cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Approaches to Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Effective medical therapy has significantly impacted the use of antireflux surgery for the management of gastroesophageal reflux disease. The availability of minimally invasive surgical techniques, along with recent evidence suggesting a more important role for surgical therapy, will undoubtedly impact antireflux surgery in the near future. Although only a few small series of laparoscopic fundoplication have been published, it is a viable alternative for the experienced laparoscopic surgeon who has mastered intracorporeal suturing.
Physical Cruelty of Companion Animals

This chapter highlights the ambiguity surrounding the meaning and significance of animal cruelty and the ambivalence that characterises our treatment of animals. The contradictions in how we regard animals seem greatest when we look at our varied relationships with companion animals, ranging from complete devotion to indifference. The chapter establishes how the ambiguous, conflicting nature of cruelty has shaped attempts to explain it, document its prevalence and determine appropriate ways of responding to it. Through focusing on animals typically considered pets, the authors sift through some of the distortions and projections that surround dominant interpretations of cruelty. Using a symbolic interactionist perspective, they question the belief that cruelty has an objective definition, independent of context. They also challenge the assumption that harming pets as well as other animals necessarily predicts future violent behaviour. Finally, drawing upon recent empirical research largely from the USA, the authors specify the conditions under which cruelty to pets may signal, in particular, extreme forms of violence and consequently argue that appropriate responses to cruelty requires understanding of the context in which it occurs.
Father Loss and Child Telomere Length

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Father loss during childhood has negative health and behavioral consequences, but the biological consequences are unknown. Our goal was to examine how father loss (because of separation and/or divorce, death, or incarceration) is associated with cellular function as estimated by telomere length. METHODS: Data come from the 9-year follow-up of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, a birth cohort study of children in 20 large American cities ( N = 2420). Principal measures are as follows: salivary telomere length (sTL), mother reports of father loss, and polymorphisms in genes related to serotonergic and dopaminergic signaling. RESULTS: At 9 years of age, children with father loss have significantly shorter telomeres (14% reduction). Paternal death has the largest association (16%), followed by incarceration (10%), and separation and/or divorce (6%). Changes in income partially mediate these associations (95% mediation for separation and/or divorce, 30% for incarceration, and 25% for death). Effects are 40% greater for boys and 90% greater for children with the most reactive alleles of the serotonin transporter genes when compared with those with the least reactive alleles. No differences were found by age at father loss or a child’s race/ethnicity. CONCLUSIONS: Father loss has a significant association with children’s sTL, with the death of a father showing the largest effect. Income loss explains most of the association between child sTL and separation and/or divorce but much less of the association with incarceration or death. This underscores the important role of fathers in the care and development of children and supplements evidence of the strong negative effects of parental incarceration.
Chloride Channels in Molluscs

Ion channel proteins constitute the basis for all electrical communication and signaling in both excitable and nonexcitable cells. Not only are they the conduit-effectors of ion currents which generate transmembrane voltage changes, but they must also serve receptor-like functions. They should be able to record and compute changes in voltage and detect internal and/or external ligands and their respective electrochemical modifications during ionic flow. Phenomenologically, therefore, ion channels are not passive conduits, but are active, intricately constructed membrane proteins involved in the dynamic physiology of an organism.
The New Normal

This chapter provides a brief historical overview of religious reforms and gendered traditions in the British Isles between Henry VIII’s break with Rome in 1534 and full Catholic Emancipation in the British Isles in 1829. It reveals the challenges faced by Catholics worshiping in an illegal, underground faith who would do what they had to do to be good women and men AND good Catholics. The Catholic Church was on board … to a point.
A comparative analysis between laparoscopic and open adhesiolysis at a tertiary care center.

Laparotomy has been the favored approach regarding surgical management of small bowel obstruction (SBO); however, laparoscopy may offer improved outcomes. Patients undergoing laparoscopic lysis of ...
Probabilistic versus Fuzzy Reasoning

This paper shows how to solve problems using probability theory that the fuzzy approaches claim probability cannot solve. By using the view that probabilities are a measure of belief in a proposition in a particular context, limitations imposed by the frequncy interpretations of probability are avoided. The various fuzzy approaches (fuzzy sets, fuzzy logic, possibility theory and higher order generalizations) seem to fill the gap caused by the restricted frequency interpretation. Close examination shows that the fuzzy approaches have exactly the same representation as the corresponding probabilistc approach and include similar calculi. The probabilistic approach assumes less information when the calculi differ.
Computer-Aided polyp detection for laxative-free CT colonography

Image-based colon cleansing performed on fecal-tagged CT colonography (CTC) allows the laxative-free detection of colon polyps, unlike optical colonoscopy (OC), the preferred screening method. Compared to OC, CTC increases the patient comfort and compliance with colon cancer screening. However, laxative-free CTC introduces many challenges and imaging artifacts, such as poorly and heterogeneously tagged stool, thin stool close to the colon walls, pseudoenhancement of colon tissue, and partial volume effect. We propose an automated algorithm to subtract stool prior to the computer aided detection of colonic polyps. The method is locally adaptive and combines intensity, shape and texture analysis with probabilistic optimization. Results show stool removal accuracy on data with various bowel preparations. The automatic detection of polyps using our CAD system on cathartic-free data improves significantly from 70% to 85% true positive rate at 5.75 false positives/scan.
Effects of land use on summer thermal regimes in critical salmonid habitats of the Pacific Northwest

