cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Policy Performance and Brownfield Redevelopment in Milwaukee, Wisconsin*

Abstract The redevelopment of brownfield sites has become a central focus of government efforts aimed at developing and revitalizing urban areas in the U.S. This article examines brownfield redevelopment efforts in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin, which gained momentum in the mid-1990s, in order to determine how Milwaukee is performing in terms of redevelopment activities, what the effects of government support of such activities have been, and how performance outcomes are currently being measured. Through an examination of government data and interviews with key stakeholders, the Milwaukee case reveals that redevelopment is indeed progressing well as government becomes more effective at tackling the barriers to private-sector redevelopment. However, progress in redeveloping brownfields is still being measured primarily in terms of economic development outcomes rather than in terms of the broader social, economic, and environmental objectives that both policy makers and private-sector stakeholders associate w...
RTS Noise Characterization in Flash Cells

A method is presented for using noise spectroscopy to efficiently characterize random telegraph signal (RTS) in flash cells, in particular allowing the determination of oxide depth of the traps from the gate voltage dependence of the frequency spectrum of the trap. The RTS traps are not uniformly distributed in nitrided oxides, and increased nitridation of the tunneling oxide results in larger RTS specifically because of the proximity of the additional nitrogen to the substrate. The various effects of program/erase cycling on individual RTS related traps are qualitatively analyzed.
Comparison between nuclear localization of nopaline‐ and octopine‐specific Agrobacterium VirE2 proteins in plant, yeast and mammalian cells

SUMMARY In a unique case of trans-kingdom DNA transfer, Agrobacterium genetically transforms plants by transferring its DNA segment into the host cell nucleus and integrating it into the plant genome. One of the central players in this process is the bacterial virulence protein, VirE2, which binds the transported DNA molecule and facilitates its nuclear import. Nuclear import of VirE2 proteins encoded by two major Agrobacterium strains, nopaline and octopine, has been hypothesized to occur by different mechanisms, i.e. the nopaline VirE2 was imported only into the nuclei of plant cells while the octopine VirE2 also accumulated in the nuclei of animal cells. Here, this notion was tested by a systematic comparison of nuclear import of nopaline- and octopine-specific VirE2 in dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous plants and in living mammalian and yeast cells. These experiments showed that nuclear import of both nopaline and octopine VirE2 proteins is plant-specific, occurring in plant but not in non-plant systems.
Effect of iodine on serological specificity of tobacco mosaic virus.

SummaryThe sensitive complement fixation reaction was used to detect antigenic differences between normal tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) and TMV treated with iodine in KI in such a manner as to oxidize SH groups or to form diiodotyrosine. No change in antigenicity was detected in TMV in which the SH groups had been oxidized to S-S. Oxidation past the S-S stage resulted in change in the weight of virus reacting optimally with antiserum. Virus in which tyrosine was converted to diiodotyrosine was only weakly effective in stimulating formation of antibodies in rabbits and reacted with antiserum to normal virus with a 32-fold drop in antiserum dilution end point. These serological differences are comparable to the serological differences occurring between strains of TMV.
Specificity of Bacillus thuringiensis for lepidopteran larvae: factors involved in vivo and in the structure of a purified protoxin

The relative LD50 values in two test Lepidoptera of Bacillus thuringiensis subspecies kurstaki HD1, which contains three crylA protoxin genes, was the same as a plasmid-cured derivative or a Bacillus cereus transcipient containing only one of the three genes. Differential rates of transcription of these genes in the original strain could account, at least partly, for this result. Strains containing only the single protoxin gene (crylA(b] produced inclusions when grown at 25 degrees C but not 32 degrees C, despite transcription of this gene at both temperatures. The instability of the crylA(b) protoxin was not found in the parental B. thuringiensis subsp. kurstaki HD1 strain grown at either temperature, however, so kurstaki HD1 strains with multiple protoxin genes must produce some stabilizing factor, perhaps another protoxin. The cryl protoxins contain a highly conserved carboxyl half which is proteolytically removed upon conversion to toxin. All of the protoxin cysteines are present in protease-sensitive regions and they are oxidized in inclusions. Most of the disulphides appear to be essential for specificity since their reduction in the crylA(b) protoxin resulted in loss of selectivity for one of the test insects. This lack of specificity was also found for this protoxin produced by an Escherichia coli clone, probably because of the reducing conditions in these cells. Specificity was restored by reoxidation of the pure protoxin, by removal of the carboxyl half of oxidized protoxin with trypsin, or by subcloning of the toxin portion. The oxidized form of protoxins must be important for specificity, for the formation of crystalline inclusions, and probably for interactions required for the stabilization of some protoxins.
Investigation of goal change to optimize upper-extremity motor performance in a robotic environment

