cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sodium monolayers on thermionic cathodes

Under certain conditions alkali vapours form dipole monolayers on metallic electrodes that can lower the work function of the bulk material. In this case, the power balance of the electrode, the electrode fall voltage and the electrode loss power can change considerably. To verify this effect a pyrometric technique was adapted and optimized for the diagnostics of tungsten electrodes in high pressure sodium discharges. Using an already verified model of thermally emitting cathodes the effect was observed in a Na DC discharge and the range of existence was investigated. An interpretation of the results is given using a Langmuir description of forming the Na monolayers and first-principles electronic structure calculations using a pseudopotential plane wave method to solve the Kohn-Sham equations of density-functional theory.
Measurement of a Gaussian laser beam diameter through the direct inversion of knife-edge data

An inversion algorithm, involving a linear least-squares method, is developed to analyze the intensity data obtained by application of the traveling knife-edge method. Through use of simulated intensity data, diameters can be measured to an accuracy of 0.05%. The method also yields good results when it is applied to He–Ne laser beam data.
Characterization of the innate immune response to chronic aspiration in a novel rodent model

Background Although chronic aspiration has been associated with several pulmonary diseases, the inflammatory response has not been characterized. A novel rodent model of chronic aspiration was therefore developed in order to investigate the resulting innate immune response in the lung.
Role of Oxidative Stress in the Pathophysiological Mechanism of Erectile Dysfunction

Center for Advanced Research in HumanReproduction, Infertility and Sexual Function, GlickmanUrological Institute, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Glickman Urological Institute, Marymount Hospital,and the `Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics,Case Western Reserve University, MetroHealth MedicalCenter, Cleveland, Ohio.Erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as the inability toachieve or maintain erections sufficient for satisfactorysexual intercourse (NIH Consensus Conference, 1993).It is estimated that the prevalence of ED will double inthe next 25 years. Normal erectile function depends ona precise balance between psychological, hormonal,neurological, vascular, and cavernosal factors. There-fore, an alteration in any one or combination of thesefactors may lead to ED. For many years, the complexinteraction between the origin of impulse and thenormal erectile response was not clearly understood. Itwas not until the early 1990s when the roles of centraland peripheral phenomena in the normal erectileresponse was proposed. The identification of the rolesof various mediators, as well as their interactions, innormal erectile function is a major development in thestudy of ED.Production of nitric oxide (NO) plays a centralphysiological role in erections. The endothelium is theprimary source of NO (Burnett, 1997). The pathophys-iological mechanism of endothelial dysfunction ismultifactorial, and the major outcome is impairedrelease of NO, which leads to ED. Although NO-mediated relaxation plays a central role in erections,other mediators, such as prostaglandins, endothelin, andbradykinins, are also important in maintaining peniletone. Researchers have made great strides in the pasttwo decades in identifying the pathophysiologicalmechanism in ED. However, the precise pathophysio-logical mechanism is still unclear.There is a growing interest among researchers re-garding the role of oxidative stress in the pathophysi-ological mechanism of ED. Oxidative stress occurs whenthere is an imbalance between pro-oxidants and theability of the antioxidants to scavenge excess reactiveoxygen species. The role of oxidative stress and reactiveoxygen species has been extensively evaluated in thepathophysiological mechanisms of male and femaleinfertility. However, its role in ED has not beeninvestigated comprehensively. Initial reports from bothin vitro and in vivo studies have shown a significantassociation between the production of reactive oxygenspecies and erectile dysfunction, especially in diabeticanimal models.In this article, we discuss the role of oxidative stress inthe pathophysiological mechanism of ED and thetherapeutic interventions and preventive strategies thatmay be beneficial in restoring endothelial function andnormal erectile function.
Why labial-velar stops merge to / gb / *

