cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Negative BOLD fMRI Response in the Visual Cortex Carries Precise Stimulus-Specific Information

Sustained positive BOLD (blood oxygen level-dependent) activity is employed extensively in functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies as evidence for task or stimulus-specific neural responses. However, the presence of sustained negative BOLD activity (i.e., sustained responses that are lower than the fixation baseline) has remained more difficult to interpret. Some studies suggest that it results from local “blood stealing” wherein blood is diverted to neurally active regions without a concomitant change of neural activity in the negative BOLD regions. However, other evidence suggests that negative BOLD is a result of local neural suppression. In both cases, regions of negative BOLD response are usually interpreted as carrying relatively little, if any, stimulus-specific information (hence the predominant reliance on positive BOLD activity in fMRI). Here we show that the negative BOLD response resulting from visual stimulation can carry high information content that is stimulus-specific. Using a general linear model (GLM), we contrasted standard flickering stimuli to a fixation baseline and found regions of the visual cortex that displayed a sustained negative BOLD response, consistent with several previous studies. Within these negative BOLD regions, we compared patterns of fMRI activity generated by flickering Gabors that were systematically shifted in position. As the Gabors were shifted further from each other, the correlation in the spatial pattern of activity across a population of voxels (such as the population of V1 voxels that displayed a negative BOLD response) decreased significantly. Despite the fact that the BOLD signal was significantly negative (lower than fixation baseline), these regions were able to discriminate objects separated by less than 0.5 deg (at ∼10 deg eccentricity). The results suggest that meaningful, stimulus-specific processing occurs even in regions that display a strong negative BOLD response.
Crosstalk computation in coupled transmission lines

Frequency-domain and time-domain methods of computing crosstalk in uniformly coupled transmission lines are compared. The frequency-domain method is based on classical modal current and voltage analysis. The time-domain method is an application of the finite-difference method to a system of wave equations. Numerical simulations indicate that the two methods are very close to the exact solution. >
Differential electroantennogram response of females and males of two parasitoid species to host-related green leaf volatiles and inducible compounds

Parasitoids employ different types of host-related volatile signals for foraging and host-location. Host-related volatile signals can be plant-based, originate from the herbivore host or produced from an interaction between herbivores and their plant host. In order to investigate potential sex- and species-related differences in the antennal response of parasitoids to different host-related volatiles, we compared the electroantennogram (EAG) responses of both sexes of the specialist parasitoid, Microplitis croceipes (Cresson), and the generalist, Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson), to varying doses of selected plant-based host-related volatiles: two green leaf volatiles (cis-3-hexenol and hexanal) and three inducible compounds (cis-3-hexenyl acetate, linalool, and (E,E)-α-farnesene). Mating had no significant effect on EAG response. Females of both species showed significantly greater EAG responses than conspecific males to green leaf volatiles, which are released immediately after initiation of herbivore feeding damage. In contrast, males showed greater responses than conspecific females to inducible compounds released much later after initial damage. Cotesia marginiventris females and males showed greater EAG responses than counterpart M. croceipes to the tested compounds at various doses, suggesting that the generalist parasitoid shows greater antennal sensitivity than the specialist to the tested host-plant volatiles. These results are discussed in relation to the possible roles of green leaf volatiles and inducible compounds in the ecology of female and male parasitoids.
Loyalty Oaths: An Appraisal of The Legal Issues

I T HAS BEEN SUGGESTED that an end be put to horse thievery in the United States by requiring an expurgatory oath under a statute which would broaden the concept of horse thievery.' Under the proposed law, a horse thief would include not only those who actually steal horses but anyone who attempts to steal, aids in stealing, advocates, advises or teaches horse thievery, or anyone who is a member of, or affiliated with, a horse-thief front. An individual could be denied various privileges unless he swears that he is not, never has been, and will not become a horse thief. In like manner, it was proposed shortly after the Civil War by Attorney Whittelsy in the Murphy and Glover Test Oath Cases2 that we could dispense with criminal law and procedure by requiring everyone to swear, from time to time, that he has not committed murder, larceny or other crimes. Refusal to swear under both proposals would not result in criminal punishment but merely in withdrawal of certain privileges such as government employment or the pursuit of a profession. Undoubtedly, there is no need to fear that our legislators will pass an "Anti-Horse Thief Act," or a law requiring persons to disavow criminal acts such as murder. But these satires vividly illustrate the flexibility of the oath device. A test oath is a simple means of imposing restrictions and disabilities upon persons regarded as undesirable. It is this very simplicity, as one writer has expressed it, which makes the choice of a test oath a potentially dangerous weapon,
Weak execution ordering - exploiting iterative methods on many-core GPUs

