evidence that (i) ammonium-bearing materials are kinetically-favored products under fast-freezing conditions with these brine mixtures, and (ii) the bright spots on Ceres's surface likely originate from subsurface liquids, mobilized either by a cryovolcanic process or by the Occator-forming impact, and not by direct excavation.
The effect of tax audit outcomes on the reporting and valuation of unrecognized tax benefits

Abstract We examine whether firms respond to settlements of their uncertain tax benefits (UTBs) by adjusting the related UTB reserve. A reported UTB settlement indicates that the tax authority challenged at least one of the firm's uncertain tax positions, thereby providing information to managers regarding the sustainability of similar tax strategies and outstanding UTBs. Consistent with expectations, our results suggest that UTB settlements are negatively related to the accrual for new uncertain tax positions. Further, we demonstrate that managers make less downward adjustments to the UTB reserve related to existing uncertain tax positions following settlements with tax authorities. Finally, additional analysis suggests that the valuation of UTBs is lower in the year subsequent to a UTB settlement. Collectively, our results suggest that the information gathered from tax audit outcomes influences firms to be more conservative in their tax reporting, and possibly their future tax planning as well.
Fast Track Recovery of the Cardiac Surgery Patient

Fast-tracking patients through a system is familiar to health care providers. Recently, however, the concept has been applied to areas of healthcare that have otherwise been managed in a more traditional model. Fast-tracking cardiac surgical patients, especially for coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) was introduced at Baystate Medical Center in January 1992.
Health Issues in Refugee Children

In the past decade, an estimated 200,000 children have come to the US as refugees. Their exposure to health-related risk and protective factors varies by nationality, socioeconomic status, and time period. This chapter will focus on refugee groups who have arrived in the US in the prior decade, from arrival to the transition to ongoing primary care. After arriving in the US, growth and nutrition, communicable conditions, vaccine catch-up, potentially toxic exposures and entry into primary and specialty care are the focus of health care. Over time, psychosocial needs and chronic disease management, including development and dental health, may predominate. Lastly, the structure of the initial and ongoing visits, including cultural considerations, interpretation and collaboration with community services, are formative in the care experience for both children and their families. The intent of this chapter is to review core information and guidelines, bearing in mind that children’s specific health needs, exposures, and experiences are heterogeneous.
Intraperitoneal delivery of NanoOlaparib for disseminated late-stage cancer treatment.

Background PARP inhibitors, such as Olaparib, have advanced the treatment of ovarian cancer by providing patients with an effective and molecularly-targeted maintenance therapy. However, all orally-administered drugs, including Olaparib, must undergo first-pass metabolism. In contrast, a nanoparticle delivery system has the advantage of administering Olaparib directly into the peritoneal cavity for local treatment. Consequently, we sought to optimize the sustained-release formulation NanoOlaparib, previously deemed effective as an intravenous solid tumor treatment, for the local treatment of disseminated disease via intraperitoneal (i.p.) therapy. Methods The tumor cell line 404, which was derived from a Brca2 -/-, Tp53 -/-, Pten -/- genetically engineered mouse model, exhibited high sensitivity to Olaparib in vitro. It was chosen for use in developing an i.p. spread xenograft for testing nanotherapy efficacy in vivo. NanoOlaparib as a monotherapy or in combination with cisplatin was compared to oral Olaparib alone or in combination using two different dose schedules. A pilot biodistribution study was performed to determine drug accumulation in various organs following i.p. administration. Results Daily administration of NanoOlaparib reduced tumor growth and decreased the variability of the treatment response observed with daily oral Olaparib administration. However, systemic toxicity was observed in both the NanoOlaparib and vehicle (empty nanoparticle) treated groups. Scaling back the administration to twice weekly was well tolerated up to 100 mg/kg but reduced the effect on tumor growth. Biodistribution profiles indicated that NanoOlaparib began accumulating in tissues within an hour of administration and persisted for at least 72 hours after a single dose, exiting the peritoneal cavity faster than expected. Conclusion NanoOlaparib must be modified for use against disseminated disease. Future avenues to develop NanoOlaparib as an i.p. therapy include a modified surface-coating to retain it in the peritoneal cavity and prevent entry into systemic circulation, in addition to targeting moieties for localization in tumor cells.
Stress, health, noise exposures, and injuries among electronic waste recycling workers in Ghana.

