cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Memory and Voter Mobilization

Using a combination of randomized experiments and survey data, this article presents evidence relevant to two debates in political science. The first is between those scholars who favor an online processing model of how American citizens process political information before elections, and those scholars who favor a memory-based model of opinion formation. The second debate is between students of voting behavior who favor the use of randomized experiments and those who favor public opinion surveys. The article examines the results of get-out-the-vote campaigns by three community organizations during California’s 2008 general election. Shortly after the election, individuals were surveyed about whether they had been contacted. Eligible voters who did not recall having been contacted but who, in fact, had been contacted were more likely to vote than were the respondents in the control group. This finding is consistent with the online processing model. Moreover, the individuals who completed the post-election survey were more likely to vote than was typical of the larger pool of participants in the field experiments. The unrepresentativeness of the survey respondents leads to inflated assessments of the effectiveness of the get-out-the-vote campaigns, and highlights the challenge of constructing representative samples for election surveys.
Power Doppler ultrasonography of symptomatic rheumatoid arthritis ankles revealed a positive association between tenosynovitis and rheumatoid factor

The aim of this study was to characterize the pathological conditions of symptomatic ankles in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using power Doppler sonography (PDS). We analyzed 17 consecutive ultrasonography (US) records of RA patients with symptomatic ankles who underwent B-mode ultrasonography (BUS) combined with PDS of their ankles in our department because of clinical need. Correlations between US findings and clinical and serological data were assessed. The diagnostic capabilities of BUS and PDS were also compared. Common US findings were talocrural synovitis (76%), subtalar synovitis (71%), and talonavicular synovitis (59%). Tenosynovitis around the ankle was detected in ten patients (59%), including several cases of tenosynovitis of tibialis posterior (41%) and tenosynovitis of peroneus longus and brevis (35%). Achilles tendon enthesitis was detected in six patients, and retrocalcaneal bursitis was detected in five. Compared with BUS, PDS offers demonstrably superior diagnostic capability for the detection of rheumatoid ankle diseases, especially subtalar joint synovitis and peroneal tenosynovitis. Rheumatoid factor (RF) levels were significantly higher in patients with tenosynovitis than in patients without tenosynovitis. PDS is an excellent modality for diagnosing both intra- and extracapsular synovitis in rheumatoid ankles. Using PDS, we found positive association between ankle tenosynovitis and RF levels in RA patients.
Novel IMP-1 metallo-β-lactamase inhibitors can reverse meropenem resistance in Escherichia coli expressing IMP-1

IMP-1 metallo-β-lactamase is a zinc metalloenzyme that confers antibiotic resistance to bacteria through the hydrolysis of β-lactam antibiotics. Pathogens that express the enzyme show reduced susceptibility to carbapenems, such as meropenem and imipenem. In order to identify novel IMP-1 inhibitors, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) chemical diversity set was screened using 96-well high throughput screening format. The collection yielded several novel succinic acid derivatives that exhibited mixed inhibition of IMP-1 with compound 20707 having the highest affinity with a Ki value of 3.3 μM ± 1.7. The compounds are moderately potent inhibitors of IMP-1 with IC50 values ranging from 5.0 to 17 μM. An original chemical class of IMP-1 inhibitor, 2-((E)-(1,3-dihydroxy-2-methylpropan-2-ylimino)methyl)-4,6-diiodophenol, was discovered and was the most potent with an IC50 of 1.2 μM. NCI compounds, 20707, 140905 and 9746 sensitized a carbapenem-resistant laboratory strain of Escherichia coli to clinically achievable levels of meropenem.
The Effect of Vaccinating Turkeys with the Clemson University Strain of Pasteurella multocida on Subsequent Reproductive Performance and Longevity of Immunity

Abstract Turkeys were vaccinated at 12 weeks of age with a commercial fowl cholera bacterin. At the time of housing (32 weeks) they were divided into three treatment groups. One group was vaccinated orally with a 16 to 18 hour brain-heart infusion broth (BHI) culture of the Clemson University (CU) strain of Pasteurella multocida. The other two groups, received BHI broth and water alone, respectively. No vaccine associated mortality was observed. Vaccination at time of housing had no adverse effects on reproductive performance in that no significant differences were observed among treatments in the percent hen-housed or hen-day egg production, egg weight, percent of fertile eggs or percent hatch of fertile eggs, mean hen body weight or mean daily feed consumption. However, hens given the CU vaccine and those given water alone had significantly less hatch of total eggs set than those given BHI broth alone. After 28 weeks of production, hens from each treatment group were orally challenged with virulent P-1059 strain of P. multocida. The survival rate of hens after challenge was significantly higher in the CU vaccinated group (75%) when compared with either of the other groups given BHI broth (18%) or water (12%). These results suggest that even a single vaccination of adult turkey hens with the CU vaccine may afford significant protection from fowl cholera for as long as 28 weeks after vaccination without adverse effects on reproductive parameters.
Sampling to make maps for site-specific weed management

