cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyclic Fatigue Life and Crack-Growth Behavior of Microstructurally Small Cracks in Magnesia-Partially-Stabilized Zirconia Ceramics

Cyclic fatigue stress/life (S/N) and crack-growth properties are investigated in magnesia-partially-stabilized zirconia (Mg-PSZ), with particular reference to the role of crack size. The material studied is subeutectoid aged to vary the steady-state fracture toughness, Kc, from ∼3 to 16 MPa · m1/2·S/N data from unnotched specimens show markedly lower lives under tension—compression compared with tension—tension loading; “fatigue limits”(at 108 cycles) for the former case approach 50% of the tensile strength. Under tension—tension loading, cyclic crack-growth rates of “long”(> 3 mm) cracks are found to be power-law dependent on the stress-intensity range, ΔK, with a fatigue threshold, ΔKTH, of order 50% of Kc. Conversely, naturally occurring “small”(1 to 100 μm) surface cracks are observed to grow at ΔK levels 2 to 3 times smaller than ΔKTH, similar to behavior widely reported for metallic materials. The observed small-crack behavior is rationalized in terms of the restricted role of crack-tip shielding (in PSZ from transformation toughening) with cracks of limited wake, analogous to the reduced role of crack closure with small fatigue cracks in metals. The implications of such data for structural design with ceramics are briefly discussed.
Marfan syndrome: diagnosis and replacement of the aortic arch utilizing retrograde cerebral perfusion:

The patient with a diagnosis of Marfan syndrome often presents to the cardiac surgical team for repair of the various cardiac and vascular abnormalities associated with the disease. One of the most complicated presentations involves an aneurysmal dilatation of the ascending and transverse aortic arch with or without involvement of the great vessels. The aortic valve may also be affected resulting in valvular insufficiency. These patients are usually in their 20s or 30s and undertaking a major surgical repair of the aortic arch exposes them to a variety of complications, which can have devastating effects. This article will review the diagnosis and pathology of the Marfan syndrome and describe the application of retrograde cerebral perfusion to lessen the chance of neurological morbidity following surgical replacement of the ascending and transverse aortic arch.
Olivine rheology, shear stress, and grain growth in the lithospheric mantle: Geological constraints from the Kaapvaal craton

The rheology of Earth’s mantle is a complex function that depends on, at least, temperature, pressure, stress, grain size, and water content. Understanding this functionality is of fundamental importance in mantle dynamics, but constraints from laboratory experiments entail considerable extrapolation. Here we propose a new observational approach based on a unique tectonic setting of the Kaapvaal craton, which allows us to exploit its continental lithosphere as a natural laboratory. Mantle xenoliths brought to the surface by kimberlites in the Kaapvaal craton delineate a representative thermal profile, and the spatial distribution of their ages provides a tight constraint on a lithospheric-scale deformation history. Combined with a simple modeling of the thermal and dynamic evolution of the upper mantle subject to continental drift, these xenolith-based observations can test the validity of existing flow laws at geological strain rates, estimate the magnitude of shear stress in the upper mantle, and constrain the effective grain-growth rate at lithospheric conditions. Calculated displacements relative to surface over the last 3.5 billion years, with flow-law parameters recommended by Korenaga and Karato (2008), are found to be consistent with geochronological observations. Our results also indicate that shear stress has been increasing in the past 3.5 billion years, owing to the cooling of the ambient mantle, within the range of 0.01–0.1 MPa. Though this range of shear stress is about two orders of magnitude lower than that predicted by grain-size-based piezometers, greater stress would lead to too large displacement across the lithosphere to be consistent with its geochronological pattern. The grain size of olivine in mantle xenoliths is typically 5–10 mm, which is too small to be at a dynamical equilibrium with the estimated stress, suggesting that grain growth is considerably suppressed by some mechanism such as orthopyroxene pinning.
Neural Activity in Barrel Cortex Underlying Vibrissa-Based Object Localization in Mice

Classical studies have related the spiking of selected neocortical neurons to behavior, but little is known about activity sampled from the entire neural population. We recorded from neurons selected independent of spiking, using cell-attached recordings and two-photon calcium imaging, in the barrel cortex of mice performing an object localization task. Spike rates varied across neurons, from silence to >60 Hz. Responses were diverse, with some neurons showing large increases in spike rate when whiskers contacted the object. Nearly half the neurons discriminated object location; a small fraction of neurons discriminated perfectly. More active neurons were more discriminative. Layer (L) 4 and L5 contained the highest fractions of discriminating neurons (∼63% and 79%, respectively), but a few L2/3 neurons were also highly discriminating. Approximately 13,000 spikes per activated barrel column were available to mice for decision making. Coding of object location in the barrel cortex is therefore highly redundant.
Management of Adult Vocal Fold Nerve Injury

Abstract Diagnosis and management of nerve impairment in adults can be difficult due to the myriad of other diagnoses that must be considered. Accurate diagnosis of severity of a nerve impairment a...
Repeated aripiprazole treatment causes dopamine D2 receptor up-regulation and dopamine supersensitivity in young rats:

Aripiprazole is a second-generation antipsychotic that is increasingly being prescribed to children and adolescents. Despite this trend, little preclinical research has been done on the neural and behavioral actions of aripiprazole during early development. In the present study, young male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were pretreated with vehicle, haloperidol (1 mg/kg), or aripiprazole (10 mg/kg) once daily on postnatal days (PD) 10-20. After 1, 4, or 8 days (i.e. on PD 21, PD 24, or PD 28), amphetamine-induced locomotor activity and stereotypy, as well as dorsal striatal D2 receptor levels, were measured in separate groups of rats. Pretreating young rats with aripiprazole or haloperidol increased D2 binding sites in the dorsal striatum. Consistent with these results, dopamine supersensitivity was apparent when aripiprazole- and haloperidol-pretreated rats were given a test day injection of amphetamine (2 or 4 mg/kg). Increased D2 receptor levels and altered behavioral responding persisted for at least 8 days after conclusion of the pretreatment regimen. Contrary to what has been reported in adults, repeated aripiprazole treatment caused D2 receptor up-regulation and persistent alterations of amphetamine-induced behavior in young rats. These findings are consistent with human clinical studies showing that children and adolescents are more prone than adults to aripiprazole-induced side effects, including extrapyramidal symptoms.
Renal cell carcinoma metastasizing to solitary fibrous tumor of the pleura: a case report

A tumor metastasizing to another malignancy is an uncommon phenomenon. Since it was first described in 1902, there have been fewer than 200 cases reported in the literature, with lung cancer metastasizing to renal cell carcinoma being the most frequently described pattern. Here we report a case of a solitary fibrous tumor of the lung acting as the recipient for a renal cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of such a combination and the second case involving a solitary fibrous tumor. A 58-year-old Caucasian man who developed a persistent dry cough presented to our hospital. Imaging studies revealed a large pleural-based mass in the left lung. A biopsy of the mass showed a spindle-cell lesion consistent with a solitary fibrous tumor. The patient underwent surgical excision of the 13 cm mass. The pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of a solitary fibrous tumor but also demonstrated discrete foci of metastatic renal cell carcinoma. Until that point, a primary renal cell carcinoma tissue diagnosis had not been made and the initial radiological work-up was inconclusive. Awareness of the unusual phenomenon of tumor-to-tumor metastasis is important for practicing surgical pathologists, particularly in the evaluation of a mass lesion showing bimodal histology. This case also highlights the importance of careful examination of surgical specimens, as minute and unusual findings can direct patient care.
Risk Factors for Early Failure after Thermal Capsulorrhaphy

Thermal capsular shrinkage has rapidly become a common procedure for a variety of shoulder conditions usually associated with instability, although clinical data on outcomes are limited. The objective of this study was to identify risk factors for poor outcome after thermal capsulorrhaphy. Of 106 patients who underwent thermal shrinkage, 15 patients with treatment failures were identified. The mean time to failure after the procedure was 6.3 months (range, 1 to 16). Previous operations and multiple recurrent dislocations were associated with poor outcome at a highly significant level. Multidirectional instability and participation in contact sports did not attain statistical significance as risk factors. However, statistical power in these two comparisons was insufficient to exclude them as potential risk factors. A concomitant procedure at the time of thermal capsulorrhaphy was not associated with poor outcome. The data from early treatment failures can be useful in guiding patient selection for thermal capsulorrhaphy. This procedure may be of limited value for patients who have had prior operations or have a history of multiple dislocations. The data also suggest that thermal capsulorrhaphy should be used cautiously in patients with multidirectional instability or in those who are involved in contact sports.
The number of nonlinear shift registers that produce all vectors of weight <or=t

It has been shown that it is possible to generate a cycle on a nonlinear shift register to contain all vectors of length n and Hamming weight >
Electron crystal structure of an RNA polymerase II transcription elongation complex.

Abstract The structure of an actively transcribing complex, containing yeast RNA polymerase II with associated template DNA and product RNA, was determined by electron crystallography. Nucleic acid, in all likelihood the "transcription bubble" at the active center of the enzyme, occupies a previously noted 25 A channel in the protein structure. Details are indicative of a roughly 90° bend of the DNA between upstream and downstream regions. The DNA apparently lies entirely on one face of the polymerase, rather than passing through a hole to the opposite side, as previously suggested.
Decision Procedures for Set-Valued Fields

A central feature of current object-oriented languages is the ability to dynamically instantiate user-defined container data structures such as lists, trees, and hash tables. Implementations of these data structures typically use references to dynamically allocated objects, which complicates reasoning about the resulting program. Reasoning is simplified if data structure operations are specified in terms of abstract sets of objects associated with each data structure. For example, an insertion into a data structure in this approach becomes simply an insertion into a dynamically changing set-valued field of an object, as opposed to a manipulation of a dynamically linked structure attached to the object. In this paper we explore reasoning techniques for programs that manipulate data structures specified using set-valued abstract fields associated with container objects. We compare the expressive power and the complexity of specification languages based on 1) decidable prefix vocabulary classes of first-order logic, 2) two-variable logic with counting, and 3) Nelson-Oppen combinations of multisorted theories. Such specification logics can be used for verification of object-oriented programs with supplied invariants. Moreover, by selecting an appropriate subset of properties expressible in such logic, the decision procedures for these logics enable automated computation of lattice operations in an abstract interpretation domain, as well as automated computation of abstract program semantics.
Modulating video credibility via visualization of quality evaluations

