cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exercise Testing Identifies Patients at Increased Risk for Morbidity and Mortality Following Fontan Surgery

Objective. The objective of this study was to examine the relationship between exercise test data and mortality in patients who have had the Fontan procedure. Design. The study was designed as a retrospective cohort study. Setting. The study was set in a tertiary care center. Patients. All study participants were Fontan patients ≥16 years old who had cardiopulmonary exercise tests at our institution between November 2002 and March 2010. The first exercise test with adequate effort during the study period was retained for analysis. We enrolled 146 patients at a median age of 21.5 years (16.0–51.6); 15.8 years (1.2–29.9) after Fontan surgery. Outcome Measures. The outcome measures were exercise test data (peak oxygen consumption, peak heart rate, etc.); mortality. Results. Peak oxygen consumption averaged 21.2 ± 6.2 mL/kg/min, 57.1 ± 14.1% predicted. Follow-up data were collected 4.0 ± 2.0 years (range 0.3–7.7) after the exercise test. Sixteen patients (11%) died during follow-up; their peak oxygen consumption (16.3 ± 4.0 mL/kg/min) was significantly less than the survivors' (21.8 ± 6.2 mL/kg/min; P < .0001). Recursive partitioning and Cox proportional hazards modeling revealed that the hazard for death for patients with a peak oxygen consumption of <16.6 mL/kg/min was 7.5 (95% confidence interval: 2.6, 21.6; P < .0002) times that of patients with a higher peak oxygen consumption. Similarly, the hazard ratio for patients with peak-exercise heart rates of <122.5 bpm was 10.6 (3.0, 37.1; 0 < 0.0002). Data from exercise tests could also identify patients at increased risk for a combined morbidity/mortality end point. Conclusions. In adults with Fontan surgery, exercise test data can identify patients at increased risk of midterm morbidity and mortality.
CONSTRAINTS ON THE MORPHOLOGICAL EVOLUTION OF MARSUPIAL SHOULDER GIRDLES

Throughout their evolutionary histories, marsupial mammals have been taxonomically and morphologically less diverse than their sister taxa the placentals. Because of this, it has been proposed that the evolution of marsupials has been constrained by the functional requirements of their mode of reproduction. Marsupials give birth after short gestation times to immature neonates that immediately crawl, under the power of their precociously developed shoulder girdles, to the teat where they attach and complete their early development. Using a novel approach incorporating adult and embryological morphological data, this study is the first to both: (1) statistically support adult patterns of morphological divergence consistent with the constraint hypothesis, and (2) identify ontogenetic patterns of morphological change that demonstrate that the constraint was responsible, at least in part, for their formation. As predicted by the marsupial constraint, the shoulder girdles of adult marsupials are less diverse than those of adult placentals, and adult marsupial scapulae are less morphologically diverse than adult marsupial pelves. Furthermore, marsupials that complete an extensive crawl to the teat are restricted to a common pattern of ontogenetic scapular shape change, strongly supporting the hypothesis that the morphological development of the marsupial scapula has been limited evolutionarily by its obligate role in the crawl to the teat. Because this study establishes that ontogenetic and evolutionary morphological change is correlated within mammalian scapulae, it is probable that the marsupial constraint also restricted the morphological divergence of the scapula over evolutionary time by limiting ontogenetic change in the scapula. These findings, coupled with the importance of the shoulder girdle in mammalian locomotor specialization, support the conclusion that the low morphological diversity of marsupial forms over evolutionary time could be directly due to the constraint on marsupial morphological evolution caused by the functional requirements of the crawl to the teat.
Executive Federalism Comes to America

From healthcare to marijuana to climate change, negotiations among federal and state executive branch actors increasingly set national policy in the United States. This executive federalism fits uneasily into existing understandings: it departs from expectations that Congress formulates national policy and mediates state-federal relationships; it poses a challenge to popular suggestions that the president is engaged in unilateral action; and it comes as a surprise to those who have studied executive federalism but insist it is the peculiar province of parliamentary federations. In an age of partisan polarization, congressional gridlock, and state initiative, executive federalism has come to America. After describing the emerging practice of American executive federalism and the collaboration and contestation it entails, this article offers a qualified defense. It suggests that executive federalism facilitates a form of governance suited to polarization: state-differentiated national policy. It argues that executive federalism offers a promising forum for bipartisan compromise because it involves iterative, relatively nontransparent interactions among disaggregated government actors. And it makes a case for executive federalism in terms of democratic representation notwithstanding obvious shortcomings. The article also questions some widespread doctrinal assumptions. In particular, it proposes that federalism might enhance, rather than diminish, federal agencies’ claims to Chevron deference, and it advocates judicial receptivity to federal executive involvement in interstate agreements.
Straight and Curved Path Walking Among Older Adults in Primary Care: Associations With Fall-Related Outcomes

