cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Real-time vascular mechanosensation through ex vivo artery perfusion

Background Cell-based perfusion studies have provided great insight into fluid-sensing mechanisms, such as primary cilia in the renal and vascular systems. However, the intrinsic limitations of in vitro cell culture, such as the inability to reflect cellular organization within tissues, has distanced observed paradigms from possible clinical developments. Here we describe a protocol that applies ex vivo artery perfusion and calcium imaging to observe real-time cellular responses to fluid-shear stress.
Identification of cross-sectional parameters of lateral meniscal allografts that predict tibial contact pressure in human cadaveric knees.

To guide the development of improved procedures for selecting meniscal allografts, the objective of this study was to identify which cross-sectional parameters of a lateral meniscal allograft predict the contact pressure of the articular surface of the tibia. To meet the objective, the contact pressure of the articular surface of the tibia was measured with a lateral meniscal autograft and a lateral meniscal allograft using pressure sensitive film in 15 fresh-frozen human cadaveric knees. Allografts were matched only in transverse dimensions to the autograft but not in cross-sectional dimensions. Knees were loaded to 1200 N in compression at flexion angles of 0, 15, 30 and 45 degrees using a load application system that allowed unconstrained motion in the remaining degrees of freedom. Five cross-sectional parameters for both of the grafts in each of the anterior, middle, and posterior regions were derived from measurements obtained using a laser-based non-contacting three-dimensional coordinate digitizing system (3-DCDS) (Haut et al., J. Orthop Res, 2000). Five contact variables (i.e. the maximum pressure, mean pressure, contact area, and anterior-posterior and medial-lateral locations of the centroid of contact area) were determined from the pressure sensitive film. When each allograft was paired with the corresponding autograft, the root mean squared percent differences for the cross-sectional parameters ranged from a minimum of 28% for the width of the posterior region to 572% for the height of the posterior region. The root mean squared percent differences between the contact variables for paired grafts were 29% for the maximum pressure, 19% for the mean pressure, and 24% for the contact area. Differences in the cross-sectional parameters between the grafts were related to differences in the contact variables using regression analysis. Difference in the width was most often a predictor variable in the regression models with R2 values > or = 0.45. Differences in all of the four remaining cross-sectional parameters were also important predictor variables. Because failure to match cross-sectional parameters causes substantial difference in contact variables between an allograft and autograft and because cross-sectional parameters predict the contact pressure on the tibial plateau, protocols used to prospectively select allografts should concentrate on matching cross-sectional parameters and particularly the width to those of the original meniscus.
Epitaxial growth of solution-based rare-earth niobate, RE3NbO7, films on biaxially textured Ni–W substrates

A new series of rare earth-niobate, RE3NbO7 (RE=Y,Gd,Eu), buffer layers were developed for the growth of superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) films on biaxially textured Ni–W (3 at.%) substrates. Using chemical solution deposition, smooth, crack-free, and epitaxial RE3NbO7 (RE = Y,Gd,Eu) films were grown on cube-textured Ni–W substrate. YBCO film with a critical current density of 1.1 × 106 A/cm2 in self-field at 77 K was grown directly on a single Gd3NbO7-buffered Ni–W substrate using pulsed laser deposition.
Effect of dexamethasone on atrial fibrillation after cardiac surgery: prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of preoperative dexamethasone (DEX) on the occurrence of postoperative atrial fibrillation (AF). Design: Prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Setting: Tertiary referral center. Participants: Seventy-eight adult patients undergoing combined valve and coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery were randomized to receive either DEX or placebo. Interventions: The DEX group received dexamethasone, 0.6 mg/kg, after induction of anesthesia, and the placebo group received an equal volume of normal saline. Interleukin (IL)-6, -8, and -10; tumor necrosis factor α; and endothelin (ET)-1 were measured preoperatively and on postoperative days (POD) 1, 2, and 3. Complement (C-4) and C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured preoperatively and on POD 2. Exhaled nitric oxide (NO) was measured preoperatively, 15 minutes after aortic unclamping, and 1 hour after intensive care unit admission. Measurements and Main Results: No significant difference in the incidence of AF was found between the placebo (41%) and DEX groups (30%) (95% confidence interval [−11%, 34%); p = 0.31). DEX significantly reduced at least 1 postoperative level of IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, CRP, and exhaled NO. DEX did not affect ET-1 or C-4 levels. IL-10 on POD 3 was positively correlated with postoperative hospital length of stay (r = 0.30, p = 0.01). Increased levels of IL-8 and IL-10 on POD 1 were positively correlated with the intubation time (r = 0.31, p = 0.01; r = 0.30, p = 0.01, respectively). Conversely, C-4 on POD 2 was negatively correlated with the intubation time and intensive care unit length of stay (r = −0.32, p = 0.006; r = −0.30, p = 0.01, respectively). Conclusions: DEX did not affect the incidence of AF in patients undergoing combined CABG and valve surgery. However, it did modulate the release of several inflammatory and acute-phase response mediators that are associated with adverse outcomes.
Acetaminophen nephrotoxicity in the rat: Quantitation of renal metabolic activation in vivo

