cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the Degradation Mechanisms of Lysine-derived Aliphatic Poly(ester urethane) Scaffolds

Characterization of the degradation mechanism of polymeric scaffolds and delivery systems for regenerative medicine is essential to assess their clinical applicability. Key performance criteria include induction of a minimal, transient inflammatory response and controlled degradation to soluble non-cytotoxic breakdown products that are cleared from the body by physiological processes. Scaffolds fabricated from biodegradable poly(ester urethane)s (PEURs) undergo controlled degradation to non-cytotoxic breakdown products and support the ingrowth of new tissue in preclinical models of tissue regeneration. While previous studies have shown that PEUR scaffolds prepared from lysine-derived polyisocyanates degrade faster under in vivo compared to in vitro conditions, the degradation mechanism is not well understood. In this study, we have shown that PEUR scaffolds prepared from lysine triisocyanate (LTI) or a trimer of hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDIt) undergo hydrolytic, esterolytic, and oxidative degradation. Hydrolysis of ester bonds to yield α-hydroxy acids is the dominant mechanism in buffer, and esterolytic media modestly increase the degradation rate. While HDIt scaffolds show a modest (<20%) increase in degradation rate in oxidative medium, LTI scaffolds degrade six times faster in oxidative medium. Furthermore, the in vitro rate of degradation of LTI scaffolds in oxidative medium approximates the in vivo rate in rat excisional wounds, and histological sections show macrophages expressing myeloperoxidase at the material surface. While recent preclinical studies have underscored the potential of injectable PEUR scaffolds and delivery systems for tissue regeneration, this promising class of biomaterials has a limited regulatory history. Elucidation of the macrophage-mediated oxidative mechanism by which LTI scaffolds degrade in vivo provides key insights into the ultimate fate of these materials when injected into the body.
Fertility preservation and adolescent/young adult cancer patients: physician communication challenges.

Abstract Purpose The doctor–parent–adolescent triad is a unique communication challenge, particularly in the area of fertility preservation for adolescents with cancer. This paper provides a preliminary exploration into the barriers experienced by physicians in discussing cancer related fertility issues with patients aged 12–18. Methods This study used a subset of the data from qualitative interviews with pediatric oncologists. Results The majority of physicians agreed that fertility preservation conversations were awkward because of limited options and resources for the technology as well as the existence of a fine line between establishing a sense of trust between doctor and patient, while not excluding parents. Conclusions Healthcare providers need training on how and when to broach fertility issues with patients, emphasizing open communication and early disclosure.
The unadorned developmental phases of Maruzzo et al. and Høeg et al. (2012): artifacts?

In an ecologically oriented paper, Maruzzo et al. (2012) illustrate six developmental phases from the freshly settled cyprid larvae to the sessile juvenile in the barnacle, Amphibalanus amphitrite (Darwin, 1854), and in an evolutionarily oriented paper Hoeg et al. (2012) do likewise for Megabalanus rosa (Pilsbry, 1916). Both video-based studies illustrate 5 unadorned increasingly sac-like phases leading up to the sessile juvenile (Phase 6). In both species, Phase 5 is not only illustrated as sac-like, it resides outside the protective canopy of the cyprid shell, and this is reminiscent of the situation described by Bernard and Lane (1962, Fig. 24A). However, it has been long known that not only is the metamorphosing balanoid larva within the cyprid carapace divided into a capitulum and peduncle, but the anlagen of plates can seen with light microscopy through the largely transparent cyprid carapace (Runnstrom, 1925; Walley, 1969; Gusenbauer, 2003), and primordial plates appear in SEMs in Phase 5, after the carapace has been shed (Glenner and Hoeg, 1993; Gusenbauer, 2003). Maruzzo et al. and Hoeg et al. neither recognize such plates nor do they recognize the peduncle in any of the phases. Yet it is largely the peduncle that is involved in the struggle to shed the cyprid carapace in the transition to semi-sessile Phase 5, which they describe and illustrate as a “bag-like body shape.” Maruzzo et al. claim this phase persists for as much as 24 hours before becoming fully sessile (Phase 6), and they call for studies to assess its contribution to differential mortality. But Phase 5 has generally been observed to persist for less than three hours. Thus, the significantly longer duration being reported is either an artifact resulting from in vitro conditions and manipulations and/or failure to determine when the wall plates they illustrate in Phase 6 began to form. On the other hand, SEMs of Glenner and Hoeg, and more recently Gusenbauer, show that semi-sessile Phase 5 is by and large comparable to that illustrated by Runnstrom (1925) and, therefore, an unadorned sac-like form surely does not exist. Thus, Phase 5 of Maruzzo et al. and Hoeg et al., like that of Bernard and Lane (Fig. 14A), is most certainly an artifact.
Anopheles gambiae salivary gland proteins as putative targets for blocking transmission of malaria parasites.

