cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Prior Heterosexual Experiences on Homosexuality in Women

An abundance of unwanted sexual opportunities perpetrated by insensitive, physically and sexually abusive men may be a factor in the expression of homosexuality in some women. In the present study, we examined self-reports of dating histories, sexual experiences, and physical and sexual abuse among lesbians and heterosexual women. Lesbians with prior heterosexual experience reported more severe and more frequent physical abuse by men. Lesbians also reported more instances of forced, unwanted sexual contact perpetrated by men, and this sexual abuse occurred at a significantly earlier age. These data show that adverse experiences with the opposite sex are more common in lesbians than heterosexual women, and therefore negative heterosexual experiences may be a factor in the expression of a same-sex sexual orientation in women. We propose an evolutionary psychological interpretation of this phenomenon based on the cardinally different mating strategies of women and men that have evolved for maximizing the lik...
Smoking Out the Impact of Tobacco-Related Decisions on Public Health Law

This article seeks to uncover and analyze the role that tobacco-related litigation has played in the evolution of public health law doctrine. Tobacco is a product – and public health problem – unlike any other. It is the only legal consumable product that kills approximately onehalf of the people who consume it, and it cannot be used safely in moderation. These and other characteristics make tobacco use a highly unusual public health issue, and therefore courts addressing tobacco-related litigation have often streched or distorted precedents in order to accommodate the unique exigencies of such cases. In turn, these decisions have significantly reshaped public health law doctrine, affecting a wide variety of health-related concerns even outside the tobacco context. In the field of administrative law, the Supreme Court’s decision in FDA v. Brown & Williamson barred the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from exerting regulatory authority over the tobacco industry. Although reaching this result required a strained reading of the relevant precedents, the Court supported its decision with reference to tobacco’s “unique place in American history and society.” In the process of reaching its decision, however, the Court developed new rules for statutory interpretation that gave future courts greater flexibility to strike down public health regulations in non-tobacco settings. Likewise, in cases involving federal preemption, class certification, and punitive damages, the decisions made in tobacco-related cases have dramatically reshaped legal paradigms in ways that have reduced the ability of plaintiffs injured by products other than tobacco to seek redress for their injuries and uncover threats to the public’s health. The article explores several factors that may account for why courts appear to approach to tobacco-related cases more skeptically that other public health law cases, including tobacco’s unique history, the high volume of tobacco litigation, and the saliency of the cultural and economic issues involved. It then demonstrates how tobacco-related cases have reshaped public health law doctrine more broadly, and it concludes by discussing how these cases should be treated by the courts. * Assistant Professor, New England Law | Boston. An earlier version of this article was presented at the 2008 Health Law Scholars Workshop at St. Louis University School of Law. Thanks to the participants in the workshop, especially Sidney Watson, Scott Burris, Rob Gatter, and Tim Greaney. Additional thanks to Elizabeth Leonard, Maggie Mahoney, Elizabeth Bloom, Lawrence Friedman, and the faculty of New England Law | Boston.
Evaluation of delivery options for second-stage events.

Background Cesarean delivery in the second stage of labor is common, whereas the frequency of operative vaginal delivery has been declining. However, data comparing outcomes for attempted operative vaginal delivery vs cesarean in the second stage are scant. Previous studies that examine operative vaginal delivery have compared it to a baseline risk of complications from a spontaneous vaginal delivery and cesarean delivery. However, when a woman has a need for intervention in the second stage, spontaneous vaginal delivery is not an option she or the provider can choose. Thus, the appropriate clinical comparison is cesarean vs operative vaginal delivery. Objective Our objective was to compare outcomes by the first attempted operative delivery (vacuum, forceps vs cesarean delivery) in patients needing second-stage assistance at a fetal station of +2 or below. Study Design We conducted secondary analysis of an observational obstetric cohort in 25 academically affiliated US hospitals over a 3-year period. A subset of ≥37 weeks, nonanomalous, vertex, singletons, with no prior vaginal delivery who reached a station of +2 or below and underwent an attempt at an operative delivery were included. Indications included for operative delivery were: failure to descend, nonreassuring fetal status, labor dystocia, or maternal exhaustion. The primary outcomes included a composite neonatal outcome (death, fracture, length of stay ≥3 days beyond mother's, low Apgar, subgaleal hemorrhage, ventilator support, hypoxic encephalopathy, brachial plexus injury, facial nerve palsy) and individual maternal outcomes (postpartum hemorrhage, third- and fourth-degree tears [severe lacerations], and postpartum infection). Outcomes were examined by the 3 attempted modes of delivery. Odds ratios (OR) were calculated for primary outcomes adjusting for confounders. Final mode of delivery was quantified. Results In all, 2531 women met inclusion criteria. No difference in the neonatal composite outcome was observed between groups. Vacuum attempt was associated with the lowest frequency of maternal complications (postpartum infection 0.2% vs 0.9% forceps vs 5.3% cesarean, postpartum hemorrhage 1.4% vs 2.8% forceps vs 3.8% cesarean), except for severe lacerations (19.1% vs 33.8% forceps vs 0% cesarean). When confounders were taken into account, both forceps (OR, 0.16; 95% confidence interval, 0.05–0.49) and vacuum (OR, 0.04; 95% confidence interval, 0.01–0.17) were associated with a significantly lower odds of postpartum infection. The neonatal composite and postpartum hemorrhage were not significantly different between modes of attempted delivery. Cesarean occurred in 6.4% and 4.4% of attempted vacuum and forceps groups ( P = .04). Conclusion In patients needing second-stage delivery assistance with a station of +2 or below, attempted operative vaginal delivery was associated with a lower frequency of postpartum infection, but higher frequency of severe lacerations.
Path of Democratization: Circuitous in Slovakia But Not in the Czech Republic

