cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Integrating ethics and risk management

Traditional business and risk analysis is designed to protect the organization, and thus is self-focused. Ethics is concerned with appropriate behavior towards the ‘other’. Is risk management ethical if it protects itself (the organization) but may leave its customers, neighbors, society and/or our environment in distress? This paper evaluates ethical and risk management papers from business, engineering and IT against a proposed ethical maturity model for the risk management process, defined towards an ideal. It also proposes an enhanced quantitative risk analysis method to implement a higher ethical level, by considering the ‘other.’
Carcinoma in situ of the ectopic testis.

AbstractA young man with a palpable ectopic testis underwent right testis biopsy and orchiopexy. Since histological findings of the biopsy specimen revealed an unsuspected intratubular carcinoma in situ and evidence of diminished spermatogenic potential, an inguinal orchiectomy was done. This appears to be the first reported case of a tumor of this type developing in an undescended testis.
IGFBP-3 binding to endothelial cells inhibits plasmin and thrombin proteolysis

Insulin-like growth factor-binding protein (IGFBP)-3 contains a highly basic COOH-terminal heparin-binding region, the P3 region, which is thought to be important in the binding of IGFBP-3 to endot...
Antioxidants and Inflammation in Obesity

Diets rich in antioxidants (AOX) are associated with reduced risk for chronic disease. Many chronic diseases have an underlying inflammatory component. As inflammation can be instigated and perpetuated by oxidative stress (OS), dietary AOX may reduce disease risk by attenuating inflammation. While large clinical trials have not provided overwhelming support for the efficacy of AOX supplementation in the general population, recent evidence suggests that AOX may have therapeutic value in populations experiencing elevated OS. Obesity is a chronic inflammatory condition characterized by overnutrition and excess fat accumulation, both of which contribute to OS and obesity-related chronic disease. The focus of this chapter is on the relationships between dietary AOX and inflammation in obesity and diet-induced inflammation.
Nurses' Beliefs Regarding Pain in Critically Ill Children: A Mixed-Methods Study

Purpose The purpose of this study was to provide a current and comprehensive evaluation of nurses' beliefs regarding pain in critically ill children. Design and Methods A convergent parallel mixed-methods design was used. Nurse beliefs were captured via questionnaire and interview and then compared. Results Forty nurses participated. Most beliefs reported via questionnaire were consistent with effective pain management practices. Common inaccurate beliefs included the need to verify pain reports with physical indicators and the pharmacokinetics of intravenous opioids. Beliefs commonly shared during interviews concerned the need to verify pain reports with observed behavior, the accuracy of pain reports, the need to respond to pain, concerns regarding opioid analgesics, and the need to "start low" with interventions. Convergent beliefs between the questionnaire and interview included the use of physical indicators to verify pain, the need to take the child's word when pain is described, and concerns regarding negative effects of analgesics. Divergent and conflicting findings were most often regarding the legitimacy of a child's pain report. Conclusions Findings from this study regarding the accuracy of nurses' pain beliefs for critically ill children are consistent with past research. The presence of divergent and conflicting responses suggests that nurses' pain beliefs are not static and may vary with patient characteristics. Practice Implications While most nurses appreciate the risks of unrelieved pain in children, many are concerned about the potential adverse effects of opioid administration. Interventions are needed to guide nurses in minimizing both of these risks.
Abstract 3730: Feasibility of office hysteroscopy for evaluation of women with postmenopausal bleeding and association with improved pathological diagnosis

Objectives: Endometrial sampling is critical in the evaluation of women for cancers of the uterine corpus. Hysteroscopy in the operating room is associated with monetary and time expense to the patient and health care system. The purpose of this study was to compare histopathological diagnoses of endometrial biopsies obtained by office hysteroscopy (OH) versus endometrial pipelle (EP). Methods: After IRB approval, records of all women with ICD-9 diagnosis (627.1) for postmenopausal bleeding who had OH attempted in the last 5 years at a single medical institution were evaluated. Demographic data collected included age, BMI, medical comorbidities, and histopathologic diagnosis. “Inadequate tissue” for pathologic evaluation was defined as stated in the pathology report or absence of endometrial tissue on biopsy specimen. Statistical analysis was performed using chi-square and Fisher9s exact testing with SPSS software. Results: 85 OHs were attempted and 50 had prior attempted EPs. 98% of OHs and 94% of EPs were successfully performed. However, adequate pathology was obtained in 93% of OHs verses 38% of EPs (p Conclusions: OH is a feasible procedure that may enhance clinicians’ ability to diagnose benign, pre-malignant and malignant causes of post-menopausal bleeding. Further research is needed to understand the association of cost and quality of life with OH versus hysteroscopy in the operating room. Citation Format: Jacquelyn M. Shaw, Sukrant Mehta, Scott Chudnoff, Mark Levie, Mark H. Einstein, Gary L. Goldberg, Nicole S. Nevadunsky. Feasibility of office hysteroscopy for evaluation of women with postmenopausal bleeding and association with improved pathological diagnosis. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3730. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3730
Randomized Controlled Trial of Inner Resources Meditation for Family Dementia Caregivers

