cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An In Vitro evaluation of disinfection protocols used for needleless connectors of central venous catheters

UNLABELLED A repeatable and sensitive method to evaluate the effect of three antiseptics and two disinfection techniques on viable micro-organisms on luer-activated catheter needleless connectors (NCs) was developed. NCs were inoculated with Staphylococcus epidermidis or Klebsiella pneumoniae and disinfected with 3·15% chlorhexidine gluconate + 70% isopropanol (CGI), 70% isopropanol (IPA) or 10% PVP povidone-iodine (PI) antiseptic pads using: (i) scrubbing the NC septum and threaded external surfaces or (ii) wiping only the surface of the septum. Treatments were also evaluated against NCs pretreated with human serum and exposed for 18 h to Staph. epidermidis prior to testing. Viable cells were quantified by plate count. The method for inoculation and recovery of luminal micro-organisms was repeatable (SD, 0·31; n = 28). IPA disinfection provided an approximate 3 log10 CFU reduction; CGI and PI provided 3-4 log10 reductions. PI and CGI were more effective than IPA (P < 0·05), but differences between CGI and PI were not significant for either disinfection method. IPA, but not CGI and PI was also less effective (P < 0·05) against NCs inoculated with Kl. pneumoniae than Staph. epidermidis. Pretreatment with serum and prolonged Staph. epidermidis inoculation removed the advantage seen with CGI and PI; log10 reductions were 1·80, 1·73 and 2·50 for CGI, PI and IPA, respectively. PI or CGI may be more effective than IPA for NC disinfection but effectiveness may be reduced on NCs contaminated with blood or serum. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY sensitive and repeatable protocol was developed to evaluate antiseptics for disinfecting catheter needleless connectors (NCs). Povidone-iodine (PI) and chlorhexidine gluconate plus isopropanol (CGI) were more effective than isopropanol (IPA) for reducing Staphylococcus epidermidis contamination of NCs. The effectiveness of PI and CGI was reduced on NCs pre-exposed to human serum and prolonged bacterial inoculation. IPA was also less effective against NCs contaminated with Klebsiella pneumoniae.
MSL rover structural verification and validation via centrifuge testing

Centrifuge testing has been a tried and true method for the global structural qualification of small to medium sized test articles. During the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) Rover structural qualification program the centrifuge test method is extended to the application of large scale Aerospace structures. With the increased test article size and dimensions, parameters otherwise considered trivial become complicated design drivers for the test hardware and implementation. These typically ignored testing provisions include facility power and structural capability, test article interface structure and enclosure, and the enclosure aerodynamics. The size of the MSL rover has been the source of many design and testing complications throughout its development. However, the solutions for these complications are paving the way for future large aerospace structures. The centrifuge testing implementation described within should serve as a guideline for implementing future centrifuge testing on similar large scale structures.
Diverse Learners, Diverse Texts: Exploring Identity and Difference through Literary Encounters

This article reports from a yearlong ethnography that examined two urban loth-grade English classes of ethnically diverse students in which the teachers diversified literature selections for newly ...
Hypercapnia causes cellular oxidation and nitrosation in addition to acidosis: implications for CO2 chemoreceptor function and dysfunction

Cellular mechanisms of CO2 chemoreception are discussed and debated in terms of the stimuli produced during hypercapnic acidosis and their molecular targets: protons generated by the hydration of C...
Photoenzymatic repair of ultraviolet damage in DNA. II. Formation of an enzyme-substrate complex.

Gentle fractionation precedures capable of separating unbound enzyme from DNA, as well as by the altered properties of the enzyme when combined with its substrate, were used to show that the enzyme-substrate complex is a stible compound in the dark. It was found that the photoreactivating agent from bikers' yeast is bound to UV irradiated DNA in the dark but not to unirradiated DNA), and that in this form it is partly protected from inactivation by heat and heavy metals. The results support the indications from kinetic evidence that photoreactivation proceeds by the Michaelis-Menten reaction scheme, with the enzyme first attiching to the photochemical lesion of DNA in the dark, and the repair occurring during subsequent first order photolysis of the enzyme-substrate complex. (P.C.H.)
Estimating Detection Probabilities from Sign of Collared Peccary

Determining presence or absence of collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) from surveys of sign (tracks and feces) requires information on whether animals in sample units are detected. We estimated detection probabilities of collared peccary from sign surveys using occupancy models. Because it was unlikely that residence status of collared peccary in sampling units remained the same over a survey season, which is a primary assumption of occupancy models, we first determined the time interval for which to pool data. We then examined the influence of rainfall and peccary abundance on detection probabilities. We placed 90 sign stations (25-m-diam circular plots) throughout Chaparral Wildlife Management Area, south Texas, USA. We surveyed plots weekly for the presence or non-presence of collared peccary during 2 11-week sampling seasons in spring and fall 2003. We examined sign data weekly and we pooled the data in intervals from 2 weeks to 5 weeks. Estimates of detection probabilities increased from 1 week to 3 weeks of pooled data and leveled off thereafter. We needed a 3-week time interval to meet the assumption of unchanging residence status. Using sign data pooled in 3-week increments, detection probabilities were influenced by areas that differed in peccary abundance, but they were not influenced by rainfall. Estimates of detection probabilities ranged from 0.43 to 0.77 for 3-week time intervals. Sign surveys and occupancy modeling of data can be used to measure spatial patterns of collared peccary in south Texas as long as multiple 3-week time intervals are sampled.
Design On The Go: How African American youth use mobiletechnologies for digital content creation