Growers need affordable methods to sample weed populations to reduce herbicide use with site-specific weed management. Sampling programs and methods of developing sampling programs for integrated pest management are not sufficient for site-specific weed management because more and different information is needed to make treatment maps than simply estimate average pest density. Sampling plans for site-specific weed management must provide information to map the weeds in the field but should be developed for the objective of prescribing spatially variable management. Weed scientists will be most successful at designing plans for site-specific weed management if they focus on this objective throughout the process of designing a sampling plan. They must also learn more about the spatial distribution and dynamics of weed populations and use that knowledge to identify cost-effective plans, recommend methods to make maps as well as collect data, and find ways to evaluate maps that reflect management to be prescribed from the map. Foremost, sampling must be thought of as an ongoing process over time that uses many types of information rather than a single event of collecting one type of information. Specifically, scientists will need to identify common characteristics rather than just differences of the spatial distribution of weeds among fields and species, recognize that map accuracy may be a poor indicator of the value of a sampling plan, and develop methods to use growers' knowledge of the distribution of weeds and past spatially variable management within a field for both making a map and recommending a sampling plan. The value of proposed methods for sampling and mapping must also be demonstrated or adoption of site-specific weed management might be limited to growers who enjoy using sophisticated technology.
Effects of Attachment Anxiety and Avoidance on Negotiation Propensity and Performance

Attachment theory has received scant consideration in the negotiation literature. We examined the effects of attachment anxiety and avoidance on negotiation propensity and performance in two studies. In terms of negotiation propensity (Study 1), attachment anxiety had significant, deleterious effects, though contrary to our predictions, attachment avoidance did not have significant effects. However, there was an interaction such that individuals high on attachment avoidance had a greater propensity to negotiate with an insecurely attached counterpart compared to a secure counterpart. In addition, attachment orientation influenced negotiation performance and information sharing (Study 2), but the effects depended upon role in the negotiation, with stronger effects for attachment avoidance as opposed to attachment anxiety. Theoretical and practical implications for research on negotiation and attachment theory are discussed.
The framing effect of relative and absolute risk

Objective: To test whether a patient’s perception of benefit is influenced by whether the benefit is presented in relative or absolute terms.
Evaluation of neural-network classifiers for weed species discrimination.

The potential environmental impact of herbicide utilisation has stimulated research into new methods of weed control. Selective herbicide application offers the possibility to reduce herbicide usage while maintaining weed control. The research reported utilised colour co-occurrence method (CCM) texture analysis techniques to evaluate three different neural-network classifiers for potential use in real-time weed control systems. An image data set consisting of 33 unique texture features for each image in a six class data set (40 images per class) was generated for the following classes; foxtail, crabgrass, common lambsquarter, velvetleaf, morning-glory, and clear soil surface. The data sets were evaluated using a stepwise variable selection procedure to provide six unique data models separated according to hue-saturation-intensity colour features. A comparison study of the classification capabilities of three neural-network models (backpropagation, counterpropagation, and radial basis function) was conducted. It was found that the backpropagation neural-network classifier provided the best classification performance and was capable of classification accuracies of 97%, which exceeded traditional statistical classification procedure accuracy of 93%. When comparing the three neural-network methodologies, the backpropagation method not only achieved a higher classification accuracy, but also had less computational requirements.
Design and Sampling Characteristics of a New Airborne Aerosol Inlet for Aerosol Measurements in Clouds

AbstractDesign of a new submicron aerosol inlet (SMAI) for airborne sampling of aerosol particles is introduced and its performance characteristics under a range of sampling conditions are presented. Analysis of inlet performance in clear-air and cloud systems shows that submicron aerosols are sampled representatively by the inlet, and in comparison with other types of inlets the SMAI has a relatively minor or nonexistent problem of droplet shatter contamination. The SMAI has a flow-through cone, with a perpendicular subsampling tube inside it. The cone acts as a virtual blunt body and decelerates the velocity directed toward a subsampling tube within the cone, resulting in reduced droplet impaction velocities and negligible artifact particle generation. The use of a perpendicular subsampling tube helps eliminate large shattered droplets from entering the sample volume, though it also results in lowering the aerosol sampling cut size. The SMAI sampling characteristics are determined from computational flu...
Ultrasensitive and Fast Bottom-up Analysis of Femtogram Amounts of Complex Proteome Digests

The performance of bottom-up proteomics degrades rapidlyformass-limitedsamples,suchaslasercapturemicrodissectedtissues (pure cell populations isolated from a heterogeneoustissue section), circulating tumor cells, single embryos, andsingle somatic cells. There have been a handful of reports onbottom-up proteomics of nanogram samples by capillaryliquid chromatography–electrospray ionization tandem massspectrometry (LC-ESI-MS/MS). Mann et al. identified 2000proteinsfromsinglepancreaticisletswithaproteincontentofseveral hundred nanograms.
Functional studies of yeast glucokinase.