Objective This randomized controlled trial examined the comparative effectiveness of 2 interventions for improving diurnal cortisol slope and life satisfaction and reducing stress symptoms among older female dementia family caregivers. Method Thirty-one family dementia caregivers were randomized to 8 weeks of Inner Resources for Stress mindfulness meditation and mantra training (IR) or psychoeducation and telephone support (PTS). Results Intention-to-treat analyses revealed statistically significant pre-post improvements in diurnal cortisol slope and overall life satisfaction, but not depression or self-efficacy, in the IR relative to the PTS group. Adherence to between-session meditation practice was significantly associated with decreases in depression and self-reported improvements in ability to cope with stress. In addition, IR participants rated the overall benefits of the program more highly than the PTS group. Conclusion These results indicate that mindfulness meditation and mantra has promise as a feasible and effective caregiver intervention for quality of life and physiological responding to stress.
Localization of alpha 2-adrenergic receptor subtypes in the anterior segment of the human eye with selective antibodies.

Purpose To develop antibodies that selectively recognize each of the alpha 2-adrenergic receptor (AR) subtypes and to determine the expression and localization of these subtypes in the anterior segment of the human eye. Methods Recent studies have shown that there are three subtypes of the alpha 2-ARs, termed alpha 2-C10 (alpha 2A), alpha 2-C2 (alpha 2B), and alpha 2-C4 (alpha 2C). Polymerase chain reaction was used to amplify portions of these receptors fused (in-frame) to a cDNA encoding glutathione-S-transferase (GST). The expressed fusion proteins were used to immunize chickens, and antibodies were generated. Immunofluorescence microscopy was used to localize the alpha 2-AR subtypes in sections of human and rabbit ciliary body. Polymerase chain reaction and dot blot hybridization were used to determine which subtypes were present in RNA from primary cultures of human nonpigmented epithelium (NPE) and rabbit iris-ciliary body (ICB). Results Immunofluorescence microscopy of COS cells transfected with the alpha 2-AR subtypes showed that the antibodies raised against the GST-receptor fusion proteins specifically recognized their respective receptor subtypes. In the human ciliary body, alpha 2 B and alpha 2C immunoreactivity were present in the NPE and ciliary muscle. In the rabbit ciliary body, alpha 2A immunoreactivity also was present. Polymerase chain reaction and dot blot hybridization indicated that RNA encoding the alpha 2B and alpha 2C subtypes was present in human NPE and that RNA encoding all three subtypes was present in the rabbit ICB. Conclusions Multiple alpha 2-adrenergic subtypes are expressed in the ciliary body. In the human, alpha 2B and alpha 2C predominate, whereas all three are present in the rabbit. This could be important with respect to animal models of glaucoma and to the development of drugs for lowering intraocular pressure.
Impact of a Plant-Based Diet and Support on Mitigating Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Latinos Living in Medically Underserved Areas.

Purpose:To determine the impact that a high-fiber, low-fat diet, derived from mostly plant-based sources, when coupled with support has upon self-management of type 2 diabetes mellitus in Latinos f...
Applying Information Processing Theory to Supervision: An Initial Exploration

Although clinical supervision is an educational endeavor (Borders & Brown, 2005), many scholars neglect theories of learning in working with supervisees. The authors describe 1 learning theory—information processing theory (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968, 1971; Schunk, 2016)—and the ways its associated interventions may enhance the supervision enterprise.
The role of small GTPases and EPAC-Rap signaling in the regulation of the blood-brain and blood-retinal barriers

Maintenance and regulation of the vascular endothelial cell junctional complex is critical for proper barrier function of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the highly related blood-retinal barrier (BRB) that help maintain proper neuronal environment. Recent research has demonstrated that the junctional complex is actively maintained and can be dynamically regulated. Studies focusing on the mechanisms of barrier formation, maintenance, and barrier disruption have been of interest to understanding development of the BBB and BRB and identifying a means for therapeutic intervention for diseases ranging from brain tumors and dementia to blinding eye diseases. Research has increasingly revealed that small GTPases play a critical role in both barrier formation and disruption mechanisms. This review will summarize the current data on small GTPases in barrier regulation with an emphasis on the EPAC-Rap1 signaling pathway to Rho in endothelial barriers, as well as explore its potential involvement in paracellular flux and transcytosis regulation.
COMPOSITIONAL CHANGES OF TWO CRUDE OILS EXPOSED TO WEATHERING PROCESSES IN FRESHWATER LAKES AND IN LABORATORY AQUATIC MICROCOSMS

Abstract Wyoming and South Louisiana crude oils were weathered in two Western United States freshwater lakes over a period of one year and in laboratory three-phase, freshwater microcosms over a period of 48 days. The compositional changes in the weathered crude oil samples were investigated at different times. The lake-weathered oils showed a substantial decrease in the more volatile, lighter molecular weight compounds after 7 days, and the oils continued to weather as shown by analysis of samples taken after 100 days. The microcosm oil samples showed little loss of the more volatile compounds because of a closed gaseous phase condition, but showed loss of heavier compounds probably by agglomeration and sedimentation.
Private security services regulations in the United States today

