cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delayed abdominal closure after congenital diaphragmatic hernia repair.

Abstract Purpose We present our experience with CDH patients who required delayed abdominal closure following CDH repair. Methods A retrospective review of all CDH repairs from 2004 to 2014 was performed. Results 233 patients underwent CDH repair, of which 21 required delayed abdominal closure defined as the inability to close the abdominal fascia at the time of CDH repair. The incidence of delayed closure was higher in those undergoing CDH repair on ECMO vs. not on ECMO (40% [17/43] vs. 2% [4/190]; P n =2), skin+prosthetic mesh sutured to the fascia ( n =3), preformed silo ( n =9), or vacuum assisted closure (VAC®) device ( n =7). The mean time to fascial closure was 14.5±7 and 6±3days for patients repaired on ECMO and not on ECMO, respectively. In patients repaired on ECMO, the "primary closure" and "delayed closure" groups were not different in prenatal predictors (liver up, lung-to-head ratio [LHR]), total days on ECMO, ECMO days prior to CDH repair, and survival. In patients repaired on ECMO, the "delayed closure" group had a significantly higher requirement for blood transfusions compared to the "primary closure" group (mean 87±35 vs. 62±27ml of packed RBCs per ECMO day; P =0.01). Conclusion Delayed abdominal closure was required in 40% of CDH repairs done on ECMO but was rarely required in CDH repairs performed off ECMO. Although associated with an increased need for blood transfusions, delayed closure following CDH repair on ECMO was not associated with increased mortality.
High-Level Expression and Purification of Human Leukotriene A4 Hydrolase from Insect Cells Infected with a Baculovirus Vector

Abstract Leukotrienes constitute a group of bioactive compounds derived from arachidonic acid which play important roles in immediate hypersensitivity and inflammation. Leukotriene A 4 hydrolase (LTA 4 H) is an epoxide hydrolase, catalyzing the hydration of LTA 4 to LTB 4 , and also acts as an aminopeptidase, with the ability to cleave amides of p -nitroaniline. The cDNA for LTA 4 H was cloned using oligonucleotide-directed amplification of the cDNA sequence by polymerase chain reaction and by oligonucleotide-based screening of a bacteriophage λ gt11 cDNA library derived from human placental tissue. High levels of biologically active LTA 4 H were expressed in cultured Spodoptera frugiperda insect cells infected with a baculovirus expression vector containing the LTA 4 H cDNA. Expression levels were approximately 100 mg per liter of cell-free culture media. LTA 4 H was recovered from the medium and purified to >95% purity by ion-exchange and gel-filtration chromatography, with an overall yield of 76%. LTA 4 H produced by insect cells exhibits both hydrolase and aminopeptidase activities and has kinetic properties similar to those reported for enzyme isolated from human lung. Two major isoforms, with p I ′s of 5.3 and 5.1, were isolated by preparative chromatofocusing chromatography. NH 2 -terminal sequence analysis revealed that the two differed by an NH 2 -terminal blocking group. Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry indicates that the two isoforms differ by a molecular mass of 42, indicating that the blocking group is an acetyl group.
A Proposed Method to Combine Ranking and Graphic Rating in Performance Appraisal: The Quantitative Ranking Scale

A method is proposed to combine a relative and an absolute approach to performance appraisal; specifically, graphic rating and ranking are combined. In two studies which examined this method, called the Quantitative Ranking Scale (QRS), less leniency generally was found in QRS than in graphic rating. The psychometric performance of the QRS was best when the distinction between the QRS and pure ranking was least. Nonetheless, the system would appear to hold promise as an alternative to graphic rating that could easily be adapted to other rating formats, such as behavioral anchoring or computerized rating.
Uridine Diphosphate (UDP) Stimulation of Protein Polysaccharide Production

Uridine diphosphate, at a concentration of one millimole per milliliter, was found to stimulate the rate of incorporation of 35SO4 and 3H-glycine into articular cartilage both in vivo and in vitro . These findings suggest that uridine diphosphate somehow acts to increase proteoglycan synthesis by the chondrocyte. The mechanism of action is obscure, but the data suggest that uridine diphosphate may act as a stimulator of ribonucleic acid synthesis.
Three puzzles and eight gaps: what heritability studies and critical commentaries have not paid enough attention to

