cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of drift length, beam radius, and perveance on klystron power conversion efficiency

Current bunching calculations based on the disk electron model are used to determine the effect of drift length, beam radius, and beam perveance on the power conversion efficiency of a two-cavity klystron. In a 2.5 × 10-6perveance klystron, a loss in power output exceeding one decibel results when a drift length shorter than 0.08λ q is used. Power conversion efficiency is found to be reduced by 5 to 10 points in beams where normalized beam radius \gamma b lies in the range from 0.3 to 0.1. The loss of efficiency due to perveance in an optimum klystron design is found to be given approximately by the expression \Delta_{\eta}=0.0606 \sqrt {\mu}{P} , where Δ η is expressed in percentage points, and \mu P is the microperveance of the beam. In a 2.5 × 10-6perveance beam, the power conversion efficiency is reduced by ten percentage points from its ballistic value of 58.2 percent, indicating that previously published work is in error by a factor of two.
Despite Best Intentions When Inclusion Fails

The goals of this study were to discover what inclusion looked like and what meaning inclusion had for participants when it was implemented as part of a district and university restructuring initiative. Participant observation and interviews at the school, district, and university were employed. Results did not indicate any movement of special education students to general education. However, participants at the school called their efforts "inclusion." Two themes best explained this failure to understand and implement inclusion: culture of segregation and leadership. Findings are discussed in terms of applicability to other inclusion and school reform efforts.
ChemBank: a small-molecule screening and cheminformatics resource database

ChemBank (http://chembank.broad.harvard.edu/) is a public, web-based informatics environment developed through a collaboration between the Chemical Biology Program and Platform at the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT. This knowledge environment includes freely available data derived from small molecules and small-molecule screens and resources for studying these data. ChemBank is unique among small-molecule databases in its dedication to the storage of raw screening data, its rigorous definition of screening experiments in terms of statistical hypothesis testing, and its metadata-based organization of screening experiments into projects involving collections of related assays. ChemBank stores an increasingly varied set of measurements derived from cells and other biological assay systems treated with small molecules. Analysis tools are available and are continuously being developed that allow the relationships between small molecules, cell measurements, and cell states to be studied. Currently, ChemBank stores information on hundreds of thousands of small molecules and hundreds of biomedically relevant assays that have been performed at the Broad Institute by collaborators from the worldwide research community. The goal of ChemBank is to provide life scientists unfettered access to biomedically relevant data and tools heretofore available primarily in the private sector.
NEM Relay-Based Sequential Logic Circuits for Low-Power Design

Nanoelectromechanical (NEM) relays are a promising class of emerging devices that offer zero off-state leakage and behaves like an ideal switch. The zero leakage operation has generated lot of interest in low power logic design using these relays , . This paper presents various sequential circuit topologies using NEM relays and analyzes their power, performance, and area tradeoffs. The mechanical delay is inversely proportional to the gate-base voltage $V_{gb}$ . This paper also presents an integrated voltage doubler-based flip-flop that improves the performance by 2 $\times$ by overdriving $V_{gb}$ . An electromechanical model which accounts for the mechanical, electrical, and dispersion effects of the suspended gate relay operating at 1 V with a nominal air gap of 5–10 nm has been developed based on published fabrication results in . Three sequential logic benchmark circuits were designed using NEM relays to verify the correctness of operation of the proposed circuits. This study explores different relay-based latch and flip-flop topologies, proposes fast sequential circuits that can operate at a frequency of $1/2t_{m}$ (theoretical fastest frequency for NEM relay logic circuits) and further improves speed of sequential circuits by distributed charge boosting.
Student Perception of High Fidelity Medical Simulation for an International Trauma Life Support Course

Background: High fidelity medical simulators (HFMS) are accepted tools for health care instruction. The use of HFMS was incorporated into an International Trauma Life Support course, and course participants were surveyed regarding attitudes toward HFMS.Methods: Course participants, including physicians, nurses, and prehospital personnel, were given pre- and post-course questionnaires measuring their confidence in knowledge and treatment of trauma resuscitation, as well as their attitudes towards the utility and realism of immersive simulation. The participants were randomly assigned to take a course examination either before or after their simulator session.Results: Thirteen course participants of varying backgrounds and degrees of clinical experience were surveyed and tested. All surveyed areas improved following simulator training, including comfort level with simulation as a training method (17%), perception of the realism of HFMS (15%), and reported self-confidence in knowledge, experience and training in trauma care (27%). Test scores were improved in the post-simulation group as opposed to the pre-simulation group (86% pass rate in the post-simulation test group versus 50% pass rate in the pre-simulation test group).Conclusions: High fidelity medical simulation was accepted by medical professionals of different backgrounds and experience. Attitudes towards simulation and self-confidence improved after simulator sessions, as did test scores, suggesting improved comprehension and retention of course materials. Further testing is required to validate the findings of this small, observational study.
Transport of ionizable drugs and proteins in crosslinked poly(acrylic acid) and poly(acrylic acid-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) hydrogels. I. Polymer characterization

