cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Abstract P197: Duration of Hospital Participation in Get With The Guidelines--Resuscitation and Survival of In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest

Background. Get With the Guidelines (GWTG)-Resuscitation (formerly the National Registry of Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (NRCPR)) is a data registry and quality improvement program for in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA). It is unknown if duration of hospital participation in GWTG-Resuscitation is associated with IHCA outcomes. Methods. We analyzed 104,732 adult patients with IHCA from 362 hospitals participating in GWTG-Resuscitation between 2000 and 2009. The association between duration of hospital participation in GWTG-Resuscitation and patient outcomes after IHCA was determined with multiple logistic regression after adjusting for patient and hospital characteristics and secular trends by inclusion of calendar year. We also evaluated the association between duration of participation and factors previously correlated with survival after IHCA, including ECG monitored status, after-hours arrest, and time to defibrillation. All models were constructed as generalized estimating equations to account for clustering of patients at the hospital level. Results. Survival to discharge occurred in 17,646 patients (16.9%). Duration of hospital participation in GWTG-Resuscitation was weakly associated with improved IHCA outcomes (Table). Among factors correlated with IHCA survival, duration of participation was associated with time to defibrillation < 2 minutes (per year of participation, OR 1.06; 95% CI 1.03-1.09; p<0.001), but not ECG monitored status (OR 1.00; 95% CI 0.93-1.06; p=0.90) or survival of after-hours arrest (OR 1.01; 95% CI 0.99-1.03; p=0.41). Inclusion of time to defibrillation attenuated the association between duration of participation and outcomes of ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation (VT/VF) arrests. Conclusion. Duration of hospital participation in GWTG-Resuscitation is weakly associated with survival of IHCA. In VT/VF arrests, this association may be mediated by improvements in time to defibrillation. View this table: Survival by Duration of Hospital Participation in Get With the Guidelines-Resuscitation
Diffraction-based analysis of tunnel size for a scaled external occulter testbed

For performance verification of an external occulter mask (also called a starshade), scaled testbeds have been developed to measure the suppression of the occulter shadow in the pupil plane and contrast in the image plane. For occulter experiments the scaling is typically performed by maintaining an equivalent Fresnel number. The original Princeton occulter testbed was oversized with respect to both input beam and shadow propagation to limit any diffraction effects due to finite testbed enclosure edges; however, to operate at realistic space-mission equivalent Fresnel numbers an extended testbed is currently under construction. With the longer propagation distances involved, diffraction effects due to the edge of the tunnel must now be considered in the experiment design. Here, we present a diffraction-based model of two separate tunnel effects. First, we consider the effect of tunnel-edge induced diffraction ringing upstream from the occulter mask. Second, we consider the diffraction effect due to clipping of the output shadow by the tunnel downstream from the occulter mask. These calculations are performed for a representative point design relevant to the new Princeton occulter experiment, but we also present an analytical relation that can be used for other propagation distances.
Evaluating Medium-Range Tropical Cyclone Forecasts in Uniform- and Variable-Resolution Global Models

AbstractAn evaluation of medium-range forecasts of tropical cyclones (TCs) is performed, covering the eastern North Pacific basin during the period 1 August–3 November 2014. Real-time forecasts from the Model for Prediction Across Scales (MPAS) and operational forecasts from the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Global Forecast System (GFS) are evaluated. A new TC-verification method is introduced that treats TC tracks as objects. The method identifies matching pairs of forecast and observed tracks, missed and false alarm tracks, and derives statistics using a multicategory contingency table methodology. The formalism includes track, intensity, and genesis.Two configurations of MPAS, a uniform 15-km mesh and a variable-resolution mesh transitioning from 60 km globally to 15 km over the eastern Pacific, are compared with each other and with the operational GFS. The two configurations of MPAS reveal highly similar forecast skill and biases through at least day 7. This result supports the ...
Comparing Effectiveness of Four Graphical Designs for Probabilistic Hazard Information for Tornado Threat

Finding effective measures to decrease the nation’s loss resulting from severe weather is crucial. Probabilistic Hazard Information (PHI) system is being developed for severe weather forecasting. L...
A generic bioinformatics pipeline to integrate large-scale trait data with large phylogenies

Ancestral state reconstructions are used to infer the evolutionary history of phenotypic traits to understand their evolution. Current ancestral state reconstructions require integration of larger trait matrices with larger phylogenies, which introduces several challenges. We identified these challenges and developed a generic pipeline that uses the Phenoscape Knowledgebase (Phenoscape KB) to retrieve raw trait matrices and convert them to an efficient version that can be easily integrated with large phylogenies downloaded from the Open Tree of Life (Open Tree). We demonstrate the performance of this pipeline using the evolution of the pectoral and pelvic fins as the use case, which involves integration of a large-scale phylogeny containing over 38,000 taxa.
Resection of the Posterior, Middle, and Anterior Superior Alveolar Nerves and Infraorbital Nerve Neurolysis for Refractory Maxillary Pain.

