cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal history of shock-compressed solids

Taking the view that observed, shock-induced optical radiation from transparent solids is dependent on defect-controlled (i.e., heterogeneous) properties and processes, we examine an isotropic, heterogeneous, viscous, thermoelastic model of the uniaxially shock-compressed state to determine conditions under which this radiation might be dominantly thermal or nonthermal. Assuming shock compression establishes some distribution of material properties in the initially-compressed state, perturbations in the stress field relax heterogeneously to the hugoniot state by elastic deformation for timescales short and viscous deformation for timescales long relative to the local Maxwell time. Regions of locally high temperatures producing thermal radiation then develop only where the local viscosity is low and Maxwell time short. Alternatively, regions of low elastic moduli and long Maxwell time experience sustained elastic deformation which may result in microfracture and triboluminescence. Consequently, a shock-induced defect structure dominated by long Maxwell times may not develop thermal localization. This may be the case for MgO, which produces no resolvable (≳ 2000K) thermal radiation below 60 GPa. Conversely, fused SiO2 develops locally high temperatures (∼3000K) above 10 GPa (below the stishovite transition), implying that it may develop low viscosity, short Maxwell time regions that persist in the hugoniot state.
The design and packaging of the instrumentation electronics for the AGS Booster: a generic approach

Instrumenting the new AGS (Alternating Gradient Synchrotron) Booster required the construction of a great deal of support electronics for many beam monitoring devices. Modules providing generic functions such as amplification, integration, sample and hold, etc., were designed and packaged so as to provide maximum flexibility in the implementation of typical instrumentation tasks. The authors describe these modules and include some specific examples of how they have been combined to perform certain functions. Several unique features of the packaging are described. >
Reflections on the Minimal State

This article challenges the traditional argument for the state that holds that because the market is unable to supply the rule-making, adjudicative, and enforcement services that are essential to life in society, the state must, and hence is morally justified. The author argues that the market's inability to supply these basic services proves only that the state must ensure that they are supplied, not that it must supply them itself. This implies that the traditional concept of the minimal state as one that supplies only these basic services is flawed. The `remedial state' (one that regulates the private provision of these services) is actually the minimal state.
Introduction: Lung Surfactant- Phospholipids and Apoproteins

Evidence accumulated over the past 50 years has indicated that the alveolar surface of the lung is lined by a material that when tested in vitro has marked surface activity [1, 2]. This material, called the lung surfactant, can be isolated in relatively pure form through centrifugation procedures such as those described by King and Clements [3]. Surfactant as isolated by this method is a mixture of lipids, proteins, and carbohydrate [4, 5], with phospholipid accounting for 75-80% of the total weight (Table 1). Dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine accounts for nearly half and other phosphatidylcholines account for approximately one-third of the total phospholipid. Recently, considerable attention has focussed on phosphatidylglycerol, which comprises only 6-12% of the phospholipid [6], but even this amount is uniquely high compared with other tissues. Cholesterol, the major neutral lipid present in surfactant, accounts for 8% or more by weight of the total surfactant. These lipid components are responsible for s...
Fiat lux in understanding cardiac pacing, resynchronization and signalling by way of optogenetics.

This editorial refers to ‘Optogenetic activation of Gq signalling modulates pacemaker activity of cardiomyocytes’ by T. Beiert et al. , pp. 507–516, this issue. This editorial refers to ‘Modulation of cardiac tissue electrophysiological properties with light-sensitive proteins’ by U. Nussinovitch et al. , 2014;102:176–187. Multiple cell types and complex signalling cascades control the generation and regularity of the heartbeat. Understanding their concerted operation in vivo is a challenge that necessitates new technical tools. Optogenetics1,2 uses genetically encoded light-sensitive proteins to both actuate and/or sense fast biological processes in cells, tissues, and in behaving animals.3 The use of light and light-sensitive biological elements, i.e. the ‘optical’ aspect of this approach, enables remote, spatio-temporally precise probing and control; the ‘genetic’ addressing confers cell specificity. While the utility of this technology has been fully embraced in neuroscience research, its extension to the cardiovascular field has been rather slow.4–8 Two recent papers in this journal—by Beiert et al. 9 and by Nussinovitch et al. 10—further contribute to the budding field of cardiac optogenetics. Most current optogenetic applications deal with direct perturbation of membrane potential, i.e. excitation or inhibition of electrical activity through the expression of light-sensitive ion channels and pumps (opsins), providing inward/excitatory or outward/repolarizing currents. These opsins can be introduced into the heart through development of transgenic cell lines and animals,4,5 direct viral delivery in cardiomyocytes11 or by cell delivery.7 In the latter case, dedicated donor cells, that may not …
Dynamic Capacitor (D-CAP): An Integrated Approach to Reactive and Harmonic Compensation