The effect of climate change on stream temperature regimes is of significant concern to natural resource managers focused on protecting cold-water-dependent species. Nevertheless, understanding of ...
YouTube Generated Video Clips as Qualitative Research Data: One Researcher’s Reflections on the Process:

The ever-developing arena of social media blurs lines separating public and private spheres. Voluntary usage of social media platforms transforms users’ personal and sometimes private imaginings in...
Crime and Police Resources: A Policy Agenda

Crime can be effectively controlled to the extent that communities make more appropriate use of their police resources, and this control can be achieved without abrogating civil liberties and without inordinate financial cost. Needed is a new form of police agency. Without a policy agenda for working toward such a new form, communities will continue to misuse-to misallocate-their police resources; without the real-location made possible by such a new form, crime will remain inadequately controlled. Such a new form is feasible. In the course of examining the problems of police resources allocation, this book specifies the shape of such an agency and out-lines what can be done to create the new form.
Stump's Forgiveness

To love someone, Eleonore Stump tells us, is to have two desires: a desire her objective good and a desire for union with her. In Atonement, Stump claims that loving someone—understood as having these desires—is necessary and sufficient for morally appropriate forgiveness. I offer several arguments against this claim.
Redact When Competitors Act -- Examining the Threat of Rivals’ Product Portfolio Modifications

This study investigates whether incumbents are more likely to withhold mandatory disclosures when rivals modify product portfolio to reposition themselves and whether such redactions preserve product market competitiveness. Using a large sample of hand-collected redactions from new material contracts to capture managers’ decision to withhold information, we find that product market instability and product threat from new rivals vary directly with the likelihood of redactions. We also document that incumbent firms are more likely to redact only when they have higher leverage or less cash holding relative to new rivals. This highlights that new entries will likely post the greatest threat when they are more financially capable than incumbent firms. Furthermore, redacting firms experience higher market share growth, greater market power and larger abnormal returns. Interestingly, these product market outcomes are concentrated in research/development- and license-related information redactions.
Luteal Lipids Regulate Progesterone Production and May Modulate Immune Cell Function During the Estrous Cycle and Pregnancy

Although the corpus luteum (CL) contains high concentrations of lipid in the form of steroid hormone precursors and prostaglandins, little is known about the abundance or function of other luteal lipid mediators. To address this, 79 lipid mediators were measured in bovine CL, using ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. CL from estrous cycle days 4, 11, and 18 were compared and, separately, CL from days 18 of the estrous cycle and pregnancy were compared. Twenty-three lipids increased as the estrous cycle progressed (P < 0.05), with nine increasing between days 4 and 11 and fourteen increasing between days 4 and 18. Overall, this indicated a general upregulation of lipid mediator synthesis as the estrous cycle progressed, including increases in oxylipins and endocannabinoids. Only 15-KETE was less abundant in the CL of early pregnancy (P < 0.05), with a tendency (P < 0.10) for four others to be less abundant. Notably, 15-KETE also increased between estrous cycle days 4 and 18. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA, Qiagen) indicated that functions associated with differentially abundant lipids during the estrous cycle included leukocyte activation, cell migration, and cell proliferation. To investigate changes in CL during maternal recognition of pregnancy, this lipid dataset was integrated with a published dataset from mRNA profiling during maternal recognition of pregnancy. This analysis indicated that lipids and mRNA that changed during maternal recognition of pregnancy may regulate some of the same functions, including immune cell chemotaxis and cell-cell communication. To assess effects of these lipid mediators, luteal cells were cultured with 5-KETE or 15-KETE. One ng/mL 5-KETE reduced luteal progesterone on day 1 of culture, only in the absence of luteinizing hormone (LH), while 1 ng/mL 15-KETE induced progesterone only in the presence of LH (10 ng/mL). On day 7 of culture, 0.1 ng/mL 15-KETE reduced prostaglandin (PG)F2A-induced inhibition of LH-stimulated progesterone production, while 1 ng/mL 15-KETE did not have this effect. Overall, these data suggest a role for lipid mediators during luteal development and early pregnancy, as regulators of steroidogenesis, immune cell activation and function, intracellular signaling, and cell survival and death.
Ultrasonographic characterization of lingual structures pertinent to oral, periodontal, and implant surgery

