cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antithrombotic Therapy After Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Using the WATCHMAN Device

Patients with atrial fibrillation are at risk of developing a stroke, and the left atrial appendage (LAA) is the most common site for clot formation. Although anticoagulation is the mainstay treatment for stroke prevention, some patients are at high risk of bleeding and are not candidates for
Evaluation of design alternatives of End-Of-Life products using internet of things

Abstract Internet of Things (IoT) can play a crucial role in End-of-Life (EOL) product recovery. It can help in determining conditions of returned EOL products with the help of sensors and RFID tags, which then can be used to decide a feasible recovery process for the EOL product amongst disassembly, remanufacturing, recycling or disposal. Product design is a key criterion which affects the choice of recovery process. Complex product designs will increase the cost of disassembly which will lead to higher recovery costs. Therefore, considering the recovery operations during a product's design phase can lead to effective recovery process after its EOL. In order to see the effect of product design on product recovery using IoT, this paper proposes an Advanced-Remanufacturing-To-Order-Disassembly-To-Order (ARTODTO) system which receives sensors and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags embedded End-Of-Life (EOL) products to satisfy various products, components and materials demands. The received EOL products can be recovered via disassembly to meet the components demands, remanufactured to meet the products demands or recycled to meet the materials demands. The remaining EOL products can be disposed of. The model evaluates different designs of a product for the ease of disassembly and remanufacturing based on three criteria viz., total profit, quality level and the number of disposed items. To solve the proposed multi-criteria decision-making model, linear physical programming is used. An example of laptops is considered for illustration of the proposed methodology.
The Role of Lean Innovation Capability in Resource-Limited Innovation: Concept, Measurement, and Consequences: An Abstract

The importance of fostering the creative use of resources, especially as environments become more turbulent, competitive, and resource limited, is increasing. There are several arguments from the management literature on how the amount of resources is linked to innovation performance. One research stream, the slack resources literature, emphasizes the idea that limited resources (what we conceptualize as negative relative slack) inhibit the innovation process and have a negative impact on performance. Researchers in this school of thought argue that firms involved in innovation practices must mobilize excess amounts of resources to incorporate new technologies, invent new processes, and develop new capabilities to create new markets.
Genetic Compatibility and Extensibility of Orthogonal Replication.

We recently developed an orthogonal replication system (OrthoRep) in yeast that allows for the rapid continuous mutagenesis of a special plasmid without mutating the genome. Although OrthoRep has been successfully applied to evolve several proteins and enzymes, the generality of OrthoRep has not yet been systematically studied. Here, we show that OrthoRep is fully compatible with all Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains tested, demonstrate that the orthogonal plasmid can encode genetic material of at least 22 kb, and report a CRISPR/Cas9-based method for expedient genetic manipulations of OrthoRep. It was previously reported that the replication system upon which OrthoRep is based is only stable in respiration-deficient S. cerevisiae strains that have lost their mitochondrial genome (ρ0 strains). However, here we trace this biological incompatibility to the activity of the dispensable toxin/antitoxin system encoded on the wild-type orthogonal plasmid. Since the toxin/antitoxin system is replaced by genes of i...
Low-temperature synthesis and magnetic properties of the mixed-valence lanthanide intercalation compounds EuxTiS2 and YbxTiS2

The lanthanide (L) intercalation compounds Eu/sub x/TiS/sub 2/ (x = 0.007, 0.014, and 0.066) and Yb/sub x/TiS/sub 2/ (x = 0.060) have been synthesized by thermal deintercalation of NH/sub 4//sup +/ and NH/sub 3/ from the corresponding L-NH/sub 3/ precursors at 270/sup 0/C and characterized by thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction, and SQUID magnetometry. Both L/sup 2+/ and L/sup 3+/ are present in the van der Waals gap, and the deintercalation process is accompanied by the conversion of some of the L/sup 3+/ to L/sup 2+/. The resulting compounds contain comparable concentrations of L/sup 2+/ and L/sup 3+/. Magnetic exchange interactions are negligible due to the low concentrations of lanthanide cations.
On the measurement of social class and its role in shaping white vote choice in the 2016 U.S. presidential election

Abstract In this paper, I assess how social class influenced white vote choice in the 2016 U.S. presidential election. I use 2016 ANES data to create a measure of class that is based on an individual's income, education, occupation, and wealth. I then use a structural equation model to show that an individual's social class both directly and indirectly shaped vote choice. I demonstrate that low class standing was a significant predictor of support for Trump in the general election. I also show that social class exerted an indirect effect. Lower class standing is associated with higher levels of racial resentment and authoritarianism, which were in turn strong predictors vote choice. I conclude that social class was one of the primary determinants of white vote choice.
Efficacy of radiomics and genomics in predicting TP53 mutations in diffuse lower grade glioma