Robotic devices for therapy have the potential to enable intensive, fully customized home rehabilitation over extended periods for individuals with stroke and traumatic brain injury, thus empowering them to maximize their functional recovery. For robotic rehabilitation to be most effective, systems must have the capacity to assign performance goals to the user and to increment those goals to encourage performance improvement. Otherwise, individuals may plateau at an artificially low level of function. Frequent goal change is needed to motivate improvements in performance by individuals with brain injury; but because of entrenched habits, these individuals may avoid striving for goals that they perceive as becoming ever more difficult. For this reason, implicit, undetectable goal change (distortion) may be more effective than explicit goal change at optimizing the motor performance of some individuals with brain injury. This paper reviews a body of work that provides a basis for incorporating implicit goal change into a robotic rehabilitation paradigm. This work was conducted with individuals without disability to provide foundational knowledge for using goal change in a robotic environment. In addition, we compare motor performance with goal change to performance with no goal or with a static goal for individuals without brain injury. Our results show that goal change can improve motor performance when participants attend to visual feedback. Building on these preliminary results can lead to more effective robotic paradigms for the rehabilitation of individuals with brain injury, including individuals with cerebral palsy.
Isolated dislocation of the medial cuneiform bone: a rare injury of the tarsus: a case report

1. An unusual dislocation of the medial cuneiform bone of the foot is reported. 2. The diagnostic importance of obtaining a detailed history of the mechanism of injury is stressed, because the roentgenographic appearance of the dislocation can be confusing. Treatment was open reduction and arthrodesis.
Judicial Fundamentalism, the Fourth Amendment, and Ashcroft v Al-Kidd

The Supreme Court's opinion in Ashcroft v. Al-Kidd is a classic of judicial fundamentalism. The decision held that the former U.S. Attorney General was immune from a lawsuit alleging he misused the Material Witness Statute as a pretext for detaining individuals suspected of terrorist activities. The article argues that the decision is based on an untenable interpretation of precedent, and is rooted in a fundamentalist judicial philosophy long advocated by Justice Antonin Scalia, who wrote the opinion. The article then surveys the potential impact of the decision on Fourth Amendment protections, and concludes with brief remarks on the intellectual foundations of Scalia’s judicial philosophy.
18FDG-PET in the management of malignant peritoneal mesothelioma: A retrospective review of 145 scans in 37 patients

20519 Background: Malignant peritoneal mesothelioma is a rare tumor best managed by an interdisciplinary approach. The role of 18FDG-PET scans in monitoring patients with peritoneal mesothelioma ha...
Application-Based Methodology for Assessment of Flow Boiling Correlations in Microfin Tubes

The high flow boiling heat transfer coefficients (HTCs) and comparatively low pressure drop of microfin tubes make them suited to meet the ever-increasing energy efficiencies and burgeoning raw material costs of HVAC & R systems. Since the late 1980s, many empirical or semi-empirical correlations have been proposed to predict the in-tube boiling HTC for microfin tubes. A vast number of experimental studies have also been published for microfin tubes under different operating conditions with different refrigerants. However, due to the complex behavior of two-phase flows, it has been observed that no single correlation can predict the flow boiling HTC reasonably for the entire spectrum of geometric and operating parameters.The objective of the current study is to develop and provide researchers and practicing engineers with a predictive tool that will help them select the most accurate flow boiling HTC correlation for any practical HVAC & R application. Six popular and widely used correlations have been selected for investigation, which include Yu et al. [1], Thome et al. (as cited in [2]), Cavallini et al. [3], Yun et al. [4], and Chamra and Mago [5] and Wu et al. [6]. Each correlation has been carefully and critically assessed to discover its strengths, weaknesses and applicability to practical situations. In general, for tubes with root diameters greater than 5 mm, Thome et al. [2] and Cavallini et al. [3] predict the flow boiling HTC very well for CO2 and halogenated refrigerants respectively. For tubes with root diameters less than 5 mm, Wu et al. [6] is recommended. However, these recommendations can and do change with an alteration in flow or geometric parameters. Hence a tool is needed to measure the applicability of these correlations. The extensive experimental database collected for this research includes 1636 data points taken from 22 published articles. This wide-ranging database contains experimental points that incorporate all of the geometric and operating conditions that are used in the air-conditioning industry today. Traditionally, experimentation has been the principal means of ascertaining the HTC of microfin tubes. However, such testing is very costly and time consuming. The innovative numerical methodology developed in this work provides the practitioner with a tool to quantify the performance of a correlation for a specific application. This approach has been tested by the authors for several experimental points that span the entire range of real-world geometric and operating parameters. The use of this novel numerical procedure will save the HVAC & R industry significant experimental time and cost.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Mood and Flow: Comparing the Benefits of Narrative Versus Poetry Writing

We examined the benefits of a single session of narrative and poetry writing to determine the immediate effects of each on mood and flow. Following a sad mood induction, we randomly assigned partic...
Courtship and the use of pheromones by Pholcus manueli (Araneae: Pholcidae)