On NVIDIA's many-core GPUs, there is no synchronization function among parallel thread blocks. When fine-granularity of data communication and synchronization is required for large-scale parallel programs executed by multiple thread blocks, frequent host synchronization are necessary, and they incur a significant overhead. We investigate a class of applications which uses a chaotic version of iterative methods to obtain numerical solutions for partial differential equations (PDE). Such a fast PDE solver is parallelized on GPUs with multiple thread blocks. In this parallel implementation, although frequent data communication is needed between adjacent thread blocks, a precise order of the data communication is not necessary. Separate communication threads are used for periodically exchanging the boundary values with adjacent thread blocks through the global memory. Since a precise order of the data communication is not required, the computation and the communication threads can be overlapped to alleviate the communication overhead. Performance measurements of two popular applications, Poisson image editing from computer graphics and shape from shading from computer vision, on Tesla C1060 show that a speedup of 4–5 times is achievable for both applications in comparison with the solution using host synchronization.
Thermodynamics of wetting by liquid metals

The wetting of metal surfaces by molten solder is usually considered to be driven solely by an interfacial energy imbalance. The effect of chemical reactions on the wetting process is neglected, although the growth of an intermetallic layer in the wetted interface is commonly observed. In this work, the energy release during the incremental advance of a spreading solder droplet due to the interfacial energy imbalance and the formation of the intermetallic layer is calculated. The free energy of formation, ΔG, of the intermetallic layer is shown to be an important driving force for solder wetting. This approach to wetting has been applied to three systems, Cu-Sn, Cu-Sb and Cu-Cd. Liquid Sn, Sb and Cd react with solid Cu to form Cu6Sn5 (η), Cu2Sb (γ) and CuCd3 (e), respectively. The free energy of formation, ΔG, for these intermetallic compounds is unknown experimentally, but can be calculated from the phase diagrams and other solution data using classical thermodynamics. These thermochemical calculations yield ΔG(η) = 465-3.09T for Cu-Sn, ΔG(γ) = −2500+0.54T for Cu-Sb and ΔG(e) = −825+0.44T for Cu-Cd (cal/mole). These relations were evaluated at the respective melting temperatures and compared with the interfacial energy exchange. In all three cases the ΔG contribution was approximately two orders of magnitude larger than the interfacial energy exchange making it the dominant driving force for wetting kinetics.
Epistemology as a Social Science: Applying the Neyman-Rubin Model to Explain Expert Beliefs

I present a social scientific approach to epistemic questions about expertise such as: Which properties make people into likely experts? What is the epistemic significance of agreements among experts? Is there a special kind of expert agreement that is indicative of knowledge? Why do the beliefs experts accept seem to enjoy a higher likelihood of being knowledge than the opinions of non-experts?
Experimentally determined force systems from vertically activated orthodontic loops.

Abstract No Abstract Available. From the Department of Orthodontics, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, Connecticut. This study was supported by N.I.H. grant No. DE00136.
Human Generated Passwords --- The Impacts of Password Requirements and Presentation Styles

The generation stage of the user password management lifecycle is arguably the most important yet perilous step. Fulfilling minimum length and character type requirements while attempting to create something memorable can become an arduous task, leaving the users frustrated and confused. Our study focuses on two areas --- password requirements and formatting --- and examines the differences in user performance to understand the human password generation space. The results show a clear drop in performance when users generate passwords following a complex rule set as opposed to a simple rule set, with fewer passwords, more errors, and longer times for rule comprehension and password generation. Better formatted presentation helps reduce cognitive load in reading complex password rules and facilitates comprehension. Findings from this study will contribute to a better understanding of the user password generation stage and shed light on future development of password policies balancing security and usability.
A Model of Radio Replacement for Spectrum Policy

In spectrum policy, reallocation decisions are based on assessments of interference and economic feasibility between incumbents and new entrants. In many cases, new entrants claim that coexistence is possible with cooperation by incumbents through device modification or radio replacement. However, incumbents can respond with claims of emissions or economic interference from equipment constraints. In this article, I model an incumbent’s set of responses to a new entrant based on radio replacement scenarios. Coasean bargains between incumbents and new entrants should be possible to compensate for equipment modifications. Yet since reallocation decisions are based on public information, rather than private information, incentives for strategic holdout increase, perpetuating deadweight losses in under-utilized radio spectrum.
Catalog of U.S. earthquakes before the year 1850

abstract This is a catalog of earthquakes for the United States, east of the Rocky Mountains, before the year 1850. Data are listed for the Northeast, East, and Central U.S. along with a chronological summary. Gregorian dates, local times, and Modified Mercalli intensities are used. Because of the large number of entries and the great complexity of many of the entries, only references are given rather than quotations of the earthquake descriptions.
Effects of vascular endothelial growth factor on osteoblasts and osteoclasts.

