cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laboratory detection for a local outbreak of diarrhea

Objective To carry out etiology detection on an acute diarrhea in October 2012 in Loudi,Hunan. Methods Routine hygienic inspection was conducted on the well water. While Shigella from the stools,well water and the surface of objects were separated for biochemistry test,serological test and sensitivity test. Specific agglutination test was carried out on serum and isolated bacteria of convalescent patients,and the test results were compared with serum of normal persons. Results The total number of colonies,the total coliforms,the thermotolerant coliforms and the Escherichia coli were all seriously over-limited in the well water. Six Shigella flexneri( F4c type) strains were detected in the stools of 23 patients,the positive rate was 26. 9%, and other bacterial strains were not found. And these detected Shigella flexneri were all resistant to ampicillin and cotrimoxazole. The average titer of the convalescent patients' serum was 1∶40. The 6 Shigella flexneri strains were detected by direct streaking plate,while the GN enrichment was not available. Conclusion The epidemic strains of acute diarrhea was the Shigella Flexner( F4c type). It was proved that the detection rate of Shigella flexneri( F4c type) strains by direct isolation culture is significantly higher than those separated after enrichment.
Antiepileptic drugs--current use.

In the last few years a number of new antiepileptic drugs ahve been introduced for the treatment of epilepsy. In addition to the standard antiepileptic drugs, clobazam, vigabatrin, gabapentin, and lamotrigine have been introduced. The choice of the best antiepileptic drug for an individual patient has become more complex. In this review the clinical benefits of the standard and the new antiepileptic drugs are presented.
Pathogenesis of gastrointestinal infections.

The normal gastrointestinal tract is constantly "infected" by a large and varied microbial population. This normal flora plays a significant role in establishing and maintaining the normal state of the digestive tract. Although the digestive ecosystem thus constituted has a high degree of stability, some microbes have evolved virulence factors or characteristics that allow them to gain a foot-hold in the tract. Given the variety of virulence factors found in different organisms, gastrointestinal infectious diseases are characterized by a broad spectrum of patterns which differ with respect to the relationship between microbe and host, i.e., the degree of tissue penetration by the organism. Genetic analysis of virulence factors promises to deepen our understanding of the pathogenesis of these diseases and to lead ultimately to effective means of prevention.
Exposure of Cotyledons to Light Affects Rhizobium Infection and Nodule Development in Soybeans

In soybean seedlings the exposure of cotyledons/hypocotyls to light strongly affects the initiation and development of root nodules. Two day-old soybean seedlings in plastic growth pouches were inoculated with R. japonicum in very dim light. At the time of inoculation, the position of the root tip (RT) of each seedling was marked on the face of the pouch. Upper portion of seedlings (cotyledons/hypotocotyl) were exposed to light at various times before and after inoculation. The number and position of nodules on the primary roots relative to RT mark were scored 7–8 days after inoculation or first exposure to light whichever came last. A set of 100 seedlings were used for each treatment. For anatomical studies representative root samples fixed in paraffin were serially sectioned, stained and then examined under microscope to score the location and stage of infection development.
An Evaluation of the Necessity, Resource Utilization, and Clinical Impact of Repeat Testing of Hematology and Coagulation Critical Values

With the changing laboratory reimbursement models, shortage of medical laboratory personnel, and focus on process improvement, clinical laboratories are under constant pressure to find ways to do more with less. The central laboratory at NYP Weill Cornell Medical Center undertook a prospective evaluation of our laboratory’s policy of repeating critical results prior to reporting in an effort to …
Kognitive Dissonanz »Revisited«

Diese Studie untersucht anhand der Theorie zur kognitiven Dissonanz, ob Nutzer eines Onlinemagazins solche Inhalte praferieren, die mit ihren Einstellungen zu politischen Themen ubereinstimmen. Anders als in fruheren Untersuchungen wird Dissonanz themenbezogen definiert und nicht durch Parteipraferenzen; uberdies wird die personliche Relevanz einbezogen. In einer zweistufigen Datenerhebung wurden zunachst Einstellungen und Relevanzeinschatzungen zu politischen Themen erhoben. In einer weiteren Sitzung waren die Teilnehmer gebeten, ein Onlinemagazin anzuschauen. Wahrend der Informationsnutzung zeichnete Software im Hintergrund die Selektionen und Lesezeiten auf. Die Befunde zeigen, dass sich die Leser insgesamt langer einstellungskonsistenten Informationen zuwandten. Dies war jedoch vor allem auf Personen mit hohen Einstufungen fur Themenrelevanz zuruckzufuhren. Leser mit geringen oder mittleren Werten fur Themenrelevanz verbrachten signifikant weniger Zeit mit einstellungskonsistenten Inhalten und signifikant mehr Zeit mit einstellungsinkonsistenten Informationen als Leser mit hohen Relevanzeinstufungen. Der Einfluss der Themenrelevanz wird als Erklarung fur uneinheitliche Befunde zu kognitiver Dissonanz und Mediennutzung diskutiert.
Springtime extreme moisture transport into the Arctic and its impact on sea ice concentration