Most web spiders use chemical and vibratory cues for intersexual communication prior to mating. Little is known regarding the behavior of the web spider, Pholcus manueli Gertsch, 1937. In the laboratory, we examined the behavior of males in female webs. Some webs were washed and allowed to air dry. Both washed and unwashed webs were tested with and without females. Overall, male behaviors were similar to courtship reported for other pholcid species and their frequency was related to male size. Web washing delayed the initiation of activity, reduced abdomen flexes, and increased the likelihood of pedipalp expansion and aggression. The presence of females caused males to initiate movement sooner and to increase silk pulling behavior. These results suggest that courtship is multimodal and that the vibratory dialog between males and females works along with chemical communication in this species. Hopefully, these data will enhance future studies of sexual selection in pholcids.
Investigation on HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and attitude among migrant construction workers in Beijing City

[Objective]To investigate the HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and attitude among migrant construction workers,to analyze the relationship between knowledge level and attitude,and provide evidence for HIV/AIDS propaganda and education among migrant construction workers.[Methods]The construction sits were selected with the method of cluster sampling.HIV/AIDS knowledge levels and attitude were investigated by face-to-face questionnaire.[Results]The most of the 818 construction workers aged 18 to 25 years graduated from secondary school.The awareness rates of HIV/AIDS knowledge were 38.3%-91.3%.The rates of positive attitude to HIV /AIDS were 27.0%-66.6%.[Conclusion]The HIV/AIDS knowledge levels of migrant construction workers are limited,discrimination against HIV/AIDS seriously affects implementation of the HIV/AIDS prevention and control.Therefore,it is necessary to enhance HIV/AIDS education of non-transmission and anti-discrimination.
Determination of Paraquat and Diquat in Low-Moisture Food Crops Using Silica Column Cleanup and Liquid Chromatography with UV Detection

A sample cleanup method was developed for the determination of paraquat (PQ) and diquat (DQ) in low-moisture food crops. Low-moisture commodities, such as milled dry navy beans, are digested in acid. PQ and DQ are isolated from the digestates by using a 4 g column of preconditioned silica gel. The analytes are concentrated and then determined by liquid chromatography with a silica analytical column, sodium chloride as an ion-pairing re-agent, and acetonitrile as an organic modifier. PD and DQ are determined simultaneously with a diode array UV absorbance detector. Recoveries for PQ and DQ were determined on 3 different fortified low-moisture crops. Fortification levels ranged from 0.01 to 0.30 ppm; average recoveries ranged from 47.5% (DQ) to 95.3% (PQ).
On the Transition Matrix for First Order Systems

In structure — control interaction problems, it is often desirable to convert the second order real symmetric system in n-variables $$\mathop M\limits_ \sim \mathop {\ddot \xi }\limits_ \sim + C\mathop {\dot \xi }\limits_ \sim + \mathop K\limits_ \sim \mathop \xi \limits_ \sim = \mathop P\limits_ \sim \quad ;\quad t > o;\;\mathop \xi \limits_ \sim (o) = \mathop \xi \limits_{ \sim o} ,\;\mathop {\dot \xi }\limits_ \sim (o) = \mathop {\dot \xi }\limits_{ \sim o} $$ (1)
The Supply Chain Network Model with Freight Service Provider Competition

With this chapter we turn to the inclusion of the behavior of freight service providers engaged in competition in supply chain networks. The manufacturing firms are profit-maximizing and provide substitutable (but not identical) products and compete in quantities in a Cournot-Nash manner. The freight service providers, which transport the products to the consumers at the demand markets, are also profit-maximizers, but compete in prices in Bertrand fashion and on quality. The consumers respond to the composition of product and freight service provision through the demand price functions, which are both quantity and quality dependent. We derive the governing equilibrium conditions of the integrated supply chain network game theory model and show that it satisfies a variational inequality problem. We then describe the underlying dynamics and provide some qualitative properties, including stability analysis. The proposed algorithmic scheme tracks, in discrete-time, the dynamic evolution of the product shipments, the quality levels, and the prices until an approximation of a stationary point (within the desired convergence tolerance) is achieved. Numerical examples demonstrate the modeling and computational framework.
Drinking to Dependence Risk Factors in Nonhuman Primates

Nonhuman primates (NHPs), in particular old-world monkeys, are excellent human surrogates for understanding putative risk factors, including genetic and epigenetic factors, behavioral traits, and stress and hormonal interactions. NHPs have been very informative in alcohol research because they will repeatedly drink intoxicating doses of ethanol, including drinking until signs of physical dependence upon alcohol appear. Perhaps even more informative is that NHPs show a wide distribution in the daily intake of alcohol (with resultant blood ethanol concentrations) when they have nearly constant access to alcohol (22 hrs/day). Given the individual differences in drinking alcohol repeatedly to intoxication, this chapter will address several main risk factors for developing alcohol dependence that have been documented in humans and can be studied in monkeys. These main factors include genetic mechanisms, stress and the HPA axis, age of onset of drinking alcohol, and temperament.
The Physics of Brachytherapy

