cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can endogenous gastrin inhibit canine interdigestive gastric motility

Abstract Our aim was to determine whether endogenously released gastrin inhibits cyclic interdigestive motility in the proximal stomach. In 4 dogs with chronic duodenal electrodes and isolated innervated antral pouches, we constructed proximal gastric pouches, the external neural connections of which were completely severed by autotransplanting the pouches to the left pelvis. After recovery, the antral pouch was irrigated with 0.2% acetylcholine for 3.7 hr at 90 ml/hr, while intraluminal pressure was monitored in the proximal gastric pouch and myoelectric activity was recorded from the duodenum. Blood was collected concurrently for radioimmunoassay of gastrin. The antral irrigations increased serum gastrin from a mean ± SEM of 85 ± 14 pg/ml before irrigation to a mean ± SEM of 350 ± 54 pg/ml after 30 min of irrigation (P
Endogenous 24S-hydroxycholesterol Modulates NMDAR-mediated Function in Hippocampal Slices

N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs), a major subtype of glutamate receptors mediating excitatory transmission throughout the central nervous system (CNS), play critical roles in governing brain...
Producing women: the internet, traditional femininity, queerness, and creativity

Perhaps most important to understanding Michele White’s argument in Producing Women: The Internet, Traditional Femininity, Queerness, and Creativity (2015) is that women’s production cultures exist...
High-Availability at Massive Scale: Building Google’s Data Infrastructure for Ads

Google’s Ads Data Infrastructure systems run the multi-billion dollar ads business at Google. High availability and strong consistency are critical for these systems. While most distributed systems handle machine-level failures well, handling datacenter-level failures is less common. In our experience, handling datacenter-level failures is critical for running true high availability systems. Most of our systems (e.g. Photon, F1, Mesa) now support multi-homing as a fundamental design property. Multi-homed systems run live in multiple datacenters all the time, adaptively moving load between datacenters, with the ability to handle outages of any scale completely transparently.
Statistical properties of the thickness of a falling liquid film

An optical method for measuring time varying local film thickness is briefly described. Recordings of film thickness were made for Reynolds numbers (equal to 4Q/v) from 145 to 4030 at varying distances along the direction of the flow. These recordings were digitized and analyzed by digital computer for the following statistical parameters: a) frequency spectrum, b) probability density and c) wave velocity. Where possible these results are compared with those obtained by different thickness measurement methods and recorded at different locations relative to the entrance to the flow. For the length of flow used here, 134 cm, surface characteristics are strongly dependent on distance from the entrance. This dependence appears to lessen after a transition zone where the wave motion stabilizes. There are at least three Reynolds number regions within which the surface characteristics are quite distinct, wavy laminar, transitional and turbulent. These differences are shown by changes in probability density curves from one region to another.
Bank-firm Relationship and the Growth of SMEs:Evidence from the Value of Relationship Lending

Based on the survey of World Bank on 1 186 Chinese SMEs of 18 cities,the paper makes an empirical study on the correlation of bank-firm relationship and the growth of SMEs in China. It finds that the numbers of relationship banks and the time of maintaining these relationships have negative effects on the growth of the enterprises. But the relationship degree formed by enterprises' collection of credits by using relationship has a positive effect on the growth of the enterprises,especially in larger enterprises,non-state-owned enterprises and groups under weak market competition. The paper provides empirical evidences on the practice of the theory of SMEs' relationship lending in China and also reveals the application value of SMEs' relationship lending.
Clinical and Laboratorial Assessment for Identifying Isolated Premature Thelarche and Central Precocious Puberty

Objective To explore the fast assessment method for identifying isolated premature thelarche(IPT) and central precocious puberty(CPP).Methods The serum basal and stimulated luteinizing hormone(LH),follicle stimulating hormone(FSH) and estradiol(E2) in 140 girls with IPT and 80 healthy girls as health control group[0-3 years old group(group C1) with 30 cases and 3-8 years old group(group C2) with 50 cases] were detected.A gonadotropin releasing hormone analogue(GnRHa) stimulation test was performed in 140 girls with IPT.The 140 girls were divided into 3 groups:IPT group,CPP group,and peripheral precocious puberty group(PPP group).Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitneg tests were performed on the data between every groups.Results For basal LH levels,there were significant diffe-rences between IPT1 group and group C1,among IPT2 group,CPP group and group C2(Pa0.05).For basal FSH and E2 levels,there were significant differences between CPP group and group C2(Pa0.05).For basal LH/FSH ratio,there was significant difference between IPT2 group and CPP group(P0.05).After GnRH stimulation test,in peak LH levels,there were significant differences among IPT2 group,CPP group,and PPP group(Pa0.05).For peak FSH levels,there was no significant difference between IPT2 group and CPP group(P0.05).For peak LH/FSH ratios,there was significant difference between IPT2 group and CPP group(P0.05).Between ITP2 and CPP group,basal LH level more than 0.3 IU/L could be used to diagnose CPP with 82 percent sensitivity,84 percent specificity,18 percent false negative rate and 16 percent false positive rate;basal LH/FSH ratio more than 0.2 could be used to diagnose CPP with 76 percent sensitivity,80 percent specificity,24 percent false negative rate and 20 percent false positive rate.Conclusions IPT has an endocrine pattern of dominant FSH,the basal LH/FSH ratio often less than 0.2 and the peak LH/FSH ratio often less than 0.3.CPP has an endocrine pattern of dominant LH,the basal LH/FSH ratio often more than 0.2 and the peak LH/FSH ratio often more than 0.6.
Tibiotalar Torsion: Bioengineering Paradigm