Students of political development have not always been good at understanding drastic political change (Myron Weiner and Samuel P. Huntington, Understanding Political Development, Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1994, 33). Kevin Deegan-Krause contributes to efforts to remedy this shortcoming. He seeks to answer a fascinating puzzle of post-communist transition: What can account for both the divergence and later reconvergence of democratic development in the Czech Republic and in Slovakia? Not all East European countries sped along a unidirectional path toward liberal democracy when they threw off Soviet-backed communist rule. The zig-zag path of democratization that some post-communist states, such as Slovakia and Ukraine, have taken is a particularly interesting and important aspect of the political transition in Central and Eastern Europe. Unlike some of the cases in Latin America, the culprits for Slovakia’s and some neighbors’ regressions are not military leaders or economic downturns. Deegan-Krause adds to books, such as V.P. Gagnon’s The Myth of Ethnic War: Serbia and Croatia in the 1990s (Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 2005) that help to understand why some countries, after the fall of the Berlin Wall, actually regressed from the process of democratization before accelerating their progress toward democratic consolidation. Both resist blaming the attitudes of the general population for regression or showering the international community’s policies with praise for correcting them. They instead propose more complex models that focus on the dynamics of political competition in post-communist transitions. Deegan-Krause offers a convincing model that highlights the counterproductive role played in new democratizers by strategic politicians, who, when significantly challenged by the dynamics of political competition and weakly constrained by young democratic institutions, choose to exacerbate popular attitudinal differences in the name of accumulating power.
Biochemical Systematics of Peromyscus boylii II. Chromosomally Variable Populations from Eastern and Southern Mexico

Electrophoretic variation of proteins encoded by 30 structural loci was examined among chromosomally variable populations assigned to three subspecies of Peromyscus boylii : P. b. levipes, P. b. ambiguus , and P. b. beatae . Electrophoretic evidence indicates that two genetically distinct taxa are represented within the chromosomally variable populations (FN = 48–54, 56–60) in eastern and southern Mexico. Populations of P. b. beatae and P. b. levipes with low fundamental numbers (FN = 48–54) are distinct at one locus (Idh-1) from populations of P. b. levipes, P. b. ambiguus , and P. b. beatae with intermediate FNs (FN = 56–60). No evidence of gene flow was observed between these two taxa at a locality of sympatry.
Function Analysis of a Conserved Stem-Loop Structure in the 5′ Untranslated Region of the Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus Genome

The objective of this study was to analyze the secondary structure and function of Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus(PRRSV) 5′ UTR.Based on the PRRSV type 2 full-length infectious cDNA clone pAPRRS,a series of mutants which can modify a conserved stem structure were obtained through PCR-based mutagenesis.The mutants are transfected into MARC-145 cells for cytopathic effect(CPE) observation.Meanwhile,the indirect immunofluorescence analysis(IFA) and Northern blot analysis show the genomic replication and subgenomic transcription for the rescued viruses.In addition,the growth features are also detected by plaque morphology compared with the parental virus.It was found that the secondary structure of the conserved stem loop in PRRSV 5′ UTR wasn’t essential for virus rescue.Novertheless,the primary sequence of the stem structure is functional for viral replication.In addition,it is demonstrated that a key nucleotide in PRRSV 5′ UTR directly regulate the viral replication.All results demonstrate that the essential sequences in PRRSV 5′ UTR are functional in viral genomic replication.
Optimal extraction technology of Yiqi cream by orthogonal design

OBJECTIVE To optimize the extraction process for Yiqi cream.METHOD An experiment based on the orthogonal test design was performed to study the impact of extraction time,extraction frequency,and amount of solvent on the extraction rate and content of paeoniflorin.RESULTS The optimal condition was added 10 times amount of water for three times and 2 hours for each time.CONCLUSION This extraction technique is reasonable and it provides a scientific basis for industrialized extraction process.
Experimental design in public policy and management research: Introduction

With this issue of the Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory we begin the Series on Experimental Design in Public Management Research edited by Barry Bozeman of the Maxwell School, Syracuse University. The concept of a journal series is like a journal symposium in that the articles are on a particular theme or topic, in this case experimental design. Unlike a symposium, the articles in a series do not necessarily appear in the same issue, nor is it assumed that the series is over with a particular article or issue. The series is likely to continue with the appearance of the occasional article in future issues of the lournal. The series also constitutes a forum on the topic or theme which suggests the possibility of commentary, letters, or whole articles challenging the theme. Editor-in-Chief
Students' Sense of Belonging in Online Classes: Does Age Matter?