Industrial plants are faced with stringent requirements enforced by the utility to meet power factor and power quality requirements. These plants, in order to avoid very costly penalties, have traditionally utilized switchable shunt capacitor banks with detuning reactors for power factor correction, along with a separate active harmonic filter in cases where harmonic currents are an issue as well. Alternate solutions such as SVCs and STATCOMs have been considered to be too expensive for use in industrial power conditioning applications. This paper proposes a dynamic capacitor (D-CAP) based on the family of inverter-less active filters that is able to provide a dynamically controllable capacitance with active harmonic filtering integrated into the same unit. This new device is seen to be compact, and is likely to be cost competitive against simple switched shunt capacitors. It can maintain power factor close to unity, offering dynamic capabilities better than switched capacitors or SVCs, possibly lending itself for arc-furnace type of loads.
Outcomes of Inpatient Rehabilitation in Patients With Simultaneous Bilateral Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract Background The number of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) procedures performed in the United States is increasing each year, and the number of bilateral TKA procedures has also increased during the past 2 decades. However, few studies in the literature have investigated the rehabilitation outcomes of patients who undergo bilateral TKA. This study was performed to provide information on the benefits and role of inpatient rehabilitation for patients after bilateral TKA. Objective To investigate the functional outcomes, complications, and transfer rates of patients in the inpatient rehabilitation setting who undergo simultaneous bilateral TKA. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Freestanding inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Patients Ninety-four patients admitted to an inpatient rehabilitation hospital after simultaneous bilateral TKA from 2008-2013. Methods Retrospective chart review of demographic, clinical, and functional data for patients admitted to inpatient rehabilitation after simultaneous bilateral TKA. Main Outcome Measures Length of stay, admission and discharge Functional Independence Measure (FIM), and FIM efficiency. Results The study included 27 male (28.7%) and 67 female (71.3%) patients aged 42.0-86.9 years, with a mean of 65.6 ± 10.2 years. Mean length of time between surgery and admission to inpatient rehabilitation was 4.5 ± 3.3 days. Mean length of stay in rehabilitation was 11.7 ± 4.2 days. Mean admission and discharge FIM scores were 87.3 ± 11.7 and 113.4 ± 4.8, respectively, with a mean FIM gain of 26.1 ± 10.5. The mean FIM efficiency was 2.33 ± 0.84. Eight patients required transfer to an acute care hospital. Complications leading to transfer to acute care facilities included sepsis, cardiac arrhythmias, knee dislocation, and suspected small bowel obstruction. Eighty-eight patients were discharged home, 4 patients were discharged to skilled nursing facilities, and 2 patients were transferred to an acute care hospital and did not return to the inpatient rehabilitation hospital. Conclusions After undergoing simultaneous bilateral TKA, patients demonstrate functional gains when admitted to inpatient rehabilitation facilities based on FIM gains and FIM efficiency scores; 8.5% of patients in this cohort required transfer to an acute care facility as a result of complications during inpatient rehabilitation, and 93.6% of patients were discharged home.
Error-Correcting Codes, II

In Chapter I-13, we looked at ways of coding messages so that if in the transmission an error occurred in one of the digits of a coded word, the receiver would be able to correct the error. Those codes, called Hamming codes, were based on defining coded words as vectors of solutions in ℤ2 to sets of linear equations.
Adaptive Budgeted Bandit Algorithms for Trust Development in a Supply-Chain

Recently, an AAMAS Challenges & Visions paper identified several key components of a comprehensive trust management has been understudied by the research community [13]. We believe that we can build on recent advances in closely related research in other sub-fields of AI and multiagent systems to address some of these issues. For example, the budgeted multi-armed bandit problem involves pulling multiple arms with stochastic rewards with the goal of maximizing the total reward generated from those arms, while keeping the cost of pulling the arms beneath a given budget. We argue that multi-armed bandit algorithms can be adapted to address research issues in trust engagement and evaluation components of a comprehensive trust management approach. To support this proposition, we consider a supply-chain application, where a tree of dependent supplier agents can be considered as an arm of the online bandit problem with budget constraints. Each of the nodes in the supply chain must then solve their local bandit problem in parallel to determine which of its sub-suppliers is most trustworthy. We use new arm-selection strategies, and demonstrate how they can be gainfully applied to the trust-based decision-making in the supply chain to reduce time to production and hence improve utility by timely delivery of products.
MERRF: Myoclonus Epilepsy and Ragged Red Fibers

