cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Revised Direct Assessment of Functional Status for Independent Older Adults

Purpose: The original version of the Direct Assessment of Functional Status (DAFS), a measure of instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), was found to have a ceiling effect in older adults living independently in the community. This suggested that the tasks measured, although relevant, do not require full use of this population’s abilities, and thus, the instrument may not be sensitive to the early decrements in IADLs that can signal initial cognitive impairment and may not detect improvements in IADLs over time, which is especially important in intervention research. Design and Methods: By removing items with little to no variation and adding more difficult subscales that emphasized medication management skills, we designed the DAFS-Extended (Direct Assessment of Functional Status-Revised [DAFS-R]) to be more challenging for elders living independently. Results: Analysis with a sample of 45 older adults suggested that scores on the DAFS-R appear to be more normally distributed than on the original version. The DAFS was able to differentiate individuals with varying standard profile scores on the River mead Behavioural Memory Test memory performance instrument (normal, poor, and impaired). In addition, the reliability and validity of the DAFS-R were supported in this sample. Implications: Given the large number of older adults who regularly take multiple prescription medications, deficits in medication management skills can have serious consequences. A performance measure that emphasizes these higher level daily living skills can help providers screen for initial signs of functional decline.
Creation of a Biological Pacemaker by Cell Fusion

As an alternative to electronic pacemakers, we explored the feasibility of converting ventricular myocytes into pacemakers by somatic cell fusion. The idea is to create chemically induced fusion between myocytes and syngeneic fibroblasts engineered to express HCN1 pacemaker channels (HCN1-fibroblasts). HCN1-fibroblasts were fused with freshly isolated guinea pig ventricular myocytes using polyethylene-glycol 1500. In vivo fused myocyte-HCN1-fibroblast cells exhibited spontaneously oscillating action potentials; the firing frequency increased with beta-adrenergic stimulation. The heterokaryons created ectopic ventricular pacemaker activity in vivo at the site of cell injection. Coculture of nonfused HCN1-fibroblasts and myocytes without polyethylene-glycol 1500 revealed no evidence of dye transfer, demonstrating that the I(f)-mediated pacemaker activity arises from heterokaryons rather than electrotonic coupling. This nonviral, non-stem cell approach enables autologous, adult somatic cell therapy to create biopacemakers.
Malic acid analysis in cucumber juice and fermentation brines in the presence of interfering fructose

A procedure was developed for HPLC analysis of malic acid in the presence of an interfering fructose peak with an Aminex HPX-87H column. Fructose in cucumber juice or fermented cucumber brine was reduced to mannitol and sorbitol with sodium borohydride. The sugar alcohols eluted after malic acid and did not absorb light at 210 nm so that malic acid could be quantitatively determined either by refractive index or ultraviolet detectors. Lactic acid, acetic acid, and ethanol could also be determined in the sample after reduction of fructose.
The NAVY's Long-Range Deep Ocean Technology Planning

As the result of various Navy studies which voiced concern with possible technological deficiencies in the field of deep ocean technology, a working group was formed of various Navy experts to develop a plan of action. The group's findings and recommendations were submitted to a panel of the Marine Board of the National Research Council for comment and advice. Specific technical objectives are now being prepared which will provide the basis for future planning efforts by both the Navy and industry.
Economic Perspectives on Corporate Social Responsibility

*This paper synthesizes the expanding corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature. We define CSR from an economic perspective and develop a CSR taxonomy that connects disparate approaches to the subject. We explore whether CSR should exist and investigate conditions when CSR may produce higher welfare than other public good provision channels. We also explore why CSR does exist. Here, we integrate theoretical predictions with empirical findings from economic and noneconomic sources. We find limited systematic empirical evidence in favor of CSR mechanisms related to induced innovation, moral hazard, shareholder preferences, or labor markets. In contrast, we uncover consistent empirical evidence in favor of CSR mechanisms related to consumer markets, private politics, and public politics. (JEL D21, L21, M14)
Tardive dyskinesia and withdrawal emergent syndrome in children

Tardive dyskinesia (TD) is a well-recognized and sometimes permanent adverse effect of treatment with dopamine receptor-blocking drugs (DRBDs), also referred to as neuroleptics. This iatrogenic disorder has been well characterized in adults, but not extensively studied in children. Withdrawal emergent syndrome (WES) is another pediatric movement disorder related to the use of DRBDs. TD and WES are among the most feared adverse effects of DRBD treatment, and have important medical and legal implications. We review published studies of children under the age of 18 years who were exposed to DRBD to determine the clinical spectrum and estimate the possible prevalence of TD and WES. We particularly wish to draw attention to the phenomenology, clinical course and treatment of these childhood-onset disorders. Although avoiding DRBDs is the best strategy for minimizing the risk of TD and WES, physicians who evaluate children exposed to DRBDs must be vigilant and recognize the early symptoms and signs of these syn...
An overview of methods of harmonic suppression in distribution systems

