cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
vFitness: a web-based computing tool for improving estimation of in vitro HIV-1 fitness experiments

The replication rate (or fitness) between viral variants has been investigated in vivo and in vitro for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). HIV fitness plays an important role in the development and persistence of drug resistance. The accurate estimation of viral fitness relies on complicated computations based on statistical methods. This calls for tools that are easy to access and intuitive to use for various experiments of viral fitness. Based on a mathematical model and several statistical methods (least-squares approach and measurement error models), a Web-based computing tool has been developed for improving estimation of virus fitness in growth competition assays of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Unlike the two-point calculation used in previous studies, the estimation here uses linear regression methods with all observed data in the competition experiment to more accurately estimate relative viral fitness parameters. The dilution factor is introduced for making the computational tool more flexible to accommodate various experimental conditions. This Web-based tool is implemented in C# language with Microsoft ASP.NET, and is publicly available on the Web at http://bis.urmc.rochester.edu/vFitness/ .
The association between birth order, sibship size and glioma development in adulthood.

The etiology of brain tumors is still largely unknown. Previous research indicates that infectious agents and immunological characteristics may influence adult glioma risk. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the effects of birth order and sibship size (total number of siblings), as indicators of the timing and frequency of early life infections, on adult glioma risk using a population of 489 cases and 540 cancer-free controls from the Harris County Brain Tumor Study. Odds ratios for birth order and sibship size were calculated separately from multivariable logistic regression models, adjusting for sex, family history of cancer, education, and age. Each one-unit increase in birth order confers a 13% decreased risk of glioma development in adulthood (OR=0.87, 95% CI=0.79–0.97). However, sibship size was not significantly associated with adult glioma status (OR=0.97, 95% CI=0.91–1.04). Our study indicates that individuals who were more likely to develop common childhood infections at an earlier age (those with a higher birth order) may be more protected against developing glioma in adulthood. More biological and epidemiological research is warranted to clarify the exact mechanisms through which the timing of common childhood infections and the course of early life immune development affect gliomagenesis.
A gain-scheduling control approach to stabilization of LTI systems with generalized saturation input

In this paper, we will present a gain-scheduling control method for designing output feedback laws that stabilize a linear system subject to generalized saturation input, which is composed of N(N /spl ges/ 1) bends piecewise linear concave/convex functions. By exploiting the connection between one bend piecewise linear function and standard saturation function and expressing saturation on convex hull of linear functions, the design of output feedback control law will be solved as an optimization problem with LMI constraints. This approach will then be extended to multiple bends piecewise linear functions, by treating the multiple bends piecewise linear function as the convex combination of several one bend piecewise linear functions. This work will broaden the scope of gain-scheduling control approach to larger class of practical engineering problems.
Simulation of Interannual Variability of Tropical Storm Frequency in an Ensemble of GCM Integrations.

Abstract The present study examines the simulation of the number of tropical storms produced in GCM integrations with a prescribed SST. A 9-member ensemble of 10-yr integrations (1979–88) of a T42 atmospheric model forced by observed SSTs has been produced; each ensemble member differs only in the initial atmospheric conditions. An objective procedure for tracking-model-generated tropical storms is applied to this ensemble during the last 9 yr of the integrations (1980–88). The seasonal and monthly variations of tropical storm numbers are compared with observations for each ocean basin. Statistical tools such as the Chi-square test, the F test, and the t test are applied to the ensemble number of tropical storms, leading to the conclusion that the potential predictability is particularly strong over the western North Pacific and the eastern North Pacific, and to a lesser extent over the western North Atlantic. A set of tools including the joint probability distribution and the ranked probability score are...
Promoting Tdap immunization in pregnancy: Associations between maternal perceptions and vaccination rates.

Abstract Objective Tdap vaccine uptake among US pregnant women is low despite current recommendations. This study evaluated if a Tdap vaccine information statement (VIS) affected overall perception, vaccination intention, and components of a health behavior model associated with Tdap vaccination rates. Methods A randomized, prospective study was conducted among pregnant women receiving care at two women's clinics in May–August 2014. Verbally consented participants were randomized to receive either the standard CDC Tdap VIS (sVIS) or a modified version (mVIS) before completing the first multi-part survey (T1). After T1, participants read their assigned VIS then completed the second part (T2). A 2015 chart review identified vaccinated participants. A health behavior model was hypothesized using the Reasoned Action Approach and Health Belief Model. Logistic regression, path analysis, and chi-square tests were used in the analysis. Results 279 surveys were analyzed. Average age of the participants was 26.4 years (SD = 5.7) with average gestational age of 25.9 weeks (SD = 9.2). 13% self-reported receiving Tdap vaccine prior to the survey. Overall perception scores significantly increased (3.1–3.4, p B = 0.315) and self-efficacy ( B = 0.197) were positively associated with the overall perception (T1), while perceived barriers ( B = −0.191) were negatively associated with the overall perception (T1). Social norms ( B = 0.230), self-efficacy ( B = 0.213), and perceived benefits ( B = 0.117) were positively associated with vaccination intention (T1). The vaccination intention (T2) was positively associated with participants’ decision to receive Tdap vaccine ( B = 0.223). Conclusion A VIS improved overall perception of the Tdap vaccine. Vaccination intention was a predictor of Tdap vaccination. It is crucial to provide information about immunization benefits to promote maternal Tdap vaccination.
Executive Coaching Practices in the Adult Workplace