Electronic waste (e-waste) recycling workers in low and middle-income countries have the potential for occupational injuries due to the nature of their work at informal e-waste sites. However, limited research exists on stress, noise, occupational injuries, and health risks associated with this work environment. This study evaluated injury experience, noise exposures, and stress risk factors among e-waste workers at the large recycling site in the Agbogbloshie market, Accra, Ghana. Participants completed a survey addressing their work, health status, stress, exposures to several occupational hazards (including noise), use of personal protective equipment at work, and injury experience. A subset of participants also completed personal noise dosimetry measurements. Poisson regression was used to evaluate the association between the number of injuries experienced by participants and various factors evaluated in the survey. Forty-six male e-waste workers completed the survey, and 26 completed a noise dosimetry measurement. Participants experienced an average of 9.9 ± 9.6 injuries per person in the previous 6 months (range: 1–40). The majority of injuries were lacerations (65.2%), and the most common injury location was the hand (45.7%). Use of personal protective equipment was rare. The mean time-weighted average noise level was 78.8 ± 5.9 dBA. Higher perceived stress, greater age, poorer health status, not using gloves, and involvement in dismantling activities were associated with an increased number of injuries. After controlling for each of these risk factors, perceived stress level and perceived noise exposure were associated with a significantly greater number of injuries. Our study identified a large number of injuries among informal e-waste recyclers, and we found that higher levels of perceived stress and perceived noise were associated with an increased number of occupational injuries, even after controlling for other injury risk factors.
Unsupervised Threshold Autoencoder to Analyze and Understand Sentence Elements

Analysis of legal and contract documents often requires both the discovery of document structure, as well as the accurate identification of important elements such as party (buyer, supplier), nature (obligation, right) and category (warranties, delivery, etc.). Hence, exploring novel features that lead to better element classification accuracy as well as better document structure discovery is particularly important. In this paper, we develop and present novel unsupervised learning techniques to analyze a large scale corpus of contract documents with the goal of learning and deriving new features to enhance classification accuracy over the elements of interest, and to extract relevant features leading to meaningful clusterings over contract structures. Particularly, we propose a novel t-threshold autoencoder neural network that flexibly controls the number of active neurons in response to sentences of different lengths at the network’s input. Such an adaptive sparseness threshold enforces competition and specialization among encoding neurons and hence results in better features learning. We also present an extension of the convolutional neural network classifier that allows for the incorporation of these novel augmented features and show that higher classification accuracies over various classes of contract elements can be achieved. We further present a practical pipeline of deriving features from contract documents along with a clustering solution based on the K-means algorithm that leads to the separation among different types of sentences in the contract documents. We empirically demonstrate the performance of our developed techniques on a novel data corpus of Software Procurement contracts.
A quantitative comparison of phase-averaged models for bubbly, cavitating flows

We compare the computational performance of two modeling approaches for the flow of dilute cavitation bubbles in a liquid. The first approach is a deterministic model, for which bubbles are represented in a Lagrangian framework as advected features, each sampled from a distribution of equilibrium bubble sizes. The dynamic coupling to the liquid phase is modeled through local volume averaging. The second approach is stochastic; ensemble-phase averaging is used to derive mixture-averaged equations and field equations for the associated bubble properties are evolved in an Eulerian reference frame. For polydisperse mixtures, the probability density function of the equilibrium bubble radii is discretized and bubble properties are solved for each representative bin. In both cases, the equations are closed by solving Rayleigh–Plesset-like equations for the bubble dynamics as forced by the local or mixture-averaged pressure, respectively. An acoustically excited dilute bubble screen is used as a case study for comparisons. We show that observables of ensemble- and volume-averaged simulations match closely and that their convergence is first order under grid refinement. Guidelines are established for phase-averaged simulations by comparing the computational costs of methods. The primary costs are shown to be associated with stochastic closure; polydisperse ensemble-averaging requires many samples of the underlying PDF and volume-averaging requires repeated, randomized simulations to accurately represent a homogeneous bubble population. The relative sensitivities of these costs to spatial resolution and bubble void fraction are presented.
1838. Bare Below the Elbows vs. Sleeved Attire: A Pilot Study Comparing Microbial Flora of Healthcare Workers

Background Bare Below the Elbows (BBE) is an approach to healthcare worker (HCW) attire that limits patient contact with contaminated HCW clothing. While supported by biological plausibility, the practice is controversial. Critics cite limited evidence that bare skin is less contaminated in comparison to sleeved garments such as white coats. This study is a comparison of the flora and bioburden between BBE and sleeved HCW.
Pain management in patients undergoing treatment for head and neck cancer with opiate use disorder on medication-assisted treatment.