Objectives Increased applications of ridge augmentation in the lingual posterior mandible call for an urgent need to study its anatomy. Therefore, our first aim was to validate ultrasound in measuring the mandibular lingual structures in human cadavers. Secondarily, to test its feasibility in imaging the lingual nerve in live humans. Materials and methods Nine fresh un-embalmed fully/partially edentulous cadaver heads were utilized for aim 1. Three areas in the lingual mandible were imaged (mandibular premolar, molar, and retromolar). Immediately after, biopsies were harvested from each site. The thickness of the mucosa, mylohyoid muscle, and lingual nerve diameter was measured via ultrasound and statistically compared to histology. Similarly, the lingual nerve in live humans was also imaged. Results None of the differences between the ultrasound and histology measurements reached statistical significance (p > .05). The mean mucosal thickness via ultrasound and histology was 1.45 ± 0.49 and 1.39 ± 0.50 mm, 5 mm lingual to the mylohyoid muscle attachment. At 10 mm beyond the attachment, the ultrasound and histologic values were 1.54 ± 0.48 and 1.37 ± 0.49, respectively. The mean muscle thickness measured via ultrasound and histology was 2.31 ± 0.56 and 2.25 ± 0.47 mm, at the 5 mm distance. At the 10 mm distance, the measurements were 2.46 ± 0.56 and 2.36 ± 0.5 mm, respectively. The mean ultrasonic lingual nerve diameter was 2.38 ± 0.44 mm, versus 2.43 ± 0.42 mm, with histology. The lingual nerve diameter on 19 live humans averaged to 2.01 ± 0.35 mm (1.4-3.1 mm). Conclusions Within its limitations, ultrasound accurately measured mandibular lingual soft tissue structures on cadavers, and the lingual nerve on live humans.
Decentralized Operation of Resource Constrained Microgrids — Multi-agent Demand-based Approach

Decreasing prices of PV and storage technologies have made these sources integral parts of rural electrification schemes. PV-rich microgrids with limited reserve capacity are being deployed as cost-effective solutions to electrify rural communities in developing countries. Operating primarily with PV based sources is challenging owing to the time-varying availability and continuously changing ratios between capacity and demand. Further different load agents may have varying preferences about consumption patterns. It is necessary to leverage some demand side flexibility by providing adequate system signals reflecting resource constraints or availability of cheap PV energy. Further, by enabling change in consumption patterns, the cost of the fixed capacity source can be dramatically reduced. This paper proposes using system frequency as a means to reflect constraints and incentivize changes to demand profiles without adding expensive communication infrastructure.
Oxidative stress-related gene expression in diploid and triploid rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) fed diets with organic and inorganic zinc

Abstract In rainbow trout, zinc is among the most important essential micro-minerals involved in many biological processes such as oxidative stress, bone mineralization, and growth. Organic minerals are often reported to be more bioavailable to fish, thus requiring lower amounts to meet the zinc requirement. Rainbow trout are commonly reared as both diploids and triploids, but it is unknown if ploidy status affects how the fish responds to dietary zinc supplementation. This study examined gene expression response patterns in both diploid and triploid rainbow trout fed to satiation for 9 weeks with either inorganic (ZnSO4) or organic (amino acid chelated) zinc supplemented in incremental levels (Zn63, Zn123, Zn183) to an otherwise sufficient basal diet (Zn33). Hepatic expression of genes related to oxidative stress were analyzed and included superoxide dismutase (SOD1; SOD2), glutathione peroxidase (GPX1a; GPX1b1; GPX1b2), catalase (CAT), glutathione reductase (GSR), glutathione S-transferase (GST), liver X receptor (LXR), and the zinc storage protein, metallothionein-A (MTA). Expression of all genes, except MTA, was significantly elevated with organic zinc supplementation (all with a p-value
Left ventricular mural thrombi with multisystem thrombosis in patients with COVID-19 and myocardial injury: a case series

Background Cardiovascular and thromboembolic complications have been reported in patients with Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19)-related severe respiratory distress syndrome. Although myocarditis associated with COVID-19 pneumonia has been described, evidence of left ventricular (LV) mural thrombi with other multisystem events has not been reported. Case summary We report two cases with severe COVID-19 pneumonia and myocardial injury with large LV thrombi and other multisystem thrombotic events. The first patient represents an unusual case of large LV apical thrombus without concordant regional wall motion abnormality and mildly reduced LV function. A subsequent inferior ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) was likely related to either an embolic event or in situ coronary thrombosis. We could not ascertain whether the acute right ventricular dysfunction was due to in situ pulmonary thrombosis or inferior STEMI. The catastrophic cerebrovascular accident was likely an embolic phenomenon. Similarly, the second patient demonstrated multiple large pedunculated thrombi occupying one-third of the LV cavity with moderately reduced LV function. A segmental pulmonary embolism was diagnosed on computed tomography chest, confirming multiple territories of in situ thrombosis. Discussion COVID-19-related inflammatory cytokine release has been linked to activation of coagulation pathways. Marked elevation of ferritin and C-reactive protein levels in both patients were consistent with evidence of a hyperinflammatory state with 'cytokine storm'. Furthermore, the finding of elevated D-dimer levels lends support to the altered coagulation cascade that plausibly explains the multisystem thrombosis observed in our patients. The direct viral endothelial involvement and subsequent endothelial dysfunction may play an important role in the development of thrombosis in different vascular beds, as seen in our patients.
Topology Optimization Using Hyper Radial Basis Function Network