This article examines eight “gaps” in order to clarify why the quantitative genetics methods of partitioning variation of a trait into heritability and other components has very limited power to show anything clear and useful about genetic and environmental influences, especially for human behaviors and other traits. The first two gaps should be kept open; the others should be bridged or the difficulty of doing so should be acknowledged: 1. Key terms have multiple meanings that are distinct; 2. Statistical patterns are distinct from measurable underlying factors; 3. Translation from statistical analyses to hypotheses about measurable factors is difficult; 4. Predictions based on extrapolations from existing patterns of variation may not match outcomes; 5. The partitioning of variation in human studies does not reliably estimate the intended quantities; 6. Translation from statistical analyses to hypotheses about the measurable factors is even more difficult in light of the possible heterogeneity of underlying genetic or environmental factors; 7. Many steps lie between the analysis of observed traits and interventions based on well-founded claims about the causal influence of genetic or environmental factors; 8. Explanation of variation within groups does not translate to explanation of differences among groups. At the start, I engage readers’ attention with three puzzles that have not been resolved by past debates. The puzzles concern generational increases in IQ test scores, the possibility of underlying heterogeneity, and the translation of methods from selective breeding into human genetics. After discussing the gaps, I present each puzzle in a new light and point to several new puzzles that invite attention from analysts of variation in quantitative genetics and in social science more generally. The article’s critical perspectives on agricultural, laboratory, and human heritability studies are intended to elicit further contributions from readers across the fields of history, philosophy, sociology, and politics of biology and in the sciences.
The construction of contextual def-use associations for object-oriented systems

This paper describes a program representation and algorithms for realizing a novel structural testing methodology that not only focuses on addressing the complex features of object-oriented languages, but also incorporates the structure of object-oriented software into the approach. The testing methodology is based on the construction of contextual def-use associations, which provide context to each definition and use of an object. Testing based on contextual def-use associations can provide increased test coverage by identifying multiple unique contextual def-use associations for the same context-free association. Such a testing methodology promotes more thorough and focused testing of the manipulation of objects in object-oriented programs. This paper presents a technique for the construction of contextual def-use associations, as well as detailed examples illustrating their construction, an analysis of the cost of constructing contextual def-use associations with this approach, and a description of a prototype testing tool that shows how the theoretical contributions of this work can be useful for structural test coverage.
Career Choice and Calling: Integrating Calling and Social Cognitive Career Theory

This study examines the extent to which a sense of calling affects career choice attitudes. Drawing from social cognitive career theory, the study tested the extent to which calling is related to career outcome expectations, interests, and goals. Participants were asked to identify a job that they wanted to perform and completed a questionnaire assessing their attitudes toward the career. We conducted structural equation modeling analyses to test our hypotheses. The results suggest that calling provides unique predictive power beyond self-efficacy for career outcome expectations, interests, and goals. Calling was a stronger predictor than self-efficacy of outcome expectations and interests, but a weaker predictor than self-efficacy of goals. Calling moderated self-efficacy such that self-efficacy was less predictive of outcome expectations when calling was high. The study improves our understanding of career choice attitudes and provides an improved framework for practitioners to draw on when mentoring st...
Natural History and Prognosis of Atrial Septal Defect

A series of 128 consecutive cases of atrial septal defect in adult patients was analyzed from the standpoint of the course and prognosis. The ages of the patients ranged from 18 to 67 years and the ratio of men to women was 1 to 2. Age distribution when compared with life expectancy tables indicated reduced life expectancy. Clinical analysis revealed that three quarters of the patients were symptomatic, but symptoms were mild to moderate and usually nonprogressive. Hemodynamic analysis revealed significant pulmonary hypertension in 22% of the series, of which 15% had high pulmonary vascular resistance, and significant arterial hypoxemia in 14%. The most serious risk factor in atrial septal defect is severe pulmonary hypertension. This complication, which develops in about 14% of patients with atrial septal defect when they are between 20 and 40 years of age, may be rapidly progressive, leading to shunt reversal, disability, and death. Once established, pulmonary hypertension may progress even when the def...
Effects of the transcendental meditation program on stress reduction, health, and employee development: A prospective study in two occupational settings

Abstract Despite the high cost of occupational stress, few studies have empirically documented effective methods for alleviating stress and promoting employee development. This three-month prospective study evaluated the effects of the Transcendental meditation (TM) technique on stress reduction, health and employee development in two settings in the automotive industry: a large manufacturing plant of a Fortune 100 corporation, and a small distribution sales company. Employees who learned TM were compared to controls similar in worksite, job position, demographic, and pretest characteristics. Regular meditators improved significantly more than controls (with irregular meditators scoring in between) on multiple measures of stress and employee development, including: reduced physiological arousal (measured by skin conductance levels) during and outside TM practice; decreased trait anxiety, job tension, insomnia and fatigue, cigarette and hard liquor use; improved general health (and fewer health complaints)...
Principles of Cell Volume Regulation Ion Flux Pathways and the Roles of Anions

The goal of this chapter is to discuss general principles of cell volume regulation (in response to osmotic swelling and shrinkage) with particular emphasis on the ion flux pathways. While other chapters in this volume deal with various aspects of neuronal, glial, or muscle cell function, the present chapter will draw upon data from studies performed on red blood cells. The emphasis upon blood cells reflects the relative ease with which volume regulation by cells in suspension can be studied and not the biological importance of volume regulation by such cells. While changes in the cell volume of circulating cells can result in changes in blood viscosity and altered rheologic properties, disruption of neural cell volume can result in altered cable properties and consequent effects upon neural integration.
Insomnia is associated with suicide attempt in middle-aged and older adults with depression.