Trigeminal injury can cause intractable facial pain. However, surgical approaches to the superior alveolar nerves have not been widely described. We report resection of the anterior superior alveolar nerve (ASAN), middle superior alveolar nerve (MSAN), and posterior superior alveolar nerve (PSAN) in a patient with refractory facial pain and outline an algorithmic approach to the treatment of trigeminal nerve injury. A 56-year-old woman presented with a 3-year history of refractory facial pain in the distribution of the right superior alveolar nerves after dental trauma. As a comorbidity, central sensitization developed in the patient, manifesting in the uninjured oral areas being painful. After several temporary nerve blocks and medical management, the patient underwent resection of the ASAN, MSAN, and PSAN, as well as neurolysis of the infraorbital nerve, through a Caldwell-Luc approach. One week postoperatively, she reported substantial improvement in pain symptoms, including burning and temperature sensitivity, in the right maxilla. These findings were maintained at 7 months, without any maxillary sinus complications. Central sensitization caused continued intraoral symptoms. The ASAN, MSAN, and PSAN can be surgically resected within the maxillary sinus to treat refractory neuropathic pain. An etiology-based approach can guide successful treatment of trigeminal neuropathy. Central sensitization as a comorbidity must be addressed medically.
Breaking the Base Barrier: An Electron-Deficient Palladium Catalyst Enables the Use of a Common Soluble Base in C–N Coupling

Due to the low intrinsic acidity of amines, palladium-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling has been plagued continuously by the necessity to employ strong, inorganic, or insoluble bases. To surmount the many practical obstacles associated with these reagents, we utilized a commercially available dialkyl triarylmonophosphine-supported palladium catalyst that facilitates a broad range of C–N coupling reactions in the presence of weak, soluble bases. The mild and general reaction conditions show extraordinary tolerance for even highly base-sensitive functional groups. Additionally, insightful heteronuclear NMR studies using 15N-labeled amine complexes provide evidence for the key acidifying effect of the cationic palladium center.
Left atrial pressure-clamp servomechanism demonstrates LV suction in canine hearts with normal mitral valves

A novel technique is presented to study suction of the in situ left ventricle in open-chest experimental animals without requiring cardiopulmonary bypass or disturbing the native mitral valvular ap...
HIF-2α drives an intrinsic vulnerability to ferroptosis in clear cell renal cell carcinoma

Kidney cancers are characterized by extensive metabolic reprogramming and resistance to a broad range of anti-cancer therapies. By interrogating the Cancer Therapeutics Response Portal compound sensitivity dataset, we show that cells of clear-cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) possess a lineage-specific vulnerability to ferroptosis that can be exploited by inhibiting glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4). Using genome-wide CRISPR screening and lipidomic profiling, we reveal that this vulnerability is driven by the HIF-2α - HILPDA pathway by inducing a polyunsaturated fatty acyl (PUFA)-lipid-enriched cell state that is dependent on GPX4 for survival and susceptible to ferroptosis. This cell state is developmentally primed by the HNF-1β - 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate O-acyltransferase 3 (AGPAT3) axis in the renal lineage. In addition to PUFA metabolism, ferroptosis is facilitated by a phospholipid flippase TMEM30A involved in membrane topology. Our study uncovers an oncogenesis-associated vulnerability, delineates the underlying mechanisms and suggests targeting GPX4 to induce ferroptosis as a therapeutic opportunity in ccRCC.
Examination of a Nascent Taxonomy of Priest Sexual Grooming

Research has established that sexually abusive priests often use grooming strategies on victims. Recently, researchers have proposed a behavioral taxonomy used specifically by clergy who sexually abuse children. Because this nascent taxonomy has only been studied once using a limited sample of sexually abusive priests, we seek to replicate and expand on its findings using a sample of abusive clergy from a separate institution. Specifically, we analyzed files of 18 monks in Minnesota who were credibly accused of sexual abuse. Using a deductive approach, we searched through these files in an effort to find all instances of eight clergy sexual grooming behaviors that were identified in previous research by Spraitz, Bowen, and Strange. Our findings suggest there is evidence to support the existence of this taxonomy of priest sexual grooming, although we argue that certain aspects of the centerpiece technique of their classification scheme are faulty and must be studied more extensively.
Current students as university donors?: determinants in college students’ intentions to donate and share information about university crowdfunding efforts

Crowdfunding has gained popularity as a fundraising strategy for reaching an online “crowd” of contributors, with many making small donations and promoting the project online to social networks. Universities are exploring crowdfunding as a strategy to connect with non-traditional donors beyond alumni – including students. While higher education institutions may hope to include students given their perceived comfort with online giving and crowdfunding’s focus on small gifts, scholars have not examined students’ perceptions about such activities. Adopting the Existence Relatedness Growth (ERG) theory, this study uses a survey to explore factors that motivate or hinder students’ supportive behavior intentions through a crowdfunding mechanism, specifically donation intention and word-of-mouth (WOM) intention. Suggestions are made for universities to develop communication that creates a philanthropy culture and engages students as potential donors.
Marketing bodybuilding competition to females

When designing a marketing strategy to recruit females to participate in bodybuilding competitions, marketers should be aware not only of the established motivators inherent in females considering structured recreational activities, but also of the unique motivators for female potential recruits. Many traditional tactics used in bodybuilding marketing in the past have missed the mark. Chief motivators are fun, improved health and then, in descending order of importance, enhanced appearance, managing bodyweight, socialising and skill.
A Software Tool Aimed at Automating the Generation, Distribution, and Assessment of Social Media Messages for Health Promotion and Education Research.