Renal cortical necrosis induced by acetaminophen (APAP) may be related to generation of reactive intermediates by two mechanisms of metabolic activation, direct P-450 dependent metabolic activation (P-450) or metabolic activation subsequent to deacetylation of APAP to p-aminophenol (PAP). Generation of arylating intermediates by both pathways of metabolic activation was quantified in cyclohexamide (HEX)-pretreated or naive rats in vivo with specifically labeled [14C]APAP. The association of each type of metabolic activation with APAP-induced nephrotoxicity was determined in Fischer 344 (F344) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats, strains that are susceptible and resistant to APAP-induced nephrotoxicity, respectively. Covalent binding of [ring-14C]APAP to renal cortex was approximately four times greater than [acetyl-14C]APAP in HEX-pretreated F344 rats. In contrast, in SD rats pretreated with HEX covalent binding of [ring-14C]APAP and [acetyl-14C]APAP in the renal cortex was not different. Furthermore, covalent binding of [ring-14C]APAP to renal cortical protein was approximately four times greater in F344 rats than in SD rats. Arylation of hepatic protein by either [ring-14C]APAP or [acetyl-14C]APAP was similar regardless of strain or pretreatment regimen. These studies demonstrated arylation of renal macromolecules in vivo by reactive intermediates resulting from PAP in F344 but not SD rats. Since F344, but not SD, rats are susceptible to APAP-induced nephrotoxicity, it appears the formation of arylating intermediates by PAP is a requisite step in APAP-induced nephrotoxicity.
Hyponatremia Associated with Worse Outcomes in Metastatic Renal Cell Cancer: A Potential Target for Intervention?

95% confidence interval [CI], 1.26–1.80; p < 0.0001), shorter TTF (HR: 1.57; 95% CI, 1.34–1.83; p < 0.0001), and worse DCR (OR: 0.51; 95% CI, 0.34–0.72; p =0 .0003). The authors are to be congratulated for their continued work in improving prognostication for mRCC patients [5,6]. However, the mechanisms underlying the development of hyponatremia in mRCC and the association of hyponatremia with poorer outcomes remain unclear. While hyponatremia may be caused by excess antidiuretic hormone (ADH) in the syndrome of inappropriate ADH, this scenario is more frequently seen in other tumor types, such as lung cancer [7]. It is possible that patients with a higher tumor load have increased ectopic ADH production, leading to hyponatremia. The increased tumor load underlying this observed phenomenon might consequently worsen survival or
Anti-Müllerian Hormone in the Domestic Dog during the Anestrus to Oestrous Transition.

The reproductive cycle of the domestic dog features a long period of relative ovarian inactivity or anestrus. The mechanism of anestrous termination/oestrous resumption is not yet fully understood, which presents a challenge to the development of oestrous induction protocols. In this study, we assess the possibility that anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) might play a role in this transition by characterizing its patterns of expression in the circulation during the transition from anestrus to oestrous and in all stages of ovarian follicular growth. Serum samples from five beagles (2.0-4.5 years) were collected three times per week at least 30 days prior to the onset of oestrous and assessed for AMH concentrations. Serum AMH concentration increased significantly during the transition from anestrus to proestrus and then declined back to the anestrous baseline beginning on day -4 before the luteinizing hormone surge, which was determined by changes in serum progesterone concentrations. Cortical sections of ovaries from females undergoing routine ovariohysterectomy (aged 8 months-5 years, n = 4) were evaluated for AMH by immunohistochemistry. Pre-antral and small antral follicles were most strongly immunoreactive for AMH. These data suggest that the increase in the number of antral follicles is associated with the rise in serum AMH as the anestrous period comes to an end. The rise in AMH might be useful in predicting the onset of oestrus and therefore assist with the optimization of oestrous induction protocols and possibly other assisted reproductive technologies.
Improved Hölder and reverse Hölder inequalities for Gaussian random vectors

Abstract We propose algebraic criteria that yield sharp Holder types of inequalities for the product of functions of Gaussian random vectors with arbitrary covariance structure. While our lower inequality appears to be new, we prove that the upper inequality gives an equivalent formulation for the geometric Brascamp–Lieb inequality for Gaussian measures. As an application, we retrieve the Gaussian hypercontractivity as well as its reverse and we present a generalization of the sharp Young and reverse Young inequalities. From the latter, we recover several known inequalities in the literature including the Prekopa–Leindler and Barthe inequalities.
Chromosome-exchange Aberrations in Human Lymphocytes

SummaryThe probability of finding a given chromosome in a dicentric is directly proportional to the length of that chromosome at interphase, but not to the length of the early replicating portion of the interphase chromosome or to its length at metaphase. The number of dicentric chromosomes and centric rings per cell is limited primarily by the number of centromeres. These results are consistent with the assumption that every chromosome break is a site for chromosome-exchange.
Expert videotape analysis and critiquing benefit laparoscopic skills training of urologists.

