cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Easy fix for clinical laboratories for the false-positive defect with the Abbott AxSym total β-hCG test

Background: False-positive hCG results can lead to erroneous diagnoses and needless chemotherapy and surgery. In the last 2 years, eight publications described cases involving false-positive hCG tests; all eight involved the AxSym test. We investigated the source of this abundance of cases and a simple fix that may be used by clinical laboratories. Methods: False-positive hCG was primarily identified by absence of hCG in urine and varying or negative hCG results in alternative tests. Seventeen false-positive serum samples in the AxSym test were evaluated undiluted and at twofold dilution with diluent containing excess goat serum or immunoglobulin. Results: We identified 58 patients with false-positive hCG, 47 of 58 due to the Abbott AxSym total hCGh test (81%). Sixteen of 17 of these ‘‘false-positive’’ results (mean 100 mIU/ml) became undetectable when tested again after twofold dilution. Conclusions: A simple twofold dilution with this diluent containing excess goat serum or immunoglobulin completely protected 16 of 17 samples from patients having false-positive results. It is recommended that laboratories using this test use twofold dilution as a minimum to prevent false-positive results. D 2004 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. All rights reserved.
Inhibition of cell proliferation by C/EBPα occurs in many cell types, does not require the presence of p53 or Rb, and is not affected by large T-antigen

The transcription factor CCAAT/enhancer binding protein (C/EBP alpha) is expressed predominantly in differentiated tissues and is able to induce growth arrest and differentiation in preadipocytes. C/EBP alpha expression is high in non-dividing hepatocytes, but decreases during liver regeneration. These observations suggest that C/EBP alpha is inversely related to cell proliferation. To investigate the mechanism of growth inhibition by C/EBP alpha, the response of immortal human cells to cotransfection of a C/EBP alpha expression vector (CMV alpha) and a CMV beta-galactosidase expression vector was examined. Hep3B2, a hepatoma; Saos2, an osteosarcoma deficient for p53 and Rb; and 639, a fibroblast expressing SV40 T-antigen, were examined. Transiently transfected cells were stained for beta-gal activity to monitor their ability to undergo division. The ability of stable transformants to form colonies was also assessed for each cell line. Cells transfected with CMV alpha remained as non-dividing cells while control cells divided to form colonies. Mutations of the C/EBP alpha sequence demonstrated that only a small, previously uncharacterized activation domain was required for antimitotic activity. Our results suggest that C/EBP alpha may play a role in maintaining the quiescent state of hepatocytes and other cells. Furthermore, it appears that the effects of C/EBP alpha are not mediated through p53 or Rb and are not altered by T-antigen.
In FMD, NO is actually "the middle man".

This letter is in response to the Point:Counterpoint series “Flow-mediated dilation does/does not reflect nitric oxide-mediated endothelial function” that appeared in the September issue (vol. 99: 1233–1238, 2005; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00601.2005; http://jap.physiology.org/content/vol99/issue3/2005).
Microarray assessment of methylation in individual mouse blastocyst stage embryos shows that in vitro culture may have widespread genomic effects

background: Although assisted reproductive technology (ART) is reported to result in abnormal genomic imprinting and/or altered genomic methylation, few if any studies have used high-throughput methods to analyze genomic methylation in ART embryos. We hypothesized that a microarray-based assessment of genomic methylation could be used to reveal differences between ART and normal preimplantation embryos. methods: In this pilot study, we performed methylation-sensitive amplification of genomic DNA from preimplantation mouse blastocysts, obtained by natural mating and either maintained in vivo until E3.5 (n ¼ 4) or cultured in vitro (n ¼ 4) from E0.5 until E3.5. An oligonucleotide microarray was then used to perform comparative hybridization of amplified DNA, allowing us to assess relative methylation at � 16 000 loci on mouse chromosome 7. results: We show that for in vivo derived embryos, the methylation/microarray results were strikingly consistent. In contrast, all four in vitro cultured embryos showed evidence of generalized hypermethylation as well as greater locus-to-locus variability, when compared with in vivo derived embryos. Genomic segments that overlapped exons and CpG islands were most likely to be hypomethylated in both normal and experimental blastocysts. Other sequence features, such as repetitive elements, were not associated with the presence of or the degree of methylation. conclusions: We conclude that a general assessment of genomic methylation in blastocyst stage embryos is technically feasible. Data from this small sample suggest that in vitro embryo culture is associated with generalized hypermethylation as well as increased locus-to-locus variability in methylation. However, it is premature to conclude that this is a general property of in vitro cultured blastocysts.
The Early Later Stone Age in East Africa: Excavations and Lithic Assemblages from Lukenya Hill