Most languages with labial-velar stops (i.e. / / and / /) have both the voiced and voiceless versions, but several dozen languages have only / / or only / /. Examination of the stop inventories of such languages reveals that in languages which have only / / there are always other gaps in the stop inventory, but languages which have only / / usually have a full set of other stops, showing that there is a different historical mechanism involved. Also, ‘/ /-only’ languages are more common than ‘/ /-only’ languages, despite the cross-linguistic tendency to favour voiceless stops. Comparative studies show that ‘/ /-only’ languages are often a result of a merger of * and * into / /. I propose that this merger is a result of three phonetic characteristics of the phonologically voiceless / /, qualities typical of voiced obstruents. Since * is already partly in the ‘voiced camp’, I hypothesise that hearers interpret it as voiced.
Readers’ varying interpretations of theme in short fiction

Abstract After reviewing arguments about the nature of thematic inferences and problems with previous empirical research, we report the results of a study examining both the process by which individual readers arrive at a fictional story's theme and the themes at which they arrive. Sixteen avid readers read two stories of microfiction paragraph by paragraph, commenting after each paragraph on the larger point the author might be making. At the end of each story, the participants stated a theme capturing the overall meaning of the story. The results showed that readers (1) differed substantially in their interpretations of the stories’ themes, (2) can draw the same conclusion about a story and yet make very different thematic inferences while reading, and (3) appear to keep alive a number of interpretations about a story's meaning, concluding the overall theme only at the story's end. The results strongly suggest that themes do not reside in texts in any obvious way but are constructed by readers. The results also suggest that thematic inferences are not computed automatically, as part of comprehension, but rather later as acts of interpretation.
FGF-10 prevents mechanical stretch-induced alveolar epithelial cell DNA damage via MAPK activation

Cyclic stretch of alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) can alter normal lung barrier function. Fibroblast growth factor-10 (FGF-10), an alveolar type II cell mitogen that is critical for lung development, may have a role in promoting AEC repair. We studied whether cyclic stretch induces AEC DNA damage and whether FGF-10 would be protective. Cyclic stretch (30 min of 30% strain amplitude and 30 cycles/min) caused AEC DNA strand break formation, as assessed by alkaline unwinding technique and DNA nucleosomal fragmentation. Pretreatment of AEC with FGF-10 (10 ng/ml) blocked stretch-induced DNA strand break formation and DNA fragmentation. FGF-10 activated AEC mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), and MAPK inhibitors prevented FGF-10-induced AEC MAPK activation and abolished the protective effects of FGF-10 against stretch-induced DNA damage. In addition, a Grb2-SOS inhibitor (SH(3)b-p peptide), a RAS inhibitor (farnesyl transferase inhibitor 277), and a RAF-1 inhibitor (forskolin) each prevented FGF-10-induced extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 phosphorylation in AEC. Moreover, N17-A549 cells that express a RAS dominant/negative protein prevented the FGF-10-induced ERK1/2 phosphorylation and RAS activation in AEC. We conclude that cyclic stretch causes AEC DNA damage and that FGF-10 attenuates these effects by mechanisms involving MAPK activation via the Grb2-SOS/Ras/RAF-1/ERK1/2 pathway.
Decidability of Motion Planning with Differential Constraints

Classical path planning does not address many of the challenges of robotic systems subject to differential constraints. While there have been many recent efforts to develop motion planning algorithms for systems with differential constraints (MPD), very little has been said about the existence of exact algorithms. In other words, the decidability of MPD problems is still an open question. In this paper, we propose a partial answer to this question limiting ourselves to special cases where the trajectory functions of the systems under the finite-dimensional piecewise-continuous controls have a closed-form polynomial formulation. We define an abstract formulation for the MPD problem based on the concept of a control space. We provide an incremental decision algorithm to answer the decidability question and present sufficient conditions for problems to which this algorithm can be applied. Decidability results for several non trivial MPD problems are presented. For example, we show that the question of existence of a trajectory for a Dubin's car with a polygonal rigid body between two specified positions and orientations in a polygonal environment with a fixed and finite number of discontinuities in curvature is decidable.
Vital Nodes, Interconnected Infrastructures, and the Geographies of Network Survivability

