cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Two engineering applications of a constrained shortest-path model

This paper presents integer programming models for the determination of (a) optimal sequences of wastewater treatment processes, and (b) minimum cost, energy efficient composite wall and roof structures. The first model has been used to determine optimal sequences of wastewater treatment processes for a combined industrial and sanitary wastewater facility in Kuwait. The second model was used to assist design engineers in meeting government standards for the thermal resistance of building structures. Remarkably, the two models have essentially the same structure: a shortest path model with additional linear side constraints. The two practical applications are described and solved, and computational experience is discussed.
The Effects of Mental Simulation on Coping with Controllable Stressful Events

Previous research has revealed that writing or talking about traumatic stressors can improve health and psychological well-being. The present study investigated whether similar benefits may be conferred by mental simulation and whether such simulations can improve coping and affective responses to ongoing stressful events. All participants designated an ongoing stressful event in their lives. One third of the participants visualized the event and the emotions they had experienced (event simulation), one third visualized having resolved the problem (outcome simulation), and one third were simply followed over time (control). Event simulation participants reported more positive affect, both immediately and 1 week later, and indicated higher levels of planned and reported active coping strategies, compared with the other two conditions. Discussion focuses on the potential of structured mental simulation to facilitate coping with stressful events.
Evidence Of No Benefit From Knee Surgery For Osteoarthritis Led To Coverage Changes And Is Linked To Decline In Procedures

Patients and physicians may be reluctant to abandon widely used treatments that have been found to be ineffective. In 2002 and 2008 the New England Journal of Medicine published the results of clinical trials showing that arthroscopic debridement and lavage—surgical treatments to remove damaged tissue and debris—do not benefit patients with osteoarthritis of the knee. To determine whether the trials’ publication was associated with changes in practice patterns, we examined ambulatory surgery data from Florida and found that the number of debridement and lavage procedures per 100,000 adults declined 47 percent between 2001 and 2010. The reduction translates into national savings of $82–$138 million annually. These reductions may be offset by increases in the use of other procedures. The results indicate that clinical trials of widely used therapies can lead to cost-saving changes in practice patterns.
Landscape restoration in southern California forblands: Response of abandoned farmland to invasive annual grass control

A large-scale experiment using 1-ha plots was done to control invasive Mediterranean annual grasses, primarily Bromus spp., in farmlands abandoned for 20 years in southern California. Treatments were a grass-specific herbicide, and herbicide plus dethatching. Dethatching was done to improve the contact of herbicide with newly growing grass seedlings, and to remove litter that may potentially affect germination of native annuals. Native annuals had increased richness in response to grass control, but had low cover in all but two of six years when precipitation was adequate. Dethatching did not improve forb response. Two exotic species of Erodium were the greatest beneficiaries of exotic grass control, but the positive response of native forbs in spite of Erodium dominance suggests a competitive hierarchy of less intense interaction between the native forbs and Erodium than between native forbs and exotic grasses. After five years, grasses began to recover from the herbicide treatments, indicating the need for periodic management of exotic grasses to maintain richness and cover of native forbs. Shrubs that occur on adjacent hills did not recolonize during these six years, suggesting that the valley bottoms may have always been forblands rather than shrublands. The study shows that restoration can be used to rediscover the former vegetation of long-disturbed landscapes.
Perceptions of the Community College of High School Counselors and Advisors

Using the case study method, this research investigated how the community college is perceived by high school counselors and advisors. The research considered how high school counselors' and advisors' perceptions of the community college were informed by selected school leaders, faculty, and students, and it explored how those perceptions were reflected in the counselors' and advisors' descriptions of their postsecondary advising of students.
A reduced edge distortion median filtering algorithm for binary images

Abstract The repeated application of a median filtering algorithm is an effective tool for smoothing images, i.e., filtering additive random and impulsive noises, while preserving edge information. A certain degree of distortion, however, is introduced by such a filter. In images that can be modeled as objects in a homogeneous background, such distortion occurs mostly on object boundaries and generally depends on the type of algorithm (standard, regular recursive, modified recursive, etc.) used to implement the median filter. While these distortions are statistically similar, the question arises as to whether there exist other implementations of a repeated median filter which achieve the same degree of smoothing but consistently yield less edge distortion. In this paper we show the existence of one such implementation for binary images. Using a test image, we demonstrate that our algorithm yields an output image which is significantly closer to the original image than the outputs of the repeated standard or regular recursive algorithms. The performance of our algorithm combines the smoothing capability of a repeated median filter which uses the same window, and the edge preserving property of one which uses a smaller window.
The integrated BN degree at Southampton University: the first 5 years.