Abstract Background Most falls among community-dwelling older adults occur while walking. Simple walking tests that require little resources and can be interpreted quickly are advocated as useful screening tools for fall prone patients. Objective To investigate 2 clinically feasible walking tests consisting of straight- and curved-path walking and examine their associations with history of previous falls and fall-related outcomes among community-living older adults. Design A cross-sectional analysis was performed on baseline data from a longitudinal cohort study. Setting Participants were recruited through primary care practices. Participants Participants included 428 primary care patients ≥65 years of age at risk for mobility decline. Participants had a median age of 76.5 years, 67.8% were women, and 82.5% were white. Methods Straight-path walking performance was measured as the time needed to walk a 4-meter straight path at usual pace from standstill using a stopwatch (timed to 0.1 second). Curved-path walking performance was timed while participants walked from standstill in a figure-of-8 pattern around two cones placed 5 feet apart. Main Outcome Measurements Multivariable negative binomial regression analyses were performed to assess the relationship between straight-path walking or curved-path walking and self-reported history of number of falls. For fall-related injuries, and fall-related hospitalizations, logistic regression models were used. Results In the fully adjusted model, an increase of 1 second in straight path walking time was associated with 26% greater rate of falls (rate ratio 1.26, 95% confidence interval 1.10-1.45). An increase in curved-path walking time was associated with 8% greater rate of falls (rate ratio 1.08, 95% confidence interval=1.03-1.14). Neither walk test was associated with history of fall-related injuries or hospitalizations. Conclusions Poor performance on straight- and curved-path walking performance was associated with a history of greater fall rates in the previous year but not with a history of fall-related injuries or hospitalizations. This information helps inform how previous fall history is related to performance on walking tests in the primary care setting.
Using a clicker and a tone CS to suppress free-operant avoidance behavior

Rats were trained under a free-operant avoidance schedule with R-S intervals of 15, 20, or 30 sec. Following a repeated-measures design, the rats received a 60-sec clicking and discontinuous-tone stimulus as a preshock CS in separate training phases. Each block of CS-US sessions was preceded and followed by blocks of CS sessions without the US. The two preshock CSs produced comparable levels of suppressed avoidance behavior, as indexed by an increase in rates of unavoided shocks. The CS-US arrangements failed to produce significant differences between response-rate measures. Reliable differences in indexes of suppressed avoidance due to either the R-S interval or the kind of auditory CS were not found. However, enhancement in avoidance behavior occurred during the clicking CS in the pretest sessions.
System of Systems Based Security-Constrained Unit Commitment Incorporating Active Distribution Grids

In restructured power systems, the transmission and distribution grids are autonomously utilized by independent system operator (ISO) and distribution companies (DISCOs), respectively. As the operating condition of one grid influences the decisions made by operators of other grids, the ISO and DISCOs should collaborate and cooperate with each other in order to operate the entire power system in a secure and economic manner. According to the concept of system of systems (SoS) engineering, this paper presents a decentralized decision-making framework to determine a secure and economical hourly generation schedule for a transmission system encompassing numbers of active distribution grids. Taking into consideration the physical connections and shared information between ISO and DISCOs, an SoS-based SCUC framework is designed and a hierarchical optimization algorithm is presented to find optimal operating points of all independent systems in the SoS-based power system architecture. The numerical results show the effectiveness of the proposed SoS framework and solution methodology.
Perceived Costs and Benefits of Early Childbearing: New Dimensions and Predictive Power.

CONTEXT Understanding the causes of early childbearing is important for reducing the persistently high rates of early births in the United States. Perceptions of possible benefits may contribute to these rates, while high opportunity costs may dissuade women from early childbearing. METHODS Perceptions of costs and benefits of pregnancy, as well as later experiences of pregnancy, were assessed for 701 nulligravid women aged 18–22 who entered the Relationship Dynamics and Social Life study in 2008–2009 and were interviewed weekly for up to 30 months. Bivariate t tests, chi-square tests and multivariable discrete-time event history analyses were used to assess associations of perceived personal consequences of childbearing (e.g., predicted financial costs), goals in potentially competing domains (opportunity costs) and social norms with subsequent pregnancy. RESULTS Twenty percent of women reported that early childbearing would have more positive than negative personal consequences. Compared with other women, those who had a pregnancy during follow-up had, at baseline, more positive perceptions of the personal consequences of pregnancy and of their friends’ approval of pregnancy, and greater desire for consumer goods. In multivariable analyses, only the scales assessing perceived personal consequences of childbearing and friends’ approval of childbearing were associated with pregnancy (odds ratios, 2.0 and 1.2, respectively). Goals in potentially competing domains were not associated with pregnancy. CONCLUSION Young women's perceptions of consequences of early childbearing predict subsequent pregnancy. That these perceptions are distinct from childbearing desires and from other dimensions of costs and benefits illustrates the complex attitudinal underpinnings of reproductive behavior.
[Dis]Ableing Educational Inequities: A Disability Studies in Education Perspective

