cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns of Survey Attrition and Reluctant Response in the 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey

In panel designs with multiple waves of data collection, the overall survey response rate is a multiplicative function of the wave specific response rates. The 1996 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) follows this model, requiring five rounds of data collection with the same panel of sampled households, to acquire data on health care use, expenditures, insurance coverage and sources of payment that cover two consecutive calendar years. Gaining an understanding of the factors that distinguish the cooperative respondents, the survey participants that require use of nonresponse conversion techniques to maintain their cooperation (reluctant respondents), and the initial participants that eventually drop out of the survey (part-year respondents) is essential from both an estimation and data collection perspective. To inform the specification of nonresponse adjustment strategies in MEPS to correct for survey attrition, this study attempts to identify the characteristics that distinguish survey participants across rounds from the part-year respondents. In addition, the study identifies factors that distinguish the cooperative respondents, the reluctant respondents and the part-year respondents, to better inform the MEPS data collection effort. The investigation also examines the implications of a data collection strategy that would not convert initial survey refusals by studying the effect, on survey estimates and their precision, of excluding reluctant survey respondents.
The Impact of Phase Exchange Transfers and Unsteady Hydraulic Conditions ON Saltwater Intrusion Fronts

Saltwater intrusions into coastal aquifers are the result of a rather delicate balance between the seaward flow of “fresh” groundwater and the landward flow of intruding saltwater. When this balance is disrupted, the degree of intrusion can be greatly exaggerated. Because increasing salinity can have profound effects on coastal groundwater supplies, there appears to be a genuine demand for accurate predictions of salinity ahead of the full strength salt front.
Introduction and General Overview

The science of psychology seeks to understand and explain human thought, feeling, and action. As James (1890) noted, it is the science of mental life. The routes chosen by psychologists to achieve explanation and understanding are many and varied. Some approaches focus upon particular psychological processes such as sensation, perception, and cognition. Others adopt a particular viewpoint, such as a biological or developmental perspective. The psychology of personality follows neither of these paths. Rather, personality psychologists attempt to retrieve, from the study of psychological processes from various perspectives, a picture, or an account, of persons. This endeavor requires more than a categorization of the findings of “process” or “perspective” psychologies. A listing of these findings would provide a mass of detail from which the important aspects of thought, feeling, and action, which constitute the very lives of persons, could not be restored.
To Sensitize or Not to Sensitize: Leptin Is the Question.

See related article, pp 970–976 Hypertension greatly increases the risk for major causes of disability and death including heart disease, target-organ damage, and stroke.1 The risk for cardiovascular disease is compounded by the high incidence of obesity and insulin resistance in patients with hypertension. Although there is a well-established clinical association, the precise sites of action and molecular mechanisms linking obesity and hypertension are not fully understood. Multiple mechanisms may provide a link between excess adiposity and development of hypertension including renal and vascular abnormalities, oxidative stress and inflammation, sympathetic activation, and the renin–angiotensin system (RAS).2 More recently, the adipocyte-derived hormone leptin has been implicated in obesity-induced hypertension. Leptin is secreted in direct proportion to adiposity and acts at hypothalamic receptors to promote satiety and energy expenditure as a compensatory mechanism to obesity. Leptin also activates hypothalamic and brain stem pathways to produce sympathetic-mediated pressor responses (Figure).2 The importance of brain leptin actions in sympathetic activation and hypertension is illustrated by the finding that central leptin receptor antagonism decreases blood pressure and renal sympathetic nerve activity in rabbits exposed to short-term high-fat feeding.3 Resistance develops to the positive metabolic effects of leptin, whereas sensitivity to its cardiovascular effects is maintained. This selective resistance may involve differential intracellular signaling pathways and brain-specific sites of action for cardiovascular versus metabolic effects of leptin.4 Figure. Leptin-mediated neuroplasticity and sensitization of the hypertensive response. The …
Could African and Low- and Middle-Income Countries Contribute Scientifically to Global Cancer Care? The Answer Is Yes!

In my humble opinion, there is a need to develop more clinical trials tailored to the socioeconomic conditions of LMICs. For example, herceptin’s efficacyandsurvivaladvantage in treatingbreastcancer has been proven in well-developed prospective clinical trials. However, only a meager percentage of thepopulationof LMICscanaffordherceptin,which, according to world standards, must be taken for 1 year in an adjuvant setting. However, another study, from a Finnish group, suggests that only 9 weeks of herceptin use shows a disease-free and overall survival advantage (hazard ratios, 0.42 and0.41). Although the studywas not powered to illustrate the difference between the herceptin arms, it presents the possibility for a shorter duration of this costly treatment regimen,whichalmost85%to90% ofpatientswithbreastcancer inLMICscannotafford. Obviously, the cost of 9 weeks of herceptin will be more affordable. Hopefully, the answer will come from the results of the ongoing Synergism or Long Duration(SOLD)study(NCT00593697).Conducting such trials in LMICswill helppoor andneedypatients and will reduce the cost of cancer care in already fragile health care systems.
Surveillance of Salmonella contamination and the development of drug resistance in Guangzhou

