cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Influence of Dietary Protein and Energy Levels on the Protein and Lipid Content of the Hen’s Egg

Abstract The effect of four dietary protein and two energy levels on the gross chemical and physical composition of the egg has been investigated. It was found that increasing the dietary protein level from 12 to 18% resulted in an increase in the weight of all parts of the egg, particularly the yolk, an increase in the concentration of both yolk protein and albumen protein and a decrease in the concentration of yolk lipid. These effects were most apparent at suboptimum dietary protein levels. Increasing the dietary energy from 2086 to 2209 Cal./kg. increased the yolk weight of eggs but had little effect on the weight of the other components. The increase in the amount of yolk protein and lipid and total protein per egg associated with the increased energy level was due to an increase in egg size and not to a chemical enrichment of the egg components.
Performance evaluation of accelerometers to 200,000 G

We briefly describe our split Hopkinson bar technique to evaluate the performance of accelerometers that measure large amplitude pulses. A nondispersive stress pulse propagates in an aluminum bar and interacts with a steel disk at the end of the bar. We measure stess at the aluminum bar disk interface with a quartz gage and measure acceleration at the free end of the disk with an accelerometer
Information Processing Components and Knowledge Representations: An Individual Differences Approach to Modeling Pilot Judgment

The study described here represents another step in an ongoing program of research (cf. Wickens, Stokes, Barnett, & Davis, 1987; Wickens, Stokes, Barnett, & Hyman, 1988). Specifically, the present study contrasts high-time and low-time pilot judgment performance, using information processing components and knowledge representations in long term memory (LTM) as individual difference measures to predict performance. The objective was to determine which of these two classes of measures predicted pilot judgment performance for groups of varying levels of experience. Thirty pilots (15 high-time and 15 low-time) completed a cognitive abilities assessment battery. This battery was comprised of two components: domain-independent information processing measures, and measures of domain-specific knowledge representations. These pilots then flew a cross-country flight on MIDIS, a microcomputer-based decision flight simulator. Each pilot's performance was assessed on a number of in-flight decisions. No significant dif...
Cultural Variation in Implicit Mental Illness Stigma

Culture shapes how individuals perceive and respond to others with mental illness. Prior studies have suggested that Asians and Asian Americans typically endorse greater stigma of mental illness compared to Westerners (White Europeans and Americans). However, whether these differences in stigma arise from cultural variations in automatic affective reactions or deliberative concerns of the appropriateness of one's reactions to mental illness remains unknown. Here we compared implicit and explicit attitudes toward mental illness among Asian and Caucasian Americans. Asian Americans showed stronger negative implicit attitudes toward mental illness relative to Caucasian Americans, suggesting that cultural variation in stigma of mental illness can be observed even when concerns regarding the validity and appropriateness of one's attitudes toward mental illness are minimized. Asian Americans also explicitly endorsed greater desire for social distance from mental illness relative to Caucasian Americans. These findings suggest that cultural variations in mental illness stigma may arise from cultural differences in automatic reactions to mental illness, though cultural variations in deliberative processing may further shape differences in these immediate reactions to mental illness.
Curvature of the Lanthanide Contraction: An Explanation

A number of studies have shown that for isostructural series of the lanthanides (elements La through Lu), a plot of equivalent metal-ligand bond lengths versus atomic number differs significantly from linearity and can be better fit as a quadratic equation. However, for hydrogen type wave functions, it is the inverse of the average distance of the electron from the nucleus (an estimate of size) that varies linearly with effective nuclear charge. This generates an apparent quadratic dependence of radius with atomic number. Plotting the inverse of lanthanide ion radii (the observed distance minus the ligand size) as a function of effective nuclear charge gives very good linear fits for a variety of lanthanide complexes and materials. Parameters obtained from this fit are in excellent agreement with the calculated Slater shielding constant, k.
Vaginal flap urethroplasty for female urethral stricture disease.

Aims Urethral stricture disease in females is uncommon and is often treated with repeat dilation or internal urethrotomies. Various surgical techniques requiring tissue transfer or grafting to repair strictures have been described with successful results. The vaginal inlay flap is simple and easy to learn. In this follow-up report of the use of this flap with additional patients more complications with urge symptoms and difficulties with catheterization are reported. Methods Twelve symptomatic women with a history of traumatic or difficult catheterization, a history of at least 1 urethral dilation or urethrotomy and difficult or a failed attempt at catheter placement underwent urethroplasty. The technique consisted of incising the posterior aspect of the stricture and advancing a vaginal inlay flap. A retrospective chart review was performed. Results Follow-up was 3 months to 9 years. All patients had subjective relief of most of their symptoms and were able to catheterize with a 14Fr catheter. One patient underwent repeat dilation 3 weeks after the primary procedure with no recurrence and another woman required a cystoscopy and catheter insertion in the OR fifty-eight months post operatively. No patient had stress urinary incontinence. Irritative symptoms, particularly urge, and difficulties with catheterization persisted in some patients post operatively despite having a technically good repair. Conclusion Urethral stricture disease in females is an uncommon entity that can cause voiding symptoms, recurrent infections, retention and renal impairment. This method of surgical repair offers a durable result with a low incidence of complications. Neurourol. Urodynam. 29:S42–S45, 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
An FMDLL based dual-loop frequency synthesizer for 5 GHz WLAN applications