Background: Social media offers promise for communicating the risks and health effects of harmful products and behaviors to larger and hard-to-reach segments of the population. Nearly 70% of US adults use some social media. However, rigorous research across different social media is vital to establish successful evidence-based health communication strategies that meet the requirements of the evolving digital landscape and the needs of diverse populations. Objective: The aim of this study was to expand and test a software tool (Trial Promoter) to support health promotion and education research by automating aspects of the generation, distribution, and assessment of large numbers of social media health messages and user comments. Methods: The tool supports 6 functions (1) data import, (2) message generation deploying randomization techniques, (3) message distribution, (4) import and analysis of message comments, (5) collection and display of message performance data, and (6) reporting based on a predetermined data dictionary. The tool was built using 3 open-source software products: PostgreSQL, Ruby on Rails, and Semantic UI. To test the tool’s utility and reliability, we developed parameterized message templates (N=102) based upon 2 government-sponsored health education campaigns, extracted images from these campaigns and a free stock photo platform (N=315), and topic-related hashtags (N=4) from Twitter. We conducted a functional correctness analysis of the generated social media messages to assess the algorithm’s ability to produce the expected output for each input. We defined 100% correctness as use of the message template text and substitution of 3 message parameters (ie, image, hashtag, and destination URL) without any error. The percent correct was calculated to determine the probability with which the tool generates accurate messages. Results: The tool generated, distributed, and assessed 1275 social media health messages over 85 days (April 19 to July 12, 2017). It correctly used the message template text and substituted the message parameters 100% (1275/1275) of the time as verified by human reviewers and a custom algorithm using text search and attribute-matching techniques. Conclusions: A software tool can effectively support the generation, distribution, and assessment of hundreds of health promotion messages and user comments across different social media with the highest degree of functional correctness and minimal human interaction. The tool has the potential to support social media–enabled health promotion research and practice: first, by enabling the assessment of large numbers of messages to develop evidence-based health communication, and second, by providing public health organizations with a tool to increase their output of health education messages and manage user comments. We call on readers to use and develop the tool and to contribute to evidence-based communication methods in the digital age.
Neuroprotective effects of the second generation antipsychotics

Abstract Background In contrast to over 30 studies reporting neurotoxicity associated with the first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs), several published studies have reported multiple neuroprotective effects associated with the second generation antipsychotics (SGAs). This prompted us to conduct a review of the reported neuroprotective mechanisms of the SGA class of antipsychotics compared to the FGAs. Methods A PubMed search was conducted using the keywords antipsychotic, neuroprotection, neuroplasticity, neurogenesis, neurotoxicity, toxicity, brain volume, neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, myelin, and oligodendrocyte. No restrictions were placed on the date of the articles or language. Studies with a clearly described methodology were included. Results Animal, cell culture, and human clinical studies were identified. Twenty-four reports met the criteria for the search. All studies included at least one SGA (aripiprazole, clozapine, lurasidone, olanzapine, paliperidone, perospirone, quetiapine, risperidone, and/or ziprasidone). A few also included FGAs as a comparator (predominantly haloperidol). All studies demonstrated at least one neuroprotective mechanism of one or more SGAs, while some studies also showed that FGAs ranged from having no neuroprotective effects to actually exerting neurotoxic effects leading to neuronal death. Conclusions A review of the literature suggests that in addition to their antipsychotic efficacy and low motoric side effects, SGAs exert measurable neuroprotective effects mediated via multiple molecular mechanisms and often in a dose-dependent manner. The neuroprotective effects of SGAs range from preventative to restorative and may play a salutary role in ameliorating the neurodegenerative effects of psychosis.
Refrigerant selection for different cryogenic temperatures

Abstract Compression refrigeration is widely used in chemical processes to cool process streams to below-ambient temperatures. A single stage (one evaporator, one compressor, one condenser and one expansion valve) can be used down to temperatures of about 40 °C using several refrigerants such as R134A, ammonia and propylene. Lower temperatures require multiple stages using progressively lower-boiling refrigerants in each stage. The selection of the “best” refrigerant involves economic, environmental, safety and political issues as well at technical performance and economics. The Freon refrigerants are safe but impact the ozone layer. Ammonia and propylene present safety concerns due to toxicity and flammability. The purpose of this paper is to explore how the desired temperature of refrigeration affects the refrigerant selection and the number of stages with only economic monetary considerations taken into account. The economic objective function considers both compressor energy costs and capital investment in compressors and heat exchangers.
Assessing Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) in a Forced Shallow-Water Model with Moisture

AbstractTwo forced shallow-water flow scenarios are explored in a 2D fourth-order finite-volume dynamical core with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) to investigate AMR’s ability to track and resolve ...
Hospitalizations Involving an Intensive Care Unit Admission Among Patients Aged 65 Years and Older Within New York City Hospitals During 2000-2014.