Economic benefits from using power electronics equipment are much more visible than losses caused by harmonics produced by this equipment. Consequently, we enter the New Millenium with sources of harmonic distortion more and more distributed over distribution systems. We have to confess that we are much more effective in generating harmonics than in their elimination. This situation should not propagate into the Next Century. A more effective method of harmonic suppression is needed. Harmonics in distribution systems can be suppressed with reactive devices, switching compensators and hybrid devices built of reactive devices and a switching compensator. Selection of a method of harmonic suppression, best suited to particular conditions, requires that advantages, disadvantages and limitations of these devices, which exhibit a very broad range of properties, are well comprehended. The paper compiles and discusses general properties of various methods of reducing harmonic distortion. Such methods and devices are compared from the point of view of their effectiveness and related issues in various field situations. The paper also investigates some possibilities of new approach to harmonic suppression. In particular, the concept of a harmonic blocking compensator and a fixed-pole resonant harmonic filter is presented.
Cyclization studies with a model pentapeptide

A pentapeptide with the sequence Gly-Ala-d-Val-Leu-Ile was designed for a study of cyclization. Isoleucine was selected as the C -terminal residue in order to determine, from the amount of alloisoleucine in the cyclic product, the extent of racemization during activation and ring closure. The insolubility of cyclo (glycyl-alanyl-d-valyl-leucyl-isoleucyl) in the commonly used solvents facilitated its isolation and thus the evaluation of comparative experiments. Because of its thermal stability the cyclopentapeptide could be purified by sublimation in vacuo. The results of cyclization experiments carried out with this model suggest that separation of the steps of activation and coupling is preferable to cyclization with the help of coupling reagents, that is to the execution of activation and ring closure in a single operation.
Evolution of splicing regulatory networks in Drosophila

The proteome expanding effects of alternative pre-mRNA splicing have had a profound impact on eukaryotic evolution. The events that create this diversity can be placed into four major classes: exon skipping, intron retention, alternative 5' splice sites, and alternative 3' splice sites. Although the regulatory mechanisms and evolutionary pressures among alternative splicing classes clearly differ, how these differences affect the evolution of splicing regulation remains poorly characterized. We used RNA-seq to investigate splicing differences in D. simulans, D. sechellia, and three strains of D. melanogaster. Regulation of exon skipping and tandem alternative 3' splice sites (NAGNAGs) were more divergent than other splicing classes. Splicing regulation was most divergent in frame-preserving events and events in noncoding regions. We further determined the contributions of cis- and trans-acting changes in splicing regulatory networks by comparing allele-specific splicing in F1 interspecific hybrids, because differences in allele-specific splicing reflect changes in cis-regulatory element activity. We find that species-specific differences in intron retention and alternative splice site usage are primarily attributable to changes in cis-regulatory elements (median ∼80% cis), whereas species-specific exon skipping differences are driven by both cis- and trans-regulatory divergence (median ∼50% cis). These results help define the mechanisms and constraints that influence splicing regulatory evolution and show that networks regulating the four major classes of alternative splicing diverge through different genetic mechanisms. We propose a model in which differences in regulatory network architecture among classes of alternative splicing affect the evolution of splicing regulation.
Blood Lead Levels Among Pregnant Women: Historical Versus Contemporaneous Exposures

Blood lead among pregnant women, even at modest levels, may impair offspring cognitive development. We examine whether blood lead levels (BLLs) result from current versus historic exposures, among a cohort of pregnant women. Cumulative logit models were used to characterize the relationship between maternal risk factors and higher BLLs. Maternal blood lead levels more likely result from lead remobilization from historic versus contemporaneous exposures. Even if all lead sources were abated immediately, women and their fetuses would experience lead exposure for decades. This work emphasizes the importance of addressing sources of environmental lead exposure in the United States and internationally.
Lymphoid Follicles in Hyperplasia and Neoplasia

Cutaneous lymphoid follicles may be observed in cutaneous lymphoid hyperplasia and are characteristically present in the low grade B cell lymphomas (extranodal B-cell lymphoma of mucosa associated lymphoid tissue type/marginal zone lymphoma and follicle center lymphoma).
Li [ Li y Mn2 − y ] O 4 Spinel Cathode Material Prepared by a Solution Method

spinel powders were prepared from aqueous solutions of and , which is a simpler and cheaper method than any other solution‐based synthesis. The spinels thus prepared exhibited excellent capacity retention in the voltage range of in spite of the cooperative Jahn‐Teller distortion. The cyclability in the range was improved as the lithium content on the octahedral site increased while the reversible capacity was sacrificed. Cycling over the whole range indicates that charging in the range introduces an irreversible change that causes capacity fading in the range, but not in the range. ©2000 The Electrochemical Society
On the Diffusion Coefficients for Reactor Physics Applications