The site of Lukenya Hill, Kenya, is one of the richest Later Stone Age (LSA) sites in East Africa. Its sequence documents the increasing manufacture of microlithic tools, one of the hallmarks of hunter–gatherer behavioral “modernity” (Bar-Yosef and Kuhn, 1999). This paper presents results of excavations at the LSA site of GvJm62, Lukenya Hill, and analysis of site formation processes on this inselberg rock shelter. It examines lithic assemblages from GvJm62 and four other Pleistocene-dated LSA sites at Lukenya Hill. Differences in raw material use, typology, and chronology indicate that there are three different kinds of LSA industries in the sampled sites at Lukenya Hill. Changes in technology, activities, and land use patterns can explain the differences among these three industries. The Lukenya Hill sequence is compared with other East African LSA industries. Le gisement de Lukenya Hill en Kenya est un des gisements les plus riches du type Paleolithique Superieure en Afrique de l'Est. La sequence demonstre l'existence et ensuite le frequence des outils microlithiques. Cet article present les resultats des fouilles du gisement de GvJm62 a Lukenya Hill et present un etude des methodes de formation du gisement. On examine les outils lithiques de GvJm62 et quatre autres gisements a Lukenya Hill. Les differences des types des matieres premiers, de la chronologie, et des types d'outils suggerent qu'il y a trois types d'industrie a Lukenya Hill. On peut expliquer ces differences par changements en la technologie, les activites et les modeles de l'utilisation de la terre. La sequence a Lukenya Hill est comparee avec les autres industries Est Africain.
Development and testing of a rotary percussive Sample Acquisition Tool

A low mass Sample Acquisition Tool (SAT) has been developed that can be used autonomously to percussively core, fracture, and capture rock cores. The tool was developed as part of the Integrated Mars Sample Acquisition and Handling (IMSAH) architecture allowing for end to end sample capture and caching as it relates to the proposed Mars Sample Return (MSR) campaign. The key element of the tool design, as it pertains to the IMSAH architecture, is the ability to drill and capture rock cores directly into a sample tube. In doing so, the sample tube becomes the handling element within the IMSAH sample handling chain significantly reducing the possibility of sample contamination and uncertainty related to handling a sample of unknown geometry. In order to validate the tool's unit level functionality a series of verification and validation tests have been performed utilizing a rock test suite that encompasses a variety of rock types that are analogous to Martian rocks and have been used in the past to qualify Martian surface sampling hardware. The results of the testing have shown the tool can successfully generate, fracture, and capture rock cores within a sample tube for all of the rocks within the proposed test suite. Additionally, the tool does so while maintaining torque margins of no less than 50% for all mechanisms with an average power consumption of no greater than 90W and a tool mass of less than 6kg.
Peripheral vascular disease and one-year mortality following percutaneous coronary revascularization☆

The association between peripheral vascular disease and outcomes after percutaneous coronary intervention was examined in the Do Tirofiban and Reopro Give Similar Efficacy Outcome Trial (TARGET). After adjustments in a multivariate model, a history of peripheral vascular disease was found to be associated with a two- to threefold increase in mortality at 1 year after coronary stent placement.
What is Nursing Science

The enigma of defining nursing science is preceded by defining nursing, science, research, and nursing theory-guided practice. The context for exploring the meaning of nursing science is provided through examination of the totality and simultaneity paradigms. Differing views of nursing as a discipline are discussed. The position is taken that nursing is a basic science with various nursing schools of thought that constitute the substantive knowledge of the discipline. Finally, a definition of nursing science is presented that is broad enough to encompass all disciplinary knowledge. Despite current challenges, an optimistic vision is emerging. The nurse theorists and other nurse scholars who are furthering the development of this work are considered to be the cultural creatives of nursing and contributors to a larger movement toward wholeness in science and in society.
Differential strand separation at critical temperature: A minimally disruptive enrichment method for low-abundance unknown DNA mutations

Detection of low-level DNA variations in the presence of wild-type DNA is important in several fields of medicine, including cancer, prenatal diagnosis and infectious diseases. PCR-based methods to enrich mutations during amplification have limited multiplexing capability, are mostly restricted to known mutations and are prone to polymerase or mis-priming errors. Here, we present Differential Strand Separation at Critical Temperature (DISSECT), a method that enriches unknown mutations of targeted DNA sequences purely based on thermal denaturation of DNA heteroduplexes without the need for enzymatic reactions. Target DNA is pre-amplified in a multiplex reaction and hybridized onto complementary probes immobilized on magnetic beads that correspond to wild-type DNA sequences. Presence of any mutation on the target DNA forms heteroduplexes that are subsequently denatured from the beads at a critical temperature and selectively separated from wild-type DNA. We demonstrate multiplexed enrichment by 100- to 400-fold for KRAS and TP53 mutations at multiple positions of the targeted sequence using two to four successive cycles of DISSECT. Cancer and plasma-circulating DNA samples containing traces of mutations undergo mutation enrichment allowing detection via Sanger sequencing or high-resolution melting. The simplicity, scalability and reliability of DISSECT make it a powerful method for mutation enrichment that integrates well with existing downstream detection methods.
Incremental Information Extraction Using Relational Databases