Abstract The acronym, MERRF, or myoclonus epilepsy and ragged red fiber disease, represents one of the early mitochondrial syndromes, whose molecular genetic basis was first established in 1990 by Shoffner and coworkers. Pathogenic mutations in the mitochondrial tRNA Lys may cause the MERRF syndrome. Myoclonus and epilepsy, most often medically intractable epilepsy, are hallmarks of the illness. Other features of the illness may include retinitis pigmentosa, progressive external ophthalmoplegia, sensorineural hearing loss, dementia, ataxia, cervical lipomatosis, cardiac conduction defects (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and others), lipomatosis, neuropathy, cardiomyopathy, and a myopathy. MERRF cases may have features that overlap other mitochondrial disorders. The diagnostic evaluation requires recognizing the clinical phenotype and performing confirmatory genetic testing. Although the name of this disorder includes the words ragged red fibers, a microscopic description of the appearance of the muscle fibers in many cases is currently not part of the case's evaluation, as the illness can be confirmed by genetic testing without the need for a muscle biopsy. Treatment is symptomatic, with myoclonus best treated with benzodiazepines and the seizures treated with medications best for myoclonic epilepsy and generalized epilepsy, such as lamotrigine, zonisamide, levetiracetam, and lacosamide. The use of electroencephalography (EEG) is often important to distinguish between myoclonus and myoclonic seizures, as the treatment for myoclonus would be aimed at symptom relief, whereas the treatment for seizures would be to prevent or lessen their frequency. The EEG can also distinguish subclinical seizures from the neuropsychological effects of medication use and dementia. There are no curative therapies at this time.
Market Turmoil and Destabilizing Speculation

This paper explores how speculators can destabilize financial markets by amplifying negative shocks. During periods of turmoil created by an uncertainty shock, speculators react to declining asset prices by liquidating their holdings in hopes of buying them back later at a gain, despite the asset's cash flows remaining the same throughout and the absence of financial constraints. A reduction in search frictions tends to exacerbate fluctuations in asset prices. At the root of these results are the strategic complementarities between speculators expected to follow similar strategies in the future. The model sheds new lights on recent financial events and provides testable empirical implications.
Abstract 3034: Does Untreated Peripheral Vascular Disease Create A Remote Ischemic Preconditioning Effect In Human Ischemic Stroke?

Introduction: Despite promising success in animal models, neuroprotective strategies remain limited in clinical applications. There is a growing interest in endogenous mechanisms of ischemic protection in the human brain and their potential therapeutic application. In this study we investigated if a history of untreated peripheral vascular disease (PVD) could act as a form of “remote ischemic preconditioning” and induce tolerance to cerebral ischemic events in terms of clinical outcomes after ischemic stroke. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of a prospectively collected database of 1,473 patients who presented to our institution with ischemic strokes between October 2005 and February 2011. Patients with a history of peripheral vascular disease were identified. A balanced control group within the same database was determined by using a matching algorithm that considered the following characteristics: age, sex, ethnicity, history of hypertension, prior TIA’s, diabetes mellitus, tobacco use, and NIHSS at presentation. The groups were compared in terms of modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at discharge and mortality. Results: Forty-five patients were identified to have untreated PVD. Table 1 summarizes the demographic and risk factor proportions for each group. Age, gender, NIHSS at presentation and past medical history were comparable among the groups. Non-fatal outcomes were not significantly different in the case and control groups. There were 23 patients (51.1%) with a mRS of 3 or less with PVD compared to 22 patients (48.9%) in the control group and 18 patients (39%) with a mRS of 4 or 5 with PVD compared to 14 patients (31.1%) in the control group. However, the mortality rate was significantly different, with 4 deaths (8.9%) in the PVD group versus 10 deaths (22.2%) in the control group (Odds Ratio 0.85, 95% CI 0.7-1.0). Conclusions: In a retrospective cohort of patients and case-matched controls with ischemic stroke, a history of untreated peripheral vascular disease (PVD) is associated with a lower mortality rate secondary to stroke. PVD could act as a form of “remote ischemic preconditioning” and induce tolerance to cerebral ischemic events in terms of reduction of stroke-related mortality.
Implementation of Composite Clothoid Paths for Continuous Curvature Trajectory Generation for UAVs

This paper presents a complete methodology associated with the implementation of the 2dimensional clothoid path planner and trajectory generation algorithm for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) applications. Based on previously suggested approaches for integrating the clothoid into the autonomous navigation and control architecture to produce a continuous curvature profile, the methodology presented in this paper has been extended to identify and provide a solution for the various issues encountered during a complete implementation of the clothoid planner for UAV trajectory generation. This includes a quadrant-based scheme for selecting the shortest path combination based upon the relative position and angle of the poses and a numerical solution of the nonlinear vector equations which define the ultimate path profile. The result is a ready-to-use planner that could easily be implemented on-board UAV hardware. The approach is demonstrated using the West Virginia University UAV Simulation Environment.
Method for Interpreting Water-out Reservoirs in Block Yangerzhuang

With Block Yangerzhuang in Dagang Oilfield as an object of study,a quantitative interpreting model for water-out reservoir interpretation of the block is established by using the relative resistirity method on the basis of integral analysis of geologic,logging, well-testing and formation testing data. The model is used to process the data from 5 wells with coincidence rate of 82. 9%.
The Influence of Casual Cultural of Harbin City on Casual Sport Characteristic

This paper analyses from the characteristic of Harbin city casual sport and is for Harbin casual sport: Characteristic and the present situation of ice snow sport are elaborated,ice snow sport is mainly with skiing sport mainly,skiing sport is the modern casual sport way that springs up in last few years,Harbin city gets swift development,therefore start with from Harbin city ice snow casual sport characteristic and present situation,for Harbin city,casual sport is healthy,fast can develop continuously to offer reference.
Epidural analgesia in a preeclamptic parturient after normalization of a prolonged bleeding time with DDAVP.