Just as the right arm of the radiation oncologist is the medical physicist, so the heart of brachytherapy is the science of physics. In this chapter we introduce the basics of brachytherapy physics beginning with the core of the science and culminating with a comprehensive presentation of the known science to date.
High single-mode powers from interband cascade lasers

We previously demonstrated mid-infrared interband cascade lasers (ICLs) that operated in continuous-wave (cw) mode at temperatures up to 62°C [1], the record for any semiconductor laser operating in the 3.0–4.6 µm spectral range. However, spectroscopic applications such as gas sensing also require emission into a single spectral mode that can be tuned over a wide wavelength range by varying the injection current and/or temperature. A step in that direction was our report of an ICL with a corrugated distributed-feedback (DFB) pattern etched into the ridge sidewalls. The corrugations serve the dual purpose of suppressing higher-order lateral modes by increasing their loss, while also providing distributed feedback. That device generated up to 12 mW per facet of single-mode cw output at 25 °C, with a side-mode suppression ratio > 30 dB [2].
Abstract 3079: Mechanism of hsa-miR-15a in EMT and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer

Epigenetic alterations such as non-coding microRNAs are critical factors in EMT and chemoresistance. Hsa-miR-15a, as one of the first miRNA identified to be associated with cancer, has been investigated for its role in several types of cancer. We are interested in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanism of hsa-miR-15a in colorectal cancer as hsa-miR-15a is down-regulated in colon cancer and associated with poor patient prognosis. In this study, we have identified several direct key targets of hsa-miR-15a that impact EMT transition, cell cycle and apoptosis. Our results show that the expression of BMI-1, an important regulator of EMT, was suppressed by hsa-miR-15a. The reduction of hsa-miR-15a in colorectal cancer patient samples was significantly inversely correlated with BMI-1 over-expression. Hsa-miR-15a also suppresses the expression of anti-apoptotic protein BCL-2. The suppression of BMI-1, BCL-2 as well as other key targets by hsa-miR-15a has potential for increasing chemosensitivity as well as disrupting cancer stem cell self renewal. In addition, hsa-miR-15a also has potential as a prognostic biomarker in colorectal cancer. This work will provide a further understanding of the mechanism of hsa-miR-15a loss in colorectal cancer and its clinical significance in relationship with its targets and pathways. The functional significance of hsa-miR-15a in regulating key targets and pathways establishes the foundation for hsa-miR-15a as a potential novel therapeutic strategy for treating colorectal cancer. Citation Format: Andrew Fesler, Haiyan Zhai, Jingfang Ju. Mechanism of hsa-miR-15a in EMT and chemoresistance in colorectal cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3079. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3079
The bone marrow microenvironment-driver of leukemia evolution?

The hematopoietic microenvironment while crucial for maintaining healthy self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) may also be a source for deleterious signals that may cause damage to HSPCs leading to disease (1,2). Previous studies have shown that alterations to niche components can trigger or aid in disease progression. A study to generate an improved xenograft mouse model of myelodysplasia syndrome (MDS) found that co-transplantation of patient stem cells with stromal cells increased disease engraftment, suggesting that the stromal cells are important in disease initiation and maintenance (3). Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) was triggered in mice by activation of β-catenin in osteoblast which lead to overexpression of the Notch ligand Jagged1 and upregulation of the Notch receptor in HSPCs (4).
Analysis of large versus small dogs reveals three genes on the canine X chromosome associated with body weight, muscling and back fat thickness

Domestic dog breeds display significant diversity in both body mass and skeletal size, resulting from intensive selective pressure during the formation and maintenance of modern breeds. While previous studies focused on the identification of alleles that contribute to small skeletal size, little is known about the underlying genetics controlling large size. We first performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using the Illumina Canine HD 170,000 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array which compared 165 large-breed dogs from 19 breeds (defined as having a Standard Breed Weight (SBW) >41 kg [90 lb]) to 690 dogs from 69 small breeds (SBW ≤41 kg). We identified two loci on the canine X chromosome that were strongly associated with large body size at 82-84 megabases (Mb) and 101-104 Mb. Analyses of whole genome sequencing (WGS) data from 163 dogs revealed two indels in the Insulin Receptor Substrate 4 (IRS4) gene at 82.2 Mb and two additional mutations, one SNP and one deletion of a single codon, in Immunoglobulin Superfamily member 1 gene (IGSF1) at 102.3 Mb. IRS4 and IGSF1 are members of the GH/IGF1 and thyroid pathways whose roles include determination of body size. We also found one highly associated SNP in the 5'UTR of Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long-chain family member 4 (ACSL4) at 82.9 Mb, a gene which controls the traits of muscling and back fat thickness. We show by analysis of sequencing data from 26 wolves and 959 dogs representing 102 domestic dog breeds that skeletal size and body mass in large dog breeds are strongly associated with variants within IRS4, ACSL4 and IGSF1.
Quantitative Risk Assessment of Antimicrobial-Resistant Foodborne Infections in Humans Due to Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin Usage in Dairy Cows

