cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the Evaluation of 2013 National Nuclear and Radiation Health Emergency Response Team Exercise

Emergency exercise is an important means to test the capabilities on emergency response and disposal,and the utilities and operability of emergency plan. Based on analyzing the situation of 2013 National Nuclear and Radiation Health Emergency Response Team Exercise,this article pointed out that plan for emergency exercise is the premise,security is the base and team member is the key. Only when the goal was clear,each link was reasonable planned,material security,communications security and safety security were in abundant supply,and all members had timely responded,then could we successfully complete the emergency work. At the same time,this article explained there were also shortcomings,such as the lack of the professional technology assessment on nuclear radiation emergency relief.
Numerical Analysis Method Combining Method of Moments and Boundary Element Method on Grounding Calculation

We put forward a new numerical method which can analyze soil model with finite volumes of different resistivity.The method couples method of moments(MoM) to the boundary element method(BEM),which can study the parameters of grounding system in a complicated soil model.On the basis of the layered soil model,by dividing the surface of finite volume of different resistivity in the soil into several boundary elements,the surface charge of each element can be calculated,therefore the influence of these elements on the distribution of underground electric field and the leakage current from the grounding conductors can be determined.This method can analyze not only the layered soil model but also a layered soil model in the existence of several finite volumes of different resistivity.By applying the method to two grounding systems,calculation results are achieved to prove the feasibility of this method.By comparing the calculation results given by the method to the results given by several reference papers,the correctness of the method can also be proved.
Reduced parasympathetic control of heart rate in obese dogs

We investigated why resting heart rate is elevated in dogs fed a high saturated fat diet for 12.7 +/- 1.8 wk. Obese dogs exhibited elevated body weight (59%), blood pressure (14%), and heart rate (25%). Differences in resting heart rate (control, 58 +/- 5 beats/min; obese, 83 +/- 7 beats/min) were abolished after hexamethonium, indicating an autonomic mechanism. Hexamethonium also reduced blood pressure in obese (20 +/- 4 mmHg) but not control (9 +/- 6 mmHg) animals. Propranolol did not affect heart rate in either group, excluding a beta-adrenergic mechanism. Subsequent administration of atropine increased heart rate more in control than in obese dogs (110 +/- 9 vs. 57 +/- 11 beats/min). The sensitivity of the cardiac limb of the baroreflex (Oxford method) was reduced by 46% in the obese group, confirming impairment of the parasympathetic control of heart rate. The standard deviation of blood pressure measurements was normal when expressed as a percentage of the mean arterial blood pressure (control, 11.2 +/- 0.4%; obese, 11.2 +/- 0.5%). Our results indicate that the development of obesity in dogs fed a high saturated fat diet is accompanied by an attenuated resting and reflex parasympathetic control of heart rate.
Mechanism of aggravation of mucosal injury by intravenous nicotine in rat stomach

Endogenous prostaglandins and injury-induced hyperemia are important defense mechanisms in the gastric mucosa. In the rat stomach, we tested the hypotheses that an ulcer-promoting dose of intravenous nicotine 1) reduces ex vivo prostaglandin generation and 2) aggravates mucosal lesions by impairing injury-induced hyperemia. Anesthetized rats were given intravenous control or 4 or 40 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 nicotine infusion. In study 1, ex vivo generation of prostaglandin E2 and 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha (stable metabolite of prostacyclin) was determined by vortexing the mucosal tissue, followed by radioimmunoassay. No significant difference in prostaglandin generation was found between the control and experimental groups. In study 2, intravenous nicotine (40 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) produced a significant rise (19 +/- 3%) in mean blood pressure and completely abolished the gastric hyperemia produced by intragastric saline (2 M). The extent of the associated gastric mucosal injury was significantly increased (from 5.3 +/- 0.8 to 17.4 +/- 5.2% of the corpus mucosa), while the maximum depth of the largest lesions was not affected by intravenous nicotine. The data confirm that the gastric hyperemia associated with gastric mucosal exposure to hypertonic saline plays an important role in limiting the extent of gastric mucosal damage. We conclude that in the rat stomach 1) an ulcer-promoting dose of intravenous nicotine does not significantly inhibit cyclooxygenase activity, and 2) the same does of intravenous nicotine exacerbates hypertonic saline-induced gastric mucosal injury by a mechanism that involves inhibition of injury-induced hyperemia.
Risikofaktoren der arteriellen Verschlußkrankheiten

