cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Earthquakes and the Moon: Syzygy Predictions Fail the Test

For more than 100 years, scientists have been searching for a temporal relation between earthquakes and the Earth's tides (Schuster, 1897; Emter, 1997). Such a relation is plausible because the tides wax and wane with predominantly diurnal (12-hour) and fortnightly (14-day) periods. This plausibility is strengthened by the fact that the stressing rates in the Earth's crust resulting from the tides are far greater than from other known loads, such as tectonic plate motions (Vidale et al. , 1998). Studies from the last 10 years have focused on diurnal tides. The highest-resolution studies find at best a few percent variation in the rate of earthquake occurrence due to diurnal tide stressing (Tsuruoka et al. , 1995; Vidale et al. , 1998; Ohtake et al. , 2001), except at the places with the largest tides (Cochran et al. , 2004). Some studies suggest the tidal triggering of earthquakes varies with tectonic region; the highest correlations have been found in ocean ridge environments (Tolstoy and Vernon, 2002). The lack of a strong correlation of earthquakes with the diurnal tides suggests a delay may occur between achievement of high tidal stresses and the triggering of an earthquake. If the delay is of the order of a few days, than we should be able to capture the correlation within a window spanning several days about the times of highest tidal stress. This method has been pioneered by James Berkland (http://www.syzygyjob.com/) and termed “syzygy.” Syzygy refers to the new and full moon, and primarily depends on the Sun-Earth-Moon angle (Figure 1). The syzygy hypothesis was tested by analyzing more than 2,000 earthquakes in the San Francisco Bay area (McNutt and Heaton, 1981). This showed that predictions based on the Sun-Earth-Moon angle are not sufficiently powerful to make societally useful earthquake risk …
Stable over-expression of estrogen receptor-α in ECV304 cells inhibits proliferation and levels of secreted endothelin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor

Abstract Studies with mammalian vascular cells have suggested growth inhibitory effects of estrogen on the vascular wall. To investigate the involvement of estrogen receptor-α (ER) in the control of endothelial cell proliferation, we have stably transfected human estrogen receptor-α cDNA into the endothelial cell line ECV304. The clone ECV-ER, thus obtained, over-expresses estrogen receptor to a level ∼10-fold higher than the parent cell line. Effects of this over-expression were studied on the cell growth rate, and on the levels of secreted endothelin-1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Similar to the previously reported data in other cell types, we found the transfection of ER in ECV304 cells to be inhibitory to their growth. Our ER-over-expressing clone of ECV304 also showed an inhibition of secreted endothelin-1 and VEGF levels. Moreover, the growth inhibition of this ER-over-expressing clone was reversed by the addition of endothelin-1 or VEGF to the medium. In view of the growth-stimulatory effect of endothelin-1 and VEGF on vascular cells, our results indicate that estrogen receptor-α may bring about its growth inhibition partly by suppressing endothelin-1 and/or VEGF production in ECV304 cells.
Flavor Evaluation and Volatile Flavor Constituents of Stored Aseptically Packaged Orange Juice

Samples of commercial orange juice packaged aseptically and stored at 21°C and 26°C were evaluated weekly by a sensory panel using hedonic ratings. Flavor scores were significantly lower than control juice and unacceptable after 1 wk at 26°C and 2 wk at 21°C. The flavor score decreased to 50–60% of the starting value during 6 wk storage. The volatile components, α-terpineol and ethyl acetate, increased during storage. A component not identified earlier as a volatile citrus component was identified as 2-(2-butoxyethoxy)ethanol. This and the observed increase in ethyl acetate during storage might have come from the laminated multilayered package liner. Limonene in juice decreased about 40% during storage. Other major volatile components did not change markedly.
New Compounds: Oxazolidines and Derived Amino Alcohols

Oxazolidines II and V were prepared from 1-methyl-4-piperidone (I) and from 2-naphthalenecarboxaldehyde or p-chloro-benzaldehyde (IV) and appropriate secondary 2-aminoethanols. Platinum-catalyzed hydrogenation of II and II V gave amino alcohols III and VI, respectively. These oxazolidines and the corresponding amino alcohols showed no carcinolytic activity in experimental tests. Compound IIIa had marginal antimalarial activity in the mouse, P. berghei screen.
Studies of the Chick Edema Disease 3. Similarity of Symptoms Produced by Feeding Chlorinated Biphenyl

Abstract INTRODUCTION IN EARLY attempts to chemically identify the chick edema disease factor, a number of investigators (Brew et al., 1959; Wootton and Alexander, 1959; Friedman et al., 1959; Harman et al., 1960; and Yartzoff et al., 1961) reported that the factor was heavily chlorinated. More recent reports (Friedman, 1962; Wootton et al., 1962; Firestone et al., 1963; and Wootton and Courchene, 1964) have confirmed and extended the early studies and have shown that the factor is quite toxic for the chick. In the latter report, Wootton and Courchene (1964) “estimated that 5μg. of one of the toxic factors is enough to kill one chick.” McCune et al. (1962) reported that a chlorinated hydrocarbon used as a plasticizer for an epoxy-resin cage coating material elicited symptoms similar to those found when chicks were fed the chick edema factor or fats containing the factor. Using Vantress-White Rock chicks, these workers reported that…
The Shoulder. 3rd ed.

