cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Diastolic filling characteristics in the stage 12 to 27 chick embryo ventricle.

ABSTRACT: Cardiac output is affected by the diastolic filling characteristics of the ventricle. We hypothesized that the relative contributions of passive and active filling change as the ventricle develops from a smooth-walled tube to a trabeculated four-chamber heart. In stage 12 to 27 white Leghorn chick embryos, we simultaneously measured ventricular pressure with a servo-null micropressure system and dorsal aortic and atrioventricular velocities with a 20-MHz pulsed-Doppler velocity meter. The analog waveforms were sampled at 500 Hz and converted to digital format via an analog/digital board. We partitioned diastole into passive and active components. The passive phase began with the return of the pressure curve to baseline and extended to the onset of the a-wave. The active phase began with the upstroke of the atrial velocity curve and extended to the upstroke of the ventricular pressure curve at end-diastole. Data are presented as mean ± SEM (n ≥ 6 at each stage) and analyzed by analysis of variance and regression analysis. At similar cycle lengths ranging from 480 to 600 ms (p > 0.05), end-diastolic pressure increased from 0.24 ± 0.02 mm Hg at stage 12 to 0.55 ± 0.01 mm Hg at stage 27. Passive and active filling volumes were 92 (0.0038 ± 0.0005 mm3) and 8% (0.0004 ± 0.0002 mm3), respectively, at stage 12 and changed to 24 (0.23 ± 0.08 mm3) and 76% (0.62 ± 0.08 mm3), respectively, at stage 27. The ratio of passive to active filling volume decreased from 7.89 to 0.35. Thus, active ventricular filling became dominant as the trabeculae formed in the embryonic ventricle. These observations define the diastolic filling characteristics of the embryonic heart during primary cardiac morphogenesis.
Effect of periodontal dressings on fibroblasts in vitro

This study was designed to evaluate the effect of four commercially available dressings (Coe, PPC-Eugcnol, PPC-Non Eugenol, and Ward's Wondr Pak) on a monolayer of cells, employing the cell culture assay plate assembly. Monolayers of L929 fibroblasts were grown out on the cell culture assay plates and stained with a vital stain, .01 % Neutral Red, 8 mm discs of prepared periodontal dressings, as well as sterile filter paper and high density polyethylene discs, which served as controls, were placed on the monolayer. Observations were made at 1, 2, 6, 8 and 24 hour intervals, and measurements of the toxic zones were recorded. Results indicate that all periodontal dressings tested in this system demonstrated definite cytotoxicity. Both macroscopically and microscopically, the first signs of cell damage and/or death were observed adjacent to Ward's Wondr Pak and PPC-Non Eugenol dressings. Although these two dressings produced the earliest toxic signs, after 24 hours Coe-Pak produced the most extensive zones of destruction, while PPC-Eugenol appeared to be the least toxic.
Simultaneous switching of auditory transients For two-channel presentation

A modification of the Grason-Stadler Series 829 D&E Electronic Switches that enables simultaneous cross-channel presentation of auditory signals at the two ears is described.
Surgical resection in patients withnonseminomatous germ cell tumor who fail to normalize serum tumor markers after chemotherapy

Abstract Objective Patients with high-stage nonseminomatous germ cell tumors treated with platinum-based chemotherapy who have residual radiographic evidence of disease and fail to normalize tumor markers present a difficult clinical dilemma. Some authors feel that these patients are not appropriate surgical candidates. Our practice has been to offer certain patients salvage surgery in an attempt for cure. This report is designed to review that experience and critically analyze the results. Method We report a series of 16 such patients with advanced-stage nonseminomatous germ cell tumors who had persistently elevated alpha fetoprotein and/or human chorionic gonadotropin. All underwent resection of all radiographically evident sites of residual disease following induction or salvage chemotherapy. Results Ten patients had only retroperitoneal (RP) metastasis. Six patients had morethan one site of residual disease—4 RP and lung, 2 RP and liver. There were no postoperative deaths. The mean postoperative stay was eleven days (range 7 to 36 days). Six patients (37%) are alive and free of disease at a mean of seventy-four months following surgery (range 20 to 145 months). Five had RP disease only. Ten patients died of disease at a mean of eight months postoperatively (range 5 to 21 months). Conclusions Patients with advanced nonseminomatous germ cell tumor who fail tonormalize their serum tumor markers after adequate platinum-based chemotherapy should be considered for surgical resection of all radiographically evident residual disease. In select cases this practice offers the only viable chance for cure.
Hierarchical Krylov and nested Krylov methods for extreme-scale computing

