cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In polycistronic Qβ RNA, single-strandedness at one ribosome binding site directly affects translational initiations at a distal upstream cistron

In Qβ RNA, sequestering the coat gene ribosome binding site in a putatively strong hairpin stem structure eliminated synthesis of coat protein and activated protein synthesis from the much weaker maturation gene initiation site, located 1300 nucleotides upstream. As the stability of a hairpin stem comprising the coat gene Shine-Dalgarno site was incrementally increased, there was a corresponding increase in translation of maturation protein. The effect of the downstream coat gene ribosome binding sequence on maturation gene expression appeared to have occurred only in cis and did not require an AUG start codon or initiation of coat protein synthesis. In all cases, no structural reorganization was predicted to occur within Qβ RNA. Our results suggest that protein synthesis from a relatively weak translational initiation site is greatly influenced by the presence or absence of a stronger ribosome binding site located elsewhere on the same RNA molecule. The data are consistent with a mechanism in which multiple ribosome binding sites compete in cis for translational initiations as a means of regulating protein synthesis on a polycistronic messenger RNA.
THE INFLUENCE OF DELINQUENT PEERS: WHAT THEY THINK OR WHAT THEY DO?*

Although the association between delinquent friends and delinquent behavior is well established, the mechanism by which delinquency is socially transmitted remains unclear. Sutherlands theory of differential association holds that delinquency is a consequence of attitudes favorable to the violation of the law, attitudes that are acquired through intimate social interaction with peers. An analysis of data from the National Youth Survey indicates that peer attitudes do affect delinquency. But the effect of peers'attitudes is small in comparison to that of peers behavior, and the effect of peers'behavior remains strong even when peers, attitudes and the adolescent's own attitude are controlled. Moreover, when the behavior and attitudes of peers are inconsistent, the behavior of peers appears to outweigh or override the attitudes of peers. These findings suggest that delinquency is not primarily a consequence of attitudes acquired from peers. Rather, it more likely stems from other social learning mechanisms, such as imitation or vicarious reinforcement, or from group pressures to conform.
Agglomeration bonus: an incentive mechanism to reunite fragmented habitat for biodiversity conservation

Abstract This paper examines an experiment conducted to explore a voluntary incentive mechanism, the agglomeration bonus, designed to protect endangered species and biodiversity by reuniting fragmented habitat across private land. The goal is to maximize habitat protection and minimize landowner resentment. The agglomeration bonus mechanism pays an extra bonus for every acre a landowner retires that borders on any other retired acre. The mechanism provides incentive for non-cooperative landowners to voluntarily create a contiguous reserve across their common border. A government agency's role is to target the critical habitat, to integrate the agglomeration bonus into the compensation package, and to provide landowners the unconditional freedom to choose which acres to retire. The downside with the bonus, however, is that multiple Nash equilibria exist, which can be ranked by the level of habitat fragmentation. Our lab results show that a no-bonus mechanism always created fragmented habitat, whereas with the bonus, players found the first-best habitat reserve. Once pre-play communication and random pairings were introduced, players found the first-best outcome in nearly 92% of play.
A Robust Macroelement Model for Soil–Pile Interaction Under Cyclic Loads

The principal focus of this study is the development of a robust macroelement model for soil–pile interaction under cyclic loads. The model incorporates frictional forces and formation of gaps at the soil–pile interface as well as hysteretic behavior of the soil. The plastic envelope of the soil behavior is modeled via the so-called p – y approach, outlined in American Petroleum Institute’s guidelines for design of foundation piles for offshore platforms. The macroelement is an intuitive assembly of various basic elements, each of which incorporating a particular aspect of the soil–pile interaction. The modular structure of this macroelement allows straightforward adaptation of improved constitutive models for its building blocks. Herein, we focus on large-diameter, cast-in-drilled-hole reinforced concrete piles (piers) that are partially or fully embedded in soil. These types of piles are frequently used as support structures in highway construction. Consequently, the numerical robustness of the interact...
Rare, but obviously there: Effects of target frequency and salience on visual search accuracy

Accuracy can be extremely important for many visual search tasks. However, numerous factors work to undermine successful search. Several negative influences on search have been well studied, yet one potentially influential factor has gone almost entirely unexplored-namely, how is search performance affected by the likelihood that a specific target might appear? A recent study demonstrated that when specific targets appear infrequently (i.e., once in every thousand trials) they were, on average, not often found. Even so, some infrequently appearing targets were actually found quite often, suggesting that the targets' frequency is not the only factor at play. Here, we investigated whether salience (i.e., the extent to which an item stands out during search) could explain why some infrequent targets are easily found whereas others are almost never found. Using the mobile application Airport Scanner, we assessed how individual target frequency and salience interacted in a visual search task that included a wide array of targets and millions of trials. Target frequency and salience were both significant predictors of search accuracy, although target frequency explained more of the accuracy variance. Further, when examining only the rarest target items (those that appeared on less than 0.15% of all trials), there was a significant relationship between salience and accuracy such that less salient items were less likely to be found. Beyond implications for search theory, these data suggest significant vulnerability for real-world searches that involve targets that are both infrequent and hard-to-spot.
Proton pump inhibitors and traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and the risk of acute interstitial nephritis and acute kidney injury.