Charles A. Rockwood Jr., Frederick A. Matsen III, Michael A. Wirth, and Steven B. Lippitt, editors. Philadelphia: Saunders; 2004. 1417 pages. $275.00. The formation of this large, two-volume text was coordinated by four knowledgeable and insightful editors who, in a very well-organized manner, have displayed the work of more than sixty contributors. The editors' intention was for the book to be an all-inclusive text, and they have largely succeeded. In addition to supplying a tremendous amount of information, the book contains extensive scientific referencing, which makes it a useful resource for further in-depth study of any topic of interest with regard to the shoulder. The production quality is excellent, with extensive use of line drawings to accurately display structural details and concepts. The initial three chapters on anatomy and related topics are almost a subtext in and of themselves. They are so well done and so informative that they alone are worth the purchase of the book or the retrieval of the book from a library for specific study of these chapters. A related chapter on biomechanics complements these chapters nicely. A concentrated review of these chapters will make one a better shoulder surgeon—guaranteed. In the book The Shoulder and Neck, published in 1972, James Ennis Bateman endeavored to organize the current-day thinking about patterns of clinical presentation of patients with shoulder difficulties. The result proved to be a useful way for clinicians to shape their thoughts about their patients. …
A “Sharp” Approach to Alcoholic Treatment

This paper describes a hospital based, total abstinence, self-help alcohol recovery program (SHARP) which has an active social support system in the community called CORK. This self-help program engages chronic alcoholics in assuming major roles in governing the program and in helping one another. In SHARP’s approach, new and meaningful social roles are created for patients so they can actively participate in their own recovery. Patients are helped to develop skills in assertiveness, organization and negotiation. SHARP also includes a work-for-pay program (Payday) which re-establishes dignity, promotes camaraderie, and provides a financial grubstake. SHARP provides a setting for mutual planning to re-enter the community with an improved self-image and health. Because we believe follow-up support is essential to maintain sobriety, SHARP created a community program, CORK. CORK sustains the values and skills of SHARP which are a common bond, sobriety, and mutual assistance. Since its inception in October 1975, CORK has grown from 8 to 162 members discharged 6 months or more, plus their families and friends. Of these members, 104 are totally abstinent and 38 are drinking, but still occupied and in charge of their lives. The evidence of SHARP’s success is shown by results of the 1976-1977 follow-up study which surveyed former patients’ levels of drinking activity and life functioning. Results show 37% totally abstinent, 20% drinking controlled and infrequently, and 14% drinking but still in charge of their lives.
Bacteroides liver abscess.

Five cases of Bucteroides frogilis liver abscess are presented. Although the clinical presentation of Bacteroides liver abscess is similar to that of other pyogenic liver abscesses, the tissue involvement may be different. In both diagnosis and localization of liver abscesses, hepatic photoscanning has been a helpful adiunct. Bacteroides should be suspected at operation because of the foul odor of abscess material and the ill-defined wail of the abscess. Gram stains and anaerobic culture techniques should be used to make the diagnosis. Adequate treatment includes localization of tissue necrosis, surgical debridement of involved liver parenchyma with adequate drainage, and a prolonged course of proper antibiotic therapy.
Responses of Arterial Vessel Strips from Skin and Muscle to Serotonin

SummaryExperiments were completed in isolated strips of moderately large arteries from skin and skeletal muscle. The strips were situated in a reservoir through which blood from a dog was continually circulated by means of an extracorporeal system; tension was recorded by means of Statham force transducers and a Grass recorder. The response of the artery strips from both skin and muscle was always an increase in tension during serotonin infusion, even when the same strips relaxed during acetylcholine or histamine administration. Since in situ skin vessels always constrict during serotonin administration, while in situ medium to large skeletal muscle arteries may exhibit little response to serotonin, this agent may cause some indirect action in the muscle vascular bed.
Avoiding “Synthon Crossover” in Crystal Engineering with Halogen Bonds and Hydrogen Bonds

A combination of halogen bonds and hydrogen bonds has been used for effective assembly of three co-crystals containing desired one-dimensional architectures where the interactions within each assembly can be modulated using tunable electrostatics. The central tecton in these structures, 2-aminopyrazine, can interact with suitable hydrogen-bond donors and halogen-bond donors simultaneously without any “synthon crossover”. When different 2-aminopyrazine-based molecules are co-crystallized with 1,4-diiodo-tetrafluorobenzene (DITFB), a N···I halogen bond is driving the co-crystal synthesis in each case, whereas the N–H···N/N···H–N homosynthon is responsible for creating infinite chains of alternating pyrazine and DITFB molecules in the three crystal structures. The importance of electrostatic and geometric complementarity for refining strategies for supramolecular synthesis is emphasized.
The Reproductive System of the Warble Fly Hypoderma Bovis Degeer

