cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Altered left ventricular performance in aging physically active mice with an ankle sprain injury

We assessed the impact of differing physical activity levels throughout the lifespan, using a musculoskeletal injury model, on the age-related changes in left ventricular (LV) parameters in active mice. Forty male mice (CBA/J) were randomly placed into one of three running wheel groups (transected CFL group, transected ATFL/CFL group, SHAM group) or a SHAM Sedentary group (SHAMSED). Before surgery and every 6 weeks after surgery, LV parameters were measured under 2.5 % isoflurane inhalation. Group effects for daily distance run was significantly greater for the SHAM and lesser for the ATLF/CFL mice (p = 0.013) with distance run decreasing with age for all mice (p < 0.0001). Beginning at 6 months of age, interaction (group × age) was noted with LV posterior wall thickness-to-radius ratios (h/r) where h/r increased with age in the ATFL/CFL and SHAMSED mice while the SHAM and CFL mice exhibited decreased h/r with age (p = 0.0002). Passive filling velocity (E wave) was significantly greater in the SHAM mice and lowest for the ATFL/CFL and SHAMSED mice (p < 0.0001) beginning at 9 months of age. Active filling velocity (A wave) was not different between groups (p = 0.10). Passive-to-active filling velocity ratio (E/A ratio) was different between groups (p < 0.0001), with higher ratios for the SHAM mice and lower ratios for the ATFL/CFL and SHAMSED mice in response to physical activity beginning at 9 months of age. Passive-to-active filling velocity ratio decreased with age (p < 0.0001). Regular physical activity throughout the lifespan improved LV structure, passive filling velocity, and E/A ratio by 6 to 9 months of age and attenuated any negative alterations throughout the second half of life. The diastolic filling differences were found to be significantly related to the amount of activity performed by 9 months and at the end of the lifespan.
Correlation between 47Ca absorption and intestinal calcium-binding activity in the golden hamster.

SummaryIn the golden hamster, the absorption of 47Ca from ligated duodenal segments in situ was significantly greater (66% of dose) than that of the ileum (36% of dose). The calcium-binding activity of supernatant fluid prepared from intestinal mucosa was also significantly greater in the duodenum than in the ileum. There is, thus, a direct correlation between 47Ca absorption and intestinal calcium-binding activity in the two intestinal segments of this species, in contrast to previous findings by others based on in vitro everted gut procedures for measuring absorption.
So It Goes

Buddhists believe that the existence of an enduring self is an illusion and that this illusion is the root of the suffering inherent in the human condition. I want to explore whether this particular Buddhist thought can be understood in terms familiar to analytic philosophy. How might the illusion of an enduring self lie at the root of human suffering? After explaining the sense in which the enduring self is indeed an illusion, I argue that this illusion goes hand-in-hand with another – namely, the illusion of the passage of time. Seeming to be an enduring self, even though one is not, is what makes time seem to pass, even though it does not. And the appearance that time passes, I argue, is the source of the suffering that is alleviated when both illusions are dispelled. The Amherst Lecture in Philosophy (ISSN: 1559-7199) is a free on-line journal, published by the Department of Philosophy, Amherst College, Amherst, MA 01002. Phone: (413) 542-5805. E-mail: alp@amherst.edu. Website: http://www.amherstlecture.org/. Copyright J. David Velleman. This article may be copied without the copyright owner’s permission only if the copy is used for educational, not-for-profit purposes. For all other purposes, the copyright owner’s permission is required. In all cases, both the author and The Amherst Lecture in Philosophy must be acknowledged in the copy. P the amherst lecture in philosophy Lecture 1, 2006 So It Goes J. David Velleman 1 So It Goes J. David Velleman New York University Change presupposes a certain position which I take up and from which I see things in procession before me: there are no events without someone to whom they happen and whose finite perspective is the basis of their individuality. Time presupposes a view of time. It is, therefore, not like a river, not a flowing substance. The fact that the metaphor based on this comparison has persisted from the time of Heraclitus to our own day is explained by our surreptitiously putting into the river a witness of its course.... Time is, therefore, not a real process, not an actual succession that I am content to record. It arises from my relation to things.
Environmental Justice as a Foundation for a Process-based Framework for Adaptation and Mitigation: A Commentary on Brooks

Brooks convincingly makes the case that the current arguments for climate mitigation and adaptation fail. Each of the arguments discussed by Brooks appeals to end-state solutions that are some comb...
Dietary Energy Intake, Hormesis, and Health

The ability to adapt to varying levels of available energy in the form of food in the environment has allowed species to propagate and also thrive during times of energy surplus. However, in times when there is scant food available, similar evolutionary pressures have ensured that physiological systems can adapt to and utilize this food scarcity to their advantage. Considerable research has demonstrated that upon reduction of food intake, there are several beneficial effects upon cardiovascular, endocrinological, immune, and neuronal systems. Some of the effects of caloric restriction, however, tend to be exaggerated in many experimental cases due to biasing of overweight control subjects, yet reduction of total body weight still seems to engender beneficial effects for the individual. Some of the beneficial effects of caloric restriction are believed to arise from a reflexive response to the “stress” of reduced food intake. In conjunction with this is a similar hypothesis, known as “hormesis,” which proposes in a similar vein that other forms of stress, such as toxicological stress, can also engender a “protective” set of physiological responses that shields the individual from further stresses. This chapter discusses how these two theories of protective responses—caloric restriction and hormesis—share many overlapping properties.
A cost-effective method to enhance adenoviral transduction of primary murine osteoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells.