In this work we develop and evaluate a method for the syndication and visualization of aggregate quality evaluations of informational video. We enable the sharing of knowledge between motivated media watchdogs and a wider population of casual users. We do this by developing simple visual cues which indicate aggregated activity levels and polarity of quality evaluations (i.e. positive / negative) which are presented in-line with videos as they play. In an experiment we show the potential of these visuals to engender constructive changes to the credibility of informational video under some circumstances. We discuss the limitations, and future work associated with this approach toward video credibility modulation.
Who Are Ethnic Entrepreneurs? A Study of Entrepreneursapos; Ethnic Involvement and Business Characteristics

This article proposes that the term “ethnic entrepreneur” should be defined by the levels of personal involvement of the entrepreneur in the ethnic community instead of reported ethnic grouping. It hypothesizes that significant differences in personal and business characteristics will surface between the most community-involved and least community-involved ethnic entrepreneurs. T-tests were done on 112 Asian and Latino entrepreneurs split into top and bottom quartiles on the personal involvement scale. Results showed several significant differences between the two groups on variables relating to the entrepreneurs' background characteristics, business-related goals, cultural values, business strategies, and business performance.
Salt-induced Na+/H+ antiport in root plasma membrane of a glycophytic and halophytic species of tomato *

Abstract Plasma membrane and tonoplast vesicles were isolated from roots of both the glycophytic cultivated tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill, cv. Heinz 1350) and its halophytic wild relative, Lycopersicon cheesmanii (Hook, C.H. Mull, ecotype 1401) grown under control and saline conditions. MgATP-dependent proton transport was measured by determining the rate of quench of quinacrine fluorescence. Rates of quench and rates of ATP hydrolysis were higher for both the plasma membrane and tonoplast from both species when grown under saline conditions. When ATPase activity was measured, the degree of stimulation of ATP hydrolysis in the presence of KCl, NaCl, and choline chloride was similar for the plasma membrane from control and salt grown plants. However, NaCl gave lower rates of proton transport than did KCl or choline chloride for the plasma membrane of both L. esculentum and L. cheesmanii grown under saline conditions. This may be interpreted as evidence of Na + H + antiport. A pH gradient (acid interior) was formed in vesicles by adding MgATP. After the establishment of a proton gradient, the effect of cations on proton efflux was estimated by adding EDTA to chelate the Mg2+. Fluorescence recovery rate was used as an indication of the rate of proton efflux. The addition of Na+ enhanced fluorescence recovery compared to K+ in plasma membranes from both species grown under saline conditions. Addition of K+ and valinomycin to the assay media did not affect Na + H + exchange, nor did addition of amiloride. No evidence was found for a Na + H + antiport mechanism in the tonoplast of either L. esculentum or L. cheesmanii regardless of growth conditions.
Field Validation of Airport Pavement Granular Layer Rutting Predictions

This paper presents research findings on the prediction performances and field validations of the recently developed granular base-subbase layer permanent deformation models using the full-scale pavement test section data from the FAA's National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF). The FAA-designated P209/P154 aggregate materials were used in the construction and testing of the NAPTF flexible pavement test sections with variable-thickness base and subbase courses. To account for the rutting performances of these substantially thick granular layers, a comprehensive set of repeated load triaxial tests, considering both constant and variable confining pressure (CCP and VCP) conditions, were conducted on the P209 base and P154 subbase granular materials. On the basis of the laboratory test results, both CCP- and VCP-type permanent deformation models were developed to predict maximum ruts that occurred at the NAPTF under both six-wheel and four-wheel gear loadings applied following a wander pattern. The dev...
Cultural Knowledge and Systems of Knowing

James P. Spradley developed a systematic program for using personal experiences as data for cultural analysis. According to the program, the diversity of urban culture can be studied using ethnographic interviewing, participant observation and life history techniques. Spradley studied a Kwakiutl chief, tramps, cocktail waitresses, and deaf people and stimulated the study of variety in modern society. Teaching and research are integrated in Spradley's work.
Wideband arrhythmia‐Insensitive‐rapid (AIR) pulse sequence for cardiac T1 mapping without image artifacts induced by an implantable‐cardioverter‐defibrillator

Purpose To develop and evaluate a wideband arrhythmia-insensitive-rapid (AIR) pulse sequence for cardiac T1 mapping without image artifacts induced by implantable-cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). Methods We developed a wideband AIR pulse sequence by incorporating a saturation pulse with wide frequency bandwidth (8.9 kHz) to achieve uniform T1 weighting in the heart with ICD. We tested the performance of original and “wideband” AIR cardiac T1 mapping pulse sequences in phantom and human experiments at 1.5 Tesla. Results In five phantoms representing native myocardium and blood and postcontrast blood/tissue T1 values, compared with the control T1 values measured with an inversion-recovery pulse sequence without ICD, T1 values measured with original AIR with ICD were considerably lower (absolute percent error > 29%), whereas T1 values measured with wideband AIR with ICD were similar (absolute percent error 10.1%), whereas T1 measured with wideband AIR with ICD was similar (absolute percent error < 2.0%). Conclusion This study demonstrates the feasibility of a wideband pulse sequence for cardiac T1 mapping without significant image artifacts induced by ICD. Magn Reson Med 74:336–345, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of Diagenesis on Reservoir Properties in Lobo Sandstones, Webb County, Texas: ABSTRACT