The studies upon which this article is based were undertaken at the Ohio Experiment Station several years ago. The determination of the flies from which the drawings were made was verified by J. M. Aldrich as Hypoderma bovis De Geer. This year the illustrations were checked with specimens of H. bovis de Geer furnished by E. W. Laake.
Wide Field, Minimally Invasive OCT: Recent Advances and Clinical Implications

Recent advances in minimally-invasive probes and illumination and detection strategies for optical coherence tomography have enabled dramatically faster imaging speeds and open the possibility of high-resolution diagnostic imaging of entire organ epithelial and endothelial surfaces.
Association between self-reports of being high and perceptions about the safety of drugged and drunk driving

This study examines the relationship between self-reports of being high on marijuana and perceptions about driving high or drunk. Data were collected in 2014 from an online convenience sample of adult, past 30-day marijuana and hashish users in Colorado and Washington (n = 865). Respondents were asked, "Were you high or feeling the effects of marijuana or hashish when you took this survey?" Logistic regression was used to assess the relationship between being high and beliefs about driving high, controlling for demographics and marijuana use. Respondents who reported being high at the time of survey administration had higher odds of agreeing with the statements, "I can safely drive under the influence of marijuana" (OR = 3.13, P < 0.001) and "I can safely drive under the influence of alcohol" (OR = 3.71, P < 0.001) compared with respondents who did not report being high. Respondents who were high also had higher odds of being open to driving high under certain circumstances. Being high may influence perceptions about the safety of drugged and drunk driving. The effectiveness of public health messages to prevent drugged and drunk driving may depend in part on how persuasive they are among individuals who are high.
Patterns of Invasion of Cervical Adenocarcinoma as Predicators of Outcome

In this review, a recently published pattern-based risk stratification system of endocervical adenocarcinoma (EAC) is presented. This novel system evaluates the morphologic features of the tumor and establishes patterns that are associated with a particular tumor behavior. Patients with pattern A EAC do not develop lymph node metastasis, and therefore avoiding lymph node resection in these patients should be considered. These patients also have stage I tumors and conservative surgery would be beneficial to decrease morbidity. Patients with pattern B tumors rarely show metastases to lymph nodes, only if there is lymphovascular invasion, whereas those with pattern C tumors would require aggressive treatment as most lymph node or distant metastases and recurrences were noted in patients with this tumor pattern. Combining this new risk stratification system with an algorithm that surgeons and oncologists could complement to other actionable data would result in a more conservative treatment plan in patients with a new diagnosis of invasive usual-type EAC, as opposed to the current more radical treatment plan. This risk stratification model significantly improves on conventionally used factors such as histologic type, grade, and stage to help manage patients with EAC and identify those in need for aggressive surgical management versus a more conservative approach.
One Man is an Island: the speech community William Marsters begat on Palmerston Island

One Man is an Island is the fifth instalment in the Islanders series from Battlebridge Publications. Hendery's short, four-chapter expose of the history, place, culture and language of Palmerston (...
Dynamics of 38 cm-1 Phonons in Alexandrite

The dynamics of 29 cm-1 phonons resonantly trapped by excited Cr3+ ions in ruby exhibits a dependence on N*, the excited Cr3 ion density, which is quite complicated. The phonons exhibit pure spatial diffusion at low N*/1/, spectral diffusive behavior at intermediate N*/2,3/, and at large N*, spectral wipeout, whereby the phonons are spectrally shifted far into the wings of the resonance by either resonant phonon assisted energy transfer /4/ and/or inelastic Raman scattering from exchange coupled Cr3+ pairs /5/. Inelastic scattering from Cr2+ centers has also been suggested as a mechanism for the phonon loss /6/.
Immunochemical and Biochemical Studies of Human Glomerular Cells in Culture

Glomerular culture makes it possible to determine the contributions of the different cells of the glomerulus to normal and abnormal in situ glomerular structure and function. The confident identification of glomerular cells in vitro with the differentiated cells of the glomerulus requires more certain cell markers than are currently available.
Critical Analysis of the First Concepts of Social Economy (1857), by Luigi Taparelli. Trans. And Ed. By Thomas Behr

Translation of Luigi Taparelli's 2nd of three articles on the development of a new approach to the social science of economics based on a Thomistic and Aristotelean anthropology and psychology.
Abstract Trends in Application of Advanced Composites to Commercial Aircraft

Recent progress made by NASA in applications of advanced composites to aircraft structures is reviewed. Particular emphasis is given to flight service evaluation programs that are or will be accumulating experience with secondary and primary structural components on aircraft. The NASA flight service programs are conducted to obtain practical experience in design, manufacturing and operational considerations for a variety of aircraft components. The primary focus for the programs have been commercial transports. To establish confidence in advanced composites to a point where both transport builders and transport users are willing to make long-term production commitments using composites, NASA has initiated a series of programs to introduce advanced composites into airline fleet service. In implementing this program, initial applications were selective reinforcement of metal components on military aircraft. Small secondary structural components for commercial transports were added to the program; larger secondary components are being fabricated; and large primary structural components are in the design or planning stage. Results will be presented from flight service programs with composite-reinforced metal structures in the CH-54B helicopter tail cone and the C-130 transport aircraft wing boxes. Experience with advanced composite components on the L-1011, B-737 and DC-10 commercial transports will be also reported. A description of future NASA programs that are aimed at composite primary structures in commercial transport aircraft and at development of high-temperature composites technology that may be applicable to future supersonic aircraft will also be reviewed.
Is vaginal mesh a stimulus of autoimmune disease

