cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonpartisan Latinos and the 2004 Presidential Election

The research question that guides this project is what influences vote preference among nonpartisan Latinos in presidential elections. Data from the 2006 Latino National Survey (N=8634) will be used to explore hypotheses that bear vote preference, drawn from two mutually overlapping theories, spatial proximity and retrospective evaluation. Latinos are numerically the fastest growing ethnic group in the United States, and they reside in battleground states. Findings suggest that nonpartisan Latinos’ vote preferences are strongly associated with individual perceptions of the incumbent’s performance as president, in addition to evaluations of the national economy. These results suggest that issues linked to moral concerns play a part in nonpartisan vote preferences, associations are weak. Concerns about immigration, the war in Iraq, and healthcare were less influential in vote preference. The findings from this study will enhance knowledge concerning the bases of vote preference among the last large group to develop vote participation and, possibly, accompanying partisan attachments along the way.
Modeling Carbon Nanotube Connectivity and Surface Activity in a Contact Lens Biofuel Cell

Abstract Biofuel cells are often limited by the current density produced by the cathode; this is especially true when such fuel cells are scaled down to fit a desired application. Herein, we created a computational model to examine the effects of carbon nanotube (CNT) connectivity and surface activity on the current density of a biofuel cell cathode. The model was motivated by the creation of a novel contact lens biofuel cell that, although more stable and biocompatible than previously reported designs, was cathode limited. The device produced a maximum current density of 22 ± 4 μA cm−2, and a maximum power density of 2.4 ± 0.9 μW cm−2 (at 0.163 V) with an open-circuit voltage of 0.44 ± 0.08 V. Computational results showed that in a Nafion film containing 1.6% CNTs by volume, less than 20% of the CNT fibers were connected to the electrode, assuming a planar electrode. The simulations predicted that a three-fold increase in CNT loading would lead to a roughly two-fold increase in total CNT connectivity. The simulations further estimated that for the CNTs connected to the electrode, only 21% of their sidewalls were contributing to cathodic current, meaning that the remaining surfaces were not electrochemically active. Given the low bilirubin oxidase (BOD) enzyme surface concentration, which was experimentally found to be 1.24 × 10−13 mol cm−2, it is likely that large portions of the CNT surfaces are not connected to enzymes. This result validates the push by the research community to increase BOD and laccase adsorption/orientation to CNT surfaces.
Effect of sodium lactate infusion on urate clearance in man.

SummaryRenal clearance studies are described which corroborate and extend earlier observations indicating that administration of sodium lactate in sufficient dosage results in a profound fall in urinary excretion of uric acid. Curate declined from a mean control level of 10.4 ml/min. to a mean minimum of 1.4 ml/min. The uricosuria produced by salicylate and probenecid was temporarily abolished by lactate. The significance of these findings is discussed.
Vapor Pressure of Thiodiglycol

Thiodiglycol (TDG), also known as bis(2-hydroxyethyl) sulfide and thiodiethanol, is a precursor of the blister agent sulfur mustard (bis(2-chloroethyl) sulfide). It is also a hydrolytic degradation product, and as such, it is of considerable forensic interest to the chemical defense community. Experimental vapor pressure data have been reported previously for TDG at T = (283.15 to 353.15) K, in addition to reduced-pressure boiling points at T = (353.15 to 454.65) K. New data have been measured using two complementary American Society for Testing and Materials International methods at T = (417.75 to 538.58) K by differential scanning calorimetry and in the ambient temperature range using saturator methodology at T = (298.15 to 313.15) K. The new TDG vapor pressure data are in sharp contrast to widely accepted values from previous literature.
Modulation of the activity of a human granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor/interleukin-3 fusion protein (pIXY 321) by the macrocyclic lactone protein kinase C activator bryostatin 1.

We have examined the effect of the macrocyclic lactone protein kinase C (PK-C) activator bryostatin 1 on the proliferative capacity and lineage commitment of CD34+ human bone marrow cells exposed to the granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor/interleukin-3 (GM-CSF/IL-3) fusion protein pIXY 321. pIXY 321 administered at a dose of 10 ng/mL was as effective as the combination of plateau concentrations of recombinant (r) IL-3 and rGM-CSF (e.g., 50 ng/mL) in stimulating the growth of day-14 committed myeloid progenitors (colony-forming units granulocyte/macrophage [CFU-GM]). In the large majority of samples tested, coadministration of 0.5 to 100 nM bryostatin 1 with either pIXY 321 or the combination of rIL-3 plus rGM-CSF led to modest but significant increases (e.g., 30 to 75%) in the number of CFU-GM, compared to administration of growth factors alone. The degree of bryostatin 1-induced potentiation, however, was considerably less than that previously observed in the case of cells exposed to either rIL-3 or rGM-CSF, where increases of 100 to 150% were regularly noted. While at least 50% of day-14 CFU-GM stimulated by either pIXY 321 or the combination of rIL-3 plus rGM-CSF were of the pure or mixed eosinophilic variety, coadministration of bryostatin 1 resulted in a dramatic inhibition of eosinophilic colonies and a corresponding increase in pure and mixed neutrophil and macrophage colonies. Although coadministration of recombinant granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rG-CSF) or recombinant colony-stimulating factor-1 (rCSF-1) mimicked the capacity of bryostatin 1 to increase the total number of pIXY 321-induced day-14 CFU-GM, these growth factors, unlike bryostatin 1, were not capable of inhibiting eosinophilic colony formation. Furthermore, whereas addition of neutralizing antibodies to G-CSF or CSF-1 blocked the capacity of these growth factors to potentiate colony formation in the presence of pIXY 321, it did not abrogate the effect of bryostatin 1 on progenitor cell growth or lineage commitment. Finally, in contrast to its effects on committed myeloid progenitors, bryostatin 1 did not increase the growth of erythroid (burst-forming units-erythroid [BFU-E]) and multipotent (multipotent colony-forming units [CFU-GEMM]) progenitors stimulated by pIXY 321, but instead inhibited colony formation at higher concentrations (e.g., 10 to 100 nM).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Biofilms and Biocomplexity