Introduction Teaching laparoscopic skills has become the focus of the latest generation of hands-on laparoscopic courses. Methods Thirty-four practicing urologists, ages 31 to 61 years (mean, 46.6 years) with laparoscopic experience (range, 0 to 200, mean, 27.6 cases), 32 of whom had taken prior American Urological Association (AUA) laparoscopy courses, participated in an AUA-sponsored hands-on laparoscopic skills course over a 2-day period in August 2002 or March 2003. They all took a knowledge assessment examination and performed standardized tasks (rope passing, ring placement, and laparoscopic suturing and knot tying) at the beginning and the end of the course with a videotape analysis and critique. Prior to the repeat-skills assessment, each participant was individually critiqued and instructed based on a videotape review of their initial performance. The urologists also participated in a porcine laboratory and a pelvic trainer session totaling 6 hours between skills assessments. None of the participants had performed significant laparoscopic suturing prior to the course. Results Using Wilcoxon's signed rank test, the participants improved from a mean of 119.32 seconds to 98.36 seconds with the rope pass (P = 0.0001), and with the ring placement from a mean of 9.70/minute to 12.09/minute (P = 0.0001). All participants had significantly fewer false passes (mean, 9.35 compared with 5.21) during repeat skills assessments (P = 0.0001). Participants improved from 0.54 sutures/minute to 1.22 sutures/ minute following the video critique and practice (P = 0.0001). Degree of laparoscopic experience (number of cases), age of the urologist, and precourse knowledge (examination score) had no significant bearing on results in the initial skills assessment or in the improvement of task time (Spearman correlation coefficients). Conclusion Urologists with some laparoscopic experience (mean 27.6 cases) can improve laparoscopic skills using mentored videotape analysis and experience gained from a 2-day hands-on course. Prior knowledge, degree of experience, and urologist age had no significant bearing on performance in this setting.
Validated Method for the Quantification of Free and Total Carnitine, Butyrobetaine, and Acylcarnitines in Biological Samples

A validated quantitative method for the determination of free and total carnitine, butyrobetaine, and acylcarnitines is presented. The versatile method has four components: (1) isolation using strong cation-exchange solid-phase extraction, (2) derivatization with pentafluorophenacyl trifluoromethanesulfonate, (3) sequential ion-exchange/reversed-phase (ultra) high-performance liquid chromatography [(U)HPLC] using a strong cation-exchange trap in series with a fused-core HPLC column, and (4) detection with electrospray ionization multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) mass spectrometry (MS). Standardized carnitine along with 65 synthesized, standardized acylcarnitines (including short-chain, medium-chain, long-chain, dicarboxylic, hydroxylated, and unsaturated acyl moieties) were used to construct multiple-point calibration curves, resulting in accurate and precise quantification. Separation of the 65 acylcarnitines was accomplished in a single chromatogram in as little as 14 min. Validation studies were performed showing a high level of accuracy, precision, and reproducibility. The method provides capabilities unavailable by tandem MS procedures, making it an ideal approach for confirmation of newborn screening results and for clinical and basic research projects, including treatment protocol studies, acylcarnitine biomarker studies, and metabolite studies using plasma, urine, tissue, or other sample matrixes.
The Effects of Dietary Omega-3s on Muscle Composition and Quality in Older Adults.

This review will focus on findings from the few studies performed to date in humans to examine changes in muscle protein turnover, lean or muscle mass, and physical function following fish oil-derived omega-3 fatty acid treatment. Although considerable gaps in our current knowledge exist, hypertrophic responses (e.g., improvements in the rate of muscle protein synthesis and mTOR signaling during increased amino acid availability and an increase in muscle volume) have been reported in older adults following prolonged (8 to 24 weeks) of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation. There is also accumulating evidence that increased omega-3 fatty acid levels in red blood cells are positively related to strength and measures of physical function. As a result, increased omega-3 fatty acid consumption may prove to be a promising low-cost dietary approach to attenuate or prevent aging-associated declines in muscle mass and function.
The Unsatisfactory Story of Curvature

(1952). The Unsatisfactory Story of Curvature. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 59, No. 6, pp. 375-379.
Experimental murine typhus infection in the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae).

During the feeding process, the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis , acquires Rickettsia mooseri ( R. typhi ), the etiological agent of murine typhus, just as readily as does the putative vector, Xenopsylla cheopis . The course of infection within the species of fleas is similar. Following the logarithmic growth stage of R. mooseri during the first 9 days after the infectious feeding, the rickettsial content of the infected flea remained within 105–106 plaque-forming units/flea. In frozen sections of infected fleas prepared on the 9th day, the midgut epithelial cells were packed with rickettsiae. Rickettsia mooseri was noted within the lumen of the proventriculus and of the foregut in 20% of the cat fleas tested on the 15th–17th days, suggesting that transmission by bite may sometimes occur. Growth of the rickettsiae within the flea proceeded at a much more rapid rate when fleas were maintained under ambient conditions of 24 and 30 °C than when they were kept at 18 °C. The survival rates of infected fleas corresponded with those of uninfected controls throughout the 21 days of experimentation. The pattern and intensity of the laboratory infection of R. mooseri in C. felis , the broad host range and multiple feedings of this flea, and its past history as a suspected vector all suggest that C. felis may play a significant role in transmitting murine typhus infection to man and other mammals.
Fabrication of Radially Symmetric Graded Porous Silicon using a Novel Cell Design.