SYNOPSIS The purpose of this investigation was to define the polymer structure and elucidate the swelling behavior of ionizable hydrophilic polymers (hydrogels) in water and buffered media. Poly(acry1ic acid) (PAA) and poly(acry1ic acid-co-2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) [P(AA-coHEMA)] hydrogels were synthesized with varying degrees of hydrophilicity and crosslinking and were designed as potential bioadhesive controlled-release dosage forms. The thermal initiation procedure employed during polymerization was optimized to eliminate unreacted residuals. Equilibrium and dynamic swelling studies were undertaken to determine the polymer mesh size and molecular weight between crosslinks of the hydrogels in the ionized and nonionized states. The PAA hydrogel mesh sizes ranged from 100 to 400 8, over pH values of 3-7, whereas the P(AA-co-HEMA) hydrogel mesh sizes were between 13 and 140 A. These results demonstrated the significance of the swelling medium pH on the hydrated state of the polymers relative to crosslinking or copolymerization composition. 0 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Survival of patients with non-small cell lung cancer without treatment: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Lung cancer is considered a terminal illness with a five-year survival rate of about 16%. Informed decision-making related to the management of a disease requires accurate prognosis of the disease with or without treatment. Despite the significance of disease prognosis in clinical decision-making, systematic assessment of prognosis in patients with lung cancer without treatment has not been performed. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of the natural history of patients with confirmed diagnosis of lung cancer without active treatment, to provide evidence-based recommendations for practitioners on management decisions related to the disease. Specifically, we estimated overall survival when no anticancer therapy is provided. Relevant studies were identified by search of electronic databases and abstract proceedings, review of bibliographies of included articles, and contacting experts in the field. All prospective or retrospective studies assessing prognosis of lung cancer patients without treatment were eligible for inclusion. Data on mortality was extracted from all included studies. Pooled proportion of mortality was calculated as a back-transform of the weighted mean of the transformed proportions using the random-effects model. To perform meta-analysis of median survival, published methods were used to pool the estimates as mean and standard error under the random-effects model. Methodological quality of the studies was examined. Seven cohort studies (4,418 patients) and 15 randomized controlled trials (1,031 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. All studies assessed mortality without treatment in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The pooled proportion of mortality without treatment in cohort studies was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96 to 0.99) and 0.96 in randomized controlled trials (95% CI: 0.94 to 0.98) over median study periods of eight and three years, respectively. When data from cohort and randomized controlled trials were combined, the pooled proportion of mortality was 0.97 (95% CI: 0.96 to 0.98). Test of interaction showed a statistically non-significant difference between subgroups of cohort and randomized controlled trials. The pooled mean survival for patients without anticancer treatment in cohort studies was 11.94 months (95% CI: 10.07 to 13.8) and 5.03 months (95% CI: 4.17 to 5.89) in RCTs. For the combined data (cohort studies and RCTs), the pooled mean survival was 7.15 months (95% CI: 5.87 to 8.42), with a statistically significant difference between the two designs. Overall, the studies were of moderate methodological quality. Systematic evaluation of evidence on prognosis of NSCLC without treatment shows that mortality is very high. Untreated lung cancer patients live on average for 7.15 months. Although limited by study design, these findings provide the basis for future trials to determine optimal expected improvement in mortality with innovative treatments.
The effect of investor protection on forms and ownership of FDI

This paper investigates the effect of investor protection, political stability, financial development, trade openness, education and legal openness of foreign direct investment (FDI) regimes on forms and ownership of FDI in host countries. Host countries with stronger investor protection, more political safety and more open rules for foreign investment attract greater FDI inflows. This result holds after controlling for the various forms foreign investors use to enter host countries. These factors are shown to have a positive impact on the number of cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&As) and joint ventures (JVs) that host countries receive. Patterns of ownership in cross-border M&As reveal that foreign acquirers are less likely to hold outright majority control if the target company is located in a country with less political stability, weaker investor protection and restrictive FDI regimes.
The effect of Pot1 binding on the repair of thymine analogs in a telomeric DNA sequence

Telomeric DNA can form duplex regions or single-stranded loops that bind multiple proteins, preventing it from being processed as a DNA repair intermediate. The bases within these regions are susceptible to damage; however, mechanisms for the repair of telomere damage are as yet poorly understood. We have examined the effect of three thymine (T) analogs including uracil (U), 5-fluorouracil (5FU) and 5-hydroxymethyluracil (5hmU) on DNA–protein interactions and DNA repair within the GGTTAC telomeric sequence. The replacement of T with U or 5FU interferes with Pot1 (Pot1pN protein of Schizosaccharomyces pombe) binding. Surprisingly, 5hmU substitution only modestly diminishes Pot1 binding suggesting that hydrophobicity of the T-methyl group likely plays a minor role in protein binding. In the GGTTAC sequence, all three analogs can be cleaved by DNA glycosylases; however, glycosylase activity is blocked if Pot1 binds. An abasic site at the G or T positions is cleaved by the endonuclease APE1 when in a duplex but not when single-stranded. Abasic site formation thermally destabilizes the duplex that could push a damaged DNA segment into a single-stranded loop. The inability to enzymatically cleave abasic sites in single-stranded telomere regions would block completion of the base excision repair cycle potentially causing telomere attrition.
Chronic total coronary occlusion percutaneous intervention the case for randomized trials.

