cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Community Segregation and the Costs of Ethnic Subordination

The socioeconomically detrimental consequences of ethnic or religious discrimination in Israel is shown to depend on the degree of community segregation. Part of the low levels of achievement of Jews of Asian or African origin is attributable to a disadvantageous distribution across Israeli communities. However, competing with Jews of European or American origin, AsianAfricans are disadvantaged at every step in the attainment process. The low attainment of Arabs is largely attributable to their low social origins. Their community and institutional segregation from Jews protects them from further socioeconomic subordination. It follows that community, occupation, and religion interact in Israel, while community, occupation, and ethnicity do not. Hence, we reach two general conclusions: (1) Communities within one small country do differ in the way ascriptive status functions in the process of socioeconomic attainment; and (2) what is important about communities for the attainment of subordinate groups is the extent the community segregates the subordinate group from the dominant one.
Affirmative Action and the Demands of Justice

This essay is about the moral and political justification of affirmative action programs in the United States. Both legally and politically, many of these programs are under attack, though they remain ubiquitous. The concern of this essay, however, is not with what the law says but with what it should say. The main argument advanced in this essay concludes that most of the controversial affirmative action programs are unjustified. It proceeds in a way that avoids dependence on controversial theories of justice or morality. My intention is to produce an argument that is persuasive across a broad ideological spectrum, extending even to those who believe that justice requires these very programs. Though the main focus of the essay is on affirmative action, in the course of making the case that these programs are illegitimate, I shall defend some principles about the conditions under which it is appropriate for the state to impose on civil society the demands of justice. These principles have broader implications for a normative theory of social change in democratic societies.
A voltage dependent capacitance model including effects of manufacturing process variabilities on voltage coefficients

A voltage dependent capacitance model, including the effects of process variations, has been developed using a voltage-controlled voltage source defined by a polynomial for Monte Carlo simulations of mixed-signal design applications. Each of the polynomial coefficients is defined by a simple first order polynomial using the process variables to accurately reflect the manufacturing process. The variability of voltage coefficient simulated by this mixed mode model is shown to be in good agreement with the empirical data. >
VSTA: A prolog-Based Formal Verifier for Systtolic Array Designs

Special purpose formal design verifier for a specific class of archirecture has the advantage of being able to exploit the dtributes of that architecture class to produce efficiency in the design verrification process.
Two-photon spectroscopy of the low lying Rydberg states of NO. II. Application to the NO–Ar complex

The rotational structure of two-photon spectra of van der Waals complexes involving an open shell diatomic molecule is analyzed in terms of the spherical tensor components of the two-photon absorption operator of the uncomplexed diatom. The formalism is used to explain the rotational structure of several band systems of the NO–Ar complex correlating with Rydberg states of the bare NO molecule. All spectra recorded suggest an N–O bond distance typical for a Rydberg state. For the C 2Π state, the vibrationally averaged structure is T shaped. Within the effective experimental resolution no P-type doubling could be identified. For the bands correlating with the state E 2Σ, a significant deviation from the T-shaped structure is found. Once the rotational contour can be simulated, a complete analysis of the vibrational structure due to the intermolecular vibrations can be performed. For the Ar–NO E state, the bending and stretching frequencies suggest a close resemblance to the cationic complex Ar–NO+.
Vector Folding: Improving Stencil Performance via Multi-dimensional SIMD-vector Representation

Stencil computation is an important class of algorithms used in a large variety of scientific-simulation applications. Modern CPUs are employing increasingly longer SIMD vector registers and operations to improve computational throughput. However, the traditional use of vectors to contain sequential data elements along one dimension is not always the most efficient representation, especially in the multicore and hyper-threaded context where caches are shared among many simultaneous compute streams. This paper presents a general technique for representing data in vectors for 2D and 3D stencils. This method reduces the number of memory accesses required by storing a small multi-dimensional block of data in each vector compared to the single dimension in the traditional approach. Experiments on an Intel Xeon Phi Coprocessor show performance speedups over traditional vectors ranging from 1.2x to 2.7x, depending on the problem size and stencil type. This technique is independent of and complementary to a variety of existing stencil-computation tuning algorithms such as cache blocking, loop tiling, and wavefront parallelization.
The Impact of Injection Strategies on Emissions Reduction and Power Output of Future Diesel Engines

ABSTRACT Future light, medium and heavy duty diesel engines will need to satisfy the more stringent emission levels (US 2014, Euro 6, etc.) without compromising their current performance and fuel economy, while still maintaining a competitive cost. In order to achieve this, the Fuel Injection Equipment (FIE) together with the pressure charging, cooling system, exhaust after treatment and other engine sub-systems will each play a key role. The FIE has to offer a range of flexible injection characteristics, e.g. a multiple injection train with or without separation, modulated injection pressures and rates for every injection, higher specific power output from the same injector envelope, and close control of very small fuel injection quantities. The aim of this paper is to present Delphi’s developments in fuel injection strategies for light and medium duty diesel engines that will comply with future emission legislation, whilst providing higher power density and uncompromised fuel economy.
Philosophy and Standards Area