This study explored graduate students' perceptions of their sense of belonging in online classes, their comfort in participating in online discussions, and their technology skills. Differences in these areas among three different age groups were studied. Data were gathered via an online survey. The results of the data analysis showed that students, regardless of age, felt a sense of belonging and felt comfortable communicating in the online environment. The data also revealed that older students reported feeling more comfortable interacting with their classmates and disagreeing with their classmates while still maintaining trust than their younger counterparts. Such findings inform online educators in designing classes that meet the needs of all learners.
Endotracheal Intubation and Tracheostomy: Indications, Techniques, and Complications

This section contains descriptions of machinery and procedures related to the respiratory care of surgical patients. Positive-pressure devices and ventilators come in a variety of types, each with its own bedazzling set of knobs, gauges, alarms, and blinking lights. Drinker and Berryman’s description of ventilators is written from the viewpoint of the bioengineer. The principles they outline will help the surgeon to feel at home with any mechanical ventilator in current or future use. Gallagher and coauthors divide monitoring methods into pulmonary mechanics, gas exchange, and systemic oxygen delivery. In addition to these specific techniques, they present the practical pitfalls that are commonly encountered. The next four articles could be subtitled "Surgical Care of the Respiratory Patient." The articles by Orringer, Gazzaniga, and Connolly form a mini-atlas of techniques and procedures. All surgeons will benefit from a review of these often neglected details. Bronchoscopy should be as routine to general and thoracic surgeons as cystoscopy is to the urologist, yet this important technique is often neglected in residency training. Ratliff leaves description of bronchoscopic techniques to existing atlases and on-site training and devotes his discussion to when, why, and how bronchoscopy should be used in respiratory care. Eric Milne is noted for his studies of chest radiography in acute lung disease. His clear descriptions and examples provide a useful bridge between dynamic physiology and the static shadows on the celluloid.
Glioma Cell Invasion is Significantly Enhanced in Composite Hydrogel Matrices Composed of Chondroitin 4- and 4,6-Sulfated Glycosaminoglycans.

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most aggressive form of astrocytoma accounting for a majority of primary malignant brain tumors in the United States. Chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) and their glycosaminoglycan (GAG) side chains are key constituents of the brain extracellular matrix (ECM) implicated in promoting tumor invasion. However, the mechanisms by which sulfated CS-GAGs promote brain tumor invasion are currently unknown. We hypothesize that glioma cell invasion is triggered by the altered sulfation of CS-GAGs in the tumor extracellular environment, and that this is potentially mediated by independent mechanisms involving CXCL12/CXCR4 and LAR signaling respectively. This was tested in vitro by encapsulating the human glioma cell line U87MG-EGFP into monosulfated (4-sulfated; CS-A), composite (4 and 4,6-sulfated; CS-A/E), unsulfated hyaluronic acid (HA), and unsulfated agarose (AG; polysaccharide) hydrogels within microfluidics-based choice assays. Our results demonstrated the enhanced preferential cell invasion into composite hydrogels, when compared to other hydrogel matrices (p < 0.05). Haptotaxis assays demonstrated the significantly (p < 0.05) faster migration of U87MG-EGFP cells in CXCL12 containing CS-GAG hydrogels when compared to other hydrogel matrices containing the same chemokine concentration. This is likely due to the significantly (p < 0.05) greater affinity of composite CS-GAGs to CXCL12 over other hydrogel matrices. Results from qRT-PCR assays further demonstrated the significant (p < 0.05) upregulation of the chemokine receptor CXCR4, and the CSPG receptor LAR in glioma cells within CS-GAG hydrogels compared to control hydrogels. Western blot analysis of cell lysates derived from glioma cells encapsulated in different hydrogel matrices further corroborate qRT-PCR results, and indicate the presence of a potential variant of LAR that is selectively expressed only in glioma cells encapsulated in CS-GAG hydrogels. These results suggest that sulfated CS-GAGs may directly induce enhanced invasion and haptotaxis of glioma cells associated with aggressive brain tumors via distinct mechanisms.
Impact of the Physical Web and BLE Beacons

The Physical Web is a project announced by Google's Chrome team that essentially provides a framework to discover "smart" physical objects (e.g. vending machines, classroom, conference room, cafeteria etc.) and interact with specific, contextual content without having to resort to downloading a specific app. A common app such as the open source and freely available Physical Web app on the Google Play Store or the BKON Browser on the Apple App Store, can access nearby beacons. A current work-in-progress at the University of Maui College is developing a campus-wide prototype of beacon technology using Eddystone-URL and EID protocol from various beacon vendors.
Solvable extensions of naturally graded quasi-filiform Leibniz algebras of second type ℒ1 and ℒ3

ABSTRACTFor sequences of naturally graded quasi-filiform Leibniz algebras of second type ℒ1 and ℒ3 introduced by Camacho et al., all possible right and left solvable indecomposable extensions over the field ℝ are constructed so that these algebras serve as the nilradicals of the corresponding solvable algebras. The construction continues Winternitz’ and colleagues’ program established to classify solvable Lie algebras using special properties rather than trying to extend one dimension at a time.
Elastic Models of Cytokinesis