The use of mobile technologies has been proposed forincreasing access and designing innovative educationalactivities. Unfortunately, there is limited data on the currentuses of cellular phones amongst low-income AfricanAmerican youth. In particular, there is little known abouthow this population may design on the rapidly adaptingtechnology, what digital content they create and share viamobile technology. In this exploratory study, I surveyed 103 youths, ages 13-21, and asked about their ownership of cellular phonesand their patterns of use with media, the Internet, as wellas whether they create digital content. The findingsindicate that although these young people use manyforms of technology and media, they are more prone tocreating content such as photographs and share theirwriting through cellular phones than through the Internet.The results of this study may indicate trends in use andthe opportunity to develop and support digital design andcontent on mobile platforms.
Transcriptionally repressed germ cells lack a subpopulation of phosphorylated RNA polymerase II in early embryos of Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila melanogaster

Early embryonic germ cells in C. elegans and D. melanogaster fail to express many messenger RNAs expressed in somatic cells. In contrast, we find that ribosomal RNAs are expressed in both cell types. We show that this deficiency in mRNA production correlates with the absence of a specific phosphoepitope on the carboxy-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II. In both C. elegans and Drosophila embryos, this phosphoepitope appears in somatic nuclei coincident with the onset of embryonic transcription, but remains absent from germ cells until these cells associate with the gut primordium during gastrulation. In contrast, a second distinct RNA polymerase II phosphoepitope is present continuously in both somatic and germ cells. The germ-line-specific factor PIE-1 is required to block mRNA production in the germ lineage of early C. elegans embryos (Seydoux, G., Mello, C. C., Pettitt, J., Wood, W. B., Priess, J. R. and Fire, A. (1996) Nature 382, 713–716). We show here that PIE-1 is also required for the germ-line-specific pattern of RNA polymerase II phosphorylation. These observations link inhibition of mRNA production in embryonic germ cells to a specific modification in the phosphorylation pattern of RNA polymerase II and suggest that repression of RNA polymerase II activity may be part of an evolutionarily conserved mechanism that distinguishes germ line from soma during early embryogenesis. In addition, these studies also suggest that different phosphorylated isoforms of RNA polymerase II perform distinct functions.
The effect of environmental pH on the growth of normal and malignant cells

Data have been presented with respect to the widely varying pH optima for the growth of a number of normal and transformed human, mouse, monkey, hamster, rabbit and rat cell lines. At that optimum, differences between normal and transformed cells with respect to maximum population densities tended to become less prominent. Other differences (serum requirement, long-term viability of cultures) were not demonstrably pH-dependent.
Assessment of the current US seismic displacement requirements for bridges in a low–moderate seismic zone

Abstract Current US seismic guidelines indicate that ground acceleration of 0.10g or greater is likely to produce plastic structural response, yet they require that an elastic seismic analysis be performed for all multi-span bridges located in regions deemed likely to sustain such ground acceleration. The relative superstructure–substructure displacements obtained from an elastic analysis of typical bridges located in a low–moderate seismic zone are usually in the range of 2.5–10 cm. The design code presents an empirical formula which approximates the upper limit of displacements due to plastic response. This formula typically gives displacements in the range of 37.5–60 cm. Since the requirement of the use of the empirical formula is predicted on the assumption of plastic response, an assessment of its validity is warranted. The primary objectives of this paper are to determine if plastic response is a real possibility for earthquakes of low to moderate magnitude (i.e. acceleration coefficient, A=0.10–0.20g) and further to examine if the empirical displacement formula is suitable for bridges in those seismic zones.
Low zinc intake decreases the lymphatic output of retinol in rats infused intraduodenally with β-carotene

Abstract Previously, we have shown that the lymphatic absorption of retinol is significantly decreased in rats fed a low zinc diet. This study was conducted to determine whether the absorption of β-carotene also is altered in zinc-deficient male rats. The absorption of β-carotene was estimated by determining the amount of retinol appearing in the mesenteric lymph during intraduodenal infusion of β-carotene. One group of rats was fed the AIN-93G diet but low in zinc (LZ; 3 mg/kg) and the other was fed the same diet adequate in zinc (AZ; 30 mg/kg). The LZ and AZ rats were trained to meal feed equal amounts of the diets twice daily. At 6 weeks, each rat with lymph cannula was infused via an intraduodenal catheter at 3 ml/h for 8 h with a lipid emulsion containing 65.0 nmol β-carotene, 565.1 μmol triolein, 27.8 kBq 14C-triolein (14C-OA), 72 mg albumin, and 396 μmol Na-taurocholate in 24 ml PBS (pH, 6.7). The lymphatic output of retinol over the 8-h period was significantly lower in LZ rats than in AZ rats. The absorption of 14C-OA also was significantly lower in LZ rats. No significant differences were observed between groups in intestinal β-carotene 15,15′-dioxygenase, retinal reductase, and retinal oxidase activities. The findings demonstrate that low zinc intake or marginal zinc deficiency significantly lowers the absorption of β-carotene as estimated by lymphatic retinol output. The results also indicate that the decrease in retinol output in LZ rats is not linked to defects in β-carotene cleavage and subsequent conversion of retinal to retinol in the intestinal mucosa. This study suggests that zinc status is an important factor determining the intestinal absorption of β-carotene and hence the nutritional status of vitamin A.
Timing of clade divergence and discordant estimates of genetic and morphological diversity in the Slender Madtom, Noturus exilis (Ictaluridae).