(1971). Philosophy and Standards Area. Journal of Health, Physical Education, Recreation: Vol. 42, No. 8, pp. 45-48.
Delay and yield of CNFET-based circuits in the presence of variations

The aggressive scaling of CMOS circuits is approaching the atomic and quantum physical limits [1], and therefore extensive research is being conducted on devices made with III-V and II-VI semiconductors, and with more exotic materials like grapheme, and various nanotubes.
Sarcomere mutation-specific expression patterns in human hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Background Heterozygous mutations in sarcomere genes in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) are proposed to exert their effect through gain of function for missense mutations or loss of function for truncating mutations. However, allelic expression from individual mutations has not been sufficiently characterized to support this exclusive distinction in human HCM. Methods and results Sarcomere transcript and protein levels were analyzed in septal myectomy and transplant specimens from 46 genotyped HCM patients with or without sarcomere gene mutations and 10 control hearts. For truncating mutations in MYBPC3, the average ratio of mutant:wild-type transcripts was ≈1:5, in contrast to ≈1:1 for all sarcomere missense mutations, confirming that nonsense transcripts are uniquely unstable. However, total MYBPC3 mRNA was significantly increased by 9-fold in HCM samples with MYBPC3 mutations compared with control hearts and with HCM samples without sarcomere gene mutations. Full-length MYBPC3 protein content was not different between MYBPC3 mutant HCM and control samples, and no truncated proteins were detected. By absolute quantification of abundance with multiple reaction monitoring, stoichiometric ratios of mutant sarcomere proteins relative to wild type were strikingly variable in a mutation-specific manner, with the fraction of mutant protein ranging from 30% to 84%. Conclusions These results challenge the concept that haploinsufficiency is a unifying mechanism for HCM caused by MYBPC3 truncating mutations. The range of allelic imbalance for several missense sarcomere mutations suggests that certain mutant proteins may be more or less stable or incorporate more or less efficiently into the sarcomere than wild-type proteins. These mutation-specific properties may distinctly influence disease phenotypes.
Organizational Power and Conflict regarding the Hospital—Physician Relationship: Symbolic or Substantive?

The purpose of this paper is to provide a critical review of organizational power and conflict regarding the hospital-physician relationship. The issue of power being symbolic and/or substantive is discussed. The classification (Mintzberg Model) of organizations as simple structures, machine bureaucracies, professional bureaucracies, divisionalized forms and adhocracies are reviewed. Also, the issue of whether the perceived autonomy that professional employees enjoy increases the likelihood that an executive level manager in a professional bureaucracy (hospital entity) will devote substantial attention to influencing symbolic outcomes as opposed to substantive outcomes in a machine bureaucracy is discussed. In conclusion, conflicts between hospitals and physicians can be resolved in two ways: (1) by avoiding controversial decisions that might threaten the powers and prerogatives of professional groups; and (2) by agreeing to decisions that hold something for everyone involved in the hospital-physician power relationship.
Study on Beach Plants in Poyang Lake on Transformation of Phosphorus in Sediments

In order to explore the migration and transformation of phosphorus in sediments and variation of water quality from beach plants.The mechanisms of root exudates to the phosphorus in the sediments,the phosphorus exchange of the beach plants-sediment system at different water level,the speciation of phosphorus in the sediments at different growth phases of beach plants,the number and types of microorganisms from the rhizosohere,the adsorption of phosphorus by the Fe and Mn plaques,the absorption and transformation of phosphorus when plants growing would be studied.Then the effects of beach plants on the exchange of phosphorus in the sediments would be revealed.Theoretical basis and technical support for restoring the eutrophicated lakes and the damaged lake wetlands would be provided.
Repair of the Ligaments About the Knee

Summary The evolution of techniques used to repair torn ligaments about the knee is described. A combination of repairs of the anterior cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament, and posterior joint capsule along with transfer of the medial half of the semimembranosus tendon and transfer of the pes anserinus is described. The surgical procedures have been evolved over a three year period in an orthopedic practice in a skiing and resort community. These combinations of surgical techniques can insure stable knees for active persons without the need to resort to more formal and more extensive surgical procedures. It is also thought that repair of both fresh and old ligament tears in the manner described gives the athletic individual a better chance for continuing in recreational and competitive sports, as well as reducing the possibility of lateral degenerative joint changes.
Assessment of alkoxylphenacyl-based polycarbonates as a potential platform for controlled delivery of a model anti-glaucoma drug.