Biofilms are receiving attention as never before, reflecting our increasing awareness of their impact on health, the environment, industrial processes, and natural and manmade materials. Problems associated with biofilms cost the United States billions of dollars every year in energy losses, equipment damage, product contamination, and the management of infections. Biofilms are implicated in more than 80% of chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases caused by bacteria, including otitis media, endocarditis, gastrointestinal ulcers, infections of the urinary tract, and pulmonary infections in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients.
Effectiveness of Online Instruction In the Radiologic Sciences

BACKGROUND: Online courses are becoming increasingly common in all academic disciplines and many studies have indicated that there is no significant difference in student outcomes between the 2 instructional methods or, more recently, that online instruction is superior. However, because course content and expectations about mastery of material vary, it is important to evaluate the effectiveness of online courses in different academic disciplines and settings, including radiologic technology. PURPOSE: To examine the instructional effectiveness of 2 online radiologic science courses that were converted from a face-to-face instruction format. METHODS: Archival data were gathered from a sample of convenience (N = 317) to compare 2 years of performance indicators for each course and format. This study also compared course formats in terms of national certification exam results. RESULTS: The results regarding which delivery type performed better were mixed. However, the national certification exam scores for the patient care section were higher for students who completed face-to-face instruction than for those who had online instruction.
The Patient with Gonococcal Infection

SUMMARY Despite the availability of effective antimicrobial therapy since the middle of the twentieth century, gonococcal disease remains a common and expensive public health problem. The patient who presents to the primary care office with gonococcal disease, or one who is found to be infected after screening, still faces significant emotional and economic barriers to effective treatment and control of the spread of the disease. Along with the emergence of resistant strains and the previously existing problems of asymptomatic carriers and reluctance to seek treatment, physicians are charged with the problems of identifying patients at risk for the disease, providing effective treatment for those infected, and preventing further spread of infection. Simple, effective, and inexpensive therapies that also treat the frequently present coinfections with other sexually transmitted diseases are not yet available. Antibiotic therapy must still be chosen with regard to the patient’s history and circumstances. The approach to counseling the patient about avoidance of complications, prevention of reinfection, and prevention of transmission of infection must be mastered by the primary care physician if progress is to be made toward the eradication of gonococcal disease.
Internal short-circuit modeling and analysis based on a dynamic model for interior permanent magnet synchronous machines

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a novel approach for modeling and studying an internal short circuit for interior permanent magnet machines. It is first necessary to develop an understanding of how the flux linkage in the machine behaves under an internal short circuit. This will enable the model of the machine to be developed into two parts. The first part corresponds to the expected model of a healthy machine, with disturbances coming from the second part. The second part involves all of the short-circuited turns fed by the currents of the machine. This form of the model opens the possibility to study the dynamics of the machine under short circuit conditions. The model also offers opportunities to develop failure detection techniques, being able to compensate the disturbances from the shorted turns in the windings.
Medical Assistance in Dying and 'Suicide Tourism' to Canada: Bill C-14 from a Comparative Perspective

Bill C-14 was introduced by the government of Canada in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s decision which legalized physician-assisted dying in Canada. This article compares the Bill with the decision of the Supreme Court (Carter v. Canada (Attorney General)) and tracks some of the important ways that the proposed Bill departs from the Carter decision. The Article also explores the ways in which the regime proposed under the Bill is both more and less restrictive than the U.S. states that have adopted regimes for assistance in dying. The article also analyzes the approach the Bill has taken to exclude non-citizen non-residents from using assistance in dying in Canada and whether this exclusion is in tension with the spirit of Carter. Finally, the article examines potential constitutional challenges should the Bill become law.
Control and stabilization of a flexible beam attached to a rigid body: planar motion

The authors consider a flexible spacecraft modeled as a rigid body constrained to rotate around its principal axis D/sub 1/, fixed in inertial space; a light flexible beam is clamped to the rigid body at one end and is free at the other. The equations of motion are obtained by using free-body diagrams. It is shown that suitable boundary controls applied to the free end of the beam and a control torque applied to the rigid body stabilize the system. The proof is obtained by using the energy of the system as a Lyapunov functional. >
Do Medicare Beneficiaries Living With HIV/AIDS Choose Prescription Drug Plans That Minimize Their Total Spending?:

This article examines whether California Medicare beneficiaries with HIV/AIDS choose Part D prescription drug plans that minimize their expenses. Among beneficiaries without low-income supplementation, we estimate the excess cost, and the insurance policy and beneficiary characteristics responsible, when the lowest cost plan is not chosen. We use a cost calculator developed for this study, and 2010 drug use data on 1453 California Medicare beneficiaries with HIV who were taking antiretroviral medications. Excess spending is defined as the difference between projected total spending (premium and cost sharing) for the beneficiary's current drug regimen in own plan vs spending for the lowest cost alternative plan. Regression analyses related this excess spending to individual and plan characteristics. We find that beneficiaries pay more for Medicare Part D plans with gap coverage and no deductible. Higher premiums for more extensive coverage exceeded savings in deductible and copayment/coinsurance costs. We conclude that many beneficiaries pay for plan features whose costs exceed their benefits.
Geometric-based KNN localization using sensor dissimilarity information

Location fingerprinting is a range-free approach to GPS-free localization. Conventionally, the fingerprint space is defined as a feature vector space where a fingerprint is a vector of location-sensitive measurements associated with a location. However, in practice, it is hard to find a quality feature space that is robust to device heterogeneity and environment and infrastructure dynamics. This paper advocates a fundamentally different model where a fingerprint is defined as a dissimilarity measurement associated with a pair of locations and proposes a localization approach based on geometric embedding.
Deficiency of fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) promotes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in mice on a long term obesogenic diet.

Abstract Objective Non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) associated with obesity is a major cause of liver diseases which can progress to non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) plays an important role in liver metabolism and is also a potential marker for NAFL. Here we aimed to test the effect of FGF21 deficiency on liver pathology in mice consuming a conventional high fat, high sucrose (HFHS) obesogenic diet for up to 52 weeks. Methods C57BL6 WT and FGF21 KO mice were fed a conventional obesogenic diet and were evaluated at 16 and 52 weeks. Evaluation included metabolic assessment, liver pathology, and transcriptomic analysis. Results With consumption of HFHS diet, FGF21 deficient mice (FGF21 KO) develop excess fatty liver within 16 weeks. Hepatic pathology progresses and at 52 weeks FGF21 KO mice show significantly worse fibrosis and 78% of mice develop HCC; in contrast only 6% of WT mice develop HCC. Well differentiated hepatocellular carcinomas in FGF21 KO mice were characterized by expanded hepatic plates, loss of reticulin network, cytologic atypia, and positive immunostaining for glutamine synthetase. Microarray analysis reveals enrichment of several fibroblast growth factor signaling pathways in the tumors. Conclusions In addition to attenuating inflammation and fibrosis in mice under a number of dietary challenges, we show here that FGF21 is required to limit the progression from NAFL to HCC in response to prolonged exposure to an obesogenic diet. The induction of hepatic FGF21 in response to the high fat, high sucrose obesogenic diet may play an important role in limiting progression of liver pathology from NAFL to HCC.
Abstract WMP59: Sleep Apnea is Associated with the Combined Endpoint of Recurrent Stroke and Post-Stroke Mortality

Introduction: No data are available about the relationship between sleep apnea (SA) and recurrent stroke and mortality from population-based studies, large samples, or ethnically diverse populations. Methods: In the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project, we identified patients with ischemic stroke between 2010-2015. Subjects who enrolled were offered screening for SA with the ApneaLink Plus device from which an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was derived (≥10 defined SA). Demographics and baseline characteristics were determined from chart review and interview. Recurrent ischemic stroke was identified through active and passive surveillance and confirmed by study neurologists. All-cause mortality was identified through Texas Department of State Health Services records. Cox proportional-hazards models were used to assess the association between AHI (modeled linearly) and combined ischemic stroke recurrence and mortality unadjusted and adjusted for multiple potential confounders. Results: Of the 842 subjects, the median age was 65 (IQR: 57, 76), 47% were female, 58% were Mexican American, and 34% were non-Hispanic white. The median AHI was 14 (IQR: 6, 26); 63% had SA. SA was associated with male sex, Mexican American ethnicity, being insured, nonsmoking status, diabetes, hypertension, lower educational attainment, and higher BMI. In the time period (median time to event 584 days), 90 (10.7%) recurrent strokes and 125 (14.8%) deaths occurred with a cumulative incidence of recurrence or death of 202 (24%). AHI was associated with the combined endpoint in unadjusted (HR=1.09 per one unit increase in AHI (95%CI: 1.08, 1.10)) and fully adjusted models (HR=1.09 (95%CI: 1.08, 1.10)). Mexican American ethnicity was associated with the endpoint (HR=1.71 (95%CI: 1.16, 2.54) in the fully adjusted model. Conclusion: SA is associated with the combined endpoint of recurrent ischemic stroke and mortality in this population-based study. Mexican Americans are also at higher risk of recurrent stroke and death following ischemic stroke than non-Hispanic whites. SA may therefore represent an important modifiable risk factor for poor stroke outcomes and a target to reduce ethnic stroke disparities.
Cortical Disintegration Mechanism of Anesthetic-Induced Unconsciousness