The solution of large, sparse linear systems is often a dominant phase of computation for simulations based on partial differential equations, which are ubiquitous in scientific and engineering applications. While preconditioned Krylov methods are widely used and offer many advantages for solving sparse linear systems that do not have highly convergent, geometric multigrid solvers or specialized fast solvers, Krylov methods encounter well-known scaling difficulties for over 10,000 processor cores because each iteration requires at least one vector inner product, which in turn requires a global synchronization that scales poorly because of internode latency. To help overcome these difficulties, we have developed hierarchical Krylov methods and nested Krylov methods in the PETSc library that reduce the number of global inner products required across the entire system (where they are expensive), though freely allow vector inner products across smaller subsets of the entire system (where they are inexpensive) or use inner iterations that do not invoke vector inner products at all. Nested Krylov methods are a generalization of inner-outer iterative methods with two or more layers. Hierarchical Krylov methods are a generalization of block Jacobi and overlapping additive Schwarz methods, where each block itself is solved by Krylov methods on smaller blocks. Conceptually, the hierarchy can continue recursively to an arbitrary number of levels of smaller and smaller blocks. As a specific case, we introduce the hierarchical FGMRES method, or h-FGMRES, and we demonstrate the impact of two-level h-FGMRES with a variable preconditioner on the PFLOTRAN subsurface flow application. We also demonstrate the impact of nested FGMRES, BiCGStab and Chebyshev methods. These hierarchical Krylov methods and nested Krylov methods significantly reduced overall PFLOTRAN simulation time on the Cray XK6 when using 10,000 through 224,000 cores through the combined effects of reduced global synchronization due to fewer global inner products and stronger inner hierarchical or nested preconditioners.
Security of random output perturbation for statistical databases

We prove that, with respect to a database query response privacy mechanism employing output perturbation with i.i.d. random noise addition, an adversary can, allowed a sufficiently large number of queries, exactly determine all records in an n-record database up to overwhelming probability of success, and establish corresponding quantitative confidence bounds for the attack success probability. These confidence bounds do not depend on the cardinality |D| of the data domain D⊂R, where the database ${\mathcal{D}}$ is a member of the set Dn, and they even admit some unbounded data domains D of (countably) infinite cardinality. Within the context of differential privacy, we show that our results also imply a lower bound on the variance of independent, Laplace-distributed noise that can be added to user queries if database privacy is to be preserved. Our results do not require the additive noise to be bounded by $o(\sqrt{n})$ as assumed in Dinur & Nissim (2003) and Dwork & Yekhanin (2008), which, on the other hand, do admit correlated noise.
Digital Patent Infringement in an Era of 3D Printing

The digital revolution has now moved beyond music and video files. A person can now translate three-dimensional objects into digital files and, at the press of a button, recreate those items via a 3D printer or similar device. Just as digitization placed pressure on the copyright system, so will these digital computer-aided design (CAD) files stress the patent system. Patents directed to physical objects can now have their value appropriated — not by the transfer of physical embodiments — but by the making, selling, and transferring of CAD files designed to print the invention. We term this phenomenon digital patent infringement. We explore the ways the patent system can respond to protect patent owners against the appropriation of their inventions via these digital files. First, we explore whether indirect infringement doctrines sufficiently protect patent holders against these CAD files. Given the nature of likely accused indirect infringers, we conclude, contrary to earlier literature, that these doctrines likely are not up to the task. Second, we offer novel theories of direct “digital” patent infringement based on the CAD files alone. We consider whether offers to sell and sales of these files should constitute direct patent infringement. Because such commercial activity is an appropriation of the economic value of the patented invention, we believe the law should recognize such an infringement theory. Next, rejecting the prior assumptions of the literature, we provocatively explore whether the CAD files alone should be viewed as infringement for making the patented device, given the de minimis effort it takes to create the item via a 3D printer or related device. As a technological matter, the line between digital and tangible has eroded to the point where one could view these files as infringement. As a legal and policy matter, however, such expansion of patent infringement liability could have significant chilling effects on other actors and incentives, giving us pause in extending liability in this context.
Power corrections in e+e−→π+π−,K+K− and B→Kπ,ππ

CLEO-c measurements of the timelike form factors F π , F K at $\sqrt{s}=3.671$ GeV provide a direct probe of power corrections (PC’s) at energies near m B . PC’s in F π,K and B→Kπ,ππ are separated into perturbative and soft parts. In F π,K the latter are ≥O(10) larger. A PC fit to the B→Kπ,ππ data also yields a ≥O(10) soft-to-perturbative hierarchy for the QCD penguin PC’s. Hence, both can be attributed to dominance of the soft-overlap between energetic (approximately) back-to-back collinear partons, and consistency of the B→Kπ,ππ fit with the Standard Model appears to be naturally realized. The CP asymmetries $S_{K_{s} \pi^{0}}$ , $C_{K_{s} \pi^{0}}$ are well determined, providing a clean test for new physics.
Effects of L-dopa on the heterosexual copulatory behavior of male rats.