Recent studies suggest that springtime moisture transport into the Arctic can initiate sea ice melt that extends to a large area in the following summer and fall, which can help explain Arctic sea ice interannual variability. Yet the impact from an individual moisture transport event, especially the extreme ones, is unclear on synoptic to intraseasonal time scales and this is the focus of the current study. Springtime extreme moisture transport into the Arctic from daily dataset is found to be dominant over Atlantic longitudes. Lag composite analysis shows that these extreme events are accompanied by a substantial sea ice concentration reduction over the Greenland-Barents-Kara Seas that lasts around a week. Surface air temperature also becomes anomalously high over these Seas and cold to the west of Greenland as well as over the interior Eurasian continent. The Blocking weather regime over the North Atlantic is mainly responsible for the extreme moisture transport, occupying more than 60% of the total extreme days, while the negative North Atlantic Oscillation regime is hardly observed at all during the extreme transport days. These extreme moisture transport events appear to be preceded by eastward propagating large scale tropical convective forcing by as long as two weeks but with great uncertainty due to lack of statistical significance.
Initial Economic Impacts of the U.S. Pacific Coast Groundfish Fishery Individual Fishing Quota Program

AbstractIn 2011, management of the limited-entry groundfish trawl fishery on the Pacific coast switched from a system of vessel entry restrictions, gear restrictions, seasonal closures, and bimonthly catch limits to an individual fishing quota (IFQ) program. In addition to advancing a profitable and efficient groundfish fishery, the Pacific Fishery Management Council’s objectives for the IFQ program included minimizing the adverse effects on fishing communities and promoting measurable economic and employment benefits. We developed counterfactual revenues and costs for the fleet and used an input–output model to estimate the change in income and employment for the West Coast as a whole and for 12 different port areas. Our results indicated that alternative assumptions regarding the distribution of quota payments substantially changed conclusions about the economic impacts of the IFQ program. Under an assumption that payments to lease quota were distributed to homeports of vessels reporting revenue from th...
Individual Differences Relate to Support for Insanity and Postpartum Depression Legal Defenses: The Mediating Role of Moral Disengagement.

Postpartum depression defense (PPDD) is a form of insanity defense often used when mothers harm their children. Although courts have determined that insanity defenses, including PPDD, can be used a...
Evidence for ammonium conductance in a mouse thick ascending limb cell line

In this study, we examined an ammonium conductance in the mouse thick ascending limb cell line ST-1. Whole cell patch clamp was performed to measure currents evoked by NH4Cl in the presence of BaCl2, tetraethylammonium, and BAPTA. Application of 20 mmol/L NH4Cl induced an inward current (−272 ± 79 pA, n = 9). In current-voltage (I–V) relationships, NH4Cl application caused the I–V curve to shift down in an inward direction. The difference in current before and after NH4Cl application, which corresponds to the current evoked by NH4Cl, was progressively larger at more negative potentials. The reversal potential for NH4Cl was +15 mV, higher than the equilibrium potential for chloride, indicating that the current should be due to NH4+. We then injected ST-1 poly(A) RNA into Xenopus oocytes and performed two-electrode voltage clamp. NH4Cl application in the presence of BaCl2 caused the I–V curve to be steeper. The NH4+ current was retained at pH 6.4, where endogenous oocyte current was abolished. The NH4+ current was unaffected by 10 μmol/L amiloride but abolished after incubation in Na+-free media. These results demonstrate that the renal cell line ST-1 produces an NH4+ conductance.
Burnup and Power Shift Effects in Large Fast Breeder Reactors

A method for analyzing the changes in the neutronic characteristics of large fast reactors during long-term operation is developed. The nonuniform buildup and depletion of the fuel nuclides is take...
Chapter 26 – Retinoblastoma

Publisher Summary Retinoblastoma is the most common intraocular malignancy of childhood, occurring at a rate of 1 in 20,000 live births. The annual incidence is 10–14 per million under 5 years of age. Approximately 200–300 new cases of retinoblastoma occur each year in the United States. Retinoblastoma accounts for 11% of cancers developing in the first year of life, but for only 3% of all cancers diagnosed in children younger than 15 years of age. Retinoblastoma is a malignant tumor of the embryonic neural retina. It affects young children under the age of 5 years. Tumors may be unilateral or bilateral, unifocal or multifocal. There are hereditary and nonhereditary forms of the disease and the disease can be sporadic or familial. Intraocular growth occurs first, prior to invasion of structures within the globe or spread to metastatic sites. In developed nations, presentation with metastatic disease is unusual. However, metastatic disease is not uncommon in developing nations, where it is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Retinoblastoma is the paradigm for a genetically inherited cancer and provides the basis for Knudson's two-hit hypothesis of carcinogenesis.
Theory of Atom-Surface Collisions

The field of atom-surface collisions (ASC) has, in the last two decades, become an important and precise subfield of surface science. (Much of the material of this chapter applies also to collisions of ions and molecules with surfaces.) This progress has consisted of major experimental advances—preparation of better controlled, cleaner surfaces, preparation of very well-defined incident beams, development of high-resolution detectors—as well as significant theoretical progress. In the writer’s opinion the experimental advances have outstripped theoretical progress, posing interesting challenges to the theoreticians.
Nonlinear Oscillations and Stability of Parametrically Excited Cylindrical Shells