Introduction Bone remodeling is crucial to the success of many dental procedures and is tightly regulated. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a key cytokine for angiogenesis, is also an important regulator of bone remodeling. We aimed to examine the mechanisms by which VEGF induces bone remodeling by studying its effects on cultured osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Methods Preosteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells were treated with vehicle or VEGF-A165. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion potentials were assessed. Preosteoclastic RAW264.7 cells were treated with vehicle or VEGF with or without the receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL), and osteoclast formation was measured with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. Conditioned media from vehicle-treated or VEGF-treated MC3T3-E1 cells were tested for the levels of RANKL and osteoprotegerin (OPG) and were used to treat RAW264.7 cells to observe osteoclast formation. Results VEGF significantly induced MC3T3-E1 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. VEGF did not directly induce osteoclastogenesis but significantly increased the RANKL/OPG ratio in the conditioned media from the MC3T3-E1 cultures; this significantly increased osteoclast formation. Conclusions VEGF stimulates osteoclast differentiation by increasing the osteoblastic RANKL/OPG ratio but has no direct effect on osteoclast precursor cells, and it induces osteoblast proliferation, migration, and invasion potentials in vitro.
MRI and Prediction of Outcome of HIE

Published data regarding the prognostic utility of conventional MRI in neonates with hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy are reanalyzed by researchers at University of Oxford, UK.
Development and cytology of Plectosphaerella cucumerina

Development of the ascoma of Plectosphaerella cucumerina begins with the formation of a coiled ascogonium that becomes surrounded by branches from the parent hypha or from neighboring hyphae or both. Paraphyses develop as rows of cells with the lower ones laterally expanded to form an apparent pseudoparenchyma. Apical meristematic cells of the ascoma grow upward parallel to each other and form the neck and neck canal. Neck hyphae are septate, may be branched, and remain unpigmented until late in development of the ascoma. A cavity within the ascoma is present only near the entrance to the ostiole until late in development. Centrum development is the Sordaria-type. The ascogonium branches in a horizontal layer among the bases of the paraphyses and produces short ascogenous hyphae which give rise to asci by crozier formation. Meiosis followed by a mitotic division gives rise to eight nuclei, each of which becomes enclosed within an ascospore. Mitosis and septum formation produce bicellular ascospores with two uninucleate cells. The apical apparatus of the ascus is inamyloid and annellascous but is often obscure. The haploid chromosome number is four.
INTEGRATIVE MEDICINE CLINICAL OBSERVATION OF TREATMENT OF SENILE KNEE OSTEOARTHRITIS

Objective To study age-related osteoarthritis of the knee giving Integrative Medicine clinical results. Method76 cases of senile knee osteoarthritis in June 2012- December 2013,according to the principles of evidence-based medicine,randomized,single-blind,positive control methods,according to a random number table France,will be divided into observation group and control group were 38 cases. The control group received conventional western medicine. Observation group were given combination therapy and the clinical effect was observed in both groups. Result The clinical observation group was 84. 21% effective; Clinically effective treatment in the control group was 47. 37%; Clinical observation group had significantly higher efficiency( p 0. 05). The clinical course of the treatment group and the control group were observed in patients did not have any adverse reactions and better treatment tolerance. Conclusion For clinical senile knee osteoarthritis,the combination therapy take effect with fewer adverse reactions and it is worthy of clinical application.
Progresses of Resources Investigation,Dynamic Monitoring and Conservation of Plant Species Diversity in Suzhou,China

In order to review the present situation and latest research results of our country's plant species diversity of monitoring andprotection, we made systemic analysis and summary on progress of the study and the existing problems ofspecies investigation and dynamic monitoring based on a large number of new information-searching, field survey and related work summary, taking implementation and application in Jiangsu Suzhou area. Through the survey results in Suzhou, there are 778 species of higher plants, with native plant index between 0.75 ~0.79.At present there is no complete system of dynamic monitoring of plant species diversity,conservation also needs to be further strengthened. According to the realistic need and deficiencies, we put forward the research and protection of plant species diversity in the future. Therefore, through the scientific summary and overview, we can offer the scientific guidance for the investigation, monitoring and conservation of biodiversity in Suzhou area in the future.
Impact of heating-degree-day accumulation during bermudagrass hay storage on nutrient utilization by lambs