120Background: Buprenorphine, a partial agonist at the mu opiate receptor, is an effective pain medication and use has increased for patients with cancer pain, especially those with concurrent opia...
PRESERVICE TEACHERS' ADOPTION OF A MAKERSPACE

Innovation includes new inventions, new ideas, or new methods. Everett Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations framework, however, suggests that not all are willing to adopt innovation. The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) indicates that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use influence one’s choice to use available technology. Since the nature of work is rapidly changing, the future workforce needs to be prepared to innovate or adopt innovation. Accordingly, educators also need to be innovators or early adopters. In this study, education majors in an instructional technology class in the United States learned about the concept of a makerspace. During the production stage, some participants tried new tools or methods without the instructor’s assistance, and some did so with instructor support. However, there was also a group of education majors who chose not to try out new tools or methods; even they knew that help was available. These findings suggest that Rogers’ theory about people’s aptitude toward adopting innovation and TAM apply to future educators.
Outcomes in Patients with Small Body Surface Area after HeartMate 3 (HM3) Left Ventricular Assist Device (LVAD) Implantation

Purpose Outcomes of patients with small body size following HM3 LVAD implantation have not been well characterized. We sought to compare preoperative characteristics and clinical outcomes among patients stratified by body surface area. Methods Patients who received a HeartMate 3 LVAD at our institution between October 1, 2015 and June 30, 2019 were analyzed. Patients who received a HM3 LVAD as pump exchange were excluded. The cohort was divided in 4 groups: BSA ≤1.8 m2 (group 1), BSA >1.8 - ≤2.0 m2 (group 2), BSA >2.0 - ≤2.2 m2 (group 3) and BSA >2.2 (group 4). Results One hundred and nineteen patients were included in this analysis. Preoperative characteristics and postoperative results of each group are shown in Table 1. Group 1 patients were older and mostly females. A history of diabetes was less common in this group. Mean postoperative length of stay was similar between groups. Pump speed at the time of discharge was lower in group 1 patients. Mean follow-up was similar between groups. Mean days out of the hospital after discharge did not differ among the groups. One-year survival was 93% for group 1, 85% for group 2, 86% for group 3 and 84% for group 4 (p=0.69). Kaplan Meier survival curves are shown in Figure 1 (log rank: 0.692). Conclusion Outcomes following HM3 LVAD implantation were comparable between patients with small body surface area and patients with larger body size. Small body size should not be an exclusion criteria for HM3 LVAD implantation in patients with advanced heart failure who are otherwise candidates for durable mechanical support.
Analysis of Protein Conformational Strains—A Key for New Diagnostic Methods of Human Diseases

α-Synuclein is a naturally unfolded protein which easily aggregates and forms toxic inclusions and deposits. It is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases, including Parkinson’s disease (PD), dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). These diseases, called synucleinopathies, have overlapping symptoms but require different methods of treatment. There are no reliable approaches for early diagnoses of these diseases, and as a result, the treatment begins late, and the disorders are often misdiagnosed. Recent studies revealed that α-synuclein forms distinctive spatial structures or strains at the early steps of these diseases, which may be used for early diagnosis. One of these early diagnostic methods called PMCA (protein misfolding cyclic amplification) allows identification of the distinct α-synuclein strains specific for different human diseases. The method is successfully used for differential diagnosis of patients with PD and MSA.
Moving Beyond COVID-19 Surge - Caring for patients with kidney disease throughout the pandemic