An updated classification of diffuse lower-grade gliomas is established in the 2016 World Health Organization Classification of Tumors of the Central Nervous System based on their molecular mutations such as TP53 mutation. This study investigates machine learning methods for TP53 mutation status prediction and classification using radiomics and genomics features, respectively. Radiomics features represent patients' age and imaging features that are extracted from conventional MRI. Genomics feature is represented by patients’ gene expression using RNA sequencing. This study uses a total of 105 LGG patients, where the patient dataset is divided into a training set (80 patients) and testing set (25 patients). Three TP53 mutation prediction models are constructed based on the source of the training features; TP53-radiomics model, TP53-genomics model, and TP53-radiogenomics model, respectively. Radiomics feature selection is performed using recursive feature selection method. For genomics data, EdgeR method is utilized to select the differentially expressed genes between the mutated TP53 versus the non-mutated TP53 cases in the training set. The training classification model is constructed using Random Forest and cross-validated using repeated 10-fold cross validation. Finally, the predictive performance of the three models is assessed using the testing set. The three models, TP53-Radiomics, TP53-RadioGenomics, and TP53-Genomics, achieve a predictive accuracy of 0.84±0.04, 0.92±0.04, and 0.89±0.07, respectively. These results show promise of non-invasive MRI radiomics features and fusion of radiomics with genomics features for prediction of TP53.
The Enduring Popularity of Legacy Journalism: An Analysis of Online Audience Data

As news publishers continue to lose subscribers and advertising revenue, journalism practitioners and researchers have looked to newcomers to the field for ideas of how to adapt and succeed in a much more saturated and unstable media environment. Many have specifically looked to digital native news organizations to understand the ways that journalism is attempting to reinvent itself for a media landscape that is very different from the previous one. Yet what often gets lost in this focus on the newest news organizations is the resilience of many of journalism’s older ones. In this study, I analyze a year’s worth of U.S.-based online news consumption data to show that, even in a media environment increasingly saturated with digital native news outlets, legacy news brands continue to comprise a majority of the most popular news sites. Drawing on audience studies literature, I argue that these findings likely reflect audience preferences for familiar, established brands, as well as structural advantages these brands maintain due to their size and capital. I conclude that the fate of digital news organizations is not just a question of their innovativeness or nimbleness. It is also a question of their ability to combat a combination of powerful, stubborn forces: the habits of the people they hope to reach, and the deep pockets of their competitors.
The editor’s field – location, location, location…

may be the halcyon words if you are a real estate salesperson, but not so much when the audience is an international group of scientists. Manuscripts sometime are received that have as a title “X w...
Short-Term Risk of Bilateral Internal Mammary Artery Grafting in Diabetic Patients.

This study compares the morbidity and mortality at 30 days following the use of bilateral internal mammary arteries (BIMA) vs a single internal mammary artery (SIMA) at the time of coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with a preoperative HbA1c. Patients undergoing CABG from January 2008 to December 2016 reported to the Society of Thoracic Surgeons database were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were divided into 2 groups: use of BIMA or use of SIMA and propensity matched. To assess the effect of preoperative HbA1c, both groups were further divided into 5 subgroups: patients without diabetes mellitus (DM), or patients with DM and a preoperative HbA1c level in one of four groups ( 11%). The postoperative outcomes in both the BIMA and SIMA groups were compared. There were 700,504 and 28,115 patients with measured preoperative HbA1c levels in the SIMA and BIMA groups, respectively. Propensity score matching identified 23,635 comparable patients in each group for analysis. There was no difference in postoperative mortality between the BIMA and SIMA groups (1.3% vs 1.2%). The incidences of sternal wound infection (SWI) in patients undergoing placement of BIMA vs SIMA were: 0.8% vs 0.4% with no DM (P 11% (P = 0.01). Based on the incidence of SWI, BIMA is a reasonable approach with an HbA1c
From the Third to the Fourth Restatement of Foreign Relations: The Rise and Potential Fall of Foreign Relations Exceptionalism