Dieses Referat wird sich mit den Verschluskrankheiten der Coronararterien befassen. Das Thema der Risikofaktoren, welche die Coronarkrankheit voraussagen, hat nun mindestens seit 10 Jahren im Vordergrund des Interesses gestanden. Es besteht wohl kein Zweifel mehr, das die hauptsachlichen Einflusse, namlich der Cholesterinspiegel, Blutdruck und Zigarettenrauchen, eng mit den Ursachen der Coronarkrankheit verbunden sind. Daher ware es gewis kaum erwunscht, einen grosen Teil der kurzen Zeit damit zu verbringen, wohlbekannte Tatsachen sozusagen wieder aufzuwarmen. Eher scheint es, das dies gewissermasen eine Zeit zur wissenschaftlichen Einkehr ist, um ruhig aber zielbewust den gegenwartigen Stand der Dinge zu ubersehen. Welche Fragen sind mehr oder weniger gelost ? Was sind die praktischen Konsequenzen dieses Wissens ? Was sind neue Kenntnisse und wo liegt die Notwendigkeit zur weiteren Forschung [1] ?
SIRT3 blocks myofibroblast differentiation and pulmonary fibrosis by preventing mitochondrial DNA damage

Myofibroblast differentiation is a key process in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is a powerful inducer of myofibroblast differentiation and is implicated in pathogenesis of tissue fibrosis. This study was undertaken to determine the role of mitochondrial deacetylase SIRT3 in TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation in vitro and lung fibrosis in vivo. Treatment of human lung fibroblasts with TGF-β1 resulted in increased expression of fibrosis markers, smooth muscle α-actin (α-SMA), collagen-1, and fibronectin. TGF-β1 treatment also caused depletion of endogenous SIRT3, which paralleled with increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), DNA damage, and subsequent reduction in levels of 8-oxoguanine DNA glycosylase (OGG1), an enzyme that hydrolyzes oxidized guanine (8-oxo-dG) and thus protects DNA from oxidative damage. Overexpression of SIRT3 by adenovirus-mediated transduction reversed the effects of TGF-β1 on ROS production and mitochondrial DNA damage and inhibited TGF-β1-induced myofibroblast differentiation. To determine the antifibrotic role of SIRT3 in vivo, we used the bleomycin-induced mouse model of pulmonary fibrosis. Compared with wild-type controls, Sirt3-knockout mice showed exacerbated fibrosis after intratracheal instillation of bleomycin. Increased lung fibrosis was associated with decreased levels of OGG1 and concomitant accumulation of 8-oxo-dG and increased mitochondrial DNA damage. In contrast, the transgenic mice with whole body Sirt3 overexpression were protected from bleomycin-induced mtDNA damage and development of lung fibrosis. These data demonstrate a critical role of SIRT3 in the control of myofibroblast differentiation and lung fibrosis.
CO2 capture from air using amine functionalized kaolin-based zeolites

In this study, we developed several inexpensive zeolites such as ZSM-5 (MFI), zeolite Y (FAU) and SAPO-34 (CHA) from kaolin clay and applied them for CO2 capture from air. These molecular sieves were functionalized with Tetraethylenepentamine (TEPA) to further improve their CO2 capacity. The obtained kaolin-based zeolites exhibited similar properties than those of zeolites prepared with other sources. They also exhibited a bimodal pore network consisting of both micropores and mesopores. The effect of amine loading on CO2 capture was investigated and our results demonstrated that TEPA-modified zeolite Y with 10 wt% TEPA exhibited higher capacity than other zeolites due to its larger mesopore volume. The presence of mesopores in zeolite Y framework facilitated a better accessibility of CO2 molecules to the amine sites.
Improving quality of crowdsourced labels via probabilistic matrix factorization

Quality assurance in crowdsourced annotation often involves having a given example labeled multiple times by different workers, then aggregating these labels. Unfortunately, the worker-example label matrix is typically sparse and imbalanced for two reasons: 1) the average crowd worker judges few examples; and 2) few labels are typically collected per example to reduce cost. To address this missing data problem, we propose use of probabilistic matrix factorization (PMF), a standard approach in collaborative filtering. To evaluate our approach, we measure accuracy of consensus labels computed from the input sparse matrix vs. the PMF-inferred complete matrix. We consider both unsupervised and supervised settings. In the supervised case, we evaluate both weighted voting and worker selection. Experiments are performed on both a synthetic data set and a real data set: crowd relevance judgments taken from the 2010 NIST TREC Relevance Feedback Track.
A Novel Scheduling Framework Leveraging Hardware Cache Partitioning for Cache-Side-Channel Elimination in Clouds.