Disability Studies is often viewed as only relevant to those with disabilities. What is forgotten or overlooked is that, at its core, schooling is about defining, locating, measuring, and remediating ability . This essay offers [dis]ableing as a lens for exploring and questioning the ubiquitous ways ability has increasingly become defined and constructed by notions of individualism, competition, and economic productivity. We begin with a description of the key principles borrowed from disability studies in education and apply a [dis]ableing lens to inaugural discussions of Race to the Top federal educational reforms in the United States in order to examine the hidden consequences for all students. This article concludes with new understandings about how educational inequities are perpetuated by the policies and practices that purport to dismantle them.
Effects of Transportation on Racial/Ethnic Diversity of National Park Visitors

ABSTRACTThe demographic composition of the United States is increasingly diverse, but racial/ethnic minority groups are substantially underrepresented in visiting national parks. Transportation is needed to provide access to national parks but may not be equally accessible to all groups in society. This study uses a general population survey of New York City residents to examine the role of transportation in visiting national parks by three racial/ethnic groups (Hispanic, Black, and White). Principle study variables were perceived barriers to visiting national parks and the importance of transportation-related incentives in encouraging visits to national parks. Study results identified three categories of barriers: comfort and safety, expense, and accessibility; Hispanics perceive higher levels of barriers than do Whites and Blacks. Transportation incentives may increase national park visitation, especially by Hispanics. Survey findings partially support the marginality and discrimination hypotheses, and ...
CHEST TRAUMA: Approach and Management

A synopsis of both blunt and penetrating thoracic trauma, this article outlines an approach to management for injuries to the lung, heart, esophagus, tracheobronchial tree, diaphragm, and major thoracic vessels. Also outlined are the management of rib fractures, scapula fractures, sternal fractures, and, in particular, flail chest with associated pulmonary contusion.
'M-Pesa': The Technical Transformation of Local Economics in Kenya Through Increased Money Mobility

Less than a decade ago, in Kenya, the preferred mode of small-scale business transactions was “cash in hand”. Though Kenyans could conduct business with whomever they pleased, it limited the when and the where of business, placing boundaries on the culture surrounding business relations and local economic growth. However, this started to change with the launch of M-PESA, a mobile-to-mobile money service in 2007. Within its first four years it had over 9 million users, rendering void the small business “cash only” slogan, in exchange for “M-PESA” or “Mobile-money”. M-PESA led to the start of a grassroots economic transformation, narrowing the gap between urban and rural Kenyans. Suddenly, anyone with a cell phone can send and receive money. Moreover, this service is not tied to a bank account and the cash is readily accessed at any of the 40,000 agents in little booths around the country.This paper will examine how this new mobility in money transfer has altered some of the priorities seen as necessary in the financial sector to stimulate the economy, postulate as to why this new idea was so quickly adapted, and finally analyze how it changed the culture of business relationships in Kenya.
Rough Seas: Ethnography and Academic Freedom on The Scholar Ship

The Scholar Ship (TSS) is an innovative venture in higher education. Its goal is to enhance intercultural contact, communication and competence by exposing college students to an intensive international educational experience. TSS accomplishes this goal by constructing a higher education institution in an ocean liner; drawing students, faculty and administrators from all over the world, and then journeying for entire semesters to a series of international ports of call. Thus, TSS provides its students with a rich and edifying international experience simply by giving them an opportunity to live aboard a ship among such a varied complement of passengers. TSS further enhances its students’ international education by making a significant effort to equip students with the essential intercultural competencies (Schroer, 2009) to travel safely and successfully in the many different countries that were part of the TSS itinerary.
Comparison of pediatric atypical antipsychotic exposures reported to U.S. poison centers

AbstractContext: The rise in atypical antipsychotic prescribing increases the risk of pediatric exposures. Published studies in children are limited.Objective: The objectives are to evaluate national poison center data on atypical antipsychotic exposures in young children and compare toxicity amongst selected agents.Materials and methods: A retrospective study of U.S. National Poison Data System single substance exposures, from 2005 to 2013, of five atypical antipsychotics in children <6 years old, followed to known outcome was performed. Data were evaluated for reason, clinical effects, management site and outcome.Results: There were 16,935 exposures included: 5018 aripiprazole, 1735 olanzapine, 3904 quetiapine, 4778 risperidone and 1500 ziprasidone. Median age was two years. Most common reason was unintentional-general (90.6%). Therapeutic error occurred more often with risperidone (19.9%). Clinical effects occurred in 59.4% of aripiprazole, 57.9% of olanzapine, 56.6% of ziprasidone, 40.1% of risperidon...
Classification of mild cognitive impairment in a population study