1. Medial tibiotalar torsion is the most common disorder peculiar to mankind. 2. The pathogonomic findings are (a) an axial medially rotated and adducted distal third of the shaft of the tibia, (b) the plafond of the tibia with its mortise containing the "track-bound" talus, which is deflected strongly toward the tibial side, (c) an exaggerated midtarsal equinus, (d) ostensible restriction of dorsiflexion of the hindfoot against the tibia, (e) mild separation of the distal tibiofibular articulation, and (f) forward displacement of the gravitational axis to the naviculocunei-form joint. 3. Faulty leg crossing in utero resulting in an abnormal pelvofemoral-tibial design is discussed and its important consequences in the vulnerable 40 per cent of the population are emphasized. 4. The kinesiomechanics of the leg, ankle and foot is reviewed. 5. The radiographic parameters of medial tibiotalar torsion are presented, as well as the multiple facets of the clinical examination. 6. Methods of treatment depending on age and severity of the disorder are recommended. Surgery, detortional casts, and corrective footwear are discussed. Shoes presently available are inadequate for tibiotalar torsion and therefore engineering principles must be applied in the design and construction of all footwear, including sneakers and sportswear. This can be done only if the pathological biomechanics of this group of disorders is recognized. Biplane proximal tibial osteotomy is recommended in refractory cases, especially when tibiotalar torsion is demonstrated. 7. After 30 years of experience, the author finds that results with these patients have been uniformly good to excellent, depending on age and mode of treatment. 8. In medial tibiotalar torsion, the consequent adaptive changes are readily observed, but rarely are they recognized as the inevitable sequelae of medial tibiotalar torsion. 9. Adaptive compensating disorders are identified and their mechanism described. 10. The management of torsional and static disorders and adaptations of the leg, foot, and knee should not continue on an empirical basis. Recognition of recently presented parameters of the lower limbs in the vulnerable "40 percenters" permits the use of sound engineering principles in both conservative and operative correction of these disorders.
Are Domestic Violence Offenders Specialists? Answers from Multiple Analytic Approaches:

Objectives:Existing theory and policy regarding domestic violence (DV) often assume a highly specialized offender. Specialization literature in general, however, holds that specialization is not very common—even in DV. The current study builds on previous work by using multiple analytic methods to assess specialization/versatility among DV offenders, with a focus on gender differences.Methods:The sample includes 730 individuals processed through a misdemeanor DV docket. Demographic measures were available, and complete criminal histories were compiled for each defendant. Analyses include the diversity index and offense specialization coefficient, multivariate models predicting those measures, multilevel item response theory analysis, and latent class analysis (LCA).Results:Results are generally consistent in finding an effect of gender on DV specialization as well as relationships between the age of onset and the overall offending frequency. Female offenders demonstrate a greater degree of DV specializati...
Semi-Markov Smooth Mobility

The characteristics and analytical model of the semi-Markov smooth mobility model are described including verification of the model through simulations. The flexibility of representing the real-life scenarios of the MANET by the SMS mobility model is explained. The distance transition probability matrix is derived to predict the future link status based on the present distance between two neighboring nodes and their relative speed , which matches closely with simulation results.
Improved Outcome as a Result of Recognition of Absent and Compressed Cisterns on Initial CT Scans

The identification of absent or compressed basal cisterns on CT scans obtained after closed head injury has been shown to be related both to mortality and to the subequent development of elevated intracranial pressure (Murphy et al. 1983, van Dongen et al. 1983, Toutant et al. 1984). One of these studies (Toutant et al. 1984) was performed using data acquired from the pilot phase of the Traumatic Coma Data Bank. Recently, the main phase of this study has been completed and the data is undergoing initial analyses. We felt it would be of interest to compare the relationship of the findings of absent or compressed cisterns on initial CT scans to outcome in this larger group of patients and hypothesized that the information gained from the pilot study suggesting that recognition and aggressive management of patients with this radiographic finding would result in improved outcome.
An Examination of Happiness between Race, Gender, and School Classification: An Echo Boomer Analysis