As nephrologists, we have early on recognized the current coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic to be particularly threatening to the patients we care for in our clinics. Many observations have shown older patients and those with chronic medical comorbidities to be disproportionately at risk for excess morbidity and mortality due to COVID-19 infection (1,2). As a medical subspecialty, nephrologists not only see the most substantial proportion of patients age ≥80 years but also care for the most complex patient population with the highest number of comorbidities (3). Therefore, extensive discussions have been carried out in our community about the potential fallout of COVID-19 infection and the observed or anticipated adverse outcomes. These adverse outcomes include hospitalizations, critical care admission, ESKD, and death in patient’s kidney disorder (4⇓–6). Further, several reports have shown that a high number of patients with COVID-19 infection experience AKI and may require dialysis, potentially increasing demand for available resources beyond capacity (7⇓–9). Several surge-mitigation protocols and COVID-19–related best practice guidelines are now available to nephrologists (10,11). Moving beyond the surge, however, there is substantial uncertainty about the chronic management of patients with kidney disease in the near-term future. When should we time dialysis access placement? Do we place patients at unnecessary risk for “nosocomial” COVID-19 infection by requiring routine laboratory assessment or dialysis access surveillance for primary prevention? Or do we risk a rise in preventable adverse outcomes by dialing back on care considered not essential and thus, failing to identify early signs of medical complications? Answers to some of these questions were already hotly debated before. The COVID-19 pandemic has considerably increased their complexity and uncertainty. Here, we share the Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) strategy for population-wide management strategies of patients with kidney …
Exact nuclear norm, completion and decomposition for random overcomplete tensors via degree-4 SOS

In this paper we show that simple semidefinite programs inspired by degree $4$ SOS can exactly solve the tensor nuclear norm, tensor decomposition, and tensor completion problems on tensors with random asymmetric components. More precisely, for tensor nuclear norm and tensor decomposition, we show that w.h.p. these semidefinite programs can exactly find the nuclear norm and components of an $(n\times n\times n)$-tensor $\mathcal{T}$ with $m\leq n^{3/2}/polylog(n)$ random asymmetric components. For tensor completion, we show that w.h.p. the semidefinite program introduced by Potechin \& Steurer (2017) can exactly recover an $(n\times n\times n)$-tensor $\mathcal{T}$ with $m$ random asymmetric components from only $n^{3/2}m\, polylog(n)$ randomly observed entries. This gives the first theoretical guarantees for exact tensor completion in the overcomplete regime. This matches the best known results for approximate versions of these problems given by Barak \& Moitra (2015) for tensor completion, and Ma, Shi \& Steurer (2016) for tensor decomposition.
Dense Breast Notification Laws' Association With Outcomes in the US Population: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract Objective Understanding whether states’ breast density notifications are associated with desired effects, or disparities, can inform federal policy. We examined self-reported receipt of personal breast density information, breast density discussions with providers, knowledge about density’s masking effect, and association with increased breast cancer risk by state legislation status and women’s sociodemographic characteristics. Methods Cross-sectional observational population-based telephone survey of women aged >40 years who underwent mammography within prior 2 years, had no history of breast cancer, and had heard the term “breast density.” Results Among 2,306 women, 57% received personal breast density information. Multivariate regression models adjusted for covariates indicated that women in notification states were 1.5 times more likely to receive density information, and older Black and Asian women of lower income and lower health literacy were less likely. Overall, only 39% of women discussed density with providers; women in notification states were 1.75 times as likely. Older and Asian women were less likely to have spoken with providers; women with high literacy or prior biopsy were more likely. State legislation status was not associated with differences in density knowledge, but Hispanic women and women of lower income or low health literacy had less knowledge regarding density’s masking effects; older women were more knowledgeable. Hispanic women and women of lower income or low health literacy were more likely, and middle-aged women less likely, to recognize increased breast cancer risk. Discussion Some positive effects were observed, but sociodemographic disparities suggest tailoring of future breast density communications for specific populations of women to ensure equitable understanding.
Null effects of therapy dog interaction on adolescent anxiety during a laboratory-based social evaluative stressor

Animal-assisted interventions (AAIs) are increasingly popular as treatments to reduce anxiety. However, there is little empirical evidence testing the mechanisms of action in AAIs, especially among...
Central bank independence, fiscal deficits and currency union: Lessons from Africa

Abstract Can central bank independence (CBI) help to reduce fiscal balances? In this paper, we answer this question using novel measures of CBI based on the turnover rate of central bank governors (TOR) and the Garriga measure of legal independence for 30 African countries for the period 1990–2017. Our novel measures of CBI capture the degree of alliance between the fiscal authority and the monetary authority which can potentially lead to debt monetization and higher fiscal balances. Thus, we classify central bank governor changes into ally changes or non-ally changes; in addition to that, we decompose our full sample into CFA zone countries and non-CFA zone countries to capture the effect of currency union membership. Our results show that for CFA zone countries, central bank autonomy, when proxied by the turnover rate of central bank governors, is associated with a decrease in fiscal balances and replacing a central banker with a non-ally, is negatively and significantly associated with fiscal balances.
Symptom experiences in advanced cancer: Relationships to acceptance and commitment therapy constructs

