cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Angiographic implications of cardiac transplantation

Coronary vascular disease in the cardiac transplant recipient has become the third most frequent cause of death or retransplantation after infection and acute rejection. A unique pattern of concentric fibrointimal thickening develops within 1 year of cardiac transplantation; however, it is relatively inapparent on routine arteriography. The disease progresses primarily in distal vasculature, leading to progressive occlusion. Angiographically discrete lesions associated microscopically with advanced atherosclerotic plaques frequently occur in the more proximal vessels often associated with thrombus. The number of rejection episodes is somewhat predictive of the development of transplant coronary disease. Annual arteriograms performed in cardiac transplant recipients have revealed several distinctive angiographic features that include clockwise rotation of the heart, presence of coronary arterial-cameral fistulae, presumably resulting from right ventricular endomyocardial biopsy specimens and collateralization of the brachial anastomosis from coronary atrial branches. It is concluded that serial angiography in cardiac transplant recipients is important in the early detection of progressive graft atherosclerosis, a process that is clinically silent until such time as overt heart failure or cardiogenic shock occurs.
Toward a psychologically liberating pastoral theology

A psychologically liberating pastoral theology is proposed based on the identity and mission of Christ and the Church. The Church is subsequently challenged to develop a theology which is not narrowly evangelistic and so only addresses eternal matters such as salvation of the soul, but one which also includes temporal liberation from poverty, brokenness, and oppression. This theology can only develop as the pastor's role is redefined from evangelist to shepherd, thus enabling the pastor to attend to his or her fundamental calling to care for souls. A mission rooted in temporal and eternal concerns must be central to the pastor's theology, must be passed on to Church leaders and teachers, and must become integral to the ongoing life of the community of faith. The Church is thus called to embrace its Christ-like identity by being an agent of psychological liberation among individuals, families, communities, and in broader societal contexts. Good stewardship of its unique gifts paired with the responsible use of other professional services will enable the Church to more effectively continue the broad mission of Christ in temporal and eternal matters.
Increased Granulocyte Adherence in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

Circulating polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMN) from patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis were found to be significantly more adherent to nylon fiber columns when compared with both normal and nonpsoriatic patient control groups. The increased adherence correlated positively with the extent of disease and was highest in those patients with psoriatic arthritis. Total leukocyte and PMN counts were increased in psoriasis patients and were highest in the psoriatic arthritis group. No increase in cell counts was found for mono-nuclear leukocytes. PMN adherence was not increased in lithium-treated patients or a nonpsoriatic patient control group although such patients did have significant granulocytosis. PMN's are frequently present in lesions of psoriasis as are activated complement components and abnormal keratinocyte cyclic nucleotide levels. These factors or others may cause a generalized activation of PMN's in psoriasis leading to migration of neutrophils into the skin lesion. The present study demonstrates a systemic effector cell alteration in psoriasis and contradicts the general concept that uncomplicated psoriasis is limited to the skin.
Chemical reactions between arsenic and zero-valent iron in water

Batch experiments and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analyses were performed to study the reactions between arsenate [As(V)], arsenite [As(III)] and zero-valent iron [Fe(0)]. The As(III) removal rate was higher than that for As(V) when iron filings (80-120 mesh) were mixed with arsenic solutions purged with nitrogen gas in the pH range of 4-7. XPS spectra of the reacted iron coupons showed the reduction of As(III) to As(0). Soluble As(III) was formed when As(V) reacted with Fe(0) under anoxic conditions. However, no As(0) was detected on the iron coupons after 5 days of reaction in the As(V)-Fe(0) system. The removal of the arsenic species by Fe(0) was attributed to electrochemical reduction of As(III) to sparsely soluble As(0) and adsorption of As(III) and As(V) to iron hydroxides formed on the Fe(0) surface under anoxic conditions. When the solutions were open to atmospheric air, the removal rates of As(V) and As(III) were much higher than under the anoxic conditions, and As(V) removal was faster than As(III). The rapid removal of As(III) and As(V) was caused by adsorption on ferric hydroxides formed readily through oxidation of Fe(0) by dissolved oxygen.
The Crossroads of Iron with Hypoxia and Cellular Metabolism. Implications in the Pathobiology of Pulmonary Hypertension

The pathologic hallmark of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is pulmonary vascular remodeling, characterized by endothelial cell proliferation, smooth muscle hypertrophy, and perivascular inflammation, ultimately contributing to increased pulmonary arterial pressures. Several recent studies have observed that iron deficiency in patients with various forms of PAH is associated with worsened clinical outcome. Iron plays a key role in many cellular processes regulating the response to hypoxia, oxidative stress, cellular proliferation, and cell metabolism. Given the potential importance of iron supplementation in patients with the disease and the broad cellular functions of iron, we review its role in processes that pertain to PAH.
Some effects of plant growth regulators on tissue cultures of the marine red alga Agardhiella subulata (Gigartinales, Rhodophyta)