Phylogeographic relationships, the timing of clade diversification, and the potential for cryptic diversity in the Slender Madtom, Noturus exilis, was investigated using mitochondrial Cyt b, nuclear RAG2, shape analysis, and meristic and pigmentation data. Three well-supported and deeply divergent clades were recovered from analyses of genetic data: Little Red River (White River drainage) clade, Arkansas + Red River (Mississippi River) clade, and a large clade of populations from the rest of the range of the species. Recovered clades showed little to no diagnostic morphological differences, supporting previous hypotheses of morphological conservatism in catfishes, and indicating morphology may commonly underestimate diversity in this group of fishes. The Little Red River clade is the most distinct lineage of N. exilis with 11 POM pores (vs. 10 in other populations) and unique Cyt b haplotypes and RAG 2 alleles. However, treating it as a species separate from N. exilis would imply that the other major clades of N. exilis are more closely related to one another than they are to the Little Red River clade, which was not supported. The UCLN age estimate for Noturus was 23.9 mya (95% HPD: 13.49, 35.43), indicating a late Oligocene to early Miocene origin. The age of N. exilis was estimated as late Miocene at 9.7 mya (95% HPD: 5.32, 14.93). Diversification within the species spanned the late Miocene to mid-Pleistocene. The largest clade of N. exilis, which dates to the late Miocene, includes populations from the unglaciated Eastern and Interior Highlands as well as the previously glaciated Central Lowlands. Diversification of this clade coincides with a drastic drop in sea-level and diversification of other groups of Central Highlands fishes (Centrarchidae and Cyprinidae). Sub-clades dating to the Pleistocene show that northern populations occurring in previously glaciated regions resulted from dispersal from populations in the Ozarks up the Mississippi River following retreat of the Pleistocene glaciers. Pre-Pleistocene vicariance, such as drainage pattern changes of the Mississippi River, also played a prominent role in the history of the species. The incorporation of a temporal estimate of clade diversification revealed that in some instances, phylogeographic breaks shared with other aquatic species were best explained by different or persistent vicariant events through time, rather than a single shared event.
Optofluidic Microring Dye Laser

We demonstrated, for the first time, an optofluidic microring dye laser on a monolithic poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) chip. Laser threshold of 9.2 nJ was obtained with a single mode liquid-core waveguide based microring cavity.
Dependence of cardiac mitochondrial pyruvate dehydrogenase activity on intramitochondrial free Ca2+ concentration.

(1) The free Ca2+ concentration of the matrix of rat heart mitochondria ([Ca2+]m) was determined from the fluorescence of internalized indo-1. The value of the Kd of indo-1-Ca2+ in the mitochondrial matrix was determined to be 95 nM, on the basis of equilibration of [Ca2+]m with the extramitochondrial free Ca2+ ([Ca2+]o) in the presence of rotenone, nigericin, valinomycin and Br-A23187. (2) [Ca2+]m responded to energization/de-energization protocols, the inhibition of Ca2+-uptake by Ruthenium Red and the potentiation of Ca2+-efflux by Na+ in a manner which was consistent with the known kinetic properties of the mitochondrial Ca2+-transport processes. (3) The concentration gradient [Ca2+]m/[Ca2+]o was found to be near unity (0.82 +/- 0.18) when mitochondria were incubated in media containing 10 mM-Na+; the additional presence of 1 mM-Mg2+ reduced the gradient to values below unity (0.26 +/- 0.03). The polyamine spermine increased the Ca2+ concentration gradient in the presence of 1 mM-Mg2+. (4) The fraction of pyruvate dehydrogenase in the active form (PDHA) was found to increase with [Ca2+]m, with a K0.5 for activation of approximately 300 nM-Ca2+. This value of the activation constant was not affected by conditions, e.g. addition of Mg2+, which changed the [Ca2+]m/[Ca2+]o concentration gradient, and the presence of different oxidizable substrates, which changed the [NADH/NAD+]m concentration ratio. Thus pyruvate dehydrogenase interconversion responds directly to changes in [Ca2+]m, as inferred in earlier work.
Jewish conversions to Catholicism in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries

Weakened by the religious challenges of the Protestant Reformation, the early modern Catholic Church sought "stability and reassurance."1 One way it did so was through "tales of individual Jewish conversions," which went hand in hand with aggressive conversionary efforts. In Rome, these efforts began in the sixteenth century, through the burning of the Talmud and through the pressure exerted by ghetto life. In 1584, Gregory XIII ordered Roman Jews to submit to forced preaching.2 This process repeated itself in the mid-eighteenth century, especially under Pope Benedict XIV. But the motives this time were different. Rather than battling disintegrating Catholic unity, as it did in the sixteenth century, the eighteenth century papacy was responding to religious and political chal lenges that accompanied the rise of anti-clericalism, secularism, and demands for religious tolerance.3 Similar, albeit perhaps more subtle, attempts to con vert Jews, complemented by tales and polemics decrying Jewish error and telling of conversionary miracles, were also known in late seventeenth and eighteenth century Poland. Yet contrastingly, the eighteenth century Polish Church and its clergy were reacting to stimuli similar to those the Church in Rome had reacted to over a century and a half before. As in so many other areas of "modernization," in the matter of policy, and attitudes, toward Jews, Poland once again lagged behind, its Church still embroiled in pre-modern religious and political conflicts and still responding to the aftershocks of early modern religious crises and wars, including those involving Protestants, Muslims and the Eastern Orthodox.4 Seeking to buttress itself and to enhance its weakened authority, and perhaps even more its weakened prestige in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth, the Polish clergy resorted to mission and to glorifying narrative of the kind that would show, as was so often said in sixteenth century Rome, that truly, there was only "one flock and one pastor."5 Battling non-Catholics and unruly secular leadership created a sense of purpose. More importantly, it reassured. Admittedly, neither efforts to convert Jews in Poland, nor the results, were spectacular. Still, materials from numerous Church archives point to a steady, if limited, influx of converts to Catholicism not only from Judaism, but also
Valgus tilting of the ankle joint after subtalar (hindfoot) fusion: complication or natural progression of valgus hindfoot deformity?

Six patients treated over a 2-year period were noted to have valgus tilting of the talus at the ankle joint on standing anteroposterior ankle films taken after subtalar (hindfoot) fusions. All patients had significant preoperative hindfoot valgus, but no changes on ankle films. All patients underwent moldable in-situ fusions. Severity and duration of preoperative deformity, as well as obesity, appear to be predisposing factors. Most patients were satisfied with their pain relief despite their persistent valgus deformity. Treatment alternatives may include medial displacement calcaneal osteotomy, lateral column lengthening, combination bone and soft tissue procedures, or even tibial talar calcaneal fusion.
Calculated pKa’s of the DNA Base Radical Ions

For the DNA bases the pKa’s of the neutral molecules have been measured, and a review article by Steenken provides a convenient summary of the experimental pKa’s of the DNA radical ions. The purpose of the present work is to attempt to calculate the pKa’s of the DNA radical ions and to compare these results with the experimental values. The agreement between the calculated and experimental pKa's for the guanine, cytosine, and thymine cations is very good but the pKa calculation on the adenine cation is not close to the experimental value. It is tempting to suggest that the pKa of the adenine cation is not actually ≤1 but is more likely somewhere near the calculated value of 3.9. Problems were encountered in calculating the pKa's of the one-electron reduced nucleobases because optimizations tend to produce nonplanar structures. The calculations presented show close agreement between the calculated and experimental pKa's for the thymine, cytosine, and adenine anions. Although there are no experimental data ...
ZnGa2O4 Thin-Film Phosphors Grown by Pulsed Laser Ablation

The growth and properties of undoped and Mn-doped ZnGa2O4 thin-film phosphors on (100) MgO and glass substrates using pulsed laser ablation were investigated. Blue-white and green emission were observed for as-deposited undoped and Mn-doped films, respectively. Luminescent properties as well as crystallinity were considerably affected by processing conditions and film stoichiometry. Films with enhanced luminescent characteristics were obtained on single crystal substrates without post-annealing.
Genes Associated with Alloimmunization to Blood Group Antigens in Sickle Cell Disease