While there exist many isolation mechanisms that are available to cloud service providers, including virtual machines, containers, etc., the problem of side-channel increases in importance as a remaining security vulnerability, particularly in the presence of shared caches and multicore processors. In this paper we present a hardware-software mechanism that improves the isolation of cloud processes in the presence of shared caches on multicore chips. Combining the Intel CAT architecture that enables cache partitioning on the fly with novel scheduling techniques and state cleansing mechanisms, we enable cache-side-channel free computing for Linux-based containers and virtual machines, in particular, those managed by KVM. We do a preliminary evaluation of our system using a CPU bound workload. Our system allows Simultaneous Multithreading (SMT) to remain enabled and does not require application level changes.
Microstructure-Sensitive Computational Structure-Property Relations in Materials Design

We consider the role of computational materials science and mechanics in establishing improved understanding and quantification of structure-property relations for engineered materials. This chapter first addresses key aspects and implications of structure hierarchy in practical systems of interest. We then proceed to discuss aspirations and challenges for designing materials via tailoring of hierarchical structure. It is emphasized that materials design is not equivalent to modeling across scales of material structure hierarchy; the latter provides support for decisions made in design and development of materials in the presence of uncertainty. We next provide compelling reasons to develop microstructure-sensitive multiscale models to facilitate simulation-assisted alloy design. Hierarchical and concurrent multiscale models are defined and contrasted in terms of utility in supporting materials design. Inherent difficulties of inverting complex structure-property relations are discussed, along with some recently developed strategies for relating desired properties to feasible structures, as well as top-down, inductive design exploration.
In Hindsight: Doklady Akademii Nauk SSSR, 181(4), 1968

This short contribution presents the first paper in which Vapnik and Chervonenkis describe the foundations of Statistical Learning Theory (Vapnik, Chervonenkis (1968) Proc USSR Acad Sci 181(4): 781–783).
Biological Photoresponses and Photoreceptors

The sun is a star which emits electromagnetic radiation from its surface as a result of the energy released in the fusion process by which the nuclei of four hydrogen atoms are consumed in a three-step process to make one helium atom.1 The earth, as the third planet in the solar system, revolves around the sun at a mean distance of 150 million kilometers and intercepts only a small portion of the total energy produced by the sun. However, this amount of radiant energy is well suited for the development and maintenance of life on the earth.
Resiliency in Youth Who Have Been Exposed to Violence

Youth who have been victims of crime or are exposed to community violence are at high risk for developing conduct problems. However, not all youth who have been exposed to violence develop behavioral problems. The purpose of this study is to explore the relationship between resiliency factors such as sense of mastery, emotional reactivity, relatedness to parents, friends, and teachers, and conduct problems in youth who have been exposed to violence in a general population of high school students. The independent variables are measured using the Children’s Report of Exposure to Violence, the Resiliency Scales for Children and Adolescents, and the Hemmingway Measure of Adolescent Connectedness. The Youth Self-Report was utilized to measure the dependent variables in this study. A canonical correlation was used to analyze the data. Youth who have high exposure to violence and a high level of emotional reactivity and a low connection to parents and teachers reported more aggressive behavior and rule-breaking behavior. Youth who reported having a sense of connectedness to others also reported low emotional reactivity and aggressive behaviors but to a lesser extent. Implications for practice including prevention strategies for preventing violence in at risk youth are provided.
Alteration of active Na-K transport on protein kinase C activation in cultured ciliary epithelium.

PURPOSE: Experiments were conducted to test whether protein kinase C activation causes changes in active sodium-potassium transport in an established SV-40 transformed line (ODM2) of cultured human nonpigmented ciliary epithelial cells. METHODS: Rubidium-86 (86Rb) uptake was measured and the data used to determine the rate of potassium entry into the cells. RESULTS: Protein kinase C activator, phorbol dibutyrate (PDBu), caused a stimulation of ouabain-sensitive 86Rb uptake. Inhibition of protein kinase C by 1-(5-isoquinolinylsulfonyl) 2-methylpiperazine (H-7), or down-regulation of protein kinase C activation by prolonged exposure of PDBu, decreased the PDBu response. These results suggest that protein kinase C plays a role in Na-K pump activation. The Na/H+ exchanger inhibitor, amiloride, also reduced the stimulation of the ouabain-sensitive 86Rb uptake by PDBu. 86Rb efflux was not altered by protein kinase C activation. At the same time that PDBu increased the ouabain-sensitive 86Rb uptake, it also decreased the ouabain-insensitive 86Rb uptake. The ouabain-insensitive 86Rb uptake component could be inhibited by bumetanide, suggesting that protein kinase C activation decreases the activity of a Na/K/2Cl cotransporter. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that activation of protein kinase C may stimulate Na,K-ATPase activity mainly by a mechanism involving increased Na+ influx mediated by the Na+/H+ exchanger.
Sure-Thing Doubts

Consider the problem of choosing from among the following four gambles: with monetary prizes based on the color ball drawn from an urn containing balls in the stated proportions. Recent studies show that in cases of this sort a significant number of persons will choose B in preference to A, and C in preference to D, in pairwise choice situations.2 Such a pattern of preference is in violation of the sure-thing principle which, as an axiom of rational choice, is ubiquitous in one form or other to contemporary treatments of utility theory and the theory of subjective probability.3 Open image in new window Figure 1
The Sociological Study of Mental Illness: A Critique and Synthesis of Four Perspectives

This chapter identifies two dimensions of sociological styles of thinking about mental disorder. The first is whether studies explain how symptoms emerge in individuals the social response to symptomatic persons. The second dimension is whether mental symptoms are viewed as properties of individuals or as cultural products. The intersection of these dimensions identifies four styles of thinking about mental disorder. The etiological style views mental illness as an individual state and searches for its social causes. The sociological psychology approach also conceives of mental illness as an attribute of individuals, but treats symptoms as cultural products. The social response model concerns social reactions to these symptoms. Finally, social constructionist studies examine how social definitions of mental disorders are constructed and employed. The chapter discusses the nature, strengths, and weaknesses of these four styles of sociological explanation of mental disorder.
Analysing referral patterns to rural provincial hospitals.