Cytokinesis, the division of the cytoplasm and the plasma membrane of cells, is a fundamental process in cell physiology. The process in some cells, for example the spherical cells of fertilized sea urchin eggs, can be thought of as the division of a sphere containing cytoplasm into two equal spheres with no change in cell volume [1]. The process is driven by a contractile ring or furrow region near, or attached to, the cell membrane and localized near the cell equator of the dividing cell. The mechanism responsible for the initiation of furrowing and furrow development is apparently a biochemical interaction of the internal cell structures with structures near the cell membrane [2,33].
Winter mean lower tropospheric moisture over the Maritime Continent as a climate model diagnostic metric for the propagation of the Madden-Julian oscillation

Despite its widespread influences on the atmosphere, the Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO) remains poorly represented in state-of-the-art general circulation models (GCMs). Motivated by recent findings that the horizontal advection of the mean low-tropospheric moist static energy or moisture by MJO winds plays a crucial role in the eastward propagation of the MJO, we investigate the relationship between lower-tropospheric moisture patterns over the Indo-Pacific and MJO eastward propagation in a suite of 23 GCM simulations. Model capability of reproducing the observed November–April mean lower-tropospheric moisture pattern over the Indo-Pacific, especially near the Maritime Continent (MC), is highly correlated with model skill in simulating MJO eastward propagation. In GCMs with difficulty capturing realistic MJO propagation, the amplitude of the mean low-level moisture over the MC is greatly underestimated, leading to weak horizontal moisture gradients and thus discrepancies in moisture advection, significantly affecting MJO propagation. This study suggests that the mean lower-tropospheric moisture pattern over the MC can serve as an important diagnostic metric for MJO propagation in climate models.
Structural Damage Identification Using Free Response Measured by a Continuously Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer System

Spatially dense operating deflection shapes and mode shapes can be rapidly obtained by use of a continuously scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (CSLDV) system, which sweeps its laser spot over a vibrating structure surface. This paper introduces a new type of vibration shapes called a free response shape (FRS) that can be obtained by use of a CSLDV system, and a new damage identification methodology using FRSs is developed for beam structures. An analytical expression of FRSs of a damped beam structure is derived, and FRSs from the analytical expression compare well with those from a finite element model. In the damage identification methodology, a free-response damage index (FRDI) is proposed, and damage regions can be identified near neighborhoods with consistently high values of FRDIs associated with different modes. The proposed methodology was numerically applied to identify damage in a beam structure.
A fixed point theorem for conical shells

We prove a fixed point theorem for mappings f defined on conical shells F in $$\mathbb R^n$$ , where the image of f need not be a subset of F, nor even a subset of the cone that contains F. In this sense, our results extend, in $$\mathbb R^n$$ , Krasnosel’skiĭ’s well-known fixed point result on cones in Banach spaces (Krasnosel’skiĭ, Soviet Math Dokl 1:1285–1288, 1960). Sufficiency for fixed points of f is dependent only on the behavior of f on the boundary of F. This behavior is related to notions of compressing or extending the conical shell F. We also discuss possible extensions of our theorem to infinite dimensional Banach spaces.
SEDS: Expanding TEDS to include physical structures

Due to the increasingly complex nature of systems, there are benefits in expanding the IEEE 1451.x Transducer Electronics Data Sheet (TEDS) standards to include the physical structures included in these systems. In this paper, we present a format and methodology for Structural Electronics Data Sheets (SEDS) to accurately describe sensor housings, generic enclosures, test chassis, and instrumentation fixtures. SEDS provides the additional functionality to complement systems, such as automatic calibration and compensation of environmental factors that influence the system's physical aspects. We propose the standard's starting point for both SEDS contained on memory as well as a virtual SEDS, accessible from a source external to the structure.
Can I Tell You Something? How Disruptive Self-Disclosure Changes Who “We” Are

Work relationships are dynamic entities that have the potential to change over time. Given this, I develop a process model to explain how some self-disclosures, which I term disruptive self-disclos...
US-Besteuerung einer US-Beteiligung an ausländischen Personengesellschaften

Eine auslandische Personengesellschaft ist eine, die nicht nach dem Recht der USA oder einer ihrer Bundesstaaten errichtet ist1. Fur die Frage, ob es sich um eine auslandische Personengesellschaft handelt oder nicht, wenden die USA ihre eigenen Einordnungsregeln (“classification”) an2. Liegt in diesem Sinne eine auslandische Personengesellschaft vor, so bestimmt sich die Art der Einkunfte “character of income”, die ein US-Gesellschafter bezieht, auf der Ebene der Gesellschaft; genauso, als ob es sich um eine US-Personengesellschaft handeln wurde3.
Differential Expression of Lipid and Carbohydrate Metabolism Genes in Upper Airway versus Diaphragm Muscle