In this paper we present the application of a hyper radial basis function network as a topology description function. A hyper radial basis function network is used to parameterize the material distribution (density) for topology optimization. The density of each finite element in the continuum topology optimization domain is governed by a single network of hyper radial function bases. Thus, the topology optimization problem is to determine the parameters governing the hyper radial basis function network to satisfy certain design criteria. Here we present the solution to a minimum compliance topology design. A hyper radial basis function network is used to parameterize the material density during the finite element analysis stage. An efficient optimization algorithm that makes use of perturbation and sequential linear programming is developed to obtain the hyper radial basis function network parameters. Examples are presented to demonstrate the proposed approach and to compare it with the traditional solid isotropic microstructures with penalization topology optimization. Some of the advantages of the proposed approach are that it can yield checkerboard-free, manufacturable topologies using coarse-mesh finite element analysis models as opposed to the traditional approach, which requires fine meshes. This results in a reduction in the solution time for finite element analysis while conserving the ability to yield a smooth topology.
Analytics Process Management: A New Challenge for the BPM Community

Today, essentially all industry sectors are developing and applying “big data analytics” to gain new business insights and new operational efficiencies. Essentially two forms of analytics processing support these business-targeted applications: (i) “analytics explorations” that search for business-relevant insights in support of description, prediction, and prescription; and (ii) “analytics flows” that are deployed and executed repeatedly to apply such insights to support reporting and enhance existing business processes. The human environment that surrounds business-targeted analytics involves a multitude of stake-holder roles, and a number of distinct processes are required for the development, deployment, maintanence, and governance of these analytics. This short paper presents preliminary work on a framework for Analytics Process Management (APM), a new branch of Business Process Management (BPM) that is intended to address the central challenges managing analytics flows at scale. APM is focused on the processes that manage the overall lifecycle of analytics flows and their executions, and their integration into “operational” business processes that have been the traditional domain of BPM. The paper identifies key meta-data that should be maintained for analytics flows and their executions, and identifies the core business processes that are needed to create, apply, compare, and maintain such flows. The paper also raises key research questions that need to be addressed in the emerging area of APM.
Role of the basal ganglia in the initiation of saccadic eye movements.

Publisher Summary The impetus for the study of the basal ganglia in relation to vision and eye movements comes from what one know about the connection of this structure to the superior colliculus (SC), a structure recognized as a critical station for the initiation of saccadic eye movements. One output pathway of the basal ganglia, the pars reticulata of the substantia nigra (SNr), projects to the intermediate layers of the SC. These cells in the intermediate layers discharge before saccadic eye movements when those eye movements are directed to one region of the visual field, the movement field of the cells. Stimulation of these intermediate layer cells leads to the initiation of saccadic eye movements to the area of movement field of the adjacent cells. Finally, cells in the intermediate layers of the SC have direct projections to the brainstem areas (mesencephalic reticular formation, MRF; paramedian pontine reticular formation, PPRF) where pre-oculomotor neurons are located. The SNr projection to the SC represents one of the most prominent inputs to the intermediate layers of the SC. This chapter is intended to summarize those aspects of the experiments that are related to the initiation of saccadic eye movements. After describing the general characteristics of cells in the SNr, the chapter considers a particular type of cell that discharges in relation to the initiation of saccades made to remembered targets.
An Introduction to Dyskinesia—The Clinical Spectrum

The term movement disorder is used to describe a variety of abnormal movements, and may involve an excess or paucity of movement. Careful characterization of phenomenology is an essential component of diagnosis. Factors such as speed, amplitude, duration, distribution, rhythmicity, suppressibility and pattern of movement provide valuable information to guide the clinician in their assessment of the movement disorder. In this chapter, the clinical spectrum and phenomenology of dyskinesias will be reviewed.
Probabilistic Methods in Combinatorics

In 1947 Paul Erdős [8] began what is now called the probabilistic method. He showed that if \(\left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} n \\ k \\ \end{array} } \right){{2}^{{1 - \left( {\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} k \\ 2 \\ \end{array} } \right)}}} n.) In modern lanuage he considered the random graph G(n,.5) as described below. For each k-set S let BS denote the “bad” events that S is either a clique or an independent set. Then Pr[BS] = 21-(k/2) so that ΣPr[BS] < 1, hence ∧\( \wedge {\bar B_s}\) ≠ ∅ and a graph satisfying ∧\( \wedge {\bar B_s}\) must exist.
Topological Invariance at Finite Temperature

We examine the thermal behavior of a theory with charged massive vector matter coupled to Chern-Simons gauge field. We obtain a critical temperature Tc, at which the effective mass of vector field vanishes, and the system transfers from a symmetry broken phase to topological phase. The phase transition is suggested to be of the zeroth order, as the free energy of the system is discontinuous at Tc. Application to the (2+1) dimensional quantum gravity is briefly discussed.
Control of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage by endoscopic spraying of clotting factors

Abstract A new technique for the endoscopic control of upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage has been developed. It consists of a spraying device which delivers atomized clotting factors (thrombin and fibrinogen) directly to a focal bleeding site. In vivo studies in a standardized dog model of acute gastric ulcer bleeding, demonstrated a significant reduction in bleeding time by spraying thrombin and cryoprecipitate (mean ± SE bleeding time=223 ± 14 sec) as compared to a saline spray (mean 705 ± 60 sec) or to the untreated controls (mean 498 ± 43 sec), P
Induction of hepatic aromatase by p,p'-DDE in adult male rats.