The fundamental thesis of this paper is that under general anesthesia, the brain preserves its reactivity to sensory stimulation, but the information conveyed by these stimuli is not integrated – therefore, it is not consciously perceived. This happens at anesthetic depths associated with behavioral unresponsiveness from which unconsciousness is inferred. A further hypothesis is that general anesthetic agents interfere with the integration of sensory information encoded in cortical neuronal activity in the gamma frequency band. A critical region whose connectivity with the rest of the brain may be disrupted in anesthesia is the posterior parietal association cortex. While it is true that most anesthetic agents utilize different cellular and molecular pathways and neuron groups to produce their pharmacological effects, a common systems level action that may lead to unconsciousness by all anesthetics is the disruption of cortical information processing. The plausibility of these hypotheses and supporting experimental evidence is discussed in the context of theoretical considerations for defining consciousness and inferring the presence or absence of consciousness in an anesthetized subject.
Phase Transitions in Clusters: A Bridge to Condensed Matter

Clusters of atoms or molecules, consisting of as few as three and as many as many thousands of particles, exhibit some properties of individual molecules, some properties of bulk matter and some properties characteristic specifically of small finite systems, that is, of clusters themselves. One of the unique sets of properties of clusters is their behavior with respect to phase equilibrium and phase changes--or at least to the analogues of the phases of bulk matter as they manifest themselves in small systems. Yet the unique phase behavior of clusters gives us new insights into the nature of phase equilibrium, phase transitions and metastability of the phases of bulk matter. This Chapter is a review of the status of this subject, which still has many major open questions.
"Missing the target" in urothelial cancer

Advanced urothelial cancer remains, along with pancreatic cancer, one of the last solid tumors for which essentially no progress has been made for 25 years. It’s time to think out of the box, and to develop novel and creative ways of overcoming the real, but not insurmountable, logistical challenges to carrying out the needed clinical trials.
Project-Based Learning: Utilizing Artistic Pedagogies for Educational Leadership.

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING (PBL) is a dynamic classroom approach in which students actively use driving questions to explore real-world problems and acquire deeper knowledge through constructive invest...
Email as an Encumbrance to Physician-patient Communication

Physician-patient interaction through email poses several concerns regarding the security, efficiency, and misinterpretation of critical information. Incoming emails received by a single university-based physician in 2013 were analyzed in order to determine whether a general non-patient specific email is appropriate for patient use. Emails received were divided into seven categories: Informational, Academic, Advertisement, Organization/Department/ University, Mission Critical, Personal, and Patient. A total of 9,102 emails were received and read by the physician, with an average of 25 emails per day, out of which 823 (9%) emails were directly sent by patients. The total time spent reading emails was five days, seven hours, and 24 minutes. General email is not an effective means of streamlining physician-patient communication. Non-essential emails, which represent a majority of incoming messages, decrease the productivity of physicians and prevent them from responding to urgent messages in a timely manner. Additionally, this creates the chance for critical patient information getting lost with the volume of received emails. This could be detrimental to patient care and satisfaction. Recently, an online portal was instated to provide a method of secure communication, and less than five patient emails were received in the physician's personal email since then.
Overview of a combined computational-experimental evaluation for the assessment of panoramic sunroof impact characteristics for ejection mitigation.

Objective: To meet increasing customer demand, many vehicle manufacturers are now offering a panoramic sunroof option in their vehicle lineup. Currently, there is no regulatory or consumer test aim...
Abstract # 3172 Composition of the ”energy appeal reaction” to inflammation in healthy midlife and older women

“Energy appeal reaction” (EAR; Straub et al., 2010) refers to a physiological frame supporting energetic demands of chronic inflammation by altering metabolism and suppressing other physiological functions, perhaps through changes to the physiologic stress response systems. The EAR has been observed in chronic inflammatory conditions and old age and may lead to metabolic derangements. This structural equations model tested whether elements of the EAR formed a coherent composite in healthy midlife and older (aged 50–75) women (N = 200; M age = 62) and whether the composite correlated with age. Elements were heart rate variability (HRV; log HF power); whole-body bone mineral density (BMD; DXA); ratio of total-body fat mass:lean mass (DXA); and log ratio of cortisol (waking and bedtime; M of 7 days):C-reactive protein. A model with these 5 elements loading on one latent EAR variable fit well (RMSEA = 0.00, CFI = 1.00, SRMR = 0.028). However, the latent variable was composed such that higher scores reflected higher HRV and BMD but a higher fat:lean ratio and a lower cortisol:CRP ratio – loadings in the opposite direction from the EAR in chronic inflammatory conditions. Younger women tended to have higher scores on the latent variable (b = −0.15, p = .13). In good health and low inflammation (M CRP = 2.35, SD = 2.66), relationships among EAR elements were different than in chronic inflammatory disease. Chronic inflammation may change these relationships, for example, by inducing glucocorticoid receptor insensitivity.
The state of substance use education in Master of Social Work programs: A content analysis of course listings and faculty profiles.

