cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Second hip fracture in older men and women : The framingham study

Background Older persons with hip fractures remain at increased risk of subsequent hip fractures. However, little is known about the frequency and characteristics of persons who sustain a second hip fracture. Methods Participants included 481 members of the Framingham Heart Study who sustained an initial hip fracture between April 1952 and December 31, 2003. Participants were followed up until a second hip fracture, death, dropout, or study completion. Age, sex, falls, stroke, dementia, residence, recent weight change, body mass index, and functional status were considered potential predictors of a second hip fracture. Results During a median of 4.2 years of follow-up, 71 subjects (14.8%) experienced a second hip fracture. Following a first hip fracture, 2.5% of subjects experienced a second hip fracture within 1 year, and 8.2% of subjects (9.7% of women) experienced a second hip fracture within 5 years. One-year mortality following an initial hip fracture was 15.9% compared with 1-year mortality following a second hip fracture of 24.1%. The risk of a second hip fracture increased with age (hazard ratio [HR] per 5-year increase in age, 1.5; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1-1.8) and with high functional status (HR compared with moderate functional status, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.1-6.9). There was a statistically nonsignificant association between low functional status and the risk of second hip fracture (HR compared with moderate functional status, 3.7; 95% CI, 0.9-14.8). Conclusions Among survivors of an initial hip fracture, the incidence of a second hip fracture is substantial. Older age and functional status may be important predictors of a second hip fracture. There seems to be adequate time between the first and second hip fractures for interventions that may reduce second hip fractures.
Studies of the water-gas-shift reaction on ceria-supported Pt, Pd, and Rh: Implications for oxygen-storage properties

Abstract Steady-state, water-gas-shift kinetics were measured on model, ceria-supported, Pd, Pt, and Rh catalysts and compared to rates obtained on alumina-supported catalysts. When ceria was calcined at low temperatures prior to addition of the precious metal, the specific rates were found to be identical for each of the metals, with an activation energy of 11 ± 1 kcal/mol and reaction orders of zero and one for CO and H 2 O respectively. For comparison, specific rates on Rh/alumina were at least two orders of magnitude lower. However, ceria structure strongly affected the results. When ceria was calcined to high temperatures to increase crystallite size, prior to the addition of Pd, specific rates were a factor of 50 lower at 515 K and the activation energy was found to be much higher, 21 ± 1 kcal/mol. By comparison with results from an earlier study of CO oxidation [17], we propose that water-gas shift on ceria-supported metals occurs primarily through a bifunctional mechanism in which CO adsorbed on the precious metal is oxidized by ceria, which in turn is oxidized by water. Deactivation of the catalyst following growth in the ceria crystallite size is due to the decreased reducibility of large ceria crystallites. The implications of these results for automotive, emission-control catalysts is discussed.
The effect of helium on the stress-rupture behavior of type 316 stainless steel

Flat tensile samples of type 316 stainless steels with helium contents of 1.5 × 10−6 and 4.0 × 10−5 atom fraction, were stress-rupture tested in vacuum at 700°C. The presence of helium caused large reductions in rupture life and in elongation at failure. The amount of strain produced within the grains of helium-containing samples was a small fraction of the measured total elongation. The difference in these values is accounted for by extensive intergranular cracking.
Analysis of the interruptions in bacteriophage T5 DNA

Abstract The DNA isolated from bacteriophage T5 is known to contain single-strand interruptions at specific loci (Abelson & Thomas, 1966). The interruptions in T5+ and T5st(0) can be repaired by incubation with DNA ligase, demonstrating that these DNA's contain single phosphodiester bond interruptions displaying 5′-phosphoryl and 3′-hydroxyl end-groups. Repair is not enhanced by incubation with DNA polymerase. End-group labeling with the polynucleotide kinase reaction, as well as ligase-AMP breakdown, confirm these conclusions. Furthermore, these techniques reveal that T5st(0) contains from three to four singlestrand breaks per duplex molecule, in good agreement with earlier results obtained by sedimentation analysis. The external as well as the internal 5′-termini bear phosphoryl groups; the majority of the 5′-end-groups are deoxyguanidylates. Analysis of the repaired DNA suggests that one of the two strands of both T5+ and T5st(0) DNA is continuous, whereas the other contains all the single-strand breaks. Following repair, the two strands of the repaired T5st(0) DNA molecule can be separated in CsCl in the presence of poly U,G.
Seismological studies of the sun and other stars

Abstract Observations of a large number of different oscillation frequencies in the Sun provide an opportunity for detailed testing of the theory of stellar structure and evolution. At present highly significant discrepancies remain between observed and computed frequencies, and so our models of the solar interior have to be modified. With further improvements in the observations it might become possible to make a direct empirical determination of the density structure throughout the Sun. Similar oscillations have so far not been detected in other stars, but attempts to do so are under way. Theoretical estimates indicate that amplitudes somewhat greater than for the Sun might be expected for early F stars on the main sequence, and that the amplitude increases rapidly with decreasing gravity. Observation of such oscillations would enable investigations of the structure of these stars, and would in addition provide valuable information about the excitation mechanism of the oscillations.
Alterations in peripheral and central components of the auditory brainstem response: a neural assay of tinnitus.