Based on Donnell shallow shell equations, the nonlinear vibrations and dynamic instability of axially loaded circular cylindrical shells under both static and harmonic forces is theoretically analyzed. First the problem is reduced to a finite degree-of-freedom one by using the Galerkin method; then the resulting set of coupled nonlinear ordinary differential equations of motion are solved by the Runge-Kutta method. To study the nonlinear behavior of the shell, several numerical strategies were used to obtain Poincare maps, Lyapunov exponents, stable and unstable fixed points, bifurcation diagrams, and basins of attraction. Particular attention is paid to two dynamic instability phenomena that may arise under these loading conditions: parametric excitation of flexural modes and escape from the pre-buckling potential well. Calculations are carried out for the principal and secondary instability regions associated with the lowest natural frequency of the shell. Special attention is given to the determination of the instability boundaries in control space and the identification of the bifurcational events connected with these boundaries. The results clarify the importance of modal coupling in the post-buckling solution and the strong role of nonlinearities on the dynamics of cylindrical shells.
Reducing cost drivers in total joint arthroplasty: understanding patient readmission risk and supply cost.

Introduction: Understanding and planning for the factors that impact supply cost and unplanned readmission risk for total joint arthroplasty (TJA) patients is helpful for hospitals at financial ris...
Neurosurgical Management of Single Brain Metastases

Brain metastasis is the most common type of intracranial tumor. The contemporary management of brain metastasis is a challenging issue and carries a poor prognosis, as traditionally it occurs in the setting of advanced systemic disease. Yet, as advances in systemic cancer treatment cause an increasing number of patients to develop brain metastases in the setting of limited systemic disease, the means for effectively treating them becomes more important. Surgery and stereotactic radiosurgery provide excellent therapeutic options for many such patients with single brain metastases. Concepts in managing brain metastasis are advancing, particularly with the judicious use of available techniques being applied as multimodal therapy tailored to the individual patient, which has now become the standard of care.
AWE: Asymmetric Word Embedding for Textual Entailment

Textual entailment is a fundamental task in natural language processing. It refers to the directional relation between text fragments such that the "premise" can infer "hypothesis". In recent years deep learning methods have achieved great success in this task. Many of them have considered the inter-sentence word-word interactions between the premise-hypothesis pairs, however, few of them considered the "asymmetry" of these interactions. Different from paraphrase identification or sentence similarity evaluation, textual entailment is essentially determining a directional (asymmetric) relation between the premise and the hypothesis. In this paper, we propose a simple but effective way to enhance existing textual entailment algorithms by using asymmetric word embeddings. Experimental results on SciTail and SNLI datasets show that the learned asymmetric word embeddings could significantly improve the word-word interaction based textual entailment models. It is noteworthy that the proposed AWE-DeIsTe model can get 2.1% accuracy improvement over prior state-of-the-art on SciTail.
Entering Other Trauma Segments

Until the mid-1970s, much of the activity at the AO was focused on long bone fractures. These were the fractures around which the AO built its initial Instrumentarium. Over time, there was an increase of activity that took the AO away from ‘long bones only’ into other parts of the human skeleton (adult human bodies have 206 bones), namely the craniomaxillofacial (CMF) and spine disciplines, and later also hand and foot.
Ernst Jünger’s Philosophy of Technology: Heidegger and the Poetics of the Anthropocene

In Ernst Junger’s Philosophy of Technology: Heidegger and the Poetics of the Anthropocene, Vincent Blok offers a strong case for the relevance and importance of Junger’s philosophy of technology. N...
Maternal Antibodies Elicited by Immunization With an O- Polysaccharide Glycoconjugate Vaccine Protect Infant Mice Against Lethal Salmonella Typhimurium Infection

Non-typhoidal Salmonella (NTS) are a leading cause of pediatric invasive bacterial infections in sub-Saharan Africa with high associated case fatality rates in children under 5 years old. We have developed glycoconjugate vaccines consisting of the lipid A-removed surface polysaccharide of NTS, core and O-polysaccharide (COPS), and the flagellar monomer protein (FliC) from the homologous serovar as the carrier. We previously established that COPS:FliC was immunogenic and protective in mice immunized as adults or infants; however, the brief period of murine infancy precluded the evaluation of protection against invasive NTS (iNTS) disease in early life. In the present study, we used a mouse model of maternal immunization to investigate transmission of S. Typhimurium COPS:FliC-induced maternal antibodies and protection against lethal iNTS challenge in infant mice. We found that vaccinated dams developed high levels of COPS- and FliC-specific IgG, which were transferred to their offspring. Sera from both vaccinated mothers and their litters mediated complement-dependent bactericidal activity in-vitro. Passively immunized 2-week old infant mice born to vaccinated mothers were fully protected from challenge with an S. Typhimurium blood isolate from sub-Saharan Africa. The pre-clinical findings reported herein demonstrate that anti-COPS:FliC antibodies induced by vaccination are sufficient for protection of murine infants against experimental S. Typhimurium infection. By underscoring the protective role of antibody, our results suggest that maintaining an adequate titer of protective anti-Salmonella antibodies during early life, either through pediatric or maternal COPS:FliC vaccination, may reduce iNTS disease in young children in sub-Saharan Africa.
Widespread presence of direction-reversing neurons in the mouse visual system