This chapter provides an overview of key principles and practices in executive coaching. Coaching is discussed as a reflective learning opportunity and offers the theoretical grounding, strategies, and case studies for each of four key elements of a coaching engagement.
On the Kinetics of Nb5Si3 Compound Formation

The kinetics of intermetallic Nb 5 Si 3 compound formation via the mechanical alloying process was investigated. Interrupted milling process, X-ray diffraction, SEM examination and TEM imaging and diffraction were utilized to characterize changes in the milled powders, while DTA analyses were used to determine the critical and onset temperatures of reaction as a function of milling time. On the basis of experimental results, a kinetic model was proposed for formation of Nb 5 Si 3 via the interrupted MA process. It is suggested that precipitation of Nb 5 Si 3 particles during cooling in the interrupted milling process is responsible for the exothermic reaction after resumption of milling.
Inflammatory diseases of the nail unit.

Abstract inflammatory disorders of the nail unit are frequently encountered in clinical medicine and are a cause of significant morbidity. Psoriasis, lichen planus, chronic paronychia, and trachyonychia will be discussed. An approach to diagnosis and management of these disorders requires knowledge of nail unit anatomy, consideration of associated systemic manifestations, and patient education with respect to prognosis and management of factors that will maximize disease improvement. The nail unit responds with a limited number of signs to disparate clinical entities such that there is some overlap in clinical presentation between inflammatory conditions. Nail unit biopsy may therefore be useful in establishing a specific diagnosis.
Single Cigarette Sales: State Differences in FDA Advertising and Labeling Violations, 2014, United States

IMPORTANCE Single cigarettes, which are sold without warning labels and often evade taxes, can serve as a gateway for youth smoking. The Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act of 2009 gives the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) authority to regulate the manufacture, distribution, and marketing of tobacco products, including prohibiting the sale of single cigarettes. To enforce these regulations, the FDA conducted over 335,661 inspections between 2010 and September 30, 2014, and allocated over $115 million toward state inspections contracts. OBJECTIVE To examine differences in single cigarette violations across states and determine if likely correlates of single cigarette sales predict single cigarette violations at the state level. DESIGN Cross-sectional study of publicly available FDA warning letters from January 1 to July 31, 2014. SETTING All 50 states and the District of Columbia. PARTICIPANTS Tobacco retailer inspections conducted by FDA (n = 33 543). EXPOSURES FOR OBSERVATIONAL STUDIES State cigarette tax, youth smoking prevalence, poverty, and tobacco production. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES State proportion of FDA warning letters issued for single cigarette violations. RESULTS There are striking differences in the number of single cigarette violations found by state, with 38 states producing no warning letters for selling single cigarettes even as state policymakers developed legislation to address retailer sales of single cigarettes. The state proportion of warning letters issued for single cigarettes is not predicted by state cigarette tax, youth smoking, poverty, or tobacco production, P = .12. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Substantial, unexplained variation exists in violations of single cigarette sales among states. These data suggest the possibility of differences in implementation of FDA inspections and the need for stronger quality monitoring processes across states implementing FDA inspections.
Location Determination of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in a GPS-Denied, Hazard-Cluttered Indoor Environment

This paper describes an algorithm used for real-time location determination of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in a GPS-denied, hazard-cluttered indoor environment. The UAV designed is based on the guidelines established by the Ohio Autonomous Aerial Vehicle Competition (AAVC) 2014. Real-time data is obtained from an Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) and an onboard laser system. Each source is first filtered using a Kalman filter and then fused together to obtain the position of the UAV. This output aids the UAV maneuvering through the obstacles and in estimating the location of a target to complete the required tasks.
Pharmacy inspections: constitutional without a warrant?

The implications of the 1978 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Marshall vs. Barlow's, Inc., regarding warrantless inspections of pharmacies are discussed. Reviewed are the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, related U.S. Supreme Court decisions (Camera vs. Municipal Court and See vs. City of Seattle), new "probable cause" standards, and exceptions to the requirement of warrants for inspections. The effect of the Barlow's case with specific reference to FDA, DEA and state board of pharmacy inspections is discussed. Although the Barlow's case has provided further case law in the area of administrative inspections, each case still requires individual resolution. DEA inspections are well delineated by statute and regulation. Under the "licensing exceptions," warrantless pharmacy inspections by the FDA and by boards of pharmacy are probably permissible.
Relative Adrenal Insufficiency in Premature Infants: State of the Art

Management of critically ill very low-birth-weight infants with the clinical picture of vasopressor-resistant shock in the neonatal intensive care unit is a complex issue. Once airway and breathing have been stabilized and hypotension has been treated with volume and vasopressors with no improvement, the issue of cardiovascular insufficiency must be addressed. After cultures have been performed and antibiotic therapy started, the question of adrenal insufficiency arises. This article discusses of the development of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis during gestation, aspects of what is considered normal function, and the diagnosis and management of the entity of relative adrenal insufficiency in the premature infant.
Active Travel to School: Findings From the Survey of US Health Behavior in School‐Aged Children, 2009‐2010