A contactless method using a novel design of the experimental cell for formation of porous silicon with morphological gradient is reported. Fabricated porous silicon layers show a large distribution in porosity, pore size and depth along the radius of the samples. Symmetrical arrangements of morphology gradient were successfully formulated radially on porous films and the formation was attributed to decreasing current density radially inward on the silicon surface exposed to Triton® X-100 containing HF based etchant solution. Increasing the surfactant concentration increases the pore depth gradient but has a reverse effect on the pore size distribution. Interestingly, when dimethyl sulfoxide was used instead of Triton® X-100 in the etchant solution, no such morphological gradients were observed and a homogeneous porous film was formed.
Law of War Experts Brief, Amicus Curiae in the Case of Rumsfeld V. Padilla

Amicus curiae brief by two law of war experts in the U.S. Supreme Court case of Donald Rumsfeld v.Jose Padilla, an American citizen arrested in Chicago on suspicion of planning terrorist acts in solidarity with Al Qaeda and detained by the U.S. military. The authors submitted a legal analysis of the minimum rights guaranteed to all detained persons under the law of war.
An On-line Intelligent Alarm Processing System for Digital Substations

A flood of alarm messages in an unmanned digital substation could bring challenges for operators in the remote control center to perform the monitoring task efficiently,especially in situation with one or more abnormal/faulted devices.Under this background,an on-line intelligent alarm processing system is developed in this work based on architecture of the digital substation.First,real time alarms are classified according to IEC 61850 standard so as to provide synthesized and organized alarms for the alarm processing procedure in the next step.If some alarm messages about the operation/tripping of one or more protective relays/circuit breakers are issued,then the on-line intelligent alarm processing module will be activated.Two modules,i.e."the generation of candidate hypotheses" and "the evaluation of the hypotheses",are operated in parallel for on-line implementation of alarm processing.The developed on-line alarm processing method cannot only identify the cause of disturbance/fault,but also can identify the missing and false alarms.According to practical application requirements,an on-line intelligent alarm processing system is developed and has been applied to Xingguo digital substation,the first digital substation in Jiangxi province.Finally,an actual fault scenario is served for demonstrating the method presented as well as the software system developed.
Non-Markovian Unified Theory of Dephasing in Two-Photon and Multiphoton Processes

A general formalism was developed recently towards the microscopic calculation of dephasing phenomena in multiphoton processes.1–3 We present here the exact solution of a stochastic model for dephasing in two photon processes. Our solution accounts in a unified way for a variety of dephasing processes in the material system (collisional, phonon induced, density fluctuations in condensed phases, etc.) as well as dephasing induced by phase fluctuations of the radiation fields. The key quantity in our theory is a four point correlation function of the dipole operator F(τ1,τ2,τ3). We derive a general expression for F which is not restricted to the Markovian limit and show how the various types of dephasing correspond to special cases of F. Both time-resolved and frequency-resolved experiments are examined. We further present an approximate expression for fluorescence line shapes in a strong field and for the nonlinear susceptibility X(3), obtained using the factorization approximation.2 The latter approximation allows us to express multiphoton line shapes in terms of single photon line shape functions, for which a microscopic theory is readily available.
Feminist Theories of the Welfare State

The welfare state has an important role providing economic opportunities and protecting women from market inequalities. At the same time, it is constituted upon a gender ideology that restricts women by confining them to patriarchal relationships and keeps them at an inferior position to men. This ambivalent effect of the state raises, for feminist theorists and activists, dilemmas on the trade-off between protection and emancipation. Beyond a simplistic view of the state as either friend or foe, feminist theorists today hold a view of state as a complex system with multiple operating mechanisms and dimensions of influence. Furthermore, the balance between states, markets, families, and other communal forces (religious communities, non-profit institutions) varies across states, opening different venues for action in every context. Feminists no longer ask “Should women look to the state for protection?” Rather, they problematize different ways in which women may exercise their agency vis-a-vis state agencies and programs. Keywords: welfare; capitalism; inequality/inequalities; gender division of labor; gender analysis
The “sacred” standing for the “fallen” spirits: Yasukuni Shrine and memory of war

ABSTRACTThis essay examines the rhetoric/politics of Yasukuni Shrine as an experiential memory-scape, a material and discursive ground to frame and enact banal patriotism and militant nationalism. As a powerful mnemonic and rhetorical institution, Yasukuni Shrine (re)produces a nationalistic narrative and identity by (con)fusing natural feelings of individual grief and cultural tradition of commemoration with national heritage of banal patriotism. By (con)fusing what is “particular” and “universal,” Yasukuni Shrine establishes its rhetorical ground to justify a “banal” sense of patriotism that slips into the “ordinary yet honorable” fervor of militant nationalism, while effectively evading its moral/ethical reflexivity.
A unifying hypothesis for M1 muscarinic receptor signalling in pyramidal neurons.

