cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies on the Anaerobic Bacterial Flora of Suppurative Periodontitis

ing to Goadby1 is comparatively recent. In 1550 Ambroise Pare, chief surgeon to the king of France, recommended surgical treatment of the condition characterized by loosening of the teeth. More easily recognizable descriptions were made by Fuchard in 1746 and Gendarme in 1778, when they noted suppuration of the alveoli and gums as an accompaniment to the bone resorption described by Pare. The term "alveolar pyorrhea," meaning a flow of pus from the alveolus, was first used by Toirac in 1779. Nearly 100 years later, in 1867, Riggs made what is considered to be a classical
Molecule Specific Effects of PKA-Mediated Phosphorylation on Myofibrillar Function

Increased cardiac myocyte contractility by the beta-adrenergic system is an important mechanism to elevate cardiac output to meet greater hemodynamic load and this process is often depressed in failing hearts. While increased contractility involves augmented myoplasmic calcium transients, the myofilaments also adapt to boost the transduction of the calcium signal. Accordingly, ventricular contractility is tightly correlated with PKA-mediated phosphorylation of two myofibrillar proteins, cardiac myosin binding protein-C (cMyBP-C) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI), implicating these two proteins as important transducers of hemodynamics to the cardiac sarcomere. Consistent with this, we have previously found that phosphorylation of myofilament proteins by PKA (a downstream signaling molecule of the beta-adrenergic system) increased force, slowed force development rates, sped loaded shortening, and increased power output in rat skinned cardiac myocyte preparations. Here, we sought to define molecule-specific mechanisms by which PKA-mediated phosphorylation modulates these contractile properties. Regarding cTnI, the incorporation of thin filaments with a majority of unphosphorylated cTnI (as observed in some models of late stage heart failure) decreased isometric force production at any given activator [Ca2+] and these changes were reversed by PKA-mediated phosphorylation in skinned cardiac myocytes. In addition, incorporation of unphosphorylated cTnI sped rates of force development, which suggests less cooperative thin filament activation and recruitment of non-cycling cross-bridges into the pool of cycling cross-bridges, a process that would tend to depress myocyte force and power. Regarding cMyBP-C, PKA treatment of slow-twitch skeletal muscle fibers caused phosphorylation of MyBP-C (but not TnI) and yielded faster loaded shortening velocity and an ∼30% increase in power output. These results add novel insight into the molecular specificity by which the beta-adrenergic system controls myofibrillar contractility and how attenuation of PKA-induced phosphorylation of cMyBP-C and cTnI may contribute to ventricular pump failure.
SSRL Beam Line Wunder

This report reviews current planning for Beam Line Wunder at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Laboratory. The successful operation of a permanent magnet wunder insertion on SPEAR [1] and the results of modeling studies [2,3] show that periodic insertions produce significant flux and brightness advantages in the energy range 10–1000eV relative to a bending magnet. Figure 1 compares the expected beam flux from a bending magnet on SPEAR and various types of periodic insertions. The curves for the wunder represent a tuning range while the wiggler and bending magnets emit a continuum. Relative to the bending magnet source, one gains approximately two orders of magnitude of useful flux. In addition, the horizontal beam divergence is reduced by approximately one order of magnitude so that both the beam transport and optics can be simplified. Based upon these results, a collaborative project between Stanford University and the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center is developing Beam Line Wunder at SSRL with funding provided by the National Science Foundation, Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, and the Xerox Palo Alto Research Center [3]. The significant increase in flux and resolution that will be achieved in the energy range 10–1000 eV should open many new scientific opportunities for soft X-ray science particularly for Surface EXAFS and XANES experiments.
Early and late results in pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum

We examined the early and late results of operations in 29 consecutive neonates with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum treated from 1980 to 1988. Transventricular pulmonary valvotomy and central aorta-pulmonary artery shunting were performed in 19 of 22 infants who had a patent infundibulum. Pulmonary valvotomy alone was performed in 3 of the 22 infants with a patent infundibulum, but 2 of these required subsequent systemic-pulmonary artery shunts. Primary shunting was used to palliate 7 infants who had absent infundibular portions of the right ventricle and a very diminutive right ventricular cavity. Tricuspid valve excision and atrial septectomy were also performed in 5 of these 7 infants to decompress large fistulous communications between the right ventricle and coronary artery. Two early deaths (2/29, 6.9%) occurred overall. Both were in infants who had a very small right ventricle. Definitive operation has been accomplished in 16 patients; 13 have had closure of residual interatrial communications and shunt ligation with no deaths, and 3 have undergone modified Fontan repair with 1 death. Actuarial survival rate for the entire group, including operative deaths, is 86% at 5 years. The technique of transventricular pulmonary valvotomy and systemic-pulmonary artery shunting offers a reliable means of palliating neonates with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum and obtains good late right ventricular growth. Systemic-pulmonary shunting, tricuspid valvectomy, and atrial septectomy may offer a means of reducing or obliterating right ventricular-coronary artery fistulas.
Existence of frames with prescribed norms and frame operator

