cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Intramuscular cobinamide sulfite in a rabbit model of sublethal cyanide toxicity.

Study objective Exposure to cyanide in fires and industrial exposures and intentional cyanide poisoning by terrorists leading to mass casualties is an ongoing threat. Current treatments for cyanide poisoning must be administered intravenously, and no rapid treatment methods are available for mass casualty cyanide exposures. Cobinamide is a cobalamin (vitamin B 12 ) analog with an extraordinarily high affinity for cyanide that is more water-soluble than cobalamin. We investigate the use of intramuscular cobinamide sulfite to reverse cyanide toxicity–induced physiologic changes in a sublethal cyanide exposure animal model and determine the ability of an intramuscular cobinamide sulfite injection to rapidly reverse the physiologic effects of cyanide toxicity. Methods New Zealand white rabbits were given 10 mg sodium cyanide intravenously over 60 minutes. Quantitative diffuse optical spectroscopy and continuous-wave near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring of tissue oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin concentrations were performed concurrently with blood cyanide level measurements and cobinamide levels. Immediately after completion of the cyanide infusion, the rabbits were injected intramuscularly with cobinamide sulfite (n=6) or inactive vehicle (controls, n=5). Results Intramuscular administration led to rapid mobilization of cobinamide and was extremely effective at reversing the physiologic effects of cyanide on oxyhemoglobin and within deoxyhemoglobin extraction. Recovery time to 63% of their baseline values in the central nervous system occurred within a mean of 1,032 minutes in the control group and 9 minutes in the cobinamide group, with a difference of 1,023 minutes (95% confidence interval 116 to 1,874 minutes). In muscle tissue, recovery times were 76 and 24 minutes, with a difference of 52 minutes (95% confidence interval 7 to 98 minutes). RBC cyanide levels returned toward normal significantly faster in cobinamide sulfite–treated animals than in control animals. Conclusion Intramuscular cobinamide sulfite rapidly and effectively reverses the physiologic effects of cyanide poisoning, suggesting that a compact cyanide antidote kit can be developed for mass casualty cyanide exposures.
Packaging Technology for Electronic Applications in Harsh High-Temperature Environments

Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) integrated circuits have been demonstrated for use at temperatures up to 300 °C. However, to build functional electronics, multiple devices must be interconnected to provide the desired functionality. A system-in-package approach has been developed using thick-film technology on Si3N4 ceramic substrates. Si3N4 has a near coefficient-of-thermal-expansion match to Si and a higher flexural modulus than Al2O3, which is commonly used for thick-film applications. The conductor metallization is Au. For 300 °C operation, eutectic Au-Ge die attach was used with a Ti/Ti:W/Au backside die metallization. After 3000 h at 325 °C, the mean die shear strength decreased from 3.96 to 3.33 kg/mm2, a decrease of only 16%. Formation of Au-Si-Ge ternary eutectic (melting point 326 °C) was observed and limits the use of Au-Ge die attach to 300 °C. SOI dies typically have Al wire bond pads that are not compatible with Au thermosonic wire bonding for high-temperature applications. Two plating processes have been examined: electroless Ni/immersion Au/electroless Au and electroless Ni/electroless Pd/immersion Au. The plating processes provide a barrier layer (Ni) and a wire-bondable finish (Au or Pd-Au) over the Al wire bond pads. After 10 000 h at 300 °C, the wire pull force for the Ni/Au samples decreased by ~30% due to annealing of the Au wire, while the ball shear force increased by ~35%. The daisy-chain electrical resistance remained relatively constant. For the Ni-Pd-Au samples, after 2000 h at 320 °C, the ball shear force remained constant or increased slightly, the wire pull force decreased by ~25% due to annealing of the Au wire, and the daisy-chain resistance remained relatively constant. After 3000 h, however, cratering of the Si wire bond pad was observed corresponding to some first bond pad lifts and increased daisy-chain resistance. Optimization of the wire-bonding parameters for bonding to the harder Ni/Pd/Au bond pad is required to eliminate cratering.
Interleaved thinned linear arrays

This paper presents three approaches to improving the efficiency of an array aperture by interleaving two arrays in the same aperture area. The interleaved arrays have aperiodic spacings that are integer multiples of a set minimum spacing and are optimized to reduce the maximum sidelobe level. Fully and partially interleaved sum arrays operating at the same frequencies are demonstrated as well as interleaved sum and difference arrays for a monopulse system. A genetic algorithm is used to optimize arrays of isotropic point sources as well as arrays of dipoles modeled using the method of moments. Narrow beamwidths are possible while avoiding high sidelobes. The available aperture area is efficiently used.
Mecanismos informales de negociación presupuestal y el impacto de las participaciones en el gasto de los estados: El caso de Baja California, México

Resumen es: Este articulo contribuye a la discusion sobre la organizacion del federalismo fiscal mexi - cano y los incentivos que crea en los gobiernos estatales. Nu...
A PRACTICAL FRAMEWORK TO EVALUATE AND SELECT ROBOTS FOR ASSEMBLY OPERATIONS