We report here a method for the use of poly-l-lysine (PLL) to markedly improve the adenoviral transduction efficiency of primary murine osteoblasts and bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) in culture and in situ, which are typically difficult to transduce. We show by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry that the addition of PLL to the viral-containing medium significantly increases the number of green fluorescence protein (GFP)-positive osteoblasts and BMSCs transduced with an enhanced GFP-expressing adenovirus. We also demonstrate that PLL can greatly enhance the adenoviral transduction of osteoblasts and osteocytes in situ in ex vivo tibia and calvaria, as well as in long bone fragments. In addition, we validate that PLL can improve routine adenoviral transduction studies by permitting the use of low multiplicities of infection to obtain the desired biologic effect. Ultimately, the use of PLL to facilitate adenoviral gene transfer in osteogenic cells can provide a cost-effective means of performing efficient gene transfer studies in the context of bone research. Gene delivery to bone cells has been improved by use of a common compound, potentially making bone research cheaper and more efficient. Delivery of genes to cultured bone and bone marrow cells can be used to study the effects of specific genes in bone development and disease, but the standard technique of delivering genes using adenovirus is inefficient. Joseph Stains from the University of Maryland School of Medicine and colleagues have shown that the technique can be improved by adding poly-L-lysine with the adenovirus. Poly-L-lysine increased the percentage of cells that genes were delivered to, and increased the efficiency of delivery to each cell. The technique provides a simple way to increase the efficiency of genetic experiments in bone cells and consequently reduce their cost.
Relational Self-Help Practice Exercises for Couples and Families in Conflict

comments could you give that could improve this practice exercise? We would appreciate any suggestions that would make this practice exercise better.
Harnessing the Potential of Small RNAs for HIV-1 Gene Therapy ? A Polycistronic approach

C therapy with small RNA agents against multiple viral targets is critical to efficient inhibition of viral production. We have previously validated this approach by expressing multiple anti-HIV RNAs from independent Pol III promoters within a single gene therapy construct, however, the high transcription rate of Pol III promoters often leads to toxicity as a consequence of saturating the endogenous RISC machinery. An alternative approach takes advantage of an endogenous polycistronic miRNA cluster driven by a Pol II promoter which has been engineered as a multiplexing platform. We tested combinations of different classes of therapeutic anti-HIV RNAs expressed within the context of an intronic MCM7 platform replacing the endogenous miRNAs with siRNAs targeting HIV-1 tat and rev messages, a nucleolar-localizing RNA ribozyme that targets the conserved U5 region of HIV-1 transcripts for degradation, or nucleolar TAR and RBE RNA decoys. We demonstrate the versatility of the MCM7 platform for expression and efficient processing of all RNA elements. Three of the combinatorial constructs tested potently suppressed viral replication during a one-month HIV challenge, with greater than five-logs of inhibition compared to unprotected HIV-1 infected CEM T-cells. One of the most effective constructs contains an anti-HIV siRNA combined with a nucleolar-localizing U5 ribozyme and nucleolar-localizing TAR RNA decoy. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first successful demonstration of functional combinations of different types of small inhibitory RNAs expressed from a single intron transcriptional unit.
Suppression of Polyfluorene Photo-Oxidative Degradation via Encapsulation of Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Polyfluorenes have achieved noteworthy performance in organic electronic devices but exhibit undesired green band emission under photo-oxidative conditions that have limited their broad utility in optoelectronic applications. In addition, polyfluorenes are well-known dispersants of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), although the influence of SWCNTs on polyfluorene photo-oxidative stability has not yet been defined. Here we quantitatively explore the photophysical properties of poly[(9,9-bis(3′-(N,N-dimethylamino)propyl)-2,7-fluorene)-alt-2,7-(9,9-dioctylfluorene)] (PFN) under photo-oxidative conditions when it is in van der Waals contact with SWCNTs. Photoluminescence spectroscopy tracks the spectral evolution of the polymer emission following ambient ultraviolet (UV) exposure, confirming that PFN exhibits green band emission. In marked contrast, PFN-wrapped SWCNTs possess high spectral stability without green band emission under the same ambient UV exposure conditions. By investigating a series of ...
On the Bandwidth of a Microparticle-Based Component Responsive to Magnetostatic Fields