This essay, written for a volume commemorating the American Law Institute’s publication of the Fourth Restatement of the Foreign Relations Law of the United States, traces the evolution of twentieth- and twenty-first century foreign relations jurisprudence that first culminated in the Third Restatement of Foreign Relations Law and has subsequently affected the emphasis of the Fourth Restatement. The essay argues that between the 1920s and the late 1960s, when cases such as Missouri v. Holland, United States v. Curtiss-Wright Export Corp., United States v. Belmont, United States v. Pink, Banco National de Cuba v. Sabbatino, and Zschernig v. Miller were decided, American constitutional foreign relations jurisprudence moved progressively toward emphasizing a posture of “foreign relations exceptionalism” that posited a sharp distinction between decisionmaking in the domestic and foreign relations realms; emphasized the extraconstitutional origins of executive power to make decisions affecting foreign relations; minimized federalism and separation-of-powers limitations on executive discretion in the realm of foreign affairs; and advanced a doctrine of “dormant foreign affairs preemption,” in which the policies of states having a potential impact on the relationship of the United States to foreign nations or residents of those nations were invalidated if they were perceived as interfering with that relationship, even where the United States had not expressed any views on the policies in question. Foreign relations exceptionalism found its fullest and most influential statement in the Third Restatement. The essay next identifies a series of developments, in the interval between the last publication of the Third Restatement in 1987 and the appearance of the Fourth Restatement in 2018, that have cumulatively served, if not to altogether undermine the hegemony of foreign affairs exceptionalism, to call some of its core propositions seriously into question. The essay advances explanations for those developments and concludes that as international contacts involving private American actors increase, the judicial oversight of state policies affecting foreign relations, once a dominant feature of U.S. constitutional foreign relations jurisprudence, may well recede.
Implementation of Telemedicine in a Tertiary Hospital-Based Ambulatory Practice in Detroit During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Observational Study.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has forced the health care delivery structure to change rapidly. The pandemic has further widened the disparities in health care and exposed vulnerable populations. Health care services caring for such populations must not only continue to operate but create innovative methods of care delivery without compromising safety. We present our experience of incorporating telemedicine in our university hospital–based outpatient clinic in one of the worst-hit areas in the world. Objective: Our goal is to assess the adoption of a telemedicine service in the first month of its implementation in outpatient practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. We also want to assess the need for transitioning to telemedicine, the benefits and challenges in doing so, and ongoing solutions during the initial phase of the implementation of telemedicine services for our patients. Methods: We conducted a prospective review of clinic operations data from the first month of a telemedicine rollout in the outpatient adult ambulatory clinic from April 1, 2020, to April 30, 2020. A telemedicine visit was defined as synchronous audio-video communication between the provider and patient for clinical care longer than 5 minutes or if the video visit converted to a telephone visit after 5 minutes due to technical problems. We recorded the number of telemedicine visits scheduled, visits completed, and the time for each visit. We also noted the most frequent billing codes used based on the time spent in the patient care and the number of clinical tasks (eg, activity suggested through diagnosis or procedural code) that were addressed remotely by the physicians. Results: During the study period, we had 110 telemedicine visits scheduled, of which 94 (85.4%) visits were completed. The average duration of the video visit was 35 minutes, with the most prolonged visit lasting 120 minutes. Of 94 patients, 24 (25.54%) patients were recently discharged from the hospital, and 70 (74.46%) patients were seen for urgent care needs. There was a 50% increase from the baseline in the number of clinical tasks that were addressed by the physicians during the pandemic. Conclusions: There was a high acceptance of telemedicine services by the patients, which was evident by a high show rate during the COVID-19 pandemic in Detroit. With limited staffing, restricted outpatient work hours, a shortage of providers, and increased outpatient needs, telemedicine was successfully implemented in our practice.
Biomechanical factors in three-dimensional tissue bioprinting

3D bioprinting techniques have shown great promise in various fields of tissue engineering and regenerative medicine. Yet, creating a tissue construct that faithfully represents the tightly regulated composition, microenvironment, and function of native tissues is still challenging. Among various factors, biomechanics of bioprinting processes play fundamental roles in determining the ultimate outcome of manufactured constructs. This review provides a comprehensive and detailed overview on various biomechanical factors involved in tissue bioprinting, including those involved in pre, during, and post printing procedures. In preprinting processes, factors including viscosity, osmotic pressure, and injectability are reviewed and their influence on cell behavior during the bioink preparation is discussed, providing a basic guidance for the selection and optimization of bioinks. In during bioprinting processes, we review the key characteristics that determine the success of tissue manufacturing, including the rheological properties and surface tension of the bioink, printing flow rate control, process-induced mechanical forces, and the in situ cross-linking mechanisms. Advanced bioprinting techniques, including embedded and multi-material printing, are explored. For post printing steps, general techniques and equipment that are used for characterizing the biomechanical properties of printed tissue constructs are reviewed. Furthermore, the biomechanical interactions between printed constructs and various tissue/cell types are elaborated for both in vitro and in vivo applications. The review is concluded with an outlook regarding the significance of biomechanical processes in tissue bioprinting, presenting future directions to address some of the key challenges faced by the bioprinting community.
Childhood Adversity and the Association Between Stress Sensitivity and Problematic Alcohol Use in Adults

