cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multiscale cohesive zone modeling of crack propagations in polycrystalline solids

In this work, we use an atomistic-based multiscale cohesive zone model (MCZM) to simulate crack propagations in polycrystalline solids. The multiscale cohesive zone model is different from the conventional cohesive zone model, and it is essentially an interphase process zone that is capable of describing heterogenous material behavior by incorporating the finite-size inhomogeneities such as grain boundary interphase, inclusions, and finite-width persistent slip bands. The main novelties of this work are two: (1) Different order Cauchy Born rules of the same atomistic potential are used to describe the material strength for the grain interphase and bulk materials, which eliminates the setback of the conventional cohesive zone model that models the undamaged material as a “numerical composite” of bulk elements and cohe-sive interface zones, and (2) Via integration by parts, we can derive the microstructure-based interface cohesive law in both normal and tangential directions with respect to the boundary between bulk elements and interphase elements. By using the higher order Cauchy-Born rule, the cohesive zones are shown to be weaker than the bulk. Numerical examples of crack propagations due to the high speed impact on materials with various cohesive strengths have been carried out. Both inter-granular and trans-granular fractures are captured by assuming the relative strength of the cohesive zones in the bulk and those along the grain boundaries. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Time professors spend improving their teaching

Drexel University's outcomes experiment explored whether there is a correlation between time invested in improving teaching skills and a plausible measure of student learning. Voluntary participants were given a financial incentive to engage in self-selected teaching improvement activities. To receive the reward ($40 per hour, deposited into a discretionary account), they had to report their time spent on all activities related to improving their teaching in a selected course over multiple, clearly defined periods. The data collected over five years show that teaching improvement is a tiny part of most engineering professors' time use, even when there is a monetary incentive - the median reported was 0.5% of a normal work week, whereas we expected more than four times that amount based on extrapolations from national surveys. In interviews, participants reported that competing time demands simply made teaching-related professional development a luxury they could not afford, despite their interest and a financial incentive. This, in itself, says much about the culture in which engineering faculty operate.
A more accurate benchmark for daily electricity demand forecasts

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to propose a simple regression‐based method of forecasting daily electricity demand, which may serve as a more accurate benchmark for short‐term forecasts.Design/methodology/approach – In order to make more efficient use of the calendar effects in electricity demand, including weekend, and seasonal effects, while maintaining the parsimony of the forecasting model, the authors match the demand on each day of an entire year with the average of the corresponding days in recent years. This matching‐day approach substantially simplifies the modeling procedure of complex periodicity in electricity demand without loss of information.Findings – With daily data on electric power system load in New England, the authors' method provides quite accurate forecasts. The mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) (2.1 percent) is significantly lower than those of the seasonal ARIMA and exponential smoothing method, and also comparable to the performance of more sophisticated methods in t...
Precambrian Belt Basin of Northwestern United States: Its Geometry, Sedimentation, and Copper Occurrences

Geometry and provenances of the Belt basin at various stages of its 600-m.y. time span (between about 1,450 to 850 m.y. ago) are decipherable for the middle and upper parts of the Ravalli Group, the Helena-Wallace Formations, and the lower part of the Missoula Group. The Revett and overlying St. Regis Formations (middle and upper parts of the Ravalli Group) had a cratonic source in the south and southwest and were deposited in troughs that reflect the west-northwest trend of the Osburn fault zone (or the Lewis and Clark line whose west-central part includes the Osburn fault zone). The Spokane Formation, correlative of St. Regis, had a source in the Canadian Shield and was deposited in a north-to northwest-trending trough in northwestern Montana, west of, but approximately parallel to, the north-northwest trend of the much younger Montana disturbed belt. The Helena and Wallace Formations were deposited in a broad simple northwest-trending basin between the previous troughs, which received clastic sediments from both the east and southwest, and in which extensive carbonate deposits formed on the eastern shelf. Tectonic adjustment in early Missoula time resulted in a long low dome in the Idaho Panhandle area and in the rejuvenation of the north-northwest-trending trough in the east. Clastic sediments containing abundant hematite were deposited on Helena-Wallace carbonate rocks, and Purcell Lava was poured out in the northeast. Anomalously high amounts of copper (100 or more ppm) are scattered throughout thousands of square miles of Belt terrane. The copper occurs in almost all formations, but it is most common in green strata. This mode of occurrence suggests a syngenetic or diagenetic origin. Stratabound copper ores, however, are known only as disseminations, discrete blebs, and veinlets in white quartzites and siltites of the Revett Formation in a “copper sulfide belt” along the northwestern Montana border. This belt is perpendicular to the Revett trough but parallel to the dome formed in early Missoula time, suggesting post-Revett epigenetic reconcentration of copper. Geochronologic data as interpreted by several authors are in apparent conflict with geologic history of the basin as read from the sedimentation record. Many of the conflicts can be resolved by reinterpretation of existing geochronologic and geologic data. It is obvious, however, that the dating of many events, including those that may have caused migration of copper, is in need of refinement.
Accounting For Income Taxes: A Study Of Early Vs. Postponed Adoption Decisions For Controversial Accounting Standards