Objective To describe hospitalizations involving an intensive care unit (ICU) admission among patients aged 65 years and older within New York City (NYC) hospitals during 2000-2014. Design Observational study using an all-payer hospital discharge dataset. Setting The setting was in NYC hospitals. Patients Patients aged 65 years and older admitted to an ICU within a NYC hospital during 2000-2014. Interventions No interventions were carried out. Measurements and main results We calculated the mean annual number of hospitalizations involving an ICU admission. We also examined characteristics of hospitalizations, including the occurrence of in-hospital death and principal diagnosis. There were 5,338,577 hospitalizations of patients aged ≥65 years within NYC hospitals during 2000-2014, of which 765,084 (14.3%) involved an ICU admission. The mean annual number of hospitalizations involving an ICU admission for this age group decreased from 57,938 during 2000-2002 to 45,785 during 2012-2014. The proportion of hospitalizations involving an ICU admission in which in-hospital death occurred decreased from 15.9% during 2000-2002 to 14.5% during 2012-2014. During 2000-2002, 11.6% of hospitalizations involving an ICU admission listed an "infectious" principal diagnosis, increasing to 20.7% during 2012-2014. Listing of a "cardiovascular" principal diagnosis decreased from 46.4% to 33.4% between these time periods. "Infectious" principal diagnoses accounted for 31.0% of all hospitalizations involving an ICU admission in which in-hospital death occurred during the entire study period, while "cardiovascular" principal diagnoses accounted for 21.3%. Conclusions This investigation provides a clearer understanding of ICU utilization among patients aged 65 years and older in NYC. Ongoing monitoring is warranted given projections that the proportion of New Yorkers aged 65 years and older will increase in coming years. In particular, in light of the observed increase of infectious principal diagnoses during the study period, further investigation is needed into the role of infectious disease in causing critical illness in NYC.
Oviduct development inDrosophila : II. Metamorphic events in normal and ovariectomized females.

The course of development of the lateral oviducts ofDrosophila virilis was investigated in normal unoperated animals and subsequent to unilateral and bilateral larval ovariectomy. The development of the epithelial component of the oviducts can be divided into three phases, each characterized by different processes of growth. During the first two days following puparium formation, growth of the oviducts occurs through morphogenesis and mitotic activity. As the cell number increases, all the primordia characteristic of the imaginal reproductive system become recognizable. Early in this phase, a bifurcation of the oviducal rudiment becomes evident, thereby indicating distinct development of the lateral oviduct pair. With the cessation of cellular divisions by about 54 hours after puparium formation, a second phase of growth occurs through alterations in the arrangement of the cells and in their morphology. The third phase begins toward the end of pupal life. It is characterized by cellular enlargement and cytodifferentiation. These processes are not completed at the time of eclosion of the adult females and continue to occur during the first few days of imaginal life. Details of the histogenesis of oviducal epithelium and muscle are described. The course of development of free lateral oviducts obtained after either unilateral or bilateral ovariectomy was found to be indistinguishable from that of normal oviducts up to and even beyond the stage at which ovarian attachment normally occurs. In the latter part of pupal life, a collapsed configuration that may be the result of mechanical factors is observed in the free lateral oviduct. Differentiation of the epithelium and of oviducal muscle, however, proceed normally in such structures, at least until the time of eclosion. No evidence can be offered to support the previously reported view that outgrowth of lateral oviducts is dependent upon an induction by the ovaries.
A vapor inhalation method for delivering heroin alters nociception, body temperature and spontaneous activity in female and male rats

Background: The ongoing crisis related to non-medical use of opioids makes it of continued importance to understand the risk factors for opioid addiction, the behavioral and neurobiological consequences of opioid exposure and to seek potential avenues for therapy. Pre-clinical rodent models have been critical to advancing understanding for decades but have been mostly limited to drug delivery by injection or by oral dosing, whereas inhalation, a significant route for some human users, has not been as well-established. Method: We adapted an e-cigarette based inhalation system, previously shown efficacious for delivery of other drugs to rats, to deliver heroin vapor. Effects in vivo were assessed in male and female Sprague-Dawley rats using a warm-water assay for anti-nociception and an implanted radiotelemetry system for evaluating changes in body temperature and spontaneous activity rate. Results: Inhalation of vapor created by heroin 100 mg/mL in the propylene glycol (PG) vehicle significantly slowed tail-withdrawal from a 52 °C water bath, bi-phasically altered activity, and increased temperature in male and female rats. Inhalation of heroin 50 mg/mL for 15 minutes produced significant effects, as the lower bound on efficacy, whereas inhalation of heroin 100 mg/mL for 30 minutes produced robust effects across all endpoints and groups. Conclusions: This work shows that e-cigarette devices deliver psychoactive doses of heroin to rats, using concentrations of ~50-100 mg/mL and inhalation durations of 15-30 minutes. This technique may be useful to assess the effects of inhaled heroin and other opioid drugs.
Magnetic Resonance Safety in the 7T Environment.