Subjective well-being is often evaluated by happiness within specific domains such as marriage, family life, career, health, material goods and finance. Results of domain based investigations of may not translate to the younger echo boomer generation due to a lack of relevancy to their lifestyles. The purpose of this study was to examine subjective well-being across race, gender, and school classification among college students without domain classification. Volunteer participants received surveys that contained demographic questions and items assessing subjective happiness. Surveys were completed by 1,724 students and analysed statistically. Results showed significant differences in mean subjective happiness scores between race and school classification. No significant differences were found in mean subjective happiness scores between men and women. Findings suggest that the echo boomer generation differs from previous generations in subjective well-being across demographics.
Effect of Intensive Chemotherapy on Physical, Cognitive, and Emotional Health of Older Adults with Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Objectives To measure short-term changes in physical and cognitive function and emotional well-being of older adults receiving intensive chemotherapy for acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Design Prospective observational study. Setting Single academic institution. Participants Individuals aged 60 and older with newly diagnosed AML who received induction chemotherapy (N = 49, mean age 70 ± 6.2, 56% male). Measurements Geriatric assessment (GA) was performed during inpatient examination for AML and within 8 weeks after hospital discharge after induction chemotherapy. Measures were the Pepper Assessment Tool for Disability (activity of daily living, instrumental activity of daily living (IADL), mobility questions), Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB), grip strength, Modified Mini-Mental State examination, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, and the Distress Thermometer. Changes in GA measures were assessed using paired t-tests. Analysis of variance models were used to evaluate relationships between GA variables and change in function over time. Results After chemotherapy, IADL dependence worsened (mean 1.4 baseline vs 2.1 follow-up, P < .001), as did mean SPPB scores (7.5 vs 5.9, P = .02 for total). Grip strength also declined (38.9 ± 7.7 vs 34.2 ± 10.3 kg, P < .001 for men; 24.5 ± 4.8 vs 21.8 ± 4.7 kg, P = .007 for women). No significant changes in cognitive function (mean 84.7 vs 85.1, P = .72) or depressive symptoms (14.0 vs. 11.3, P = .11) were detected, but symptoms of distress declined (5.0 vs 3.2, P < .001). Participants with depressive symptoms at baseline and follow-up had greater declines in SPPB scores those without at both time points. Conclusions Short-term survivors of intensive chemotherapy for AML had clinically meaningful declines in physical function. These data support the importance of interventions to maintain physical function during and after chemotherapy. Depressive symptoms before and during chemotherapy may be linked to potentially modifiable physical function declines.
A Novel Two-Step Method for Screening Shade Tolerant Mutant Plants via Dwarfism

When subjected to shade, plants undergo rapid shoot elongation, which often makes them more prone to disease and mechanical damage. Shade-tolerant plants can be difficult to breed; however, they offer a substantial benefit over other varieties in low-light areas. Although perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) is a popular species of turf grasses because of their good appearance and fast establishment, the plant normally does not perform well under shade conditions. It has been reported that, in turfgrass, induced dwarfism can enhance shade tolerance. Here we describe a two-step procedure for isolating shade tolerant mutants of perennial ryegrass by first screening for dominant dwarf mutants, and then screening dwarf plants for shade tolerance. The two-step screening process to isolate shade tolerant mutants can be done efficiently with limited space at early seedling stages, which enables quick and efficient isolation of shade tolerant mutants, and thus facilitates development of shade tolerant new cultivars of turfgrasses. Using the method, we isolated 136 dwarf mutants from 300,000 mutagenized seeds, with 65 being shade tolerant (0.022%). When screened directly for shade tolerance, we recovered only four mutants from a population of 150,000 (0.003%) mutagenized seeds. One shade tolerant mutant, shadow-1, was characterized in detail. In addition to dwarfism, shadow-1 and its sexual progeny displayed high degrees of tolerance to both natural and artificial shade. We showed that endogenous gibberellin (GA) content in shadow-1 was higher than wild-type controls, and shadow-1 was also partially GA insensitive. Our novel, simple and effective two-step screening method should be applicable to breeding shade tolerant cultivars of turfgrasses, ground covers, and other economically important crop plants that can be used under canopies of existing vegetation to increase productivity per unit area of land.
Giving Paternalism a Bad Name: The Economy of Enlightenment

Enlightenment’s discussion of the individual’s relation to authority is fundamentally colored by the structure and legal limits of the “ganzes Haus,” which had provided the analogy for the organization of the absolutist state. Although enlightenment rhetoric relies heavily on the concept of “house,” enlightenment itself dissolves the theoretical assumptions underlying the “ganzes Haus.”
Phototropic Guest–Host Liquid Crystal Systems: Environmental Effects on Naphthopyran Kinetics

Photoinduced isothermal and order-increasing phase transitions can be observed in guest–host liquid crystal mixtures containing naphthopyran derivatives. The changes are attributed to the different geometry and a less energetically favorable interaction with the liquid crystal molecules for the ground state naphthopyran species with respect to the photoproduct. In this study, we have investigated the thermal relaxation of the naphthopyran photoproduct back to the initial species as a function of temperature and excitation conditions. It was found that the thermal relaxation is typically first-order and its characteristic rate has a temperature dependence that is different in the anisotropic and isotropic states of the mesogenic solvents. In particular, the activation energy for thermal relaxation is larger in the ordered phases of mesogenic solvents relative to their isotropic phase. The findings suggests that the naphthopyran relaxation is hindered by the organization of the host environment. These resul...
A literature review of preventable hospital readmissions: Preceding the Readmissions Reduction Act