In Papua New Guinea a 3-tiered health care referral system has been functioning for several decades. Enga a typical province has 108 outpatient aid posts each staffed by a primary health worker serving 1500 villagers. 10-20% of aid post patients are referred to the nearest rural health center serving their districts of 30000. Of health center patients 10-20% are referred to the provincial hospital in the Wapenamanda district. The purpose of this study is to test the assumption that the provincial hospital is acting uniformly in its referral function for the 5 health center districts. A 2nd purpose is to find a simple way to estimate the number of admissions which derive from the hospitals potential aid post and health center functions for those who live nearest to it. Provincial hospital admissions were analyzed for the 1-year period 10/77-9/78 according to patients clan and stated district of residence. After computing admission rates by district per 1000 population these were plotted against distance from the hospital by the only passable roads. The effect of proximity is clearly demonstrated by the 298 (11.8%) local clan admissions; based on the provincial average of 15.9/1000 29 local clan admissions would be expected there are 1848 local clans. Rates from the other 5 districts are only 20-60% of this rate. On the other hand if it is assumed that in 5/6 of these local admissions the hospital was in fact serving as the health center level then the expected rate of hospital admission for the local province is 9.3 per 1000. Based on this rate admissions from the other 5 districts are 40-90% of the expected rate. The advantage to local patients cannot be denied in that health center level admissions receive provincial hospital level care. This simple analysis can be carried out in the health care system of any area. For political and logistical reasons it may not be possible to eliminate health care differentials based on distance. However this approach provides an internally consistent method of quantifying those differentials as a 1st step toward reducing them.
An insight into paracetamol and its metabolites using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation.

Paracetamol is a relatively safe analgesia/antipyretic drug without the risks of addiction, dependence, tolerance, and withdrawal when used alone. However, when administrated in an opioid/paracetamol combination product, which often contains a large quantity of paracetamol, it can be potentially dangerous due to the risk of hepatotoxicity. Paracetamol is known to be metabolized into N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-arachidonamide (AM404) via fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and into N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI) via cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes. However, the underlying mechanism of paracetamol is still unclear. In addition, paracetamol has the potential to interact with other drugs that are also involved with CYP family enzymes (inducer/inhibitor/substrate), an example being illicit drugs. In our present work, we looked into the relationship between paracetamol and its metabolites (AM404 and NAPQI) using molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We first carried out a series of molecular docking studies between paracetamol/AM404/NAQPI and their reported targets, including CYP 2E1, FAAH, TRPA1, CB1, and TRPV1. Subsequently, we performed MD simulations and energy decomposition for CB1-AM404, TRPV1-AM404, and TRPV1-NAPQI for further investigation of the dynamics interactions. Finally, we summarized and discussed the reported drug–drug interactions between paracetamol and central nervous system drugs, especially illicit drugs. Overall, we are able to provide new insights into the structural and functional roles of paracetamol and its metabolites that can inform the potential prevention and treatment of paracetamol overdose.
The effects of twig girdlers (Cerambycidae) and node borers (Bostrichidae) on primary production in mesquite (Prosopis glandulosa)

Production of leaves and shoots on branches of mesquite shrubs which had been girdled by the mesquite twig girdler (Oncideres rhodisticta) was compared with the production of unaffected branches on girdled and ungirdled shrubs. We made similar comparisons on mesquite which had been subjected to simulated girdling or terminal node destruction of 40–80 per cent of the branches. There was no significant difference in shoot and leaf growth in either natural or simulated damaged plants compared to controls. These studies suggest that the timing of the activity of stem-destroying insects may be important in minimizing damage to the plant.
Hooked: How Politics Captures People's Interest

Political interest is the strongest predictor of 'good citizenship', yet hardly anything is known about it. For the first time in over three decades, here is a study explaining what political interest is, where it comes from, and why it matters. Providing the most thorough description available of political interest in four Western democracies this study analyzes large household panel data sets rarely used in political science to explain how interest develops in people's lives. In an accessible manner, the book's analytical approach pushes applied social scientists to consider how panel data can be used to better understand political behavior. It does so in a way that doesn't gloss over complexities, and explains them in straightforward language. Advanced statistical methods are presented informally, accompanied by graphical illustrations that require no prior knowledge to understand the methods used.
Curcumin: Historical Background, Chemistry, Pharmacological Action, and Potential Therapeutic Value