BACKGROUND: Alloimmunization to minor blood group antigens is more common in sickle cell disease (SCD) than in the general population. Causes include the high frequency of transfusion as well as phenotypic differences between the largely African-American SCD population and mostly Caucasian blood donors. Alloimmunization, as well as the risk of alloimmunization, results in higher costs as well as reduced availability of and delays in obtaining antigen-matched blood to meet clinical needs. We used a candidate gene approach to determine if specific genetic signatures were associated with alloimmunization and thus could identify patients at high risk for alloimmunization and therefore requiring prospective antigen matching for transfusion. METHODS: Patient data were previously collected through a multicenter study to identify genetic factors associated with SCD complications (Duke and UNC; DU) and through the Cooperative Study of SCD (CSSCD). All subjects were adults with HbSS genotype (DU mean yrs 34.9 ± 12.1, CSSCD mean yrs 29.1 ± 9.5, p RESULTS: Alloimmunization rates were different in the DU and CSSCD cohorts (30.7% vs. 18.9%, respectively; p = .0075) but were not associated with age or number of transfusions > 0 in either cohort. The most significant genetic associations with alloimmunization (FDR q = .28) occurred for 46 SNPs in the HLA locus and 10 other genes (Table 1). Two of these SNPs were missense mutations in GZMB (granzyme B (granzyme 2, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated serine esterase 1)), one of which (rs8192917) has previously been associated with acute kidney transplant rejection and acute GVHD after stem cell transplant. A missense mutation in TRIM31 (E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase) was also associated with alloimmunization (p = .01). TRIM31 regulates Src-induced anchorage-independent cell growth and has been implicated in antiretroviral defense, cancer and ADHD. Within the DU cohort, we conducted a sub-analysis among only antigen-negative individuals, in whom immunization rates were 15.8%, 14%, 4.5%, 10.2%, 11%, and 8.3% to E, C, K, S, Jkb and Fya, respectively. Regression analysis of all 939 SNPs identified nominally significant associations predicting specific antibody alloimmunization. A missense mutation in PRKCQ (rs2236379) was associated with both anti-E and –C alloimmunization. Additional missense mutations were identified as follows: in TGFBR3 and GZMB with anti-C; in CFH, andTLR6 with anti-K, and in TLR10 with anti-Jkb. CONCLUSIONS: We have identified several immune response genes that are also associated with increased risk of alloimmunization in SCD (nominal p ≤ .006, FDR q = .28). Some associations may arise from the prevalence of alloimmunization to specific antigens. For example, PRKCQ was associated with development of alloantibodies to both E and C antigens, which reside on the same nonglycosylated RH protein. Expanded studies may identify those patients who would benefit from intensive or specific antigen-matching transfusion protocols. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Conversations with Four Highly Productive German Educational Psychologists: Frank Fischer, Hans Gruber, Heinz Mandl, and Alexander Renkl.

Previous research (Kiewra & Creswell, Educational Psychology Review 12(1):135–161, 2000; Patterson-Hazley & Kiewra, Educational Psychology Review 25(1):19–45, 2013) has investigated the characteristics and work habits of highly productive educational psychologists. These investigations have focused exclusively on American scholars who were trained and employed at various universities and have ignored international scholars and scholars with a shared academic lineage. The present study sought to fill these gaps by investigating, through qualitative methods, how a cohort of four German educational psychologists (Heinz Mandl, Alexander Renkl, Hans Gruber, and Frank Fischer) with a shared academic background became productive scholars. Interview responses suggested that the German scholars’ shared experiences during the early years of their careers shaped their career paths and productivity. Additionally, interviews with each scholar revealed several commonalities (i.e., long and focused research career, trademark characteristic, scholarly influencers, effective time-management practices, and research-management strategies) between this contingent of productive German scholars and their productive American counterparts. Finally, the present study also identified several differences (e.g., educational training, funding opportunities, sabbaticals, administrative responsibilities, and research traditions) between the American and German research environments that influence productivity. Practical implications from this investigation include advice for emerging scholars.
What If this is as Good as it Gets

This article reviews Richard Epstein's book, Principles for a Free Society: Reconciling Individual Liberty with the Common Good and argues that, whereas it is a fine book, it never does satisfy its quest of telling us how to sort out the bona fides of a proposed public good. Unless one has a grip on the public goods question (which ones really are good and which ones are phonies), it becomes impossible for a consequentialist libertarian to define or defend a limit for the exercise of state power.
Rehumanizing Birth and Death in America

THESIS: Despite spending more on medical care than any other country in the world, the United States still boasts some of the worst patient outcomes of any developed nation. This disparity is especially true of how Americans give birth and die. These natural human transitions have become catastrophically expensive and leave patients and their families traumatized from unnecessary interventions. This article examines the costs and outcomes associated with the medicalization of birth and death and argues that alternatives exist that improve patient outcomes while lowering costs. Access to these alternatives will require changing current regulatory and reimbursement structures and providing trained support staff to help families navigate beginning- and end-of life decisions.
Interferon hybrids: prospects for therapy

Recombinant DNA techniques have led to determination of the structure of human interferons and production of individual molecular species of interferon free from other species and other proteins simultaneously induced in human cell cultures. Comparison of the properties of different molecular species of interferon and molecular hybrids between the various species has indicated the extent to which the various biological properties of interferons may be separated. This information provides a basis for considering the design of particular molecular constructions of interferons with particular desired properties. The production of hybrid interferons from different genes with common restriction enzyme sites provides a method for producing desirable analogs. The current data are here reviewed with respect to potential clinical utility of such materials.
Hodgkin’s Lymphoma of the Lung

Hodgkin lymphoma rarely involves the lungs; however, it is more common in treated patients who relapse. PET/MR imaging is an excellent tool to diagnose, stage, and assess treatment response in patients with extranodal Hodgkin’s disease.
Obese- and allergic-related asthma phenotypes among children across the United States.