Preventable readmissions are a large and growing concern throughout healthcare in the United States, representing as many as 20% of all hospitalizations (30-day post-discharge) and an estimated $17...
Replicability, Response Bias, and Judgments, Oh My! A New Checklist for Evaluating the Perceptual Nature of Action-Specific Effects

Abstract According to the action-specific account of perception, people perceive the spatial layout of the environment relative to their abilities to act. Moving objects appear slower when they are easier to catch, and hills appear steeper when they are harder to climb. Action-specific effects have been documented in a wide variety of contexts reflecting multiple types of action influences from energetics to performance to affordances. However, there have also been numerous challenges as to whether action-specific effects are genuinely perceptual. Because action-specific effects are measured using perceptual judgments, it is unknown whether action influences perception itself or the judgments used to assess perception. Several strategies have been employed and many more suggested. Here, I provide a checklist that is intended to be a comprehensive list of these strategies as they can be applied to action-specific research. I describe the nuances of these various strategies, and I illustrate how the checklist can be used to both evaluate current action-specific effects as well as to motivate future research to provide further clarity on this important theoretical issue. At least one action-specific effect meets the criteria necessary to be deemed genuinely perceptual.
Prolylcarboxypeptidase Promotes Endothelial Cell Proliferation and Vascular Repair

Abstract Abstract 1142 Background. The S28 serine protease, prolylcarboxypeptidase (PRCP) degrades bradykinin, angiotensin II, alpha melanocyte stimulating hormone and actives plasma prekallikrein. Additionally our studies indicate that PRCP depletions in vivo and in cultured cells are associated with increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) and loss of constitutive anticoagulant function of endothelium (Blood 2011; 117:3929). PRCP-depleted mice are prothrombotic and hypertensive. We observed that PRCP-depleted cells in culture have reduced growth. We posited that PRCP promotes vascular health by influencing cell proliferation, angiogenesis, and wound repair. Methods and Results. Initial investigations determined that PRCP influences vascular endothelial cell proliferation. Bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) were depleted of PRCP by siRNA knockdown resulting in 5% residual mRNA. After transfecting equal numbers of BAEC, at 24 h, the PRCP siRNA transfected cells have reduced proliferation, −18±3 change in cells/high power field (HPF) (mean±SEM), compared to the sham transfected cells, +23±8 cells/HPF, p Conclusions. These combined studies indicate that PRCP levels in endothelial cells influence cell proliferation and growth. In the whole animal this cell biology observation translates into less induced and wound repair angiogenesis. Since PRCP-depleted endothelial cells and vessels from PRCPgt/gt have increased ROS with loss of anticoagulant properties and PRCPgt/gt have higher thrombosis risk, the finding that PRCP also influences endothelial cell growth and angiogenesis suggests that PRCP promotes vascular health and injury repair. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Electromagnetic Scattering From Individual Crumpled Graphene Flakes: A Characteristic Modes Approach

Graphene flakes (GFs) in real composites are rarely perfectly flat, and often exhibit complicated crumpled shapes. Therefore, the goal of this paper was to quantify the electromagnetic scattering characteristics of individual crumpled GFs with shapes resembling those found in real composites. The extinction cross sections of tens of GFs, with different sizes and various levels of crumpleness, were calculated using multiple independent solvers. The results show that resonances in the extinction cross section spectrum decrease in amplitude as the GFs become more crumpled. Moreover, some crumpled GFs exhibited a broader resonance than that of perfectly flat GFs. To explain these results, we used a characteristic mode analysis to decompose the graphene surface currents into a set of fundamental currents or modes. For perfectly flat square GFs, the vertical and horizontal modes were found to overlap and resonate at the same frequencies. However, as the GFs became more crumpled, the horizontal/vertical symmetry broke down causing the corresponding modes to separate and resonate at different frequencies leading to an overall broader bandwidth. These results attest to the importance of modeling the exact shape of GFs to accurately characterize their electromagnetic response.
Jumping Scale in the World-System with English as a Lingua Franca: Branding, Post-Native-Speakerism, and the Meaning of “a Singapore”