AbstractBackground: Substance use is currently a pervasive problem among a large proportion of populations served by the social work profession. Several studies have indicated that social workers r...
Counteracting the Effect of Stigma on Education for Substance Use Disorders.

The national failure to adequately respond to the opioid epidemic has exposed major deficits in the U.S. health care education system. Treatment services are inadequate; clinicians are ill prepared...
Prime Decomposition in Number Rings

We have seen that number rings are not always unique factorization domains: Elements may not factor uniquely into irreducibles. (See exercise 29, chapter 1, and exercise 15, chapter 2 for examples of non-unique factorization.) However we will prove that the nonzero ideals in a number ring always factor uniquely into prune ideals. This can “be regarded as a generalization of unique factorization in ℤ, where the ideals are just the principal ideals (n) and the prime ideals are the ideals (p), where p is a prime integer.
ABT-510, a modified type 1 repeat peptide of thrombospondin, inhibits malignant glioma growth in vivo by inhibiting angiogenesis

4647 Anti-angiogenic therapies would be particularly beneficial in the treatment of malignant gliomas. Peptides derived from the second type 1 repeat (TSR) of thrombospondin-1 (TSP-1) have been shown to inhibit angiogenesis in non-glioma tumor models and a modified TSR peptide, ABT-510, has now entered into Phase II clinical trials of its efficacy in non-glioma tumors.As microvascular endothelial cells (MvEC) exhibit heterogeneity, we evaluated the ability of the modified TSR peptide (NAcSarGlyValDalloIleThrNvaIleArgProNHE, ABT-510) to inhibit malignant glioma growth in vivo and to induce apoptosis of brain microvessel endothelial cells (MvEC) propagated in vitro. We found that daily administration of ABT-510 until euthanasia (days 7 to 19), inhibited the growth of human malignant astrocytoma tumors established in the brain of athymic nude mice. The microvessel density was significantly lower and the number of apoptotic MvEC was significantly higher (3-fold) in the tumors of the ABT-510-treated animals. Similar results were found using a model in which the established tumor is an intracerebral malignant glioma propagated in a syngeneic mouse model. ABT-510 treatment of primary human brain MvEC propagated as a monolayer resulted in induction of apoptosis in a dose- and time-dependent manner through a caspase-8-dependent mechanism. It also inhibited tubular morphogenesis of MvEC propagated in collagen gels in a dose- and caspase-8 dependent manner through a mechanism that is blocked by antibody against the TSP-1 receptor (CD36) on the MvEC. These findings indicate that ABT-510 should be evaluated as a therapeutic option for patients with malignant glioma.
Why Hasn’t the Impact of the Trade War Been Greater?

Abstract The macroeconomic effects of U.S. tariffs and foreign retaliation have been surprisingly small to date. Does this mean that the macroeconomic effects of the collapse of the global trading system would also be limited? I consider different perspectives on this limited macroeconomic fallout, including (i) that it takes a lot of Harberger Triangles to fill an Okun's gap; (ii) that the macroeconomic fallout is coming but has yet to materialize; and (ii) that the largest effects operate through the impact on global geopolitics and cooperation (or lack thereof).
Invited keynote possibilities for microwave/far infrared cavities and waveguides using high temperature superconductors

Possibilities for use of high temperature superconductors in microwave/far infrared resonators and waveguides are described. Relative to conventional superconductors, the use of high temperature superconductors could remove the constraint of relatively low energy gaps and provide larger thermal margins and more effective cooling. The higher critical magnetic fields may also be important for an increased range of operation. These features could be used to improve performance of present superconducting microwave cavities and to provide new applications at both microwave frequencies and at much higher frequencies. Constraints that may inhibit development include a need for superconducting properties over a high fraction of the surface, limits on critical RF fields and the effect of D.C. magnetic fields.
Abstract P104: Impact Of Orthostatic Hypotension In Inpatient Rehabilitation

Inpatient rehabilitation is crucial in the management of patients after injuries, surgery, or those with debilitating or neurological conditions. Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is commonly associated...
What’s That (Blue) Spot on my MRI? Multimodal Neuroimaging of the Locus Coeruleus in Neurodegenerative Disease