Despite long-standing chemotherapeutic intercession and vector control programs, malaria exacts a heavy burden on human health, with 300–500 million infections and 1.5–2.7 million deaths annually. The disease is transmitted from female Anopheles mosquitoes to humans through the sporozoite stage of the Plasmodium parasite in the course of a blood meal. The penultimate event before the infectious bite is invasion of the Anopheles salivary glands by the Plasmodium sporozoites. This critical period of the sporogonic cycle presents a rarely studied target for malaria transmission blocking strategies. Identifying and blocking the receptors necessary for sporozoite invasion of the salivary glands could prevent the transmission of malaria from the Anopheles vector to humans. Earlier studies have indicated that the sporozoite–salivary gland interaction is species specific and receptor mediated, suggesting that the glands dictate the ability of sporozoites to recognize and invade the salivary glands (1). Biochemical characterization of salivary gland components has shown that the basal lamina and the female-specific distal and median lateral lobes are heavily glycosylated (2). In addition, it has been shown that lectins that bind salivary gland-associated carbohydrates block Plasmodium gallinaceum (avian malaria parasite) sporozoite invasion of Aedes aegypti salivary glands. Concurrently, polyclonal serum against A. aegypti salivary glands inhibited P. gallinaceum sporozoite invasion as compared with preimmune serum and saline controls (3). To date, efforts to block the invasion of mosquito salivary glands by malaria sporozoites have been carried out with A. aegypti mosquitoes and P. gallinaceum parasites. Although this system serves as an excellent model because of the relative simplicity of raising large numbers of A. aegypti mosquitoes and the ease of studying P. gallinaceum, results cannot be easily applied to the natural transmission of human malaria for two reasons. First, Aedes mosquitoes do not transmit human malaria parasites, and second, there are biological differences between many of the mammalian malaria parasites and P. gallinaceum (4). The goal of this study was to investigate putative receptors for mammalian malaria sporozoites on the salivary glands of A. gambiae, the primary malaria vector in Africa (5). The proposed hypothesis is that blocking the interaction between sporozoites and female-specific A. gambiae salivary gland proteins with salivary gland-specific antibodies will inhibit or prevent sporozoites from invading A. gambiae salivary glands and thus, reduce transmission. Identification of sporozoite receptors would not only increase the understanding of the biology of Plasmodium in the Anopheles vector but also suggest new molecular targets for blocking the transmission of human malaria.
Clavicular division technique. A new approach for lengthening the pectoralis flap.

• Complications associated with using the pectoralis major myocutaneous flap increase significantly when a portion of the paddle is randomized and/or the flap is closed under tension. The clavicular division technique was devised to increase the length of the flap to help alleviate this problem. Thirty pectoralis major muscle flaps were dissected in fresh cadavers, using the clavicular division technique. The length of the flap after transposition was measured and recorded before and after clavicular division. The distance from the sternal notch to the clavicular division point was also recorded. The average gain in length was found to be 2.9 cm, with a range of 0.5 cm to 6.5 cm. The clavicular division technique has been used since in five patients. The increase in length has allowed us to discard some or all of the random portion of the flap. We advocate the use of this procedure on any patient where the surgeon is concerned about the viability of the random portion of the flap and/or when it is felt that the tension on the suture line is excessive. (Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg1989;115:224-227)
Fixed binning schemes: an operational duality between channel and source coding problems with side information

In this paper, the meaning of duality in terms of the coding operations and the corresponding performance measures are examined. In this paper, operational duality to the channel and source coding problems with side information are extended. A class of deterministic maximal binning schemes is constructed. Each bin corresponds to a maximal channel code and the collection of the codewords in all the bins forms a maximal channel code. The construction of the binning scheme from the individual channel codes is greedy and provides an alternative proof of the coding theorem for the two side information problems.
Evidence of cryptic individual specialization in an opportunistic insectivorous bat

Habitat use and feeding behaviors of cryptic animals are often poorly understood. Analyses of stable isotope ratios in animal body tissues can help reveal an individual’s location and resource use during tissue growth. We investigated variation in stable isotope ratios of 4 elements (H, C, N, and S) in the hair of a sedentary species of insectivorous bat (Eptesicus fuscus) inhabiting a chemically complex urban landscape. Our objective was to quantify population-level isotopic variation and test for evidence of resource specialization by individuals. Bats were sampled over 3 annual molt cycles at maternity roosts in buildings and variance components analysis was used to test whether intraindividual isotopic variation among molts differed from interindividual variation, after controlling for year and roost-group effects. Consistent with prior evidence that E. fuscus is opportunistic in its habitat use and foraging at the population level, we observed wide population-level variation for all isotopes. This variation likely reflects the chemical complexity of the urban landscape studied. However, isotopic variation among years within marked individuals was lower than variation among marked individuals within year for all isotopes, and carbon signatures indicated resource specialization by roost groups and individuals. This is the 1st study to examine variation in stable isotope ratios of individual wild bats over multiple years. Although our results suggest this population tends toward opportunistic habitat use or prey selection, or both, during molt periods, results also indicate that individuals and groups of bats composing the population might be habitat or dietary specialists—a novel finding for insectivorous bats.
Effects of Nitrogen Supply on the Root Morphology of Corn and Velvetleaf

