cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assessment of Probability Models Using the Bootstrap Sampling Method

The application of probabilistic methods to the analysis and design of mechanical systems is becoming more commonplace. This is due to a number of reasons, among them are: (1) modern requirements to design systems much closer to expected maximum load tolerances; (2) continuing improvements in the ability to specify random variations in systems, materials, and excitations; and (3) the desire to quantify the risk associated with a given application. Monte Carlo sampling is the traditional technique for probabilistic system analysis and is often employed as the standard to which other techniques are compared for accuracy. Yet, because of the natural limitations on the (finite) number of samples that can be generated for subsequent use in a Monte Carlo analysis, probabilistic information that is estimated, such as ordinates in a cumulative distribution function (CDF) or probability density function (PDF), are approximations with accuracy, which is a function both of the number of samples and the formula used to estimate the statistic of interest, that is usually not addressed in a given analysis. This accuracy limitation can be particularly acute when the quantity of interest is the output of an analysis that involves substantial and time-consuming numerical computation for which only a relatively small number of computational results can be made available. A consequence of this limitation is that the results of other, analytically-based probabilistic analyses are frequently not checked extensively. Bootstrap sampling is a technique for the analysis of measured data arising from non-Gaussian sources where the amount of data may be limited. The bootstrap offers a method for the efficient use of limited Monte Carlo data for the assessment of the accuracy of approximate, analytical probabilistic techniques, regardless of the probability distribution of the phenomenon under consideration. It can be used to check the accuracy of statistics of probability models generated using the analytical techniques. Specifically, Monte Carlo data could be used in conjunction with the bootstrap method to estimate confidence intervals on statistics of the data. These same statistics could be evaluated from the approximate analytical model. If the statistics from the analytical model fall outside the corresponding confidence intervals obtained using the sample data, then the validity of the approximate, analytical model is rejected. Otherwise, based on the judgment of the analyst, the analytical model may be accepted. In this paper, a brief discussion of probabilistic models and the bootstrap sampling method is given. Then, the use of the bootstrap in assessing the validity of the analytical probabilistic models is outlined. Finally, the results of two numerical examples involving the probabilistic analysis of a complex system are presented.
Space Requirements for Brooding Chickens

Abstract Energy requirements for brooding chickens can be reduced by restricting the growing area during the 4-week brooding period. Since use of the live weight of chickens per unit of floor area is not a suitable method of establishing the space requirements for the brooding period, it was postulated that a reliable criterion might be live weight per unit of volume actually occupied by the chickens. Data were obtained which relate broiler chicken height and body weight from 1 day to 8 weeks of age. These data were found to fit the parabolic equation W = 0.098 H3.03, where W is body weight and H is standing height of the chicken. A linear equation that relates chicken weight, height, and floor space allowances was developed for use in determining space allowances for the 4-week brooding period.
Analysis on the knowledge,attitude and behavior of salt-related hypertension in adolescents of Shandong in 2011

Objective To investigate the knowledge,attitude and behavior(KAB)of dietary salt-related hypertension in adolescents aged 6to 17years old from Shandong Province. Methods According to the economic development level and geographic characteristics,a stratified cluster sample of 4575adolescents aged 6to 17years old were randomly selected in 2011. They were from 81classes in 27elementary and secondary schools and investigated using questionnaire and physical measurements. Diagnosis of relatively higher blood pressure(BP)is based on the 95th percentile of systolic BP and(or)diastolic BP levels of different age and gender. Results 14.8%children and adolescents in this cohort exhibited relatively higher blood pressure. KAB of salt-related hypertension was generally more preferable in urban residents than rural ones,and in females than males. Only 14.7% candidates had the knowledge on the diagnostic criteria for adult hypertension and 31.5% subjects knew the fact less than 6gram salt intake was recommended every day. The awareness rate of less salt-intake facilitating blood pressure reduction was 48.8%.47.8%students were in favor of taking low-salt food and diets. Conclusion The adolescents in Shandong Province are characterized with relatively higher blood pressure,while KAB of salt-related hypertension is relatively low. Health education and behavior intervention should be strengthened in order to improve the KAB,and ultimately to prevent and control the salt-related hypertension in adolescents.
Weighted Reordering Buffer Improved via Variants of Knapsack Covering Inequalities

We consider the weighted Reordering Buffer Management problem. In this problem a set of n elements arrive over time one at a time and the elements can be stored in a buffer of size k. When the buffer becomes full, an element must be output. Elements are colored and if two elements are output consecutively and they have different colors then a switching cost is incurred. If the new color output is c, the cost is \(w_c\). The objective is to reorder the elements to minimize the total switching cost in the output sequence.
History of Crohn’s Disease