Security services regulations in the United States began formally in the second half of the twentieth century. Many states – never the federal government – first set and then increased, and sometim...
Structures and thermochemistry of methyl ethyl sulfide and its hydroperoxides: HOOCH2SCH2CH3, CH3SCH(OOH)CH3, CH3SCH2CH2OOH, and radicals

Hydroperoxides and the corresponding peroxy radicals are important intermediates during the partial oxidation of methyl ethyl sulfide (CH3SCH2CH3) in both atmospheric chemistry and in combustion. Structural parameters, internal rotor potentials, bond dissociation energies, and thermochemical properties (ΔHfo, So and Cp(T)) of 3 corresponding hydroperoxides CH2(OOH)SCH2CH3, CH3SCH(OOH)CH3, CH3SCH2CH2OOH of methyl ethyl sulfides, and the radicals formed via loss of a hydrogen atom are important to understanding the oxidation reactions of MES. The lowest energy molecular structures were identified using the density functional B3LYP/6-311G(2d,d,p) level of theory. Standard enthalpies of formation (ΔHfo298) for the radicals and their parent molecules were calculated using the density functional B3LYP/6-31G(d,p), B3LYP/6-31 + G(2d,p), and the composite CBS-QB3 ab initio methods. Isodesmic reactions were used to determine ∆Hfo values. Internal rotation potential energy diagrams and rotation barriers were investigated using the B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) level theory. Contributions for So298 and Cp(T) were calculated using the rigid rotor harmonic oscillator approximation based on the structures and vibrational frequencies obtained by the density functional calculations, with contributions from torsion frequencies replaced by internal rotor contributions. The recommended values for enthalpies of formation of the most stable conformers of CH3SCH2CH2, CH2(OOH)SCH2CH3, CH3SCH(OOH)CH3, and CH3SCH2CH2OOH are −14.0, −33.0, −37.2, and −32.7 kcal/mol, respectively. Group additivity values were developed for estimating properties of structurally similar and larger sulfur-containing peroxides. Groups for use in group additivity estimation of sulfur peroxide thermochemical properties were developed.
The lysosomal membrane complex. Focal point of primary steroid hormone action

At short intervals after the intravenous administration of oestradiol-17beta, diethylstilboestrol, testosterone or saline control solution to ovariectomized rats, highly purified lysosome samples were prepared in substantial yield from preputial glands, sex accessory organs rich in these organelles. The preparations were essentially devoid of mitochondrial contamination. Exposure in vivo to doses of these hormones varying from 0.1 to 5mug/100g body wt. provoked dose-dependent labilization of the lysosomal membrane surface, as evidenced by significantly diminished structural latency of several characteristic acid hydrolases, including acid phosphatase, beta-glucuronidase and acid ribonuclease II, when such preparations were subsequently challenged in vitro with autolytic conditions, detergent or mechanical stress. Enhanced lytic susceptibility induced by hormone pretreatment was occasionally detectable in the initial preparation without further provocative stimuli in vitro. Comparable results were obtained with the corresponding fractions of uterus, despite the more limited concentration of lysosomes in this steroidal target organ. By the present criteria oestradiol-17alpha was essentially inert, even in a dose 25 times that effective for its active beta-epimer (<0.1mug/100g body wt.). Pretreatment with diethylstilboestrol exerted substantial membrane-destabilizing influence in preputial-gland lysosome samples from orchidectomized rats. Moreover, administration of testosterone to gonadectomized animals resulted in essentially equivalent dose-dependent augmentation of lysosomal enzyme release in preputial-gland preparations of either sex. The membrane stability of lysosome-enriched preparations from uterus, on the other hand, was unaffected by testosterone pretreatment. The sensitivity, specificity and selectivity of the lysosomal response to sex steroids provide evidence for the physiological significance of this phenomenon as a general mechanism for mediation of secondary biochemical transformations in the hormone-stimulated target cell.
A Primer on Visualizations for Comparing Populations, Including the Issue of Overlapping Confidence Intervals

In comparing a collection of K populations, it is common practice to display in one visualization confidence intervals for the corresponding population parameters θ1, θ2, …, θK. For a pair of confi...
Micro-PET Imaging of α v β 3 -Integrin Expression with 18 F-Labeled Dimeric RGD Peptide

The αv integrins, which act as cell adhesion molecules, are closely involved with tumor invasion and angiogenesis. In particular, αvβ3 integrin, which is specifically expressed on proliferating end...
PrivacyMeter: Designing and Developing a Privacy-Preserving Browser Extension

Anti-tracking browser extensions are popular among web users since they provide them with the ability to limit the number of trackers who get to learn about their browsing habits. These extensions however are limited in that they ignore other privacy signals, such as, the presence of a privacy policy, use of HTTPS, or presence of insecure web forms that can leak PII. To effectively inform users about the privacy consequences of visiting particular websites, we design, implement, and evaluate PrivacyMeter, a browser extension that, on-the-fly, computes a relative privacy score for any website that a user is visiting. This score is computed based on each website’s privacy practices and how these compare to the privacy practices of other pre-analyzed websites. We report on the development of PrivacyMeter with respect to the requirements for coverage of privacy practices, accuracy of measurement, and low performance overhead. We show how relative privacy scores help in interpreting results as different categories of websites have different standards across the monitored privacy parameters. Finally, we discuss the power of crowdsourcing for privacy research, and the existing challenges of properly incorporating crowdsourcing in a way that protects user anonymity while allowing the service to defend against malicious clients.
The Oil Advantage: Incumbency Effects in Iranian Parliamentary Elections