In robot assembly operations, the assembly cycle time is not linearly proportional to the maximum speed of the robot. Therefore, if the decision-maker wants to select and evaluate robots with respect to a specific assembly work, it is necessary to use the assembly cycle time to replace the maximum speed as an attribute in the evaluation process. This paper presents a methodology that uses assembly cycle time as an evaluation attribute instead of using robots' maximum speed. The resulting robot ranking is more realistic because the evaluation process considers the assembly jobs under consideration. Three computational examples are presented to support this conclusion.
Best Practices: Finding a New Direction for Christos

In a recent review of research on best practices, we noted that the developmental disabilities field has come to emphasize quality of life outcomes such as community integration, respected roles, s...
Plasmaproteine und weiße Blutzellen

Die Beziehungen zwischen Bluteiweisen und weisen Blutzellen sind zu verstehen als reaktive Verschiebungen, z. B. bei akut-entzundlichen Erkrankungen, als Bildungsstorungen, z. B. lymphatische Leukamie oder Morbus Kahler, und schlieslich als Storungen der Speicherung und Elimination von Zellen und Proteinen, z. B. beim nephrotischen Syndrom. Dabei spielen die Produktionsgeschwindigkeit, die extra- und intracellulare Speicherung, die Einschleusungsmechanismen in die Blutbahn sowie die Auswanderung bzw. Ausscheidung aus dem vascularen Raum eine grose und vielfach noch unbekannte Rolle.
Light‐Responsive Helical Polypeptides Capable of Reducing Toxicity and Unpacking DNA: Toward Nonviral Gene Delivery

Nonviral gene delivery with synthetic cationic polymeric vectors is widely recognized as an attractive alternative to viral gene delivery, which suffers from inherent immunogenicity and various side effects. The transfection efficiency and chemotoxicity of these polymeric vectors are often closely related to the density of their cationic charge. Materials with low charge density usually show low toxicity but are often poor transfection agents. Polycations with high charge density could mediate effective gene transfer, which is however often associated with significant, charge-induced toxicity. When modified with various charge-reducing moieties, including saccharides, hydrocarbons, and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), polycations often benefit from improved safety profiles while in the meantime suffer from significantly reduced gene delivery capabilities. In addition to the charge-induced toxicity, excessive positive charges on polycations would also enhance the electrostatic attraction with the nucleic acids to restrict intracellular gene release. Therefore, it would be of great interest to develop a highly charged polycation that possesses full transfection capacity and membrane activity during gene transfer, but can be triggered to transform to a less charged or uncharged material with low membrane activity after transfection, such that intracellular DNA unpacking can be facilitated and toxicity can be reduced. Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), notable for their excellent membrane activities, have been developed and used in drug and gene delivery. Helical structures are often observed in CPPs or formed in CPPs during membrane transduction, and have been tied to their membrane activity. Mechanistically, the helical CPP presents a rigid amphiphilic structure that interacts with and destabilizes lipid bilayers, creating transient pathways to facilitate the passive diffusion of exogenous materials. Well-known examples of CPPs include oligoarginine, HIV-TAT, and penetratin. Despite their excellent membrane permeability, CPPs are often too short (10–25 peptide residues) and lack adequate cationic charge to efficiently condense and deliver genes by themselves. As such, CPPs often serve as membraneactive ligands incorporated or conjugated to delivery vehicles to improve delivery efficiencies. We recently developed high-molecular-weight (MW), cationic, cell-penetrating, a-helical polypeptides, termed PVBLG-8 (Scheme 1A). By maintaining a minimum sep-
Dynamics of electrons in ammonia cages: the discovery system of solvation.

Two centuries ago solvated electrons were discovered in liquid ammonia and a century later the concept of the solvent cage was introduced. Here, we report a real time study of the dynamics of size-selected clusters, n=20 to 60, of electrons in ammonia, and, for comparison, that of electrons in water cages. Unlike the water case, the observed dynamics for ammonia indicates the formation, through a 100 fs temperature jump, of a solvent collective motion in a 500 fs relaxation process. The agreement of the experimental results—obtained for a well-defined n, gated electron kinetic energy, and time delay—with molecular dynamics theory suggests the critical and different role of the kinetic energy and the librational motions involved in solvation.
The relationship between empathic response and scores on the California Psychological Inventory.

This study investigated the relationship between scores on the California Psychological Inventory and Carkhuff's accurate empathy rating scale for 49 graduate students in counselor education, rs ranged from - .42 for Dominance to .30 for ‘v.1,’ the internality-externality vector.
Survival after valve replacement for aortic stenosis: Implications for decision making

