cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Ecological Measurement of Fatigue and Fatigability in Older Adults With Osteoarthritis

Background. Fatigue is associated with loss of independence in older adults; however, little is known about optimal treatment or how fatigue manifests in daily life activities. “ Fatigability ” was recently proposed to clarify the fatigue – activity relationship. The purpose of this study was to present a new measurement method of fatigability and begin to test its validity. Methods. Our sample included 40 adults with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) and 20 healthy controls. Fatigue was measured by ecological momentary assessment several times a day along with continuous measurement of physical activity using a wrist-worn accelerometer. Fatigability was measured as the fatigue increase after a period of high activity. Results. Compared with controls, participants with OA were approximately four times more likely to have an increase in fatigue after a high activity interval (37.0% vs 9.8%). Among people with OA, average fatigue and fatigability were not highly related ( r = .13). Fatigue was most strongly associated with reported physical function, pain, and vitality, whereas fatigability was most strongly associated with body mass index, OA severity, and knee strength. Conclusions. Although fatigue among people with OA was more associated with subjective reports of physical function and symptoms, pairing fatigue reports with physical activity tapped objective factors that may be related to the biomechanical demands of daily life activities. Thus, fatigability measurement may help discern how symptoms relate to daily life function and help to refi ne treatment approaches in OA.
To Choose or Not to Choose: Locke and Lowe On the Nature and Powers of the Self

I compare Locke's views on the nature and powers of the self with E. J. Lowe's view, ‘non-Cartesian substance dualism’. Lowe agrees with Locke that persons have a power to choose or not to choose . Lowe takes this power to be non-causal . I argue that this move does not obviously succeed in evading the notorious interaction problem that arises for all forms of substance dualism, including those of Locke and Descartes. However, I am sympathetic to Lowe's attempt to give a metaphysical account of a robust sort of agency that would explain how human beings might be genuinely autonomous.
Modeling Climate-Water Impacts on Electricity Sector Capacity Expansion

Climate change has the potential to exacerbate water availability concerns for thermal power plant cooling, which is responsible for 41% of U.S. water withdrawals. This analysis describes an initial link between climate, water, and electricity systems using the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Regional Energy Deployment System (ReEDS) electricity system capacity expansion model. Average surface water projections from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project 3 (CMIP3) data are applied to surface water rights available to new generating capacity in ReEDS, and electric sector growth is compared with and without climate-influenced water rights. The mean climate projection has only a small impact on national or regional capacity growth and water use because most regions have sufficient unappropriated or previously retired water rights to offset climate impacts. Climate impacts are notable in southwestern states, which experience reduced water rights purchases and a greater share of rights acquired from wastewater and other higher-cost water resources. The electric sector climate impacts demonstrated herein establish a methodology to be later exercised with more extreme climate scenarios and a more rigorous representation of legal and physical water availability.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Practical rateless cooperation in multiple access channels using multiplexed Raptor codes

In this paper we develop practical rateless coded cooperation strategies for a two-user multiple access channel. At the heart of our practical strategies lie Raptor codes concatenated with a space-time code, and an iterative decoding procedure to jointly recover the two users' messages at the base station. Since cooperation in multiple access channels is known to be particularly beneficial when considering the outage probability at low SNRs, or equivalently at low transmission rates, we simulate our strategies at a transmission rate of 0.25 bits/sample. Experiments indicate that our schemes perform very close to the theoretical limit, with the performance gap being less than 0.55 dB.
Vancomycin-related eosinophilic peritonitis.

Eosinophilic peritonitis (EP) is a well-described complication of peritoneal dialysis and is often associated with either a reaction to a constituent of the dialysis system (tubing, sterilant, or s...
CRM1-Dependent Trafficking of Retroviral Gag Proteins Revisited

We analyzed the nuclear trafficking ability of Gag proteins from six retroviral genera. Contrary to a previous report, human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) Gag showed no propensity to cycle through the nucleus. The only Gag protein that displayed CRM1-dependent nuclear cycling was that of Rous sarcoma virus (RSV). Surprisingly, this cycling could be eliminated without compromising infectivity by replacing the RSV Gag N-terminal matrix (MA) domain with HIV MA.
Advanced heart failure in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus: Is there equal access to care?