A novel magnetostatic responsive structure (MRS) that does not require a direct connection to biasing circuitry for microwave applications is presented. This allows the placement of the MRSs in locations that may not be accessible with traditional printed traces. The MRS measures 3.0 mm × 3.0 mm × 0.508 mm in the x -, y -, and z -directions, respectively, with a 0.9 mm diameter cylindrical cavity. The axis of this cavity is along the z -axis and is partially filled with microparticles (diameter ∼10–40 μm) composed of a magnetite core with a silver coating. A copper foil is placed on the top and bottom to enclose the particles in the cavity. When a static magnetic field is introduced, the magnetic particles stack and align in columns in the direction of the field lines, connecting the foil layers. Conversely, when the magnetic field is removed, the columns collapse and disconnect the layers. A microstrip transmission line is used to extract the equivalent circuit of the MRS, and compare to full-wave simulations and measurements for both states. Agreement was shown up to 3.0 GHz. Finally, the MRS was embedded into a host material to explore the bandwidth, signal integrity, benefits of remote biasing, and the field-strength/scalability relationship.
BaaS (Bluetooth-as-a-sensor): conception, design and implementation on mobile platforms

As network connectivity becomes more capable, mobile devices are evolving into sensory data accumulators. Bluetooth (BT) components, which are widely used for communication purposes, also have the potential to become contextual sensors by constantly listening to information broadcast by nearby Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) beacons. Compared to traditional Micro-Electro-Mechanical (MEMs) based contextual sensors, Bluetooth-as-a-Sensor (BaaS) provides a wider sensing spectrum and more comprehensive environmental information. However, current implementations of BT are optimized as a data transmitter, therefore deploying BaaS on a traditional mobile platform would cause an unacceptably high current drain and hence a significant reduction in battery life. Our objective is to conquer the current drain problem associated with having continuous wireless BT sensing. We provide a novel BaaS-based architecture which utilizes an energy-efficient sensor fusion core (SFC) to execute heavy-duty and long-standing tasks. We also present an optimized duty cycle algorithm that minimizes the duty cycle while guaranteeing an application's QoS requirements. Both BaaS architecture and algorithm are implemented and deployed on a Moto X platform and then applied to an indoor location service for consumer use validation. The performance of the BaaS-based architecture is evaluated for both average current drain and location accuracy. Data measured on Moto X shows that when using the BaaS architecture, the battery life is 5 times longer than using the traditional BT architecture.
Approaches for Characterizing Nonlinear Mixtures in Hyperspectral Imagery

This study considers a physics-based and a kernel-based approach for characterizing pixels in a scene that may be linear (areal mixed) or nonlinear (intimately mixed). The physics-based method is based on earlier studies that indicate nonlinear mixtures in reflectance space are approximately linear in albedo space. The approach converts reflectance to single scattering albedo (SSA) according to Hapke theory assuming bidirectional scattering at nadir look angles and uses a constrained linear model on the computed albedo values. The kernel-based method is motivated by the same idea, but uses a kernel that seeks to capture the linear behavior of albedo in nonlinear mixtures of materials. The behavior of the kernel method is dependent on the value of a parameter, gamma. Validation of the two approaches is performed using laboratory data.
Restoring Tidal Equilibrium: Removing a Hydrologic Barrier and Lowering Salinity at the Magnolia Inlet, Texas

ABSTRACT Huff, T.P. and Feagin, R.A., 2017. Restoring tidal equilibrium: Removing a hydrologic barrier and lowering salinity at the Magnolia Inlet, Texas. In: Martinez, M.L.; Taramelli, A., and Silva, R. (eds.), Coastal Resilience: Exploring the Many Challenges from Different Viewpoints. Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 77, pp. 97–103. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. A large area of salt marsh located between Magnolia Beach and Indianola, Texas had rapidly degraded over the last few decades due to a hydrologic barrier. Sediment and shell debris in the main tidal channel had greatly reduced flow between interior sections of marsh and the adjacent open bay, blocking all hydrologic exchange except for extreme tides. As a result, the impounded waters were often hypersaline, the vegetation was dying, and access to habitat was restricted for aquatic nekton. Our overall objective was to identify the cross section of debris that would need to be removed from the channel in order to restore ...
Neuroactive Steroids and Affective Symptoms in Women Across the Weight Spectrum.