Objective Recommendations for aortic valve replacement in severe aortic stenosis are based primarily on the presence of symptoms. However, the onset of symptoms is often insidious, potentially leading to delayed intervention and suboptimal results. Identifying factors that reduce the survival of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement could lead to revised treatment guidelines and improved outcomes. Methods We conducted a single-center observational clinical study of 3049 patients with aortic stenosis who underwent native aortic valve replacement with a single type of bioprosthesis. The primary end point was all-cause mortality from the date of operation. Multivariable analysis of risk factors for death was performed in the multiphase hazard function domain. Results The presence of severe left ventricular hypertrophy at operation, which preceded symptoms in 17% of patients, was associated with decreased survival. This effect was magnified by the severity of aortic stenosis (P = .02) and use of small prostheses (P = .01). The presence of left ventricular dysfunction reduced survival (P = .0003). Although older age was a risk factor for death (P Conclusion To optimize survival, earlier aortic valve replacement should be considered even in asymptomatic patients before severe left ventricular hypertrophy or dysfunction develops. In younger patients, the largest possible prosthesis should be implanted to minimize residual gradient; in elderly patients, complex operations just to insert larger prostheses should be avoided.
Cell Culture-Derived Influenza Vaccines: Has Their Time Come?

the 2007–2008 influenza season. The study was conducted in the United States, Finland, and Poland and compared a singledose CCIV with an egg-derived TIV. Both vaccines contained 15 mg of hemagglutinin for each of 3 virus strains recommended for the 2007–2008 influenza season or placebo. The primary objective of the study was to determine the efficacy of each vaccine, compared with placebo, against influenza-confirmed illness caused by strains antigenically related to the vaccine strains. Not surprisingly, the safety and immunogenicity data for both vaccines were similar, although injection site pain was more common and hemagglutination inhibition assay titers to the B strain were lower in the CCIV group. The efficacy for both vaccines was also consistent with other trials conducted with TIVs. Efficacy against confirmed influenza disease was similar for the 2 vaccines and, as expected, was higher against antigenically matched strains (83.8% and 78.4% for CCIV and TIV, respectively), compared with mismatched strains, for both vaccines (58.7% and 58.6% for CCIV and TIV, respectively). In this trial, almost all of the B strains were mismatched (127 of the 128 B strains isolated), whereas most A strains were antigenically matched H1N1 strains (56 of 65 identified strains). H3N2 strains were also identified.
Design Tradeoffs for Improved Performance in MQCA-Based Systems

This paper looks at circuits and systems made from nanoscale magnets. We leverage physical level simulation to show how to extend initial experimental work - where wires and gates with nanometer feature sizes have been demonstrated at room temperature - to show how one might make design tradeoffs to improve both the performance and reliability of more complex systems.
Pancreatic islet autotransplantation for nonmalignant and malignant indications

The standard therapy for patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP) and severe abdominal pain is total pancreatectomy (TP) followed by islet autotransplantation (IAT) to prevent the development of brittle diabetes. In adult patients, narcotic independence is achieved in up to 73% of patients 1 to 5 years after transplantation whereas insulin independence is achieved in up to 40% of patients 1 to 2 years after transplantation. Pediatric patients have shown similar outcomes for narcotic independence (up to 79%) but better outcomes for insulin independence (up to 56% 1 year after transplantation). The quality of life of both adult and pediatric patients improved significantly after TP-IAT using the Medical Outcomes Study SF-36 survey. IAT after pancreatectomy is also performed for patients with benign and malignant disease of the pancreas. The limited studies in this patient population suggest that IAT may be potentially beneficial for carefully selected patients when sufficient numbers of islet cells can be isolated. Further studies involving a larger number of patients are needed to determine the risks and benefits of IAT in patients with malignancy. The feasibility of IAT depends on the availability of a laboratory that can isolate the pancreatic islet cells. An on-site laboratory is the traditional model; however, remote processing of pancreatic islets has been reported to result in successful outcomes. This review discusses the outcomes of adult and pediatric autologous pancreatic islet cell transplantation for CP and pancreatic tumors as well as laboratory processing of pancreatic islet cells.
An Arc Imaging Furnace System for Studying the Ignition of Solid Propellants

A solid propellant ignition study arc imaging system was recently developed. This system may be divided arbitrarily into four separate parts: (1) The radiant energy source and optical system; (2) the timing shutters, which control the exposure time; (3) the sample bomb; and (4) the event recording system, which records the exposure and ignition delay times, controls the automatic start of the recorder chart, and permits calculating the energy received by a sample.
Iraq and the rules of the nuclear game

(1991). Iraq and the rules of the nuclear game. Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists: Vol. 47, No. 6, pp. 10-43.
s − d Model with Nonspherical Fermi Surface