The definition of the multigroup diffusion coefficient for reactor physics problems is not unique; rather, it is based on limiting approximations made to the Boltzmann transport equation. In this paper, we present several new diffusion closures in an attempt to gain increased accuracy over the standard P 1 -based diffusion theory. First, the Levermore-Pomraning flux-limited diffusion theory is applied to reactor physics problems both in its original form and in a new modified form that makes the methodology more robust with respect to the energy variable. Additionally, two novel definitions of the diffusion coefficient are introduced that permit a neutron flux that is greater than first order in angle. These various diffusion theories are completed by developing consistent boundary conditions for each case. Diffusion theory solutions are computed for each unique closure and are compared against transport theory analytically for a simple half-space problem and numerically for a suite of simplified one-dimensional reactor problems. Conclusions and observations are made for each diffusion method in terms of its underlying assumptions and accuracy of the benchmark solutions.
A Model of Coherence Based on Distributed Sentence Representation

Coherence is what makes a multi-sentence text meaningful, both logically and syntactically. To solve the challenge of ordering a set of sentences into coherent order, existing approaches focus mostly on defining and using sophisticated features to capture the cross-sentence argumentation logic and syntactic relationships. But both argumentation semantics and crosssentence syntax (such as coreference and tense rules) are very hard to formalize. In this paper, we introduce a neural network model for the coherence task based on distributed sentence representation. The proposed approach learns a syntacticosemantic representation for sentences automatically, using either recurrent or recursive neural networks. The architecture obviated the need for feature engineering, and learns sentence representations, which are to some extent able to capture the ‘rules’ governing coherent sentence structure. The proposed approach outperforms existing baselines and generates the stateof-art performance in standard coherence evaluation tasks 1 .
In Seattle, Children's Hospital makes kids more aware of safety. Hospital scores big with Seattle Mariners, Safeco Insurance.

To leverage existing relationships, Children's Hospital (Seattle), the Seattle Mariners baseball team and Safeco Insurance teamed up to educate parents and children about home safety and emergency preparedness. The resulting multi media Safety All Stars program used a colorful, widely distributed safety poster to stimulate participation, and special activities knocked the message "home." Language: en
Revealing the Relationship between Semiconductor Electronic Structure and Electron Transfer Dynamics at Metal Oxide–Chromophore Interfaces

Interfacial charge recombination dynamics in nanocrystalline SnO2 and TiO2 thin films sensitized with phosphonate-derivatized ruthenium chromophores (Ru(bpy)2(4,4′-(PO3H2)2bpy)]2+, RuP) have been investigated in aqueous media by nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy. Back electron transfer (BET) rates for RuP–SnO2 were observed to be 2–3 times greater than for RuP–TiO2. Additionally, rates of charge recombination for RuP–TiO2 show a significant pH dependence, while only a subtle influence of pH is observed for BET in RuP–SnO2. Cyclic voltammetry measurements indicate the exponential distribution of intra-band-gap trap states varies with pH for both SnO2 and TiO2 nanocrystalline thin films. BET rates for RuP–SnO2 and RuP–TiO2 are correlated with the distribution, identity, and occupation of localized trap states within the nanocrystalline metal oxide films, which are pH specific. Recombination between injected electrons and oxidized chromophores is influenced by the identity of metal oxide localized...
Disability-Specific Atlases of Gray Matter Loss in Relapsing-Remitting Multiple Sclerosis.

Importance Multiple sclerosis (MS) is characterized by progressive gray matter (GM) atrophy that strongly correlates with clinical disability. However, whether localized GM atrophy correlates with specific disabilities in patients with MS remains unknown. Objective To understand the association between localized GM atrophy and clinical disability in a biology-driven analysis of MS. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional study, magnetic resonance images were acquired from 133 women with relapsing-remitting MS and analyzed using voxel-based morphometry and volumetry. A regression analysis was used to determine whether voxelwise GM atrophy was associated with specific clinical deficits. Data were collected from June 28, 2007, to January 9, 2014. Main Outcomes and Measures Voxelwise correlation of GM change with clinical outcome measures (Expanded Disability Status Scale and Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite scores). Results Among the 133 female patients (mean [SD] age, 37.4 [7.5] years), worse performance on the Multiple Sclerosis Functional Composite correlated with voxelwise GM volume loss in the middle cingulate cortex ( P P = .004). In addition, worse performance on the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test correlated with volume loss in the auditory and premotor cortices ( P P = .02). Finally, voxelwise GM loss in the right paracentral lobulus correlated with bowel and bladder disability ( P = .03). Thus, deficits in specific clinical test results were directly associated with localized GM loss in clinically eloquent locations. Conclusions and Relevance These biology-driven data indicate that specific disabilities in MS are associated with voxelwise GM loss in distinct locations. This approach may be used to develop disability-specific biomarkers for use in future clinical trials of neuroprotective treatments in MS.
Investigations of directly labeling antibodies with rhenium-188.