Objetivos. Describir la metodologia para el diagnostico del deterioro cognitivo leve (DCL) en el CHS-CS (Cardiovascular Health Study Cognition Study). Metodos. El CHS-CS realizo un estudio detallado de 3.602 sujetos con el objeto de detectar signos de demencia y de DCL en cuatro ciudades de los EEUU. La prevalencia del DCL se determino en toda la cohorte y los subtipos de DCL se examinaron solamente en una de las ciudades (Pittsburgh). El DCL se clasifico del modo siguiente: 1. DCL de tipo amnesico (TA): los pacientes presentaban un deterioro de la memoria y las otras funciones cognitivas eran normales. 2. DCL con deterioros cognitivos multiples (DCM): los sujetos a) presentaron un deterioro, documentado por dos examenes neuropsicologicos anormales (mas de 1,5 DE), en una sola area cognitiva que no incluye a la memoria, o b) una area cognitiva anormal, con un solo test neuropsicologico anormal en otra area cognitiva, o c) dos tests neuropsicologicos anormales en dos areas cognitivas diferentes. El DCL se considero probable cuando no coexistia ninguna otra causa que pudiera explicar los deficit cognitivos, y posible cuando ocurrio en el contexto de desordenes sistemicos, neurologicos o psiquiatricos que pudieran afectar a las capacidades intelectuales. Conclusion. El estudio demostro que hasta un 22% de los sujetos mayores de 70 anos padecia un DCL. Este es un sindrome heterogeneo, donde existe una forma amnesica y otra que presenta un deficit cognitivo mas amplio.
Clinical predictive models for chemotherapy-induced febrile neutropenia in breast cancer patients: A validation study.

1055 Background: This study aims to validate a predictive model (Jenkin’s model) for febrile neutropenia (FN) during chemotherapy in early-stage breast cancer patients. Methods: A total of 428 breast cancer patients who received neoadjuvant/adjuvant chemotherapy (Anthracycline and/or taxane based) without any prophylactic use of colony-stimulating factor were included. Pretreatment absolute neutrophil counts (ANC) and absolute lymphocyte counts (ALC) were used by the Jenkin’s model to assess the risk of FN. In addition, we modified the threshold of Jenkin’s model and generated Model-A and B. We also developed Model-C by incorporating the absolute monocyte count (AMC) as a predictor into Model-A. The rates of FN in the 1st chemotherapy cycle were calculated. A valid model should be able to identify high-risk subgroup of patients with FN rate >20%. Results: Jenkin’s model (Predicted as high-risk when ANC≦3.1*10^9/L;ALC≦1.5*10^9/L) did not identify any patient with a significantly high risk (>20%) of FN in o...
Techniques for Event and Feature Detection

Event and feature detection are important aspects of signal processing in cardiology. Knowledge of the rate and rhythm of the heart are critical aspects of patient monitoring. Even within a single beat, the different phases of the cardiac cycle provide important information of the physiology. Although this information could be gleaned manually from the electrocardiogram, continuous blood pressure, or respiratory signals, having automatic calculations of the rates, rhythms, and amplitudes of these different signals nearly instantaneously saves precious time that could be used to save a patient’s life. These real-time measurements are often also linked to visual or audio alarms that alert hospital staff when something is going wrong. Cardiac gating for image acquisition requires accurate identification of electrocardiographic features. Automatic event and feature detection is also useful in off-line analysis and in automated analysis for cardiac imaging (i.e., determining the heart’s boundaries). This chapter will discuss common signal processing techniques that are used for event and feature detection.
Increased warfarin requirements in a patient with chronic hepatitis C infection receiving sofosbuvir and ribavirin

Purpose A case of increased warfarin requirements during treatment with sofosbuvir and ribavirin for chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is reported. Summary A 63-year-old white man receiving long-term anticoagulation with warfarin for atrial fibrillation and a history of cardioembolic stroke was initiated in September 2014 on a 12-week course of sofosbuvir 400 mg orally daily and weight-based ribavirin 600 mg orally twice daily for HCV genotype 2 infection. Before starting this treatment regimen, the patient had been stable on warfarin 52.5 mg weekly, with therapeutic International Normalized Ratio (INR) values. During the 12-week course of sofosbuvir and ribavirin, the patient’s dose of warfarin progressively increased from 52.5 to 77.5 mg weekly due to subtherapeutic INRs, with the first adjustment in the warfarin dose occurring 9 days after initiation of HCV treatment. Three weeks after completion of the sofosbuvir and ribavirin regimen, the patient’s INR was 3.06, and his warfarin dose was then decreased to 70 mg weekly. The patient continued with this warfarin dosage until 18 weeks after completion of his HCV regimen. The dosage was then decreased to 65 mg weekly after an INR of 3.86. Three weeks later, his INR was 2.19, and warfarin 65 mg weekly was continued. As of June 2016, the patient has continued to require warfarin 62.5–65 mg weekly to maintain a therapeutic INR. Conclusion A 63-year-old man on a stable dose of warfarin experienced a decrease in INR values after the initiation of a 12-week course of sofosbuvir and ribavirin for the treatment of chronic HCV infection.
Autonomous detection and classification of change using aerial robots

This work proposes a strategy for autonomous change detection and classification using aerial robots. The aerial robots are initially armed with the capacity to autonomously explore unknown environments. Subsequently the online-derived inspection path is repeated in the next missions in order to detect change. For aerial robotic missions that were conducted in different spatio-temporal conditions, the pose-annotated camera data are first compared for similarity in order to identify the correspondence map among the different image sets. Then, efficient feature matching techniques relying on binary descriptors are used to estimate the geometric transformations among the corresponding images from different mission runs, and finally image subtraction and filtering are performed, enabling robust change detection results. To further decrease the computational load, the known poses of the images from different runs are used to create local subsets within which similar images are expected to be found. Once change detection is accomplished, a small set of the images that present the maximum levels of change are used to classify the change by searching to recognize a list of known objects through a bag-of-features approach. The proposed algorithm is initially verified using handheld-smartphone collected data, and eventually evaluated in experiments using an autonomous aerial robot.
Tunable higher-order orbital angular momentum using polarization-maintaining fiber