Abstract The effects of L-DOPA on the heterosexual copulatory behavior of male rats were investigated. L-DOPA (175 mg/kg) + Ro 4-4602 (50 mg/kg) prolonged the time required for copulation; L-DOPA alone produced similar though smaller, non-significant effects. Dose dependent increases in time required for copulation were obtained in males given 100, 150 and 200 mg/kg L-DOPA + Ro 4-4602. It is suggested that L-DOPA acts to inhibit heterosexual copulatory behavior in sexually vigorous males.
Validation of new readmission data in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

Background Hospital readmissions are gathering increasing attention as a measure of health care quality and as a cost-saving target. The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) recently began collecting data related to 30-day postoperative readmissions. Our objectives were to assess the accuracy of the ACS NSQIP readmission variable by comparison with the medical record, and to evaluate the readmission variable against administrative data. Study Design Readmission data captured in ACS NSQIP at a single academic institution between January and December 2011 were compared with data abstracted from the medical record and administrative data. Results Of 1,748 cases captured in ACS NSQIP, 119 (6.8%) had an all-cause readmission event identified, and ACS NSQIP had very high agreement with chart review for identifying all-cause readmission events (κ = 0.98). For 1,110 inpatient cases successfully matched with administrative data, agreement with chart review for identifying all-cause readmissions was also very high (κ = 0.97). For identifying unplanned readmission events, ACS NSQIP had good agreement with chart review (κ = 0.67). Overall, agreement with chart review on cause of readmission was higher for ACS NSQIP (κ = 0.75) than for administrative data (κ = 0.46). Conclusions The ACS NSQIP accurately captured all-cause and unplanned readmission events and had good agreement with the medical record with respect to cause of readmission. Administrative data accurately captured all-cause readmissions, but could not identify unplanned readmissions and less consistently agreed with chart review on cause. The granularity of clinically collected data offers tremendous advantages for directing future quality efforts targeting surgical readmission.
The Componential Model of Reading: Predicting First Grade Reading Performance of Culturally Diverse Students From Ecological, Psychological, and Cognitive Factors Assessed at Kindergarten Entry

This study, framed by the component model of reading (CMR), examined the relative importance of kindergarten-entry predictors of first grade reading performance. Specifically, elements within the ecological domain included dialect, maternal education, amount of preschool, and home literacy; elements within the psychological domain included teacher-reported academic competence, social skills, and behavior; and elements within the cognitive domain included initial vocabulary, phonological, and morpho-syntactic skills, and alphabetic and word recognition skills. Data were obtained for 224 culturally diverse kindergarteners (58% Black, 34% White, and 8% Hispanic or other; 58% received free or reduced-price lunch) from a larger study conducted in seven predominantly high poverty schools (n = 20 classrooms) in a midsized city school district in northern Florida. Results from a hierarchical multiple regression (with variables in the ecological domain entered first, followed by the psychological and cognitive domains) revealed a model that explained roughly 56% of the variance in first grade reading achievement, using fall-of-kindergarten predictors. Letter-word reading and morpho-syntactic skill were the strongest significant predictors. The findings largely support the CMR model as a means to understand individual differences in reading acquisition and, in turn, to support data-based instructional decisions for a wider range of children.
Estimation of satellite lifetime from orbital failure experience

A method is proposed for estimating satellite lifetime from orbital failure data. The idea is to use orbital failure experience on all satellite subsystems together to estimate two average subsystem failure rates which are then used, along with the system reliability model and a priori piece part failure rates, to develop the estimate of system life. The subsystem reliability models are based on two constant failure rates, the first applying to a short period following launch during which a large portion of failures has been observed, and the second to the remainder of the system life. The development begins with the exponential reliability model, extends the results to a more general reliability model employing exponential subsystems, and then proceeds to the two failure rate model. In each case, confidence limits and probability density functions for the system mean life are presented. The method is then incorporated into a previously developed Monte-Carlo procedure for system replenishment analysis. Typical results are presented.
Kingdoms of Gold, Kingdoms of Jade: The Americas Before Columbus

Kingdoms of Gold, Kingdoms of Jade: The Americas Before Columbus. BRIAN M. FAGAN. New York: Thames and Hudson, 1991. 240 pp. $24.95 (cloth). ISBN 0–500–05062–7.
Adapalene gel 0.3%: a novel topical retinoid formulation for acne vulgaris

Topical retinoids are an established, safe and effective treatment for acne vulgaris. Adapalene is considered as effective as other retinoids, such as tretinoin, with a more favorable adverse-effect profile. This is a brief review of adapalene use in acne therapy and its new 0.3% formulation. Adapalene has commonly been used in its 0.1% formulation and adapalene 0.3% acquired US FDA approval in June 2007. The primary advantage of the new 0.3% strength is increased efficacy, specifically for inflammatory lesions, but at a cost of slightly increased skin dryness during the initiation period.
Online Focus Groups: Electronic Discussions for Research

As part of a dissertation research project, an online focus group was created in order to help determine questions and issues to be asked in depth interviews of distance learning students about their motives, barriers and enablers in their decision to enroll in adult distance learning courses. The focus group used asynchronous discussion through a listserve for approximately two and a half months, and identified several key issues that were explored in the depth interviews. An FAQ for Online Focus Groups is included.
Effect of pulp mill effluent on the transport of suspended sediment in the Athabasca River near Hinton, Alberta, CanadaThis paper is one of a selection of papers in this Special Issue in honour of Professor M. Selim Yalin (1925–2007).