Recombinant bovine somatotropin (rbST) is a production-enhancing technology that allows the dairy industry to produce milk more efficiently. Concern has been raised that cows supplemented with rbST are at an increased risk of developing clinical mastitis, which would potentially increase the use of antimicrobial agents and increase human illnesses associated with antimicrobial-resistant bacterial pathogens delivered through the dairy beef supply. The purpose of this study was to conduct a quantitative risk assessment to estimate the potential increased risk of human infection with antimicrobial-resistant bacteria and subsequent adverse health outcomes as a result of rbST usage in dairy cattle. The quantitative risk assessment included the following steps: (i) release of antimicrobial-resistant organisms from the farm, (ii) exposure of humans via consumption of contaminated beef products, and (iii) consequence of the antimicrobial-resistant infection. The model focused on ceftiofur (parenteral and intramammary) and oxytetracycline (parenteral) treatment of clinical mastitis in dairy cattle and tracked the bacteria Campylobacter spp., Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica, and Escherichia coli in the gastrointestinal tract of the cow. Parameter estimates were developed to be maximum risk to overestimate the risk to humans. The excess number of cows in the U.S. dairy herd that were predicted to carry resistant bacteria at slaughter due to rbST administration was negligible. The total number of excess human illnesses caused by resistant bacteria due to rbST administration was also predicted to be negligible with all risks considerably less than one event per 1 billion people at risk per year for all bacteria. The results indicate a high probability that the use of rbST according to label instructions presents a negligible risk for increasing the number of human illnesses and subsequent adverse outcomes associated with antimicrobial-resistant Campylobacter, Salmonella, or E. coli .
Postoperative acute kidney injury following intraoperative blood product transfusions during cardiac surgery

Introduction:This study explored the nature of the association between intraoperative usage of red blood cell, fresh frozen plasma, cryoprecipitate or platelet transfusions and acute kidney injury....
Inter-department cooperation can spell success

At Northwest College the Physical Science Division has joined with the Humanities Division to help students become more proficient technical communications writers. The journey began when Professor Dr. Renee Dechert, who is responsible for the Technical Writing class in the Humanities Division, decided that she needed more real world projects to challenge the students in the technical writing class offered as part of the curriculum by the English Department. She could provide the approach, the structure, the references, and the style, but did not have insight into what subjects could provide the engineering students with a technical research challenge for a capstone project for the course. She contacted the Physical Science Division who provided two real world scenarios for the technical writing students.
Effects of acute nitric oxide synthase inhibition on lower leg vascular function in chronic tetraplegia.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE To improve our understanding of the lower-leg vascular responses of nitric oxide synthase inhibition in persons with tetraplegia. PARTICIPANTS Six people with chronic tetraplegia and 6 age-matched controls. METHODS Lower-leg relative vascular resistance and venous volume variation were obtained by venous occlusion plethysmography and blood pressure by auscultation at baseline. Postintravenous infusion of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester (1 mg x kg(-1) or placebo on separate days. RESULTS At baseline in the group with tetraplegia compared with controls, mean arterial pressure and relative vascular resistance of the leg were significantly lower. After nitric oxide synthase inhibition, mean arterial pressure and lower leg vascular resistance were significantly elevated in both groups. There were no group or intervention differences in venous volume variation. CONCLUSION These preliminary results suggest that nitric oxide synthase inhibition with 1 mg x kg(-1) N(G)-nitro-L-arginine-methyl-ester normalizes seated blood pressure and lower leg vascular resistance to control group baseline levels.
Quality of Web-Based Educational Interventions for Clinicians on Human Papillomavirus Vaccine: Content and Usability Assessment.

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates fall far short of Healthy People 2020 objectives. A leading reason is that clinicians do not recommend the vaccine consistently and strongly to girls and boys in the age group recommended for vaccination. Although Web-based HPV vaccine educational interventions for clinicians have been created to promote vaccination recommendations, rigorous evaluations of these interventions have not been conducted. Such evaluations are important to maximize the efficacy of educational interventions in promoting clinician recommendations for HPV vaccination. Objective: The objectives of our study were (1) to expand previous research by systematically identifying HPV vaccine Web-based educational interventions developed for clinicians and (2) to evaluate the quality of these Web-based educational interventions as defined by access, content, design, user evaluation, interactivity, and use of theory or models to create the interventions. Methods: Current HPV vaccine Web-based educational interventions were identified from general search engines (ie, Google), continuing medical education search engines, health department websites, and professional organization websites. Web-based educational interventions were included if they were created for clinicians (defined as individuals qualified to deliver health care services, such as physicians, clinical nurses, and school nurses, to patients aged 9 to 26 years), delivered information about the HPV vaccine and how to increase vaccination rates, and provided continuing education credits. The interventions’ content and usability were analyzed using 6 key indicators: access, content, design, evaluation, interactivity, and use of theory or models. Results: A total of 21 interventions were identified, out of which 7 (33%) were webinars, 7 (33%) were videos or lectures, and 7 (33%) were other (eg, text articles, website modules). Of the 21 interventions, 17 (81%) identified the purpose of the intervention, 12 (57%) provided the date that the information had been updated (7 of these were updated within the last 6 months), 14 (67%) provided the participants with the opportunity to provide feedback on the intervention, and 5 (24%) provided an interactive component. None of the educational interventions explicitly stated that a theory or model was used to develop the intervention. Conclusions: This analysis demonstrates that a substantial proportion of Web-based HPV vaccine educational interventions has not been developed using established health education and design principles. Interventions designed using these principles may increase strong and consistent HPV vaccination recommendations by clinicians. [JMIR Cancer 2018;4(1):e3]
From Access to Communion: Beyond the Social Model