Direction selectivity, the preference of motion in one direction over the opposite, is a fundamental property of visual neurons across species. We find that a substantial proportion of direction selective neurons in the mouse visual system reverse their preferred direction of motion in response to drifting gratings at different spatiotemporal parameters. A spatiotemporally asymmetric filter model recapitulates our experimental observations.
Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation (Arteriovenous) Cannulation

This chapter describes the surgical procedure for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (arteriovenous) cannulation as performed by the open approaches. The text includes an introduction that outlines the indications, risks, alternatives, essential steps, needed equipment, and variations in technique for the procedure in question. This is followed by a template operative dictation, which provides the reader with an operative report, such as is found in a patient chart or electronic medical record. A description is provided of the following critical concepts for this procedure: choice of cannulas, positioning, exposure and control of vessels, cannulation, and connection to circuit.
Cheap on Crime: Recession-Era Politics and the Transformation of American Punishment

As the nation approached the 21st century, much of the discussion about capitalism was based on the recognition of its excesses and its wastefulness. Popular discussion of the market and market val...
Developmental outcomes of infants adopted from foster care: Predictive associations from perinatal and preplacement risk factors

Infants adopted domestically from foster care often present with prenatal substance exposure and risky birth outcomes such as prematurity and low birth weight. Because few longitudinal studies of foster-adoptive infants exist, it is unclear how these preplacement risk factors influence development over time. The present study examined associations between perinatal risk factors and developmental outcomes among an ethnically/racially-diverse sample of 97 infants in foster-care (56% boys) placed into adoptive homes at ages 0-19 months. Relative to population-norms, foster-adoptive infants showed comparable cognitive but lower language and motor functioning at baseline and one-year follow-up. Age-adjusted language scores significantly improved one year following placement, consistent with a developmental "catch-up" effect. Low birth weight uniquely predicted lower language scores at baseline, but this association was no longer significant at follow-up. Prenatal substance exposure was associated with lower baseline cognitive scores, but only for infants placed after six months of age. In contrast, infants with low birth weight and later placement age (>12 months) showed the most accelerated motor development. Sex differences emerged at follow-up when predicting motor and language outcomes, suggesting potential sex-specific pathways of risk. Overall, results support adoption as an early intervention that may buffer vulnerability to perinatal risk on development.
Subcutaneous priming of protein-functionalized chitosan scaffolds improves function following spinal cord injury

Strategies using neural stem cells (NSCs) to aid regeneration following spinal cord injury (SCI) show much promise, but challenges remain regarding implementation and efficacy. In this work, we explored the use of an NSC-seeded scaffold consisting of covalently immobilized interferon-γ and rat NSCs within a hydrogel matrix (methacrylamide chitosan). We placed the scaffolds within the subcutaneous environment of rats, allowing them to incubate for 4 weeks in order to prime them for regeneration prior to being transplanted into a right lateral hemisection SCI model in the same animal. We found that subcutaneous priming reduced the lineage commitment of encapsulated NSCs, as observed by increased nestin expression and decreased NeuN expression. When combined with intracellular σ peptide administration (which reduces inhibition from the glial scar), subcutaneous maturation improved functional outcomes, which were assessed by BBB score and quantitative gait parameters (fore and hind limb duty factor imbalance, right and left paw placement accuracy). Although we did not observe any direct reconnection of the transplanted cells with the host tissue, we did observe neurofilament fibers extending from the host tissue into the scaffold. Importantly, the mechanism for improved functional outcomes is likely an increase in trophic support from subcutaneously maturing the scaffold, which is enhanced by the administration of ISP.
Illustrating Cancer Risk: Patient Risk Communication Preferences and Interest regarding a Novel BRCA1/2 Genetic Risk Modifier Test.

Introduction Genetic risk modifier testing (GRMT), an emerging form of genetic testing based on common single nucleotide polymorphisms and polygenic risk scores, has the potential to refine estimates of BRCA1/2 mutation carriers' breast cancer risks. However, for women to benefit from GRMT, effective approaches for communicating this novel risk information are needed. Objective To evaluate patient preferences regarding risk communication materials for GRMT. Methods We developed four separate presentations (panel of genes, icon array, verbal risk estimate, graphical risk estimate) of hypothetical GRMT results, each using varying risk communication strategies to convey different information elements including number of risk modifier variants present, variant prevalence among BRCA1/2 carriers, and implications and uncertainties of test results for cancer risk. Thirty BRCA1/2 carriers evaluated these materials (randomized to low, moderate, or high breast cancer risk versions). Qualitative and quantitative data were obtained through in-person interviews. Results Across risk versions, participants preferred the presentation of the graphical risk estimate, often in combination with the verbal risk estimate. Interest in GRMT was high; 76.7% of participants wanted their own GRMT. Participants valued the potential for GRMT to clarify their cancer susceptibility and provide actionable information. Many (65.5%) anticipated that GRMT would make risk management decisions easier. Conclusions Women with BRCA1/2 mutations could be highly receptive to GRMT, and the minimal amount of necessary information to be included in result risk communication materials includes graphical and verbal estimates of future cancer risk. Findings will inform clinical translation of GRMT in a manner consistent with patients' preferences.
4.11 – Quinone Reductases