We examined whether auxins and cytokinins, either singly or in combination, stimulate cell division in tissue cultures of a red seaweed. Our experimental model consisted of filamentous and callus-like growths that developed from cross-sectional discs cut from young branches of Agardhiella subulata. Plant growth regulators were added to the medium to give combinations of an auxin with a cytokinin over a range of concentrations (1 µg L−1 −10 mg L−1). Several mixtures of auxins and cytokinins, as well as some single auxins, cytokinins and phenolics, stimulated cell division and growth in the tissue cultures beyond that of controls. The treatments that were effective included: phenylacetic acid/zeatin; phenylacetic acid/6-benzylaminopurine; α-naphthaleneacetic acid/zeatin; 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid/6-benzylaminopurine; and indoleacetic acid/kinetin. High concentrations of cytokinins (i.e. 10 mg L−1) inhibited the regeneration of plants in some of the cell cultures. These results provide further evidence that growth regulators can be used for the tissue culture of seaweeds and for the study of developmental phenomena in these plants.
Curve fitting by polynomial-trigonometric regression

SUMMARY We consider a method of estimating an unknown regression curve by regression on a combination of low-order polynomial terms and trigonometric terms. Estimation based on trigonometric functions alone is known to suffer from bias problems at the boundaries due to the periodic nature of the fitted functions. We show that these boundary problems are alleviated by adding low-order polynomial terms. The utility of the method is illustrated with examples, and asymptotic results show that the estimators are competitive with other nonparametric procedures. Applications to estimation in semiparametric models are also considered with particular emphasis on the case of analysis of covariance when the relationship between the response and the covariate is difficult to model parametrically.
Tissue distribution of DNA adducts in rats treated by intramammillary injection with dibenzo[a,l]pyrene, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and benzo[a]pyrene

Abstract Dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP) has recently emerged as a potent environmental carcinogen having greater carcinogenicity in the rat mammary epithelial glands than 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA), previously considered to be the most potent mammary carcinogen and benzo[a]pyrene (BP), a ubiquitous environmental carcinogen. Previous studies on the tumor-initiating potential of DBP, DMBA, and BP demonstrated that DBP was 2.5 times more potent in inducing the tumors in mouse skin and rat mammary glands than DMBA; BP was a weak mammary carcinogen in these animals. The present study was designed to investigate if the significantly increased mammary carcinogenicity of DBP over DMBA and BP was related to increased DNA adduction at the target site. Female Sprague–Dawley rats were treated by intramammillary injection with an equimolar dose of 0.25 μmol/gland of DBP, DMBA, and BP at the 3rd, 4th and 5th mammary glands on both sides. 32P-Postlabeling analysis of mammary epithelial DNA of rats treated with DBP produced two major (nos. 3 and 6) and at least 5 minor adducts. DMBA treatment resulted in one major and 4 minor DNA adducts while BP produced one major and two minor adducts. Quantitation of the adduct radioactivity revealed that DNA adduction was 6- and 9-fold greater in DBP-treated animals than in BP- and DMBA-treated animals, respectively. The adduct levels per 109 nucleotides in mammary epithelial cells for DBP, BP and DMBA were in the following descending order: 1828±378, 300±45 and 207±72, respectively. Tissue distribution of DNA adducts in non-target organs following DBP treatment showed similar adduct pattern as found in the mammary epithelial cells except the liver, which resulted in 4 additional adduct spots; vehicle-treated tissue DNA processed in parallel did not show any detectable adducts. DMBA- and BP–DNA adduct patterns in various tissues were similar to that found in mammary epithelial cells, however, significant quantitative differences were found; BP–DNA adducts were undetectable in the pancreas and bladder. Quantitation of adduct radioactivity showed a 15- to 60-fold lower DBP-DNA adduction in these tissues than the levels found in the mammary tissue; similarly 5–20 and 30–100 times lower DNA adduction was found following treatment with DMBA and BP, respectively. The significantly increased binding of DBP to the mammary epithelial DNA over BP and DMBA is in concordance with its known higher mutagenicity and tumorigenicity.
Institutionalization, Embedded Rationality, and the Escalation of Commitment to IT Projects

Information systems development projects often involve continued commitment even in the face of negative feedback - a phenomena many describe as "escalation." Existing perspectives that explain escalation decisions implicitly make an assumption of a universal "disembedded" rationality, and characterize such commitment as a sort of paradox. In this paper, we develop an alternative, institutional perspective that embraces a conception of rationality that is embedded within social contexts. Through this lens we analyze and recast three published case studies on escalation decisions and find that contextual factors such as legitimacy and momentum reinforce IT project persistence, in effect institutionalizing projects over time. Further, we find evidence of three distinct rationalities -- efficiency, technical, and innovative -- that each gain and lose salience for commitment decisions over time. We argue that commitment, when viewed through this institutional perspective, is not the paradoxical exception associated with failed IT projects, but rather, the norm once an IT project is institutionalized.
Introduction Is the Postcolonial Postsecular

