cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Face Preference in Infancy and Its Relation to Motor Activity.

Infants’ preference for faces was investigated in a cross-sectional sample of 75 children, aged 3 to 11 months, and 23 adults. A visual preference paradigm was used where pairs of faces and toys were presented side-by-side while eye gaze was recorded. In addition, motor activity was assessed via parent report and the relation between motor activity and face preference was examined. Face preference scores followed an inverted U-shaped developmental trajectory with no face preference in 3-month-olds, a strong face preference in 5- and 9-month-olds, and a weaker face preference in 11-month-olds. Adults showed no reliable face preference. Motor activity was a significant predictor of face preference in 3-month-old infants, supporting the presence of motor-social connections in early infancy.
An Adaptive Instability Suppression Controls Method for Aircraft Gas Turbine Engine Combustors

An adaptive controls method for instability suppression in gas turbine engine combustors has been developed and successfully tested with a realistic aircraft engine combustor rig. This testing was part of a program that demonstrated, for the first time, successful active combustor instability control in an aircraft gas turbine engine-like environment. The controls method is called Adaptive Sliding Phasor Averaged Control. Testing of the control method has been conducted in an experimental rig with different configurations designed to simulate combustors with instabilities of about 530 and 315 Hz. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of this method in suppressing combustor instabilities. In addition, a dramatic improvement in suppression of the instability was achieved by focusing control on the second harmonic of the instability. This is believed to be due to a phenomena discovered and reported earlier, the so called Intra-Harmonic Coupling. These results may have implications for future research in combustor instability control.
Diversity patterns exhibited by the Plecoptera of a Colorado mountain stream

Plecoptera collected from 11 locations along the longitudinal profile (first to fifth orders) of a Rocky Mountain stream (St. Vrain Creek) revealed distinctive spatial patterns of species diversity. Overall diversity was low near the stream source (epirhithron), attained maximum values in middle reaches, then declined dramatically concomitant with the transition from rhithron to potamon conditions. Shannon-Weaver index values ([math]) were < 1.0 at high elevations and at the potamon station, whereas [math] exceeded 3.0 in middle reaches. Species richness based on summer data alone is depressed by nearly 50 % at some locations, but the summer spatial pattern of [math] values is in general concordance with that derived from the entire data set. Species diversity patterns of consecutive summers were relatively stable considering the substantial differences in discharge. To accurately determine Plecoptera diversity patterns, it was necessary to combine data from both fine (240 µm) and coarse mesh (720 µm samples). Although a myriad of interrelated factors determine the diversity of lotic insects at a given site, summer maximum temperature and annual temperature range appear to be major variables controlling the spatial diversity pattern of Plecoptera.
Speech recognition on MPEG/Audio encoded files

A technique to perform speech recognition directly from audio files encoded using the MPEG/Audio coding standard is described. The technique works in the compressed domain and does not require the MPEG/Audio file to be decompressed. Only the encoded subband samples are extracted and processed for training and recognition. The underlying speech recognition engine used is based on the hidden Markov model. The technique is applicable to layers I and II of MPEG/Audio, and training under one layer can be used to recognize the other. Results based on the recognition of a speaker-dependent, small vocabulary, and continuously spoken sentences shows accuracy as high as 99% using this technique.
Surveillance of the short-term impact of fine particle air pollution on cardiovascular disease hospitalizations in New York State

Background: Studies have shown that the effects of particulate matter on health vary based on factors including the vulnerability of the population, health care practices, exposure factors, and the pollutant mix. Methods: We used time-stratified case-crossover to estimate differences in the short-term impacts of PM2.5 on cardiovascular disease hospital admissions in New York State by geographic area, year, age, gender, co-morbid conditions, and area poverty rates. Results: PM 2.5 had a stronger impact on heart failure than other cardiovascular diagnoses, with 3.1% of heart failure admissions attributable to short-term PM 2.5 exposure over background levels of 5 ug/m 3 . Older adults were significantly more susceptible to heart failure after short-term ambient PM2.5 exposure than younger adults. Conclusion: The short-term impact of PM 2.5 on cardiovascular disease admissions, and modifications of that impact, are small and difficult to measure with precision. Multi-state collaborations will be necessary to attain more precision to describe spatiotemporal differences in health impacts.
Intense laser alignment in dissipative media as a route to solvent dynamics

We extend the concept of alignment by short intense pulses to dissipative environments within a density matrix formalism and illustrate the application of this method as a probe of the dissipative properties of dense media. In particular, we propose a means of disentangling rotational population relaxation from decoherence effects via strong laser alignment. We illustrate also the possibility of suppressing rotational relaxation to prolong the alignment lifetime through choice of the field parameters. Implications to several disciplines and a number of potential applications are proposed.
Islamic finance, law, economics, and practices

Islamic finance, law, economics, and practices, by Mahmoud A. El-Gamal, New York, Cambridge University Press, 2006, xvii + 221 pp.. US$60.00 (hardback), ISBN 0-521-86414-3 As the recent financial c...
(Re)turning the pages of residency: the impact of localizing resident physicians to hospital units on paging frequency.