Quinone reductases are a large group of enzymes that catalyze the reduction of quinones. NQO1 and NQO2 are the major mammalian quinone reductases that catalyze the reduction of quinones to hydroquinones. Both NQO1 and NQO2 are FAD-containing homodimers with similar catalytic mechanism and overlapping substrate specificities; however, major differences have been observed between the two enzymes in the utilization of reduced pyridine nucleotide cofactors and inhibitors. NQO1 and NQO2 undergo similar ARE/Nrf2-mediated transcriptional regulation and both enzymes have been shown to protect mice against chemical carcinogenesis. In humans single nucleotide polymorphisms have been discovered in both the NQO1 and NQO2 genes resulting in lower levels of functional proteins. In addition to reducing quinones to hydroquinones, NQO1 and NQO2 have been shown to perform additional antioxidant functions as well as protein–protein interactions involving the tumor suppressor p53. In cancer treatment NQO1 and NQO2 have been utilized as molecular targets because of the high levels of these enzymes in many human cancers in combination with their ability to bioactivate a wide-range of quinone antitumor drugs.
Root resorption and ensuing cementum repair by Wnt/β-catenin dependent mechanism

Introduction Physiological root resorption is a common occurrence in mammalian teeth, which suggests that there must be a corollary consisting of physiological cementum repair. The mechanism(s) responsible for this physiological repair process is unknown and was the focus of this study. Methods Using a rat model, we explored first the prevalence of physiological root resorption and then asked whether this prevalence changed as a result of an osteoporotic phenotype. The cellular mechanisms of resorption were characterized using a combination of finite element modeling coupled with in-vivo histologic, molecular, and cellular analyses in rats. A potential molecular mechanism for cementum repair was uncovered using a strain of transgenic mice in which Wnt-responsive cells could be labeled and followed over time. Results In rats, most resorption lacunae were concentrated on the distal surfaces of the roots. Rat molars undergo a physiological tooth drift distally, and using finite element modeling, we calculated the magnitude of the compressive strains that accumulated on these surfaces in response to mastication. Although the overall strain magnitudes were low, they were constant and coincided with the presence of resorption lacunae. Where resorption lacunae were present, progeny from a Wnt-responsive population of stem cells, embedded in the periodontal ligament, directly contributed to the repair of the lacunae. Conclusions Despite the fact that both are clastic conditions, an osteoporotic phenotype in rats was not associated with an increase in the prevalence of physiological root resorption. The location of the resorption lacunae corresponded to sites of low but constant compressive strains produced by physiological distal drift. At least 1 mechanism responsible for physiological cementum repair involved the contribution of Wnt-responsive stem or progenitor cells originating in the periodontal ligament. These data point toward a potential Wnt-based strategy to regenerate cementum in subjects with disease or damage.
High-Speed, Ultrahigh-Resolution Spectral-Domain OCT with Extended Imaging Range Using Reference Arm Length Matching.

Purpose To develop high-speed, extended-range, ultrahigh-resolution spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (UHR SD-OCT) and demonstrate scan protocols for clinical retinal imaging. Methods A UHR SD-OCT operating at 840-nm with 150-nm bandwidths was developed. The axial imaging range was extended by dynamically matching reference arm length to the retinal contour during acquisition. Two scan protocols were demonstrated for imaging healthy participants and patients with dry age-related macular degeneration. A high-definition raster protocol with intra-B-scan reference arm length matching (ReALM) was used for high-quality cross-sectional imaging. A cube volume scan using horizontal and vertical rasters with inter-B-scan ReALM and software motion correction was used for en face and cross-sectional imaging. Linear OCT signal display enhanced visualization of outer retinal features. Results UHR SD-OCT was demonstrated at 128- and 250-kHz A-scan rates with 2.7 µm axial resolution and a 1.2-mm, 6-dB imaging range in the eye. Dynamic ReALM was used to maintain the retina within the 6-dB imaging range over wider fields of view. Outer retinal features, including the rod and cone interdigitation zones, retinal pigment epithelium, and Bruch's membrane were visualized and alterations observed in age-related macular degeneration eyes. Conclusions Technological advances and dynamic ReALM improve the imaging performance and clinical usability of UHR SD-OCT. Translational relevance These advances should simplify clinical imaging workflow, reduce imaging session times, and improve yield of high quality images. Improved visualization of photoreceptors, retinal pigment epithelium, and Bruch's membrane may facilitate diagnosis and monitoring of age-related macular degeneration and other retinal diseases.
Microstructure-based prediction of thermal aging strength reduction factors for grade 91 ferritic-martensitic steel