To grasp Native Speakerism in historical contexts is to better grasp how it has served capitalism geographically. Native Speakerism has worked differently during each of three eras: colonializing, decolonizing, and the post-1970 era of global restructuring. The more marketization generally transcends the old, imperial networks of metropole-and-margins, the more Native Speakerism misfits the world. Ongoing conditions of semi-decentralisation fit the rise of ELF (English as Lingua Franca). According to sociologist Giovanni Arrighi, conditions meanwhile advantage East Asia’s more diasporic form of capitalism, over the corporate capitalism of Europe, the U.S., or Japan. In schooling, such conditions feed trends of co-locating, twinning, networking, regionalism, and relevant branding. Through such trends, capitalism works to reconfigure productions of space and place. According to geographers David Harvey and Neil Brenner, toward overcoming distances (and toward overcoming nationalist hierarchization of geographic scale itself), capitalism today highlights things that “jump scale.” An excellent example is postcolonial Singapore. In light of the above, this chapter outlines the history of Anglophone schooling in Singapore. Moreover, the chapter draws on fieldwork and published texts to trace, across southeast Asia, a growing set of proprietary schools piggybacking on Singapore’s success with its Anglophone school curriculum—a signal success of the overseas Chinese diaspora. No cities can transport themselves to Singapore, but many each can harbor a “Singapore school” to transact networking of its tuition payers. As more do so, ELF will continue to displace Native Speakerism.
Zein–Laponite nanocomposites with improved mechanical, thermal and barrier properties

Zein, a prolamin of corn, is a bio-renewable resource that can potentially offer alternatives for petroleum-based polymers in many applications. Nanocomposite formation with the addition of silicate nanoparticles (Laponite) to zein films, cast from 70% ethanol solutions, significantly improved the mechanical, thermal and barrier properties. Based on FTIR findings, a mechanism for zein–Laponite nanocomposite formation is proposed, which suggests Laponite nanoparticles bind to zein molecules through Si–N bond formation. Structural characteristics investigated using AFM and TEM confirmed exfoliation of the nanoparticle. The changes in the surface energy of the films were evaluated using water contact angle measurements and showed an increase in surface hydrophobicity. The Young’s modulus and tensile strength increased with nanoparticle concentration. The glass transition temperature increased, and water vapor permeability decreased with only a small amount of Laponite.
From innovation to implementation: optimizing long-term outcomes after TAVR.

Nothing can stop an idea whose time has come. —Victor Hugo [(1)][1] Percutaneous replacement or repair of heart valves have been some of the most exciting innovations in the field of interventional cardiology in the past decade. Since the early animal experiments by Henning-Rud Andersen in 1992
Smoking cessation intervention among Vietnamese Americans: a controlled trial

Objective To evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally appropriate, media-led information and education smoking cessation campaign. Design Two-year controlled trial, multicomponent programme. Subjects and setting Vietnamese men living in Santa Clara County, California, US. Main outcome measures Pretest (1990) and post-test (1992) surveys of randomly selected Vietnamese men in Santa Clara County and Houston, Texas, serving as a comparison community. Results In both 1990 and 1992, adult males in both communities were more likely to smoke if they were younger (p Conclusion The continuing high smoking prevalence rate among Vietnamese men in Santa Clara County suggests a need for continuing intervention, particularly among recent immigrants.
P019 : SENSITIZATION CHANGES ARE COMMON AND CLINICALLY RELEVANT IN WAITLISTED KIDNEY TRANSPLANT PATIENTS

Aim The median time to deceased donor kidney transplant ranges from ∼1100 to 1200 days in the US, with blood group B having a median wait time of greater than 6 years. Given this substantial interval, the cost benefit of longitudinal antibody screening is unclear. The goal of this study was to evaluate and quantify the rate of sensitization changes in a cohort of waitlisted kidney recipients to help inform the potential benefit of monitoring this fluctuation. Methods We retrospectively analyzed cPRA variation as identified by Luminex PRA and SAB screening among waitlisted renal patients from 2010 to 2013. Strong HLA antibodies (MFI > 8000) were utilized to define unacceptable antigens for primary transplants and those >1000 MFI were used for regrafts. We analyzed patient cPRA every 6 months over a 4-year period. Results 85% of waitlisted recipients ( n = 3311/4013) had more than two cPRA values during the study period to permit sensitization assessment. Overall, 4.1% of patients converted from cPRA negative to positive. Despite this low incidence, 85% of these patients recorded a cPRA rise to >20%, making them eligible to accept 0 mm deceased donors under the UNOS policy. Importantly, another 10% of these candidates experienced a significant rise in cPRA to > 80%. Within sensitized candidates with a positive cPRA (20%, n = 673/3311), 54% experienced fluctuations in the degree of sensitization. The prevalence of this finding was consistent across all recipients, irrespective of their gender, initial cPRA level, and primary/regraft status ( Fig. 1 ). Collectively, our data suggest sensitization changes are common and clinically relevant in waitlisted kidney patients. Conclusion Among non-sensitized recipients, our data show that a percentage of patients will be disadvantaged in the absence of routine pre-transplant HLA antibody screening. Increasing the frequency of testing for sensitized patients may prove critical in both the risk assessment and the ability of waitlisted candidates to benefit from the UNOS allocation policy.
Developing Good Multiple-Choice Tests and Test Questions