Abstract The BN/RGN degree course in Nursing Studies at Southampton University accepted the first intake of 10 students in October, 1982. In view of current discussions about the future of nurse education, it is salient to examine the special features of the course and to identify some of the important issues that may affect the success of new types of nurse education courses. Following a discussion of the integrated curriculum at Southampton University, four factors which merit particular attention are identified and discussed. These are the higher education context; the integration of theory and practice; supernumerary status and clinical support; and independent learning. Overall, it is hoped that this account of one degree in nursing will provoke discussion and contribute to the design of future courses of education for the first level entrant to the nursing profession.
Guest Editorial: Special Section on Target Recognition Techniques

This PDF file contains the editorial “Guest Editorial: Special Section on Target Recognition Techniques” for OE Vol. 39 Issue 05
Variational Upper and Lower Bounds to Dipole Transition Moments

Electric-dipole transition moments are calculated by a variational procedure which gives rigorous upper and lower bounds even though the exact wave functions are unknown. The method is applied to the lowest optical transition ($1s\ensuremath{\sigma}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}2p\ensuremath{\sigma}$) of the hydrogen molecule ion, with satisfactory results.
Effect of method of feeding protein and protein insolubility on milk production by Jersey cows.

Abstract Each of two feeding trials used 32 first and second lactation Jersey cows to evaluate four methods of protein supplementation of corn silage: A) 20% crude protein grain mixture, B) 1.36 kg of soybean meal replaced an equal amount of grain mixture, C) 2.27 kg of alfalfa-orchardgrass hay daily and 16% crude protein grain mixture, and D) 2.72 kg of soybean meal mixed with the silage daily. Concentrates were fed at 1 to 4 kg fat-corrected milk for treatments A, B, and C. All cows received 1.18 kg of 16% crude protein concentrate mixture daily in the milking parlor. Protein contents, as percents of dry matter intake, for respective treatments were 12.9, 15.0, 12.7, and 17.2. Treatments did not differ significantly for milk production, fat-corrected milk, and change of body weight; however, percents milk fat for 1.36 and 2.72 kg soybean meal were higher. In trial 2, protein insolubility of ration components was determined by four extracting methods: A) autoclaved rumen fluid, B) sodium chloride solution, C) Burroughs’ solution, and D) boiling water. Insoluble protein intake determined by autoclaved rumen fluid and hot water methods accounted for more of the variance of milk and fat-corrected milk production than total protein intake.
Responses of ganglion cells to contrast steps in the light-adapted retina of the tiger salamander

The impulse discharge of single ganglion cells was recorded extracellularly in superfused eyecup preparations of the tiger salamander (Ambystoma tigrinum). Contrast flashes (500 ms) were applied at the center of the receptive field while the retina was light adapted to a background field of 20 cd/m2. The incidence of cell types in a sample of 387 cells was: ON cells (4%), OFF cells (28%), and ON/OFF cells (68%). Quantitative contrast/response measurements were obtained for 83 cells. On the basis of C50, the contrast necessary to evoke a half-maximal response, ON/OFF cells fell into 3 groups: (1) Positive Dominant (26%), (2) Balanced (23%), and (3) Negative Dominant (51%). Positive Dominant cells tended to be relatively contrast insensitive. On the other hand, many Negative Dominant cells showed remarkably low C50 values and very steep contrast/response curves. Contrast gain to negative contrast averaged 8.5 impulses/s/% contrast, some four times greater than that evoked by positive contrast. In most ON/OFF cells, the latency of the first spike evoked by a negative contrast step was much shorter (40-100 ms) than that evoked by a positive contrast step of equal contrast. OFF cells typically showed higher C50 values, larger dynamic ranges, and longer latencies than those of Negative Dominant ON/OFF cells. Thus, different pathways or mechanism apparently mediate the off responses of OFF and ON/OFF cells. In sum, the light-adapted retina of the tiger salamander is strongly biased in favor of negative contrast, as shown by the remarkably high contrast sensitivity and faster response of Negative Dominant cells, the remarkably low incidence of ON cells, and the insensitivity of Positive Dominant cells. Some possible underlying influences of bipolar and amacrine cells are discussed.
Replication of Wild-Type and Mutant Human Cytomegalovirus in Life-Extended Human Diploid Fibroblasts

A cDNA encoding the catalytic subunit of human telomerase was used to generate life-extended derivatives of primary human diploid fibroblasts. The life-extended cells supported efficient human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) replication. A subclone of the life-extended cells was generated containing the HCMV UL82 gene and used to isolate and propagate a virus that exhibited a profound growth defect after infection at a low input multiplicity.
The cubital tunnel and ulnar neuropathy