BACKGROUND: Whereas children's active travel to school (ATS) has confirmed benefits, only a few large national surveys of ATS exist. METHODS: Using data from the Health Behavior in School-aged Children (HBSC) 2009-2010 US survey, we conducted a logistic regression model to estimate the odds ratios of ATS and a linear regression model to estimate the adjusted mean differences of the percentage of ATS within a school. RESULTS: Overall, 21.4% of children engaged in at least one way of active travel to or from school. ATS was less common for trips to school than from school. Greater distance to school was a major barrier preventing children from ATS. Children living in large cities were more likely to engage in ATS, and schools located in a large city had higher proportions of ATS rate. Children having lower family satisfaction, or engaging in a greater number of physically active days during the past week were all more likely to engage in ATS. CONCLUSIONS: Although ATS is low among US children, significant variation exists. HBSC is a promising data source for an ATS study. As the first study to explore the variation of ATS at school level, this research contributes uniquely to current knowledge.© 2016, American School Health Association. SR2S Language: en
On the Banach-Steinhaus Theorem for Topological Groups

We prove the Banach-Steinhaus theorem and some of its consequences under the assumption that the underlying space is a topological group of second Baire category.
Tensile biomechanical properties of human nasal septal cartilage.

BackgroundThe biomechanical properties of human septal cartilage have yet to be fully defined and thereby limits our ability to compare tissue-engineered constructs to native tissue. In this study,...
Effects of Coded‐Wire‐Tagging on Stream‐Dwelling Sea Lamprey Larvae

AbstractThe effects of coded wire tagging Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus larvae from a known-aged stream-dwelling population were assessed. Tagged larvae were significantly shorter on average than untagged larvae from 3 to 18 months after tagging. However, 30 months after tagging, the length distribution of tagged and untagged larvae did not differ and tagged Sea Lampreys were in better condition (i.e., higher condition factor) and more likely to have undergone metamorphosis than the untagged population. The reason why tagged larvae were more likely to metamorphose is not clear, but the increased likelihood of metamorphosis could have been a compensatory response to the period of slower growth after tagging. Slower growth after tagging was consistent across larval size-classes, so handling and displacement from quality habitat during the early part of the growing season was likely the cause rather than the tag burden. The tag effects observed in this study, if caused by displacement and handling, may be m...
Stability of Dirac concentrations in an integro-PDE model for evolution of dispersal

We consider an integro-PDE model from evolutionary biology. The solution $$u_\epsilon (x,\alpha )$$ is structured by two variables $$x\in D \subset {\mathbb {R}}^k$$ and $$\alpha \in (\underline{\alpha },{\overline{\alpha }})\subset \subset {\mathbb {R}}_+$$ . The diffusion coefficient in the x direction depends on $$\alpha $$ and the diffusion coefficient in the $$\alpha $$ direction is a constant $$\epsilon ^2$$ . A special feature of this model is the appearance of the integral $${\hat{u}}_\epsilon (x)$$ of the solution in the $$\alpha $$ variable, which can be viewed as an infinite dimensional parameter of the problem. In a previous work, the existence of a steady state that exhibits Dirac-concentration in one of the variables yet remains regular in the other variables was proved independently by Lam and Lou (J Funct Anal 272:1755–1790, 2017) and by Perthame and Souganidis (Math Model Nat Phenom 11:154–166, 2016). In this paper, we tackle the long-time dynamics of solutions. When the environment function is non-constant, we show that the steady state is linearly stable by considering the corresponding nonlocal eigenvalue problem. Uniqueness of steady state is obtained from the stability result via a degree argument. When the environment function is a constant, the global asymptotic stability result is obtained. This problem can be regarded as a competition of infinitely many species parameterized by $$\alpha $$ . As with the competition model for three or more species, the integro-PDE model does not generate a monotone dynamical system so that it is necessary to consider all (real or complex) eigenvalues in determining its linear stability.
Incertidumbre de los estimadores de mortalidad y pruebas de hipótesis: el caso de América Latina y el Caribe, 1850-2010

Author(s): Palloni, Alberto; Beltran-Sanchez, Hiram; Aguirre, Guido Pinto | Abstract: Proponemos un procedimiento simple para dar cuenta de la incertidumbre que se produce al tener disponible una multiplicidad de estimadores de indicadores de mortalidad adulta en los analisis estadisticos. Consideramos situaciones donde hay estimadores alternativos del mismo parametro de poblacion, cada uno depende de un conjunto de supuestos que pueden superponerse, y algunos, o todos, podrian caracterizar erroneamente el parametro objetivo. La incertidumbre surge como resultado de la sensibilidad variable de los estimadores a las violaciones de supuestos o la falta de informacion sobre las condiciones que generan los datos utilizados para calcular los estimadores. El procedimiento que aqui se propone permite al investigador utilizar todos los estimadores (plausibles), en lugar de tener que elegir solo uno que ex ante se considera “el mejor o el correcto”. Esto se logra asignando a cada estimador un puntaje de precision que depende de: i) errores conocidos debidos a la violacion de supuestos en los que se basa el estimador, y ii) probabilidades (estimadas) de que los supuestos se violen en un caso particular. Las subsiguientes inferencias sobre determinantes o tendencias de la mortalidad pueden entonces basarse en todos los estimadores y conducir a pruebas de hipotesis mas robustas y conservadoras. Si bien la aplicacion que utilizamos como ilustracion corresponde a la mortalidad, la metodologia puede aplicarse a cualquier tipo de parametro demografico.
Toward Using Citizen Scientists to Drive Automated Ecological Object Detection in Aerial Imagery