We present a new dual-loop frequency synthesizer for 5 GHz wireless local-area network (WLAN) applications. In line with the IEEE 802.11a standard, the output frequency is targeted at 5.15 GHz to 5.35 GHz, with a frequency step of 5 MHz. To make the use of the ring-type VCO feasible for this application, we adopted a dual-loop frequency synthesizer architecture similar to that of T. Aytur and J. Khoury (see IEEE Int. Symp. Circuits and Systems, p.17-20, 1997). However, it is critical that the primary loop of such a dual-loop frequency synthesizer is supported by a low-noise reference (by the peripheral loop). To address this problem, we propose a new fractional frequency multiplying delay-locked loop (FMDLL) working as the peripheral loop. MATLAB simulation results demonstrate the phase noise improvement by the use of the proposed FMDLL compared to the conventional design.
Cost evaluation of coverage directed test generation for the IBM mainframe

Test generation and simulation tools have input stimuli that can direct them to cover specific events. However, the cost of completely covering a verification plan is still very high. While coverage analysis tools can find events that have not been covered, they do not provide an automated covering method. This paper presents the first implementation of a generation framework that uses feedback from coverage analysis to direct microarchitecture simulation. This framework uses a coverage analysis tool to find events that have not been simulated and then utilizes information about the design to determine which directives should be given to the simulation environment. This paper describes, in detail, the system and its operation process, an experiment that uses the system, and the results of the experiment. This system was shown to reduce the machine time and person time required to cover the test plan. Implications of this work suggest the types of verification plans appropriate for the utilization of this system and the further experiments and developments required.
Conditional Random Field for Candidate Gene Prioritization

Prioritization of novel disease genes is a major challenge in bioinformatics. The large amount of data collected from modern biological experiments makes it difficult for biologists to determine how information on a particular gene relates to a disease or phenotype, whereas performing exhaustive experiments on all possible combinations is impossible. Computational approaches are thus crucial in automating the process of extracting critical annotation and patterns and predicting relevant novel genes with high confidence. In this paper we propose a new method for prioritizing disease genes using both annotations on the genes as well as the underlying gene interaction network. Our approach is unique in that it uses a conditional random field to simultaneously exploit both network and annotation information directly without attempting to convert the network information into features or vice versa. Performance evaluation on standard data sets achieves a median ranking of 29% and over 0.6 area under curve value in cross-validation experiments on 42 diseases.
ARE ARTIFICIAL BIRD NESTS EFFECTIVE SURROGATES FOR ESTIMATING PREDATION ON REAL BIRD NESTS? A TEST WITH TROPICAL BIRDS

Abstract Artificial bird nests are often used in studying birds whose nests are difficult to find, such as those of many tropical species. Yet the underlying assumption that predation on artificial nests accurately estimates predation on real nests may be invalid. We compared rates at which contents of real and artificial nests were lost to predators in a Panamanian rainforest. We attempted to make artificial nests as realistic as possible by moving real, undamaged nests to species-typical nest sites in a study area where the same species were actively breeding. Characteristics of new sites for the moved nests were statistically similar to nest sites chosen by birds. We baited nests with two quail eggs and monitored them for species-specific incubation periods. Predation on real and artificial nests was dissimilar in three of four species, revealing that predation on artificial nests correlated poorly with predation on real nests. In a fourth species, artificial and real nests were lost at similar rates. ...
Investigational Treatment for Epilepsy

A 26-year-old right-handed female had drug-resistant localization-related epilepsy. She experienced six febrile seizures beginning at 6 months of age with her first afebrile seizure at 11½ years. Seizures were manifest as an abrupt indescribable feeling evolving to a “focused” stare, impaired consciousness, and inability to speak for 2 min. A rare convulsion would occur. Recurrent seizures were 1–3/week. MRI brain demonstrated left mesial temporal sclerosis. PET had left temporal hypometabolism. EEG revealed left frontotemporal sharp waves and prior video-EEG monitoring captured two left hemispheric seizures. A Wada test was performed. Left hemispheric language function was present. Memory was impaired on the left relative to the right (recall with 7/10 vs. 9/10 picture recall right). She was told of a risk for verbal memory deficit with temporal lobectomy was refused. After failing six AEDs, she was implanted with a responsive neurostimulator as part of a clinical trial (Fig. 39.1). Unfortunately, she had less than a 25 % reduction of clinical seizures. Upon reevaluation 3 years later, repeat video-EEG demonstrated left hemispheric seizures again. A repeat Wada test had a similar finding. She continued to refuse surgery. A minimally invasive investigational protocol was offered.
Measurement of Leadframe Strain in Electrically Active Power Semiconductors

In this work, thermal-mechanical leadframe strain in an electrically active IGBT was measured using electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI). ESPI is a non-contact optical technique capable of high resolution surface displacement measurements. The significant contribution of this paper is an experimental methodology by which strain can be measured in electrically active devices. A 3-D ESPI test stand was developed, combining two cameras to simultaneously capture the local (interconnect level) and global (device level) displacements. Through the combination of incremental sub-loads and mathematical recorrelation of speckle patterns, device power loads have been measured (which would have been otherwise impossible due to speckle decorrelation, which limits measurement of large deformations). A model-based tracking technique was developed from coupled experimental noise measurements and FE modeling — allowing for optimal strain solution to be extracted from noisy displacement results. The developed and experimentally-validated thermal-mechanical FE strain model agreed to within 7% of ESPI strain measurements.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Celecoxib versus diclofenac for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis: 12-week randomized study in Norwegian patients.