There is no doubt that the existence of Crohn’s disease has pre-dated our ability to understand and define it. In fact, a precise definition continues to elude us to this day, relying mostly on phenotype to describe the diverse presentations of the disease. This lack of precision, compounded by rudimentary and perfunctory specimen evaluation techniques of the past, left Crohn’s disease an undiscovered entity until the 1932 seminal paper by Crohn and Ginzburg and Oppenheimer (CGO) [1]. We now recognize the incidence rate to be as high as 16 per 100,000 worldwide [2–4]. The history of Crohn’s disease is a tale of discovery that is far from complete and has utilized many of the advances of medical science to improve the precision of both diagnosis and treatment. Surgical therapy has evolved from primary treatment to being reserved for medically refractory or complicated cases. Medical therapy, once predominated by therapeutic nihilism between surgical episodes, has evolved with more sophisticated trials and therapies now including narrowly targeted drugs. Herein, we review the early descriptions of Crohn’s disease prior to its initial description, its origins at The Mount Sinai Hospital and the medical revolution that has occurred subsequent to the landmark 1932 article.
The Logic of Predation

In the seventeenth century, Thomas Hobbes articulated one of the most influential accounts of the need for government.2 Hobbes begins with the assumption that human beings are motivated entirely by self-interest and that they are of approximately equal mental and physical abilities, such that every individual may pose a serious threat to any other individual. Now imagine such beings living in the ‘state of nature’; that is, a state without government or laws. These people would come into frequent conflict with one another, for three reasons. First, people would attack each other to steal each other’s resources; Hobbes calls this ‘competition’. Second, people would attack each other preemptively — that is, one may decide to kill or permanently injure another person, simply to prevent the other person from being able to injure oneself in the future; Hobbes calls this ‘diffidence’. Third, people would fight for ‘glory’ — that is, one may attack another person to force the other person to express respect for oneself. For these reasons, Hobbes believed that the state of nature would be a state of perpetual war of everyone against everyone. There would be no industry, trade, or culture. Everyone would live in constant fear of violent death, and their lives would be ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short’.3
The Treatment of Chronic Coccydynia and Postcoccygectomy Pain With Pelvic Floor Physical Therapy.

Background Coccydynia is a challenging disorder that often is refractory to treatments such as medications and injections. Physical therapy for coccydynia rarely has been studied. Objective To evaluate the efficacy of pelvic floor physical therapy for reducing pain levels in patients with coccydynia. Design Retrospective chart review. Setting The pelvic floor rehabilitation clinic of a major university hospital. Patients A total of 124 consecutive patients over age 18 with a chief complaint of coccydynia between 2009 and 2012. A subgroup of 17 of the 124 patients had previously undergone coccygectomy with continued pain postoperatively. Methods or interventions The primary treatment intervention was pelvic floor physical therapy aimed at pelvic floor muscle relaxation. Secondary treatment interventions included the prescription of baclofen for muscle relaxation (19% of patients), ganglion impar blocks (8%), or coccygeus trigger point injections (17%). Main outcome measures Primary outcome measures included final minimum, average, and maximum pain numeric rating scales. A secondary outcome measure was the patient's subjective percent global improvement assessment. Baseline demographics were used to determine which pretreatment characteristics were correlated with treatment outcomes. Results Of the 124 patients, 93 participated in pelvic floor physical therapy and were included in statistical analysis. For the 79 patients who completed treatment (with a mean of 9 physical therapy sessions), the mean average pain ratings decreased from 5.08 to 1.91 (P Conclusions Pelvic floor physical therapy is a safe and effective method of treating coccydynia. Level of evidence III.
Rare Association of Extended Total Colonic Aganglionosis and Intestinal Malrotation

Total colonic aganglionosis occurring together with malrotation is a rare occurrence and may pose diagnostic and management dilemmas for the paediatric surgeon. We report a case of a neonate that presented with extended total colonic aganglionosis and malrotation, along with a spectrum of central nervous system and renal abnormalities. The clinical and radiological features and potential diagnostic and management pitfalls are discussed along with a literature review of this exceptionally infrequent association.
Coral Reef Resilience, Tipping Points and the Strength of Herbivory

Coral reefs increasingly are undergoing transitions from coral to macroalgal dominance. Although the functional roles of reef herbivores in controlling algae are becoming better understood, identifying possible tipping points in the herbivory-macroalgae relationships has remained a challenge. Assessment of where any coral reef ecosystem lies in relation to the coral-to-macroalgae tipping point is fundamental to understanding resilience properties, forecasting state shifts, and developing effective management practices. We conducted a multi-year field experiment in Moorea, French Polynesia to estimate these properties. While we found a sharp herbivory threshold where macroalgae escape control, ambient levels of herbivory by reef fishes were well above that needed to prevent proliferation of macroalgae. These findings are consistent with previously observed high resilience of the fore reef in Moorea. Our approach can identify vulnerable coral reef systems in urgent need of management action to both forestall shifts to macroalgae and preserve properties essential for resilience.
The relationship between pre-verbal event representations and semantic structures: The case of goal and source paths