Information extraction systems are traditionally implemented as a pipeline of special-purpose processing modules targeting the extraction of a particular kind of information. A major drawback of such an approach is that whenever a new extraction goal emerges or a module is improved, extraction has to be reapplied from scratch to the entire text corpus even though only a small part of the corpus might be affected. In this paper, we describe a novel approach for information extraction in which extraction needs are expressed in the form of database queries, which are evaluated and optimized by database systems. Using database queries for information extraction enables generic extraction and minimizes reprocessing of data by performing incremental extraction to identify which part of the data is affected by the change of components or goals. Furthermore, our approach provides automated query generation components so that casual users do not have to learn the query language in order to perform extraction. To demonstrate the feasibility of our incremental extraction approach, we performed experiments to highlight two important aspects of an information extraction system: efficiency and quality of extraction results. Our experiments show that in the event of deployment of a new module, our incremental extraction approach reduces the processing time by 89.64 percent as compared to a traditional pipeline approach. By applying our methods to a corpus of 17 million biomedical abstracts, our experiments show that the query performance is efficient for real-time applications. Our experiments also revealed that our approach achieves high quality extraction results.
Intensity interpolation for reconstructing 3-D medical images from serial cross-sections

Reconstructing three-dimensional objects from serial cross-sections is an important operation in many medical and biological applications. Intensity interpolation makes slicing from any arbitrary angle possible and also provides accurate quantitative information for various purposes. However, the only technique available is the straightforward linear interpolation method which is technically unsound and groundless. An intensity interpolation method for two regions of interest lying on two consecutive cross-sections is proposed. Although the intensity is interpolated linearly, the corresponding points involved in interpolation are carefully selected. The experimental results show that it is superior to the straightforward method. >
Decision Trees And Quality Control Decisions

Bayesian decision tree analysis has been widely used as a basis for quality control decision making. Recently, the traditional decision tree analysis has been criticized for requiring a lot of calculations and, therefore, being inefficient. This paper presents a simplified and efficient decision tree analysis for quality control decision making that improves the efficiency of the traditional decision analysis by reducing substantially the number of calculations required to solve decision problems. For some decision problems, the proposed analysis reduces the number of calculations required to solve decision problems by more than 75%. Some researchers provided modified decision trees (Game trees and Scenario trees) that attempt to preserve the advantages of the traditional trees while improving their efficiency. However, these other modified decision trees may not be as efficient as the traditional analysis because they do not allow for the use of the coalescence procedure in the case of symmetrical decision problems.
Surgical stabilization of severe rib fractures decreases incidence of retained hemothorax and empyema.

Abstract Background Retained hemothorax (RH) is relatively common after chest trauma and can lead to empyema. We hypothesized that patients who have surgical fixation of rib fractures (SSRF) have less RH and empyema than those who have medical management of rib fractures (MMRF). Methods Admitted rib fracture patients from January 2009 to June 2013 were identified. A 2:1 propensity score model identified MMRF patients who were similar to SSRF. RH, and empyema and readmissions, were recorded. Variables were compared using Fisher exact test and Wilcoxon rank–sum tests. Results One hundred thirty-seven SSRF and 274 MMRF were analyzed; 31 (7.5%) had RH requiring 35 interventions; 3 (2.2%) SSRF patients had RH compared with 28 (10.2%) MMRF ( P = .003). Four (14.3%) MMRF subjects with RH developed empyema versus zero in the SSRF group ( P = .008); 6 (19.3%) RH patients required readmission versus 14 (3.7%) in the non-RH group ( P = .002). Conclusions Patients with rib fractures who have SSRF have less RH compared with similar MMRF patients. Although not a singular reason to perform SSRF, this clinical benefit should not be overlooked.
On the Underlying Structure of Well-Learned Motor Responses A Discussion of Namikas and Schneider and Fisk

The articles by Namikas and Schneider and Fisk in this section on the nature of well-learned information have focused on a largely ignored problem in motor-learning research–i.e., how the learner is different as a result of having practiced extensively at some motor task. This response to these articles has focused on two kinds of issues. First, there is a discussion of the research that suggests a structure of the representation of well-learned motor tasks, analogous to the research that has discussed the nature of memory for verbal materials. Such evidence suggests that motor responses are represented abstractly, and that phasing (i.e., the temporal structure of the actions) are in some way involved in these representations. How this evidence fits with motor-program concepts is discussed. Second, there is a discussion of the nature of automaticity–a clear by-product of high levels of learning. Here, it is suggested that the automaticity shown by Schneider and Fisk might be best regarded as located in early stages of processing, as there is little evidence that later (motor-evocation) stages of processing can be attention-free. The nature of practice for automatic responding is also discussed. Both papers reinforce the need to examine motor-learning processes with large amounts of practice, emphasizing the nature of the various ways in which the learners become different with practice.
Biochemical, Cell Biological, and Genetic Assays to Analyze Amyloid and Prion Aggregation in Yeast