Study Objectives: Contractile properties of upper airway muscles influence upper airway patency, an issue of particular importance for subjects with obstructive sleep apnea. Expression of genes related to cellular energetics is, in turn, critical for the maintenance of contractile integrity over time during repetitive activation. We tested the hypothesis that sternohyoid has lower expression of genes related to lipid and carbohydrate energetic pathways than the diaphragm.
Of Wind and Water

A 65-year-old man with a history of obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic anemia, and renal insufficiency is admitted to the hospital for evaluation of worsening renal failure, a drop in the hemoglobin (Hgb) level, dyspnea on exertion, and fatigue. The patient’s Hgb is 6.2 g/dL (his baseline is 8.0 g/dL), and the creatinine is 4.4 mg/dL on admission. The patient is tachypneic (respiratory rate is greater than 20 breaths/min) and hypoxic (oxygen saturation is 88% on room air). He is treated with supplemental oxygen 2 L/min by nasal cannula and normal saline by slow intravenous (IV) infusion (125 mL/h). A consult is called for evaluation of gastrointestinal bleeding. In the meantime, a type and screen sample (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid [EDTA] anticoagulant) is submitted to the blood bank along with a request for two units of red blood cells (RBCs). The patient received RBC transfusion of two units 3 years ago at the hospital; the antibody screen was negative at that time.
Contribution of monoaminergic mechanisms to the discriminative stimulus effects of 3,4-methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) in Sprague-Dawley rats

3,4-Methylenedioxypyrovalerone (MDPV) is a popular synthetic cathinone reported to have a high abuse potential. Recent preclinical research indicates the psychopharmacology of MDPV is comparable to cocaine. Despite a recent influx of research on the psychopharmacology of MDPV, few studies have employed preclinical drug discrimination methods to discern the neurochemical mechanisms involved in its interoceptive stimulus effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate a variety of monoaminergic agents for substitution, potentiation, or antagonism in rats trained to discriminate MDPV. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were trained to discriminate 0.5 (experiment 1) or 1 mg/kg MDPV (experiment 2) from saline under an FR 20 schedule of food reinforcement. In experiment 1, MDMA, MDA, and their respective optical isomers (0.75–3 mg/kg), cocaine (2.5–20 mg/kg), GBR 12909 (5–40 mg/kg), and desipramine (3.2–10 mg/kg) were assessed for substitution. GBR 12909 (40 mg/kg) and desipramine (3.2 mg/kg) were subsequently assessed for potentiation of the MDPV cue. In experiment 2, stimulus antagonism tests were conducted with dopamine antagonists (Sch 23390, haloperidol) and serotonin antagonists (pirenperone, MDL100907, WAY 100635). The MDMA and MDA enantiomers produced divergent results, with virtually no substitution by (−)-MDMA or (−)-MDA, partial substitution with (+)-MDA, and full substitution with (+)-MDMA, as well as full substitution by the racemates, (±)-MDMA and (±)-MDA. Consistent with previous findings, cocaine fully substituted for MDPV. Although no dose of GBR 12909 or desipramine substituted for MDPV, these reuptake inhibitors enhanced the discriminative stimulus effects of lower MDPV doses. Both D1 (Sch 23390) and D2 (haloperidol) DA antagonists attenuated 1 mg/kg MDPV discrimination, whereas none of the 5-HT antagonists assessed altered MDPV discrimination. These findings indicate MDPV’s interoceptive stimulus effects are mediated predominantly by dopaminergic actions, although serotonergic and/or noradrenergic modulation of these effects cannot be ruled out. Further investigations into the neurochemical actions involved in the discriminative stimulus effects of MDPV may serve to inform medication discovery and development for the treatment of MDPV abuse.
Single-blind inter-comparison of methane detection technologies – results from the Stanford/EDF Mobile Monitoring Challenge

Methane leakage regulations in the US and Canada have spurred the development of new technologies that promise faster and cheaper leak detection for the oil and natural gas industry. Here, we report results from the Stanford/EDF Mobile Monitoring Challenge – the first independent assessment of 10 vehicle-, drone-, and plane-based mobile leak detection technologies. Using single-blind controlled release tests at two locations, we analyze the ability of mobile technologies to detect, localize, and quantify methane emissions. We find that the technologies are generally effective at detecting leaks, with 6 of the 10 technologies correctly detecting over 90% of test scenarios (true positive plus true negative rate). All technologies demonstrated pad-level localization of leaks, while 6 of the 10 technologies could assign a leak to the specific piece of equipment in at least 50% of test scenarios. All systems tested here will require secondary inspection to identify leak locations for repair; thus, mobile leak detection technologies can act as a complement, and not a substitute, for currently used optical gas imaging systems. In general, emissions quantification needs improvement as most technologies were only able to generally provide order of magnitude emissions estimates. Improvements to quantification algorithms, reducing false positive detection rates, and identifying early applications will be critical for deployment at scale. Even as this study provides the first independent verification of the performance of mobile technologies, it only represents the first step in the road to demonstrating that these technologies will provide emissions reductions that are equivalent to existing regulatory approaches.
Preoperative Assessment for Inpatients

This chapter will highlight several important concepts that are relevant to the assessment and optimization of hospitalized patients prior to the administration of an anesthetic. Patients admitted to hospital comprise a unique population. The risk-benefit ratio of pre-procedural investigations and the economic implications of specific management strategies may be significantly different than for patients managed on an ambulatory basis. The anesthesiologist must have a thorough understanding of these factors. Preoperative workflows provide effective coordination of the necessary resources and ensure that each patient’s procedure is completed as safely and efficiently as possible. A working knowledge of reimbursement principles, expertise in local procedural workflows, and the ability to quickly and effectively screen patients for high-risk conditions place anesthesiologists at the center of the perioperative process and the financial viability of their inpatient facility.
Comparison of Outcomes of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury in 36,929 Patients Treated with or without Intracranial Pressure Monitoring in a Mature Trauma System.