Chronic tinnitus, or “ringing of the ears”, affects upwards of 15% of the adult population. Identifying a cost-effective and objective measure of tinnitus is needed due to legal concerns and disability issues, as well as for facilitating the effort to assess neural biomarkers. We developed a modified gap-in-noise (GIN) paradigm to assess tinnitus in mice using the auditory brainstem response (ABR). We then compared the commonly used acoustic startle reflex gap-prepulse inhibition (gap-PPI) and the ABR GIN paradigm in young adult CBA/CaJ mice before and after administrating sodium salicylate (SS), which is known to reliably induce a 16 kHz tinnitus percept in rodents. Post-SS, gap-PPI was significantly reduced at 12 and 16 kHz, consistent with previous studies demonstrating a tinnitus-induced gap-PPI reduction in this frequency range. ABR audiograms indicated thresholds were significantly elevated post-SS, also consistent with previous studies. There was a significant increase in the peak 2 (P2) to peak 1 (P1) and peak 4 (P4) to P1 amplitude ratios in the mid-frequency range, along with decreased latency of P4 at higher intensities. For the ABR GIN, peak amplitudes of the response to the second noise burst were calculated as a percentage of the first noise burst response amplitudes to quantify neural gap processing. A significant decrease in this ratio (i.e. recovery) was seen only at 16 kHz for P1, indicating the presence of tinnitus near this frequency. Thus, this study demonstrates that GIN ABRs can be used as an efficient, non-invasive, and objective method of identifying the approximate pitch and presence of tinnitus in a mouse model. This technique has the potential for application in human subjects and also indicates significant, albeit different, deficits in temporal processing in peripheral and brainstem circuits following drug induced tinnitus.
Usefulness of combined propranolol and verapamil for evaluation of surgical ablation of accessory atrioventricular connections in patients without structural heart disease

Successful surgical ablation of atrioventricular (AV) accessory connections may be confirmed during postoperative electrophysiologic testing by the absence of accessory connection conduction in both the anterograde and retrograde directions. Whereas the former may be readily apparent by examination of the surface electrocardiogram during sinus rhythm or atrial pacing, assessment of the latter may be complicated by the frequent presence of enhanced retrograde AV nodal conduction in the postoperative period. Consequently, availability of interventions that selectively affect AV nodal conduction and refractoriness without concomitant effects on accessory connections may be helpful for assessing the success of the surgical procedure. In this study the effects of combined propranolol and verapamil administration on electrophysiologic properties of the AV node and the accessory AV connection were assessed both pre- and postoperatively in 17 patients (12 men and 5 women, mean age 33 years) undergoing surgical ablation of accessory connections. Preoperatively, electrophysiologic characteristics of all but 1 of the accessory AV connections were unaffected by propranolol and verapamil administration. Postoperatively, on the other hand, propranolol and verapamil significantly prolonged both the retrograde AV node effective refractory period (baseline: 272 +/- 34 ms vs after drugs: 384 +/- 70 ms [p less than 0.0001]) and the shortest cycle length maintaining 1:1 ventriculoatrial conduction (baseline: 357 +/- 99 ms vs after drugs: 485 +/- 64 ms [p less than 0.0001]). Late postoperative electrophysiologic evaluation (7 +/- 3 weeks) revealed no evidence of residual accessory AV connection conduction, and all patients remain asymptomatic at 21 +/- 10 months follow-up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Obesity, the Endocannabinoid System, and Bias Arising from Pharmaceutical Sponsorship

Background Previous research has shown that academic physicians conflicted by funding from the pharmaceutical industry have corrupted evidence based medicine and helped enlarge the market for drugs. Physicians made pharmaceutical-friendly statements, engaged in disease mongering, and signed biased review articles ghost-authored by corporate employees. This paper tested the hypothesis that bias affects review articles regarding rimonabant, an anti-obesity drug that blocks the central cannabinoid receptor. Methods/Principal Findings A MEDLINE search was performed for rimonabant review articles, limited to articles authored by USA physicians who served as consultants for the company that manufactures rimonabant. Extracted articles were examined for industry-friendly bias, identified by three methods: analysis with a validated instrument for monitoring bias in continuing medical education (CME); analysis for bias defined as statements that ran contrary to external evidence; and a tally of misrepresentations about the endocannabinoid system. Eight review articles were identified, but only three disclosed authors' financial conflicts of interest, despite easily accessible information to the contrary. The Takhar CME bias instrument demonstrated statistically significant bias in all the review articles. Biased statements that were nearly identical reappeared in the articles, including disease mongering, exaggerating rimonabant's efficacy and safety, lack of criticisms regarding rimonabant clinical trials, and speculations about surrogate markers stated as facts. Distinctive and identical misrepresentations regarding the endocannabinoid system also reappeared in articles by different authors. Conclusions The findings are characteristic of bias that arises from financial conflicts of interest, and suggestive of ghostwriting by a common author. Resolutions for this scenario are proposed.
Further evidence of cyclic amp-mediated hypertrophy as a prerequisite of drug-specific enzyme induction