Key points Phasic release of acetylcholine (ACh) in the neocortex facilitates attentional processes. Acting at a single metabotropic receptor subtype, ACh exerts two opposing actions in cortical pyramidal neurons: transient inhibition and longer-lasting excitation. Cholinergic inhibitory responses depend on calcium release from intracellular calcium stores, and run down rapidly at resting membrane potentials when calcium stores become depleted. We demonstrate that cholinergic excitation promotes calcium entry at subthreshold membrane potentials to rapidly refill calcium stores, thereby maintaining the fidelity of inhibitory cholinergic signalling. We propose a ‘unifying hypothesis’ for M1 receptor signalling whereby inhibitory and excitatory responses to ACh in pyramidal neurons represent complementary mechanisms governing rapid calcium cycling between the endoplasmic reticulum, the cytosol and the extracellular space. Abstract Gq-coupled M1-type muscarinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors (mAChRs) mediate two distinct electrophysiological responses in cortical pyramidal neurons: transient inhibition driven by calcium-dependent small conductance potassium (‘SK’) channels, and longer-lasting and voltage-dependent excitation involving non-specific cation channels. Here we examine the interaction of these two cholinergic responses with respect to their contributions to intracellular calcium dynamics, testing the ‘unifying hypothesis’ that rundown of inhibitory SK responses at resting membrane potentials (RMPs) reflects depletion of intracellular calcium stores, while mAChR-driven excitation acts to refill those stores by promoting voltage-dependent entry of extracellular calcium. We report that fidelity of cholinergic SK responses requires the continued presence of extracellular calcium. Inhibitory responses that diminished after repetitive ACh application at RMPs were immediately rescued by pairing mAChR stimulation with subthreshold depolarization (∼10 mV from RMPs) initiated with variable delay (up to 500 ms) after ACh application, but not by subthreshold depolarization preceding mAChR stimulation. Further, rescued SK responses were time-locked to ACh application, rather than to the timing of subsequent depolarizing steps, suggesting that cholinergic signal transduction itself is not voltage-sensitive, but that depolarization facilitates rapid cycling of extracellular calcium through the endoplasmic reticulum to activate SK channels. Consistent with this prediction, rescue of SK responses by subthreshold depolarization required the presence of extracellular calcium. Our results demonstrate that, in addition to gating calcium release from intracellular stores, mAChR activation facilitates voltage-dependent refilling of calcium stores, thereby maintaining the ongoing fidelity of SK-mediated inhibition in response to phasic release of ACh.
THE STRUCTURE OF THE COLLODION MEMBRANE AND ITS ELECTRICAL BEHAVIOR : XI. THE PREPARATION AND PROPERTIES OF "MEGAPERMSELECTIVE" COLLODION MEMBRANES COMBINING EXTREME IONIC SELECTIVITY WITH HIGH PERMEABILITY

The technique of Abrams and Sollner for the preparation of electropositive dried protamine collodion membranes has been improved. Porous collodion membranes cast on the outside of rotating tubes are treated for 48 hours with a solution of 2 per cent protamine sulfate buffered at pH 11. After being washed thoroughly the membranes are dried in air for several hours, soaked in water for several hours, and removed from the tubes. Further drying in air but without support shrinks the membranes slightly. The resulting membranes are designated "permselective" or "megapermselective" protamine collodion membranes. These membranes regularly give characteristic concentration potentials of –52 to –53 mv. and (in 0.1 M KCl) resistance of 0.5 to 15 ohms per membrane of 50 cm.2 area. This resistance is several orders of magnitude smaller than that of the conventional dyestuff- and alkaloid-impregnated positive membranes. The megapermselective protamine collodion membranes can be kept either dry or in water for prolonged periods without detectable deterioration. They are quite smooth, have a regular shape, and stand considerable handling without breakage. The megapermselective protamine collodion membranes are the electropositive analogues of the electronegative megapermselective collodion membranes described by Carr and Sollner.
Ground Penetrating Radar for Measuring Thickness of an Unbound Layer of a Pavement

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) is a widely used technology in the United States of America for measuring pavement layer thickness. GPR consists of an antenna that produces short duration electromagnetic pulses that penetrate pavement materials. The radar pulses are reflected at interfaces where the dielectric constants of material layers change. The reflected amplitude depends on the change in dielectric constant, while the arrival time of a reflected wave at a detector also depends on the depth at which the discontinuity is encountered. Layer material’s dielectric property is used for pulse velocity and thickness calculation. Most of the GPR software performs the pulse velocity calculation using surface reflection method, where dielectric constant is assumed to be 4.0 for unbound materials, which may not be field representative. Simply, field moisture content may vary at different months over a year, which may lead to variations in the dielectric constant of an unbound layer. This study examines whether the default dielectric value, which is a common practice in USA, should be used for determining thickness of an unbound layer. In this study, using a percometer, the dielectric constant of an unbound layer material collected from an instrumented pavement section at the Interstate I-40, near Rio Puerco, New Mexico (milepost 141) was measured. GPR tests were conducted at the same instrumented section using 400 MHz and 900 MHz antennas. From analysis, it is observed that laboratory measured dielectric constant resulted in an accurate determination of layer thickness. Additional GPR and percometer tests were conducted on two other pavements: US 54 and US 285. Results confirmed that the accuracy level of the unbound layer thickness prediction drops significantly if the default dielectric constant value of 4.0 is used, as opposed to actual values. It is therefore recommended to use actual/measured dielectric constant values to determine unbound layer thickness using GPR technology.
Pica: A Review of Recent Assessment and Treatment Procedures.