Abstract Treatment strategies for glaucoma will benefit from injectable and/or implantable delivery systems that can achieve sustained delivery of neuroprotective agents (to the posterior segment) and/or intraocular pressure lowering drugs (to the anterior segment). In this regard, we have evaluated the suitability of a new polymer (alkoxylphenacyl-based polycarbonates copolymer with polycaprolactone; AP-PCL 20% w/w) as a platform for ocular drug delivery. Brimonidine tartrate (BRT) was applied as a model anti-glaucoma drug. The polymer was applied to develop injectable (nanoparticles) and implantable (microfilms) delivery systems. Nanoparticles fabricated from AP-PCL were stable and have an average size less than 200 nm. The AP-PCL microfilms prepared by compression molding showed a gradual hydrolytic in-vitro degradation monitored by water uptake, weight loss, microscopy, DSC and FT-IR measurements. AP-PCL microfilms achieve sustained delivery of BRT for up to 90 days. Biocompatibility of AP-PCL-based delivery systems was demonstrated from studies in human trabecular meshwork cell line as well as after intravitreal injections in rats. The overall trend demonstrated that AP-PCL delivery systems may be considered as suitable candidates for prolonged drug delivery in chronic ocular disorders such as glaucoma.
First-principles simulation of oxygen vacancy migration in $$\hbox {HfO}_{ x}$$HfOx, $$\hbox {CeO}_{ x}$$CeOx, and at their interfaces for applications in resistive random-access memories

Transition metal-oxide resistive random-access memories seem to be a viable candidate as the next-generation storage technology because transition metals have multiple oxidation states and are good ionic conductors. A wide range of transition metal oxides have recently been studied; however, fundamental understanding of the switching mechanism is still lacking. Migration energies and diffusivity of oxygen vacancies in amorphous and crystalline $$\hbox {HfO}_{2}$$HfO2 and $$\hbox {CeO}_{2}$$CeO2 and at their interface are investigated by employing density functional theory. We found that oxygen dynamics is better in $$\hbox {CeO}_{2}$$CeO2 compared to $$\hbox {HfO}_{2}$$HfO2, including smaller activation energy barriers and larger diffusion pre-factors, which can have implications in the material-selection process to determine which combination of materials offer the most efficient switching. Furthermore, we found that motion of vacancies is different at the interface of these two oxides as compared to that within each constituents, which provided insight into the role of the interface in vacancy motion and ultimately using interface engineering as a way to tune material properties.
Three-dimensional in vitro ovarian follicle culture

The availability of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists did not only offer clinicians an alternative to GnRH agonists but, more importantly, has led to the development of new concepts aiming to increase safety and simplicity in ovarian stimulation. These include the modified natural cycle, mild in vitro fertilization (IVF), the use of GnRH agonist for triggering of final oocyte maturation with elective cryopreservation in patients at risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), the administration of antagonists during the luteal phase for management of severe OHSS, as well as control of endogenous luteinizing hormone (LH) with GnRH antagonists in intrauterine insemination (IUI) cycles. Administration of GnRH antagonists can be performed by either a single dose or by using a daily scheme. The need to simplify ovarian stimulation led to the development of long-acting follicle stimulating hormone (FSH).
Utilization of D-glutamic acid by Lactobacillus arabinosus: glutamic racemase.

n-Glutamic acid was consistently superior to a-ketoglutaratc in supporting the growth of Lactobacillus arabinosus 17-5 when these substances replaced L-glutamic acid in the medium (1). The results suggested that the conversion of n-glutamic to L-glutamic acid by this organism does not proceed chiefly through a-ketoglutaric acid. The present study demonstrates the presence of an enzymatic system in L. arabinosus which catalyzes the racemization of glutamic acid. Additional observations were also made which are relevant to the stimulation of utilization of n-glut.amic acid by glutamine previously reported (1). EXPERIMENTAL
Truth in Sentencing and Prison Infractions

Marvin E. Wolfgang was at the cutting edge of the major criminological issues of the day over his entire career. In 1961, he published an article titled “Quantitative Analysis of Adjustment to the Prison Community” (Wolfgang, 1961). The research reported in the article followed a sample of the homicide offenders he studied in his seminal Patterns in Criminal Homicide during their imprisonment (Wolfgang, 1958). During the period from the mid-1950s to the mid-1960s, the study of prison organization and culture, and the responses of inmates to prison, were major foci for criminologists. Major criminological thinkers of the time, such as Richard Cloward, Donald Cressey, Lloyd McCorkle, Lloyd Ohlin, Gresham Sykes, and Stanton Wheeler, were studying American prisons and inmates’ responses to prison. Characteristically, Marvin Wolfgang focused his attention on the topic as well and brought a quantitative research perspective to bear on it. His 1961 article is a quantitative study of the correlates of adjustment to prison that broke new conceptual and empirical ground in its development of a multidimensional prison adjustment index. Specific findings are discussed below.
‘Canst thou be Virgil?’: A Hardy Legacy in the Novel

A number of attitudes have surfaced again and again throughout this survey of Hardy’s influence on some novelists of the twentieth century: keen interest in Hardy’s pessimism and almost unanimous rejection of it; great concern with Hardy’s treatment of men and women in love; surprisingly high regard for certain of Hardy’s lesser novels, particularly The Well-Beloved; deep respect for his characters, particularly Tess, and an inclination to re-create them; relative indifference to Hardy’s faults as a writer; and, finally, recognition that Hardy, out of his tragic view of things, was, in Bennett’s phrase, a surpassing ‘seer of beauty’. The ultimate source of the first five of these responses to Hardy must lie in this sixth, in Hardy’s having, in the view of his successors in English fiction, created a new beauty. Hardy’s pessimism, his flawed last novel, and his characters and their passions appealed to later novelists for their beauty, or for their refracting the beauty of his created world. The presence of this beauty overrides, in the eyes of these particular readers, faults of style, plot, or presentation. What Hardy’s disciples among later novelists responded to, and sought to imitate and continue, is the peculiar beauty Hardy brought into the world.
123I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine guanidine-guided ventricular tachycardia ablation: will expanding the target improve the aim?