METHODS: The study is a retrospective analysis of the number of pages received by interns on 5 internal medicine teams: 2 in a geographically localized model (GLM), 2 in a partial localization model (PLM), and 1 in a standard model (SM) over 1 month at New York–Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell. Multivariate linear regression techniques were used to analyze the relationship between the number of pages received per intern and the type of team. RESULTS: The number of pages received per intern per hour, adjusted for team census and number of admissions, was 2.2 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.0–2.4) in the GLM, 2.8 (95% CI: 2.6–3.0) in the PLM, and 3.9 (95% CI: 3.6–4.2) in the SM; all differences were statistically significant (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Geographic localization of resident teams to patient care units was associated with significantly fewer pages received by interns during the day. Such patient care models may improve resident workload in part by decreasing pages, and consequently has important implications for patient safety and medical education. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2014;9:120–122. V C 2013 Society of Hospital Medicine
An insertable P-31 RF coil for dual-frequency magnetic resonance imaging & spectroscopy

Application of nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in metabolic studies usually includes simultaneous excitation at two different frequencies. RF coupling between the two coils has been a problem in the past, resulting in reduced field strength from the 1H coil. A modular surface coil was designed and constructed for 1H and 31P at 4.7 Tesla; RF traps were designed and optimized to minimize the field-degrading coupling current, and trap performance was analyzed in terms of improvement in signal-to-noise-ratio and field sensitivity pattern of the proton coil. The modular design in conjunction with the optimized traps permits the possibility of insertion of the phosphorus coil as an “add on” into any other hydrogen coil.
Quantitative simulation of strained and unstrained InP-based resonant tunneling diodes

State-of-the-art InP-based resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) are being developed for circuit applications such as low power memory cells and high speed adders. Depending on the application RTDs must be designed to provide either a low or a high current density. Quantitative modeling of such devices is expected to reduce the device development cycle time significantly. We have expanded our interactive design and analysis software NEMO (Nanoelectronic Modeling) to quantitatively model pseudomorphic InP-based RTDs which can include lattice matched In/sub 0.53/Ga/sub 0.47/As, In/sub 0.52/Al/sub 0.48/As, and pseudomorphic AlAs and InAs. We present the world's first quantitative simulations of strained and unstrained InP-based RTDs that include quantum charge self-consistency (Hartree) in a full band (sp/sup 3/s*) model.
Electromagnetic absorption in the human head from experimental 6-GHz handheld transceivers

We have used a new millimeter-resolution MRI-based model of the human body to calculate the electromagnetic absorption in the head and neck for three experimental Yagi antennas suggested for handheld transceivers of a proposed 6-GHz personal communication network (PCN) system. The SAR distributions are obtained with a resolution of 1.974/spl times/1.974/spl times/1.5 mm for transceivers that are held against the ears and tilted forward by 33/spl deg/. The finite-difference time-domain technique is used to calculate the EM fields and SARs for the transceiver, antenna, and head and neck coupled region that is divided into 158/spl times/84/spl times/188 or nearly 2.5 million cells. The highlights of the numerical calculations are verified by means of a head-shaped experimental model made of tissue-equivalent materials simulating the electrical properties (/spl epsiv//sub r/,/spl sigma/) of the skull, brain, muscle, eyes, and ears developed for use at 6 GHz. Because of the proximity to the antenna, the highest SARs are obtained for the upper part of the ear. For a planned radiated power of 0.6 W, the peak SARs averaged over any 1 g of tissue defined as a tissue volume in the shape of a cube are on the order of 0.5-1.0 W/kg for two of the proposed antennas and considerably higher (2.06 W/kg) for the third antenna using a narrower off-axis reflector. Low SARs for the first two antennas are likely due to the shielding provided by the relatively wider strip reflector plates used for these antennas.
Product Lifecycle Quality (PLQ): a framework within Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) for achieving product quality

Product quality receives much attention but means different things to different people depending on their involvement with a product. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) with its holistic view of a product from birth to death requires an equally encompassing view of quality. Product Lifecycle Quality (PLQ) is a proposed framework to define an overall view of product quality that applies to the four phases of a product's lifecycle: creation, build, use, and dispose. The paper will discuss product quality as being defined by the perceived value of the product user and propagating through the different phases of product's life.
Severe glenoid retroversion is best treated with asymmetric reaming in total shoulder arthroplasty–Affirms

Abstract Osteoarthritis in the shoulder is frequently associated with and complicated by a substantial degree of posterior glenoid wear. It is present to some degree in the majority of patients. The optimal management of posterior erosion has been debated; however, the true anatomic version of the glenoid compared to the degree of posterior erosion is unknown, because of the mobile nature of the scapula and variations in spinal posture and thoracic shape. The fact remains that in order to suitably achieve a stable gleno-humeral implant arthroplasty, the majority of osteoarthritic shoulders can be managed with asymmetric reaming. In certain cases where subluxation is present or retroversion is still greater than 15°, new techniques of supplemental bone grafting can be employed, without resorting to offset, built-up, asymmetrical implants, which have a track record of failure.
Epidemiology of polymyalgia rheumatica in Olmsted County, Minnesota, 1970-1991