We explored the nature of infants' concepts for goal path and source path in motion events (e.g., the duck moved into the bowl/out of the bowl), specifically asking how infants' representations could support the acquisition of the semantic roles of goal path and source path in language. The results showed that 14.5-month-old infants categorized goal paths across different motion events (moving to X, moving on Y), and they also categorized source paths if the source reference objects were highly salient (relatively large in size and colorful). Infants at 10months also categorized goal paths, suggesting that the broad concept GOAL PATH precedes the acquisition of the relevant spatial terms (e.g., "to", "onto"). These results are discussed in terms of the nature of goal and source path representations in infancy (e.g., whether they are represented at a general level - one that encompasses specific relations such as containment and support) as well as the possible mechanisms that may be involved in the mapping of these representations to language.
Preparing Communities for the Impacts of Climate Change in Oregon, USA

No matter how fast society reduces greenhouse gases, rising temperatures will produce significant ecological, social, health, and economic consequences. Few public or private organizations in the US, however, have the capacity to effectively prepare for or adapt to these inevitable changes. Unless the public and private sectors begin now to prepare for these impacts, great harm and high costs will result. The Climate Leadership Initiative at the University of Oregon, with partners, instituted a multi-year programme to develop a model that can be replicated nationwide for (a) analysing potential climate impacts at the basin scale; (b) engaging government agencies and stakeholders involved with natural (e.g. landscapes, streams, and biodiversity), human (e.g. emergency response, health care, education), built (e.g. transport, irrigation, communications infrastructure and buildings), and economic (e.g. forestry, agriculture, manufacturing, tourism) systems in assessing what those likely impacts mean for their sectors; (c) helping the agencies and stakeholders develop strategies and policies to prepare their systems to withstand and adapt to climate change through methods that enhance, and not undermine, climate preparation efforts in the other sectors.
A biomechanical comparison of subscapularis repair techniques in total shoulder arthroplasty: lesser tuberosity osteotomy versus subscapularis peel

Background The subscapularis peel (SP) and the lesser tuberosity osteotomy (LTO) are 2 common exposure techniques for total shoulder arthroplasty. Although some biomechanical studies have suggested a higher resistance to failure with the LTO, clinical studies have demonstrated no difference in repair failure or tendon healing. We hypothesized that there would be no difference in biomechanically tested repair strength between our SP technique and the previously tested LTO technique. Methods Eleven cadaver shoulders were separated into 2 groups: 6 SPs and 5 LTOs. After initial loading for 3000 cycles, the specimens were incrementally loaded to 450 ± 50 N or catastrophic failure. Repair gapping was measured after cyclical loading, and fatigue life was analyzed after incremental loading. Results There was no significant difference in mean repair gapping between the SP (2.40 ± 0.36 mm; mean ± standard deviation) and the LTO groups (3.10 ± 2.93 mm; P = .57). There was also no difference in the mean number of cycles to failure (6894 ± 956 vs. 6018 ± 1179; P = .14) and mean load to failure (400 ± 79 N vs. 340 ± 91 N; P = .21) between the SP and LTO techniques. However, there was more variability in bead gapping in the LTO group ( P Conclusion No significant differences were found in repair gapping, fatigue failure, and load to failure in comparing the SP and LTO repairs. However, the SP repair demonstrated significantly less variability in repair gapping. These findings suggest that initial fixation biomechanical properties between the 2 constructs are similar in vitro.
Age, altitude, and arrhythmia

Continuous electrocardiographic recording by Holter monitor was carried out during a climb to 5,895 m by an unacclimatized 65-year-old man confirmed to be without cardiac disease on rigorous examination. During ascent, marked ventricular ectopy and multiple runs of left ventricular bigeminy developed in association with an increase in P-wave amplitude of lead V2, and unchanged QT interval. With the diminished aerobic stress of descent, bigeminy disappeared, although premature ventricular complexes, apparently of right ventricular origin, remained increased throughout the climb. Arrhythmogenic mechanisms activated by prolonged exercise under hypoxic conditions are reviewed in relation to age.
Obliterative Portal Venopathy without Cirrhosis is Prevalent in Pediatric Cystic Fibrosis Liver Disease with Portal Hypertension