ObjectiveTo compare the efficacy and safety of two different doses of celecoxib and diclofenac in the treatment of Norwegian patients with ankylosing spondylitis.MethodsIn this 12-week, double-blind, non-inferiority trial patients were randomized to 200 mg once daily (qd) celecoxib, 400 mg qd celecoxib, or 50 mg three times daily (tid) diclofenac. The primary objective compared patients’ assessments of Global Pain Intensity, measured on a visual analogue scale.ResultsA total of 330 patients were randomized (200 mg celecoxib, n = 107; 400 mg celecoxib, n = 108; diclofenac, n = 115). Least squares mean changes in Global Pain Intensity at 12 weeks were −25.8 mm, −30.6 mm and −28.2 mm, respectively. Both celecoxib treatment groups were non-inferior to diclofenac. More patients in the 400 mg celecoxib group met the Assessments in Ankylosing Spondylitis 20 responder criteria at Week 12 (60.2%) than in the celecoxib 200 mg (51.4%) and the diclofenac 50 mg (57.4%) groups. Adverse events were mild-to-moderate in s...
Pertussis toxin-induced ADP ribosylation of inhibitor G proteins alters vagal control of heart rate in vivo

Prior studies have shown that in vivo systemic administration of pertussis toxin in conscious dogs catalyzes ADP ribosylation of Gi and G(o) proteins, which attenuates intracellular transduction of...
Tunable high-power femtosecond pulses from Ti:Al 2 O 3 and alexandrite

We will present here a unique high power, all solid-state femtosecond source that is tunable, demonstrates high efficiency, and has a very low background. This source, based on Ti:Al2O3 and alexandrite, produces 10–300 GW, 100-fs pulses. To the best of our knowledge this is the first all solid-state source, excluding pump lasers, producing high power, femtosecond pulses. We believe that this kind of system is more powerful and even more reliable then femtosecond dye systems and has the potential of becoming the workhorse for both femtosecond spectroscopy and high intensity physics.
Primary Care Physicians' Experiences With and Attitudes Toward Pediatric Quality Reporting.

Abstract Objective To assess primary care providers' experiences with and attitudes toward pediatric-focused quality reports and identify key associated physician/practice characteristics. Methods We performed a cross-sectional survey of pediatricians and family physicians providing primary care to publicly insured children in 3 states (North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania). The survey included questions about receipt of pediatric quality reports, use of reports for quality improvement (QI), and beliefs about the effectiveness of reports for QI. We used multivariable analyses to assess associations between responses and physician/practice characteristics, including exposure to federally funded demonstration projects aimed at increasing quality reporting to physicians serving publicly insured children. We supplemented these analyses with a thematic investigation of data from 46 interviews with physicians, practice staff, and state demonstration staff. Results Seven hundred twenty-seven physicians responded to the survey (overall response rate: 45.2%). Most physicians were receiving quality reports related to pediatric care (79.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 77.2%–82.4%) and believed that quality reports can be effective in helping guide QI (70.5%; 95% CI, 67.5%–73.5%). Fewer used quality reports to guide QI efforts (32.5%; 95% CI, 29.5%–35.6%). There were no significant associations between demonstration exposure and experiences or attitudes. Interview data suggested that physicians were receptive to quality reporting, but significant barriers remain to using such reports for QI, such as limited staff time or training in QI. Conclusions Although pediatric quality reporting is considered a promising strategy, in this study, state efforts appeared insufficient to overcome the barriers to using reports to guide practice-based QI.
Helping Female Juveniles Improve their On-task Behavior and Academic Performance Using a Self-Management Procedure in a Correctional Facility

The purpose of this study was to teach female juvenile offenders with disabilities a self-management procedure to help improve on-task behavior and academic performance during independent practice of math calculation facts. Students were taught to set goals and were provided with incentives for goal attainment. A reversal single-case design (ABABC) was used to evaluate the effectiveness of the self-management procedure for on-task behavior (time on-task), academic productivity (percentage of problems completed), and academic accuracy (percentage of problems completed correctly). The results indicated that the intervention was effective for increasing participants’ on-task behavior. A modest-to-moderate impact was evident on these students’ academic accuracy and productivity. Limitations of this study and future directions for research are addressed. In addition, practical suggestions are offered for helping students monitor their on-task behavior, accuracy, and productivity.
Reconstructing Plantation Dominance in British Honduras: Race and Subjection in the Age of Emancipation