The author discusses the public policy implications of current models of disability, arguing that the Americans with Disabilities Act represents the shift from medical to social models and that this shift has resulted in significant progress toward social and economic inclusion for those with disabilities. Yet this vision of society remains incomplete, as the current emphasis on individual accommodation has not led to fundamental social transformation. Drawing on resources in contemporary theologies of disability, the witness of L'Arche, and the author's experience as the parent of a child with significant intellectual and physical disabilities and complex medical needs, the essay calls those with and without disabilities to a life of communion and mutual giving and receiving.
EXPRESSION OF CATECHOLAMINE-SYNTHESIZING ENZYMES IN HUMAN NEUROBLASTOMA LINES WITH UNIQUE CHROMOSOMAL ABNORMALITIES

Neurotransmitter-synthesizing enzyme activities and metaphase chromosome abnormalities of 8 human neuroblastoma lines in continuous culture were determined. All lines had adrenergic or cholinergic traits or both. Most lines were near-diploid and were characterized by long, nonbanding, homogeneously-staining regions (HSRs) or double-minutes (DMS) of as yet unknown relationship to the malignant neuronal phenotype.
Regulation of ionic conductances and gene expression by hypoxia in an oxygen sensitive cell line

Oxygen is the final acceptor of electrons in the synthesis of ATP by the mitochondrial respiratory chain and is therefore an obligatory substrate for energy transformation in most biological systems. A reduction in O2 tension severely limits the ability of cells to perform energy-dependent functions and, if the hypoxia is severe enough, it can be life threatening. It is therefore not surprising that an elaborate control system has evolved in most species for optimizing the delivery of O2 to cells. In mammals, an essential component of this system is the carotid body; a small organ that is located bilaterally at the bifurcation of the carotid artery. The carotid body contains O2-sensitive (type I) cells that are stimulated by reduced O2 tension. The type I cells transmit information concerning the O2 status of arterial blood to closely situated primary sensory afferent fibers by release of neurotransmitter. A major problem confronting contemporary biology is identification of the molecular and cellular mechanisms that couple environmental stimuli with changes in cell phenotype and function. However, after several decades of intense investigations, the mechanisms by which type I cells detect changes in O2 tension and transduce this signal into an increase in neurotransmitter synthesis and release remain unknown.
Possibilities, models, and intuitionistic logic: Ian Rumfitt’s The boundary stones of thought

ABSTRACTAIan Rumfitt's new book presents a distinctive and intriguing philosophy of logic, one that ultimately settles on classical logic as the uniquely correct one–or at least rebuts some prominent arguments against classical logic. The purpose of this note is to evaluate Rumfitt's perspective by focusing on some themes that have occupied me for some time: (i) the role and importance of model theory and, in particular, the place of counter-arguments in establishing invalidity, (ii) higher-order logic, and (iii) the logical pluralism/relativism articulated in my own recent *Varieties of logic*.
Patient's self- reported functional status and health related quality of life: prognostic predictors for 30-day hospital readmission among heart failure patients

Purpose The purpose of this project was to examine the relationship between self-reported functional status as measured by the New York Heart Failure Association (NYHA) functional classification and health related quality of life (HRQOL) to 30-day hospital readmission rates among patients with Heart Failure (HF). Research question What is the relationship between self-reported functional status and health related quality of life to30-day hospital readmission rates among patients with diagnosis of heart failure? Background Heart failure is the leading cause of hospital readmission among patients, age 65 years and older (Mozzafarian, 2016). An estimated increase of 46% from 2012 to 2030 will result in eight million Americans affected with the disease (CDC, 2016). The increasing number of patients affected by HF is alarming. Various quality improvement projects identified by The Joint Commission (TJC) including discharge planning instructions, arranging transition of care at discharge, measuring left ventricular function, seven day follow-up appointment, and evidence based prescription of medications have been implemented (TJC, 2016). Yet the efforts of this nature have not been associated with lower readmission rates (Bonow et al., 2012; Joynt and Jha, 2013a; Glass, Lisk and Stensland, 2012). The efforts to reduce the preventable hospital readmission rates among this population is a prominent target for change since finding strategies to reduce readmissions would reduce cost and improve patient outcomes. Design and methods A quantitative, descriptive correlational research design (n=66) was used to examine the correlation between the predictor variables, functional status and quality of life, to 30-day hospital readmission rates among patients with HF. The data was collected between November 2017 and January 2018. Institutional Board Review (IRB) approval was obtained from participating study site prior to data collection. Findings The computed chi-square p-value to test the relationship between NYHA functional status classification and 30-day readmission was .044, which is under the required 2 with p Implications The results of this study provide health care providers information about predictors of readmissions among participants diagnosed with HF.
Battling a Common Enemy: Joining Forces in the Fight against Sewage Pollution