Abstract With an increased level of interconnection between critical network infrastructures, the potential for cascading actions that trigger both primary and secondary network failures are of great concern. Recent events, including the 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center, the blackout of 14 August 2003, and the Galaxy IV satellite failure in 1998, have reinforced the need for a more thorough understanding of vulnerabilities relative to system performance. This article explores the topological complexities associated with network interconnections. In particular, we evaluate the potential impacts of losing critical infrastructure elements that are geographically linked. The loss of vital nodes, like telecommunication switching centers, is evaluated utilizing a developed spatial optimization model. Results indicate that certain infrastructure topologies are not particularly well equipped to handle the loss of vital nodes, whereas others could withstand the loss of such nodes and maintain an adequate lev...
Gaps in epidemiologic research methods: design considerations for studies that use food-frequency questionnaires

It is increasingly common for analytic epidemiology studies of diet and disease to select a semi-quantitative food-frequency questionnaire for dietary assessment. Reasons include its low cost and focus on usual intake. However, the components of variation in nutrient intake based on such methods are poorly understood, and it does not provide a quantitative estimate of nutrient intakes. Because it is unlikely that such methods will be improved substantially, studies using a food-frequency questionnaire should include a dietary standardization substudy. A substudy, conducted in a sample of study participants and aimed at collecting multiple days of diet recall or record, provides data for quantitative calibration of frequency-derived nutrient intake estimates and adjustment of risk estimates for measurement error
Dual allosteric activation mechanisms in monomeric human glucokinase

Cooperativity in human glucokinase (GCK), the body’s primary glucose sensor and a major determinant of glucose homeostatic diseases, is fundamentally different from textbook models of allostery because GCK is monomeric and contains only one glucose-binding site. Prior work has demonstrated that millisecond timescale order-disorder transitions within the enzyme’s small domain govern cooperativity. Here, using limited proteolysis, we map the site of disorder in unliganded GCK to a 30-residue active-site loop that closes upon glucose binding. Positional randomization of the loop, coupled with genetic selection in a glucokinase-deficient bacterium, uncovers a hyperactive GCK variant with substantially reduced cooperativity. Biochemical and structural analysis of this loop variant and GCK variants associated with hyperinsulinemic hypoglycemia reveal two distinct mechanisms of enzyme activation. In α-type activation, glucose affinity is increased, the proteolytic susceptibility of the active site loop is suppressed and the 1 H- 13 C heteronuclear multiple quantum coherence (HMQC) spectrum of 13 C-Ile–labeled enzyme resembles the glucose-bound state. In β-type activation, glucose affinity is largely unchanged, proteolytic susceptibility of the loop is enhanced, and the 1 H- 13 C HMQC spectrum reveals no perturbation in ensemble structure. Leveraging both activation mechanisms, we engineer a fully noncooperative GCK variant, whose functional properties are indistinguishable from other hexokinase isozymes, and which displays a 100-fold increase in catalytic efficiency over wild-type GCK. This work elucidates specific structural features responsible for generating allostery in a monomeric enzyme and suggests a general strategy for engineering cooperativity into proteins that lack the structural framework typical of traditional allosteric systems.
Differential bacterial survival, replication, and apoptosis-inducing ability of Salmonella serovars within human and murine macrophages.

Salmonella serovars are associated with human diseases that range from mild gastroenteritis to host-disseminated enteric fever. Human infections by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhi can lead to typhoid fever, but this serovar does not typically cause disease in mice or other animals. In contrast, S. enterica serovar Typhimurium and S. enterica serovar Enteritidis, which are usually linked to localized gastroenteritis in humans and some animal species, elicit a systemic infection in mice. To better understand these observations, multiple strains of each of several chosen serovars of Salmonella were tested for the ability in the nonopsonized state to enter, survive, and replicate within human macrophage cells (U937 and elutriated primary cells) compared with murine macrophage cells (J774A.1 and primary peritoneal cells); in addition, death of the infected macrophages was monitored. The serovar Typhimurium strains all demonstrated enhanced survival within J774A.1 cells and murine peritoneal macrophages, compared with the significant, almost 100-fold declines in viable counts noted for serovar Typhi strains. Viable counts for serovar Enteritidis either matched the level of serovar Typhi (J774A.1 macrophages) or were comparable to counts for serovar Typhimurium (murine peritoneal macrophages). Apoptosis was significantly higher in J774A.1 cells infected with serovar Typhimurium strain LT2 compared to serovar Typhi strain Ty2. On the other hand, serovar Typhi survived at a level up to 100-fold higher in elutriated human macrophages and 2- to 3-fold higher in U937 cells compared to the serovar Typhimurium and Enteritidis strains tested. Despite the differential multiplication of serovar Typhi during infection of U937 cells, serovar Typhi caused significantly less apoptosis than infections with serovar Typhimurium. These observations indicate variability in intramacrophage survival and host cytotoxicity among the various serovars and are the first to show differences in the apoptotic response of distinct Salmonella serovars residing in human macrophage cells. These studies suggest that nonopsonized serovar Typhimurium enters, multiplies within, and causes considerable, acute death of macrophages, leading to a highly virulent infection in mice (resulting in death within 14 days). In striking contrast, nonopsonized serovar Typhi survives silently and chronically within human macrophages, causing little cell death, which allows for intrahost dissemination and typhoid fever (low host mortality). The type of disease associated with any particular serovar of Salmonella is linked to the ability of that serovar both to persist within and to elicit damage in a specific host's macrophage cells.
Pharmacokinetic disposition of an immediate‐release aminophylline and a sustained‐release theophylline formulation in the horse