Purpose This study aims to examine the associations between proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), traditional nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (tNSAIDs), PPI + tNSAID co-exposure, and the development of the following: (i) acute interstitial nephritis (AIN), a specific kidney injury often attributed to these drugs, and (ii) acute kidney injury (AKI), a general kidney injury encompassing AIN. Methods Two retrospective case–control studies were conducted, one for each outcome, within the General Practice Research Database. Cases were diagnostic-coded AIN (primary outcome) or AKI (secondary outcome) events. Controls were matched on age, sex, and general practitioner practice. Exposures were defined by the presence/absence of the following mutually exclusive therapies on the index date: (i) PPI alone; (ii) tNSAID alone; (iii) PPI + tNSAID; or (iv) neither PPI nor tNSAID (referent). Results Sixty-eight AIN cases and 3347 controls were identified. The adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for PPI and tNSAID exposures alone were 3.20 (0.80–12.79) and 1.90 (0.65–5.51), respectively. Numerous sensitivity analyses produced adjusted ORs for AIN between 3.0 and 7.7, and 1.6 and 1.9, respectively. We identified 27 982 AKI cases and 1 323 850 controls. The adjusted ORs for PPI alone, tNSAID alone, and PPI + tNSAID exposures were 1.05 (0.97–1.14), 1.31 (1.25–1.37), and 1.33 (1.07–1.64), respectively. Numerous sensitivity analyses produced adjusted ORs for AKI between 1.0 and 1.1, 1.1 and 1.3, and 1.3 and 1.4, respectively. Conclusions Proton pump inhibitor exposure may increase the odds of AIN, but this result was not definitive and should be confirmed in a dataset with more AIN cases to allow for increased statistical precision. tNSAIDs, yet not PPIs, were associated with a significantly increased odds of AKI. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of activation energy on tubular reactor multiplicity

Abstract : The effect of activation energy on the steady state solutions exhibited by the nonadiabatic tubular reactor is investigated by applying numerical bifurcation techniques to the model equations. As the activation energy is increased, the solution branch becomes more complex and finally evolves into a multiplicity pattern with regions of one, three, five and seven solutions. Only the states of lowest and highest temperature are found to be stable. This work confirms recent results using large activation energy asymptotics and links these results to previous numerical studies of reactor multiplicity employing low to moderate values of activation energy. (Author)
Sequential analysis of aggressive interactions in the stalk-eyed fly Teleopsis dalmanni

Understanding the mechanisms and determinants of conflict resolution is of great theoretical and practical importance because the outcome of contests between males over limited resources such as mates, territories, and food has profound fitness consequences. Despite the large literature on the theory of conflict resolution, relatively few empirical studies explicitly test predictions related to contest structure for these models. In sexually dimorphic species of stalk-eyed flies (Diopsidae), males engage in characteristic aggressive interactions over both females and food resources. We used sequential analysis of aggressive interactions between dyads of male stalk-eyed flies to investigate patterns of escalation, behavioral matching, and physical contact in order to distinguish between three common models of conflict resolution: the sequential assessment model, the cumulative assessment model, and the energetic war of attrition. Stalk-eyed flies were shown to engage in both low- and high-intensity behaviors during interactions with patterns of escalation and no de-escalation. Aggressive interactions did not demonstrate behavioral matching between winners and losers. Stalk-eyed flies also escalated to behaviors that included physical contact without injuries. Our results provide support for the sequential assessment model based on patterns of escalation with no de-escalation, behavioral mismatching, and behaviors which include physical contact but no injuries.
Ultrashort pulsed electric fields induce membrane phospholipid translocation and caspase activation: differential sensitivities of Jurkat T lymphoblasts and rat glioma C6 cells

Megavolt-per-meter electric pulses with durations shorter than charging time constants associated with external cell membrane dielectric properties can generate significant voltages on the membranes of intracellular structures. Nanosecond-duration, high-field (2-4 MV/m) pulses are not immediately lethal to cells and do not produce the conductive openings in the cytoplasmic membrane associated with long-pulse, low-field electroporation, but can induce profound physiological changes, including apoptosis (programmed cell death). We demonstrate rapid, non-destructive, field-dependent translocation of the plasma membrane inner leaflet phospholipid phosphatidylserine in Jurkat T lymphocytes, and we show that cells which exhibit a similar geometry in suspension, rat glioma C6 cells, are highly resistant to these pulses and respond differently even to much higher doses.
Fabrication and characterization of microscale sandwich beams