Protein aggregates are associated with a variety of debilitating human diseases, but they can have functional roles as well. Both pathological and nonpathological protein aggregates display tremendous diversity, with substantial differences in aggregate size, morphology, and structure. Among the different aggregation types, amyloids are particularly remarkable, because of their high degree of order and their ability to form self-perpetuating conformational states. Amyloids form the structural basis for a group of proteins called prions, which have the ability to generate new phenotypes by a simple switch in protein conformation that does not involve changes in the sequence of the DNA. Although protein aggregates are notoriously difficult to study, recent technological developments and, in particular, the use of yeast prions as model systems, have been very instrumental in understanding fundamental aspects of aggregation. Here, we provide a range of biochemical, cell biological and yeast genetic methods that are currently used in our laboratory to study protein aggregation and the formation of amyloids and prions.
Dynamics of Burrows of Attwater's Pocket Gopher (Geomys attwateri)

Seasonal and spatial variation in depth and diameter of 399 burrow systems of Geomys attwateri were determined. The hypothesized role of precipitation, air temperature, soil composition, and abundance of dietary resources in depth and diameter of burrows was assessed by multiple-regression analysis. Burrow diameter did not vary spatially or temporally, but was significantly correlated with body mass of pocket gophers. Burrow depth did not vary spatially, but varied temporally; burrows were more shallow in spring and fall. We hypothesized that pocket gophers foraged at different depths seasonally in response to availability of roots of annual monocots.
Bracket Function Congruences for Binomial Coefficients

(1964). Bracket Function Congruences for Binomial Coefficients. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 37, No. 2, pp. 91-93.
Pull-out of a ductile fibre from a brittle matrix

Pull-out of a ductile fibre from a brittle matrix has been analysed using a shear lag model. Debonding at the fibre-matrix interface and yielding of the fibre occurred during the pull-out process. Both Poisson's contraction of the fibre and Coulomb friction of the debonded interface were considered. The debond length, which consists of an elastic zone length and a plastic zone length, was also analysed. When the fibre has a finite embedded length, it was found that necking prior to full pull-out of the fibre was required to optimize the toughening of a brittle matrix due to plastic deformation of the fibres. The essential material properties to achieve this are addressed.
Effect of Race on the Prevalence of Congenital Malformations among Newborns in the United States.

Background : Racial variability in certain prenatal risk factors, such as prenatal vitamin supplementation and termination of pregnancy for fetal anomaly, has altered the racial prevalence of congenital malformation (CM). Analysis of a single large representative population is required to analyze current racial differences in prevalence of CM in the United States. Method : This is a population-based crosssectional study to analyze racial differences in prevalence of CM diagnoses. We reviewed all live births in the 2008 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) database and determined birth prevalence of 55 selected CM diagnoses in Caucasians. We then calculated the relative risk of these CM diagnoses in African American, Hispanics and Asians relative to Caucasians. Result : Overall CM prevalence was 29.2 per 1,000 in a cohort of 1,048,252 live births of which 51% were Caucasians. Compared to Caucasian, risk of overall CM was lower in African Americans (RR=.9, CI .8–.9) and Hispanics (RR=.9, CI .8–.9). Risk of overall CM was similar in Caucasians and Asians. Relative to the Caucasians, African Americans had lower risk of cardiac, genitourinary, and craniofacial malformations but higher risk of musculoskeletal malformations. Hispanics had lower risk of genitourinary and gastrointestinal malformation. Asians had higher risk of craniofacial and musculoskeletal malformation. Conclusions : This is a comprehensive description of racial difference in risk of CM in the United States. Observed racial differences in risk of CM may be related to genetic susceptibilities, to cultural or social differences that could modify exposures, or to the many potential combinations between susceptibilities and exposures. ( Ethn Dis . 2015;25[2]:226–231)
Tubular SOFC air electrode ohmic overpotential: Parametric and exergy study

Abstract The SOFC efficiency still can be improved by reducing the overpotential losses, However to battle this issue, band gap engineering of SOFC material needs to be considered. In this work, we analyzed the effect of various materials parameters and environmental conditions on the performance of SOFC. To maintain the optimum performance for SOFCs and to enhance the energy and exergy efficiency in practical application environments, it is recommended to have the oxygen vacancy concentration at 0.2, diffusion coefficient at 0.00005 cm2 s−1, cathode porosity of 0.3, tortuosity of 1.5, chemical capacitance at 2.7 F cm−2, the conductor electrolyte interface at 0.0004 cm, surface area of the porous conductor at 50,000 cm2 cm−3, and operating temperature of 1000 °C.
The genetic diversiuy of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type I infections in Shanghai

Objective To investigate the genetic diversity of Human Immunodeficiency Virus type I(HIV-1) circulating in Shanghai and to provide scientific evidence for prevention of transmission. [Methods] 40 HIV infections were selected as study subjects. HIV-1 env, gag, pol genes in infected plasma samples were amplified by RT-PCR, sequenced and phylogenetically analyzed. [Results] Four HIV-1 subtype (A, B, B' and C), two circulating recombinant forms (CRFs)(CRF01_AE and CRF08_BC) and one new intersubtype recombinant CRF_01ABU were identified. There were different strains in different target groups. The target group infected through sexual contact had broad strains (7 subtypes) while the target group infected through blood contact only had the same B/B' strains. [Conclusion] The broad HIV-1 diversity exists in Shanghai.
Resistive Switching of Eu-Ru Co-doped NiO-SnO_2 Composite Nanoparticle Thin Films