Background and Objectives. Despite several advantages to the use of epidural analgesia for the management of labor pain in preeclamptic parturients, this procedure is withheld from many such patients owing to associated thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction. Methods. A preeclamptic parturient with mild thrombocytopenia and platelet dysfunction manifested by a prolonged bleeding time received intravenous DDAVP (0.3 μg/kg) in an attempt to correct her coagulation abnormality. Results. The patient9s bleeding time was normalized with DDAVP administration, allowing her to receive epidural analgesia. Conclusions. Preeclampsia-induced platelet dysfunction might be corrected with DDAVP. A controlled study is required before its routine use can be advocated.
Treatment of the Severe Uninhibited Neurogenic Bladder by Selective Sacral Rhizotomy

AbstractPatients with severe uninhibited neurogenic bladders are marked with urinary frequency and incontinence of a debilitating nature. Seven patients not responding to various medical regimens were treated by selective sacral rhizotomy. The beneficial effects of the operation upon most of the patients are discussed.
Mapping multidimensional aspects of research: Reaching to intercultural rhetoric

This chapter traces the history of contrastive rhetoric and offers an agenda for expansion. Postmodern mapping methods are introduced to examine the effects of three major developments in discourse on the theory and methods of contrastive rhetoric research. The first map considers writing as a socially constructed activity and suggests that the study of writing should not be limited to texts but should consider the social practices surrounding it. The second map considers “small” cultures and draws attention to the important roles of disciplinary and other such small cultures. The third map introduces the study of writing as an intercultural encounter where writers are interacting in the production and comprehension of texts. Contrastive rhetoric needs to study writing as it is taking place in today’s instant and global message making environment, in addition to studying written products cross-culturally. The chapter argues for the expansion of the contrastive rhetoric research agenda and ends by proposing a name change to “intercultural rhetoric.”
Superconducting bandpass /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulator with 2.23-GHz center frequency and 42.6-GHz sampling rate

This paper presents a superconducting bandpass /spl Delta//spl Sigma/ modulator for direct analog-to-digital conversion of radio frequency signals in the gigahertz range. The design, based on a 2.23-GHz microstrip resonator and a single flux quantum comparator, exploits several advantages of superconducting electronics: the high quality factor of resonators, the fast switching speed of the Josephson junction, natural quantization of voltage pulses, and high circuit sensitivity. The modulator test chip includes an integrated acquisition memory for capturing output data at sampling rates up to 45 GHz. The small size (256 b) of the acquisition memory limits the frequency resolution of spectra based on standard fast Fourier transforms. Output spectra with enhanced resolution are obtained with a segmented correlation method. At a 42.6-GHz sampling rate, the measured SNR is 49 dB over a 20.8-MHz bandwidth, and a full-scale (FS) input is -17.4 dBm. At a 40.2-GHz sampling rate, the measured in-band noise is -57 dBFS over a 19.6-MHz bandwidth. The modulator test chip contains 4065 Josephson junctions and dissipates 1.9 mW at T=4.2 K.
Optimal Design of Microfluidic Platforms for Diffusion-Based PCR for “One-Pot” Analysis of Cells

Abstract Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is routinely used for analysis of genes from targeted cells leading to an understanding of the fundamental molecular biology involved in cellular events and for detecting abnormal pathways involved in disease development. In a previous paper we argued that the three commonly known strategies to alleviate the impact of cell pretreatment on PCR had serious shortcomings. Furthermore microfluidic strategies that permit simple operation, simple device design and are compatible with Taq polymerase are highly in demand. In this paper, we discuss optimization of microfluidic platform designs, which may be more efficient than the current one we have developed. The microfluidic reactor modelled in this paper relies on the diffusion of molecules from the loading chambers into a small reaction chamber. This results show that diffusion into the reaction chamber can be modified using different loading chamber geometries. Based on the results we have began to develop a mixed integer optimization model to automatically design the geometry to meet the desired transport rates of species in PCR.
Organ support after death by neurologic criteria: Results of a survey of US neurologists.