Abstract Turmeric is obtained from Curcuma longa Linn plant, which is typically grown in India, China, and Southeast Asia. Curcumin, the principal curcuminoids found in turmeric, has long been used in traditional Indian and Chinese medicines to treat a variety of ailments, including jaundice and hepatic disorders, rheumatism, anorexia, and diabetic wounds. Curcumin (diferuloylmethane), an orange-yellow component of turmeric, is a polyphenol, therefore responsible for modulating multiple signaling pathways and exerting a wide spectrum of biological and pharmacological properties (including antiinflammatory, antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, anticarcinogenic, neuroprotective, chemoprotective, vasodilatory, and antihyperglycemic actions). In contrast to commercially available drugs, curcumin is believed to be devoid of any major side effects. Thus the aim of the present review is to summarize our current understanding of curcumin’s pharmacological actions (specifically antiinflammatory, antioxidant, antidepressant, and neuroprotective) and shed a light on its therapeutic potential to be relevant for treating various chronic conditions, such as neurological and psychological disorders.
Progress in Neuromorphic Computing : Drawing Inspiration from Nature for Gains in AI and Computing

In 2018, Intel published its Loihi neuromorphic research chip and launched the Intel Neuromorphic Research Community (INRC). As an exploratory AI research chip inspired by the principles of neural computation in nature, Loihi explores a very different design regime compared to the Von Neumann and matrix-acceleration architectures in wide use today. Loihi supports sparse and irregular communication between its units, packetized in the form of event-driven “spikes”. Programmable plasticity processes distributed throughout the chip allow Loihi to rapidly adapt and learn in response to stimuli. A novel asynchronous design methodology provides maximal energy efficiency by exploiting the architecture's pervasive sparse activity. Members of the INRC are now collaboratively advancing the state-of-the-art in neuromorphic algorithms, software, and applications. Exciting recent results to date suggest that Loihi's combination of fine-grain parallel architecture, its spike-based computational model, and its asynchronous design implementation can provide compelling gains in computing efficiency, scalable to orders of magnitude, for the right kinds of adaptive dynamic problems. These include many exciting applications at the forefront of AI that call for highly efficient real-time interaction with real-world data.
Current Trends vs. Traditional Models

Abstract Today's library instruction literature is dominated by three areas of interest: integrated information literacy initiatives, active learning in the classroom, and online tutorials. Today's literature also indicates a departure from the so-called “traditional models” of providing library instruction, such as the one-hour/one-shot class, and the lecture and demonstration method of teaching. The authors of this article conducted a survey of instruction librarians regarding their views on current trends and traditional models of library instruction. Results of the survey suggest that traditional methods of instruction continue to be useful, effective, and necessary, especially when included with today's new, multifaceted, and integrated information literacy initiatives.
Pairing Public and Private Antitrust Remedies

Today’s conversation about antitrust civil remedies generally, and the private action specifically, focuses most often on optimal deterrence and effectiveness. Lost in conversation is the basic idea that antitrust violations cause economic harm and that those victimized by that harm should be entitled to damages from those who have violated the law. This is the underappreciated compensatory function of antitrust. The article begins with a discussion of federal government suits under Section 4A of the Clayton Act for damages that the United States has suffered from antitrust violations. We trace the history of this important but little used provision and argue that the federal government should follow up on its pledge to bring this type of damage suit on a more regular basis. We then argue for a more robust public-private partnership to enforce the treble damages provision of the Clayton Act. The enforcement of Section 4A can be the beginning of such a productive partnership and perhaps the impetus for the solution of the many challenges posed by the Illinois Brick doctrine.
Photonic Generation of Spectrally Pure Millimeter-Wave Signals for 5G Applications

To support the multi-gigabit/s wireless connectivity and to overcome the wireless spectrum crunch, 5G is going to adopt higher frequencies from the plentiful available spectrum in the millimeter-wave range. Photonic millimeter-wave signals generation and distribution in the optical domain is of great interest owing to their high spectral purity, low system complexity, low cost, small footprint, and long transmission distance. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate spectrally pure photonic mm-wave signal generation and data transmission around 47.2 GHz using a novel low noises monolithic dual-wavelength semiconductor InAs/InP quantum dash (QD) DFB laser as a compact optical beat source for 5G applications.
Initial factor exploration of disability identity.

