cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Consumer Attitude towards Fast Food Consumption

Fast foods act as an important role in the people’s composite lifestyle. The fast food concept has been introduced from developed countries; and little by little, Sri Lankan people have been intensively adopting their lifestyle, consistently with this concept. As such, it is useful to identify the Consumer Attitude towards Fast Food Consumption, since the Sri Lankans change their behavior to have fast foods of developed countries from traditional Sri Lankan foods. The aim of this study is to assess the Consumer Attitudes that influencing on Fast Food Consumption in relation to Burger King, KFC, McDonald’s, and Pizza Hut. To achieve the goals of this research, the data were collected from convenience sample of 200 customers in Colombo Divisional Secretariat Division. The respondents provided the data by means of a close-ended questionnaire. Pearson’s Correlation was used for testing the hypotheses. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS Software. This study empirically examines the significant relationship between Consumer Attitudes (CA) as the independent variable and Fast Food Consumption (FFC) as the dependent variable. While both the variables individually have high level attributes, the Pearson’s correlation analysis explores a positively significant linear relationship between CA and FFC. This implies that the FFC can be predicted with the nature of CA. The correlation coefficient between the CA and FFC indicates that the CA is useful to explain the variation in FFC. Further analysis of regression model with intercept indicates that it needs additional suitable variables to predict unexplained variation of 40% of the FFC.
Optimal Pulse Shapes for SHPB Tests on Soft Materials

For split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) tests on soft materials, the goals of homogeneous deformation and uniform uniaxial stress in the specimen present experimental challenges, particularly at higher strain rates. It has been known for some time that attainment of these conditions is facilitated by reducing the thickness of the specimen or by appropriately shaping the loading pulse. Typically, both methods must be employed. Pulse shapes are often tailored to deliver a smooth and sufficiently slow rise to a constant axial strain rate, as this promotes equality of the mean axial stress on the two faces of the specimen, a condition referred to as dynamic equilibrium. However, a constant axial strain rate does not eliminate radial acceleration, which may result in large radial and hoop stresses and large radial variations in the radial, hoop and axial stresses. An approximate analysis (assuming homogeneous deformation and incompressibility) indicates that these radial inertia effects would be eliminated if the radial strain rate were constant. Motivated by this result, we consider loading pulses that deliver a constant radial strain rate after an initial ramp-up. The corresponding axial strain rate is no longer constant on any time interval, but for sufficiently thin specimens the resulting departure from dynamic equilibrium may be small enough to be tolerable. This is explored here by comparing the analytical predictions for the conventional and “optimal” loading pulse shapes with corresponding numerical simulations of SHPB tests on a soft, nearly incompressible material.
Psychosocial Influences on Disaster Preparedness in San Francisco Recipients of Home Care

Disasters disproportionately impact certain segments of the population, including children, pregnant women, people living with disabilities and chronic conditions and those who are underserved and under-resourced. One of the most vulnerable groups includes the community-dwelling elderly. Post-disaster analyses indicate that these individuals have higher risk of disaster-related morbidity and mortality. They also have suboptimal levels of disaster preparedness in terms of their ability to shelter-in-place or evacuate to a shelter. The reasons for this have not been well characterized, although impaired health, financial limitations, and social isolation are believed to act as barriers to preparedness as well as to adaptability to changes in the environment both during and in the immediate aftermath of disasters. In order to identify strategies that address barriers to preparedness, we recently conducted a qualitative study of 50 elderly home care recipients living in San Francisco. Data were collected during in-home, in-person interviews using a semi-structured interview guide that included psychosocial constructs based on the social cognitive preparedness model and a new 13-item preparedness checklist. The mean preparedness score was 4.74 (max 13, range 1–11, SD. 2.11). Over 60 % of the participants reported that they had not made back-up plans for caregiver assistance during times of crisis, 74 % had not made plans for transportation to a shelter, 56 % lacked a back-up plan for electrical equipment in case of power outages, and 44 % had not prepared an emergency contacts list—the most basic element of preparedness. Impairments, disabilities, and resource limitations served as barriers to preparedness. Cognitive processes that underlie motivation and intentions for preparedness behaviors were lacking. There were limitations with respect to critical awareness of hazards (saliency), self-efficacy, outcome expectancy, and perceived responsibility. There was also a lack of trust in response agencies and authorities and a limited sense of community. Participants wanted to be prepared and welcomed training, but physical limitations kept many of them home bound. Training of home care aides, the provision of needed resources, and improved community outreach may be helpful in improving disaster outcomes in this vulnerable segment of the population.
Methylene blue decreases mitochondrial lysine acetylation in the diabetic heart