The phenomenon of pica has been described within the literature in many ivays, from a socially acceptable practice to a life threatening behavior. Recent prevalence rates of pica indicate relatively low occurrence of this phenomenon that makes it difficult to easily identify trends in practices related to pica. Recent literature on pica (1990 to 2002) indicate a trend toward use of more reinforcement based procedures and less use of more intrusive procedures such as overcorrection, time-out and restraint as was reported in the literature prior to 1990. Most recent studies of pica appear to have an underlying basis in behavior analysis procedures for both assessment and intervention. It appears that recent literature indicates a trend toward frequent use of functional assessment procedures to identify the specific reinforcement involved with pica. This paper reviews some of the recent assessment procedures and treatments of pica based on different etiological models. A fundamental component of life involves the Phenomenon ingestion of foreign substances into the body to be absorbed and used as a source of energy. Pica has generally been defined as repeatedly Most babies are born with some ability to dis- eating objects with no nutritive value. The tinguish between tastes and recognize hunger, term pica has its origins in the Latin classifi and, while these may be necessary skills, they cation of the maSPie> a bird that is known to may not be sufficient skills to differentiate scavenge both ed.ble and non-edible items
BDNF/TrkB signaling mediates the anorectic action of estradiol in the nucleus tractus solitarius.

// Ling Shen 1 , David Q.H. Wang 3 , Meifeng Xu 1 , Stephen C. Woods 2 and Min Liu 1 1 Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA 2 Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neuroscience, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, Cincinnati, OH, USA 3 Department of Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Marion Bessin Liver Research Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY, USA Correspondence to: Min Liu, email: lium@uc.edu Keywords: BDNF, TrkB receptor, estrogen, food intake, obesity Received: July 18, 2017 Accepted: August 31, 2017 Published: September 19, 2017 ABSTRACT Although compelling evidence indicates that estradiol (E2) acts in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) to reduce food intake, the underlying mechanisms are largely unknown. We now report that estrogen’s anorectic action occurs through enhancing the strength of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and tropomyosin receptor kinase (TrkB) signaling in the NTS. Intra-4th-ventricular administration of a low dose of BDNF reduced food intake to a greater extent in ovariectomized (OVX) rats cyclically treated with E2 than in vehicle-treated OVX rats, implying that cyclic E2 replacement increases BDNF’s satiating potency. OVX significantly decreased bdnf gene expression in the NTS, and this was reversed by cyclic replacement of E2. Treatment of cultured primary neuronal cells from embryonic rat brainstem with E2 or PPT (ERα agonist), but not with DPN (ERβ agonist), significantly increased bdnf mRNA levels, indicating that ERα is the primary receptor mediating E2’s stimulatory effect on bdnf gene expression. Administration of the selective TrkB antagonist, ANA-12, directly into the NTS significantly attenuated E2-induced reductions of food intake and body weight gain in OVX rats, indicating that TrkB receptor activation is necessary for E2's anorectic effect. Finally, relative to controls, OVX mice with bdnf gene knockdown specifically in the NTS had a blunted feeding response to E2. These data collectively imply that BDNF/TrkB receptor signaling in the NTS is a downstream mediator of E2 in the control of energy intake.
Thermal delay of drop coalescence

We present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical study of drop coalescence in the presence of an initial temperature difference between a drop and a bath of the same liquid. We characterize experimentally the dependence of the residence time before coalescence on for silicone oils with different viscosities. Delayed coalescence arises above a critical temperature difference that depends on the fluid viscosity: for , the delay time increases as for all liquids examined. This observed dependence is rationalized theoretically through consideration of the thermocapillary flows generated within the drop, the bath and the intervening air layer.
Using satellite imagery to identify and analyze tumuli on Earth and Mars

Abstract Tumuli are small, dome-like features that form when magmatic pressures build within a subsurface lava pathway, causing the overlying crust to bulge upwards. As the appearance of these features has been linked to lava flow structure (e.g., underlying lava flow tubes) and conditions, there is interest in identifying such features in satellite images so they can be used to expand our understanding of lava flows within regions difficult to access (such as on other planets). Here, we define a methodology for identifying (and measuring) tumuli within satellite imagery, and validate it by comparing our results with fieldwork results of terrestrial tumuli reported in the literature and with independent measurements we made within Amboy Field, CA. In addition, we present aggregated results from the application of our methodology to satellite images of six terrestrial fields and seven martian fields (with >2100 tumuli identified, per planet). Comparisons of tumuli morphometrics on Earth and Mars yield similarities in size and overall shape, which were surprising given the many differences in the environmental and planetary conditions within which these features have formed. Given our measurements, we identify constraints for tumulus formation models and drivers that would yield similar shapes and sizes on two different planets. Furthermore, we test a published hypothesis regarding the number of tumuli that form per a square kilometer, and find it unlikely that a diagnostic “tumuli density” value exists.
Band Structure and Transport Properties