Do leaders stay in office longer in oil-producing districts? Using evidence from parliamentary elections in the Islamic Republic of Iran, I show that oil revenues boost incumbent reelection rates. I argue that deputies in oil-rich districts are more likely to get reelected because resource revenue — distributed by the central government using a derivation formula based in part on provincial resource production levels — is used to provide public or private goods to their constituents, incentivizing voters to reelect incumbents over challengers. As case studies have illustrated, the predominance of retrospective voting in Iranian subnational elections, particularly in single-member districts, implies that oil-rich deputies can gain an electoral edge over challengers by ensuring the flow of benefits to their districts. To test this hypothesis, I employ originally collected data on six parliamentary elections in Iran (1988-2008) in longitudinal regression analysis at the district level. I augment this analysis with qualitative evidence on factional politics and non-democratic vetting procedures based on case studies of legislative elections in Iran. My findings not only offer new insights into the often misunderstood Iranian political system, but also show that deputies in a partially-democratic system behave similarly to their counterparts in advanced democracies.
Akute, eitrige Infektionen

Verschiedene Ursachen konnen das Eindringen von Eitererregern zur Folge haben. Neben Verletzungen der auseren Haut, deren Bedeutung im Abschnitt der akzidentellen Wunden dargestellt wurde, konnen auch mechanische Vorgange den Durchtritt von Bakterien durch die unverletzte Haut bedingen, z. B. Reibungen, Hautblasen usw. Als Erreger kommen in erster Linie die Staphylokokken und Streptokokken, selten Gasbrandbacillen in Betracht. Zahl und Virulenz der Bakterien einerseits und die Abwehrkrafte des Korpers anderseits sind masgebend fur die Entstehung und den Verlauf der Infektion. Die Abwehrkrafte sind in den einzelnen Korperregionen verschieden nach der lokalen Widerstandsfahigkeit des betreffenden Gewebes, sie sind aber auch abhangig vom Allgemeinzustand. Ein Gesasfurunkel ist grundverschieden von einem Gesichtsfurunkel oder einem Panaritium. Unterernahrung, Vitaminmangel, Erschopfungszustande und Stoffwechselstorungen, vor allem Diabetes, disponieren zu eitrigen Infektionen. Wir mussen daher bei der lokalen Behandlung immer den Gesamtorganismus im Auge behalten. Bei jeder pyogenen Infektion ist die Untersuchung des Urins auf Zucker nie zu unterlassen.
The Allogeneic Effect on Immune Responses

The allogeneic effect cannot be elicited by the transfer of lymphoid cells from allogeneic or semiallogeneic donors under circumstances where the transferred cells are incapable of reacting immunologically against tissue antigens of the host. This is true despite the fact that, in the intact animal model, the transferred cells, by virtue of possessing foreign histocompatibility antigens, elicit a specific rejection response on the part of the host. The central requirement for obtaining an allogeneic effect is the occurrence of a mixed lymphocyte reaction. Whereas this is most favorable when major histocompatibility differences exist, it is also possible to obtain an allogeneic effect across other transplantation differences. In the mouse, for example, it has been clearly shown that an allogeneic effect can be induced by transfer of cells identical at H-2 but differing at the Mls locus either in vivo or in vitro . The fact that concomitant development of a host rejection response, or reaction of the primed cell population against those of the aggressor, is not required for expression of the phenomenon has important implications concerning the nature of the cellular interactions involved, and is discussed in the chapter.
Actual and simulated weather data to evaluate wet bulb globe temperature and heat index as alerts for occupational heat-related illness.

Heat stress occupational exposure limits (OELs) were developed in the 1970s to prevent heat-related illnesses (HRIs). The OELs define the maximum safe wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) for a given ...
Low Frequency Sound Field Reproduction within a Cylindrical Cavity Using Higher Order Ambisonics

Sound field reproduction of the aircraft and submarine within a cabin mock-up using a loudspeaker array is of great importance to the active noise control technology.The conventional method is to calculate the driving functions of the secondary sources by solving an acoustic inverse problem in a least square sense, which requires a large number of microphones and only the sound field near the microphone array can be reproduced accurately.In order to overcome these drawbacks, higher order ambisonics (HOA) method which is widely used in spatial sound field synthesis for a large room is introduced to reproduce a low frequency sound field within a cylindrical cavity.Due to the different sound propagation characteristics within the cavity compared with a free field and a diffuse field, the Green function spectrum in spherical harmonics domain which is modeled as a superposition of the acoustic modes and the reproduction formulas are deduced.Reproduction characteristics are investigated by numerical simulations.Results show that for a small, the Green function spectrum in spherical harmonics domain is mainly concentrated on low orders and contributed by the low order acoustic modes, with the increase of, high order components of the Green function arise and the contributions of high order acoustic modes increase.In the reproduction process, the high order components of the pressure spectrum over the sphere in harmonics domain will be greatly amplified by the reproduction filter.Finally, HOA method is compared with the acoustic inversion method in terms of the microphone array system, the impact factors on the reproductions and the reproduction accuracy, and validated through experiments.Results show that HOA can better reproduce the entire sound field within the cylindrical cavity and the reproduction accuracy is improved.
Absence of Poly(ADP-ribose) Polymerase-1 Alters Nuclear Factor-κB Activation and Gene Expression of Apoptosis Regulators after Reperfusion Injury