Multiple-choice tests, although often criticized, still form the backbone of most standardized and classroom tests for a variety of reasons. The advantages of multiple-choice assessments over most free-response assessments include lower costs for scoring, higher reliability, broader sampling of content, and the ability to obtain a wide range of scores. Carefully constructed multiple-choice questions can assess a wide variety of skills and abilities, including higher-order thinking skills. Creating a good multiple-choice test starts with a description of the skills, abilities, and knowledge to be tested in the form of written specifications. Once the test specifications are prepared, test questions that assess the skills, abilities, and/or knowledge must be constructed. The requirements for constructing good multiple-choice tests include: giving clear directions, composing unambiguous questions, not giving unintended clues, providing simple visual stimuli or syntax, using accessible vocabulary, and testing...
Consistency of Kernel Density Estimators and Laws of Large Numbers in Co (R)

The kernel density estimators can be considered as averages of (usually) symmetric probability density functions which are centered at the sample data points. Consequently, the appropriate function-space setting for these kernel density estimators is of considerable interest and has been discussed in the literature. In this paper, the space of real-valued continuous functions which go to zero at ±∞, Co (R), with the supremum norm, is proposed for these considerations. Laws of large numbers are developed for Co (R) which have direct application in establishing the uniform strong consistency of the kernel density estimators. Moreover, under mild conditions on the kernel functions, it can be shown that no proper subspace of Co (R) will suffice for these considerations.
Complementary and alternative medical practice: self-care preferred vs. practitioner-based care among patients with asthma.

Background Interest in disease self-management has increased as the US population ages, as health care costs skyrocket, and as more evidence is gathered on the etio-logic basis of most chronic diseases. This study uses National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) data to analyze the association between asthma episode during the past 12 months and patterns of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use within the same period among adults, controlling for comorbid conditions. Methods Using questions taken from the adult sample questionnaire and the Alternative Supplement of the 2002 NHIS, responses of those ever having asthma (N = 3327) were analyzed in this cross-sectional, correlational study. The c2 test of independence was used to examine the relationships between experiencing an asthma episode in the past year, coexisting comorbidity, and the use of self-care based CAM compared to practitioner-based CAM. Results Overall CAM use differed significantly by asthma status, with 49% of those with asthma episodes using CAM compared with 42% of those who did not have an episode in the past year. Self-care based therapies were more likely to be used than practitioner-based therapies by individuals with single comorbid condition compared to those with 2 or more comorbidities. Conclusion Although this study supports previous work indicating that disease severity—in this instance, asthma within the past year—is significantly associated with CAM use, it did not support studies showing greater CAM use in the presence of a greater number of comorbidities, suggesting that disease burden is a limiting factor when it comes to self-care based CAM use.
Re-Forming the Gates: Postwar Immigration Policy in the United States Through the Hart-Celler Act of 1965

This chapter examines immigration policy in the United States from the end of World War II through the passage of the Immigration and Nationality Act, or Hart-Celler Act, of 1965. Hart-Celler wiped away a half century of race- and nationality-based admissions policy, abolishing the national origins quota system. The Act is rightly viewed as a watershed in immigration history, and marked an end to Europe’s dominance as the primary sending region of immigrants to the U.S. At the time of its passage, though, the bill was not intended as a revolutionary change. Instead policymakers attempted to devise a new system of exclusion that would eliminate racial discrimination without changing the character or flow of immigrants to the country. Though Hart-Celler ultimately failed to regulate immigration as intended, the system of family and labor preferences it mandated became the standard for future policy debates.
Characteristics and longer-term outcomes of paravalvular leak after aortic and mitral valve surgery.

Abstract Background Paravalvular leak (PVL) is often seen after aortic (AV) and mitral valve (MV) surgery, either due to infection or valve dehiscence. We sought to describe predictors of longer-term outcomes in patients who developed PVL after AV and MV surgery and were considered eligible for reoperative cardiac surgery (RCS). Methods We studied 495 such patients (65 ± 14 years, 65% men, 47% with MV PVL) who presented at our center between January 2003 and December 2011. Patients with severe mitral/aortic stenosis, patients with less than mild PVL, and those with prohibitive risk precluding RCS were excluded. Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) score was calculated. Primary endpoint was mortality. Results At baseline, mean STS score and left ventricular ejection fraction were 5.8 ± 4% and 52 ± 12%, respectively. In total, 105 (21%) had infective PVL and 72% had moderate or greater PVL. At a median of 8 days, 351 (71%) patients underwent RCS to repair PVL (3% in-hospital postoperative mortality), and at 6.6 ± 4 years, 230 (47%) patients died. On multivariable Cox survival analysis, greater STS score (hazard ratio or HR 1.35), mitral versus aortic PVL (HR 1.66), infectious etiology (HR 2.05), and greater right ventricular systolic pressure (HR 1.09) were associated with greater longer-term mortality, whereas surgery (HR 0.58) was associated with improved longer-term survival (all P Conclusions Patients who develop mild or greater PVL after AV/MV surgery have a high rate of longer-term mortality, despite excellent perioperative outcomes. Greater STS score, right ventricular systolic pressure, infectious etiology, and MV (vs AV) involvement were all independently associated with long-term mortality, whereas RCS for PVL closure was associated with improved longer-term survival.
Three-Beam Interferometry for Dynamic and Low-Signal Measurments