Objective To investigate the extent of food contamination with drug-resistant Salmonella in unpacked foods in Guangzhou market according to the national food-borne pathogen surveillance criterion. Methods Six types of foods were randomly sampled from the supermarkets,fresh markets,and restaurants. Salmonella was identified and antibiotic susceptibility was tested by the K-B method. Results 41 out of 413 samples were positive for Salmonella. The percentage of contamination in raw meat,ready-to-eat fish,cooked meat and salad was 18.8%,14.0%,4.5% and 3.9%, respectively. Of the 17 identified Salmonella serotypes,Salmonella derby accounted for 29.3%.61.0% of the 16 isolated strains were tetracycline resistant. Six isolates were found to be multi-drug resistant,including the antibiotics Cephalosporins. Conclusions Some ready-to-eat foods such as raw fish,cooked meat and salad were frequently contaminated with Salmonella. Several isolates were multi-drug resistant.
W. V. Quine und N. Goodman

Bei Quine und Goodman steht die Unterscheidung von Namen, welche etwas benennen, und von sogenannten synkategorematischen Zeichen im Vordergrund. Um die Frage „Wie und was bilden die Pradikatzeichen ab?“ in ihrem Sinne beantworten zu konnen, mus man deshalb zuerst wissen, ob die Pradikatzeichen echte Namen1 oder synkategorematische Worter seien. Nun hat Quine ein Kriterium gefunden, das genau angibt, welche Worter vom Benutzer einer Frege-Russellschen Sprache als echte Namen angesehen werden : Es sind diejenigen Worter, in bezug auf welche dieser eine Quantifizierung zulast, die also einen Gegenstand aus dem Wertbereich der Variablen benennen.
Obesity does not impact outcomes for appendicitis

Obesity has long been considered a risk factor for surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of obesity on outcomes after appendectomy. A retrospective study was performed using...
Caching alternatives for a MANET-oriented OCSP scheme

Even though mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) have been receiving increasing attention for more than a decade, many issues still remain unsolved, including the implementation and design of adequate security and trust mechanisms. The infrastructure-less nature of MANETs renders trust establishment a rather complex issue. Many solutions using public key cryptography and digital certificates have been proposed in this direction. However, the problem of certificate revocation and certificate status information distribution in MANETs has not yet been fully addressed. ADOPT (Ad-hoc Distributed OCSP for Trust) proposes the deployment of a lightweight, distributed, on-demand scheme based on cached OCSP responses, which can efficiently provide up-to-date certificate status information. As accurate and current revocation information is critical for any application based on public key certificates, ADOPT's caching mechanism should ensure that cached responses are updated regularly. This paper discusses caching issues and time parameters concerning ADOPT and proposes various alternatives that fit into different scenarios.
Comment on “Diffusion by a random velocity field” [Phys. Fluids 13, 22 (1970)]

This comment aims at addressing a mass conservation issue in a paper published in the physics of fluids. The paper [R. H. Kraichnan, “Diffusion by a random velocity field,” Phys. Fluids 13(1), 22 (1970)] introduces a novel method to generate synthetic isotropic turbulence for computational purposes. The method has been used in the literature to generate inlet boundary conditions and to model aeroacoustic noise as well as for validation and verification purposes. However, the technique uses a continuous formulation to derive the mass conservation constraint. In this comment, we argue that the continuous constraint is invalid on a discrete grid and provide an alternative derivation using the discrete divergence. In addition, we present an analysis to quantify the impact of a pressure projection on the kinetic energy of a non-solenoidal velocity field.
Power from the Water

More than two-thirds of the planet’s surface is covered by water, and power may be obtained from both the surface water and the deep oceans. Hydroelectric, tidal, ocean current, wave, and OTEC power installations are among those that may convert the power of the water directly to electricity. Unlike wind power, these renewable energy sources are either continuous or predictably variable. The naturally occurring water cycle and the resulting rainfall transfer millions of tons of water annually to high elevations with significant potential energy. River flows on the planet carry the very high amounts of potential and kinetic energy, which currently turn the turbines of several hydroelectric power plants and have the capability to provide at least 25% of the total electric energy demand of the planet. The 240 MW tidal power plant in La Rance, France, has proven that there are reliable systems in operation to convert the tidal energy of the sea to electric power. Tidal power plants in prime locations in England, Norway, USA, Canada and other parts of the world have the capability to produce between 25 and 100% of the electricity demand in several coastal countries. The harnessing of the energy in ocean currents, such as the Gulf Stream, is at present a rather futuristic idea, which has the potential to cover the entire global demand for electricity. Several wave power systems and devices have been invented in the last half of the twentieth century, which are now in the testing and pilot-plant phases. If successful, harnessing the waves and the widespread use of wave power have the potential to produce more than 50% of the electric demand in island and coastal countries, such as Portugal, Norway, Great Britain, Japan, South Africa. and Australia. The Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion (OTEC) cycle also has the potential to supply almost unlimited electric power to coastal communities, but needs significantly more research and development efforts to reliably and economically meet this promise. All these electric power sources associated with the flow of water are examined in this chapter in a scientific manner. Engineering systems and cycles for the utilization of these resources are described. The environmental and ecological impacts of these systems are also examined critically.
Electronic windshield wiper system I: modelling and validation