Microscale sandwich beams with cell diameters and wall widths down to 150 and 15 μm, respectively, and having both metallic and polymer/metal cores were produced through fabrication methods that combined photolithography and electrodeposition. Various core structures were used, including some with negative Poisson’s ratio. The bending response was investigated and compared with beam-theory predictions. Most of the cores evaluated had sufficient shear stiffness that the bending compliance was relatively high and dominated by the face sheets. Two of the core configurations were “soft” and exhibited behavior governed by core shear. The relative dimensions of the cores evaluated in this study were far from those that minimize the weight, because of fabrication constraints. The development of an ability to make high-aspect ratio cores is an essential next step toward producing structurally efficient, lightweight microscale beams and panels.
Centralized and decentralized multi-robot control methods using the cluster space control framework

The cluster space control technique promotes simplified specification and monitoring of the motion of mobile multi-robot systems. Previous work has established the conceptual foundation of this approach and has experimentally verified and validated its use. In this publication, we summarize the definition of the cluster space framework for planar robots and study some of the most common formation control methods found in the literature from the cluster space perspective. In doing this, we show that our proposed formation control framework can be implemented in various ways; as a centralized or distributed system, and with different levels of scalability depending on the particular cluster definition chosen. In particular, lead-follower, potential functions and virtual structures approaches are analyzed with the intent of addressing the generality and flexibility of the cluster space formation control approach. Experimental results illustrate the different implementations which are then compared and contrasted.
Secretin induces the apical insertion of aquaporin-1 water channels in rat cholangiocytes

Aquaporin-1 (AQP1) water channels are present in the apical and basolateral plasma membrane domains of bile duct epithelial cells, or cholangiocytes, and mediate the transport of water in these cel...
A Review of effectiveness of vegetative buffers on sediment trapping in agricultural areas

In recent years, there has been growing recognition of the importance of riparian buffers between agricultural fields and waterbodies. Riparian buffers play an important role in mitigating the impacts of land use activities on water quality and aquatic ecosystems. However, evaluating the effectiveness of riparian buffer systems on a watershed scale is complex, and watershed models have limited capabilities for simulating riparian buffer processes. Thus, the overall objective of this paper is to develop an understanding of riparian buffer processes towards water quality modelling/monitoring and nonpoint source pollution assessment. The paper provides a thorough review of relevant literature on the performance of vegetative buffers on sediment reduction. It was found that although sediment trapping capacities are site- and vegetation-specific, and many factors influence the sediment trapping efficiency, the width of a buffer is important in filtering agricultural runoff and wider buffers tended to trap more sediment. Sediment trapping efficiency is also affected by slope, but the overall relationship is not consistent among studies. Overall, sediment trapping efficiency did not vary by vegetation type and grass buffers and forest buffers have roughly the same sediment trapping efficiency. This analysis can be used as the basis for planning future studies on watershed scale simulation of riparian buffer systems, design of effective riparian buffers for nonpoint source pollution control or water quality restoration and design of riparian buffer monitoring programs in watersheds. Published in 2009 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Process Matters Emerging Concepts Underlying Impaired Natriuretic Peptide System Function in Heart Failure

The natriuretic peptide system (NPS) provides critical compensatory actions in heart failure, including vasodilation; promoting of natriuresis; and opposing adverse neurohormonal activation, including the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis. The NPS also is an autocrine/paracrine neurohormonal system that enhances lusitropy, opposes cardiac hypertrophy, and retards the development of cardiac interstitial fibrosis (Figure 1).1 Tsutomota and colleagues2 were among the first to advance the concept that advanced heart failure was associated with an “attenuation of the compensatory actions” of the NPS. Using plasma cGMP levels as a surrogate biomarker for the target tissue actions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) or brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), they demonstrated that in advanced heart failure (New York Heart Association class III/IV) compared to mild heart failure (class I/II), there was a reduction of the slope of the relationship between plasma ANP levels and cGMP levels; in fact, despite a nearly 4-fold higher average ANP level in patients with advanced heart failure compared to mild heart failure, plasma cGMP levels were similar. Based on these data, Tsutomota and colleagues suggested that advanced heart failure is characterized by an “attenuation of the compensatory actions of the endogenous NPS.” Figure 1. The endogenous natriuretic peptide system (NPS) exerts numerous compensatory actions. The cardiac effects are mediated by local autocrine/paracrine actions of the NPS. GFR indicates glomerular filtration rate; RAAS, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone. Article see p 114 The hypotheses offered to explain the dysregulation of the NPS in heart failure focused on the NP receptor. The receptor mediating the target tissue actions of ANP and BNP is the guanylate-cyclase type A (GC-A) receptor. The binding of ANP or BNP to GC-A initiates a conformational change in the receptor that allows the intracellular guanylate-cyclase domain of the receptor to effectively generate cGMP, the primary second messenger mediating downstream signaling cascades in target tissues (vascular …
Activation of the Adenosine Triphosphatase of Limulus polyphemus Actomyosin by Tropomyosin

Purified actin does not stimulate the adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity of Limulus myosin greatly. The ATPase activity of such reconstituted preparations is only about one-fourth the ATPase of myofibrils or of natural actomyosin. Actin preparations containing tropomyosin, however, activate Limulus myosin fully. Both the tropomyosin and the actin preparations appear to be pure when tested by different techniques. Tropomyosin combines with actin but not with myosin and full activation is reached at a tropomyosin-to-actin ratio likely to be present in muscle. Tropomyosin and actin of several different animals stimulate the ATPase of Limulus myosin. Tropomyosin, however, is not required for the ATPases of scallop and rabbit myosin which are fully activated by pure actin alone. Evidence is presented that Limulus myosin, in the presence of ATP at low ionic strength, has a higher affinity for actin modified by tropomyosin than for pure actin.
Anabolic effects of recombinant human growth hormone in patients with wasting associated with human immunodeficiency virus infection.