Eu-Ru co-doped NiO-SnO_2 composite nanoparticle thin films were prepared using sol-hydrothermal spin-coating method.The film structural and electrical properties were characterized by transmission electron microscopy,atomic force microscopy and current-voltage measurements.The results indicate that the film surfaces are flat and smooth with average roughness of about0.25 nm.The data of Miller indices and interplanar spacings from the selected area electron diffraction are consistent with that from the XRD card of NiO or SnO_2,and the hydrothermal mechanism also shows that nanoparticles are composed of microscale p-n junctions of NiO-SnO_2.The nanoparticle films exhibit reproducible resistive switching with threshold voltage of about 1V and on/off ratio of 500.The current-voltage measurements indicate that the conduction is governed by the Ohmic law for the low resistive state,while the high resistive state is dominated by the space charge Umited conduction.The switching mechanism can be ascribed to the charge trapping/detrapping process induced by the applied threshold electrical field.
A comparison of 2 protocols for living-related renal transplantation in children: donor-specific transfusions versus cyclosporine.

Abstract We analyzed the results obtained with protocols for immunosuppression of pediatric recipients of halpoidentical living-related renal transplants. In the donor-specific transfusion group transfusion of blood products obtained from the prospective organ donor was performed before transplantation, and at transplantation maintenance immunosuppression of azathioprine and prednisone was begun. In the cyclosporine group donor-specific transfusion was not used, and maintenance immunosuppression of cyclosporine and azathioprine was begun 1 week before transplantation, with the addition of prednisone at transplantation. Of 24 donor-specific transfusion recipients 3 had circulating cytotoxic antibodies to the prospective donor for an incidence of 12%. There was no significant difference between groups with respect to 1-year actual patient and graft survival (100 and 89 versus 100 and 86%, respectively), 1-year mean serum creatinine level (1.1 versus 1.2 mg./dl.), rejection treatments per patient (2.5 versus 2.6) and total days hospitalized during year 1 after transplantation (27 versus 18), with donor-specific transfusion data presented first. Initial hospitalization was significantly shorter (10 versus 16 days, p We believe that cyclosporine and azathioprine pre-treatment of pediatric recipients of haploidentical living-related renal transplants with the addition of prednisone at transplantation is preferable to a donor-specific transfusion protocol because there is no risk of recipient sensitization to the prospective donor, and patient and graft survival is not adversely affected.
Thyroid peroxidase and thyroxine biosynthesis.

Publisher Summary This chapter primarily discusses the results obtained in the preparations of purified thyroid peroxidase. Two different preparations of thyroid peroxidase were used for the studies described in the chapter. The first preparation, referred to in this chapter as Prep. I, was isolated by a procedure. The second one is more highly purified preparation, isolated by a modified procedure described and is referred to as Prep. II. In a study described in the chapter, the specific activity of Prep. II was about five times greater than that of Prep. I. The molecular weight of thyroid peroxidase was determined by filtration through a calibrated column of Biogel P-100. The proteins of known molecular weight used to calibrate the column were myoglobulin (17,800), ovalbumin (45,000), and bovine serum albumin (67,000). Each of these proteins was separately applied to the column and eluted; the elution volume was determined on the basis of measurement of absorbance at 280 mμ. The elution volume of thyroid peroxidase was then determined, based on its iodide peroxidase activity. A plot of effluent volume against log molecular weight for the marker proteins yielded a straight line, and the molecular weight of thyroid peroxidase determined from this standard curve was 62,000. This is in very close agreement with the value of 64,000 reported in another study for a different preparation of the enzyme. The molecular weight of a sample of purified horseradish peroxidase (Calbiochem) determined on the same column was 42,000, in close agreement with the reported value of 40,000.
Networking Wireless Sensors: Medium-access and sleep scheduling

Overview An essential characteristic of wireless communication is that it provides an inherently shared medium. All medium-access control (MAC) protocols for wireless networks manage the usage of the radio interface to ensure efficient utilization of the shared bandwidth. MAC protocols designed for wireless sensor networks have an additional goal of managing radio activity to conserve energy. Thus, while traditional MAC protocols must balance throughput, delay, and fairness concerns, WSN MAC protocols place an emphasis on energy efficiency as well. We shall discuss in this chapter a number of contention-based as well as schedule-based MAC protocols that have been proposed for WSN. A common theme through all these protocols is putting radios to a low-power “sleep mode” either periodically or whenever possible when a node is neither receiving nor transmitting. Traditional MAC protocols We begin with a focus on contention-based MAC protocols. Contention-based MAC protocols have an advantage over contention-free scheduled MAC protocols in low data rate scenarios, where they offer lower latency characteristics and better adaptation to rapid traffic variations. Aloha and CSMA The simplest forms of medium-access are unslotted Aloha and slotted Aloha. In unslotted Aloha, each node behaves independently and simply transmits a packet whenever it arrives; if a collision occurs, the packet is retransmitted after a random waiting period. The slotted version of Aloha works in a similar manner, but allows transmissions only in specified synchronized slots. Another classic MAC protocol is the carrier sense medium-access (CSMA) protocol.
The Battles of Linguistics and Law