Abstract We have previously reported that the administration of phenobarbital, 3-methylcholanthrene or the polychlorinated biphenyl, Aroclor-1254, to rats resulted in an early and sequential increase in the activities of hepatic cAMP-dependent protein kinase(s), omithine decarboxylase and RNA polymerase I. It was suggested that this sequence of events was involved in both liver hypertrophy and the induction of microsomal mixed-function oxygenases. To further test this hypothesis, we investigated if mice unable to induce aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in response to 3-methylcholanthrene exhibited increases in these cAMP-mediated events. A single dose of 3-methylcholanthrene (150 mg/kg, i.p.) was administered to male C57B1/6J (aryl hydrocarbon responsive) and DBA/2J (aryl hydrocarbon nonresponsive) mice. In the C57B1/6J mice, the hepatic cAMP concentration increased to 165 per cent of control within 1 hr. Maximal increases in the activities of liver cAMP-dependent protein kinase(s) (160 per cent), ornithine decarboxylase (210 per cent) and RNA polymerase I (120 per cent) occurred at 2, 4 and 6 hr, respectively, in the responsive mice. There were no detectable increases in any of these parameters in the nonresponsive (DBA/2J) mice. Multiple doses of 3-methylcholanthrene (20 mg/kg, i.p., daily × 3) resulted in increases in hepatic aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase (460 per cent) and liver weight/body weight ratios (118 per cent) in the responsive (C57B1/6J) mice killed at 5 days. There was no increase in either of these parameters in the nonresponsive (DBA/2J) mice. Both the responsive and nonresponsive mice responded similarly to a single parental dose of phenobarbital (100 mg/kg) with maximal increases in the activities of cAMP-dependent protein kinase(s) (150 per cent), ornithine decarboxylase (160 per cent) and RNA polymerase I (135 per cent) at 2, 4 and 8 hr respectively. Multiple doses of phenobarbital (100 mg/kg, i.p., daily × 3) resulted in increased ethylmorphine N -demethylase activity (160 per cent) and liver weight/body weight ratios (130 per cent) in both strains of mice at 5 days. These data provide further evidence of coupled cAMP-mediated hypertrophy and induction of mixed-function oxygenases in liver.
Involvement of Sp1 and SREBP-1a in transcriptional activation of the LDL receptor gene by insulin and LH in cultured porcine granulosa-luteal cells.

Luteinizing hormone (LH) and insulin stimulate transcriptional activity of the porcine low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor (LDLR) promoter supra-additively in primary cultures of granulosa-lutea...
Indoor air quality in high-performing building case studies: Got data?

This article is a review of how indoor air quality has been addressed in case studies of high-performing buildings, specifically the case studies described in ASHRAE's High Performing Buildings magazine. Nearly all of the reported case studies address energy performance, both in the design and operation of the building. In contrast, while most case studies mention indoor air quality design considerations, they generally do not address indoor air quality in a comprehensive manner, nor do they present the impacts of indoor air quality-related and other design considerations on indoor concentrations or on the health, comfort, and productivity of building occupants. Based upon this analysis, as well as existing standards and guidelines, a discussion is provided about what indoor air quality information should be collected during the early stages of a building's operation to demonstrate its indoor air quality performance. This information includes (a) documentation of key indoor air quality-related design feat...
Defined by a Hollow: Essays on Utopia, Science Fiction and Political Epistemology, Darko Suvin, Oxford: Peter Lang, 2010

AbstractThis review considers Darko Suvin’s recent career anthology Defined by a Hollow with respect to debates about the relevance of Marxism and utopian critique in the context of a global neoliberal hegemony that (twenty years after Fukuyama) still imagines itself as the ‘end of history’. Suvin’s work suggests that the relationship between Marxism and aesthetics in such times is not simply a quirk of the academy, but is in fact a politically necessary conjoining of materialist praxis and quasi-religious inspiration.
Effect of the Arrangement of Tandem Repeating Units of Class A Amphipathic α-Helixes on Lipid Interaction (∗)

Exchangeable apolipoproteins possess tandem repeating units of class A amphipathic helical segments and many of them are linked together by proline residues. To understand the optimal arrangement of the amphipathic helixes for lipid association, we have studied the interactions of three model class A amphipathic helical peptides with lipids. The three peptides are: 37pA, a dimer of 18A (DWLKAFYDKVAEKLKEAF) linked together by a Pro (18A-Pro-18A); 37aA, a dimer of 18A linked together by an Ala (18A-Ala-18A); and 36A, a dimer of 18A without any linker residue (18A-18A). Circular dichroism (CD) spectra showed that the peptides are predominantly alpha-helical in aqueous and lipid environments. Temperature dependent CD studies indicated that in buffer helix stability decreases in the order 36A > 37aA > 37pA; however, in the presence of dimyristoyl phosphatidylcholine (DMPC), the above order is reversed. The retention times of the peptides on a C18 reversed-phase high performance liquid chromatography column decreased in the order 36A > 37aA > 37pA, consistent with the lengths of the nonpolar faces of the alpha-helixes being in the same order; the retention time of the parent 18A was shorter than 37pA. While 37pA adsorbed to egg phosphatidylcholine monolayers most strongly, the degree and rate of association of 36A were significantly lower. Differential scanning calorimetry indicated that, while 37pA was most effective in reducing the enthalpy of the gel to liquid-crystalline phase transition of DMPC multilamellar vesicles, 36A was least effective; 36A was even less effective than 18A. Fluorescence quenching experiments with iodide and acrylamide indicated that, in the presence of DMPC, Trp residues in 36A are most exposed to the quenchers while in 37pA they are least exposed. In the presence of DMPC, shielding of Trp in 18A from the quenchers was more than that observed with Trp residues in 36A. The results of this study suggest that the arrangement of tandem repeating amphipathic helical units which results in the formation of a class A amphipathic helix with a nonpolar face longer than five or six turns reduces the ability of the helix to associate with phospholipid.
Retrieval Testing by the Comparison of Statistically Independent Retrieval Methods.