Cystic fibrosis liver disease (CFLD) has long been postulated to be secondary to dysfunctional cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in the apical biliary epithelium, leading to bile stasis and eventually cirrhosis with portal hypertension. However, pathologic changes in the cystic fibrosis (CF) liver are distinct from the pancreas and lungs in that fibrocystic changes are absent.1,2 Furthermore, the lack of clinically evident biliary obstruction and liver dysfunction suggest there may be alternative mechanisms that contribute to CFLD. Two recent studies in young adults described obliterative portal venopathy (OPV) and noncirrhotic portal hypertension (NCPH) as the predominant pathophysiology in young adults (median, 22 y) with CFLD.3,4 It is unknown if OPV develops early in childhood. Herein, we report the clinical features and liver pathology in 17 explants from children and adolescents with CF, representing 13.6% (17 of 125) of the CF liver transplant population in the United States according to the United Network for Organ Sharing and Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.
Semimechanistically Based Modeling of Pembrolizumab Time-Varying Clearance Using 4 Longitudinal Covariates in Patients With Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Time-varying clearance (CL) has been recently recognized in U.S. Food and Drug Administration drug labels for oncology monoclonal antibodies. Pembrolizumab population CL at steady state decreased about 20% from the first dose, and individual CL changes varied from 75% decrease to 25% increase, which were correlating with disease conditions. From mechanism of action perspective, this research explored the longitudinal covariate effect on pembrolizumab CL based on data from a phase II/III clinical trial in patients with non-small cell lung cancer. Time courses of sum of the longest tumor dimensions, lymphocyte count, albumin, and lactate dehydrogenase were first characterized separately, and the post hoc parameters of each individual patient were fixed in the subsequent semimechanistically based modeling analysis. Pembrolizumab time-varying CL was assumed to be associated with the patient's sum of the longest tumor dimensions, lymphocyte count, albumin, and lactate dehydrogenase, and tumor-related pembrolizumab CL was assumed to be a fraction of total pembrolizumab CL in the semimechanistically based modeling.
Sensitization of rhTRAIL-resistant Triple-negative Breast Carcinoma Through Silibinin Co-Treatment.

BACKGROUND/AIM Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most fatal form of breast cancer due to the shortcomings of therapies. However, recombinant human tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (rhTRAIL) is a promising anticancer therapeutic that possesses the capability to promote the induction of apoptosis in cancer cells, but some TNBCs are resistant to rhTRAIL's pro-apoptotic effects. Therefore, a combinatorial treatment approach with silibinin and rhTRAIL was considered in order to sensitize rhTRAIL-resistant TNBCs. MATERIALS AND METHODS The co-treatment of rhTRAIL and silibinin's impact on apoptosis induction in rhTRAIL-resistant TNBC BT-20 and HCC1937 cells was inspected via application of Annexin V/PI assays and western blot analysis. RESULTS Silibinin possessed the ability to sensitize the examined rhTRAIL-resistant TNBC cells to rhTRAIL-induced apoptosis through the up-regulation of death receptors 4 and 5 and the down-regulation of survivin transcriptionally. CONCLUSION Silibinin is a good sensitizing agent for rhTRAIL-resistant TNBCs.
Cerebral blood flow response to changes in arterial carbon dioxide tension during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in children

We examined the relationship of changes in partial pressure of carbon dioxide on cerebral blood flow responsiveness in 20 pediatric patients undergoing hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass. Cerebral blood flow was measured during steady-state hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass with the use of xenon 133 clearance methodology at two different arterial carbon dioxide tensions. During these measurements there was no significant change in mean arterial pressure, nasopharyngeal temperature, pump flow rate, or hematocrit value. Cerebral blood flow was found to be significantly greater at higher arterial carbon dioxide tensions (p less than 0.01), so that for every millimeter of mercury rise in arterial carbon dioxide tension there was a 1.2 ml.100 gm-1.min-1 increase in cerebral blood flow. Two factors, deep hypothermia (18 degrees to 22 degrees C) and reduced age (less than 1 year), diminished the effect carbon dioxide had on cerebral blood flow responsiveness but did not eliminate it. We conclude that cerebral blood flow remains responsive to changes in arterial carbon dioxide tension during hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass in infants and children; that is, increasing arterial carbon dioxide tension will independently increase cerebral blood flow.
Bosons Outperform Fermions – The Thermodynamic Advantage of Symmetry

We examine a quantum Otto engine with a harmonic working medium consisting of two particles to explore the use of wave function symmetry as an accessible resource. It is shown that the bosonic system displays enhanced performance when compared to two independent single particle engines, while the fermionic system displays reduced performance. To this end, we explore the trade-off between efficiency and power output and the parameter regimes under which the system functions as engine, refrigerator, or heater. Remarkably, the bosonic system operates under a wider parameter space both when operating as an engine and as a refrigerator.
Heuristics for Mixed Strength Sensor Location Problems

Location-detection problems are pervasive. Examples include the detection of faults in microprocessors, the identification of contaminants in ventilation systems, and the detection of illegal logging in rain forests. In each of these applications a network provides a convenient modelling paradigm. Sensors are placed at particular node locations that, by design, uniquely detect and locate issues in the network. Open locating-dominating (OLD) sets constrain a sensor's effectiveness by assuming that it is unable to detect problems originating from the sensor location. Sensor failures may be caused by extreme environmental conditions or by the act of a nefarious individual. Determining the minimum size OLD set in a network is computationally intractable, but can be modelled as an integer linear program. The focus of this work is the development and evaluation of heuristics for the minimum OLD set problem when sensors of varying strengths are allowed. Computational experience and solution quality are reported for geometric graphs of up to 150 nodes.
Registries, Risk Calculators, and Risk-Adjusted Outcomes: Current Usage, Limitations, and Future Prospects