The provisions of the FASB standard on accounting for income taxes, SFAS No. 96, were complex and controversial. Moreover, the FASB provided corporations with considerable flexibility in deciding when to adopt SFAS No. 96. Under these circumstances, managements had an opportunity to time their adoption decisions to best serve the interests of the corporation and stockholders. This study compares the attitudes and perceptions of controllers for corporations that adopted SFAS No. 96 early with controllers of corporations that postponed adoptions. While the controllers opinions on the usefulness of SFAS No. 96 reporting are mixed, the results indicate that the effects on the financial statements and the ease of gathering needed data seem to influence a firms timing decision when there is a choice between early and delayed adoption of controversial accounting standards.
Intrinsic Modes in a Wedge-Shaped Ocean with Stratified Elastic Bottom

Propagation of low frequency acoustic signals in an ocean environment with weak lateral variation in the sound speed and (or) bottom profile can be modeled effectively in terms of local intrinsic modes (Arnold and Felsen, to be published in Wave Motion). At any lateral location (x,y), these local modes have a depth (z) variation like a normal mode in a laterally homogeneous ocean defined by conditions at (x,y), and they propagate in the (x,y)-plane along lateral ray trajectories. Local intrinsic modes differ from adiabatic modes, first, by incorporating some adiabatic mode coupling effects and, second, by uniformly accommodating the transition through cutoff from trapped to radiating during upslope propagation. It has previously been shown that local intrinsic modes become exact for the prototype problem of a homogeneous water column separated from a homogeneous fluid bottom by a plane slanted interface. The model is now generalized to allow for stratification of the slanted bottom along planes parallel to the water-bottom interface, and for elastic properties in these layers. Examined in detail is the special case where the bottom is an elastic half space. Upslope propagation in the water, perpendicular to the coast line, now involves transformation of a locally trapped mode downslope into a partly leaky and then into a totally leaky mode due to the separately occurring compressional and shear wave transitions. The numerically computable generalized intrinsic mode spectral integral for the acoustic field in the water and the seismic field in the bottom describes these transitions, as well as the reduction to adiabatic modes in the totally trapped regime.
Kinematics of Hydrodynamics

The goal of this chapter is to discuss the general frame of hydrodynamics, like particle trajectories (path lines), stream lines, streak lines, free surfaces, and fluid surfaces, and to compare their behavior in the Eulerian and Lagrangian frames. The following sections and chapters proceed on the assumption that the fluid is practically continuous and homogenous in structure. Of course, the concept of continuum is an abstraction that does not take into account the molecular and nuclear structure of matter. In that, we assume that the properties of the fluid do not change if we consider smaller and smaller amounts of matter 167]. May be the wisest point of view while we remain at the level of general laws of fluid dynamics (or fluid mechanics) is to keep the physical scales rather vague [220]. This aspect is in direct relation with the fact that these laws can be made dimensionless in a large variety of situations.
Conspicuous and cryptic morphs of a polytypic poison frog differ in reproductive output because of differences in tadpole performance, not parental effort

Predation risk can drive life-history evolution in prey, with high adult mortality favouring the prioritization of current over future reproduction. Populations that evolve or adopt different or differently effective strategies to avoid predation, then, should evolve different life-history strategies. We compared reproductive output, under identical captive breeding conditions, of three allopatric morphs of polytypic poison frog (Oophaga pumilio) that likely experience different predation risk. We predicted that pairs of a well-defended (conspicuous and highly toxic) morph would prioritize future reproduction, and thus reproduce less often than a poorly defended (cryptic and less toxic) morph, while a cryptic but highly toxic lineage would be intermediate. These predictions were generally met: the conspicuous, toxic morph produced fewer juveniles than the cryptic morphs. However, the results of cross-fostering tadpoles among morphs suggested that these differences arose not from the quality of care parent...
Transcriptional regulation of NHE3 and SGLT1 by the circadian clock protein Per1 in proximal tubule cells

We have previously demonstrated that the circadian clock protein period (Per)1 coordinately regulates multiple genes involved in Na(+) reabsorption in renal collecting duct cells. Consistent with these results, Per1 knockout mice exhibit dramatically lower blood pressure than wild-type mice. The proximal tubule is responsible for a majority of Na(+) reabsorption. Previous work has demonstrated that expression of Na(+)/H(+) exchanger 3 (NHE3) oscillates with a circadian pattern and Na(+)-glucose cotransporter (SGLT)1 has been demonstrated to be a circadian target in the colon, but whether these target genes are regulated by Per1 has not been investigated in the kidney. The goal of the present study was to determine if Per1 regulates the expression of NHE3, SGLT1, and SGLT2 in the kidney. Pharmacological blockade of nuclear Per1 entry resulted in decreased mRNA expression of SGLT1 and NHE3 but not SGLT2 in the renal cortex of mice. Per1 small interfering RNA and pharmacological blockade of Per1 nuclear entry in human proximal tubule HK-2 cells yielded the same results. Examination of heterogeneous nuclear RNA suggested that the effects of Per1 on NHE3 and SGLT1 expression occurred at the level of transcription. Per1 and the circadian protein CLOCK were detected at promoters of NHE3 and SGLT1. Importantly, both membrane and intracellular protein levels of NHE3 and SGLT1 were decreased after blockade of nuclear Per1 entry. This effect was associated with reduced activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. These data demonstrate a role for Per1 in the transcriptional regulation of NHE3 and SGLT1 in the kidney.
Surface Temperature Response to Millimeter Wave Exposure as an Indicator of Skin Blood Flow