Catheter ablation is an established therapeutic approach for ventricular tachycardia (VT), especially in patients with drug-refractory VT. Despite advances in modern state-of-the-art ablation techniques and greater operator experience, the VT recurrence rate after ablation still approaches 50% at 6 months in a large series.1 The majority of current VT ablation strategies rely heavily on targeting anatomic and scar-based substrate and include activation and substrate mapping; the latter particularly helpful for patients with hemodynamically unstable or noninducible VT. However, these techniques are limited by multiple technical and nontechnical factors, including challenges posed by the complex 3-dimensional morphology of scar, particularly in an intramyocardial location, possible artifacts because of poor catheter contact, low spatial resolution, and the time-consuming nature of the techniques themselves. Furthermore, VT substrate not only is anatomic and scar-based but also has physiological components, including ischemia, inflammation, metabolism, and autonomic innervation, which are generally not considered when delineating potential targets for VT ablation. These factors may, in part, explain the high rate of VT recurrence after ablation and highlight the need to consider incorporating functional targets such as those available with several noninvasive imaging modalities into electroanatomic mapping to refine targets for catheter ablation of VT.2–4 Article see p 583 In this issue of Circulation: Arrhythmia and Electrophysiology , Klein et al5 present a single-center experience demonstrating the feasibility of integrating iodine-123-labeled- meta -iodobenzylguanidine (123I- m IBG) scintigraphy with voltage mapping for postinfarction VT ablation in 15 patients. Areas defined as denervated by 123I- m IBG were 2.5× larger than scar identified by bipolar voltage mapping. On the contrary, the voltage-defined border zone tended to be larger than the 123I- m IBG transition zone, but this difference was not statistically significant. By bipolar voltage mapping, 36% of VT ablation …
Common Medical Comorbidities Correlated With Poor Outcomes in Hip Periprosthetic Infection.

Abstract Background Periprosthetic infection has been linked to risk factors such as diabetes, obesity, and smoking among others. This study examined the relationship between common patient comorbidities and hip periprosthetic infection outcomes. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the records of 149 culture-positive periprosthetic hip infections at our tertiary care center that underwent treatment between 2005 and 2015. Baseline characteristics and common comorbidities were analyzed with relation to rates of successfully treated infection, total surgeries for infection, and cumulative length of hospitalization using multivariate analysis. Results Patients with coronary artery disease or anemia had significantly lower rate of successfully treated infection. Patients with anemia or chronic pulmonary disease underwent significantly more surgery, and patients with chronic pulmonary disease, psychiatric disease, anemia, or diabetes spent significantly longer time in hospital. Conclusion Potentially modifiable cardiovascular, respiratory, and psychiatric diseases were associated with a decreased rate of successfully treated infection, more surgery, and longer hospitalization in treatment for hip periprosthetic infection in multivariate analysis.
Microfluidic guillotine for single-cell wound repair studies.

Abstract Wound repair is a key feature distinguishing living from nonliving matter. Single cells are increasingly recognized to be capable of healing wounds. The lack of reproducible, high-throughput wounding methods has hindered single-cell wound repair studies. This work describes a microfluidic guillotine for bisecting single Stentor coeruleus cells in a continuous-flow manner. Stentor is used as a model due to its robust repair capacity and the ability to perform gene knockdown in a high-throughput manner. Local cutting dynamics reveals two regimes under which cells are bisected, one at low viscous stress where cells are cut with small membrane ruptures and high viability and one at high viscous stress where cells are cut with extended membrane ruptures and decreased viability. A cutting throughput up to 64 cells per minute—more than 200 times faster than current methods—is achieved. The method allows the generation of more than 100 cells in a synchronized stage of their repair process. This capacity, combined with high-throughput gene knockdown in Stentor, enables time-course mechanistic studies impossible with current wounding methods.
Trends in Hip Resection Arthroplasty in the Medicare Patient Population from 2005 to 2012

Hip resection arthroplasty (HRA) is a relatively uncommon, yet viable surgical procedure originally developed by Girdlestone for osteomyelitis of the proximal femur. Currently, HRA is primarily indicated as a salvage procedure after a failed total hip arthroplasty. Despite a continuous rise in the rates of primary and revision hip arthroplasty, there is a lack of published evidence regarding the extent of HRA's current use and its recent trends. We sought to provide an epidemiological description of the recent utilization patterns of HRA in the United States. A level of evidence IV, retrospective case series review of the entire Medicare files between 2005 and 2012 was conducted through the use of current procedural terminology codes and International Classification of Disease ninth edition codes. Linear regressions and chi-square tests were used for analysis. Subgroup analysis was performed by patient age. The total number of HRAs performed between 2005 and 2012 significantly decreased from 4,248 to 3,872 ( p = 0.025). There was a significant increase in the annual incidence of HRA among patients younger than 65 years ( p = 0.027; 9% increase) and patients 65 to 69 years old ( p = 0.007; 22% increase), constituting 43% of the total patients. There was a significant decrease in HRA incidence among patients 80 to 84 years old ( p = 0.001; 32% decrease) and patients 85 years old and over ( p = 0.002; 24% decrease). Geographic analysis demonstrated the most HRA procedures were performed in the South, whereas gender focused analysis demonstrated a statistically significant decrease in HRA incidence for females ( p = 0.003; 6% decrease) and a significant increase in incidence for males ( p = 0.003; 7% increase). The overall annual incidence of HRA performed in the Medicare patient population has significantly decreased in recent years. However, this conceals an increased incidence among the relatively younger patient population. Potential causes for these opposing trends include changes in rates of revision surgery, alternative indications for surgery, advances in hardware, and surgeon expertise. This was a level of evidence IV, retrospective case series study.
Single-Center Experience With Venovenous ECMO for Influenza-Related ARDS.