A procedure for retrieval testing is developed which is based on the comparison of statistically independent methods of retrieval applied to the same database. This is, in essence, a form of relative retrieval testing in which due to the independence assumption, the conclusions drawn may be taken as absolute. The methodology is illustrated on a large database of MEDLINE records where documents are themselves used as queries. Test results in this setting indicate that, amoung the several methods tested, a form of cosine coefficient retrieval will give the best performance for the purpose of clustering documents or producting nearest neighbors of documents
The in vitro uptake of tritiated nucleic acid precursors by Babesia spp. of cattle and mice.

Abstract Irvin A. D. , Young E. R. and Purnell R. E. 1978. The in vitro uptake of tritiated nucleic acid precursors by Babesia spp. of cattle and mice. International Journal for Parasitology8: 19–24. Blood and mice infected with Babesia microti and B. rodhaini, and from cattle infected with B. divergens and B. major, was incubated in Eagles medium for 24 h in the presence of tritiated purines and pyrimidines. Uptake of these compounds was assessed by liquid scintillation counting and by autoradiography. Hypoxanthine, adenosine and adenine were readily incorporated by all four species of parasites. Thymine, thymidine and uridine were generally not incorporated. Uptake of [3H]hypoxanthine by B. microti occurred within minutes of exposure to the precursor. The amount of [3H]hypoxanthine incorporated by B. rodhaini-infected erythrocytes was proportional to the percentage of parasitized cells The results suggest that structural analogues of hypoxanthine and other purines may be incorporated and act against intra-erythrocytic Babesia.
delta 9-THC as a discriminative stimulus in rats and pigeons: generalization to THC metabolites and SP-111.

In a drug discrimination paradigm pigeons and rats were trained with an operant procedure to discriminate between the presence and absence of the effects of Δ9-THC (1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg, injected IM 90 min and I.P. 30 min before the start of the session). Once trained, various THC metabolites as well as a water-soluble derivative of THC (SP-111), were substituted for Δ9-THC to test for generalization to the training drug. Generalization to Δ9-THC occurred with the 11-hydroxy metabolites and the potency order was 11-OH-Δ9-THC >11-OH-Δ8-THC ⩾Δ9-THC. Among the other metabolites tested (8α-OH-Δ9-THC, 8α, 11-di-OH-Δ9-THC, 8β-OH-Δ9-THC, 8β, 11-di-OH-Δ9-THC), it was only 11-di-OH-Δ9-THC that completely substituted for Δ9-THC in pigeons, albeit at very high dose levels (rats were not tested with these metabolites). SP-111 generalized to Δ9-THC in both species. However, the onset of action of SP-111 was slower than that for Δ9-THC, especially in pigeons. These studies show the importance of obtaining complete dose-effect determinations over time when assessing structure-activity relationships with drug-discrimination procedures.
Pathways between striate cortex and subcortical regions in Macaca mulatta and Saimiri sciureus: Evidence for a reciprocal pulvinar connection

The efferent and afferent connections of striate cortex have been compared in Macaca mulatta and Saimiri sciureus monkeys after injecting striate cortex with a mixture of horseradish peroxidase and tritiated amino acids. Three reciprocal pathways were found in Macaca; they were between striate cortex and (i) all layers of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus; (ii) the inferior subdivision of pulvinar; and (iii) the lateral subdivision of pulvinar. In Saimiri the only recprocal pathway involved the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus; the pulvinar received a heavy striate input but too few peroxidase-labeled neurons were found in pulvinar to demonstrate convincingly a projection to striate cortex. In both species the reticular and posterior nucleus of the thalamus and the superior colliculus receive striate input; in Saimiri the ventral lateral geniculate also receives a striate projection. In both species, neurons in the basal forebrain project to striate cortex. Striate cortex synaptic terminals in both dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus and pulvinar are topographically organized. Inferior and lateral subdivisions of pulvinar each contain a representation of central retina, and the fiber bundles separating the two subdivisions apparently mark the vertical meridian. The results of this experiment suggest that both retino-geniculate and retino-superior colliculus-pulvinar types of visual information may converge within the striate cortex.
Analysis of back-to-back mechanically stabilized earth walls