This article surveys the role of religion in postcolonial theory and the role of colonialism in studies of secularism. Despite a secularist image, postcolonial theory from its start has critically ...
General attainability beliefs moderate the motivational effects of counterfactual thinking

Abstract Previous research has demonstrated that upward counterfactuals generated in response to less than optimal outcomes on repeatable tasks are more motivating than are downward counterfactuals. In the present work, however, it was hypothesized that upward counterfactuals should only be motivating to the extent that one believes that improvement is generally attainable. By contrast, it was hypothesized that upward counterfactuals should actually diminish motivation and downward counterfactuals should enhance motivation to the extent that one believes that improvement is generally unattainable. In support of these hypotheses, the results of two studies indicated that incremental theorists (who believe that intelligence-related abilities are malleable) displayed greater motivation and enhanced performance in response to upward as compared to downward counterfactuals, whereas entity theorists (who believe that intelligence-related abilities are fixed) displayed greater motivation and enhanced performance in response to downward as compared to upward counterfactuals.
Anisotropic Viscosities of Oriented Discontinuous Fiber Laminates

Two theories have been compared for the prediction of the effective vis cosities of laminates made up of layers of oriented discontinuous fiber assemblies sus pended in a viscous fluid. In the first theory, the layers are constrained to exhibit identical strain-rate components, while in the second theory the individual layers are assumed to be unconstrained by one another. Results are presented for four typical laminates and for ma terial properties of a highly anisotropic assembly. These results indicate that the properties presented for the constrained condition equal or exceed those predicted for the uncon strained theory in all cases.
Low Pressure CVD of Silicon Nitride

A model of the hot wall tubular reactor for low pressure chemical vapor deposition (LPCVD) is applied to the study of silicon nitride film growth from dichlorosilane and ammonia. The model predicts the effects of process conditions and reactor configuration on distributed wafer growth rate profiles. The model formulation includes contributions from convection, multicomponent diffusion, and gas and surface reactions of several chemical species. Rival chemical mechanisms are compared to experimental data obtained in a conventional LPCVD reactor over widely varying conditions. Results indicate that the in‐wafer film thickness nonuniformities may be explained by the effect of diffusion‐limited film growth from highly reactive gas‐phase intermediates, with simultaneous uniform deposition from less reactive dichlorosilane. Model predictions agree well with experimental data over the composition, pressure, and temperature ranges considered. The model is also used in the design of optimal operating conditions for 100 and 150 mm wafer processes.
NATURE OF THE ACTION CURRENT IN NITELLA V. PARTIAL RESPONSE AND THE ALL-OR-NONE LAW

When a stimulus arrives before recovery is complete there may be no response or only a partial response. A typical response appears to involve an immediate loss of potential at the inner protoplasmic surface but not at the outer surface. As long as recovery is incomplete only a part of the total potential is located at the inner protoplasmic surface and the loss of this part of the total potential can cause only a partial response; i.e., one of smaller magnitude than the normal. Even after the action curve has returned to the base line recovery may be incomplete and the response only a partial one. The return of the action curve to the base line means a recovery of total potential but if part of this is located at the outer protoplasmic surface and if this part is not lost when stimulation occurs the response can be only a partial one. During recovery there is a shift of potential from the outer to the inner protoplasmic surface. Not until this shift is completed can recovery be called complete. The response to stimulation then becomes normal because the loss of potential reaches the normal amount. In many cases the partial responses appear to conform to the all-or-none law. In other cases this is doubtful.
The incidence of pulmonary neoplasms discovered by serial computed tomography scanning after endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Objectives Serial computed tomography (CT) scanning is routinely used to follow up endovascular exclusion of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). Nonvascular diseases can be identified, and these exams include images of the lung bases, which can provide information that leads to the diagnosis of pulmonary neoplasms. This study was conducted to determine the rate and type of pulmonary-based oncologic diseases identified by serial CT scanning of patients with endovascular repair of AAAs. Methods A retrospective review of 138 consecutive patients receiving endovascular AAA exclusion during an 8-year period was performed. Length of follow-up and number of CT scans performed was recorded. CT characteristics of the lesion (size, character, and suspicion of malignancy), type of biopsy procedure performed, and final pathologic diagnosis were collected. Oncologic treatments and survival length were also evaluated. Results Pulmonary lesions were found in 25 patients (18%), of whom 5 (4%) died during follow-up, and 13 (9%) had stable, subcentimeter lesions and continue to have surveillance from vascular specialists only. Seven patients (5%) with pulmonary lesions were referred for evaluation by thoracic surgeons. Six patients (4%) underwent biopsy of the lesion and were diagnosed with cancer. One patient refused a biopsy and is being monitored with serial CT scans. Four lung cancers (1 small cell and 3 non-small cell), one primary pulmonary carcinoid tumor, and one B-cell lymphoma were discovered. No changes were noted in the lesions in the patient receiving CT surveillance. More than half of the cancers were diagnosed in stage I, with a mean lesion diameter of 11 mm at biopsy. Of 25 patients with pulmonary nodules, 24 were men. The patients diagnosed with cancer are all still alive, with a mean survival length of 2.5 years (range, 0.5-6 years) after oncologic treatment. Conclusions Serial CT scans may reveal a high rate of pulmonary malignancies in a population with AAAs. Attention to the incidental finding of pulmonary nodules on CT scans and arrangement of appropriate follow-up by the vascular surgeon is important for patients undergoing surveillance after endovascular AAA repair. These results indicate that aggressive management of these lesions (early thoracic surgery consultation and biopsy) is appropriate in this high-risk population and may offer early diagnosis and improved long-term survival.
GMH: A Message Passing Toolkit for GPU Clusters