Abstract 1,1-dichloro-2,2-bis( p -chlorophenyl)ethylene ( p,p ′-DDE, DDE) is a stable metabolite of the pesticide DDT and a persistent environmental pollutant. Earlier reports have demonstrated that DDE is an endocrine-active compound capable of affecting early-stage sexual differentiation in male rats. Experiments based on receptor binding affinity and receptor-mediated transcriptional activation have identified DDE as an androgen receptor antagonist. Other effects of DDE include modulation of the expression and activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes, some of which function as steroid hydroxylases, and elevation of serum estrogen levels in treated male rats. These effects suggest the possibility of DDE-caused induction of aromatase, a member of CYP family that catalyzes the conversion of C19 steroids to estrogens. The present study was conducted to determine whether hepatic aromatase was responsive to DDE treatment. We found that hepatic aromatase protein in adult male rats was greatly increased after seven daily oral treatments of DDE at a dosage of 100 mg/kg wt. per day. This induction was seen in both immunoblot and immunohistochemistry of liver tissue sections. Distribution of the aromatase in the liver corresponded to the distribution of hypertrophic hepatocytes in the tissue. Furthermore, we found a large increase in hepatic microsomal aromatase activity in DDE-treated animals, although the difference in serum 17β-estradiol concentrations between treated animals and controls was not statistically significant. However, an in vitro experiment using primary culture of rat hepatocytes did not show a change in aromatase level after DDE treatment at four concentrations ranging from 0 to 5×10 −6 M for 24 h. Meanwhile, CYP 2B1 induction, a known DDE effect in primary rat hepatocyte culture, was seen in those cells. This study supports the notion that induction of aromatase by DDE is a contributory factor to its reproductive developmental effects.
Antiretroviral treatment in HIV-1 infected pediatric patients: focus on efavirenz

Efavirenz is a non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI), used for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 infection. Approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in 1998, its indication was recently extended to include children as young as 3 months of age. The World Health Organization and many national guidelines consider efavirenz to be the preferred NNRTI for first-line treatment of children over the age of 3 years. Clinical outcomes of patients on three-drug antiretroviral regimens which include efavirenz are as good as or better than those for patients on all other currently approved HIV medications. Efavirenz is dosed once daily and has pediatric-friendly formulations. It is usually well tolerated, with central nervous system side effects being of greatest concern. Efavirenz increases the risk of neural tube defects in nonhuman primates and therefore its use during the first trimester of pregnancy is limited in some settings. With minimal interactions with antituberculous drugs, efavirenz is preferred for use among patients with HIV/tuberculosis coinfection. Efavirenz can be rendered inactive by a single point mutation in the reverse transcriptase enzyme. Newer NNRTI drugs such as etravirine, not yet approved for use in children under the age of 6 years, may maintain their activity following development of efavirenz resistance. This review highlights key points from the existing literature regarding the use of efavirenz in children and suggests directions for future investigation.
The amine capture strategy for peptide bond formation—an outline of progress

A review is presented of the general features of amide bond formation by prior capture of the amine-bearing peptide fragment. Capture by formation of a bond to the N-terminal nitrogen is shown in eight model systems to result in slow intramolecular acyl transfer, accompanied by anomalously large Gly/Ala and Gly/Val rate ratios. Two examples are given of rapid intramolecular acyl transfer via rings of 9 and 12 members. The transfer efficiency as estimated by the effective molarity of reactive amine at the acyl carbon in the latter case is 18M. Capture at the thiol function of an N-terminal cysteine residue is shown to be feasible in mercurithio and disulfide systems. In the latter case, effective concentrations of 3M and intramolecular transfer half-times of 10 min are demonstrated.
Infrared Observation of Intrinsic Modes on Adsorbent Surfaces by Photothermal Beam Deflection Spectroscopy

Abstract Boccuzzi et al. 1 pointed out that the infrared (IR) spectra of fine powders, i. e., materials typical of the texture of adsorbents and catalysts, are the sum of (a) nearly bulk modes; (b) - surface modes due both to first-order (surface truncation) and second order (change of the surface bond force constant) effects; and (c) impurities and/or adsorbed species. Studies of the latter have led to the valuable and voluminous literature of “IR of adsorbed species.” The second order effects are also of interest to surface studies, but little information has been available. In an elegant and detailed study of silica, Boccuzzi et al. observed various impurity modes associated with surface hydroxyl groups, and also intrinsic modes associated with the clean silica surface and related to the different strength and geometry of the surface bonds with respect to the bulk. Their observation demonstrated that new surface and subsurface siloxane groups were spectroscopically distinguishable from those characteri...
Geometric effects of 90-degree Elbow in the development of interfacial structures in horizontal bubbly flow