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) is activated in response to DNA injury in eukaryotic cells and has been implicated in cell dysfunction in reperfusion injury. In this study we investigated the role of PARP-1 on apoptosis in early myocardial reperfusion injury. Mice genetically deficient of PARP-1 (PARP-1−/−) and wild-type littermates were subjected to myocardial ischemia and reperfusion. Myocardial injury was assessed by measuring the serum levels of creatine phosphokinase and oligonucleosomal DNA fragments in the infarcted area. Expression of the anti-apoptotic protein, Bcl-2, and the pro-apoptotic protein, Bax, was analyzed by Western blot. Activation of caspases, important executioners of apoptosis, and activation of the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) pathway were evaluated. Gene expression profiles for apoptotic regulators between PARP-1−/− and wild-type mice also were compared. Myocardial damage in PARP-1−/− mice was reduced significantly, as indicated by lower serum creatine phosphokinase levels and reduction of apoptosis, as compared with wild-type mice. Western blot analyses showed increased expression of Bcl-2, which was associated with reduction of caspase-1 and caspase-3 activation. This cardioprotection was associated with significant reduction of the activation of IκB kinase complex and NF-κB DNA binding. Microarray analysis demonstrated that the expression of 29 known genes of apoptotic regulators was significantly altered in PARP-1−/− mice compared with wild-type mice, whereas 6 known genes were similarly expressed in both genotypes. The data indicate that during reperfusion absence of PARP-1 leads to reduction of myocardial apoptosis, which is associated with reduced NF-κB activation and altered gene expression profiles.
Destination Lust: The World of Love, Sex, and Violence

Lascivious lyrics performed by female artists occupy a decidedly minor niche in the history of recorded music. Such discs are usually banned from commercial airplay. But a few reached the public ai...
Abstract WP249: Comparison of Telestroke Metrics Between an Internal Telestroke Model to an External Telestroke Vendor Within the Same System of Care

Background: Telestroke (TS) has been used to provide acute stroke care through a variety of different models. Two of these include an external vendor model (EVM), where care is provided by speciali...
Synthesis and biological evaluation of 5′-C-methyl nucleotide prodrugs for treating HCV infections

Nucleotide prodrugs are of great clinical interest for treating a variety of viral infections due to their ability to target tissues selectively and to deliver relatively high concentrations of the active nucleotide metabolite intracellularly. However, their clinical successes have been limited, oftentimes due to unwanted in vivo metabolic processes that reduce the quantities of nucleoside triphosphate that reach the site of action. In an attempt to circumvent this, we designed novel nucleosides that incorporate a sterically bulky group at the 5'-carbon of the phosphoester prodrug, which we reasoned would reduce the amounts of non-productive PO bond cleavage back to the corresponding nucleoside by nucleotidases. Molecular docking studies with the NS5B HCV polymerase suggested that a nucleotide containing a 5'-methyl group could be accommodated. Therefore, we synthesized mono- and diphosphate prodrugs of 2',5'-C-dimethyluridine stereoselectively and evaluated their cytotoxicity and anti-HCV activity in the HCV replicon assay. All four prodrugs exhibited anti-HCV activity with IC50 values in the single digit micromolar concentrations, with the 5'(R)-C-methyl prodrug displaying superior potency relative to its 5'(S)-C-methyl counterpart. However, when compared to the unmethylated prodrug, the potency is poorer. The poorer potency of these prodrugs may be due to unfavorable steric interactions of the 5'-C-methyl group in the active sites of the kinases that catalyze the formation of active triphosphate metabolite.
Outcomes and risk factors of late failure of valve-sparing aortic root replacement.

Abstract Objective Retention of the native aortic valve when performing aortic root surgery for aneurysmal disease has become a more common priority. We reviewed our experience in valve-sparing aortic root replacement (VSARR) to evaluate the long-term outcomes and the risk factors for reoperation. Methods From January 1994 through June 2017, 342 patients (mean age 47.8 ± 15.5 years, 253 [74%] male) underwent VSARR. The most common etiologies were connective tissue disease (n = 143, 42%) followed by degenerative aortic aneurysm (n = 131, 38%). Aortic regurgitation (moderate or greater) was present in 35% (n = 119). Results Reimplantation technique was used in 90% patients (n = 308). Valsalva graft was used in 38% patients (n = 131) and additional cusp repair was done in 15% (n = 50). Operative mortality was 1% (n = 5). The median follow-up time was 8.79 years (interquartile range, 4.08-13.51). The cumulative incidence of reoperation (while accounting for the competing risk of death) was 8.4%, 12.8%, and 17.1% at 5, 10, and 15 years, respectively. There were no differences in survival and incidence of reoperation between root reimplantation and remodeling. Larger preoperative annulus diameter was associated with greater risk of reoperation (hazard ratio, 1.10; 95% confidence interval, 1.02-1.19, P = .01). The estimated probability of developing severe aortic regurgitation after VSARR was 8% at 10 years postoperatively. Operative mortality, residual aortic regurgitation at dismissal, and survival improved in recent times with more experience. Conclusions VSARR is a viable and safe option with good long-term outcomes and low rates of late aortic valve replacement. Dilated annulus preoperatively was associated with early repair failure.
Food-Based Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) Learning Activities May Reduce Decline in Preschoolers’ Skin Carotenoid Status