According to the Bloch theorem a one-electron wave function in a crystal is of the form $$ {\psi _k}(r) = {e^{ik}}^{.r}{u_k}(r)$$ (2-1-1) where u k (r) is a function with the same spatial periodicity as the crystal lattice. The wave functions Ψ k are found from the solution of the Schrodinger equation: $$- \frac{{{\hbar ^2}}} {{2m}}{\nabla ^2}{\psi _k} + V(r){\psi _k} = E{\psi _k}$$ (2-1-2) where V(r) is the crystal potential, k is the wave vector, and E is the electron energy.
The ultrastructure of negatively stained platelets. Some physiologic implications.

Negative staining of whole mounts of platelets preserves several structures not previously described. External to the plasma membrane there is a coat which contains electron dense bodies of varying shape. External to the coat is a region which stains intensely with phosphotungstate. Platelet granules coexist with tubules in the granulomere as well as with a large number of other membraneous structures. A speculative interpretation of the function served by these structures in platelet physiology is proposed. The PTA halo denotes a cloud of adsorbed plasma proteins, including fibrinogen maintained in the platelet environment by the coat. During viscous metamorphosis, coagulation is catalyzed by discharge of the contents of the granules and shedding of the coat.
Impaired spatial memory codes in a mouse model of Rett syndrome.

The Mecp2+/- mouse model recapitulates many phenotypes of patients with Rett syndrome (RTT), including learning and memory deficits. It is unknown, however, how the disease state alters memory circuit functions in vivo in RTT mice. Here we recorded from hippocampal place cells, which are thought to encode spatial memories, in freely moving RTT mice and littermate controls. We found that place cells in RTT mice are impaired in their experience-dependent increase of spatial information. This impairment is accompanied by an enhanced baseline firing synchrony of place cells within ripple oscillations during rest, which consequently occludes the increase in synchrony after a novel experience. Behaviorally, contextual memory is normal at short but not long time scale in RTT mice. Our results suggest that hypersynchrony interferes with memory consolidation and leads to impaired spatial memory codes in RTT mice, providing a possible circuit mechanism for memory deficits in Rett Syndrome.
Measuring the Effects of an Observation Training Program for First-Year Medical Students

Accurate observation and the ability to describe clinical findings are critical aspects of practicing medicine. Medical schools often do not formally teach these skills, and there is no precise way to measure observational skills. The purpose of this study was to create a more useful scoring rubric for narrative descriptions in order to evaluate a training program designed to enhance observation skills in first-year medical students. Students participated in a multi-faceted clinical observation training program. Training sessions were led by an art educator and a physician, and two podcasts were assigned. Participants and a control group took pre-/post-tests that required writing narrative descriptions of clinical images. Blinded reviewers scored responses using a holistic rubric modified from an earlier study. The modified scoring rubric resulted in consistent scoring of responses among reviewers. The experimental group had a statistically significant increase between pre-test and post-test scores, as compared to the control group. Student feedback regarding the program was positive. The modified scoring rubric enabled more accurate and consistent scoring of narrative responses pre- and post- intervention. Participation in this multi-faceted observation training program led to more detailed descriptions of clinical images, as measured by the scoring rubric.
Engelhardt on the Common Morality in Bioethics

Contemporary bioethics is, at least in part, the product of biomedical and sociopolitical changes in the middle to latter part of the 20th century. These changes prompted reflection on deep moral questions at a time when traditional sources of moral guidance no longer were widely respected and, in some cases, were being rejected. In light of this, scholars, policy makers, and clinicians sought to identify a common morality that could be used among persons with different moral commitments to resolve disputes and guide clinical practice and health policy. The concept of the common morality remains important in bioethics. This essay considers the common morality in light of the work of H. Tristram Engelhardt, Jr.
Differential durability of immune responses to measles and mumps following MMR vaccination.

Abstract The development and wide-spread use of mumps vaccine resulted in a dramatic and sustained decrease in the incidence of mumps disease; however, since 2000, an increase in the size and number of mumps outbreaks in the United States and other countries has sparked renewed interest in the durability of mumps-specific immunity elicited by mumps vaccination. The most likely explanation for mumps cases in previously immunized persons may be secondary vaccine failure, or waning immunity. In the current study, we examined changes in markers of measles and mumps immunity at two timepoints, approximately 7 and 17 years after two-dose MMR-II® vaccination, in a cohort of 98 healthy adults. Our results indicate that mumps IgG titers exhibited a large and significant decline during this time period, while mumps neutralizing Ab titers were relatively stable. There was a similar discrepancy with measles-specific immune responses. For both pathogens, neutralizing antibody titers were fairly low and, given the length of time since vaccination, may have already declined. These data suggest that specific immune outcomes may wane at different rates and highlight our currently incomplete understanding of protective immune responses to mumps and measles.
Transport and Industry Run on Electricity and Hydrogen