Chronic total coronary occlusions (CTO) are encountered frequently, found in up to 50% of patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) referred for elective angiography. Treatment strategy for an individual patient is often changed on the basis of the presence or absence of a CTO ([1][1]).
Microscale Modeling of Effective Mechanical and Electrical Properties of Textiles

Author(s): Queiruga, A; Zohdi, T | Abstract: A computational framework for assisting in the development of novel textiles is presented. Electronic textiles are key in the rapidly growing field of wearable electronics for both consumer and military uses. There are two main challenges to the modeling of electronic textiles: the discretization of the textile microstructure and the interaction between electromagnetic and mechanical fields. A director-based beam formulation with an assumed electrical current is used to discretize the fabric at the level of individual fibrils. The open-source package FEniCS was used to implement the finite element model. Contact integrals were added into the FEniCS framework so that multiphysics contact laws can be incorporated in the same framework, leveraging the code generation and automated differentiation capabilities of FEniCS to produce the tangents needed by the implicit solution method. The computational model is used to construct and determine the mechanical, thermal, and electrical properties of a representative volume elements of a plain woven textile. Dynamic relaxation to solve the mechanical fields and the electrical and thermal fields is solved statically for a given mechanical state. The simulated electrical responses are fit to a simplified Kirchhoff network model to determine effective resistances of the textile. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley a Sons, Ltd.
Cigarette smoking and fetal morbidity outcomes in a large cohort of HIV-infected mothers.

BACKGROUND Reproductive-age women comprise approximately 25% of all persons living with HIV/AIDS in the United States. HIV infection and smoking during pregnancy are independent risk factors for adverse fetal outcomes. We examined predictors of fetal growth restriction among infants born to HIV-infected mothers who smoke cigarettes in pregnancy. METHODS We analyzed hospital discharge data linked to birth records from the state of Florida for 1998-2007 (N = 1,645,209). The outcomes of interest included: low and very low birth weight (LBW and VLBW), preterm and very preterm birth (PTB and VPTB), and small for gestational age (SGA). We calculated adjusted rate ratios (ARR) for these outcomes by HIV/AIDS status, smoking status, and sociodemographic variables. We also examined the association between the observed fetal morbidity outcomes and the interaction between HIV/AIDS and smoking status. We employed the generalized estimating equation framework to correct for intracluster correlations. RESULTS All fetal morbidity outcomes were more common in mothers who had HIV/AIDS, regardless of smoking status. Maternal HIV status and cigarette use were independent predictors of LBW, PTB, and SGA, with morbidity effects more prominent in HIV-infected mothers who smoke cigarettes. We observed a significant interaction between maternal HIV and smoking status, in which mothers who were HIV positive and smoked during pregnancy experienced the greatest risks for LBW (ARR = 2.24 [1.89-2.65]), SGA (ARR = 1.95 [1.67-2.29]), and PTB (ARR = 1.70 [1.42-2.03]). CONCLUSIONS HIV-infected mothers who smoke cigarettes during pregnancy have a heightened risk for adverse fetal morbidity outcomes. There is a need for integration of smoking cessation interventions into ongoing HIV/AIDS programs.
Creep of Pure-Gum Vulcanizates of Natural Rubber

Abstract The creep of vulcanizates of natural rubber cured with varying amounts of dicumyl peroxide was compared with that of vulcanizates cured by typical conventional surfur-accelerator systems. The measurements involved indentation of a flat rubber disk as a function of time t and temperature T. The product of shear compliance J and T as a function of log t was represented by a family of curves with T as the parameter. For the vulcanizates cured with the sulfur-accelerator system, previous work has shown that the individual curves could be shifted along the abscissa to yield a single continuous curve with a slope which increased from a negligible value to a maximum and then decreased, continuing through a region of minimum slope which extended over about 7 decades of time before ending in a region of increasing slope. The value of the creep was 1.5–2.0% per decade in the region of minimum slope. When the same procedures were applied to the vulcanizates cured with dicumyl peroxide, the individual curves...
Parasites and tradeoffs in the immune response of female red jungle fowl