Background Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection has evolved from a highly stigmatized disease with certain progression to acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) to a chronic disease affecting over 1 million Americans. With the success of current anti-retroviral therapies, cardiovascular disease, including advanced heart failure (HF), will be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Methods A survey concerning heart transplantation (HT) and left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation attitudes and outcomes in HIV-infected patients was distributed to 103 American and 9 Canadian HT centers via fax, e-mail or telephone. Results Eighty-nine centers (79%) responded. Eighteen HTs were performed in HIV + patients with 1-, 2- and 5-year survival of 100%, 100% and 63%, respectively. Eighty-two centers (92%) have never performed HT in HIV + patients and 51 centers (57%) marked HIV + status as a contraindication. Rationales for contraindication included: (1) high-risk patients should be avoided given the scarcity of organ supply (59%); (2) immunosuppression required for HT may induce progression to AIDS (51%); and (3) drug interactions may worsen patients' clinical outcomes (49%). Thirty-five left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantations in HIV + patients were reported. Sixty-eight centers (76%) have never implanted an LVAD in an HIV + patient and 21 centers (20%) marked HIV + status as a contraindication, of which 61% indicated concern for device-related infection. Conclusions Most centers either explicitly consider HIV + status as a contraindication for or have never treated HIV + patients with advanced HF therapy. Our findings suggest unequal access to care and underscore the need to educate cardiovascular health-care providers on progress made with HIV therapies.
How could and do microwaves influence chemistry at interfaces

Many chemical reactions may be accelerated by order(s) of magnitude when exposed to microwaves. Reaction selectivities are often enhanced. Reasons for microwave reaction enhancements are speculative, often conflicting. We have demonstrated that microwaves can change the energies and/or the "effective temperature" of individual species at interfaces. Changes in the relative energies of reacting species or intermediates are shown by Monte Carlo simulation to lead to the observed enhancements in reaction rates or selectivities. Moreover, variations in microwave exposure in time or space can result in significant rate enhancement. Such variations may provide unique rate control.
Cooperation between Referees and Authors Increases Peer Review Accuracy

Peer review is fundamentally a cooperative process between scientists in a community who agree to review each other's work in an unbiased fashion. Peer review is the foundation for decisions concerning publication in journals, awarding of grants, and academic promotion. Here we perform a laboratory study of open and closed peer review based on an online game. We show that when reviewer behavior was made public under open review, reviewers were rewarded for refereeing and formed significantly more cooperative interactions (13% increase in cooperation, P = 0.018). We also show that referees and authors who participated in cooperative interactions had an 11% higher reviewing accuracy rate (P = 0.016). Our results suggest that increasing cooperation in the peer review process can lead to a decreased risk of reviewing errors.
Global prohibition regimes: the evolution of norms in international society

The dynamics by which norms emerge and spread in international society have been the subject of strikingly little study. This article focuses on norms that prohibit, both in international law and in the domestic criminal laws of states, the involvement of state and nonstate actors in activities such as piracy, slavery, counterfeiting, drug trafficking, the hijacking of aircraft, and the killing of endangered animal species. It analyzes the manner in which these norms have evolved into and been institutionalized by global prohibition regimes and argues that there are two principal inducements to the formation and promotion of such regimes. The first is the inadequacy of unilateral and bilateral law enforcement measures in the face of criminal activities that transcend national borders. The second is the role of moral and emotional factors related to neither political nor economic advantage but instead involving religious beliefs, humanitarian sentiments, fears, prejudices, paternalism, faith in universalism, the individual conscience, and the compulsion to proselytize. The ultimate success or failure of an international regime in effectively suppressing a particular activity depends, however, not only on the degree of commitment to its norms or the extent of resources devoted to carrying out its goals but also on the vulnerability of the activity to its enforcement measures.
INDEX: an inductance extractor for superconducting circuits

The authors present an extractor, INDEX, designed to extract superconducting circuits from layout. The inductances of the superconducting lines are calculated by a set of analytical models. These self- and mutual-inductance models are generated from a series of numerical simulations and a linear programming curve-fitting. INDEX is based on the MAGIC layout system. INDEX has been tested on a number of cases with good results. A two-junction superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) was used as one test case. >
A Randomized Trial of Calcium Supplementation for Childhood Lead Poisoning

Objective. Lead (Pb) poisoning remains a common disease among children despite successful public health efforts that have reduced its prevalence. Treatment options for children with blood Pb levels (BPbs) Methods. Children aged 1 to 6 years with BPbs 10 to 45 μg/dL were enrolled in a double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of the effects of Ca supplementation on BPbs. Children received either a Ca-containing liquid or an indistinguishable placebo. Dosage was adjusted biweekly on the basis of responses to a dietary Ca intake questionnaire to reach 1800 mg in the Ca-supplemented group. Samples for BPbs and measures to assess safety were collected before and after 3 months of supplementation and after an additional 3 months of follow-up. Bivariate and multiple regression analyses were performed. Results. A total of 67 of 88 enrolled children with a mean age of 3.6 years completed 3 months of supplementation. There were no statistically significant differences between groups on hematologic and biochemical measures, including serum and urinary Ca, at any time points. The average compliance rate was estimated to be 80% for each group during the 3-month supplementation period. Conclusions. At enrollment, the average daily Ca intake in this group of inner-city children was greater than the recommended daily intake for age. Although BPbs declined during a 3-month period in both groups, Ca supplementation aimed at providing 1800 mg of Ca/day had no effect on the change in BPbs. Ca supplementation should not be routinely prescribed for mild to moderately Pb-poisoned children who are dietarily Ca sufficient.
Overwintering survival of nymphal Ixodes scapularis (Acari: Ixodidae) under natural conditions.