The electronic windshield wiper system for passenger cars comprises six subsystems: wiper blades/arms, gear mechanisms, power electronics, electric motors, wiper position sensors, and a microprocessor. To systematically design the electronic windshield wiper system, it is necessary to first obtain a detailed, validated mathematical model of the system. Utilising this model, wiper control strategies can be studied and sensitivity due to system parameter variation can be investigated. This paper presents the mathematical model and the model validation of the electronic windshield wiper system. Detailed models for the subsystems arc discussed and the overall system model is validated experimentally using both open–loop and closed–loop wiper controls. Excellent agreement between simulation results and measurement data promises this windshield wiper model to be a valuable tool in the systematic design of electronic windshield wiper systems.
Aluminum-based one- and two-dimensional micro fin array structures: high-throughput fabrication and heat transfer testing

Microscale fin array structures were replicated onto surfaces of aluminum 1100 and aluminum 6061 alloy (Al1100/Al6061) sheet metals through room-temperature instrumented roll molding. Aluminum-based micro fin arrays were replicated at room temperature, and the fabrication process is one with high throughput and low cost. One-dimensional (1D) micro fin arrays were made through one-pass rolling, while two-dimensional (2D) micro fin arrays were made by sequential 90° cross rolling with the same roller sleeve. For roll molding of 1D micro fins, fin heights greater than 600 µm were achieved and were shown to be proportional to the normal load force per feature width. At a given normal load force, the fin height was further shown to scale inversely with the hardness of the sheet metal. For sequential 90° cross rolling, morphologies of roll molded 2D micro fin arrays were examined, which provided clues to understand how plastic deformation occurred under cross rolling conditions. A series of pool boiling experiments on low profile Al micro fin array structures were performed within Novec 7100, a widely used commercial dielectric coolant. Results for both horizontal and vertical surface orientations show that roll molded Al micro fin arrays can increase heat flux at fixed surface temperature as compared to un-patterned Al sheet. The present results further suggest that many factors beyond just increased surface area can influence heat transfer performance, including surface finish and the important multiphase transport mechanisms in and around the fin geometry. These factors must also be considered when designing and optimizing micro fin array structures for heat transfer applications.
Tangent screen perimetry in the evaluation of visual field defects associated with ptosis and dermatochalasis.

Purpose To determine if tangent visual fields gathered during assessment of superior visual field deficits caused by blepharoptosis and dermatochalasis offer good correlation to clinical exam in a time and cost efficient manner. Methods Prospective, observational case series. Subjects included all patients referred to a single surgeon (CCN) who underwent surgical correction of blepharoptosis and/or dermatochalasis. Preoperatively and postoperatively, upper margin-to-reflex distances were assessed. Tangent visual fields were performed in a timed fashion and analyzed for degrees of intact vision in the vertical meridian and degrees squared of area under the curve. Data were compared by Student t-tests and Pearson correlation coefficients. Results Mean preoperative superior visual fields with the eyelid in the natural position measured 8° in the vertical meridian. Measurements in the vertical meridian and area under the curve showed excellent correlation (r = 0.87). Patients with ptosis showed strong correlation between margin-to-reflex distance and superior visual fields. Patients completed field testing faster than reported times for automated or Goldmann testing. Finally, tangent screens were the least expensive type of equipment to purchase. Conclusions Tangent visual fields are a rapid and inexpensive way to test for functional loss of superior visual field in patients with upper eyelid malposition. Our data revealed potential differences between tangent screen results and published results for automated or Goldmann visual field testing which warrants further studies.
Emerging environmental contaminants: Challenges facing our next generation and potential engineering solutions

Abstract While our current generation continues to make efforts to remediate and minimize traditional pollutants in the environment, other “emerging” environmental contaminants are now warranting attention. These include perfluorinated compounds, nanomaterials, pharmaceuticals, illicit drugs, antibacterials, hormones, flame retardants, disinfection by-products (DBPs), artificial sweeteners, benzotriazoles, 1,4-dioxane, and algal toxins, as well as emerging contaminants on the horizon: prions and ionic liquids. Wastewater effluents are a major source for many of these emerging contaminants, due to their use in products we use in our households, from pharmaceuticals, detergents, fabric coatings, foam cushions, lotions, sunscreens, cosmetics, hair products, foods and beverages, and food packaging. After use, these chemicals are released in wastewater, and because many are incompletely removed in wastewater treatment, they enter our rivers and drinking water supplies. Surface run-off and agricultural run-off can also be important sources of their entry into the environment. Moreover, many of these contaminants can transform in the environment, from such processes as microbial degradation, photolysis, and hydrolysis, and they can also react with disinfectants in drinking water or wastewater treatment to form disinfection by-products. Issues surrounding these emerging contaminants, include widespread occurrence, bioaccumulation, persistence, and toxicity. Climate change can also serve to exasperate their effects by concentrating them in rivers during times of drought and by causing resuspension of some (like nanomaterials) during floods. This review will discuss these issues surrounding emerging contaminants and also propose some engineering solutions for the future.
Serum Neuroinflammatory Disease-Induced Central Nervous System Proteins Predict Clinical Onset of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis.