The pharmacokinetic disposition of theophylline was determined by high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of plasma samples from six healthy, adult horses following the administration of intravenous aminophylline (dosed at 9.94 mg/kg as theophylline), immediate-release aminophylline tablets (dosed at 9.94 mg/kg as theophylline), and sustained-release theophylline tablets (dosed at 20 mg/kg). The elimination rate constant (lambda z), apparent volume of distribution (Vz), and clearance (Cl) determined by compartmental analysis of the intravenous data were 0.07 +/- 0.01 h-1, 0.80 +/- 0.06 l/kg, and 0.06 +/- 0.01 l/kg/h (mean +/- SD), respectively. Mean residence time determined by statistical moment theory of the oral data was different (P less than 0.05) for the immediate-release aminophylline (13.8 +/- 2.8 h) and sustained-release theophylline (18.2 +/- 2.3 h) formulation. Immediate-release aminophylline tablets quickly achieved peak theophylline plasma concentration of 11.51 +/- 1.4 micrograms/ml at 1.6 +/- 0.6 h while the sustained-release theophylline tablets were more slowly absorbed and achieved peak theophylline concentrations of 17.20 +/- 1.3 micrograms/ml at 7.3 +/- 1.0 h. Absolute bioavailability was 87% for the immediate-release and 97% for the sustained-release formulation. Using the principle of superposition, a loading dose of 20 mg/kg of the sustained-release formulation followed by maintenance doses of 15 mg/kg every 24 h was predicted to achieve trough-peak theophylline plasma concentrations between 6 and 17 micrograms/ml.
Effects of estrogen and growth hormone on skeleton in the ovariectomized rat with hypophysectomy

To investigate whether growth hormone (GH) and 17β-estradiol (E2) replacement can prevent osteopenia induced by pituitary and ovarian hormone deficiency [by hypophysectomy and ovariectomy (HX+OV)],...
Rendered and Characterized Closed-Loop Accuracy of Impedance-Type Haptic Displays

Impedance-type kinesthetic haptic displays aim to render arbitrary desired dynamics to a human operator using force feedback. To render realistic virtual environments, the difference between desired and rendered dynamics must be small. In this paper, we analyze the closed-loop dynamics of haptic displays for three common virtual environments: a spring, a damper, and a spring-damper, including the effects of time delay and low-pass filtering. Using a linear model, we identify important parameters for the rendered dynamics in terms of effective impedances, a conceptual tool that decomposes the displays closed-loop impedance into components with physical analogs. Our results establish bandwidth limits for rendering effective stiffness and damping. The effective stiffness bandwidth is limited by the virtual stiffness and device mass, and the effective damping bandwidth is limited by the cut-off frequency of the low-pass filter which filters the device velocity estimate. We show that a general system impedance can be characterized by a mass, damper, and spring optimally by the solution to a convex optimization problem, and we present a quantitative metric, the Average Distortion Error (ADE), to describe the fidelity of this model. Time delay has no significant effect on characterized stiffness, and reduces characterized damping by the product of virtual stiffness and total time delay. Reducing the low-pass filter cut-off frequency reduces the characterized damping. Experimental data gathered with a Phantom Premium 1.5 validates the theoretical analysis. We also conducted human user experiments to investigate the effects of time delay and low-pass filtering on perceived stiffness and damping. Similar to the characterized dynamics results, we observed no significant effect of time delay on perceived stiffness, and increasing time delay resulted in reduced perceived damping. Lower filter cut-off frequencies resulted in lower perceived damping. This work informs haptic display design by presenting how closed-loop behavior changes with key parameters.
The temperature-dependence of the loss of latency of lysosomal enzymes.