Field and laboratory measurements of the transport of the suspended sediment from the Athabasca River near Hinton, Alberta, Canada are described. The objective of these measurements was to examine the influence of pulp mill effluent entering the river from a nearby pulp mill on suspended sediment. The results of the field measurement showed that the effluent had significant impact on the transport of the sediment. Specifically, the effluent increased the deposition rates of the sediment and caused a substantial reduction of sediment concentrations in reaches downstream of the effluent outfall. The reduction in sediment concentrations and the concomitant sediment loads can only be attributed to the pulp mill effluent as there were no abrupt changes in the hydraulic characteristics of the river in the reach of interest. These observations were confirmed by laboratory experiments that were carried out using a rotating circular flume located at the National Water Research Institute in Burlington, Ontario, Can...
A new road to induce heme oxygenase-1 expression by carbon monoxide.

See related article, pages 919–927 Heme oxygenase (HO)-1 catalyzes the rate-limiting step in the metabolic conversion of heme to bilirubin, iron, and carbon monoxide (CO).1 Ample literature has demonstrated that exogenous or endogenously-produced CO possesses signaling properties affecting numerous critical cellular processes including inflammation, cellular proliferation, and apoptotic cell death.1,2 CO and the bile pigments biliverdin and bilirubin play important physiological roles in the circulation. The production of CO in vascular cells modulates blood flow and blood fluidity by regulating vasomotor tone and inhibiting smooth muscle cell proliferation and platelet aggregation. CO also maintains vessel wall integrity by directly blocking apoptosis and inhibiting the release of proinflammatory cytokines from the vessel wall. These effects of CO are mediated via multiple pathways, including activation of soluble guanylate cyclase, p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and potassium channels.1,2 Induction of HO-1 gene expression and the subsequent release of CO and bile pigments are observed in numerous vascular disorders providing an adaptive response to preserve homeostasis at sites of vascular injury. Hence, the formation of CO and bile pigments in vascular cells may function as an important vasoprotective system.1,2 Thus far, several transcriptional factors (TF) have been implicated in HO-1 gene expression. Among these TFs, the heat-shock, nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), nuclear factor–erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), and activator protein–1 families are the most important regulators of cellular stress responses. Nrf2 is activated by various xenobiotics and oxidants and regulates genes encoding proteins …
Tumor targeted mesoporous silica-coated gold nanorods facilitate detection of pancreatic tumors using Multispectral optoacoustic tomography

Multispectral optoacoustic tomography (MSOT) is an emerging imaging technology that offers several advantages over traditional modalities, particularly in its ability to resolve optical contrast at depth on the microscopic scale. While potential applications include the early detection of tumors below clinical thresholds set by current technology, the lack of tumor-specific contrast agents limits the use of MSOT imaging. Therefore, we constructed highly stable nano-contrast agents by coating gold nanorods (GNRs) with either polyacrylic acid (PAA) or aminefunctionalized mesoporous silica (MS). Syndecan-1, which has been shown to target insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1-R) (upregulated in pancreatic tumors), was conjugated on the surface of PAA-coated GNRs (PAA-GNRs) or MS-coated GNRs (MS-GNRs) to create tumor-targeted nanoparticles. In vitro, tumor targeting of nanoparticles was assessed with flow cytometry. In S2VP10L cells (positive for IGF1-R), the syndecan-1 MS-GNRs (Syndecan-MS-GNRs) demonstrated an increase in OA signal, 10x, compared to syndecan-1 PAAGNRs (Syndecan-PAA-GNRs). Minimal binding was observed in MiaPaca-2 cells (negative for IGF1-R). In vivo, tumor specific targeting of Syndecan-MS-GNRs was evaluated using a murine orthotopic pancreatic cancer model. The Syndecan- MS-GNRs demonstrated significantly greater accumulation within pancreatic tumors than in off-target organs such as the liver. Mice implanted with the IGF1-R negative MiaPaca-2 cells did not demonstrate specific tumor targeting. In summary, we report that targeted nano-contrast agents (Syndecan-MS-GNRs) can successfully detect orthotopic pancreatic tumors with minimum off-target binding in vivo using MSOT.
Review of Karel Kurst-Swanger's 'Worship and Sin: An Exploration of Religion-Related Crime in the United States'

This is a review of Karel Kurst-Swanger's book on "Worship and Sin: An Exploration of Religion-Related Crime in the United States."
CFTC v. Walsh: District Court Releases Funds Frozen in Civil Case to Pay for Attorney in Parallel Criminal Case