Methods for labeling antibodies with 99mTc cannot be used without modification for radiorhenium despite the similar chemistries, in part because of a lower redox potential of rhenium and therefore a greater tendency to reoxidize. We have investigated conditions for directly labeling B72.3 IgG with 188Re via both mercaptoethanol and stannous ion antibody reduction. The reduced 188Re was stabilized for transchelation as the glucoheptonate complex and transchelated in the presence of excess stannous ion. End points were low "non-specific" binding (i.e. labeling in the absence of antibody reduction) and increased stability to cysteine challenge. By both methods, labeling efficiencies after about 15 minutes averaged 58.77% with as little as 4% non-specific binding. Specific activities of 15 muCi/microgram was achieved after 1.5 hours. By investigating labeling condition, it was possible to improve the stability of the label on stannous ion reduced antibody such that the in vitro and in vivo properties of 188Re were largely independent of labeling method. For example, losses of 188Re due to oxidation (16%) and to cysteine (7%) during 37 degrees C serum incubations for 24 hours were identical for both methods. Furthermore, after the administration to normal mice, whole body clearance and the accumulations of 188Re at 2.5 and 24 hours in blood and in most organs were also independent of labeling method. In conclusion, two different direct labeling methods provided a 188Re-labeled antibody with identical stabilities and with in vivo properties not greatly different from that seen for the same antibody radiolabeled directly with 99mTc.
Efficacy of enrichment media for recovery of heat-injured listeria monocytogenes

The efficacy of University of Vermont (UVM) and Listeria enrichment broth (LEB) enrichment broths for the recovery of heat-injured Listeria monocytogenes was determined in pure culture and in the presence of competitive microflora from chicken and Brie cheese. Both UVM and LEB were found to be effective for recovery of viable L. monocytogenes . Only UVM consistently allowed recovery of heat-injured L. monocytogenes . The different concentrations of NaCl used in these media did not account for these differences. The pH of LEB and UVM broth containing mixed microflora from chicken and Brie cheese was 5.2 to 5.7 and 6.7 to 6.8, respectively. The presence of glucose and the lack of an adequate buffering system in LEB accounted for these differences in recovery. Recovery of heat-injured cells of pure culture L. monocytogenes was reduced at pH 5.5 to 5.8, and no recovery was detected below pH 5.5 when pH adjusted LEB was used. UVM is recommended as a primary enrichment broth for recovery of heat-injured L. monocytogenes .
Effect of cross-clamp time, temperature, and cardioplegic agents on myocardial function after induced arrest.

To evaluate the importance of time, temperature, and cardioplegia on the ability of the canine myocardium to maintain functional and ultrastructural integrity following induced arrest, we studied 220 dogs by varying myocardial temperature (34°, 24°, and 11° C), arrest time (0 to 120 minutes), and cardioplegic agents. Change in left ventricular function (LVF) was defined as the arithmetic difference in the center of mass between prearrest and postarrest LVF curves and was expressed as percent recovery of left ventricular stroke work. Left ventricular biopsies were obtained for semiquantitative electron microscopic analysis. After 90 minutes of cross-clamping, only hearts protected with combined hypothermia (H) and potassium-induced cardioplegia (K) significantly recovered prearrest function (24° C.—80 percent, 11° C.—99 percent). Hypothermia (H) alone for 90 minutes was less protective (24° C.—49 percent, 11° C.—59 percent). H preserved 84 percent of function after 60 minutes and 91 percent after 45 minutes. Normothermic arrest resulted in only 39 percent return of function at 45 minutes but could be extended with potassium-induced cardioplegia (K) to 78 percent at 60 minutes and 54 percent at 90 minutes. The addition of procaine plus HK improved protection over HK alone (95 percent versus 80 percent) but by itself was not effective. Neither hydrocortisone nor pretreatment with glucose-insulin-potassium, branched chain amino acids, or propranolol increased the protective effect of HK plus procaine. Inadequately protected groups (normothermia or H without K) showed more myocytic and capillary endothelial damage than the HK groups. No technique of myocardial protection studied completely preserved LVF, but the combination of HK plus procaine resulted in maximal recovery of LVF following cross-clamping for up to 120 minutes.
Financial Levees: Regulation, External Imbalances, and Banking Crises Around the World

An emerging consensus among scholars and policymakers identifies “global imbalances” and capital flow “bonanzas” as the primary determinants of banking crises in developed and emerging market countries. We question the rush to embrace this conventional wisdom and argue that the stringency of banking regulation is a key variable omitted in the existing literature. Using a dataset of banking crises covering up to 50 countries from 1981 to 2007, we find that more stringent regulation and supervision substantially reduces the probability of a crisis. Moreover, we find that neither large current account deficits nor capital inflow bonanzas are significant determinants of banking crises once we control for the level of banking regulation. Our results suggest that robust banking regulation acts as a “fnancial levee” insulating countries from the potentially destabilizing impact of global imbalances and international capital flows on the national banking system. From a policy perspective, our findings lend credibility to argument of those, such as Borio and Disyatat (2011), who claim that an exclusive focus on unwinding global imbalances and improving fiscal policy – without also focusing on the regulatory and financial intermediation problems at the root of the Great Recession – is unlikely to prevent future crises.
Design Considerations for Spaceborne Lidars