3α-5α-Tetrahydroprogesterone, a progesterone metabolite also known as allopregnanolone, and 5α-androstane-3α,17β-diol, a testosterone metabolite also known as 3α-androstanediol, are neuroactive steroids and positive GABAA receptor allosteric modulators. Both anorexia nervosa (AN) and obesity are complicated by affective comorbidities and hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal dysregulation. However, it is not known whether neuroactive steroid levels are abnormal at the extremes of the weight spectrum. We hypothesized that serum allopregnanolone and 3α-androstanediol levels would be decreased in AN compared with healthy controls (HC) and negatively associated with affective symptoms throughout the weight spectrum, independent of body mass index (BMI). Thirty-six women were 1 : 1 age-matched across three groups: AN, HC, and overweight/obese (OW/OB). AN were amenorrheic; HC and OW/OB were studied in the follicular phase. Fasting serum neuroactive steroids were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Mean Hamilton depression and anxiety scores were highest in AN (p<0.0001). Mean serum allopregnanolone was lower in AN and OW/OB than HC (AN 95.3±56.4 vs OW/OB 73.8±31.3 vs HC 199.5±167.8 pg/ml, p=0.01), despite comparable mean serum progesterone. Allopregnanolone levels, but not progesterone levels, were negatively associated with depression and anxiety symptom severity, independent of BMI. Serum 3α-androstanediol levels did not differ among groups and were not associated with depression or anxiety scores, despite a significant negative association between free testosterone levels and both anxiety and depression severity. In conclusion, women at both extremes of the weight spectrum have low mean serum allopregnanolone, which is associated with increased depression and anxiety severity, independent of BMI. Neuroactive steroids such as allopregnanolone may be potential therapeutic targets for depression and anxiety in traditionally treatment-resistant groups, including AN.
The Health Intervention Project: HIV risk reduction among African American women drug users.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: This article describes the Health Intervention Project, an intervention for African American women in Atlanta, Georgia, who are crack cocaine users. METHODS:A formative phase involved ethnographic mapping of the physical and social infrastructure of the study communities and in-depth interviews with women crack cocaine users. Key findings that were incorporated into the intervention program included the exchange of sex for money or drugs, the women's experience with trauma and abuse, the role of men and male partners, the women's roles as mothers and members of extended families, their identity as African Americans, and their desire to reduce their risk for HIV/AIDS related to their drug use and sexual behavior. Individualized intervention sessions were designed to meet the women's needs. The motivation intervention emphasized self-motivation for behavioral change with the assistance of the interventionist, who facilitated the women's goal identification, action plan, and problem-solving skills. The negotiation intervention focused on improving technical and assertive communication skills. An action plan was developed, and the women worked on negotiation skills, self-control regarding sexual and drug-use encounters, assertiveness in sexual and drug-use interactions, and conflict resolution. CONCLUSION: Effective prevention and intervention programs must be framed within an appropriate racial, ethnic, and cultural context. Future research is needed to better understand risk in its social context, including the impact of community factors.
Numerical Invariants via Abstract Machines

This paper presents an overview of a line of recent work on generating non-linear numerical invariants for loops and recursive procedures. The method is compositional in the sense that it operates by breaking the program into parts, analyzing each part independently, and then combining the results. The fundamental challenge is to devise an effective method for analyzing the behavior of a loop given the results of analyzing its body. The key idea is to separate the problem into two: first we approximate the loop dynamics by an abstract machine, and then symbolically compute the reachability relation of the abstract machine.
Pathophysiology of Rib Fractures and Lung Contusion

Rib fractures and lung contusions are common among traumatically injured patients and are a major source of morbidity and mortality. These injuries typically result from significant force to the chest wall most commonly blunt in nature, but penetrating mechanisms can also be implicated. The effective care of these patients necessitates an understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease, which we will review in this chapter. We will start with a review of the relevant anatomy followed by a discussion focused on the pathophysiology of rib fractures and pulmonary contusions in addition to associated conditions involving the chest such as hemothoraces and pneumothoraces. We will conclude with a discussion of differences in pathophysiology among patients at the extremes of age.
Evaluating the use of a temperature sensor to monitor spectacle compliance in warm versus cold climates.

BACKGROUND This study investigates the utility of a temperature sensor data logger to monitor spectacle compliance for future application in research and clinical settings. Specifically, the question of whether warm versus cold climates negatively impact accuracy of the sensor to monitor spectacle wear is investigated. METHODS Fifty adults from Houston, Texas (summer) and 40 adults from Columbus, Ohio (winter) wore a thermosensor on their spectacles for one week while keeping wear-time logs. Temperatures during reported spectacle wear (ON) were compared to temperatures during non-wear (OFF) between sites. Two methods to approximate wear time were evaluated by percent error with respect to subject-reported wear time. Method 1 filtered temperatures, classifying the range of 28.4 to 35.2°C as wear. Method 2 utilised examiners interpreting temperature versus time plots. Separate analysis of periods of reported outdoor wear was performed to identify the percentage of time examiners correctly identified wear. RESULTS Group mean ON temperatures did not differ between sites (p = 0.72), but group mean OFF temperatures were significantly warmer in Houston (Houston: 24.7 ± 2.0°C, Columbus: 20.3 ± 2.1°C; p < 0.0001). Median percent error of the filtering technique to approximate subject reported wear time was 4 per cent for Houston and -8 per cent for Columbus. Median percent error for examiner 1: Houston 1 per cent, Columbus 0 per cent; median percent error for examiner 2: Houston 3 per cent, Columbus 0 per cent. Houston outdoor wear was correctly identified 88 and 97 per cent of the time by the examiners versus 79 and 81 per cent for Columbus. CONCLUSION Despite environmental temperature differences, measured temperatures during spectacle wear were similar across subjects and median percent error was less than 10 per cent for both wear time approximation methods. The device studied was effective for objectively monitoring spectacle wear in both warm and cold climates with the caveat that subjects spent the majority of time indoors.
Satellite-detected forest disturbance forecasts American marten population decline: The case for supportive space-based monitoring