This Comment is about asset forfeiture in “parallel proceedings” — when the government files simultaneous civil and criminal charges against the same defendant based on the same underlying conduct. This practice often occurs in securities enforcement cases because willful violations of federal securities laws violate both civil and criminal laws. Recently, the government has chosen to use the broad civil asset forfeiture process to freeze all of a defendant’s assets pretrial, even those assets not necessarily traceable to the alleged crime, which has the effect of depriving the defendant with sufficient funds to pay for a lawyer in the parallel criminal case. Once the civil freeze becomes permanent, typically the government will almost immediately move to stay the civil case until the criminal case is over, thereby depriving the defendant of the broad civil discovery rules while keeping all of his or her assets frozen. This Comment focuses on a recent case — CFTC v. Walsh — where the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York released some funds frozen in the civil case to allow the defendant to pay for an attorney in the parallel criminal case. In the end, this Comment argues that the government's asset forfeiture practice may violate the defendant’s Sixth Amendment right to counsel in the criminal case. In order to resolve this problem, courts should follow the approach adopted in Walsh.
State Farm Insurance: Taking the Reins (A)

Joann Smith had risen to assistant brand manager at Bank One over seven years. Smith decided to follow in her father's footsteps and take over a State Farm Insurance agency in Lake Edna, Missouri. The agency had been run by Jeb Wright for 40 years. The (A) case provides data for assessing the business, developing a business plan, and setting goals for the business. The (B) case describes the people issues Smith faces.
Demography Predicts Blood Pressure Response to Once-Daily Enalapril Monotherapy of Mild to Once-Daily Enalapril Monotherapy of Mild to Moderate Essential Hypertensive Patients

Enalapril was given once daily in low dose (5 to 10 mg) and high dose (20 to 40 mg) in 25 (15 white and 10 black) mild-to-moderate essential hypertensive patients. The white patients had a significant (p less than 0.005) supine diastolic blood pressure (SDBP) lowering with all doses of enalapril (from 97.2 +/- 1.8 to 85 +/- 2.4 mm Hg lowest). The black patient's SDBP did not decrease significantly (100.8 +/- 2.4 to 96.2 +/- 3.7 mm Hg lowest) with enalapril but addition of hydrochlorothiazide achieved satisfactory SDBP control. It is concluded that hydrochlorothiazide should be added if greater than 10 mg/day of enalapril is needed in white patients and the initial therapy in black patients should be a combination of enalapril and hydrochlorothiazide.
Fabrication of Ordered Metallic Nanocluster Arrays Using a Focused Ion Beam

We have fabricated ordered arrays of gold nanocrystals on FIB-processed silicon substrates using electroless deposition. We have also fabricated ordered arrays of silver nanocrystals on silicon with diameters 40–60 nm separated by 180 nm center-to-center, using pulsed-laser deposition (PLD) to deposit silver on the substrate. The metal nanocrystal arrays are characterized using SEM as well as AFM and energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) analysis. AFM confirms particle sizes measured in SEM, and EDX analysis demonstrates that Ag preferentially clusters at sites that have been damaged by the ion beam. These results suggest that the FIB-PLD combination can be used to create ordered arrays of Ag nanocrystals with diameters of 10 nm or less.
The Microbiology of Cracked Eggs

Abstract INTRODUCTION Although a great deal of research has been published dealing with various aspects of egg spoilage by bacteria, a very limited portion of this has been devoted to cracked eggs. McNally (1953) found the rate of infection of cracked eggs was more affected by temperature and humidity than that of normal eggs. Miller and Crawford (1953) reported that 7 out of 50 commercial checks, selected to exclude thin shells and leakers, contained an average of 7 × 106 bacteria per ml. The present investigation was initiated to determine the relative susceptibility of cracked and normal eggs to bacterial invasion and to determine some of the factors which might predispose cracked eggs to rapid spoilage. MATERIALS AND METHODS Eggs. All eggs used in this study were from a single strain of Single Comb White Leghorns. Unless stated to the contrary, eggs were received from the farm one day post lay.
Did the ancestors copulate face- to- face?

It is inferred that our ancestors had copulated face-to- face(ventro- ventral literally) before they diverged from Africa apes,comparing of sexual behavior between apes and modern human. In this paper,the prerequisite,origin,and adaption of missionary position were discussed,by which hominids could be distinguished from living apes. In my opinion,descendant species should adopt this position more and more frequently,in which the female partners would be more excited for enhanced body contact and clitoris stimulation. Consequently,theirhip joints become flexible and they walked upright. Yet anteriorly positioned vaginal orifice,transversely oval pelvic inlet,and hairlessness in modern human,should be resulted from this position.
Performing Multivariate Group Comparisons Following a Statistically Significant MANOVA

This article illustrates 2 follow-up procedures that can be used to examine multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) group differences: the univariate analysis of a linear composite variable and ...
From Slavery to the Cooperative Commonwealth: Labor and Republican Liberty in the Nineteenth Century