OBJECTIVE This study examined relations between acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) constructs and symptom-based subgroups of advanced cancer patients. METHODS Patients with advanced breast, gastrointestinal, lung, and prostate cancer (N = 201) completed questionnaires assessing five common symptoms and ACT variables (i.e., psychological inflexibility, cognitive fusion, values obstruction and progress, peaceful acceptance, mindfulness, and activity engagement) on one occasion. RESULTS Latent profile analysis showed three patient classes: (1) normal levels of all symptoms (32%); (2) normal levels of all symptoms except for mild sleep problems and moderate fatigue (19%); and (3) normal pain, mild levels of sleep problems, anxiety, and depressive symptoms, and moderate fatigue (48%). Controlling for demographic covariates, lower psychological inflexibility, cognitive fusion, and values obstruction were associated with a higher likelihood of being in classes 1 or 2 than class 3. In addition, greater values progress, peaceful acceptance, mindfulness, and activity engagement were associated with a higher likelihood of being in class 1 than class 3. Of these four factors, only greater mindfulness and activity engagement were associated with a higher likelihood of being in class 2 than class 3. CONCLUSIONS Advanced cancer patients show heterogeneous symptom profiles, and even mild to moderate symptom levels are related to greater withdrawal from personally meaningful activities and less acceptance of cancer and internal experiences (e.g., symptoms, thoughts, feelings). Findings are consistent with the ACT model and support further testing of ACT to address symptom interference with functioning in advanced cancer patients.
Evaluation of Fracture Energy Parameters for Predicting Moisture-Induced Damage in Asphalt Mixes

Standard methods of screening asphalt mixes for moisture-induced damage are mostly empirical. These methods have not advanced with the same pace as new materials such as polymer-modified asphalt binders, Warm Mix Asphalt (WMA), and mixes containing Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) were introduced to asphalt industry. This study was undertaken to assess the effectiveness of fracture energy parameters in capturing the moisture-induced damage potential of major groups of mixes, namely WMA, those containing RAP, and those containing an anti-strip agent. Plant-produced mixes consisting of an asphalt mix containing 1% hydrated lime, another containing 20% RAP, and a WMA mix containing 0.5% of a chemical WMA additive were evaluated by conducting indirect tension, semicircular bend, and indirect tensile asphalt cracking test before and after moisture-conditioning. Different parameters, namely tensile strength ratio, fatigue index, toughness index, critical strain energy release rate, and cracking tolerance index were determined. Binder bond strength tests were also conducted on a wide range of aggregates, asphalt binders, and additives. A novel approach that combined mix volumetric properties with adhesion measurements was used to determine the moisture susceptibility of mixes. The new method as a quick, inexpensive, and effective approach was found to have the potential to be used for screening mixes for stripping before producing them. Fracture energy parameters, while an excellent tool for evaluating the ductility of the mix, were not found to isolate the effect of moisture on mixes or capture stripping mechanism.
A Flexible and Inexpensive FPGA-Based Power Electronics and Drives Laboratory

As power electronics converters become more flexible and their control becomes more sophisticated, it is becoming more important for young engineers to learn to use modern digital control tools, such as FPGAs. This paper presents a flexible, inexpensive laboratory setup that can be configured for exploring a number of power converter topologies, controlled in both open loop and closed loop. In addition to driving passive loads, the setup can be used to demonstrate DC motor torque, speed, and position control, as well as variable speed 3-phase AC motor control.
Cyclic oxidation and reduction of protein methionine residues is an important antioxidant mechanism

Almost all forms of reactive oxygen species (ROS) oxidize methionine residues of proteins to a mixture of the R- and S-isomers of methionine sulfoxide. Because organisms contain methionine sulfoxide reductases (Msr’s) that can catalyze the thioredoxin-dependent reduction of the sulfoxides back to methionine, it was proposed that the cyclic oxidation/reduction of methionine residues might serve as antioxidants to scavenge ROS, and also to facilitate the regulation of critical enzyme activities. We summarize here results of studies showing that organisms possess two different forms of Msr — namely, MsrA that catalyzes reduction of the S-isomer and MsrB that catalyzes the reduction of the R-isomer. Deletion of themsrAgene in mice leads to increased sensitivity to oxidative stress and to a decrease (40%) in the maximum lifespan. This suggests that elimination of both Msr’s would have more serious consequences. (Mol Cell Biochem 234/235: 3–9, 2002)
The Primary Structure of Ovine Luteinizing Hormone II. THE AMINO ACID SEQUENCE OF THE REDUCED, S-CARBOXYMETHYLATED A-SUBUNIT (LH-β)