Abstract Limited monitoring resources often constrain rigorous monitoring practices to species or populations of conservation concern. Insufficient monitoring can induce a tautology as lack of monitoring resources makes it difficult to determine whether a species or population deserves additional monitoring resources. When in-situ monitoring resources are limited, remote habitat monitoring could be a useful supplementary tool, as linking parameterized species distribution models to spatially explicit time-series of environmental correlates allows iterative prediction of population change. Yet the performance of predictive forecasts or hindcasts has been difficult to evaluate. We paired contemporary field data, historic population estimates, and a remotely-sensed archive of landscape change to evaluate predictions of American marten (Martes americana) population decline owing to habitat loss in Maine, USA. We estimated contemporary spatial patterns in marten density relative to landscape disturbance with spatial capture-recapture models. We compared current density estimates to historical density calculations to evaluate population decline, and compared historical calculations to habitat-based model predictions to evaluate the efficacy of habitat monitoring as a proxy for direct monitoring. Marten density was negatively associated with the proportion of surrounding regenerating forest, and point estimates within focal townships were 50–80% lower than historical calculations. Habitat-based hindcasts of marten density across our entire focal area interest suggested a smaller population decline (roughly 50%) within our focal area. Thus, although habitat-based predictions underpredicted marten decline, they provided correct directional inference. Habitat monitoring and predictions from species distribution models may provide useful inference about population changes given trends in habitat at limited expense when in-situ information is lacking.
Molecular Profiling of Tumor Tissue and Plasma Cell-Free DNA from Patients with Non-Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis

The BRAF V600E mutation and BRAF inhibitor responsiveness characterize ∼50% of patients with the non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis (non-LCH) Erdheim-Chester disease (ECD). We interrogated the non-LCH molecular landscape [ECD, n = 35; Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD), n = 3; mixed ECD/RDD, n = 1] using BRAF V600E PCR and/or next-generation sequencing [tissue and cell-free DNA (cfDNA) of plasma and/or urine]. Of 34 evaluable patients, 17 (50%) had the BRAF V600E mutation. Of 31 patients evaluable for non-BRAF V600E alterations, 18 (58%) had ≥1 alteration and 12 putative non-BRAF V600E MAPK pathway alterations: atypical BRAF mutation; GNAS, MAP2K1, MAP2K2, NF1, and RAS mutations; RAF1 or ERBB2 amplifications; LMNA-NTRK1 (TRK inhibitor-sensitive) and CAPZA2-BRAF fusions. Four patients had JAK2, MPL ASXL1, U2AF1 alterations, which can correlate with myeloid neoplasms, a known ECD predisposition, and one developed myelofibrosis 13 months after cfDNA testing. Therefore, our multimodal comprehensive genomics reveals clinically relevant alterations and suggests that MAPK activation is a hallmark of non-LCH.
Managerial Quality in Centralized versus Decentralized Economic Systems

In this paper, we ask, what are the dynamic consequences of a greater centralization or decentralization of decision-making authority (to appoint managers) on the quality of managers who are actually appointed? The central result we obtain is that there is a greater variability (over time) in the quality of managers in a more centralized system. An intuitive reason underlying this result is that though a highly capable decision maker has large beneficial effects on the managerial choices within a centralized system (because this decision maker wields greater authority in such a system), a highly incapable decision maker placed in the same position has correspondingly large deleterious effects. Our analysis also investigates the consequences of the above differences in managerial quality on the outputs of centralized versus decentralized systems.
Reconstructing probability distributions with Gaussian processes

United States Department of Energy (DOE) [DE-SC0015975, FG-2016-6443]; Cottrell Scholar program of the Research Corporation for Science Advancement
Determining r- and (r,s)-robustness of digraphs using mixed integer linear programming

Abstract There has been an increase in the use of resilient control algorithms based on the graph theoretic properties of r - and ( r , s ) -robustness. These algorithms guarantee consensus of normally behaving agents in the presence of a bounded number of arbitrarily misbehaving agents if the values of the integers r and s are sufficiently large. However, determining an arbitrary graph’s robustness is a highly nontrivial problem. This paper introduces a novel method for determining the r - and ( r , s ) -robustness of digraphs using mixed integer linear programming; to the best of the authors’ knowledge it is the first time that mixed integer programming methods have been applied to the robustness determination problem. The approach only requires knowledge of the graph Laplacian matrix, and can be formulated with binary integer variables. Mixed integer programming algorithms such as branch-and-bound are used to iteratively tighten the lower and upper bounds on r and s . Simulations are presented which compare the performance of this approach to prior robustness determination algorithms.
Freestanding electrically conducting flexible membranes based on novel chitosan/PANI/rGO nanocomposites

Abstract Biopolymer chitosan (CS) based conducting membranes has been prepared with varied compositions of PANI and rGO through facile precipitation and casting method. These CS/rGO/PANI based flexible freestanding membranes were characterised using FT-IR, SEM, Contact angle and Raman spectroscopy. The conductivity was evaluated using a two-probe technique. Upon comparing different compositions, it was observed that the flexible membrane composed of 1% CS/PANI/rGO exhibited maximum conductivity of 2.8 × 10−2 S/cm while retaining the Young’s Modulus at 150 MPa. These materials are expected to have potential applications in flexible electronics.
Integrating environmental information into stock assessment models for fisheries management