A study is made of the effects of a nonspherical and multiply connected Fermi surface on the properties of the Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida $s\ensuremath{-}d$ interaction between localized spins and the conduction electrons. At a critical value of the conduction-electron concentration ${\overline{N}}_{e}$, the Fermi surface touches a number of Brillouin-zone faces, giving rise to a number of necks as in copper and nickel. It is shown that, in this region of electron concentration, the paramagnetic Curie temperature $\ensuremath{\theta}$ exhibits a kink associated with a discontinuity in the exchange-stiffness parameter $D\ensuremath{\propto}\ensuremath{\Sigma}{\mathbf{R}}^{2}J(\mathbf{R})$, where $J(\mathbf{R})$ is the indirect-exchange parameter. These effects are expected to be more pronounced in materials with a large number of necks in the multiply connected Fermi surface. We choose the simplest possible model consistent with the crystal symmetry and the Bragg condition at the Brillouin-zone faces, i.e., a tight-binding approximation for the conduction electrons; but a number of results may be shown to be model-independent. We also neglect interband transitions, but these are shown not to affect the long-range component of the conduction-electron polarization. The long-range effects are shown to be model-independent because they are related only to the level-density function $\ensuremath{\rho}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$ and its derivatives at the Fermi level, whereas the short-range effects are shown to be sensitive to the details of the band structure. The paramagnetic temperature $\ensuremath{\theta}$ can be separated into a model-independent term related to $\ensuremath{\rho}({\ensuremath{\epsilon}}_{F})$ and a model-dependent term related to short-range effects. In the region corresponding to the spherical Fermi surface, $\ensuremath{\theta}$ is nearly proportional to ${{\overline{N}}_{e}}^{\frac{1}{3}}$, and the model-dependent contribution to $\ensuremath{\theta}$ is relatively small, at least for the simple cubic structure. It is also shown that the exchange moments $〈{\mathbf{R}}^{2}〉\ensuremath{\propto}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{\mathbf{R}} {\mathbf{R}}^{2}J(\mathbf{R})$ and $〈{\mathbf{R}}^{4}〉\ensuremath{\propto}{\ensuremath{\Sigma}}_{\mathbf{R}} {\mathbf{R}}^{4}J(\mathbf{R})$ are model-independent and related to the level-density function $\ensuremath{\rho}(\ensuremath{\epsilon})$ and its first and second derivatives at the Fermi level. In the neighborhood of the critical concentration, relatively large positive values of $\frac{〈{\mathbf{R}}^{4}〉}{({a}^{2}〈{\mathbf{R}}^{2}〉)}$ can be obtained for the simple cubic case, in contrast to the negative values of $\frac{〈{\mathbf{R}}^{4}〉}{〈{\mathbf{R}}^{2}〉}$ obtained by Kasuya in the limit ${k}_{F}a\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$.
Paternal exposures to environmental chemicals and time-to-pregnancy: overview of results from the LIFE study

Summary Published findings from the Longitudinal Investigation of Fertility and the Environment (LIFE) Study regarding the relation between environmental chemicals and couple fecundity, as measured by time-to-pregnancy (TTP), are reviewed with a particular focus on role of the male partner. The LIFE Study recruited 501 couples from 16 counties in two U.S. states upon discontinuing contraception for purposes of becoming pregnant. Upon enrollment, couples provided a blood and urine sample for the quantification of persistent and non-persistent environmental chemicals, respectively, and then completed daily journals until pregnant or up to one year of trying. Female partners used fertility monitors to aid the timing of intercourse relative to ovulation, and digital home pregnancy test kits on the day of expected menses. Chemical classes included: metals, persistent organic pollutants, environmental phenols, and phthalates that were quantified using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry or isotope dilution high-resolution or tandem mass spectrometry. Time-to-pregnancy (TTP) was defined as the number of prospectively observed menstrual cycles required for pregnancy. Fecundability odds ratios (FORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for each chemical and partner after adjusting for potential confounders and accounting for right censoring and time off contraception. FORs < 1 are suggestive of diminished fecundity or a longer TTP. Significant reductions (ranging from 17–31%) in couple fecundity were observed for male partners' concentration of lead (0.83; 0.70, 0.98), 2,2′,4,4′-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (0.69; 0.49, 0.97), monobenzyl (0.80; 0.67, 0.97), and monomethyl (0.81; 0.70, 0.94) phthalates after adjusting for the female partners' concentrations. Seven PCB congeners quantified in men's serum were associated with a 17–29% reduction in couple fecundity. Our findings underscore the importance of a couple-based exposure design, inclusive of the male partner, when assessing couple-dependent outcomes such as TTP to avoid misinterpretation of results based only upon the female partner.
Clinical utility of serum biomarkers in Duchenne muscular dystrophy

Assessments of disease progression and response to therapies in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) patients remain challenging. Current DMD patient assessments include complex physical tests and invasive procedures such as muscle biopsies, which are not suitable for young children. Defining alternative, less invasive and objective outcome measures to assess disease progression and response to therapy will aid drug development and clinical trials in DMD. In this review we highlight advances in development of non-invasive blood circulating biomarkers as a means to assess disease progression and response to therapies in DMD.
The Relationship Between Congenital Defects and the Use of Exogenous Progestational “Contraceptive” Hormones During Pregnancy: A 20-Year Review

A review was conducted of 20 years of medical literature dealing with the occurrence of congenital defects among the offspring of women given hormones during pregnancy. General malformations cardiovascular malformations and masculinization of female fetuses were the defects covered by the study. Additional studies with carefully selected controls are necessary. Interpretation of previous study results is complicated by imprecise definitions of hormones confusing nomenclature and inadequate clinical information in the literature. It must be kept in mind that congenital defects occur naturally in the population in approximately 2% of all prgenancies. For women most likely to be given hormones during pregnancy to prevent fetal loss the incidence of congenital abnormalities is even higher. Progestational agents should no longer be used for pregnancy tests.
Sensitivity of a stochastic land-cover change model to pixel versus polygonal land units