There is an urgent need in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients to develop biomarkers and laboratory tests to improve early diagnosis, predict clinical relapses, and optimize treatment responses. In healthy individuals, the transport of proteins across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) is tightly regulated; whereas, in MS, CNS inflammation results in damage to neuronal tissues, disruption of BBB integrity, and potential release of neuroinflammatory disease-induced CNS proteins (NDICPs) into CSF and serum. Therefore, changes in serum NDICP abundance could serve as biomarkers of MS. Here we sought to determine if changes in serum NDICPs are detectible prior to clinical onset of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), and therefore enable prediction of disease onset. Importantly, we show in longitudinal serum specimens from individual mice with EAE, that pre-onset expression waves of SYN2, GS, ENO2, and SYT1 enable prediction of clinical disease with high sensitivity and specificity. Moreover, we observed differences in serum NDICPs between active and passive immunization in EAE, suggested hitherto not appreciated differences for disease induction mechanisms. Our studies provide the first evidence for enabling the prediction of clinical disease using serum NDICPs. The results provide proof-of-concept for the development of high-confidence serum NDICP expression waves and protein biomarker candidates for MS.
Tuning the electron acceptor moiety of aminobenzoate derivatives and its spectroscopic impact

Abstract Organic electron transfer molecules are of interest for potential use in solar capturing and as model systems for understanding the fundamentals of photo-induced charge transfer. One small model system for photo-induced electron transfer is p-aminobenzoic acid derivatives. The modification of the electron acceptor moiety to halogenate the ester chain and thionation of the ester using Curphey’s regent are reported. The electronic properties are assessed through both computational modeling and spectroscopic measurements. The modifications allow tuning of the spectroscopic properties of the system, shifting absorbance to the red upon formation of the thionester and a concurrent decrease in the fluorescence quantum efficiency.
Laboratory Measurements of X-Ray Emissions From Centimeter-Long Streamer Corona Discharges

We provide extensive evidence that runaway electron acceleration and subsequent bremsstrahlung X-ray emission are a common feature in negative electrical discharges with voltages as low as 100 kV, indicating that all negative lightning could potentially produce runaway electrons. Centimeter-long streamer corona discharges produce bursts of X-ray radiation, emitted by a source highly compact in space and time, leading to photon pileup. Median photon burst energies vary between 33-96 keV in 100-kV discharges. Statistical analysis of 5000+ discharges shows that X-rays are observed in as many as 60% of the triggers, depending on the configuration. X-ray detection is more frequent when: streamers are not followed by a spark, the detector is oriented perpendicular to the gap, and a thicker anode is used. In an 8-cm-long gap, X-rays are produced when runaway electrons hit the anode, and the electron acceleration is not necessarily correlated with streamer collisions.
Correction to: Epidural Balloon Placement for Protection of the Spinal Canal During Cryoablation of Paraspinal Lesions.

In the published article the first sentence under the section heading Case Reports (“This study was conducted with the institutional review board approval and complied with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.”) is incorrect. That sentence should be replaced with: “Case reports are exempt from IRB approval at the authors’ institution. This study complied with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.”
An Alternative Perspective on Stochastic Coefficient Regression Models

Abstract The classical multiple regression model plays a very important role in statistical analysis. The typical assumption is that changes in the response variable, due to a small change in a given regressor, is constant over time. In other words, the rate of change is not influenced by any unforeseen external variables and remains the same over the entire time period of observation. This strong assumption may, sometimes, be unrealistic, for example, in areas such as social sciences, environmental sciences, etc. To account for variable dependence, the stochastic coefficient regression model was proposed, and there exists several articles that consider statistical inference for this type of model. Most of these methods use the underlying assumption of Gaussianity. In this chapter, we revisit the stochastic coefficient regression model and compare it with some statistical models that have recently been developed. We show that there is an interesting connection between stochastic coefficient regression models and locally stationary time series, which suggests that stochastic coefficient regression models can be fitted to time series whose covariance structure changes slowly over time. We consider methods of testing for randomness of the coefficients and develop parameter estimation methods that require no assumptions on the distribution of the stochastic coefficients, in particular do not require the Gaussianity assumption. Using these methods, we fit the stochastic coefficient regression model to two real data sets and their predictive performances are also examined.
Novel Applications for Gas Separation Membranes