Abstract Objective To assess the effectiveness of food-based science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) learning activities on preschoolers’ liking of 9 target vegetables and objectively-assessed fruit and vegetable (FV) intake. Methods Seven hands-on, food-based STEAM learning activities were implemented to expose children to 9 target vegetables in 3 Head Start preschools (11 classrooms) across North Carolina. Child-reported vegetable liking scores and skin carotenoid status (SCS) were dependent variables collected at baseline, midpoint, and posttest. Adjusted repeated-measures ANOVA was used to examine intervention impact. Results A total of 113 children (intervention = 49; comparison = 64) participated. Children were an average age of 3.7 ± 0.57 years at baseline. Mean target vegetable liking scores for the intervention and comparison groups, respectively, were 3.2 ± 0.19 and 3.2 ± 0.17 at baseline, 2.9 ± 0.17 and 3.1 ± 0.15 at midpoint, and 2.8 ± 0.15 and 3.1 ± 0.13 at posttest. A time × group interaction was not significant for target vegetable liking scores. Mean SCS were 268.6 ± 13.24 and 270.9 ± 12.13 at baseline, 271.3 ± 12.50 and 275.6 ± 11.46 at midpoint, and 267.8 ± 11.26 and 229.6 ± 10.32 at posttest for the intervention and comparison groups, respectively. A time × group interaction was significant for SCS (F1,77 = 3.98; P = 0.02; r = 0.10). Both groups declined from baseline to posttest (intervention = 0.06%; comparison = 15.09%), which occurred after winter break, with a smaller decline observed in the intervention group (P = 0.02). Conclusions and Implications Food-based STEAM learning activities may present a unique opportunity to affect FV intake while meeting academic standards. More research is needed to understand how liking for familiar FV changes over time and its relationship with consumption. In addition, more implementation research featuring larger sample sizes, teachers as the interventionist, and a longer study duration is needed to confirm the outcomes of food-based STEAM learning observed in the current study and the long-term impact this approach may have on children's’ dietary quality.
The Impact of Nonaudit Service Fee Levels on Investors' Perceptions of Auditor Independence

We extend Dopuch, King and Schwartz (2003) by examining the effect of various fee ratios on investor perception of auditor independence and market behavior. Consistent with Dopuch et al. (2003), we find disclosure of nonaudit fees reduces the accuracy of investor perception of auditor independence. More importantly, we document that the proportionate level of nonaudit fees to total fees has a varying impact on investor perception of auditor independence and market behavior. In particular, there appears to be a non-linear effect between investor perception of auditor independence and market behavior. In summary, when investors perceive auditor independence is impaired, as a result of the level of nonaudit fees, more asset pricing inefficiencies occur in these experimental markets.
Unique Complications and Failure Modes of Iliac Branch Devices.

Objectives Iliac branch devices (IBDs) are modular, bifurcated endografts designed to preserve hypogastric flow during endovascular aortoiliac aneurysm repair. We report our single center outcomes, and describe the unique complications of these devices: inability to cannulate the hypogastric artery (technical failure), occlusion of the internal branch, and type III endoleak from separation of components between the main body and IBD. Methods A prospectively maintained institutional database of patients undergoing IBD implantation between 2014 and 2019 was reviewed. Technical and clinical outcomes were evaluated. We then identified patients having one of the IBD-specific complications and patient, anatomic, and procedural data were analyzed to identify factors associated with these failures. Results Sixty-four IBDs were placed in 59 patients during the study period. Mean age was 71.2 ± 8.6, and 92% were male. A 74.6% of patients had a current or prior abdominal aortic aneurysm, and 9.4% had a hypogastric aneurysm. Technical success was achieved in 60/64 cases (93.8%); prior endovascular aortic repair was associated with technical failure (P = 0.04). There were 5 instances of component separation between the main body and the IBD: 3 occurred intraoperatively and were repaired with additional bridging components, and 2 occurred on late follow-up and required reintervention. Increased tortuosity index of both aortoiliac (1.7 ± 0.4 vs. 1.3 ± 02, P = 0.04) and iliac-specific (3.9 ± 2.4 vs. 1.9 ± 0.9, P = 0.03) segments were significantly associated with component separation, as was the use of larger internal iliac components (13.9 ± 2.4 vs. 11.1 ± 2.3 mm, P = 0.04). Internal branch occlusions occurred in 4 patients (6.7%). Two were successfully reopened with endovascular procedures, with two being asymptomatic. No specific factors were found to be predictive of branch occlusion. Conclusions IBD-specific complications occur rarely. History of prior endovascular aortic repair is associated with technical failure, while increased aortic and iliac tortuosity are predictive of component separation and type III endoleak. Severe tortuosity should be carefully considered when planning for IBD.
Social capital or vulnerability: Which has the stronger connection with selected U.S. health outcomes?