The aim of this research project is to test the feasibility of using low-power radio frequency (RF) radiation operating in the millimeter wave (MMW) range and non-contact infrared temperature acquisition to measure skin blood-flow rates. MMW is the band of the electromagnetic spectrum from 30 to 300 GHZ. It has been shown that millimeter waves will cause a local temperature rise in the skin, without the harmful effects of ionizing radiation [1]. Skin blood flow is a physiological variable that is essential in the assessment of many diseases, such as diabetes, and can also be the determining factor in many other heat-related body functions (i.e. hot flashes in menopausal women) and malfunctions (i.e. heat stroke) [2]. However, there is currently no non-invasive and non-contact means of measuring actual skin blood flow rates in a patient. During this research, millimeter waves at 35 GHz are being used to superficially heat the skin tissues of a rabbit ear. Simultaneous, non-contacting measurement of skin surface temperature could allow the inference of the rate of blood flow to the tissue, based on observed relationships between surface temperature and skin perfusion rates during MMW irradiation at 35 GHz [1, 3].Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Experimental investigation of dynamic contact angle and capillary rise in tubes with circular and noncircular cross sections.

An extensive experimental study of the kinetics of capillary rise in borosilicate glass tubes of different sizes and cross-sectional shapes using various fluid systems and tube tilt angles is presented. The investigation is focused on the direct measurement of dynamic contact angle and its variation with the velocity of the moving meniscus (or capillary number) in capillary rise experiments. We investigated this relationship for different invading fluid densities, viscosities, and surface tensions. For circular tubes, the measured dynamic contact angles were used to obtain rise-versus-time values that agree more closely with their experimental counterparts (also reported in this study) than those predicted by Washburn equation using a fixed value of contact angle. We study the predictive capabilities of four empirical correlations available in the literature for velocity-dependence of dynamic contact angle by comparing their predicted trends against our measured values. We also present measurements of ris...
Evaluating hotel feasibility studies: lender perspective

Feasibility studies are prepared to receive financing for lodging properties. Financial lenders require a feasibility study from independent professional experts. This study explores the importance and satisfaction to the financial lenders of the various sections of a feasibility study. In general, financial lenders place considerable importance on these studies but are less satisfied with the results. The greatest differences between the degree of importance and the degree of satisfaction are noted for sections they consider most important. Based on an identification of gaps in the preparation of feasibility studies, the research proposes specific steps to make structural changes in the preparation of these studies. This research is a continuation of the issue raised in 1982 by Paul Beals and David A. Troy in their seminal paper titled ?Hotel feasibility analysis?, which made some recommendations to improve feasibility studies. Since that time, there have been no major improvements in their preparation. This study begins by highlighting the specific shortcomings and attempts to begin a dialogue to establish minimum standards for the preparation of feasibility studies.
Prognostic factors in colorectal carcinomas.

Colorectal carcinoma remains a leading cause of cancer morbidity and mortality. Various clinical signs and pathologic factors have been shown to have a bearing on a patient’s prognosis. Some of these factors, such as extent of disease (stage) and histologic grade, are generally accepted, while others, primarily biologic and molecular markers, have been proposed recently and remain controversial. The authors describe both more established and newly proposed variables, reviewing multivariate analyses to examine their relative importance. The recommendations of the Association of Directors of Anatomic and Surgical Pathology for the reporting of colorectal carcinomas are presented.
Large strain time- and temperature-dependent modeling of PTFE

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a newly developed constitutive theory for predicting the time- and temperature-dependent behavior of fluoropolymers, including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), paraformaldehyde (PFA), and FER. The mathematical details of the theory and its connection with the underlying microstructure are presented in the chapter together with aspects of its numerical implementation into large-strain finite element simulations. It is shown that the constitutive model accurately captures the experimentally observed behavior of PTFE by comparison with experimental data in monotonic and cyclic uniaxial loading and small punch (disk bend) tests, at different strain rates and temperatures. The model is also capable of predicting the influence of hydrostatic stress on both the deviatoric and volumetric flow rates, enabling the accurate predictions of PTFE with small amounts of porosity.
Multiple Wavelength Lasing of (Er,Ho):YAG