Monsanto successfully commercialised Prism® separators for industrial scale membrane gas separation system in 1980. Following a 6 year period of growth and development, Monsanto formed Permea Inc. in 1986 to manage the global gas separation membrane business. During the same year Monsanto introduced Prism® Alpha separators for air separation. Today 10 years after commercialisation over 10,000 Prism® separators have been used in more than 2,500 installations. These installations cover some 100 applications and are located in most parts of the world. The scale of system is from less than 1 Nm3/hr to over 80,000 Nm3/hr.
Recombinant DNA technology in the diagnosis of human genetic disorders

The goal of a DNA diagnostic laboratory is to identify the mutation that causes the disease phenotype. Another goal of a DNA diagnostic laboratory is to mark an abnormal gene in a given family and trace its inheritance in several members of this particular family, thus achieving carrier detection or prenatal diagnosis. Therefore, the diagnosis of genetic disorders can be divided into (a) direct detection of molecular defects and (b) indirect detection of abnormal genes by using DNA polymorphisms as markers
The Kidney Accelerator: Innovation Wanted, Nephrologists Needed.

Innovation in nephrology is long overdue. The most impactful innovations in our field arguably arrived half a century ago with the invention of maintenance dialysis and novel federal funding policies, providing life-sustaining therapy to those with kidney failure. In the interim, we saw important
Macroscopic tripartite entanglement of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond coupled to a superconducting resonator

We show that a hybrid quantum device consisting of three ensembles of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers whose spins are collectively coupled to a superconducting coplanar waveguide resonator enables the generation of controllable macroscopic tripartite entangled states. At the instants of time when the waveguide resonator is completely depleted of photons and is thus disentangled from the NV-center ensembles, macroscopic Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger-type states are generated in NV-diamond memories.
(214) NOD-Like Receptor Protein 3 Inflammasome Drives Postoperative Pain in a Sex-Dependent Manner

Inflammasomes are cytosolic receptors of the innate immune system that are responsible for activation and secretion of the proinflammatory cytokine interleukin-1β (IL-1β) where IL-1β is known to cause pain by directly acting on sensory neurons. Specifically, IL-1β is known to cause peripheral sensitization to mechanical stimuli in models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Of the multiple inflammasomes, the NOD-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is activated by endogenous molecules that are released as a result of tissue injury and thus is ideally positioned to produce the majority of postoperative IL-1β. Therefore, we aimed to uncover the mechanism by which NLRP3 modifies postoperative pain in males and females. Male mice lacking NLRP3 recovered from incisional surgery significantly faster at the behavioral and primary afferent levels and exhibited less peri-incisional inflammation than mice expressing NLRP3 (WT). In contrast, female mice lacking NLRP3 displayed only attenuated postoperative mechanical hypersensitivity and peri-incisional inflammation was unchanged compared to WT females. Furthermore, sensory neuron-specific deletion of NLRP3 revealed that, in males, NLRP3 expressed in both sensory neurons and non-neuronal cells drives postoperative pain whereas, in females, only sensory neuron NLRP3 contributes. This is the first evidence for a direct role for NLRP3 and inflammasome-mediated sex differences in postoperative pain.
Heavy Cannabis Use Associated with Wernicke's Encephalopathy.

Cannabis use accounts for more than 149,000 hospital visits annually. As more states legalize recreational Cannabis, side effects that are currently rare or unknown will become increasingly more common. Here, we present one such rare case of Cannabis-induced hyperemesis causing Wernicke’s encephalopathy. This is an investigational case report utilizing retrospective data from electronic medical records. A 41-year-old patient presented to the hospital in status epilepticus secondary to severe vomiting and hyponatremia. He was given one dose of thiamine, glucose and folate and admitted to the medical ICU. His history was significant for remote alcohol use (1-2 beers/week about 20 years ago) and heavy marijuana use from strains grown in the patient’s own backyard. A diagnosis of Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome was made. Seizures resolved after correction of electrolytes, and he became awake and alert with no focal deficits. His neurological exam after he was clinically stable showed memory deficits including confabulations (e.g., incorrectly listing occupation) and delusions (e.g., praying to a queen bee). An extensive workup including routine laboratory testing, infectious panels, and autoimmune studies was entirely negative. On the day of admission, brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed showing bilateral thalamic hyperintensities on T2 FLAIR MRI. Wernicke's encephalopathy (WE) remained most likely and intravenous thiamine led to a gradual improvement in the patient’s symptoms. He is now two months into rehabilitation and continues to make progress in recalling life events. Alcohol abuse is empirically treated with thiamine whereas Cannabis, unlike alcohol, is presumed to induce hyperphagia and nutritional supplements are often not initiated. However, foods ingested by Cannabis users are nutritionally deficient due to underline malabsorption. In addition, Cannabis-induced vomiting can further cause malnutrition. Complications, like Wernicke’s encephalopathy, can be prevented by supplementing thiamine early in Cannabis intoxication.
Life Prediction of PPS Composites Subjected to Cyclic Loading at Elevated Temperatures