We present an interferometer for the characterization of dynamic optical materials and metasurfaces. A three-beam method provides robust measurements despite unavoidable drift. Measurements are demonstrated with a phase-change material, ultra-thin materials, and a dielectric metasurface. © 2019 The Author(s)
The Role of the Instrument Suite Systems Engineer in MMS Fleet Operations

The Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission is a major NASA effort to better understand the behavior of Earth's magnetosphere. MMS consists of a cluster of four satellites with many instruments including several high voltage instruments. The operations concept includes the notion of a systems engineer for the Instrument Suite (IS); that is, the collection of instruments in aggregate on each spacecraft and across the fleet. This paper discusses the role of the Instrument Suite Systems Engineer (ISSE) over the course of the mission including the six-month commissioning period, the two-year primary mission, and the ongoing extended mission. Some of the activities the ISSE supports include deployments, initial high voltage operations, maneuvers, operation of the central instrument data processor, and interactions between instruments. The ISSE fills the gap between the Payload Operations Center (POC) and the instrument teams by providing in depth knowledge of the IS and instrument designs and the IS concept of operations put into force by the POC.
Risk Factors for Falls in Older Adults Experiencing Homelessness: Results from the HOPE HOME Cohort Study.

More than half of homeless adults are of age ≥ 50 years. Falls are a common cause of morbidity in older adults in the general population. Risk factors for falls in the general population include poor health, alcohol use, and exposure to unsafe environments. Homeless adults aged ≥ 50 have a high prevalence of known risk factors and face additional potential risks. To examine the prevalence of and risk of falling in a cohort of older homeless adults. Longitudinal cohort study with participant interviews every 6 months for 3 years; data were analyzed using generalized estimating equations (GEEs). Three hundred fifty adults aged ≥ 50, homeless at study entry, recruited via population-based sampling. The dependent variable is any falls in prior 6 months; independent variables include individual (i.e., illness, behaviors) and social/environmental (i.e., social support, experiencing violence, living unsheltered) factors. Over three quarters of participants were men (77.1%) and Black (79.7%). The median age was 58 (IQR 54, 61). At baseline, one third (33.7%) reported a fall in the prior 6 months. At follow-up visits, 23.1% to 31.2% of participants reported having fallen. In GEE models, individual risk factors (non-Black race, being a women, older age, functional impairment, urinary incontinence, history of stroke, and use of assistive devices, opioid, and marijuana) were associated with increased odds of falls. Environmental and social factors (spending any nights unsheltered (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.42, CI = 1.10–1.83) and experiencing physical assault (AOR = 1.67, CI = 1.18–2.37) were also associated. Older homeless adults fall frequently. Likely contributors include having a high prevalence of conditions that increase the risk of falls, compounded by heightened exposure to unsafe environments. Fall prevention in this population should target those at highest risk and address modifiable environmental conditions. Providing shelter or housing and addressing substance use could reduce morbidity from falls in homeless older adults.
Revenue-Maximizing Corporate Income Taxes: The Laffer Curve in OECD Countries

Corporate tax rates among industrialized nations have been declining steadily since the mid 1980s. Theories of globalization, capital mobility and tax competition have been proposed to explain these changes. Less attention has been paid to the changes in corporate tax receipts during this period and their relationship to tax rates. This note explores these changes and finds, similar to Clausing (2007), strong statistical evidence of a Laffer curve in the international corporate tax data. This conclusion remains even when significant potential outlier countries, such as Ireland, Switzerland and Norway, are excluded from the sample. We extend her work by exploring the time variation in the revenue maximizing corporate income tax rate from 1980 to 2005. We find robust evidence that a Laffer curve has existed in the corporate tax sphere throughout most of our sample period. It is not merely a recent phenomenon. We also find that the revenue maximizing corporate tax rate was about 34 percent in the late 1980s, and that this rate has declined steadily to about 26 percent for the most recent period. In addition, we confirm our finding when using combined central and sub-central (i.e. federal plus average state) tax rates.
Climate Change: Expanding Anthropological Possibilities

Climate anthropology has broadened over the past decade from predominately locally focused studies on climate impacts to encompass new approaches to climate science, mitigation, sustainability tran...
Identifying professional dissonance: teacher learning in job-embedded contexts and English-learner (EL)-focused teacher leadership

Many US schools and districts employ teacher leadership and professional development to improve English learner (EL) student education, yet less is known about teachers’ perspectives and learning w...
Spanning Student Networks: Designing Undergraduate Research Journal Websites to Foster Student–Student Mentoring

Abstract Undergraduate research (UR) journals in writing studies should be designed to bridge networks of undergraduate researchers and students in writing and rhetoric classes, fostering interaction and student–student mentoring in order to increase access to and inclusion in UR in writing studies. Drawing on social and actor network theories, this article studies one UR journal, Young Scholars in Writing, from 2003 through 2020, combining a past editor’s analysis of its digital presence in those years with a survey of contributors to assess the journal website’s support of researcher–student relations by spanning classroom and UR networks. It concludes with design principles to guide journal staff and classroom teachers in developing protocols and practices to foster student–student interaction and mentoring.
Impact of pre-existing heart failure on 60-day outcomes in patients hospitalized with COVID-19.