Abstract Present study investigates the geometric effects of flow obstruction on the distribution of local two-phase flow parameters and their transport characteristics in horizontal bubbly flow. The round glass tubes of 50.3 mm in inner diameter are employed as test sections, along which a 90-degree Elbow is located at L/D = 206.6 from the two-phase mixture inlet. In total, 15 different flow conditions are examined within the air–water bubbly flow regime. The detailed local two-phase flow parameters are acquired by the double-sensor conductivity probe at four different axial locations. The effect of elbow is found to be evident in both the distribution of local parameters and their development. The elbow clearly promotes bubble interactions resulting in significant changes in interfacial area concentration. It is also found that the elbow-effect propagates to be more significant further downstream (L/D = 250) than immediate downstream (L/D = 225) of the elbow. Furthermore, it is shown that the elbow induces significant oscillations in the flow in both vertical and horizontal directions of the tube cross-section. Characteristic geometric effects due to the existence of elbow are also shown clearly in the transport of one-dimensional interfacial area concentration and void fraction along the flow.
Association Between Acute Care and Critical Illness Hospitalization and Cognitive Function in Older Adults

Context Studies suggest that many survivors of critical illness experience long-term cognitive impairment but have not included premorbid measures of cognitive functioning and have not evaluated risk for dementia associated with critical illness. Objectives To determine whether decline in cognitive function was greater among older individuals who experienced acute care or critical illness hospitalizations relative to those not hospitalized and to determine whether the risk for incident dementia differed by these exposures. Design, Setting, and Participants Analysis of data from a prospective cohort study from 1994 through 2007 comprising 2929 individuals 65 years old and older without dementia at baseline residing in the community in the Seattle area and belonging to the Group Health Cooperative. Participants with 2 or more study visits were included, and those who had a hospitalization for a diagnosis of primary brain injury were censored at the time of hospitalization. Individuals were screened with the Cognitive Abilities Screening Instrument (CASI) (score range, 0-100) every 2 years at follow-up visits, and those with a score less than 86 underwent a clinical examination for dementia. Main Outcome Measures Score on the CASI at follow-up study visits and incident dementia diagnosed in study participants, adjusted for baseline cognitive scores, age, and other risk factors. Results During a mean (SD) follow-up of 6.1 (3.2) years, 1601 participants had no hospitalization, 1287 had 1 or more noncritical illness hospitalizations, and 41 had 1 or more critical illness hospitalizations. The CASI score was assessed more than 45 days after discharge for 94.3% of participants. Adjusted CASI scores averaged 1.01 points lower for visits following acute care illness hospitalization compared with follow-up visits not following any hospitalization (95% confidence interval [CI], −1.33 to −0.70; P Conclusions Among a cohort of older adults without dementia at baseline, those who experienced acute care hospitalization and critical illness hospitalization had a greater likelihood of cognitive decline compared with those who had no hospitalization. Noncritical illness hospitalization was significantly associated with the development of dementia.
Diabetes: Bariatric surgery for T2DM--cure, or remission and relapse?

The increased prevalence of obesity has led to increased numbers of bariatric surgical procedures being performed annually. Postoperative metabolic improvements in glucose levels, blood pressure and lipids have led to recognition that surgery may prove to be a highly effective therapy for type 2 diabetes (T2D). A recent report evaluates durability of diabetes remission and metabolic improvements.
Clinical measures of dysarthria in Friedreich Ataxia

Dysarthria in Friedreich Ataxia (FA) is difficult to quantify. This study evaluated a series of performance measures for speech in 22 patients with genetically confirmed FA and 16 age-matched controls. Tests included the PATA examination, the PATAKA examination, the Oral Motor component of the Boston Aphasia examination, the Boston Cookie Theft description task, and the Assessment of Intelligibility of Dysarthric Speech. All measures, except the Cookie theft description task, demonstrated significantly lower scores for patients with FA when compared with controls and correlated with measures of disease progression. Thus, four of five measures capture speech dysfunction in FA and may provide feasible, inexpensive, quantitative testing for therapeutic monitoring in FA.
Human placental 3β-hydroxy-5-ene-steroid dehydrogenase and steroid 5→ 4-ene-isomerase: Purification from mitochondria and kinetic profiles, biophysical characterization of the purified mitochondrial and microsomal enzymes