Abstract The amino acid sequence of ovine luteinizing hormone β-subunit has been determined using three treatment schedules for the intact subunit to provide suitable subfractions for sequence study. In one treatment schedule cyanogen bromide cleavage, fractionation, reduction, and S-carboxymethylation was used; in a second, the tryptic peptides were isolated after digestion of reduced, S-carboxymethylated subunit. In a third procedure, the subunit was succinylated, reduced, S-carboxymethylated, and digested with trypsin. Although the third procedure blocked only 2 lysine residues to tryptic attack (positions 20 and 42) the minor cleavages by trypsin in the region of residues 27 to 42 were less troublesome and provided adequate yield of the peptides to establish this portion of the sequence. Application of the Edman degradation and COOH-terminal determinations to the peptides thus obtained allowed placement of all 119 amino acid residues of the subunit in sequence. The sequence determined in this report differs from that proposed in a brief communication by Papkoff et al. ((1971) J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 93, 1531) in the inversion of 17 amino acid residues and the placement of 1 more proline residue in their sequence. The sequence determined in the present report for ovine LH-β is in agreement with that suggested for bovine LH-β by Maghuin-Rogister and Dockier (1971) (Fed. Eur. Biochem. Soc. Lett. 19, 209) although the latter authors have 4 residues of 119 which have not been placed in sequence.
CD10/NEP is expressed on Thy-1low B220+ murine B-cell progenitors and functions to regulate stromal cell-dependent lymphopoiesis.

To further characterize the function of the common acute lymphoblastic leukemia antigen (CALLA; CD10, neutral endopeptidase 24.11, NEP) in early lymphoid development, we have identified murine lymphoid progenitors expressing CD10/NEP and analyzed the effects of inhibiting the enzyme in in vitro assays of murine lymphoid differentiation. CD10/NEP transcripts and enzymatic activity were primarily restricted to the subpopulation of murine lymphoid progenitors, termed pro-B cells, which were isolated from bone marrow (BM) and modified Whitlock- Witte cultures and defined by coexpression of B220 and low levels of Thy-1. CD10/NEP transcripts and cell surface enzymatic activity were also detected in BM stromal cells known to support the development of B- lymphoid progenitors. In contrast, Abelson and H-ras transformed pre-B- cell lines were CD10/NEP- as were Thy-1-B220+ pre-B cells from BM and modified Whitlock-Witte cultures and Thy-1lowLin- (B220-Mac-1-GR-1-Ly- 2/3-) uncommitted hematopoietic progenitors from BM. The expression of CD10/NEP on murine pro-B cells and BM stromal cells suggests a role for the enzyme in early B-cell ontogeny. In modified Whitlock-Witte cultures in which Thy-1lowLin- progenitors plated on BM stromal cells differentiate into Thy-1lowB220+ pro-B and Thy-1-B220+ pre-B cells, the addition of specific CD10/NEP inhibitors increased the number of lymphoid colonies at days 5 through 7 by 34% (P < .001). The results suggest that CD10/NEP participates in the regulation of the earliest stages of stromal cell-dependent B lymphopoiesis.
The IVVY Motif and Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor-associated Factor (TRAF) Sites in the Cytoplasmic Domain of the Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor κB (RANK) Cooperate to Induce Osteoclastogenesis

Receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK) activation by RANK ligand (RANKL) mediates osteoclastogenesis by recruiting TNF receptor-associated factors (TRAFs) via three cytoplasmic motifs (motif 1, PFQEP(369-373); motif 2, PVQEET(559-564); and motif 3, PVQEQG(604-609)) to activate the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. RANK also has a TRAF-independent motif (IVVY(535-538)), which is dispensable for the activation of TRAF-induced signaling pathways but essential for osteoclast lineage commitment by inducing the expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 (NFATc1) to regulate osteoclast gene expression. Notably, TNF/IL-1-mediated osteoclastogenesis requires RANK ligand assistance, and the IVVY motif is also critical for TNF/IL-1-mediated osteoclastogenesis by rendering osteoclast genes responsive to these two cytokines. Here we show that the two types of RANK cytoplasmic motifs have to be on the same RANK molecule to mediate osteoclastogenesis, suggesting a functional cooperation between them. Subsequent osteoclastogenesis assays with TNF or IL-1 revealed that, although all three TRAF motifs play roles in TNF/IL-1-mediated osteoclastogenesis, motifs 2 and 3 are more potent than motif 1. Accordingly, inactivation of motifs 2 and 3 blocksTNF/IL-1-mediated osteoclastogenesis. Mechanistically, double mutation of motifs 2 and 3, similar to inactivation of the IVVY motif, abrogates the expression of nuclear factor of activated T-cells c1 and osteoclast genes in assays reflecting RANK-initiated and TNF/IL-1-mediated osteoclastogenesis. In contrast, double inactivation of motifs 2 and 3 did not affect the ability of RANK to activate the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Collectively, these results indicate that the RANK IVVY motif cooperates with the TRAF-binding motifs to promote osteoclastogenesis, which provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism of RANK signaling in osteoclastogenesis.
Dual-band E-shaped patch wearable textile antenna

Future utilization of smart clothing will necessitate applications of multi-function and multi-frequency wearable antennas. The paper addresses the development of a dual-band E-shaped textile antenna for wearable applications. We have considered felt fabric to design an antenna for 2.2 GHz and 3.0 GHz frequencies. The antenna input matching and radiation characteristics have been determined by FDTD simulations and by measurements. Numerical modeling of specific absorption rate was also performed. The results show clearly that E-shaped textile antennas are suitable for multiband operation.
Monozygotic twins discordant for chronic fatigue syndrome: objective measures of sleep.

Abstract Purpose Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) is characterized by profound fatigue accompanied by disturbances of sleep, cognition, mood, and other symptoms. Our objective was to describe sleep architecture in CFS-discordant twin pairs. Methods We conducted a co-twin control study of 22 pairs of monozygotic twins where one twin met criteria for CFS and the co-twin was healthy. Twins underwent two nights of polysomnography. Results The percentage of Stage 3 and REM sleep was greater among the CFS twins than their healthy co-twins ( P ≤.05 for both), but no other differences in sleep architecture including sleep latency, REM latency, and total sleep time were observed. Compared to their co-twins, CFS twins had higher values for the apnea–hypopnea index and apnea–hypopnea arousal index ( P ≤.05 for both). Conclusion These results do not provide strong evidence for a major role for abnormalities in sleep architecture in CFS. Respiration appears impaired in CFS, but these clinical abnormalities cannot alone account for the prominence of sleep complaints in this illness. The co-twin control methodology highlights the importance of selecting well-matched control subjects.
Axillary-subclavian venous occlusion: The morbidity of a nonlethal disease

Abstract To evaluate results of medical and surgical treatment of axillary-subclavian venous occlusion, the clinical courses of 95 patients were reviewed. Twenty-three patients had acute axillary-subclavian venous thrombosis, and 72 patients had chronic occlusion. Thirty-four patients with thoracic outlet syndrome and axillary-subclavian occlusion represented 3.5% of the 969 patients treated for thoracic outlet syndrome during the same period. Nonlethal pulmonary embolization from the axillary-subclavian vein occurred in four patients. Sixty percent of patients were asymptomatic or had mild symptoms during strenuous exercise at last follow-up (mean, 5.4 years). Forty-eight of these 56 patients had received anticoagulation during the acute phase of the disease. Twenty-seven percent of patients had symptoms with moderate exercise and 12.6% had symptoms at rest. Thirteen patients had operations, with improvement demonstrable in 10 patients. All five patients who underwent first rib resection for intermittent venous occlusion or for thoracic outlet syndrome after thrombosis occurred on the contralateral side did well. Axillary-subclavian venous occlusion is a nonlethal disease but late sequelae occur in one third of patients. Early anticoagulation appears to be beneficial and, in some patients with concominant thoracic outlet syndrome, first rib resection also appears to be helpful. Further data are needed to evaluate results of fibrinolytic treatment, thrombectomy, and venous reconstruction. (J VASC SURG 1986;4:333-7.)
Sylvia's Story: Narrative, Storytelling, and Power in a Children's Community Mental Health System of Care