Abstract This study aimed to develop a microstructure-based mechanistic approach to address the long-term thermal aging effect on yield stress and ultimate tensile strength and to provide a physical basis for developing thermal aging factors for G91 for a design life of 60 years. Several heats of G91 steel were examined. Controlled aging experiments were conducted on two heats at temperatures of 550, 600, and 650 °C for times up to ~64,000 h. Specimens were also taken from archived creep-tested specimens of G91 and from a tube removed from the Kingston coal-fired power plant to obtain data that cover a wide range of temperatures and for aging times up to 155,000 h. Thermal aging caused significant subgrain recovery, coarsening of M23C6 carbides at subgrain boundaries and MX carbonitrides within subgrains. The intermetallic Laves phase forms during aging and grows rapidly. The growth rate of the subgrain width and MX mean size during thermal aging were described by kinetic models. Thermal aging results in the reductions in the yield stress and the ultimate tensile strength of G91. The effects of thermal aging on the reductions in yield stress and ultimate tensile strength were well described by the microstructure-strength model that considers three superimposed strengthening mechanisms, namely, sub-boundary strengthening, MX precipitation hardening, and Mo solid solution strengthening. The model was independently validated by the ASME Code values and is being used by the ASME to develop the aging-induced strength reduction factors for G91 steel for a design life of 60 years.
Associations between self-rated physical Health and relationship satisfaction in couples with children.

The degree to which individual self-rated physical health and concordance of self-rated physical health between partners are associated with relationship satisfaction was examined in a community sa...
Keynes’s Logical, Objective, Relation of Probability, P(a/H)=α, Where α is a Degree of Rational Belief, Has Nothing to Do with Truth: Both Orthodox and Heterodox Economists Fail to Realize that there is No Such Thing as a True Probability, True Expectation, or True Expected Value

Keynes’s logical, objective, relation of probability, P(a/h)=α,where α is a degree of rational belief, has nothing to do with truth or falsehood. Probability is not truth. The belief that a probability, expectation or expected values can be true (false) appears to involve the same kind of error pointed out by George Box regarding statistical models, that “all models are wrong, but some are useful.” Orthodox rational expectation theorists appear to believe that there are true rational expected values, true statistical models and true, objective probabilities, which rational decision makers can know.There is no support in any theory of probability for such beliefs. Heterodox economists are no better and make the same error. Keynes, in his conclusion to chapter 26 of the A Treatise on Probability, pointed this out and emphasized that rational decision making has nothing to do with the truth. Probability has nothing to do with the truth. The idea that there are true objective probabilities or that probabilities can be correct, right and valid is an oxymoron.
Diagnostic utility of parasagittal measurements of tonsillar herniation in Chiari I malformation.

Background and purpose Although the cerebellar tonsils are parasagittal structures, the extent of tonsillar herniation (ETH) in Chiari I malformation (CMI) is currently measured in the midsagittal plane. We measured the ETH of each cerebellar tonsil in the parasagittal plane and assessed their diagnostic utility by comparing them to the midsagittal ETH measurements in predicting cough-associated headache (CAH), an indicator of clinically significant disease in CMI. Methods Eighty-five CMI patients with 3D-MPRAGE images were included. Neurosurgeons determined the presence of CAH. Sagittal images were used to measure ETH in the midsagittal (MS_ETH) and parasagittal planes (by locating tonsillar tips on each side on reformatted coronal images). Given the parasagittal ETH (PS_ETH) asymmetry in the majority of cases, they were considered Smaller_PS_ETH or Larger_PS_ETH. The accuracy of ETH measurements was assessed by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. Results Of 85 patients, 46 reported CAH. ROC analysis showed an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.78 for Smaller_PS_ETH significantly better than 0.65 for MS-ETH in predicting CAH (p = 0.001). An AUC of 0.68 for Larger_PS_ETH was not significantly different from MS_ETH. The sensitivity and specificity of predicting CAH were 87% and 28% for MS_ETH >6 mm versus 90% and 46% for Smaller_PS_ETH >6 mm, and 52% and 67% for MS_ETH >9 mm versus 48% and 87% for Smaller_PS_ETH >9 mm. At ETH >15 mm, no differences were seen between the measurements. Conclusions Diagnostic utility of ETH measurements in detecting clinically significant CMI can be improved by parasagittal measurements of the cerebellar tonsillar herniation.
Walking and Daily Affect Among Sedentary Older Adults Measured Using the StepMATE App: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Although fitness technology can track and encourage increases in physical activity, few smartphone apps are based on behavior change theories. Apps that do include behavioral components tend to be costly and often do not include strategies to help those who are unsure of how to increase their physical activity. Objective: The aim of this pilot study is to test the efficacy of a new app, StepMATE, for increasing daily walking in a sample of inactive adults and to examine daily relationships between walking and self-reported mood and energy. Methods: The participants were middle-aged and older adults aged ≥50 years (mean 61.64, SD 7.67 years). They were randomly assigned to receive either a basic, pedometer-like version of the app or a version with supports to help them determine where, when, and with whom to walk. Of the 96 participants randomized to 1 of 2 conditions, 87 (91%) completed pretest assessments and 81 (84%) successfully downloaded the app. Upon downloading the app, step data from the week prior were automatically recorded. The participants in both groups were asked to set a daily walking goal, which they could change at any point during the intervention. They were asked to use the app as much as possible over the next 4 weeks. Twice per day, pop-up notifications assessed mood and energy levels. Results: Although one group had access to additional app features, both groups used the app in a similar way, mainly using just the walk-tracking feature. Multilevel models revealed that both groups took significantly more steps during the 4-week study than during the week before downloading the app (γ=0.24; P<.001). During the study, the participants in both groups averaged 5248 steps per day compared with an average of 3753 steps per day during the baseline week. Contrary to predictions, there were no differences in step increases between the two conditions. Cognition significantly improved from pre- to posttest (γ=0.17; P=.02). Across conditions, on days in which the participants took more steps than average, they reported better mood and higher energy levels on the same day and better mood on the subsequent day. Daily associations among walking, mood, and energy were significant for women but not for men and were stronger for older participants (those aged ≥62 years) than for the younger participants. Conclusions: Both groups increased their steps to a similar extent, suggesting that setting and monitoring daily walking goals was sufficient for an initial increase and maintenance of steps. Across conditions, walking had benefits for positive mood and energy levels, particularly for women and older participants. Further investigations should identify other motivating factors that could lead to greater and more sustained increases in physical activity. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03124537; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03124537
The Effects of Dietary Capsaicin on Ventilation in Aging Mice