Small study sizes are a limiting factor in assessing outcome measures in pediatric cardiology. It is even more difficult to assess the outcomes of congenital catheterizations where the sample sizes are even smaller, particularly on a individual institutional level. The creation of multicenter registries is a method by which investigators can pool data to better assess quality and outcome measures of these procedures. No registry is perfect with several being available today, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. In addition, there are a multitude of methods currently used to assess quality and outcomes from the data contained in these registries, each having its own limitations as well. Nonetheless, multicenter registrities remain one of the best available options to improve the quality of care for pediatric interventional cardiac catheterization. Below, we provide an overview of the current state of quality assessment/improvement in pediatric interventional cardiology including a review of the available registrities and the metrics used to measure quality of care and outcomes.
The Clinical analysis of 41 Children with Erythoma Exudativum Multiforme

Objective To Investigate the clinical features of children with Erythoma Exudativum Multiforme. Methods A retrospective analysis were performed in 41 cases of Erythoma Exudativum Multiforme from January 2007 to June 2010 in our hospital to reveal clinical characteristics of incentives,rash, fever, mucous membrane and organ damage, laboratory tests, therapeutic intervention time. Results All patients had rash, 78% involved the oral mucosa, 44% had organ dysfunction. 18 patients relative count check of flow cytometry. Among them, disease duration is 14 days or less in 5cases, whose B lymphocytes relative count is 23% to 32% (median 26%); disease duration is greater than 14 days in 13 cases, whose B lymphoid cell count is 25％ to 52％ (median 34％), P= 0.026. 29cases used conventional amount of hormones, of which 9 cases were performed hormone intervention in the start time within 7 days after onset of illness, whose duration is 7～26 days (median 17 days), 20 cases of hormone intervention after the start time 7 days after onset, whose duration is 9 to 35 days (median 22days), P= 0.019. Conchusion Early diagnosis and enough hormone intervention are the key to treatment,particularly for some cases of immune disorders and the apparent high sensitivity of injury. Early intervention can significantly improve the prognosis. Key words: E rythoma Exudativum Multiforme; Immune disorder; Early intervention; High sensitivity; Hormone; Disease duration; Flow cytometry
Influence of high carbonization temperatures on microstructural and physicochemical characteristics of herbaceous biomass derived biochars

Abstract This study investigated the influence of high carbonization temperatures on the microstructural, textural, and physicochemical characteristics of Kanlow Switchgrass and Public Miscanthus derived biochars. Biochars were produced at three carbonization temperatures of 500, 700 and 900 °C. pH values of the biochars increased from slightly alkaline to highly alkaline as carbonization temperature increased. Electrical conductivities of the biochars were between 1.21 and 4.07 mS/cm. The specific surface areas of the Kanlow Switchgrass derived biochars increased from 0.91 to 519.49 m2/g and 0.25 to 783.74 m2/g for Public Miscanthus derived biochars as carbonization temperature increased. Surface topographies of the biochars showed that all the biochars had visible pores of varying sizes and shapes. Raman spectra for all the biochars showed overlapping D and G bands. XPS analysis showed a reduction in the atomic percentage of oxygen functional groups as carbonization temperature increased. The improvement in the characteristics of the biochars showed that high carbonization temperatures can significantly enhance the satisfactory performance of herbaceous biomass-derived biochar as a solid fuel, adsorbent, and soil amendment.
The Emergence of de facto Bureaucratic Priorities: Extending Urban Citizenship in fin-de-millénaire Lima, Peru

I outline an underappreciated explanation for states’ de facto policy-implementation priorities, contrast it with existing explanations, and apply it to the Peruvian state’s extension of “urban cit...
The Impact of the ACGME/AOA Single Accreditation System on Osteopathic Surgical Specialties, Residents, and DO Students.

Objective This article examines the outcomes and impact of the AOA/ACGME Single Accreditation System (SAS) on 6 osteopathic surgical specialties, their program directors, residents, and students and how growth in osteopathic medical schools and students affects ACGME surgical training. Design The study charts the choices of 159 osteopathic surgical residencies regarding the acquisition of ACGME accreditation, decisions made by ACGME Review Committees, and how they affected program leadership, residents, and osteopathic medical students as reflected in results of residency matching programs. Setting and Participants According to the SAS, the osteopathic profession ceded its accreditation operations and have its programs acquire ACGME accreditation between 2015 and 2020 to form a unified accreditation system under the ACGME. Results More than one-fourth (26%) of eligible osteopathic surgical programs either did not submit an application or voluntarily withdrew from the ACGME accreditation process. For the 118 surgical programs that did achieve ACGME Initial Accreditation, subsequent site visits and Review Committee decisions sparingly granted Continuing Accreditation status. In addition, 49% of the osteopathic applications listed an MD program director. Osteopathic surgical residents encountered few disruptions in transitioning to the ACGME. The full impact of the SAS was felt by osteopathic graduates in 2020 who encountered fewer DO-oriented ACGME programs and the historic trend of established ACGME surgical programs favoring candidates from American allopathic medical schools. As the osteopathic profession continues its rapid growth, competition for surgical training will only increase. Conclusions Participation in the SAS resulted in the loss of 41 surgical programs and marked reductions in training positions during a period of rapid osteopathic growth. Results from matching programs indicate that integration of DOs into established ACGME surgical residencies will be a slow, gradual process. The SAS succeeded in creating a unified standard for surgical training yet generated negative consequences on osteopathic surgical training.
The Mortality and Overall Survival Trends of Primary Liver Cancer in the United States.