Driven by the market demand for high-definition 3D graphics, commodity graphics processing units (GPUs) have evolved into highly parallel, multi-threaded, many-core processors, which are ideal for data parallel computing. Many applications have been ported to run on a single GPU with tremendous speedups using general C-style programming languages such as CUDA. However, large applications require multiple GPUs and demand explicit message passing. This paper presents a message passing toolkit, called GMH (GPU Message Handler), on NVIDIA GPUs. This toolkit utilizes a data-parallel thread group as a way to map multiple GPUs on a single host to an MPI rank, and introduces a notion of virtual GPUs as a way to bind a thread to a GPU automatically. This toolkit provides high performance MPI style point-to-point and collective communication, but more importantly, facilitates event-driven APIs to allow an application to be managed and executed by the toolkit at runtime.
Interaction of an implanted pacemaker with a transesophageal atrial pacemaker: report of a case

Abstract We report an interaction of a transesophageal atrial pacemaker (TAP) with a permanently implanted pacemaker in a cardiac patient who had undergone ablative therapy for atrial tachyarrhythmia 5 years earlier. The patient's permanent A-V pacemaker was completely inhibited by the TAP, and there was loss of ventricular contractions and blood pressure. The patient required epicardial A-V pacing to overcome the programmed heart rate of 76 bpm. We describe alternative methods to epicardial pacing. We also recommend close inspection of the chest radiograph, which often can reveal the serial numbers of the implanted pacemaker, as a means of identifying the device's functions and programming.
The role of oxysterols in control of endothelial stiffness

Endothelial dysfunction is a key step in atherosclerosis development. Our recent studies suggested that oxLDL-induced increase in endothelial stiffness plays a major role in dyslipidemia-induced endothelial dysfunction. In this study, we identify oxysterols, as the major component of oxLDL, responsible for the increase in endothelial stiffness. Using Atomic Force Microscopy to measure endothelial elastic modulus, we show that endothelial stiffness increases with progressive oxidation of LDL and that the two lipid fractions that contribute to endothelial stiffening are oxysterols and oxidized phosphatidylcholines, with oxysterols having the dominant effect. Furthermore, endothelial elastic modulus increases as a linear function of oxysterol content of oxLDL. Specific oxysterols, however, have differential effects on endothelial stiffness with 7-ketocholesterol and 7α-hydroxycholesterol, the two major oxysterols in oxLDL, having the strongest effects. 27-hydroxycholesterol, found in atherosclerotic lesions, also induces endothelial stiffening. For all oxysterols, endothelial stiffening is reversible by enriching the cells with cholesterol. oxLDL-induced stiffening is accompanied by incorporation of oxysterols into endothelial cells. We find significant accumulation of three oxysterols, 7α-hydroxycholesterol, 7β-hydroxycholesterol, and 7-ketocholesterol, in mouse aortas of dyslipidemic ApoE−/− mice at the early stage of atherosclerosis. Remarkably, these are the same oxysterols we have identified to induce endothelial stiffening.
Enhancing Attachment Organization Among Maltreated Children: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Young children who have experienced early adversity are at risk for developing disorganized attachments. The efficacy of Attachment and Biobehavioral Catch-up (ABC), an intervention targeting nurturing care among parents identified as being at risk for neglecting their young children, was evaluated through a randomized clinical trial. Attachment quality was assessed in the Strange Situation for 120 children between 11.7 and 31.9 months of age (M = 19.1, SD = 5.5). Children in the ABC intervention showed significantly lower rates of disorganized attachment (32%) and higher rates of secure attachment (52%) relative to the control intervention (57% and 33%, respectively). These results support the efficacy of the ABC intervention in enhancing attachment quality among parents at high risk for maltreatment.
Epidemiology of Injuries and Prevention Strategies in Competitive Swimmers

Context: Competitive swimmers are predisposed to musculoskeletal injuries of the upper limb, knee, and spine. This review discusses the epidemiology of these injuries, in addition to prevention str...
A Biopsychosocial Approach to Asthma in Adolescents Encountering Child Protective Services