Abstract Glucose phosphorylation capacity is known to be in excess of glucose flux in Saccharomyces cerevisiae wild type but not in a mutant strain lacking the two hexokinases but still having glucokinase. Nonetheless, we show here that in the latter strain, as in the wild type, the internal concentration of glucose is apparently low during growth on glucose and that additional glucokinase activity does not increase glucose flux. The glucokinase-dependent strain accumulates substantial amounts of glucose internally in batch culture after exhaustion of glucose, as well as from maltose. In both of these situations, low concentrations of radioactive glucose provided to the medium are used with incomplete, if any, mixing with the internal pool. Furthermore, in contrast to activity of hexokinase and other enzymes, little glucokinase activity is revealed by toluene treatment of cells. These results may point to a connection between glucose entry and its phosphorylation by glucokinase, but separate explanations for the various findings are also possible.
Oriented silver oxide nanostructures synthesized through a template-free electrochemical route

Oriented silver oxide nanostructures, including polycrystalline columnar structures, nanofibers and single crystalline nanodisks, were successfully grown on conductive substrates from acetate-containing aqueous solutions through an electrochemical strategy. The morphological features (shape, diameter and areal density) of the AgxO nanostructures could be effectively adjusted through deposition parameters, including current density, concentration of silver nitrate and solution pH values. Structural and chemical analyses, based on HRTEM/SAED and XPS techniques, confirm that the electrodeposited AgxO nanostructures have a defective cubic Ag2O structure containing cation deficiency, twin boundaries, and amorphous zones and stacking faults. The variety of nanostructures obtained in this work can be attributed to the kinetic effect of supersaturation ratio of AgxO at the electrode/electrolyte interface. This electrochemical process is versatile to extend to other transition metal oxides and to a variety of inexpensive conductive substrates.
Rice Harvesting in Kali Loro: A Study of Class and Labor Relations in Rural Java

The “Green Revolution” was initially hailed as a cure-all for underproduction in the impoverished countries of Southeast Asia and the Third World in general. Recent critics, however, looking beyond gross national product, have indicated that these programs result in various forms of environmental degradation and increased economic polarization. Technological inputs in the form of high yielding rice varieties, pesticides, and fertilizers have been accompanied by widespread social changes in labor organization, leading to reduced production costs for larger landowners, but also to a large-scale elimination of agricultural employment opportunities.
The IUD in Me: On Embodying Feminist Technoscience Studies

This article traces my personal and academic journey through two ‘IUDs in Me’ interlacing personal encounters with the IUD with formal research findings from academic work. I demonstrate that refle...
The Other Side of Health Care Reform: An Analysis of the Missed Opportunity Regarding Infertility Treatments

Recent studies show that one in eight American couples suffered from infertility. Infertility treatments are riddled with accessibility barriers including high costs, marital status, and sexual orientation. Despite President Obama’s promise of universal health care, his health care reform acts missed the opportunity to squarely address this widespread problem. In fact, the recent health care reform did not include any provisions specific to fertility. Despite this glaring oversight, this article argues that regulators interpreting the acts can still provide the desired relief. The minimum coverage requirements beginning in 2014 can be interpreted to include fertility care if infertility is treated as a recognized medical condition (as it should be). Despite various potential ideological objections, mandating coverage for infertility treatment will advance four highly desired policies: (i) the promotion of gender equality; (ii) the promotion of a desired health related policy; (iii) the promotion of social justice; and (iv) the promotion of a desired medical related policy.
Autoregressive Model Selection in Small Samples Using a Bias-Corrected Version of AIC

The asymptotic properties of most selection criteria are now well understood. In the case of stationary Gaussian time series, a criterion for the selection of an autoregressive candidate model can be either efficient (Shibata, 1980) or consistent, but not both.
A game design assignment: learning about social class inequality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to describe what students in an undergraduate course otherwise unrelated to games demonstrated about their learning during an analog game design assignment, and to explore what two of the resultant games revealed about designers’ understandings of the structural nature of social class inequality. Design/methodology/approach – Students’ documents associated with game production were analyzed for overt statements of learning, which were then coded and categorized. The researcher also assessed analog game prototypes to explore their usefulness to learning assessment. Findings – Students’ perceptions of their learning in both cognitive and social domains were apparent in written reports. Faculty assessment of game artifacts found evidence of designers’ grasp of structural aspects of social class inequality beyond that apparent in written documentation. Research limitations/implications – The case study approach limits the generalizability of the researcher’s observations...
High purity isolation and quantification of semiconducting carbon nanotubes via column chromatography.

The isolation of semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to ultrahigh (ppb) purity is a prerequisite for their integration into high-performance electronic devices. Here, a method employing column chromatography is used to isolate semiconducting nanotubes to 99.9% purity. The study finds that by modifying the solution preparation step, both the metallic and semiconducting fraction are resolved and elute using a single surfactant system, allowing for multiple iterations. Iterative processing enables a far more rapid path to achieving the level of purities needed for high performance computing. After a single iteration, the metallic peak in the absorption spectra is completely attenuated. Although absorption spectroscopy is typically used to characterize CNT purity, it is found to be insufficient in quantifying solutions of high purity (>98 to 99%) due to low signal-to-noise in the metallic region of ultrahigh purity solutions. Therefore, a high throughput electrical testing method was developed to quantify ...
A monoclonal antibody specific for BK virus large T-antigen (clone BK.T-1) also binds the human Ku autoantigen.