Back-to-back Mechanically Stabilized Earth (MSE) walls are commonly used for embankments approaching bridges. However, available design guidelines for this wall system are limited. The distance between two opposing walls is a key parameter used for determining the analysis methods in FHWA Guidelines. Two extreme cases are identified: (1) reinforcements from both sides meet in the middle or overlap, and (2) the walls are far apart, independent of each other. However, existing design methodologies do not provide a clear and justified answer how the required tensile strength of reinforcement and the external stability change with respect to the distance of the back-to-back walls. The focus of this paper is to investigate the effect of the wall width to height ratio on internal and external stability of MSE walls under static conditions. Finite difference method incorporated in the FLAC software and limit equilibrium method (i.e., the Bishop simplified method) in the ReSSA software were used for this analysis. Parametric studies were carried out by varying two important parameters, i.e., the wall width to height ratio and the quality of backfill material, to investigate their effects on the critical failure surface, the required tensile strength of reinforcement, and the lateral earth pressure behind the reinforced zone. The effect of the connection of reinforcements in the middle, when back-to-back walls are close, was also investigated.
Direct empirical estimation of efficiency in secondary materials markets: The case of steel scrap

Abstract The U.S. steel scrap market is used as a test case for a method of directly estimating the efficiency of recycled materials markets. Such markets are examples of commodity markets for which there is no organized futures exchange. If, as widely held, futures markets enhance market efficiency we attempt to answer the question of how recycled commodity markets suffer, if at all, from the lack of a futures exchange. In this paper econometric modeling and time-series methods produce robust estimates of market efficiency as measured by the percent of traders that possess the latest information concerning market disequilibrium. Based on the empirical results it would appear that on a monthly basis the steel scrap industry distributes its commodities in an economically efficient manner and therefore would derive little benefit from an organized futures exchange.
Fringe benefits and the demand for part-time workers

In the US, tax code nondiscrimination rules and other institutional constraints require employers to offer the same fringe benefits to all full-time workers, but allow them to deny benefits to part-time workers. As a result, firms that offer generous fringe benefits to higher skill workers have an incentive to hire lower skill workers on a part-time or contingent basis. This paper uses cross-section establishment data to investigate the effect of employer-provided fringe benefits on the demand for part-time workers. The results indicate that firms that offer more generous fringe benefits make greater use of low wage part-time workers; there is no significant relationship between fringe benefits and the proportion of high wage workers employed part-time.
Captain James H. Hausman and the Formation of the Korean Army, 1945-1950

The creation of new armies for new nations or the reform of old armies for modernizing states is often tied to the tale of one or two European or American officers, reformers of herculean proportio...
Structural model of employee involvement in skill development activity: The role of individual differences

Abstract We extend prior research on involvement in employee development activity by including prominent individual difference constructs that have been previously ignored in this area of research. These include two important personality characteristics (conscientiousness and openness to experience), mental ability and goal orientation constructs. We tested both mediated and direct effects of the variables. The sequence of relationships observed in the model was: g eneral personality traits → development domain individual and situational variables → development domain motivational variables → involvement in development. Personality had indirect (mediated) effects on motivational and involvement constructs while goal orientation, as a development domain individual variable, had direct effects on motivational constructs. Mental ability had no effects. The study also replicated core relationships from prior research, but did so using an Internet sample and response medium. The model presented provides the most complete picture of behavior in this area to date. Important implications for advancement of theory, research and practice in the area of employee development behavior are discussed.
Prediction of Crack Growth Under Variable-Amplitude and Spectrum Loading in a Titanium Alloy

The present paper is concerned with the application of a plasticity-induced crack-closure model, FASTRAN, to predict fatigue-crack growth under various load histories in a thin-sheet Ti-62222 STA titanium alloy. This alloy was a leading candidate for a metallic High-Speed-Civil-Transport (HSCT) aircraft in the United States. The crack-growth model was based on the Dugdale strip-yield model but modified to leave plastically deformed material in the wake of the advancing crack. The model includes the influence of “constraint” on the development of plasticity and closure during constant- and variable-amplitude load histories. The model was used to correlate crack-growth-rate data under constant-amplitude loading over a wide range in crack-growth rates and stress ratios at two service temperatures (room temperature and 175°C). Tests on repeated spike overloads were used to help establish the constraint variations in the model. The model was then used to predict crack growth under two simulated aircraft spectrum load histories at the two temperatures. The spectra were a commercial HSCT wing spectrum and the Mini-TWIST (transport wing spectrum). This paper will demonstrate how constraint plays a leading role in the retardation and acceleration effects that occur under variable-amplitude and spectrum loading. The model was able to calculate the effects of repeated spike overloads on crack growth at the two temperatures, generally within about ± 30%. Also, the predicted crack-growth behavior under the HSCT spectrum agreed well with test data (within 30%). However, the model under-predicted the fatigue-crack-growth behavior under the Mini-TWIST spectrum by about a factor-of-two. Some of the differences may be due to fretting-product-debris-induced closure or three-dimensional effects, such as free-surface closure, not included in the model. Further study is needed on life predictions under the Mini-TWIST flight spectrum.
Influence of Race/Ethnicity on Divorce/Separation 1, 2, and 5 Years Post Spinal Cord Injury