We tested a solid state laser material, YAG doped with 30% (at.) Er3+ ions and 1.5% (at.) Ho3+ ions. The laser levels in both Er3+ and Ho3+ demonstrated altered lifetimes when compared to equivalently-doped Er:YAG and Ho:YAG, indicating moderate interactions between the Er3+ and Ho3+ ions. When we lased (Er, Ho):YAG, we observed output at three wavelengths: approximately 2.939, 2.936, and 2.796 μm. The first two of these lased simultaneously, while the third appeared later in the same pump pulse. This lasing blueshift may be explained by excited-state absorption (ESA) in the Ho3+ ions.
The Allegory of Tuscany

This chapter illustrates the movements of the dialectic of taste through an examination into the contemporary appeal of Tuscan style in the aesthetic economy. It historicizes the promise offered by Tuscanesque consumption, visible in restaurants like the Olive Garden, in films such as Under the Tuscan Sun and in Tuscan-style housing developments, within emerging debates about authentic living and an economic system that requires authentic engagement. It examines how a socioeconomic process called Tuscanization proceeds in the wake of McDonaldization, by positing core values designed to ameliorate the most alienated aspects of mass production and consumption. The imaginary of Tuscany is shown to operate as a lightning rod for questions of taste and value, one that takes shape at the intersection of class and race and ethnicity, to both forward and disrupt the processes of racialization through a radical invitation to sensuous living.
Chinese preferences for sustainable attributes for food away from home: A rank-ordered model

• Consumer preference for food intrinsic and extrinsic attributes in the food service sector
Gracefall: Codesigning a Fall-Protective Winter Coat Technology for Elderly Women

As the human body ages, various physical changes occur that can greatly affect the fit and look of clothing previously worn by an individual at an earlier age. However, there is evidence to show that the fit needs of the elderly are not considered by clothing manufacturers (Ashdown & Hyunshin, 2008), which results in clothing options which are ill-fitting and uncomfortable. Additionally, diminished strength, balance, cognition, and other physical consequences of aging increase the likelihood of falls (Alwan, 2008). One-third of the elderly population falls each year (Karlsson, Vonschewelov, Karlsson, Coster, & Rosengen, 2013). Out of 37.3 million falls, 424,000 lead to death (Terroso, Rosa, Torres Marques, & Simoes, 2014). The high-rate of falls amongst the elderly is an area in which designers and researchers alike should be seeking solutions. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to design and evaluate a fall-protective winter coat for elderly women that better fits their body shape and safety needs.
Joint support recovery under high-dimensional scaling: Benefits and perils of ℓ 1,∞ -regularization

Given a collection of r ≥ 2 linear regression problems in p dimensions, suppose that the regression coefficients share partially common supports. This set-up suggests the use of l1/l∞-regularized regression for joint estimation of the p x r matrix of regression coefficients. We analyze the high-dimensional scaling of l1/l∞-regularized quadratic programming, considering both consistency rates in l∞-norm, and also how the minimal sample size n required for performing variable selection grows as a function of the model dimension, sparsity, and overlap between the supports. We begin by establishing bounds on the l∞-error as well sufficient conditions for exact variable selection for fixed design matrices, as well as designs drawn randomly from general Gaussian matrices. These results show that the high-dimensional scaling of l1/l∞-regularization is qualitatively similar to that of ordinary l1-regularization. Our second set of results applies to design matrices drawn from standard Gaussian ensembles, for which we provide a sharp set of necessary and sufficient conditions: the l1/l∞-regularized method undergoes a phase transition characterized by the rescaled sample size θ1,∞(n,p, s, α) = n/{(4 - 3α)s log(p - (2 - α) s)}. More precisely, for any δ > 0, the probability of successfully recovering both supports converges to 1 for scalings such that θ1,∞ ≥ 1 + δ, and converges to 0 for scalings for which θ1,∞ ≤ 1-δ. An implication of this threshold is that use of l1,∞-regularization yields improved statistical efficiency if the overlap parameter is large enough (α > 2/3), but performs worse than a naive Lasso-based approach for moderate to small overlap (α < 2/3). We illustrate the close agreement between these theoretical predictions, and the actual behavior in simulations.
The Functions of Sleep and the Effects of Sleep Deprivation

Sleep serves many essential physical and behavioral functions. Total acute sleep deprivation leads to rapidly progressive multiorgan failure and death in animal models. Chronic mild sleep deprivation has been associated with emotional instability, decreased pain tolerance, metabolic disease, immunodeficiency, impaired cognitive performance and memory consolidation. A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that over one third of the US population sleeps less than the amount recommended by experts consensus. In addition, sleep deprivation is estimated to cost our society approximately US$43–$56 billion per year. This chapter details some of the physiological and behavioral aspects that perpetuate this state of chronic sleep-deprivation in a productivity-driven society. It also describes sleep-specific mechanisms that may be involved in memory consolidation.
Effects of Cyclic Flexure on Endothelial Permeability and Apoptosis in Arterial Segments Perfused Ex Vivo