Reproduction and survival are influenced by parasites, and recently, the ability of the immune system to fight infection has been included in life history theory. A condition dependent immune response predicts tradeoffs within the immune system and condition dependent tradeoffs with other life history traits. Female red jungle fowl (Gallus gallus) parasitized with an intestinal nematode (Ascaridia galli) had a higher concentration of eosinophils than controls, and parasitized and control females responded differently to injections of phytohemagglutinin (PHA). PHA injections stimulated an increase in granulocytes in parasitized females relative to controls. Although parasitized females had greater circulating levels of the white blood cells that are involved in the cutaneous hypersensitivity response, control females exhibited greater swelling of the wing web six hours after injection. A. galli seemed to slow the cellular immune response to injections of PHA. suggesting a tradeoff within the cellular component of the immune system. Parasitized and control females differed in the relationship between immunoglobulin G (IgG) and the strength of the cutancous hypersensitivity response. The decrease in cutaneous hypersensitivity with increasing IgG in parasitized vs control females suggests a condition dependent tradeoff between the cellular and humoral components of the immune system.
Invader Effects in a Community of Cavity Nesting Megachilid Bees (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)

Temporal and spatial characteristics of a community of cavity nesting megachilid bee species and their introduced competitors were examined at a site in the Central Valley of California. Two of the introduced bee species, Megachile apicalis Spinola and Megachile rotundata (F.), were frequent nest site occupants and accounted for 19.6 and 3.4% of all artificial nesting cavities (trap-nests) monitored during the 1st and 2nd yr of this study, respectively. These species were most active before and after the peak in native bee nesting activity and tended to occupy xeric habitats, despite significantly higher larval mortality associated with such environments. The ability to occupy a wide array of habitats may account for the invasion success of M. apicalis in California. Another invader, the European earwig, Forficula auricularia L., was a frequent occupant of nesting cavities in mesic habitats, accounting for 59 and 85% occupancy of trap-nests during the 1st and 2nd yr of the study, respectively. Exclusion experiments indicate earwig densities were sufficient to displace female bees at nest sites with 113 as much nesting activity occurring in sampling units that allowed entry by earwigs as those made inaccessible to them with sticky barriers. In comparison, all native species (including bees and wasps) never accounted for >25% of all occupied nesting cavities of either monitoring period of the study.
Innovation in pharmacy quality

Abstract In today's world of pharmacy practice, seasoned and new pharmacists alike are making strides to offer innovative services to patients, form interprofessional care teams, and think outside the box to demonstrate the value pharmacists bring to patient care. But how do we know if what we do actually improves individual patient care as well as the whole system? The answer lies within new and emerging approaches to quality improvement and quality measurement in pharmacy practice.
A Clinical Approach to the Diagnosis of Traumatic Encephalopathy Syndrome: A Review

Importance Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) refers to pathologic changes that have been found in some individuals with a history of repetitive traumatic impact to the head (hereinafter referred to as head trauma). These changes cannot be assessed during the clinical evaluation of a living patient. Observations The neuropathologic features, taxonomy, history, role of biomarkers in diagnosis, and existing criteria of CTE are reviewed. Previous criteria have been proposed to approach the living patient; however, a unified, specific approach is needed for the practicing clinician. We propose a new diagnostic construct for the clinical syndrome associated with repetitive exposure to head trauma: traumatic encephalopathy syndrome. This clinical paradigm will provide the framework for a diagnosis of probable, possible, and unlikely traumatic encephalopathy syndrome, with included discussion regarding the minimum exposure, nature of the clinical course, and additional clinical features needed for diagnosis. Conclusions and Relevance While prospective longitudinal studies are ongoing to further elucidate the association of exposure to head trauma, clinical features, and the development of pathologic changes, a corresponding clinical construct for diagnosis is necessary.
Influence of migrant working parents on post-traumatic stress disorder of their left-behind children

Objective To investigate how the migrant working parents had influenced their children's posttraumatic stress disorder(PTSD) and to provide solid evidence to prevent and treat PTSD.Methods Stratified cluster sampling was used to choose children to complete the PTSD checklist civilia version(PCL-C).Totally 596 students came from primary school and middle school in Zhouqu were tested,and 552 questionnaires were obtained.251 left-behind children were Included,which accounted for 45.5%.Results Left-behind children's mean score on the PCL-C was(34.34±10.25),while the non left-behind children's mean score was(31.49±10.43).The two groups showed significant difference by T-test(P=0.001).The positive rate of PTSD screening of the left-behind children was significantly higher than that of the non left-behind children on both the light and heavy PTSD symptoms.There was no significant difference among the left-behind children whose parents had been apart from their children in variable long time on the score of PCL-C and the dimension of re-experience,avoidance and emotional numbing,while there was significant difference in the increased arousal(P=0.010).Conclusion Compared with the non-left-behind children,the left-behind children have a higher risk and more serious symptoms.The effect of the parents apart from children is obvious and much more attention should be paid to the left-behind children's PTSD.
Comparison of Salmonella's routine detecting with the application of Salmonella's rapid detection kit