At the 1868 Louisiana State Fair, a large crowd gathered at an exhibition dedicated to the display of colonial products from British Honduras. At one table, spectators looked at exemplary lumber. At another table sat several jars of different grades of sugar—“all of Colonial manufacture.”1 The cane was “enormous,” a journalist wrote, adding that “planters should see it.”2 For planters in New Orleans to see such sugar in the wake of the American Civil War was to imagine the process of plantation production. To see sugar in Louisiana was to know the possibility of sugar plantations in the aftermath of emancipation in the American South. The visceral impact that such sights had on individuals who thought that their lives as planters and as white people had been destroyed by Civil War could not be represented in print.
Study on the Ageing Process of the 6xxx Series Aluminum Alloy Wires for Overhead Conductors

The 6xxx series aluminium alloy wires (with the diameters of 2.84 mm) produced by the continuous drawing and rotary-wheel continuous casting, were directly aged in different conditions. The results show that, when ageing temperature is at 150°C, the tensile strength of the wire firstly decreased from 283 MPa to 265 MPa as the ageing time extended from 0 to 4 hours, and then increased from 265 MPa to 270 MPa as the ageing time extended from 4 to 12 hours, and finally decreased from 270 MPa 263 MPa as the ageing time extended from 12 to 24 hours. The electrical resistively of the wires continued decreases with the ageing time extend from 0 to 24 hours. When the ageing temperature is at 160, 170, 180 and 190 °C, both the tensile strength and the electrical resistively of the wire continuously decreased with the ageing time extended from 0 to 24 hours. When the ageing time was identical, the wires with higher ageing temperature possessed lower tensile strength and electrical resistively.
Oxygen Supply for Tissue Engineering

Adequate oxygen transport is vital to the success of a tissue-engineered construct. Modulating oxygen tension within tissue-engineered constructs is necessary for the creation of devices with optimal functionality. Oxygen tension significantly influences cellular behavior through mechanisms which promote both cell proliferation and apoptosis. Given the negative consequences of low oxygen tension for most grafted tissues, many investigators have worked to improve oxygen tension within tissue engineered scaffolds through the use of synthetic oxygen carriers, natural or artificial heme, and polymeric oxygen generating thin films, or by inducing blood vessel growth into the matrix. Cellular oxygen consumption and transport within a scaffold can be calculated and predicted using diffusion models to improve device design. This section explores the interplay between fundamental engineering and biological processes used to modulate oxygen tension for the creation of functional tissue-engineered devices.
Waldenström macroglobulinemia: 2017 update on diagnosis, risk stratification, and management.

Disease Overview: Waldenstrom macroglobulinemia (WM) is a lymphoplasmacytic lymphoma with immunoglobulin M (IgM) monoclonal protein. Clinical features include anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, lymphadenopathy, and rarely hyperviscosity. Diagnosis: Presence of IgM monoclonal protein associated with ≥10% clonal lymphoplasmacytic cells in bone marrow confirms the diagnosis. The L265P mutation in MYD88 is detectable in more than 90% of patients. Risk Stratification: Age, hemoglobin level, platelet count, β2 microglobulin, and monoclonal IgM concentrations are characteristics required for prognosis. Risk-Adapted Therapy: Not all patients who fulfill WM criteria require therapy; these patients can be observed until symptoms develop. Rituximab-based therapy is used in virtually all U.S. patients with WM and can be combined with bendamustine, an alkylating agent, or a proteosome inhibitor. Purine nucleoside analogues are widely used in Europe. The preferred Mayo Clinic nonstudy therapeutic induction is rituximab and bendamustine. Potential for stem cell transplantation should be considered in induction therapy selection. Management of Refractory Disease: Bortezomib, fludarabine, thalidomide, everolimus, ibrutinib, carfilzomib, lenalidomide, and bendamustine have all been shown to have activity in WM. Given WM's natural history, reduction of complications will be a priority for future treatment trials. Am. J. Hematol. 92:209–217, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effectiveness and Value of Prophylactic 5-Layer Foam Sacral Dressings to Prevent Hospital-Acquired Pressure Injuries in Acute Care Hospitals: An Observational Cohort Study.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness and value of prophylactic 5-layer foam sacral dressings to prevent hospital-acquired pressure injury rates in acute care settings. Design Retrospective observational cohort. Sample and setting We reviewed records of adult patients 18 years or older who were hospitalized at least 5 days across 38 acute care hospitals of the University Health System Consortium (UHC) and had a pressure injury as identified by Patient Safety Indicator #3 (PSI-03). All facilities are located in the United States. Methods We collected longitudinal data pertaining to prophylactic 5-layer foam sacral dressings purchased by hospital-quarter for 38 academic medical centers between 2010 and 2015. Longitudinal data on acute care, hospital-level patient outcomes (eg, admissions and PSI-03 and pressure injury rate) were queried through the UHC clinical database/resource manager from the Johns Hopkins Medicine portal. Data on volumes of dressings purchased per UHC hospital were merged with UHC data. Mixed-effects negative binomial regression was used to test the longitudinal association of prophylactic foam sacral dressings on pressure injury rates, adjusted for hospital case-mix and Medicare payments rules. Results Significant pressure injury rate reductions in US acute care hospitals between 2010 and 2015 were associated with the adoption of prophylactic 5-layer foam sacral dressings within a prevention protocol (-1.0 cases/quarter; P = .002) and changes to Medicare payment rules in 2014 (-1.13 cases/quarter; P = .035). Conclusions Prophylactic 5-layer foam sacral dressings are an effective component of a pressure injury prevention protocol. Hospitals adopting these technologies should expect good value for use of these products.
The practice of praising one’s own child in parent-to-parent talk:

This study examines an underexplored area of self-praise: parents praising their own children. An examination of a corpus of Korean telephone conversational data reveals that the act of praising on...
Selective degradation of BET proteins with dBET1, a proteolysis-targeting chimera, potently reduces pro-inflammatory responses in lipopolysaccharide-activated microglia.

Abstract Bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) proteins are essential to pro-inflammatory gene transcription. The BET family proteins, BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and testis-specific BRDT, couple chromatin remodeling to gene transcription, acting as histone acetyltransferases, scaffolds for transcription complexes, and markers of histone acetylation. To initiate an inflammatory response, cells undergo de novo gene transcription requiring histone-modifying proteins to make DNA wrapped around histones more or less readily available to transcription complexes. Because BET proteins are the gatekeepers of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-dependent gene transcription, we hypothesized that degradation of BET proteins, particularly BRD2 and BRD4, with the proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) dBET1 would dampen the pro-inflammatory response in microglia subjected to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Degradation of BRD2 and BRD4 was associated with significantly reduced expression of several pro-inflammatory genes: inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), interleukin (IL)-1β, tumor necrosis factor-a (TNF-α), IL-6, chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2 (CCL2), and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). This is the first study showing that dBET1-mediated targeted degradation of BET proteins robustly dampens pro-inflammatory responses in LPS-stimulated microglia. These data suggest that BET degradation with dBET1 will likely reduce expression of pro-inflammatory genes in in vivo neuroinflammatory models associated with microglial/immune cell activation.
Outcomes with chemotherapies and molecular characteristics of HER2-mutant lung cancers.

8068 Background: Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2, ERBB2) mutations occur in 3% of lung adenocarcinomas and are increasingly being identified with the growing adoption of multiplex next-generation genotyping. HER2-mutant lung cancers impart a distinct natural history with a median overall survival from stage IV diagnosis of 1.6 years (Kris JAMA 2014). While case reports and series have shown activity of HER2-targeted agents in these patients, little is known about outcomes of systemic treatments. Methods: Patients with stage IV HER2-mutant lung cancers at Memorial Sloan Kettering were reviewed. Patient demographics, types of HER2 mutations, survival, and duration of systemic treatments were documented. Results: 37 patients with HER2-mutant lung cancers were identified: median age 62; majority were women (n = 24), never smokers (n = 21), and had adenocarcinomas (n = 36, 1 adenosquamous). A 12bp in-frame insertion in exon 20 (p.A775_G776insYVMA c.2324_2325ins12) was present in 23 (62%, 95% CI ...
The Dynamic Paradigm of Ethnic Culture: Variations Across Context, Time, and Meaning:

In this article, we argue that counseling psychology research on ethnic culture can be enhanced by drawing upon advancements in conceptual and methodological approaches from other fields. Accordingly, we present the dynamic paradigm of culture to provide counseling psychologists with a useful conceptualization of ethnic culture that serves as the impetus for developing novel research agendas. Grounded in interdisciplinary scholarship from social psychology, developmental psychology, political science, and sociology, this paradigm’s core concept is ethnic culture’s malleable nature; that is, ethnic culture varies across social contexts, across time, and in its meaning across individuals. These three dimensions of ethnic culture are elaborated within three perspectives: (a) the contextual perspective focuses on the situational and domain-specific nature of cultural influences, (b) the temporal perspective characterizes ethnic culture and individuals’ cultural orientation as continually evolving through time...
Guest Editor's Introduction: Scientific Databases

Over the past three decades, shared scientific databases have evolved from the narrow con.nes of critically analyzed measurement tables (such as properties of materials) to collections of records covering a larger scientific scope (such as real-time data sets and imagery). Much of this evolution has happened concurrently with-and followed new capabilities emerging from-the evolution in information technologies.
Some concluding thoughts

All our knowledge is hypothetical and provisional. However, we need not be pessimistic about the status of our knowledge. Although our explanations require the agreement of a complex network of theories and observations, we can still confidently trace the patterns of evidence that provide the justifications for our beliefs. Such beliefs provide a powerful basis for understanding and manipulating the world.
Pressure-Induced Surfactant Association: the Concept of a Critical Coagelization Pressure

Most of the experimental and theoretical work on the aggregation of ionic amphiphiles in aqueous media has been devoted to understanding how this phenomenon is affected by such factors as concentration, temperature, or chemical structure of the investigated surfactants.1-2 Yet, much less is known as to how amphiphile aggregation is affected by an increase in hydrostatic pressure.3-4
Use of pericranial flap for reconstruction after craniofacial surgery

Total resection of lesions involving the anterior cranial base results in defect of variable size, leaving a communication between the nasal cavity and extracranial space. Potential complications of this include meningitis and CSF leaks. Repair by an inferiorly based pericranial flap was performed in 10 patients in each of whom the defect exceeded 1.5 cms in width. In 4 of them the repair was supplemented by a temporalis fascia graft for achieving a dural seal. In 8 other patients no repair was considered necessary. Use of this flap did not result in any complication.
A liberatory approach to trauma counseling: Decolonizing our trauma-informed practices.