Certain arteries (e.g., coronary, femoral, etc.) are exposed to cyclic flexure due to their tethering to surrounding tissue beds. It is believed that such stimuli result in a spatially variable biomechanical stress distribution, which has been implicated as a key modulator of remodeling associated with atherosclerotic lesion localization. In this study we utilized a combined ex vivo experimental/computational methodology to address the hypothesis that local variations in shear and mural stress associated with cyclic flexure influence the distribution of early markers of atherogenesis. Bilateral porcine femoral arteries were surgically harvested and perfused ex vivo under pulsatile arterial conditions. One of the paired vessels was exposed to cyclic flexure (0-0.7 cm -1 ) at 1 Hz for 12 h. During the last hour, the perfusate was supplemented with Evan's blue dye-labeled albumin. A custom tissue processing protocol was used to determine the spatial distribution of endothelial permeability, apoptosis, and proliferation. Finite element and computational fluid dynamics techniques were used to determine the mural and shear stress distributions, respectively, for each perfused segment. Biological data obtained experimentally and mechanical stress data estimated computationally were combined in an experimentspecific manner using multiple linear regression analyses. Arterial segments exposed to cyclic flexure had significant increases in intimal and medial apoptosis (3.42 ± 1.02 fold, p =0.029) with concomitant increases in permeability (1.14 ± 0.04 fold, p =0.026). Regression analyses revealed specific mural stress measures including circumferential stress at systole, and longitudinal pulse stress were quantitatively correlated with the distribution of permeability and apoptosis. The results demonstrated that local variation in mechanical stress in arterial segments subjected to cyclic flexure indeed influence the extent and spatial distribution of the early atherogenic markers. In addition, the importance of including mural stresses in the investigation of vascular mechanopathobiology was highlighted. Specific example results were used to describe a potential mechanism by which systemic risk factors can lead to a heterogeneous disease.
Social dominance hierarchy and the pride–shame system

AbstractThe emotions of pride and shame occur as adaptive reactions to high and low status in social dominance hierarchies. We argue that pride and shame are secondary emotions that comprise anger and joy, and fear and sadness. After considering dominance, proto-pride, and proto-shame in animals, we present a theoretical model showing that, for humans, pride and shame are elicited by oppositely valenced experiences of authority-ranked and communally shared social relations. Using pride and shame as criterion variables, we test two models through analysis of a corpus of 563 life-historical interviews with Australian Aborigines and Euro-Australians. The results of covariance-structure analyses support these hypothesized causal models.
Recurrence patterns of gastric cancer in the era of preoperative therapy.

119Background: The purpose of this study was to determine the disease sites and survival durations of patients who developed a recurrence after undergoing gastrectomy for adenocarcinoma. Methods: We collected data from a prospectively maintained database of gastric cancer patients who underwent potentially curative resection of gastric or gastroesophageal cancer at our institution from 1995-2014. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the associations between clinicopathologic factors and treatment outcomes. Results: We identified 488 patients who underwent R0 resection of localized gastric cancer. The median age was 63 years (IQR, 53-71 years), and 60% were male. The most common EUS stages were T3 (58%) and N0 (61%). Preoperative treatment was used in 61% of patients. The majority (76%) of patients underwent extended (D1+/D2) lymphadenectomy, and the median number of examined lymph nodes was 21 (IQR, 14-29). Of the 488 patients, 125 (26%) experienced recurrence during follow up....
Comparative rodent microPET study of 18F-fallypride and 18F-desmethoxyfallypride

1207 Objectives Dopamine D2/D3 receptor human PET studies are carried out using 18F-fallypride (FP, for striatal and extrastriatal regions) and 18F-desmethoxyfallypride (DMFP, for striatal regions) (Siessmeier et al., 2005). Our goal was to compare FP and DMFP in rodent microPET (MPET) imaging with respect to 1. duration of the scan; 2. visualization of extrastriatal receptors; 3. binding potentials. Methods FP and DMFP were synthesized as reported (Mukherjee et al., 1995, 1996). Male Sprague Dawley rats (~400 g) anesthetized with isoflurane were used for MPET studies. Rats were imaged for 150 min with FP and 90 mins with DMFP. Test-retest studies were carried out and binding potential (BPND) was measured using Logan graphic analysis with k29 estimated from multilinear reference tissue model (MRTM2). Cerebellum (CB) was used as a reference region. Data were analyzed using PMOD software. Results Strong binding of both FP and DMFP to the striata (ST) was identified. Tissue ratio analysis showed that equilibrium was reached in the ST at 120 for FP and 60 min for DMFP. FP was able to identify extrastriatal regions such as colliculi and substantia nigra, whereas with DMFP these regions were not visible. Binding potentials (BPND) in the ST were 15.1 ± 1.7 for FP and 1.8 ± 0.2 for DMFP. Conclusions The advantage of FP for imaging extrastriatal receptors is blunted in rodents due to the small size of the brain and resolution of the scanner. The shorter scan time of DMFP and its vulnerability to dopamine makes it a suitable 18F-candidate for drug challenge and other behavioral studies in rodents. Research Support NIH Grant R01 EB006110
PTX1 up-regulates interferon-β in prostate cancer cell line PC-3.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 5002 PTX1 is a gene identified by subtractive hybridization on the basis that it is expressed in normal prostate and not in prostatic carcinoma. It is unrelated to the pituitary homeobox protein (Ptx1 or Pitx1) that regulates pituitary hormone gene expression, and its function is currently unknown. Recently, it was found to be identical to Erv41, an endoplasmic reticulum (ER) resident protein involved in protein trafficking between ER and Golgi. Our earlier study showed that ectopic expression of PTX1 in prostate cancer cell line, PC-3, induced cellular senescence. To study its mechanism of action, we transfected PC-3 cells with PTX1 expression construct and determined the genes that were up-regulated by PTX1 using gene expression profiling, reverse transcriptase-PCR, and promoter-luciferase reporter assay. Gene expression microarray analyses showed that interferon-β (IFN-β) and a number of IFN-inducible proteins, among other proteins, were up-regulated by PTX1 expression. Up-regulation of IFN-β by PTX1 was confirmed by RT-PCR and a PTX1 responsive element upstream from the IFN-β gene was identified by promoter-luciferase reporter assay. These results suggest that PTX1 may induce cellular senescence in PC-3 cells via the IFN-β pathway. However, ectopic expression of IFN-β in PC-3 cells did not induce senescence. Since PTX1-induced senescence in PC-3 cells cannot be explained by up-regulation of IFN-β alone, other PTX1-induced protein(s) may also be involved in this process.
Global Is Local: July at a Teaching Hospital in Texas