Objective: We sought to evaluate how neurologists approach situations in which families request prolonged organ support after declaration of death by neurologic criteria (DNC). Methods: We surveyed 938 members of the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) who treat critically ill patients, including 50% who practice in states with accommodation exceptions (states that require religious or moral beliefs to be taken into consideration when declaring death or discontinuing organ support: California, Illinois, New Jersey, New York), and 50% who practice in nonaccommodation states. Results: The survey was completed by 201/938 individuals (21% response rate), 96 of whom were from accommodation states and 105 of whom were from nonaccommodation states. Both groups reported encountering situations in which families requested continuation of organ support after DNC (48% from accommodation states and 46% from nonaccommodation states). In a hypothetical scenario where a request is made to continue organ support after DNC (outside of organ donation), 48% of respondents indicated they would continue support due to fear of litigation. In reply to an open-ended question, respondents requested that the AAN generate guidelines and advocate to codify laws regarding organ support after DNC, and to improve public and physician education on DNC. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that it is relatively common for neurologists who treat critically ill patients to encounter families who object to discontinuation of organ support after DNC at some point during their career. It would be beneficial for physicians, families, and society to rely on clear medicolegal guidelines on management of this situation.
Statistics and Measurement

Good measurement is fundamental to quality assurance. That which cannot be measured cannot be guaranteed to a customer. If Brinell hardness 220 is needed for certain castings and one has no means of reliably measuring hardness, there is no way to provide the castings. So successful companies devote substantial resources to the development and maintenance of good measurement systems. In this chapter, we consider some basic concepts of measurement and discuss a variety of statistical tools aimed at quantifying and improving the effectiveness of measurement.
Preparation of Well-Defined Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile)/ZnO Hybrid Nanoparticles by an Efficient Ligand Exchange Strategy.

Poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile) (PSAN)-capped ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) were synthesized by a “ligand exchange” method. First, octylamine (OA)-capped ZnO NPs were prepared by reaction of OA and zinc 2-ethylhexanoate (Zn(EH)2). Then PSAN polymer ligands were synthesized by activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) and were efficiently exchanged with OA ligands on the ZnO particle surface benefiting from the relatively low boiling point of OA (175 °C). The morphology, content of ZnO, and grafting density of the nanocomposite were well controlled by altering the ratio between OA and polymer ligands as well as the molecular weight of PSAN-NH2 used in the exchange reaction. The resulting ZnO/polymer nanocomposites were stable in THF with narrow size distributions and varying grafting densities from 0.9 to 2.5 nm–2. With excess amount of polymer ligands, individual dispersed ZnO NPs were observed. However, with a limited amount of ligands, NPs clusters were for...
Comparison of linear and non-linear models for predicting energy expenditure from raw accelerometer data

This study had three purposes, all related to evaluating energy expenditure (EE) prediction accuracy from body-worn accelerometers: (1) compare linear regression to linear mixed models, (2) compare linear models to artificial neural network models, and (3) compare accuracy of accelerometers placed on the hip, thigh, and wrists. Forty individuals performed 13 activities in a 90 min semi-structured, laboratory-based protocol. Participants wore accelerometers on the right hip, right thigh, and both wrists and a portable metabolic analyzer (EE criterion). Four EE prediction models were developed for each accelerometer: linear regression, linear mixed, and two ANN models. EE prediction accuracy was assessed using correlations, root mean square error (RMSE), and bias and was compared across models and accelerometers using repeated-measures analysis of variance. For all accelerometer placements, there were no significant differences for correlations or RMSE between linear regression and linear mixed models (correlations: r = 0.71-0.88, RMSE: 1.11-1.61 METs; p > 0.05). For the thigh-worn accelerometer, there were no differences in correlations or RMSE between linear and ANN models (ANN-correlations: r = 0.89, RMSE: 1.07-1.08 METs. Linear models-correlations: r = 0.88, RMSE: 1.10-1.11 METs; p > 0.05). Conversely, one ANN had higher correlations and lower RMSE than both linear models for the hip (ANN-correlation: r = 0.88, RMSE: 1.12 METs. Linear models-correlations: r = 0.86, RMSE: 1.18-1.19 METs; p < 0.05), and both ANNs had higher correlations and lower RMSE than both linear models for the wrist-worn accelerometers (ANN-correlations: r = 0.82-0.84, RMSE: 1.26-1.32 METs. Linear models-correlations: r = 0.71-0.73, RMSE: 1.55-1.61 METs; p < 0.01). For studies using wrist-worn accelerometers, machine learning models offer a significant improvement in EE prediction accuracy over linear models. Conversely, linear models showed similar EE prediction accuracy to machine learning models for hip- and thigh-worn accelerometers and may be viable alternative modeling techniques for EE prediction for hip- or thigh-worn accelerometers.
Cross-sectional analysis of health-related quality of life and elements of yoga practice.