Root morphology will affect interplant competition for soil nutrients. Research was conducted to assess fine root fraction, mean root radius, specific root length, root length density, and nitrogen (N) uptake per unit fine root biomass of corn and velvetleaf over time and in response to nitrogen supply. Pots containing either corn or velvetleaf were embedded in the ground and received one of three N treatments. Plants were destructively sampled on 10 dates during each of two years and root subsamples analyzed using root scanning software. While corn root morphology was more responsive to N supply than velvetleaf, velvetleaf N uptake per unit fine root length was greater than that of corn at similar biomass. Results suggest that, in lieu of modifying root morphology to increase uptake efficiency when N is deficient, velvetleaf may in vest more root biomass to produce a deeper tap root to reach nutrients deeper in the profile.
Inhalational anthrax (Ames aerosol) in naïve and vaccinated New Zealand rabbits: characterizing the spread of bacteria from lung deposition to bacteremia.

There is a need to better understand inhalational anthrax in relevant animal models. This understanding could aid risk assessment, help define therapeutic windows, and provide a better understanding of disease. The aim here was to characterize and quantify bacterial deposition and dissemination in rabbits following exposure to single high aerosol dose (>100LD50) of Bacillus anthracis (Ames) spores immediately following exposure through 36 hours. The primary goal of collecting the data was to support investigators in developing computational models of inhalational anthrax disease. Rabbits were vaccinated prior to exposure with the human vaccine (Anthrax Vaccine Adsorbed, AVA) or were sham-vaccinated, and were then exposed in pairs (1 sham and 1 AVA) so disease kinetics could be characterized in equally-dosed hosts where one group is fully protected and is able to clear the infection (AVA-vaccinated), while the other is susceptible to disease, in which case the bacteria are able to escape containment and replicate uncontrolled (sham-vaccinated rabbits). Between 4-5% of the presented aerosol dose was retained in the lung of sham- and AVA-vaccinated rabbits as measured by dilution plate analysis of homogenized lung tissue or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid. After 6 and 36 hours, >80% and >96%, respectively, of the deposited spores were no longer detected in BAL, with no detectable difference between sham- or AVA-vaccinated rabbits. Thereafter, differences between the two groups became noticeable. In sham-vaccinated rabbits the bacteria were detected in the tracheobronchial lymph nodes (TBLN) 12 hours post exposure and in the circulation at 24 hours, a time point which was also associated with dramatic increases in vegetative CFU in the lung tissue of some animals. In all sham-vaccinated rabbits, bacteria increased in both TBLN and blood through 36 hours at which point in time some rabbits succumbed to disease. In contrast, AVA-vaccinated rabbits showed sma
Post-Buckling Behavior of Stiffened Plates with Small Initial Curvature under Combined Loads,

Abstract : The post-buckling behavior of a stiffened plate with small initial curvature is discussed in this paper. The stiffened plate is idealized by an equivalent orthotropic plate. The basic differential equations are derived and solved under two sets of boundary and loading conditions. Non-dimensional design curves giving the center deflection, critical load, effective breadth, and bending moment are presented for different values of the inplane load, lateral load, virtual aspect ratio, stiffeners characteristics and initial deflection. A computer program is also presented in order to obtain the results for values of the parameters not covered in the design curves. An example on the use of the design curves is given in which the results are compared under different boundary conditions and different initial deflections. (Author)
PURCHASING POWER PARITY AND BLACK-MARKET EXCHANGE RATES

This paper develops a theory of black-market exchange rate determination as a function of the market-clearing rate, the official rate and changes in official reserve levels. The model is tested for three countries over the period 1952–1971 by using purchasing-power-parity calculations as approximations of the equilibrium rate. The results indicate that relative rates of inflation are the dominant forces influencing equilibrium exchange rates.
The Phylogeny of Ayenia , Byttneria, and Rayleya (Malvaceae s. l.) and its Implications for the Evolution of Growth Forms

Abstract Tropical plants show a diversity of growth forms, yet few phylogenies are available to examine the transitions between trees, shrubs, and lianas. Here, we reconstruct relationships among 37 species of Ayenia, Byttneria, and Rayleya with cpDNA sequences, and use the resulting phylogeny to test hypotheses on the evolution of climbing plants and to examine biogeography of these plants. Results show that Rayleya is sister to a combined clade of Ayenia and Byttneria; Byttneria is paraphyletic with Ayenia nested within it. The common ancestor of the combined Ayenia/Byttneria/Rayleya clade is reconstructed as a neotropical tree or shrub. Within the Ayenia/Byttneria clade, there is a single transition to unarmed lianas, with subsequent radiations into the Asian and African tropics. A second independent transition from trees or shrubs to spiny, semi-scandent shrubs occurred in the neotropics. We found no evidence of transitions from lianas to any other growth form; however, we recovered a reversal from se...
The use and application of special techniques in assessing melanocytic tumours