Blacklegged ticks (Ixodes scapularis Say) are exquisitely sensitive to very cold and dry conditions. For this reason it has long been assumed that climatic differences among locations and within microhabitats have a strong influence on variation in their survival over winter. This assumption, however, rests largely on laboratory exposures and on broad-scale associations between climatic variables and the observed distributions of ticks. We present the results of a study of the overwintering survival of I. scapularis nymphs in their natural environment from October through May in two locations in New York State using a repeated sampling strategy to determine when mortality occurred, and whether those events coincide with extreme conditions. We then fit these data to a simple, flexible statistical model in which the hazard of mortality varies with measurable conditions, here minimum daily temperature and mean daily relative humidity. Regardless of winter conditions, >80% of ticks survived at both sites. A model with constant hazard (i.e., independent of temperature and humidity) was best supported by the data. Although models with hazard increasing at temperatures below 0 deg C and at >90% relative humidity provided slightly better fits to the data, these models were less parsimonious. These results weaken the expectation that cold-related overwintering mortality necessarily plays a major role in restricting populations of these ticks and thus, risk of tick-borne zoonoses.
Progress of women in neurosurgery

Despite advances in issues related to gender equity, barriers to recruiting and retaining women in neurosurgery continue to exist. At the same time, the overall projected shortage of neurosurgeons suggests that women will be vital to the long-term success of the field. Attracting women to neurosurgery can capitalize on strategies, such as mentoring, teaching leadership and negotiating skills, and job sharing or dual training tracks to name a few, that would benefit both men and women passionate about pursuing neurosurgery. Ultimately, personal and institutional accountability must be evaluated to ensure that the best and brightest candidates, regardless of gender, are recruited to neurosurgical programs to promote the health of our challenging but most satisfying profession.
Stress reduction in child-abusing families: global and specific measures

This study compared in-home treatment to traditional county services for their ability to reduce stress in child-abusing families. 47 families who were at risk for having at least one child removed from the home for child abuse were referred to Families First for an intensive 6-wk., in-home therapy program. A comparison group of 29 families who were also at risk for having at least one child removed for abuse received traditional county services but no in-home therapy. Stress scores used were derived from a factor analysis of the Family Inventory of Life Events and Changes (FILE) that had identified 10 stress factors. The stress data were analyzed by a series of 2 x 2 analyses of variance, group and time being the independent variables and the stress factors the dependent variables. Total stress was significantly reduced over time for both groups, and several specific stress factors were also significantly reduced over time. In secondary analyses, 2 x 3 (group by time) analyses identified interactions for total stress and three of the individual stress factors. In-home treatment was effective in reducing stress, but traditional services were also effective. Some possible explanations were discussed. A major finding was that, by including analyses using the specific stress factors (rather than just the Total Stress score), a much richer understanding of the role stress plays in abusive families is provided. It was concluded that, although global stress may be reduced by different methods, some specific types of stress are more likely to be reduced than others.
Identification of linear time-invariant systems from frequency-response data corrupted by bounded noise

A unified approach is developed for identification of linear time-invariant systems. It is shown that, given the experimental frequency-response data of the system, the plant can be identified using a simple, numerically reliable algorithm. Further, an error bound is derived for exponentially stable systems when the frequency-response data are corrupted by bounded noise. An example is presented to illustrate the proposed algorithm.
Design of an IGES Post Processor and Integration with a Robotic Workcell

Computer aided design (CAD) packages offer the electronic designer the ability to translate complicated circuit ideas into printed circuit board layouts. When given the relative X,Y,Z and theta coordinates of the components to be placed, it can accurately position the fine pitch components on the printed circuit board.
Leukocyte antibodies in human sera and in immune rabbit sera.