Abstract In human placenta, 3β-hydroxy-5-ene-steroid dehydrogenase and steroid 5→ 4-ene-isomerase, an enzyme complex found in microsomes and mitochondria, synthesizes progesterone from pregnenolone and androstenedione from fetal dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. The dehydrogenase and isomerase activities of the mitochondrial enzyme were copurified (733-fold) using sequential cholate solubilization, ion exchange chromatography (DEAE-Toyopearl 650S), and hydroxylapatite chromatography (Bio-Gel HT). Enzyme homogeneity was demonstrated by a single protein band in SDS-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (monomeric M r = 41,000), gel filtration at constant specific enzyme activity (M r = 77,000), and a single NH 2 -terminal sequence. Kinetic constants were determined for the oxidation of pregnenolone ( K m = 1.6 μ M, V max = 48.6 nmol/min/mg) and dehydroepiandrosterone ( K m = 2.4 μ M, V max = 48.5 nmol/min/mg) and for the isomerization of 5-pregnene-3,20-dione ( K m = 9.3 μ M, V max = 914.2 nmol/min/mg) and 5-androstene-3,17-dione ( K m = 27.6 μ M, 0 V max = 888.4 nmol/min/mg. Mixed substrate studies showed that the dehydrogenase and isomerase activities utilize their respective pregnene and androstene substrates competitively. Dixon analysis demonstrated that the product steroids, progesterone and androstenedione, are competitive inhibitors of the C-21 and C-19 dehydrogenase activities. Enzyme purified from mitochondria and microsomes had similar kinetic profiles with respect to substrate utilization, product inhibition, and cofactor (NAD + ) reduction (mean K m ± SD using C-19 and C-21 dehydrogenase substrates = 26.4 ± 0.8 μ M, mean V max = 73.2 ± 1.3 nmol/min/mg). Pure enzyme from both organelles exhibited identical biophysical properties in terms of molecular weight and subunit composition, pH optima (pH 9.8, dehydrogenase; pH 7.5, isomerase), temperature optimum (37°C), stability in storage and solution, effects of divalent cations, and the single NH 2 -terminal sequence of 27 amino acids. These results suggest that the mitochondrial and microsomal enzymes are the same protein localized in different organelles.
Elevated occupational transportation fatalities among older workers in Oregon: An empirical investigation

Older workers have an elevated risk of being killed on the job, and transportation incidents involving vehicles or mobile machinery are especially deadly for this group. The present study was designed to address the research gap in understanding contributing factors to these incidents and recommend evidence-based guidelines for interventions. We gathered and analyzed data from several sources, including the Oregon Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation program, the Oregon Workers' Compensation system, the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries, the Bureau of Labor Statistics, and peer reviewed research literatures. Rates and rate ratios (RR) were used to evaluate excess risk among groups. The results of this study show that older workers in Oregon have an elevated risk of fatality both in all events (RR=3.0, 95% CI 2.2-4.0) and transportation events (RR=3.6, 95% CI 2.4-5.4). Additional analyses and extant literature supports our hypotheses that multiple risk factors contribute to the phenomenon, including (a) hazard exposure, (b) organization of work, (c) physical fragility, and (d) normative cognitive, sensory, and psychomotor changes that occur with age. The evidence-based framework proposed may provide valuable guidance for developing safety interventions that protect older workers. Language: en
Causes of death and pathologic findings in 304 cases of bronchial asthma.

There is a widespread impression that bronchial asthma seldom causes death. This study shows clearly that the disease terminates fatally more often than is generally thought. This paper summarizes the data obtained in a review of all cases in which the clinical diagnosis of bronchial asthma was made at the Mayo Clinic during the 40-year period 1916 through 1955 and in which necropsy was performed. The series totals 304 cases, and is the largest reported so far. -
Raman Scattering for Quantum Technologies

As quantum mechanics moves out of the laboratory into technology, Raman scattering offers robust and high-speed operation. We have utilized Raman scattering to implement a THz-bandwidth quantum memory and a GBit/s quantum random number generator.
The anatomy and pathophysiology of the optic nerve head in glaucoma

Over the past 10 years, the normal and glaucomatous optic nerve head (ONH) has been studied within four broad areas. First, ongoing characterizations of the normal anatomy, physiology, and aging of the ONH tissues have been expanded to the cellular level. Second, the vasculature of the anterior opti
The effect of a potent GnRH agonist on gonadal and sexual activity in the horse

Abstract A potent agonist of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRHa) was administered to stallions (n=3) and mares (n=4) during the physiologic breeding season in order to downregulate gonadal activity. Stallions received an increasing regimen of 12.5 mg (5 d), 25 mg (10 d), and 50 mg (15 d) GnRHa per day, for a total of 30 d. Libido and semen quality were not affected by the treatment. The only treatment effect observed was an initial rise in luteinizing hormone (LH) concentration and a slight decline in testosterone concentration during treatment in two of three stallions. These data suggest that daily GnRHa therapy is not a practical method for the suppression of sexual behavior in the stallion at the dosage and interval utilized. Mares received 25 mg i.m. GnRHa per day, for a total of 35 d (n=2), or 40 d (n=2). While estrus and ovulation occurred in two mares during the first half of treatment, follicular development was suppressed in all mares by the end of treatment. Following treatment, ovulation occurred in all mares between 12 and 16 d after treatment. While gonadal activity and estrous behavior can be suppressed in mares with GnRHa therapy, animals require up to 30 d of treatment before suppression of ovarian activity is achieved.
Suitability of emeraldine base polyaniline-PVA composite film for carbon dioxide sensing