Over the past 15 years, human service providers have begun using the term “trauma-informed” to describe the delivery of services that are informed by an understanding of trauma. This marks an important shift in that social service providers are now regularly acknowledging the impact of trauma and the importance of addressing traumatic stress in clinical practice. Without this focus counselors and psychologists are likely to implement services that are focused solely on intrapsychic concerns, ignoring the complex and often long-lasting impacts of traumatic events.
Diagnosis of Gastric Cancer: Endoscopy, Imaging, and Tumor Markers

The unequivocal histologic diagnosis of gastric cancer is made with relative ease thanks to the great progress in fiberoptic endoscopy. Imaging radiologic techniques such as the upper gastrointestinal series, computed tomography, and endoscopic ultrasonography assist us in evaluating the stage of tumors. Tumor markers are many but, because of their low sensitivity and specificity, have limited use as research tools. When present, they are useful to monitor the degree of cancer activity.
Data and Decentralization: Measuring the Performance of Legal Institutions in Multilevel Systems of Governance

Most countries rely on multiple levels of government, and many important legal institutions are subnational in scope. There are now several indicators that purport to measure the performance of legal institutions, but they tend to focus on institutions at a single level of government, typically the national level. Although it is useful to develop indicators that isolate the performance of individual legal institutions within multi-level systems of government, this can be a challenging exercise. Moreover, there are good reasons why potential suppliers of indicators may not be interested in taking on the challenge. It is difficult to produce accurate legal indicators in the context of multi-level systems of government because those indicators often are based on outcomes within the territory nominally assigned to the legal institution being measured but the outcomes are generally determined by complex interactions between multiple institutions, including some which operate extraterritorially. At the same time, interest in producing indicators is limited because there typically is not much of a market for data about legal institutions that do not affect either large numbers of people or highly valuable activities. The quality and availability of performance measures is likely to affect the accountability and responsiveness of the institutions being measured and therefore ought to be taken into account in determining the distribution of responsibilities and powers among legal institutions at different levels of government. More specifically, the limitations of indicators that measure the performance of subnational legal institutions should be considered when assessing the merits of legal decentralization.
Virtual and thermal Schwinger processes

Electric flux may be screened by pair nucleation of heavy charges, a process that has a simple description in terms of a worldline instanton. When flux is wrapped around a small compact spatial dimension, worldline instantons still induce flux dissipation, but the leading process does not create real charged pairs. Instead, dissipation can be described in effective field theory as the production of long-wavelength scalar quanta via parametric resonance. The rate is computed semiclassically, and comments are made on the related problem of pair creation at finite temperature, for which differing results appear in the literature. Flux dissipation and the weak gravity conjecture together imply that the proper distance in field space a homogeneous axion field can traverse is bounded.
Endovascular Therapy of Vascular Trauma-Current Options and Review of the Literature.

Objective:To review the current use of endovascular techniques in trauma.Summary Background Data:Multiple studies have demonstrated that, despite current guidelines, endovascular therapies are used...
Loss of PGC-1α in RPE induces mesenchymal transition and promotes retinal degeneration

The retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) supports visual processing and photoreceptor homeostasis via energetically demanding cellular functions. Here, we describe the consequences of repressing peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ coactivator-1 α (PGC-1α), a master regulator of mitochondrial function and biogenesis, on RPE epithelial integrity. The sustained silencing of PGC-1α in differentiating human RPE cells affected mitochondria/autophagy function, redox state, and impaired energy sensor activity ultimately inducing epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT). Adult conditional knockout of PGC-1 coactivators in mice resulted in rapid RPE dysfunction and transdifferentiation associated with severe photoreceptor degeneration. RPE anomalies were characteristic of autophagic defect and mesenchymal transition comparable with the ones observed in age-related macular degeneration. These findings demonstrate that PGC-1α is required to maintain the functional and phenotypic status of RPE by supporting the cells’ oxidative metabolism and autophagy-mediated repression of EMT.
Chapter Ten “As We Also Forgive:” Asceticism and Forgiveness in the Lord’s Prayer, According to St. Maximus the Confessor

“And forgive us our debts, as we also forgive our debtors.” (Matthew 6: 12) This verse from the “Lord’s Prayer” surely represents the most familiar passage about forgiveness in English, and probably in any Western language. But do we really want to be forgiven to the degree that we ourselves have shown forgiveness? Vladimir Jankelevitch in his book Le Pardon considers the difficulty of authentic forgiveness, which he argues must be totally free from any ulterior motive. Given this high standard, he concludes that it is possible that there has never been a human instance of forgiveness in this “strict sense.” Through an examination of the exegesis of the Lord’s Prayer by St Maximus the Confessor, it is concluded that even this strict sense of forgiveness is possible, but only through divine grace, which itself presupposes a significant degree of asceticism. It is concluded that this mystical conception of forgiveness, with its ascetical prerequisites and which is intelligible only on the assumption of divine grace, represents the highest standard to which we can aspire.
Why Doctors Need to Consider Medicine a Business