Land-use/cover change LUCC projections can be generated by a variety of land-cover change models LCMs and applied to a range of ecological and environmental studies. Most existing spatially explicit LCMs represent land use or cover using either pixel or polygon/patch spatial units. However, the effects of the choice to use pixel versus polygonal land units on the outputs from any given model have not yet been systematically assessed. We evaluated the impacts of alternative land units on the performance of a LCM. A stochastic LCM based on a geostatistical algorithm was developed and applied using both pixel and polygons, which were derived from parcel maps. Nine possible parcel-change scenarios were generated to evaluate the effects of geometric change in management boundaries. The approach was tested through the simulation of multiple land-cover transitions in Medina County, Ohio, between 1992 and 2011. Performance of the simulations was assessed using a metric for the accuracy of spatial allocations figure of merit FoM and several landscape pattern metrics describing the shapes and sizes of resulting land-cover patches. Results support the notion that there is a clear trade-off between pixel and polygon land units: using polygon boundaries is helpful in obtaining more realistic spatial patterns, but at the cost of location accuracy. Significant differences were found among different parcel-change scenarios on both location accuracy and spatial patterns, with the primary effects being dependent on the type of land-cover transition and the resolution at which validation was assessed.
Hereditary Inclusion Body Myopathy

A new familial, autosomal dominant, myopathy and variant of hereditary inclusion body myopathy (HIBM) is described in 19 members of a large Swedish family followed in the Departments of Pediatrics, Genetics, and Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Goteborg, Sweden.
An exploratory study investigating the multidimensional factors impacting the health and well-being of young adults with cerebral palsy

Background: For young adults with cerebral palsy, changes in psychological and social development, in conjunction with the progression of musculoskeletal deformities and the onset of secondary cond...
Concomitant repair for mild aortic insufficiency and continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices.

OBJECTIVES Aortic insufficiency (AI) after continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (CF-LVAD) implantation has become a highly relevant subject. However, management of pre-existing mild AI is unknown. We examined the fate of pre-existing mild AI during CF-LVAD support. METHODS From March 2004 to October 2015, 446 consecutive patients received CF-LVAD. Of these, 56 (12.6%) patients with pre-existing mild AI were identified. Outcomes were compared between patients who underwent repair [n = 41 (73.2%); Group A] and those who did not [n = 15 (26.8%); Group B]. RESULTS Group A patients were more likely to have destination therapy intent at device insertion than Group B. Otherwise both groups displayed similar clinical/echocardiographic findings at baseline. There was no difference with respect to the occurrence of postoperative adverse events between groups. Kaplan-Meier analyses revealed the estimated 2-year on-device survival to be 63.3 ± 10.7 and 84.0 ± 10.6% (P = 0.41) and freedom from AI ≥moderate at 2 years to be 81.8 ± 9.7 and 45.0 ± 21.1% (P = 0.031) in Groups A and B, respectively. Furthermore, 83.3% (5 of 6) of Group B patients with large (>1.94 cm/m2; 75th percentile) body surface area-indexed aortic diameter developed ≥moderate AI, while none of the Group B individuals with smaller aortic root (0 of 9) did. In contrast, Group A patients with large indexed aortic root (n = 7) have all been free of AI at 2 years. CONCLUSIONS AI progression among CF-LVAD-supported patients with baseline mild AI is highly prevalent. Baseline aortic root diameter may help identify patients with 'borderline' AI lesion needing repair at device insertion.
Who Speaks for the Poor?: Electoral Geography, Party Entry, and Representation

Who Speaks for the Poor? explains why parties represent some groups and not others. This book focuses attention on the electoral geography of income, and how it has changed over time, to account for cross-national differences in the political and partisan representation of low-income voters. Jusko develops a general theory of new party formation that shows how changes in the geographic distribution of groups across electoral districts create opportunities for new parties to enter elections, especially where changes favor groups previously excluded from local partisan networks. Empirical evidence is drawn first from a broadly comparative analysis of all new party entry and then from a series of historical case studies, each focusing on the strategic entry incentives of new low-income peoples' parties. Jusko offers a new explanation for the absence of a low-income people's party in the USA and a more general account of political inequality in contemporary democratic societies.
Approaches to Decrease Sedentary Behaviour Among the Elderly

The elderly are one of the most sedentary groups of the population and they have the highest rates of chronic acquired disease and disability. Research suggests a link between time spent being sedentary and ill health. Therefore, there is an immediate and urgent need to understand how to decrease the amount of sedentary behaviour in which an elderly individual engages. However, to date, very few studies have attempted to reduce sedentary time in the elderly, with half focusing primarily on reducing sedentary time and half focusing on increasing physical activity. Within these interventions, there are striking similarities in design of the study as well as primary purpose of the study. However, large variation in methodology such as measurement tools used to assess sedentary behaviour, theoretical grounding of the interventions, and interventional structure is apparent. Results of these studies have shown that sedentary behaviour can change. Interventions have shown these decreases in sedentary behaviours to be about 30 min, a relatively small portion of the waking day (~3%). The changes in sedentary behaviour can happen rapidly, but it is not fully understood whether these changes can be enhanced with the application of different behavioural theories or interventional techniques. Further, it is not known whether these changes in sedentary behaviour can be sustained.
Functional Status Is Associated With 30-Day Potentially Preventable Readmissions Following Skilled Nursing Facility Discharge Among Medicare Beneficiaries