Diabetic cardiomyopathy is preceded by mitochondrial alterations, and progresses to heart failure. We studied whether treatment with methylene blue (MB), a compound that was reported to serve as an alternate electron carrier within the mitochondrial electron transport chain (ETC), improves mitochondrial metabolism and cardiac function in type 1 diabetes. MB was administered at 10 mg/kg/day to control and diabetic rats. Both echocardiography and hemodynamic studies were performed to assess cardiac function. Mitochondrial studies comprised the measurement of oxidative phosphorylation and specific activities of fatty acid oxidation enzymes. Proteomic studies were employed to compare the level of lysine acetylation on cardiac mitochondrial proteins between the experimental groups. We found that MB facilitates NADH oxidation, increases NAD+, and the activity of deacetylase Sirtuin 3, and reduces protein lysine acetylation in diabetic cardiac mitochondria. We identified that lysine acetylation on 83 sites in 34 proteins is lower in the MB-treated diabetic group compared to the same sites in the untreated diabetic group. These changes occur across critical mitochondrial metabolic pathways including fatty acid transport and oxidation, amino acid metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, ETC, transport, and regulatory proteins. While the MB treatment has no effect on the activities of acyl-CoA dehydrogenases, it decreases 3-hydroxyacyl-CoA dehydrogenase activity and long-chain fatty acid oxidation, and improves cardiac function. Providing an alternative route for mitochondrial electron transport is a novel therapeutic approach to decrease lysine acetylation, alleviate cardiac metabolic inflexibility, and improve cardiac function in diabetes.
On the Highly Probable Use by F. P. Ramsey of R. Fisher's 1923 Eugenics Review of the a Treatise on Probability in His Second 1926 Review of the a Treatise on Probability

There was a major change in both the tone and claims made about the scientific quality of Keynes’s treatment of probability in the A Treatise on Probability in Ramsey’s second review of the A Treatise on Probability in 1926 when compared to the earlier 1921 review. The tone became much more critical and sarcastic while the claims became much more negative. It is a simple task to compare and contrast the shrill, polemical nature of Fisher’s 1923 Eugenics Review diatribe on Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability with the very similar approach taken by Ramsey in 1926. A very strong case can be made that Ramsey’s 1926 “review” of the A Treatise on Probability is simply Ramsey’s regurgitating the false claims made by Fisher in 1923, combined with the earlier 1921 review. Ramsey never cited Fisher’s review, but from later citations made to Fisher’s other works, there is a very high probability that Ramsey’s much, more hostile take on Keynes’s A Treatise on Probability in 1926 is simply a retelling of Fisher’s tale.
Profile SP (P-type) HPGe detectors — premium resolution at low to medium energies

The resolution performance of a High Purity Germanium (HPGe) gamma-ray detector is a function of three factors: crystal quality and geometry, electronic noise, and any microphonic contribution. Improving detector resolution solves peak overlapping problems in complicated multi-peak spectra and improves the performance of peak identification algorithms yielding fewer false positive results in spectrometry analysis. A new Low Noise Back Contact (LNBC) has been developed by ORTEC® for p-type semi-planar HPGe detectors. This LNBC minimizes electronic noise, while the semi-planar p-type crystal geometry offers premium efficiency and charge collection performance for the 3 keV to 1 MeV energy region, where the majority of nuclides reside. Additionally, semi-planar crystal geometry lowers the Compton region created by higher energy gammas, allowing lower Minimum Detectable Activity (MDA) levels. The “Profile SP” with unmatched premium resolution results will be discussed for various energies and shaping times.
Prosthetic heart valve thrombosis: an overview.

Background Valvular heart disease represents a significant burden to patients with cardiovascular diseases. Surgical treatment of diseased heart valves represents a significant advancement for these patients. However, there are specific complications related to prosthetic valves, including valve thrombosis. Methods Review article. Results Thrombosis of a prosthetic heart valve can present with gradual cardiac decline, embolic phenomena, or frank cardiogenic shock. The diagnosis of prosthetic valve thrombosis is by history, physical examination, and by an imaging modality. Treatment of the thrombosed valve is either surgical or with thrombolysis. Both modalities have significant morbidity and mortality. Conclusion Treatment of valvular heart disease does not remove the patient from significant risks. Inherent to a prosthetic heart valve is the risk for valvular thrombosis. Prompt recognition and treatment of prosthetic valve thrombosis is important.
The Biological Origins of Psychological Phenomena

The perception, not only of psychoanalysis but of all psychology as occupying a place both within and without the natural sciences is a perpetual source of frustration and fascination for those of us who come to the field as physicians. We share with Freud and other spiritual ancestors of similar background a sense of continuing challenge. How can we reconcile our neurologic and physiologic frame of reference with the clinically inescapable fact that in our day-to-day efforts we seem to be working on an entirely different plane? Our plight—and I use the word advisedly—as psychoanalysts involves dealing with extremely substantial—even quantifiable—physiological processes, while at the same time working in a medium which commits us to the use of explanatory devices which have to do only with relationships. We may detect evidence of what we consider rage, aggression, sensuality, and so forth. What we interpret, however, is the complexities of feelings as they are manifested in the context of human relations. No one has ever profited from being told that he suffers from an excessive aggressive drive. Our patients, however, regularly benefit from becoming aware of covert object-directed impulses and fantasies. Properly timed interpretations can be powerful in affecting not only perception of self and others but physiological processes as well.
National Scales of Spectrometry in the U. S.