Spontaneous heating in stored alfalfa (Medicago sativa) has reduced forage quality and DM and N digestibility through microbial respiration and Maillard polymer formation. The impact of heating-degree-day (HDD) accumulation in stored bermudagrass (Cynodon dactylon [L.] Pers.) was evaluated for its effect on nutrient utilization by lambs. Twenty Rambouillet wether lambs (53.1 ± 0.74 kg) were used in a completely randomized total collection experiment. The hays selected for this study had previously undergone spontaneous heating, producing either 5, 119, 201, 273, or 401 HDD (> 35°C) during a 60-d storage period. Lambs were offered diets of these hays at 1.5% of BW. Dry matter intake did not differ (P = 0.59) among hays. Linear relationships were detected between HDD and apparent digestibilities of DM (y = 59.1 - 0.016x; P < 0.01; R 2 = 0.37), OM (y = 59.3 - 0.017x; P < 0.01; R 2 = 0.43), NDF (y = 66.4 - 0.012x; P = 0.01; R 2 = 0.30), and hemicellulose (y = 74.0 - 0.012x; P = 0.02; R 2 = 0.27). Similarly, significant regressions were observed for fecal N excretion (g/d; y = 4.70 + 0.004x; P < 0.01; R 2 = 0.68), apparent N absorbed (g/d; y = 7.4 - 0.005x; P < 0.01; R 2 = 0.50), apparent N absorption (%; y = 61.2 -0.038x; P < 0.01; R 2 = 0.71), apparent neutral detergent insoluble nitrogen digestibility (%; y = 85.8 - 0.026x; P = 0.01; R 2 = 0.73), and apparent acid detergent insoluble nitrogen digestibility (%; y = 1.5 + 0.101x; P < 0.01; R 2 = 0.62). Therefore, spontaneous heating during the storage of bermudagrass hay has a negative effect on dry matter and fiber digestion and nitrogen absorption by lambs.
Impact of Soaking and Drying Conditions on Rice Chalkiness as Revealed by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Chalkiness is one of the most influential factors on head rice yield. Parboiling is known to be an effective way to remove chalkiness and improve head rice yield. However, the steps involved in the removal of chalkiness are still not completely resolved. This study investigated the effects of soaking temperature, soaking duration, and drying conditions on the removal of rice chalkiness. Chalky brown rice kernels were selected and soaked at 25, 65, 70, or 75°C for 3 h. After 1, 2, or 3 h, the rice samples were frozen before drying or immediately dried. Soaking at 25°C did not remove chalkiness and caused no morphological change in starch granules. When the soaking temperature increased from 25 to 65, 70, and 75°C, the chalkiness decreased from 100% to 34.1, 29.7, and 15.9%, respectively. Soaking rice at temperatures above the starch glass transition temperature but below the gelatinization temperature reduced chalkiness owing to rearrangement of starch granules and protein denaturation to fill the void spa...
Common eye problems. Introduction.

In his introduction, Dr Hodes points out that primary care physicians may be more responsible for counseling patients with eye problems than they realize, even though ophthalmologists may be providing treatment. The symposium articles deal with four of the most common eye problems which physicians encounter in office practice: cataract. glaucoma, migraine related to the eye, and the appropriate use of contact lenses, including the information patients need to know.
Which Is the Better Predictor of Hepatic Reserve Prior to Liver Resection: MELD or the Child-Pugh Score?

Critical assessment of the hepatic reserve is essential prior to liver resection especially in patients with chronic liver disease. Development of liver dysfunction post resection can result in a significant increase in associated complications resulting in prolonged length of hospital stay and increased hospital costs. In addition, the development of liver failure is almost universally fatal unless the patient can undergo liver transplantation. Several scoring systems have been identified which assess the degree of liver disease including the Child-Turcotte-Pugh scoring system (CTP) and the Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD). Both of these scoring systems have been used to predict mortality post liver resection. Based on the current available literature, MELD appears to be the best predictor of postoperative liver dysfunction/failure in patients with cirrhosis, and patients with MELD scores ≥9 should not be considered for hepatic resection. Other factors not included in MELD such as platelet count, presence of portal hypertension, extent of liver resection (and the resulting residual liver volume) and the presence of ascites should also be considered when selecting patients with chronic liver disease to undergo liver resection.
Bezlotoxumab: A Novel Agent for the Prevention of Recurrent Clostridium difficile Infection

During the past decade, the incidence and severity of Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) have significantly increased, leading to a rise in CDI-associated hospitalizations, health care costs, and mortality. Although treatment options exist for CDI, recurrence is frequent following treatment. Furthermore, patients with at least one CDI recurrence are at an increased risk of developing additional recurrences. A novel approach to the prevention of recurrent CDI is the use of monoclonal antibodies directed against the toxins responsible for CDI as an adjunct to antibiotic treatment. Bezlotoxumab, a human monoclonal antibody that binds and neutralizes C. difficile toxin B, is the first therapeutic agent to receive United States Food and Drug Administration approval for the prevention of CDI recurrence. Clinical studies have demonstrated superior efficacy of bezlotoxumab in adults receiving antibiotic therapy for CDI compared with antibiotic therapy alone for the prevention of CDI recurrence. Bezlotoxumab was well tolerated in clinical trials, with the most common adverse effects being nausea, vomiting, fatigue, pyrexia, headache, and diarrhea. The demonstrated efficacy, safety, and characteristics of bezlotoxumab present an advance in prevention of CDI recurrence.
Effect of laser shock peening on elevated temperature residual stress, microstructure and fatigue behavior of ATI 718Plus alloy