To improve diagnostic accuracy, a number of novel techniques have been developed to assist in the evaluation of melanocytic tumours. Dematologists have begun to explore the use of new instruments, such as dermoscopy or confocal scanning laser microscopy, in their clinical assessment of pigmented lesions. They have also benefited from advances in digital photography and applied this technique to monitor patients with numerous atypical naevi. Likewise, the diagnostic armamentarium of pathologists has been enriched over the past decade. A number of new reagents have become available for immunohistochemical analysis of melanocytes in archival material, such as antibodies to tyrosinase, Melan-A/Mart-1, micropthalmia-associated transcription factor and PNL2. These markers have allowed improvements in the sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of melanoma and its distinction from histological mimics. However, some pitfalls in the use of various reagents have also become apparent. Most recently, molecular techniques are being explored for their potential use in the diagnosis of melanoma. In this review, various modalities are discussed with regard to their application in the evaluation of melanocytic neoplasms.
A functional framework for the specification of artificial neural networks

The authors consider artificial neural networks (ANNs) as first class objects with a double identity: a functional one, when the network is used in activation mode (the input units are clamped, the network evolves, and the results are observed on the output units, possibly the same), and a structural one, where one is interested in the internal states of the neural network. This duplicity is easily expressed in functional languages like Lisp, and besides its elegance it has interesting properties such as network composition and easy integration within symbolic reasoning. The ultimate objective of this research project is to develop an environment in which the definition and the use of ANN and the traditional symbolic processing are strongly coupled. >
Neural mechanisms of impulse control in sexually risky adolescents

The consequences of risky sexual behavior are of public concern. Adolescents contribute disproportionately to negative consequences of risky sexual behavior. However, no research has examined the neural correlates of impulse control and real-world engagement in risky sexual behavior in this population. The aim of the present study was to examine this question. Twenty sexually active adolescents performed an impulse control task during a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scan and risky sexual behaviors were assessed through self-report. Sexual riskiness ratings were negatively associated with activation in the prefrontal cortex during response inhibition. These results suggest that diminished engagement of impulse control circuitry may contribute to sexual riskiness in adolescents.
The musculoskeletal complications of diabetes.

The musculoskeletal system can be affected by diabetes in a number of ways. Some of the musculoskeletal conditions seen in diabetics are the same as those found in the general (nondiabetic) population, whereas others are unique to diabetes. The hands, shoulders, feet, muscles, and skeleton are some of the frequently affected sites. Although there is often no “cure” for these problems, there are treatments available that can significantly improve function and quality of life for diabetics with rheumatologic problems.
Arboreal Metaphors and the Divine Body Traditions in the Apocalypse of Abraham

The first eight chapters of the Apocalypse of Abraham , a Jewish pseudepigraphon preserved solely in its Slavonic translation, deal with the early years of the hero of the faith in the house of his father Terah. 1 The main plot of this section of the text revolves around the family business of manufacturing idols. Terah and his sons are portrayed as craftsmen carving religious figures out of wood, stone, gold, silver, brass, and iron. The zeal with which the family pursues its idolatrous craft suggests that the text does not view the household of Terah as just another family workshop producing religious artifacts for sale. Although the sacerdotal status of Abraham's family remains clouded in rather obscure imagery, the authors of the Slavonic apocalypse seem to envision the members of Terah's household as cultic servants whose “house” serves as a metaphor for the sanctuary polluted by idolatrous worship. From the very first lines of the apocalypse the reader learns that Abraham and Terah are involved in sacrificial rituals in temples. 2 The aggadic section of the text, which narrates Terah's and Abraham's interactions with the “statues,” culminates in the destruction of the “house” along with its idols in a fire sent by God. It is possible that the Apocalypse of Abraham , which was written in the first centuries of the Common Era, 3 when Jewish communities were facing a wide array of challenges including the loss of the Temple, is drawing here on familiar metaphors derived from the Book of Ezekiel, which construes idolatry as the main reason for the destruction of the terrestrial sanctuary. Like Ezekiel, the hero of the Slavonic apocalypse is allowed to behold the true place of worship, the heavenly shrine associated with the divine throne. Yet despite the fact that the Book of Ezekiel plays a significant role in shaping the Abrahamic pseudepigraphon, 4 there is a curious difference between the two visionary accounts. While in Ezekiel the false idols of the perished temple are contrasted with the true form of the deity enthroned on the divine chariot, the Apocalypse of Abraham denies its hero a vision of the anthropomorphic Glory of God. When in the second part of the apocalypse Abraham travels to the upper heaven to behold the throne of God, evoking the classic Ezekielian description, he does not see any divine form on the chariot. Scholars have noted that while they preserve some features of Ezekiel's angelology, the authors of the Slavonic apocalypse appear to be carefully avoiding the anthropomorphic description of the divine Kavod , substituting references to the divine Voice. 5 The common interpretation is that the Apocalypse of Abraham deliberately seeks “to exclude all reference to the human figure mentioned in Ezekiel 1.” 6
Topology Selection for Fault-Tolerant Beacon Vector Routing in Wireless Sensor Networks