The anatomy of the cubital tunnel and its relationship to ulnar nerve compression is not well documented. In 27 cadaver elbows the proximal edge of the roof of the cubital tunnel was formed by a fibrous band that we call the cubital tunnel retinaculum (CTR). The band is about 4 mm wide, extending from the medial epicondyle to the olecranon, and perpendicular to the flexor carpi ulnaris aponeurosis. Variations in the CTR were classified into four types. In type 0 (n = 1) the CTR was absent. In type Ia (n = 17), the retinaculum was lax in extension and taut in full flexion. In type Ib (n = 6) it was tight in positions short of full flexion (90 degrees to 120 degrees). In type II (n = 3) it was replaced by a muscle, the anconeus epitrochlearis. The CTR appears to be a remnant of the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle and its function is to hold the ulnar nerve in position. Variations in the anatomy of the CTR may explain certain types of ulnar neuropathy. Its absence (type 0 CTR) permits ulnar nerve displacement. Type Ia is normal and does not cause ulnar neuropathy. Type Ib can cause dynamic nerve compression with elbow flexion. Type II may be associated with static compression due to the bulk of the anconeus epitrochlearis muscle.
Performance of trim coils made by a novel method

A precision, automated method of manufacturing trim coils on printed circuit technology has been developed. Excellent quench performance and increased radiation resistance have been achieved in recently tested models of sextupole trim coils developed for operation inside 40-mm-aperture SSC (Superconducting Super Collider) Main Collider dipoles. >
Dietary Studies in the Joint US-Russian Space Program

Metabolic experiments in the joint US-Russian space program involve analysis of food records, which include weighed foods, stable-isotope turnover, and biochemical samples collected before, during, and after the flights. This article describes the methods of monitoring dietary intake for this program.
Need for emergency contraception in urgent care settings

Abstract Background Emergency contraceptive (EC) pills are safe and effective in preventing pregnancy up to 5 days after unprotected sex. Objective This study was conducted to determine the proportion and characteristics of women seeking urgent care who might benefit from receiving EC. Methods We used a computerized survey to assess desire for pregnancy and frequency of sex without contraception among 360 fertile women aged 18 to 45 years, who were seeking urgent care at two clinics in San Francisco, CA. Medical records were abstracted to assess whether clinicians discussed contraception. Results At both clinics, 11% (95% confidence interval, 8–15%) of women seeking urgent care might have benefited from immediately using EC. Few (8%) women reported a personal objection to EC, but few (7%) women had used EC in the prior 6 months. Chart review showed no evidence that any participants discussed EC with a clinician during their visit. Conclusions Many women presenting for urgent care might benefit from EC.
Level set estimation using uncoordinated mobile sensors

We develop level set estimation algorithms for a novel low cost sensor network architecture, where sensors are mounted on agents moving without an explicit objective of sensing. A level set in a planar scalar field is the set of points with field values greater than or equal to a specified value. We model the problem as a classification problem and evaluate a heuristic to reduce the amount of communication assuming that the base station uses a Support Vector Machine classifier. We then develop a fully distributed, low complexity solution which uses opportunistic information exchange to estimate level set boundaries locally at nodes selected using leader election. We observe that the learning rates of the boundary in a locality is proportional to the complexity. Effectiveness of the proposed scheme is evaluated using simulations with data from both synthetic and measured fields. Random way point mobility model is used for node motion and trade off of accuracy and of coverage with communication costs is studied.
Conflict and Control Gender Symmetry and Asymmetry in Domestic Violence

Four types of individual partner violence are identified based on the dyadic control context of the violence. In intimate terrorism, the individual is violent and controlling, the partner is not. In violent resistance, the individual is violent but not controlling; the partner is the violent and controlling one. In situational couple violence, although the individual is violent, neither the individual nor the partner is violent and controlling. In mutual violent control, the individual and the partner are violent and controlling. Evidence is presented that situational couple violence dominates in general surveys, intimate terrorism and violent resistance dominate in agency samples, and this is the source of differences across studies with respect to the gender symmetry of partner violence. An argument is made that if we want to understand partner violence, intervene effectively in individual cases, or make useful policy recommendations, we must make these distinctions in our research.
Earthquake intensity distributions: a new view

Pioneering work by Nicolas Ambraseys and many collaborators demonstrates both the tremendous value of macroseismic data and the perils of its uncritical assessment. In numerous publications he shows that neglect of original sources and/or failure to appreciate the context of historical accounts, as well as use of unreliable indicators such as landsliding to determine intensities, commonly leads to inflated magnitude estimates for historical earthquakes. The U.S. Geological Survey “Did You Feel It?” (DYFI) system, which now collects and systematically interprets thousands of first-hand reports from felt earthquakes, provides the opportunity to explore further the biases associated with traditional intensity distributions determined from written (media or archival) accounts. I briefly summarize and further develop the results of Hough (2013), who shows that traditional intensity distributions imply more dramatic damage patterns than are documented by more spatially rich DYFI data, even when intensities are assigned according to the conservative practices established by Ambraseys’ work. I further consider the separate intensity–attenuation relations that have been developed to characterize intensities for historical and modern earthquakes in California, using traditionally assigned intensities and DYFI intensities, respectively. The results support the conclusion that traditionally assigned intensity values tend to be inflated by a fundamental bias towards reporting of dramatic rather than representative effects. I introduce an empirical correction-factor approach to correct for these biases. This allows the growing wealth of well-calibrated DYFI data to be used as calibration events in the analysis of historical earthquakes.
Pulse propagation in a Debye medium with static conductivity