It was 1:00 am. I was the supervising resident on the Pediatric Hospital Medicine service at my home institution in Houston, Texas just a few months after returning from Uganda, where I had spent a clinical year as part of my combined residency program in pediatrics and global child health. I returned a page from the emergency department: “We have a 10-year-old girl* to admit. She has a 3-month history of cough, weight loss, night sweats, fevers, and a positive quantiferon test. She and all her family members also have a skin rash that looks like scabies. She is stable from a respiratory perspective, and we’d like to admit her to your service for further workup and treatment.” I paused as my mind turned to the dozens of patients I treated with pulmonary tuberculosis during my year in Uganda, many of them with the triple burden of tuberculosis, HIV, and malnutrition. “Oh,” the emergency physician added, “and the family is from Rwanda only speaks Kinyarwanda.” I relayed the information to my intern. She was in her first week of residency, adapting to night shift, learning the geography of our large hospital and a new electronic medical record, and steadily managing 1 admission after another while figuring out how to balance cross-coverage duties. She was primed in her new role as doctor to absorb information as quickly as it was offered to …
Retarding and Water Reducing Admixtures

This chapter explains how several techniques have been used to obtain an understanding of the action of retarders/water reducers, such as the mechanism of their action, rate of hydration, setting times, microstructure, etc. The techniques that have yielded important results, include differential thermal analysis (DTA), thermogravimetry (TG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy, chemical shrinkage measurements, isotherms, and loss on ignition. These techniques are generally applied on samples that are hydrated for certain periods of time. The conduction calorimetry, however, follows the instantaneous evolution of heat as a function of time. It provides a method of quickly assessing the relative rates of hydration in the presence of different amounts/types of admixtures. The time of termination of the induction period gives information on the relative retarding action of various types of retarders.
Recent Randomized Clinical Trials Comparing Behavioral Interventions and Psychopharmacologic Treatments for Students with EBD.

Although many psychopharmacologic treatments and behavioral or cognitive behavioral interventions have been established as evidence-based practices, they have seldom been directly compared to one a...
Superselective transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: Experience with a new emulsion

The authors provide background information on chemoembolization and describe their experience with a new emulsion formulation that may be useful for transcatheter arterial chemoembolization (TACE) procedures in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Patients were selected using standardized criteria and underwent TACE using a chemotherapeutic emulsion consisting of doxorubicin, carboplatin, Renografin-60, and Ethiodol. A detailed description of the reconstitution methods for the chemotherapeutic emulsion is provided. The combination of agents used in this emulsion did not separate into water/oil components for up to 5 minutes, a relatively long period for such compounds. In addition, the radiographic contrast agents used in the emulsion made the procedure easier to perform because they showed up more clearly in fluoroscopic imaging, according to the radiologists. Further controlled studies are needed to confirm the superior results of this emulsion compared with previously used emulsions.
Early observations in radiculopathic pain control using electrodiagnostically derived new treatment techniques: automated twitch-obtaining intramuscular stimulation (ATOIMS) and electrical twitch-obtaining intramuscular stimulation (ETOIMS).