For the first time, to the best of our knowledge, light with orbital angular momentum (OAM) of ±2ℏ per photon is produced using commercially available polarization-maintaining fiber with modal purity of 96%. Twist measurements demonstrate that the average orbital angular momentum can be continuously tuned between ±2ℏ. The authors consider beams of non-integer OAM, created using the presented method, as superpositions of integer OAM states.
Differentiating pathways of neighborhood change in 50 U.S. metropolitan areas

Rapid transformations sweeping the United States over the past 50 years have necessitated a reassessment of longstanding theories on how the neighborhood change process has unfolded. This article b...
Feasibility and Acceptability of Smartphones and Wearable Devices as an Intervention Tool for College-Aged African American Females in an Experimental Physical Activity Study.

Objective: The current study examined the feasibility and acceptability of using the commercially available Jawbone UP accelerometer and associated smartphone application, or “app,” to promote phys...
Antivirals and Male Reproduction

The use of antiviral medications has increased with the recognition and treatment of HIV infections, and these drugs are the main focus of this chapter. HIV has become a chronic disease, and many men with HIV desire children. The disease itself has profound negative effects on semen quality, as does infection with hepatitis C virus (HCV), so treatment with antivirals generally improves semen quality in men with longer duration of infection and/or greater symptoms. Several changes in medical practice have allowed studies of pharmacopathology of antiviral medications and brought focus on medication effects in asymptomatic men: (1) the successful practice of specialized sperm washing of asymptomatic men with HIV infection for insemination of their HIV-negative partner; (2) the recommendation that men begin anti-retroviral treatment before HIV symptoms appear; and (3) the recommendation that men without HIV infection who have HIV-seropositive partners take HIV prophylaxis. Early cases of HIV infection were generally treated by monotherapy with the nucleoside analog reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) zidovudine (AZT). Currently, men with HIV infections take combination anti-retroviral therapy (cART), involving three or more medications, making it difficult to assess the toxicity of individual medications. In general, zidovudine alone or cART have minimal negative effects on semen quality; the most common being decreased rapid swimming of motile sperm. We review studies with other outcomes and animal studies in this chapter. Peginterferon-α, which is utilized together with ribavirin to treat HCV, does appear to decrease testosterone levels and semen quality although studies showing these effects have been small. Antiviral medications used to treat viral infections other than HIV and HCV have received little experimental attention for male reproductive effects, even in experimental species.
Implant supported overdenture for the atrophic mandible.

A long-term denture wearer exhibited advanced alveolar bone loss, resulting in an atrophic mandible. Symphyseal bone height was 10 mm. The inferior alveolar nerve and mental foramen were close to the crest of the mandible. The symphyseal region was available for endosteal implant placement. Patient was an 83-yearold white male who was medically compromised. Anticoagulant therapy was stopped and INR evaluated prior to implant surgery. With the help of computerized tomography, four Nobel Biocare Tapered TiUnite narrow platform implants were placed anteriorly between the mental foramina. An implant-supported mandibular overdenture was fabricated. Locator attachments provided retention and stability for the prosthesis. This helped improve the patient’s quality of life. IT IS ESTIMATED that 8% of the U.S. population is edentulous in one or both dental arches. The age group 65 and older is projected to increase from 12% to 20% in the next 25 years. The rate of edentulism increases with age, resulting in people 75 years and older being 44% edentulous. 1 The maxilla is more frequently edentulous than the mandible. It is, however, in the mandible that dentures cause problems and much unhappiness, resulting in a decreased quality of life. 2,3 Therefore,
Clorgyline effect on pineal melatonin biosynthesis in rats with lesioned suprachiasmatic nuclei.

We have reported that clorgyline-induced stimulation of pineal melatonin biosynthesis could be augmented by the exposure to 24 h of constant light in young but not in aged rats. Aging is associated with the declined integrity of the suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN), the major station of the light signal passage from the retina to the pineal gland. The present study aimed to investigate whether SCN integrity is essential for clorgyline effects on pineal melatonin biosynthesis in light-primed rats. Clorgyline (2.5mg/kg, s.c.) was administered to sham-operated and SCN-lesioned Sprague-Dawley rats kept under regular light/dark cycle or exposed to 24 h of constant light. Pineal melatonin and related indoles were evaluated by HPLC-fluorimetric procedure.
Pre-empting Violent Conflict: Learning from Environmental Cooperation