Abstract Recent literature has highlighted the need to incorporate the role of dynamic environmental conditions, particularly climate-driven environment changes, in the integrated stock assessment modeling process as a key step toward adaptive fishery management in a changing environment. However, most stock assessment models to date continue to assume status quo environmental conditions and do not explicitly incorporate the impact of environmental stochasticity or trends. There remains a knowledge gap in evaluating the synergistic impacts of climate change on stock status as well as maximizing the efficiency and accuracy of the existing stock assessment program to mitigate the negative effects of climate change. This chapter reviews ongoing efforts to incorporate climate-driven environment changes into the assessment of commercial fish stocks.
Periosteal incarceration versus interposition adipose tissue grafting in physeal fractures: pilot study in immature rabbits

The purpose of this study is to evaluate bar formation following physeal fracture with incarcerated periosteum or adipose tissue graft using radiographic and histological methods in an immature rabbit model. Ten-week-old rabbits underwent induced proximal tibia physeal fractures with a contralateral sham. Fractures had periosteum (n = 5) or adipose tissue (n = 5) interposed. Radiographs were compared over time by tibial medial-lateral side difference (TMLSD)(mm), femoral-tibial angle and tibia plateau angle, and physeal bars evidence. MicroCT was performed, growth plates reconstructed, and physeal area calculated and normalized to same animal contralateral physes. Physeal disruption and chondrocyte organization were evaluated histologically. Radiographic: After 6 weeks, physeal bars formed in both periosteum (4 of 4) and fat groups (3 of 5). The periosteum group showed a significant increase in the TMLSD between immediate post-op and 10 days later (p = 0.028); but, after 6 weeks, TMLSD change was not significantly different between the three groups (p = 0.161). MicroCT: The normalized physeal area of every physis in the fat group was more than 0.9 (0.99 ± 0.06). Only half of the periosteum group was over 0.9 (0.81 ± 0.24). Histology: Physeal disruption was seen by microscopic evaluation in none of the sham group, all 4 in the periosteum group and 4 of 5 in the fat group. Fat interposition may prevent, or at least delay, the onset of bars across a fractured physis compared to periosteum, but it is not completely protective.
Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Sports Medicine: A Concise Resource for Clinicians and Researchers

Background Despite the importance of assessing patient outcomes during patient care, current evidence suggests relatively limited use of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) by athletic traine...
Refractory tinea caused by Aspergillus niger.

A 4-year-old boy presented to the clinic with a persistent rash despite ongoing management for fungal dermatitis. His foster mother for the past year described the presence of a large, raised and scaly scalp lesion when he first came under her custody. Though he had previously been neglected, there
Ephemeral Entertainment: Montagnes Russes and Movement in Paris

In the immediate aftermath of the Napoleonic wars, Paris-bound travelers were eager for a unique experience, dutifully visiting sites recommended from established Grand Tour routes but searching for that exploit which would reward their adventurous desire for the next novelty. The trend of montagnes russes (roller coasters) in Parisian gardens exemplifies the beginnings of consumerist experiences of travel-as-motion and travel-as-feeling. Montagnes russes encapsulated the physical and emotional embodiment of the exotic imaginary with the controlled manifestation of sublimity associated with northern landscapes and slippery slopes. Rides bring the whole body of the traveler into play, transforming travel sensations into a new type of attraction. The phenomenon of the montagnes russes thus prefigures and reconfigures nineteenth-century gender roles in travel, revealing new possibilities in the configuration of authorial identity, society, border transgressions, and thrills, even as travelers become consumers.
In Situ Identification of Non-Specific Adsorption of Alkali Metal Cations on Pt Surfaces and Their Catalytic Roles in Alkaline Solutions

Alkali metal cations (AM+) have profound influences on catalytic activities of platinum (Pt) in aqueous solutions, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear mainly because of limited knowledge o...
Can supplementary pollen feeding reduce varroa mite and virus levels and improve honey bee colony survival

Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic mite of immature and adult honey bees that can transmit several single-stranded RNA viruses to its host. Varroa reproduce in brood cells, and mite populations increase as colonies produce brood in spring and summer. Mite numbers also can sharply rise, particularly in the fall, by the migration of varroa into hives on foragers. Colonies with high levels of varroa and viruses often die over the winter. Feeding colonies pollen might keep virus levels low and improve survival because of the positive effects of pollen on immunity and colony growth. We compared varroa and virus levels and overwinter survival in colonies with (fed) and without (unfed) supplemental pollen. We also measured the frequency of capturing foragers with mites (FWM) at colony entrances to determine its relationship to varroa and virus levels. Colonies fed supplemental pollen were larger than unfed colonies and survived longer. Varroa populations and levels of Deformed wing virus (DWV) rose throughout the season, and were similar between fed and unfed colonies. The growth of varroa populations was correlated with FWM in fed and unfed colonies, and significantly affected DWV levels. Increasing frequencies of FWM and the effects on varroa populations might reduce the positive influence of supplemental pollen on immune function. However, pollen feeding can stimulate colony growth and this can improve colony survival.
Patterns of heavy drinking behaviour over age and birth cohorts among Chinese men: a Markov model.