Mind-body practices such as yoga have been studied for their generally positive effects on health-related quality of life (HRQOL). The association between how a person practices yoga and the person’s HRQOL is not known. Yoga practitioners were sent invitations to participate in an online survey via email. Yoga characteristics, HRQOL, and other sociodemographics were collected. Analyses of data from 309 consenting responders evaluated associations between yoga practice characteristics (use of yoga tools, length of practice, location, method, etc.) and the 10-item PROMIS Global Health scale for both physical and mental health components. Multivariable regression models demonstrated higher mental health scores were associated with regular meditation practice, higher income, and the method of practicing in a community group class (versus one-on-one). Higher physical health scores were associated with length of lifetime practice, teacher status, Krishnamacharya yoga style, and practicing in a yoga school/studio (versus at home). Meditation practice in yoga is positively associated with mental health. Length of lifetime yoga practice was significantly associated with better physical health, suggesting yoga has a potential cumulative benefit over time. Different locations and methods of practice may be associated with varying effects on health outcomes. Comparative cross-sectional and longitudinal studies on the variations in yoga practice are needed to further characterize health benefits of yoga.
The Sceptics and the Emotions

The Stoics proposed a complex and highly controversial account of what a pathos is and how it comes about.’ One might expect that the sceptics would have gleefully fastened upon this as material for sceptical scrutiny. Galen certainly found the Stoic analysis of the pathe philosophically objectionable;2 it would be entirely understandable if the sceptics had subjected it to similar kinds of attacks. And they might have extended their attacks to the Epicureans as well; for the Epicureans, though nowhere near as explicit on the subject as the Stoics (at least in the surviving sources), also appear to have had views on the nature of the pathe. 3 Yet we find very little evidence, in any of the sources for Greek scepticism, of arguments specifically targeting such views for criticism.
Preliminary Evaluation of the NIAAA/AAP Brief Alcohol Use Screener.

Aims To assess the concurrent validity of the two-item NIAAA/American Academy of Pediatrics Brief Alcohol Use Screener, a developmentally sensitive assessment instrument, in a school-based sample of adolescents. Method The sample consisted of 756 adolescents (53% girls; Mage = 13.7 years; SD = 1.6 years) in the 6th (n = 192), 8th (n = 283), and the 10th (n = 281) grades from Miami-Dade County, FL and Prince George's County, MD. Adolescents completed the NIAAA/AAP Brief Alcohol Use Screener, which consists of two items asking about adolescents' alcohol use and about peers' alcohol use during the last year. Peer-Risk is categorized into 'No Peer-Risk' versus 'Heightened Concern'; Self-Risk is categorized into 'No-Risk,' 'Low-Risk,' 'Moderate-Risk' or 'High-Risk,' based on alcohol use patterns and age. Adolescents also completed measures of recent alcohol use and four previously validated screener instruments. Results Relative to the self-use 'No-Risk' category, adolescents classified into the 'Low-,' 'Moderate-' and 'High-Risk' categories reported progressively greater alcohol use and misuse during the last 90 days. Similar patterns were observed between the Peer-Risk categories. Combined, the two NIAAA/AAP screener items were positively related to recent alcohol use and outperformed the other screeners examined. Conclusions Results from the present study support the concurrent validity of the single and combined items of the NIAAA/AAP Brief Alcohol Use Screener, as well as the measure's favorable concurrent validity compared to four previously validated screener instruments. Short Summary The current results support the concurrent validity of the single and combined items of the NIAAA/AAP Brief Alcohol Use Screener, as well as the measure's favorable concurrent validity compared to four previously validated screener instruments, in a school-based sample of adolescents.
Bilateral cataract formation via acute spontaneous fracture of the lens following treatment of hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome.

Abstract Purpose Acute development of cataracts that may be transient is known to occur during correction of diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome. Nettleship in 1885 was the first to describe the presence of a transient cataract in three diabetic patients that grew worse and eventually cleared with treatment.1 We present a case of irreversible cataracts formed by nuclear fracture of the crystalline lens after hyperglycemia correction, an entity that has not yet been described. Observations A 67 year-old Caucasian man presented with sudden bilateral vision loss one week after a week-long hospitalization in the intensive care unit for correction of hyperglycemia in the setting of hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome requiring an insulin drip. This was caused by spontaneous fractures of the lens nuclei causing bilateral irreversible cataracts. The patient underwent uncomplicated bilateral cataract extraction resulting in restoration of normal vision. Conclusions and importance Acute transient cataracts that develop during correction of hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome are thought to result from osmotic lens swelling. In this case report, internal fracture of the lens was produced by mechanical forces generated in the process of lens swelling occurring as a consequence of initial hyperglycemia and its subsequent correction. This case represents a rare ocular complication of hyperglycemia correction, and provides new evidence that mechanical forces can be part of diabetic cataractogenesis.
Neurological Complications of Therapeutic Monoclonal Antibodies: Trends from Oncology to Rheumatology

This review is to describe the scope of neurological complications associated with monoclonal antibody-based therapies, applied across medical specialties, to demonstrate the common and rare neurological syndromes that may be encountered in clinical practice according to the therapeutic agent being receive, and to explain appropriate work-up, diagnosis, and management of drug complications, as supported by the literature. The number of commercially available, evidence-based therapeutic monoclonal antibodies continues to expand. In oncology, immune checkpoint inhibitors are particularly important, as a wide range of central and peripheral nervous system complications are described. In rheumatology, anti-TNF alpha drugs remain associated with demyelinating syndromes. The number of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies encountered in practice continues to grow, as does the number of described neurological complications. Recognition of a possible drug complication is key, as these are typically complex patients at risk of other causes of neurological injury. Identification of a complication of therapy often leads to intervention and a change in management.
Erosion of State Alcohol Excise Taxes in the United States