The locus coeruleus (LC) has long been underappreciated for its role in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD), Parkinson's disease (PD), and other neurodegenerative disorders. While AD and PD are distinct in clinical presentation, both are characterized by prodromal protein aggregation in the LC, late-stage degeneration of the LC, and comorbid conditions indicative of LC dysfunction. Many of these early studies were limited to post-mortem histological techniques due to the LC's small size and location deep in the brainstem. Thus, there is a growing interest in utilizing in vivo imaging of the LC as a predictor of preclinical neurodegenerative processes and biomarker of disease progression. Simultaneously, neuroimaging in animal models of neurodegenerative disease holds promise for identifying early alterations to LC circuits, but has thus far been underutilized. While still in its infancy, a handful of studies have reported effects of single gene mutations and pathology on LC function in disease using various neuroimaging techniques. Furthermore, combining imaging and optogenetics or chemogenetics allows for interrogation of network connectivity in response to changes in LC activity. The purpose of this article is twofold: (1) to review what magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET) have revealed about LC dysfunction in neurodegenerative disease and its potential as a biomarker in humans, and (2) to explore how animal models can be used to test hypotheses derived from clinical data and establish a mechanistic framework to inform LC-focused therapeutic interventions to alleviate symptoms and impede disease progression.
Additive manufacturing of biodegradable iron-based particle reinforced polylactic acid composite scaffolds for tissue engineering

Abstract Polylactic acid (PLA) based scaffolds have attracted worldwide attention as promising biodegradable implants in bone tissue engineering. PLA matrix is often incorporated with fillers to engineer composite scaffolds with improved mechanical properties and excellent biocompatibility. In the present study, PLA composite scaffolds were additively manufactured utilizing fused filament fabrication (FFF) process by separately employing two different types of iron-based powders including stainless steel 316L and pure iron. The geometrical, thermal, and mechanical properties of the scaffolds, as well as their in-vitro biodegradation, wettability, and cytocompatibility, were thoroughly assessed. With optimized printing parameters, the scaffolds were manufactured with an accurate pore dimension of 0.80±0.08 mm and homogenously distributed iron-based powders in the PLA matrix. The lower linear coefficient of thermal expansion in both PLA/316L and PLA/Iron scaffolds increased the strut width while reducing the surface roughness. Meanwhile, the addition of iron-based powders both enhanced the compressive and flexural modulus, compressive strength, and compressive fatigue resistance, but exhibited no significant reinforcement on the flexural strength and elongation. The results also showed that PLA/Iron scaffold possessed higher in-vitro degradation resistance, superior hydrophilic wetting behavior, and better cytocompatibility, indicating its remarkable prospects in bone tissue engineering applications.
Comparison of Midterm Outcomes Between Open and Robotic Emergent Ventral Hernia Repair.

Background. There are no studies on the role of robotics in emergency ventral hernia repair (EVHR). We aimed to compare outcomes of robotic EVHR (REVHR) and open (OEVHR). Methods. We performed a re...
Fertility considerations in targeted biologic therapy with tyrosine kinase inhibitors: a review

To review the impact of tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) on fertility in men and women, embryo development, and early pregnancy, and discuss considerations for fertility preservation in patients taking TKIs. A comprehensive literature search using the PubMed database was performed through February 2021 to evaluate the current literature on imatinib, nilotinib, dasatinib, and bosutinib as it relates to fertility and reproduction. Published case series were analyzed for pregnancy outcomes. TKIs adversely affect oocyte and sperm maturation, gonadal function, and overall fertility potential in a self-limited manner. There are insufficient studies regarding long-term consequences on fertility after discontinuation of TKIs. A total of 396 women and 236 men were on a first- or second-generation TKI at the time of conception. Of the women with detailed pregnancy and delivery outcomes (n = 361), 51% (186/361) resulted in a term birth of a normal infant, 4.3% (16/361) of pregnancies had a pregnancy complication, and 5% (20/361) of pregnancies resulted in the live birth of an infant with a congenital anomaly. About 22% of pregnant women (87/396) elected to undergo a termination of pregnancy, while 16% (63/396) of pregnancies ended in a spontaneous abortion. In contrast, of the 236 men, 87% conceived pregnancies which resulted in term deliveries of normal infants. Elective terminations, miscarriage rate, pregnancy complication rate, and incidence of a congenital malformation were all less than those seen in females (4%, 3%, 2%, and 2.5%, respectively). Women should be advised to avoid conception while taking a TKI. Women on TKIs who are considering pregnancy should be encouraged to plan the pregnancy to minimize inadvertent first trimester exposure. In women who conceive while taking TKIs, the serious risk of relapse due to discontinuation of TKI should be balanced against the potential risks to the fetus. The risk of teratogenicity to a fathered pregnancy with TKI use is considerably lower. Fertility preservation for a woman taking a TKI can be considered to plan a pregnancy with a minimal TKI-free period. With careful monitoring, providers may consider a TKI washout period followed by controlled ovarian stimulation to cryopreserve oocytes or embryos, with a plan to resume TKIs until ready to conceive or to transfer an embryo to achieve pregnancy quickly. Fertility preservation is also indicated if a patient on TKI is requiring a gonadotoxic therapy or reproductive surgery impacting fertility.
An Examination of Local Climate Change Policies in the Great Plains