Objectives This study was designed to determine whether venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VV ECMO) reduced mortality in patients with influenza-related acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Design A retrospective cohort study was performed. Baseline characteristics of participants were compared and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was used to compare survival at last medical center follow-up. Cox proportional hazards modeling also was performed to test for univariate associations between salient variables and mortality. Setting A single-center ECMO referral university hospital. Participants All patients admitted with influenza-related ARDS during the 2015 to 2016 influenza season. Interventions Mechanical ventilation alone versus mechanical ventilation and ECMO cannulation. Measurements and Main Results A total of 26 patients with influenza-related ARDS were included in the cohort. Thirteen patients were treated with VV ECMO while 13 were not. Twelve of the ECMO patients and 8 of the non-ECMO patients were transferred from outside hospitals. Patients treated with ECMO were younger and had less hypertension and diabetes mellitus. There was no difference in baseline sequential organ failure assessment score between the 2 groups. In-hospital mortality for ECMO patients was 15.4% versus 46.7% for patients not treated with ECMO. Survival at last medical center follow-up was better in patients treated with ECMO (p = 0.02). Age, highest blood carbon dioxide level, and treatment without ECMO were all associated with increased mortality. Conclusions Influenza-related ARDS has a high mortality rate and patients treated only with mechanical ventilation have worse outcome than those managed with VV ECMO. More liberal use of ECMO should be considered in patients with influenza-related ARDS.
Using electronic health record data for environmental and place based population health research: a systematic review.

Abstract Purpose We conducted a systematic review of literature published on January 2000–May 2017 that spatially linked electronic health record (EHR) data with environmental information for population health research. Methods We abstracted information on the environmental and health outcome variables and the methods and data sources used. Results The automated search yielded 669 articles; 128 articles are included in the full review. The number of articles increased by publication year; the majority (80%) were from the United States, and the mean sample size was approximately 160,000. Most articles used cross-sectional (44%) or longitudinal (40%) designs. Common outcomes were health care utilization (32%), cardiometabolic conditions/obesity (23%), and asthma/respiratory conditions (10%). Common environmental variables were sociodemographic measures (42%), proximity to medical facilities (15%), and built environment and land use (13%). The most common spatial identifiers were administrative units (59%), such as census tracts. Residential addresses were also commonly used to assign point locations, or to calculate distances or buffer areas. Conclusions Future research should include more detailed descriptions of methods used to geocode addresses, focus on a broader array of health outcomes, and describe linkage methods. Studies should also explore using longitudinal residential address histories to evaluate associations between time-varying environmental variables and health outcomes.
Optimizing Recirculating-Frequency-Shifter performance with Semiconductor Optical Amplifier gain assistance

We show that nonlinear effects—including four wave mixing in chip-based semiconductor optical amplifier gain—impose limits to the wavelength spacing of combs in Recirculating-Frequency-Shifters (RFS), but can be mitigated by operating SOA in deeper saturation.
Effect of isoprostanes on sympathetic neurotransmission in the human isolated iris-ciliary body.

Isoprostanes (IsoP's) are prostaglandin-like compounds that are derived from free-radical catalyzed peroxidation of arachidonic acid independent of the cyclcooxygenase enzyme. In the present study, we investigated the effect of IsoP's on norepinephrine (NE) release from human isolated iris-ciliary bodies. Isolated human iris-ciliary bodies were prepared for studies of [3H]NE release using the superfusion method. Both 8-iso-prostaglandin F2α (F2-IsoP) and the thromboxane (Tx) receptor agonist, U46619 enhanced field-stimulated [3H]NE release from isolated, superfused human iris-ciliary bodies without affecting basal tritium efflux. On the other hand, an equimolar concentration (10 μM) of 8-iso-prostaglandin E2 (E2-IsoP) inhibited evoked [3H]NE overflow. The Tx-receptor antagonist, SQ 29548 blocked the enhancements of electrically-evoked [3H]NE release induced by F2-IsoP and U46619. However, the inhibitory responses elicited by E2-IsoP was not antagonized by SQ 29548. We conclude that IsoP's can produce both excitatory and inhibitory effects on sympathetic neurotransmission in human isolated iris-ciliary bodies. The stimulatory effects of IsoP' on NE release may be mediated by Tx-receptors.
The Business of Dissociating Pain and Disabilities