A study of leukocyte antibodies is presented using (1) the sera of rabbits immunized with human leukocytes, and (2) the sera of three patients screened for the presence of such antibodies from among 36 patients with hematologic disease, 31 of whom (including the 3 studied in detail) had received multiple transfusions. The following technics are described and were employed: Leukoagglutination, leukoprecipitation including tube and agar-plate methods, agglutination of antigen-coated tanned and untanned sheep erythrocytes, the effect of antisera upon phagocytosis of heat-killed staphylococci by leukocytes, and upon ameboid motility of leukocytes. The leukoagglutinin test gives reliable clearcut results providing that appropriate controls are included and certain criteria adhered to, in order to facilitate the recognition of clumping due to other factors than true antigen-antibody union. No leukoprecipitins were detected in human sera with the technics used in this study. Immune rabbit sera, on the other hand, gave two reaction-lines in agar media, when set up against leukocyte extract. Immune rabbit sera reacted strongly with antigen-coated tanned sheep red blood cells. Human sera did not so react. One of the three selected human sera reacted with antigen-coated un tanned erythrocytes, suggesting the presence of a polysaccharide antigen extractable from human leukocytes and capable of stimulating antibody formation in the human. Immune rabbit sera, and other human sera, did not react in this test. A suggestive but perhaps not a conclusive effect upon phagocytosis of bacteria by leukocytes exposed to human leukocyte antibody for 1 hour could be demonstrated. By means of ameboid motility studies, a cytotoxic effect of the human antisera upon human leukocytes could be demonstrated after 18 hours of incubation, but not after 3 hours. This was interpreted as evidence of a delayed reaction. Certain cardinal points from a clinical and theoretical standpoint with regard to the genesis of leukocyte antibodies in man are briefly reviewed. A possible analogy between leukocyte antibody formation and the homograft reaction is discussed. It is suggested that the rarity of leukocyte iso-antibody formation following transfusion is related to the fact that the intravenous pathway may be a poor route of immunization for these antigens.
Utility of whole exome sequencing in evaluation of juvenile motor neuron disease

Introduction This case report focuses on identifying novel mutations in juvenile motor neuron disease and emphasizes the significance of whole exome sequencing (WES). Methods We report a 13-year-old Hispanic boy with rapidly progressive weakness, muscle atrophy, tremor, and tongue fasciculation, along with upper motor neuron findings of hyperactive gag reflex, hyperreflexia, and cog-wheel rigidity. Electromyography was suggestive of motor neuron disease. After an extensive evaluation, WES was performed. Results WES identified a heterozygous de novo variant of unknown clinical significance (VUS) in the fused-in-sarcoma gene (FUS) [c.1554_1557del]. Although initially reported as a VUS, the clinical data from our patient and data from the medical literature support that the variant is indeed disease-causing. Conclusions The genetic etiology of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is heterogeneous and, as clinical sequencing for FUS was not available, WES was the only method by which a diagnosis of juvenile ALS could be made. Muscle Nerve 53: 648–652, 2016
Kinetics of Formation of the Host–Guest Complex of a Viologen with Cucurbit[7]uril

Host–guest complexation between the dicationic viologen 1-tri(ethylene glycol)-1′-methyl-m-xylyl-4,4′-bipyridinium and cucurbit[7]uril (CB7) was studied at pH = 4.5 in water. The stability constants of the mono- and bis-CB7 adducts were determined at 25 °C by UV–vis spectroscopy. Stopped-flow kinetic experiments were performed to measure the formation and dissociation rate constants of the monoadduct: k1 = (6.01 ± 0.03) × 106 M–1 s–1 and k–1 = 52.7 ± 0.4 s–1, respectively. Possible mechanisms of complexation are discussed in view of the kinetic results.
Variation in juvenile dependence

Notable in cross-cultural comparisons is the variable span of time between when children become economically self-sufficient and when they initiate their own reproductive careers. That variation is of interest because it shapes the age range of children reliant on others for support and the age range of children available to help out, which in turn affects the competing demands on parents to support multiple dependents of different ages. The age at positive net production is used as a proxy to estimate the close of juvenile economic dependence among a group of Maya subsistence agriculturalists. Maya children produce more than they consume by their early to mid teens but remain in their natal households for a number of years before leaving home and beginning families of their own. The Maya results contrast markedly with those from several groups of hunter-gatherers and horticulturalists for whom we have similar data. Even in the Maya case, where children are self-sufficient at a relatively young age, parents are unable to support their children without help from others. The production surplus of older children appears to help underwrite the cost of large Maya families and subsidize their parents’ continued reproduction.
Corrosion measurement and evaluation techniques of steel in concrete structures

This chapter reviews different techniques for evaluating and measuring the corrosion of steel in concrete. Since corrosion consists of electrochemical reactions at the interface between the metal (i.e., reinforcing steel) and an electrolyte solution (i.e., concrete pore solution), most of these measurement techniques are based on electrochemistry and electrochemical measurement methods. In this chapter, conventional corrosion measurement methods, which have electrochemical bases, as well as nonconventional methods such as LC resonator, are discussed.
Parasite assemblages of Double-crested Cormorants as indicators of host populations and migration behavior