Objective. To determine the incidence, prevalence, and survival of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) over a 22-year period in Olmsted County, Minnesota. Methods. Using the unified record system at the Mayo Clinic for the Olmsted County population, we reviewed all medical records with a diagnosis of PMR from 1970 through 1991. Results. There were 245 (173 female; 72 male) incidence cases of PMR between 1970 and 1991. The average annual age- and sex-adjusted incidence of PMR per 100,000 population ≥ 50 years was 52.5 (95% confidence interval [CI] 45.9–59.2), with a significantly higher incidence in females (61.7; 95% CI 52.3–71.2) than in males (39.9; 95% CI 30.7–49.2). The incidence varied over the period of observation, but no significant trends were found. The prevalence of PMR among persons ≥ 50 years on January 1, 1992 was 6/1,000. There was a small but significantly increased survival rate among male PMR patients compared with the general population. Conclusion. Our data demonstrate that PMR is a common nonfatal disease in the elderly, the incidence and clinical manifestations of which have varied but remained relatively stable over the last 2 decades.
The effect of different environments on Nafion degradation: Quantum mechanics study

Degradation of the Nafion electrolyte in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) limits the lifetime, motivating development of materials that resist degradation. The mechanism for degradation of Nafion under fuel cell conditions remains uncertain. Studies of Nafion degradation in concentrated OH• environments, such as Fenton or vapor HOOH tests, show that the main chain significantly degrades in these conditions. However it has not been established whether this applies to fuel cell conditions. We have used quantum mechanics (Density Functional Theory with the B3LYP and M06 functionals) to determine the mechanism of Nafion degradation under both concentrated OH• and fuel cell conditions. These studies confirm that under concentrated OH• conditions Nafion degrades when peroxide radicals attack end groups (–COOH, –CF ═ CF2, –CF_2H); followed by degradation of Nafion along the polymer main chain, as proposed previously. However we find that under fuel cell conditions, Nafion degradation occurs along the polymer side chain starting with H• attacking the side chain groups such as the sulfonic acid, –SO_3^−. We find that it is easier for OH• to attack the main chain than H•, while vice versa, it is easier for H• radical to attack the side chain than OH•.
Physicalism, supervenience, and dependence: A reply to Campbell

1. In a recent article in this journal, Neil Campbell has argued that certain problems with the doctrine of psycho-physical supervenience can be overcome if supervenience is viewed as a relation between predicates rather than as a relation between properties. Campbell suggests that, when properly understood, this predicate version of supervenience "expresses a form of psycho-physical dependence that might be useful to those who wish to argue for a supervenience-based physicalism" (Campbell 2000, p. 314, n.7). My aim in this note is to indicate why I think we ought to resist this suggestion of Campbell's. First, I will argue quite generally that any appeal to a distinction between predicates and properties is irrelevant to issues concerning physicalism and supervenience. And, second, I will argue that Campbell's own predicate version of supervenience fails to capture a notion of dependence that physicalists are likely to find useful. The upshot is that viewing supervenience as a relation between predicates does not help in articulating a more plausible version of physicalism.
A wire length minimization approach to ocular dominance patterns in mammalian visual cortex

The primary visual area (V1) of the mammalian brain is a thin sheet of neurons. Because each neuron is dominated by either right or left eye one can treat V1 as a binary mixture of neurons. The spatial arrangement of neurons dominated by dierent eyes is known as the ocular dominance (OD) pattern. We propose a theory for OD patterns based on the premise that they are evolutionary adaptations to minimize the length of intra-cortical connections. Thus, the existing OD patterns are obtained by solving a wire length minimization problem. We divide all the neurons into two classes: right- and left-eye dominated. We nd that if the number of connections of each neuron with the neurons of the same class diers from that with the other class, the segregation of neurons into monocular regions indeed reduces the wire length. The shape of the regions depends on the relative number of neurons in the two classes. If both classes are equally represented we nd that the optimal OD pattern consists of alternating stripes. If one class is less numerous than the other, the optimal OD pattern consists of patches of the underrepresented (ipsilateral) eye dominated neurons surrounded by the neurons of the other class. We predict the transition from stripes to patches when the fraction of neurons dominated by the ipsilateral eye is about 40%. This prediction agrees with the data in macaque and Cebus monkeys. Our theory can be applied to other binary cortical systems. c 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Making and breaking the message.

A report on the Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory meeting 'Eukaryotic mRNA Processing', Cold Spring Harbor, USA, 20-24 August 2003.
Naturally occurring diblastodermic eggs in the annual fish Cynolebias: Implications for developmental regulation and determination.