Abstract Laser Shock Peening (LSP) is a mechanical surface treatment that induces large compressive residual stresses and microstructural changes in the material by using repetitive shocks from laser pulses. In this study, we investigate the use of LSP to improve the fatigue life of ATI 718 Plus (718Plus) at high temperature of 650 °C. LSP led to severe surface plastic deformation, which, in turn, led to a high magnitude of surface compressive residual stresses and changes in the near-surface microstructure which caused high surface hardening. This change in the near-surface microstructure was in the form of high dislocation density forming dislocation entanglements and slip bands and formation of near-surface nanoscale sub-grains/crystallites that remained stable at elevated temperatures. In addition, LSP retained ∼−470 MPa residual stress (68% of its initial residual stress) even after 140 h exposure to 650 °C. The retained residual stresses and the stable microstructure from the LSP increased the yield strength by ∼14% (∼140 MPa) and endurance limit by ∼10% (∼90 MPa) in corresponding tests at 650 °C. This improvement in fatigue life was attributed to near-surface microstructure, hardening and high compressive residual stress. The estimated crack growth rates were 72% lower for LSP-treated 718Plus as compared with untreated material. The thermal-mechanical residual stress relaxation indicates the effectiveness of LSP in improving the fatigue life of 718Plus at 650 °C.
The fading affect bias: Its history, its implications, and its future.

Abstract Recalling a memory often prompts an emotional response. Research examining the fading affect bias (FAB) indicates that the emotional response prompted by positive memories often tends to be stronger than the emotional response prompted by negative memories. This chapter presents an overview of research that has explored the FAB effect. This overview indicates that the FAB reflects two trends: (1) over time, the affect associated with positive memories tends to fade more slowly from event occurrence to event recall than the affect associated with negative memories, and (2) it is more often the case that events that were negative at their occurrence will ultimately come to prompt positive affect-at-recall than it is the case that events that were positive at their occurrence will come to prompt negative affect-at-recall. Research has also revealed that the FAB can be altered by event moderators, situational moderators, and individual-difference moderators. The chapter uses this research review to highlight several needed directions for future research, suggest some theoretical ideas that may underlie the FAB, and discuss some ways in which the FAB might be important to life in a social world.
MinC and FtsZ mutant analysis provides insight into MinC/MinD-mediated Z ring disassembly

The Min system negatively regulates the position of the Z ring, which serves as a scaffold for the divisome that mediates bacterial cytokinesis. In Escherichia coli, this system consists of MinC, which antagonizes assembly of the tubulin homologue FtsZ. MinC is recruited to the membrane by MinD and induced by MinE to oscillate between the cell poles. MinC is a dimer with each monomer consisting of functionally distinct MinCN and MinCC domains, both of which contact FtsZ. According to one model, MinCC/MinD binding to the FtsZ tail positions MinCN at the junction of two GDP-containing subunits in the filament, leading to filament breakage. Others posit that MinC sequesters FtsZ–GDP monomers or that MinCN caps the minus end of FtsZ polymers and that MinCC interferes with lateral interactions between FtsZ filaments. Here, we isolated minC mutations that impair MinCN function and analyzed FtsZ mutants resistant to MinC/MinD. Surprisingly, we found mutations in both minC and ftsZ that differentiate inhibition by MinC from inhibition by MinC/MinD. Analysis of these mutations suggests that inhibition of the Z ring by MinC alone is due to sequestration, whereas inhibition by MinC/MinD is not. In conclusion, our genetic and biochemical data support the model that MinC/MinD fragments FtsZ filaments
Teacher License Revocation and Surrender in North Carolina due to Sexual Misconduct

The sexual misconduct of school employees has become a more common issue in the United States, and there has been very little empirical research conducted to provide context or understanding of the prevalence of this problem. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the reasons for license revocation and surrender in North Carolina with special attention to licenses lost due to sexual misconduct. Analysis indicated that 688 (91%) licenses were revoked and 67 licenses (9%) were voluntarily surrendered. The reasons listed for revocation or surrender were primarily sexual infractions with students (n = 458; 61%). Employment information was located for 302 of the 458 school employees (66%) who lost their licenses due to sexual infractions. Of the 302 school employees found, 69 were coaches (23%) and 36 were music teachers (12%). Conclusions and implications for music teacher educators are discussed.
Is Nutrition Specific Quality of Life Associated With Nutritional Status

Objective The study purpose was to explore the relationship between nutritional status, as measured by Subjective Global Assessment (SGA), and Health Related Quality of Life measured using the Nutrition Specific Quality of Life (NS-QoL), tool among participants on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD). The study aim was to determine if NS-QoL may be an adjuvant tool for detecting changes in nutritional status among patients on MHD. Design, Setting, and Subjects This is a cross-sectional, secondary analysis of data from a multi-center study. Participants were adult (>18) men and women on MHD (n = 145) recruited from 3 institutions in the Northeastern United States. Methods Statistical tests were conducted to determine the relationship between key demographic characteristics (age, sex, dialysis vintage, gender, and ethnicity) and SGA and NS-QoL. Spearman's correlation examined the relationship between the independent variable, SGA and the dependent variable, NS-QoL. A univariate general linear model was conducted to adjust for confounding variables. Main Outcome Measure The relationship between overall SGA score and composite NS-QoL score. Results The sample consisted of 85 men (58.6%), with a mean age of 55.3 ± 11.9 years, who were largely African–American (84.1%) and non-Hispanic (77.2%). Mean SGA score was 5.5 ± 1.0, and the mean NS-QoL composite score was 9.51 ± 3.77. No key demographic characteristics had a statistically significant relationship with SGA, whereas sex ( P P = .015) both had statistically significant relationships with NSQoL. After adjusting for the variables of race and sex, NS-QoL score was positively correlated with SGA composite score ( P = .042); as NS-QoL score increased so did the SGA score. Conclusion The present study found a positive linear correlation between NS-QoL composite score and SGA, as well as 5 SGA subcomponent scores and NS-QoL. These findings indicate that NS-QoL can complement the SGA to provide information about a patient's nutritional status.
Donor and Collection-Related Variables Affecting Product Quality in Ex utero Cord Blood Banking