A monoclonal antibody directed against the BK virus large T-antigen (clone BK.T-1) has previously been used to evaluate BKV-T antigen (BKV-TAg) expression. However, our experience showed a consistent reactivity to uninfected human, but not rodent cells and tissues. Using immunoprecipitation, Western analysis, amino acid sequencing and end-point dilution analysis, we analysed the BK.T-1 antibody reactivity and identified the bound cellular protein. The results clearly show that the antibody recognizes the large subunit (Ku86) of the Ku autoantigen, the regulatory component of the DNA-PKcs. We also demonstrated that the antibody retained its original reactivity in BKV-TAg transformed hamster kidney cells. The cross-reaction of the BK.T-1 antibody suggests a possible similarity between BKV-TAg and Ku86, but makes the antibody unsuitable for studies of BKV large T-antigen in the human cells.
Impulse Testing and Blade Load Simulation Tools to Estimate Cyclic Stress Life in Blades and Impellers

A pragmatic approach for estimating cyclic stresses in rotating airfoils based on impulse testing with strain gauge sensors and application of simplified aerodynamic excitations is presented. The method has been successfully applied to determine the root causes of blade and impeller failures in gas turbines, steam turbines, and industrial compressors. The method provides guidance for quickly determining the natural frequency most responsible for a failure by analyzing experimental stress data at blade resonances, incorporating the Campbell diagram to evaluate frequency margins, and applying the Goodman diagram to evaluate endurance stress margins. The effects of mis-tuned blade responses can be included and operating lifetimes can be evaluated by use of the Palmgren-Miner analysis. Example cases of significant failure analyses for an axial flow gas turbine compressor and a driven industrial compressor are used to illustrate how the method is used.© 2010 ASME
Effect of metallic restoration artifacts on maxillofacial cone beam computed tomography images.

v LIST OF FIGURES ix LIST OF TABLES x INTRODUCTION AND LITERATURE REVIEW 1 HYPOTHESIS 5 Objectives 5 Null Hypothesis 6 MATERIALS AND METHODS 7 Overall Research Design 7 In vitro model 8 High Density Object (HDO) Configuration 10 Cone Beam Computed Tomographic Imaging 10 Analysis 14 CBCT Image Evaluation 14 Data Analysis 14 RESULTS 16 Overview 16 Descriptive 17 Analytical 25 DISCUSSION 49 CONCLUSION 53
An analysis on the progress and influencing factors of the community based management for hypertension and diabetes in Changsha from 2010 to 2012

Objective To evaluate the progress of community based management for hypertension and diabetes in Changsha from 2010to 2012,and to analyze the influencing factors. Methods Data collected from disease surveillance,annual report,and special survey during 2010to 2012were analyzed.Chi-square test was used for statistical analysis. Results Based on data from disease surveillance,cardiovascular disease was still the number one death cause for residents.Analysis of annual report data showed that by the end of 2012,the health record rate and the standardized management rate for hypertension patients and patients with diabetes were 40.98%,77.96% and 36.20%,81.39%,respectively.Meanwhile,according to the specific survey,more residents from rural areas were obese or smoke compared with those from urban areas(12.5%vs 7.9%;48.9%vs 12.5%),which were major risk factors for chronic diseases.The overall average IFG rate was9.1% and the prevalence of diabetes was 6.5%.The blood pressure control rates among patients with hypertension one year after the community based management was 50%in urban areas and 10%in rural areas,the difference was significant(P 0.01). Conclusions The community based management can effectively increase the health record rate,standardized management rate and control rate for patients with hypertension and diabetes in Changsha.But factors as lack of professional personnel,shortage of funds and incompatible management software still influence the community based management for chronic disease,it is critical to establish a work system with government led,multi-departments collaboration,professional guidance and the whole society involved in order to sustain the accomplishment of community based management for chronic disease.
Validity of cluster headache diagnoses in an electronic health record data repository