Objective: To show in a pilot group of patients that electrodiagnostically derived new treatment techniques (automated twitch-obtaining intramuscular stimulation (ATOIMS®) and electrical twitch-obtaining intramuscular stimulation (ETOIMS®) methods) have a role in the control of radiculopathy related myofascial pain and fibromyalgia. Method: Retrospective analysis of six patients treated between 6-96 and 10-98. All received sequential treatments with ETOIMS and combined ATOIMS and ETOIMS of which four began treatments with standard TOIMS (StdTOIMS). The StdTOIMS utilized manual oscillation of a monopolar electromyographic (EMG) pin at tender muscle sites. ETOIMS employed microelectrical stimulation at 2 Hz for two seconds/site. The ATOIMS device automatically inserts and retracts a monopolar EMG pin after oscillating it at 2 Hz for three cycles/two seconds/site. Obtaining forceful muscle twitches were the goals of all three treatments. Treatment included multiple points in bilateral multiple myotomes. Patients received weekly treatments and recorded daily visual analog pain levels. Results: Significant reductions in pain levels occurred with the use of ETOIMS compared to that achieved with StdTOIMS. The combined use of ATOIMS and ETOIMS was more effective in reducing pain than StdTOIMS or ETOIMS only treatments. Conclusions: Control of radiculopathy related myofascial pain and fibromyalgia using the ETOIMS with ATOIMS methods seem promising. Reduction of mechanical tension through muscle relaxation is the proposed basis for the pain relief. There is a need for prospective studies to document efficacy in myofascial pain control.
Rosat Observations of B and Be Stars

We present results from a survey of X-ray emission properties of near main-sequence B stars, including several Be and β Cephei stars. The main conclusions of our survey are: 1) The X-rays are soft, probably because the shock velocity jumps are small since the terminal wind speeds are small. 2) A major fraction of the wind emission measure is hot, assuming wind theory estimates for the density distribution. A large fraction of the wind is not expected to be hot in current wind shock models. 3) A hard component is found to be present in τ Sco; possible causes are discussed. 4) For the Be stars, the X-rays emission is from a normal B-star wind that is coming from the poles as in the WCD model of Be stars. 5) None of the stars, including the β Cep stars, show noticeable variability in their X-rays. For the normal B stars we conclude from the lack of variability that the shocks are in the form of fragments in the wind instead of spherical shells. 6) Our observations suggest that all B stars are X-ray sources and that there is a basal amount of X-ray luminosity of about 10-8.5 L bol The hot component in τ Sco and the high X-ray luminosity of B stars detected in the all-sky survey suggests that there is a source of X-ray emission in addition to wind shocks in some B stars.
INFLUENCE OF LASER IRRADIATION ON DIODE-LEAKAGE CURRENT

The effects of scanning with a Nd:YAG laser on thermally diffused p-n junction silicon diodes were investigated. The objective was to establish the influence of laser irradiation on diodes fabricated in nondefective silicon material. A comparison of the diode leakage current and breakdown voltages was made between laser scanned and unscanned diodes. Changes in diode leakage current and breakdown voltages were observed, which are apparently due to damage caused by the laser. The influence of thermal annealing after laser scanning was also investigated. After initial scanning the breakdown voltage was decreased and the leakage current increased significantly. After a one hour 450° C thermal anneal, the leakage current of these diodes was seen to decrease. In diodes with original leakage currents greater than 500nA, the current was observed to decrease an order of magnitude from their original value. These results are given with a possible explanation of the causes for this change.
REDUCTIONS OF HIGHER-ORDER LOGIC

A higher-order logic is considered which contains variables of all finite and transfinite types, together with a more restricted logic in which the types of variables are all in a sense describable ordinals. It is shown that several important problems connected with the restricted higherorder logic, pertaining, for instance, to the determination of spectra and the characterization of logical truth, are reducible to the corresponding problems for second-order logic; the principal results of this sort extend earlier results of Zykov and Hintikka. It is obtained as a corollary that the set of logical truths of second-order logic does not appear in any reasonable extension of the Kleene hierarchy.
Institutions of Consecration

After a group of films were separated from the mainstream by production means, subject matters, and style, the interpretations produced by a set of auxiliary institutions were needed to brand these films as “new” and “artistic.” This materialistic and symbolic dual production is a universal working mechanism also found in the Western modern art world. In the formative years of Chinese art cinema, the symbolic production was particularly important because the underground nature of many of these films made them nearly inaccessible to general audiences. The artistic values of these films were largely appraised, endorsed, and promoted by critical institutions. This chapter identifies three such crucial institutions: director-centered discourse, the Beijing Film Academy, and international film festivals.
Use and accuracy of computed tomography scan in diagnosing perforated appendicitis.