OBJECTIVES Pediatric asthma is heterogeneous with phenotypes that reflect differing underlying inflammation and pathophysiology. Little is known about the national prevalence of certain obesity- and allergy-related asthma phenotypes or associated characteristics. We therefore assessed the national prevalence, risk factors, and caregiver-reported severity of four asthma phenotypes: not-allergic-not-obese, allergic-not-obese, obese-not-allergic, and allergic-and-obese. METHODS We analyzed data from the 2007-2008 National Survey of Children's Health (NSCH) of 10-17 year-olds with caregiver-reported asthma. We described sociodemographic and health risk factors of each phenotype and then applied logistic and ordinal regression models to identify associated risk factors and level of severity of the phenotypes. RESULTS Among 4427 children with asthma in this NSCH cohort, the association between race and phenotype was statistically significant (p < 0.0001); white children with asthma were most likely to have allergic-not-obese asthma while black and Hispanic children with asthma were most likely to have the obese-nonallergic phenotype (p < 0.001). Attention-deficit disorder/attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder was more likely to be present in allergic-not-obese children (odds ratio (OR) 1.50, confidence interval (CI) 1.14-1.98, p = 0.004). The phenotype with the highest risk for more severe compared to mild asthma was the obese-and-allergic asthma phenotype (OR 3.34, CI 2.23-5.01, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS Allergic-not-obese asthma comprised half of our studied asthma phenotypes, while obesity-related asthma (with or without allergic components) comprised one-fifth of asthma phenotypes in this cohort representative of the US population. Children with both obese and allergic asthma are most likely to have severe asthma. Future management of childhood asthma might consider more tailoring of treatment and management plans based upon different childhood asthma phenotypes.
Effects of Human Electro-Muscular Incapacitation (HEMI) Devices on Cardiovascular Changes in Anesthetized Swine as Measured by Transesophageal Echocardiography (TEE).

The abundance of, and reliance upon, human electro-muscular incapacitation (HEMI) devices, especially in law enforcement, has generated scrutiny and examination of these technologies. The purpose of this study was to examine cardiovascular effects resulting from typical (5 sec) and longer activation (20 sec) HEMI applications studying myocardial function and peripheral vascular system using a combination of invasive cardiovascular catheters and transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). Six healthy swine (Sus scrofa)3–5 months in age and weighing between 60 and 86 kg were anesthetized and exposed to the TASER Model X26 waveform while transesophageal echocardiography was performed. Stroke volume was shown to statistically decrease during HEMI application indicating an increase in systemic vascular resistance, but HEMI application did not result in myocardial dysfunction ( “cardiac stunning”).
The Relevance of CT Scanning and Angiography for Patients with Acute Stroke Treated with Recombinant Tissue Plasminogen Activator

We recently carried out a multicenter dose-escalation study to evaluate the efficacy of intravenous recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA; duteplase) administered within 8 h of the onset of symptoms in patients without CT signs of cerebral hemorrhage and with angiographically demonstrated acute thrombotic or embolic arterial occlusion [1, 2]. All patients had CT scans prior to entry into the study, pre- and posttreatment angiograms, and CT scans at 24 h following therapy. The significance of the appearance on the CT scans and angiograms of signs of early ischemia, the presence of a hyperdense middle cerebral artery sign (HMCAS), the site of the occluded arteries, the incidence and site of the recanalization, and the size of infarcts following therapy forms the substance of this report.
Avian Bornavirus and Proventricular Dilatation Disease: Diagnostics, Pathology, Prevalence, and Control

Avian bornavirus (ABV) is a neurotropic virus that can cause gastrointestinal and/or neurologic signs of disease in birds. The disease process is called proventricular dilatation disease (PDD). The characteristic lesions observed in birds include encephalitis and gross dilatation of the proventriculus. ABV is widely distributed in captive and wild bird populations. Most birds infected do not show clinical signs of disease. This article is an update of the Veterinary Clinics of North America article from 2013: Avian Bornavirus and Proventricular Dilatation Disease: Diagnostics, Pathology, Prevalence, and Control.
Investment Restrictions and Fund Performance

We examine why mutual funds appear to underperform hedge funds. Utilizing a unique panel of mutual fund contracts changes, we explore several possible channels, including: alternative investment practices (e.g., short sales and leverage), performance-based compensation, and the ability to restrict the funding risk of fund flows. We document that over our sample period, mutual funds were more likely to shift their contracting environment closer to that of hedge funds. However, this shift provided no benefit to mutual funds and we find no causal link between these contract changes and improvements in performance. Rather, our results cast doubt on the binding nature of investment restrictions in the mutual fund industry.
Black Feminist Theory in 21st-Century Art Education Research

Minority discourses rarely inhabit the intellectual space of dominant theory (masculinist, Eurocentric, White, heteropatriarchical, able-ist, bourgeois); thus, Black women’s ability to be regarded ...
A hemispheric moral majority: Brazil and the transnational construction of the New Right

Abstract This essay posits Brazil as one critical locus for gestating the New Right. Often conceived of as a conservative reaction to the U.S. Civil Rights movement, the New Right actually developed transnationally, with determinative participation from Brazilian activists. In this article, I focus on a revelatory subset of those activists, who demonstrate collaboration that (1) linked elite reactionaries in Brazil, the United States, and elsewhere; (2) facilitated the rise of conservative Christianity as populist groundswell; and (3) transformed these two countries into power centers of a Right that adheres to the now-familiar Brazilian moniker “Bible, Bullets, and Beef.”
Rethinking the paper helicopter : Combining statistical and engineering knowledge