BACKGROUND: Insomnia increases in prevalence with age, is strongly associated with depression, and has been identified as a risk factor for suicide in several studies. The aim of this study was to determine whether insomnia severity varies between those who have attempted suicide (n = 72), those who only contemplate suicide (n = 28), and those who are depressed but have no suicidal ideation or attempt history (n = 35). METHODS: Participants were middle-aged and older adults (age 44-87, M = 66 years) with depression. Insomnia severity was measured as the sum of the early, middle, and late insomnia items from the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression. General linear models examined relations between group status as the independent variable and insomnia severity as the dependent variable. RESULTS: The suicide attempt group suffered from more severe insomnia than the suicidal ideation and non-suicidal depressed groups (p CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that insomnia may be more strongly associated with suicidal behavior than with the presence of suicidal thoughts alone. Accordingly, insomnia is a potential treatment target for reducing suicide risk in middle-aged and older adults. Language: en
Very Low-Programming-Current RRAM With Self-Rectifying Characteristics

To resolve the sneak leakage problem and reduce the power consumption in crossbar RRAM arrays, a Cu/Al2O3/aSi/Ta cell with self-rectifying characteristics is developed. The cell exhibits low operating current ( $\sim $ nA), high ON/OFF ratios ( $> 100\times $ ), and pronounced nonlinearity. The use of low-programming-current RRAM elements avoids the current-driving capability bottleneck of selectors, while the integrated rectifying layer improves the RRAM operation reliability. Endurance of over 500 cycles with $\sim 100$ ON/OFF ratio was achieved without external current compliance. Even at such low programming levels, retention over $10^{4}$ s at 100 °C can still be obtained.
Understanding and Controlling Reactivity of Unsaturated Oxygenates and Polyols on Metal Catalysts

The production of fuels and chemicals from biomass requires heterogeneous catalysts that facilitate selective reactions of highly functional oxygenates. Although designing catalysts for high selectivity is a universal challenge in heterogeneous catalysis research, the problem is particularly acute for highly functional molecules, which contain two or more functional groups that may react over metal surfaces. This perspective article focuses on recent efforts to develop structure–property relations on metal surfaces and catalysts for two classes of highly functional molecules: multifunctional oxygenates such as α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and furanic compounds, and polyfunctional oxygenates such as glycerol and other polyols. Recent results from comparative reaction studies over a variety of catalysts, surface science experiments, and computational investigations suggest an array of approaches for producing more selective catalysts, many relying on the addition of multiple metals or other surface modifiers. ...
Leukemia allotransplants in canine fetuses: influence of host age and immune responsiveness.

SummaryMyelomonocytic leukemia cells allografted prenatally in some developing purebred Beagle fetuses elicited tumors postnatally in some of the pups. The later in gestation that the inoculum was delivered, the less was the disposition to eventual leukemia, indicating that fetal host age at the time of grafting and tumorigenesis are correlated. The leukemogenic transplants may have grown because of fetal immunoinsufficiency or because they were tolerogenic in the developing immune system. Limited immunologic data for exclusion of the latter possibility are reported.
Inherited Disorders of the Hair

The human hair follicle (HF) is a complex structure that arises developmentally through reciprocal signaling between the dermis and the overlying epidermis. During postnatal life, the mature follicle begins to cycle, and continues to do so throughout its lifetime, transitioning through phases of active growth, regression, and rest, respectively termed anagen, catagen, and telogen. During these three phases, the lower portion of the follicle goes through cyclic growth and regression, while the upper region of the follicle, including the sebaceous gland, the isthmus, the infundibulum, and the hair canal, remains permanent. Stem cells in the bulge region of the HF and the dermal papilla cells are the main regulators of the hair cycles. Recent advances in molecular genetics and the development of highly sensitive single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) arrays have enabled the identification of many genes and pathways that are involved in HF morphogenesis and cycling. Many of the mutations identified in these genes were linked to hair diseases in humans. Additionally, several regions have been identified in complex hair diseases such as alopecia areata and androgenetic alopecia through genome-wide association studies (GWAS).
Pre and post processing of 3D entity finite element analysis and CAD interface

The generation of 3D entity finite element grid of rotor system was studied;the practical methods of the sub-block 2D series-connection numbering,the interpolation of node coordinates of complex curved surfaces etc.were put forward.The above stated method made up for some deficiencies of the auto-generative method of generalized grids and was rather simple and effective and could maintain good unit shape while undergoing the complex body finite element dissection.Adopting the local searching method to plot the equal-stress line diagram,and the post processing of calculated results was realized by the use of CAD interface program,which has general application value in the special purposed finite element program design developed by our own accord,thus provided a processing method about the pre and post processing of complicated 3D structures in practical engineering.
Analysis of surveillance data and epidemic situation of human brucellosis in Xinjiang, 2013