This book reconstructs how a group of nineteenth-century labor reformers appropriated and radicalized the republican tradition. These 'labor republicans' derived their definition of freedom from a long tradition of political theory dating back to the classical republics. In this tradition, to be free is to be independent of anyone else's will - to be dependent is to be a slave. Borrowing these ideas, labor republicans argued that wage laborers were unfree because of their abject dependence on their employers. Workers in a cooperative, on the other hand, were considered free because they equally and collectively controlled their work. Although these labor republicans are relatively unknown, this book details their unique, contemporary, and valuable perspective on both American history and the organization of the economy.
The Tractatus Re-examined

There are several serious difficulties in trying to understand and apply Wittgenstein’s ideas from the time of the Tractatus. One is the paucity of examples. We can never be sure how the notions of the Tractatus are to be instantiated; what, for instance, will count as a simple object, a proposition, a state of affairs or a case of seeing the world under the aspect of eternity? A second is that the Tractatusis a thoroughgoing piece of metaphysics with its essentialist theories of the world, language, ethics and aesthetics. These two difficulties are closely connected. It has never been the practice of metaphysics to trade in examples. For one thing, metaphysical theories and concepts are usually supposed to be completely general and their application to particular cases tends to be thought irrelevant. In addition, a close look at the details of particular cases has the damaging tendency of raising sceptical doubts about the intelligibility of metaphysical claims.
Young Straightening in a Quotient S n -Module

We describe a straightening algorithm for the action of Sn on a certain graded ring {\cal {R}_\mu. The ring {\cal {R}_\mu appears in the work of C. de Concini and C. Procesi l2r and T. Tanisaki l8r, and more recently in the work of A. Garsia and C. Procesi l4r. This ring is a graded version of the permutation representation resulting from the action of Sn on the left cosets of a Young subgroup. As a corollary of our straightening algorithm we obtain a combinatorial proof of the fact that the top degree component of {\cal {R}_\mu affords the irreducible representation of Sn indexed by μ.
Whether neonatal phototherapy increases the risk of cancer in children is a disturbing unresolved issue

Commentary on : Wickremasinghe AC, Kuzniewicz MW, Grimes BA, et al. Neonatal phototherapy and infantile cancer. Pediatrics 2016;137:pii:e20151353[OpenUrl][1][Abstract/FREE Full Text][2]; Newman TB, Wickremasinghe AC, Walsh EM, et al. Retrospective cohort study of phototherapy and childhood cancer in Northern California. Pediatrics 2016;137:pii:e20151354[OpenUrl][3]. Phototherapy (PT) has been widely used for decades to reduce the total serum bilirubin of neonates, and the belief that the benefits far outweigh the hazards … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DPediatrics%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1542%252Fpeds.2015-1353%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F27217478%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/ijlink?linkType=ABST&journalCode=pediatrics&resid=137/6/e20151353&atom=%2Febmed%2F22%2F1%2F39.atom [3]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DPediatrics%26rft.volume%253D137%26rft.spage%253Dpiie20151354%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx
Undercut and overhang angle control in topology optimization: A density gradient based integral approach

Summary We present an approach for controlling the undercut and the minimal overhang angle in density based topology optimization, which are useful for reducing support structures in additive manufacturing. We cast both the undercut control and the minimal overhang angle control that are inherently constraints on the boundary shape into a domain integral of Heaviside projected density gradient. Such a Heaviside projection based integral of density gradient leads to a single constraint for controlling the undercut or controlling the overhang angle in the optimization. It effectively corresponds to a constraint on the projected perimeter that has undercut or has slope smaller than the prescribed overhang angle. In order to prevent trivial solutions of intermediate density to satisfy the density gradient constraints, a constraint on density grayness is also incorporated into the formulations. Numerical results on Messerschmitt–Bolkow–Blohm beams, cantilever beams, and 2D and 3D heat conduction problems demonstrate the proposed formulations are effective in controlling the undercut and the minimal overhang angle in the optimized designs. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High power solar electric propulsion and the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM)

NASA is currently developing the Asteroid Redirect Robotic Mission (ARRM) that would have the capability to retrieve a boulder from a Near Earth Asteroid and place it in Lunar orbit where astronauts in an Orion spacecraft would rendezvous with the ARRM vehicle and explore the boulder. This mission is conceived as a capabilities demonstration mission that would path-find high power Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP) and Earth-independent human spaceflight operations for Mars missions in the 2030s, as part of NASA's Journey to Mars initiative. The high-power, light-weight solar arrays and high-power, magnetically-shielded hall thrusters being developed for ARRM will dramatically increase NASA's in-space transportation capability. These two technologies could propel affordable human missions to asteroids, Martian moons, and asteroids. In addition, these technologies could be used to enhance human access to cis-lunar space and the Lunar surface. This paper will provide an overview of ARRM and discuss how ARRM-developed technologies would feed forward to human deep space exploration missions.
Bending of Elastic Plates: Generalized Fourier Series Method