Spaceborne lidars promise the capability to determine important meteorological parameters, with a height resolution and accuracy required for improved weather forecasting and understanding of the climate. Lidars can advantageously complement passive sounders due to their ability to perform depth resolved measurements with excellent vertical resolution, and with fewer a-priory assumptions on atmospheric properties required.
A Surface Model for Aeolian Dune Topography

A surface model for aeolian bedform topography is adapted from a surface model of subaqueous bedform topography. The aeolian bedform surface model is developed using a uniform grid with a cell-centered finite volume approximation of the sediment continuity equation. The resulting modeling framework approximates the dynamic motions of aeolian bedform topography driven by bedform field boundary conditions. The numerical model is applied to simulate bedforms growing from unimodal and bimodal transport regimes from both a fixed elevation (sediment source area) and within a domain with fully periodic boundary conditions. The rates at which modeled aeolian bedforms grow and morphologically mature are sensitive to the chosen boundary conditions. Video files of model simulations and source code for the presented aeolian bedform surface modeling framework are available in supplemental materials. The aeolian bedform surface model code is malleable and readily modified for exploratory study of dynamic bedform topography that inherits morphological traits from aeolian bedform field boundary conditions.
Efficient reacquisition path planning for multiple autonomous underwater vehicles

The purpose of this research is to develop a computationally efficient path-planning algorithm for way point reacquisition by multiple autonomous underwater vehicles. This algorithm is specifically designed for the underwater environment where vehicles typically have dissimilar starting and ending locations. This constraint is different from the standard vehicle routing problem and significantly restricts the size of the solution space that must be explored to generate an efficient solution. The proposed algorithm consists of three phases: way point assignment, route optimization, and route validation. There is no feedback between any of the phases, which allows the bulk of the computation to be distributed among the vehicles further reducing the computational burden. In the first phase, an efficient heuristic technique is employed that exploits the spatial separation of the vehicle starting and ending positions. Afterwards, the route optimization and route validation phases are processed independently by each vehicle on their respectively assigned way points. This results in a computationally efficient algorithm that produces quality solutions, and its proficiency is verified by simulations
Housing Affordability And Children’s Cognitive Achievement

Housing cost burden—the fraction of income spent on housing—is the most prevalent housing problem affecting the healthy development of millions of low- and moderate-income children. By affecting disposable income, a high burden affects parents’ expenditures on both necessities for and enrichment of their children, as well as investments in their children. Reducing those expenditures and investments, in turn, can affect children’s development, including their cognitive skills and physical, social, and emotional health. This article summarizes the first empirical evidence of the effects of housing affordability on children’s cognitive achievement and on one factor that appears to contribute to these effects: the larger expenditures on child enrichment by families in affordable housing. We found that housing cost burden has the same relationship to both children’s cognitive achievement and enrichment spending on children, exhibiting an inverted U shape in both cases. The maximum benefit occurs when housing c...
Buyer power with atomistic upstream entry: Can downstream consolidation increase production and welfare?

Abstract This paper investigates the effects of buyer power on entry into an atomistic upstream market and economic welfare. Under reasonable market conditions, we show that industries with a few buyers induce more upstream entry than industries with a larger number of firms. In particular, monopsony can be more conducive to entry and lead to higher social welfare than more fragmented industry structures. This seeming paradox arises because a single buyer better internalizes the positive effects of entry on later-periods’ supply conditions than a collection of firms. This result is relevant in a number of market settings, including markets for specialized labor and processing markets for agricultural products.
Play and learn: Serious games in breaking informational barriers in residential solar energy adoption in the United States

Abstract Recent literature states the importance of using behavioral science to address the persistent gaps between the technical potential of low carbon technologies and the actual adoption of these technologies. With the goal of addressing this important gap, in this study we investigate the efficacy of serious games – games with a primary purpose other than entertainment – to overcome informational and perceptive barriers to broader adoption of solar energy in the residential sector. Using a randomized control trial design with playing a trivia-style game as the treatment condition, we assess the impact of serious games on effecting behavioral antecedents toward solar energy in residential energy customers, applying the Theory of Planned Behavior (attitudes, norms, and perceived behavioral control). Our findings indicate that serious games are effective in bridging the information gap and enabling participants to feel agency, warranting further investigation of the effectiveness of this intervention strategy on behavioral change applied at large scale.
Changes in Dietary Intake and Eating Behavior in Adolescents After Bariatric Surgery: an Ancillary Study to the Teen-LABS Consortium