Many physical materials that we wish to interrogate with electromagnetic signals are conductive. Thus, we need to understand the propagation dynamics of electromagnetic pulses through dispersive, conductive materials. Closed-form solutions are preferable to numerical solutions in that they provide an explicit expression for the dependence of the propagated field on the physical parameters. Here, we study the propagation of an ultrawideband electromagnetic pulse through a semiconductor with complex dielectric permittivity given by a Debye model with static levels of conductivity. Although the Debye model with static conductivity provides a fairly rudimentary approximation to the electromagnetic response of conductive materials such as rock, soil, and biological tissue, it is a more complex and complete model than those used in previous analytic and numerical research. For example, Wait [1], Song and Chen [2], and Dvorak [3] assumed both the dielectric permittivity and the electric conductivity to be constant for their anayltic studies of electromagnetic pulse propagation, as did Luebbers, et al. [4, 5] in their numerical work. In addition, King and Wu [6] used a non-causal approximation of the complex dielectric permittivity that is valid only for very low frequency pulses.
Transcription during mammalian spermatogenesis with special reference to Sertoli cells.

A differential transcription rate of distinct classes of RNA is associated with an orderly series of cell differentiation processes occurring during spermatogenesis (25,26,27). Although the mechanism underlying the transcription process during male gametogenesis is still unknown, experimental evidence indicates that circulating hormones stimulate testicular transcription. Thus, FSH stimulates testicular RNA and protein biosynthesis in immature and mature hypophysectomized rats (34,49). RNA transcription in seminiferous tubules is induced by FSH (34,36,49) whereas similar synthetic activities in interstitial cells are hCG-dependent (49). FSH effect is mediated by the adenyl cyclase-cyclic AMP system (7,12,18) present in Sertoli cells (6,7) and presumably in spermatogonia (6). Interstitial cells have a separate adenyl cyclase sensitive to LH (6,7).
Measurements and Analysis of Process Variability in 90 nm CMOS

A test chip has been built to study the effects of circuit layout on variability, and to characterize within-die (WID) and die-to-die (D2D) variability of delay and leakage current in 90 nm CMOS technology. Delay is obtained through the measurement of ring oscillator frequencies, and the transistor leakage current is measured by an on-chip analog-to-digital converter (ADC). It has been found that the transistor performance depends strongly on the polysilicon (poly-Si) gate density, and the spatial correlation depends on the gate orientation and the direction of poly-Si spacing. WID variation is small with three standard deviations over a mean (3sigma/mu) of around 3.5%, whereas D2D and systematic layout-induced variations are significant, with a 3sigma/mu D2D variation of ~15% and a maximum layout-induced frequency shift of 10%. Finally, a set of guidelines is proposed to help circuit designers mitigate the effects of process variations on CMOS performance.
Reactant Destabilization in the Bergman Cyclization and Rational Design of Light- and pH-Activated Enediynes †

New ways to control the reactivity of enediynes are suggested on the basis of computational analysis of reactant destabilization in cyclic enediynes. This analysis is based on monitoring electronic changes in the Bergman cyclization along the internal reaction coordinate (IRC) path. Insight into the relative importance and timing of a variety of bond-forming and bond-breaking processes involving both in-plane and out-of-plane π-orbitals along the IRC path was gained using natural bond orbital (NBO) dissection. In the vicinity of the Nicolaou's threshold (3.20 A) where the π-orbitals become parallel and their interaction pattern resembles that in the TS of the symmetry-forbidden thermal [2s + 2s] cycloaddition, the four-electron repulsive interaction of filled in-plane π-orbitals (πi−πi) becomes a dominant destabilizing factor without any compensation from the bond-forming, attractive two-electron interaction of the in-plane π-orbitals (πi → πi*). The dominant role of the interplay between attractive and r...
Modeling the Therapeutic Efficacy of p53 Restoration in Tumors

Although restoration of p53 function is an attractive tumor-specific therapeutic strategy, it remains unclear whether p53 loss is required only for transition through early bottlenecks in tumorigenesis or also for maintenance of established tumors. To explore the efficacy of p53 reinstatement as a tumor therapy, we used a reversibly switchable p53 knockin (KI) mouse model that permits modulation of p53 status from wild-type to knockout, at will. Using the well-characterized Emu-myc lymphoma model, we show that p53 is spontaneously activated when restored in established Emu-myc lymphomas in vivo, triggering rapid apoptosis and conferring a significant increase in survival. Nonetheless, reimposition of p53 function potently selects for emergence of p53-resistant tumors through inactivation of p19(ARF) or p53. Our study provides important insights into the nature and timing of p53-activating signals in established tumors and how resistance to p53 evolves, which will aid in the optimization of p53-based tumor therapies.
A role for alcohol dehydrogenase in the Drosophila immune response