OBJECTIVE: To further test the validity of the Biobehavioral Family Model (BBFM), a biopsychosocial approach to explaining the effects of family processes on illness, by testing the model with adolescents with asthma involved in child protective services (CPS), a sample for whom the model's constructs are highly relevant. METHODS: Data are from the National Survey of Child and Adolescent Well-Being, CPS sample (n = 5,501). Adolescents with asthma (n = 101, ages 11-15 years) self-reported their negative family emotional climate (NFEC; caregiver psychological aggression and caregiver relationship quality), caregiver-adolescent relational security, and depressive symptoms. Caregivers rated adolescent health quality. Models were tested using path analyses and bootstrapping. RESULTS: Path analyses and bootstrapping results demonstrate support for the BBFM in explaining health quality for this sample. CONCLUSIONS: Applying the BBFM to families involved with CPS demonstrates pathways by which family processes affect health quality of adolescents with asthma, underscoring the need for biopsychosocial assessments and services. Language: en
Communication satellite antennas

During the previous two decades, communication satellites have developed from the pioneering Telstar to the highly sophisticated ATS-6. Concurrrently, the spacecraft antennas have developed from a low-gain "omnidirectional" antenna to the multifrequency multifunction antenna farm on ATS-6. Tomorrow's communication satellites will carry antennas whose radiation patterns can be changed to accommodate specific needs as they arise. In this paper, the general description and characteristics of several generic communications antennas are described as their development is traced from the early days of Telstar to a present day version of a multiple-beam antenna. The latter system is considered in considerable detail and with some reference to design techniques and measured performance.
The influence of upwelling on suspended matter and shelf sediments off southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT Surface waters off southeastern Brazil contain very little terrigenous material in suspension, even off the mouths of major rivers. As a result of the low rate of supply of terrigenous sediment, calcarenites and live algal reefs are widespread on the middle and outer continental shelf. Upwelling near the coast and over offshore banks, is associated with elevated amounts of suspensates, which are mainly planktonic and non-skeletal, and reach concentrations of 0.5 to 1.0 mg/l. Beneath the biologically productive upwelled surface waters there is remarkably little sedimentation of this organic matter. Also, although phosphorite deposits are usually associated with upwelling centers, there are no phosphatic sediments off southeastern Brazil. The absence of both organogenic sediment and pho phorite differentiates this coast from the areas of upwelling in the eastern Atlantic, and probably results from the high degree of oxygenation of upwelled water, which contains up to 6 ml/l of dissolved oxygen (more than three times as much as found in upwelling centers off northwest Africa, for example). Phosphorite and organically enriched sediment would be absent from paleo-upwelling centers of similar type, but these centers might be recognized through local enhancements of organic matter in the silt and clay fraction of marine sediments.
Efficient microwave-assisted solid phase coupling of nucleosides, small library generation, and mild conditions for release of nucleoside derivatives

Abstract Nucleosides are essential bio-molecules that participate in a wide array of biological processes involved in maintaining physiologic homeostasis. Recent efforts geared toward the synthesis of nucleoside analogues and development of nucleoside combinatorial libraries using solid phase synthesis have contributed invaluable information toward drug design and development. These studies have provided information concerning the structural requirements of substrate binding pockets of enzymes and evaluation of enzyme kinetics. However, the synthesis of nucleosides and its corresponding analogues remains a challenging and time consuming process. Herein, we report an efficient, microwave assisted solid phase coupling of nucleosides, combinatorial chemistry on the coupled nucleosides to generate small library, and mild cleavage conditions to release nucleoside derivatives from its solid support. We anticipate these findings will accelerate the development of synthetic methods or combinatorial library design of nucleoside analogues in similar settings.
Model-Based Analysis of the Surface Generation in Microendmilling—Part I: Model Development

This paper presents the development of models that describe the surface-generation process for microendmilling. The surface-generation models for the sidewall and floor surfaces consist of deterministic and stochastic models. In the sidewall surface-generation model, the deterministic model characterizes the surface topography generated from the relative motion between the major cutting edge and the workpiece material. The model includes the effects of the process kinematics, dynamics, tool edge serration, and process faults (e.g., tool tip runout). The stochastic model predicts the increased surface roughness generated from ploughing due to the significant tool edge radius effect. In the floor surface-generation model, the deterministic model characterizes the three-dimensional surface topography over the entire floor surface and considers the effects of the minimum chip thickness, the elastic recovery, and the transverse vibration. The variation of the ploughing amount across the swept arc of the cutter due to the varying chip load conditions is considered in the stochastic model.
Tactical Decision Making Under Conditions of Uncertainty: An Empirical Study

Uncertainty is a fundamental characteristic of warfare. Military decision makers confront uncertainty when the data they encounter are incomplete (missing), ambiguous, or conflicting. This study ex...
Peel Test for Determining the Adhesion of Electrodeposits on Metallic Substrates

The applicability of the Jacquet peel test for determining the adhesion of plated coatings on metallic substrates was investigated. A procedure was developed to permit testing of various plated coatings without the need for elaborate equipment, and conditions were optimized for determining the peel strength on different metallic substrates. Use of the peel test was demonstrated on a production part. The influence of some pre- or post-plating treatments on adhesion was examined using the peel test. A relationship was established between the tensile strength of the substrate and the possible maximum peel strength.
Task demand and mood repair: The intervention potential of computer games