ABSTRACT U.S. national scales of regular transmittance, regular reflectance, total reflectance factor, 45°/0° diffuse reflectance factor, coefficient of luminous intensity of retroreflectance, gloss, haze and optical density are established from basic principles with reference instruments. These scales are disseminated by means of reference and transfer instruments through calibration services and calibrated standard reference materials. The following is a discussion of the hierarchy of spectrophotometric standards and measurement capabilities at the U. S. National Bureau of Standards.
Consumer protection: The issues

This paper seeks to organize the discussion of the “issues” in consumer protection by identifying and analyzing the basic factors that have given rise to the demand for consumer protection. Five are singled out for discussion. They are: (a) the monopoly problem at both industry and retail levels; (b) informationally imperfect markets in which consumers are unable or unwilling to obtain and act upon the information that would enable them to make effective choices; (c) the consumer grievance problem, meaning the dissatisfaction that consumers often encounter in consumer purchases; (d) the underrepresentation of consumers and the consumer interest; (e) the desire to shelter vulnerable consumers — the poor, the aged, etc.
An Online Training Module on the Cultural Formulation Interview: The Case of New York State

Professional organizations and government guidelines recommend cultural competence training for providers, but the lack of a standardized cultural assessment has hindered research. Studies with the DSM-5 Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) suggest that active learning during training improves perceptions of the CFI's usefulness as a cultural competence tool. This column reports demographic characteristics and evaluation scores among 423 providers who completed an online CFI training module developed through the New York State Office of Mental Health. Both the module, which uses the principle of active learning, and the CFI were associated with strong favorability ratings.
Research to practice: understanding the role of implicit bias in early childhood disciplinary practices

Racial inequity has long been an issue in the educational system. In recent years, researchers and policy makers have begun to recognize the role of implicit bias in the disproportionate number of ...
Pro-Arrhythmogenic Effects of Heterogeneous Tissue Curvature ― A Suggestion for Role of Left Atrial Appendage in Atrial Fibrillation ―

BACKGROUND The arrhythmogenic role of complex atrial morphology has not yet been clearly elucidated. We hypothesized that bumpy tissue geometry can induce action potential duration (APD) dispersion and wavebreak in atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results: We simulated a 2D-bumpy atrial model by varying the degree of bumpiness, and 3D-left atrial (LA) models integrated by LA computed tomographic (CT) images taken from 14 patients with persistent AF. We also analyzed wave-dynamic parameters with bipolar electrograms during AF and compared them with LA-CT geometry in 30 patients with persistent AF. In the 2D-bumpy model, APD dispersion increased (P<0.001) and wavebreak occurred spontaneously when the surface bumpiness was greater, showing phase transition-like behavior (P<0.001). The bumpiness gradient 2D-model showed that spiral wave drifted in the direction of higher bumpiness, and phase singularity (PS) points were mostly located in areas with higher bumpiness. In the 3D-LA model, PS density was higher in the LA appendage (LAA) compared with other parts of the LA (P<0.05). In 30 persistent-AF patients, the surface bumpiness of LAA was 5.8-fold that of other LA parts (P<0.001), and exceeded critical bumpiness to induce wavebreak. Wave dynamics complexity parameters were consistently dominant in the LAA (P<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Bumpy tissue geometry promoted APD dispersion, wavebreak, and spiral wave drift in in-silico human atrial tissue, and corresponded to clinical electroanatomical maps.
TLR4 Promotes and DAP12 Limits Obesity-Induced Osteoarthritis in Aged Female Mice

Aging and female sex are the strongest risk factors for nontraumatic osteoarthritis (OA); whereas obesity is a modifiable risk factor accelerating OA. Prior studies indicate that the innate immune receptor toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) mediates obesity-induced metabolic inflammation and cartilage catabolism via recognition of damage-associated molecular patterns and is increased with aging in OA joints. TLR4 responses are limited by innate immunoreceptor adapter protein DNAX-activating protein of 12kDA (DAP12). We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that TLR4 promotes, whereas DAP12 limits, obesity-accelerated OA in aged female mice. We fed 13- to 15-month-old female WT, TLR4 KO, and DAP12 KO mice a high-fat diet (HFD) or a control diet for 12 weeks, and changes in body composition, glucose tolerance, serum cytokines, and insulin levels were compared. Knee OA was evaluated by histopathology and μCT. Infrapatellar fat pads (IFPs) were analyzed by histomorphometry and F4/80+ crown-like structures were quantified. IFPs and synovium gene expression were analyzed using a targeted insulin resistance and inflammation array. All HFD-treated mice became obese, but only WT and TLR4 KO mice developed glucose intolerance. HFD induced cartilage catabolism in WT and DAP12 KO female mice, but not in TLR4 KO mice. Gene-expression analysis of IFPs and synovium showed significant differences in insulin signaling, adipokines, and inflammation between genotypes and diets. Unlike young mice, systemic inflammation was not induced by HFD in the older female mice independent of genotype. Our findings support the conclusion that TLR4 promotes and DAP12 limits HFD-induced cartilage catabolism in middle-aged female mice.
Locomotor patterns change over time during walking on an uneven surface.