Objective Compared the testing time and detection limit between Salmonella's routine detecting and the application of Salmonella's rapid detection kit to choose a better method of Salmonella's detecting.Methods Using routine method and Salmonella's rapid detection kit to detect kinds type culture strain,compared the result.Results Salmonella's rapid detection kit made by OXOID spend less time than the routine method while a higher detection limit.Conclusions It's better to combine the routine method with the application of Salmonella's rapid detection kit in testing Salmonella for exactitude in the routine work and less time spending.
Photonanomedicine: a convergence of photodynamic therapy and nanotechnology

As clinical nanomedicine has emerged over the past two decades, phototherapeutic advancements using nanotechnology have also evolved and impacted disease management. Because of unique features attributable to the light activation process of molecules, photonanomedicine (PNM) holds significant promise as a personalized, image-guided therapeutic approach for cancer and non-cancer pathologies. The convergence of advanced photochemical therapies such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) and imaging modalities with sophisticated nanotechnologies is enabling the ongoing evolution of fundamental PNM formulations, such as Visudyne®, into progressive forward-looking platforms that integrate theranostics (therapeutics and diagnostics), molecular selectivity, the spatiotemporally controlled release of synergistic therapeutics, along with regulated, sustained drug dosing. Considering that the envisioned goal of these integrated platforms is proving to be realistic, this review will discuss how PNM has evolved over the years as a preclinical and clinical amalgamation of nanotechnology with PDT. The encouraging investigations that emphasize the potent synergy between photochemistry and nanotherapeutics, in addition to the growing realization of the value of these multi-faceted theranostic nanoplatforms, will assist in driving PNM formulations into mainstream oncological clinical practice as a necessary tool in the medical armamentarium.
Compressed Potassium: A Siderophile Element

In recent years potassium has been the subject of considerable controversy regarding its possible presence in the earth’s outer core. Two questions must be answered in order to resolve this riddle: (1) Is potassium miscible in candidate iron melts under conditions prevalent in the deep interior of the earth?, and (2) Was the mechanism of core formation such that potassium was initially present in the core? The second question is by far the more difficult one and it must await further developments in our understanding of cosmochemistry, planetary accretion and the history of the internal dynamics of the earth. The first question has been the subject of various experimental and theoretical investigations. Unfortunately, the experiments were done at low pressures and their results are in conflict with each other. The same comment is applicable to the various theoretical cosmochemical arguments. Bukowinski [1] summarized the relevant literature and argued that low pressure data is probably not useful for making predictions about the high pressure behavior of potassium. In fact, a detailed study of the electronic structure and equation of state of potassium has shown the latter to have properties typical of a transition metal at pressures well below those in the earth’s core [1]. It was also shown that, due to electronic collapses, it is impossible to predict the correct high pressure properties of potassium through extrapolations of low pressure data.
Dissolved iron transport pathways in the Ross Sea: Influence of tides and horizontal resolution in a regional ocean model

Abstract Phytoplankton production in the Ross Sea is regulated by the availability of dissolved iron (dFe), a limiting micro-nutrient, whose sources include Circumpolar Deep Water, sea ice melt, glacial melt, and benthic sources (sediment efflux and remineralization). We employ a passive tracer dye to model the benthic dFe sources and track pathways from deep areas of the continental shelf to the surface mixed layer in simulations with and without tidal forcing, and at 5 and 1.5 km horizontal resolution. This, combined with dyes for each of the other dFe sources, provides an estimate of total dFe supply to surface waters. We find that tidal forcing increases the amount of benthic dye that covers the banks on the continental shelf. Calculations of mixed layer depth to define the surface ocean give similar average values over the shelf, but spatial patterns differ between simulations, particularly along the ice shelf front. Benthic dFe supply in simulations shows an increase with tidal forcing and a decrease with higher resolution. The changes in benthic dFe supply control the difference in total supply between simulations. Overall, the total dFe supply from simulations varies from 5.60 to 7.95 μmol m −2 year −1, with benthic supply comprising 32–50%, comparing well with recent data and model synthesis. We suggest that including tides and using high horizontal resolution is important, especially when considering spatial variability of iron supply on the Ross Sea shelf.
Empirical Evidence on Common Money and Uncommon Regions in the United States

European monetary unification by eleven member states in January 1999 will create a currency union. The road to monetary union over the past decade or more has not been a smooth one. A particular concern among economists and politicians alike is the extent to which the adoption and use of a common currency prevents members in the currency union from engaging in region-specific monetary and fiscal policies in response to region-specific disturbances. The notion of optimality in a currency area, as propounded by Mundell (1961), Meade (1957), and Kenen (1969) made explicit reference to the geographic nature of shocks. Regions whose various economic shocks were highly correlated would not suffer from the loss of autonomy in monetary policy implied by currency unification since monetary responses to economic disturbances that were optimal for the union as a whole should be optimal for all regions of the union individually.
The Effect of Electron Lens as Landau Damping Device on Single Particle Dynamics in HL-LHC