Body wasting, characterized by disproportionate loss of body cell mass, is a feature of many chronic diseases, including infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Therapies that merely increase energy intake do not consistently restore body cell mass in patients with the wasting syndrome. Because treatment with GH has induced nitrogen (N) retention in catabolic patients after surgery, burns, cancer, and hypocaloric feeding, we designed this study to determine whether GH could also produce an anabolic response in persons with HIV-associated weight loss. Six HIV-positive (HIV+) men with an average weight loss of 19% and six healthy weight-stable controls (HIV-) were hospitalized on a metabolic ward, where they consumed a constant metabolic diet during successive 5-day precontrol, 7-day baseline, and 7-day treatment [recombinant human GH (rhGH), 0.1 mg/kg.day] periods. The effects of rhGH on body weight, N and electrolyte excretion, energy expenditure, substrate oxidation, and integrated lipid a...
Sources of Mexico's Migration Stream: Rural, Urban, and Border Migrants to the United States

There are three distinct sources of Mexico-U.S. migration flow: the oldest stream from rural communities in central western Mexico, an incipient stream from interior urban areas, and a small but steady stream from Tijuana, a northern border city. Using the Mexican Migration Project data with expanded geographic coverage, I identify these streams and examine how differences in the origin community in terms of family-based migration-related social capital, internal migration experience, and labor force participation shapes the likelihood that men in the community initiate and continue migratory trips. I find four patterns of Mexican migration that make up the flow from central Mexico to northern Mexico and the U.S.: (1) the well-established flow of mostly undocumented low-skill agricultural labor migrants originating in the rural areas of central western Mexico and moving directly to the U.S.; (2) a newer stream of mostly undocumented U.S.-bound migrants from urban interior communities with a greater range of human capital; (3) internal migrants who move to Tijuana as a final destination, and (4) career migrants who make Tijuana a home base for making repeated, mostly undocumented, trips to the U.S.
A novel pixel memory using integrated voltage‐loss‐compensation (VLC) circuit for ultra‐low‐power TFT‐LCDs

— A novel pixel memory using an integrated voltage-loss-compensation (VLC) circuit has been proposed for ultra-low-power TFT-LCDs, which can increase the number of gray-scale levels for a single subpixel using an analog voltage gray-scale technique. The new pixel with a VLC circuit is integrated under a small reflective electrode in a high-transmissive aperture-ratio (39%) 3.17-in. HVGA transflective panel by using a standard low-temperature-polysilicon process based on 1.5-μm rules. No additional process steps are required. The VLC circuit in each pixel enables simultaneous refresh with a very small change in voltage, resulting in a two-orders-of-magnitude reduction in circuit power for a 64-color image display. The advanced transflective TFT-LCD using the newly proposed pixel can display high-quality multi-color images anytime and anywhere, due to its low power consumption and good outdoor readability.
ON THE ROLE OF VIRAL ENVELOPE PROTEINS IN PATHOGENESIS

The paramyxovirus envelope contains two surface glycoproteins (HN and F) and an internal non-glycosylated protein (M). The F protein is involved in viral pathogenesis in three different ways, each related to its ability to cause membrane fusion, which mediates virus penetration, cell fusion, and hemolysis. 1. Membrane fusion is activated by a specific proteolytic cleavage yielding two polypeptides (F1 and F2), and because this is accomplished by a host enzyme, the tropism and virulence of the virus is significantly determined by the F protein and its susceptibility to cleavage by a protease available in the host tissue. 2. In some virus- cell systems cell death has been shown to be due to the membrane-damaging effects of the F protein. 3. Lack of antibodies to F has been implicated in an immune pathological response in patients receiving formalin-inactivated measles virus vaccine. The membrane fusion reaction has been characterized using intact cells and liposomes as target membranes, and both intact virus and membranes reconstituted with purified F protein as the fusogenic agents. Requirements for fusion have been determined, including a conformational change in the F protein upon cleavage, the lipid composition of the target membrane, and the effect of pH. Extensive evidence has been obtained indicating that the N-terminus on F generated by the activating cleavage is involved in membrane fusion reaction, probably through a hydrophobic interaction with the target membrane. Synthetic oligopeptides with sequences that mimic this N-terminal region specifically inhibit membrane fusion, and thereby virus infectivity at the level of penetration. The oligopeptides have been found to act at the cell membrane, presumably competing with the F1 polypeptide for sites on the cell membrane.
Analytical solutions of first-mode sloshing in new containers