Abstract Objectives The objectives of this study were to determine the association between patients’ functional status at discharge from skilled nursing facility (SNF) care and 30-day potentially preventable hospital readmissions, and to examine common reasons for potentially preventable readmissions. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting SNFs and acute care hospitals submitting claims to Medicare. Participants National cohort of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries discharged from SNF care between July 15, 2013, and July 15, 2014 (n = 693,808). Average age was 81.4 (SD 8.1) years, 67.1% were women, and 86.3% were non-Hispanic white. Measurements Functional items from the Minimum Data Set 3.0 were categorized into self-care, mobility, and cognition domains. We used specifications for the SNF potentially preventable 30-day postdischarge readmission quality metric to identify potentially preventable readmissions. Results The overall observed rate of 30-day potentially preventable readmissions following SNF discharge was 5.7% (n = 39,318). All 3 functional domains were independently associated with potentially preventable readmissions in the multivariable models. Odds ratios for the most dependent category versus the least dependent category from multilevel models adjusted for patients’ sociodemographic and clinical characteristics were as follows: mobility, 1.54 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.49–1.59); self-care, 1.50 (95% CI 1.44–1.55); and cognition, 1.12 (95% CI 1.04–1.20). The 5 most common conditions were congestive heart failure (n = 7654, 19.5%), septicemia (n = 7412, 18.9%), urinary tract infection/kidney infection (n = 4297, 10.9%), bacterial pneumonia (n = 3663, 9.3%), and renal failure (n = 3587, 9.1%). Across all 3 functional domains, septicemia was the most common condition among the most dependent patients and congestive heart failure among the least dependent. Conclusions Patients with functional limitations at SNF discharge are at increased risk of hospital readmissions considered potentially preventable. Future research is needed to determine whether improving functional status reduces risk of potentially preventable readmissions among this vulnerable population.
Humoral and cell-mediated immune responses to influenza vaccination in equine metabolic syndrome (EMS) horses.

Abstract Obesity is an increasing problem in the equine population with recent reports indicating that the percentage of overweight horses may range anywhere from 20.6-51%. Obesity in horses has been linked to more serious health concerns such as equine metabolic syndrome (EMS). EMS is a serious problem in the equine industry given its defining characteristics of insulin dysregualtion and obesity, as well as the involvement of laminitis. Little research however has been conducted to determine the effects of EMS on routine healthcare of these horses, in particular how they respond to vaccination. It has been shown that obese humans and mice have decreased immune responses to vaccination. EMS may have similar effects on vaccine responses in horses. If this is the case, these animals may be more susceptible to disease, acting as unknown disease reservoirs. Therefore, we investigated the effects of EMS on immune responses to routine influenza vaccination. Twenty-five adult horses of mixed-sex and mixed-breed (8–21 years old) horses; 13 EMS and 12 non-EMS were selected. Within each group, 4 horses served as non-vaccinate saline controls and the remaining horses were vaccinated with a commercially available equine influenza vaccine. Vaccination (influenza or saline) was administered on weeks 0 and 3, and peripheral blood samples taken on week 0 prior to vaccination and on weeks 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 post vaccination. Blood samples were used to measure hemagglutination inhibition (HI) titers and equine influenza specific IgGa, IgGb, and IgGT levels. Blood samples were also used to isolate peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) for analysis of cell mediated immune (CMI) responses via real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). All horses receiving influenza vaccination responded with significant increases (P 0.05) humoral immune responses as measured by HI titers or IgG antibody isotypes to influenza vaccination. There was an effect of metabolic status on CMI responses, with influenza vaccinated EMS horses having lower gene expression of IFN-γ (P = 0.02) and IL-2 (P = 0.01) compared to vaccinated non-EMS control horses. Given these results, it appears that while metabolic status does not influence humoral responses to an inactivated influenza vaccine in horses, horses with EMS appear to have a reduced CMI response to vaccination compared to metabolically normal, non-EMS control horses.
When is advertising a plastic surgeon’s individual “brand” unethical?