The arrival of 7T MR imaging into the clinic represents a significant step-change in MR technology. This article describes safety concerns associated with imaging at 7T, including the increased magnetic forces on magnetic objects at 7T and the interaction of the 300 MHz (Larmor) radiofrequency energy with tissue in the body. A dedicated multidisciplinary 7T Safety team should develop safety policies and procedures to address these safety challenges and keep abreast of best practice in the field. The off-label imaging of implanted devices is discussed, and also the need for staff training to deal with complexities of patient handling and image interpretation.
A new development in ultrasound-compatible gynecologic brachytherapy simulators

Abstract Purpose Gynecologic brachytherapy is an essential component in the curative treatment of cervical cancer. With the decline in brachytherapy utilization, gynecologic brachytherapy simulators are being used to provide a mechanism to enhance proficiency-based resident training. However, most models that have been used lack procedural fidelity as they are either repurposed from OB/GYN basic models or from physics phantoms. Therefore, we set out to develop a high-fidelity, ultrasound- and CT-compatible gynecologic brachytherapy training simulator. Methods and Materials Based on prior experience with gynecologic training simulators on the market, we developed a wish list for an ultrasound-compatible brachytherapy training model. A custom simulator was developed based on an existing pelvic ultrasound trainer. Features included a cervical os and endometrial canal as well as a palpable and hypoechoic cervical tumor. Results The model took about 3 months from the initial meeting with the developer to completion. The properties of the material were equivalent to water for ultrasound, CT, and also MRI and the model did not show signs of degradation after multiple tandem insertions. Conclusions A high-fidelity ultrasound-compatible simulator was effectively developed and utilized to improve resident training to perform brachytherapy implants with a derivative benefit in the long term of improving survival for women with advanced gynecologic malignancies through having access to more proficient brachytherapists. Future directions include enhancing the model to allow for repetitive needle insertion and suturing for interstitial training as well as creating variations in anatomy (e.g., retroverted uterus, bulky tumors, etc.) for more advanced technical training.
Automatic classification and segmentation of single-molecule fluorescence time traces with deep learning.

Traces from single-molecule fluorescence microscopy (SMFM) experiments exhibit photophysical artifacts that typically necessitate human expert screening, which is time-consuming and introduces potential for user-dependent expectation bias. Here, we use deep learning to develop a rapid, automatic SMFM trace selector, termed AutoSiM, that improves the sensitivity and specificity of an assay for a DNA point mutation based on single-molecule recognition through equilibrium Poisson sampling (SiMREPS). The improved performance of AutoSiM is based on accepting both more true positives and fewer false positives than the conventional approach of hidden Markov modeling (HMM) followed by hard thresholding. As a second application, the selector is used for automated screening of single-molecule Forster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) data to identify high-quality traces for further analysis, and achieves ~90% concordance with manual selection while requiring less processing time. Finally, we show that AutoSiM can be adapted readily to novel datasets, requiring only modest Transfer Learning.
On the Performance of Satellite-Based Precipitation Products in Simulating Streamflow and Water Quality During Hydrometeorological Extremes

This study provides a comprehensive evaluation of streamflow and water quality simulated by a hydrological model using three different Satellite Precipitation Products (SPPs) with respect to observations from a dense rain gauge network over the Occoquan Watershed, located in Northern Virginia, suburbs to Washington, D.C., U.S. Eight extreme hydrometeorological events within a 5-year period between 2008-2012 are evaluated using SPPs, TMPA 3B42-V7, CMORPH V1.0, and PERSIANN-CCS, which are based on different retrieval algorithms with varying native spatial and temporal resolutions. A Hydrologic Simulation Program FORTRAN (HSPF) hydrology and water quality model was forced with the three SPPs to simulate output of streamflow (Q), stream temperature (TW), and concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), orthophosphate phosphorus (OP), total phosphorus (TP), ammonium-nitrate (NH4-N), nitrate-nitrogen (NO3-N), dissolved oxygen (DO), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) at six evaluation points within the watershed. Results indicate fairly good agreement between gauge- and SPP-simulated Q for TMPA and CMORPH, however, PERSIANN-simulated Q is lowest among SPPs, due to its inability to accurately measure stratiform precipitation between intense periods of precipitation during an extreme event. Correlations of water quality indicators vary considerably, however, TW has the strongest positive linear relationship compared to other indicators evaluated in this study. SPP-simulated TSS, a flow-dependent variable, has the weakest relationship to gauge-simulated TSS among all water quality indicators, with CMORPH performing slightly better than TMPA and PERSIANN. This study demonstrated that the spatiotemporal variability of SPPs, along with their algorithms to estimate precipitation, have an influence on water quality simulations during extreme hydrometeorological events.
Endogenous leverage and expected stock returns