Background Polypropylene mesh has been used as a means of reinforcing weak tissues in women with pelvic organ prolapse and stress urinary incontinence. Objective We sought to investigate a potential link between the development of systemic/autoimmune disorders and synthetic polypropylene mesh repairs. Study design New York State Department of Health Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System data were utilized to conduct this retrospective cohort study. Adult women undergoing surgery for pelvic organ prolapse with vaginally implanted mesh from January 2008 through December 2009 in inpatient and ambulatory surgery settings in New York State were identified. Two separate control cohorts were created to compare outcomes, including a screening colonoscopy cohort and a vaginal hysterectomy cohort for benign gynecologic conditions (without pelvic organ prolapse repair or sling). Patients in the mesh cohort were individually matched to the control cohorts based on demographics, comorbidities, and procedure date. The development of systemic/autoimmune disease was determined before and after matching for 1-year, 2-year, 3-year, and entire follow-up (up to 6 years until December 2014) and differences between groups were evaluated. Results A total of 2102 patients underwent mesh-based pelvic organ prolapse surgery from January 2008 through December 2009. In the control cohorts, 37,298 patients underwent colonoscopy and 7338 underwent vaginal hysterectomy. When patients were matched based on demographics, comorbidities, and procedure time, mesh-based surgery was not associated with an increased risk of developing autoimmune disease at any of the evaluated time periods. Conclusion Mesh-based vaginal surgery was not associated with the development of systemic/autoimmune diseases. These data refute claims against mesh as a cause of systemic disease.
Swallowing dysfunction in elderly trauma patients

Abstract Purpose Newly diagnosed swallowing dysfunction is rare, with an incidence Methods Patients ≥ 75 years who had newly diagnosed swallowing dysfunction were identified by retrospective review of our institutional trauma database from 2009–2012. A comparison group without dysphagia was also identified that was matched by age, gender, injury mechanism, and injury severity score (ISS). Relevant demographics, injury characteristics, and potential factors associated with dysphagia were collected. Results 1323 patients met criteria. Of these, 56(4.2%) had newly identified dysphagia. Cases and controls were similar in regards to regional injury pattern (AIS). Patients with dysphagia had a mean Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) of 3.7 vs. 1.9 for patients without dysphagia (p Conclusions Elderly trauma patients with a high comorbidity burden or with prolonged ICU lengths of stay should be screened for dysphagia.
A Change in Perspective: From Dual Diagnosis to Multimorbidity

Objective:There has been increasing interest within psychiatry in the concept of multimorbidity because psychiatric patients typically present with multiple concurrent disorders, these disorders mutually exacerbate one another, and their interaction shapes treatment options. Metrics have not been developed to document multimorbidity in psychiatric clinical practice.Methods:Four classes of indicators relevant to multimorbidity were defined and evaluated among veterans treated in mental health specialty clinics nationally in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) in fiscal year 2012.Results:Of the 843,583 veterans with at least three visits to a specialty mental health clinic, 94.6% had more than one general medical or mental disorder and 77.6% had more than one mental disorder, compared with 30.6% with co-occurring psychiatric and substance use disorders.Conclusions:Real-world psychiatric care is more accurately approached from the multimorbidity perspective than from the perspective of principal, dual, ...
An enhanced operational definition of dielectric breakdown for DC voltage step-up tests

The imprecise definition of breakdown in the ASTM D3755-14 standard can misidentify breakdown. If the recommended test circuit current sensing element threshold is set too high, breakdown may occur undetected. Conversely, false positives may result from designating a low current threshold. An operational definition of breakdown much less sensitive to these pitfalls is outlined herein. This enhanced definition of breakdown is based on the average rate of change of the leakage current with increasing voltage, rather than a simple current threshold, avoiding ambiguous association with anomalies in current traces. For tests that continuously monitor leakage current, breakdown can be detected by a transition from negligible current to an ohmic slope defined by the circuit's current limiting resistors. In practice, a fixed current threshold is inadequate to define dielectric breakdown. Field-enhanced conductivity, partial discharge, surface flashovers, incomplete breakdowns, and other phenomena may further obscure the characteristic dielectric breakdown signature. Pre-breakdown anomalies in current traces can also now be clearly identified and studied, in addition to the breakdown itself.
A pragmatic regional interdependence approach to primary frozen shoulder: a retrospective case series.