In this chapter we survey several recent results on the existence of frames with prescribed norms and frame operator. These results are equivalent to Schur-Horn type theorems which describe possible diagonals of positive self-adjoint operators with specified spectral properties. The first infinite dimensional result of this type is due to Kadison who characterized diagonals of orthogonal projections. Kadison’s theorem automatically gives a characterization of all possible sequences of norms of Parseval frames. We present some generalizations of Kadison’s result such as (a) the lower and upper frame bounds are specified, (b) the frame operator has two point spectrum, and (c) the frame operator has a finite spectrum.
Theory-Making, Transference, and Anthropology: on D. Z. Phillips’ Rejection of Nonfoundationalist Theorizing

The article argues that the motivations for Phillips' construal of all theory-making as necessarily foundationalist go beyond the epistemological debate about foundationalism vs. nonfoundationalism and that his construal is rooted in the anthropological assumption that the subjectivity of human persons is inevitably violated by analyses in terms of objective categories that are not derived from the self-understanding of the subjects under study. The article uses the distinction between etics and emics in linguistics and cultural anthropology and a psychoanalytic understanding of the inevitability of transference and countertransference in order to argue that an appreciation of human finitude and contingency should lead Phillips and others to anthropological views in which the inevitability of theory, transference, and the experience of the otherness of oneself and others is construed as not only inevitable but as pleasurable, i.e., as part of the goodness of created human nature.
Use of Direct Oral Anticoagulants in Special Populations

Direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) have been approved for the treatment of venous thromboembolism and atrial fibrillation based on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of direct comparisons with vitamin K antagonists. Despite having more than 100,000 patients enrolled, safety and efficacy are debated in selected populations. Although DOACs are reviewed as a class of anticoagulant, pharmacokinetic differences exist such that different medications may be beneficial in distinct clinical settings. Synthesizing available evidence based on phase III RCTs, post hoc subgroup analyses, and pooled metaanalyses, this review provides an overview of DOACs and scrutinizes individual differences in their applications for the special populations.
An Escherichia coli-Based Assay to Assess the Function of Recombinant Human Hemichannels.

Connexins form the gap junctional channels that mediate cell-to-cell communication, and also form hemichannels present at the plasma membrane. Hemichannels are permeable to small hydrophilic compounds, including molecules involved in autocrine and paracrine signaling. An abnormal hemichannel opening causes or contributes to cell damage in common human disorders (e.g., cardiac infarct, cerebrovascular accidents, deafness, skin diseases, and cataracts) and is therefore a potential pharmacological target. The discovery of useful hemichannels inhibitors has been hampered in part by the lack of suitable high-throughput functional assays. Here, we developed and characterized an assay useful to assess the function of hemichannels formed by human connexins expressed in a genetically modified Escherichia coli strain. The LB2003 cells, devoid of three key K+ uptake transport mechanisms, cannot grow in low-[K+] medium, but expression of Cx26, Cx43, or Cx46 rescues their growth defect (growth complementation). We dev...
Understanding Our New Communications Economy: Implications for Contemporary Journalism

Today’s communications economy is fundamentally different from the communications economy that characterized the previous “mass media era” in ways that dramatically affect the production, dissemination, and consumption of news and information critical to the effective functioning of democracy. As the traditional news business model has declined, big data, content farms, and new media platforms are serving as increasingly important mechanisms for analyzing, creating, and disseminating news and information. Yet these trends also exacerbate “one-way flows,” single-subject news models, audience fragmentation, and shifting tensions between large and small market journalism. The nature of the technological changes that have affected the news industry are interacting with certain fundamental economic characteristics of news content, news audiences, and the news marketplace as a whole.
Vacancy-induced mechanical stabilization of cubic tungsten nitride