Abstract This note clarifies conditions under which endogenous choice of debt induces a negative relation between leverage or default risk and expected stock returns. In the context of the model of George and Hwang [2009. Journal of Financial Economics 96, 56–79], we correct the contention that variation in bankruptcy costs across firms is sufficient. Variation in asset risk parameters can lead to the desired relation, but may not when also controlling for variation in book-to-market ratios. A simple parameterization of cross-sectional heterogeneity in risk and profitability implies a negative association of expected return with leverage and distress risk and a positive association with book-to-market.
Critical environmental justice and the nature of the firm

The critical environmental justice (CEJ) framework contends that inequalities are sustained through intersecting social categories, multi-scalarity, the perceived expendability of marginalized populations, and state-vested power. While this approach offers new pathways for environmental justice research, it overlooks the role of firms, suggesting a departure from long-standing political-economic theories, such as the treadmill of production (ToP), which elevate the importance of producers. In focusing on firms, we ask: how do firms operationalize diverse social forces to produce environmental injustice? What organizational logics sustain these inequalities? To understand the firm-level dynamics shaping treadmill acceleration and environmental injustice, we utilize two concepts—social embeddedness and managerial authority—from economic sociology research on firms. The former refers to the social and non-economic factors that guide economic decision-making, whereas the latter refers to the power that reinforces worksite hierarchies. This theoretical paper argues that social embeddedness and managerial authority interact within firms to produce an organizational logic that sustains environmental injustice and ecological disorganization. We draw from historical and contemporary evidence on sugarcane plantations in Latin America and the Caribbean, with cases ranging from the colonial period to the present day. By bringing economic sociological concepts to bear on the CEJ and ToP frameworks, we advance debates on how firm-level dynamics shape environmental inequalities.
Machine learning in spine surgery: Predictive analytics, imaging applications and next steps

Abstract Amidst the current technological revolution, medicine continues to advance towards personalized healthcare. By utilizing powerful computational techniques, physicians can now leverage machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) for a diverse set of applications, ranging from individualized treatment plans, automated imaging monitoring, and predictive models among many other uses to enhance delivery of optimal patient care. Spine surgery has benefitted tremendously from advancing technologies given the wide variety in clinical presentation of spinal pathologies and the complexities associated with management. In this paper, we review the current state of machine learning and AI for spine surgery and discuss its potential utility.
A Low-Copy Number Plasmid Mediating β-Lactamase Production by Xanthomonas Maltophilia

Xanthomonas maltophilia has been isolated from river and well water, raw milk, rabbit feces, and frozen fish.6 This species is a common commensal, an occasional contaminant of clinical specimens, and part of the transient flora of hospitalized patients.5 Although it has been documented as a cause of bacteremia, urinary tract infections, respiratory tract infections, meningitis, serious wound infections, mastoiditis, epididymitis, conjunctivitis, and endocarditis, X. maltophilia is isolated predominantly from respiratory tract secretions.8,9,17,18
Folate Coenzymes of Lactobacillus casei and Streptococcus faecalis

During growth in the presence of 10 ng of [3H]pteroylglutamic acid (PteGlu) per ml of medium, Lactobacillus casei (ATCC 7469) incorporated 80 to 90% and Streptococcus faecalis (ATCC 8043) 40 to 60% of the added radioactivity. Folate compounds in L. casei were identified as reduced derivatives of PteGlu9 (∼19%), of PteGlu8 (∼42%), of PteGlu7 (∼14%), and PteGlu6 (∼8%); in S. faecalis as reduced derivatives of PteGlu5 (∼24%), of PteGlu4 (∼61%), and PteGlu3 (∼4%). After treatment of cell extracts with hog kidney conjugase ∼39% of folate compounds in L. casei were converted to tetrahydrofolic acid (H4PteGlu), ∼26% to 5-methyl-H4PteGlu and ∼10% to 5- and 10-formyl-H4PteGlu; in the case of S. faecalis ∼25% were converted to H4PteGlu and ∼45% to 5- and 10-formyl-H4PteGlu. No 5-methyl-H4PteGlu derivatives could be found in S. faecalis. Simple methods for the preparation and separation of the biologically active forms of 5-methyl-[3H]H4PteGlu and 5-formyl-[3H]H4PteGlun (n = 1 to 9 glutamic acid residues) with a high specific radioactivity are described. Growth of L. casei in the presence of 100 ng of PteGlu-[U-14C]Glu-Glu or 100 ng of PteGlu3-[U-14C]Glu-Glu per ml of medium was the same as in the presence of 100 ng of PteGlu per ml. PteGlu5 (100 ng per ml of medium) did not inhibit the uptake of [3H]PteGlu (0.3 ng per ml of medium), in contrast to PteGlu3 (100 ng per ml) and PteGlu (100 ng per ml). L. casei converted PteGlu-[U-14C]Glu and PteGlu3-[U-14C]Glu-Glu to the same metabolites as [3H]PteGlu without loss of the 14C label.
Protein kinase C contains two phorbol ester binding domains