AbstractObjectives:Although the shoulder is known to move together with the scapula and other upper quarter joints, the current frozen shoulder clinical practice guidelines describe only physical therapy study treatments directed to the shoulder. None received a strong recommendation, highlighting the need for alternate interventions. This retrospective case series describes a pragmatic regional interdependence approach to frozen shoulder with impairment and functional outcomes, noting whether final ROM approached normal.Methods:Five consecutive patients referred with frozen shoulder diagnoses attended 11–21 sessions over 5–10 weeks with one physical therapist. Treatment addressed inter-related regions (shoulder, shoulder girdle, scapulothoracic/humerothoracic, and spine) following a pragmatic approach using impairment-based interventions (joint/soft tissue mobilization, muscle stretching/strengthening) as well as patient education, modalities and warm up that addressed individual presentations.Results:Al...
“You Were a Witness Against Yourself”: McCarthy’s Judge as Chamberlain’s Interlocutor in Blood Meridian

ABSTRACTIn his 1985 novel Blood Meridian, Cormac McCarthy takes his challenges to the divine order directly to one of its self-proclaimed adherents: Samuel Chamberlain. Throughout the novel, the reader can observe a discourse between McCarthy’s nineteenth century historical source texts, principally Samuel Chamberlain’s My Confession (1956), and McCarthy's own twentieth-century sensibilities. The dialog McCarthy creates between his text and Chamberlain’s results in Blood Meridian’s rebuttal to the nineteenth century Christianity of My Confession in favor of a scientific, naturalist view of the world as represented by the judge. Furthermore, as a part of that discourse, McCarthy not only countervails Chamberlain’s Christian worldview but the very notion of his public “confession” as a witness of the Glanton Gang's atrocities; McCarthy achieves this through the figure of the kid who is a witness only unto himself and cannot confess in the same way that Chamberlain does.
6.04 – Anxiety

Anxiety is an integral part of life. Most individuals have experienced mild anxiety when preparing for a big event e. g., giving a lecture or taking an exam. In these situations, anxiety is beneficial, leading to heightened alertness and preparation for action. However, when mild anxiety escalates into excessive worrying accompanied by fear, nervousness, and apprehension, in the absence of an appropriate context it becomes a psychiatric disorder that warrants therapeutic intervention. The National Comorbidity Survey estimated the overall lifetime prevalence of anxiety disorders as 25%.1 The purpose of this chapter is to review and discuss the major forms of anxiety, including generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (social phobia), obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). There are several options for the drug treatment of anxiety, although each treatment class has its limitations. For example, the benzodiazepines exhibit good efficacy and rapid onset of action in several types of anxiety disorder, but this efficacy is accompanied by sedation, tolerance, and a potential for physical dependence. Although the selective serotonin uptake inhibitors (SSRIs) as a class have shown efficacy and reduced side effect profiles versus the benzodiazepines, they have a delayed onset of action that can lead to noncompliance or dissatisfaction with the medication. A number of newer therapeutic approaches that hold promise for the development of drugs that maintain efficacy and onset of action with a reduced side effect liability are also discussed.
Continuous measurement of intraocular pressure in rabbits by telemetry.

Purpose. Intraocular pressure (IOP) is dynamic and can be influenced by the use of tonometers. The authors developed a technique to implant a telemetric pressure transducer to measure IOP continuously in unrestrained rabbits. Methods. A commercial telemetric pressure transducer was implanted subcutaneously on the dorsal neck, between the scapulae, of pigmented rabbits. A fluid-filled catheter that conducts pressure to the transducer was routed to the orbit subcutaneously and implanted in the anterior chamber through a limbal opening. The transducer measured pressure and broadcast this information by amplitude modulation radio to a receiver in the animal's cage. Data were recorded at a rate of 50 or 100 samples per second for 60 seconds to study transient changes in IOP to tonometry, or for 15 seconds every 2.5 minutes to study circadian behavior of IOP. Results. Intraocular pressure was recorded from seven rabbits for 180 to 370 days. Within 3 to 8 days of implant surgery, IOP began to follow a circadian rhythm : IOP decreased after room lights were turned on at 00 :00 CT and increased after they were turned off at 12 :00 CT. (The term CT refers to circadian time and begins at 00 :00 CT when lights are turned on.) The maximum difference in IOP between light and dark phases ranged from 6.4 mm Hg to 16.6 mm Hg. When the lighting cycle was advanced by 6 hours, the time of nocturnal rise in IOP also advanced, but it did so gradually over 10 to 14 days. Conclusions. The implanted pressure transducer provides a convenient, preinvasive method to measure and study IOP in unrestrained experimental animals. This technique will be used to study circadian variations in IOP, the effects of environmental stimuli, and the oculohypotensive effects of therapeutic agents.
The design and performance of a scable ORB architecture for COBRA asynchronous messaging

Historically, method-oriented middleware, such as Sun RPC, DCE, Java RMI, COM, and CORBA, has provided synchronous method invocation (SMI) models to applications. Although SMI works well for conventional client/server applications, it is not well-suited for high-performance or real-time applications due to its lack of scalability. To address this problem, the OMG has recently standardized an asynchronous method invocation (AMI) model for CORBA. AMI provides CORBA with many of the capabilities associated traditionally with message-oriented middleware, without incurring the key drawbacks of message-oriented middleware.This paper provides two contributions to research on asynchronous invocation models for method-oriented middleware. First, we outline the key design challenges faced when developing the CORBA AMI model and describe how we resolved these challenges in TAO, which is our high-performance, real-time CORBA-compliant ORB. Second, we present the results of empirical benchmarks that demonstrate the performance benefits of AMI compared with alternative CORBA invocation models. In general, AMI based CORBA clients are more scalable than equivalent SMI based designs, with only a moderate increase in programming complexity.
Fertility Transition: Cultural Explanations