Abstract Arango-Lasprilla JC, Ketchum JM, Francis K, Premuda P, Stejskal T, Kreutzer J. Influence of race/ethnicity on divorce/separation 1, 2, and 5 years post spinal cord injury. Objectives (1) To compare the proportions of divorce/separation between races/ethnicities at 1, 2, and 5 years post spinal cord injury (SCI); (2) to examine changes in proportions of divorce/separation over time within each race/ethnicity group; and (3) to compare the changes in proportions of divorce/separation over time between races/ethnicities. Design Retrospective study. Setting Model Spinal Cord Injury Systems. Participants A sample of participants married preinjury (N=1528; 1108 whites, 258 blacks, 162 Hispanics) was selected from the National Spinal Cord Injury Statistical Center database from 1988 to 1998. Interventions Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures Proportion of separation/divorce at 1, 2, and 5 years postinjury for each race/ethnic group. Results At all postinjury years (1, 2, 5y), blacks had significantly greater odds of divorce/separation versus staying married than Hispanics. In addition, whites had significantly greater odds of divorce/separation versus staying married compared with Hispanics at 1 and 2 years postinjury. People with SCI of all races/ethnicities showed significantly greater increases in the odds of divorce/separation versus staying married over time (1–2, 2–5, 1–5y postinjury). Although there was evidence that the races/ethnicities were significantly different at each postinjury year, and that each race/ethnicity showed significant increases in the proportion of divorce/separation over time, there was no indication that the increases in the divorce/separation over time were significantly different among the race/ethnic groups. Conclusions Family therapists and rehabilitation professionals should work together to reduce the separation and divorce rates in all subjects with SCI, with special attention paid to meeting the specific needs of those with minority backgrounds.
A Second Look at the Higher-Order Theory for Periodic Multiphase Materials

In this communication, we present a reformulation, based on the local/global stiffness matrix approach, of the recently developed higher-order theory for periodic multiphase materials, Aboudi et al. [Linear Thermoelastic Higher-Order Theory for Periodic Multiphase Materials, J. Appl. Mech., 68(5), pp. 697-707]. This reformulation reveals that the higher-order theory employs an approximate, and standard, elasticity approach to the solution of the unit cell problem of periodic multiphase materials based on direct volumeaveraging of the local field equations and satisfaction of the local continuity conditions in a surface-averge sense. This contrasts with the original formulation in which different moments of the local equilibrium equations were employed, suggesting that the theory is a variant of a micropolar, continuum-based model. The reformulation simplifies the derivation of the global system of equations governing the unit cell response, whose size is substantially reduced through elimination of redundant continuity equations employed in the original formulation, allowing one to test the theory's predictive capability in most demanding situations. Herein, we do so by estimating the elastic moduli of periodic composites characterized by repeating unit cells obtained by rotation of an infinite square fiber array through an angle about the fiber axis. Such unit cells possess no planes of material symmetry in the rotated coordinate system, and may contain a few or many fibers, depending on the rotation angle, which the reformulated theory can easily accommodate. The excellent agreement with the corresponding results obtained from the standard transformation equations confirms the new model's previously untested predictive capability for a class of periodic composites characterized by nonstandard, multi-inclusion repeating unit cells lacking planes of material symmetry. Comparison of the effective moduli and local stress fields with the corresponding results obtained from the original Generalized Method of Cells, which the higher-order theory supersedes, confirms the need for this new model, and dramatically highlights the original model's shortcomings for a certain class of unidirectional composites.
Intra-acinar Trypsinogen Activation Mediates Early Stages of Pancreatic Injury but Not Inflammation in Mice With Acute Pancreatitis

Background & Aims The role of trypsinogen activation in the pathogenesis of acute pancreatitis (AP) has not been clearly established. Methods We generated and characterized mice lacking trypsinogen isoform 7 (T7) gene ( T −/− ). The effects of pathologic activation of trypsinogen were studied in these mice during induction of AP with cerulein. Acinar cell death, tissue damage, early intra-acinar activation of the transcription factor nuclear factor κB (NF-κB), and local and systemic inflammation were compared between T −/− and wild-type mice with AP. Results Deletion of T7 reduced the total trypsinogen content by 60% but did not affect physiologic function. T −/− mice lacked pathologic activation of trypsinogen, which occurs within acinar cells during early stages of AP progression. Absence of trypsinogen activation in T −/− mice led to near complete inhibition of acinar cell death in vitro and a 50% reduction in acinar necrosis during AP progression. However, T −/− mice had similar degrees of local and systemic inflammation during AP progression and comparable levels of intra-acinar NF-κB activation, which was previously shown to occur concurrently with trypsinogen activation during early stages of pancreatitis. Conclusions T7 is activated during pathogenesis of AP in mice. Intra-acinar trypsinogen activation leads to acinar death during early stages of pancreatitis, which accounts for 50% of the pancreatic damage in AP. However, progression of local and systemic inflammation in AP does not require trypsinogen activation. NF-κB is activated early in acinar cells, independently of trypsinogen activation, and might be responsible for progression of AP.
Effect of PGF2α, indomethacin, tamoxifen, or estradiol-17β on incidence of abortion, progesterone, and pregnancy-specific protein B (PSPB) secretion in 88- to 90-day pregnant sheep☆☆