In a recent study Drosophila larvae were injected with bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) suspended in 1% ethanol and differentially induced protein fractions were identified. The levels of several proteins, including alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), increased in LPS-treated flies and were labelled as immune response proteins. However, because control larvae were not injected with ethanol alone the identified proteins could represent a response to ethanol. Here, we injected Drosophila larvae with combinations of ethanol and LPS. While ADH activity increased in larvae receiving 1% ethanol, it was not increased after LPS injection. These results suggest that ADH plays no role in the Drosophila immune response, and that other proteins identified in the previous study may instead mediate ethanol tolerance in flies and other organisms.
A Comparative Study of the Effects of Dentinal Bonding Agents and Application Techniques on Marginal Gaps in Class V Cavities

The effectiveness of eight dentinal bonding agents (DBA's) and four of their combinations in eliminating marginal gaps in class V cavities was evaluated by the bulk method of composite application and two different incrementation techniques. The cavities were prepared one-half in enamel and one-half in dentin. Basic fuchsin 0.5% in propylene glycol was used for detection of the presence of gaps. For each cavity, the presence of gaps was scored as 0 or 1, at five enamel and five dentin locations. Marginal gaps were present in 6% of all enamel locations and in 75% of all dentin locations investigated. The gap frequency was lowest at the enamel occlusal locations, it increased gradually toward the dentin, and attained the highest value at the gingival locations. In enamel, the occurrence of gaps was dependent on the DBA's but independent of the particular technique used. In dentin, there was significant difference in gap occurrence between DBA's with any of the incrementation techniques. The frequency of gap...
Modeling of a hydraulic arresting gear using fluid-structure interaction and isogeometric analysis

Abstract Fluid–structure interaction (FSI) analysis of a full-scale hydraulic arresting gear used to retard the forward motion of an aircraft landing on an aircraft-carrier deck is performed. The simulations make use of the recently developed core and special-purpose FSI techniques for other problem classes, specialized to the present application. A recently proposed interactive geometry modeling and parametric design platform for isogeometric analysis (IGA) is directly employed to create the arresting gear model, and illustrates a natural application of IGA to this problem class. The fluid mechanics and FSI simulation results are reported in terms of the arresting-gear rotor loads and blade structural deformation and vibration. Excellent agreement is achieved with the experimental results for the arresting gear design simulated in this work.
Cultism, Insurgency, and Vigilantism in the Philippines

Early studies of church, state, and cult assumed that the church usually supports the state and, together with the state, opposes the cult. The cult, in turn, is alienated from both. The case of the present-day Philippines indicates that, in the context of Third World revolutionary turmoil, the roles are far more complex. This article examines the use of cultist vigilantes against communist insurgents. Media data suggest that cultist counterinsurgents have a destabilizing effect, furthering the alienation of cults from society and of church members from religious and political establishments.
Shape Optimization of Nanophotonic Devices Using the Adjoint Method

We use an adjoint method integrated with a classical Maxwell solver to optimize several nanophotonic devices, providing an adaptable and efficient tool for photonics design.
The Nervous System of the Pregenital Abdominal Segments of Some Orthoptera

The general plan of the arrangement of the muscles of the abdomen has been well established (Snodgrass 1935a). The system of nerves reaching these muscles should, it would seem logical, also exhibit a basic plan, if criteria of homology of nerves can be established. This study was undertaken to determine if such criteria exist in the limited field of the pregenital abdominal segments of some typical orthopterous insects. In the course of the work some details were discovered on the innervation of the ventral diaphragm which are included as a second section of this paper.
Hydrolysis of soy sauce sediment by proteases

The effect of proteases on soy sauce sediment in spraying-extraction-in-pool(SEIP) soy sauce and low-salt solid-fermentation(LSSF) soy sauce was studied.The parameters including enzyme dosage,pH value,hydrolysis time and ratio of material to liquid(RML) on hydrolysis were investigated.The optimal conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis for neutrase on SEIP sediment were obtained as follows: the ratio of material to liquid 1∶ 3,hydrolysis time 6h,dosage of enzyme 4000U/g and pH value 6.Under these conditions,the degree of hydrolysis(DH) was 43.8%.The optimal conditions of enzymatic hydrolysis for neutrase on LSSF sediment were as follows: the ratio of material to liquid 1∶ 3,hydrolysis time 8h,dosage of enzyme 6000U/g and pH value 6.5.Under these conditions,the DH was 53.8%.Orthogonal design and analysis of avariance(ANOVA) were adopted,results indicated that effects of those factors were notable(p 0.05).The results indicated that neutrase can hydrolyze soy sauce sediment effectively.
Intermediate ALS providers' level of interest in paramedic education.