Cored intervals of the late Paleocene Lobo sandstones of Webb County, Texas, were studied between depths of 9,066.5 and 9,900.5 ft (2,763.5-3,018 m). Diagenesis has extensively modified these sandstones, both compositionally and texturally. Porosities and permeabilities within the sandstones range from 6 to 28% and 0.01 to 10.0 md, respectively. Porosity and permeability are dependent on depositional facies and diagenetic history. Density and sonic logs, coupled with petrographic analysis, were used to delineate the burial history of the sandstones. Primary porosities as high as 40% were reduced to 25-30% through a combination of compaction, bioturbation, and quartz cementation during the first 3,000 ft (914 m) of burial. Calcite cement, up to 26%, infilled essentially all remaining pore spaces and decreased porosity to irreducible levels between 3,000 and 6,500 ft (914 and 1,981 m). During deep burial, secondary porosity was created by the dissolution of calcite cement and framework grains. This last stage of sandstone diagenesis appears to be in response to the generation of abnormally high fluid pressures in surrounding shale sections. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1417------------
Bond rupture during ozone cracking of torsional loaded styrene–butadiene

The molecular bond rupture rate during ozone attack of torsionally loaded rubber was determined from electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements. The rupture rate was successfully correlated by a Griffith-type energy balance to the strain-energy release rate in the samples. These observations substantiate the results from a similar study on tensile loading previously reported. In both cases there is a one-to-one correspondence between the rate of bond rupture (or crack growth) and the rate of energy release from the strain field and external work. A fracture energy, γn, of approximately 5×10−12 (±20%) ergs per free radical formed during the cracking was experimentally determined.
Antitumor Activity in Melanoma and Anti-Self Responses in a Phase I Trial With the Anti-Cytotoxic T Lymphocyte–Associated Antigen 4 Monoclonal Antibody CP-675,206

Purpose Cytotoxic T lymphocyte–associated antigen 4 (CTLA4) blockade with CP-675,206, a fully human anti-CTLA4 monoclonal antibody, may break peripheral immunologic tolerance leading to effective immune responses to cancer in humans. A phase I trial was conducted to test the safety of CP-675,206. Patients and Methods Thirty-nine patients with solid malignancies (melanoma, n = 34; renal cell, n = 4; colon, n = 1) received an intravenous (IV) infusion of CP-675,206 at seven dose levels. The primary objective was to determine the maximum-tolerated dose and the recommended phase II dose. Results Dose-limiting toxicities and autoimmune phenomena included diarrhea, dermatitis, vitiligo, panhypopituitarism and hyperthyroidism. Two patients experienced complete responses (maintained for 34+ and 25+ months), and there were two partial responses (26+ and 25+ months) among 29 patients with measurable melanoma. There have been no relapses thus far after objective response to therapy. Four other patients had stable di...
Dopamine-Mediated Inhibition of Renal Na,K-ATPase Is Reduced by Insulin

Recently we have reported that rosiglitazone treatment of obese Zucker rats reduced plasma insulin and restored the ability of dopamine to inhibit Na,K-ATPase (NKA) in renal proximal tubules. The present study was performed to test the hypothesis that a chronic increase in levels of insulin causes a decrease in expression of the D1 receptor and its uncoupling from G proteins, which may account for the diminished inhibitory effect of dopamine on NKA in obese Zucker rats. We conducted experiments in primary proximal tubule epithelial cells obtained from Sprague-Dawley rat kidneys. These cells at 80% to 90% confluence were pretreated with insulin (100 nmol/L for 24 hours) in growth factor–/serum-free medium. SKF-38393, a D1 receptor agonist, inhibited NKA activity in untreated cells, but the agonist failed to inhibit enzyme activity in insulin-pretreated cells. Basal NKA activity was similar in untreated and insulin-pretreated cells. Measurement of D1 receptors in the plasma membranes revealed that [ 3 H]SCH-23390 binding, a D1 receptor ligand, as well as D1 receptor protein abundance, was significantly reduced in insulin-pretreated cells compared with untreated cells. SKF-38393 (10 μmol/L) elicited significant stimulation of [ 35 S]GTPγS binding in the membranes from control cells, suggesting that the D1 receptor–G protein coupling was intact. However, the stimulatory effect of SKF-38393 was absent in membranes from insulin-pretreated cells. We suggest that chronic exposure of cells to insulin causes both the reduction in D1 receptor abundance and its uncoupling from G proteins. These phenomena might account for the diminished inhibitory effect of dopamine on NKA activity in hyperinsulinemic rats.
Standardization of a Fluorometric Assay for Measuring Oxidative Stress in Irradiated Cells