Recent scholarship in the field of ecological security has been devoted to linkages between environmental degradation and violent conflict. The emerging focus has been how and why some actors engage in cooperation rather than conflict over environmental issues. Two main ideas are considered here: First, a clear distinction is made between environmental security and ecological security as they relate to environmental conflict. Environmental security is defined as the extension of national security interests into the environmental arena, whereas ecological security is a goal of stakeholders to create a condition whereby the physical surroundings of a community provide for the needs of its inhabitants without diminishing its natural stock. Second, this chapter suggests that theories and strategies for resolving environmental conflicts can be developed through analyzing cases in which violent conflict over environmental issues has been avoided. The use of case studies provides insight into existing mechanisms for environmental cooperation and the building of institutions for ecological security.
Self-Reported Health Status and Medical Debt

This paper examines the relationship between self-reported health status and medical debt outcomes using data from the 2013 Panel Study of Income Dynamics. There were two outcomes of interest: (a) the likelihood of having any medical debt, which included 4,227 households and (b) the amount of medical debt (medical debt > 0), which included 631 households. The results from the multivariate models showed that fair/poor health status increased the likelihood of having any medical debt by 73% and was associated with an increase in the amount of medical debt among those with medical debt by about 77% (p
Extending a Reactive Expression Language with Data Update Actions for End-User Application Authoring

Mavo is a small extension to the HTML language that empowers non-programmers to create simple web applications. Authors can mark up any normal HTML document with attributes that specify data elements that Mavo makes editable and persists. But while applications authored with Mavo allow users to edit individual data items, they do not offer any programmatic data actions that can act in customizable ways on large collections of data simultaneously or that modify data according to a computation. We explore an extension to the Mavo language that enables non-programmers to author these richer data update actions. We show that it lets authors create a more powerful set of applications than they could previously, while adding little additional complexity to the authoring process. Through user evaluations, we assess how closely our data update syntax matches how novice authors would instinctively express such actions, and how well they are able to use the syntax we provided.
Marx’s Method of Successive Abstractions and a Historical-materialist Sociology of Religion:

This second installment continues my investigation of Marx’s research practice. I previously examined Marx’s method of successive abstractions in his analysis of modes of production. This article a...
Ku Stabilizes Replication Forks in the Absence of Brc1

DNA replication errors are a major source of genome instability in all organisms. In the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe, the DNA damage response protein Brc1 binds phospho-histone H2A (γH2A)-marked chromatin during S-phase, but how Brc1 protects genome integrity remains unclear. Here we report that the non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) protein Ku becomes critical for survival of replication stress in brc1∆ cells. Ku's protective activity in brc1∆ cells does not involve its canonical NHEJ function or its roles in protecting telomeres or shielding DNA ends from Exo1 exonuclease. In brc1∆ pku80∆ cells, nuclear foci of Rad52 homologous recombination (HR) protein increase and Mus81-Eme1 Holliday junction resolvase becomes critical, indicating increased replication fork instability. Ku's localization at a ribosomal DNA replication fork barrier associated with frequent replisome-transcriptosome collisions increases in brc1∆ cells and increased collisions correlate with an enhanced requirement for Brc1. These data indicate that Ku stabilizes replication forks in the absence of Brc1.
A Synergy Between Peer Evaluation and Student Coaching in Team-Based Learning: Coach Review of Peer Evaluations Improves Student Acceptance

Peer assessment is an integral component of team-based learning (TBL) and provides a method to foster accountability and team performance. Traditionally, peer assessment in TBL contributes to the final course grade. We assessed the impact of replacing course grading with student’s faculty coach review. As a result of this intervention, student self-reported evaluation truthfulness improved from 44 to 76% of the population surveyed. In addition, student self-reported incorporation of peer feedback increased from 18 to 38%. The data suggest that the combination of student coaching and longitudinal review of peer feedback may improve overall effectiveness of the process.
A Family of PISEMA Experiments for Structural Studies of Biological Solids

Narrowest heteronuclear dipolar coupling spectral lines provided by the two-dimensional polarization inversion spin exchange at the magic angle (PISEMA) technique lead to the development and application of a series of multidimensional solid-state NMR methods for the structural studies of biological solids. Studies have shown that the measurement of structural and orientational constraints from uniformly labeled proteins using PISEMA is crucial, particularly in the structure determination of membrane-associated proteins. Excellent line-narrowing efficiency, high scaling factor, and performance at various magic-angle-spinning (MAS) speeds and radio frequency (rf) power are the main advantages of PISEMA. However, high rf power requirement and offset effects are the major limitations of this technique. In this chapter, these difficulties and methods to overcome them are discussed for both static and MAS experimental conditions. Experimental and simulated data to demonstrate the efficacy of newly developed PISEMA-type pulse sequences are also presented.
Understanding the Nutritional Needs of Transgender and Gender-Nonconforming Students at a Large Public Midwestern University