Automated object detection within imagery is challenging in the field of wildlife biology. Uncontrolled conditions, along with the relative size of target species to the more abundant background makes manual detection tedious and error-prone. In order to address these concerns, the Wildlife@Home project has been developed with a web portal to allow citizen scientists to inspect and catalog these images, which in turn provides training data for computer vision algorithms to automate the detection process. This work focuses on a project with over 65,000 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) images from flights in the Hudson Bay area of Canada gathered in the years 2015 and 2016. This data set comprises over 3TB of raw imagery and also contains a further 2 million images from related ecological projects. Given the data scale, the person-hours that would be needed to manually inspect the data is extremely high. This work examines the efficacy of using citizen science data as inputs to convolutional neural networks (CNNs) used for object detection. Three CNNs were trained with expert observations, citizen scientist observations, and matched observations made by pairing citizen scientist observations of the same object and taking the intersection of the two observations. The expert, matched, and unmatched CNNs overestimated the number of lesser snow geese in the testing images by 88%, 150%, and 250%, respectively, which is less than current work using similar techniques on all visible (RGB) UAS imagery. These results show that the accuracy of the input data is more important than the quantity of the input data, as the unmatched citizen scientists observations are shown to be highly variable, but substantial in number, while the matched observations are much closer to the expert observations, though less in number. To increase the accuracy of the CNNs, it is proposed to use a feedback loop to ensure the CNN gets continually trained using extracted observations that it did poorly on during the testing phase.
CDeep3M - Plug-and-Play cloud based deep learning for image segmentation of light, electron and X-ray microscopy

As biological imaging datasets increase in size, deep neural networks are considered vital tools for efficient image segmentation. While a number of different network architectures have been developed for segmenting even the most challenging biological images, community access is still limited by the difficulty of setting up complex computational environments and processing pipelines, and the availability of compute resources. Here, we address these bottlenecks, providing a ready-to-use image segmentation solution for any lab, with a pre-configured, publicly available, cloud-based deep convolutional neural network on Amazon Web Services (AWS). We provide simple instructions for training and applying CDeep3M for segmentation of large and complex 2D and 3D microscopy datasets of diverse biomedical imaging modalities.
Hot Workability of 316 and Other 300 Series Steels

ABSTRACT Austenitic stainless steel, type 316, in the as-cast and worked conditions was torsion tested in the range 1200-900°C and 0.1-5.0 s -1 . The flow curves exhibited the peak, work softening and steady state regime characteristic of dynamic recrystallization. The data was fitted to hyperbolic sine and Arrhenius relationships with derivation of n = 4.5 and Q = 454 kJ/mol. The strain hardening rate was analysed as a function of stress to determine the saturation stress. The hot ductility of the cast was much lower than that of the worked because of δ-ferrite; however, both increased with rising temperature and decreasing strain rate. The properties of 316 lie between those of 304 with lower solute and 317 with higher.
Design Objects, Modules, and Models

Numerous kinds of factors enable or constrain HCI design. They include the U-factors (Chapter 3), A-factors (Chapter 4), and I-factors (Chapter 5). Each of the three major entities is also dependent on structures (Treu, 1992). Although they may not be recognized explicitly, they become implicit features in design. In addition, there are other factors, e.g., administrative directions, which must be taken into account.
Minor snRNA gene delivery improves the loss of proprioceptive synapses on SMA motor neurons

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an inherited neuromuscular disorder caused by reduced expression of the survival motor neuron (SMN) protein. SMN has key functions in multiple RNA pathways, including the biogenesis of small nuclear ribonucleoproteins (snRNPs) that are essential components of both major (U2-dependent) and minor (U12-dependent) spliceosomes. Here we investigated the specific contribution of U12 splicing dysfunction to SMA pathology through selective restoration of this RNA pathway in mouse models of varying phenotypic severity. We show that viral-mediated delivery of minor snRNA genes specifically improves select U12 splicing defects induced by SMN deficiency in cultured mammalian cells as well as in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia of SMA mice without increasing SMN expression. This approach resulted in a moderate amelioration of several parameters of the disease phenotype in SMA mice including survival, weight gain and motor function. Importantly, minor snRNA gene delivery improved aberrant splicing of the U12 intron-containing gene Stasimon and rescued the severe loss of proprioceptive sensory synapses on SMA motor neurons, which are early signatures of motor circuit dysfunction in mouse models. Taken together, these findings establish the direct contribution of U12 splicing dysfunction to synaptic deafferentation and motor circuit pathology in SMA.
TLR engagement induces ARID3a in human blood hematopoietic progenitors and modulates IFNα production