Abstract Wan, X. S., Zhou, Z., Ware, J. H. and Kennedy, A. R. Standardization of a Fluorometric Assay for Measuring Oxidative Stress in Irradiated Cells. Radiat. Res. 163, 232–240 (2005). The present study was undertaken to standardize a dichlorofluorescein (DCF) assay for measurement of radiation-induced oxidation of dichlorofluorescin (DCFH) substrate in MCF-10 cells. This assay was highly sensitive and capable of detecting increased DCFH oxidation in the cells exposed to γ radiation at doses as low as 1.5 cGy with linear dose–response curves. However, the slope of the dose–response curves varied considerably from one experiment to another and was influenced by the fluorescent substrate concentration and cell density. To make the assay reproducible so that results obtained from different experiments could be compared, a series of conversion factors and equations have been established to normalize the data for these variables. The results demonstrate that the DCF assay, as standardized in the present stu...
DSP for practicing engineers: a case study in Internet course delivery

With the explosion of the Internet and the desire of many institutions to disseminate courses across the world, many students look to online education with promise. However, institutions planning to provide distance learning opportunities may wish to have a model to analyze before venturing forth. There are many factors that ultimately influence the methods of delivery, content, length, and technical support for an online course. This paper presents the design, implementation, and evaluation of an online course titled DSP for Practicing Engineers at the Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, and analyzes feedback from students who have taken the course and the staff who administered it. Different aspects of course development are discussed at length, including curriculum and media type.
An update on the efficacy of oral corticosteroids in the treatment of wheezing episodes in preschool children

Traditionally, oral corticosteroids (OCSs) have been the mainstay of treatment for acute wheezing episodes among preschool children with a history of recurrent wheezing. Although there is substantial evidence for the efficacy of OCSs as a treatment for asthma exacerbations in school-aged children and adolescents, recent clinical studies questioned the benefits of OCSs as a treatment for acute wheezing in preschool children. This review summarizes the current evidence on the efficacy of OCSs as a treatment for acute wheezing episodes among preschool age children with episodic wheezing, focusing on studies performed in three different settings: OCS treatment initiated by parents in the outpatient setting, OCS treatment initiated in the emergency department (ED), and OCS treatment among hospitalized preschool children. The results of most studies reviewed in this paper do not support the efficacy of OCS treatment among preschool children with recurrent wheezing. The heterogeneity of early childhood wheezing and asthma might be part of the explanation for lack of efficacy of this intervention noted in multiple studies.
The Six-Shooter Marketplace: 19th-Century Gunfighting as Violence Expertise

How are new forms of violence expertise organized and exploited? Most scholars view this as primarily a question of state-building; that is, violence experts use their skills in an attempt to regulate economic transactions or to extract and redistribute resources via protection rents either for themselves or at the behest of political elites. In an alternative view, this article demonstrates that historical gunfighters active in the late 19th-century American Southwest were actually market actors—the possessors of valuable skills cultivated through participation in the Civil War and diffused through gunfighting and reputation building in key market entrepots. Neither solely state-builders nor state-resisters, as they have traditionally been interpreted, gunfighters composed a professional class that emerged in the 1870s and 1880s and who moved frequently between wage-paying jobs, seizing economic opportunities on both sides of the law and often serving at the behest of powerful economic, rather than political, actors. I establish this claim by examining a dataset of over 250 individuals active in the “gunfighting system” of the post-bellum West, demonstrating that the social connections forged through fighting, and diffused through social networks, helped generate a form of organized violence that helped bring “law and order” to the frontier but as a byproduct of market formation rather than as state-building.
Dose optimization in coronary CTA.

The annual number of computed tomography (CT) procedures in the U.S. has increased 20-fold (from 3 to 60 million) between 1985 and 2005 ([1][1]), and as a result, the average (i.e., per capita) annual background dose in the U.S. has nearly doubled from 3.0 to 5.6 mSv ([2][2]). This has precipitated
Treponematoses Other Than Syphilis

The several diseases discussed in this chapter are endemic among primitive peoples in certain geographic areas of the world and are referred to as the “endemic treponematoses”. They are considered as a group because they are acquired in childhood, have a pattern of “herd infection”, are characterized by cutaneous manifestations, and in some instances produce destructive late sequelae. They are especially intriguing in that they are caused by treponemes that cannot be distinguished morphologically from those of syphilis, give positive reactions in serological tests for syphilis (STSs), and respond to antisvphilitic treatment.
CHANGE IN OBSERVED BIRTH WEIGHT ASSOCIATED WITH CHANGE IN MATERNAL CIGARETTE SMOKING

Using data collected by the National Collaborative Perinatal Project of the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Stroke, the author paired on characteristics of their first study pregnancy 319 white women who reported a change in smoking habits for two successive pregnancies with 319 women who reported no change in smoking behavior. Matching was based upon similar birth weight, interval between births, smoking behavior, sex, and parity of the first of two study births. Divergent smoking behavior for each pair by the time of the second study birth allowed assessment of smoking as a treatment effect. Members of each pair who started smoking prior to the second birth while not smoking for the first, had infants with an average birth weight of 67 g less than infants of their controls who did not start smoking and 36 g less than their previous infant. Among infants whose mothers reported smoking prior to the first study birth, a significant increase in birth weight was observed over infants of controls for women who quit smoking prior to the second study birth (average, 169 g). Taken at face value, this rebound in birth weight is not consistent with an immutable, innate predisposition to lower birth weight among those disposed to smoking.
Off-Resonant Gold Superstructures as Ultrabright Minimally Invasive Surface-Enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) Probes

Surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) tags that serve as exogenous contrast agents for SERS-based bioimaging are comprised of size- and shape-controlled plasmonic nanostructures. For maximum SERS activity and image contrast, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) wavelength of SERS tags based on individual nanostructures must match with the excitation wavelength (typically in the near-infrared (NIR) therapeutic window, i.e., 650–900 nm). However, under the resonant excitation, these SERS tags typically exhibit very high photothermal conversion efficiency, resulting in excessive heat that can perturb or even damage the biological species being imaged. Here, we demonstrate bioenabled synthesis of a novel class of ultrabright SERS probes with built-in and accessible electromagnetic hotspots formed by densely packed satellite nanoparticles grown on a plasmonic core. Through the rational choice of the shape of the core, the LSPR wavelength of Au superstructures can be tuned to be either off- or on-r...
Generation rate of contaminants from gas cooker

国内の労働現場における一酸化炭素中毒事故は,例 年,化学物質による中毒災害の中で首位を占めており, この数年は全体数の約 30–40%が一酸化炭素中毒による ものである.その一酸化炭素中毒の事故原因について 近年の内訳をみると,建設・工事現場等における内燃 機関の不適切な使用 1–2)と並び,業務用厨房におけるガ ス調理器具の不完全燃焼が原因となった事故が目立つ 傾向にある.この様な状況を受け,厚生労働省からは 通達「業務用厨房施設における一酸化炭素中毒による 労働災害防止について」(平成 21年 12月 4日,基安化 発 1204第 1号)が,経済産業省からは「食品工場及び 業務用厨房施設における一酸化炭素中毒事故の防止に ついて(要請)」(平成 24年 8月 24日,20120810原院 第 7号)などが発出され,関係省庁やガス事業者を通 じて,使用者に対し一酸化炭素への注意喚起が行われ ている. また,ガス調理器具の使用時には,一酸化炭素だけ でなく,頭痛・嘔吐・気管支炎などを引き起こす二酸 化窒素も同時に発生することが判っている.国内では 未だ厨房での二酸化窒素ばく露に起因した労災の発生 事例は聞かないが,ガス厨房機器を使用する家庭内で 中央公害対策審議会の指針値を超える二酸化窒素濃度 が計測されたという報告(1991年)3)や,英国の大学 研究グループによる,一般住宅内で滞留するガスコン ロ起源の二酸化窒素の濃度が幹線道路沿いで観測され る濃度の 3倍に達したという実験結果(2012年)4)な どから推して,業務用厨房における二酸化窒素ばく露 の潜在的な危険性は多分に存在すると考えられる. そこで当研究では,厨房における中毒事故の低減・ 防止に資するべく,未だデータが乏しい開放式ガス燃 焼調理器具(以下,ガス調理具)から発生する主要な 汚染質(一酸化炭素,二酸化窒素および二酸化炭素) の発生速度を,市販のガス調理具を用いた実験により 求めた.また,これらの汚染質による中毒を防止する 為に必要な換気量をそれぞれの発生速度から算出し, 現行の法定換気量との比較も行った.
Evidence for Impurity Effects in Metal Chain Compounds: The Electron Paramagnetic Resonance of "Extrinsic" Magnus's Green Salt

Electron-paramagnetic-resonance studies of the "one-dimensional" metal-chain compound Magnus's green salt, ${\mathrm{P}\mathrm{t}(\mathrm{N}{\mathrm{H}}_{3})}_{4}$Pt${\mathrm{Cl}}_{4}$, has revealed the presence of localized hole states having an axial resonance with ${g}_{\ensuremath{\parallel}}=1.939\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002$ and ${g}_{\ensuremath{\perp}}=2.504\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002$. These states have been identified as bound ${d}_{{z}^{2}}$-like states associated with a ${d}_{{z}^{2}}$-like valence band. From the observed hyperfine pattern we infer that the holes, although localized, have orbits extended over several Pt sites along the chain. We show how the states can be introduced in a series of doping experiments with Magnus's green salt powders.
Human Knee Joint Inverse Dynamics Model for Walking and Moderate Squat Exercise

This paper deals with human knee and hip joints’ forces in moderate squatting motion. The model developed for squatting is validated through simulations for walking (the stance phase of gait cycle) which are compared with data available in the literature. The knee model is two dimensional and includes tibia, femur, ligamentous knee structures, and muscles. The model is used to investigate the ligament, contact and muscle forces during both moderate squatting and walking.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
On The Wronskian Test for Independence

(1970). On The Wronskian Test for Independence. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 77, No. 1, pp. 65-66.
Promises and Pitfalls of Intracellular Delivery of Proteins