An electron lens can serve as an effective mechanism for suppressing coherent instabilities in high intensity storage rings through nonlinear amplitude dependent betatron tune shift. However, the addition of a strong localized nonlinear focusing element to the accelerator lattice may lead to undesired effects in particle dynamics. We evaluate the effect of a Gaussian electron lens on single particle motion in HL-LHC using numerical tracking simulations, and compare the results to the case when an equal tune spread is generated by conventional octupole magnets.
Anti-inflammatory effects of flavonoids in neurodegenerative disorders

Abstract Neuroinflammation is one of the main mechanisms involved in the progression of several neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson, Alzheimer, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and others. The activation of microglia is the main feature of neuroinflammation, promoting the release of pro-inflammatory cytokines and resulting in the progressive neuronal cell death. Natural compounds, such as flavonoids, possess neuroprotective potential probably related to their ability to modulate the inflammatory responses involved in neurodegenerative diseases. In fact, pure flavonoids (e.g., quercetin, genistein, hesperetin, epigallocatechin-3-gallate) or enriched-extracts, can reduce the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, IL-1β and COX-2), down-regulate inflammatory markers and prevent neural damage. This anti-inflammatory activity is primarily related to the regulation of microglial cells, mediated by their effects on MAPKs and NF-κB signalling pathways, as demonstrated by in vivo and in vitro data. The present work reviews the role of inflammation in neurodegenerative diseases, highlighting the potential therapeutic effects of flavonoids as a promising approach to develop innovative neuroprotective strategy.
Cellular mechanisms involved in the modulation of the immune system by drugs of abuse.

In response to a pathological condition, immunocytokines are released and induce immune responses, i.e. inflammation. In association with the inflammatory response, however, the host often enters a catabolic state because these immunocytokines can also cause fever and loss of appetite. Through their effects on the central nervous system (CNS), these immunocytokines can also activate the neuroendocrine system to produce ACTH and glucocorticoids, which are anti-inflammatory. In such a way, both the induction and progression of immune responses are highly regulated through the modulatory actions of cytokines.
Thermal Resistance Across the Interstitial Material Kapton MT at Cryogenic Temperatures

The present work concentrates on the measurement of the thermal resistance of a copper/Kapton MT/copper junction, in a flat-plate geometry, at cryogenic temperatures. Kapton MT is a polyimide film with alumina filler particles and has a relatively low thermal resistance, but yet a high voltage standoff capability. The thermal resistance consists of two components: thermal contact resistance at the copper/Kapton MT interfaces, and the thermal conduction resistance across the Kapton MT film. The measured thermal resistance indicates that increasing the contact pressure reduces the thermal resistance, to a limit determined by the film conduction resistance. Increasing the contact pressure and the average interface temperature, and decreasing the thickness of the interstitial layer, tends to decrease the thermal resistance.
FEASIBILITY AND EFFECTIVENESS OF A SHOCK TEAM APPROACH IN REFRACTORY CARDIOGENIC SHOCK: PRELIMINARY RESULTS

Despite efforts to improve treatment of refractory cardiogenic shock (rCS), prognosis has remained poor. Multidisciplinary “Shock Teams” have been proposed as a strategy to streamline care delivery and improve outcomes. However, the feasibility and efficacy of this strategy has not yet been
Hemodynamic Assessment in the CCU by Echocardiography

Cardiac hemodynamics and intracardiac pressures can be assessed noninvasively with echocardiography. The simplified Bernoulli equation can be used for the majority of calculation for inter-chamber gradients. These measurements can aid in the assessment and management of patients in the cardiac intensive care unit. This chapter will focus on the hemodynamic assessment of the cardiac intensive care patient using Doppler and other echocardiographic techniques.
Intervention with Male Toddlers who have Witnessed Parental Violence

Research evidence indicates that witnessing parental violence has serious negative effects on children and may predispose male children, in particular, to become violent in future relationships. Th...
Quantitative MRI UTE-T2* and T2* Show Progressive and Continued Graft Maturation Over 2 Years in Human Patients After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background:Noninvasive quantitative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures to assess anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) graft maturity are needed to help inform return to high-demand activities an...
Transverse Young's modulus of carbon/glass hybrid fiber composites:

Hybrid fiber composites offer designers a means of tailoring the stress–strain behavior of lightweight materials used in high-performance structures. While the longitudinal stress–strain behavior o...
The Promise of Infrastructure

Nikhil Anand, Akhil Gupta, and Hannah Appel, eds. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2018. viii and 256 pp., acknowledgments, contributors, index. $99.95 cloth (ISBN 978-1-4780-0003-7); $25.95 pape...
Analytical Solution for Large-Scale Rotating Fluid Layer with Thermal Convection