Abstract Three new families of vessel geometries for the fundamental mode of two-dimensional sloshing are reported. These families, here denoted C 1 , C 2 and C 3 , are parameterized by separation constant B . Containers C 1 exist for 1 ≤ B ≤ ∞ , containers C 2 exist for 0 ≤ B ≤ 1 , and containers C 3 exist for 0 ≤ B ≤ ∞ . The container shapes and their depth-dependent frequencies are found in analytical form. There is an affinity between the C 1 and C 3 families in that their limiting container profiles, found as B → ∞ , take the shape of identical isochronous containers. Also, there is an affinity between the C 1 and C 2 families in that their limiting B = 1 shapes asymptotically tend to a 9 0 ∘ wedge at low depth. The shapes of the containers are compared with the classic geometries for a rectangular box, a 9 0 ∘ wedge, and the planar isochronous container. The variation of sloshing frequencies with liquid depth is also compared with those of the three classic geometries.
Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium arupense Strain GUC1

We report the draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium arupense strain GUC1 from a sputum sample of a patient with bronchiectasis. This is the first draft genome sequence of Mycobacterium arupense, a rapidly growing nonchromogenic mycobacteria.
Revisiting Asiacentricity: Toward Thinking Dialectically about Asian American Identities and Negotiation

This analysis explores the possible communicative themes that those who regard themselves as Asian Americans negotiate in their intercultural interactions. To do so, this analysis first locates the historical and political circumstances in which the discourse about Asian Americans has been socially constructed—that is to say, within the U.S. racialized and gendered context. Then, this analysis revisits Asiacentricity to see if any Asian communicative lives exist, as Asian American identities must be located both in global and local contexts. In this process, contradictory views of Asiacentricity are offered. Lastly, this analysis proposes new possibilities in moving toward thinking dialectically about the communicative themes that pertain to the material realities of Asian American identities and negotiation. In so doing, this analysis plays as a critical intervention to further dialogue about what makes Asian Americans Asian Americans in the discipline of communication.
E-042 Incidence of very small ruptured aneurysms (<3 mm) in the stroke belt: a single center experience and outcome analysis

Introduction Very small aneurysms ( Methods The MUSC endovascular registry is a prospective database with predefined parameters which tracks all diagnostic and endovascular interventions. A database query was performed to obtain all aneurysms measuring Results 15 patients with 16 aneurysms underwent coil embolization between August 2009 and February 2010, representing 17.2% of all aneurysms coiled during that period. 11 of the 16 aneurysms (69%) were ruptured, four (25%) were unruptured aneurysms in patients with a history of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) and a previously treated ruptured aneurysm and one patient was unruptured with a strong family history of SAH. Mean length of the largest diameter was 2.7 mm (range 2–3 mm). All but one aneurysm achieved complete occlusion acutely, and high packing densities were obtained in all aneurysms. Eight aneurysms (seven ruptured) were treated with a balloon assist technique and were not associated with any adverse events. Four aneurysms (one ruptured) were stent assisted, with two of the procedures (both unruptured) were complicated by intraprocedural rupture. Both patients were discharged from the hospital within 4 days of the procedure with no clinical deficits and a modified Rankin scale (mRS) score of 0. Four aneurysms (three ruptured) were treated without adjunctive devices and one patient (ruptured) had an intraprocedural rupture without clinical consequence and was discharge on hospital day 14. Overall, 12 patients had an mRS score of 0 and one patient a score of 1. One patient has an mRS score of 4 but presented with a Hunt and Hess score of 5 with minimal improvement. One patient is currently completing his acute treatment. Conclusions Very small aneurysms account for a significant number of aneurysms treated at our institution. Complete occlusion is achievable in a large percentage of these aneurysms but they are associated with a higher procedural complication rate. In patients with ruptured (and unruptured) aneurysms, clinical outcomes were very good. Long term outcomes and follow-up are forthcoming.
Orderly Perforation of Polyester Films by Excimer Laser

The effects of 248 nm KrF excimer laser irradiation on combinations of different thickness PET films and different stainless steel mask mesh opening sizes were considered as a possible method to achieve different size perforations on different thickness PET films, in order to provide an effective and controllable perforation technology. Therefore, ablation behavior of PET films has been investigated for different laser energy fluence and number of laser pulses. Morphology of irradiated samples was observed by optical microscopy, and atomic forced microscopy to study topography and microstructures after laser ablation. An attempt has been made of correlate these findings with the orientation, strength and mechanical properties of the polymer.The experimental results reveal that the percentage of perforation and the average perforated area increase with increasing number of pulses for all film thicknesses. The affected area, defined as the perforated area plus the heat affected zone (a black-char-region around the perforated area) decrease with increasing number of pulses. Due to the heat conducted from the steel mash wire, especially at cell corners, the perforation process seems to start initially at the cell corners. High laser fluence seems to lead to surface depressions due to thermal shock and surface stress waves along the process directions confirmed by tensile testing and x-ray analyses. The presence and the geometry of surface depressions were confirmed by atomic forced microscopy.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Relationships between occupational injury and knowledge, attitudes,behavior of occupational safety in workers