Annual fish development differs from that of other teleosts because a phase of blastomere dispersion-reaggregation spatially and temporally separates epiboly from embryogenesis. The fate of dispersed blastomeres was assessed in diblastodermic eggs of the annual fishes Cynolebias whitei and C. nigripinnis. In typical teleosts, blastomere determination and the events of primary embryonic induction occur prior to or during epiboly, so diblastodermic eggs produce partially or completely duplicated embryos. In the diblastodermic eggs of Cynolebias, the two blastoderms are completely separate from the one cell stage to the high blastula. Blastoderm fusion begins during midepiboly. By the end of epiboly, blastoderm fusion has been completed, and the deep, embryo-forming blastomeres of both blastoderms have completely dispersed and intermingled to form a single cell population. A typical annual fish dispersed blastomere phase ensues. Blastomeres reaggregate into a single mass, in which one embryo develops. When hatched, the young fish have no obvious structural or functional abnormalities. We suggest that the dispersed blastomeres of annual fish eggs are equivalent and that induction or determination takes place within the reaggregate. Alternatively, dispersed cells are partially determined but highly regulative, so that, when two populations fuse, the cells sort out according to tissue type and form a single embryo. In either instance, the formation of a single, normal embryo seems to corroborate the hypothesis that the dispersed cell phase of annual fishes is an adaptation that prevents environmentally induced developmental defects. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Peripheral blood stem cell mobilization by cytokines

Hematopoietic stem cells circulate in the peripheral blood. These cells can be collected by apheresis techniques either in the unperturbed state, after mobilization following the administration of cytokines like G-CSF or GM-CSF, or during the phase of early blood count recovery following chemotherapy-induced myelosuppression. The number of cells collected following mobilization is greater than that obtained after apheresis in the unperturbed state. There are, however, qualitative differences between unperturbed and mobilized cells. Chemotherapy related mobilization can be potentially dangerous in that severe myelosuppression necessary to achieve mobilization can have serious consequences. There are no controlled studies that evaluate the relative merits of each method of collection. Regardless of the techniques employed peripheral blood stem cells can reliably accelerate hematologic recovery after potentially myeloblative therapy and provide an alternative to bone marrow support.
The Concept of Perception in Selected Nursing Theories

Perception has long been recognized as a concept of importance in nursing, but the meaning of the term has often been ambiguous and unclear. This paper considers the historical definitions of perception and explores ways the term is used in current philosophical and psycho logical writings. A synthetic definition of perception is proposed, using the critical characteristics of sensation, selection, assimilation, and interpretation. Four nursing frameworks, those of King, Levine, Orem, and Roy, are analyzed in relation to the concept of perception as pre sented in each theory.
Making meaning of school readiness in schools and communities

Abstract The topic of school readiness dominates national discussion about early education as schools and communities implement recent federal policies. This study involved 20 focus groups with 93 professionals and 25 parents to explore perceptions of readiness. Thematic analysis of transcripts revealed that participants experience several tensions related to their views of readiness: the conflict between personal philosophies of teaching and learning and the expectations set forth by the state; the pressure placed upon children, teachers, and families for children to perform; and the inconsistency of defining kindergarten eligibility by both chronological age and a set of required entry skills. The authors recommend action to: (1) promote strategies that foster school readiness, not just outcomes that define it, (2) increase professional accountability, and (3) promote social and emotional development as a critical foundation of school readiness.
Food intake in diabetic rats: isolation of primary metabolic effects of fat feeding

The effects of varying dietary fat content on food intake and metabolism in streptozotocin-diabetic rats were examined. The metabolic consequences of fat feeding were separated from the marked adjustments in voluntary food consumption that occur when diabetic rats are fed diets containing different amounts of fat by feeding rats a fixed ration of food in which either fats or carbohydrates were reduced by equicaloric amounts, or in which only the concentration of fat, but not other dietary nutrients, was varied systematically. Resulting changes in metabolism and subsequent ad libitum food intake on refeeding were then measured. Rats did not increase their food intake after a prior reduction in carbohydrate consumption but did so after an equicaloric reduction in fat consumption. Urinary glucose excretion during rationing was a function of carbohydrate consumption and was not predictive of changes in food intake during refeeding. The more fat that rats consumed during rationing, the higher their levels of plasma triglycerides and ketone bodies were at the time of refeeding and the less they ate when allowed to eat ad libitum. The orderly changes in food consumption and in plasma triglycerides and ketones observed with variations in fat intake suggest that the effects of fat feeding on food intake in diabetic rats are mediated through the oxidation of ingested fat.
Laminar forced-convection at small Prandtl numbers

Through the direct use of displacement thickness a first-order correction to the general solution ofParlange, obtained for vanishing Prandtl number, is presented. The general solutions are applied to wedge flows with wall temperature or wall heat flux varying as a power of the distance from the leading edge. Data for some special cases are given. It is shown that the present small Prandtl number approximation is simple, explicit, and capable of yielding sufficiently accurate results for practical applications.
Personality Characteristics and Marital Satisfaction