Disability management is a part of pain management. We borrow techniques from the business world to empower the patient, avoid iatrogenic disability, and improve the process of our treatment for disability.
Das intuitive Denken des wahren Menschen: Wie neuronale Netze

Die rechte Gehirnhalfte funktioniert anders. Ich versuche, die Idee dieses anderen Denkens hier zu entwickeln. Ich sage nicht, dass das Gehirn nun ganz genau so physisch gebaut ware. Darum geht es in diesem Buch uberhaupt nicht. Ich mochte herausarbeiten, dass es einen ganz anderen Denkprozess gibt als den normalen Prozess des analytisch-logischen Denkens. Wenn Sie mir dann zugestehen, dass wir zwei vollig verschiedene Denkprogramme haben, dann werden Sie wohl auch mit mir erschrocken sein, was das fur uns alle bedeutet: Wir haben verschiedene Programme mit verschiedenen Ergebnissen. Manche Menschen horen letztlich auf die linke Gehirnhalfte, auf das Richtige und die Logik. Andere vertrauen auf ihre Intuition. Was ist richtig? Wer hat Recht? Wo liegt das Wahre?
Cardiovascular Events Following Treatment Initiation with Atypical Antipsychotic Medications in Publicly Insured U.S. Youth.

Abstract Objective: To assess the risk of incident cardiovascular events that led to hospitalizations or emergency department visits following atypical antipsychotic (AAP) treatment initiation in youth according to dose, duration of use, and concomitant use of leading psychotropic medication classes. Methods: We used computerized Medicaid claims to conduct a retrospective cohort study of youth (5–20 years) who initiated AAP treatment. AAP use was operationalized in a time-dependent manner according to current vs. former use, average daily dose (in risperidone dose equivalents), and duration of use. In a secondary analysis, concomitant use of (1) stimulants and (2) serotonin-reuptake inhibitors (SSRI/SNRIs) with AAPs was also assessed. To account for confounding, disease risk score methodology was used in discrete time failure models. Results: There were 74,700 youth who initiated AAP treatment (average follow-up = 24.8 months). During follow-up, the risk of cardiovascular events was significantly greater ...
Bedeutung der Wesensänderung für die Diagnose der kryptogenetischen und symptomatischen Epilepsie

Nach einer Darstellung der verschiedenen Anschauungen uber die Wesensanderung bei Epileptikern wird auf Rorschachversuche an 161 Anstaltsepileptikern eingegangen. Die Epileptiker, bei denen ein Anlagefaktor als Ursache der Erkrankung angenommen werden mus, zeigten nicht haufiger ein Haftsyndrom als die Epileptiker mit einer nachweisbaren cerebralen Schadigung. Ein Haftsyndrom wurde bei Patienten, die an einer Epilepsie mit zahlreichen Anfallen litten, haufiger als bei anderen Epileptikern beobachtet. Dieser Befund entsprach dem einer vorausgegangenen Untersuchung an 338 Epileptikern, bei welcher das durch die klinische Beobachtung gewonnene Urteil uber eine Wesensanderung des Patienten zur Haufigkeit der Anfalle in Beziehung gesetzt worden war; dabei hatte sich eine signifikante Korrelation ergeben. Unmittelbar vor dem Rorschachversuch war bei allen Epileptikern eine hirnelektrische Untersuchung vorgenommen worden. Die Zahl pathologischer EEG war bei Epileptikern mit einem Haftsyndrom nicht signifikant hoher als bei anderen Kranken. 8 von 11 Patienten mit Wortfindungsstorungen wahrend des-Tests zeigten Spitzenpotentiale im EEG, wahrend Patienten ohne Wortfindungsstorungen nur in 22% solche hatten. Es wird die Entwicklung schwerer Wesensanderung im Krankheitsverlaufe von 7 langjahrig beobachteten Anstaltsepileptikern geschildert, bei denen die als typisch angesehenen Wesenszuge fur die Diagnose einer genuinen Epilepsie herangezogen worden waren. Die Sektion ergab tuberose Sklerose, tumorose Gefasanomalien oder eine chronische Meningitis. Nach unseren Befunden kann dem Faktor einer Wesensanderung keine entscheidende Bedeutung fur die Differentialdiagnose einer kryptogenetischen oder symptomatischen Epilepsie zuerkannt werden.
Heat Transfer Analysis and Design for Bulk Crystal Growth: Perspectives on the Bridgman Method

Heat transfer is perhaps the most important element in the design and operation of melt crystal growth processes. This chapter presents a primer on heat transfer fundamentals, followed by a more focused discussion of specific heat transfer interactions during melt crystal growth. To provide motivation and context for this discussion, the classical Bridgman crystal growth method is reviewed via historical perspectives of practice and theory. Finally, a research vignette is presented on developments to control the shape of the solid–liquid interface via heat transfer engineering during the Bridgman growth of cadmium zinc telluride. It is argued that the future development of melt crystal growth will rely on fundamental advances in the understanding of growth mechanisms coupled with skillful application of powerful computational models for process analysis and design.
Disclosure of secondary germline findings from clinical tumor-normal paired somatic mutation profiling.