A series of deletion and truncation mutants of protein kinase C (PKC) were expressed in the baculovirus-insect cell expression system in order to elucidate the ability of various domains of the enzyme to bind phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu). A PKC truncation mutant consisting of only the catalytic domain of the enzyme did not bind [3H]PDBu, whereas a PKC truncation mutant consisting of the regulatory domain (containing the tandem cysteine-rich putative zinc finger regions) bound [3H]PDBu. Deletion of the second conserved region (C2) of PKC did not abolish [3H]PDBu binding, whereas a deletion of the first conserved region (C1) of PKC, containing the two cysteine-rich sequences, completely abolished [3H]PDBu binding. Additional truncation and deletion mutants helped to localize the region necessary for [3H]PDBu binding; all PKC mutants that contained either one of the cysteine-rich zinc finger-like regions possessed phorbol ester binding activity. Scatchard analyses of these mutants indicated that each bound [3H]PDBu with equivalent affinity (21-41 nM); approximately 10-20-fold less than the native enzyme. In addition, a peptide of 146 amino acid residues from the first cysteine-rich region, as well as a peptide of only 86 amino acids residues from the second cysteine-rich region, both bound [3H]PDBu with high affinity (31 +/- 4 and 59 +/- 13 nM, respectively). These data establish that PKC contains two phorbol ester binding domains which may function in its regulation.
Deficiency of zebrafish fgf20a results in aberrant skull remodeling that mimics both human cranial disease and evolutionarily important fish skull morphologies

The processes that direct skull remodeling are of interest to both human-oriented studies of cranial dysplasia and evolutionary studies of skull divergence. There is increasing awareness that these two fields can be mutually informative when natural variation mimics pathology. Here we describe a zebrafish mutant line, devoid of blastema (dob), which does not have a functional fgf20a protein, and which also presents cranial defects similar to both adaptive and clinical variation. We used geometric morphometric methods to provide quantitative descriptions of the effects of the dob mutation on skull morphogenesis. In combination with "whole-mount in situ hybridization" labeling of normal fgf20a expression and assays for osteoblast and osteoclast activity, the results of these analyses indicate that cranial dysmorphologies in dob zebrafish are generated by aberrations in post-embryonic skull remodeling via decreased osteoblasotgenesis and increased osteoclastogenesis. Mutational effects include altered skull vault geometries and midfacial hypoplasia that are consistent with key diagnostic signs for multiple human craniofacial syndromes. These phenotypic shifts also mimic changes in the functional morphology of fish skulls that have arisen repeatedly in several highly successful radiations (e.g., damselfishes and East-African rift-lake cichlids). Our results offer the dob/fgf20a mutant as an experimentally tractable model with which to examine post-embryonic skull development as it relates to human disease and vertebrate evolution.
Changes in Dietary Fat and Fiber and Serum Hormone Concentrations: Nutritional Strategies for Breast Cancer Prevention over the Life Course

The association between dietary fat intake and breast cancer risk has appeared in a meta-analysis of epidemiologic research, migration studies from countries of low to high risk for breast cancer, and animal experiments. With this background, dietary intervention research aims to reduce fat intake and increase fruit, vegetable, and fiber intake, relying on changes in hormone concentrations as biomarkers for reduction in risk of breast cancer. To date, this dietary intervention research spans the life course and has demonstrated stellar success in some studies but sobering results in others. The purpose of this article is to review the intervention research since a 1999 meta-analysis that reported reduced estradiol levels on a low-fat diet and to explore the lessons learned from intervention research on changes in dietary fat and fiber intake and serum hormone concentrations. Secular trends in obesity and ages at pubertal onset and menarche provide dynamic behavioral, genetic, and developmental challenges to the success of dietary prevention. The goal is to formulate an integrative approach to dietary intervention, taking into consideration ethnic group differences in energy expenditure that modulate weight and hormones influencing breast cancer risk over the life course.
Observing Trace Gases from Spectrally Resolved Infrared Radiances

We present measurements of mid-tropospheric atmospheric carbon derived from the Aqua Atmospheric Infrared Sounder and inter-comparisons with NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory/Global Monitoring Division in-situ measurements.
Reactive evaporation of Chevrel phase superconducting compounds