It is argued that computer game play has great potential to intervene in noxious mood states because it is a more demanding task than consuming other forms of media. From mood management theory, this increased intervention potential should make computer games particularly adept mood repair agents. To test this assertion, a study was conducted that varied levels of task demand (our operationalization of intervention potential) in a computer game to examine mood repair for bored and stressed individuals. Results show that increasing the amount of control an individual has over a mediated environment significantly increases that medium’s intervention potential. This increase in intervention potential results in an enhanced ability to relieve boredom and stress, but too much task demand is detrimental to mood repair.
Reputation in Marketing Channels: Repeated-Transactions Bargaining with Two-Sided Uncertainty

Marketing channel interactions typically feature three characteristics that have not been incorporated together in an analytic study: 1 the parties can do business repeatedly over time, often under different terms of trade e.g., prices may vary, 2 the terms that the seller offers one buyer may be different from those she offers another, giving each interaction the flavor of bilateral monopoly bargaining, and 3 the buyer and seller come to the interaction uncertain about the valuations each holds for the good, but they do know each other's reputation for valuation. The seller might, for example, come to the bargaining table aware that the buyer has a strong reputation for being willing to pay only low prices, and the buyer might come aware that the seller is strongly reputed for high cost and is, therefore, willing to offer only high prices. The latter characteristic raises an interesting question: When engaged in a marketing channel interaction, what type of reputation is best for a buyer or seller to take to the bargaining table? In this paper, we answer that question by incorporating each of the characteristics that typify channel interactions in a formal game-theoretic bargaining model. We determine how the reputations that buyers and sellers bring to the bargaining table affect their equilibrium strategies and payoffs. Our analysis shows that, in general, the best reputation for the seller to take to the bargaining table is one that makes the buyer nearly certain in his belief that the seller's cost is high, a result that matches intuition. The best reputation for the buyer, however, is counterintuitive. We show that an increase in the buyer's reputed willingness to pay can actually cause the seller to offer a lower price. The best reputation for the buyer to take to the bargaining table is, therefore, one that makes the seller believe that there is a significant chance that he is willing to pay a high price. This result is new to the literature and brings with it immediate managerial implications that we discuss. Our analysis also shows that modeling the buyer as a forward-looking strategic player yields different results than does following the normal convention of modeling the buyer as a nonstrategic price-taker. We discuss why future research on channels and on reference-dependent utility theory should consider these differences.
Intracranial Atherosclerotic Disease

Optimal medical therapy for symptomatic intracranial stenosis includes antiplatelet therapy and aggressive management of atherosclerotic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and cigarette smoking. Systemic anticoagulation is not indicated. Two ongoing clinical trials are currently comparing angioplasty and stenting to medical management; the first report of one of these trials, SAMMPRIS, indicated that medical treatment may be superior to angioplasty and stenting. Angioplasty and stenting should be used with caution and be reserved for patients who remain actively symptomatic despite medical therapy.
Specific Agglutination of Murine Erythrocytes by a Pneumonitis Virus in Mice

Summarya peumonitis virus has been isolated during the serial passage of human lung material through Swiss mice. This virus is closely related to the mouse pneumonia virus of Horsfall. The lungs of mice infected with this virus contain an agent capable of agglutinating murine erythrocytes. This agglutination is inhibited by specific anti-sera.
Mechanistic Insights into Electro-Oxidation of Solution CO on the Polycrystalline Gold Surface as Seen by in Situ IR Spectroscopy

Carbon monoxide (CO) adsorption and electro-oxidation on a gold (Au) ultrathin film deposited onto a silicon prism infrared (IR) window in a CO-saturated (≈1 mM) 0.1 M HClO4 supporting electrolyte were investigated by in situ electrochemical attenuated-total-reflection (ATR) surface-enhanced IR reflection absorption spectroscopy (SEIRAS). By varying the reaction environment with sequential (CO and N2) purging of the supporting electrolyte and the Au surface morphology with CO annealing, we were able to assign adsorbed CO to terrace-like and step-like sites to deconvolute the corresponding time- and potential-dependent IR spectra. The results of these spectral deconvolutions suggest strongly that in the CO-saturated supporting electrolyte the weakly bound CO interacted mainly with the strongly adsorbed CO on the step-like sites and likely formed a dipolar-coupled weak interacting pair with the latter. Model ab initio density functional theory (DFT) calculations confirm the existence of the weakly bound CO ...
Production technology of boiled-flavour compound seasoning

The production process of Sichuan-boiled-flavour compound seasoning was studied in this article.The optimal ratio of raw materials and the technical paramters of production were determined.It showed that the flavor of meat is most important,followed by flavor of hot pepper,soy sauce and spices.The optimal content of meat extract,hot pepper,Pixian soy paste and pepper for production Sichuan-boiled-flavour compound sensoning was 9.5%,9.0%,11%and 5.5%respectively.The resulted flavour was the most favorable.
Oxidative Dimerization of Silylallenes via Activation of the Allenic C(sp 2 )-H Bond Catalyzed by Copper(I) Chloride and N-Hydroxyphthalimide