First-principles methods are employed to determine the structural, mechanical, and thermodynamic reasons for the experimentally reported cubic WN phase. The defect-free rocksalt phase is both mechanically and thermodynamically unstable, with a negative single crystal shear modulus ${C}_{44}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{-}86\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ and a positive enthalpy of formation per formula unit ${H}_{f}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}0.623\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$ with respect to molecular nitrogen and metallic W. In contrast, WN in the NbO phase is stable, with ${C}_{44}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}175\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ and ${H}_{f}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\ensuremath{-}0.839\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{eV}$. A charge distribution analysis reveals that the application of shear strain along [100] in rocksalt WN results in an increased overlap of the ${t}_{2g}$ orbitals which causes electron migration from the expanded to the shortened W-W $\ensuremath{\langle}110\ensuremath{\rangle}$ bond axes, yielding a negative shear modulus due to an energy reduction associated with new bonding states 8.1--8.7 eV below the Fermi level. A corresponding shear strain in WN in the NbO phase results in an energy increase and a positive shear modulus. The mechanical stability transition from the NaCl to the NbO phase is explored using supercell calculations of the NaCl structure containing ${C}_{v}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}0%\ensuremath{-}25%$ cation and anion vacancies, while keeping the N-to-W ratio constant at unity. The structure is mechanically unstable for ${C}_{v}l\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}5%$. At this critical vacancy concentration, the isotropic elastic modulus $E$ of cubic WN is zero, but increases steeply to $E=445\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ for ${C}_{v}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}10%$, and then less steeply to $E\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}=561\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}\mathrm{GPa}$ for ${C}_{v}=\phantom{\rule{0.16em}{0ex}}25%$. Correspondingly, the hardness estimated using Tian's model increases from 0 to 15 to 26 GPa as ${C}_{v}$ increases from 5% to 10% to 25%, indicating that a relatively small vacancy concentration stabilizes the cubic WN phase and that the large variations in reported mechanical properties of WN can be attributed to relatively small changes in ${C}_{v}$.
An Open-Label Observational Pilot Study To Evaluate the Safety and Immunogenicity of the Herpes Zoster Vaccine in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis (P01.181)

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and immunogenicity of the herpes zoster vaccine (HZV) in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). BACKGROUND: Acute infections can precipitate exacerbations in MS leading to concerns that live attenuated virus vaccines may do so. HZV is approved in the US for patients aged >50 to reduce the risk of shingles/postherpetic neuralgia, but use in MS patients has not been evaluated. DESIGN/METHODS: An open-label observational pilot study was performed. All patients meeting eligibility requirements (age >50; history of varicella; EDSS 0-6.5; RR/SPMS; stable use of disease modifying agent; no prior use of mitoxantrone, fingolimod, or immunosuppressives) were offered enrollment. Primary endpoint: Change from baseline to 1-month post-vaccination MRI in number of enhancing lesions or increase in number/volume of T2 lesions. Secondary endpoints: Change in annualized relapse rate (ARR), number of relapses, disability progression, and increase in VZV antibody production. RESULTS: 19 subjects were enrolled. 18 completed two visits and 17 completed MRIs. Mean age 58.8; 13 F, 5 M; 12 RRMS, 6 SPMS. ARR for the 12 month pre-vaccination vs. 3 month post-vaccination period was 0.06 vs. 0. Median EDSS was 3.25 vs. 3.0 (p = 0.56). Baseline vs. 1 month post-vaccination MRI demonstrated no enhancing lesions, no new T2 lesions, and unchanged T1/T2 lesion volumes. VZV IgG levels increased from 3.26 to 5.13 (p=0.02). 7 adverse events: 4 mild injection site reactions, 1 mild arm bruising, 1 moderate bronchitis, and 1 incidental diagnosis of fibromuscular dysplasia. CONCLUSIONS: We believe this is the largest systematic observational study of the HZV in MS. There were no exacerbations, no new enhancing or T2 lesions, and no changes in T1 /T2 volumes. VZV IgG antibody levels increased indicating expected immunogenicity. Although this study was not designed to definitively establish safety, it provides evidence to suggest that the HZV may be safely administered in MS patients. Supported by: Grant from the Consortium of Multiple Sclerosis Centers. Disclosure: Dr. McGraw has received personal compensation for activities with Biogen Idec. Dr. Inglese has received personal compensation for activities with Celgene and Vaccinex. Dr. Petracca has nothing to disclose. Dr. Hannigan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Miller has received personal compensation for activities with Acorda Therapeutics, Biogen Idec, GlaxoSmithKline, Merck Serono, Novartis, Nuron Biotech, ONO, Genzyme/Sanofi, Questcor, Teva Neuroscience, and Accordant Health Services. Dr. Miller has received personal compensation for activities in an editorial capacity for Continuum and Continuum Audio. Dr. MIller has received research support from Acorda, Biogen Idec, Genentech, Genzyme/sanofi-aventis, Novartis, and Roche.
The Das Economist Problem from 1790-2016: The Failure of Economists to Understand Adam Smith's Ethical Foundation, Based on Virtue Ethics, for the Wealth of Nations