Background Cluster headache (CH) is uncommon, so electronic searches of large medical record databases provide an important opportunity to identify a sufficient number of patients for research, patient registries, or quality improvement work. However, the accuracy of CH diagnoses recorded in electronic health record (EHR) databases is unknown. The Research Patient Data Registry (RPDR) warehouses information from EHR of two academic medical centers in Boston. We assessed the validity of CH diagnoses in the RPDR as well as the sensitivity of International Classification of Headache Disorders (ICHD) diagnostic criteria in relation to the gold standard of expert clinician diagnosis of CH. Methods In 2013, we queried RPDR to identify all patients diagnosed with CH diagnosed by headache specialists from 2002 to 2012. We sought to determine the positive predictive value (PPV) of an EHR diagnosis of CH relative to a headache expert's clinical impression as the gold standard. We also calculated the sensitivity of ICHD-2 CH criteria compared with the gold standard of expert-diagnosed CH cases. Results RPDR queries identified 170 patients with a diagnosis of CH. Two researchers carried out a detailed chart review searching for information to support or refute this diagnosis. In 58 cases, the diagnosis of CH was determined to be inaccurate due to data entry errors. The PPV of an RPDR diagnosis of CH was 63% (95% CI 54-71%) and the sensitivity of ICHD-2 criteria compared with the gold standard of expert diagnosis was 77% (95% CI 69-82%). Conclusions The PPV of EHR diagnoses of CH is modest. Data entry errors are common, and only about three-fourths of CH cases diagnosed by expert clinicians meet ICHD criteria for CH. Thus, EHR searches for patients with CH frequently will result in false positives. This has implications for activities such as research, quality improvement efforts, or disease registries that rely on EHR searches to identify patients. Further work is needed to develop high quality phenotypic algorithms so that the research potential of EHRs can be realized.
Brain Injury and Drowning

The epidemiology and clinical course of immersion brain injury of childhood drowning cases are reviewed from the University of California, Davis, Sacramento.
Ligand NMR Chemical Shift Calculations for Paramagnetic Metal Complexes: 5f1 vs 5f2 Actinides.

Ligand paramagnetic NMR (pNMR) chemical shifts of the 5f1 complexes UO2(CO3)35– and NpO2(CO3)34–, and of the 5f2 complexes PuO2(CO3)34– and (C5H5)3UCH3 are investigated by wave function theory calculations, using a recently developed sum-over-states approach within complete active space and restricted active space paradigm including spin–orbit (SO) coupling [J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2015, 20, 2183-2188]. The experimental 13C pNMR shifts of the actinyl tris-carbonate complexes are well reproduced by the calculations. The results are rationalized by visualizing natural spin orbitals (NSOs) and spin-magnetizations generated from the SO wave functions, in comparison with scalar relativistic spin densities. The analysis reveals a complex balance between spin-polarization, spin and orbital magnetization delocalization, and spin-compensation effects due to SO coupling. This balance creates the magnetization due to the electron paramagnetism around the nucleus of interest, and therefore the pNMR effects. The calculat...
Trajectory-based operations — Robust planning under trajectory uncertainty

Trajectory-Based Operations require the development and execution of a trajectory-based plan which is subject to uncertainty as a result of trajectory prediction inaccuracy and disturbances. The impact of disturbances due to conflict detection/resolution and traffic synchronization are evaluated under different levels of prediction inaccuracy through Monte Carlo Simulation. Conflicts are estimated to contribute uncertainty below a 1% speed variation for look-ahead times beyond 2 hours. Traffic Synchronization is shown to further amplify any trajectory prediction inaccuracy. A process for the incremental assignment of delays is described using an optimum delay margin and credit to ensure a stable delay is assigned. The approach is shown to allow a shift from costly tactical delays to strategic, equitably assigning delays across stage lengths and providing significantly more predictable delays per flight prior to departure. Benefits are shown to increase as trajectory prediction accuracy is improved.
APP Modulates Aβ-Induced Activation of Microglia in Mouse Model of Alzheimer's Disease.

Our understanding of the events involved in the pathophysiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has undergone significant revisions during the last few decades. It has been proposed that accumulation and deposition in CNS parenchyma of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), either from excessive amyloidogenic
Carbon dioxide generation rates for building occupants.

Indoor carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have been used for decades to characterize building ventilation and indoor air quality. Many of these applications require rates of CO2 generation from the building occupants, which are currently based on approaches and data that are several decades old. However, CO2 generation rates can be derived from well-established concepts within the fields of human metabolism and exercise physiology, which relate these rates to body size and composition, diet, and level of physical activity. This paper reviews how CO2 generation rates have been estimated in the past and discusses how they can be characterized more accurately. Based on this information, a new approach to estimating CO2 generation rates is presented, which is based on the described concepts from the fields of human metabolism and exercise physiology. Using this approach and more recent data on body mass and physical activity, values of CO2 generation rates from building occupants are presented along with the variability that may occur based on body mass and activity data.
Obesity and the risk of systemic lupus erythematosus among women in the Nurses' Health Studies.