Background Severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality with mortality rates reaching 35%. Intracranial pressure (ICP) monitoring is used to prevent secondary brain injury and death. However, while the association of elevated ICP and worsened outcomes is accepted, routine ICP monitoring has been questioned after the publication of several studies including the Benchmark Evidence from South American Trials: Treatment of Intracranial Pressure trial. We examined whether severe TBI patients in the trauma system of Pennsylvania fared better with or without ICP monitoring. Methods We conducted a statewide retrospective analysis and included all TBI patients >18 years with an admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) Results A total of 36,929 patients matched our inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Of those, 6025 (16.3%) had ICP monitor placement. Mean ICU LOS was significantly higher in ICP-monitored patients (13.1 ± 11.6 days vs. 6.0 ± 10.8 days, P Conclusion We found that ICP-monitored patients had a lower risk of in-hospital mortality. Our findings support the use of ICP monitors in eligible patients.
A Precision Acoustic Microscope for Surface Characterization

The development of a digitally-controlled acoustic microscope facility is described that spans the decade frequency range from 10 to in excess of 100 MHz. In this initial implementation, a 12.7 mm focal length system with instantaneous frequency range of 16-45 MHz was evaluated. Lateral scanning and axial translation provide imaging and acoustic material signature (AMS) information, respectively, via color TV monitor display or hard copy output. Initial quantitative results of NDE multimode AMS characterization of a Cu-layer on fused quartz layered structure as well as other AMS and imaging results are reported.
Financial sanctions and political risk in the international currency system

Scholarship on international currencies has traditionally emphasised how an issuing state’s foreign policy can enhance the attractiveness of its currency for cross-border use. Yet, foreign policy a...
KickStat: A Coin-Sized Potentiostat for High-Resolution Electrochemical Analysis

The demand for wearable and point-of-care devices has led to an increase in electrochemical sensor development to measure an ever-increasing array of biological molecules. In order to move from the benchtop to truly portable devices, the development of new biosensors requires miniaturized instrumentation capable of making highly sensitive amperometric measurements. To meet this demand, we have developed KickStat, a miniaturized potentiostat that combines the small size of the integrated Texas Instruments LMP91000 potentiostat chip (Texas Instruments, Dallas, TX, USA) with the processing power of the ARM Cortex-M0+ SAMD21 microcontroller (Microchip Technology, Chandler, AZ, USA) on a custom-designed 21.6 mm by 20.3 mm circuit board. By incorporating onboard signal processing via the SAMD21, we achieve 1 mV voltage increment resolution and an instrumental limit of detection of 4.5 nA in a coin-sized form factor. This elegant engineering solution allows for high-resolution electrochemical analysis without requiring extensive circuitry. We measured the faradaic current of an anti-cocaine aptamer using cyclic voltammetry and square wave voltammetry and demonstrated that KickStat's response was within 0.6% of a high-end benchtop potentiostat. To further support others in electrochemical biosensors development, we have made KickStat's design and firmware available in an online GitHub repository.
Hyperspectral imaging and machine learning for monitoring produce ripeness

Hyperspectral imaging is a powerful remote sensing tool capable of capturing rich spectral and spatial information. Although the origins of hyperspectral imaging are in terrestrial remote sensing, new applications are emerging rapidly. Owing to its non-destructive nature, hyperspectral imaging has become a useful tool for monitoring produce ripeness. This paper describes the process that uses a visible near-infrared (VNIR) hyperspectral imager from Resonon, Inc., coupled with machine learning algorithms to assess the ripeness of various pieces of produce. The images were converted to reflectance across a spectral range of 387.12 nm to 1023.5 nm, with a spectral resolution of 2.12 nm. A convolutional neural network was used to perform age classification for potatoes, bananas, and green peppers. Additionally, a genetic algorithm was used to determine the wavelengths carrying the most useful information for age classification. Experiments were run using RGB images, full spectrum hyperspectral images, and the genetic algorithm feature selection method. Results showed that the genetic algorithm-based feature selection method outperforms RGB images for all tested produce, outperforms hyperspectral imagery for bananas, and matches hyperspectral imagery performance for green peppers. This feature selection method is being used to develop a low-cost multi-spectral imager for use in monitoring produce in grocery stores.
Pruritus in Black Skin: Unique Molecular Characteristics and Clinical Features