Objective To analyze the epidemic situation of human brucellosis in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region(Xinjiang), China, in 2013, and to provide a scientific reference for timely and effective implementation of relevant prevention and control measures.MethodsAccording to the Implementation Plan for Monitoring of Human Brucellosis in Xinjiang, the epidemic situation was monitored in 4 project counties(cities and districts) and high- risk populations were screened out in 12 counties(cities and districts). A descriptive analysis was performed on the cumulative incidence of brucellosis reported in 2013 in Xinjiang.ResultsThe 2013 epidemiological survey of brucellosis in Xinjiang involved 15 809 individuals in 16 project counties(cities and districts). Serological detection was performed on 10 553 samples, of which 1258 samples produced positive results(serum test positive rate 11.92%). There were 1185 patients with brucellosis(prevalence rate 7.50%), including 1136 new cases(incidence rate 5.16/100 000).ConclusionThe serum test positiverate, prevalence rate, and incidence rate of brucellosis in Xinjiang were higher in 2013 than in 2012. In 2013, the cumulative incidence of brucellosis reported in Xinjiang was 3930 cases, which increased by 74.59% compared with that in 2012(2251 cases). In view of the severe epidemic situation, Xinjiang needs to strengthen the monitoring of brucellosis epidemic situation and pay close attention to the epidemic dynamics.
Spinal fusion for scoliosis in patients with globally involved cerebral palsy: an ethical assessment.

Clinical ethics is a field of study that promotes the use of rational thought and clinical judgment based on scientific knowledge to reach conclusions regarding complex clinical problems1,2. Common subjects in clinical ethics include informed consent, surrogate decision-making, refusal of care, medical futility, end-of-life care, and quality of life. Spinal fusion in patients with cerebral palsy who have global involvement, defined as Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) level V, poses an ethical dilemma3. A child with GMFCS level-V function has severely limited self-mobility, voluntary muscle control, and ability to keep the head and trunk upright. A so-called four-topic model has been developed and validated to assist the clinician in the analysis of ethical dilemmas in patient care (Table I)1,4-6. This model includes an evaluation of the indications, patient preferences, quality of life, and contextual features that underpin medical decisions. Indications include the problem, history, diagnosis, prognosis, acuity, how the patient may benefit, how harm may be avoided, goals of treatment, likelihood of success, and contingency plan in the event of failure. Patient preferences encompass the stated wishes of the patient or patient-centered decision-making by surrogates. Quality of life emphasizes the goals of restoring, maintaining, or improving the patient’s life. Contextual features are concerned with other factors that influence decisions such as religion, culture, the law, confidentiality, research, teaching, economics, and impact on the patient’s family and medical team. View this table: TABLE I The Four-Topic Model* Stable balanced posture, improved health and function, increased comfort of the patient, and easing of burden to caregivers have been posited as indications for spinal fusion7-12. There are neither randomized controlled trials nor prospective longitudinal studies comparing fusion of the spine with the natural history of the disease. Outcomes measured …
Purchasing Tasks: A Classification Schemata

In a 1973 article, Kotier outlined and explained an all inclusive set of demand situations or "demand states" of continuous order which the marketing manager may face. These states of demand were: Negative, No, Latent, Faltering, Irregular, Full, Overfull, and Unwholesome. Using parallel terminology, this article shows how Kotier’ s construct can be broadened to include the states of purchasing management.
Conclusion — Homo Creativus: Creamus — Ergo Sumus (We Create — Therefore We Are) or: Sumus — Ergo Creamus? (We Are — Therefore We Create)

The conclusion picks up on the question of the previous chapter — how important creativity is in people’s work —and reiterates that the field of Sociology could and should make contributions to the discussion on creativity. The goal of the book to include Sociology in the creativity discussion is briefly discussed again, and the new, predominantly European social-psychological interpretations are outlined. The shortcomings of the research project are presented, alongside questions for further inquiry culled from psychological and social psychological as well as sociological considerations. Are people human because they are creative, or are they creative because they are human? This is a question that has yet to be tackled theoretically. This chapter concludes with the insistence that creativity is socially constructed.
Quantitative visual tests after poorly recovered optic neuritis due to multiple sclerosis

Background Visual dysfunction in MS can be quantified using a variety of tests. Many vision tests have not been formally evaluated among MS patients with existing visual dysfunction.
The Librarian/Lecturer: Successful Course Development Based on KM Principles