Abstract One objective of this experiment was to evaluate our hypotheses that estradiol-17β regulates secretion of pregnancy specific protein B (PSPB) and that secretion of progesterone during pregnancy is regulated by a prostanoid by examining the effects of prostaglandin F2α (PGF2α), a luteolyic agent; indomethacin, a prostanoid synthesis inhibitor; tamoxifen, an estrogen receptor antagonist; estradiol 17-β; and interaction of these factors on the incidence of abortion and progesterone and PSPB secretion. Another objective was to determine if there is a luteal source of PSPB. Weights of corpora lutea were decreased (P ≤ 0.05) by PGF2α, indomethacin, PGF2α + tamoxifen, PGF2α + indomethacin, and PGF2α + estradiol-17β but not (P ≥ 0.05) by tamoxifen or estradiol-17β alone. No ewe treated with PGF2α alone aborted (P ≥ 0.05). Forty percent of ewes treated with PGF2α + estradiol-17β aborted (P ≤ 0.05), but ewes were not aborted by any other treatment within the 72-h sampling period. Profiles of progesterone in jugular venous blood differed (P ≤ 0.05) among control, indomethacin-, tamoxifen-, and PGF2α + indomethacin-treated ewes. Progesterone in jugular venous blood of control ewes decreased (P ≤ 0.05) by 24 h, followed by a quadratic increase (P ≤ 0.05) from 24 to 62 h. Progesterone in jugular venous blood of indomethacin-, PGF2α-, PGF2α + tamoxifen-, PGF2α + indomethacin-, PGF2α + estradiol-17β-, and tamoxifen-treated ewes was reduced (P ≤ 0.05) by 18 h and did not vary (P ≥ 0.05) for the remainder of the 72-h sampling period. Progesterone in vena cava and in uterine venous blood was reduced (P ≤ 0.05) at 72 h in PGF2α-, indomethacin-, tamoxifen-, PGF2α + indomethacin-, PGF2α + tamoxifen-, and PGF2α + estradiol-17β-treated ewes. Weights of placentomes did not differ among treatment groups (P ≥ 0.05). Profiles of PSPB in inferior vena cava blood differed (P ≤ 0.05) among control, estradiol-17β-, indomethacin-, tamoxifen-, PGF2α + indomethacin-, and PGF2α + tamoxifen-treated 88- to 90-day pregnant ewes. Concentrations of PSPB in inferior vena cava blood were increased (P ≤ 0.05) in indomethacin-, estradiol-17β-, tamoxifen-, PGF2α + tamoxifen-, and PGF2α + indomethacin-treated 88- to 90-day pregnant ewes within 6 h and did not vary (P ≥ 0.05) for the remainder of the 72-h sampling period. Concentrations of PSPB in uterine venous blood of indomethacin-, tamoxifen-, PGF2α + tamoxifen-, and PGF2α + indomethacin-treated ewes were greater (P ≤ 0.05) at 72 h than at 0 h. PSPB in ovarian venous blood did not differ (P ≥ 0.05) adjacent or opposite to the ovary with the corpus luteum. It is concluded from these data that estrogen regulates placental secretion of PSPB and that a prostanoid, presumably prostaglandin E, regulates placental secretion of progesterone during 88–90 days of gestation in sheep and that there is no luteal source of PSPB.
Vortex dynamics and mass entrainment in a rectangular channel with a suddenly expanded and contracted part

We report results of three-dimensional simulation of the spatially developing incompressible flow through a rectangular channel with a suddenly expanded and contracted part. The dynamics and evolution of the streamwise vortices through the expansion and contraction regions, and their influence on mass entrainment has been presented to extend our knowledge base to such flows. In addition to the observed axis-switching mechanism of the jet, profound differences as found in the flow structure on two symmetric planes, and the relatively unknown and interesting three-dimensional free-slip separation patterns that formed away from the symmetry planes, particularly in presence of tabs, are included in the presentation. Rectangular tabs, placed on the plane of expansion, generated streamwise vortices which controlled the lateral spreading of the jet and the mass entrainment through their streamwise dynamics. A complete and extensive analysis of the pressure distribution over the channel has been presented, which helps to identify the major source of streamwise vortices, and clearly explains the role played by the pressure variation over the channel in the generation of the streamwise vortices. A relation concerning relative positions of the developed local high and low pressure regions inside the channel to the streamwise dynamics of the vortices in the setup has been established which can predict the presence of all the streamwise vortices in the flow field, and characterize their nature of dynamics without any ambiguity. The results of the present simulation reveal flow features closely consistent with the vortex dynamics and the axis switching mechanism suggested by previous experimental observations. In an interesting contrast with the two-dimensional flow in a symmetric channel with a suddenly expanded and contracted part which exhibited the symmetry breaking flow bifurcations, the corresponding three-dimensional flow investigated here remained symmetric and surprisingly without much sign of recirculation on the minor axis plane.
Display resolution enhancement with optical scanners