Demographers have used two approaches to culture in their attempts to understand fertility transitions, both borrowed from anthropology and, to a lesser extent, sociology. The first sees culture as a set of largely inflexible shared beliefs that constrain action, and thus as a barrier to fertility transitions. The second sees culture as shared interpretations that are subject to negotiation by actors; whether these hinder or facilitate fertility transitions is contingent. Demographers have made considerably more use of the former than the latter, although the more flexible and contingent view of culture is evident in some recent work. This article describes these two approaches to culture, giving examples of their uses in the demographic literature and their links to anthropology and sociology.
The biochemical genetics of glycolysis in microbes.

Mutants for most reactions of glycolysis have been described both in Escherichia coli and in Sacchavomyces cevevisiae The pathway between glucose and pyruvate has three irreversible and seven reversible reactions (Figure 1), and most of the intermediates are needed in biosynthesis. Thus, one might expect mutants in an irreversible step to be impaired in growth on glucose but unimpaired gluconeogenically, and mutants in a reversible step to require supplementation even for gluconeogenic growth. To a first approximation this pattern is found but there are deviations (Table I). For example, E, coli mutants blocked between triose-P and phosphoenol-pyruvate do require supplementation (e.g., by glycerol) for growth on lactate (1,2) but phosphoglucose isomerase mutants grow without supplementation by glucose (3) — probably because glucose-6-P and its products are not essential for growth of this organism. Aldolase mutants also do not require supplementation for gluconeogenic growth, and the explanation is unknown; it might relate to other aldolases (see ref. 4). The growth on glucose of a (double) pyruvate kinase mutant occurs because phosphoenolpyruvate is used by the phosphotransferase (PTS) reaction intiating glucose metabolism and such a mutant fails to grown on non-PTS sugars (5).
The Obligation to Accommodate

To adequately appreciate the potential impacts of proposed changes to religious accommodation law, it is essential to first understand the existing law and how it has been implemented. This chapter provides an overview of Title VII religious accommodation requirements and how the EEOC has adjudicated these requirements.
Cotilos de doble movilidad. Uso para la revisión femoral aislada de prótesis de cadera con fricción metal/metal con cabezas grandes. [Use of dual mobility acetabular cups for isolated femoral revision of metal on metal hip resurfacing arthroplasty using larger femoral heads]

Large head metal on metal hip arthroplasty revision has a significant complication rate, mainly related to the removal of the acetabular component, as well as to the friction pair used. In some cases, an isolated femoral revision can be made, sparing the acetabular cup and, thus, decreasing surgical morbidity. This paper discusses a case successfully treated with a dual mobility acetabular cup in a patient with a resurfacing hip replacement and a pseudotumor that caused pain and instability. Mastering this surgical approach allows hip surgeons to solve complex problems in a simple and safe manner, and with a low complication rate.
Acute Pancreatitis Causing Descending Colonic Stricture: A Rare Sequelae:

An isolated descending colonic stricture is an unlikely complication of acute pancreatitis, with the nonspecific symptoms of colonic stricture making the overall diagnosis difficult. Crohn's disease (CD) and tuberculosis (TB) are the two common etiologies of an isolated colonic stricture and may present similarly to colonic stricture related to acute pancreatitis. Unfortunately, colonoscopy and biopsy often cannot determine the etiology, and surgical resection may be needed to provide both symptomatic relief and confirm the diagnosis. As a result, descending colonic stricture may produce a diagnostic dilemma with CD and TB as all 3 conditions may be radiologically and endoscopically indistinguishable. We describe a young male with weight loss and abdominal pain. TB testing was negative, with radiography and ELISA (enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay) testing supporting a diagnosis of the CD. The patient was initiated on sulfasalazine but worsened over the next month. Further investigations revealed that the patient had descending colonic stricture without CD. Therefore, the stricture's etiology was most likely related to an episode of acute pancreatitis the patient had 2 months before admission and was found to have left colonic segment adherent to the pancreas eventually requiring segmentectomy. Although the pathophysiology of colonic stricture after pancreatitis is unclear, we speculate that inflammatory injury to the colon is an important component. Finally, we emphasize that colonic stricture is a rare complication of pancreatitis.
Inactivation of Human Norovirus and Tulane Virus by High Pressure Processing in Simple Mediums and Strawberry Puree

Human norovirus (NoV) is a major cause of fresh produce associated outbreaks. In this study a non-thermal process, high pressure processing (HPP), was evaluated for efficacy against a human NoV GII.4 strain and Tulane virus (TV). Virus survival following HPP treatment was determined using direct RT-qPCR, the PGM-MB binding assay followed by RT-qPCR, and plaque assay. HPP (400 MPa) inactivation of human NoV and TV was enhanced in simple mediums at a low initial temperature (4°C) and neutral pH (pH 7). HPP treatment of human NoV and TV in strawberry puree at 400 MPa did not significantly affect the level of RNA detected using the PGM-MB binding assay; increasing the pressure level to 600 MPa lead to inactivation of both human NoV and TV. Overall, HPP inactivation of human NoV GII.4 and TV is enhanced at lower initial temperature and neutral pH, and viruses can be inactivated in the food matrix at commercially acceptable pressure levels.
Rilpivirine-associated aggregation-induced emission enables cell-based nanoparticle tracking.