Abstract We tested associations between social capital or vulnerability and health outcome measures of adult obesity, adult diabetes, and life expectancy at the county level in the United States with data from 2015 to 2018. This ecological cross-sectional study utilized secondary data from four open access databases: The Geography of Social Capital (U.S. Congress, 2018), County Health Rankings (2018), CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS, 2018) and the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF, 2015). Our dependent variables were adult obesity, adult diabetes, and life expectancy. We identified the highest and lowest states' prevalence for each of three health outcomes in each of the four U.S. regions—Northeast, South, Midwest, and West. Each dependent variable was assessed using a sample of 32 counties (N = 32). Data analysis consisted of bivariate and regression analysis. Our results showed that the most consistent measure of “vulnerability” linked significantly to all three health conditions studied was percent births to unmarried women (Obesity p
Endogenous circadian regulation and phase resetting of clinical metabolic biomarkers.

Shiftwork and circadian disruption are associated with adverse metabolic effects. Therefore, we examined whether clinical biomarkers of metabolic health are under endogenous circadian regulation using a 40 hours constant routine protocol (CR; constant environmental and behavioral conditions) and evaluated the impact of typical daily conditions with periodic sleep and meals (baseline; 8 hours sleep at night, four meals during a 16 hour wake episode) on the phase and amplitude of these rhythms. Additionally, we tested whether these circadian rhythms are reset during simulated shiftwork. Under CR (n = 16 males, mean age ± SD = 23.4 ± 2.3 years), we found endogenous circadian rhythms in cholesterol, HDL and LDL, albumin and total protein, and VLDL and triglyceride. The rhythms were masked under baseline conditions except for cholesterol, which had near-identical phases under both conditions. Resetting of the cholesterol rhythm and Dim Light Melatonin Onset (DLMO) was then tested in a study of simulated shiftwork (n = 25, 14 females, 36.3 ± 8.9 years) across four protocols; two with abrupt 8 hour delay shifts and exposure to either blue-enriched or standard white light; and either an abrupt or gradual 8 hour advance (1.6 hours/day over 5 days) both with exposure to blue-enriched white light. In the delay protocols, the cholesterol rhythm shifted later by -3.7 hours and -4.2 hours, respectively, compared to -6.6 hours and -4.7 hours, for DLMO. There was a significant advance in cholesterol in the abrupt (+5.1 hours) but not the gradual (+2.1 hours) protocol, compared to +3.1 hours and +2.8 hours in DLMO, respectively. Exploratory group analysis comparing the phases of all metabolic biomarkers under both studies showed evidence of phase shifts due to simulated shiftwork. These results show that clinical biomarkers of metabolic health are under endogenous circadian regulation but that the expression of these rhythms is substantially influenced by environmental factors. These rhythms can also be reset, which has implications for understanding how both behavioral changes and circadian shifts due to shiftwork may disrupt metabolic function.
Loncastuximab tesirine for treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma.

Approximately, a third of patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) have refractory or relapsed disease after initial treatment. Despite recent regulatory approval of several new agents, ...
Culture and treatment results in endometritis following elective abortion.

Abstract Endometrial culture and treatment results from 228 patients who developed endometritis following elective abortion were analyzed. The most common organisms isolated were group B beta hemolytic streptococci, Bacteroides, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, E. coli , and Staphylococcus aureus . In general, patients responded to treatment with penicillin or ampicillin, with the addition of an aminoglycoside for those requiring hospitalization. Curettage was an important adjunctive treatment for hospitalized patients and for some outpatients.
Chapter 6 Molecular Modeling and Atomistic Simulation of Nucleic Acids

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the molecular modeling and atomistic simulation of nucleic acids. Molecular modeling and biomolecular simulation methods have been increasingly applied to give insight into nucleic acid structure, dynamics, and interaction. This includes the simulation of RNA and DNA alone, bound to proteins and interacting with drugs, in various damaged and modiﬁed forms and in different environments ranging from the gas phase to varied solvent and ionic environments. Several methods have also been shown to give detailed insight into nucleic acid dynamics, including the coupled motions in the DNA backbones. Base pair opening has also received considerable attention through the application of umbrella sampling methods that allow the estimations of the potential of mean force for opening the pair. A clear success of the methods has been demonstrated by the Beveridge and Bolton groups, who provided detailed comparison between MD-calculated and NMR-observed properties of the duplex d(CGCGAATTCGCG) 2 in solution. Their results show that the 2D NOESY volumes and scalar coupling constants back calculated from a 14-ns MD simulation are in better agreement with the nuclear magnetic resonance data than back calculations based on canonical A-DNA, B-DNA, or crystal geometries of the same duplex.
Advances in Laser Spectroscopy of Refractory Cluster Beams