This presentation focuses on a highly successful and award winning course entitled, "HR Online Research and Reporting Methods for Executive Decision-Making (ILRHR 6640)." The course is taught by a librarian/lecturer.It was specifically designed to serve the knowledge needs and aspirations of students, faculty, companies, publishers and the educational institution to which all these parties are connected. The unique manner in which the KM needs of the parties are met by establishing synergies is highlighted as well as how it is assessed.
A Family-Centered Preventive Intervention Within Pediatric Oncology: Adapting the FOCUS Intervention for Latino Youth and Their Families

ABSTRACTPediatric cancer can disrupt the behavioral and emotional well-being of youth and their families, representing a potential psychological health risk for the entire family. Among ethnic minority families, cultural factors such as acculturation and language competency may affect the experience of this illness, which can, in turn, affect overall functioning. Integrating psychological health services within medical care settings is one method to enhance engagement in psychological health services and reduce barriers, including access and stigma. Given the paucity of evidence-based screening procedures and trauma-informed preventive interventions delivered within pediatric settings, the FOCUS consultation model was implemented within an outpatient pediatric oncology clinic. A case illustration is described to highlight the modifications made to the FOCUS consultation model to provide culturally sensitive and responsive treatment to Latino families. The article includes implications for future research ...
Ten-Year Comparison of a Traditional Lecture Curriculum with an Independent Study Curriculum on COMLEX Performance

The Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine offers several curricular pathways to address different adult learning styles, including the traditional Lecture Discussion Pathway (LDP) and the Directed Study Pathway (DSP), which are designed for learners who learn best through reading. We compared pre-matriculation outcomes, preclinical grades, and COMLEX level 1 scores between LDP and DSP students over a 10-year period. DSP students had significantly higher verbal MCAT scores and MS2 GPAs; however, all other variables examined were not significantly different. Thus, students can be equally and successfully educated in distinct learning pathways suited best to their style of learning.
A Phenomenological Study of Family Experiences of Resettled Iraqi Refugees

Using a cross-sectional, phenomenological design, this qualitative study sought to explore Iraqi refugees' experiences of family relationships resettled in a northeastern city in the United States after the start of the 2003 war. Participants' experience of family relationships was situated within the context of their displacement, which included fear and uncertainty during displacement, and experiences of safety and isolation during resettlement. Themes related to family relationships were as follows: shared experiences of losses; increased trust between family members; shifts in communication and gender roles; and constructing a family legacy. Findings from this study indicate that family relationships play a central role in making meaning of forced displacement and resettlement experiences, which have significant clinical implications for family therapists working with refugees.
HCN4 ion channel function is required for early events that regulate anatomical left-right patterning in a nodal and lefty asymmetric gene expression-independent manner

ABSTRACT Laterality is a basic characteristic of all life forms, from single cell organisms to complex plants and animals. For many metazoans, consistent left-right asymmetric patterning is essential for the correct anatomy of internal organs, such as the heart, gut, and brain; disruption of left-right asymmetry patterning leads to an important class of birth defects in human patients. Laterality functions across multiple scales, where early embryonic, subcellular and chiral cytoskeletal events are coupled with asymmetric amplification mechanisms and gene regulatory networks leading to asymmetric physical forces that ultimately result in distinct left and right anatomical organ patterning. Recent studies have suggested the existence of multiple parallel pathways regulating organ asymmetry. Here, we show that an isoform of the hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated (HCN) family of ion channels (hyperpolarization-activated cyclic nucleotide-gated channel 4, HCN4) is important for correct left-right patterning. HCN4 channels are present very early in Xenopus embryos. Blocking HCN channels (Ih currents) with pharmacological inhibitors leads to errors in organ situs. This effect is only seen when HCN4 channels are blocked early (pre-stage 10) and not by a later block (post-stage 10). Injections of HCN4-DN (dominant-negative) mRNA induce left-right defects only when injected in both blastomeres no later than the 2-cell stage. Analysis of key asymmetric genes9 expression showed that the sidedness of Nodal, Lefty, and Pitx2 expression is largely unchanged by HCN4 blockade, despite the randomization of subsequent organ situs, although the area of Pitx2 expression was significantly reduced. Together these data identify a novel, developmental role for HCN4 channels and reveal a new Nodal-Lefty-Pitx2 asymmetric gene expression-independent mechanism upstream of organ positioning during embryonic left-right patterning.
Collaborative Systems Biology Projects for the Military Medical Community.