Trademark battles conventionally begin with two parties claiming the right to use certain words or expressions. Such cases end either with one party gaining the legal right to use the words and expressions and the other party being prohibited from doing so, or with both parties authorized to have full access to the marks. The authority of law is then granted accordingly.
National identity in First World War Belgian military cemeteries

AbstractThe aim of this paper is to illustrate how the presence and the absence of Flemish bodies in the material spaces of a post-war commemoration of the First World War and the Second World War, in both state-sponsored military and in community cemeteries, have served a cultural and political agenda for nearly the past 100 years. The political views of both the kingdom of Belgium and the Flemish are articulated through the most common symbol of a war – the gravestone – marking visibility for the Flemish and a Flemish nationalist cause. The article traces the history of the formation of the cemeteries as well as chronicles the physical signs of Flemishness from 1915 during the Great War to the post-war commemoration of Second World War. In the Great War, this took the form of a modified Celtic cross, a heldenhuldezerk, a Flemish hero tombstone. The history of this grave marker is one of destruction and appropriation linked to a veneration of the dead who lay buried beneath. Although a symbol of a nation...
TBI and NFL Culture: Can Players Autonomously Refuse Biometric Monitoring?

Katrina Karkazis and Jennifer Fishman (2017) are right to challenge the uncritical acceptance and adoption of biometric monitoring technology by U.S. professional athletic leagues. Karkazis and Fis...
Synthesis and electronic characterization of mixed diimine ligand rhodium(III) complexes using a versatile triflate precursor

Abstract We report here the first general, high purity, high yield synthesis of thirteen mixed diimine ligand complexes of rhodium(III), nine of which are new and four which are known and were made as controls. We utilized a bis–triflate intermediate because the more labile triflate ligands were easily displaced by incoming diimine ligands and allowed these syntheses to proceed in high yields (84–97%) under relatively mild reaction conditions. The purity of the products was determined by elemental analysis and 1H NMR. Electronic characterization was done on the compounds and we examined the effect of various electron donating and electron withdrawing substituents on the ground and excited state properties of the complexes. We observed that substitution on the 2,2′-bipyridine ligands causes only small changes in the redox potentials and the electronic spectra, while substitution on the 1,10-phenanthroline ligands causes more pronounced effects on the electronic properties, presumably due to the more rigid π system.
A psychiatric pitfall: Akinetic-mutism due to bilateral mesial frontal lobe infarction simulating catatonia

Abstract Akinetic mutism has been used to describe a syndrome characterized by marked reduction of nearly all motor functions with some degrees of alertness. We present a case of acute akinetic-mutism, initially misdiagnosed as catatonia, in an 86-yr-old African American woman due to bilateral mesial frontal lobe ischemic stroke damage secondary to the embolic occlusion of a dominant left first Anterior Cerebral Artery (ACA) segment(A1) which anomalously gave rise to both distal ACA’s. The similarity in the clinical symptoms can cause akinetic mutism to be misdiagnosed as catatonic psychosis. Bilateral ACA territory infarction should be considered as a differential diagnosis when visiting patients with typical features of akinetic mutism, particularly in older patients with cardiovascular risk factors.
Central TrkB blockade attenuates ICV angiotensin II-hypertension and sympathetic nerve activity in male Sprague-Dawley rats

Increased sympathetic nerve activity and the activation of the central renin-angiotensin system are commonly associated with cardiovascular disease states such as hypertension and heart failure, yet the precise mechanisms contributing to the long-term maintenance of this sympatho-excitation are incompletely understood. Due to the established physiological role of neurotrophins contributing toward neuroplasticity and neuronal excitability along with recent evidence linking the renin-angiotensin system and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) along with its receptor (TrkB), it is likely the two systems interact to promote sympatho-excitation during cardiovascular disease. However, this interaction has not yet been fully demonstrated, in vivo. Thus, we hypothesized that central angiotensin II (Ang II) treatment will evoke a sympatho-excitatory state mediated through the actions of BDNF/TrkB. We infused Ang II (20ng/min) into the right lateral ventricle of male Sprague-Dawley rats for twelve days with or without the TrkB receptor antagonist, ANA-12 (50ng/h). We found that ICV infusion of Ang II increased mean arterial pressure (+40.4mmHg), increased renal sympathetic nerve activity (+19.4% max activity), and induced baroreflex dysfunction relative to vehicle. Co-infusion of ANA-12 attenuated the increase in blood pressure (-20.6mmHg) and prevented the increase in renal sympathetic nerve activity (-22.2% max) and baroreflex dysfunction relative to Ang II alone. Ang II increased thirst and decreased food consumption, and Ang II+ANA-12 augmented the thirst response while attenuating the decrease in food consumption. We conclude that TrkB signaling is a mediator of the long-term blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity responses to central Ang II activity. These findings demonstrate the involvement of neurotrophins such as BDNF in promoting Ang II-induced autonomic dysfunction and further implicate TrkB signaling in modulating presympathetic autonomic neurons during cardiovascular disease.
The Benefits of Walking Your Talk: Aggregate Effects of Behavioral Integrity on Guest Satisfaction, Turnover, and Hotel Profitability:

Extending theory on behavioral integrity to department and business unit levels of analysis, we examined a chain of relationships culminating in operational and financial performance measures. Spec...
Channel branching ratios in CH2CN- photodetachment: Rotational structure and vibrational energy redistribution in autodetachment.

We report photoelectron spectra of CH2CN−, recorded at photon energies between 13 460 and 15 384 cm−1, which show rapid intensity variations in particular detachment channels. The branching ratios for various spectral features reveal rotational structure associated with autodetachment from an intermediate anion state. Calculations using equation-of-motion coupled-cluster method with single and double excitations reveal the presence of two dipole-bound excited anion states (a singlet and a triplet). The computed oscillator strength for the transition to the singlet dipole-bound state provides an estimate of the autodetachment channel contribution to the total photoelectron yield. Analysis of the different spectral features allows identification of the dipole-bound and neutral vibrational levels involved in the autodetachment processes. For the most part, the autodetachment channels are consistent with the vibrational propensity rule and normal mode expectation. However, examination of the rotational struct...
Influence of cold sprayed Cr3C2-Ni coating on fracture characteristics of additively manufactured 15Cr-5Ni stainless steel

Abstract In this research the influence of heat treatment and a combination of heat treatment and a cold spray (CS) coating on tensile, fracture toughness, and fatigue characteristics of additively manufactured 15-5 precipitation hardenable stainless steel (15-5 PH SS) was studied. Test specimens of ASTM standard geometry were produced by direct metal laser sintering of 15-5 PH SS powder and subsequently heat treated. A thin layer of chrome-carbide nickel (Cr3C2-Ni) was deposited on the specimens using CS, which were then subjected to ASTM tensile, fracture toughness, and fatigue crack growth rate tests. In addition, to examine the influence of CS coating on the microscale properties and fracture morphology of heat treated 15-5 PH SS a series of test including, microstructure analysis, nanoindentation, and fractography were performed. CS deposition of Cr3C2-Ni on the additively manufactured 15-5 PH SS was found to have a beneficial influence on the uniaxial tensile strength and fracture toughness. Also, fatigue crack growth rate results indicated a notable enhancement in the near threshold, Paris, and fracture toughness. Improvements in the fracture characteristics were associated with the significant contribution of CS coating on grain size refinement and improvement of nanomechanical properties at and ahead of the crack tip.
Electrochemical Valorization of Furfural to Maleic Acid

Maleic acid (MA) is a platform chemical used for various industrial processes. In this study, a new electrochemical oxidation method that can convert furfural, which is one of the most important C5 platform chemicals derived from cellulosic biomass, to MA is reported. This method can produce MA in aqueous media under ambient temperature and pressure without the use of oxidizing agents. The use of acidic media, which promotes opening of the furan ring during oxidation, was critical for the formation of MA. PbO2, MnO2, and Pt, which are stable in acidic solutions under strongly oxidizing potentials, were investigated as anodes for furfural oxidation. The results showed that PbO2 is the only catalyst that can convert furfural to MA as the major product. It was also revealed that the electrochemical conversion of furfural to MA proceeds with 2-furanol as an intermediate.
A Summary Perspective on NRC’s Implicit and Explicit Use of De Minimis Risk Concepts in Regulating for Radiological Protection in the Nuclear Fuel Cycle

There is a growing recognition of the desirability in public policy making regarding a cutoff standard of insignificant risk to base this on reference values of common use that roughly characterize the levels of individual risk that are regarded as sufficiently negligible not to merit additional personal expenditures to reduce them further. According to Clarke of the U.K. National Radiological Protection Board, there is a widely held view that few people would commit their own resources to reduce an annual risk of death of 1 chance in 100,000 and that even fewer would take action at a chance of 1 in 1 million per year of exposure to a given hazard.1
Endoscopic Full-Thickness Gastric Biopsy for Evaluation of Patients

A significant proportion of patients with gastroparesis do not respond adequately to standard medical treatment and gastric electric stimulation (GES). Loss of interstitial cells of Cajal (ICCs) on full-thickness gastric biopsies has been shown to be a predictor of poor response to GES. Full-thickness gastric biopsies may help diagnose severe depletion of ICCs and/or other specific gastric abnormalities, which hopefully will guide diagnosis and specific individualized and targeted therapies. Recent advances in endoscopic techniques have allowed the development of novel methods to obtain full-thickness gastric biopsies. Further refinement of these techniques is needed to improve their safety and applicability.
A comparison of the validity and reliability between a digital radiographic imaging system and manual method in measuring the Cobb angle