Capsaicin (CAP), the main pungent component of chili peppers, is a selective agonist for transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1). Stimulation of TRPV1 receptors with low doses of CAP resul...
Virus-induced apoptosis.

Publisher Summary Apoptosis of virus-infected cells may be important to block the spread of some virus infections in the host organism. Thus, virus-induced apoptosis can be a protective host defense mechanism. However, other viruses appear to thrive in apoptotic cells. In these circumstances, virus-induced apoptosis may also be harmful to the host—for example, when the virus itself does not kill the cell or when the virus infects a cell population that cannot be replenished. Thus, virus-induced programmed cell death also can contribute to the pathogenesis of disease. The striking morphologic changes and biochemical events that occur during virus-induced apoptosis do not significantly differ from those observed during apoptosis induced by other stimuli. Although viruses generally leave additional marks on the cell, cells dying by virus-induced apoptosis exhibit severe chromatin condensation around the periphery of the nucleus that is detectable with DNA stains and by electron microscopy. This chapter reviews the role of apoptosis in viral pathogenesis, the mechanisms by which viruses induced apoptosis, and the viral gene product that inhibit apoptosis. The chapter first describes the viral products that inhibit apoptosis as these are most familiar.
Perioperative β-Blocker Therapy

of the Clinical Problem Routine use of β-blockers to prevent cardiac complications related to noncardiac surgery began in the 1990s after the publication of 2 influential randomized clinical trials (RCTs).1,2 Responding to this evidence, a 2002 ACC/AHA guideline published a strong recommendation for starting β-blockers in high-risk patients undergoing vascular surgery and stated that thiswas also reasonable inmoderateto high-risk patients undergoingmajor noncardiac surgery. Although several subsequent studies of perioperative β-blockade were less favorable, a 2006 ACC/AHA guideline expanded its recommendations for perioperative β-blockade to include patients undergoing intermediateand high-risk procedures and stratified the strengthof its recommendations according to the presenceofmultiple clinical risk factors. Studiespublished in the following years provided conflicting evidence regarding perioperativeβ-blockade,3,4anda2009ACC/AHAupdatedowngraded its recommendations for initiationof β-blockers inhigh-riskpatientswith coronary disease or cardiac ischemia on preoperative testing before vascular surgery and advised against the initiation of highdose β-blockers in the absence of dose titration. Followingpublication of this guideline, evidence emerged that data from2majorRCTs (andmultipleother trials by the samegroup of investigators)were suspect.5 Ameta-analysis of 9RCTs (that excludeddata fromthesuspect trials)6 andapropensity-matched retrospective cohort analysis of 136 745 patients7 reached conflicting conclusions. Characteristics of the Guideline Source The ACC and AHA funded development of the guideline without commercial support (Table).8Theguidelinewritingcommitteemembers volunteered their time and disclosed their industry relationshipsbeginning 1 yearprior to their involvement.Bydesign, themajority of the committee had no conflicts of interest, but 2members were required to recuse themselves from voting on the section on perioperative β-blocker therapy because of industry relationships. The ACC/AHA Task Force commissioned an independent evidence review committee (ERC) to perform a systematic review of the literature on perioperative β-blockade. None of the 7 ERC members had a relevant relationship with industry. The guideline was
Analysis of Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1α Expression and its Effects on Invasion and Metastasis