BACKGROUND Recent trends of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mortality and outcome remain unknown in the United States. We investigated the recent trends of primary liver cancer (excluding intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma) mortality and HCC stage, treatment, and overall survival (OS) in the United States. METHODS The National Center for Health Statistics Database was analyzed to investigate the trend of primary liver cancer mortality. We analyzed the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results 18 Database to assess the temporal trend of tumor size, stage, treatment, and OS of HCC. We investigated the association between HCC diagnosis year and OS using Cox regression analysis. All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS During 2000-2018, liver cancer mortality rates increased until 2013, plateaued during 2013-2016 (annual percent change = 0.1%/y, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -2.1%/y to 2.4%/y, P = .92), and started to decline during 2016-2018 (annual percent change = -1.5%/y, 95% CI = -3.2%/y to 0.2%/y, P = .08). However, mortality continues to increase in American Indian and Alaska Native, individuals aged 65 years or older, and in 33 states. There was a 0.61% (95% CI = 0.53% to 0.69%, P < .001) increase in localized stage HCC and a 0.86-mm (95% CI = -1.10 to -0.62 mm, P < .001) decrease in median tumor size per year. The 1-year OS rate increased from 36.3% (95% CI = 34.3% to 38.3%) to 58.1% (95% CI = 56.9% to 59.4%) during 2000-2015, and the 5-year OS rate almost doubled from 11.7% (95% CI = 10.4% to 13.1%) to 21.3% (95% CI = 20.2% to 22.4%) during 2000-2011. Diagnosis year (per year) (adjusted hazard ratio = 0.96, 95% CI = 0.96 to 0.97) was independently associated with OS in multivariable analysis. CONCLUSIONS Primary liver cancer mortality rates have started to decline in the United States with demographic and state-level variation. With an increasing detection of localized HCC, the OS of HCC has improved over the past decades.
INSURANCE Insurance Generally: Requires Coverage for Colorectal Cancer Screening in Health Benefit Policies

The Act adds new Code section 33-2456.3. The Act requires most health benefit insurance policies to provide coverage for colorectal cancer screening. The Act further provides definitions to specify the health benefit policies affected and to identify the guidelines for the types of treatment to be covered by those health benefit policies.
Protein Binding Estimates in the Presence of Volume Shifts During Equilibrium Dialysis

With the advent of translucent acrylic plastic cells, it has become apparent that sizable and variable volume shifts occur across a semipermeable membrane during equilibrium dialysis. These volume shifts, toward the plasma or protein side, influence the estimation of binding parameters and the unbound fraction. A method of correcting for volume shifts is presented using binding data for salicylate and prednisolone. The specific dialysis procedures employed have been described elsewhere (1,2).
Elementary Notation and Mathematical Operations

In this work, boldface symbols imply vectors or tensors. A fixed Cartesian coordinate system will be used throughout this monograph. The unit vectors for such a system are given by the (fixed) mutually orthogonal triad ( e 1, e 2, e 3). For the inner product of two vectors, u and v, in three dimensions we have
In the Shadow of Illness: Parents and Siblings of the Chronically Ill Child

"This book powerfully illuminates the everyday experience of families living with a chronicallyill child."--Patricia A. Marshall, Associate Director of Medical Humanities Program at Loyola University Chicago, Strich School of MedicineWhat is it like to live with a child who has a chronic, life-threatening disease? What impact does the illness have on well siblings in the family? Myra Bluebond-Langner suggests that understanding the impact of the illness lies not in identifying deficiencies in the lives of those affected, but in appreciating how family members carry on with their lives in the face of the disease's intrusion.The Private Worlds of Dying Children, Bluebond-Langner's previous book, now considered a classic in the field, explored the world of terminally ill children. In her new book, she turns her attention to the lives of those who live in the shadow of chronic illness: the parents and well siblings of children who have cystic fibrosis. Through a series of narrative portraits, she draws us into the daily lives of nine families of children at different points in the natural history of the illness--from diagnosis through the terminal phase. In these portraits, as family members talk about their experiences in their own words, we see how parents, well siblings, and the ill children themselves struggle, in different ways, to contain the intrusion of the disease into their lives.Bluebond-Langner looks at how parents adjust their priorities and their idea of what constitutes a normal life, how they try to balance the needs of other family members while caring for the ill child, and how they see the future. This context helps us understand how well siblings view the illness and howthey relate to their ill sibling and parents. Since the issues raised are not unique to cystic fibrosis but are common to other chronic and life-threatening illnesses, this book will be of interest to all who study, care for, or live with the seriously ill.
Cosmic-ray muon spectra near 1000 GeV at large zenith angles