Abstract The Double-crested Cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) is culled in many states because of the real and presumed damages it inflicts on farmed and recreational fisheries and other ecosystem services. Resident cormorant colonies breeding in the southeastern United States are protected in some areas, so it is important to distinguish these from co-occurring but unprotected migratory cormorants. Migratory P. auritus are likely to contain helminthic parasite communities that differ from those of non-migratory, resident birds, because they will encounter a wider variety of habitats and intermediate host communities during migrations. Here, we document five distinct assemblages of helminth parasites collected from 218 P. auritus culled from 11 sites in Alabama, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Vermont. The assemblages of P. auritus parasites are distinct among many sampling locations and can be used to correctly predict where a host cormorant has been feeding. We provide evidence for mixing of cormorants at a regional scale using discriminant analysis, which suggests there is a single population of migratory cormorants. Furthermore, our models strongly differentiate between migratory and resident P. auritus in the southeastern United States. In conjunction with species-by species latitudinal and longitudinal trends, our models could serve as effective tools for managers interested in both the population control of migratory cormorants and the conservation of non-migratory, resident birds. Finally, parasite counts per host are notoriously variable with many zeros and a few large numbers, leading many researchers to use simple prevalence in their analyses. We show that an intermediate level of data resolution, using species occurrence ranks within individual hosts, behaves well statistically and provides the greatest discrimination among distinct host groupings.
Tools for Enhanced Grid Operation and Optimized PV Penetration Utilizing Highly Distributed Sensor Data.

Increasing number s of PV on distribution systems are creating more grid impacts , but it also provides more opportunities for measurement, sensing, and control of the grid in a distributed fashion. This report demonstrates three software tools for characterizing and controlling distribution feeders by utilizing large numbers of highly distributed current, voltage , and irradiance sensors. Instructions and a user manual is presented for each tool. First, the tool for distribution system secondary circuit parameter estimation is presented. This tool allows studying distribution system parameter estimation accuracy with user-selected active power, reactive power, and voltage measurements and measurement error levels. Second, the tool for multi-objective inverter control is shown. Various PV inverter control strategies can be selected to objectively compare their impact on the feeder. Third, the tool for energy storage for PV ramp rate smoothing is presented. The tool allows the user to select different storage characteristics (power and energy ratings) and control types (local vs. centralized) to study the tradeoffs between state-of-charge (SOC) management and the amount of ramp rate smoothing.
Maximum Quantity of Bone Available for Harvest From the Anterior Iliac Crest, Posterior Iliac Crest, and Proximal Tibia Using a Standardized Surgical Approach: A Cadaveric Study

Purpose The 3 most common sites for obtaining autogenous bone grafts are the anterior iliac crest (AIC), posterior iliac crest (PIC), and proximal tibia (PT). The purpose of this study was to determine the maximum amount of corticocancellous bone that could be harvested from the AIC, PIC and PT when using a standardized surgical approach. Materials and Methods The maximum volume of cortical and cancellous bone from the AIC, PIC, and PT was harvested from 44 cadavers using approaches from a review of the literature. Uncompressed and compressed corticocancellous bone volumes were measured by water volume displacement. Bivariate analyses of bone volumes, gender, and medical comorbidities were performed using the exact Wilcoxon rank-sum test. A general linear model using ranks was used to assess the effect of gender, medical comorbidity, and site separately for total uncompressed and compressed bone measurements. Results Forty-two AIC corticocancellous grafts provided an uncompressed total average of 26.29 mL and a compressed total average of 20.58 mL. Thirty-three PIC grafts yielded a total average of 33.82 mL of uncompressed bone and 24.11 mL of compressed. Thirty-eight PT samples provided a total average of 18.11 mL of uncompressed bone and 9.03 mL of compressed bone. No statistically relevant correlations were found between compressed bone volumes and body mass index or age. No statistically relevant association was found between bone quantity and medical comorbidity for any of the graft sites. The average rank of bone volume per site after controlling for gender and medical comorbidity showed that the PIC yielded the most and the PT yielded the least compressed and uncompressed bone amounts (P Conclusion Results indicate that the PIC has a larger maximum amount of corticocancellous bone than the AIC and PT with a standardized approach. The maximum volumes of attainable bone from the AIC, PIC, and PT were lower than commonly cited in the literature.
The Story of the Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon begins at Lee’s Ferry, where the Colorado River crosses the Echo Cliffs, and ends at the Grand Wash Cliff, more than 277 river miles downstream. There are three possibilities regarding its age: It was carved entirely over the past 6 million years; it was carved prior to 6 million years ago, with most of the incision occurring prior to 70 million years ago; or it was carved both prior to and after 6 million years ago. Chapter 18 discusses evidence for a less-than-6-million-year-old canyon and more recent evidence that suggests the canyon is more than 70 million years old.
Volunteering Is Associated with Lower Risk of Cognitive Impairment