We have observed in Chapter 11 that it would save about 25% of our energy load if all the homes in an affluent, industrial country were run on solar energy, instead of fossil fuels. Solar-based hot water alone would save 6% of the energy load, in parts of the country where it could be used. However, the major part of our energy needs are outside the home. In fact, over half of our energy goes into the activities of transportation and industry.
Timing of surgery and adjuvant radiation therapy for sinonasal malignancies: Effect of surgical approach

BACKGROUND Timely postoperative radiation therapy (RT) within 50 days of surgery for head and neck cancers provides a survival advantage. METHODS Using the National Cancer Database, we performed a propensity score-matched analysis comparing patients undergoing open or endoscopic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses from 2010 to 2015. RESULTS Among 168 pairs, patients undergoing endoscopic surgery had shorter time to surgery (24.2 vs 36.7 days, P < .001) and shorter postoperative time to RT (PTTR, 51.2 vs 58.4 days, P = .02). On multivariable linear regression, endoscopic surgery predicted shorter PTTR (β = -7.6, P = .01). Using the Kaplan-Meier method, patients in the longest PTTR quartile had decreased overall survival (OS; Q1 vs Q4, 3-year OS 76.5% vs 53.3%, P = .007), a durable finding when adjusted for covariates (Q1 vs Q4, HR 0.50, P = .008). CONCLUSIONS Patients undergoing endoscopic surgery for sinonasal SCC experience shorter PTTR. Shorter PTTR is associated with extended OS.
The Relationship Between Sleep and Interactive Technology Usage Among Adolescents: An Occupational Perspective

Date Presented 04/05/19 This study examined the relationship between sleep, social media (SM) usage, and social media disorder (SMD) among adolescents. Results show that excessive SM usage decreases sleep quantity, increases sleep onset latency, and increases the risk for a higher SMD score. Evidence from this study can inform OT practitioners of the need for client-centered sleep education programs to improve sleep outcomes and reduce the risk for adverse mental-health outcomes in this population. Primary Author and Speaker: Megan Chang Additional Authors and Speakers: Lisa Benjamin, Cathlin Burkey Contributing Authors: Torrey Blake, Arlon Chau
Revisiting the 'sterilising cure' terminology: a call for more patient-centred perspectives on HIV cure-related research.

Abstract The literature on HIV therapeutics research is rife with terminology associating ‘sterilisation’ with HIV cure. We find connotations of the word ‘sterilising’ problematic for the HIV cure research field. In this viewpoint, we review associations of sterilising with concepts of disinfection or cleansing, as well as coerced sterilisation. We discuss emerging findings from socio-behavioural research that show aversion from people living with HIV towards the ‘sterilising cure’ nomenclature. We call for more collaborations with people with HIV as partners to help define what would be a more acceptable terminology for describing an HIV cure.
Insurance Denials of Care Amount to Unlicensed Medical Practice.

DISCLOSURES: No funding supported the writing of this article. The author has nothing to disclose.
Coarse, Medium or Fine? A Quantum Mechanics Approach to Single Species Population Dynamics

Abstract Standard heuristic mathematical models of population dynamics are often constructed using ordinary differential equations (ODEs). These deterministic models yield pre-dictable results which allow researchers to make informed recommendations on public policy. A common immigration, natural death, and fission ODE model is derived from a quantum mechanics view. This macroscopic ODE predicts that there is only one stable equilibrium point . We therefore presume that as t → ∞, the expected value should be . The quantum framework presented here yields the same standard ODE model, however with very unexpected quantum results, namely . The obvious questions are: why isn’t , why are the probabilities ≈ 0.37, and where is the missing probability of 0.26? The answer lies in quantum tunneling of probabilities. The goal of this paper is to study these tunneling effects that give specific predictions of the uncertainty in the population at the macroscopic level. These quantum effects open the possibility of searching for “black–swan” events. In other words, using the more sophisticated quantum approach, we may be able to make quantitative statements about rare events that have significant ramifications to the dynamical system.
Micronutrient deficiency in athletes and inefficiency of supplementation: Is low energy availability a culprit?

Abstract It is the joint position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, Dietitians of Canada, and the American College of Sports Medicine that micronutrient supplements are unnecessary for athletes who consume a diet providing high energy availability (EA) from a variety of nutrient-dense foods, but that vitamin and mineral supplements may be necessary in athletes who consume suboptimal amounts of micronutrients. However, inadequate EA, or macronutrient intake needed for energy expenditure associated with exercise, is commonly reported, especially in the female population and may result in micronutrient deficiencies. Moreover, current literature, although limited, reports that athletes’ knowledge is lacking regarding adequate macro- and micronutrient intake and needed supplementation. Correction of deficiencies via supplementation may be needed to restore physiologic processes but may not lead to improved performance. Athletes and coaches should be aware of these issues and work together to improve nutrition knowledge and determine if the athlete is at risk for low EA or nutritional deficiencies.