Abstract Perforated appendicitis has major implications on patient care. The ability of computed tomography (CT) scan to distinguish perforation in the absence of phlegmon or abscess is unknown. The purpose of this study is to assess the use and accuracy of CT scans in diagnosing perforated appendicitis without phlegmon or abscess. A retrospective chart review of 102 patients who underwent appendectomy from 2011 to 2013 was performed. Patient demographics and operative and postoperative course were recorded. Two radiologists were then blinded to operative findings and CT scans reread and results correlated. Findings on CT scan were also analyzed for correlation with perforation. Univariate and multivariate statistical analysis was performed. Of the 102 patients, 49 were perforated and 53 nonperforated. Analysis of patient populations demonstrated patients with perforation were significantly older (45 vs 34 years, P = 0.002), had longer operative times (132 vs 81 minutes, P = 0.001), and longer length of stay (8.2 vs 1.5 days, P < 0.001). Nineteen perforations (37%) were correctly diagnosed by CT scan. The sensitivity of CT scan to detect perforation was 38 per cent, specificity 96 per cent, and positive predictive value of 90 per cent. After multivariate analysis of significant variables, three were demonstrated to significantly correlate with presence of perforation: presence of extraluminal air (odds ratio [OR], 28.9; P = 0.02); presence of intraluminal fecalith (OR, 5.7; P = 0.03); and wall thickness greater than 3 mm (OR, 3.2; P = 0.02). CT scan has a low sensitivity for diagnosing perforated appendicitis without abscess or phlegmon. Presence of extraluminal air bubbles, increased wall thickness, and intraluminal fecalith should increase suspicion for perforation and are highly correlated with outcomes after appendectomy.
MR distribution of active inflammatory and chronic structural sacroiliac joint changes in axial spondyloarthropathy: Challenging conventional wisdom.

Abstract Objective Evaluate the MR distribution of inflammatory sacroiliac joint changes in axial spondyloarthritis phenotypes, including Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis (nrAxSpA). Methods A retrospective review of 94 patients seen for treatment of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) who underwent sacroiliac joint MRI between January 2011 and December 2015 was performed. MR images from 68 patients (20 with AS and 48 with nrAxSpA) were reviewed independently by two radiologists. Images were scored on presence of active inflammatory and chronic structural lesions. These lesions were further categorized as unilateral, bilateral and asymmetric, or bilateral and symmetric. Results No statistically significant difference was found in the distribution (laterality or symmetry) of bone marrow edema or sclerosis between the AS and nr-axSpA groups. Osseous erosions were more commonly bilateral symmetric in AS than nr-axSpA (11/20 vs. 8/48, p = 0.01). No statistically significant difference was noted between bone marrow edema scores in the AS and nr-axSpA subgroups (2.6 vs 3.3, p = 0.514). Patients with AS had a significantly higher fat metaplasia score compared to patients with nr-axSpA (7.3 vs 1.1, p = 0.001). Patients with nr-axSpA had a higher mean score for erosions (11.6 vs 4.2, p = 0.001). Only patients classified as AS were found to have bony ankylosis. Inter-observer reliability was strong to excellent. Conclusion Ankylosing spondylitis findings at the sacroiliac joints are classically described as bilateral and symmetric on radiographs. Our study demonstrates that distribution on MRI at an individual time point is variable. The variable distribution should be considered when radiologists evaluate MRI exams of AS patients.
A Consensus Framework Unifies Multi-Drug Synergy Metrics

Abstract Drug combination discovery depends on reliable synergy metrics; however, no consensus exists on the appropriate synergy model to prioritize lead candidates. The fragmented state of the field confounds analysis, reproducibility, and clinical translation of combinations. Here we present a mass-action based formalism to accurately measure the synergy of drug combinations. In this work, we clarify the relationship between the dominant drug synergy principles and show how biases emerge due to intrinsic assumptions which hinder their broad applicability. We further present a mapping of commonly used frameworks onto a unified synergy landscape, which identifies fundamental issues impacting the interpretation of synergy in discovery efforts. Specifically, we infer how traditional metrics mask consequential synergistic interactions, and contain biases dependent on the Hill-slope and maximal effect of single-drugs. We show how these biases systematically impact the classification of synergy in large combination screens misleading discovery efforts. The proposed approach has potential to accelerate the translatability and reproducibility of drug-synergy studies, by bridging the gap between the curative potential of drug mixtures and the complexity in their study.
Research at Work: Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses:

This article provides an overview of the systematic review and the meta-analysis. These tools provide a comprehensive picture of current research. What follows is an abridged explanation of each of...
The effect of Resonator Configurations on the optimized sensitivity in the Wireless Resistive Analog Passive (WRAP) sensors

Body signal monitoring during normal daily activities requires wireless wearable devices. Furthermore, fully passive body-worn wireless sensors can provide significant advantages by eliminating the need for batteries. With this goal, we have previously proposed a novel Wireless Resistive Analog Passive (WRAP) sensor concept that captures body signals via modulation of carrier signals sent from the primary Planar Spiral Coil (PSC) using the inductive loading principal. Additionally, we reported the optimization methods for the PSC design to maximize the inductive link sensitivity for the wireless signal transmission. A higher efficiency and sensitivity can be achieved when both the primary and secondary circuits are in resonance with the carrier frequency (at 13.56 MHz ISM band in this work). There are four configurations for these resonator arrangement in the primary and secondary circuits according to the series or parallel arrangement of the tuning capacitors, namely: series in primary/secondary (called SS), parallel in primary/secondary (PP), series/parallel in primary/secondary (SP), and vice versa (PS). A Genetic Algorithm (GA) based method is employed to maximize the sensitivity by optimizing the components for each arrangement. It is shown that the PP structure, with the sensitivity of 6.3 mƱ, has the highest sensitivity. Moreover, the susceptibility of PP structure vs primary and secondary self-inductance variations is minimum among the other configurations.