This chapter is meant to reassure you that you have made a good decision to join one of the greatest and most enjoyable professions on this planet. However, in order to have that enjoyment, it will be necessary to have a modicum of business skills that you probably did not receive as a medical student.
Chosen Brotherhood in Abdellah Taïa’s Celui qui est digne d’être aimé

This article analyzes the final letter in Abdellah Taia’s epistolary novel, Celui qui est digne d’etre aime (2017). First, I examine the relationship of chosen brotherhood between two queer charact...
Efficacy and safety of underwater endoscopic mucosal resection for superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background Superficial non-ampullary duodenal epithelial tumors (SNADET) are increasingly found during upper endoscopy. Underwater endoscopic mucosal resection (UEMR) is an emerging technique for the endoscopic resection of SNADET. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this technique. Methods We conducted a comprehensive search of several databases from inception to August 2019, which included Ovid Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Ovid Embase, Scopus, Ovid Cochrane Central Register of Controlled trials, Ovid MEDLINE®, and In-Process and other non-indexed citations. The primary outcome assessed was the pooled clinical success rate of UEMR. Secondary outcomes included rate of en bloc resection, pooled rate of high-grade dysplasia or intramucosal carcinoma (HGIC), and pooled rate of adverse events. Meta-regression analysis was performed based on tumor size. Results A total of 8 study arms were included for analysis with UEMR performed in a total of 258 lesions. The pooled clinical success rate was 89.9% (95% confidence interval [CI] 83.4-94.1). En-bloc removal was achieved in 84.6% of treated lesions (95%CI 75.5-90.7). The pooled rate of HGIC was 24.7% (95%CI 10.3-48.3). The pooled rate of adverse events was 6.9% (95%CI 2.5-17.9). This included 10 total adverse events, with the majority being self-limited delayed bleeding. There were no duodenal perforations. Conclusions UEMR for endoscopic resection of SNADET has a high efficacy. In addition, this technique has a high rate of en bloc resection and an acceptable adverse event profile. Given these data, UEMR should be considered as a method for endoscopic resection of SNADET.
Physical characterization of fatty acid supplements with varying enrichments of palmitic and stearic acid by differential scanning calorimetry.

Saturated fatty acid supplements commonly fed to dairy cows differ in their fatty acid (FA) profile. Some supplements with very high enrichments of palmitic acid (PA) or stearic acid (SA) have been reported to have low total-tract digestibility. Saturated FA have the potential to form crystalline structures at high purity that may affect digestibility. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) is a thermal technique commonly used in materials science to measure the change in heat flow as energy is absorbed or released from a sample during heating, and it was used to characterize a series of experimental and commercial fat supplements. Our hypothesis was that products with very high enrichment of either PA or SA would differ in thermal characteristics compared with those that include moderate levels of a second FA because of the formation of secondary crystalline structures, which may contribute to decreased digestibility. First, replicated runs demonstrated low variation in melting temperature (MT) and enthalpy (coefficient of variation 98%) had the highest MT, and one moderately enriched in PA (∼85%) that contained 10.1% unsaturated FA had the lowest enthalpy value of all FA supplements and experimental stocks that were characterized. Differential scanning calorimetry may be useful to screen and design supplements with improved physical properties that may be associated with digestibility.
Crystal structures of three anionic lanthanide-aluminium [3.3.1] metallacryptate complexes.