The umbilical cord blood transplantation (UCBT) has emerged as a valuable alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells for patients requiring allogeneic transplantation. Recent literature suggests that allogeneic UCBT may potentially emerge as the frontline stem cell source for pediatric patients. Double cord blood units (CBUs) and non-myeloablative engraftment strategies in adults have attracted further attention in clinical practice with the advantages of possible stronger graft-versus-leukemia effect and expanding transplantation indications.1
HRAF: Resource for Tests of Conflict Theories

The HRAF Files offer a cost-effective tool for the most general worldwide tests of theories about human conflict and conflict resolution among paleos. By a paleo I mean what used to be called a "primitive tribe"-namely, a society without any cities. While the HRAF Files include all kinds of societies, most of them are on paleos. The Files are well fitted to test such theories when these predict high correlations between variables that an anthropologist or missionary is likely to report on as a matter of course when writing a general account of a simple society. Such tests are needed before theories can be accepted as stating valid general rules about human social or cultural behavior. And such tests can be made more quickly and easily, with more confidence about validity, through the use of the new HRAF cultural information system. The value of such worldwide tests has been shown by many recent studies of human conflict among paleos. Levinson (1977: 762) has
Free Air in the Postoperative CT Patient: Observe or Operate?

The finding of free air on postoperative imaging creates a difficult scenario for the clinician triggering immediate action. A quick decision needs to be made to determine whether the free air is related to a GI perforation and whether surgical intervention is required. In select cases, some patients can undergo expectant observation. There have been numerous studies both retrospective and prospective, attempting to determine the incidence, duration, and characteristics of “benign,” postoperative pneumoperitoneum. Overall, the duration of a benign postoperative pneumoperitoneum can vary greatly but often tends to reabsorb within 1–2 weeks and is usually of a small volume. It is also important to remember that CT scans are much more sensitive for picking up free air than plain films so the finding of “benign” free air on a postoperative CT scan is much more likely than on plain films. The most important general conclusion from the literature is that there is a percentage of patients with free air found on imaging that can be observed; however, observing for, and consideration of surgical peritonitis should be an ongoing concern and continuously reassessed.
Tissue lead concentrations and blood characteristics of mourning doves from southwestern Virginia.

Studies were conducted on the feasibility of sampling the blood from live mourning doves (Zenaida macroura) as a technique for evaluating lead exposure in this species. Measurements of the blood enzyme, delta-aminolevulinic acid dehydratase (ALAD), were essentially the same in blood from the brachial vein or trunk blood. The ALAD activity decreased as liver lead concentration increased in mourning doves. Mourning doves that ingested lead shot had elevated lead concentrations in their femur bones and livers as compared to other doves which had not recently ingested lead shot.
Mendelian randomization of inorganic arsenic metabolism as a risk factor for hypertension- and diabetes-related traits among adults in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL) cohort

Background Hypertension and diabetes have been associated with inefficient arsenic metabolism, primarily through studies undertaken in populations exposed through drinking water. Recently, rice has been recognized as a source of arsenic exposure, but it remains unclear whether populations with high rice consumption but no known water exposure are at risk for the health problems associated with inefficient arsenic metabolism. Methods The relationships between arsenic metabolism efficiency (% inorganic arsenic, % monomethylarsenate and % dimethylarsinate in urine) and three hypertension- and seven diabetes-related traits were estimated among 12 609 participants of the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL). A two-sample Mendelian randomization approach incorporated genotype-arsenic metabolism relationships from literature, and genotype-trait relationships from HCHS/SOL, with a mixed-effect linear model. Analyses were stratified by rice consumption and smoking. Results Among never smokers with high rice consumption, each percentage point increase in was associated with increases of 1.96 mmHg systolic blood pressure (P = 0.034) and 1.85 mmHg inorganic arsenic diastolic blood pressure (P = 0.003). Monomethylarsenate was associated with increased systolic (1.64 mmHg/percentage point increase; P = 0.021) and diastolic (1.33 mmHg/percentage point increase; P = 0.005) blood pressure. Dimethylarsinate, a marker of efficient metabolism, was associated with lower systolic (-0.92 mmHg/percentage point increase; P = 0.025) and diastolic (-0.79 mmHg/percentage point increase; P = 0.004) blood pressure. Among low rice consumers and ever smokers, the results were consistent with no association. Evidence for a relationship with diabetes was equivocal. Conclusions Less efficient arsenic metabolism was associated with increased blood pressure among never smokers with high rice consumption, suggesting that arsenic exposure through rice may contribute to high blood pressure in the Hispanic/Latino community.
Using a Game-Based Learning Platform to Increase Student Engagement in the Classroom

The Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University incorporated the use of a game-based learning platform into a junior level Immunology course. The primary goal of this addition was to increase student engagement during review sessions. In previous years, each Immunology class was started with a review of material from an earlier lecture. The review consisted of short answer and multiple choice questions as a means to highlight important concepts and allow additional opportunities for students to ask questions. During these review periods it was observed that class participation ranged from 3-20%. Additionally, those who did participated were the same students in each class period. The incorporation of the game-based learning pAlatform into review sessions involved asking review questions in multiple choice format with 30 seconds of time for students to answer after each question was asked. This new format resulted in class participation increasing to 95-100%. Review of student answers also allowed the instructor to determine which areas the students needed additional assistance with before exams. Student feedback indicated that they enjoyed the ability to be anonymous when answering questions while still getting immediate feedback. This new review format will be utilized in additional courses, specifically Immunohematology. Furthermore, this game-based platform will be used to review material with senior students in their advanced senior level courses.
A Chiral Macrocyclic Tetra‐N‐Heterocyclic Carbene Yields an “All Carbene” Iron Alkylidene Complex

The first chiral macrocyclic tetra-N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) ligand has been synthesized. The macrocycle, prepared in high yield and large scale, was ligated onto palladium and iron to give divalent C2 -symmetric square planar complexes. Multinuclear NMR and single crystal X-ray diffraction demonstrated that there are two distinct NHCs on each ligand, due to the bridging chiral cyclohexane. Oxidation of the iron(II) complex with trimethylamine N-oxide yielded a bridging oxo complex. Diazodiphenylmethane reacted with the iron(II) complex at room temperature to give a paramagnetic diazoalkane complex; the same reaction yielded the "all carbene" complex at elevated temperature. Electrochemical measurements support the assignment of the "all carbene" complex being an alkylidene. Notably, the diazoalkane complex can be directly transformed into the alkylidene complex, which had not been previously demonstrated on iron. Finally, a test catalytic reaction with a diazoalkane on the iron(II) complex does not yield the expected cyclopropane, but actually the azine compound.
Percutaneous Treatment of Acetabular Fractures in Older Patients

Acetabular fracture in older patients presents many challenges to even experienced pelvic surgeons. There remains a lack of clarity regarding many indications for nonoperative or operative management. Chronological age should not be considered in isolation when deciding upon a treatment plan; rather, the surgeon must individualize the plan to the patient’s activity level, physiological age, and risks for blood loss and general anesthesia. When an operative path is chosen, closed or limited open reduction techniques paired with percutaneous screw stabilization are an option for fracture patterns not associated with posterior instability of the hip joint. The goals of treatment should be restoration of the normal relationship of the cranial femoral head with the dome of the acetabulum and to provide fixation that is stable to allow for early mobilization. Fixation with screws alone provides less resistance to loss of reduction than do plates, but allows for implant placement without large open approaches. A secondary benefit of fixation with percutaneous screw is the ability to remove them at a later date with percutaneous incisions rather than open approaches. Common screw pathways used are familiar to pelvic surgeons and include anterior and posterior column screw and the LC-2 (pelvic brim) screw, but screw placement is only performed after an appropriate reduction has been achieved.
Sensitivity Analysis of Power System Reliability Indices Including Voltage and Reactive Power Constraints

This paper presents a method for sensitivity analysis of power system reliability indices with respect to voltage and reactive power limits. The method presented in this paper utilizes a linearized power flow model that accounts for voltage bounds and reactive power constraints, unlike some traditional linearized power flow models such as the DC power flow model. The linearized power flow model is incorporated with a linear programming optimization problem with an objective of minimum load curtailment. Moreover, this work developed sensitivity expressions for some of the well-known reliability indices with respect to voltage bounds and reactive power constraints. Based on the sensitivity analysis, the most vulnerable buses to voltage collapse are identified. Monte Carlo simulations have also been carried out to sample the system states. In addition, this work utilized a heuristic state space classification technique for every sampled state so that the computational time spent in calculating reliability and sensitivity indices has been reduced. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated on the standard IEEE Reliability Test System (IEEE RTS). Results have demonstrated that the proposed method can determine the most vulnerable buses to voltage collapse in the power system. Furthermore, based on the estimated reliability indices, planners can decide where to invest by trading off between reliability requirements and the cost of installing reactive power compensations to avoid voltage collapses, and thereby improving the overall reliability of the system.
The Resilient Phenotype Induced by Prophylactic Ketamine Exposure During Adolescence Is Mediated by the Ventral Tegmental Area-Nucleus Accumbens Pathway.