Early life adversity (ELA) increases the risk of problematic alcohol use and alcohol use disorder (AUD). However, it is unclear why some but not all ELA-exposed individuals develop problematic alcohol use. Research is needed to determine how this environmental risk factor interacts with underlying neurobehavioral vulnerabilities to problem alcohol use. Hypersensitivity to uncertain threats (U-threat) has been posited as an endophenotype for AUD that might aid in the refinement of mechanistic models of problematic alcohol use. Therefore, U-threat hypersensitivity requires examination as a possible individual difference factor that facilitates problematic alcohol use among ELA-exposed individuals. We examined the unique and interactive effects of ELA and U-threat reactivity on problem drinking and depressive and anxiety symptom severity. Participants (N = 131) completed a well-validated threat-of-shock task, and startle eyeblink potentiation was recorded to index aversive responding. Individuals also completed self-report measures of alcohol use, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. Results demonstrated a positive association between ELA and higher levels of problematic alcohol use at high levels of U-threat reactivity, β = .75, t = 3.93, p < .001. Conversely, at low levels of U-threat reactivity, ELA exposure was negatively associated with problematic alcohol use, β = -.49, t = -2.30, p = .023. There was no significant ELA x U-Threat reactivity interaction on anxiety or depression. U-threat response strongly interacts with ELA exposure, affecting the direction of the association between ELA and problem drinking. U-threat reactivity may be a promising target for the prevention and treatment of problematic drinking among ELA-exposed individuals.
Adaptation of the heart to Frataxin depletion: Evidence that integrated stress response can predominate over mTORC1 activation.

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is an inherited disorder caused by depletion of frataxin (FXN), a mitochondrial protein required for iron-sulfur cluster (ISC) biogenesis. Cardiac dysfunction is the main cause of death. Yet pathogenesis, and, more generally, how the heart adapts to FXN loss, remain poorly understood, though are expected to be linked to an energy deficit. We modified a transgenic (TG) mouse model of inducible FXN depletion that permits phenotypic evaluation of the heart at different FXN levels, and focused on substrate-specific bioenergetics and stress signaling. When FXN protein in the TG heart was 17% of normal, bioenergetics and signaling were not different from control. When, 8 weeks later, FXN was ~ 97% depleted in the heart, TG heart mass and cardiomyocyte cross-sectional area were less, without evidence of fibrosis or apoptosis. mTORC1 signaling was activated, as was the integrated stress response, evidenced by greater phosphorylation of eIF2α relative to total eIF2α, and decreased protein translation. We interpret these results to suggest that, in TG hearts, an anabolic stimulus was constrained by eIF2α phosphorylation. Cardiac contractility was maintained in the 97%-FXN-depleted hearts, possibly contributed by an unexpected preservation of β-oxidation, though pyruvate oxidation was lower. Bioenergetics alterations were matched by changes in the mitochondrial proteome, including a non-uniform decrease in abundance of ISC-containing proteins. Altogether, these findings suggest that the FXN depleted heart can suppress a major ATP demanding process such as protein translation, which, together with some preservation of β-oxidation, could be adaptive, at least in the short term.
Montages from the Standpoint of the EEG Technologist

(1977). Montages from the Standpoint of the EEG Technologist. American Journal of EEG Technology: Vol. 17, No. 2, pp. 101-103.
Social Status, Perceived Social Reputations, and Perceived Dyadic Relationships in Early Adolescence

This investigation examined social acceptance and popularity as correlates of perceived social reputations and perceived dyadic relationships in a cross-sectional sample of 418 6th and 7th grade students (approximate average age of 12 years). We assessed early adolescents' social status using peer nominations and measured their perceptions of their social status, behavioral reputations, and friendships from a combination of self-ratings and peer nominations. Social acceptance was positively related to perceptions of social acceptance and friendships and negatively related to perceptions of rejection and a victimized reputation. Popularity was positively associated with perceptions of popularity, rejection, and an aggressive reputation and negatively associated with perceptions of unpopularity and a socially withdrawn reputation. Our results were, in general, consistent with the suggestion that social acceptance is related to perceiving facets of reputations and relationships relevant to forming and maintaining friendships whereas popularity is related to perceiving facets pertinent to gaining social power.
Metabolism and Synthesis of Indole-3-Acetic Acid (IAA) in Zea mays (Levels of IAA during Kernel Development and the Use of in Vitro Endosperm Systems for Studying IAA Biosynthesis)

Kernels of Zea mays on an intact plant accumulate indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at the rate of 190 ng g-1 fresh weight h-1. Of the IAA synthesized, 97% is in the esterified form and less than 3% remains as the free acid. The site of biosynthesis of the IAA, whether synthesized in the leaf and transported to the kernel, or in the kernel and remaining in the kernel, has not been established. In an attempt to determine the locus of synthesis, we grew isolated kernels on agar media not containing tryptophan or other possible aromatic precursors of IAA and observed IAA synthesis of 99 ng g-1 fresh weight h-1, approximately 52% of the in situ rate. Thus, the kernel contains all of the enzymes required for de novo aromatic biosynthesis of IAA and its ester conjugates. Furthermore, endosperm cells in suspension culture, grown on hormone-free media and in the absence of aromatic precursors, are able to synthesize IAA at a rate of 9.2 ng g-1 fresh weight h-1, or 4.8% of the in situ rate. This finding establishes that all of the enzymes of IAA biosynthesis occur in the endosperm and that the endosperm is a site of IAA biosynthesis. Isolated endosperm, prepared from developing kernels, synthesized IAA from labeled anthranilate at a rate of 8.6 ng g-1 fresh weight h-1, or 4.5% of the in situ rate. Frozen endosperm preparations maintained the ability to synthesize labeled IAA from labeled anthranilate. The identity of the synthesized IAA was established by mass spectral analysis. We suggest that endosperm preparations of Z. mays are suitable for study of the mechanism(s) of IAA biosynthesis because they (a) have high rates of synthesis; (b) show stability to freezing, enabling enzyme storage; (c) provide a system with a known rate of in situ synthesis; and (d) are available in large amounts for use as an enzyme source.
Uniform-distribution learnability of noisy linear threshold functions with restricted focus of attention