IN SOCIAL science research it is frequently desirable to retest the findings of previous studies for a different sample than the one used in the previous research. Frequently greater confidence can be established for the findings, or a wider range of generality may result from such retesting. Recently an opportunity occurred for retesting Terman's hypothesis that personality characteristics are related to marital satisfaction.' Although this hypothesis is general, the results of the present study should be of interest because the sample used in the present investigation was quite different from the one employed by Terman or later by Burgess and Wallin.
Representation of People of Asian Descent in Mainstream Mass Media within the United States

AbstractThe public school classroom in the United States has been getting more diverse, linguistically and ethnically. Immigrant and second/third generation students learn American culture and norms from messages conveyed through mainstream media like internet, advertisements, films, newspapers, TV, and magazines. Their self-perceptions, perspectives toward others, attitudes toward classroom, school, and society are strongly influenced by the representations of diverse ethnic groups in mainstream media whether they are true or false. This study reviews three main stereotypical representations of one minority category in the U.S., the people of Asian descent, in U.S. mainstream media in the past- yellow peril, yellowface, and model minority. And then, this study focuses more on recent years to examine whether there are any changes or differences over the last 5 years compared to past decades with the content analysis of Time, Vogue, and Esquire from 2005 to 2010. The findings of this study indicate that mo...
Inhibin, activin, and follistatin in reproductive medicine

Objective To review the available information regarding the polypeptide factors inhibin, activin, and follistatin in reproductive physiology. Design The protein structure, tissue expression, regulation, and effects of these factors are outlined, with an emphasis on the reproductive tissues in both females and males. Although some information is only available in animal model systems, human data has been selected whenever possible. Conclusions Inhibin and activin are closely related peptides with opposing actions, whereas follistatin is a structurally unrelated peptide that may act indirectly through modulation of inhibin-activin effects. These three peptides are secreted in highest levels by the adult gonads; however, they are also present in a wide variety of reproductive and nonreproductive tissues where they are believed to exert local, tissue-specific effects. Within the reproductive system, these peptides play a role in the regulation of gonadotropin biosynthesis and secretion, ovarian and placental steroidogenesis, and oocyte and spermatogonial maturation.
Unpacking Ethnographic Film and African Cinema: Imbricated Border Crossings and the Communicative Gap in Spectatorship

Do invisible gods, in effect, merely have a “double,” or are they themselves a “double”? (Rouch, 1978, p. 3)Ethnographic film provides a prototype for visual border crossings in anthropological res...
Effects of partial filling on the impulse of pulse detonation engine

Partial-tube fill experiments were conducted in a fixed length PDE tube with a fuel section of different length,covering a wide range of the detonation tube fill fraction(ratio of fuel length to tube length),using gasoline as fuel and air as oxidizer.Impulse was calculated by integrating the pressure at the closed end of the tube.Based on the results obtained experimentally,It is found that the fuel-based specific impulse declines with fill fraction.On the other hand,the total-mixture-based specific impulse rises as fill fraction increases.A partial-fill model is developed to predict the impulse obtained from a partially-filled detonation tube.
Leadership in a health care organization: not like private practice.

A family physician shares what he learned about leadership when he was no longer captain of the ship.
Otolaryngology in the medical school curriculum: Current trends in the United States.

Objectives/Hypothesis To identify trends in medical school otolaryngology curriculum requirements. Study Design Survey of United States allopathic medical schools. Methods A survey was sent to deans of curriculum at allopathic medical schools. We identified opportunities for medical students to learn basic concepts in otolaryngology during their undergraduate medical training. The opportunities were classified into preclinical and clinical as well as elective and mandatory rotations. Results Of the schools surveyed, 60% responded. Mean class size was 149 students. Sixty-eight percent of surveyed schools noted that 75% to 100% of their students participated in preclinical otolaryngology experiences, with 59% reporting a mandatory preclinical otolaryngology module for all students. Eighty-nine percent of schools offered otolaryngology as a clinical elective rotation, with a mean of 12 students participating yearly. Only 7% of schools required a mandatory otolaryngology clinical rotation. Conclusion Our data suggest that medical students do not receive sufficient exposure to otolaryngology during medical school. Increased requirements for otolaryngology curriculum may be beneficial to all medical students, regardless of their specialty choice. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 00:000–000, 2016
Relation of adrenal cortical hormone to lymphoid tissue and lymphocytes.