Purpose/objective This article describes the initial factor exploration of disability identity and preliminary psychometric characteristics based on an adult self-report tool. Disability was defined broadly, and the sample included individuals with visible and/or hidden disabilities across many disability groups (i.e., physical, intellectual, learning, mental illness). Method Items were developed (n = 102) and a pilot measure was administered to a sample of adults with disabilities (n = 566). An exploratory factor analysis (EFA) using the mean and variance adjusted weighted least squares (WLSMV) estimator was conducted. The resulting items were sent to expert reviewers for evaluation. Results Following the exploratory analyses, 37 items were retained that made up four factors: internal beliefs about own disability and the disability community, anger and frustration with disability experiences, adoption of disability community values, and contribution to the disability community. The pilot measure aligned well with the theoretical framework that guided its development. Discussion/conclusion This factor exploration is a contribution to a growing body of literature supporting, and investigating, disability identity development. This work presents a more comprehensive understanding of disability identity development. Armed with a better understanding, this will serve as a basis to inform future scale development and validation. After this validation work is completed, there is the potential to apply findings to tailor interventions and clinical work, so that psychologists and rehabilitation professionals may be better prepared to meet the developmental needs of disabled clients. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Matched Pairs Comparison of an Enhanced Recovery Pathway Versus Conventional Management on Opioid Exposure and Pain Control in Patients Undergoing Lung Surgery

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the effect of an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathway on pain and opioid use following lung resection. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA A major component ERAS pathways is opioid-sparing analgesia; however, the effect on postoperative pain and opioid use in patients undergoing lung resection is unknown. METHODS Following implementation of an ERAS pathway for lung resection, 123 consecutive patients were identified. Patients were propensity-matched 1:1 with a group of consecutive patients (n = 907) undergoing lung resection before ERAS. Differences regarding in-hospital opioid consumption, discharge prescribing of opioids, and postoperative pain scores were examined. Morphine milligram equivalents were separately calculated including and excluding tramadol as an opioid medication. RESULTS There were no significant differences between matched patients regarding age, sex, performance status, receipt of preoperative treatment, extent of lung resection, or operative approach. Epidural analgesia was used in 66% of controls and in none of the ERAS group (P < 0.001). The number of adjunct analgesics used postoperatively was greater in the ERAS group (median 3 vs 2, P < 0.001). There was a major reduction in morphine milligram equivalents in the ERAS group whether tramadol was included (median 14.2 vs 57.8, P < 0.001) or excluded (median 2.7 vs 57.8, P < 0.001) and regardless of surgical approach. Average daily pain scores were lower in the ERAS group (median 1.3 vs 1.8, P = 0.004); however, this difference was present only among patients undergoing thoracotomy. The proportion of patients who were prescribed discharge opioids varied whether tramadol was included (96% each group, P = 1.00) or excluded (39% vs 80%, P < 0.001) in the analysis. CONCLUSIONS Implementation of an ERAS pathway was associated with effective post-operative analgesia, major reductions in in-hospital consumption of opioids, and reduced pain, compared to conventional management.
Evaluation of growth production factors as predictors of the incidence and severity of white striping and woody breast in broiler chickens.

White striping (WS) and woody breast (WB) have been previously associated with older and heavier birds. However, there is limited information supporting the association between these 2 muscle conditions and growth parameters. The objectives of this study were 1) to investigate the relationship between WS and WB using different growth production factors and 2) to propose a predictive model that uses growth production factors to investigate the incidence and severity of WS and WB. A combined database of 4,332 broilers pooled from 7 research experiments conducted from 2016 to 2017 at Texas A&M University was used in this study. Parameters such as sex, age (4 wk, 6 wk, and 8 wk), strain (standard A vs. high-breast-yield [B and C]), live weight categories (500 g increments), and breast weight categories (250 g increments) were included in the model. Results showed that WS was 12% more likely to be present in non-WB fillets. The association between WS and WB suggests a moderate relationship between the ranks of both outcome variables (ρ = 0.57, P < 0.0001). Variables such as age, live weight, and sex were not as important as breast weight and strain in the severity prediction of WS and WB. Butterfly fillets above 750 g and with high-breast-yielding strains were more likely associated with higher severity of WS and WB scores. No post hoc variable selection was performed. Both models show good discrimination. The WS model produced an uncorrected area under the curve (AUC) of 0.739, with a bootstrap corrected estimate of 0.736. The WB model produced an uncorrected AUC of 0.753 and a bootstrap corrected estimate of 0.752. Therefore, the growth production factors analyzed in this study indicated that there is a moderate relationship between WS and WB myopathies and were jointly predictive of the severity of WS and WB. Potentially other factors not included in this study may play a major role in the relationship of these 2 myopathies. More research should be done to investigate this possibility.
POSITRON SPECTRA OF Eu$sup 152$ AND Eu$sup 152$m