This paper presents a performance analysis comparison for different topology types that can be used with an improved fault-tolerant beacon vector routing (BVR) protocol. The topology types of mesh, torus, FCR, and communication graph are compared. The performance of these topology types is analyzed using BVR and three-phase fault-tolerant BVR. Performance metrics include throughput, latency, overhead, saturation points, and packet success rate in the presence of multiple node failures. Using this analysis, we recommend for the user a given topology type, depending on the desired tradeoffs for their given application
Race, School Integration, and Friendship Segregation in America1

Integrated schools may still be substantively segregated if friendships fall within race. Drawing on contact theory, this study tests whether school organization affects friendship segregation in a national sample of adolescent friendship networks. The results show that friendship segregation peaks in moderately heterogeneous schools but declines at the highest heterogeneity levels. As suggested by contact theory, in schools where extracurricular activities are integrated, grades tightly bound friendship, and races mix within tracks, friendship segregation is less pronounced. The generally positive relation between heterogeneity and friendship segregation suggests that integration strategies built on concentrating minorities in large schools may accentuate friendship segregation.
LEAPFROGGING INTO THE KNOWLEDGE ECONOMY: ASSESSING THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES OF THE ARAB GULF STATES

The oil-abundant, labour-deficient countries of the Persian Gulf are investing their wealth towards creating economic development beyond oil. At a minimum, these strategies are attempts to craft the basis for sustainable economic development in a global economy that is more dependent on human capital and creativity than on natural resource wealth. This paper examines the Gulf development experience in light of theories on the diversification of natural resource-based economies, the transition from pre- to post-industrial development, and the role of services as an economic base. The paper assesses the Gulf's current development efforts and post-oil, knowledge-based aspirations in terms of the region's competitiveness, knowledge accumulation, and labour market structure.
Immunochemical Studies on Glutamate Dehydrogenase and on Two Mutant Forms of the Protein

Studies on the active product of pepsin digestion of rabbit immunoglobulin G (IgG), F(ab′) 2 produced from antiserum against Neurospora glutamate dehydrogenase, showed it to behave in the same way, in both antienzyme and precipitation experiments, as homologous IgG. It is proposed that the inhibition of glutamate dehydrogenase by this antibody preparation is by the same mechanism as proposed for IgG and F ab , a change in the configuration of the catalytic site brought about by antibodies. Antibodies prepared against two mutant proteins behaved in antienzyme studies in the same way as antibodies prepared against the wild-type protein. It is thought therefore that the antigenic sites on the mutant proteins which initiate the production of neutralizing antibodies were not affected by the mutation which had changed the catalytic properties of the mutant proteins. Images
Is fuzzy set theory more general than probability theory

Fuzzy set theory and possibility theory are often described as extensions or generalizations of classical set theory and probability theory, respectively. Thus, for example, fuzzy sets are described as generalizations of the crisp sets used in classical set theory. Similarly, possibility theorists argue that the conventional definitions of fuzzy union and intersection (i.e. the max and min operations) are logical extensions of the corresponding operations in classical set theory. This paper shows that the operations of fuzzy union and intersection as conventionally defined can be viewed as special cases of probabilistic union and intersection. Under this interpretation, the fuzzy complement or negation is a generalization of the corresponding probabilistic operation, but fuzzy union and intersection are not. The relationships between fuzzy and probabilistic union and intersection also suggest a possible analogy to the Venn diagrams used to depict traditional set union and intersection. >
Spontaneous Pneumothorax in Children with AIDS

The incidence of pneumothorax in HIV-infected children has not been reported. In adults with AIDS, pneumothorax has been described exclusively in association with Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia (PCP). We report the cases of three children with AIDS, one with lymphoid interstitial pneumonitis (LIP) without evidence of PCP and two with PCP, all of whom developed spontaneous pneumothorax (SP). On presentation, none of the children had any risk factors for the development of pneumothorax, but all had radiographic evidence of subpleural cystic lesions and bilateral pleural adhesions. None of the patients responded to conservative medical management, which included chest tube thoracostomy and chemical pleurodesis. Two patients underwent pleurectomy that resulted in resolution of the pneumothorax. Both patients with PCP who developed pneumothorax died, but the patient with LIP and SP has had no recurrences of any serious respiratory problems 3 years after pleurectomy and excision of the intrathoracic cysts.
Individual Differences in Anticipatory Somatosensory Cortex Activity for Shock is Positively Related with Trait Anxiety and Multisensory Integration