Purpose: The purpose of this research was to generate knowledge of the nutrition-related health disparities and barriers to adequate nutrition and health that transgender and gender-nonconforming (GNC) university students experience. Methods: A needs assessment was conducted with 26 transgender/GNC students enrolled at a large public Midwestern university from November 2017 through February 2018. Interviews and surveys were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data regarding nutrition-related health disparities and barriers, and to identify potential interventions to reduce the disparities or barriers. Results: Major themes emerged around food insecurity, body image, nutrition knowledge and skills, dietary intake, and barriers to healthy eating and positive body image. Other themes included inclusiveness of existing resources and resource needs and preferences. Conclusion: Participants identified interventions that could be introduced on campus to improve their health and nutrition status. Comparisons between study participants and LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) populations in the Midwest and with the general student population at the same university show poorer results for dietary intake, body image behaviors, and food security among transgender/GNC study participants. Overall, this study provides a deeper understanding of nutrition-related needs among transgender/GNC university students.
Factor structure of the critical consciousness scale in juvenile legal system‐involved boys and girls

The Critical Consciousness Scale (CCS) is a recently developed and validated measure for use with low-income, diverse adolescents. However, research on the psychometric properties of this scale with juvenile legal system-involved youth is lacking. This study examines the psychometric properties of the critical reflection subscales of the CCS in a cross-sectional sample of 206 youth (48% girls) involved in the juvenile legal system to investigate (a) the factor structure of the critical reflection subscales of the CCS compared to existing adolescent samples, and (b) the extent to which critical reflection demonstrates measurement equivalence between boys and girls. Findings indicate (a) congruence with the previous literature on critical reflection but for system-involved girls, and (b) a difference in the structural relationships between perceived inequality and egalitarianism by gender. This study contributes to the nascent, psychometric literature on measures of critical consciousness in an underrepresented and unique adolescent population.
Cooperative repression and methylation of Cancer-Testis antigen genes by DNMT1 and DNMT3b

2741 Cancer Testis (CT) antigens are a medically important group of tumor-associated antigens that provoke autologous, MHC-restricted, T-cell responses in cancer patients. In this study, we investigated the contribution of individual DNA methyltransferase enzymes to CT antigen gene repression and methylation in human colon cancer cells. As expected based on previous work, treatment of previously non-CT antigen expressing colon cancer cell lines with the DNA methyltransferase inhibitor 5-aza-2`-deoxycytidine (DAC) robustly activates CT antigen gene expression. Dual treatment of DAC with the histone deacetylase inhibitor Trichostatin A enhanced this effect. As determined by sodium bisulfite genomic DNA sequencing, genetic disruption of DNA methyltransferase(DNMT) 1 in HCT116 colon cancer cells has a moderate effect on promoter methylation of CT antigen genes (n=3) (64% of control), while disruption of DNMT3b has a lesser effect (83% of control). However, neither of the individual DNMT knockouts significantly induces CT antigen gene expression, including MAGE-A1, NY-ESO-1, or XAGE-1. In contrast, dual disruption of DNMT1 and DNMT3b dramatically reduces methylation levels at CT antigen promoters (24% of control) and robustly induces the expression of MAGE-A1, NY-ESO-1, and XAGE-1. Thus, DNMT1 and DNMT3b cooperatively repress CT antigen gene expression and synergistically catalyze CT antigen promoter DNA methylation. We used a novel mass spectrometry assay to determine the global content of 5-methyldeoxycytosine (5mdC) in DNMT single knockout cell lines and found that 5mdC concentrations are either slightly reduced (DNMT1 knockout cells) or unaffected (DNMT3b knockout cells). In contrast, in the double knockout cells, genomic DNA methylation is greatly reduced (approximately 25% of control). This result supports the earlier suggested model that CT antigen expression is linked to global losses in genomic DNA methylation. We also investigated the modification status of histone H3 tail lysines in chromatin present at active and inactive CT antigen gene promoters. There is an increased prevalence of dimethylated lysine 9 (me-H3K9) and a decreased prevalence of dimethylated lysine 4 (me-H3K4) at inactive CT antigen promoter regions, such as that found in the parental HCT116 cell line. This modification pattern is reversed in the DNMT1/DNMT3b dual knockout cells, where there is an increased prevalence of me-H3K4 and decreased prevalence of me-H3K9 at CT antigen promoters. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that DNMT1 and DNMT3b cooperatively regulate CT antigen gene expression, promoter DNA methylation, and histone H3 methylation. Future studies will examine whether selective targeting of specific DNMT enzymes can enhance the efficacy of CT antigen-targeted immunotherapy.
7 – Preprogrammed Reactions