The DNA binding protein AT-rich interacting domain 3a (ARID3a)2 is expressed in healthy human hematopoietic cord blood progenitors where its modulation influences myeloid versus B lineage development. ARID3a is also variably expressed in subsets of adult peripheral blood hematopoietic progenitors where the consequences of ARID3a expression are unknown. In B lymphocytes, Toll-like receptor (TLR)3 signaling induces ARID3a expression in association with Type I interferon inflammatory cytokines. We hypothesized that TLR ligand stimulation of peripheral blood hematopoietic progenitors would induce ARID3a expression resulting in interferon production, and potentially influencing lineage decisions. Our data revealed that the TLR9 agonist CpG induces ARID3a expression with interferon alpha synthesis in human hematopoietic progenitors. However, ARID3a expression was not associated with increased B lineage development. These results demonstrate the need for further experiments to better define how pathogen-associated responses influence hematopoiesis.
Long-Life Lithium-Sulfur Batteries with a Bifunctional Cathode Substrate Configured with Boron Carbide Nanowires

Developing high-energy-density lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries relies on the design of electrode substrates that can host a high sulfur loading and still attain high polysulfide-retention capability. Recently, the application of transition-metal oxides, sulfides, carbides, and nitrides as sulfur cathode substrates has witnessed greatly improved polysulfide-retention capability by introducing Lewis acid–base interaction, forming strong chemical bonding, or exerting a catalytic effect on the diffusing polysulfides. Among them, transition-metal carbides such as TiC, Ti2C, Mo2C, and WC have been applied to sulfur cathode configurations and proved to be effective in improving the electrochemical functionality of Li-S batteries. However, most of them suffer from a critical drawback of low sulfur content (< 56 wt.%) and low sulfur loading (< 2 mg cm-2). Besides, most carbides have much higher density than sulfur, which also limits the sulfur content achievable. It is thus essential to explore lightweight, yet efficient, materials with a binder/current collector-free fabrication strategy to improve polysulfide-retention ability and realize acceptable electrochemical performance with Li-S batteries. Boron carbide (B4C), due to its low density (~ 2.5 g cm-3), good conductivity (1.25 ~ 3.33 S cm-1), and superior catalytic effect, is a promising candidate for battery applications. Herein, for the first time, the lightweight B4C substrate is successfully applied in the Li-S system by a facile catalyst-assisted fabrication process and in-situ grown on carbon-nanofibers (CNF) to form a free-standing bifunctional cathode substrate (B4C@CNF). The B4C nanowires acting as chemical-anchoring centers provide strong polysulfide adsorptivity, as validated by experimental adsorption test and first-principle calculations. Meanwhile, the catalytic effect of B4C also accelerates the redox kinetics of polysulfide conversion, contributing to improved active-material utilization and enhanced rate capability. As a result, a remarkable capacity retention of 80% after 500 cycles, a low capacity-fading rate of 0.04% per cycle, and good cyclability at varying cycling rates (C/20 – 4C) are accomplished with the cells employing B4C@CNF as a cathode substrate for sulfur. Moreover, the B4C@CNF substrate enables the cathode to achieve both high sulfur content (70 wt.%) and sulfur loading (10.3 mg cm-2) in coin cells, delivering a superb areal capacity of 9 mA h cm-2. Additionally, the B4C@CNF substrate is further applied to pouch cells with a high sulfur mass (40 – 200 mg per cathode), delivering high discharge capacities (40 – 160 mA h) with good cyclability (50 – 100 cycles). This work presents a strategy to construct high-loading cathodes for practically viable, high-performance Li-S batteries. Figure 1
Comparative effectiveness and safety of prasugrel versus ticagrelor following percutaneous coronary intervention: An observational study.

BACKGROUND Observational studies comparing ticagrelor and prasugrel in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) have yielded contradictory results, but these studies often did not consider differential censoring (eg, for treatment switching or insurance disenrollment) or confounding by time-dependent factors. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to conduct a comparative effectiveness and safety analysis of ticagrelor and prasugrel in patients who underwent PCI after being hospitalized for an ACS. METHODS This study used the Optum's de-identified Clinformatics® Data Mart Database and included patients aged 18 years or older with an index hospital admission between May 2012 and September 2015, a diagnosis of ACS managed with PCI, and treatment with either ticagrelor or prasugrel. The primary composite outcome was defined as the first occurrence of all-cause death, myocardial infarction (MI), or ischemic stroke. The secondary composite outcome included the first occurrence of gastrointestinal (GI) bleed, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), or other major bleeds requiring hospitalization. Weighted Cox proportional hazard models and robust variance estimation were implemented to adjust for baseline comorbidities, time-varying exposure, time-dependent confounders, and differential censoring. RESULTS Included in the analysis were 2559 patients initiated on ticagrelor and 4456 patients initiated on prasugrel following PCI. Patients initiated on ticagrelor were 10% more likely to have eligibility disenrollment (Ticagrelor: 57%, Prasugrel: 47%, p < 0.01) and 7 percentage-points more likely to switch medication (Ticagrelor: 35%, Prasugrel: 28%, p < 0.01). After adjusting for multiple factors, including time-varying exposure and censoring imbalance, ticagrelor was associated with a higher risk of all-cause death, MI, or stroke when compared to prasugrel (Hazard ratio (HR): 1.33; 95% CI: 1.04-1.68). Similarly, ticagrelor was associated with a higher risk in bleeding events when compared with prasugrel (HR: 1.61; 95% CI: 1.19-2.17). CONCLUSION When compared with ticagrelor, prasugrel use following PCI for ACS was associated with a lower risk of death, MI, or stroke, as well as a reduced risk of major bleeding.
Numerical Prediction of Propeller Characteristics