This article, a story about a family with children with disabilities and the people who are helping them, shows the power of speaking in narratives, and the liberation of understanding in narratives. It looks at the issues of narrative truth, meaning, embodiment, believability, and empathy in the context of power, marginalization, and control. It illustrates that thinking through a narrative approach demarginalizes the Other and lets us form more equal connections through our joint life experiences.
Being Rapa Nui, speaking Spanish: Children’s voices on Easter Island

In recent years, increased attention has been drawn to the situation of endangered minority languages and the complexity of sociolinguistic processes surrounding their evolution and future prospects. The Rapa Nui (Polynesian)-Spanish bilingual community of Easter Island, Chile has been experiencing language shift toward Spanish over the last four decades. At the same time, however, political struggles over land, political decision-making rights, and control over the heritage tourism economy have been converging to lead the Rapa Nui community to publicly and intensively assert and reconstruct their cultural identity. Although the majority of Rapa Nui children today are native and dominant speakers of Spanish, their positive ethnic identification and participation in public cultural activities and in bilingual and syncretic conversational interactions are providing opportunities for community revaluation and maintenance of their ancestral language. Using ethnographic and linguistic analysis of face-to-face ...
In situ growth rate measurement and nucleation enhancement for microwave plasma CVD of diamond

Laser reflection interferometry (LRI) has been shown to be a useful in situ technique for measuring growth rate of diamond during microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition (MPCVD). Current alternatives to LRI usually involve ex situ analysis such as cross-sectional SEM or profilometry. The ability to measure the growth rate in ‘real-time’ has allowed the variation of processing parameters during a single deposition and thus the extraction of much more information in a fraction of the time. In situ monitoring of growth processes also makes it possible to perform closed loop process control with better reproducibility and quality control. Unfortunately, LRI requires a relatively smooth surface to avoid surface scattering and the commensurate drop in reflected intensity. This problem was remedied by greatly enhancing the diamond particle nucleation via the deposition of an intermediate carbon layer using substrate biasing. When an unscratched silicon wafer is pretreated by biasing negatively relative to ground while in a methane-hydrogen plasma, nucleation densities much higher than those achieved on scratched silicon wafers are obtained. The enhanced nucleation allows a complete film composed of small grains to form in a relatively short time, resulting in a much smoother surface than is obtained from a film grown at lower nucleation densities.
Variation in Risk Taking Behavior Among Female College Students as a Function of the Menstrual Cycle

Abstract There is some evidence that women are less likely to be raped during the mid-portion of the menstrual cycle. In order to determine if women might be behaving in ways to decrease their chances of sexual assault when they are most likely to conceive, female college students were asked to complete a questionnaire about their activities during the past 24 hours and indicate the first day of their last menstruation. A statistically significant decrease in risk taking behavior during the ovulatory phase of the menstrual cycle was obtained for respondents who were not taking birth control pills.
Ribonucleotide Reductase Association With Mammalian Liver Mitochondria

Deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate pools in mammalian mitochondria are highly asymmetric, and this asymmetry probably contributes to the elevated mutation rate for the mitochondrial genome as compared with the nuclear genome. To understand this asymmetry, we must identify pathways for synthesis and accumulation of dNTPs within mitochondria. We have identified ribonucleotide reductase activity specifically associated with mammalian tissue mitochondria. Examination of immunoprecipitated proteins by mass spectrometry revealed R1, the large ribonucleotide reductase subunit, in purified mitochondria. Significant enzymatic and immunological activity was seen in rat liver mitochondrial nucleoids, isolated as described by Wang and Bogenhagen (Wang, Y., and Bogenhagen, D. F. (2006) J. Biol. Chem. 281, 25791–25802). Moreover, incubation of respiring rat liver mitochondria with [14C]cytidine diphosphate leads to accumulation of radiolabeled deoxycytidine and thymidine nucleotides within the mitochondria. Comparable results were seen with [14C]guanosine diphosphate. Ribonucleotide reduction within the mitochondrion, as well as outside the organelle, needs to be considered as a possibly significant contributor to mitochondrial dNTP pools.
Matched asymptotic solutions of impulsive flow over an elliptic cylinder

Abstract The initial flow field of an impulsively started incompressible viscous flow over an elliptic cylinder is analyzed by the method of matched asymptotic expansions. Analytical solutions for the outer and inner flow fields are obtained to the third order. The Symbolic Manipulation Program is used to facilitate the work. Flow separation is studied in some detail, as are the surface quantities such as the vorticity, the pressure distribution, the drag, and the lift coefficients.