The health of both coral reefs and people are imperiled by a local threat that is widespread across the globe-sewage and the typical components it carries (e.g., nutrients, sediments, heavy metals, endocrine disruptors, pathogens, and pharmaceuticals). Despite this common threat, those concerned with human health and those concerned with coral reef health have rarely joined forces. To jump-start an alliance between coral conservation and human health sectors, this article documents the threats that humans and reefs face and identifies threat-abatement strategies that will benefit both people and reefs, highlighting the mitigation of water pollution as a prime example. By joining forces, marine conservationists and human health practitioners can increase the amount and efficiency of both intellectual and financial resources they bring to bear against sewage.
Grassroots International NGOs: Using Comparative Interpretive Policy Analysis to Understand Meanings in Private Development Aid

This research comparatively examines grassroots international NGOs (GINGOs), a growing subset of international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) working in private development aid. GINGOs are s...
Electrical and shear constitutive response of conductive glass fibre/epoxy composites

ABSTRACTElectrical and shear behaviour of electrically conductive glass fibre/epoxy composites is studied under interlaminar shear loading. A well-connected network is developed by dispersing carbo...
You Complete Me: Antecedents and Moderators of Relationship-Induced Self-concept Change

People’s selves are created, altered, and maintained both by their personal experiences in the world, but also through their experiences in close relationships. Thus, the way that people see and define who they are can be shaped and changed due to the relationships in which they find themselves. Although many different types of relationships can impact people’s identities, romantic relationships, as one of the closest relational bonds that adults experience, appear to be especially powerful in shaping the self. This relationship-induced self-change can occur in the initial attraction phase of a relationship, during ongoing relationships, and when relationships end. The goal of the current chapter is to detail various impacts that close relationships, particularly romantic relationships, have on people’s identities during the early and ongoing phases of romantic relationships. The current chapter also seeks to highlight motivating antecedents and moderating factors of these impacts and to discuss remaining questions and directions for future research.
Hepatic Predictors of Mortality in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2: Role of Initial Aspartate Aminotransferase/Alanine Aminotransferase and Preexisting Cirrhosis

The novel coronavirus severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). The presenting symptoms of this virus are variable, and there is an increasing body of literature on risk factors for mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of initial aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels and preexisting liver disease, including cirrhosis, in a cohort of patients admitted with COVID-19 infection at a tertiary care hospital network in the Bronx, New York. We reviewed 3,352 patients who had a positive SARS-CoV2 nasal swab, were over 18 years of age, and had an associated inpatient admission and discharge (or death) to the Montefiore Medical Center from February 28, 2020, to May 22, 2020. Of these, 39/86 (45%) patients died when the initial ALT was >5 times the upper limit of normal (ULN); 115/230 (50%) patients died when the initial AST was >3 times the ULN. The mortality of patients without preexisting liver disease was 26.6% compared to a mortality rate of 29.5% in patients with liver disease. Subgroup analysis showed a mortality of 36.1% in the patients with cirrhosis. Cirrhosis conferred a hazard ratio for mortality of 1.67 (95% confidence interval, 1.09, 2.55; P = 0.019). The baseline Model for End-Stage Liver Disease score was not prognostic in the cirrhosis cohort. There was no statistical difference between mortality in patients with a history of compensated or decompensated cirrhosis. The most common cause of death in the cirrhosis cohort was respiratory failure. Conclusion: COVID-19 hepatitis may lead to poor outcomes in patients who are hospitalized for the disease. Patients with cirrhosis are at a higher risk of COVID-19-related mortality.
Sex Differences in Postoperative Complications and Functional Status After Deformity Correction Surgery: Do Men Fare Better Than Women?