Abstract Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has improved the quality and duration of life for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. However, limitations in drug efficacy, emergence of viral mutations and the paucity of cell-tissue targeting remain. We posit that to maximize ART potency and therapeutic outcomes newer drug formulations that reach HIV cellular reservoirs need be created. In a step towards achieving this goal we harnessed the aggregation-induced emission (AIE) property of the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor rilpivirine (RPV) and used it as a platform for drug cell and subcellular tracking. RPV nanocrystals were created with endogenous AIE properties enabling the visualization of intracellular particles in cell and tissue-based assays. The intact drug crystals were easily detected in CD4+ T cells and macrophages, the natural viral target cells, by flow cytometry and ultraperformance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. We conclude that AIE can be harnessed to monitor cell biodistribution of selective antiretroviral drug nanocrystals.
Technical and nidus-specific factors associated with adequacy of intraprocedural biopsy samples preceding radiofrequency ablation of osteoid osteoma.

Abstract Purpose To examine the diagnostic yield of intraprocedural percutaneous biopsy performed at the time of radiofrequency ablation of suspected Osteoid Osteoma (OO) and identify technical and nidus-specific factors associated with diagnostic adequacy. Materials and methods Following IRB approval, a total of 42 patients (male: 28, female: 14; mean age: 29 years) who underwent intraprocedural biopsy immediately prior to RFA between June 2010 and June 2017 were retrospectively identified. The nidi were located in various locations. The nidi had a mean size of 6.3 mm (range: 3–11 mm, Standard deviation (SD): 2.26). Core biopsies were performed by one of 15 operators. Biopsies were performed with two needle types ranging from 11-G to 15-G with a mean number of samples of 1.8 (range: 1–5, SD: 1.01). Electronic records and imaging were reviewed for demographics, nidus characteristics, biopsy details and diagnostic yield. Multivariate logistic regression of nidus-specific and biopsy-specific factors was performed. Results A total of 22/42 (52.3%) of the biopsies were adequate for histological diagnosis of OO. For the two experienced operators, the diagnostic yield was 67% (6/9) and 80% (8/10). Biopsy adequacy was significantly correlated with presence of an osteoid matrix (p = 0.03), obtaining >1 core sample (p = 0.03), the needle track passing through the nidus (p = 0.0003) and thinner (2.5 mm) intraprocedural CT slices (p = 0.03). On multivariate analysis, use of thinner intraprocedural CT slices was found to be associated with adequate biopsy (p = 0.02). Conclusion Intraprocedural percutaneous biopsy samples of nidi highly-suspected to be OO at the time of RFA were diagnostic in 52% of patients. Multivariate analysis shows thinner intraprocedural CT slices to be a significantly associated with biopsy adequacy.
PV Plant Performance Loss Rate Assessment: Significance of Data Filtering and Aggregation

The performance loss rate (PLR) of a PV plant - comprised of reversible and irreversible (a.k.a., degradation) reduction to power nameplate - is a key parameter for predicting long-term energy production, informing the levelized cost of electricity calculations, and benchmarking PV plant performance. Analyzing plant power production data over time is a common and practical method to calculate the performance loss rate of a PV plant. Studies to date have used various data filtering and aggregation criteria, which affects the PLR, makes it difficult to compare reported literature values, and to benchmark plant performance. This paper presents a sensitivity analysis of the impact of various data filtering and aggregation choices on the calculated PLR using power production values from an 8.4-MWac PV plant. Findings indicate the need for industry consensus on appropriate best practices for calculating and reporting PLR, including data filtering and aggregation criteria.
Toxicant interactions with macromolecular targets

Abstract Toxicity is a whole-animal phenomenon that reflects the sum of molecular interactions between toxicants and macromolecular targets. The effectiveness of a given toxicant–target interaction depends upon intrinsic characteristics of both components. This chapter focuses on a specific toxicant class, organophosphorus insecticides, their primary target, nervous system acetylcholinesterase, and a particular adverse response, cholinergic neurotoxicity. We will assume that the exposure has delivered an effective concentration of the active parent compound or active metabolite to the site of action. Therefore we can study the toxicodynamics of a toxicant–macromolecule interaction without explicitly considering the toxicokinetics required to bring the compound into contact with its target in sufficient quantity to elicit the adverse response. Our aim is to present a well-understood case in detail, so that the underlying principles could be applied to other situations, such as insecticide resistance in disease vectors.
Simulations of the Structure and Properties of the Polyethylene Crystal Surface