A soliton-like solution is obtained by using the auxiliary Riccati equation method for the evolution equation describing the deformation of the upper surface of a large-scale rotating fluid layer with the thermal convection. This solution reveals that the long-lived structure of the rotating fluid layer depends on the nonlinear term associated with the beta effect and the diffusion term resulted from the thermal convection.
Robots for Future Classrooms: A Cross-Cultural Validation Study of “Negative Attitudes Toward Robots Scale” in the U.S. Context

Social robots are increasingly used in educational settings, but research on human–robot interaction in schools has largely focused on robotic functions and effects. Teacher attitudes towards robots are an important factor in determining the effectiveness of robot-related classroom interventions. In this paper we assessed the usefulness of the Negative Attitudes Toward Robots Scale (NARS) for use in U.S. populations. We reviewed research on the use of NARS and on teacher attitudes toward social robots, showing the potential of this scale for use in the field of education. Using data from 54 undergraduate students in a pre-service teacher education course, we found slightly different subscale loadings on the NARS than previous studies. We identified items on the scale that needed clarification and noted that the paucity of items related to emotional responses may limit the effectiveness of the scale as an international tool for assessing attitudes given cultural differences in emotion. We also found that lack of prior experience with robots was the strongest predictor of negative attitudes towards robots, suggesting that increased exposure to social robots in teacher education might be an effective way to improve educator attitudes toward robots.
Credit on Wheels: The Law andBusiness of Auto-Title Lending

Table of ContentsI. Introduction 537II. The Title Lending Business 539A. Research Approach 539B. The Title Loan Transaction 5411. Why Do People Take out Title Loans? 5422. How Much Money Do Stores Lend to Customers? 546a. Absolute Dollar Amounts 546b. Money Lent Relative to the Value of the Vehicle 548c. Money Lent Relative to Income 5533. Are Title Borrowers Overly Optimistic About Rollovers? 5554. Costs of Title Loans 557C. Cars as Collateral 5601. How Often Do Lenders Repossess Vehicles? 5602. Are Borrowers Overly Optimistic About the Chances Their Vehicle Will Be Repossessed? 5663. Do Lenders Use Collateral as a Terror Mechanism to Encourage Repayment? 5674. Do Customers Have Other Transportation to Work? 568III. Title Lending Law 572A. Effective Bans 573B. Title Lenders Operating in States with Strict Price Controls 5751. Open-Ended Credit 5762. Credit Service Organizations 5773. Higher Loan Amounts 578C. Authorized but Effectively Unregulated 579D. Regulated as a Pawn Transaction 581E. Regulated Directly and Extensively (Although not Necessarily Strictly) 5831. Licensing Requirements 5842. Rollovers 5843. Repossessions 5854. Deficiencies and Surpluses 5865. Restrictions on Loan Amounts 5866. Restrictions on Fees 588TV. Evaluating Title Lending Laws 588A. The Argument for Banning Title Loans 5891. Title Lending's Spurious Connection to Financial Distress 5892. Bans Prevent Beneficial Uses of Title Loans 5903. Price: The Best Case for Bans 592B. Title-Lending-Specific Laws Versus Pawn Laws and Regulatory Uncertainty 5931. Uncertainty 5932. States Without Title Lending Laws Do Not Adequately Protect Consumers 595C. Specific Features Legislators Should Consider ......... 5951. Deficiencies and Surpluses 5962. Disclosures Aimed at Optimism and Cost 5983. Flexibility to Permit Innovation …
Understanding the Needs of Individuals Who Have Experienced Pregnancy Loss: A Retrospective Community-Based Survey

Background: Pregnancy loss is the most common complication of pregnancy and understanding the needs of individuals experiencing pregnancy loss will help the medical team provide patient-centered ca...
Cardiac arrhythmias during myocardial infarction

A 58-year-old man, who had used cocaine and other illicit drugs in the past, had mild, intermittent exertional chest discomfort for 2 weeks followed by severe, prolonged chest pain, which began while he was dancing and was unrelieved by rest. An electrocardiogram recorded on arrival at the emergency department (Figure 1) showed acute inferoposterior myocardial infarction with some features of right coronary arterial occlusion, i.e., ST elevation lead III > lead II and ST depression in lead I, and some features of left circumflex occlusion, i.e., ST depression in leads V1, V2, and aVR (1). Right-sided chest leads showed no significant ST elevation. The cardiac rhythm was marked sinus arrhythmia that did not meet criteria for type I or type II sinoatrial block. The P-R intervals were at the upper limit of normal (0.18 to 0.22 seconds). Over the next several hours, there was minimal sinus arrhythmia. The PR interval varied from 0.42 to 0.18 seconds, and there was further evolution of the changes of inferoposterior myocardial infarction. Figure 1. Electrocardiogram at the time of presentation to the hospital. See text for explication. Twelve hours after the first electrocardiogram, the tracing changed dramatically (Figure 2). Marked sinus arrhythmia was completely dissociated from a regular accelerated idioventricular rhythm, so-called block-acceleration dissociation, i.e., the presence of some degree of atrioventricular block with the atrioventricular dissociation probably being accentuated by the accelerated idioventricular rate (2). Accelerated idioventricular rhythm is common in acute myocardial infarction and, unlike ventricular tachycardia, does not worsen prognosis (3). Figure 2. Electrocardiogram 12 hours after arrival at the hospital. See text for explication. Although the electrocardiogram has features of both right and left circumflex coronary arterial occlusion, two facts suggest the right as the culprit. First, the right is the culprit four times as often as the left circumflex in patients with acute inferior myocardial infarction (1). Second, the artery to the atrioventricular node arises from the right coronary 90% of the time, and any degree of new atrioventricular block suggests the right as the culprit; a caveat here is that inferior myocardial infarction, especially early in its course, often is accompanied by an increase in vagal tone that could be responsible, at least in part, for the atrioventricular block, as well as the marked sinus arrhythmia. Coronary arteriography revealed total occlusion of the right coronary in its mid portion and 90% narrowing of the left circumflex beyond a large first obtuse marginal branch. A bare metal stent was placed in the right coronary artery, and the patient had an uneventful postprocedural course with no further arrhythmia.
Leveraging Social Data for Health Care Behavior Analytics