ABSTRACT During walking, uneven surfaces impose new demands for controlling balance and forward progression at each step. It is unknown to what extent walking may be refined given an amount of stride-to-stride unpredictability at the distal level. Here, we explored the effects of an uneven terrain surface on whole-body locomotor dynamics immediately following exposure and after a familiarization period. Eleven young, unimpaired adults walked for 12 min on flat and uneven terrain treadmills. The whole-body center of mass excursion range (COMexc) and peak velocity (COMvel), step length and width were estimated. On first exposure to uneven terrain, we saw significant increases in medial–lateral COMexc and lateral COMvel, and in the variability of COMexc, COMvel and foot placement in both anterior–posterior and medial–lateral directions. Increases in step width and decreases in step length supported the immediate adoption of a cautious, restrictive solution on uneven terrain. After familiarization, step length increased and the variability of anterior–posterior COMvel and step length reduced, while step width and lateral COMvel reduced, alluding to a refinement of movement and a reduction of conservative strategies over time. However, the variability of medial–lateral COMexc and lateral COMvel increased, consistent with the release of previously constrained degrees of freedom. Despite this increase in variability, a strong relationship between step width and medial–lateral center of mass movement was maintained. Our results indicate that movement strategies of unimpaired adults when walking on uneven terrain can evolve over time with longer exposure to the surface.
Adversarial Numerical Analysis for Inverse Problems.

Many scientific and engineering applications are formulated as inverse problems associated with stochastic models. In such cases the unknown quantities are distributions. The applicability of traditional methods is limited because of their demanding assumptions or prohibitive computational consumptions; for example, maximum likelihood methods require closed-form density functions, and Markov Chain Monte Carlo needs a large number of simulations. We introduce adversarial numerical analysis, which estimates the unknown distributions by minimizing the discrepancy of statistical properties between observed random process and simulated random process. The discrepancy metric is computed with a discriminative neural network. We demonstrated numerically that the proposed methods can estimate the underlying parameters and learn complicated unknown distributions.
Chicago Unions Building a Left-Labor-Community Coalition, United Working Families, to Restore Working-Class Democracy:

Neoliberal political institutions are beholden to the interests of capital and professional classes, leaving working people and communities of color without a voice to shape priorities that benefit...
Occipital Neuralgia Treated With Acupuncture: A Case Report.

We present a case report of a patient whose occipital neuralgia symptoms were substantially improved after a single acupuncture treatment with complete resolution after only a short course of care....
Relationship of lymphopenia to overall survival and progression-free survival in rectal cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemoradiation.

39Background: Pelvic radiation and myelosuppressive chemotherapy can lead to lymphopenia during the course of preoperative chemoradiation when treating rectal cancer. Lymphopenia during chemoradiat...
Exploring the Connection Between End-of-Life Relational Communication and Personal Growth After the Death of a Loved One:

The purpose of the current investigation was to examine associations between final conversations (FCs; i.e., relational communication with a terminally ill individual from the moment of terminal diagnosis to death) with the outcome of personal growth (PG). A total of 236 individuals who had previously engaged in FCs with a deceased loved one participated in an online survey. Analyses revealed significant, positive associations between the six FCs factors (i.e., messages of love, messages of spirituality/religion, messages of identity, everyday talk and routine interactions, difficult relationship talk, and instrumental death talk) with the PG factors. Implications are discussed along with limitations and future directions.
Pulse Coded Winner-Take-All Networks

This chapter introduces a pulse-coded winner-take-all (PWTA) network which employs a unique combination of presynaptic and lateral inhibition that can be efficiently implemented in VLSI. The manner in which the network not only selects the winner but also indicates the weight of the decision made is unique among established winner-take-all networks. A combination of all-ornothing and graded responses is encoded as a variable rate pulse train appearing only at the output of the winning unit. The mechanism used is closely related to the presynaptic inhibition approach introduced in [Yuille 88] with the exception that it is self-resetting and has properties which make it well suited for electronic realizations using asynchronous pulse-coded circuitry.
Implicit Bias in Criminal Justice: Growing Influence as an Insight to Systemic Oppression

Implicit bias continues its rise as an increasingly important concept among advocates of criminal justice reform. Also known as “unconscious” or “nonconscious” bias, the idea in recent years has enjoyed greater acceptance as a means of understanding how bias and bigotry can impact the decisionmaking of actors at all levels of the criminal justice system. Taken wholly, the decisionmaking creates structural biases against certain social outgroups. Implicit bias helps to explain some of the disproportionate and disparate aspects of the criminal justice system, and especially why prosecution and punishment are heavily skewed against certain groups. There are ample opportunities for the biased attitudes to manifest throughout the process, which effectively work to the detriment of those entangled in the system, from suspects to defendants to prisoners, probationers, and parolees. Of course, the first movers of this system are the police, but other parties include prosecutors, defense counsel, judges, and juries, among other officials in the system whose decisionmaking is susceptible to implicit bias. Even legislators who write the laws are susceptible. This chapter aims to describe this concept and the main challenges that implicit bias presents to the administration of criminal justice.
A methodology to generate longitudinally updated ACLF prognostication scores from electronic health record data