Objective We investigated whether a sex-related difference exists in the postoperative complication risk and health-related quality of life measures after surgery for adult spinal deformity. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 156 adult patients with a diagnosis of adult spinal deformity who had undergone spinal surgery. The primary outcome variables included the postoperative complication rates and changes in the health-related quality of life measures. Adjusted odds ratios were estimated by multivariate logistic regression with the inclusion of covariate terms for sex, smoking, preoperative optimization, American Society of Anesthesiologists grade, depression, osteoporosis, invasiveness of surgery (number of vertebral levels fused), and baseline functional disability. Results At presentation, the women were more likely to be smokers (74 women [71.15%]; 23 men [42.31%]; P = 0.01) and to have a greater prevalence of depression (36 women [34.62%]; 10 men [19.23%]; P = 0.06). The women had also presented with more severe baseline pain (visual analog scale for back pain score, 7.24 vs. 6.00 [P = 0.02]; visual analog scale for leg pain score, 5.87 vs. 5.59 [P = 0.07]) and worse functional disability (patient-reported outcomes measurement information system score, 6.82 vs. 5.65 [P = 0.01]; Oswestry disability index, 45.42 vs. 37.07 [P = 0.01]). However, postoperatively, the women experienced greater improvement in pain and disability compared with the men. The unadjusted odds of a postoperative complication was greater for the women (odds ratio, 1.14; 95% confidence interval, 0.55–2.33). On multivariate logistic regression analysis, the association between sex and postoperative complications was attenuated after controlling for other baseline variables. Conclusions In the present study, after adjustment for important baseline prognostic factors, no differences were found in the postoperative complication rates or extent of functional improvement when stratified by sex. Both sexes responded equally well to corrective surgery for symptomatic adult spinal deformity.
Efficient Investments, Job Dynamics and Frictional Dispersion

When there are search frictions in the labor market, physical capital accumulation by firms interacts with job dynamics. To study this interaction, this paper integrates directed, on-the-job search (OJS) into the neoclassical theory of firm investments, analytically characterizes the social optimum and quantitatively evaluates the model. The constrained social optimum features a continuous ladder of capital stocks across jobs and, hence, of labor productivity among homogeneous workers. Workers who are employed from unemployment optimally start at the bottom of the ladder. There is a socially efficient tradeoff between reducing unemployment and increasing labor productivity. Firm investments move a worker up the ladder continuously and OJS makes a worker jump up on the ladder in discrete steps. OJS is socially efficient when the capital stock is low, despite that job-to-job transition destroys an existing job. OJS is front-loaded and stops after a finite number of job switches. In contrast, investments by firms continue throughout a worker's employment. Moreover, investments are partially delayed when the capital stock is low, and so investments can be hump-shaped over tenure and over the capital stock. Calibration exercises show that the social optimum generates large frictional dispersion in labor productivity, significant returns to tenure, and persistently large costs of job loss.
Visceral fat is associated with high-grade complications in patients undergoing minimally invasive partial nephrectomy for small renal masses

Introduction Minimally invasive partial nephrectomy is standard of care treatment for small renal masses. Objective We evaluated the relationship between subcutaneous and visceral obesity with high-grade postoperative 30-day complications in patients undergoing minimally invasive partial nephrectomy. Methods We retrospectively identified 98 patients at our institution from 2014 to 2017 who underwent laparoscopic or robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy due to suspected renal cell carcinoma. Patients were stratified based on presence or absence of high-grade (Clavien ≥ IIIa) 30-day postoperative complications. Means were compared with the independent t test and proportions with chi-square analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to determine independent predictors of high-grade 30-day complications. Results Mean nephrometry score was 6.7 with 21 (21.4%) patients having hilar tumors. Mean estimation of blood loss was 207 mL, mean operating time was 223 min, and mean warm ischemia time was 23 min. The majority of patients had clear renal cell carcinoma (n = 83, 84.7%) and pT1a disease (n = 76, 77.6%) with negative margins (n = 89, 90.8%) on pathology. There were 5 (5.1%) patients who experienced a high-grade postoperative 30-day complication. Mean visceral fat index was an independent predictor of high-grade 30-day complications (odds ratio: 1.02; 95% confidence interval: 1.002-1.03; p = 0.027). Conclusions Visceral obesity should be considered as a prognostic indicator of outcomes in patients undergoing surgical treatment for a small renal mass.
Postmortem neuroimaging: Temporal and spatial sensitivity of manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI) and impact of Mn2+ uptake.

Abstract Magnetic resonance imaging data collection and analysis have been challenges in the field of auditory neuroscience. Recent studies have addressed these concerns by using manganese-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MEMRI). Basic challenges for in vivo application of MEMRI in rodents includes how to set inclusion criteria for adequate Mn2+ uptake and whether valid data can be collected from brains postmortem. Since brain Mn2+ uptake is complete within 2–4 h and clearance can take 2–4 weeks, one assumption has been that Mn2+-enhanced R1 values continue to reliably reflect the degree of Mn2+-uptake for some indeterminate time after death. To address these issues, the impact of death on R1 values was determined in rats administered Mn2+ and rats that were not. Images of auditory nuclei were collected at fixed intervals from rats before and after death for up to 10 h postmortem. By taking a ratio of pituitary and muscle T1-W intensities (P/M), a reliable quantitative method for assessing adequate brain Mn2+ uptake was created and suggest that P/M ratios should be adopted to objectively measure the quality of the Mn2+ injection. Postmortem R1 values decreased in all brain regions in both the After Mn2+ and No Mn2+ groups. However, the time-course of postmortem changes in R1 was dependent on brain region and degree of Mn2+ uptake. Thus, postmortem R1 values not only differ after death, but vary with time and across brain regions. Postmortem R1 values in unfixed brain tissue, including the auditory nuclei, should be interpreted with caution.