Objectives To estimate the age patterns and cohort trends in heavy drinking among Chinese men from 1993 to 2011 and to project the future burden of heavy drinking through 2027. Design We constructed a Markov cohort model that simulates age-specific heavy drinking behaviours for a series of cohorts of Chinese men born between 1922 and 1993 and fitted the model to longitudinal data on drinking patterns (1993–2015). We projected male prevalence of heavy drinking from 2015 through 2027 with and without modification of heavy drinking behaviours. Participants A cohort of Chinese men who were born between 1922 and 1993. Main outcome measures Outcomes included age-specific and birth cohort-specific rates of initiating, quitting and reinitiating heavy drinking from 1993 through 2011, projected prevalence of heavy drinking from 2015 to 2027, and total reduction in prevalence and total averted deaths with hypothetical elimination of heavy drinking behaviours. Results Across multiple birth cohorts, middle-aged Chinese men have consistently higher risks of starting and resuming heavy drinking and lower probabilities of quitting their current heavy drinking than men in other age groups. From 1993 to 2011, the risk of starting or resuming heavy drinking continued to decrease over generations. Our model projected that the prevalence of heavy drinking among Chinese men will decrease by 33% (95% CI 11.5% to 54.6%) between 2015 and the end of 2027. Complete elimination of or acceptance of a change in heavy drinking behaviours among Chinese men could accelerate this decrease by 12 percentage points (95% CI 7.8 to 18.2) and avert 377 000 deaths (95% CI 228 000 to 577 000) in total from 2015 to 2027. Conclusion Heavy drinking prevalence will continue to decrease through 2027 if current age-specific and birth cohort-specific patterns of starting, quitting and resuming heavy drinking continue. Effective mitigation policy should consider age-specific patterns in heavy drinking behaviours to further reduce the burden of heavy drinking.
Post-Translational Modification Networks of Contractile and Cellular Stress Response Proteins in Bladder Ischemia.

Molecular mechanisms underlying bladder dysfunction in ischemia, particularly at the protein and protein modification levels and downstream pathways, remain largely unknown. Here we describe a comparison of protein sequence variations in the ischemic and normal bladder tissues by measuring the mass differences of the coding amino acids and actual residues crossing the proteome. A large number of nonzero delta masses (11,056) were detected, spanning over 1295 protein residues. Clustering analysis identified 12 delta mass clusters that were significantly dysregulated, involving 30 upregulated (R2 > 0.5, ratio > 2, p 0.5, ratio < −2, p < 0.05) proteins in bladder ischemia. These protein residues had different mass weights from those of the standard coding amino acids, suggesting the formation of non-coded amino acid (ncAA) residues in bladder ischemia. Pathway, gene ontology, and protein–protein interaction network analyses of these ischemia-associated delta-mass containing proteins indicated that ischemia provoked several amino acid variations, potentially post-translational modifications, in the contractile proteins and stress response molecules in the bladder. Accumulation of ncAAs may be a novel biomarker of smooth muscle dysfunction, with diagnostic potential for bladder dysfunction. Our data suggest that systematic assessment of global protein modifications may be crucial to the characterization of ischemic conditions in general and the pathomechanism of bladder dysfunction in ischemia.
2. General Safety and Service Precautions

Packed with information on the servicing and retrofitting of air-conditioning refrigerant systems so that shops and technicians can meet federal regulations, satisfy customers, and prevent damage to the environment. The second edition of the Automotive Air-Conditioning Refrigerant Service Guide was written to provide the latest information to automotive air-conditioning service professionals in order to help them comply with federal certification requirements and prevent damage to the environment. With an emphasis on proper recovery and recycling techniques for both R-12 and R-134a, as well as the proper retrofitting of R-12 systems to R-134a, the book will serve as a valuable instructional tool and resource for technicians. Chapters cover: General Safety and Service Precautions; Refrigerant and System Properties; Equipment for the Extraction-only of Refrigerant and Equipment for the Recycling of Refrigerant; Service Procedure for the Containment of Automotive Air-Conditioning Refrigerants; Retrofitting CFC-12 (R-12) Mobile Air-Conditioning Systems to HFC-134a (R-134a).
Where two Worlds touch: a spiritual journey through Alzheimer’s disease

Alzheimer’s Disease hits close to home for me, personally. The mysterious disease that we only know fragments about has taken family members away from us on both sides of my family. There is so muc...
Jewish? You Must Be Joking! the Jewish Take on Humor