Objectives To examine whether psychosocial factors that can be a target for interventions, such as volunteering, are associated with risk of cognitive impairment. Design Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data from 1998 to 2012, a nationally representative longitudinal panel survey of older adults assessed every 2 years, were used. Setting The HRS interviews participants aged 50 and older across the contiguous United States. Participants Individuals aged 60 and older in 1998 (N = 13,262). Measurements Personal interviews were conducted with respondents to assess presence of cognitive impairment, measured using a composite across cognitive measures. Results Volunteering at the initial assessment and volunteering regularly over time independently decreased the risk of cognitive impairment over 14 years, and these findings were maintained independent of known risk factors for cognitive impairment. Greater risk of onset of cognitive impairment was associated with being older, being female, being nonwhite, having fewer years of education, and reporting more depressive symptoms. Conclusion Consistent civic engagement in old age is associated with lower risk of cognitive impairment and provides impetus for interventions to protect against the onset of cognitive impairment. Given the increasing number of baby boomers entering old age, the findings support the public health benefits of volunteering and the potential role of geriatricians, who can promote volunteering by incorporating “prescriptions to volunteer” into their patient care.
L1 English / L2 Spanish: Orthography–phonology activation without contrasts

We consider how orthography activates sounds that are in a noncontrastive relationship in the second language (L2) and for which only one variant exists in the first language (L1). Participants wer...
The federalist papers of Ueki Emori: liberalism and empire in the Japanese enlightenment

Ueki Emori (1857–1892), a prominent thinker and activist in the Japanese enlightenment of the late nineteenth century, denounced imperialism as a form of ‘greater barbarism’ and large-scale slavery...
Viral hepatitis in subhuman primates and its relationship to human viral hepatitis.

Viral hepatitis can occur spontaneously in chimpanzees and patas monkeys, usually producing only mild clinical symptoms which are difficult, if not impossible, to recognize without adequate laboratory studies or liver biopsy. The disease, however, can be transferred to other subhuman primates as well as to human beings by contact. The source of the infection remains obscure in most cases and the virus may be of human or animal origin. After transfer of hepatitis virus from chimpanzees to human beings, it often causes a much more severe illness than in the primates; the disease then is indistinguishable from primary viral hepatitis by clinical, laboratory and histologic means.
Using Telemedicine to Identify Depressive Symptomatology Rating Scale in a Home Parenteral Nutrition Population.

Home parenteral nutrition (HPN) is a life-long daily 12-h intravenous nutrition infusion therapy that corrects for nutrient imbalances caused by a malfunctioning gastrointestinal tract outside a medical inpatient setting. Patients utilizing HPN face psychosocial challenges, particularly depression, that often goes undetected due to the lack of daily interactions with health care professionals. Telemedicine, as a mode of treatment, can assist health care professionals in the detection of depression by increasing accessibility to patients. Therefore, in the current study, we investigate the feasibility in assessing depressive symptomatology using telemedicine within a long-term HPN population. We hypothesized that telemedicine would be a viable mechanism by which trained health care professionals could monitor and identify depressive symptomatology within the long-term HPN population. Raters coded 25 facilitated group discussions with the modified Raskin scale (a 21-item observer rating scale; M = 3.28, SD = 3.46) and compared it to the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at baseline (M = 7.88, SD = 5.46) and 4 months (M = 7.76, SD = 5.64). Our results suggest that the modified Raskin scale demonstrated evidence of poor concurrent validity the scale displayed strong predictive validity. Thus, the modified Raskin scale showed promise as a tool for health care professionals, who wish to use telemedicine as a treatment avenue to detect and monitor depression among long-term HPN patients.
A meta-analysis of the effects of numerical competency development on achievement: Recommendations for mathematics educators

This meta-analysis examines the effects of numerical competency development in mathematics classrooms. An exhaustive search of the quantitative literature yielded 17 studies with 39 effect sizes. T...
Evaluation of human health hazards on use of dichlorvos (DDVP), especially in resin strips

Public concern over the possible health hazards resulting from the widespread use and misuse of dichlorvos (O,O-dimethyl 2,2-dichlorovinyl phosphate; DDVP) resin strips has increased substantially in recent months eight years after the introduction of this unique formulation and three-to-five years after they became common in household use. In part, this concern stems from legitimate questions that have remained unanswered; on the other hand, anxieties regarding problems such as the persistent pesticides and the disposal of out-dated nerve gas munitions, constantly presented in the mass media, can be transferred to the dichlorvos strips. Attacks on the strips (Linford 1970, Sherrill 1970, Anonymous 1970 a) and reassurances from one of the manufacturers (Slomka 1970) and others (Cavagna and Vigliani 1970) have thus far not resolved all of the questions of public health significance. Further, observation of the use of these strips in situations contrary to label specifications raises additional questions.
Research in Two Phase Flow and Heat Transfer to Assist the Management of Nuclear Reactor Accidents

As a result of the accident at Three Mile Island, a number of new requirements have been imposed on nuclear power plants and their operations. Many of these imply an increased awareness of the role of two-phase flow and heat transfer in operating procedures for accident and transient conditions. As a result, safety research has changed its focus from hypothetical large break accidents to the evaluation of more probable accidents where operator action is of crucial importance. This paper emphasizes the research aspects of these topics, giving a brief indication of current industry status.
Diagnosis of chest pain of esophageal origin. A guideline of the Patient Care Committee of the American Gastroenterological Association.