OBJECTIVE To examine the level of interest in paramedic upgrade education among a sample of intermediate-level emergency medical technicians, referred to as cardiac rescue technicians (CRT), to obtain education to upgrade to the paramedic level. METHOD The design of this study was a descriptive, cross-sectional study utilizing a mailed survey instrument. RESULTS Most of the CRTs reported interest in advancement to the paramedic level with the most active CRTs significantly more interested in upgrading than were those with lower grade of activity. Preference was for the upgrade training to be offered as a single course, two nights per week. Respondents also indicated an interest in receiving college credits for the course. CONCLUSION Active volunteer, intermediate-level emergency medical technicians (EMTs) in Maryland are interested in participating in the education necessary to advance them to the paramedic level.
Preoperative autologous donation for hip replacement.

To The Editor: In “A Prospective, Randomized Study of Preoperative Autologous Donation for Hip Replacement Surgery” (2002;84:1299-304), Billote et al. concluded that “preoperative autologous donation provided no benefit for nonanemic patients”; however, I fear that many readers may be misled into believing that this statement is true for all patients undergoing hip arthroplasty. Because this study was not similar to any prior studies of autologous transfusion, the differences should be emphasized. First, it was a selected series of patients undergoing hip arthroplasty, as evidenced by the fact that all patients had a normal hemoglobin level, none had major medical comorbidities, a majority of the patients were male, and the average age of the patients was four or five years younger than that of most hip study populations. It would be unfair to compare this series of selected patients with studies of series of unselected hip arthroplasty patients. It would be interesting to know how many other hip arthroplasty patients were treated during the study period but were not included in this study group because of a lack of consent or because of exclusion criteria. I would also be interested to know why a hemoglobin level of 120 g/L was used as the admission criterion when it is universally accepted that patients may donate autologous blood if their hemoglobin level is >110 g/L. It appears that this exclusion criterion further limited the patient population to patients with a high hematocrit only, and not to all patients who would be eligible to donate autologous blood. Second, the authors used a very stringent hemoglobin threshold as a criterion for allogeneic transfusion by requiring that the hemoglobin level be <70 or 80 g/L (or a hematocrit of <0.21 or 0.24) prior to ordering an allogeneic transfusion. Most blood bank committees use a hemoglobin level …
Types of chronic conditions combinations and initial cancer treatment among elderly Medicare beneficiaries with localised prostate cancer.

SummaryObjective To examine the association between types of chronic conditions combinations and initial cancer treatment among elderly Medicare beneficiaries with localised prostate cancer. Methods A population-based retrospective cohort study was conducted using the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER)-Medicare linked database. The study cohort consisted of elderly men (≥ 66 years) with localised prostate cancer diagnosed between 2002 and 2009 (N = 98,264). The initial cancer treatment received during the 6 months after cancer diagnosis consisted of (i) radical prostatectomy (RP); (ii) radiation therapy (RT); (iii) hormone therapy; and (iv) no treatment. Pre-existing chronic conditions were classified into the following eight groups: (i) only cardiometabolic conditions (CM); (ii) only mental health conditions (MH); (iii) only respiratory conditions (RESP); (iv) CM and MH; (v) CM and RESP; (vi) MH and RESP; (vii) all three conditions, CM, MH and RESP; and (viii) none of the three types of conditions. Results Only 20% did not receive any cancer treatment; 47.4%, 22.1% and 10.5% received RT, RP, and hormone therapy, respectively. In multinomial logistic regression, elderly men with only RESP were more likely to receive RP as compared with those with all the three types of chronic conditions; those with only CM, only RESP, CM and MH or CM and RESP were more likely to receive RT. No significant associations were observed between the receipt of hormone therapy and types of chronic conditions. Conclusions A significant proportion of elderly men with chronic conditions have received aggressive initial cancer treatment. Our study findings suggest a conservative approach for the initial prostate cancer treatment among elderly men with significant chronic conditions and localised prostate cancer.
Magnetic Anisotropy in Ferromagnetic III-Mn-V Semiconductors: Issues and Observations

Magnetic anisotropy (MA) in III-V-based ferromagnetic (FM) semiconductor alloys (e.g., Ga\(_{1 - x}\)Mn\(_{x}\)As) is of critical importance for the design and implementation of spin-dependent devices based on these materials. This property can be ‘‘engineered’’ and controlled either by imposing appropriate strain conditions on the FM film, or by choosing the hole concentration p. Here it is especially important that the choice of p can be controlled by external mechanisms, such as illumination or voltage. In this paper we present the information on MA in FM semiconductors obtained through a series of complementary methods: ferromagnetic resonance, planar Hall effect, direct imaging of FM domains by magneto-optical methods, and SQUID magnetization data. Special attention is given to the recently-observed re-orientation of the easy axis in several of the III\(_{1 - x}\)Mn\(_{x}\)V alloys as a function of temperature and/or illumination, and to the somewhat surprising uniaxial anisotropy in the basal (001) plane which some of these FM films exhibit, presumably as a consequence of surface reconstruction during the growth.
Partial Oxidation of Methanol on MoO3 (010): A DFT and Microkinetic Study