The major impediment standing in the way for economists seeking to understand Adam Smith’s The Theory of Moral Sentiments (TTMS) and The Wealth of Nations (WN) is demonstrated to be their confusion over the terms, prudence, used by Smith in the standard Aristotelian sense in TTMS to mean putting one’s own welfare first before considering the welfare of others, and self interest, used in the WN to stand for the prudent behavior based on the virtue of prudence discussed in TTMS. However, given that prudence is one of Aristotle’s four virtues (Prudence, Justice, Temperance, Courage), it is impossible for the term self interest to stand for selfishness, avarice, greed, or egoist, hedonistic or utilitarian behavior or ethics in Smith’s work. It is this basic confusion between the meaning of these two words that accounts for the near universal misbelief among economists that Smith was a utilitarian in the WN, as opposed to being a practitioner of Virtue ethics in TTMS. This error of equivocation occurs because economists mix up Smith’s and Bentham’s views on the term self interest. It is a recipe for a confusion that is now well over 200 hundred years old. Utilitarianism is concerned only with the ends, results, outcomes, goals, or consequences and nothing else. Virtue ethics considers outcomes also, but is also concerned with the roles of intentions, motives, means, duty, character, justice, fairness, equity, and intuition.The Aristotle-Smith connection is practically the same as the connections linking Aristotle and Augustine and Aristotle and Aquinas in the work of Augustine and Aquinas. Economists simply have failed to see this obvious connection. There is no overlap between Utilitarianism and Virtue ethics.
A deeper look at interstate war data: Interstate War Data version 1.1:

This paper accomplishes two related goals. Firstly, it presents version 1.1 of the Interstate War Data (IWD) data set. IWD is a data set of all interstate wars, using Correlates of War (COW) rules ...
Participatory Praxis for Community Food Security Education

Community food security (CFS) has a robust history as a social movement addressing the politics and practice of food access and availability. While CFS advocacy and policy activity are closely connected to grassroots efforts, the academic community has supported CFS goals in a number of ways. CFS intersects with similar food movements, such as food sovereignty, emphasizing a social justice agenda for achieving democratic social change in the food system. In our paper, we illustrate the teaching of CFS in higher education at the graduate level where masters, professional, and doctoral students seek programmatic and community-based research experiences rooted in the goals of food justice, health equity, and ecological sustainability. Drawing upon a partici­patory education and critical pedagogy philosophy, we describe our approach and outcomes in developing a graduate course centered on CFS with two institutions and stakeholder participation in central Appalachia. An interdisciplinary approach was taken using a food justice lens, with special attention given to rurality, race, and class as issues informing CFS work in the region. We illustrate how course themes, assignments, and community engagement aims were collectively developed by students, faculty, and community practitioners through the Appalachian Foodshed Project, a regional CFS project. We focus our insights learned through several processes: developing and offering a pilot course in food systems; conducting focus groups with graduate students from two institu­tions; and collecting course evaluations from the final CFS course we developed. Our paper con­cludes with suggestions for utilizing a participatory approach—as praxis—to create new opportunities for students, faculty, and CFS practitioners to learn together for food systems change.
Metric-Based Symmetric Rank-One Updates

Metric-based SR1 updates which are stabilized by a variational relaxation of the quasi-Newton relation are examined. This investigation reveals an interesting and surprising connection to the origin of quasi-Newton methods as first formulated by Davidon [1]. An extended version of Davidon‘s original direct prediction SR1 update is shown to be self-complementary and to possess a finite termination property on quadratics, and limited-memory versions of the update are shown to be globally convergent. Variants of this update are tested numerically and compared to several other metric-based SR1 variants and the BFGS update. Finally, metric-based stabilizations of the SR1 update are critiqued in general, and a promising new model-based strategy recently developed is briefly described.
Prolonged Elevation of Coated-Platelets in Patients with Mild Traumatic Brain Injury: Implications for Elevated Stroke Risk (P04.021)

OBJECTIVE: To examine coated-platelet levels in patients with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI). BACKGROUND: Coated-platelets are a subset of procoagulant platelets observed upon dual-agonist stimulation with collagen and thrombin. Coated-platelet levels are elevated in patients with cortical ischemic stroke compared to controls, and higher levels post-stroke are associated with an increased risk for stroke recurrence. Because of recent data showing an increased risk for stroke following traumatic brain injury, we undertook a pilot study to investigate coated-platelet synthesis in veterans with mTBI. DESIGN/METHODS: Coated-platelet levels were determined in 40 patients with a diagnosis of mTBI and 36 controls, frequency matched for gender, race/ethnicity and age. The diagnosis of TBI was based on published criteria, and the mean elapsed time since injury was 6.9±2.9 years (mean±SD). Potential covariates included age, gender, race/ethnicity, medications that may influence coated-platelet levels, current smoking and presence of hypertension and diabetes. Baseline characteristics among the mTBI and control groups were compared using independent t-test, chi-square tests, or Fisher9s exact test. Significance was set at 0.05. RESULTS: Age, gender, race/ethnicity, smoking, medication use, hypertension, and diabetes were not significantly different between the two groups. Of these variables, only gender was significantly correlated with the outcome variable (P=0.01), therefore it was the only variable included as a covariate in the final model. After covariate adjustment, coated-platelet levels were significantly higher in mTBI patients compared to controls (52.0±14.0%, n=40 vs. 35.5±13.7, n=36, P CONCLUSIONS: Coated-platelets are markedly increased in mTBI patients compared to controls. This is the first observation of increased platelet reactivity in this population and offers a unique insight into both the prolonged nature of the mTBI injury and to a possible mechanism for an increased risk of stroke. Supported by: Clinical Science Research & Development Service of the VA Office of Research and Development (Award number1I01CX000340). Disclosure: Dr. Prodan has received research support from the Clinical Science Research and Development service of the VA office of Research and Development. Dr. Vincent has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dale has nothing to disclose.
Development of an Automated Lumber Processing System