Abstract Background and Aims Queries of electronic health record (EHR) data repositories allow for automated data collection. These techniques have not been utilized in hepatology due to previous inability to capture hepatic encephalopathy (HE) grades, which are inputs for acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF) models. Here, we describe a methodology to utilizing EHR data to calculate rolling ACLF scores. Methods We examined 239 patient-admissions with end-stage liver disease 7/2014-6/2019. We mapped EHR flowsheet data to determine HE grades and calculated two longitudinally updated ACLF scores. We validated HE grades and ACLF diagnoses via chart review; and calculated sensitivity, specificity, and Cohen’s kappa. Results Of 239 patient-admissions analyzed, 37% women, 46% non-Hispanic White, median age 60 years, median MELD-Na at admission. Of the 239, 7% were diagnosed with NACSELD-ACLF at admission, 27% during the hospitalization, and 9% at discharge. Forty percent diagnosed with CLIF-C-ACLF at admission, 51% during the hospitalization, and 34% at discharge. From chart review of 51 admissions, we found sensitivities and specificities for any HE (grades 1-4) were 92-97% and 76-95%, respectively; for severe HE (grades 3-4) were 100% and 78-98%, respectively. Cohen’s kappa between flowsheet and chart review HE grades ranged 0.55-0.72. Sensitivities and specificities for NACSELD-ACLF diagnoses were 75-100% and 96-100%, respectively; for CLIF-C-ACLF diagnoses were 91-100% and 96-100%, respectively. We generated approximately 28 unique ACLF scores per patient per admission-day. Conclusion In this study, we developed an informatics-based methodology for to calculate longitudinally updated ACLF scores. This opens new analytic potentials, such big data methods to develop electronic phenotypes for ACLF patients.
Fear of Persecution: Forced Migration, 1952-95

Why would people abandon their homes in favor of an uncertain life elsewhere? The short answer, of course, is violence. More specifically, we contend that people monitor the violent behavior of both the government and dissidents and assess the threat such behavior poses to their lives, physical person, and liberty. The greater the threat posed by the behavior of the government and dissidents, the larger the number of forced migrants a country will produce. To test hypotheses drawn from our argument we use a global sample of countries over more than forty years. Our findings are consistent with our argument, and we are able to show that violent behavior has a substantially larger impact on forced migration than variables such as the type of political institutions or the average size of the economy.
More Boon than Bane

The paper argues that it is necessary to consider fracking from a political economy perspective to understand the key features of the shale boom, including why the benefits appear to exceed the costs. Several schools of thought provide insight into the performance of political-economic systems, including institutional economics, Austrian economics, the Bloomington School of institutional analysis, and public choice (Boettke and Leeson 2015). Despite many differences, recent work suggests that these schools of thought remain complementary (Boettke and Lopez 2002; Leeson and Subrick 2006). The U.S. shale boom illustrates the complementarity of these political economy perspectives. Austrian economics, with its insight into entrepreneurial leadership and vision, as well as creative destruction as a result of technological change, provides insight into the origin and consequences of fracking technology. Economic institutions, especially the robust system of private property rights to minerals, provided powerful incentives for owners to contract with gas companies. Another defining feature of the U.S. institutional context is polycentrism, which we argue encouraged regulatory experimentation in an environment characterized by uncertainty about how to best regulate shale gas. We conclude with some considerations about the role of politics in the shale boom.
Potassium channels as molecular targets of endocannabinoids

Endocannabinoids are a group of endogenous mediators derived from membrane lipids, which are implicated in a wide variety of physiological functions such as blood pressure regulation, immunity, pain, memory, reward, perception, reproduction, and sleep. N-Arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide; AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) represent two major endocannabinoids in the human body and they exert many of their cellular and organ system effects by activating the Gi/o protein-coupled, cannabinoid type 1 (CB1) and type 2 (CB2) receptors. However, not all effects of cannabinoids are ascribable to their interaction with CB1 and CB2 receptors; indeed, macromolecules like other types of receptors, ion channels, transcription factors, enzymes, transporters, and cellular structure have been suggested to mediate the functional effects of cannabinoids. Among the proposed molecular targets of endocannabinoids, potassium channels constitute an intriguing group, because these channels not only are crucial in shaping action potentials and controlling the membrane potential and cell excitability, thereby regulating a wide array of physiological processes, but also serve as potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of cancer and metabolic, neurological and cardiovascular disorders. This review sought to survey evidence pertaining to the CB1 and CB2 receptor-independent actions of endocannabinoids on ion channels, with an emphasis on AEA and potassium channels. To better understand the functional roles as well as potential medicinal uses of cannabinoids in human health and disease, further mechanistic studies to delineate interactions between various types of cannabinoids and ion channels, including members in the potassium channel superfamily, are warranted.
Free-streaming and Coupled Dark Radiation Isocurvature Perturbations: Constraints and Application to the Hubble Tension