A procedure is described for predicting the performance of a propeller numerically to within the accuracy of tunnel and open-water model tests. Given the geometry of the propeller, ship speed, wake fraction distribution and rpm, the thrust and torque characteristics are calculated. The procedure gives good results not only for "normal" propellers but also for such abnormal cases as a variable-pitch propeller operating at off-design pitches. The possibility exists of extension of the method for calculation of spindle torques, stresses, and cavitation inception.
Soziale Probleme (Erziehung, Kindergarten, Schule, Beruf usw.)

Fast alle anfallskranken Kinder werden — zumindest wahrend der ersten 3 Jahre — ausschlieslich zu Hause betreut. Bei uns wie auch in anderen Einrichtungen herrscht die Auffassung vor, das anfallskranke Kinder so betreut werden sollen wie gesunde Kinder auch. Diese Forderung gilt fur Kinder mit weitgehend normaler intellektueller Entwicklung, aber auch fur solche, die nur eine leichte Hirnschadigung aufweisen. Ebenso sollte fur etwas schwerer betroffene Kranke diese Forderung — mit gewissen Ausnahmen — beachtet werden.
Left Ventricular Emptying Dynamics in Patients with Asymmetric Septal Hypertrophy and Concentric Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

We studied the dynamics of left ventricular (LV) emptying in 8 patients with asymmetric septal hypertrophy (ASH), 6 patients with concentric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (CHC), and 6 normal controls. Four patients with ASH had resting systolic gradients greater than 20 mmHg, all had significant post premature ventricular contraction (PVC) systolic pressure gradients. LV volume (V) was obtained by frame-by-frame analysis of cineangiograms. End-diastolic volume was similar for all groups; end-systolic volume was significantly less in ASH and CHC patients than in normals. Maximum dV/dt was similar in ASH and CHC, and significantly greater than normals. Total systolic contraction time (SCT), i.e., time from peak volume to last cine frame at minimum volume, was similar for all groups, but the time required to eject 90% of stroke volume (90%T), as a fraction of SCT, was shorter for ASH (0.52 +/- 0.07) and CHC patients (0.51 +/- 0.05) than normals (0.67 +/- 0.07) (p less than 0.05 vs myopathy groups). In the sinus beat following a PVC, however, this ratio decreased significantly in normals and CHC patients, but did not change in ASH patients. We conclude that ASH and CHC have similar exaggerated systolic LV ejection dynamics in the basal state; the failure of ASH patients with post-PVC systolic outflow gradient to reduce 90% T/SCT post PVC may reflect obstruction to LV emptying.
Bis(triphenylphosphine)copper(I) Borohydride

[16903-61-0] C36H34BCuP2 (MW 602.97) InChI = 1S/2C18H15P.BH4.Cu/c2*1-4-10-16(11-5-1)19(17-12-6-2-7-13-17)18-14-8-3-9-15-18;;/h2*1-15H;1H4;/q;;-1;+1 InChIKey = YVXRFTLDBYUBGJ-UHFFFAOYSA-N (selectively reduces acid chlorides to aldehydes,2, 4 tosyl- and trisylhydrazones to alkanes,5 aldehydes and ketones to alcohols,6 and aromatic azides to anilines7) Alternate Name: (tetrahydroborato)bis(triphenylphosphine)copper. Physical Data: mp 172–174 °C (dec) (from CHCl3/ether);2 177 °C (dec) (from CHCl3/ethanol);3 recrystallizing from benzene/ethanol gives a stable 1∶1 complex with benzene, mp 187 °C (dec),3 as white needles. Solubility: sol THF, CHCl3, CH2Cl2, benzene; slightly sol acetone; insol ether, ethanol, and water. Form Supplied in: commercially available as a white solid, or is easily prepared. Preparative Method: by adding Copper(I) Chloride to a stirring solution of 2 equiv of Triphenylphosphine in chloroform. Once the copper chloride is dissolved the mixture is treated with a suspension of Sodium Borohydride (1 equiv) in ethanol for at least 15 min to ensure complete reaction. The solution is washed with water and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Diethyl ether is added to precipitate the reagent as fine white needles (90% yield).2 Purification: can be recrystallized from CHCl3/ether or CHCl3/ethanol mixtures. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: stable to air and water. It should be handled in a well-ventilated hood; contact with the eyes and skin should be avoided.
Long-term stability study of Prussian blue—A quality assessment of water content and cyanide release

Context. Prussian blue, ferric hexacyanoferrate is approved for (oral) treatment of internal contamination with radioisotopes of cesium or thallium. Cyanide makes up 35–40% of Prussian blue's molec...
High-efficiency ethanol production from lignocellulosic residues pretreated with alkaline H2O2.