1510Background: Accurate identification of cancer somatic mutations is facilitated by tumor-normal subtractive analysis. Tumor-normal paired testing (TNPT) can also lead to significant secondary ge...
PKQuest: PBPK modeling of highly lipid soluble and extracellular solutes

One of the primary objectives of physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) is the prediction of a drug’s pharmacokinetics just from knowledge of its physicochemical structure. Unfortunately, at present, the accuracy of this prediction is limited for most drugs because of uncertainty about the drug’s organ/blood partition coefficient (K). However, there are two classes of solutes which are exceptions to this: 1) the highly lipid soluble (HLS) solutes, and 2) the extracellular (ECS) solutes. Since the HLS drugs (eg, volatile anesthetics, propofol, cannabinol) have lipid/water partition coefficients (P L/W ) of 100 or greater, their K is dominated by the tissue fat fraction and one can accurately predict K just from in vitro measurements of P L/W along with prior anatomic measurements of the fat fraction of the organs in the PBPK model. Since the ECS drugs, such as most antibiotics, cannot penetrate cells, they are not subject to the intracellular binding that complicates the prediction of K for the weak bases and acids. The ECS K is determined primarily by plasma and interstitial albumin binding and can be predicted from in vitro measurements of plasma albumin binding along with prior measurements of interstitial tissue volume and albumin concentrations. This review provides an in depth discussion of the PBPK modeling of these two drug classes along with many specific clinical examples illustrating the good PBPK predictions possible with just zero (volatile anesthetics) or 1 (the clearance) adjustable parameter. The PBPK analysis uses PKQuest, a freely distributed, general purpose pharmacokinetic program. PKQuest is designed so that application to the HLS and ECS solute classes is especially easy. The user only needs to enter the specific parameters that are required to characterize the drug (eg, P L/W for HLS or plasma albumin binding for ECS) with all the other PBPK parameters (organ blood flow, fat fraction, extracellular volumes, etc.) are set by default.
How terrorist actors in Pakistan use nuclear weapons for political influence

This article expands on the current research on nuclear terrorism by investigating how terrorist actors seek to capitalize on the nuclear weapons discourse in a country to gain domestic political i...
Catalytic Alkane Transfer Dehydrogenation by PSP-Pincer-Ligated Ruthenium. Deactivation of an Extremely Reactive Fragment by Formation of Allyl Hydride Complexes

Iridium complexes bearing PCP-type pincer ligands are the most effective catalysts reported to date for the low-temperature (≤ca. 200 °C) dehydrogenation of alkanes. To investigate the activity of formally isoelectronic ruthenium complexes, we have synthesized the neutral 2,7-di-tert-butyl-4,5-bis(diisopropylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylthioxanthene (iPrxanPSP) pincer ligand and several Ru complexes thereof. The (iPrxanPSP)Ru complexes catalyze alkane transfer dehydrogenation of the benchmark cyclooctane/t-butylethylene (COA/TBE) couple with turnover frequencies up to ca. 1 s–1 at 150 °C and 0.2 s–1 at 120 °C, the highest rates for alkane dehydrogenation ever reported at such temperatures. Dehydrogenation of n-octane, however, is much less effective. A combination of experiment and DFT calculations allow us to explain why (iPrxanPSP)Ru is more effective than (iPrPCP)Ir for dehydrogenation of COA, while the reverse is true for dehydrogenation of n-alkanes. Considering only in-cycle species and simple olefin comp...
Anomalies in the US precipitation extremes and their association with different modes of climate variability.

In this study, we investigate the temporal oscillations of precipitation extremes in different climate regions of the United States. We apply quantile perturbation analysis to average daily precipi...
Responding to women's needs and preferences in an online program to prevent postpartum depression.

Abstract Purpose Global access to adequate resources to address postpartum depression (PPD) are limited and, at times, not reflective of the needs of pregnant women and new mothers. Gathering information about the preferences and needs of women when designing and implementing Internet-based programs is warranted, especially given the diversity of experiences related to childbirth. Thus, the aim of this study was to obtain user feedback on the content, structural, and cultural factors associated with a fully automated online PPD prevention intervention that, like similar programs, suffered from poor adherence and engagement. Methods Following the completion of the Mothers and Babies Internet Course (eMB), an online prevention of PPD trial, a convenience sampling method was used to invite consenting participants to return to the site. Participants provided anonymous feedback on how to improve and adapt the eMB based on screenshots and video content from the Internet intervention. Demographic information and engagement in the online trial were examined as factors influencing participant responses. Results One hundred nineteen English and Spanish speaking women from 27 countries and territories provided feedback about the eMB. Content-based feedback included requesting additional detail in explanations and simplifying recommended exercises. Structure-based feedback included requests for more visual representations of the materials. In general, participants did not explicitly suggest culturally specific feedback that differed by geographic region, but instead reported similar themes related to motherhood and childrearing. An unexpected finding that only emerged among English-speaking participants was the need for the eMB to address perfectionism and introspection as factors that impact motherhood. Relative to those who did not access the eMB in the parent study, women who did thought the intervention content was acceptable (i.e., no suggested changes) and provided feedback that referenced maternal stress and pregnancy experiences. Age, education, pregnancy status and number of children were not significant factors associated with participants' use of the eMB. Conclusions Findings from this study offer preliminary information about the needs and preferences of an international sample of childrearing women who access automated Internet interventions to manage mood changes during the perinatal period.
Novel vaccine technologies for the 21st century