ABSTRACT Introduction: This pilot study was conducted to examine, for the first time, the ongoing systems biology research and development projects within the laboratories and centers of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC). The analysis has provided an understanding of the breadth of systems biology activities, resources, and collaborations across all USAMRMC subordinate laboratories. Methods: The Systems Biology Collaboration Center at USAMRMC issued a survey regarding systems biology research projects to the eight U.S.-based USAMRMC laboratories and centers in August 2016. This survey included a data call worksheet to gather self-identified project and programmatic information. The general topics focused on the investigators and their projects, on the project's research areas, on omics and other large data types being collected and stored, on the analytical or computational tools being used, and on identifying intramural (i.e., USAMRMC) and extramural collaborations. Results: A...
Peasants As Activists: A Reevaluation of Political Participation in the Countryside

S ocial scientists have long characterized peasants as politically passive and uninvolved in day to day political activity. Latin American peasants in particular have been singled out as politically nonparticipant. For example, anthropologists Diaz and Potter (1967: 159) state that "In Latin America . . . the striking thing is the relative absence of a sense of association, which makes it extremely difficult lor peasants in thisarea to organize to meet thechallengesofthe modern world." Similarly. sociologists Landsberger and Hewitt (1970: 559) emphasize that "It is unfortunate but true that peasant organizations have been difficult to establish in Latin America." Political scientists
NATIONWIDE TRENDS AND OUTCOMES OF TEMPORARY MECHANICAL CIRCULATORY SUPPORT FOR CARDIOGENIC SHOCK AFTER LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICE IMPLANTATION

Left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is frequently complicated by cardiogenic shock, necessitating mechanical circulatory support (MCS). There are limited data on the trends and outcomes of MCS use in cardiogenic shock post-LVAD implantation. A retrospective cohort study using
3D-printed titanium alloys for orthopedic applications

Abstract An ideal orthopedic biomaterial is expected to mimic the architectural complexity as well as the physical and mechanical properties of the bone. These are the primary requirements to withstand loading during movement without introducing bone resorption caused by the stress shielding effect. Among different metallic biomaterials, titanium (Ti) alloys are preferred because of their high specific strength and corrosion resistance. Despite the above advantages, one weakness of Ti alloys is delayed healing because of their bioinert nature. Thus, the design of the next generation of titanium alloys for biomedical applications is envisioned to involve surface modification or surface coating with extracellular material with the objective of minimizing healing time by promoting cell-material interaction and consequent osseointegration. In this chapter, we focus on the processing of patient-specific Ti alloy implants using additive manufacturing methods. Also, described in brief are surface modification methods for bone tissue engineering applications.
Elementary Preservice Teachers' Authentic Inquiry Experiences and Reflections: A Multicase Study.

The current study aimed to provide elementary preservice teachers with an opportunity to engage in an authentic inquiry experience that shifted the focus from the hypothesis-testing model of inquir...
Towards a general framework for composing disjunctive and iterative macro-operators

Inducing disjunctive and iterative macro-operators from empirical problem-solving traces provides a more powerful knowledge compilation method than simple linear macro-operators. Whereas earlier work focused on when to create iterative macro-operators, this paper addresses how to form them, combining proven optimization methods such as extraction of loop invariants, with techniques for further optimizing RETEmatch efficiency. The disjunctive and iterative composition processes have been implemented in FERMI and its underlying production system language. Empirical results confirm substantial rule-match speedups and system performance improvements in different application domains.
Factors Associated with Black Cancer Patients' Ability to Obtain Their Opioid Prescriptions at the Pharmacy

Abstract Background: Black cancer patients experience pain. Barriers to opioid medications for pain may include geographic factors. This study examines neighborhood factors associated with difficul...
Explaining the Emergence of Entrapment in Post-9/11 Terrorism Investigations

A growing number of studies have examined post-9/11 terrorism sting operations, typically concluding that entrapment is frequent in these cases. Yet no research has documented the full array of mechanisms driving these preemptive prosecutions. Based on in-depth interviews and documentary research, this article identifies the key factors shaping the widespread emergence of entrapment in terrorism sting operations. It concludes that an interconnected set of discursive and policy shifts, institutional processes, and cognitive biases explains the post-9/11 proliferation of terrorism prosecutions with compelling entrapment claims. Neo-orientalism is proposed as the ultimate driver that has set into motion and enabled many of these mechanisms, giving rise to a cultural and political economy of convictions in which a type of racialized police misconduct—itself a state crime—is normalized and rewarded.
Performance of Photovoltaic Water Pumping System in Adrar, Algeria

The need for water is increasing due to the increase in human needs. The access to water is difficult in the isolated and remote area; so the need of installing the water PV standalone system is necessary.The present paper presents a standalone photovoltaic water pumping system. The effect of the optimum design of a PV water pumping system and the influence of metrological conditions of Adrar city of Algeria on the performance of the system was studied.The aim of this research is to establish the optimal configuration of PV array to aliment the pump motor with the adequate energy. Four configurations were used (1Ns $\times$4 Np, 1Ns $\times$3 Np, 1Ns $\times$2 Np, and 1Ns $\times$1 Np) under the metrological conditions of Adrar site, Algeria. The daylight hours of sunny days of July, August, October and November 2017 was used for the experimentation installed in a well for pumping head of 14.52m. The best total system and pump efficiency have been obtained for the installation of one (1Ns $\times$4 Np).
Pediatric Case of Sickle Cell Disease