Pretreatment should be economic and should not utilize toxic reagents. In this study locally obtained residues were used - wheat straw, cornstalks, corn husks and kenaf -as substrates. The high efficiency of glucose production from alkaline H/sub 2/O/sub 2/ pretreated lignocellulosic residues made these materials excellent substrates for ethanol production by Saccharomyces cerevisiae in combined saccharification/fermentation experiments. Results showed that overall efficiency of ethanol formation was 90% for pretreated corn cobs, stalks and husks compared to 50% for untreated materials. Yields from kenaf and oak were also enhanced although below the theoretical maximum. The lignin containing supernatant does not appear to be inhibitory to Saccharomyces cerevisiae growth or ethanol production. The improvement in conversion efficiency is apparently the result of the removal of about one half of the lignin along with an apparent reduction in the degree of crystallinity within the cellulose structure itself. 16 references.
Centripetal forces in spatial voting: On the size of the Yolk

The yolk, the smallest circle which intersects all median lines, has been shown to be an important tool in understanding the nature of majority voting in a spatial voting context. The center of the yolk is a natural ‘center’ of the set of voter ideal points. The radius of the yolk can be used to provide bounds on the size of the feasible set of outcomes of sophisticated voting under standard amendment procedure, and on the limits of agenda manipulation and cycling when voting is sincere. We show that under many plausible conditions the yolk can be expected to be small. Thus, majority rule processes in spatial voting games will be far better behaved than has commonly been supposed, and the possible outcomes of agenda manipulations will be generally constrained. This result was first conjectured by Tullock (1967).
A Reexamination of Developmental Changes in Causal Attributions

The current study examined young children's use of the presence or absence of extrinsic reward to make inferences about the intrinsic motivation of another person. Previous research indicates that most kindergartners do not use a discounting heuristic, but it was hypothesized that they may have misinterpreted the questions asked. Kindergarten, second, and fourth graders were presented stories about children who were rewarded or not rewarded for performing various activities Two forms of questioning about motivation were compared. When a traditional form was used, kindergartners did not show evidence of a discounting heuristic. When the questions were adjusted to ask more specifically about intrinsic motivation, children at all grade levels appeared to use a discounting heuristic. Results are discussed in terms of the parameters of the attributional effects, the possible mechanisms responsible for the phenomena, and the significance of the findings for other developmental research using self-report techniques.
Aspects of Multisensory Perception: The Integration of Visual and Auditory Information in Musical Experiences

One of the requirements for being a successful musical conductor is to be able to locate sounds instantaneously in time and space. Because this requires the integration of auditory and visual information, the purpose of this study was to examine multisensory processing in conductors and a matched set of control subjects. Subjects participated in a series of behavioral tasks, including pitch discrimination, temporal-order judgment (TOJ), and target localization. Additionally, fMRI scans were done on a subset of subjects who performed a multisensory TOJ task. Analyses of behavioral data indicate that, in the auditory realm, conductors were more accurate in both pitch discrimination and TOJs as well as in locating targets in space. Furthermore, these same subjects also demonstrated a benefit from the combination of auditory and visual information that was not observed in control subjects when locating visual targets. Finally, neural substrates in BA 37, 39/40 were identified as potential areas underlying the conductors' superior multisensory TOJs. Data collection and analyses are ongoing and will lead to an improved understanding of multisensory integration in a complex, musical behavior.
X-ray position detection in the region of 6 μm RMS with wire proportional chambers

Abstract We have developed a MWPC system for X-ray detection with a position resolution in the region of 6 μm rms (14 μm fwhm). The performance with argon, krypton or xenon at pressures from 1 to 10 atm is explored for the X-ray energy range 5–25 keV. At a resolution of 6 μm rms the effects of photoelectron and Auger electron range, electronic noise, avalanche spread, lateral electron diffusion, as well as X-ray beam collimation, become of comparable magnitude. Their limiting effects on avalanche centroid fluctuation, and hence on position resolution, are investigated. The position resolution achieved in this work compares favorably with that of solid state devices.
Standardization of anti-lethal toxin potency test of antivenoms prepared from two different Agkistrodon halys venoms

In Korea, antivenoms for the treatment of patients bitten by venomous snakes have been imported from Japan or China. Although there is cross-reactivity between these antibodies and venoms from snakes indigenous to Korea (e.g. Agkistrodon genus), protection is not optimal. Antivenoms specifically prepared to neutralize Korean snake venoms could be more effective, with fewer side effects. To this end, we established an infrastructure to develop national standards and created a standardized method to evaluate the efficacy of two horse-derived antivenoms using mouse lethal toxin test. Additionally, we determined the antivenoms neutralizing activity against lethal doses (LD50) of Agkistrodon halys (from Japan) and Jiangzhe Agkistrodon halys (from China) venoms. We also performed cross-neutralization tests using probit analysis on each pairing of venom and antivenom in order to check the possibility of using Jiangzhe A. halys venom as a substitute for A. halys venom, the current standard. Slope of A. halys venom with A. halys antivenom was 10.2 and that of A. halys venom with Jiangzhe A. halys antivenom was 9.6. However, Slope of Jiangzhe A. halys venom with A. halys antivenom was 4.7 while that of Jiangzhe A. halys venom with Jiangzhe A. halys antivenom was 11.5. Therefore, the significant difference in slope patterns suggests that Jiangzhe A. halys venom cannot be used as a substitute for the standard venom to test the anti-lethal toxin activity of antivenoms (p<0.05).
Protocol Development for Infants with Orthopedic complications in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit: Brachial Plexus Injuries and Clubfoot