The direct delivery of functional proteins into the cell cytosol is a key issue for protein therapy, with many current strategies resulting in endosomal entrapment. Protein delivery to the cytosol is challenging due to the high molecular weight and the polarity of therapeutic proteins. Here we review strategies for the delivery of proteins into cells, including cell-penetrating peptides, virus-like particles, supercharged proteins, nanocarriers, polymers, and nanoparticle-stabilized nanocapsules. The advantages and disadvantages of these approaches including cytosolar delivery are compared and contrasted, with promising pathways forward identified.
Mechanical Properties of Osmotically Stressed Polyelectrolyte Complexes and Multilayers: Water as a Plasticizer

Compacted, macroporous complexes of poly(styrenesulfonate) and poly(diallyldimethylammonium) were dehydrated under defined osmotic stress using poly(ethylene glycol), PEG. A strong mechanical response to dehydration was observed. At the lowest osmotic stress applied, macropores within the complex were compacted, and the material became transparent. With additional osmotic stress, the decrease in water content with increasing stress slowed considerably, but the complex became much stiffer, the equilibrium modulus reaching several hundred MPa. Concurrently, the complexes became more brittle. Multilayers of the same polyelectrolytes reached equilibrium hydration levels much faster and also increased significantly in modulus. Using an empirical fit, the plasticizing efficiency of water was shown to be exceptionally strong.
Social phishing

Sometimes a "friendly" email message tempts recipients to reveal more online than they otherwise would, playing right into the sender's hand.
Calcium entry and mobilization signaling pathways in ANG II-induced renal vasoconstriction in vivo

The purpose of this study was to determine the relative importance of calcium signaling pathways in angiotensin II (ANG II)-induced renal vasoconstriction in vivo. Nifedipine was used to antagonize...
Miniature anechoic chamber for chronic exposure of small animals to plane-wave microwave fields.

AbstractA system of miniature anechoic chambers for chronically exposing a sizeable number of animals to microwave radiation was developed in which each animal can be individually exposed to microwaves or sham-exposed under controlled environmental conditions. Each animal is supplied with food and water by means designed to eliminate undesirable perturbations of the field. Field patterns in each chamber correspond closely to those made in large anechoic chambers; measurements indicate that a power density of 169 μW/cm2 per watt of input power can be provided, which results in peak SAR levels of 0.37 W/kg in cadavers of exposed rats.
Clinical Efficacy of Tumor Treating Fields for Recurrent Glioblastoma

Recurrent glioblastoma is defined by growth of the enhancing areas on MRI according to the Macdonald’s or Response Assessment in Neuro-Oncology (RANO) criteria but the extent of the tumor is much larger than that can be seen on neuroimaging. Patient prognosis is poor and survival is short. The Optune device is an FDA-approved treatment for recurrent glioblastoma and it uses Tumor Treating Fields (TTFields) to disrupt tumor cells as they undergo mitosis. In the pivotal EF-11 phase III trial that compared TTFields with Best Physician’s Choice chemotherapy, the two treatments had comparable efficacy with a respective median overall survival of 6.6 and 6.0 months and a hazard ratio of 0.86 (p = 0.27). The median progression free survival of TTFields and chemotherapy was 2.2 months and 2.1 months, respectively, with a hazard ratio of 0.81 (p = 0.16). The most common adverse events associated with the device were grade 1 or 2 scalp dermatitis, and shifting of the arrays slightly during array change and applying topical corticosteroid can minimize this irritation. There were far less hematological and gastrointestinal toxicities when compared to chemotherapy. In post hoc analyses of EF-11, secondary glioblastomas and low dexamethasone usage were notable prognostic factors for survival. In the TTField monotherapy cohort, the median overall survival was 11.0 months among subjects who used ≤4.1 mg/day dexamethasone and 4.8 months among those who took >4.1 mg/day (χ2 = 34.6, p 4.1 mg/day having a median overall survival of 6.0 months (χ2 = 10.0, p = 0.0015). Other prognostic factors include a compliance rate of ≥80 %, no prior treatment with bevacizumab, and Karnofsky performance status ≥80. Therefore, multiple intrinsic and extrinsic factors can modulate the outcome of the recurrent glioblastoma under the influence of TTFields.
Computing the probability of union in the n-dimensional Euclidean space for application of the multivariate quantile

As recently studied in Lee and Prkopa (2017), in the general case of Rn,n3, if certain conditions among the projected sets are met, the probability of union of such sets can be efficiently calculated by the modified inclusionexclusion formula in a recursive manner. In this paper, we study with the fullest generality how to construct such suitable conditions on the partial order relation. Upon this basis we can use the modified inclusionexclusion formulas in any case. Numerical examples are presented.
Abstract 3449: Genistein inhibits renal cancer progression through long non-coding RNA HOTAIR suppression