Measurements have been made of the cosmic-ray muon spectra at large zenith angles using an optical-spark-chamber magnetic spectrometer with a maximum detectable momentum estimated to be 830 GeV/c. Absolute values of energy spectra up to 200 GeV were obtained at 75°, 80° and 85° zenith angles; differential and integral energy spectra approaching 1000 GeV have been evaluated at a zenith angle of 80°. The results are in reasonable agreement with previous magnetic-spectrometer data, and with expected variations in energy and direction for muons arising chiefly from pion sources. No evidence was found for dominant kaon or « X-process » muon sources in the 1000 GeV region. There is also no evidence for any elongation of pion lifetime which would be expected if special relativity broke down at distances less than 10−16 cm.
Relationships between Biovolume and Biomass of Naturally Derived Marine Bacterioplankton.

Microscopic estimation of bacterial biomass requires determination of both biovolume and biovolume-to-biomass conversion. Both steps have uncertainty when applied to the very small bacteria typically found in natural seawater. In the present study, natural bacterioplankton assemblages were freshly collected, passed through 0.6-μm-pore-size Nuclepore filters to remove larger particulate materials, and diluted for growth in 0.22-μm-pore-size Millipore filter-sterilized unenriched seawater. This provided cells comparable in size and morphology to those in natural seawater, but the cultures were free of the interfering particulate detritus naturally present. Cells were collected on glass-fiber GF/F filters, and biovolumes were corrected for cells passing these filters; C and N were measured with a CHN analyzer. Our criteria for size measurement by epifluorescence photomicrography were confirmed with fluorescent microspheres of known diameters. Surprisingly, in six cultures with average per-cell biovolumes ranging from 0.036 to 0.073 μm3, the average per-cell carbon biomass was relatively constant at 20 ± 0.08 fg of C (mean ± standard error of the mean). The biovolume-to-biomass conversion factor averaged 0.38 ± 0.05 g of C cm−3, which is about three times higher than the value previously estimated from Escherichia coli, and decreased with increasing cell volume. The C:N ratio was 3.7 ± 0.2. We conclude that natural marine bacterial biomass and production may be higher than was previously thought and that variations in bacterial size may not reflect variations in biomass per cell. Images
Peak Energy and the Limits to China’s Economic Growth: Prospect of Energy Supply and Economic Growth from Now to 2050

This working paper evaluates the prospects for China’s energy supply and its impact on economic growth between 2008 and 2050. After considering China’s domestic potential of coal, oil, and gas production, the potential of energy imports from the rest of the world, as well as potential developments of renewable and nuclear energy, the author finds that China is likely to face an insurmountable energy crisis beyond 2020. Even with optimistic assumptions, drastic declines in the economic growth rate and the eventual end of economic growth cannot be avoided.
Latest spin on the core

During the 1990s evidence has emerged from seismic data that the Earth's inner core may be rotating slightly faster than the mantle and crust. Estimates of the rate have been as high as 3° per year. The conclusion of the latest study, however, is that there is no, or very little, differential rotation.
Lifshitz Transition and Chemical Instabilities in Ba1-xKxFe2As2 Superconductors

For solid-solution ${\mathrm{Ba}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{K}}_{x}{\mathrm{Fe}}_{2}{\mathrm{As}}_{2}$ Fermi surface evolution is mapped via Bloch spectral functions calculated using density functional theory implemented in Korringa-Kohn-Rostoker multiple scattering theory with the coherent-potential approximation. Spectral functions reveal electronic dispersion, topology, orbital character, and broadening (electron-lifetime effects) due to chemical disorder. Dissolution of electron cylinders occurs near $x\ensuremath{\sim}0.9$ with a nonuniform, topological (Lifshitz) transition, reducing the interband interactions; yet the dispersion maintains its ${d}_{xz}$ or ${d}_{yz}$ character. Formation energies indicate alloying at $x=0.35$, as observed, and a tendency for segregation on the K-rich ($xg0.6$) side, explaining the difficulty of controlling sample quality and the conflicting results between characterized electronic structures. Our results reveal Fermi surface transitions in alloyed samples that influence ${s}^{\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}}$ to nodal superconductivity and suggest the origin for deviations of common trends in Fe-based superconductors, such as Bud'ko-Ni-Canfield scaling.
The Current State of Multidrug-Resistant Gram-Negative Bacilli in North America

Although much of today's media focuses on multidrug-resistant gram-positive bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus, resistance within gram-negative bacilli continues to rise, occasionally creating situations in which few or no antibiotics that retain activity are available. Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL)-producing Escherichia coli and Klebsiella sp are emerging threats nationally. Although carbapenems are considered the antibiotic class of choice to treat ESBL-producing Enterobacteriaceae, the ability of these organisms to produce carbapenemases has now become apparent in some regions throughout the United States. Although still rare, Klebsiella sp that produce KPC-2 retain susceptibility only to tigecycline, polymyxins, and occasionally aminoglycosides. Multidrug resistance among Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Acinetobacter sp has always been apparent across many hospitals in the United States. Recent surveillance indicates increasing resistance to all currently available antibiotics, including carbapenems, cephalosporins, penicillins, fluoroquinolones, and aminoglycosides. Against many strains, only polymyxins retain activity; however, resistance has also been reported to these agents. Fortunately, resistance mechanisms such as metallo-beta-lactamases are still rare in the United States. As no new antibiotics with novel mechanisms against many of these gram-negative bacilli are expected to be developed in the foreseeable future, careful and conservative use of agents combined with good infection control practices is required.
Intravenous immunoglobulin for Alzheimer's disease.