A convenient way to approximate the solutions of boundary value problems for this mathematical model is to expand them in a complete set of functions that are intrinsically tied to the structure of the appropriate layer potentials. Computation based on such expansions, however, is hampered by the fact that the Gram–Schmidt process used to orthonormalize the set is numerically unstable. This paper aims to indicate a procedure that circumvents this obstacle and leads to good numerical results to within a prescribed accuracy. The technique is illustrated in application to the interior Dirichlet problem.
Cuba and Angola: The War for Freedom by Harry Villegas

Villegas, Harry. Cuba and Angola: The War for Freedom . Atlanta, GA: Pathfinder Press, 2017.
Pentose conversions support the tumorigenesis of pancreatic cancer distant metastases

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) adopts several unique metabolic strategies to support primary tumor growth. Whether additional metabolic strategies are adopted to support metastatic tumorigenesis is less clear. This could be particularly relevant for distant metastasis, which often follows a rapidly progressive clinical course. Here we report that PDAC distant metastases evolve a unique series of metabolic reactions to maintain activation of the anabolic glucose enzyme phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (PGD). PGD catalytic activity was recurrently elevated across distant metastases, and modulating PGD activity levels dictated tumorigenic capacity. Metabolomics data raised the possibility that distant metastases evolved a core pentose conversion pathway (PCP) that converted glucose-derived metabolites into PGD substrate, thereby hyperactivating the enzyme. Consistent with this, each individual metabolite in the PCP stimulated PGD catalysis in distant metastases, and knockdown of each individual PCP enzyme selectively impaired tumorigenesis. We propose that the PCP manufactures PGD substrate outside of the rate-limiting oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (oxPPP). This enables PGD-dependent tumorigenesis by providing adequate substrate to fuel high catalytic activity, and raises the possibility that PDAC distant metastases adopt their own unique metabolic strategies to support tumor growth.
Sexual Orientation and Patient-Provider Communication About Sexual Problems or Concerns Among US Adults.

Limited patient-provider communication about sexual health is a crucial barrier to patients receiving treatment for sexual problems, and little is known about how patient sexual orientation is associated with patient-provider communication about sexual problems. To describe the prevalence of patient-provider communication about sexual problems and the associations between communication and (1) persistent sexual problems and (2) whether those who identified as lesbian, gay, or bisexual had disclosed their sexual orientation to their clinicians. Cross-sectional, online survey 4325 English-speaking US adults from KnowledgePanel®, a probability-based sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population. Sexual orientation, disclosure of sexual orientation (being “out”) to a health care provider, communication with health care providers regarding sexual problems or concerns, and persistent sexual problems or concerns. In the past year, 8–15% of US adults discussed a sexual problem or concern with a health care provider. Between 23 and 42% of US adults reported persistent sexual problem(s) in the past year, and of those, 18% of gay/lesbian women, 20% of heterosexual women, 22% of bisexual women, 30% of gay men, 31% of heterosexual men, and 37% of bisexual men had discussed a sexual concern with a clinician. Eighty percent of gay/lesbian women and 70% of gay men had disclosed their sexual orientation to their regular health care provider, versus only 24% of bisexual men and women. Among those who were “out,” 30% had ever talked to a clinician about a sexual problem compared with 17% of those who were not “out.” A smaller proportion of lesbian women had ever received care or treatment for a sexual problem, 6% compared with 14–23% in the other groups. There are significant unmet needs among US adults with regard to patient-provider communication about sexual problems or concerns. Improving patient-provider communication about sexual health is critical.
Sex hormones, related compounds and hormonal contraceptives including miscellaneous hormones

Abstract The Side Effects of Drugs Annual is a series of volumes in which the adverse effects of drugs and adverse reactions to them are surveyed. The series supplements the contents of Meyler's Side Effects of Drugs: The International Encyclopedia of Adverse Drug Reactions and Interactions. This review of the January 2018 to December 2018 publications on sex hormones and related compounds covers various classes of sex hormones including hormonal contraceptives, gonadotropins, clomiphene citrate, testosterone, anabolic steroids, androgens, androgen deprivation therapy, and anti-androgens. This review also covers miscellaneous hormones of various classes of endocrine drugs, including calcimimetics, human recombinant growth hormone (somatotropin), growth hormone receptor antagonists (pegvisomant), melatonin, oxytocin and analogues, somatostatin and analogues, desmopressin, and vasopressin receptor antagonists.
Predicting residual deformations in a reinforced concrete building structure after a fire event