Recently, Kalai et al. [1] have shown (among other things) that linear threshold functions over the Boolean cube and unit sphere are agnostically learnable with respect to the uniform distribution using the hypothesis class of polynomial threshold functions. Their primary algorithm computes monomials of large constant degree, although they also analyze a low-degree algorithm for learning origin-centered halfspaces over the unit sphere. This paper explores noise-tolerant learnability of linear thresholds over the cube when the learner sees a very limited portion of each instance. Uniform-distribution weak learnability results are derived for the agnostic, unknown attribute noise, and malicious noise models. The noise rates that can be tolerated vary: the rate is essentially optimal for attribute noise, constant (roughly 1/8) for agnostic learning, and non-trivial ($\Omega(1/\sqrt{n})$) for malicious noise. In addition, a new model that lies between the product attribute and malicious noise models is introduced, and in this stronger model results similar to those for the standard attribute noise model are obtained for learning homogeneous linear thresholds with respect to the uniform distribution over the cube. The learning algorithms presented are simple and have small-polynomial running times.
Response to Comment on “Chaperone Activity of α B-Crystallin Is Responsible for Its Incorrect Assignment as an Autoantigen in Multiple Sclerosis”

The comments of Dr. van Noort and colleagues in regard to our manuscript are appreciated because they allow us to discuss an important issue that was not included in the published article. The goal of the research was not to question whether crystallin was an autoantigen, but rather to address the
“Fabrication of ZnO/Metal Matrix Composites by Oxidation of Liquid Zn Alloys”

A novel ZnO-based composite material is fabricated by oxidation of Zn alloy melts, in which outward growth of the reaction products and rapid reaction kinetics are observed. The resultant ceramic material consists of three-dimensional interconnected ZnO and residual metallic phases. The additions of Na and Bi to the Zn melts are found to be essential to increase the matrix growth rate to a practical level. Reaction rates can be optimized at temperatures ranging from 450 to 550 C. Alloy composition is also observed to have a profound effect on the resulting microstructure and kinetics. 13 refs.
Liver Tissue Engineering

The development of liver support systems has been in intensive investigation for over 40 years. The main driving force is the shortage of donor organs for orthotopic liver transplantation. Liver cell transplantation and extracorporeal bioartificial livers (BAL) may bridge patients with end-stage liver diseases to successful orthotopic liver transplantation, support patients with acute liver failure to recover, and provide a curing method to patients with certain liver metabolic diseases. Another frontier of current liver tissue engineering is to construct many functional liver units in vitro for drug toxicity and metabolism screening. Much progress has been made, with several artificial liver dialysis devices on the market, a few BAL systems in clinical trials, and other in vitro micro-liver models in development. On the other hand, many lessons have been learned as well. In this chapter, we will focus on the review of advancement, challenges and the critical issues that have to be solved in the development of BAL systems and hepatic cell transplantation as well as in vitro micro-liver models from a tissue engineering perspective.
Influence of glutathione and glutathione S-transferases on DNA interstrand cross-link formation by 1,2-bis(methylsulfonyl)-1-(2-chloroethyl)hydrazine, the active anticancer moiety generated by laromustine.

Prodrugs of 1,2-bis(methylsulfonyl)-1-(2-chloroethyl)hydrazine (90CE) are promising anticancer agents. The 90CE moiety is a readily latentiated, short-lived (t1/2 ∼ 30 s) chloroethylating agent tha...
XRD and Solid-State NMR Study of Magnesium Oxide–Magnesium Orthophosphate Systems

Abstract Various magnesium oxide–magnesium orthophosphate systems in different Mg/P ratios were synthesized and examined by XRD and1H and31P MAS NMR. The results thus obtained are compared with those for commercially available pure MgO and Mg3(PO4)2. The crystallization temperature of magnesium orthophosphate was found to increase with increasing MgO content in the sample. The NMR technique revealed the absence of interactions between the two species.31P MAS NMR allowed the amorphous-to-crystalline ratio for magnesium orthophosphate in solids calcined at different temperatures to be determined. Also,1H MAS NMR revealed the qualitative nature of hydroxyl sites in the solids.
Increased Umbilical Cord Plasma Interleukin-1β Levels was Correlated with Adverse Outcomes of Neonatal Hypoxic-ischemic Encephalopathy