This guideline describes the appropriate evaluation of the patient with cardiac-type chest pain, which has been deemed noncardiac in origin on the basis of clinical studies. Most patients with anterior chest pain should have initial evaluation for a cardiac source because the presence or absence of coronary artery disease cannot be reliably established from symptoms alone (1). Retrospective studies have shown that as many as 50% of patients admitted to coronary care units for evaluation of chest pain will not have significant abnormal findings on routine testing for heart disease, including coronary arteriography (2, 3). In spite of the reassurance given by negative cardiac studies, many of these patients experience recurring symptoms and significant dis-
Apheresis to Mitigate Atherosclerotic Vascular Disease.

Background Therapeutic apheresis is a term used to describe a group of treatments where blood components are separated in real time, and one component is removed, exchanged, and/or treated to remove pathogenic substances from the circulation. Plasma exchange, which removed all plasma components, and lipid apheresis which selectively removes lipoproteins from circulation, have both been used to treat atherosclerotic vascular diseases. Methods To review the literature regarding the application of therapeutic apheresis for atherosclerotic vascular diseases. Results Primarily lipid apheresis is used to treat atherosclerotic vascular diseases, particularly familial hypercholesterolemia, lipoprotein (a) hyperlipoproteinemia and peripheral vascular diseases. Lipid apheresis can be used as first line or second line treatment with a strong evidenced-based recommendation. Its use has decreased atherosclerotic events. Conclusion Lipid apheresis is an important therapy for the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia, lipoprotein (a) hyperlipoproteinemia and peripheral vascular diseases. Lipid apheresis does more than remove low-density lipoproteins and other lipoproteins but also decreases inflammatory markers and improves blood flow.
High-Volume Anesthetic Suboccipital Nerve Blocks for Treatment Refractory Chronic Cluster Headache With Long-Term Efficacy Data: An Observational Case Series Study.

Objective To determine the efficacy of high-volume anesthetic suboccipital nerve blocks (HVSON) for chronic cluster headache (CCH) and to define consistency of response over long-term use. Background There are studies showing efficacy of greater occipital and suboccipital nerve block injections for CCH and also their possible use as a preventive treatment modality. There are scant data about the long-term efficacy of repetitive greater occipital and suboccipital nerve injections in CCH. HVSON has not been studied for CH. Methods This was an open label, observational, case series study. Patients with CCH seen at a dedicated headache clinic over a 7-year time period and injected on at least 2 separate occasions were used for analysis. All were deemed medicinal treatment refractory. HVSON consisted of 9 mL 1% lidocaine and 1 mL triamcinolone 40 mg/mL injected on the side of CH. Results Ten CCH patients were retrospectively studied. Range of mean average response to HVSON (all patients had complete pain freedom) was 1.5-31 weeks (longest: 44 weeks in 2 patients). Only one patient did not respond; 2 patients had 1.5-2 weeks of response; the remainder had at least 4 weeks of response. The mean average duration of effect was 10.3 weeks in the responders. Five patients were injected serially for 2-4 years (30x, 17x, 15x, 10x and 3x, respectively) with a consistent response of 6 weeks, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 4 weeks, and 31 weeks, respectively, after each injection. Response duration was very reliable per individual patient. All 5 patients felt HVSON was effective as a preventive treatment. Smoking history did not appear to alter treatment response (8/10 were chronic current smokers and 7/8 responded to HVSON). The one patient who received the most injections developed avascular necrosis of the hip; the remainder of the subjects had no adverse events. Conclusion HVSON from this open label study appears to be effective in the preventive treatment of medicinal refractory CCH and shows consistent response over long-term use with high rates of pain freedom.
Hospital-based intervention to reduce tPA administration time

Abstract Objective Ischemic strokes cause significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) is an important step to achieve reperfusion and minimize neuronal loss for those patients that qualify. Multiple studies have shown that there is a direct correlation between the timeliness of tPA administration after infarction has begun and improved health outcomes. Hospital process related barriers to tPA administration increase the time from the onset of stroke to treatment, leading to worse outcomes. Patients and methods This retrospective review from a single stroke center looked at stroke patients across three years (July 2014–May 2017) and examined the temporal delay to treatment that potentially stemmed from the fact that tPA was given after transfer from the radiology suite (post-CT scan) back to the emergency department. This order of events is commonplace in stroke centers across the US. Results Our results indicate there is a significant 26 minute delay with the commonly used protocol where tPA is given, not in the CT scanner, but rather after the scan when patients return to the emergency room. Conclusion Our results imply that a change in the protocol (direct administration of tPA in the radiology suite) could improve health outcomes by decreasing the delay in tPA administration.
Energy-efficient and robust 3D NoCs with contactless vertical links (Invited paper)