Hypoxia-inducible factor 1 (HIF-1) plays an important role in human cancer cell invasion and metastasis. As a result, overexpression of the HIF-1alpha subunit in biopsy specimens is associated with increased patient mortality in several common cancers, including breast adenocarcinoma and oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Here, we describe methods for immunohistochemical detection of HIF-1alpha in tumor biopsy sections and ex vivo assays for analyzing the effects of hypoxia and HIF-1 on cancer cell invasiveness and cell-cell adhesion.
China’s Informal Institutions: the Case of Private Enterprise in Wenzhou

The private enterprises have been growing at a rapid pace during the last 20 years in China. The private sector now accounts for 62 percent of the total economic activity, contributing 71 percent of gross industrial output (China’s Bureau of Statistics, 2008). Despite this impressive growth, the private sector is still facing formal institutional restrictions, such as limited state bank loans, heavy tax burdens, higher requirement for registration and licensing, competitions from state-owned counterparts, and so on (Bramall, 2008). The survival and prosperity of private enterprises, to some extent, have to resort to the adaptive informal strategies by bending governmental rules. One of the Chinese cultural byproducts, guanxi, that is, an interpersonal network, plays a significant part in this process. Previous research has shown that guanxi, especially the patron-client ties, can help entrepreneurs reduce potential risks, facilitate business transactions, create alternative financing channels, and promote business success (Leung and Wong, 1995).
Corporate Liquidity And The Significance Of Earnings Versus Cash Flow

This paper replicates and extends prior work appearing in this journal on the relationship between liquidity and accrual income versus cash flow. The measure of corporate liquidity is expanded to include both static liquidity (current and quick ratios) and dynamic liquidity (cash conversion cycle). The analysis is also extended to more recent data. Prior conclusions on the insignificance of cash flow from operations in explaining liquidity are revised. Cash flow from operations is significantly related to both the current ratio and the cash conversion cycle and has significant incremental explanatory power relative to accrual income. Statistical significance of cash flow from operations in explaining the quick ratio is sensitive to the sample period and is more difficult to generalize.
Umkehr observations with automated Dobson spectrophotometers

A seven-station network of Umkehr observatories is being established for the purpose of long-term detection of possible ozone depletion in the stratosphere at 40 km due to anthropogenic pollutants. Stations already in operation are Boulder, Colorado; Haute Provence, France; Mauna Loa, Hawaii; Poker Flat, Alaska; and Perth, Australia. Observations at Huancayo, Peru, and Pretoria, South Africa, are expected to be implemented by early 1985. Umkehr observations at the sites are made with automated Dobson spectrophotometers. Total ozone observations are made semiautomatically. Automation of the Dobson instruments is briefly described. Results of comparison Umkehr observations made in Boulder are presented indicating that well-calibrated automated Dobson instruments yield stratospheric Umkehr ozone amounts that agree on the average to within ±5% of mean ozone amounts measured simultaneously with World Standard Dobson Instrument No. 83.
Bilateral chronic proximal plantar fasciopathy: treatment with electrohydraulic orthotripsy.

Background:Patients presenting for treatment of chronic plantar fasciopathy often have bilateral involvement. When various nonoperative treatments fail, subsequent intervention may be problematic, ...
On the frontiers of by background-It's my tool box (mechanical engineering project)

Because students bring their own set of experiences, values, and inquisitiveness into the classroom, a project was developed at the junior mechanical engineering laboratory at Western New England College to let the student apply expertise based upon the completion of one strength of materials course, one course in materials science, experiences in written communications as an individual and as a participant in developing a team report, one introductory probability and statistics course, and common-sense-based knowledge and precollege experience. The project requires the students to answer the question 'How strong is a 5/16-18UNC-2A*3 carriage bolt?' An ASTM tensile test is performed on a standard 1018 test bar to collect yield strength, elastic modulus, ultimate strength, percent elongation, percent reduction of area, modulus of toughness, modulus of resilience, rupture strength, and Poisson ratio data. The students' measurements are then analyzed with respect to these data. >
Renal growth in isolated methylmalonic acidemia.

We sought to predict renal growth based on clinical and metabolic parameters in patients with isolated methylmalonic acidemia, a group of disorders associated with chronic kidney disease. Fifty patients with methylmalonic acidemia, followed from 2004 to 2011, were classified by molecular genetics and studied using a combined cross-sectional and longitudinal design that included renal ultrasound examinations, anthropometric measurements, and metabolic phenotyping. Renal length was compared with that of healthy controls and modeled to other clinical parameters using multiple-regression analyses. Comparisons with age-matched controls showed that renal length in subjects with methylmalonic acidemia was significantly decreased (P < 0.05). Stepwise regression modeling found that combinations of height, serum cystatin C, and serum methymalonic acid concentrations best predicted kidney size. The regression equations used to generate methylmalonic acidemia kidney nomograms were renal length (cm) = 6.79 + 0.22 × age for the controls and 6.80 + 0.09 × age for the methylmalonic acidemia cohort (P < 0.001; constant and slope). Renal length, reflective of kidney growth, significantly decreased in patients with methylmalonic acidemia over time as compared with controls and was predictable with select clinical parameters. Cystatin C and serum methylmalonic acid concentrations were highly correlated with smaller kidneys and decreased renal function in this patient population. Genet Med 15 12, 990–996.