To explore whether or not the umbilical blood levels of cytokines can be used to indicate the adverse outcomes of hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) patients. Umbilical artery blood and peripheral venous blood samples were collected on the 1st, 3rd and 7th days after birth to detect the levels of IL-1 beta, IL-8 and TNF-alpha. Neurological examination and Denver developmental screening test (DDST-II) were performed at the 6 and 12 months evaluations to detect any neurodevelopmental abnormalities. The results showed: (i) the serum concentrations of IL-1 beta, IL-8 and TNF-alpha in umbilical and peripheral blood were significantly higher in HIE patients than control groups; (ii) the umbilical blood concentrations of IL-1 beta exhibited the best positive correlation with HIE grades, when compared with IL-8 and TNF-alpha; and (iii) abnormal neurological outcomes at 6 and 12 months of age were best predicted by umbilical levels of IL-1 beta. Thus, umbilical concentrations of IL-1 beta were associated with the grades and adverse outcomes of HIE.
Synthesis of linear sequential machines

This paper studies the problem of synthesis of linear sequential machines from transition tables which are not necessarily coded and reduced. Two synthesis procedures are presented. One is adopted from linear system theory; the other is a modification of Cohn and Even's method. These two procedures not only are computationally simpler than any existing methods, but also yield minimal canonical form equations.
Interplay of hepatic and myeloid signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 in facilitating liver regeneration via tempering innate immunity

Liver regeneration triggered by two-thirds partial hepatectomy is accompanied by elevated hepatic levels of endotoxin, which contributes to the regenerative process, but liver inflammation and apoptosis remain paradoxically limited. Here, we show that signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), an important anti-inflammatory signal, is activated in myeloid cells after partial hepatectomy and its conditional deletion results in an enhanced inflammatory response. Surprisingly, this is accompanied by an improved rather than impaired regenerative response with increased hepatic STAT3 activation, which may contribute to the enhanced liver regeneration. Indeed, conditional deletion of STAT3 in both hepatocytes and myeloid cells results in elevated activation of STAT1 and apoptosis of hepatocytes, and a dramatic reduction in survival after partial hepatectomy, whereas additional global deletion of STAT1 protects against these effects. Conclusion: An interplay of myeloid and hepatic STAT3 signaling is essential to prevent liver failure during liver regeneration through tempering a strong innate inflammatory response mediated by STAT1 signaling. (HEPATOLOGY 2010.)
Profiles of Respondents Who Respond Inconsistently to Positively- and Negatively-worded Items on Rating Scales

Many instruments, especially Likert-type scales, contain both positively- and negatively-worded items within the same scale (i.e. mixed-item format). A major reason for this practice appears to be to discourage response sets from emerging. Using this format also helps the analyst to detect response sets that occur in data sets, and thus eliminate them from subsequent analyses. However, some psychometricians seriously question the use of mixed-item formats, positing that positively- and negatively-worded items within a scale are not measuring the same underlying trait. Limited evidence has suggested that certain individuals are more predisposed to providing differential response patterns when responding to a mixed-item format scale. However, to date, only a few characteristics of these differential-responding individuals have been identified. Thus, the purpose of this present study was to extend this line of research. Specifically, the researchers analysed responses to several scales utilizing mixed-item f...
A Hybrid Genetic Algorithm for Mixed-Discrete Design Optimization

A new hybrid genetic algorithm is presented for the solution of mixed-discrete nonlinear design optimization. In this approach, the genetic algorithm (GA) is used mainly to determine the optimal feasible region that contains the global optimum point, and the hybrid negative subgradient method integrated with discrete one-dimensional search is subsequently used to replace the GA to find the final optimum solution. The hybrid genetic algorithm, combining the advantages of random search and deterministic search methods, can improve the convergence speed and computational efficiency compared with some other GAs or random search methods. Several practical examples of mechanical design are tested using the computer program developed. The numerical results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed approach.
A cross‐sectional case control study of work‐related injuries among Ohio farmers

The agricultural industry has consistently been ranked among the most hazardous in the U.S. To date, few analytic studies of occupational injury among farm operators and workers have been conducted. A case control study was undertaken to investigate risk factors for agricultural work-related injury among Ohio farm operators. Cases were selected from among 1,793 respondents to a questionnaire administered during the first phase of the NIOSH-sponsored Ohio Farm Family Health and Hazard Study (OFFHHS). Analysis consisted of description of the injury experience of the sample as a whole, followed by logistic estimation of prevalence odds ratios (pORs) measuring the effect of potential risk factors on injury risk. The case series consisted of 90 white male principal operators (POs) injured doing farm work in the 12 months prior to questionnaire completion. Controls consisted of 1,475 white male POs who reported no injuries. The overall rate of injury was 5 per 100 person-years. The most notable result is the relationship between self-reported neurotoxic symptoms and injury, suggesting those with more reported symptoms were at greater risk of injury. The crude OR, when compared to the reference score of < or = 27, increased from 1.74 (95% CI = 0.60-5.09) in the 28-30 category, to 1.89 (95% CI = 0.71-5.03) in the 31-35 category, to 2.96 (95% CI = 1.10-7.96) in the highest category of test score. The P value for trend was 0.0218. These associations largely persisted after controlling for potential confounders with multiple logistic regression. Risk was inversely related to age. The results show marked increases in risk of injury associated with farmers younger than 30 and increased severity of self-reported neurological symptoms, controlling for potential confounding.
Spatial distribution of pain: A descriptive characteristic of chronic pain