An intermediate-image beta-ray spectrometer equipped with spiral baffles has been used to investigate positrons in the decays of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152}$ and ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152m}$. Thirteen-year ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152}$ emits a positron group to the 0.122-Mev 2+ first excited state of ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{152}$ with an end-point energy of 0.715\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.010 Mev and an intensity of 1.6\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ per disintegration ($logft=11.9$) and a positron group to the 0.366-Mev 4+ second excited state with an end point of 0.47\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.03 Mev and an intensity of 0.8\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ per disintegration ($logft=11.5$). 9.3-hr ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152m}$ emits a positron group to the ground state of ${\mathrm{Sm}}^{152}$ with an end-point energy of 0.895\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.005 Mev and an intensity of 7\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ per disintegration ($logft=8.65$) and a positron group to the 0.122-Mev state with an intensity of 4\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ per disintegration ($log ft=8.6$). The shape of the latter group has not been established. However, its end point, when the alpha shape factor is applied, gives better agreement with the 0.122-Mev energy separation from the ground-state beta ray than the end point of the uncorrected spectrum. The result is consistent with, but not positive proof of, the assumed spin of 0- for ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152m}$. The ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ end-point energies of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152}$ and ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152m}$ are 1.470\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.010 Mev and 1.855\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.010 Mev respectively. An energy separation of 0.050\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.015 Mev between ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152m}$ and ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152}$ is derived from the various ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{+}$ and ${\ensuremath{\beta}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ end-point measurements. No $L$-conversion electrons could be found in ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{152m}$ decay corresponding to a 0.05-Mev isomeric transition. An upper limit of 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}5}$ per disintegration was obtained for the fractional decay of ${\mathrm{Eu}}^{154}$ by positron emission.
Vaccine Effectiveness Against Influenza-Associated Lower Respiratory Tract Infections in Hospitalized Adults, Louisville, Kentucky, 2010–2013

Background Preventing severe complications of influenza such as hospitalization is a public health priority; however, estimates of influenza vaccine effectiveness (VE) against influenza-associated acute lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI) hospitalizations are limited. We examined influenza VE against influenza-associated LRTIs in hospitalized adult patients. Methods We retrospectively analyzed data from a randomized trial of oseltamivir treatment in adults hospitalized with LRTI in Louisville, Kentucky, from 2010 to 2013. Patients were systematically tested for influenza at the time of enrollment. We estimated VE as 1 - the adjusted odds ratio (aOR) of antecedent vaccination in influenza-positives vs negatives × 100%. Vaccination status was obtained by patient self-report. Using logistic regression adjusting for age, sex, season, timing of illness, history of chronic lung disease, and activities of daily living, we estimated VE against hospitalized influenza-associated LRTIs and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) with radiographic findings of infiltrate. Results Of 810 patients with LRTI (median age, 62 years), 184 (23%) were influenza-positive and 57% had radiographically confirmed CAP. Among influenza-positives and -negatives, respectively, 61% and 69% were vaccinated. Overall, 29% were hospitalized in the prior 90 days and >80% had comorbidities. Influenza-negatives were more likely to have a history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease than influenza-positives (59% vs 48%; P = .01), but baseline medical conditions were otherwise similar. Overall, VE was 35% (95% CI, 4% to 56%) against influenza-associated LRTI and 51% (95% CI, 13% to 72%) against influenza-associated radiographically confirmed CAP. Conclusions Vaccination reduced the risk of hospitalization for influenza-associated LRTI and radiographically confirmed CAP. Clinicians should maintain high rates of influenza vaccination to prevent severe influenza-associated complications.
Anesthesia Care in Blast Injury

Anesthetic management of blast injury poses one of the most formidable clinical scenarios that the anesthesia practitioner may encounter. Massive tissue destruction, hemorrhage and hypovolemic shock, traumatic airway injury, blast-related lung injury, and blast-related thermal injury are among some of the devastating elements that may confront the anesthesiologist in treatment of blast casualties. While blast injury in civilian settings represents a relatively rare event, a larger share of experience has been learned from theaters of armed conflict. In the recent and ongoing conflicts in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria, blast injuries have constituted most of the casualties. The following review of relevant literature on this subject addresses some of the most clinically challenging aspects of the anesthetic management of blast injury, to include dismounted complex blast injury, hypovolemic shock, coagulopathy, blast-induced traumatic airway injury, blast-related lung injury, and blast-induced thermal injury.
Masks Are the New Condoms: Health Communication, Intersectionality and Racial Equity in COVID-Times.

Racism is a most persistent, pervasive and pernicious driver of health disparities in the U.S. (Institute of Medicine Committee on Capitalizing on Social Science and Behavioral Research to Improve ...
Characterization of Amphiphilic Cobaltocenium Copolymers via Size Exclusion Chromatography with Online Laser-Light Scattering and Viscometric Detectors

A sample of cobaltocenium copolymer (Copolym) obtained by a controlled polymerization method was characterized by a multi-detector size exclusion chromatography (MD-SEC) method eluted by various pu...
The Costs of Purposeful Games: When Building a Tool Means Building a Market.