Anxiety is associated with an exaggerated expectancy of harm, including overestimation of how likely a conditioned stimulus (CS+) predicts a harmful unconditioned stimulus (US). In the current study we tested whether anxiety-associated expectancy of harm increases primary sensory cortex (S1) activity on non-reinforced (i.e., no shock) CS+ trials. Twenty healthy volunteers completed a differential-tone trace conditioning task while undergoing fMRI, with shock delivered to the left hand. We found a positive correlation between trait anxiety and activity in right, but not left, S1 during CS+ versus CS− conditions. Right S1 activity also correlated with individual differences in both primary auditory cortices (A1) and amygdala activity. Lastly, a seed-based functional connectivity analysis demonstrated that trial-wise S1 activity was positively correlated with regions of dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), suggesting that higher-order cognitive processes contribute to the anticipatory sensory reactivity. Our findings indicate that individual differences in trait anxiety relate to anticipatory reactivity for the US during associative learning. This anticipatory reactivity is also integrated along with emotion-related sensory signals into a brain network implicated in fear-conditioned responding.
Realtor Designations as an Indicant of Cognitive Moral Development and Success in Real Estate Sales

This paper explores the influence of REALTOR® professional designations on the cognitive moral development and income of real estate practitioners. The study uses a variation of the human capital model and survey data from a large group of realtors. Controlling for age, education and experience, estimates show positive relationships between the possession of Realtor designations and cognitive moral development, income and job tenure. The findings are consistent with and provide additional support for previous research.
Comparison of Current Echocardiographic Modalities Used to Assess Left Ventricle Diastolic Function in Pediatric Patients

Tissue Doppler imaging, left ventricular color M-mode velocity propagation, and deformation imaging techniques from the medical literature were critically reviewed. The review was undertaken to evaluate the accuracy, reproducibility, and clinical efficiency of echocardiographic technologies for image acquisition and data analysis in assessing pediatric diastolic function. Tissue Doppler imaging, velocity propagation, and deformation imaging all show low variability and high reproducibility and specificity. Age, growth, heart rate, morphology, and sonographic technique affect some pediatric echocardiographic indices more than others; therefore, each should not be solely relied on. Their complementary diagnostic information should be evaluated collectively as a complete echocardiographic examination by expertly trained medical professionals.
Multivariable Linear Regression

INEAR REGRESSION is probably one of the most powerful and useful tools available to the applied statistician. This method uses one or more variables to explain the values of another. Statistics alone cannot prove a cause and effect relationship, but we can show how changes in one set of measurements are associated with changes of the average values in another.
Can I trust them to do everything? The role of distrust in ethics committee consultations for conflict over life-sustaining treatment among Afro-Caribbean patients

Background Distrust in the American healthcare system is common among Afro-Caribbeans but the role of this distrust in conflict over life-sustaining treatment is not well described. Objective To identify the ways that distrust manifests in ethics committee consultation for conflict over life-sustaining treatment among Afro-Caribbean patients. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study at a large academic hospital of all ethics committee consultations for life-sustaining treatment among Afro-Caribbean patients and their surrogates. We reviewed medical records and identified cases in which ethics consultants described distrust as playing a role in the conflict over life-sustaining treatment. Results Of the 169 ethics committee consultation cases for conflict over life-sustaining treatment, 11 (6.5%) involved patients who self-identified as Afro-Caribbean. Distrust played a role in several of these cases, with surrogates of three patients, in particular, illustrating the way that perceived heath disparities, past labelling and concerns about continued maltreatment generated distrust leading to conflict over life-sustaining treatment. Conclusions Exploring issues of distrust may help ethics consultants identify the source of conflict over life-sustaining treatment among Afro-Caribbean patients.
Theoretical Divergences in the Person-Situation Debate

Over the last two decades, personality psychology has struggled with a set of issues that lie at the very core of the discipline. These issues, and I wish to emphasize that the issues are many, have fallen under the general rubric of the person-situation debate. In his article, Hyland argues that the debate is primarily a methodological rather than a theoretical one, that the main contributions of the debate are limited to increased attentiveness to situational influences and the size of the class of behaviors being explained, and that the term interaction is repeatedly used in a fashion that is quite misleading. As with so many other discussions of this topic, I find myself less concerned with the specifics of Hyland’s commentary than with his reading of the debate from which they derive. Hence, in the present discussion, I will deal with but a few of Hyland’s more important points in the context of an alternative perspective of the history, sources, and nature of the person-situation debate.
It's About Time! Examining Received Dosage and Program Duration as Predictors of Change Among Non‐Distressed and Distressed Married Couple and Relationship Education Participants