A substantial portion of the hardwood lumber industry is devoted to the processing of lumber into secondary wood products (like furniture parts). Hardwood boards are typically remanufactured into smaller parts by a series of rip and cross cuts with no consideration of parts placement or the location of defective areas. These cuts yield pieces, in accordance with the manufacturers cutting bill, that are free of defective area. The entire process is labor intensive and results in a substantial loss of valuable lumber. With traditional gang/rip methods yields of 50% are considered to be very good. These losses increase with operator fatigue and inexperience.
Evolution of Close Binaries and the Formation of Millisecond Radio Pulsars

All millisecond pulsars share the special characteristics of the binary radio pulsars (on average much weaker magnetic fields and much faster spin than the general radio pulsar population), and a large fraction (~ 40 percent) of millisecond pulsars are found in binaries.
Real-time Rate of Penetration Optimization of an Autonomous Lab-Scale Rig using a Scheduled-Gain PID Controller and Mechanical Specific Energy

Abstract Automation in the oil & gas industry has become a golden goal for major operators, increasing R&D expenditures, and automation related projects are increasingly more common. A miniaturized autonomous drilling machine was built with the objective of performing optimal operations regarding the rate of penetration and energy efficiency the lab-scale rig employs control algorithms, and innovative instrumentation solutions, leading to a large amount of data to be analyzed in real-time to accurately control important drilling parameters such as weight on the bit (WOB) and rotary speed. An scheduled-gain PID Controller was designed and implemented in a micro-controller to accurately adjust the amount of weight on the bit (WOB) and avoid disturbances. High-frequency data was acquired using LabVIEW and analyzed in realtime through the MATLAB programming environment. The data was then passed to MATLAB, where the automated algorithm analysis is performed. The results of the analysis are used in a closed-loop control algorithm to optimize the rate of penetration, energy efficiency and mitigate drilling failures. The algorithm uses real-time instrumentation data to implement an automated step-test and optimize drilling parameters on the fly. Increasing the average rate of penetration and reducing vibration-induced borehole irregularities.
The Microbiome in Patients With Inflammatory Diseases

Microbial dysbiosis characterized by alterations in the structure and function of the gut microbiome has long been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To date, most human IBD microbiome studies are focused on microbial composition rather than function, however, with the latest technical advancements complemented by the rapidly dropping costs, studies focusing on the functional aspects of microbial dysbiosis are on the rise. Several compelling and complimentary pieces of evidence support the notion that the gut microbiome and their metabolites play an important role in the development of IBD. Data from preclinical studies overwhelmingly support the notion that changes in the gut microbiome causally underlie IBD pathogenesis. Hence, there is considerable interest in modulating the state and function of the gut microbiome to achieve therapeutic benefits. While the causal potential of the gut microbiome remains an active area of current research in the clinical setting, accumulating correlative evidence support the view that microbial dysbiosis parallels increased incidence of IBD. In this review, we intend to provide a brief overview of the current human IBD microbiome findings, describe the cause-effect relationships between the gut microbiome and IBD, and discuss the possibility of using microbiome-based approaches in the diagnosis, therapy, and management of disease. In addition, the potential role of microbiome-based interventions in the treatment of human IBD is also discussed.
A Comparison of Digitalis use on Mortality and Morbidity among Special Populations with Heart Failure Reduced Ejection Fractions

Introduction The DIG trial introduced the benefit of digitalis (dig) in HFrEF, a reduction in HF hospitalizations. However, the study consisted of less than 15% nonwhite patients, making generalizability difficult. Genetic polymorphisms have been described to add variability in drug responses for varying races. No studies have compared outcomes of dig use among races. In this study, we assessed the effect of dig use on the length of hospitalization, readmission rates, and mortality in different racial groups with HFrEF. Method A retrospective cohort study of 1,047 patients admitted from 2005-2014 with decompensated HFrEF. Patients were split into three groups, Hispanic, African American (AA), and Caucasian. The primary outcomes of interest at 1, 6 and 12 months were length of hospital stay, readmission rates, and overall mortality. Results Out of 1,047 HFrEF patients, 244 patients were on dig treatment and 803 patients were not. There was racial discordance among groups; AA and Hispanics were more likely to receive dig compared to Caucasians. There was no difference among the Caucasian group with or without dig. Among the Hispanic group who received dig, they had lower ejection fractions (EF), higher 30-day, 6 month, and 1-year readmission rates compared to the non-dig group. Among the AA group, the dig group was composed of lower EF and had lower 30-day, 6 month and 1-year readmission rates compared to non-dig group. However, readmission rates were not statistically significant. Conclusion Our study concluded that among HFrEF patients, Hispanics had worse outcomes with dig use while Caucasians had no difference. In the AA group, dig use had lower EF but insignificantly lower 30-day, 6 month and 1 year readmission rates. However, our study may suggest benefit in AA. More trials assessing dig are needed in these populations to effectively manage the mortality and morbidity of HFrEF.
The Invisible Day