The three isomorphous [3.3.1] metallacryptate complexes bis­(pyridinium) di­aqua­dipyridine­hexa­kis­[μ3-salicyl­hydroximato(3−)]bis­[μ2-salicyl­hydroxim­ato(1−)]hexa­aluminiumgadolinium–pyridine–water (1/7.396/1), (C5H6N)2[GdAl6(C7H6NO3)2(C7H4NO3)7(C5H5N)1.855(H2O)2]·7.396C5H5N·H2O or [Hpy]2[GdAl6(H2shi)2(shi)7(py)1.855(H2O)2]·7.396py·H2O, 1, bis­(pyridinium) di­aqua­dipyridine­hexa­kis­[μ3-salicyl­hydroximato(3−)]bis­[μ2-salicyl­hydroxim­ato(1−)]hexa­aluminiumdysprosium–pyridine–water (1/7.429/1), (C5H6N)2[DyAl6(C7H6NO3)2(C7H4NO3)7(C5H5N)1.855(H2O)2]·7.429C5H5N·H2O or [Hpy]2[DyAl6(H2shi)2(shi)7(py)1.891(H2O)2]·7.429py·H2O, 2, and bis­(pyrid­in­ium) di­aqua­dipyridine­hexa­kis­[μ3-salicyl­hydroximato(3−)]bis­[μ2-salicyl­hydrox­imato(1−)]hexa­aluminiumytterbium–pyridine–water (1/7.386/1), (C5H6N)2[YbAl6(C7H6NO3)2(C7H4NO3)7(C5H5N)1.855(H2O)2]·7.429C5H5N·H2O or [Hpy]2[YbAl6(H2shi)2(shi)7(py)1.818(H2O)2]·7.386py·H2O, 3, where Hpy+ is pyridinium, shi3− is salicyl­hydroximate, and py is pyridine, consist of an aluminium-based metallacryptand that captures an LnIII ion in the central cavity. The metallacryptand portions are comprised of an Al—N—O repeat unit; thus, they can be considered three-dimensional metallacrowns. The encapsulated LnIII ions are nine-coordinate with a spherical capped-square-anti­prism geometry, while the six AlIII ions are all octa­hedral. Four of the AlIII ions are chiral centers with 2 Δ and 2 Λ stereoconfigurations. The remaining two AlIII ions have trans chelate rings from two different shi3− ligands. For 1–3, a section of the main mol­ecule is disordered induced by the presence or absence of a pyridine ligand coordinated to one of the AlIII ions. In the absence of the pyridine moiety, an H2shi− ligand moves into the space otherwise occupied by the pyridine and the phenol oxygen atom coordinates to the AlIII ion. The movement of the H2shi− ligand induces movement for the LnIII ion, for another AlIII ion that also binds the same H2shi− ligand, and for one of the shi3− ligands coordinated to the latter AlIII ion. For 1–3 the occupancy ratio of the metallacryptand portions refined to 0.8550 (13):0.1450 (13), to 0.8909 (13):0.1091 (13), and to 0.8181 (14):0.1819 (14), respectively.
Fears of COVID-19 Contagion and the Italian Prison System Response

Italy was the first country outside of Asia to deal with a major COVID-19 outbreak. The first cases dated back to January 31, 2020, when two Chinese tourists visiting Rome tested positive for the v...
Evaluation of Serial Chest Radiographs of High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema Requiring Medical Evacuation from South Pole Station, Antarctica: From Diagnosis to Recovery.

Introduction Chest radiography is a diagnostic tool commonly used by medical providers to assess high-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE). Although HAPE often causes a pattern of pulmonary edema with right lower lung predominance, previous research has shown that there is no single radiographic finding associated with the condition. The majority of research involves a retrospective analysis of chest radiographs taken at the time of HAPE diagnosis. Little is known about the radiographic progression of HAPE during treatment or medical evacuation. Materials and methods Three sequential chest radiographs were obtained from two patients diagnosed with HAPE at the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station, Antarctica, who required treatment and medical evacuation. Deidentified and temporally randomized images were reviewed in a blinded fashion by two radiologists. A score of 0 (normal lung) to 4 (alveolar disease) was assigned for each of the four lung quadrants for an aggregate possible score ranging from 0 to 16 for each radiograph. Results Patient 1's initial radiograph showed severe HAPE with an initial score of 13. Despite a rapid clinical improvement after medical evacuation, he continued to show multifocal radiographic evidence of disease in all the lung quadrants on day 1 (score of 11) and day 2 (score of 5). Patient 2's radiographs showed less severe disease at presentation (score of 6). Despite the need for continued treatment, his radiographs showed a rapid improvement, with radiographic score decreasing to 3 on day 1 and 1 on day 3. Conclusion The chest radiographs showed serial improvement after medical evacuation in both patients. There was not a strong correlation between clinical symptoms and radiographic severity in subsequent images.
Thyroid Hormone Supplementation and All-Cause Mortality in Community-Dwelling Older Adults: Results from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging

Background Although elevated thyrotropin (TSH) is common in older adults, controversy exists over what degree of elevation should be treated with thyroid hormone supplements. Isolated, elevated TSH in this population can be consistent with aging-related adaptations rather than indicative of primary thyroid disease, raising the possibility that thyroid hormone replacement may be harmful. Objectives Determine the association between all-cause mortality and levothyroxine use among older adults. Design Longitudinal observational study. Setting Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Participants One thousand two hundred and fifty eight community dwelling adult participants aged 65+ with an average of 9 years of follow up. Measurements Thyroid and pituitary hormone levels and thyroid hormone supplementation were determined at each visit. Incident rate ratios (IRR) for all-cause mortality were calculated using time-dependent Poisson regression models to accommodate the varying start times. To isolate the effects of hormone replacement from its effects on TSH, the association between treatment and all-cause mortality was analyzed in participants with stable thyroid function status throughout follow-up (N = 638). Results Thyroid hormone supplementation was not associated with a significant increase all-cause mortality in the subsequent year in the fully adjusted model (IRR = 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.93-2.12). In a stratified analysis of euthyroid participants, thyroid hormone use was associated with significantly greater mortality, with an adjusted IRR = 1.81 (95% CI = 1.10-2.98). Conclusion The increased mortality associated with thyroid hormone use among the subclass of euthyroid community dwelling older adults is consistent with a model in which TSH elevation can result from a variety of underlying pathophysiologic processes, not all of which should be treated with thyroid hormone supplementation. Clinicians should consider overall clinical status when interpreting an isolated elevated TSH in older adults.