Objective:In the United States, excessive alcohol consumption is responsible for 88,000 deaths annually and cost $249 billion, or $2.05 per drink, in 2010. Specific excise taxes, the predominant form of alcohol taxation in the United States, are based on the volume of alcohol sold rather than a percentage of price and can thus degrade over time because of inflation. The objective of this study was to describe changes in inflation-adjusted state alcohol excise taxes on a beverage-specific basis.Method:State-level data on specific excise taxes were obtained from the Alcohol Policy Information System and the Tax Foundation. Excise tax rates were converted into the tax per standard U.S. drink (14 g of ethanol) for beer, wine, and distilled spirits, and converted into 2015 dollars using annual Consumer Price Index data.Results:Across U.S. states, the average state alcohol excise tax per drink in 2015 was $0.03 for beer, $0.05 for distilled spirits, and $0.03 for wine. From 1991 to 2015, the average inflation-a...
Capacity-drop at extended bottlenecks: Merge, diverge, and weave

Abstract This paper investigates the mechanisms of how spatially distributed lane changes (LCs) interact and contribute to “capacity-drop” at three types of extended bottlenecks: merge, diverge, and weave. A hybrid approach is used to study the problem: analytical approach to capture the behavior of merging and diverging LCs and numerical simulations to quantify capacity-drop considering various geometric configurations of extended bottlenecks. This study focuses on the impact of LC vehicles’ bounded acceleration on “void” (wasted space) creation in traffic streams when they insert/desert at a lower speed, and interactions among multiple voids. We found that (1) LCs closer to the downstream end of bottlenecks are more likely to create persisting voids and contribute to capacity-drop. (2) For weave bottlenecks, capacity-drop is governed by two counteracting effects of LCs: persisting voids and utilization of vacancies created by diverging vehicles; (3) the more balanced the merging and diverging flows, the lower the capacity-drop; and (4) capacity-drop is minimum if merging LCs occur downstream of diverging LCs, and maximum in the opposite alignment.
Dermis-Fat Grafts

DFG is usually performed under general anesthesia, and the donor site of the graft may be the lower abdomen, thigh, or inferomedial buttocks, depending on the surgeon’s preference. Local anesthesia is given to the orbit and the donor site. In cases of an extruding implant or one which has severe contractures, the conjunctiva is incised and the implant, if present, is removed. Muscle remnants within the socket should be identified if possible. This allows for greater graft survival (due to the vacularity the muscles provide to the graft) and motility of the socket. An approximate 20–25 mm diameter DFG is harvested from the donor site first by removing the epithelium. A sharp blade is then used to incise subcutaneous tissue and fat to a depth of 15–20 mm in a circular fashion. The graft is then sutured into the socket onto a vascularized source (i.e., extraocular muscles or orbital fat). The dermis is left bare to epithelialize from the surrounding conjunctiva. A temporary conformer is placed. Full epithelialization of the dermis occurs in approximately one month. An ocular prosthesis can be fitted in 2–3 months (Stewart 1995).
In-situ tribochemical formation of self-lubricating diamond-like carbon films

Abstract Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films were tribochemically formed from ambient hydrocarbons on the surface of a highly stable nanocrystalline Pt-Au alloy. A sliding contact between an alumina sphere and Pt-Au coated steel exhibited friction coefficients as low as μ = 0.01 after dry sliding in environments containing trace (ppb) organics. Ex situ analysis indicated that the change in friction coefficient was due to the formation of amorphous carbon films, and Raman spectroscopy and elastic recoil analysis showed that these films consist of sp2/sp3 amorphous carbon with as much as 20% hydrogen. Transmission electron microscopy indicated these films had thicknesses exceeding 100 nm, and were enhanced by the incorporation of worn Pt-Au nanoparticles. The result was highly wear-resistant, low-friction DLC/Pt-Au nanocomposites. Atomistic simulations of hydrocarbons under shear between rigid Pt slabs using a reactive force field showed stress-induced changes in bonding through chain scission, a likely route towards the formation of these coatings. This novel demonstration of in situ tribochemical formation of self-lubricating films has significant impact potential in a wide range of engineering applications.
SYNCHRONIZATION PHENOMENA IN OSCILLATIONS OF YEAST CELLS AND ISOLATED MITOCHONDRIA