‘The Invisible Day’ establishes how women’s domestic duties increased during the Special Period and explores the strategies they devised to better manage their households in the face of extreme scarcities, thus demonstrating how, in their role as principal caregivers, women were disproportionately affected during the crisis. This chapter then explores how there were subtle shifts to gender roles despite current perceptions of a lack of change and also focuses on changes to family dynamics such as more women assuming the role of main breadwinner. By discussing the privatization of domestic labor services, Jeronimo Kersh draws attention to a significant shift in women’s employment for the first time since the revolution.
Tunable transient and mechanical properties of photodegradable Poly(phthalaldehyde)

Abstract Stimuli-responsive poly(phthalaldehyde) (PPHA) polymer is a potential structural material for transient devices. It can be synthesized at high molecular weight, has long shelf-life, and undergoes rapid depolymerization when triggering by a strong acid. However, the rigid PPHA backbone results in poor mechanical flexibility. The high melting point of ortho-phthalaldehyde monomer (ca. 55 °C) causes the depolymerized polymer to crystalize and not flow. This paper addresses the need for improving the flexibility, toughness and melting point of the depolymerized products. This need is addressed by incorporating additives into the PPHA mixture. Ionic liquid and ether-ester plasticizers were added to make PPHA films more flexible by decreasing the storage modulus. The addition of both types of plasticizers broadened the storage modulus range to as low as 19 MPa from 2300 MPa. Films from the low-modulus mixtures were foldable and had excellent photo-transience at ambient and sub-ambient temperatures. The addition of both types of plasticizers also enhanced the photo-transient properties, as they helped to maintain the liquid state of depolymerized product for long times at lower temperatures so that the products can be absorbed into the environment. The discovery of ionic liquid and ether-ester plasticizers for PPHA expands and improves upon the applications for PPHA-based transient devices.
Data literacy in economic development

In economic development and other economics electives, students regularly encounter economic measures of absolute and relative deprivation, from poverty measures like the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke ind...
Photobiomodulation therapy and the brain: an innovative tool for therapy and discovery

Abstract This brief outline attempts to highlight the complexity of the human brain as an organ. Despite its relatively homogenous cell-tissue anatomical structure, there is significant interconnectivity and integration to enable its higher level functions. Insights from brain pathology and a bottom-up artificial intelligence and a sensor approach are explored. The current treatment limitations and broad neurocognitive applications of the low dose light treatment, termed photobiomodulation therapy, are discussed.
Preventing dysbiosis of the neonatal mouse intestinal microbiome protects against late-onset sepsis

Late-onset sepsis (LOS) is thought to result from systemic spread of commensal microbes from the intestines of premature infants. Clinical use of probiotics for LOS prophylaxis has varied owing to limited efficacy, reflecting an incomplete understanding of relationships between development of the intestinal microbiome, neonatal dysbiosis and LOS. Using a model of LOS, we found that components of the developing microbiome were both necessary and sufficient to prevent LOS. Maternal antibiotic exposure that eradicated or enriched transmission of Lactobacillus murinus exacerbated and prevented disease, respectively. Prophylactic administration of some, but not all Lactobacillus spp. was protective, as was administration of Escherichia coli. Intestinal oxygen level was a major driver of colonization dynamics, albeit via mechanisms distinct from those in adults. These results establish a link between neonatal dysbiosis and LOS, and provide a basis for rational selection of probiotics that modulate primary succession of the microbiome to prevent disease.
Sub-picosecond to Sub-nanosecond Vibrational Energy Transfer Dynamics in Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate

The time scale associated with shock-induced detonation is a key property of energetic materials that remains poorly understood. Herein, we test aspects of one potential mechanism, the phonon up-pumping mechanism, where shock compression excites lattice phonon modes, transferring energy to intramolecular vibrations leading to chemical bond cleavage and reaction. Using ultrafast infrared pump–probe spectroscopy on pentaerythritol tetranitrate (PETN), we reveal sub-picosecond vibrational energy transfer (VET) from the photoexcited band at 1660 cm–1 into every other infrared-active mode in the probed frequency range 800–1800 cm–1. Energy transfer processes remain incomplete at 150 ps. Computational predictions from density functional theory are used in tandem to elucidate VET pathways in PETN.
Effect of backbone and end-group regioisomerism on thermomechanical properties of vanillin-based polyurethane networks