Abstract Background Obesity is increasingly prevalent and related to increased risk of several autoimmune diseases, likely via generation of inflammatory adipokines. Prior studies have not evaluated obesity in relation to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) risk. We prospectively evaluated whether obesity was associated with increased SLE risk among women in the U.S. Nurses' Health Study cohorts. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study among 238,130 women in the Nurses' Health Studies (NHS, 1976–2012; NHSII, 1989–2013). Incident SLE was confirmed by American College of Rheumatology 1997 criteria and validated through medical record review. Body mass index (BMI, kg/m 2 ) was calculated at baseline and on biennial questionnaires. Cox proportional hazards models estimated HRs (95% CIs) for SLE by cumulative average BMI category {18.5 to Results We identified 153 NHS incident SLE cases and 115 incident NHSII cases during 5,602,653 person-years of follow-up. At baseline, 8.4% of women in NHS and 11.8% in NHSII were obese. Mean age at enrollment was 42.5 (SD 7.2) years in NHS and 34.4 (SD 4.7) years in NHSII. Cumulative average obesity was significantly associated with SLE risk in NHSII [HR = 1.85 (1.17–2.91)], but not in NHS [HR = 1.11 (0.65–1.87)] compared to normal BMI. In the meta-analysis of both cohorts, obesity was not significantly associated with increased risk of SLE [HR = 1.46 (0.88–2.40)]. Simple time-varying BMI and lagging the exposure window by 4 years produced similar findings to the primary analysis. In NHSII, a 4.54 kg gain between age 18 and enrollment slightly increased SLE risk [HR = 1.09 (1.02–1.18)]. In the secondary analysis starting follow-up of both cohorts at similar calendar years, the point estimate for obesity in NHS was higher than the primary analysis [HR = 1.67 (0.81–3.45)]. Conclusion We observed an 85% significantly increased risk of SLE among obese compared to normal BMI women in the more recent NHSII cohort, but no association was observed in the earlier NHS cohort. Secular trends in obesity may account for the differences between the two birth cohorts.
Four Ways to Expand the Foundation for CPED's Social Justice Framework

This article offers recommendations for deepening and expanding the important ideas about social justice that are presented in the current CPED social justice framework for the EdD. One suggestion is to better articulate the fact that social justice is ultimately inseparable from ecological justice, sustainability and diversity. I also argue that it is best if the proposed framework’s reference to the knowledge economy include awareness of the possibility that it can be as destructive as a material-based one. Although the framework report does mention community as a target for social/ecological justice, sustainability and diversity (SEJSD), it tends to focus primarily on its application in education settings. This paper emphasizes a greater expansion of SEJSD into the world of social/ecological justice education. Finally, I suggest a foundation for CPED’s framework that includes “project-based learning” whereby work on the EdD program’s final project, whether a capstone or dissertation, start “from day one” and be the focal point for all coursework. Such a process, common in most International doctoral programs, will assure SEJSD and mastery of a chosen topic area are at the highest level of interdisciplinary and will help encourage the kind of praxis in the real world the EdD should require, especially in the Trumpian era we entered on January 20, 2017.
Abstract 141: Trends in Left Ventricle Assist Device Use, Outcomes and Costs among Medicare Beneficiaries, 1999 to 2008.

Background: Over the last decade, left ventricle assist device (LVAD) technology has improved substantially, resulting in smaller devices requiring less invasive procedures, which has broadened its clinical indications to frail populations. During this time of technological advancement, we examined trends in use, mortality, and associated costs of LVADs among Medicare beneficiaries. Methods: Inpatient Medicare standard analytic files were used to identify 100% of fee-for-service (FFS) patients aged ≥65 years that received LVAD (ICD-9-CM codes 37.60, 37.62, 37.65, 37.66 and 37.68) from 1999 to 2008. We constructed a denominator file from Medicare administrative data to report operative rates per 1,000,000 beneficiary-years. Length of stay, hospital mortality, thirty-day and one-year mortality were ascertained through corresponding vital status files. Costs were defined as hospital payments made by Medicare. Results: Among Medicare FFS patients, the overall LVAD procedure rate increased from 13.8 per million beneficiary-years (365 procedures) in 1999 to 19.8 per million beneficiary-years (548 procedures) in 2008, a relative increase of 44 %. In addition, between 1999 and 2008 overall length of stay increased from 19.1 days to 23.8 days; hospital mortality decreased from 42.5% to 33.4%, 30-day mortality decreased from 38.9% to 30.7% and one-year mortality decreased from 54% to 47.1%. Total CMS payments for the hospitalizations in which LVADs were placed increased from $20,188,880 ($55,312/patient) in 1999 to $71,050,392 ($129,654/patient) in 2008. Over the study period, LVAD use increased in all age groups, most strikingly among the ≥75 years old, in whom incidence increased from 151 procedures in 1999 to 192 procedures in 2008, representing 35% of the LVAD implantation in the Medicare population in 2008. Conclusions: From 1999 to 2008, LVAD use increased substantially with a decrease in hospital, 30-day and one-year mortality.
Developing concepts and treatment of complex maxillary fractures.