Objective To investigate the relationship between occupational injury and the knowledge,attitudes,behaviors of occupational safety in workers. Methods With the method of cross-sectional study,6 319 on-line workers were divided into injury group and non-injury group according to their experience with or without work injuries in the past year. Relationship betweet occupational injury and knowledge,attitudes,behavior of occupational safety in workers were analyzed. Results There were 382 workers listed in injury group,with the occupational injury occurrence rate 6. 0%. There were 5 937 workers in non-injury group,with the occupational injuriy occurrence rate 94. 0%. In injury group,the scores of occupational safety knowledge,attitude to safety policy,optimism attitude,occupational safety behaviors were lower than those of the non-injury group( P 0. 05),but the score of negative attitude was higher than that of the non-injury group( P 0. 05). Multiple linear regression analysis showed that occupational safety knowledge,attitude to safety policy,the support attitudes to manager were the main factors influencing occupational injuries. Conclusion Occupational injury is associated with occupational safety knowledge,attitudes and behaviors. Health education intervention workers should be strengthened to improve their awareness rate of occupational hazards and protection-related knowledge.
DR4 and DR1 Define Different Subsets of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

The association of DR4 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is well established (1,2). However, it is known that a substantial number of subjects develop RA without having DR4. DR1 has also been observed to be increased in some studies. In a new series of patients, DR1 was found in 53.8% of DR4-negative RA patients and in 25% of DR4-negative normal controls (RR = 3.5, p < 0.0001). The relationship between DR4-associated and DR1-associated risk factors for development of RA is not well understood. DR1,DR4 heterozygotes occurred with increased frequency but not in excess of the expected from the frequency of the genes. Thus, having both DR1 and DR4 did not result in a much larger risk. It is not clear however, whether DR4 and DR1-associated risk factors are identical or whether they confer susceptibility for similar yet distinct RA-like syndromes.
Representing Belief Functions as Random Variables

Random sets are the obstacle for implementing belief functions in knowledge-based systems. The challenges include inefficient manipulations of subsets and the cognitive complexity of problem representations. The back-end knowledge management is yet another bottleneck in practice. Here, I propose representing subsets as integers, set operations as integer ones, and belief functions as functions of random integers, to meet these challenges. Using random variables, Dempster’s rule of combination is reduced into matrix multiplications and its complexity is minimized. Fast Mobius transformation (FMT) is also dramatically improved. For example, to compute beliefs from a mass function in the power set with frame size $ {n=32}$ , a Mobius inversion that takes 1057 years to accomplish using nonoptimized set operations or 15.8 years via the best existing FMT algorithm will take only one second via the random-variable based FMT. In addition, the new FMT forgoes the need to maintain and lookup any graphical structures and allows the application of FMT to any list of subsets, rather than the power set.
Cognitive and motor abilities of young children and risk of injuries in the home

Objective Residential injury is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in US children. Rates and types of injury vary by child age but little is known about injury risk based on child cognitive and motor abilities. The objective of this study was to determine whether cognitive or motor development in young children is associated with residential injury. Methods We employed data from Health Outcomes and Measures of the Environment (HOME) Study. Parent report of medically attended injury was obtained at regular intervals from 0 to 42 months. Child development was assessed at 12, 24 and 36 months using Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, 2nd edition, which generates both mental developmental index (MDI) and a psychomotor developmental index (PDI). Injury risk was modelled using multivariable logistic regression as function of child9s MDI or PDI. Effects of MDI and PDI on injury risk were examined separately and jointly, adjusting for important covariates. Results Children with cognitive delay (MDI Conclusions Children with cognitive delays, especially those with normal motor development, are at elevated risk for residential injuries. Injury prevention efforts should target children with developmental delays. Clinical trials number NCT00129324; post-results.
A Phase II Clinical Trial of CPI-613 in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.