Reactions to unexpected stimuli at time delays (latencies) longer than those of typical reflexes (>40 ms) and shorter than those of the quickest simple reaction time (<100 ms) have been addressed using many names. These include long-loop reflexes, M2-3, functional stretch reflexes, transcortical reflexes, triggered reactions, and preprogrammed reactions. The variety of the names reflects the different understanding of these phenomena. In particular, they have been viewed as examples of complex reflexes as well as examples of very quick voluntary actions. To avoid confusion, within this chapter we are going to address these phenomena as preprogrammed reactions. Later, arguments will be presented supporting this term.
Minimal main pancreatic duct dilatation in small branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms associated with high-grade dysplasia or invasive carcinoma.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of high-grade dysplasia (HGD) or invasive carcinoma in patients with small branch duct intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (BD-IPMNs). Methods 923 patients who underwent surgical resection for an IPMN were identified. Sendai-negative patients were identified as those without history of pancreatitis or jaundice, main pancreatic duct size (MPD) Results BD-IPMN was identified in 388 (46.4%) patients and 89 (22.9%) were categorized as Sendai-negative. Overall, 68 (17.5%) of BD-IPMN had HGD and 62 (16.0%) had an associated invasive-carcinoma. Among the 89 Sendai-negative patients, 12 (13.5%) had IPMNs with HGD and only one patient (1.1%) had invasive-carcinoma. Of note, older age (OR 1.13, 95% CI 1.03–1.23; P = 0.008) and minimal dilation of MPD (OR 11.3, 95% CI 2.40–53.65; P = 0.002) were associated with high-risk disease in Sendai-negative patients after multivariable risk adjustment. Conclusion The risk of harboring a high-risk disease remains low in small BD-IPMNs. However, Sendai-negative patients who are older than 65 years old and those with minimal dilation of MPD (3–5 mm) are at greater risk of high-risk lesions and should be given consideration to be included as a “worrisome feature” in a future guidelines update.
Spectral Reflectance Can Differentiate Tracheal and Esophageal Tissue in the Presence of Bodily Fluids and Soot.

Endotracheal intubation is a common life-saving procedure implemented in emergency care to ensure patient oxygenation, but it is difficult and often performed in suboptimal conditions leading to high rates of patient complications. Undetected misplacement in the esophagus is a preventable complication that can lead to fatalities in 5–10% of patients who undergo emergency intubation. End-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring and other proper placement detection methods are useful, yet the problem of misplacement persists. Our previous work demonstrated the utility of spectral reflectance sensors for differentiating esophageal and tracheal tissues, which can be used to confirm proper endotracheal tube placement. In this study, we examine the effectiveness of spectral characterization in the presence of saline, blood, “vomit”, and soot in the trachea. Our results show that spectral properties of the trachea that differentiate it from the esophagus persist in the presence of these substances. This work further confirms the potential usefulness of this novel detection technology in field applications.
Two Kinds of Subjectivity in Marxism and Freedom: Hegel, Marx, and the Maoist Detour

Dunayevskaya’s distinction between two kinds of subjectivity is important as philosophical grounding for a critique of Marxist and anarchist thought that points toward a genuinely emancipatory Marxism for today. The first kind of subjectivity is rooted in the dialectical development of the ground for revolution in both its subjective and objective sense, as seen in the most creative of the grassroots movements of Dunayevskaya’s lifetime, like the Montgomery Bus Boycott and its grassroots, anti-racist form of democracy, or the 1956 Hungarian revolution with its workers councils, or the wildcat strikes by U.S. workers in response to the profound alienation of the automated factory. These movements were a form of subjectivity that built upon real forces and contradictions in society in their quest for true human emancipation and are compatible with Marx’s vision of a new society and with the Marxist-Humanism expounded by Dunayevskaya. A second or alienated kind of subjectivity is found in tendencies toward voluntarism and hyper-subjectivity within Maoism and anarchism. Particular attention is given to Mao’s stress on revolutionary will with little regard for objective conditions, as in the Great Leap Forward and the Cultural Revolution. Confucian influences on Mao as well as Xi Jinping are also taken up. The discussion also encompasses Dunayevskaya’s engagement with Marx and Lenin on humanism and the dialectic.
MVIC flight and flight spare sensor calibration

The Multi-spectral Visible Imaging Camera (MVIC) detector is a time-delay and integration (TDI) CCD with 4, 8, 16, 32, and 64 TDI modes. MVIC is scheduled to fly as part of the instrument suite on the Lucy mission to the Trojans launching in 2021. We present here the pre-delivery SwRI Detector Characterization Lab (SDCL) data of the Flight (FM) and Flight Spare (FS) from 370 to 925nm. The MVIC sensor consists of six broad-band top-hat filters on a single sapphire substrate developed by VIAVI Solutions and six CCDs on a single wafer developed by Semiconductor Technology Associates (STA). We have calibrated both the FS and FM for read noise, dark current, linearity, quantum efficiency, and total system throughput. The data were collected using standard Photon Transfer Curve techniques at strategically chosen wavelengths corresponding to center and edge of the bandpass filters. Each system was also calibrated for spuriously operational pixels and cosmetic defects. The pixel response function is mapped on a pixel-by-pixel basis for the 64 TDI mode.
Li, L. (2020). Language Teacher Cognition: A Sociocultural Perspective London: Palgrave/Macmillan. 369 pp. $85.68 (Hard Cover) ISBN 978-1-137-51133-1; $70.52 (e-book) ISBN 978-1-137-51134-8

Li, L. (2020). Language Teacher Cognition: A Sociocultural Perspective. London: Palgrave/Macmillan. 369 pp. $85.68 (Hard Cover) ISBN 978-1-137-51133-1; $70.52 (e-book) ISBN 978-1-137-51134-8.