Monomer composition, cross-link density, and cross-link distribution are the primary determinants of material properties in thermosetting networks. Here, we investigate the effect of regioisomerism and composition in polymeric networks via a recently developed scalable sequence-defined polyurethane macromer (SD-PUM) platform. The iterative, support-free SD-PUM platform facilitates the assembly of macromers with tunable backbones and pendant groups at the gram-scale. A series of SD-PUMs made with different end-groups and vanillin positional isomers were synthesized and cross-linked into thermosetting networks via multivalent thiol cross-linkers. The results show that the thermomechanical properties of the ensuing networks are sensitive to the choice of regioisomer embedded in the SD-PUM backbone as well as the type of macromer end-group. When a cross-linker with higher functionality is employed, regioisomeric differences result in more pronounced changes in material properties. This work showcases the robustness of the SD-PUM platform and its use of backbone and end-group regioisomers to modulate material properties.
Embracing Nonviolence: Pope Francis and Catholic Teaching on War

This essay explores key features of the history of Roman Catholic teaching on war, including the nonviolent ethos of Jesus and the early church, the subsequent development of just war teaching, and the critical rethinking concerning war that has taken place since Vatican II. This recent rethinking has included a renewed appreciation for principled nonviolence, greater awareness of the effectiveness of nonviolent action in challenging repressive regimes, deep skepticism that any modern war could meet just war criteria, emphasis on the need to address the structural causes of war, and emphasis on the role of multilateral organizations such as the United Nations in preventing war and building peace. These powerful themes of recent Catholic teaching could profoundly transform the Catholic Church and the world if they come to be more effectively taught and acted upon.
The peer mentor experience: benefits and challenges in undergraduate programs

In this paper, we share the results of a cross-institutional study considering the impact serving as a peer mentor has on upper-level undergraduate students. Using a focus group methodology, we int...
The Ability of VIX Futures to Predict S&P 500 Volatility

This paper examines the ability of futures on the CBOE Volatility Index (VIX) to predict realized S&P 500 volatility up to seven months into the future. These forecasts are found to be significantly biased. The imposition of a priori theoretically motivated restrictions can substantially improve forecast accuracy, especially when the VIX futures are augmented with the variance risk premium. When VIX futures are compared with out-of-sample forecasts from a GJR-GARCH model, the VIX-based forecasts are found to robustly outperform during periods of high volatility. In more normal states this out-performance is less significant but still present.
Wet deposition ethanol concentration at US atmospheric integrated research monitoring network (AIRMoN) sites

Ethanol concentrations measured in 178 event-based wet deposition samples collected at five Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network (AIRMoN) sites in the Eastern US between February 2018 to January 2019 ranged from below the detection limit of 19 nM to 4160 nM. The volume weighted average ethanol concentration at each site ranged from 237 nM to 1375 nM. No significant correlation was observed between ethanol and any analytes (NH4+, Cl−, SO42−, NO3−, Ca2+, Na+, Mg2+, K+, PO43− and H+) at all sites in the study, likely due to differences in atmospheric residence time and emission sources. Significant seasonal variations of ethanol were not observed for any sites, however notably higher concentrations in the winter vs. summer and growing vs. nongrowing seasons suggest photochemical dynamics play a substantial role in seasonal atmospheric concentrations. The AIRMoN concentrations were combined with previous measured ethanol wet deposition data to produce an updated empirical-based global wet deposition ethanol flux of 3.7 ± 1.8 Tg/yr (n = 1051). The carbon isotopic composition of a subset of samples ranged from −25.8 to −15.7‰ with an average of (−20.4 ± 4.0‰, n = 6). Isotope mixing model results indicate an approximately equivalent contribution of biogenic (55.2 ± 14.4%) and anthropogenic (44.8 ± 14.4%) sources of ethanol to the atmosphere over all collections sites. Results provide atmospheric scientists, environmental chemists and policy makers with baseline U.S. atmospheric ethanol concentrations in order to help determine the impact of future ethanol fuel production and to help quantify the wet deposition ethanol sink.
Estimation and statistical inferences of variance components in the analysis of single-case experimental design using multilevel modeling