Genistein, a soy isoflavone, has been shown to have anticancer effects on various cancers in vitro and in vivo including renal cancer. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are differentially expressed in various tissues and have important functions in cellular processes such as cell proliferation, motility and apoptosis in various malignancies. HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) is a lncRNA localized in the Homeobox C gene cluster on chromosome 12. HOTAIR interacts with the polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2), which enhances H3K27 trimethylation and represses the expression of tumor suppressors. In various cancers, HOTAIR is highly expressed and involved in their progression and metastasis. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of genistein action through a novel pathway that represses HOTAIR. We found that HOTAIR expression is higher in renal cancer cell lines compared to normal controls. Genistein treatment was found to significantly decrease HOTAIR expression in renal cancer cells (786-O and ACHN cells). Genistein treatment also reduced expression of epithelial-to-mesenchyme transition (EMT)-related proteins (ZEB1, Vimentin and Snail), causing reduced cell migration, invasion, and increased apoptosis. We performed RNA immunoprecipitation assays, and found that genistein inhibits HOTAIR binding to PRC2. One of the other EMT markers, a tight junction protein ZO-1, is upregulated by genistein. We are currently investigating if genistein represses PRC2 recruitment to the ZO-1 promoter by inhibiting binding of HOTAIR to PRC2. Our results indicate that genistein is a potent therapeutic agent for renal cancer. Citation Format: Mitsuho Imai-Sumida, Shahana Majid, Pritha Dasgupta, Priyanka Kulkarni, Sharanjot Saini, Divya Bhagirath, Taku Kato, Shigekatsu Maekawa, Yutaka Hashimoto, Marisa Shiina, Guoren Deng, Varahram Shahryari, Yuichiro Tanaka, Rajvir Dahiya, Soichiro Yamamura. Genistein inhibits renal cancer progression through long non-coding RNA HOTAIR suppression [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3449. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-3449
The study of intravitreal drug pharmacokinetics: does it matter? and if so, how?

The development and widespread adoption of drugs that inhibit the actions of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) have transformed the treatment of chorioretinal vascular conditions during the...
How to relate to quality and marketing in project focused environments: A literature review of real-world thinking

When thinking about product or service quality, one does not usually think of its role with marketing. However, this study indicates otherwise. The study explores how companies conduct market research to optimize customer satisfaction by utilizing process improvement tools. The evidence in this research demonstrates that marketing and quality are in fact correlated. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate how quality and marketing are linked with one another. Marketing strategies will not be successful if organizations are not providing quality products. Both quality and marketing are dependent upon the consumer's needs and wants; successful organizations constantly study the consumers in an effort to improve their products. It is important that marketing departments in organizations analyze clients in order to produce quality products that satisfy all customer needs and give the organization a competitive edge in the marketplace.
The Evolutionary Biology of Rational Behavior

Modern neoclassical microeconomics has developed in an era in which evolutionary biology and neurobiology have flourished with their many important insights on why people today behave the way they do. And the experts’ explanation is fairly straightforward: There remains a great deal of noise in people’s behavior (mainly because human intellectual, physical, and emotional evolution has never stopped), but when the noise is stripped away, today’s people do what they do in large measure because of how their basic physiological and mental functionalities evolved long ago. Those evolved functionalities continue to constrain modern human behavior. These insights from evolutionary theory (and neurobiology that will be considered in the following chapter) have been integrated into a number of physical and social disciplines, most notably psychology. “Evolutionary psychologists” have posited evolutionary grounds for human behaviors, not the least of which are entrenched mating behaviors that help explain male/female interactions today. Although evolutionary and neurobiological theories have filtered into modern microeconomics (mainly through developments in the emerging subdisciplines of bioeconomics and neuroeconomics, initially pushed forward with the work of Rubin and Paul [1979] and Hirshleifer [1982, 1984, 1993]), standard microeconomics textbook discussions of rational behavior continue to stand largely apart from the evolutionary and neurobiological influences that must have shaped exactly how rational people can be today.
Insulin Resistance, Hyperinsulinemia, and LH: Relative Roles in Peripubertal Obesity-Associated Hyperandrogenemia.

Context Peripubertal obesity is associated with variable hyperandrogenemia, but precise mechanisms remain unclear. Objective To assess insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia, and LH roles in peripubertal obesity-associated hyperandrogenemia. Design Cross-sectional analysis. Setting Academic clinical research unit. Participants Eleven obese (body mass index for age ≥95%) peripubertal girls. Intervention Blood samples were taken during a mixed-meal tolerance test (1900 to 2100), overnight (2100 to 0700), while fasting (0700 to 0900), and during an 80 mU/m2/min hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp (0900 to 1100). Main outcome measures The dependent variable was morning free testosterone level; independent variables were insulin sensitivity index (ISI), estimated 24-hour insulin, and estimated 24-hour LH levels. Results All participants demonstrated insulin resistance and hyperinsulinemia. ISI, but not estimated 24-hour insulin level, correlated positively with morning free testosterone level when correcting for estimated 24-hour LH level and Tanner stage (rs = 0.68, P = 0.046). The correlation between estimated 24-hour LH and free testosterone levels approached significance after adjusting for estimated 24-hour insulin level and Tanner stage (rs = 0.63, P = 0.067). Estimated 24-hour insulin level did not correlate with free testosterone level after adjusting for estimated 24-hour LH level and Tanner stage (rs = 0.47, P = 0.20). Conclusion In insulin-resistant obese girls with hyperinsulinemia, free testosterone levels correlated positively with insulin sensitivity and, likely, circulating LH concentrations but not with circulating insulin levels. In the setting of relatively uniform hyperinsulinemia, variable steroidogenic-cell insulin sensitivity may correlate with metabolic insulin sensitivity and contribute to variable free testosterone concentrations.