Background Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a common lung cancer which presents with extensive stage disease at time of diagnosis in two-thirds of patients. For treatment of advanced disease, traditional platinum doublet chemotherapy induces response rates up to 80% but with few durable responses. CPI-613 is a novel anti-cancer agent that selectively inhibits the altered form of mitochondrial energy metabolism in tumor cells. Methods We evaluated CPI-613 with a single-arm, open-label phase II study in patients with relapsed or refractory SCLC. CPI-613 was given at a dose of 3,000 mg/m2 on days 1 and 4 of weeks 1–3 of 4 week cycle. The primary outcome was response rate as assessed by CT imaging using RECIST v1.1 criteria. Secondary outcomes were progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Twelve patients were accrued (median age 57yo) who had previously received between 1 and 4 lines of chemotherapy (median 1) for SCLC with a treatment-free interval of less than 60 days in 9 of the 12 patients. Results No complete or partial responses were seen. Ten patients (83%) progressed as best response and 2 (17%) were not evaluable for response. Median time to progression was 1.7 months (range 0.7 to 1.8 months). Eleven patients (92%) died with median overall survival of 4.3 months (range 1.2 to 18.2 months). The study was closed early due to lack of efficacy. Of note, three out of three patients who progressed after CPI-613 and were subsequently treated with standard topotecan then demonstrated treatment response with survival for 18.2, 7.4, and 5.1 months. We conducted laboratory studies which found synergy in-vitro for CPI-613 with topotecan. Conclusions Single agent CPI-613 had no efficacy in this study. Further study of CPI 613 in combination with a topoisomerase inhibitor is warranted.
The gas and steam turbines and combined cycle in IGCC systems

Abstract The combined cycle power island consists of three major components: the gas turbine (GT), the heat recovery steam generator (HRSG), and the steam turbine (ST). The cleaned syngas is sent to the GT to produce electric power. The exhaust of the GT is used to generate steam through the HRSG. The steam is used to drive a steam turbine to generate more electric power. Since GTs are very special high-tech products, they are designed and manufactured with specific operating conditions in mind. Selection of GTs must be made from the existing commercially available models with their specific ratings; whereas, STs and HRSGs can be scaled up and manufactured to match the power required by the plant designers. Similarly, almost all of the other components in the rest of an integrated gasification combined cycle plant—such as air separation units, gasifiers, gas cleanup systems, etc.—can be scaled and custom-made to match the flow rates and fuel qualities needed for the GTs. Therefore, all of the thermal-flow parameters are typically designed around the GT’s specifications. In this chapter, the fundamental thermodynamics of Brayton and Rankine cycles are presented. Specifications of commercial gas turbines are then introduced, followed by discussions of the working principles of each component in gas turbines, including aerodynamics in compressors, turbines, and the reverse-flow combustor and dump diffuser assembly, turbine airfoil cooling, and combustion mechanisms. Various schemes to enhance work output and cycle efficiencies are introduced, including regeneration, reheat, intercooling, steam injection, inlet fogging/overspray. Examples of case studies of simple and combined cycles with various power and efficiency enhancement schemes are presented.
The potential role of curcumin in prostate cancer: the importance of optimizing pharmacokinetics in clinical studies

Curcumin, a commercially available nutritional supplement, has been studied for use as a chemopreventive agent and an anti-cancer therapy in prostate cancer (1). The anti-tumor activity of curcumin and its analogues are well-documented from preclinical studies using prostate cancer models, including its effects on androgen receptor (AR) signaling and numerous downstream targets (e.g., VEGF, PTEN, NF-κB) (2-7). Curcumin was shown to down-regulate AR expression, limit AR binding to the androgen response element of the prostate specific antigen (PSA) gene, and reduce the expression of PSA in LNCaP cells (2). Pyridine analogues of curcumin were shown to have an inhibitory effect on CWR-22Rv1 AR activity and cell growth (5).
Dreams and the Invisible World in Colonial New England: Indians, Colonists, and the Seventeenth Century. By Ann Marie Plane. (Philadelphia, PA: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. Pp. xi, 237. $59.95.)

In this new study, the author examines dreams and dream reporting in seventeenth‐century New England to argue that the struggles of colonialism extended beyond waking hours into the “invisible worl...
Endoscopic treatment of Bouverets syndrome in an extremely elderly patient with Holmium: YAG laser.

Bouveret’s syndrome is a rare presentation of duodenal obstruction or gastric outlet obstruction caused by a large gallstone migrating through a cholecystoduodenal or choledochoduodenal fistula. Mo...
Using deep learning to detect network intrusions and malware in autonomous robots

Cybersecurity threats to autonomous robots present a particular danger, as compromised robots can directly and catastrophically effect their surroundings. A two-staged intrusion detection system is proposed which consists of a signature detection component and an anomaly detection component. The anomaly detection component utilizes a deep neural network that is trained to detect commands that deviate from expected behavior. This paper presents ongoing work on the development and testing of this system and concludes with a discussion of directions for future work.
Thirty years of North American wind energy acceptance research: What have we learned?