Sickle Cell: Children with sickle cell disease (SCD) often have cognitive, behavioral, and mood-related difficulties, in part due to the effect of their medical condition on the central nervous system. They are at high risk for neurological injury and insult, with as many as one-third having neurological complications. This chapter details a pediatric case of SCD, assessed through repeated neuropsychological evaluations. It highlights the unique challenges of assessing a “moving target”—the interaction between a protean chronic illness and the developing brain.
Growth and development of Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) on rice flour and brown rice as affected by time and temperature

Abstract Tribolium castaneum (Herbst), the red flour beetle, is a cosmopolitan stored product insect that infests a variety of raw grains and processed grain products. Although this pest is prevalent in rice mills, there is a comparative lack of data on growth and development on rice by-products and fractions compared to other grains. In this study, ten mixed-sex adults were exposed on 200 g of either rice flour or brown rice, and populations were assessed after 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 months at 22, 27, or 32 °C. At 22 °C, the number of adults, pupae and larvae on rice flour and brown rice remained low throughout the 12-month storage period. At 27 °C, the number of adults on rice flour increased to a maximum at 8 months, while adult populations on brown rice remained relatively constant from 2 to 10 months, with few pupae or larvae in the samples. At 32 °C, adult populations on rice flour and brown rice were constant after month 2, with low numbers of pupae and larvae. Adult predation could have accounted for low numbers of pupae and larvae. Using the original 10-month data, populations were projected for an additional 14 months to predict population patterns. Adult numbers showed an increase over time at all temperatures on rice flour and brown rice at 22 °C but numbers seemed to stabilize at 27 and 32 °C. For both diets at 27 and 32 °C, projected pupae and larvae numbers remained steady but low compared to adults. However, populations would not be expected to increase indefinitely because at some point the resources would become limited and populations would crash or decline. Results show T. castaneum can deplete fixed resources such as bags of rice flour or brown rice when temperatures equal or exceed 27 °C.
Renewable nanobrick wall coatings for fire protection of wood

Home-structure fires account for 77% of fire deaths and result in more than US$7·7 billion in property damage every year. Wood is a major component in home construction and decoration due to its me...
Memory and Alterity in Zar: Religious Contact and Change in the Sudan

Drawing on long-term ethnographic research in the Blue Nile town of Sennar, supported by archival and historical documentation, this article explores the history of Zar spirit possession in Sudan, and the light this throws on the interplay of religions over the past 150 years. Life history data supports the argument that contemporary Zar is grounded in forms and rituals derived from the ranks of the ninteenth-century Ottoman army, and these remain the basis of ritual events, even as they accommodate ongoing changes in this part of Africa. Many of these changes are linked to the dynamic interplay of Zar with forms of Islam, on the one hand, and Christianity, on the other. In the former colonial periods, political power resided with the British, and Khawaja (European) Christian Zar spirits are remembered as far more important. Today that authority in Zar has shifted to spirits of foreign Muslims and local holy men, on the one hand, and to subaltern Blacks, on the other. These speak to concerns of new generations of adepts even as changes in the larger political and religious landscapes continue to transform the context of Zar.
Body forms in sharks (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii) and their functional, ecological, and evolutionary implications.

Abstract Sharks are among the oldest vertebrate lineages in which their success has been attributed to their diversity in body shape and locomotor design. In this study, we investigated the diversity of body forms in extant sharks using landmark-based geometric morphometric analyses on nearly all the known (ca. 470) extant sharks. We ran three different analyses: the ‘full body,' ‘precaudal body,’ and ‘caudal fin' analyses. Our study suggests that there are two basic body forms in sharks, a ‘shallow-bodied’ form (Group A) and ‘deep-bodied’ form (Group B), where all sharks essentially have one basic caudal fin design of a heterocercal tail despite some specializations. We found that swimming modes in sharks are highly correlated with body forms where Group A sharks are predominantly anguilliform swimmers and Group B sharks are represented by carangiform and thunniform swimmers. The majority of Group A sharks are found to be benthic whereas pelagic forms are relatively common among Group B sharks. Each of the two superorders of sharks, Squalomorphii and Galeomorphii, must have gone through complex evolutionary history where each superorder contains both Group A sharks and Group B sharks, possibly involving parallel evolution from one group to the other or at least one episode of evolutionary reversal.
Lipid-derived electrophiles mediate the effects of chemotherapeutic topoisomerase I poisons.