Combinations of failure mechanisms are frequently encountered in the life prediction of composite materials. A life prediction methodology is developed and applied to one such failure mechanism combination. This method uses experimental data and analytical tools to predict the long-term behavior of a composite under service conditions. The prediction scheme is based on the assumption that damage accumulation progressively reduces the remaining strength of a composite. An overview of the fundamental concepts of the life prediction method is presented. The method is used to model the elevated temperature fatigue behavior of a unidirectional AS-4 carbon fiber/PolyPhenylene Sulfide (PPS) matrix composite material. The nonlinear combined effects of time at elevated temperature and fatigue are taken into account by considering elevated temperature tensile rupture and room temperature fatigue behavior. The life prediction for the combined loading is compared to 90°C tensile-tensile fatigue data. This comparison shows good correlation between the prediction and data and demonstrates the method's effectiveness in life prediction modeling.
Autoidentification of perivascular spaces in white matter using clinical field strength T1 and FLAIR MR imaging.

Abstract Recent interest in enlarged perivascular spaces (ePVS) in the brain, which can be visualized on MRI and appear isointense to cerebrospinal fluid on all sequence weightings, has resulted in the necessity of reliable algorithms for automated segmentation to allow for whole brain assessment of ePVS burden. However, several publicly available datasets do not contain sequences required for recently published algorithms. This prospective study presents a method for identification of enlarged perivascular spaces (ePVS) in white matter using 3T T1 and FLAIR MR imaging (MAPS-T1), making the algorithm accessible to groups with valuable sets of limited data. The approach was applied identically to two datasets: 1) a repeated measurement in a dementia-free aged human population (N = 14), and 2) an aged sample of multisite ADNI datasets (N = 30). ePVS segmentation was accomplished by a stepwise local homogeneity search of white matter-masked T1-weighted data, constrained by FLAIR hyperintensity, and further constrained by width, volume, and linearity measurements. Pearson’s r was employed for statistical testing between visual (gold standard) assessment and repeated measures in cohort one. Visual ePVS counts were significantly correlated with MAPS-T1 (r = .72, P
Effect of thermal radiation on MHD micropolar Carreau nanofluid with viscous dissipation, Joule heating, and internal heating

The heat and mass transfer of a magnetohydrodynamic micropolar Carreau nanofluid on a stretching sheet has been analyzed. An internal heating, thermal radiation and viscous dissipation effects are also incorporated. The system of the governing partial differential equations is converted into the ordinary differential equations by invoking the similarity transformation. The resulting ordinary differential equations are then solved by the well known shooting technique. The impact of pertinent physical parameters on the velocity, angular velocity, temperature and concentration profiles are analyzed graphically. The dimensionless velocity is enhanced for the Weissenberg number and the power law index while reverse situation is studied in the thermal and the concentration profile.
Digitale Geschäftsmodelle in der Industrie: Eine Analyse der Auswirkungen und Herausforderungen

Im Zuge der Digitalisierung gewinnt die Entwicklung integrierter, datenbasierter Produkt-Dienstleistungsbundel und die Transformation der Geschaftsmodelle von Industrieunternehmen zunehmend an Bedeutung. Beispielsweise entwickeln Produzenten von Industriegutern zusatzliche digitale Services zur intelligenten Steuerung, Optimierung oder Wartung und bieten damit neue, kundenindividuelle Losungsangebote. Unternehmen konnen durch digitale, hybride Wertschopfung entscheidende Wettbewerbsvorteile generieren und neue Markte erschliesen. Im Beitrag werden die Auswirkungen auf Geschaftsmodelle untersucht und anhand des Business Model Canvas strukturiert dargestellt. Auf Basis von Interviews mit Experten von Unternehmen und aktuellen Erkenntnissen aus einem Konsortialforschungsprojekt werden Auswirkungen, resultierende Herausforderungen sowie Handlungsempfehlungen diskutiert und abgeleitet. Veranschaulicht werden die Entwicklungen anhand einer Fallstudie von Mitsubishi Electric.
Utilizing Microbes to Treat Naturally Occurring Cancer in Veterinary Species

Therapeutics that harness the immune system to exert their effect may be more critically tested in immunocompetent pet animals than mice or other model systems. This is because pet animals share their environment with humans and spontaneously develop complex, heterogeneous cancers that exhibit similar immunosuppressive microenvironment features. Furthermore, owners of companion animals are increasingly seeking more effective therapeutic options for their pets that go beyond traditional chemotherapy. Microbial-based anticancer therapeutics exploit evolutionarily acquired host-pathogen interactions to break host immune tolerance and/or induce tumor cell death. Therefore, this review summarizes recent studies evaluating microbial-based therapeutics for naturally occurring cancers in veterinary species. Adenovirus and poxvirus vectors and genetically modified bacteria expressing tumor-associated antigens are the basis of promising therapeutics targeting an array of canine and feline cancers. Several well-funded multi-institutional clinical trials are currently underway evaluating microbial-based therapeutics for naturally occurring veterinary cancers. Recent advancements in our ability to monitor immune responses in these species and a growing appreciation for the similarities and differences in host-pathogen interactions between humans and animals will assist in future comparative studies.
Climate Change Effects on Solar, Wind and Hydro Power Generation