The last decade has witnessed a tremendous evolution in the management of maxillary fractures—an evolution that mirrors an overall more aggressive contemporary approach to complex maxillofacial trauma. This article briefly reviews past contributions to the current management of these fractures, the author’s approach to management, and the future of this continually improving field.
Sparse-low rank matrix decomposition framework for identifying potential biomarkers for inflammatory bowel disease

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is a class of uncured chronic diseases which causes severe discomfort and in some cases could lead to life-threatening complications. Recent studies suggest a relationship between IBD and the gut microbiota. These findings reveal potential for identifying bacterial biomarkers for IBD to enable the detection and further investigation into unknown aspects of the disease. This work presents a novel method for identifying microbial biomarkers using robust principal component analysis (RPCA). Our method uses matrix decomposition to separate bacteria exhibiting a difference in abundance between healthy and diseased samples from the bacteria that have not undergone substantial change in abundance. Our method then ranks and identifies the top bacteria to be used as biomarkers. We contrast the proposed method with three well used state-of-the-art bacterial biomarker detection approaches over two datasets in relation to IBD. Our method outperforms the competing methods on the different evaluation cases.
Characteristics of US Elections in the Digital Media Age

This chapter provides a detailed discussion of the media-related characteristics of American election campaigns. Six major traits of elections in the digital era are identified: (1) technology-driven campaigning, (2) voter digital engagement, (3) hyper-personalized campaigning, (4) expanded campaign professionalization, (5) rampant polling and horserace media coverage, and (6) negativity and incivility. These developments are traced from the early days of the new media era to the present day.
Risk-based scheduling methodology for audit inspections of curves on high-speed mainline tracks:

Agencies with safety oversight responsibilities of railroad tracks often perform walking audit inspections of tracks (also referred to as quality audits) to complement and oversee the regular inspe...
The Basic Concepts in Cancer Immunology and Immunotherapy

Cancer is a disease, but a tumor is not. Our immune system works in our bodies to prevent tumors from developing into diseases. In this chapter, I will introduce and explain some basic concepts and processes of how our immune system responds to tumors and how current and future therapies work, and will work to prevent and cure cancer. Since this chapter is not an intensive review of cancer immunology and immunotherapy, I have listed several items from the literature recalling some milestones in the field for readers to perceive how a spark of discovery can light a new era of cancer therapy.
Transcriptome profiling of alphaherpesvirus-infected cells treated with the HIV-integrase inhibitor raltegravir reveals profound and specific alterations in host transcription

Anti-microbial compounds typically exert their action by directly interfering with one or more stages of the pathogen’s life cycle. However, some compounds also have secondary effects on the host that aid in pathogen clearance. Raltegravir is a human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-integrase inhibitor that has been shown to alter the host immune response to HIV in addition to its direct antiviral effect. Interestingly, raltegravir can also directly inhibit the replication of various herpesviruses. However, the host-targeted effects of this drug in the context of a herpesvirus infection have not been explored. Here, we used felid alphaherpesvirus 1 (FHV-1), a close relative of human alphaherpesvirus 1 (HHV-1) that similarly causes ocular herpes, to characterize the host-targeted effects of raltegravir on corneal epithelial cells during an alphaherpesvirus infection. Using RNA deep sequencing, we found that raltegravir specifically boosts the expression of anti-angiogenic factors and promotes metabolic homeostasis in FHV-1-infected cells. In contrast, few changes in host gene transcription were found in uninfected cells. Importantly, we were able to demonstrate that these effects were specific to raltegravir and independent of the direct-acting antiviral effect of the drug, since treatment with the DNA polymerase inhibitor phosphonoacetic acid did not induce these host-targeted effects. Taken together, these results indicate that raltegravir has profound and specific effects on the host transcription profile of herpesvirus-infected cells that may contribute to the overall antiviral activity of the drug and could provide therapeutic benefits in vivo. Furthermore, this study provides a framework for future efforts evaluating the host-targeted effects of anti-microbial compounds.
Progress in Ring-Opening Polymerization of Cyclic Ethers and Cyclic Sulfides

Studies of ring-opening polymerization of cyclic ethers and cyclic sulfides are underway in many laboratories throughout the world. A search of eleven leading polymer science journals, made in the course of preparing the present review, revealed 109 papers on these subjects just in the period 1980–1982 (1). This chapter makes no attempt to be comprehensive in its treatment of this active area of research. Instead, discussion is limited to important advances of three kinds: A. New Initiator Systems B. New Methods of Synthesis of Block and Graft Copolymers and C. New Reactive Polyethers and Polysulfides Emphasis is placed on important developments which have occurred since 1980.
Nomenclature of Oxygen Saturation

This paper addresses a controversial question relating to the definition of oxygen saturation as O2 content/O2 capacity: Whether, O2 capacity should include a) only oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin, designated herein as O2Hb + HHb, or b) total hemoglobin, tHb = O2Hb + HHb + COHb + MetHb.
Hextend® (hetastarch solution) decreases multiple organ injury and xanthine oxidase release after hepatoenteric ischemia-reperfusion in rabbits

ObjectiveWe hypothesized that multiple organ injury and concentrations of xanthine oxidase (an oxidant-generating enzyme released after hepatoenteric ischemia) would be decreased by the administration of a bolus of a colloid solution at reperfusion.DesignRandomized, masked, controlled animal study.S
ALTERED SERCA2A EXPRESSION IN MITRAL VALVE LEAFLETS IN CHRONIC ISCHEMIC MITRAL REGURGITATION