Currently, there is limited information to guide occupational therapy or physical therapy treatment of high-risk neonates with secondary orthopedic conditions in the Neonatal Intensive Care unit (NICU). This article describes one master of occupational therapy student capstone project that aimed to develop intervention protocols and parent education materials for the treatment of brachial plexus injuries (BPI) and clubfoot for a hospital NICU. A literature review and needs assessment were conducted to determine whether clinical practices and standards existed and to inform the development of the intervention protocols. The critical need to document, define, and examine best practices was validated. Clinical treatment protocols and parent education materials were developed and are presented.
Rapid induction of osteopetrosis by subgroup e recombinant viruses

Abstract Avian osteopetrosis is a proliferative bone disorder initiated at high frequency by MAV2-(O), a subgroup B avian myeloblastosis-associated virus. To examine the role of the MAV-2(O) genome in osteopetrosis induction, a series of recombinant viruses between MAV-2(O) and RAV-O was constructed. Recombinant viruses were selected for rapid growth and subgroup E envelopes. The T1 oligonucleotide fingerprint patterns of viruses selected in this manner demonstrated that they were recombinants and were clonally pure because they had oligonucleotides from each parent, and each oligonucleotide was present in single molar yield. When injected into 10-day-old chicken embryos, approximately 50% of the recombinant viruses induced osteopetrosis within 3 weeks after hatch. Therefore, subgroup E envelope did not inhibit osteopetrosis induction. The osteopetrosis that was induced varied from slight to severe, but none of the recombinant viruses induced osteopetrosis as severe as the MAV-2(O) parent.
Reconciling semiclassical and Bohmian mechanics. VI. Multidimensional dynamics.

In previous articles [J. Chem. Phys. 121, 4501 (2004); J. Chem. Phys. 124, 034115 (2006); J. Chem. Phys. 124, 034116 (2006); J. Phys. Chem. A 111, 10400 (2007); J. Chem. Phys. 128, 164115 (2008)] an exact quantum, bipolar wave decomposition, ψ=ψ++ψ−, was presented for one-dimensional stationary state and time-dependent wavepacket dynamics calculations, such that the components ψ± approach their semiclassical WKB analogs in the large action limit. The corresponding bipolar quantum trajectories are classical-like and well behaved, even when ψ has many nodes or is wildly oscillatory. In this paper, both the stationary state and wavepacket dynamics theories are generalized for multidimensional systems and applied to several benchmark problems, including collinear H+H2.
Role of miR-10b in breast cancer metastasis

Ninety percent of cancer-related mortality is caused by metastasis. Current cancer treatments can control many primary tumors but rarely stop the metastatic spread. Accumulating evidence demonstrates that miRNAs are involved in cancer initiation and progression. Furthermore, several miRNAs have been found to regulate metastasis. In particular, recent studies provide the first functional evidence that overexpression of a specific miRNA, miR-10b, can contribute to the development of metastasis, which can be exploited therapeutically in treating breast cancer metastasis in mice. Further in-depth analysis should provide more precise evaluation of the roles, mechanisms, and therapeutic utility of this miRNA in breast cancer.
Growth of Sporangiophores of Phycomyces Immersed in Water

Sporangiophores of Phycomyces are capable of sustained growth when immersed in aerated water, and under these conditions they are negatively phototropic.
Skeletal diversity via a branched pathway: efficient synthesis of 29 400 discrete, polycyclic compounds and their arraying into stock solutions.

We report the synthesis and arraying of 29 400 structurally diverse and complex polycyclic carbocycles using diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) and the “one bead-one stock solution” technology platform. Skeletal diversity, a difficult challenge in DOS, was achieved with a branching reaction pathway using one or two Diels−Alder reactions. This pathway yields small molecules having 10 different skeletons.
Impact of high-pressure processing on microbial shelf-life and protein stability of refrigerated soymilk.

The effects of pressure (400, 500 and 600 MPa), dwell time (1 and 5 min) and temperature (25 and 75 degrees C) on microbial quality and protein stability of soymilk during 28 days of storage (4 degrees C) were evaluated under aerobic and anaerobic conditions. After processing and during storage, there were significant differences in total bacterial count (TBC), numbers of psychrotrophs (PSY) and Enterobacteriaceae (ENT), and protein stability between untreated (control) and pressurized samples (P 0.05). Pressure at 400 MPa (5 min), 500 and 600 MPa (1 and 5 min) produced 100% sub-lethal injury in surviving bacterial populations irrespective of temperature. After 28 days of refrigerated storage, both aerobic and anaerobic pressurized samples had better or similar stability as the control on day one of storage. Soymilk control samples were spoiled after 7 days whereas pressurization increased soymilk shelf-life by at least 2 weeks. Pressure (600 MPa) at 75 degrees C for 1 min not only significantly reduced initial microbial populations and increased the microbial shelf-life but also extended the protein stability of soymilk (P < 0.05).