Abstract Self-report of spatial distribution of pain has been employed to assess anatomic accuracy of pain description. To date, there is little information on behavioral or psychological characteristics of chronic pain patients as a function of spatial distribution of pain sites. In the present study, 92 patients presenting to a multidisciplinary pain clinic with chronic facial, back, or extremity pain enumerated total sites of pain throughout the body. Responses were categorized into low (1–2), moderate (3–5) and high (6–18) discrete sites of pain. Patients completed self-report scales assessing various activity abilities and health behaviors, a measure of pain description (McGill Pain Language Questionnaire, MPQ), and health related measures of personality (Illness Behavior Questionnaire, IBQ) and cognitive style (Multifactorial Health Locus of Control, MHLC). One-way ANOVAs revealed significant differences as a function of spatial distribution on a number of behavioral (down-time, walking, recreational, vocational and social abilities; total drug use, number of health professionals consulted), pain description (Total Words Chosen-MPQ, Sum of Ranks-MPQ, and Sensory-MPQ) and psychological variables (Disease Conviction-IBQ and Affective Disturbance-IBQ). Results suggest spatial distribution of pain site to be a useful clinical diagnostic indicator of psychological disturbance in chronic pain patients.
Electrothermal Transport in Carbon Nanostructures

Heat generation in carbon nanofibers (CNF) has raised concerns regarding reliability in these structures under high- current conditions. This work addresses the interplay between electron transport and resulting Joule heating in CNFs. The model relates current to power dissipation leading to temperature rise in the structure, thus elucidating the relationship between thermal and electrical properties in carbon nanostructures.
Synchrotron radiation-based irradiance calibration from 200 to 400 nm at the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility III

A new facility for measuring irradiance in the UV was commissioned recently at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The facility uses the calculable radiation from the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility as the primary standard. To measure the irradiance from a source under test, an integrating sphere spectrometer-detector system measures both the source under test and the synchrotron radiation sequentially, and the irradiance from the source under test can be determined. In particular, we discuss the calibration of deuterium lamps using this facility from 200 to 400 nm. This facility improves the current NIST UV irradiance scale to a relative measurement uncertainty of 1.2% (k=2).
Muscimol dialysis into the caudal aspect of the Nucleus tractus solitarii of conscious rats inhibits chemoreception.

Abstract We studied the effects on chemoreception of bilateral focal inhibition of the caudal Nucleus tractus solitarii (cNTS) by microdialysis of muscimol (0.5 mM) in rats during wakefulness and NREM sleep at two temperatures, 24 °C and 30 °C, just below and within the thermoneutral zone, respectively. Body temperature and V ˙ O 2 did not differ at these two temperatures. The CO2 response (% increase in V ˙ E / V ˙ O 2 ) did not differ at 24 °C vs. 30 °C and muscimol inhibited the CO2 response equally at both temperatures. In contrast, the hypoxic response (% increase in V ˙ E / V ˙ O 2 ) was greater at 30 °C than at 24 °C and muscimol inhibited it only at 30 °C. These effects were similar in wakefulness and NREM sleep. We conclude that: (1) ambient temperature can affect the V ˙ E / V ˙ O 2 response to hypoxia but not hypercapnia and (2) at 24 °C muscimol in the cNTS affects the CO2 response but not the hypoxic response providing indirect support for the presence of chemoreception within the NTS.
Early life-stage toxicity test with tidewater silversides (Menidia Peninsulae) and chlorine-produced oxidants

Early life-stage toxicity tests (continuous exposure from embryonic stage to 3 weeks or more into the exogenous feeding stage) with North American marine fishes have been conducted almost exclusively with cyprinodontids. In this report, we present methods for testing a representative of another family, Atherinidae. Embryos of the tidewater silverside Menidia peninsulae (Goode and Bean) were obtained by a laboratory spawning procedure that required lighting and tidal (current) stimuli. A 28-d toxicity test with chlorine-produced oxidants (CPO) began with stage 21 and 22 embryos (approximately 36 h old). Average measured CPO concentrations in exposure water were nondetectable (< 0.01 mg/L) in the control and in the two lowest exposure concentrations, and 0.01, 0.04 and 0.21 mg/L. Survival of embryos to hatching averaged 99%, with no significant difference among treatments. Although no fish survived exposure to 0.21 mg CPO/L, survival was ≥ 88% in the control and the four other CPO treatments. Average wet weights of individual fish ranged from 11.7 mg in 0.04 mg/L to 13.2 mg in 0.01 mg/L, with no significant difference among treatments.
Matsushita v. Zenith : An economic analysis