Summary Topoisomerase 1 (Top1) reversibly nicks chromosomal DNA to relax strain accumulated during transcription, replication, chromatin assembly, and chromosome condensation. The Top1 poison camptothecin targets cancer cells by trapping the enzyme in the covalent complex Top1cc, tethered to cleaved DNA by a tyrosine-3′-phosphate bond. In vitro mechanistic studies point to interfacial inhibition, where camptothecin binding to the Top1-DNA interface stabilizes Top1cc. Here we present a complementary covalent mechanism that is critical in vivo. We observed that camptothecins induce oxidative stress, leading to lipid peroxidation, lipid-derived electrophile accumulation, and Top1 poisoning via covalent modification. The electrophile 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal can induce Top1cc on its own and forms a Michael adduct to a cysteine thiol in the Top1 active site, potentially blocking tyrosine dephosphorylation and 3′ DNA phosphate release. Thereby, camptothecins may leverage a physiological cysteine-based redox switch in Top1 to mediate their selective toxicity to rapidly proliferating cancer cells.
An Analysis of Public Interest in Elective Neurosurgical Procedures During the COVID-19 Pandemic Through Online Search Engine Trends.

Objective In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has recommended the temporary cessation of all elective surgeries. The effects on patients' interest of elective neurosurgical procedures are currently unexplored. Methods Using Google Trends, search terms of 7 different neurosurgical procedure categories (trauma, spine, tumor, movement disorder, epilepsy, endovascular, and miscellaneous) were assessed in terms of relative search volume (RSV) between January 2015 and September 2020. Analyses of search terms were performed for over the short term (February 18, 2020, to April 18, 2020), intermediate term (January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020), and long term (January 2015 to September 2020). State-level interest during phase I reopening (April 28, 2020, to May 31, 2020) was also evaluated. Results In the short term, RSVs of 4 categories (epilepsy, movement disorder, spine, and tumor) were significantly lower in the post-CMS announcement period. In the intermediate term, RSVs of 5 categories (miscellaneous, epilepsy, movement disorder, spine, and tumor) were significantly lower in the post-CMS announcement period. In the long term, RSVs of nearly all categories (endovascular, epilepsy, miscellaneous, movement disorder, spine, and tumor) were significantly lower in the post-CMS announcement period. Only the movement disorder procedure category had significantly higher RSV in states that reopened early. Conclusions With the recommendation for cessation of elective surgeries, patient interests in overall elective neurosurgical procedures have dropped significantly. With gradual reopening, there has been a resurgence in some procedure types. Google Trends has proven to be a useful tracker of patient interest and may be used by neurosurgical departments to facilitate outreach strategies.
Abstract 16900: Exertional Hemodynamics Among Patients With HFrEF Based on Resting HF Profile

Introduction: HFrEF can be classified by profiles A, B, C or L based on resting pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) and cardiac output (Qc). We characterized exertional hemodynamics by HF pro...
Estimating COVID-19 Cases on University Campuses Prior To Semester

For many institutions of higher learning, the beginning of each semester is marked by a significant migration of young adults into the area. In the midst of the COVID19 pandemic, this presents an opportunity for active cases to be introduced into a community. Prior to the Fall 2020 semester, Colorado State University researchers combined student home locations with recent case counts compiled by the New York Times to assign a probability to each individual of arriving with COVID19. These probabilities were combined to estimate that there would be 7.8 new cases among the on-campus population. Comprehensive testing of arriving students revealed 7 new cases, which validated the approach. The procedure was repeated to explore what could happen if students had returned to campus after Fall break. The estimate of 48 cases corroborated the Universitys early decision to transition to fully remote learning after break.
Neighbors: Christians and Muslims Building Community, by Deanna Ferree Womack.

Neighbors: Christians and Muslims Building Community, by Deanna Ferree Womack. Westminster John Knox Press, 2020.
COCO-Search18 fixation dataset for predicting goal-directed attention control

Attention control is a basic behavioral process that has been studied for decades. The currently best models of attention control are deep networks trained on free-viewing behavior to predict bottom-up attention control – saliency. We introduce COCO-Search18, the first dataset of laboratory-quality goal-directed behavior large enough to train deep-network models. We collected eye-movement behavior from 10 people searching for each of 18 target-object categories in 6202 natural-scene images, yielding $$\sim$$ 300,000 search fixations. We thoroughly characterize COCO-Search18, and benchmark it using three machine-learning methods: a ResNet50 object detector, a ResNet50 trained on fixation-density maps, and an inverse-reinforcement-learning model trained on behavioral search scanpaths. Models were also trained/tested on images transformed to approximate a foveated retina, a fundamental biological constraint. These models, each having a different reliance on behavioral training, collectively comprise the new state-of-the-art in predicting goal-directed search fixations. Our expectation is that future work using COCO-Search18 will far surpass these initial efforts, finding applications in domains ranging from human-computer interactive systems that can anticipate a person’s intent and render assistance to the potentially early identification of attention-related clinical disorders (ADHD, PTSD, phobia) based on deviation from neurotypical fixation behavior.