A growing number of studies suggest that bariatric surgery is safe and effective for adolescents with severe obesity. However, surprisingly little is known about changes in dietary intake and eating behavior of adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery. Investigate changes in dietary intake and eating behavior of adolescents with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery (n = 119) or lifestyle modification (LM) (n = 169). University-based health systems A prospective investigation of 288 participants (219 female and 69 male) prior to bariatric surgery or LM and again 6, 12, and 24 months (surgery patients only) after treatment. Measures included changes in weight, macronutrient intake, eating behavior, and relevant demographic and physiological variables. Adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery experienced significantly greater weight loss than those who received LM. The two groups differed in self-reported intake of a number of macronutrients at 6 and 12 months from baseline, but not total caloric intake. Patients treated with surgery, compared to those treated with LM, also reported significantly greater reductions in a number of disordered eating symptoms. After bariatric surgery, greater weight loss from postoperative month 6 to 12 was associated with self-reported weight consciousness, craving for sweets, and consumption of zinc. Adolescents who underwent bariatric surgery, compared to those who received LM, reported significantly greater reductions in weight after 1 year. They also reported greater reductions in disordered eating symptoms. These findings provide new information on changes in dietary intake and eating behavior among adolescents who undergo bariatric surgery.
Exercise-Induced Cardioprotection and the Therapeutic Potential of RIPC:

In the search for innovative solutions to treat ischemic heart disease, recent basic science and clinical approaches have focused on remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC). Remote ischemic preconditioning involves short intervals of limb blood flow occlusion by the application of a blood pressure cuff inflated to a suprasystolic pressure. The promise of RIPC in the development of new cardioprotective therapies is founded on the premise that it is cost-effective, technically simple, and overcomes many logistical and biochemical hurdles associated with other ischemic preconditioning approaches. However, RIPC as a research subarea is still in its infancy and clinical applications for individuals at high risk of cardiovascular disease remain elusive. The thesis of the current review is that observational and mechanistic similarities between exercise-induced preconditioning and RIPC may reveal novel therapeutic links to cardioprotection. While reductionist understanding of the exercised heart is still in the formative stages, available mechanistic knowledge of exercise-induced cardioprotection is juxtaposed to RIPC and potential implications discussed. In total, additional research is needed in order to fully appreciate the mechanistic and translative connections between exercise and RIPC. Nonetheless, existing rationale are strong and suggest that RIPC approaches may be helpful in the development and application to pharmacologic interventions in those with ischemic heart disease.
Photorefractivity in polymer-stabilized liquid crystal films

We have shown that PSLCs are capable of forming photorefractive gratings that operate in the thick grating regime. Polymer stabilization alters the charge transport and trapping characteristics of LCs, resulting in longer lived gratings, while maintaining the advantages of high orientational birefringence within LCs. Furthermore, very low applied electric fields (800 V/cm) and low optical intensities (100 mW/cm{sup 2}) are required to create large photorefractive effects in these materials. It is expected that optimization of the redox potentials of the chromophores within the PSLCs will continue to improve the performance of these materials.
The United States Free Trade Agreements: How Successful Have They Been?

The United States has entered into Free Trade Agreements with 20 countries. Did these agreements boost trade—especially exports—beyond that experienced by a control group of 80 other countries? Did the efforts and costs in implementing and maintaining these agreements yield incremental trade? Discussing five attenuating factors and introducing a method utilizing compound annual growth rates, we compared the pre- and post-implementation trade growth of the agreements, and also against the control group. Results are mixed and some agreements disappoint, possibly with basis in an attenuating factor. The overall effect on U.S. exports from the agreements is low.
Ketamine for the Acute Management of Excited Delirium and Agitation in the Prehospital Setting.

Traditional first-line therapy in the prehospital setting for the acutely agitated patient includes an antipsychotic in combination with a benzodiazepine. Recently, interest has grown regarding the use of ketamine in the prehospital setting as an attempt to overcome the limitations of the traditional medications and provide a more safe and effective therapy. This review provides an overview of the pharmacology of ketamine, evaluates the literature regarding ketamine use for prehospital agitation, and proposes an algorithm that may be used within the prehospital setting. A literature review was conducted to identify articles utilizing ketamine in the prehospital setting. The review was limited to English-language articles identified in Embase (1988-June 2017) and the U.S. National Library of Medicine (1970-June 2017). References of all pertinent articles were also reviewed. Ten articles were identified including 418 patients receiving ketamine for agitation. The most commonly utilized route for administration was intramuscular (IM), with five of the seven IM administration studies using a ketamine dose of 5 mg/kg. Ketamine administered in this fashion was efficacious to achieve proper sedation during transport and did not require repeat dosing. Three studies applied a ketamine protocol to outline dosing and the management of ketamine adverse events. The most common adverse events identified were respiratory-related events and hypersalivation. Ketamine has a role for agitation management in the prehospital setting; however, emergency personnel education and ketamine protocols should be utilized to aid in safe and effective pharmacotherapy and provide guidance on the management of adverse events. Future prospective comparative studies, with protocolized standard ketamine regimens, are needed to further delineate the role of ketamine in agitation management and identify accurate adverse event incidence rates.
Antivascular endothelial growth factor in treatment of choroidal osteoma not associated with choroidal neovascular membrane