Box's paper helicopter has been used to teach experimental design for more than a decade. It is simple, inexpensive, and provides real data for an involved, multifactor experiment. Unfortunately it can also further an all-too-common practice that Professor Box himself has repeatedly cautioned against, namely ignoring the fundamental science while rushing to solve problems that may not be sufficiently understood. Often this slighting of the science so as to get on with the statistics is justified by referring to Box's oft-quoted maxim that “All models are wrong, however some are useful.” Nevertheless, what is equally true, to paraphrase both Professor Box and George Orwell, is that “All models are wrong, but some are more wrong than others.” To experiment effectively it is necessary to understand the relevant science so as to distinguish between what is usefully wrong, and what is dangerously wrong.This article presents an improved analysis of Box's helicopter problem relying on statistical and engineering...
The United States Perspective

This is the second time I have appeared here at the Center for Environmental Information Conference. I could recite the conditions under which I appeared before, but it was some years ago, and things were a little different then, which leads me to a few remarks today about the kinds of things we have been through in terms of the climate issue over the past five or six years.
Flow and heat transfer in narrow fixed beds with axial thermowells

Axial thermowells are used to monitor temperature in lab scale and pilot plant fixed-bed catalytic reactor tubes. Particle-resolved fixed-bed computational fluid dynamics simulations are used to st...
Depixelation and enhancement of fiber bundle images by bundle rotation

Fiber bundles have become widely adopted for use in endoscopy, live-organism imaging, and other imaging applications. An inherent consequence of imaging with these bundles is the introduction of a honeycomb-like artifact that arises from the inter-fiber spacing, which obscures features of objects in the image. This artifact subsequently limits applicability and can make interpretation of the image-based data difficult. This work presents a method to reduce this artifact by on-axis rotation of the fiber bundle. Fiber bundle images were first low-pass and median filtered to improve image quality. Consecutive filtered images with rotated samples were then co-registered and averaged to generate a final, reconstructed image. The results demonstrate removal of the artifacts, in addition to increased signal contrast and signal-to-noise ratio. This approach combines digital filtering and spatial resampling to reconstruct higher-quality images, enhancing the utility of images acquired using fiber bundles.
The Lambayeque Biohistory Project: Contexts and Analysis

The Lambayeque Valley Complex represents an important locus of biocultural adaptation and sociocultural complexity in the Central Andes spanning over ten millennia. As part of the broader archaeological investigations of Peru’s north coast, the Lambayeque Biohistory Project stands as one of the most extensive bioarchaeological investigations in the Central Andes, and the most extensive bioarchaeological examination of the Spanish Colonial era. This chapter discusses the four Lambayeque Biohistory Project sites and samples of human remains included in this study. It then describes the variables of interest, osteological and isotopic methods, and analyses employed here within the broader context of paleodiet research. Using the in-depth reviews of anthropological theory and the ecological, archaeological, and ethnohistorical research of the previous chapters, this chapter marks a focal shift from broader comparative perspectives to ones focused on the Lambayeque Valley Complex and the decade-long analysis that forms the core of this book.
Design of a mediator-free, non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor for glutamate detection

Abstract A mediator-free, non-enzymatic electrochemical biosensor was constructed by covalent immobilization of a genetically engineered periplasmic glutamate binding protein onto gold nanoparticle-modified, screen-printed carbon electrodes (GluBP/AuNP/SPCE) for the purpose of direct measurement of glutamate levels. Glutamate serves as the predominant excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system. As high levels of glutamate are an indicator of many neurologic disorders, there is a need for advancements in glutamate detection technologies. The biosensor was evaluated for glutamate detection by cyclic voltammetry. Binding of glutamate to the immobilized glutamate binding protein results in a conformational change of the latter that alters the microenvironment on the surface of the sensor, which is manifested as a change in signal. Dose–response plots correlating the electrochemical signal to glutamate concentration revealed a detection limit of 0.15 μM with a linear range of 0.1-0.8 μM. Selectivity studies confirmed a strong preferential response of the biosensor for glutamate against common interfering compounds.
The Cumulative Wage Gap and the Phillips Curve

The revised Phillips Curve is an empirical relationship between the inflation gap and the cumulative wage gap. Our hypothesis is that the inflation rate stays below its target until the cumulative wage gap closes, and that it increases above its target when the cumulative wage gap becomes positive. This hypothesis is validated using two different datasets: a panel for 35 OECD countries, over the last three decades, and a separate one for the US, over the last half century. The cumulative wage gap explains about one fifth of the deviation of inflation from its target; the result is statistically significant at 1 percent. The coefficient compares well to other models while it can be estimated with higher frequency and accuracy. The cumulative wage gap plays a stronger role in determining inflation when it takes negative values. We also estimate a labor share—augmented Phillips Curve.
The Vanderbilt Open-Source Ventilator: From Napkin Sketch to Ready to Save Lives in Three Weeks