Abstract Background Major depressive disorder is prevalent in children and adolescents and is associated with a high degree of morbidity throughout life, with potentially devastating personal consequences and public health impact. The efficacy of ketamine (KET) as an antidepressant has been demonstrated in adolescent rodents; however, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying these effects are unknown. Recent evidence showed that KET reverses stress-induced (i.e., depressive-like) deficits within major mesocorticolimbic regions, such as the prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens (NAc), and hippocampus, in adult rodents. However, little is known about KET’s effect in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), which provides the majority of dopaminergic input to these brain regions. Methods We characterized behavioral, biochemical, and electrophysiological effects produced by KET treatment in C57BL/6J male mice during adolescence (n = 7–10 per condition) within the VTA and its major projection regions, namely, the NAc and prefrontal cortex. Subsequently, molecular targets within the VTA-NAc projection were identified for viral gene transfer manipulations to recapitulate the effects of stress or KET treatment. Results Repeated KET treatment produced a robust proresilient response to chronic social defeat stress. This effect was largely driven by Akt signaling activity within the VTA and NAc, and it could be blocked or recapitulated through direct Akt-viral–mediated manipulation. Additionally, we found that the KET-induced resilient phenotype is dependent on VTA-NAc, but not VTA–prefrontal cortex, pathway activity. Conclusions These findings indicate that KET exposure during adolescence produces a proresilient phenotype mediated by changes in Akt intracellular signaling and altered neuronal activity within the VTA-NAc pathway.
Turbulent Airflow Costume Compromises Occupational Safety and Infection Control: A Hospital Risk Management Case Report

Objectives: To inform hospital infection control, risk management, hospital administrators, and healthcare workers about a new and surprising threat to infection control: air-powered costumes.Backg...
The Duration of Pharyngeal Gonorrhea: A Natural History Study

Background Pharyngeal gonorrhea is relatively common. However, the duration of untreated pharyngeal gonorrhea is unknown. Methods From March 2016 to December 2018, we enrolled 140 men who have sex with men in a 48-week cohort study. Participants self-collected pharyngeal specimens and completed a survey weekly. Specimens were tested using a nucleic acid amplification test at the conclusion of the study. We estimated the incidence and duration of infection. We defined incident infections as 2 consecutive positive tests, and clearance as 2 consecutive negative tests; and, after visual inspection of the data, we reclassified up to 2 weeks of missing or negative tests as positive if they occurred between 2 episodes of infections. We used Kaplan-Meier estimates to define duration of infection. Finally, we report on the frequency of single-positive tests and the time between the last negative test and the positive test. Results Nineteen (13.6%) of 140 participants experienced 21 pharyngeal infections (incidence, 31.7/100 person-years; 95% confidence interval, 20.7-48.6/100 person-years). The estimated median duration of pharyngeal gonorrhea was 16.3 weeks (95% confidence interval, 5.1-19.7 weeks). Twenty-two men had 25 single-positive specimens, a median of 7 days (interquartile range, 7-10 days) after their last negative test. Conclusions The median duration of untreated pharyngeal gonorrhea is 16 weeks, more than double previous estimates. This long duration of infection likely contributes to high levels of gonorrhea transmission.
Making Black Lives Matter More; the Changing Challenge of Mono-Race Social Political Action.

Over the past half a dozen years since the publishing of the data obtained during the 2010 United States Census, a number of research surveys, analysis and reports reveal a startling shift in the social-political thinking and subsequent behavior of this evolving American society. In 2000 the United States Census offered the option of identifying as multi-race for the first time. The 2010 tabulations demonstrate that people who identified as mixed-race grew by a significantly larger percentage than people who reported themselves as a single race. The total population of mixed-race people grew according to the U.S. Census, by 32%, while those identifying as a single race only grew by 9.2%. Additionally, advances in super-computing power have resulted in the development of DNA/ancestry research corporations which have compiled social political data points from millions of individuals in the United States. The impact of the race and ethnicity analysis of these services has caused individuals and entire families to redefine the idea of their racial/ethnic identity. This anecdotal evidence suggests that there is a growing informal mixed-race identity phenomenon that presents a challenge to contemporary single race social-political movement strategies in this country, especially as it pertains to organizations such as the “Black Lives Matter” movement. This paper identifies evidence that supports the discourse that single race social-political activists should modify their advocacy efforts into a multi-ethnic collectivism, mimicking the successful Civil Rights collaborations of the 1960s.
The Associations between maternal depressive symptoms and parenting practices among low income head start eligible families

This research examines associations between maternal depressive symptoms and parenting practices among Head Start eligible, low-income families. Among 3,780 mothers, four types of childcare were id...