Methods Twenty adolescents with scoliotic curvatures were chosen to participate in the study based on convenience, without predilection for gender, age, type or location. Images of the curvatures were examined by 15 trained observers to estimate the Cobb angle variability, as well as intraand inter-observer variations. Each image was measured three times at a minimum interval of one week between measurements by each observer. For digital measurement, a special software x-maru viewer was developed to digitally reproduce the spine assessment; for manual measurement, traditional Cobb angle measurement was used. For comparisons between manual and digital measurements, Student’s t-test was used. To determine the inter-observer and intra-observer reliabilities, the intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were used. For the errors in measurement, 95% prediction limits were provided. For the manual measurement of Cobb angle, a mean ICC of 0.97 was determined for intraand inter-observer reliability. For the digital measurements, a mean ICC value of 0.93 was determined for inter-observer reliability and a mean ICC value of 0.96 for intraobserver reliability.
Principles of Operant Conditioning

The token economy is a type of behavior modification program which relies heavily upon the principles of operant conditioning. There are relatively few major principles of operant conditioning, although there is extensive research bearing on the effective implementation of the techniques derived from the principles. An understanding of the principles and diverse basic research findings is fundamental to the success of token programs. The present chapter provides an overview of the basic principles of operant conditioning. Knowledge of these principles will be assumed throughout the remaining chapters.1
PET as a Tool in Multimodality Imaging of Gene Expression and Therapy

Gene therapy holds significant promise in the treatment of many human diseases. Although still in its infancy, it is likely that gene therapy will eventually succeed as a general approach to medical treatment. A key force in the rapid evolution of gene therapy will be the ability to image the location(s), magnitude, and time variation of therapeutic gene expression in animal models as well as in patients. To unravel the complexity and dynamics of molecular and cellular events, it is desirable to image reporter gene expression in individual cells, living animals, and humans with the help of a single construct with multiple reporter genes suitable for various imaging modalities. Positron emission tomography (PET) is likely to play a significant role in multimodality imaging by accelerating animal model development and improving the monitoring of patients in clinical gene therapy trials. In this chapter the fundamentals of gene therapy are reviewed including various viral and non-viral delivery vectors. This is followed by a detailed review of specificity of gene therapy, approaches to cancer gene therapy and safety issues. Details of the Herpes Simplex Virus Type 1 thymidine kinase (HSV1-tk), the Dopamine Type 2 receptor (D2R) and sodium iodide symporter gene as PET reporter genes along with their radiolabeled reporter probes (tracers) are presented. Strategies for coupling a therapeutic gene with a PET reporter gene are also discussed. Finally, examples of recent imaging work in human studies are presented. Potentials for Imaging in Gene Therapy
Interannual and Interseasonal Variations in Monthly Rainfall

Rainfall in the East Sahel is characterized by interannual variability and by interseasonal variability, both of which overshadow effects of long-term trends. Using monthly values for more than 100 years of record for three standard gauge sites in the East Sahel—Gedaref (GED), Kassala (KAS), and Khartoum (KHA)—having substantially different annual totals, selected metrics for characterizing the interseasonal variability of precipitation are described and compared. Annual totals decrease from south (\( P_{annual}^{GED} = 600\,{\text{mm}} \)) to north (\( P_{annual}^{KHA} = 130\,{\text{mm}} \)), as does the seasonal duration of the monsoon, whereas the relative interannual variability of monthly precipitation increases. Dominant rainfall months are typically June (J), July (J), August (A), and September(S) for GED (93 % of annual) and for KAS (96 % of annual). However for KHA, the dominant rainfall months are JAS (96 % of annual). Two common paradigms assumed by the climatology community are assessed—one is that August is the month of maximum rainfall, another is that August is the month most responsible for interannual variability of monsoon rainfall. For the East Sahel, neither paradigm is particularly robust, and both need to be applied with some caution to a particular analysis or region.
Accelerated Evaluation of Autonomous Vehicles in the Lane Change Scenario Based on Subset Simulation Technique

The testing of autonomous vehicle (AV) safety is receiving a lot of attention due to several high-profile crashes caused by AVs. Popular AV testing techniques include test matrix and Naturalistic Field Operational Test (N-FOT) which are either not comprehensive or too costly and time-consuming. In this paper, a new method based on Subset Simulations (SS), is proposed as an alternative method for evaluating the safety of AV. The lane change scenario is used to demonstrate the performance of SS, and a new Gaussian Mixture Model with 8 parameters describing the stochastic nature of lane change scenario is developed. The new testing procedure achieves a similar level of accelerated rate compared with IS, and SS can easily handle black-box control systems.
Analysis of Social Media Usage and Relationship to Firm Size and Revenue Growth among Major CPA Firms

Research has shown that a company benefits from including social media in its marketing mix. There is a continual increase in tweets, blogs, posts, and other applications of social media to connect...