As the United States struggles with national solutions to address climate change, state and local governments have become leaders in both mitigation and adaptation policy. Although a significant and growing body of research targets these policies, most studies have assumed common factors motivating both adaptation and mitigation policy adoption. There remains a need for more research on cities of all sizes, their adoption of specific local policies, the factors motivating those choices, and whether the influences for mitigation differ from those that motivate adaptation. The paper uses data from a new survey of over 200 local governments in eleven states of the Great Plains region, including measures distinguishing between mitigation and adaptation policies. These data are employed to test the relative influence of factors from three areas: the policy environment, the attitudes of governmental actors, and community atmosphere, in explaining observed variation in the adoption of climate change policies.
Distributed contention control in heterogeneous 802.11b WLANs

Several feedback-based mechanisms have been proposed to maximize the IEEE 802.11 MAC protocol efficiency by guaranteeing an optimal time-spreading of users' channel accesses. However, these solutions suffer from a significant unfairness problem in the presence of stations adopting the standard binary exponential backoff algorithm. Generally, a few legacy stations are sufficient to completely starve enhanced stations employing a modified 802.11 MAC protocol that adapts the backoff to the network contention level. In this paper we propose a credit-based scheme to enforce fairness in heterogeneous networks. Specifically, enhanced stations earn credits when releasing transmission opportunities granted by the standard protocol. The credits are a virtual currency spent by the enhanced stations to reclaim new transmission opportunities. In this paper, we apply our solution to the distributed mechanism for contention control named AOB L. Bononi et al. (2004). Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed mechanism in all the network scenarios considered.
Abstract 19062: Outcomes of Patients with Acute Type B (DeBakey III) Aortic Dissection: a 13 Year Single Center Experience

Introduction: Thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) has emerged as a treatment option for patients with acute type B aortic dissection (ATBAD). The aim of this study is to evaluate the long-term outcomes of patients with ATBAD. Methods: We reviewed patients with ATBAD between 2001 and 2014, analyzing patient variables, in-hospital complications and long-term outcomes based on status (complicated (c) vs uncomplicated (u)) and treatment modalities. Long term outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier and log-rank statistics. Results: We treated 442 patients with ATBAD. Mean age was 60.5±14.1 and 165 (37.3%) females. Of these 292 (66.1%) had uATBAD and were treated medically, while 150 (33.9%) had cATBAD. Of the cATBAD patients 56 (37.3%) were treated medically, 52 (34.7%) with open surgery, 29(19.3%) with TEVAR, and 13 (8.7%) with other open vascular procedures. Hospital mortality and morbidity were significantly related to treatment group (table 1). Median follow-up time was 4.4 years (range 0-13.4). ...
The Effects Of Estimator Choice And Weighting Strategies On Confirmatory Factor Analysis With Stratified Samples

Survey researchers often design stratified sampling strategies to target specific subpopulations within the larger population. This stratification can influence the population parameter estimates from these samples because they are not simple random samples of the population. There are three typical estimation options that account for the effects of this stratification in latent variable models: unweighted maximum likelihood, weighted maximum likelihood, and pseudo-maximum likelihood estimation. This paper examines the effects of these procedures on parameter estimates, standard errors, and fit statistics in Lisrel 8.7 (Joreskog & Sorbom, 2004) and Mplus 3.0 (Muthen & Muthen, 2004). Options using several estimation methods will be compared to pseudo-maximum likelihood estimation. Results indicated the choice of estimation technique does not have a substantial effect on confirmatory factor analysis parameter estimates in large samples. However, standard errors of those parameter estimates and RMSEA values for assessing of model fit can be substantially affected by estimation technique.
Geo-demographic Differences in Knowledge about the Restaurant Tipping Norm

A national telephone survey indicated that knowledge about the restaurant tipping norm is greater among people who are White, in their 40 s to 60 s, highly educated, wealthy, living in metropolitan areas, and living in the Northeast than among their counterparts. These findings support the idea that differential familiarity with tipping norms underlies geodemographic differences in tipping behavior. An educational campaign promoting the 15-20% restaurant tipping norm is needed to reduce geodemographic differences in tipping and to increase the willingness of waiters and waitresses to serve all customers equally.
Mathematics Curriculum and the Needs of Computer Science

Computer science is concerned with the phenomena surrounding computers and computation; it embraces the study of algorithms, the representation and organization of information, the management of complexity, and the relationship between computers and their users. Computer science is like engineering in that it is largely a problem-solving discipline, concerned with the design and construction of systems. But the computer scientist, like the mathematician, must be able to make deliberate use of the intellectual tools of abstraction and of analysis and synthesis. The relationship between computer science and mathematics is very close and has been discussed at length in the literature. Two very interesting examinations of this relationship are [3] and [5].
On the theory of meaningfulness of ordinal comparisons in measurement

Abstract This paper describes the concept of meaningfulness of statements using numerical scales. It then analyses the meaningfulness of ordinal comparisons, assertions that one item's assigned scale value is larger than that of another. It presents conditions under which ordinal comparisons are meaningful and meaningless.
Physiological responses of broiler embryos to in ovo implantation of temperature transponders.