Multilevel models (MLMs) can be used to examine treatment heterogeneity in single-case experimental designs (SCEDs). With small sample sizes, common issues for estimating between-case variance components in MLMs include nonpositive definite matrix, biased estimates, misspecification of covariance structures, and invalid Wald tests for variance components with bounded distributions. To address these issues, unconstrained optimization, model selection procedure based on parametric bootstrap, and restricted likelihood ratio test (RLRT)-based procedure are introduced. Using simulation studies, we compared the performance of two types of optimization methods (constrained vs. unconstrained) when the covariance structures are correctly specified or misspecified. We also examined the performance of a model selection procedure to obtain the optimal covariance structure. The results showed that the unconstrained optimization can avoid nonpositive definite issues to a great extent without a compromise in model convergence. The misspecification of covariance structures would cause biased estimates, especially with small between case variance components. However, the model selection procedure was found to attenuate the magnitude of bias. A practical guideline was generated for empirical researchers in SCEDs, providing conditions under which trustworthy point and interval estimates can be obtained for between-case variance components in MLMs, as well as the conditions under which the RLRT-based procedure can produce acceptable empirical type I error rate and power.
Instructing Parents to Use Dialogic Reading Strategies with Preschool Children: Impact of a Video-Based Training Program on Caregiver Reading Behaviors and Children's Related Verbalizations.

Abstract Caregiver use of dialogic reading (DR) strategies in home, preschool, and daycare settings has been shown to facilitate development of oral language and emergent literacy skills in toddlers and preschool age children. Training in the use of DR strategies may be provided ‘live’ or via videotape. Using a randomized, control group, repeated measures design with 18 caregiver-child dyads, we investigated (a) caregivers' ability to learn to use DR strategies with their young children through videotape training in community health centers, and (b) children's verbalizations during shared book reading. Caregivers learned to use DR strategies through the videotape training and maintained their use of DR strategies 12 weeks later. In addition, an intervention effect was observed related to levels of child on-task verbalizations such that children of parents who learned DR strategies talked more about books during shared book reading relative to their baseline and to the control group children, whose parents...
A novel highly reliable low-power nano architecture when von Neumann augments Kolmogorov

This work presents a novel architecture, which is both device and circuit independent. The starting idea is that computations can be performed in three fundamentally different ways: entirely digital (using Boolean gates), entirely analog (using analog circuits), or mixed (using both digital and analog circuits). The boundaries between these are sometimes very thin. As an example, a threshold logic gate is already mixed, i.e. even if the inputs and the output are Boolean, the weighted sum-of-inputs is a multiple-valued logic signal, i.e. a low-precision analog signal. It has already been suggested that, at least for CMOS, a mixed analog/digital approach is the most power-efficient solution. Still, the main disadvantages of using analog circuits are: (i) their more complex (handcrafted) design, and (ii) their (expected) lower reliability (signal-to-noise or precision), which will be exacerbated by scaling. Here, we will show how both these disadvantages could be tackled. A constructive solution for Kolmogorov's superposition and (multi-threshold) threshold logic synthesis could be used for automating the design. Digital or threshold logic circuits will compensate for the accumulation of noise in the cascaded (very) low precision analog circuits. These digital circuits will also contribute to a von Neumann's multiplexing scheme used to augment the defect- and fault-tolerance of the architecture. A few examples will show how this architectural approach could be mapped on top of a given (nano) technology.
In Supreme Judgment of the Poor: The Role of the United States Supreme Court in Welfare Law and Policy

This Article examines the major Supreme Court rulings since the late 1960s that have directly addressed Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC), commonly known as welfare. The Supreme Court decided cases, such as King v. Smith, Shapiro v. Thompson, and Goldberg v. Kelly, in favor of welfare recipients. The outcomes of these cases suggest that while the Supreme Court viewed welfare policy as a negotiation between federal and state governments, it reserved a special role for the judicial branch in protecting equal rights. The judicial understanding of the relationship between federal and state government power within welfare policy ranged from “cooperative federalism,” (expanding powers of the national government in areas traditionally left to the states) to fiscal conservatism (privileging state power and proffering a hands-off approach). These conceptual rubrics do not follow a linear narrative nor offer a story of change over time; instead they are competing approaches that can be implemented by the Supreme Court simultaneously. While the historical arch from the Civil Rights Era to the present normally presents a story of expanded liberties and freedoms to the socially disenfranchised, the lens of the Supreme Court welfare decisions narrates a much different story. Instead, we see the devolution of racial liberalism, the intensification and expansion of poverty, and the rise of social conservatism so familiar by the mid-1980s. Here, black women became both the symbolic scapegoat and the site of social policy surveillance. At the apex of this symbolic/social policy convergence were national attacks on the stereotyped “welfare queen” in particular, and any redistribution of national resources to the poor, in general. Part I of this paper examines Supreme Court case law on welfare policy through the lens of the Due Process and Equal Protection Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. Part II surveys the Supreme Court case law on welfare policy through the lens of federalism. Finally, Part III reviews much of the same case law contrasted through the lens of fiscal conservatism. Through these lenses, it is clear that the seemingly value-neutral Supreme Court as not at all immune to the changing political landscape of the nation over the last forty years.