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) crisis has placed enormous strain on global health care due to the sudden and exorbitant caseload burdens, compounded by insufficient access to the requisite supplies and equipment necessary to treat patients. Most notably, critical shortages of mechanical ventilators, which are essential for oxygenating patients who cannot breathe on their own, have forced physicians to make difficult decisions between who will and will not receive treatment, especially in resource-limited communities. In this article, we describe the efforts undertaken by a consortium of engineers, roboticists, and clinicians from Vanderbilt University to develop an easily reproducible mechanical ventilator out of core components that can be sourced locally, inexpensively, and en masse.
Hemoglobin and myoglobin stabilization by heme-fluoride complexes

Abstract Under physiological conditions, hemoglobin (Hb) and myoglobin (Mb) are subject to autoxidation, leading to the formation of ferric heme proteins with weakened globular structures and resulting in the loss of the heme cofactor. To gain further insights into the role of the heme pocket in the stabilization of the heme-containing proteins (holo-Mb and holo-Hb), the relative stabilities of heme-bound fluoride complexes (Mb-F and Hb-F) were examined under denaturing conditions. The electronic spectra of the heme proteins were followed upon addition of guanidine hydrochloride (GuHCl) and under denaturation-induced acidification. In the presence of ~ 2 M GuHCl, the heme-bound fluoride complexes are 27 – 46% more stable than metaquo Mb and Hb and about 50% more stable under acidic conditions. Mb and Hb denaturation equilibria at 25 and 40 °C were analyzed by using two-state and three-state models, respectively. Under GuHCl-induced and acid-induced denaturations, Mb-F and Hb-F behave as a two-state process. In addition, the affinity for fluoride under these denaturing conditions were determined. The dissociation constants (Kd) for fluoride binding in Hb and Mb under 1.5 M GuHCl are slightly greater than the measured Kd without GuHCl, which we attribute to the presence of molten-globular holo protein intermediates that are not favorable for fluoride binding. This study shows that the measured fluoride affinities in the presence of GuHCl at various temperatures and the effects of pH on the Kd can provide additional thermodynamic properties of Mb and Hb denaturation processes at low pH.
"I Mean, We're Guys": Constructing Gender at an All-Male Trade School

For young men, the transition to adulthood may be a time of heightened adherence to traditional gender roles and norms of masculinity. However, recent research with young men in gender-specific contexts has indicated that some contexts support a construction of masculinity that is more inclusive. Through a theoretical thematic analysis of interviews with young men in their first week at an all-male trade school, we explored if and how participants talked about gender and its role in their lives, how these discussions of gender may reflect individual gender ideologies, and how these discussions may inform participants’ experiences in particular developmental contexts. The themes we identified included the following: Becoming a man as an active process, experiences of male embodiment of size and strength, intersections of school identity and being a man, students’ perceptions of their all-male school environment and what it means to not have female classmates, and their reflections on the parts of themselve...
Reliability of intraocular pressure measurements after myopic excimer photorefractive keratectomy

Abstract Objective To determine the reliability of intraocular pressure (IOP) measurements by Goldmann applanation tonometry and pneumotonometry in eyes treated with excimer myopic photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Design A prospective case series. Participants Forty consecutive eyes treated with PRK were evaluated. Intervention and main outcome measures Central and peripheral corneal Goldmann tonometry and pneumotonometry measurements were done before surgery, at 1 week, and at 1 and 3 months after surgery. Results The IOP by Goldmann tonometry from the central cornea was significantly lower than the peripheral IOP; however, there was no difference between IOP measured from central and peripheral corneas by pneumotonometry, which, in turn, correlated with peripheral Goldmann measurements. There was a trend, but not a statistically significant correlation, between the spherical equivalent of the treatment and the amount of decrease in central Goldmann IOP. Conclusions Pneumotonometry measures the IOP reliably after PRK from all parts of the cornea, whereas central Goldmann tonometry underestimates the IOP by 2.40 ± 1.23 mmHg.
Political Party Realignment in Mexico: Fragmentation, Consolidation and Party Identification

This paper examines the ongoing political party system realignment in Mexico and the implications this holds for electoral outcomes. In particular, the 2009 Congressional Elections are likely to be a predictor of the direction of change for the 2012 General Election, in which the President and Senate are up for election. So, we examine the evolution of the post-reform party system through 2006, apply modeling based on individual party identification, party placement, electoral outcome, and state-level office holding to predict the result of the Congressional elections. This is used to project party consolidation and fragmentation for the 2009 Congressional and 2012 General Elections. For example, a resurgent Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD) indicates the potential for a three-party system, yet the Institutional Revolutionary Party (PRI) is riven by two ideologically distinct factions and faces the possibility of collapse. The National Action Party (PAN) struggles to capitalize on its holding of the Presidency, and five other parties seek to carve out electoral space in the evolving political environment. What does the 2009 election portend, and what will this hold with regard to the shape of the electorate in 2012?
Asset Allocation and Predictability of Real Estate Returns

We examine the issue of optimal asset allocation among three broad classes of assets—Large Stocks (proxied by the SP real estate assets (a portfolio of thirty Equity Real Estate ...