To report the case of a 52-year-old female with recent complaint of decreased vision associated with a well-defined depigmented lesion in the macula in the right eye. She had a history of surgery for pituitary microadenoma and breast lump excision. Based on spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, fundus fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, and B-scan ultrasonography, a diagnosis of the right eye choroidal osteoma was made. Subretinal fluid (SRF) was noted in the absence of obvious classic choroidal neovascularization (CNV). The patient was given monthly intravitreal ranibizumab injection over 3 months. Visual acuity was 20/80 preinjection, which dramatically improved to 20/20 after the injections without any additional treatment. We report an interesting case where SRF was noted in the absence of evident CNV and that antivascular endothelial growth factor can be considered as an effective option even in the absence of an evident CNV.
Design and evaluation of a privacy architecture for crowdsensing applications

By using consumer devices such as cellphones, wearables and Internet of Things devices owned by citizens, crowdsensing systems are providing solutions to the community in areas such as transportation, security, entertainment and the environment through the collection of various types of sensor data. Privacy is a major issue in these systems because the data collected can potentially reveal aspects considered private by the contributors of data. We propose the Privacy-Enabled ARchitecture (PEAR), a layered architecture aimed at protecting privacy in privacy-aware crowdsensing systems. We identify and describe the layers of the architecture. We propose and evaluate the design of MetroTrack, a crowdsensing system that is based on the proposed PEAR architecture.
Remembering Two Black Radical Intellectual Giants

The revived interest in public intellectuals over the last year or so reminds us of the great Black radical intellectual tradition based on engagement and solidarity with struggles for justice and ...
Ion formation in droplet-assisted ionization

Rationale In droplet-assisted ionization (DAI), intact molecular ions are generated from molecules in aerosol droplets by passing the droplets through a temperature-controlled capillary inlet. Ion formation is explored through the effects of analyte mass flow, droplet solvent composition, and capillary temperature on ion signal intensity. Methods A Waters SYNAPT G2-S is adapted for DAI by reconfiguring the inlet with a temperature-controlled capillary. Droplets are generated by atomization of a solution containing analyte and then sampled through the inlet. If desired, solvent can be removed from the droplets prior to analysis by sending the aerosol through a series of diffusion dryers. Size distributions of the dried aerosols allow the mass flow of analyte into the inlet to be determined. Results Analyte signal intensities are orders of magnitude higher from droplets containing a protic solvent (water) than an aprotic solvent (acetonitrile). The highest signal intensities for DAI are obtained with inlet temperatures above 500°C, though the optimum temperature is analyte dependent. At elevated temperatures, droplets are thought to undergo rapid solvent evaporation and bursting to produce ions. The lowest signal intensities are generally obtained in the 100-350°C range, where slow solvent evaporation is thought to inhibit ion formation. As the temperature decreases from 100°C down to 25°C, the signal intensity increases significantly. When 3-nitrobenzonitrile, a common matrix for solid-state matrix-assisted ionization (MAI), is added to droplets consisting of 50/50 v/v water and acetonitrile, the matrix enhances ion formation to produce a signal intensity comparable to DAI in 100% water. Conclusions The results are consistent with other inlet ionization techniques, suggesting that similar ion formation mechanisms are operative. Optimized ion yields (the combined effects of ionization probability and ion transmission) for DAI are currently in the 10-5 to 10-6 range, which is sufficient for many aerosol applications.
Effect of acute-phase retinopathy of prematurity on grating acuity development in the very low birth weight infant. The Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity Cooperative Group.

PURPOSE To examine the development of grating acuity in four groups of eyes in the Multicenter Study of Cryotherapy for Retinopathy of Prematurity (CRYO-ROP): eyes with no ROP; eyes with less-than-prethreshold ROP; eyes with prethreshold ROP; and eyes with threshold ROP that were randomized to serve as controls (not treated with cryotherapy). METHODS Subjects were 1398 children with birth weights < 1251 g whose acute-phase ROP was documented as part of the CRYO-ROP study. Monocular grating acuity was measured using the Teller acuity card procedure when children reached 1, 2, 3 1/2, and 4 1/2 years of age. RESULTS Eyes in the no-ROP and less-than-prethreshold groups showed nearly identical acuity development. Eyes with prethreshold ROP showed mean acuity similar to the no-ROP group at 1 and 2 years, but slightly below the no-ROP group at 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 years. Only 50% of eyes in the threshold untreated ROP group had measurable acuity. These eyes showed mean acuity scores that were approximately 1 octave below those of the no-ROP group at all four test ages. When data from eyes with ROP residua or other ocular abnormalities, and data from eyes of children who were unable to pass the study developmental screening items, were excluded, acuity development was similar among groups. CONCLUSIONS Mild (less-than-prethreshold) ROP has no effect on the development of grating acuity in children between 1 and 4 1/2 years of age. Moderate (prethreshold) ROP is associated with reduced acuity at 3 1/2 and 4 1/2 years. In general, severe (threshold untreated) ROP results in moderate to severe reductions in acuity at all ages between 1 and 4 1/2 years. However, a small number of children with severe ROP show normal acuity development.
Analytical evaluation of mixing efficiencies and nonlinear interactions of turbulence in a stratified flow