ABSTRACT Previous techniques that have been used to monitor broiler embryonic temperature and metabolism during incubation either have been invasive to the embryo or have not directly determined internal egg temperature. Therefore, the current investigation was conducted to determine the earliest day of incubation on which temperature transponder implantation in the egg air cell could be performed with minimal invasiveness to broiler embryogenesis. Eggs from young broiler breeder hens (Ross 308; 27 wk of age) were weighed and set on 3 tray levels (approximately 120 eggs per tray level) of a single incubator. Randomly, on each tray level and on each day between d 10 and 14 of incubation, 4 embryonated eggs were assigned to an invasive control (IC) treatment (shell perforation only) and 4 other embryonated eggs were assigned to a transponder implantation (TI) treatment (shell perforation, followed by transponder implantation in the air cell). Four embryonated eggs per tray were also assigned to a noninvasive control treatment on d 10 of incubation. Percentage of embryo survivability through d 18 of incubation, and percentages of mean daily incubational egg weight loss between d 18 and each respective day of implantation were calculated. Furthermore, various internal organ and tissue parameters were examined on d 18 of incubation. Embryo survivability was reduced because of transponder implantation on d 10 and 11 of incubation; however, embryo survivability was not different between eggs in the noninvasive control and IC treatments and the eggs that received the TI treatment on d 12, 13, and 14 of incubation. In comparison with eggs in the IC treatment, those in the TI treatment had a higher percentage of embryo weight. Conversely, yolk sac moisture was significantly higher in IC-treated eggs than in TI-treated eggs. It was concluded that temperature transponders may be inserted into the air cells of broiler hatching eggs between d 12 and 14 of incubation without adversely affecting eggshell porosity or embryogenesis and without causing physiological stress to growing broiler embryos.
In-vivo imaging of blood flow dynamics using color Doppler optical coherence tomography

Noninvasive quantitation of blood flow in the retinal micro circulation may elucidate the progression and treatment of ocular disorders including diabetic retinopathy, age-related degeneration, and glaucoma. Color Doppler optical coherence tomography was recently introduced as a technique allowing simultaneous micron-scale resolution cross-sectional imaging of tissue micro structure and blood flow in the human retina. Here, time-resolved imaging of dynamics of blood flow profiles was performed to measure cardiac pulsatility within retinal vessels. Retinal pulsatility has been shown to decrease throughout the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Molecular structures and catalytic activity I. Catalytic polarography of thiamine, oxythiamine and thiamine phosphates

Abstract The catalytic polarographic activities of thiamine, oxgythiamine, thiamine monophosphate and thiamine pyrophosphate were studied during the intramolecular rearrangement of these substances in a basic solution. The halflife of the polarographic maxima were 6 min for thiamine, 19 min for thiamine pyrophosphate, 35 min for thiamine monophosphate and 188 min for oxythiamine. The thiamine phosphates appear to be more stable in the tricyclic dihydrothiachromine form, whereas thiamine is converted more rapidly to the yellow thiol form. The polarographic waves of cocarboxylase represent the active protons of carbon 2 from the thiazole ring and the amino group of the pyrimidine ring. The polarographic wave of thiamine corresponds to the hydrogen of carbon 2. Reaction of pyruvate with thiamine or cocarboxylase results in the formation of a second polarographic wave or increase in existing wave corresponding to the amino group. The possible role of the amino group of the pyrimidine ring in the binding of the carbonyl dipole of pyruvate is discussed.
Light-induced c-fos mRNA expression in the suprachiasmatic nucleus and the retina of C3H /HeN mice

Abstract Light-induced expression of c-fos mRNA was studied over a circadian period (∼ 24 h) in C3H/HeN mice maintained in constant dark. This mouse strain expresses an rd mutation (retinal degeneration) which does not affect light-induced phase shifts of circadian rhythms. c-fos mRNA expression in the retina and the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) after a light pulse (300 lux) was determined by in-situ hybridization autoradiography using a 35S-labeled c-fos riboprobe. Light induced the expression of c-fos mRNA in retino-recipient areas of the SCN. This response was dependent on the circadian time (CT) and was observed only during the subjective night (CT14–CT22) and early subjective day (CT2). However, the period of photosensitivity for c-fos induction extended 1 h over the period of photosensitivity for phase shifts in circadian behavior. In the retina of C3H/HeN mice, light-induced c-fos mRNA expression was observed in a small number of cells in the ganglion cell layer (∼ 0.2%) which may represent ganglion cells projecting to the SCN. A dependence of c-fos expression with the circadian time was observed in retinal ganglion cells, suggesting that retinal photosensitivity may also be controlled by a circadian oscillator. In conclusion, we demonstrated light-induced expression of the immediate early gene c-fos mRNA in both the retina and SCN of C3H/HeN mice expressing the rd mutation.
Interaction potentials for Li+—rare-gas systems

Abstract The accuracies of proposed interaction potentials for the Li + —rare-gas systems are tested by comparing the transport coefficients calculated from the potentials with the experimental values. The agreement is generally good for theoretical potentials that take electron correlation into account and for potentials inferred from ion-beam measurements of high accuracy, except where the transport data are primarily influenced by the long-range tail of the potential. The transport data are also used to directly determine the Li + —rare-gas interaction potentials, with an estimated accuracy of 10% over wide ranges of ion—atom separation.