Thin films of Chevrel phase compounds CuMo 6 S 8 and HoMo 6 S 8 have been formed using a reactive evaporation technique in which the metallic constituents are derived from either electron-gun or resistively heated sources and S vapor is obtained from a molecular beam oven. The constituents are reacted on a sapphire substrate kept at elevated temperatures. Compositional uniformity is insured by controlling the S rate and locking the rates of the other sources to it in a prearranged fashion. The evaporation system used in this work is equipped with a vacuum lock which permits substrates to be changed without reprocessing the system. CuMo 6 S 8 films produced using these techniques are relatively pure and well-ordered. HoMo 6 S 8 films show a resistance minimum but do not become completely superconducting as prepared, but do so after reactive annealing. These methods have not been used successfully to form PbMo 6 S 8 films because of the high volatility and short dwell time of Pb on the substrate surface.
Shakespeare and Romance

Shakespearean critics have often used the term “romance” to classify the four late plays, Pericles, Cymbeline, The Winter's Tale, and The Tempest, into one uniform group. This article looks briefly at the critical history of this much-debated romance label. Traditional source studies have contributed to the debate by characterizing the four late plays in terms of their generic heritage in popular romance literature. Responses to this debate posit that intertexual approaches to source material allow us to reexamine the link between popular applications of romance fiction in the early Jacobean period and their appearance in Shakespeare's late plays.
The Prowess and Pitfalls of Bayesian Structural Equation Modeling Important Considerations for Management Research

Muthen and Asparouhov introduced an approach for conducting Bayesian inference in the context of structural equation models that they termed Bayesian structural equation modeling (BSEM). In this article, we provide an overview of the BSEM technique, illustrate how this technique relates to confirmatory and exploratory factor analysis, and highlight several key problems with using the BSEM approach as it is currently advocated. Utilizing data from a large-scale study of entrepreneurial self-efficacy, we develop a modified approach for applying the BSEM technique in a manner that is more consistent with accepted principles of reflective measurement, factor analysis, and model selection. We devise a series of recommendations to guide future use of the BSEM technique to help ensure that mainstream use of this approach heralds the coming of a new day in measurement development rather than a false dawn.
Modeling nitric oxide emissions from biosolid amended soils

Abstract Utilizing a state-of-the-art mobile laboratory in conjunction with a dynamic flow-through chamber system, nitric oxide concentrations [NO] were measured and NO fluxes were calculated during the summer, winter and spring of 1999/2000. The field site where these measurements were conducted was an agricultural soil amended with biosolids from a municipal wastewater treatment facility. These NO flux values were then used to assess the impact of including biosolid amended soils as a land-use class in an air quality model. The average NO flux from this biosolid amended soil was found to be exponentially dependent on soil temperature [NO Flux ( ng N m −2 s −1 )=1.07 exp (0.14 T soil ) ; R2=0.81—NO Flux =71.3 ng N m −2 s −1 at 30°C]. Comparing this relationship to results of the widely applied biogenic emissions inventory system (BEIS2) model revealed that for this field site, if the BEIS2 model was used, the NO emissions would have been underestimated by a factor of 26. Using this newly developed NO flux algorithm, combined with North Carolina Division of Water Quality statistics on how many biosolid amended acres are permitted per county, county-based NO inventories from these biosolid amended soils were calculated. Results from this study indicate that county-level biogenic NO emissions can increase by as much as 18% when biosolid amended soils are included as a land-use class. The multiscale air quality simulation platform (MAQSIP) was then used to determine differences in ozone (O3) and odd-reactive nitrogen compounds (NOy) between models run with and without the biosolid amended acreages included in the inventory. Results showed that during the daytime, when atmospheric mixing heights are typically at their greatest, any increase in O3 or NOy concentrations predicted by the model were small (
Plasma Glutamate Dehydrogenase: Clinical Application in Patients With Alcoholic Liver Disease

The time course of plasma glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) elevation was studied in 42 male alcoholics admitted for alcohol detoxification or for the treatment of medical complications of alcoholism and in 2 volunteers consuming 2 g/kg/day of ethanol under metabolic ward conditions. GDH values were usually highest during or immediately after cessation of drinking; thereafter, they fell rapidly toward the normal range. Early GDH values correlated well with liver histology in 37 patients who subsequently underwent diagnostic liver biopsy.
On the stabilization of closed-loop stabilizable systems

The question of stabilizing unity feedback linear systems through the employment of proper feedforward compensators is important in many aspects of control theory. Although it appears to be well-known that a large class of linear systems, namely those which might be termed "closed-loop stabilizable," can be so stabilized, it is difficult to find a definitive reference which establishes this observation in a straightforward and simple manner. This note attempts to remedy this situation by presenting a new procedure for designing appropriate, proper, feedforward compensators which not only stabilize, but also arbitrarily reposition all of the unstable poles of closed-loop stabilizable systems.
Otitis media in laboratory rats

Seventy-five of 260 Long-Evans rats (29%) were found to have middle ear infection, otitis media, when examined postmortem. The incidence of disease was found to increase with age of S and to be higher in females, as well as in animals subjected to stereotaxic brain lesions. It is suggested that several precautions be observed when using rats in auditory studies.