Abstract Background Chronic pruritus dramatically disrupts quality of life, impairs sleep, and is difficult to treat. The pathogenesis and severity of chronic itch can vary significantly with race. Black skin has inherent structural and molecular characteristics that exacerbates pruritus, leading to unique presentations of pruritic conditions and added challenges in finding effective therapies. The aim of this review is to discuss structural variances in black skin, the subsequent epidemiological disparities in chronic pruritic conditions, and clinical management pearls for the management of itch in black patients. Methods Current literature including mechanistic, translational, and epidemiological data on racial differences in pruritus focusing on black skin were reviewed in Pubmed. Findings Black skin has several unique structural properties related to the pathogenesis of pruritus, including increased trans-epidermal water loss, decreased ceramide levels, lower pH in the stratum corneum, and increased size of mast cells. Black patients consequently are disproportionately affected by chronic pruritic disorders including atopic dermatitis, prurigo nodularis, HIV-related pruritic dermatoses, and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Conclusion Pruritus and chronic pruritus disorders disproportionately affects black patients. Management of pruritus of special importance in black patients includes low pH skin care products to protect the skin barrier along with emollients to diminish trans-epidermal water loss. Further mechanistic studies are needed to characterize racial differences in biomarkers and therapeutic targets of chronic itch.
Chest Wall Pain after Minor Trauma.

Author(s): Chandwani, Deepak; Arnold, Jeff; Terrusa, John | Abstract: Case Presentation: A 30-year-old healthy male presented with a complaint of chest pain after mild thoracic trauma sustained while rescuing stranded flood victims during Hurricane Harvey. Careful physical examination revealed a tender palpable cord along the lateral aspect of his chest consistent with a superficial thrombophlebitis.Discussion: Mondor’s disease is a superficial thrombophlebitis with myriad underlying causes that can involve the thoracic wall. Although Mondor’s disease has been well described in the literature, this case describes a unique presentation in an austere environment with blunt trauma as the underlying cause.
Enemy Mine: Negative Partisanship and Satisfaction with Democracy

Polarization has increased in recent decades, including emotional distance between partisans. While positive partisan identity has been linked to the absorption of democratic norms and democratic satisfaction, this article addresses the impact of negative partisanship on citizens’ satisfaction with the functioning of their democracies. Employing two measures of negative partisanship – dislike for a party and unwillingness to ever vote for a party – the article finds that negative partisanship is linked to lower satisfaction with democracy, particularly negative partisanship for major parties. It also finds that respondents’ sentiments towards other parties moderate the experience of electoral outcomes; the win/loss satisfaction gap is greater for negative partisans. Defeat is more strongly tied to satisfaction for negative partisans of governing parties. Coalition membership, on the other hand, is more valuable to them. This relationship raises concerns that increasing rates of negative partisan identity reduces democratic commitment, undermining democratic stability.
Sustainable Groundwater Management in California: A Grand Experiment in Environmental Governance

California’s 2014 Sustainable Groundwater Management Act is a grand policy experiment that provides an unprecedented opportunity to analyze five core concepts in environmental governance: cooperati...
Hemostatic Shape Memory Polymer Foams With Improved Survival in a Lethal Traumatic Hemorrhage Model

Although there are many hemostatic agents available for use on the battlefield, uncontrolled hemorrhage is still the primary cause of preventable death. Current hemostatic dressings include QuikClot® Combat Gauze (QCCG) and XStat®, which have inadequate success in reducing mortality. To address this need, a new hemostatic material was developed using shape memory polymer (SMP) foams, which demonstrate biocompatibility, rapid clotting, and shape recovery to fill the wound site. SMP foam hemostatic efficacy was examined in a lethal, noncompressible porcine liver injury model over 6 hours following injury. Wounds were packed with SMP foams, XStat, or QCCG and compared in terms of time to bleeding cessation, total blood loss, and animal survival. The hemostatic material properties and in vitro blood interactions were also characterized. SMP foams decreased blood loss and active bleeding time in comparison with XStat and QCCG. Most importantly, SMP foams increased the 6-hour survival rate by 50% and 37% (vs. XStat and QCCG, respectively) with significant increases in survival times. Based upon the in vitro characterizations, this result is attributed to the low stiffness and shape filling capabilities of SMP foams. This study demonstrates that SMP foams have promise for improving upon current clinically available hemostatic dressings and that hemostatic material properties are important to consider in designing devices for noncompressible bleeding control.
Quark Sivers Function at Small-$x$: Leading contribution from the Spin-Dependent Odderon

We present the calculation of the leading contribution to the quark Sivers function at small-Bjorken $x$. This calculation uses the high energy scattering approximation and operator formalism developed by Kovchegov and Sievert to obtain a dominant contribution to the quark Sivers function coming from the spin-dependent odderon, in agreement with the results of Dong, Zhen, and Zhou. We then calculate this dominant contribution in the diquark model of the proton to obtain a small-$x$ estimate for the Sivers function.
Fuzzy Evaluation of Contra-Flow Evacuation Plans in Texas Medical Center