The Supreme Court erred by deciding that the proposition — that the Japanese television manufacturers, the defendants inMatsushita, had acted as independent competitors — had greater plausibility than the plaintiffs' charge that they had conspired to depress U.S. prices and take a large part of the U.S. market. Independent competitors would not have exported to the U.S., where prices were much below those in the home market. Moreover, the record evidence showed collusion in both the home and U.S. markets. Intent was also shown by the construction of large capacity to supply the U.S.
The Celluloid Madonna: From Scripture to Screen

The Celluloid Madonna: From Scripture to Screen CATHERINE O’BRIEN, 2011 New York & Chichester, West Sussex: Wallflower Press/Columbia University Press 192 pp., US$75.00, £52.00 (hb), US$25.00, £17....
Low back pain and its relationship to back strength and physical activity in children.

Objective : The objective of the study was to determine the occurrence of low back pain and its relationship to back strength and physical activity in children. Methods and materials : The study included 53 boys and 43 girls aged 10 to 19 years from a group of 116 children who had undergone isometric strength testing 4 years previously. No intervention was performed. Each child was asked five questions concerning low back pain. A questionnaire to quantify participation in athletic activities and manual labor was used as the basis for calculation of each child's activity level. Isometric back flexor and extensor strength were measured with the same method used 4 years previously. Statistical analyses were performed with appropriate correction for confounding factors. Results : The frequency of low back pain and the relationship between low back pain and age, between low back pain and back strength, and between low back pain and physical activity were determined. There was a history of low back pain in 51%, and the frequency of low back pain in the past year was 35%. Eight percent of the children had been limited by low back pain, and 7% had seen a doctor for the pain. The first incident of low back pain occurred at a mean age of 12.3 years. The frequencies of a history of low back pain and of low back pain in the past year increased significantly with age (p = 0.02 and 0.01, respectively). Increased physical activity was significantly associated with a history of low back pain (p = 0.03), and increased back flexor strength was significantly associated with a history of low back pain and of low back pain in the past year (p = 0.03 and 0.008, respectively). The rate of change in back flexor strength over 4 years had a significantly positive association with the occurrence of low back pain in the past year (p = 0.008). Conclusions and relevance : Low back pain is common in children, and, in contrast to adults, low back pain in these children was more common with increased physical activity and stronger back flexors. We believe the main causes oflow back pain in children are musculotendinous strains and ligamentous sprains.
Could p53 be a target for therapeutic suppression

The function of p53 has been traditionally viewed in the context of its tumor suppressor activity. In fact, the p53-dependent growth arrest and apoptosis, occurring in response to a variety of stimuli, act to protect the organism from cancer by eliminating potential tumor precursors. However, the same functions of p53 could determine severe damage of normal tissues as a consequence of genotoxic stress associated with anti-tumor therapy. This makes p53 a potential target for therapeutic suppression with the purpose of rescuing normal tissues from the side effects of cancer treatment. We analyze the accumulated information regarding the role of p53 in acute and long-term consequences of genotoxic stress in vivo. Comparison of p53 wild type and p53-deficient mice indicates that p53, in fact, determines massive apoptosis occurring shortly after gamma irradiation in radiosensitive tissues. Sites of apoptosis match the tissue-specific pattern of p53 mRNA expression indicating that p53 regulation at mRNA level is a determinant of acute radiosensitivity of tissues. In the hematopoietic system, radiation-induced death of both differentiating and stem cells strongly depends on p53, suggesting that p53 suppression would decrease damage and promote faster recovery of hematopoiesis after anti-cancer therapy. However, p53 does not effect the recovery of radiosensitive epithelia since their stem cells, in contrast to differentiating cells, die in a p53-independent manner. The validity and potential complications of therapeutic suppression of p53 in cancer treatment and under other stressful conditions are discussed in relation to the p53 functions in normal development.
Therapy for Neurobehavioral Disorders in Epilepsy

Neurobehavioral disorders commonly affect patients with epilepsy. In addition to the behavioral changes during and immediately after seizures, the epileptogenic disorder of function often extends further into the postictal and interictal period. Cognitive impairments commonly affect attention, memory, mental speed, and language, as well as executive and social functions. Reducing seizure frequency and the antiepileptic drug burden can reduce these problems. Attentional deficits may respond to therapies for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, but apart from patients with this comorbid disorder, their efficacy is unproven in other epilepsy patients. No effective therapies are established for other cognitive problems, but pragmatic, compensatory strategies can be helpful. Behavioral disorders include fatigue, depression, anxiety, and psychosis. Many of these disorders usually respond well to pharmacotherapy, which can be supplemented by psychotherapy. Cognitive and behavioral disorders can be the greatest cause of morbidity and impaired quality of life, often overshadowing seizures. Yet these problems often go unrecognized and, even when identified, are often undertreated or untreated.