Advertising a plastic surgery practice on social media is fraught with both practical and ethical challenges. We use an institutional betrayalframework to explore the range of potential harms to patient well-being while also considering the pitfalls of social media activity, especially marketing, for practitioners. We also give consideration to the relative benefits that such online patient-clinician relationships can provide. In our analysis, we draw on specific examples of plastic surgery procedures prominently featured on social media, including the Vampire Facelift®.
The Direct Measurement of Blood Pressure

Although Galen (130–200 ad) palpated the pulse and classified it in terms of strength, rate and rhythm, it was not until 1733 when Stephen Hales measured arterial pressure directly in an un-anesthetized horse that was cast to the ground. He connected a long vertical glass tube to the femoral (crural) artery (and later to the carotid) and observed the blood to rise 8 ft 3 in. above the level of the left ventricle. He reported cardiac and respiratory variations on the height of the column of blood. The mean pressure corresponding to 99 inches of blood is 186 mm Hg. However, it was not until 1828 when the mercury U-tube manometer was introduced by Poiseuille that we obtained our units for measuring blood pressure (mm Hg). Figure 1 illustrates Poiseuille’s manometer.
Molecular Fluids at High Dimensionality

We extend the analysis of orientational first-order phase transitions in anisotropic molecular fluids at high spatial dimensionality to hard-disk fluids, and then to mixture of hard disks and hard spheres. The effect of hard-sphere admixture depends sensitively on the relative sizes of the two geometrical objects, and large spheres completely quench the disk transition. An introductory study is made of spatially ordered states.
Polyarteritis Nodosa Presenting as Acute Orchitis: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

AbstractWe report a case of polyarteritis nodosa initially presenting as acute orchitis and review 4 similar reports in the literature. Of the cases 2 were diagnosed preoperatively. In 2 cases in which immunological markers were measured abnormal values were obtained. All 5 cases required biopsy for diagnosis.
Numerical Studies of Hypersonic Binary Gas-Mixture Flows Near a Sphere

Diffusion processes have a significant effect on the structure of a low-density gas mixture flow near blunt bodies [1], [2]. The effect of abnormal increasing of the temperature recovery factor at the stagnation point of a blunt body in the rarefied gas mixture flow was studied experimentally by Maise and Fenn [3]. The structure of rarefied gas mixture flows about a sphere was analyzed by Molodtsov and Riabov [4], [5] using numerical solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations. The normal shock wave structure in binary gas mixture was studied by Center [6] and Harnet and Muntz [7]. Direct Simulation Monte-Carlo (DSMC) technique was used by Bird [8], [10] and Plotnikov and Rebrov [9] to study the flow.
Mapping the Age of Official Desistance for Adult Offenders: Implications for Research and Policy

The age-crime curve is a well-known “fact” in criminology; yet, historically, attention to the interplay between chronological age and offending has focused almost exclusively on the first half of the curve (i.e., onset, rapid escalation, and peak in mid to late adolescence). This study advances understanding of the relationship between offending and age for the second half of the age-crime curve (i.e., during the decline in offending) by studying when desistance happens in young adulthood and beyond. Synthesizing data from 15 US-based longitudinal studies, this research triangulates the timing of official desistance by systematically mapping the age of last criminal justice contact (e.g., arrest, police contact) by age of last follow-up for offenders who continue offending beyond “normative” adolescent offending. On average, official desistance occurs within a tightly clustered period early in the life course (i.e., late 20s to early 30s). Even among those followed well into adulthood (age 30 or older), the average age of last criminal justice contact was 35 with later ages of desistance driven by arrests for drug offenses. Observed patterns hold when data are disaggregated by sex, race, type of sample, source of data, and accounting for incarceration. Data censoring (i.e., length of follow-up) strongly impacts estimates of desistance. The finding that official desistance largely occurs in early adulthood is inconsistent with US criminal justice policy. We discuss these policy considerations (e.g., sentencing and incapacitation) as well as methodological (e.g., data collection efforts) and theoretical (e.g., identification and meaning of desister or persister) implications.
Liver Surgery in Patients With Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Abstract Hepatobiliary disorders are the most common extraintestinal manifestations in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC) is an inflammatory disorder of the biliary system of the liver, which may progress to fibrosis and cirrhosis and liver failure, requiring liver transplantation. Approximately 70% of patient with PSC may have concurrent IBD in the form of ulcerative colitis or less frequently Crohn’s disease. These patients are also at higher risk to develop cholangiocarcinoma and colorectal neoplasia. The management of patients with concomitant IBD and PSC can be challenging with significant impact on the outcomes of colorectal surgery or liver transplantation.
Effects of fungicide applications on root-infecting microorganisms and overwintering survival of perennial stevia

Abstract Koehler, A.M. and Shew, H.D. 2018. Effects of fungicide applications on root-infecting microorganisms and overwintering survival of perennial stevia. Crop Protection 117:000–000. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) is a perennial species emerging as a new crop in the southeastern United States. In previous studies, application of quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides enhanced overwintering survival of stevia. Greenhouse and field trials were conducted to assess the effect of multiple fungicides on plant growth, root associated microorganisms, and overwintering survival. In greenhouse trials in the absence of soilborne pathogens, no differences in plant height, shoot weight, or root system ratings were observed among treatments. In two field trials screening seven combination fungicides and one biological control, significant increases in overwintering survival of plants treated with QoI fungicides were observed. Plants were dug from the fields monthly to destructively sample root crowns and species of Fusarium, Ceratobasidium, Pythium, and Macrophomina phaseolina were consistently isolated. Abundant microsclerotia from M. phaseolina were observed on stems of plants that did not survive winter. In seven sample months at each of the two field trials, non-fungicide treated plants had the lowest root weights. This study is one of the first to evaluate interactions between fungicide use and root associated fungi in a perennial crop and provides a framework to further investigate the role of root-associated fungi in overwintering survival.
Eurasia, Medicine and Trade: Arabic Medicine in East Asia—How It Came to Be There and How It Was Supported, Including Possible Indian Ocean Connections for the Supply of Medicinals