Publisher Summary The continuous nature of glycolytic oscillations observed in yeast cell suspensions appears to require a similarity of the biochemical oscillators in individual cells of the population, or some internal synchronizing mechanism. Evidence for population heterogeneity—which would require a cell-synchronizing mechanism for continuous oscillations to be observed—should be afforded by direct fluorometric observations of the nature of the oscillations in a single cell, as compared with that in a population of cells. This chapter describes a microfluorometric method for observing glycolytic oscillations in single yeast cells in terms of periodic fluctuations of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide fluorescence. Other methods for determining the synchrony of the oscillating populations have been evaluated. Mixing of cell populations, in which the oscillations show varying degrees of phase shift with respect to one another might be used to test not only the cell synchronizing properties of the preparation, but also to evaluate the important point as to whether the singular point of the phase plane profile is stable or unstable.
Global Assessment of Functioning: A Modified Scale

The modified Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF) scale has more detailed criteria and a more structured scoring system than the original GAF. The two scales were compared for reliability and validity. Raters who had different training levels assigned hospital admission and discharge GAF scores from patient charts. Intraclass correlation coefficients for admission GAF scores were higher for raters who used the modified GAF (0.81), compared with raters who used the original GAF (0.62). Validity studies showed a high correlation (0.80) between the two sets of scores. The modified GAF also correlated well with Zung Depression scores (–0.73). The modified GAF may be particularly useful when interrater reliability needs to be maximum and/or when persons with varying skills and employment backgrounds—and without much GAF training—must rate patients. Because of the increased structure, the modified GAF may also be more resistant to rater bias.
The United States Court of Appeals for Veterans Claims: Has it Mastered Chevron’s Step Zero?

It has been twenty-five years since Chevron U.S.A. Inc. v. Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., 467 U.S. 837 (1984), was decided. Chevron transformed deference analysis into a simple, two step test. First, a court should determine whether Congress had decided the issue, if not, the court was obligated to defer to any reasonable agency interpretation. Apparently, viewing its concession as too big, the Supreme Court retreated from Chevron’s broad grant of power to agencies, but not by explicitly recalling the beast. Rather the Court has added a series of steps to Chevron’s application with three later cases, turning Chevron from a simple two step into a multi-faceted flamenco. While many thought that Chevron would simplify and streamline an otherwise uncertain area - deference to agency interpretations - ultimately, the Court has introduced unwanted and unexpected complexity into the analysis. Whether Chevron and its prodigy should have been decided as they were decided is irrelevant today. They are here for the long term. Hence, what is relevant is whether those individuals bound to follow the Supreme Court’s direction in this area can do so. This article examines one court’s application of this complicated doctrine: the U.S. Court of Appeals for Veterans’ Claims (the Veterans Court) and concludes, not surprisingly, that the Veterans Court struggles with this area of jurisprudence.
CELLULAR ACTIVITIES IN TISSUE CULTURES OF LEUKEMIC HUMAN BONE MARROW.

1) The growth from human leukemic bone marrow particles begins with the emigration of cells having the morphologic characteristics of erythrocytic, granulocytic, monocytic and lymphocytic elements. Proliferation of fibroblastic-like cells replaces these elements within 3 to 4 weeks. Various types of immature leukocytes occur in larger numbers, and persist longer, in tissue cultures of human leukemic bone marrow than in bone marrow cultures from patients with no hematological disease. 2) Lymphocytes from either leukemic or non-leukemic bone marrow cultures often appear to enter the cytoplasm of fibroblast-like cells, but those derived from cultures of chronic lymphocytic leukemic bone marrow appeared intracellularly in much larger numbers and persisted there longer. One of the mechanisms of this phenomenon may be the feeder layer principle. Extensive injury of certain fibroblast-like cells in relation to relatively few small lymphocytes suggests the possibility of an autoimmune attack. It is possible that both the lymphocytes and the "target cells" may disintegrate. 3) Two types of multinucleated giant cells have been observed. One type is syncytial in structure, suggesting a viral mechanism of initiation. Another type resembles the polyploid giant cells which are commonly seen in old tissue cultures of whatever origin, and in various malignant diseases in vivo as well as in vitro. 4) At times, poorly differentiated round cells may persist in old fibroblastic cultures. These cells may be derived from the original explant which continued to produce them, or they may originate from fibroblast-like cells reconverted into a morphologically undifferentiated mesenchymal cell type.
The B-D Hemodetoxifier: Particulate Release and its Significance

When a clinician considers the use of an extracorporeal blood circuit in treating a patient, in addition to the therapeutic value of the procedure, he should know what exogenous material the circuit adds to the blood flowing through it and what is the significance of this addition to the patient. The data presented in this communication represent preliminary attempts to address these questions in regard to the Becton, Dickinson HEMODETOXIFIER, an adsorption device containing activated charcoal immobilized to produce a minimum of particulate release with a maximum of adsorp-tive surface in direct contact with the bloodstream (1). Of primary interest was quantification of particulate release from the device under simulated use conditions and the evaluation of possible untoward biological effects of intravenous administration of such particulate material. A gravimetric technique was developed using Nuclepore®filters to trap and weigh microgram amounts of material released during perfusion of the devices. To monitor biological effects of intravenous charcoal particulates, single injections of pulverized charcoal in a saline-DEXTRAN vehicle were given to Sprague-Dawley rats.