Climate change is affecting power generation globally. Increase in the ambient temperature due to the emission of greenhouse gases, caused mainly by burning of fossil fuels, is the most prominent reason for this effect. Climate change has encouraged the shift of power generation from burning of fossil fuels to more sustainable generation techniques from renewable sources such as hydro, wind and solar energy. Outcomes of climate change affect the power generation from these sources. Increase in the temperature and evaporation and decrease in the snow levels have decreased the hydropower generation in the Colorado River Basin. The maximum decrease in wind power generation, only due to the effect of increasing temperatures, in the U.S. is 0.6-1.0% by mid-century and 0.8-1.9% by end of the century. Change in solar radiation and precipitation affect the solar power generation. This paper analyzes various factors of climate change and the extent to which they impact the power generation from hydro, wind and solar energy sources.
Reactive Intermediates Generated from Bioactivation

The increased toxicity of metabolic intermediates or metabolites is primarily the results of the conversion of xenobiotics into chemically reactive species such as reactive oxygen/nitrogen species, free radicals, or positively or neutral charged electrophiles. Electrophilic intermediates are consisted of nonionic and cationic species. Nonionic electrophilic intermediates are such as aldehydes, ketones, epoxides, quinones, sulfoxides, nitroso compounds, and acyl halides, while cationic electrophilic intermediates include carbonium ions and nitrenium ions. Chemically reactive species can interact with proteins, DNA, and lipids, leading to protein adducts, DNA adducts, and lipid peroxidation.
“What the present crisis will show”: the Panic of 1857 as a crisis of American labor

This article argues that Americans, influenced by British economist David Ricardo, initially blamed banking and the decay of America’s ethic of labor for causing the Panic of 1857. Americans’ stres...
Asthma: Pathophysiology, Current Status, and Therapeutics

Asthma is a chronic disorder of the airways characterized by variable and recurring airway inflammation, bronchial hyperresponsiveness, bronchoconstriction, vasodilatation, airway edema, and activation of sensory nerve endings. It is a serious health problem globally affecting 334 million people across all the age groups imposing a substantial burden on patient’s quality of life, family, and community. Patients with asthma are often at the risk of acute exacerbations, if the symptoms are not managed properly, and it needs to be customized based on the level of symptom control, phenotypic characteristics, effectiveness of available medications, safety, cost-effectiveness, etc. Since the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms and symptoms of the disease are complicated, there is a dire need to understand the pathology of the disease for better management of symptoms and development of novel therapeutic approaches. Here, we have presented a comprehensive review of the disease, its causes, epidemiology, pathophysiology, current drug treatments, and latest recommendations from Global Initiative for Asthma for the management of asthma.
Association of Adjuvant Chemotherapy With Overall Survival Among Women With Small, Node-Negative, Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.

This cohort study uses data from the National Cancer Database to evaluate overall survival rates of women who were diagnosed between 2010 and 2015 with small, node-negative, triple-negative breast cancer and were treated with or without adjuvant chemotherapy.
Updated Reaction Pathway for Dichloramine Decomposition: Formation of Reactive Nitrogen Species and N-Nitrosodimethylamine.

The N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) formation pathway in chloraminated drinking water remains unresolved. In pH 7-10 waters amended with 10 μM total dimethylamine and 800 μeq Cl2·L-1 dichloramine (NHCl2), NDMA, nitrous oxide (N2O), dissolved oxygen (DO), NHCl2, and monochloramine (NH2Cl) were kinetically quantified. NHCl2, N2O, and DO profiles indicated that reactive nitrogen species (RNS) formed during NHCl2 decomposition, including nitroxyl/nitroxyl anion (HNO/NO-) and peroxynitrous acid/peroxynitrite anion (ONOOH/ONOO-). Experiments with uric acid (a ONOOH/ONOO- scavenger) implicated ONOOH/ONOO- as a central node for NDMA formation, which were further supported by the concomitant N-nitrodimethylamine formation. A kinetic model accurately simulated NHCl2, NH2Cl, NDMA, and DO concentrations and included (1) the unified model of chloramine chemistry revised with HNO as a direct product of NHCl2 hydrolysis; (2) HNO/NO- then reacting with (i) HNO to form N2O, (ii) DO to form ONOOH/ONOO-, or (iii) NHCl2 or NH2Cl to form nitrogen gas; and (3) NDMA formation via ONOOH/ONOO- or their decomposition products reacting with (i) dimethylamine (DMA) and/or (ii) chlorinated unsymmetrical dimethylhydrazine (UDMH-Cl), the product of NHCl2 and DMA. Overall, updated NHCl2 decomposition pathways are proposed, yielding (1) RNS via NHCl2→HNO/NO-→O2ONOOH/ONOO- and (2) NDMA via ONOOH/ONOO-→UDMH-ClorDMANDMA.
Saving lives: the 2006 expansion of daylight saving in Indiana