The paper will explore the important Indian Ocean trade in medicinals primarily during the Mongol Era when the Mongols of Iran and China, isolated in the Mongolian world as a whole, sought to establish close connections by sea to cement their alliance. Thanks to these connections, witnessed among other things by the return voyage of Marco Polo, not only did goods and ideas, many of them medical, move between Iran and China, China and Iran but closer long-distance contacts promoted the movement of goods and ideas from a variety of intermediate points as well, particularly those connected with India. Explored in this connection will be a special source for the period, the Huihui yaofang (Muslim Medicinal Recipes) the 450 surviving pages of an encyclopedia of Arabic medicine once 3500 pages in size. Its many recipes are a living witness to just how substantial the movements of medicinals were and how broad the contacts supporting the movements.
Towards Standard Exoskeleton Test Methods for Load Handling

Exoskeletons are now being marketed by several manufacturers and yet there are currently no standard test methods to compare exoskeletons33Disclaimer: Commercial equipment, software, and materials are identified in order to adequately specify certain procedures. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it imply that the materials, equipment, or software are necessarily the best available for the purpose. to tasks. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has been a key contributor to the formation of a new ASTM F48 standards committee on exoskeletons and has a project to research measurement science and test method developments in support of exoskeleton standards. This paper describes the NIST exoskeleton project efforts for one of several ongoing research areas (i.e., load handling) that targets typical industrial tasks. The paper will describe the design of the NIST Position and Load Test Apparatus for Exoskeletons (PoLoTAE), a reconfigurable testbed and its use within a NIST internal review board (IRB) study. Experimental results from the first load handling test described suggest potential significance of using the exoskeleton to alleviate physical exertion to the human with respect to gender, anthropometry, and fit. The potential capability of the exoskeleton test apparatus and methodology in simulating industrial tasks is positively indicated by the initial experiment. Lastly, future tests are outlined to improve the test methodology.
Between “Islamic” and “un-Islamic”: Navigating Religion at an American Islamic High School

This article aims to demonstrate how one American Islamic school community grapples with external and internal demands on religion, and how this process impacts notions of what is religious. At ‘Il...
Microglia Stimulate Zebrafish Brain Repair Via a Specific Inflammatory Cascade

Abstract The adult zebrafish brain, unlike mammals, has a remarkable regenerative capacity. Although inflammation inhibits regeneration in mammals, it is necessary for zebrafish brain repair. Microglia are resident brain immune cells that regulate the inflammatory response. To explore the microglial role in repair, we used liposomal clodronate and colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (csf1r) inhibition to suppress microglia during brain injury. We found that microglial ablation inhibited injury-induced neurogenesis and regeneration. Microglial suppression specifically attenuated cell proliferation at the progenitor cell amplification stage of neurogenesis. Notably, the loss of microglia impaired phospho-stat3 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 3) and s-catenin signaling by altering tumor necrosis factor-α expression after injury, and the ectopic activation of stat3 and s-catenin rescued neurogenesis defects caused by microglial loss. Leukocytes also accumulated after microglial ablation, potentially hindering the resolution of inflammation. These findings reveal specific roles of microglia and inflammatory signaling during zebrafish telencephalic regeneration that should provide strategies to improve mammalian brain repair.
Applying machine learning methods to model social interactions in alcohol consumption among adolescents

Background: Existing research using machine learning to investigate alcohol use among adolescents has largely neglected peer influences and tended to rely on models which selected predictors based ...
Stereotactic ablative radiotherapy in operable stage I NSCLC patients: Long-term results of the expanded STARS clinical trial.

8506Background: We published a pooled analysis of 2 randomized trials (STARS/ROSEL) that compared lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection (L-MLND) vs stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SA...
The longevity response to warm temperature is neurally controlled via regulation of collagen genes

Lower temperatures have been associated with longer lifespan, while higher temperatures with shorter lifespan. These inverse effects of temperature on longevity were traditionally explained by the "rate of living theory", which posits that higher temperatures increase chemical reaction rates, thus speeding up the aging process. Recent studies have identified specific molecules and cells that mediate the longevity response to temperature, suggesting that the temperature effects on aging are not simply thermodynamic but regulated processes. However, the mechanisms underlying such regulation are not well understood. In the current study, we found that Caenorhabditis elegans lacking NPR-8, a neuronal GPCR related to the mammalian neuropeptide Y receptors, exhibited extended lifespan at warm temperature. Such lifespan extension can be suppressed by re-expression of NPR-8 in the amphid sensory neurons AWB and AWC or by inactivation of NPR-8-regulated collagen genes. These results suggest that the warm temperature effect on longevity is regulated by the nervous system through controlling collagen gene expression. Our study potentially provides mechanistic insights into understanding the relationship between temperature and longevity, which could prove useful in mitigating negative impacts of increasing temperature due to global warming.