We have developed a novel, low-cost, and effective technique for display resolution and fill-factor enhancement. By using optical scanners with fast nematic liquid-crystal polarization switches and birefringent materials, we have increased the perceived pixel count of a low-resolution display and also its display fill factor. The resulting display resolution was quadrupled by the optical scanners without increasing the display die sizes or input–output counts. The display optical system architecture, scanner design, packaging, and experimental results of the display system performance are discussed.
Radiology in Transplant

There have been several advances in liver imaging that have affected liver transplantation, with the adoption of new policies for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and exploration of new imaging techniques for assessment of liver lesions, steatosis, and fibrosis. The implementation of the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN) criteria for non-invasive diagnosis of HCC impacted organ allocation, and the proposed LI-RADS (Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System) recommendations should enable standardization of the reporting of liver lesion characteristics. New methods to enhance existing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT) techniques have improved correlation with tumor histology and with prognosis of the disease after locoregional treatment. The use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound may also be a promising cost-efficient method for early detection of HCC. This review also comments on the use of CT and MRI for evaluating living donor candidates, and the use of elasticity imaging with MRI or ultrasound for graft fibrosis after liver transplantation.
Counseling in Costa Rica: A Comparative Study

With one of the world’s most comprehensive universal healthcare systems, medical tourism in Costa Rica has increased significantly over the past few decades. American tourists save up to 80 % of comparative costs for procedures, from heart surgery to root canal treatment. Although many Costa Rican healthcare professionals receive training in North America or Europe, there can be differences when compared to the same professionals in foreign countries. This paper examines the educational and role differences between counselors in the United States and Costa Rica. Implications for tourists in need of psychotherapeutic services while abroad or counseling professionals seeking foreign work experiences are discussed.
33 Disaccharidase Activities in Infants: Normal Values and Comparison Based on Symptoms and Histological Changes.

33 Disaccharidase Activities in Infants: Normal Values and Comparison Based on Symptoms and Histological Changes.
Reconsidering outdoor temperature and cognition in multiple sclerosis.

Background:Research in multiple sclerosis (MS) suggests warmer weather plays a role in disease manifestation.Objective:This work sought to replicate the finding that warmer outdoor temperatures are significantly associated with poorer cognition in MS.Methods:Associations between outdoor temperature and cognition were examined in three studies with a total of 263 patients with MS.Results:Contrary to previous research, no significant relationship was found between cognitive performance and outdoor temperature in MS.Conclusions:The results of the current work underscore the need to better understand if, when, and how cognitive performance may be influenced by seasonal variables in MS.
Gelation theory for solutions of polymers with loci of strong interaction

This paper presents a statistical mechanical analysis of gelation in certain solutions ofA/B copolymers. Repeat unitsA, the major units, must constitute about 90 mole% or more of the copolymer, and are compatible with the solvent. Repeat unitsB, the minor units, must be totally incompatible with the solvent and represent loci of strong interaction between the macromolecular chains. If these interactions are sufficiently strong they can lead to gelation of the mixture.
Development of a benefits and barriers scale for mammography utilization.

The purpose of this study was to refine scales to measure Health Belief Model concepts of benefits and barriers using the context of mammography screening. Both scales used a summated Likert format with five response options. Items were first subjected to content analysis by national experts. Data were then collected from a random sample of 581 women who were 35 years or over. Retest data were gathered on a subset of women ∼ 4–6 weeks later. Construct validity was established using confirmatory factor analysis and exploratory factor analysis with results confirming independence of constructs. Construct validity was also tested by developing hypotheses based on theoretical relationships. Cronbach alpha reliability coefficients for the benefits scale was 0.79 and for the barriers scale was 0.73. Suggestions for further revisions are offered.
The image of the third world in tourism marketing.

Abstract The disparity between advertised image and reality has long been of interest to geographers concerned with settlers to or travelers in a new land. The new persistence of distortion is clearly manifest in the surprise and dismay that international tourists frequently experience when traveling in developing countries. The tourism industry continues to portray these places as “paradise,” “unspoiled,” “sensuous,” or other distortions, presumably to compensate for the obvious poverty beyond the hotel or sightseeing bus. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the inability of the tourism industry to represent destinations as real places. Themes and biases in advertisements, travel journalism, and the travel trade press are examined. It is maintained that the use of distorted imagery has adverse impact on the quality of the visitor's experience and on the receiving society. The disparity in image is increasingly assailed by local and foreign critics of mass tourism, yet public administrators are reluctant to force modification of the message. Some alternatives, including information and advertisements already in use, are presented.
Predicting Low vs. High Disparity between Peer and Expert Ratings in Peer Reviews of Physics Lab Reports

Our interest in this work is to automatically predict whether peer ratings have high or low agreement in terms of disparity with instructor ratings, using solely features extracted from quantitative peer ratings and text-based peer comments. Experimental results suggest that our model can indeed outperform a majority baseline in predicting low versus high rating disparity. Furthermore, the reliability of both peer ratings and comments (in terms of peer disagreement) shows little correlation to disparity.