User-generated social health data can provide valuable insights into the health care behavior and practices of patients for clinicians, policy makers and other patients. Social InfoButtons is a tool for integrating and analyzing social health data, using a semantic data integration framework that is flexible and extensible with respect to a variety of health data sources. The integration overlay provides a framework that semantically links data enabling cross dataset exploration and analysis. The unified data model for both scientific and social sources allows multi-dimensional analysis and the ability to explore and compare the expert knowledge with the actual health care practices of patients.
AUTOMOTIVE DIESEL ENGINES--FUEL COMPOSITION VS PARTICULATES

Forty-six experimental diesel fuels have been tested in a modern automotive diesel engine, and the effect of fuel characteristics on particulate emissions, gaseous emissions, and fuel economy has been studied. Regression analysis of results established a relationship between particulate emissions and two fuel characteristics: (1) aromatic content and (2) volatility, especially as described by the 90% boiling point. Particulates could be reduced by lowering either aromatic content or 90% boiling point.
2D Gravity and Matrix Models

To any finite order in perturbation theory, one does not see any of the interesting nonperturbative properties of gauge theories, such as confinement, tunneling, formation of strings, etc. As a consequence, two approximations have been developed, large N methods and lattice gauge theory, to analyze gauge theories in the nonperturbative regime. However, both approaches are still in their infancy, and neither has given us definitive results.
Artifact, Preservation, and Access: UNM's Editorial Botas Book Covers Collection

The University of New Mexico General Libraries recently acquired an archival collection of 147 paperback books published in Mexico by Editorial Botas from the 1920s to the 1950s. The historical and artistic significance of the cover illustrations, combined with the relatively intact condition of the books, made this an attractive acquisition for the library. The books were cataloged and preserved, then placed in a special collection. All covers were digitally scanned while maintaining the integrity of the physical objects. A searchable database containing a brief bibliographic description and an image of each cover was produced with the eventual goal of mounting it to a web site. Design and execution of the electronic pathfinder proved challenging and educational for the librarian and technicians involved. The development and results of this process provides an encouraging model for both preservation of and access to fragile materials.
Geografía política: tensión en las fronteras de Colombia como efecto de su conflicto interno

Colombian borders have always been under tension or some kind of pressure. Since independence to modern times this situation has not changed much. At the onset of the twentieth century, Panama claimed its independence and later on in 1932 Colombia was in serious trouble protecting its territory from a Peruvian invasion through its southern border. The Colombian-Venezuelan border has been rather unstable and there remains a border conflict rather troublesome to settle. In recent years Ecuador, Peru, Brasil and Panama have become increasingly worried about the impact that the Colombian internal conflict may have in their border areas. Diplomacy is keeping those troubles within a relative prudent control, as far away as possible from actions that could bring about undesirable consequences. In the early twenty-first century Colombian borders are weak, insecure, and furthermore exposed to illegal activities. It must be realized that if serious, responsible and clear policies concerning border issues are not implemented, Colombia may well be at the edge of serious international conflict.
Behavior of Wood-Concrete Composite Beams

Thirteen wood-concrete composite T-beams were fabricated and tested. Epoxy resin was used to bond the wood web to the concrete flange. By proper design, it was possible to stress the concrete in compression and the wood in tension as long as the bond between wood and concrete remained effective. It was found that the beams function as composite sections and carry substantial loads before failure. Four failure modes are identified: Sliding shear, beam shear, tensile wood failure and concrete compressive failure. Beams glued while the concrete was fresh performed at least as well as beams glued after the concrete had set. Longitudinal nails used as additional shear connectors substantially increase the horizontal shear resistance between wood and concrete. Reinforcing wood strips also increase the sliding shear resistance. The effect of other variables remain to be considered.