The hormonal control through the hypophyseo-adrenal cortical system of lymphoid tissue structure and function is an important concept. We cannot at the present time regard that the concept is established fact. Final judgment must await additional work and the clarification of some of the inconsistencies which appear to exist. It seems reasonable that lymphoid tissue is one of the end organs of adrenal cortical hormone and that it may perhaps play a role in the response of the organism to stress. It seems quite clear that the sugar hormone of the adrenal cortex is capable of producing structural alterations in lymphoid tissue. Change in thoracic duct lymphocyte numbers as a result of augmentation in the amount of available adrenal cortical hormone is at present controversial. Experiments in this laboratory have failed to demonstrate it. The production of lymphopenia, at least in some species and possibly in man, by increasing available sugar hormone is supported by some evidence. The exact mechanism of production of lymphopenia is open to question, its relationship to changes in lymphoid tissue structure being one of inference. The converse situation—absolute lympocytosis resulting from deprivation of adrenal cortical hormone—is the subject of controversial reports. At best, it must be admitted that relatively slight alterations from the accepted normal range of lymphocyte values occur in the adrenal insufficient organism. Changes in plasma gamma globulins and antibody titers associated with changes in the amount of available cortical hormone are reported. It should be clarified whether such changes have necessarily resulted from lymphocyte dissolution or are related to other of the variegated actions of adrenal cortical hormone. The relationship of adrenal cortical hormone to lymphoid tissue and lymphocytes and the relationship of the latter to the response of the organism to stress must indeed be complex. It is reasonably well established that the life span of the lymphocyte is very short indeed1,58,22 and each lymphocyte presumably liberates its metabolically important contents within a few hours at the most. If stress continues for any period of time, as often it does, it is difficult to visualize the wisdom of interfering with the production of metabolically vital substances in order to secure the transient benefits of lymphoid tissue dissolution. It is also somewhat difficult to regard as proved that the various changes reported after hormone augmentation or deprivation necessarily represent the normal mechanism by which these factors are regulated and kept within physiologic limits. More investigations are required to answer such questions and to further elucidate the interrelationship of the adrenal cortex and lymphoid tissues.
David Oliver: Hip fracture care shows the way

The NHS increasingly emphasises safety, quality, and value, using data on variations to improve practice and outcomes and developing clinically led collaborative models of care.1 2 But is this delivering? Improvements in the care of people with hip fractures show just what can be achieved.3 Patients are typically over 80, frail, and multimorbid, with falls and fragile bones. Cognitive and functional impairments are common. Mortality rates after surgery are high.4 Patients with hip fractures weren’t traditionally viewed as the glamorous end of trauma surgery. They often waited several days for surgery, which was often cancelled …
Benign prostatic hyperplasia in older men

Urinary tract symptoms secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) may adversely affect quality of life in many older men. Evaluation of patients with BPH should be focused on excluding complicating factors such as urinary tract infection, renal dysfunction, and malignancy. Watchful waiting is an appropriate option for men in whom such complicating conditions have been excluded. For those men who elect to be treated, therapy using alpha blockers (terazosin, doxazosin) or 5-alpha reductase inhibitors (finasteride) should be offered initially. Surgical treatment is generally reserved for patients who do not have a sufficient response to medical therapy and those with absolute indications for intervention, such as complete retention, recurrent infection or hematuria, renal insufficiency, and bladder stones.
Buffer against Cumulative Stress Positive Age Self-Stereotypes Predict Lower Cortisol across 30 Years

Abstract. Prolonged elevation of cortisol, the primary stress biomarker, is associated with impaired cognitive and physical health. Cortisol tends to increase in later life among most, but not all, older individuals. The current study considered whether this pattern could be explained by more-positive age stereotypes acting as a stress buffer. The 439 participants drawn from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging provided 1,789 cortisol measurements, from 24-h collections of urine, across 30 years. Among those aged 50 or greater, the cortisol of the more-negative age-stereotype group increased by 44%, whereas the more-positive age-stereotype group showed no increase. Also as expected, there was no association of age stereotypes and cortisol level among the younger participants, for whom the age stereotypes were self-irrelevant. The findings indicate the importance of considering the relationship between both positive and negative stereotypes and stress biomarkers over time.
Role of pectin and haze particles in membrane fouling during cold microfiltration of apple cider

The role of pectin in membrane fouling during cold MF of apple cider was investigated. Clarified apple juice with four different concentrations of pectin was subjected to cold MF, at pore sizes above 0.45 μm. The experimental data shows that pectin plays a significant role in membrane fouling, and its fouling effect increased with increasing concentration. The association of pectin with polyphenols and proteins, which results in colloidal haze particles with low surface electrical charge, seems to be the major factor in fouling during cold MF of apple cider. Depectinization was beneficial to MF with pore sizes below 0.45 μm, for which fouling is dominated by cake layer formation. Depectinization had a negative effect on MF flux for pore sizes above 0.8 μm, since the size reduction of haze particles accentuated pore constriction and blockage, which dominate fouling in large pore MF. These findings have practical implications for the development of efficient, commercially viable, cold MF processes for minimally processed apple cider.
Tarantula Toxin SGTx-1 alters Gating Kinetics of Human Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel Nav1.7

Voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels play a key role in action potential generation in excitable cells and are targets of invertebrate toxins and therapeutics. The tarantula toxin SGTx-1 has been shown to target the domain IV voltage sensor (VSDIV) of Nav1.2, prolonging the macroscopic sodium current elicited during whole-cell voltage clamp experiments. We demonstrate that SGTx-1 has a similar effect on human Nav1.7 (hNav1.7) expressed in tsa-201 cells, with an apparent affinity in the low micromolar range. To better understand the molecular mechanism of toxin action, we are using Rosetta molecular modeling software to develop homology models of resting and activated states of the hNav1.7-VSDIV. The models are based on the crystal structures of an hNav1.7-NavAb chimera, NavAb, and the two-pore cation channel (TPC1) from Arabidopsis. Using RosettaDock, we have modeled the proposed binding site of SGTx-1 with the hNav1.7-VSDIV in multiple states. We hypothesize that SGTx-1 binds a resting state of the VSDIV, and thus prevents channel fast-inactivation and prolongs induced macroscopic current. We identify potential interactions that could allow the toxin to exert its influence on channel activity. An understanding of the basic molecular mechanism of SGTx-1 interaction with hNav1.7-VSDIV may inform the rational design of novel therapeutics targeting Nav channels.
Chronic kidney disease as a complication of cancer

An exciting era in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer has emerged in the last 2 decades. What was once an often deadly disease has, for many patients, become a chronic disease with longer surviv...
Poorer maternal diet quality and increased birth weight

AbstractObjective: Maternal diet and gestational weight gain (GWG) influence birth weight and infant adiposity, which are important predictors of lifetime health. To better understand these relationships, we studied associations between maternal diet and GWG, adiposity, and birth weight in a well characterized cohort of pregnant women.Study design: Data were obtained from 41 term (>37 weeks), uncomplicated, singleton pregnancies according to pre-pregnancy BMI categories of normal (n = 11), overweight (n = 15), or obese (n = 15). Daily consumption of protein, fat, and carbohydrates and a Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) score were determined from 24 h food recall collections. Associations were modeled using multinomial logistic and linear regression.Results: Neither the third trimester maternal diet quality nor the macronutrient consumption was associated with GWG after adjusting for pre-pregnancy BMI, maternal age, and parity. A ten-point lower HEI-2010 score was associated with 200 g higher infant birth w...
Quantifying the relative effects of environmental and direct transmission of norovirus

Norovirus is a common cause of outbreaks of acute gastroenteritis in health- and child-care settings, with serial outbreaks also frequently observed aboard cruise ships. The relative contributions of environmental and direct person-to-person transmission of norovirus have hitherto not been quantified. We employ a novel mathematical model of norovirus transmission, and fit the model to daily incidence data from a major norovirus outbreak on a cruise ship, and examine the relative efficacy of potential control strategies aimed at reducing environmental and/or direct transmission. The reproduction number for environmental and direct transmission combined is [Formula: see text] [6.1,9.5], and of environmental transmission alone is [Formula: see text] [0.9,2.6]. Direct transmission is overwhelmingly due to passenger-to-passenger contacts, but crew can act as a reservoir of infection from cruise to cruise. This is the first quantification of the relative roles of environmental and direct transmission of norovirus. While environmental transmission has the potential to maintain a sustained series of outbreaks aboard a cruise ship in the absence of strict sanitation practices, direct transmission dominates. We find that intensive promotion of good hand washing practices may prevent outbreaks. Isolation of ill passengers and cleaning are beneficial, but appear to be less efficacious at outbreak control.
Interval between cytoreductions as a marker of tumor biology in selecting patients for repeat cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.

Background and Objectives Repeat cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for recurrence of peritoneal surface malignancies is safe and effective. Patient selection and factors associated with a favorable outcome are still evolving. Methods A prospectively maintained institutional database consisting of 1314 CRS/HIPEC procedures performed between February 1993 and December 2015 was reviewed. Clinicopathologic data from 103 patients and 112 (8.5%) repeat CRS/HIPEC procedures were retrospectively analyzed. Results Primary tumors were appendiceal for 60 patients (58.3%), mesothelioma for 14 (13.6%), colorectal for 9 (8.7%), ovarian for 8 (7.8%). R0/R1 resection was achieved in 46 (46.5%) patients. The time interval between the initial and the repeat CRS/HIPEC was 2 years for 42 patients (40.8%). Overall median survival was 4.3 years and correlated with the time interval (1.3 years for 2 years; P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, the R status (P = 0.005) and a time interval of more than 2 years (P = 0.0002) were strongly associated with survival with each additional month between the surgeries conferring a 2.6% reduction in the risk of death. Conclusions The current series validates time interval between cytoreductions as a major surrogate of tumor biology in selection of patients with recurrent peritoneal surface malignancies for repeat CRS/HIPEC. Complete repeat cytoreduction more than 2 years from the initial surgery is associated with a favorable outcome.
Impinging Jet Ignition