The structures and thermodynamic properties of the (100), (010), and (110) lateral surfaces of extended-chain polyethylene crystals between 0 K and 300 K were determined by free energy minimization using consistent quasi-harmonic lattice dynamics. Slight rotations of the outermost chains from their corresponding orientations in the bulk were observed. These deviations from bulk structure were confined to the first three molecular layers (approximately 10 A) at the surface. Surface free energy calculations found the (110) surface to be the most stable over the entire temperature range modeled, with free energies ranging from 95.4 erg/cm2 to 103.5 erg/cm2, at temperatures of 0 K and 300 K, respectively. Surface free energies of the (100) and (010) surfaces were found to be at least 15% higher than the (110) surface, with the (100) surface slightly more stable than the (010) surface, over all temperatures considered. Surface free energy increases as the density of chains at the surface decreases. The surface free energy at low temperatures was determined predominantly by intermolecular potential energy; at higher temperatures, excess entropy accounted for nearly half the surface free energy. Surface entropy was almost entirely due to lattice mode motions.
Using a patient-reported outcome to improve detection of cognitive impairment and dementia: The patient version of the Quick Dementia Rating System (QDRS).

INTRODUCTION Community detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimer's disease and related disorders (ADRD) is a challenge. While Gold Standard assessments are commonly used in research centers, these methods are time consuming, require extensive training, and are not practical in most clinical settings or in community-based research projects. Many of these methods require an informant (e.g., spouse, adult child) to provide ratings of the patients' cognitive and functional abilities. A patient-reported outcome that captures the presence of cognitive impairment and corresponds to Gold Standard assessments could improve case ascertainment, clinical care, and recruitment into clinical research. We tested the patient version of the Quick Dementia Rating System (QDRS) as a patient-reported outcome to detect MCI and ADRD. METHODS The patient QDRS was validated in a sample of 261 consecutive patient-caregiver dyads compared with the informant version of the QDRS, the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR), neuropsychological tests, and Gold Standard measures of function, behavior, and mood. Psychometric properties including item variability, floor and ceiling effects, construct, concurrent, and known-groups validity, and internal consistency were determined. RESULTS The patient QDRS strongly correlated with Gold Standard measures of cognition, function, mood, behavior, and global staging methods (p-values < .001) and had strong psychometric properties with excellent data quality and internal consistency (Cronbach alpha = 0.923, 95%CI:0.91-0.94). The patient QDRS had excellent agreement with the informant QDRS, the CDR and its sum of boxes (Intraclass Correlation Coefficients: 9.781-0.876). Receiver operator characteristic curves showed excellent discrimination between normal controls from CDR 0.5 (AUC:0.820;95% CI: 0.74-0.90) and for normal controls from any cognitive impairment (AUC:0.885;95% CI: 0.83-0.94). DISCUSSION The patient QDRS validly and reliably differentiates individuals with and without cognitive impairment and can be completed by patients through all stages of dementia. The patient QDRS is highly correlated with Gold Standard measures of cognitive, function, behavior, and global staging. The patient QDRS provides a rapid method to screen patients for MCI and ADRD in clinical practice, determine study eligibility, improve case ascertainment in community studies.
Rapid Administration of Ketamine for Abscess Drainage in Children-A Dose Finding Study.

Study objective To estimate the minimum dose and total sedation time of rapidly infused ketamine that achieves 3 to 5 minutes of effective sedation in children undergoing abscess incision and drainage in the emergency department. Methods The Up-Down method was used to estimate the dose of intravenous ketamine infused over 5 seconds or less that provided effective sedation in 50% (ED50) and 95% (ED95) for healthy children aged 2 to 5 years and 6 to 11 years undergoing abscess incision and drainage. None were pretreated with opioids. Three investigators blinded to ketamine dose independently graded sedation effectiveness by viewing a video recording of the first 5 minutes of sedation. Recovery was determined when patients reached a Modified Aldrete score of 10. Results We enrolled 20 children in each age group. The estimated ED50 was 0.9 and 0.6 mg/kg for the 2 to 5 years and 6 to 11 years' groups and the estimated ED95 was 1.1 mg/kg for both groups. The median time to full recovery for the 2 groups was 20.5 and 17.5 minutes when only 1 dose of ketamine was administered and 27.5 and 35 minutes when additional doses of ketamine were administered. No participants experienced serious adverse events. Conclusions We estimated ED50 and ED95 for rapidly infused ketamine for 2 age groups undergoing abscess incision and drainage. Further studies are needed to get a more precise estimate of ED95. The total sedation time with this technique in the abscess group was shorter than most previous studies and is consistent with our previous observations in patients undergoing fracture reduction.
Effective Medical Lecturing: Practice Becomes Theory: A Narrative Review.

Effective lecturing stimulates learning, creates a verbal history for our profession, and is a central basis for evaluating academic promotion. Unfortunately, few resources exist in the medical literature to guide the academician toward success as an effective lecturer. Using evidence-based principles, this review fosters adult learning in academic venues by incorporating the latest innovations in educational theory for both online and traditional teaching. The novice or advanced academic teacher will be guided toward critical self-evaluation of current teaching practices and encouraged to replace ineffective methods with ones more likely to be both rewarding and rewarded. By introducing literature-based learning techniques, emphasizing audience targeting, truncating content to an appropriate level of detail, effectively linking images and text, and accepting the brevity of learners’ attentiveness, we show that the audience, not the speaker, is the primary educational focus.