Although Couple and Relationship Education (CRE) programs were intended to be preventive in nature, an emerging reality is that relationally distressed couples are attending programs. This has raised questions about both its general usefulness and what is known regarding predictors of change in CRE for distressed couples particularly. Previous work has identified dosage and duration as important moderators of changes, and there are myriad program contexts offered, highlighting the need to examine these among distressed couples. This study utilized a sample of community CRE participants and examined received dosage and program duration as predictors of change. Comparing results for distressed and non-distressed participants, we found several group differences. Findings suggest that it is important to consider distress level and time spent in programs when placing participants. In addition, research should continue to examine these groups separately (or comparatively) to find out what works for whom.
Does Infection by the Monogenoidean Gill Parasite Aethycteron moorei Affect Reproductive Ecology of the Darter Etheostoma flabellare in Mill Creek, Tennessee?

An increasing body of research shows the ability of parasites to alter the reproductive condition of their hosts, and the hosts' capacity to shift resources allocated to reproduction in response to parasitism. Here we compare host reproductive condition to gill parasite infection load in Fantail Darters (Etheostoma flabellare) of Mill Creek, Tennessee, USA, over the course of a year. We sought to determine whether host reproductive season or condition correlated with parasite load, whether parasite load differed between host sexes, and whether parasite load correlated with clutch size in females. We sampled the host population bimonthly and measured host physical and reproductive characteristics and gill parasite load. Infection levels significantly decreased when host reproductive activity ceased. Parasite load did not correlate strongly with body size in either sex. Male hosts were significantly more heavily infected than female hosts. No negative relationship was found between reproductive condition an...
Voice in a Clientelist System: How Civically Engaged Communities Succeed in Distributive Politics

Why do some communities receive better access to government programs and services than others in developing countries? Existing theories of clientelism focus on top-down political strategies which target either “core" or “swing" voters. In many settings, however, the local leaders that intermediate clientelist distribution are subject to monitoring and competitive selection by local voters. Drawing on fieldwork in rural India, this paper develops a formal theory of how “democratically mobilized" villages, characterized by extensive civic engagement in the activities of the village council, place greater pressure on local leaders, and the higher-level politicians to which they are connected, to deliver services. The key prediction is that effective service provision requires both top-down connections to the ruling party at the administrative level and bottom-up democratic mobilization at the community level. The theory is supported with an original survey of 2,250 households across 90 villages nested within a close elections natural experiment in the Indian state of Rajasthan. The findings demonstrate how competitive broker selection and opportunities for “exit" at the community level create scope for bottom-up pressure for performance, or “voice", within a clientelist system.
IMPACT OF NURSE PRACTITIONER CARE OF NURSING HOME RESIDENTS ON EMERGENCY ROOM USE AND HOSPITALIZATIONS

The acuity and complexity of the nursing home (NH) population has increased causing greater use of the emergency department (ED) and more acute hospitalizations. Simultaneously, CMS has emphasized the need to reduce ED use and avoidable hospitalizations. Nurse practitioners (NPs) have been shown to provide high quality care in NHs at equivalent or lower costs; however, there is significant variability in scope of practice between states. Little is known about how NPs impact ED visits and hospitalizations of NH residents or if practice restrictions change outcomes. The purpose of this study was to examine whether a higher prevalence of NP care in NHs was associated with fewer ED visits and hospitalizations in this frail population and whether there were further differences in states where NPs have full practice authority. We used administrative data from the CMS Chronic Condition Warehouse to examine the impact of NP care on ED visits and acute hospitalization. In a 5% random sample of all NH residents in U.S. (n=187,789), NPs and primary care physicians provided 87% of all NH visits. Patients with NP involvement had fewer ED visits (mean, 2.01 vs. 2.26, p=.007) compared with physician only care and there were fewer acute hospitalizations (mean, 3.08 vs 3.32 p=.02) when NPs provided care. States where NPs had full practice authority had better outcomes compared with states that did not. NPs can significantly reduce NH residents’ use of the ED and acute hospitalizations, which endorses the need for policy changes to support NP full practice authority.
The “art of witness” in US Central American cultural production: An analysis of William Archila’s The Art of Exile and Alma Leiva’s Celdas

US Central Americans are destabilizing, reconceiving, and revitalizing the US Latina/o canon, and in doing so, they are forcing us to reconsider hegemonic ideas about Latinidad. The cultural production of Latinos/as of Central American descent has engaged in a critical denunciation of the violence that characterizes not only the history, but also the current situation, of the Central American isthmus. This essay examines the strategies used by US Central American poet William Archila and visual artist Alma Leiva to (re)construct the past and memorialize the victims of violence across Central America. I argue that Archila’s poetry collection The Art of Exile and Alma Leiva’s installation-photography series Celdas are examples of the “art of witness.” As such, their works play a key role in the reconstruction of Central American collective memory from the diaspora.
Preventable complications in epilepsy admissions: The “July effect”