Dark radiation (DR) appears as a new physics candidate in various scenarios beyond the Standard Model. While it is often assumed that perturbations in DR are adiabatic, they can easily have an isocurvature component if more than one field was present during inflation, and whose decay products did not all thermalize with each other. By implementing the appropriate isocurvature initial conditions (IC), we derive the constraints on both uncorrelated and correlated DR density isocurvature perturbations from the full Planck 2018 data alone, and also in combination with other cosmological data sets. Our study on free-streaming DR (FDR) updates and generalizes the existing bound on neutrino density isocurvature perturbations by including a varying number of relativistic degrees of freedom, and for coupled DR (CDR) isocurvature, we derive the first bound. We also show that for CDR qualitatively new physical effects arise compared to FDR. One such effect is that for isocurvature IC, FDR gives rise to larger CMB anisotropies compared to CDR -- contrary to the adiabatic case. More generally, we find that a blue-tilt of DR isocurvature spectrum is preferred. This gives rise to a larger value of the Hubble constant $H_0$ compared to the standard $\Lambda$CDM+$\Delta N_{\rm eff}$ cosmology with adiabatic spectra and relaxes the $H_0$ tension.
Our love of looking up

Our love of looking up The night sky has wowed people since the dawn of time, but it is becoming increasingly difficult to get a good view, writes Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Autism spectrum disorder: Diagnostic considerations

DSM-5 is a departure from previous diagnostic formats. Changes in emphasis are to be found in the salience of selected key symptoms. A more significant departure are the modifiers that can be used to express severity of selected groups of symptoms. Additionally specifiers and associated disorders including medical and genetic disorders should be included as part of an overall diagnostic picture.
Homo-IPNs as Model Networks

Most areas of modern research contain two concurrent factors: a basic aspect, which somehow aims at an improvement in scientific understanding, and an applied aspect, which is directed toward a practical goal such as a new or improved material or process. While one or the other factor frequently predominates in a given piece of work, sometimes the two are inextricable.
Let's not forget climate change in the food insecurity conversation: why the homeless are most vulnerable.

The recent article by Crawford et al. on food insecurity in homeless young people in Australia raises significant issues concerning both nutrition and the affordability of healthier food for this vulnerable group. The high cost associated with healthier foods has been established as one of the key barriers to food security, and this theme was clearly evident in Crawford's exploration of the topic.
Liver Injury After Oral and Rectal Administration of N-Acetylcysteine for Meconium Ileus Equivalent in a Patient With Cystic Fibrosis

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a mucolytic agent (Mucomyst, Mead-Johnson) that is often used for the treatment of meconium ileus equivalent, a complication of cystic fibrosis.1-3 No serious adverse reactions to nonparenterally administered NAC have been observed, and there have been no reports of significant hepatotoxicity. We describe a patient in whom severe hepatic dysfunction occurred on two occasions after the administration of NAC for the treatment of meconium ileus equivalent. CASE REPORT A 3-year-old, 12.5-kg, white boy with cystic fibrosis was admitted for treatment of a fractured left femur. His medications included theophylline, metaproterenol, cefaclor, nebulized isoethanine, and pancreatic enzyme replacement with meals.
A Simple Model for Estimating Newbuilding Costs

This paper presents a simple model for estimating newbuilding costs. Regression equations are estimated on a large data set of recent 2003–2007 shipyard deliveries reported in Lloyd's Shipping Economist. The equations developed in this paper can be used in a wide variety of economic analyses involving new ship construction and operating costs. The models presented here capture the most modern design and construction techniques, and most up-to-date cost information, compared to those previously described in the literature.
High efficiency batwing thin-film design for LED flat panel lighting

In this study, high efficiency thin film design with low UGR and batwing distribution in LED flat panel lighting is proposed. The batwing distribution can be used to enhance the uniformity for indoor lighting. Therefore, the micro-structure film is designed with v-cut and lenticular to transform the light distribution from lambetrian to batwing and keeps low UGR within 19. In this study, the holes pattern design on the micro-structure film aforementioned to enhance the light efficiency was analyzed and tested. According to the thin-film simulation model, the holes pattern on the batwing distribution film is proposed to enhance the efficiency more than 2 % with only 1% UGR losses. As a result, the micro-structure film is suitable to create an ideal batwing light distributions in office lighting.
Mechanisms of Sudden Cardiac Death

Sudden cardiac death (SCD) accounts for more that half of all cardiovascular deaths in the United States. The mechanisms of SCD are diverse and include arrhythmic and nonarrhythmic causes. Ventricular fibrillation (VF), ventricular tachycardia (VT), and asystole account for most episodes of SCD; nonarrhythmic causes such as pulmonary embolism, aortic dissection, pericardial tamponade, and stroke also contribute. Because ventricular arrhythmias represent the predominant cause of SCD, this chapter emphasizes the molecular and cellular processes that determine risk for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmia.
Computer Assisted Coronary Intervention by Use of On-line 3d Reconstruction and Optimal View Strategy