Mitral valve (MV) leaflets in ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) undergo structural remodeling associated with adaptive changes. We hypothesized that the gene expression profiles of MV leaflets from patients with IMR are distinct from normal MVs. MVs were obtained from 7 patients (4M, age= 70.4±8
Interferon Signaling Is Diminished with Age and Is Associated with Immune Checkpoint Blockade Efficacy in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy, which targets T cell-inhibitory receptors, has revolutionized cancer treatment. Among the breast cancer subtypes, evaluation of ICB has been of greatest interest in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) due to its immunogenicity, as evidenced by the presence of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and elevated PD-L1 expression relative to other subtypes. TNBC incidence is equally distributed across the age spectrum, affecting 10% to 15% of women in all age groups. Here we report that increased immune dysfunction with age limits ICB efficacy in aged TNBC-bearing mice. The tumor microenvironment in both aged mice and patients with TNBC shows decreased IFN signaling and antigen presentation, suggesting failed innate immune activation with age. Triggering innate immune priming with a STING agonist restored response to ICB in aged mice. Our data implicate age-related immune dysfunction as a mechanism of ICB resistance in mice and suggest potential prognostic utility of assessing IFN-related genes in patients with TNBC receiving ICB therapy. SIGNIFICANCE: These data demonstrate for the first time that age determines the T cell-inflamed phenotype in TNBC and affects response to ICB in mice. Evaluating IFN-related genes from tumor genomic data may aid identification of patients for whom combination therapy including an IFN pathway activator with ICB may be required.This article is highlighted in the In This Issue feature, p. 1143.
Basic Calcium Phosphate Crystal Periarthritis Involving the Distal Interphalangeal Joints in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

BACKGROUND Increased serum levels of basic calcium phosphate (BCP) and calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) are found in patients on dialysis, following trauma, and are associated with connective tissue diseases (CTDs), including dermatomyositis, scleroderma, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The shoulder is the joint most commonly associated with BCP crystal periarthritis. A report is presented of a case of BCP crystal periarthritis involving the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints in a patient with SLE. CASE REPORT A 34-year-old woman with SLE presented with destructive arthritis of the DIP joints that developed during a two-year period, despite immunosuppressive therapy. Aspiration of synovial fluid from a DIP joint showed a lack of inflammatory cells, but the fluid was positive for the presence of crystals on alizarin red S histochemical staining. CONCLUSIONS A case of BCP crystal periarthritis is reported in a patient with SLE with chronic joint symptoms that were unresponsive to immunosuppressive therapy. This case has shown that chronic joint symptoms that are unresponsive to immunosuppressive therapy may be due to causes other than connective tissue disease (CTD) and that imaging studies and diagnostic workup that includes synovial fluid examination may support the diagnosis of BCP crystal periarthritis.
Liberal Quakers and Buddhism

Many Liberal Quakers have taken Buddhism into their spiritual lives, drawing primarily upon its meditation methods and its philosophy. How does this fit with Quakerism’s Christian foundations? Buddhist meditation methods are used to help Quakers touch a spiritual depth, but between Buddhist and Quaker religious experience a question arises: are meditative/mystical states natural, or do they require an Other, God, as agent? This issue is related to contemporary Liberal Quaker ambiguous feelings about “God” language and frequent preference for words like “Light” and “Spirit.” Buddha Nature and Inner Light both represent the immanence of the transcendent, but how similar are these concepts? Nondualistic Buddhist philosophy is a resource for those Quakers who find that “God” language does not adequately capture their spiritual experience.
Predicting public opinion on drug legalization: social media analysis and consumption trends

In this paper, we focus on the collection and analysis of relevant Twitter data on a state-by-state basis for (i) measuring public opinion on marijuana legalization by mining sentiment in Twitter data and (ii) determining the usage trends for six distinct types of marijuana. We overcome the challenges posed by the informal and ungrammatical nature of tweets to analyze a corpus of 306,835 relevant tweets collected over the four-month period, preceding the November 2015 Ohio Marijuana Legalization ballot and the four months after the election for all states in the US. Our analysis revealed two key insights: (i) the people in states that have legalized recreational marijuana express greater positive sentiments about marijuana than the people in states that have either legalized medicinal marijuana or have not legalized marijuana at all; (ii) the states that have a high percentage of positive sentiment about marijuana is more inclined to authorize (e.g., by allowing medical marijuana) or broaden its legal usage (e.g., by allowing recreational marijuana in addition to medical marijuana). Our analysis shows that social media can provide reliable information and can serve as an alternative to traditional polling of public opinion on drug use and epidemiology research.
Colonial al-Andalus: Spain and the making of Moroccan culture: by Eric Calderwood, Cambridge & London, The Belknap Press of Harvard University Press, 2018, 408 pp., $46.50 cloth, ISBN 9780674980327

Eric Calderwood’s Colonial al-Andalus is the recipient of the 2019 L. Carl Brown AIMS Book Prize in North African Studies. Colonial al-Andalus is an extremely well-researched and engaging study of ...