Humor is the lingua franca of the Jewish people. Even outside the world of the professional comic, we find ordinary folk answering a question with a question, employing a sarcastic retort, offering self-deprecating witticisms. For Jews, this special brand of humor has become a defining characteristic, marking their uniqueness among the peoples of the world. This paper explores this oeuvre, first looking at Jewishness itself; then theories of why we laugh, from the field of humor studies; and finally the humor of the Jewish people. Jewish humor is not new; it dates back to the Talmud, the Midrash, even the Hebrew Bible. Humor, after all, is not only medicine for the body; it is good for the soul as well. In examining what a people laugh at, we come close to learning what they value. The material in this paper is excerpted from a book manuscript in preparation about the ancient origins of Jewish humor.
Corrosion-related characteristics of plasma ion implanted samples exposed in a steady-state Penning discharge

A preliminary report on the corrosion-related characteristics of 304L stainless steel samples that have been implanted, using plasma ion implantation techniques in a steady-state Penning discharge, with nitrogen ions having energies above 20 keV is presented. Plasma ion implantation offers many potential advantages over the widely used ion beam implantation, including short exposure times (on the order of minutes), isotropic incidence of the ions, and the ability to implant complex surfaces, such as screw threads, gear teeth, and turbine blades, uniformly. A principle objective of this research effort was to develop a fast, high-voltage switch capable of applying up to 50 kV to the sample for periods of approximately 10 mu s, and then rapidly turning off the voltage for a duty cycle of two or three times the period of voltage application. These short duty cycles allow the required fluence of ions (ions/cm/sup 2/) to build up in a few minutes, compared with exposure times of the order of an hour associated with long duty cycle switches based on spark gap technology. Another objective related to the technology of plasma ion implantation was development of electrical instrumentation for the current and voltage applied to the sample, so that the ion fluence and characteristic ion energies could be measured during the entire sample exposure time. >
Acoustic Velocity Measurements on Fluid Metals from Two-Fold Compressions to Two-Fold Expansions

Fluid metals around normal density can be thought of as low temperature non-ideal plasmas. They are plasmas in that the Coulomb interactions among the constituent particles are important in determining thermodynamic and transport properties. They are low temperature in that even up to 1 eV the temperature is less than or comparable to the average interionic electrostatic energy. The resulting high Γ′s (Γ = Z2e2/ kT) cause the pair distribution function to look more like that of a normal liquid than that of an ideal gas. For the present studies Γ ~ 10-100 Z2, where Z is the effective charge of the ions. The real metallic systems have several important differences from idealizations such as the one component plasma model. For example, since the mean distance between electrons, rs, varies between 2 and 3 in atomic units with temperatures between 0.1 and 1 eV, the electron gas is degenerate, but polarizable. Therefore, unless the electron screening is well known, the effective Coulomb interaction between ions cannot be specified. Furthermore, according to the model of Ashcroft and Lekner,1 the packing fraction along the liquidus remains roughly constant at 0.46. As a result the excluded volume of the ions probably cannot be ignored anywhere over the density range from two-fold compressed to four-fold expanded. These complexities make realistic modeling of dense fluid metals very difficult in practice.
Systemic sclerosis associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension is most severe in African American patients

Background: African Americans (AA) with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) have a lower age at disease onset, a higher frequency of diffuse (vs. limited) skin involvement, and an overall worse prognosis compared to other ethnic groups. Objective: To estimate the differences in hemodynamics, clinical presentation and survival between AA and Caucasians with SSc associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SSc-PAH). Methods: We conducted a study of 75 consecutive SSc patients diagnosed with PAH by heart catheterization (mPAP≥25mmHg and PCWP≤ 15mmHg) at a single center. Kaplan Meier estimates were calculated and mortality risk factors were analyzed. Results: The cohort included 9 AA and 66 Caucasians. Forty one (54.7%) patients were in WHO functional class III or IV. There was no difference in age between the 2 groups (59±13 vs. 61±11 years P=0.7), or disease duration (11±11 vs. 12.7±13 years, P=0.7). AA patients had a higher prevalence of systemic hypertension (66.7% vs. 30.3%; P=0.03), higher mPAP (51±12 vs. 41.8±11 mmHg; P=0.02) and PVR (14.8±9.5 vs. 8.04±4.6 Wood units; P=0.01), and lower SVI (24±10.5 vs. 32±10 mL/m 2 , P=0.054), but similar PCWP (11.6±2.6 vs. 10.18±3.4 mmHg, P=0.25). Renal dysfunction (defined as eGFR Conclusions: SSc-PAH is significantly more severe in AA compared to Caucasians and is characterized by right ventricular dysfunction.
Race Differences in Erythropoietin, 25-hydroxyvitamin D, and Hemoglobin Before and After Weight Loss in Women

Low hemoglobin (Hb) is a predictor of cardiovascular disease, thus, variables known to influence Hb are of clinical relevance. We examined the interrelationships of testosterone, erythropoietin (EP...
Robust rotations between anatomical curves

We give a method for estimating the optimal rotation between anatomical curves corrupted by segmentation noise. We formulate the energy function probabilistically and use an annealing algorithm with explicit outlier rejection to stabilize our solution. We also provide methods for a nearly symmetric estimation of the rigid transformation between three-dimensional curve pairs. We evaluate the performance of the algorithm numerically with respect to the energy function and computation time.