Using data provided by the Indiana State Department of Vital Statistics, this study examines the mortality effects of daylight saving time observance using the April 2006 expansion of daylight saving time in Indiana as a natural experiment. The expansion of daylight saving time to all Indiana counties lowered the average mortality rate in the treatment counties during the months in which daylight saving time was observed. Stratified demographic analyses indicate that daylight saving time reduced mortality among males, females, and whites, but only among those aged 65 years and older. Specific-cause analysis indicates that daylight saving time lowered mortality primarily via reduced cancer mortality. The results of this study suggest a novel solar UVB-vitamin D mechanism could be responsible for the reduction in treatment county mortality following the expansion of daylight saving time in Indiana.
Clinical Efficacy, Drug Safety, and Surrogate Endpoints: Has Aducanumab Met All of Its Expectations?

We recently learned that aducanumab has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of Alzheimer disease. As neurologists, we need to carefully review the evidence from the phase 1B and III randomized controlled clinical trials concerning the clinical efficacy and safety of this drug in symptomatic persons with mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia who have elevated cerebral levels of β-amyloid (Aβ). We should also gain an appreciation for how this drug acquired accelerated approval from the FDA on the basis of the surrogate endpoint of Aβ plaque reduction as measured by PET imaging. We owe this to our patients and to their caregivers.
Cofilin and Actin Dynamics: Multiple Modes of Regulation and Their Impacts in Neuronal Development and Degeneration.

Proteins of the actin depolymerizing factor (ADF)/cofilin family are ubiquitous among eukaryotes and are essential regulators of actin dynamics and function. Mammalian neurons express cofilin-1 as the major isoform, but ADF and cofilin-2 are also expressed. All isoforms bind preferentially and cooperatively along ADP-subunits in F-actin, affecting the filament helical rotation, and when either alone or when enhanced by other proteins, promotes filament severing and subunit turnover. Although self-regulating cofilin-mediated actin dynamics can drive motility without post-translational regulation, cells utilize many mechanisms to locally control cofilin, including cooperation/competition with other proteins. Newly identified post-translational modifications function with or are independent from the well-established phosphorylation of serine 3 and provide unexplored avenues for isoform specific regulation. Cofilin modulates actin transport and function in the nucleus as well as actin organization associated with mitochondrial fission and mitophagy. Under neuronal stress conditions, cofilin-saturated F-actin fragments can undergo oxidative cross-linking and bundle together to form cofilin-actin rods. Rods form in abundance within neurons around brain ischemic lesions and can be rapidly induced in neurites of most hippocampal and cortical neurons through energy depletion or glutamate-induced excitotoxicity. In ~20% of rodent hippocampal neurons, rods form more slowly in a receptor-mediated process triggered by factors intimately connected to disease-related dementias, e.g., amyloid-β in Alzheimer’s disease. This rod-inducing pathway requires a cellular prion protein, NADPH oxidase, and G-protein coupled receptors, e.g., CXCR4 and CCR5. Here, we will review many aspects of cofilin regulation and its contribution to synaptic loss and pathology of neurodegenerative diseases.
CRISPR activation of endogenous genes reprogramsfibroblasts into cardiovascular progenitorcells for myocardial infarction therapy.

Fibroblasts can be reprogrammed into cardiovascular progenitor cells (CPCs) using transgenic approaches, although the underlying mechanism remains unclear. We determined whether activation of endogenous genes such as Gata4, Nkx2.5, and Tbx5 can rapidly establish autoregulatory loops and initiate CPC generation in adult extracardiac fibroblasts using a CRISPR activation system. The induced fibroblasts (>80%) showed phenotypic changes as indicated by an Nkx2.5 cardiac enhancer reporter. The progenitor characteristics were confirmed by colony formation and expression of cardiovascular genes. Cardiac sphere induction segregated the early and late reprogrammed cells that can generate functional cardiomyocytes and vascular cells in vitro. Therefore, they were termed CRISPR-induced CPCs (ciCPCs). Transcriptomic analysis showed that cell cycle and heart development pathways were important to accelerate CPC formation during the early reprogramming stage. The CRISPR system opened the silenced chromatin locus, thereby allowing transcriptional factors to access their own promoters and eventually forming a positive feedback loop. The regenerative potential of ciCPCs was assessed after implantation in mouse myocardial infarction models. The engrafted ciCPCs differentiated into cardiovascular cells in vivo but also significantly improved contractile function and scar formation. In conclusion, multiplex gene activation was sufficient to drive CPC reprogramming, providing a new cell source for regenerative therapeutics.