Novel oxidative dimerization of silylallenes is described. Treatment of silylallenes with a catalytic amount of copper(I) chloride, a substoichiometric amount of N-hydroxyphthalamide, and a stoichiometric amount of a terminal oxidant diacetoxyiodobenzene afforded head-to-head dimers as the main products. Silyallenes containing a small ring afforded only dimers, whereas as the ring size increased 1,3-enynes became more favorable products. For silylallenes containing an acyclic substituent, dimer formation is a norm with exceptions where N-hydroxyphthalimide reacts at the propargylic center to generate the corresponding aminoxy ethers.
A quantum model of man

Introduction The central claim of this book is that all intentional phenomena are quantum mechanical. That goes both for the private thoughts inside our heads and for public or collective intentions like norms, culture, and language, which we might generically call institutions. I suggested in Chapter 1 that by virtue of their dependence on consciousness, a classical, materialist ontology cannot explain these phenomena, and as such from that perspective they must be epiphenomenal or illusions. In the rest of this book I show that a quantum, panpsychist ontology can provide a physical basis for what we all know to be true, which is that both private and collective intentions are part of the natural order. The elementary parts of social ontology are human beings in their biological individuality, which in this Part I consider in abstraction from their lived social contexts. By taking humans out of their natural habitat I aim to focus attention on what we bring to the social table simply by virtue of being organisms of a certain kind. The abstract individual is a common enough starting point in classical social theory (think Hobbes and the state of nature). However, it might seem an odd place to begin a quantum social theory, given the holism of quantum phenomena, both “all the way down” in having no elementary parts, and “all the way across” in universal non-locality. What look like separate organisms are just local decoherence effects of quantum fields; everything really is related to everything else. In that light the abstract individual appears not just as an abstraction, but as positively occluding what “the individual” really is. However, there is a difference between what is true of a universal ontology and what is practically relevant to specifically socialontologies, which are constrained by the properties of their constituent organisms. Unlike some organisms, humans live in highly interdependent societies, and most of what is interesting about us is socially constituted as well.
Deciphering the Effects of Injectable Pre-exposure Prophylaxis for Combination Human Immunodeficiency Virus Prevention

Background. A long-acting injectable formulation of rilpivirine (RPV), under investigation as antiretroviral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), may facilitate PrEP adherence. In contrast, cross-resistance between RPV and nonnucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors comprising first-line antiretroviral therapy (ART) could promote human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) drug resistance and reduce PrEP's effectiveness. Methods. We use novel mathematical modeling of different RPV PrEP scale-up strategies in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, to investigate their effects on HIV prevention and drug resistance, compared with a reference scenario without PrEP. Results. Pre-exposure prophylaxis scale-up modestly increases the proportion of prevalent drug-resistant infections, from 33% to ≤37%. The change in the number of prevalent drug-resistant infections depends on the interplay between PrEP factors (coverage, efficacy, delivery reliability, and scale-up strategy) and the level of cross-resistance between PrEP and ART. An optimistic scenario of 70% effective RPV PrEP (90% efficacious and 80% reliable delivery), among women aged 20-29 years, prevents 17% of cumulative infections over 10 years while decreasing prevalent resistance; however, prevention decreases and resistance increases with more conservative assumptions. Uncertainty analysis assuming 40%-70% cross-resistance prevalence predicts an increase in prevalent resistance unless PrEP's effectiveness exceeds 90%. Conclusions. Prioritized scale-up of injectable PrEP among women in KwaZulu-Natal could reduce HIV infections, but suboptimal effectiveness could promote the spread of drug resistance.
Natural History of Iatrogenic Pediatric Femoral Artery Injury.

Background Iatrogenic femoral artery trauma complicates the course of critically ill neonates and children. Complications from persistent arterial occlusion may include claudication and limb length discrepancies. Data supporting risk factors for such and need for revascularization are lacking. Methods Review of a prospectively maintained database at a tertiary institution of iatrogenic pediatric femoral artery injuries incurred between 2013 and 2014 was performed. Additional injuries were identified by review of pediatric arterial duplex performed between 2008 and 2013. Demographics, risk factors, and outcomes were queried. Data analysis utilized Fischer's exact t-test and logistic regression. Results Seventy-six patients were identified of which 68 presented with acute limb ischemia (ALI) and 8 with chronic iliofemoral arterial occlusion resulting in claudication (n = 6) or limb length discrepancy (n = 2). Mean weight at injury was 6.3 kg; mean age at injury was 49 weeks (50% aged <3 months). Mean follow-up was 14 months (out to 11 years). Six patients required surgery for ALI, and 6 required delayed operation for limb length discrepancy (n = 4) or for persistent external iliac artery (EIA) occlusion. Mean age at delayed revascularization was 6 years (range: 2–13 years). Vasopressor use, mechanism/location of injury, and concomitant venous thrombosis were not significantly correlated with need for operation; trends suggested that cardiac catheterization and EIA thrombosis may correlate with chronic disease. Increased age at injury was associated with need for operation. Conclusions Although a majority of children with ALI may be successfully treated medically, 9% will require operation for ALI and 16% ultimately required revascularization during follow-up. Persistent iliofemoral arterial thrombosis is a likely risk factor for limb length discrepancy with growth; identifying risk factors for this and improved methods for surveillance requires ongoing investigation.
Preventable Death Rates Fell Where Communities Expanded Population Health Activities Through Multisector Networks