In their Target Article, “Design Bioethics: A Theoretical Framework and Argument for Innovation in Bioethics Research,” Pavarini et al. (2021) argue for the potential of digital tools—particularly ...
Asynchronous Circuits and Their Applications in Hardware Security

Asynchronous circuits are increasingly used as an efficient countermeasure for a wide range of threats in the microelectronics industry. This chapter provides a tutorial on the basic concepts of asynchronous design, with an elaboration on their potential benefits and drawbacks. The chapter also provides a literature survey on applying asynchronous circuits to hardware security, potential security flaws in asynchronous design, and a discussion on proposed mitigation techniques.
Cellular heterogeneity of human fallopian tubes in normal and hydrosalpinx disease states identified by scRNA-seq

Fallopian tube (FT) homeostasis requires dynamic regulation of heterogeneous cell populations and is disrupted in infertility and ovarian cancer. Here we applied single-cell RNAseq to profile 53,376 FT cells from 3 healthy pre-menopausal subjects. The resulting cell atlas contains 12 major cell types representing epithelial, stromal and immune compartments. Re-clustering of epithelial cells identified 4 ciliated and 6 non-ciliated secretory epithelial subtypes, two of which represent potential progenitor pools: one leading to mature secretory cells, while the other contributing to either ciliated cells or one of the stromal cell types. To understand how FT cell numbers and states change in a disease state, we analyzed ~15,000 cells from a hydrosalpinx sample and observed shifts in epithelial and stromal populations, and cell type-specific changes in extracellular matrix and TGF-{beta} signaling, underscoring fibrosis pathophysiology. This resource is expected to facilitate future studies to understand fallopian tube homeostasis in normal development and disease.
Interplay between carbohydrate in the stalk and the length of the connecting peptide determines the cleavability of influenza virus hemagglutinin.

Abstract The ability of many viruses to replicate in host cells depends on cleavage of certain viral glycoproteins, including hemagglutinin (HA). By generating site-specific mutant HAs of two highly virulent influenza viruses, we established that the relationship between carbohydrate in the stalk and the length of the connecting peptide is a critical determinant of cleavability. HAs that lacked an oligosaccharide side chain in the stalk were cleaved regardless of the number of basic amino acids at the cleavage site, whereas those with the oligosaccharide side chain resisted cleavage unless additional basic amino acids were inserted. This finding suggests that the oligosaccharide side chain interferes with HA cleavage if the number of basic amino acids at the cleavage site is not adequate to nullify this effect. Similar interplay could influence cleavage of other viral glycoproteins, such as those of human and simian immunodeficiency viruses and paramyxoviruses.
Psychologic Morbidity of Children Subjected to Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy

Munchausen syndrome by proxy is being recognized and reported with increasing frequency, which suggests that it is more common and occurs with a wider spectrum of severity than was previously suspected. In past reports, the difficulties of detecting and documenting the syndrome have been emphasized, as well as its physical morbidity and mortality. The psychologic morbidity of Munchausen syndrome by proxy in six children is described. The children reacted with developmentally appropriate behavior problems ranging from feeding disorders in infants, withdrawal and hyperactivity in preschool-aged children, to hysterical disorders and personal adoption of Munchausen syndrome behavior in adolescents. Parental psychologic and behavioral styles, family dynamics, and responses from legal and children's protective services systems make protection of the child within the home difficult, if not impossible. Even with protection from further physical injury, severe psychologic trauma remains likely. Extreme caution is suggested in allowing these children to remain in the family.
Biosynthesis of human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I). The primary translation product of IGF-I mRNA contains an unusual 48-amino acid signal peptide.

Abstract The human insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) gene can specify two primary translation products, IGF-IA and IGF-IB, which differ at their COOH termini and which must undergo extensive proteolytic processing to produce the mature 70-residue circulating peptide. We have used an in vitro transcription/translation/microsomal membrane processing system to define the early events in IGF-I biosynthesis. Our results demonstrate that protein synthesis is initiated at the first in-frame methionine codon for both human IGF-IA and IGF-IB mRNAs, yielding primary translation products of 153 and 195 residues, respectively. Both are cotranslationally translocated into the lumen of canine pancreatic microsomes. Cotranslational proteolytic processing results in the removal of an unusually large 48-amino acid signal peptide. Computer-assisted sequence analysis revealed that this prepeptide contains two domains. Its COOH-terminal 19 residues possess features which are typically encountered in eukaryotic signal peptides. The rest of the IGF-I signal sequence is represented by an unusual "extended" NH2-terminal domain containing an overall net charge of +5 and 3 clustered cysteines. The size and charge of this NH2-terminal domain distinguish it from comparable regions of other eukaryotic signal peptides including the presegment of human IGF-II. Although no specialized biological role can currently be ascribed to this unique NH2-terminal domain, its remarkable sequence conservation between human and rat suggests an as yet unknown functional significance.