Abstract A CO 2 sensor based on a composite thin film of emeraldine base polyaniline and poly (vinyl alcohol) cast from N -methyl pyrrolidone on an interdigitated electrode was characterized using impedance spectroscopy. The response of the sensor was slow and smaller in magnitude as compared to reports in the literature for similar sensors. Materials characterization indicated that the desired emeraldine base phase was not present after heat treatment. In addition, the mechanism for carbon dioxide detection previously reported in the literature cannot explain the CO 2 sensitivity, because the pH established between CO 2 and carbonic acid in the water dissolved in the poly (vinyl alcohol) matrix is not sufficient to induce a significant change in the conductivity of the emeraldine base polyaniline.
Inhibition of crystallin ascorbylation by nucleophilic compounds in the hSVCT2 mouse model of lenticular aging

Purpose Senile cataracts are associated with oxidation, fragmentation, cross-linking, insolubilization, and yellow pigmentation of lens crystallins. This process is partially explained by advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs) from ascorbic acid (ASA), as unequivocally demonstrated in our hSVCT2 transgenic mouse(PNAS 103:16912, 2006). We now present the first pharmacological intervention study against ascorbylation in these mice.
Monocyte recruitment to the dermis and differentiation to dendritic cells increases the targets for dengue virus replication.

Dengue virus (DENV) causes the most prevalent arthropod-borne viral disease in humans. Although Aedes mosquitoes transmit DENV when probing for blood in the skin, no information exists on DENV infection and immune response in the dermis, where the blood vessels are found. DENV suppresses the interferon response, replicates, and causes disease in humans but not wild-type mice. Here, we used mice lacking the interferon-α/β receptor (Ifnar–/–), which had normal cell populations in the skin and were susceptible to intradermal DENV infection, to investigate the dynamics of early DENV infection of immune cells in the skin. CD103+ classical dendritic cells (cDCs), Ly6C– CD11b+ cDCs, and macrophages in the steady-state dermis were initial targets of DENV infection 12-24 hours post-inoculation but then decreased in frequency. We demonstrated recruitment of adoptively-transferred Ly6Chigh monocytes from wild-type and Ifnar–/– origin to the DENV-infected dermis and differentiation to Ly6C+ CD11b+ monocyte-derived DCs (moDCs), which became DENV-infected after 48 hours, and were then the major targets for virus replication. Ly6Chigh monocytes that entered the DENV-infected dermis expressed chemokine receptor CCR2, likely mediating recruitment. Further, we show that ∼100-fold more hematopoietic cells in the dermis were DENV-infected compared to Langerhans cells in the epidermis. Overall, these results identify the dermis as the main site of early DENV replication and show that DENV infection in the skin occurs in two waves: initial infection of resident cDCs and macrophages, followed by infection of monocytes and moDCs that are recruited to the dermis. Our study reveals a novel viral strategy of exploiting monocyte recruitment to increase the number of targets for infection at the site of invasion in the skin and highlights the skin as a potential site for therapeutic action or intradermal vaccination.
New entropy model for extraction of structural information from XCS population

We show that when XCS is applied to complex real-valued problems, the XCS populations contain structural information. This information exists in the underlying classifier space as the degree of uncertainty associated to the problem space. Therefore, we can use structural information to improve the overall system performance. We take an information theoretic approach, introducing a new entropy model for XCS to extract the structural information from dynamically forming substructures. Using this entropy model, we can collectively emphasize or de-emphasize the effect of an individual input. For a complex problem domain, we chose the speaker identification (SID) problem. The SID problem challenges XCS with a complex problem space that may force the learning classifier system to evolve large and highly overlapping population. The entropy model improved the system performance up to 5-10% in large-set SID problems. Furthermore, the entropy model has the ability to assist the population initialization in the beginning of the learning process by assuring a certain level of overall diversity.
Measurement of physiological condition of mussels transplanted along a pollution gradient in Narragansett Bay

Abstract Mussels were transplanted to four sites along a pollution gradient in Narragansett Bay. After one month, mussels were sampled from each station and their physiological responses (oxygen consumption, feeding rate, absorption efficiency and ammonia excretion) were measured under controlled laboratory conditions. The physiological stress indices, scope for growth, oxygen to nitrogen ratio and growth efficiency were calculated. There was a significant decline in the performance and physiological condition of mussels from south to north along Narragansett Bay, and this was associated with increasing pollution.
Removing path-switching cost in video delivery over multiple paths in mobile networks

The pace at which powerful portable wireless consumer devices such as smartphones and tablets have been adopted has not been matched by the ability of mobile networks to deliver high-quality video streams consistently to such nomadic users. In this work, we propose CMT-NEMO, a novel concurrent multipath transfer scheme for the delivery of scalable video content to users in multihomed mobile networks such as those expected to be found in public transport scenarios. Recent research in this context has shown that the single largest limiting factor for perceived video quality is the overhead introduced by path switching operations in multihomed mobile networks. CMT-NEMO eliminates the need for path switching and, by removing the associated path switching latency, provides a substantial performance improvement across a wide range of bandwidths and test sequences. An average Y-PSNR improvement of 5.9 dB is achieved when compared with previously proposed schemes.