With the needs of emergency preparedness due to various disasters such as Hurricane, flooding, radiological accident, terrorist attack, toxic material leakage, etc., an efficient transportation evacuation plan such as contra-flow is very crucial. Simulation is a superior tool that can measure the effects of different plans, however often offers contradictory Measurement of Effectiveness (MOE), which may not directly yield out an optimal evacuation plan. In this paper, Fuzzy Logic is employed to evaluate the evacuation plan. A case study illustrates the entire evacuation process that evacuates contra-flow evacuation plans in a typical multi-institutional area: Texas Medical Center in Houston, USA.
Self-reported health concerns and sexual behaviors in adolescents with cervical dysplasia: A pilot study

A group of 46 women attending an adolescent dysplasia clinic were surveyed regarding the reported impact of cervical dysplasia on sexual beliefs and behaviors. The adolescents reported being concerned about their future health and having changed their sexual practices. There were no clear relationships between demographic variables or sexual attitudes and changes. The adolescents' self-reports of their behavior were not consistent; those adolescents who reported safer sex practices did not have lower rates of sexually transmitted diseases postbiopsy. The results of this study indicate the important but complex impact of sexually transmitted disease on adolescents and suggests that this impact on adolescents may be different from that on adults.
THE EFFECTS OF RACIAL/ETHNIC SEGREGATION ON LATINO AND BLACK HOMICIDE

Racial/ethnic residential segregation has been shown to contribute to violence and have harmful consequences for minority groups. However, research examining the segregation–crime relationship has focused almost exclusively on blacks and whites while largely ignoring Latinos and other race/ethnic groups and has rarely considered potential mediators (e.g., concentrated disadvantage) in segregation–violence relationships. This study uses year 2000 arrest data for California and New York census places to extend segregation–crime research by comparing the effects of racial/ethnic residential segregation from whites on black and Latino homicide. Results indicate that (1) racial/ethnic segregation contributes to both Latino and black homicide, and (2) the effects for both groups are mediated by concentrated disadvantage. Implications for segregation–violence relationships, the racial-invariance position, and the Latino paradox are discussed.
LA CURVA DE RENDIMIENTOS: UNA REVISIÓN METODOLÓGICA Y NUEVAS APROXIMACIONES DE ESTIMACIÓN

La curva de rendimientos es una herramienta utilizada ampliamente, por quienes toman las decisiones de politica monetaria o planifican sus inversiones, de acuerdo con la valoracion, negociacion o cobertura sobre instrumentos financieros. Debido a su importancia, el interes del articulo es evaluar el desempeno de un conjunto de modelos econometricos en el ajuste de la estructura a plazos de las tasas de interes (en el escenario del mercado de deuda publica en Colombia y en Estados Unidos), y en las distintas formas que pueden tomar las curvas de rendimientos. Los resultados revelan las bondades en el ajuste de las redes neuronales artificiales (RNA), la curva de Svensson, la curva de Nelson-Siegel y los polinomios locales. No obstante, se recomienda utilizar la curva de Svensson en la estimacion de las tasas de interes, debido a la interpretabilidad de sus parametros y a su superioridad sobre la Curva de Nelson-Siegel.
Triggered single photon emission from a diamond nanowire antenna

We describe room temperature CW and pulsed spectroscopic studies of a high-flux source of single photons based on the fluorescence of an individual Nitrogen-Vacancy color center in a diamond nanowire antenna.
Wound-regulated synthesis and vacuolar compartmentation of proteinase inhibitors in plant leaves.

The loss of agricultural crops because of plant pests is enormous. Estimates have been presented that over 30% of the potential yield of many crops is lost, either in the field or in storage, due to pest attacks. The recovery of even 5–10% of these losses could have major impacts on the political, social and economic aspects of food production in both developed and underdeveloped nations.
The study of drug effects at the cytological level.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents the study of drug effects at the cytological level. Drugs may be separated into two groups: (1) those which do not penetrate the cell but are presumed to exert their effects by modification of the cell surface and (2) those which penetrate either actively or passively and disrupt or modify metabolic actions usually through some type of interference in enzyme activity. Both categories must cover a host of biochemical phenomena, but, in general, the former group is expected to modify exchange across the cell membrane and the latter to interfere directly in one or more metabolic processes including uptake of specific substances, e.g., the interference by penicillin with the uptake of glutamic acid. Many of the surface acting drugs must also be considered to operate through enzymic inhibition, e.g., the relation between acetylcholine and cholinesterase. Enzymic inhibition involves at least three different kinds of action: (1) competition with the normal substrate for the active group of the enzyme (malonic vs. succinic acid for succinic dehydrogenase), (2) irreversible combination with the enzyme (iodoacetic acid and triosephosphate dehydrogenase), and (3) complexing with essential cofactors (fluoride and magnesium).
Apparent complete lower esophageal sphincter relaxation in achalasia.

Abstract Seven of 23 patients (30%) seen in 2 yr with clinical and radiologic manifestations of achalasia underwent esophageal manometry demonstrating aperistalsis but apparent complete lower esophageal sphincter (LES) relaxation. Detailed clinical and laboratory evaluation suggests these patients may represent an early stage of achalasia. Duration of dysphagia and weight loss were significantly less (p