Abstract Background Inpatient hospital stays for patients with epilepsy represent a significant burden on patients and society. Identifying factors that contribute to such costs aides in developing effective strategies to address this burden. July admissions have been associated with higher rates of complications and worse outcomes, attributed to the presence of new physicians. This study aims to evaluate whether epilepsy patients admitted in July have higher preventable complication rates and mortality than during the rest of the year. Methods Data was derived from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) for epilepsy admissions for the years 2000–2010. Multivariable analyses assessed the effect of July against non-July admission on “hospital acquired complications” (HAC), which are complications identified as owing to preventable causes and mortality. Additionally, the total adjusted charges and prolonged length of stay (pLOS) for July admissions were compared to the 50th percentile. Results A total of 12,997,181 admissions for epilepsy were identified with 993,619 (8%) occurring in July, 10,810,900 (83%) were non-July months, and 1,192,662 (9%) were missing data. Patients admitted in July showed an increased association for HAC events (RR = 1.02, [1.01,1.03], p Conclusion In the epilepsy population, although July admissions were associated with a slight increase in HAC events, there was a non-significant or decreased rate of mortality, LOS, and total charge. Our results suggest that although complications were increased in July, possibly due to new staff, supervision is sufficient to prevent significant burden on patients and hospitals.
Human Factors Analysis of Infection Prevention Practices in the Anesthesia Work Environment

The department of anesthesia for a Washington, D.C. hospital engaged the MedStar National Center for Human Factors in Healthcare to identify opportunities for improving the anesthesia work environm...
Tweeting on the Campaign Trail: The When, How, and What of Donald Trump’s Tweets

Donald Trump’s Twitter activity is among the most controversial elements of his political rise. Reactions by journalists and politicians have been overwhelmingly negative, yet Trump has undeniably revolutionized the use of Twitter in presidential elections and the presidency. This chapter examines Trump’s use of Twitter by analyzing every one of Trump’s tweets for when, what, and how Trump tweeted as a candidate and president elect. Negative and emphatic tweets were most prevalent and most popular. Trump’s “successful” Twitter approach raises many questions about his presidency and the future of presidential campaigns. This is just the beginning of what is poised to become a rapidly growing area of scholarly focus in campaigns and elections.
DAWN: another brand new day.

The publication of the DAWN (DWI or CTP Assessment with Clinical Mismatch in the Triage of Wake-up and Late Presenting Strokes Undergoing Neurointervention with Trevo) trial is yet another milestone in the endovascular management of acute stroke.1 DAWN extends the application of mechanical thrombolysis (MT) beyond previously established time frames and builds upon the positive results of earlier, randomized controlled trials that demonstrated the clear superiority of MT in the treatment of emergency large vessel occlusion (ELVO).2–6 Specifically, the study evaluated outcomes at 90 days in ELVO patients with neurological deficits that were disproportionately severe in comparison to their infarct volumes as assessed by diffusion-weighted MRI or perfusion CT. Patients were last known well 6 to 24 hours before presentation. The efficacy of MT plus standard medical care was compared with standard medical care alone. The trial was halted at 31 months when a pre-specified interim analysis determined that patients in the thrombectomy group had a higher likelihood of functional independence (49% vs 13% at 90 days) and higher scores on the utility-weighted modified Rankin scale (5.5 vs 3.4 at 90 days). These results demonstrated a clear benefit for MT in ELVO patients presenting beyond previously established time windows, including the large group of patients with ‘wake up’ strokes. Enrollment in the trial was …
A model-based approach to interpreting multibreath nitrogen washout data

The multibreath nitrogen washout test potentially provides important physiological information about regional ventilation heterogeneity throughout the lung, but the conventional analysis requires t...
Bitter and sweet: food, meaning, and modernity in rural China. California studies in food and culture 63

Ellen Oxfeld’s volume is an insightful look at the foodways of one village in Guangdong Province, China. The purpose of this book is simultaneously simple and profound: Oxfeld’s aim was to explain ...
A humanitarian response to the West African Ebola virus disease outbreak

The 2014–2016 Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak in West Africa was of unprecedented magnitude with a total of 28,616 suspected, probable, and confirmed cases reported in Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone. The international humanitarian community utilized its expertise in rapid response and scale up in emergency situations to manage a threat different from the more common humanitarian emergencies resulting from conflict or natural disaster. Unique multisectoral partnerships forged between traditional public health actors and humanitarian actors facilitated mutual learning and opened the door to ongoing working relationships that will hasten efficient and effective response to future global public health emergencies.
Repertoires of Remembering: A Conceptual Approach for Studying Memory Practices in the Digital Ecosystem:

Although the preponderance of collective memory research focuses on particular cultural repository sites, memorials, traumatic events, media channels, texts, or commemorative rituals as objects of ...