The foundation for using intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) to treat Alzheimer's disease (AD) can be traced back to the discovery, in the early 1990s, of naturally occurring anti-amyloid antibodies in human blood. A decade later, a number of independent investigators reported reduced levels of naturally occurring anti-amyloid antibodies in the spinal fluid and blood of AD patients relative to age-matched controls 1–3. Dodel subsequently reported that IVIg contained elevated levels of antibodies against amyloid-β (Aβ) monomers and proposed its use as a potential treatment for AD 4.
Got Cookies? Bose v. Interclick, Inc.: Computer Fraud and Abuse Act Claims Dismissed With Prejudice Due To Lack of Precedent Providing for the Value of Personal Information and an Unclear Standard for Aggregation of Damages

In Bose v. Interclick, Inc. , a federal district court judge in New York dismissed Boseâ€™s claim under the CFAA because she did not meet the statutory requirement under the statute. Bose is one of many CFAA claim dismissals in the United States where the federal district court refused to hear the case because the plaintiff failed to meet the statutory damages requirement but recognized that the plaintiff had suffered an injury. This note focuses on the negative effects of CFAA claim dismissals on plaintiffs, the need for federal courts to decide the value of personal information, and the appropriate formula for the aggregation of damages. It is imperative that defendants in violation of the CFAA be punished for stealing personal information from innocent Internet users.Â The United States legal system is an active member of the fast paced, technological era that is currently unfolding, and it is important for our legal system to recognize and combat illegal behavior on the part of Internet advertising companies that steal personal information from unsuspecting, unknowing Internet users. If not, this epidemic will continue and expand into other types of personal information regarding a personâ€™s health, etc. First, this note provides a factual summary of Bose v. Interclick, Inc. , and the courtâ€™s basis for the dismissal of the CFAA claim.Â Secondly, this note provides a background of the CFAA and the case law governing CFAA claims in federal court.Â Next, this note provides an analysis of the importance of establishing the value of personal information and developing a standardized method to determine aggregation of damages.Â Lastly, this note provides a conclusion detailing an overview of the key points of discussion.
Sloan Digital Sky Survey cloud scanner

Astronomers have traditionally monitored cloud cover visually. However, this technique is difficult under dark conditions, insensitive to thin cirrus, and impossible for remote telescope use. A sensitive camera operating in the thermal infrared escapes these problems. Unfortunately, commercially available cameras have smaller than desired fields of view, are not intended for continuous operation, and are expensive. Consequently, a single channel all- sky scanner has been constructed to continuously monitor observatory cloud cover and motions. Operating at a wavelength of 10 microns, it produces a 135 degree(s) X 135 degree(s) image with a resolution of 0.9 degrees. These data are suitable for returning to remote observers and for archiving with astronomical data.© (1994) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Acute ethanol induction of c-Fos immunoreactivity in pre-pro-enkephalin expressing neurons of the central nucleus of the amygdala.

Previous studies have shown that acute ethanol administration induces expression of c-Fos immunoreactivity in the central nucleus of the amygdala (CNA) [S.L. Chang, N.A. Patel, A.A. Romero, Activation and desensitization of Fos immunoreactivity in the rat brain following ethanol administration, Brain Res., 679 (1995) 89-98; M. Morales, J.R. Criado, P.P. Sanna, S.J. Henriksen, F.E. Bloom, Acute ethanol induces c-fos immunoreactivity in GABAergic neurons of the central nucleus of the amygdala, Brain Res., 798 (1998) 333-336; A.E. Ryabinin, J.R. Criado, S.J. Henriksen, F.E. Bloom, M.C. Wilson, Differential sensitivity of c-Fos expression in hippocampus and other brain regions to moderate and low doses of alcohol, Mol. Psychiatry, 2 (1997) 32-43]. We recently showed that over 70% of these c-Fos immunoreactive neurons are GABAergic [M. Morales, J.R. Criado, P.P. Sanna, S.J. Henriksen, F.E. Bloom, Acute ethanol induces c-fos immunoreactivity in GABAergic neurons of the central nucleus of the amygdala, Brain Res, 798 (1998) 333-336]. In the present study, we report that ethanol-induced c-Fos immunoreactivity was mainly confined to neurons that express pro-enkephalin (ENK). In contrast, a small number of c-Fos immunoreactive neurons express corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF). Our results thus provide anatomical evidence indicating that within the amygdala, GABAergic neurons that contain ENK are responsive to acute ethanol exposure.