3D integration, a breakthrough technology to achieve "More Moore and More Than Moore," provides numerous benefits such as better performance, lower power consumption, and wide bandwidth by vertical interconnects and 3D stacking. These vertical interconnects enable design of high performance 3D Network-on-Chip (NoC) as a communication backbone for massive manycore platforms. However, existing 3D NoCs are still bottlenecked due to simple extension of 2D architectures without fully exploiting the advantages of the 3D integration. Moreover, the anticipated performance gain of 3D NoC-enabled manycore chips will be compromised due to potential failures of through silicon vias (TSVs) that are predominantly used as vertical interconnects. To address these problems, we explore a holistic design methodology starting from the physical layer to the overall interconnection architecture where the vertical data exchange takes place through contactless links using near field inductive coupling (NFIC).
International Investment Law and Policy in Africa: Exploring a Human Rights Based Approach to Investment Regulation and Dispute Settlement

This book studies the international investment law regime in Africa and provides a comprehensive analysis of the current treaty practices in Africa from global, regional and domestic perspectives. It develops a public interest regulation theory to highlight the role of investment regulation in sustainable development and the protection of human rights. In doing so, the book identifies seven factors that should be considered by arbitrators in resolving international investment disputes that affect the public interest. It considers how corporations can be held accountable through investment treaties in the absence of a global treaty on business and human rights while protecting the rights of investors and their investments. Furthermore, the book explores the current objectives and features of investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) as well as the deficiencies and its intersection with the rule of law. It identifies alternatives for ISDS and the extent to which these alternatives address the objectives of attracting investment, depoliticise investment disputes, promote the rule of law and offer remedies to investors. These solutions are offered in relation to the protection of human rights, the promotion of sustainable development and the right of states to introduce domestic public interest regulation. Finally, the book takes a prospective stance and discusses future trends for dispute settlement and investment rulemaking in Africa.
Vitamin D3 Release from Traditionally and Additively Manufactured Tricalcium Phosphate Bone Tissue Engineering Scaffolds.

Bone is a randomized, complex porous network which researchers have tried to mimic within bone tissue engineering scaffolds. The objective of this study was to understand the effects of random and controlled scaffold porosity on the release kinetics of vitamin D3 to determine if a designed porous structure was comparable in effectiveness on osteoblast proliferation to the randomized essence of natural bone. In this study, porous tricalcium phosphate (TCP) scaffolds were prepared by fugitive material removal method using naphthalene and 3D printing to model random and controlled porosity, respectively. Scaffold comparison was made based on open pore volume percentage of which naphthalene scaffolds had 45.8 ± 1.5% and 3D printed scaffolds had 48.9 ± 2.5%, Comparative analysis of traditional bioceramic processing to additive manufacturing is limited especially regarding drug release kinetics. Results showed the naphthalene scaffold surface area was only 0.3% that of 3D printed scaffolds due to the lower open pore interconnectivity. This increase in surface area produced higher release of drug and osteoblast proliferation in 3D printed scaffolds comparatively. By 11 days, osteoblast proliferation was enhanced by 64% from scaffolds manufactured using 3D printing compared to traditional processing. Understanding the effects of processing methods of TCP scaffolds on the release kinetics of vitamin D3 and the system effects on cells can aid in low load bearing applications for bone tissue engineering.
Influence of signal direction on sonar interference

How bats mitigate mutual interference is a long-standing question that has ecological and technological implications as biosonar systems continue to outperform artificial sonar systems in noisy, cluttered environments. Echolocating bats display a mutual suppression response, slowing their pulse emission rates when flying in groups to gain a net improvement in sonar performance. However, flight paths, directional effects, plus contextual and attentional processes influence the levels of mutual interference, causing some noises to be more deleterious than others. To tease apart the impact of these factors, we used playback experiments with flying Mexican free-tailed bats, Tadarida brasiliensis, to test whether the relative directional orientation of an interfering signal versus its returning echoes had a greater impact on a bat's sonar performance. We tested two competing hypotheses: (1) the intensity hypothesis predicts that a signal that is emitted towards a signalling bat is louder and will mask returning echoes more than a signal that is emitted in the same direction as a bat's emitted signal; (2) the similarity hypothesis predicts that a signal that is emitted in the same direction as a bat's signal will create echoes similar in amplitude and timing to those of the signalling bat's own echoes , which should cause greater interference than a loud, less similar signal. We analysed emission rates of bats navigating in both open and cluttered spaces while we varied the directional orientation of an artificial stimulus relative to the bat's flight trajectory. Both emission rates and navigational performance decreased significantly when playback was directed in the same heading as the flying bat, indicating that competing echo wave-fronts are more disruptive to a flying bat than the much louder source signal that produced them. This observation is important because it potentially reveals the impact of attentional processes on sonar performance. This study provides new information on how echolocating bats experience interference and the behavioural strategies they use to overcome jamming.