Methanol oxidation is employed as a probe reaction to evaluate the catalytic properties of the (010) facets of molybdenum trioxide (MoO3), a reducible oxide that exhibits a rich interplay of catalytic chemistry and structural transformations. The reaction mechanism is investigated with a combination of electronic structure calculations, using the BEEF-vdW and HSE06 functionals, and mean-field microkinetic modeling. Considered pathways include vacancy formation and oxidation, monomolecular dehydrogenation of methanol on reduced and nonreduced surfaces, bimolecular reactions between dehydrogenated intermediates, and precursor steps for hydrogen molybdenum phase (HyMoO3–x) formation. Methanol dissociation begins with C–H or O–H scission, with the O–H route found to be kinetically and thermodynamically preferred. Dehydrogenation of CH2O* to CHO* is slow in comparison to desorption, leading to complete selectivity toward CH2O. C–H scission of CH3O* and recombination of dissociated OH* to form H2O* are kinetica...
Uso de estatinas e o risco de Diabetes Mellitus tipo 2: Revisão Baseada na Evidência

Objective: To investigate the relationship between statin administration and the incidence of Diabetes Mellitus type 2. Methods: A systematic review of the literature was conducted using the following databases National Guidelines Clearinghouse, Cochrane Lybrary, Trip database, PubMed and MedLine using the MeSH terms “ Diabetes Mellitus Type 2” and “Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors”. Systematic reviews, meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials analyzing the incidence of type 2 diabetes in statin users compared with placebo were included. Results: We selected 10 articles (1 meta-analysis and 9 randomized controlled trials). Evidence suggests that the use of statins is associated with an increased incidence of type 2 diabetes compared to placebo in most studies, especially at high dosages. Conclusion: The risk of incidence of type 2 diabetes should be considered especially when prescribing statins to patients with low cardiovascular risk (SOR A), despite the fact that selected studies present some limitations (heterogeneous methodology, and mostly observational).
Liesegang Rings and a Theory of Fast Reaction and Slow Diffusion

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses Liesegang rings and a theory of fast reaction and slow diffusion. A chemically reacting system usually proceeds monotonically in time toward a state of completed reaction, a state of equilibrium, or a steady state. The ultimate state is generally homogeneous in space, as a consequence of diffusion, even though the initial state can be inhomogeneous. Certain chemical systems do not behave in this way. Some of the chemical systems exhibit temporal oscillations, which do not decay in time; however, become temporally periodic. Other systems, or the same systems with different parameter values, perform oscillations that persist but remain chaotic rather than becoming periodic. A reaction can proceed in one direction at a decreasing rate. The presence of processes, such as flow and diffusion, can lead to destabilization of uniform steady states and the occurrence of temporal or spatial periodicity. Chemical reaction and diffusion are responsible for the creation of form in biological systems through the development of spatially nonuniform steady states.
Diabetes Mellitus Treatment Deintensification: When Well-Controlled Diabetes Mellitus Becomes Overcontrolled.

Diabetes mellitus and its complications, including chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular disease, pose a substantial public health burden. In spite of numerous effective medications for diabetes mellitus, the optimal management of diabetes mellitus remains elusive. Three large randomized controlled trials of intensive glycemic control (HbA1c [Hemoglobin A1c] of 6.4%–6.9% achieved) compared with control arms (HbA1c of 7.0%–8.4%) observed only minor cardiovascular benefits from lower HbA1c targets, and one of those trials found increased all-cause mortality in the intensive treatment arm.1 Although microvascular complications are consistently reduced by better glycemic control, intensive glycemic control has also been consistently associated with increased risk of hypoglycemia.1,2 Reflecting the heterogeneity of patients with diabetes mellitus and the competing risks and benefits of lower glycemic control targets, the American Diabetes Association and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes guidelines for diabetes mellitus treatment recommend individualization of glycemic control goals based on patient preferences, comorbidities, severity of diabetes mellitus–related complications, and life expectancy.3 In spite of the cautious language adopted by the American Diabetes Association and European Association for the Study of Diabetes, many recent studies demonstrate potentially avoidable hypoglycemic events,4 possible overtreatment in vulnerable populations,5–7 and low rates of diabetes mellitus medication deintensification in individuals with low HbA1c or at risk for hypoglycemia.4,8 This growing body of literature has brought attention to the morbidity caused by diabetes mellitus treatment and motivated further investigation into the causes of, consequences of, and strategies to prevent potentially harmful overtreatment. See Article by McAlister et al In this issue of Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes , McAlister et al9 report on rates of diabetes mellitus medication deintensification in individuals with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. They used retrospective data from Optum Insight from …
Taking the Long View: Cultivating Historical Thinking in Elementary Teacher Education.