Abstract Reinforced concrete (RC) structures often remain stable under fire, but exhibit damage and residual deformations which require repairs. While repair operations and building downtime are expensive, current fire design approaches do not consider post-event resilience. The first step to enable predicting the resilience of RC structures under fire is to develop capabilities to model the damage of these structures after various fire exposures. This paper focuses on the prediction of the residual (post-fire) deformations of RC columns within a code-designed five-story RC frame building. Computational modeling approaches to capture the fire behavior of the columns are investigated. The models range from isolated columns with linear springs at the boundaries to full building model coupling beam and shell elements, with intermediate approaches. The analyses highlight the critical nonlinear role of the thermal expansion-contraction of the surrounding beams and slabs on the column deformations. Large transversal residual deformations develop particularly in perimeter columns, combined with residual shortening. This invalidates models based on isolated column or 2D frame. A parametric study of the residual deformations of RC columns is then conducted, with due consideration of the 3D restraints and interactions, to investigate the effects of different design parameters and fire scenarios on the residual deformations after a fire event. The results of the parametric study indicate that fire load density and opening factor significantly influence the residual deformations of RC columns, compared to the thermal conductivity of concrete and live loads. This research improves the understanding and provides recommendations for numerical modeling of the effect of fire on the residual capacity and deformations in RC structures.
Electrical Performance of Bulk Al–ZrB 2 Nanocomposites from 2 K to 300 K

Electrical properties are of significance for metals/alloys and their applications. While nanoparticles can enhance mechanical performance of metals/alloys, there is a strong need to understand how nanoparticles affect their electric behavior at various temperatures. In this study, ZrB2 nanoparticles were synthesized in situ to cast bulk Al–ZrB2 samples for electric characterizations. The electrical conductivity, electron mobility, and electron concentration of Al–3 vol.% ZrB2 were measured in the temperature range from 2 K to 300 K. The effects of in situ ZrB2 nanoparticles on the Al matrix were systematically studied in terms of its compositions, morphologies, grain sizes, and nanophase sizes. It is discovered the Al–ZrB2 interfaces play a key role in tuning structural and electrical performances. This mechanism is important to better understand the electron behaviors in Al alloys containing in situ nanoparticles. The in situ fabrication and electrical characterization methods can be readily applied to other metallic nanocomposites.
Comparison of AAV-Mediated Optogenetic Vision Restoration between Retinal Ganglion Cell Expression and ON Bipolar Cell Targeting

The loss of photoreceptors in individuals with retinal degenerative diseases leads to partial or complete blindness. Optogenetic therapy is a promising approach for restoring vision to the blind. Multiple strategies have been employed by targeting genetically encoded light sensors, particularly channelrhodopsins, to surviving retinal neurons in animal models. In particular, the strategy of targeting retinal bipolar cells has commonly been expected to result in better vision than ubiquitous expression in retinal ganglion cells. However, a direct comparison of the channelrhodopsin-restored vision between these two strategies has not been performed. Here, we compared the restored visual functions achieved by adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated expression of a channelrhodopsin in ON-type bipolar cells and retinal ganglion cells driven by an improved mGluR6 promoter and a CAG promoter, respectively, in a blind mouse model by performing electrophysiological recordings and behavioral assessments. Unexpectedly, the efficacy of the restored vision based on light sensitivity and visual acuity was much higher following ubiquitous retinal ganglion cell expression than that of the strategy targeting ON-type bipolar cells. Our study suggests that, at least based on currently available gene delivery techniques, the expression of genetically encoded light sensors in retinal ganglion cells is likely a practical and advantageous strategy for optogenetic vision restoration.
A Reappraisal of Superficial Pleomorphic Liposarcoma.

Objectives Superficial pleomorphic liposarcoma (PL) has a favorable prognosis compared to deeply seated PL. Given developments in the classification of lipomatous neoplasms, we reappraised a series of cases. Methods Retrospective clinicopathologic evaluation and genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray studies were performed for cases previously designated superficial PL. Results Four cases were identified (age, 48-70 years). Two were dermally confined, whereas two were superficial subcutaneous; no recurrences or metastases were reported. Tumors demonstrated pleomorphic spindled morphology with variable cellularity. Multivacuolated atypical lipoblasts were focal in 3 and abundant in 1. Dermal tumors demonstrated atypical cells within sclerotic collagen. Genome-wide SNP microarray studies revealed consistent gains and losses, including losses at the 13q14.2 locus encompassing RB1 and DLEU2 and deletion/disruption of the TP53 locus. Although subcutaneous examples showed genomic changes similar to deep PL, the dermal examples showed fewer genetic alterations, including changes reported in the spectrum of atypical spindle cell/pleomorphic lipomatous tumors (ASPLT). All lacked MDM2 amplification. Conclusions Careful integration of histologic and genetic features may improve classification of lipomatous neoplasms with atypia, allowing reclassification of some superficial PL as ASPLT.
A Versatile Platform for Mass Spectrometry Imaging of Arbitrary Spatial Patterns.

A vision-system driven platform, RastirX, has been constructed for mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) of arbitrary two-dimensional patterns. The user identifies a region of interest (ROI) by drawing o...