A novel method has been developed for on-line reconstruction of the 3D coronary arterial tree based on a pair of routine angiograms acquired from any two arbitrary viewing angles using a single-plane or biplane imaging system. An arterial segment of interest (e.g., coronary stenosis) is selected on the projection of reconstructed 3D coronary model. Afterwards, the process of optimal view strategy is employed resulting in foreshortening, overlap, and composite maps relative to the selected arterial segment by which any computer-generated projection associated with the gantry orientation can be previewed. By use of the three maps, the views with minimal foreshortening and vessel overlap for the selected arterial segment of interest can be determined to guide subsequent angiogram acquisitions for interventional procedure. More than 200 cases of coronary arterial systems have been reconstructed. A validation confirmed the accuracy of 3D length measurement to within RMS 3.1% error using 8 pairs of angiograms of intra-coronary catheter wire of 105 mm length.
Information organizations and the Lean approach to service delivery

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to introduce the Lean services methodology as a mechanism for improving products and services in libraries and information organizations. Through a high-level exploration of the philosophy, goals and principles of the methodology, the reader will gain an understanding of the methodology and its usefulness to information organizations. Design/methodology/approach – This paper is a general overview of the philosophy, goals and principles of the Lean services methodology. As such, it serves as a brief introduction to the topic. Findings – The Lean services methodology is an important tool for libraries and information organizations as they attempt to improve customer satisfaction and service. Having been adapted from the principles used in manufacturing to improve processes and customer satisfaction, Lean services is an appropriate tool to enable organizational improvement through individual empowerment. Originality/value – While the Lean services methodology has been w...
Identifying Critical Measures in DEA

Since each DMU has its own inherent tradeoffs among the multiple measures that significantly influence the performance, it is extremely important for the management to know the critical measures. The current chapter introduces the approach of Chen and Zhu (Annals of Operations Research, 124 (1–4), 225–244, 2003) for identifying the critical measures to DMUs’ performance. Note that once the DEA evaluation is done, the management needs to either (i) maintain the best practice for the efficient DMUs or (ii) achieve the best practice for the inefficient DMUs. Thus, when a set of multiple performance measures is determined, measures that are influential to maintaining and achieving the best practice should be regarded as critical to the performance of DMUs. Also, it is believed that a critical measure is signaled by whether changes in its value affect the performance, not by whether inclusion or exclusion of the measure affects the performance.
Near-real-time radiography detects 0.1% changes in areal density with 1-millimeter spatial resolution

Digital subtraction radiography serves angiography [1] and other medical applications successfully to extract minute x-ray signals from noisy backgrounds. Verhoeven [2] demonstrated that detecting surprisingly small changes in x-ray absorption makes this technique useful for industrial applications as well. I detect very small areal density differences and also wires as small as 2 µm in diameter although the spatial resolution of my x-ray apparatus is 1 mm.
Determination of adsorption geometry on spherical particles from nonlinear Mie theory analysis of surface second harmonic generation

Although second harmonic generation is intrinsically sensitive for probing interfaces, interpreting experimental observations for the determination of interfacial properties of colloidal particles requires rigorous theoretical treatment. A generally applicable nonlinear Mie theory is expanded into higher multipolar terms for describing second harmonic scattering from the surface of spherical particles. From a nonlinear least-square fitting of the scattering angular distribution of second harmonic light from molecules adsorbed on the surface, we demonstrate the determination of molecular hyperpolarizability and adsorption geometry on the surface of nanometer- to micrometer-sized spherical particles.
Vasopressin: A model for the study of effects of additives on the oral and rectal administration of peptide drugs

We previously observed, using a relatively primitive assay, that small oral doses (on the order of 1 μg = 1 nmol = 1000 pmol per rat) of vasopressin can produce antidiuresis in hydrated rats, and that the oral activity was enhanced by simultaneous administration of an inhibitor of intestinal proteolysis. A more sensitive semi-automated computer-linked apparatus was used to conveniently and quickly compare the antidiuretic activities of the two natural and one synthetic vasopressin peptides by several routes of administration. (The approximate dose in pmol that resulted in a 50% decrease in urine flow is indicated in square brackets.) Intravenous lysine vasopressin was used as the benchmark dose [5]. Arginine and lysine vasopressin [3500], and the synthetic analogue, 1-deamino-8-D-arginine vasopressin (DDAVP) [20], were active by oral administration. The oral activities of arginine and lysine vasopressin were always enhanced by the simultaneous administration of aprotinin [1000], a natural inhibitor of trypsin; the effect of aprotinin on the oral activity of DDAVP was inconsistent. The vasopressins were more active when administered by the rectum: arginine vasopressin [20] and DDAVP [10]. The rectal activities of the peptides were increased by the absorption adjuvant, 5-methoxysalicylate (arginine vasopressin [10]; DDAVP [0.5]). The vasopressin peptides were also delivered by mouth in an impermeable coating of an azoaromatic cross-linked polymer, which is degraded by bacteria in the colon, to release the peptides in the upper colon for absorption (lysine vasopressin [525]). The use of the vasopressins as model peptide drugs has shown that although the efficacy of peptides is much less by the oral route and somewhat less by the rectal route than by parenteral administration, the effective doses are still very small, indicating that biologically potent peptide drugs can be administered by noninvasive routes.
Studies on the kinetics of cyanohydrin synthesis and cleavage by the flavoenzyme oxynitrilase