As new teachers confront the realities of a Trump administration characterized by a troublingly tenuous grasp of history, we advocate for infusing historical thinking into all facets of elementary ...
Staging the Fascist War: The Ministry of Popular Culture and Italian Propaganda on the Home Front, 1938–1943

In Italy, World War II involved civilians like no other conflict. In the process, citizens were indoctrinated to be loyal fascists. The Ministry of Popular Culture maintained centralized control ov...
The Demise of Immortality

The promise of personal immortality is Christianity’s spiritual font of hope and inspiration. By Gibbon’s own account the assurance of it greatly energized the Christians in their early battles against paganism. The reward of heaven and the threat of hell were also powerful proselytizing tools—instrumental in subverting the traditional pagan religions. The doctrine of personal immortality in the Decline and Fall’s history of Christianity is subject to a skeptical, caustic treatment similar to the account of miracles. Like Hume, Gibbon viewed the entire notion as a speculative matter about which nothing can be known. Gibbon was also unremittingly critical of how belief in immortality affects the conduct of believers, and he linked belief in immortality, as he did with belief in miracles, closely to fanaticism and superstition. Both miracles and the hope for immortality were casualties of the philosophic historian’s critique of Christianity. Hume attacked the notions philosophically: Gibbon disparaged them in his history. Belief in miracles and hope for the afterlife, Gibbon insinuates, work on the minds of the believers in a similar fashion. Religious believers invent miracles to impress the doubters and waverers and to confront rival sectarians, and they create eternal paradises as a reward for correct belief and promise hell as the consequence of disbelief. Devout attachment to a belief in immortality, like a belief in the testimony of miracles, turns on the dynamics of the imagination and the passions. The Christian preoccupation with immortality is the work of hope and fear, stimulating a vision of a world beyond the grave.1 Christianity emerged irremediably hostile to the traditional religions of the empire, and the antagonistic new believers, infused with hope for the rewards of the afterlife, became subversive agents of the political authority of the empire. (DF-15, II, 57–58) Gibbon’s critique of immortality is yet another melancholy aspect of his attack on Christianity. The preoccupation with the prospect of the wondrous afterlife by early Christians actually seems to bring degeneration and corruption rather than amelioration. Immortality in the Decline and Fall goes the way of miracles as the spirituality of Christianity is confronted by the naturalism of the Enlightenment.
Propositions, Numbers, And The Problem Of Arbitrary Identification

Those inclined to believe in the existence of propositions as traditionally conceived might seek to reduce them to some other type of entity. However, parsimonious propositionalists of this type are confronted with a choice of competing candidates – for example, sets of possible worlds, and various neo-Russellian and neo-Fregean constructions. It is argued that this choice is an arbitrary one, and that it closely resembles the type of problematic choice that, as Benacerraf pointed out, bedevils the attempt to reduce numbers to sets – should the number 2 be identified with the set O or with the set O, O? An “argument from arbitrary identification” is formulated with the conclusion that propositions (and perhaps numbers) cannot be reduced away. Various responses to this argument are considered, but ultimately rejected. The paper concludes that the argument is sound: propositions, at least, are sui generis entities.
The making and meaning of a Mississippian axe-head cache

The recent discovery of a cache of 70 groundstone axe-heads at the Grossmann site, near Cahokia, in the Mississippi valley prompts a new interpretation of the commemorative and ritual value of such deposits. The makers of these axe-heads seem to belong to a community of specialists who had a contributory role in the foundation of the Cahokia polity.
Accelerating Photofunctional Molecule Discovery with Artificial Intelligence.

As design of new materials via artificial intelligence becomes more common, a paradigm shift is taking place in materials research.
Atypical Presentation of Intestinal Intussusception Caused by Insidious Inflammatory Myofibroblastic Tumor of the Bowel Wall

Introduction: Inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor (IMT) is a rare but real tumor, which is histologically characterized by myofibroblastic spindle cells proliferation with inflammatory infiltrate. T...
Blind Reverberation Time Estimation Using a Convolutional Neural Network

The reverberation time of an acoustic environment is a useful parameter for applications including source localisation, speech recognition and mixed reality. However, estimating the reverberation time blindly and on the fly remains a challenge. Here we propose formulating the estimation as a regression problem and using a convolutional neural network (CNN) to estimate the reverberation time directly from a four second long single-channel recording of reverberant speech in noise. Evaluation on the ACE Challenge data corpus suggests that the proposed method is computationally efficient and outperforms state-of-the-art methods.
Adjuvant Analgesia Reduces Risk of Poor Patient Outcomes in Pediatric Posterior Spinal Fusion

Purpose: Variation in postoperative pain management for children undergoing posterior spinal fusion (PSF) for adolescent idiopathic (AIS) or neuromuscular (NMS) scoliosis likely impacts outcomes, including adverse events from opioid use or hospital-acquired conditions. Evidence to support strategies that most effectively minimize prolonged intravenous (IV) opioids and hospitalizations is lacking. Our objectives were to describe variation in use of adjuvant therapies for managing postoperative pain in in patients undergoing PSF and determine the association between use of …