Turbulent jet ignition can reliably be used to ignite an ultra-lean fuel/air mixture as illustrated in previous chapters. This ignition technique can be utilized in various applications ranging from pulse detonation engines, wave rotor combustor explosions, to supersonic combustors and natural gas engines. Compared to a conventional spark plug, the hot jet has a much larger surface area leading to multiple ignition sites on its surface which can enhance the probability of successful ignition and cause faster flame propagation and heat release. In short, turbulent jet ignition has many advantages over conventional ignition system.
Silicon Micro/Nanophotonic Optical Phased Arrays for Beam Steering

Current OPA technologies are discussed in both the broadside and end-fire geometry. The design and performance of our end-fire OPA is discussed, and the performance of our OPA is compared to other current technologies.
Quantitative Assessment of Corrosion in Aircraft Structures Using Scanning Pulsed Eddy Current

Eddy current nondestructive testing techniques are used extensively in industry for detection of hidden cracks and corrosion in multi-layer conductive structures such as those found in aircraft. Most conventional eddy current techniques employ a probe coil excited with a continuous sine wave. The changes in the probe’s impedance are detected (usually with an electronic bridge circuit) and displayed in real time on an impedance plane CRT display. Interpretation of the impedance-plane trajectories that result from scanning the probe over a defect is difficult; it involves a considerable amount of operator skill and knowledge and the equipment is sometimes difficult to set up and operate. We have developed an eddy current inspection system using the pulsed eddy current technique, which greatly reduces the possibility of operator errors and subjectivity in the quantitative interpretation of test results.
Microfluidic synthesis of [18F]FMISO

1462 Objectives The automated production of 1-[18F]fluoro-3-(2-nitro-imidazol-1-yl)-propan-2-ol ([18F]FMISO) utilizing a flow-based microfluidic chemistry system is described. Methods The NanoTek LF is a modular flow-based microreactor assembly. The nucleophilic substitution of 1-(2’-nitro-1’-imidazolyl)-2-O-tetrahydropyranyl-3-O-p-toluenesulfonyl propanediol (NITTP; ABX Advanced Biochemical Compounds) with Kryptofix [18F]fluoride was optimized for temperature and flow rates through the reactor in the “Discovery Mode”. The optimum flow rate and temperature used for the radiosynthesis in a 100 µm i.d. X 4 m reactor were found to be 200 µl/min and 170°C respectively. This resulted in an incorporation yield of fluoride of 85 ± 3% (n= 6) as determined by radio-TLC. The intermediate THP ether obtained from the microreactor was hydrolyzed with 1 N HCl, followed by neutralization using 1 N NaOH. Final purification was performed by reverse phase semi-prep HPLC, using 4% ethanol in water (v:v). Results 500 mCi of [18F]-Fluoride (recycled O-18 water) produced [18F]FMISO in a radiochemical yield of 40-45% (uncorr.). The total synthesis time including semi-prep HPLC purification was 50 min. The specific activity was observed to be 2 Ci/µmol with a radiochemical purity of >97%. Conclusions Using microfluidics technology, a convenient and rapid synthesis of 1-[18F]fluoro-3-(2’-nitro-imidazol-1’-yl)-propan-2-ol was accomplished in an adequate quantity, excellent purity and high specific activity for small animal imaging studies. Research Support The Molecular Imaging and Translational Research Progra
Postnatal development of the eustachian tube and its surrounding structures--a preliminary study.

An understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the Eustachian tube (ET) in normal individuals of different ages would greatly facilitate the clinical management of patients with problems related to Eustachian tube dysfunctions ( Graves and Edwards , 1944; Holborow , 1970, 1975; Cantekin et al ., 1976). While the development of this structure during fetal life has been studied in some detail ( Frazer , 1910; Wolff , 1934; Tarami , 1953; Buch and Jorgensen , 1964; Proctor , 1967; Tos , 1970, 1971), however, to our knowledge, no thorough investigation has so far been made into the postnatal development of the ET. For this reason, the present study of postnatal development of the ET and its surrounding structures was undertaken.
A study of the effects of minor additives to Pb-Bi eutectic: Designing novel Pb-Bi-X liquid alloys for heat transfer applications

Abstract Lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) is a promising heat transfer fluid candidate for fast-neutron nuclear reactors and for concentrating solar power systems, due to its low melting point and advantageous thermophysical properties, but suffers from causing liquid-metal corrosion in many solids used as structural materials. Adding a suitable element to LBE to form a ternary alloy, along with proper oxygen concentration in LBE at desired temperature, might provide a formation of the protective intermetallic layers besides the formation of protective oxides on the solid surface. In this study, novel Pb-Bi-X alloys, as improvement LBE, have been designed for a broad temperature range, with X additions selected based on thermodynamic considerations and modeling, and experimentally evaluated at 700 °C. Thermodynamic calculations indicated Pb-Bi-Sb and Pb-Bi-Ge as the best candidates, and experiments provided some evidence of possible intermetallic formation of Sb with Fe-Cr-Al alloy constituents. The work pointed to the need for further research into the compatibility with structural materials at high temperatures.