The US health system faces mounting pressure to improve population health. Research suggests a need for greater coordination and alignment across the sectors that deliver medical, public health, and social services. This study uses sixteen years of data from a large cohort of US communities to measure the extent and nature of multisector contributions to population health activities and how these contributions affect community mortality rates. The results show that deaths due to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and influenza decline significantly over time among communities that expand multisector networks supporting population health activities. The findings imply that incentives and infrastructure supporting multisector population health activities may help close geographic and socioeconomic disparities in population health.
Urban green infrastructure and local flooding: The impact of landscape patterns on peak runoff in four Texas MSAs

Abstract Even though there is a general acknowledgement that green infrastructure can have a positive role in reducing stormwater runoff, few studies have explored how specific spatial configurations of landscape—one of the critical components of green infrastructure—could influence runoff generation. This study attempts to address this gap by examining the landscape patterns in terms of size, shape, isolation, and connectivity across the four largest metropolitan areas in Texas, using landscape ecology metrics. The outcomes indicate that larger, less fragmented, and more connected landscape patterns are likely to mediate the mean annual peak runoff. In contrast, larger developments of complex shapes with more edges, clustered, and connected are likely to augment the peak runoff. The findings of this paper provide empirical evidences for policy makers to further the importance of interconnection and clusters of green infrastructure and plan strategic green hubs and corridors to more effectively manage stormwater runoff.
Validation of Clinical Tools for Vaginal and Vulvar Symptom Assessment in Cancer Patients and Survivors.

Abstract Introduction Health care professionals can play a pivotal role in promoting vulvovaginal health through assessment and appropriate intervention. Aim To develop and validate brief clinical measurements to facilitate the identification of vulvovaginal symptoms in patients with and survivors of cancer. Methods One hundred seventy-five women survivors of cancer attending a Female Sexual Medicine and Women's Health Program from September 26, 2012 through October 31, 2014 completed the Vaginal Assessment Scale (VAS) and the Vulvar Assessment Scale (VuAS)—a modified version of the VAS that targets vulvar symptoms. Pelvic examination results were recorded using a clinical examination checklist. Main Outcome Measures Internal consistency of the two scales was assessed using Cronbach α, and the correlation between scales and other outcomes was reported. Results The internal consistency measurements of the VAS and VuAS at the first visit were 0.70 and 0.68, which decreased to 0.53 and 0.66 at the last visit. The VAS composite and VuAS composite scores were moderately correlated with each other (0.42 and 0.45 at first and last visits, respectively). A strong correlation was observed between VAS pain with intercourse and Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) pain with intercourse (−0.63 and −0.71 at the first and last visits, respectively). Worse pain with examination, worse functioning on the FSFI pain, lubrication, and total scores, and worse vulvar irritation were correlated with more severe symptoms on the VAS and VuAS. Conclusion The VAS and VuAS are simple tools that can be used by clinicians to assess health concerns in women diagnosed with and treated for cancer. Validation is needed across diverse settings and groups of women.
Quantification of Head Acceleration during Vestibular Rehabilitation Exercises.

PURPOSE Vestibular rehabilitation exercises have been proven to reduce symptoms and diminish the risk of falls in those with dizziness and balance impairments. The first purpose of this study is to investigate a new method of measuring head movements during habituation vestibular rehabilitation exercises. The second is to explore the relationship between head acceleration measurements during select traditional vestibular rehabilitation exercises and the variables of age, dizziness, and poor balance confidence. RESEARCH DESIGN A descriptive, cross-sectional study, in a university setting. STUDY SAMPLE Fifty-two participants, ranging in age from 20 to 96 yr. All were volunteers, with the majority (34) reporting no history of dizziness or balance confidence. DATA COLLECTION Head accelerations were calculated from linear and angular displacements as measured by magnetometry. RESULTS Head accelerations decreased with increasing age, dizziness, and low balance confidence during four habituation exercises. CONCLUSIONS Head acceleration varies as a function of age, dizziness, and low balance confidence during head movement-based vestibular and balance rehabilitation therapy (habituation) exercises. The magnetometry measurement method used could be applied across the course of treatment to establish predictive measures based on change in acceleration over time. More diverse participant sampling is needed to create normative data.