Novel approaches to vaccine development include structure-based immunogen design, gene-based vaccine platforms and formulation of recombinant antigens with potent adjuvants. These technologies are producing encouraging results in the development of vaccines for globally important diseases such as tuberculosis, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus. Here we highlight the most important developments in these areas over the past 18 months. New approaches to vaccine development have generated exciting results over the past 18 months. Focusing on respiratory syncytial virus infection, influenza and tuberculosis, Fauci and Mascola discuss the impact of structure-based vaccine design, gene-based vaccine platforms and advances in adjuvant development.
A 27-Mbps, 0.08-mm 3 CMOS Transceiver with Simultaneous Near-field Power Transmission and Data Telemetry for Implantable Systems

This paper describes an inductively powered 27-Mbps, 0.08-mm3 CMOS transceiver with integrated RF receiver coils for simultaneous two-way., near-field data telemetry and power transmission for implantable systems. A four-coil inductive link operates at a 27-MHz carrier for power and a 700-MHz carrier for data telemetry with the antennae taking an area of only 2 mm by 2 mm. Amplitude-shift-keying (ASK) modulation is used for data downlink at 6.6 kbps and load-shift keying (LSK) backscattering is used for data uplink at 27 Mbps. The transceiver consumes 2.7 mW and can power a load consuming up to an additional 1.5 mW. Implemented in a 0.18-um silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology., post-processing steps are used to decrease chip thickness to approximately l5um., making the chip flexible with a tissue-like form factor and removing the effects of the substrate on coil performance. Power harvesting circuitry., including passive rectifier., voltage regulator., RF limiter., ASK and LSK modulator., clock generator., and digital controller are positioned adjacent to the coils and limited to an area of 0.5 mm by 2mm. Complete transceiver functionality of the system has been achieved with overall power transfer efficiency (PTE) of 1.04 % through 1 mm of tissue phantom between reader and implant.
Evaluation of physical function and its association with body composition, quality of life and biomarkers in cancer cachexia patients

Summary Background & aims There are currently no approved treatments for cancer cachexia. One of the main barriers to developing a treatment for this indication is the lack of consensus on clinically important tools for assessing functional impairment in this setting. This issue is of critical importance because functional improvement is likely to be required for approval by regulatory agencies. This cross-sectional study aimed to evaluate various functional performance measures and establish their association with body composition, energy expenditure, biomarkers, and patient-reported quality of life (QOL). Methods Physical function, body composition, energy expenditure, cytokines, testosterone, and patient-reported QOL were compared between men with solid tumors with cachexia (CAC; N = 48), without cachexia (CNC; N = 48), and weight-stable patients without cancer (CON; N = 37). Receiver Operator Characteristic curves and multivariate regression were performed to identify functional impairment cut-points and predictors of physical function, respectively. Results Patients with CAC displayed lower total lean and appendicular lean mass, stair climb power (SCP), upper body strength, and bioavailable testosterone, and displayed higher energy expenditure than CNC or CON (p ≤ 0.03); CAC showed lower handgrip, respiratory quotient, and appetite, and higher cytokines and fatigue than CON (p ≤ 0.032). A cut-point of 336 Watts for SCP provided 78% sensitivity and 77% specificity for classification of CAC (p = 0.001); SCP also performed better than other measures tested when compared to CON-derived normatives. Upper body strength exhibited moderate sensitivity and specificity for classification of CAC (p ≤ 0.02). Elevated relative energy expenditure and cytokines negatively predicted, and muscle mass positively predicted, various muscle strength outcomes. Conclusion Stair climb power and upper body strength may have potential as discriminatory tests for functional impairment in patients with cancer cachexia.
Sleep and stress in mother-toddler dyads living in low-income homes.

Optimal sleeping behaviors are critical for overall development, yet some evidence suggests stress and living in a low-income environment are associated with disruptions of sleeping behaviors early in life. In this study, we investigated the association of toddler sleeping behaviors, particularly difficulties initiating and/or maintaining sleep (DIMS), and maternal and toddler prolonged stress using hair cortisol from dyads living in low-income homes. Hair cortisol was mainly sampled at the posterior vertex of mothers and toddlers (age 20-24 months) and analyzed with immunoassay (n = 94). Toddler DIMS were assessed at 15-19 and 27-31 months of age through mother-rated reports using the Tayside Children's Sleep Questionnaire. We found no associations between toddler DIMS and maternal stress. Additionally, early DIMS did not predict toddler stress. However, while controlling for early DIMS and sociodemographic factors, we found that higher toddler stress predicted greater DIMS in later toddlerhood (b = -2.28, SE = 0.98, p = .02, ds = 0.64). These study findings highlight the importance of understanding the role of early life stress on later sleep patterns.