xv CHAPTER 1: GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 Significance and Problem Definition 1 Objectives 2 Thesis Organization 2 CHAPTER 2: ANALYTICAL MODEL OF MIXING EFFICIENCY OF TURBULENCE IN A STRONGLY STRATIFIED FLOW 3 Abstract 3 Introduction 3 Theory 6 Results 10 One Active Scalar 10 Two Active Scalars 14 Discussion 16 Validity of Assumptions 16 Comparison with Experiments and Simulations 17 Application to Limnology and Oceanography 19 Conclusions 21 CHAPTER 3: NONLINEAR INTERACTIONS IN STRATIFIED TURBULENCE 22 Introduction 22 Initial Investigations 27 Addition of Nonlinear Term to RDT for Stratified Flow 32 Conclusions 49
Processus Cognitifs, Interactions et Structures Sociales

Les recherches sur le cerveau et celles sur les structures sociales se touchent souvent mais cheminent independamment. On considere ici que des mecanismes biologiques et des pressions environnementales pour la survie ont faconne simultanement une intersection graduelle de ces deux registres, transformant les conditions de l’interaction sociale collaborative et des competences en matiere de communication. De cette maniere, on peut identifier des « re-descriptions representationnelles » qui sont propres a mieux rendre compte des pratiques.
Secure attachment predicts lower body mass index in young children with histories of child protective services involvement.

BACKGROUND Children who experience early adversity are at risk for obesity; secure attachment may be a protective factor as it has been linked to reduced obesity risk. OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether (1) participation in a parenting intervention and (2) secure attachment were associated with body mass index (BMI) among young children with histories of child protective services (CPS) involvement. METHODS A total of 105 parent-child dyads referred following CPS involvement were randomly assigned to receive Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), which was designed to increase parental sensitivity, or a control intervention. Attachment security was assessed during infancy, and BMI was assessed at annual follow-up visits until children were 4 years old. RESULTS Children in the ABC group were more likely to have secure attachments (52%) than children in the control intervention group (32%). Although the ABC intervention did not have a direct effect on children's BMI, secure attachment was associated with a steeper decline in BMI from age 2 to age 4, with secure children showing significantly lower BMI (M = 15.4, SD = 2.08; 16.6% overweight/obese) than insecure children (M = 17.6, SD = 3.81; 35.7% overweight/obese) at age 4. CONCLUSIONS Secure attachment was associated with reduced BMI among CPS-referred children; thus, secure attachment may be a novel target of early obesity prevention efforts.
The Calculus of Serum PSA.

OBJECTIVES To review the mathematics of kinetic changes in serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and to use a compartmental model to derive a new kinetic measure, alpha. METHODS The calculus of kinetic measures of PSA changes with time is presented, and a compartmental model is then used to derive alpha of serum PSA. Alpha is then tested for prognostic importance in 119 men who underwent prostatectomy. RESULTS The percentage of tumor in the prostate is closely related to alpha and to tumor length in diagnostic needle biopsies, but not to tumor grade. The presence of adverse pathology in the prostatectomy specimens (positive margins or T3 stage) is significantly associated with alpha, but not to tumor length or grade. CONCLUSIONS The derived kinetic parameter, alpha, shows promise as a preoperative prognostic parameter, and may help sort patients into those with low vs high probability for adverse pathology features in the prostatectomy specimens.
Robot Rights in the Era of Robolution and the Acceptance of Robots from the Slovak Citizen's Perspective

Some call it the Fourth Industrial Revolution, some Robolution. We are living in the age of automation technology, robotics and artificial intelligence. The use of artificial intelligence in our everyday lives is on the increase and covers many fields of activity from production assistance in factories to vacuum cleaners in the household, telepresence robotics, self-driving cars/buses and flying drones. Generally, we can compare this revolution with those of computers and the Internet. But Robolution raises numerous legal questions and encounters difficulties of acceptance in both the industrial and social sectors. There are serious problems with the claim that conscious robots should have rights just as humans do, and this is what this paper plans to explore. The aim of our paper was threefold: first, to define the robot; second, to discuss robot rights issues in general; and, third, to examine the acceptance of robots from the Slovak citizen's perspective. The data of the survey were collected in August 2018 from e-mail interviews with 647 persons. The results show there is a higher acceptance of the use of robots in everyday life (health issues, self-driving cars/buses) and in households than in the work environment. Among the respondents, 61% think that dependence on machines and desktop screens should be reduced. Our results show that attitudes toward robots are positive in many sectors. Yet there is a need for a comprehensive strategy of robot handling and robot rights to help us gain a better understanding of robot acceptance.