Background: In the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) global pandemic, patients with cardiovascular disease represent a vulnerable population with higher risk for contracting COVID-19 and worse prognosis with higher case fatality rates. However, the relationship between COVID-19 and heart failure (HF) is unclear, specifically whether HF is an independent risk factor for severe infection or if other accompanying comorbidities are responsible for the increased risk. Methods: This is a retrospective analysis of 1331 adult patients diagnosed with COVID-19 infection between March and June 2020 admitted at Rush University System for Health (RUSH) in metropolitan Chicago, Illinois, USA. Patients with history of HF were identified by International Classification of Disease, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) code assignments extracted from the electronic medical record. Propensity score matching was utilized to control for the numerous confounders, and univariable logistic regression was performed to assess the relationship between HF and 60-day morbidity and mortality outcomes. Results: The propensity score matched cohort consisted of 188 patients in both the HF and no HF groups. HF patients did not have lower 60-day mortality (OR 0.81; pâ¯=â¯0.43) compared to patients without HF. However, those with HF were more likely to require readmission within 60â¯days (OR 2.88; pâ¯<â¯0.001) and sustain myocardial injury defined as troponin elevation within 60â¯days (OR 3.14; pâ¯<â¯0.05). Conclusions: This study highlights the complex network of confounders present between HF and COVID-19. When balanced for these numerous factors, those with HF appear to be at no higher risk of 60-day mortality from COVID-19 but are at increased risk for morbidity.
PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL FORM OF I131 IN FALLOUT

—Studies of the physical and chemical forms of I131 fallout following the USSR nuclear tests of late 1961 and the United States and USSR studies of 1962 have shown that the fraction existing in the gaseous state varied from about 10 to 90 per cent. Very little of the gaseous I131 appeared to be in the elemental or HI form. The I131 which could easily be leached from the particulate portion of the fallout was found to be mainly in the reduced form as iodides or elemental iodine; about one-third was in the iodate form and very little or none was in the periodate form.
Macromolecular crowding in solution alters huntingtin interaction and aggregation at interfaces

Abstract Huntington’s disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease caused by an extended polyglutamine (polyQ) domain within the first exon of the huntingtin protein (htt). PolyQ expansion directly invokes the formation of a heterogenous mixture of toxic htt aggregates, including fibrils and oligomers. While htt is a cytosolic protein, it also associates with numerous membranous surfaces within the cell, leading to altered organelle morphology and dysfunction. Here, the impact of macromolecular crowding on htt aggregation in bulk solution and at solid/liquid or membrane/liquid interfaces was investigated. Dextran, Ficoll, and polyethylene glycol (PEG) were used as crowding agents. In bulk solution, crowding enhanced the heterogeneity of non-fibrillar aggregate species formed in a crowder dependent manner. However, crowding agents interfered with the deposition of htt fibrils on mica, suggesting that a crowded aqueous phase influences the interaction of htt with interfaces. By use of in situ atomic force microcopy (AFM), the aggregation of htt directly at mica and bilayer interfaces was tracked. The predominate aggregates type observed to form at the mica interface was fibrillar, but oligomeric aggregates of various stabilities were also observed. Crowding in the aqueous phase suppressed deposition and formation of htt aggregates on mica. In contrast, the addition of crowders enhanced deposition of htt aggregates onto supported total brain lipid extract (TBLE) bilayers. Different crowding agents led to distinct htt aggregates on supported bilayers with unique morphological impact on bilayer integrity. Collectively, these observations point to the complexity of htt aggregation at interfaces and that crowding in the aqueous phase profoundly influences this process.
Isolation of plant mitochondria and mitochondrial nucleic acids

The isolation of plant mitochondria has always been somewhat difficult, complicated primarily by the biochemical changes that occur during plant cell development and across plant species. The accumulation of phenolic compounds by some tissues reduces the yield of good quality mitochondrial DNA, and the presence of carbohydrates will interfere with DNA digestion by restriction enzymes. The most gentle handling and attention to proper mitochondrial lysis can still result in the shearing of mitochondrial DNA, and even pre-lysis DNAse treatment does not prevent nuclear DNA contamination in mitochondrial preparations of certain plant species. All of these features have frustrated plant biologists attempting to investigate plant mitochondrial genome structure. The particular plant species, tissues, developmental stages, and planned use for a mitochondrial preparation are primary considerations in determining the appropriate procedure to use for the isolation of mitochondria.