Abstract Almond oxynitrilase ( d -α-hydroxynitrile lyase, EC 4.1.2.10) catalyzes the reversible condensation of HCN with aldehydes to form d -α-hydroxynitriles. Steady-state kinetic parameters for cleavage and synthesis of mandelonitrile and vanillin cyanohydrin were determined at pH 5.5. which is near the pH optimum of the enzyme. Benzaldehyde and vanillin act as competitive inhibitors of cyanohydrin cleavage while noncompetitive inhibition was observed for HCN. The results are consistent with an ordered uni bi mechanism in which aldehyde is the first substrate bound. Competitive inhibition of cyanohydrin cleavage was observed with various carboxylic acids, alcohols and inorganic anions. The effect of structure on the binding of these inhibitors suggests that the active site of oxynitrilase is located near a hydrophobic region and a positively charge group. Inhibitors which are reasonable analogues for cyanide anion, such as azide and thiocyanate, do not bind to the enzyme-aldehyde complex. This suggests that during cyanohydrin formation the species which binds to the enzyme-aldehyde complex is HCN rather than CN −
The value of a systems approach for advancing the co‐evolution of ethnic cultures and society

Traditional ethnic cultures have difficulties co-evolving with their rapidly changing environments, especially the larger societal environment. Often cultural systems are unable to assist members in coping with accelerating technological, social and political changes. Systems inquiry offers ways and means to address this predicament. This article explores the value of applying a systems approach to the creation of institutional arrangements by which ethnic groups might better develop their cultural systems in order to create mutually beneficial co-evolutionary relationships with the societal environment.
Natural orifice transesophageal mediastinoscopy and thoracoscopy

Thoracoscopy and mediastinoscopy are common procedures with painful incisions and prominent scars. A natural orifice transesophageal endoscopic surgical (NOTES) approach could reduce pain, eliminate intercostal neuralgia, provide access to the posterior mediastinal compartment, and improve cosmesis. In addition NOTES esophageal access routes also have the potential to replace conventional thoracoscopic approaches for medial or hilar lesions. Five healthy Yorkshire swine underwent nonsurvival natural orifice transesophageal mediastinoscopy and thoracoscopy under general anesthesia. An 8- to 9.8-mm video endoscope was introduced into the esophagus, and a 10-cm submucosal tunnel was created with blunt dissection. The endoscope then was passed through the muscular layers of the esophagus into the mediastinal space. The mediastinal compartment, pleura, lung, mediastinal lymph nodes, thoracic duct, vagus nerves, and exterior surface of the esophagus were identified. Mediastinal lymph node resection was easily accomplished. For thoracoscopy, a small incision was created through the pleura, and the endoscope was introduced into the thoracic cavity. The lung, chest wall, pleura, pericardium, and diaphragmatic surface were identified. Pleural biopsies were obtained with endoscopic forceps. The endoscope was withdrawn and the procedure terminated. Mediastinal and thoracic structures could be identified without difficulty via a transesophageal approach. Lymph node resection was easily accomplished. Pleural biopsy under direct visualization was feasible. Selective mainstem bronchus intubation and collapse of the ipsilateral lung facilitated thoracoscopy. In one animal, an inadvertent 4-mm lung incision resulted in a pneumothorax. This was decompressed with a small venting intercostal incision, and the remainder of the procedure was completed without difficulty. Transesophageal endoscopic mediastinoscopy, lymph node resection, thoracoscopy, and pleural biopsy are feasible and provide excellent visualization of mediastinal and intrathoracic structures. Survival studies will be needed to confirm the safety of this approach.
Changes in the concentrations of serum urea nitrogen, albumin, globulin, sodium and inorganic phosphorus in weaner pigs infected with Trichuris suis.

Abstract The changes in the blood chemistry of weaner pigs after experimental infection with Trichuris suis were related to the severity of the clinical signs of disease. Infection with 15 000 T. suis ova produced no clinical signs and no significant biochemical changes. Infection with 50 000 ova caused progressive and large decreases in serum sodium concentration, small decreases in inorganic phosphorus concentrations and increases in urea concentration; there were also falls in serum albumin concentrations and rises in globulin concentrations. Infection with 100 000 ova caused more rapid falls in serum sodium concentration and increases in serum globulin, but the changes in urea and albumin did not become significant before the animals died. These changes were related to the degree of severity of the anorexia and diarrhoea caused by the T. suis infections.