Thirty years of North American research on public acceptance of wind energy has produced important insights, yet knowledge gaps remain. This review synthesizes the literature, revealing the following lessons learned. (1) North American support for wind has been consistently high. (2) The NIMBY explanation for resistance to wind development is invalid. (3) Socioeconomic impacts of wind development are strongly tied to acceptance. (4) Sound and visual impacts of wind facilities are strongly tied to annoyance and opposition, and ignoring these concerns can exacerbate conflict. (5) Environmental concerns matter, though less than other factors, and these concerns can both help and hinder wind development. (6) Issues of fairness, participation, and trust during the development process influence acceptance. (7) Distance from turbines affects other explanatory variables, but alone its influence is unclear. (8) Viewing opposition as something to be overcome prevents meaningful understandings and implementation of best practices. (9) Implementation of research findings into practice has been limited. The paper also identifies areas for future research on wind acceptance. With continued research efforts and a commitment toward implementing research findings into developer and policymaker practice, conflict and perceived injustices around proposed and existing wind energy facilities might be significantly lessened.
A Single Surgeon, 10 Year Experience with the Oxford Partial Knee System: What a Difference Experience, Instruments, Implants, and Technique Can Make

Partial knee (unicompartmental) arthroplasty (PKA) for medial compartment disease of the knee has a long and well documented history of successful results over long periods of follow up. The Oxford Partial Knee Replacement has been available in the U.S. since 2004. After completing an FDA required instructional course, surgeons may use the device. Both the implant and the instruments have evolved since its introduction in 2004. This paper outlines the authors continuous cohort of 249 patients, 286 knees from 2004 to 2014 with minimum 2 year follow up, and reports the results while discussing the impact of experience, instruments and implants, and technique on the outcome of patients in this series. For the aggregate group of 286 knees, there were 17(5.9%) all-cause revisions to TKA, including 2(0.7%) dislocations, resulting in a (83%) survivorship at ten years. The survivorship at ten years for retained implants was 97% if non-implant related causes are not included. At one year, there were 89% excellent and good results, 5% fair, and 6% poor. At two years, there were 93% excellent and good, 1 % fair, and 5.5% poor. The causes for the poor results at one and two years were tibial sided failure or persistent pain. Three (12%) of patients with a poor result at one year had converted to good and excellent at two years. The use of the Oxford Mobile Bearing™ PKA has been shown to be a useful part of the surgeon’s surgical armamentarium when dealing with anteromedial osteoarthritis or osteonecrosis of the knee. PKA has been shown to have a lower morbidity and mortality and is cost effective when compared to total knee arthroplasty. The author’s experience, as demonstrated in this study, adds validity to the concept that understanding the pathoanatomy of anteromedial osteoarthritis and gaining surgical experience through increased surgical volume, adherence to well documented technique, and the use of a time proven implant, can be accomplished with a high degree of successful outcomes for patients with the appropriate indications.
Pancreatic cancer screening in high-risk individuals with germline genetic mutations.

Background and Aims Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a deadly disease that is most commonly diagnosed at an incurable stage. Different high-risk genetic variants and cancer syndromes increase the lifetime risk of developing PC. This study aims to assess the yield of initial PC screening in patients with high-risk germline mutations. Methods Asymptomatic adults underwent PC screening by EUS, magnetic resonance imaging, or CT during a 10-year period and were retrospectively identified. High-risk individuals were defined as carrying germline mutations in BRCA1 , BRCA2 , p53 (Li-Fraumeni), STK11 (Peutz-Jeghers), MSH2 (Lynch), ATM (ataxia-telangiectasia), or APC (familial adenomatous polyposis). Patients without germline mutations were excluded. Results In total, 86 patients met the study criteria. The median age was 48.5 years (interquartile range, 40-58), 79.1% (68) were women, and 43.0% (37) had a family history of PC. The genetic mutations were BRCA2 (50, 58.1%), BRCA1 (14, 16.3%), p53 (12, 14.0%), STK11 (5, 5.8%), MSH2 (3, 3.5%), ATM (1, 1.2%), and APC (1, 1.2%). Screening detected a pancreatic abnormality (PA) in 26.7% (23/86), including cysts (11, 47.8%), hyperechoic strands and foci (10, 43.5%), and mild pancreatic duct dilation (2, 8.7%). Patients older than 60 years were more likely to have a PA detected ( P = .043). EUS detected more PAs than magnetic resonance imaging or CT. No cases of PC were diagnosed by screening or during follow-up (median, 29.8 months; interquartile range, 21.7-43.5). Conclusions Unless indicated otherwise by family or personal history, PC screening under the age of 50 is low yield. Linear EUS may be the preferred modality for initial PC screening.
Accurate simulations of helium pick-up experiments using a rejection-free Monte Carlo method

In this paper, we present Monte Carlo simulations of helium droplet pick-up experiments with the intention of developing a robust and accurate theoretical approach for interpreting experimental helium droplet calorimetry data. Our approach is capable of capturing the evaporative behavior of helium droplets following dopant acquisition, allowing for a more realistic description of the pick-up process. Furthermore, we circumvent the traditional assumption of bulk helium behavior by utilizing density functional calculations of the size-dependent helium droplet chemical potential. The results of this new Monte Carlo technique are compared to commonly used Poisson pick-up statistics for simulations that reflect a broad range of experimental parameters. We conclude by offering an assessment of both of these theoretical approaches in the context of our observed results.
INTERNAL CONTROL: HOW IT EVOLVED IN FOUR ENGLISH-SPEAKING COUNTRIES

The concept of internal control, as embodied in auditing standards and other statements by professional accounting bodies, has varied over time and geographically. There are, however, a number of s...