Developments in the techniques of generating supersonic cluster beams of refractory elements have recently begun to open an entirely new approach to the study of surfaces [1]. By using laser vaporization of appropriate targets in a supersonic pulsed nozzle, it is now possible to routinely generate cold beams of virtually any element in the periodic table — including such high boiling elements as tungsten and silicon [2]. Small clusters of these elements are expected to be tightly bound, and their surfaces are expected to exhibit many of the interesting properties of the bulk surface,while still preserving the virtue of being microscopic, molecular species small enough for detailed treatment at a high level of theory.
Genomic organization and evolution of the ULBP genes in cattle

The cattle UL16-binding protein 1 (ULBP1) and ULBP2 genes encode members of the MHC Class I superfamily that have homology to the human ULBP genes. Human ULBP1 and ULBP2 interact with the NKG2D receptor to activate effector cells in the immune system. The human cytomegalovirus UL16 protein is known to disrupt the ULBP-NKG2D interaction, thereby subverting natural killer cell-mediated responses. Previous Southern blotting experiments identified evidence of increased ULBP copy number within the genomes of ruminant artiodactyls. On the basis of these observations we hypothesized that the cattle ULBP s evolved by duplication and sequence divergence to produce a sufficient number and diversity of ULBP molecules to deliver an immune activation signal in the presence of immunogenic peptides. Given the importance of the ULBPs in antiviral immunity in other species, our goal was to determine the copy number and genomic organization of the ULBP genes in the cattle genome. Sequencing of cattle bacterial artificial chromosome genomic inserts resulted in the identification of 30 cattle ULBP loci existing in two gene clusters. Evidence of extensive segmental duplication and approximately 14 Kbp of novel repetitive sequences were identified within the major cluster. Ten ULBPs are predicted to be expressed at the cell surface. Substitution analysis revealed 11 outwardly directed residues in the predicted extracellular domains that show evidence of positive Darwinian selection. These positively selected residues have only one residue that overlaps with those proposed to interact with NKG2D, thus suggesting the interaction with molecules other than NKG2D. The ULBP loci in the cattle genome apparently arose by gene duplication and subsequent sequence divergence. Substitution analysis of the ULBP proteins provided convincing evidence for positive selection on extracellular residues that may interact with peptide ligands. These results support our hypothesis that the cattle ULBPs evolved under adaptive diversifying selection to avoid interaction with a UL16-like molecule whilst preserving the NKG2D binding site. The large number of ULBPs in cattle, their extensive diversification, and the high prevalence of bovine herpesvirus infections make this gene family a compelling target for studies of antiviral immunity.
Women Farmers and Commercial Ventures: Increasing Food Security in Developing Countries.

Women Farmers and Commercial Ventures: Increasing Food Security in Developing Countries. Anita Spring. ed. Boulder: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2000. 419 pp.
Mathematical aspects of the cold plasma model

A simple model for electromagnetic wave propagation through zerotemperature plasma is analyzed. Many of the complexities of the plasma state are present even under these idealized conditions, and a number of mathematical difficulties emerge. In particular, boundary value problems formulated on the basis of conventional electromagnetic theory turn out to be ill-posed in this context. However, conditions may be prescribed under which solutions to the Dirichlet problem exist in an appropriately weak sense. In addition to its physical interest, analysis of the cold plasma model illuminates generic difficulties in formulating and solving boundary value problems for mixed elliptic-hyperbolic partial differential equations. MSC2000: 82D10, 35M10, 35D05.
Emergent wireless sensor network limitations: a plea for advancement in core technologies

The next several years will witness the evolution of sensor networks from simple test-and-report wired systems to intricate wireless information fabrics that connect our surroundings to the information super highway and cyberspace. These systems will be applied to agricultural monitoring, medical monitoring, intelligent space realization, automotive safety, personal area networks, and even wartime intelligence. To enable these applications research efforts will be focused on developing low-power, low-cost sensor technology and creating networks that self-assemble, self-anneal and self-heal into an emergent life-like system. The human nervous system with its 7-8 billion neurons represents a compelling model for such systems. Each wireless sensor device can be interpreted as a neuron with radio frequency (RF) connectivity. These devices are referred to as neuRFon/spl trade/ devices and can sense the environment, process various stimulus, and transmit a request for action while consuming very little power and requiring minimal, if any, human intervention. This paper presents an overview of neuRFon/spl trade/ technology and some of the associated challenges in the design and implementation of wireless sensor networks.
Deep Mutational Scanning: Calculating Enrichment Scores for Protein Variants from DNA Sequencing Output Files

During a deep mutational scanning experiment, a collection of variants of a given protein is subjected to high-throughput sequencing before and after selection. The variants that perform well during selection will increase in abundance, whereas those that perform poorly will decrease. Generating a sequence-function map of a protein from a deep mutational scan requires the calculation and comparison of the enrichment scores for each protein variant, based on the results of high-throughput DNA sequencing output files. Here we describe the use of the software program Enrich, which was written specifically for the data analysis phase of a deep mutational scanning experiment.