1. When Triton-filled lysosomes from rat liver are incubated for up to 50min at 37°C, pH7.4, in 0.25m-sucrose, no loss of latency of N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase or p-nitrophenyl phosphatase occurs unless the incubated lysosomes are cooled to approx. 15°C. 2. It is suggested that a phase change takes place in the incubated lysosomal membranes on cooling; it starts at approx. 15°C and probably is not complete at 0°C. 3. Incubation of the lysosomes causes an increased potential for loss of latency of the lysosomal enzymes. This potential is not fully expressed at elevated temperature (e.g. 37°C), but is expressed on cooling. 4. The increase at elevated temperature in potential for loss of latency exhibits biphasic kinetics, with an initial rapid phase followed by a slower phase, which is linear with respect to time. The extra loss of latency resulting from the rapid phase in proportional to the temperature of the incubation. 5. Arrhenius plots of the increase is potential for loss of latency during the slow phase for N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase and p-nitrophenyl phosphatase exhibit marked deviations from linearity beginning at approx. 15°C. This suggests that the increase in potential for loss of latency is affected by a phase change that occurs around this temperature. 6. Activation energies for the increase in potential for loss of latency at and above 22°C are 53.1±5.4kJ/mol (12.7±1.3kcal/mol) for N-acetyl-β-glucosaminidase and 45.2±7.5kJ/mol (10.8±1.8kcal/mol) for p-nitrophenyl phosphatase. It is postulated that these energies reflect enzymic action, the products of which cause loss of latency to occur on cooling.
Using visual simulation to evaluate restorative qualities of access to nature in hospital staff break areas

Abstract Contact with nature has been found to produce multiple health benefits in diverse work environments. However, in healthcare workplaces, few studies have addressed this topic, and no studies were found comparing the restorative qualities of visual vs. physical access to the outdoors. This study used visual simulation methods to assess the restorative potential of specific design features in hospital staff break areas, investigating nature-related indoor decor, daylight, window views, and direct access to outdoor environments. The study hypothesized that staff would perceive break areas with higher levels of nature-based content as being more restorative, and that direct outdoor access would be rated as more restorative than window views. Two sets of visual assessments were developed and distributed as part of an online survey to members of the Academy of Medical-Surgical Nurses in the United States; 958 completed responses were collected and analyzed. On a scale of 1–10, nurses evaluated the restorative qualities of (a) direct access to the outdoors through a balcony, (b) an outdoor view through a window, (c) a nature artwork, and (d) an indoor plant, all depicted on images of the same two staff break areas. Statistical analyses showed that ratings increased significantly based on higher levels of nature content, from no added amenities, to indoor plants, to nature artwork, to window views, to direct access to the outdoors through a balcony. This study supports the proposition that higher levels of access to nature, daylight, and outdoor environments are perceived to have significantly more restorative potential in healthcare workplaces.
STADIUM SOI reliability simulator for the analysis of hot-electron and ESD-induced degradation in nonisothermal devices

This paper addresses the integrated circuit industry needs for non-isothermal simulation in device reliability analysis, initial input factor sensitivity analysis and their software implementation. The key reliability issues are the hot-electron induced oxide damages and electro-static discharge (ESD) damages. The main purpose of this work is to provide a design aid tool to improve device reliability and performance. The reliability simulator developed in this work not only predicts designed device reliability, but also provides some information about the effect of manufacturing variations on reliability. This is accomplished by combining the statistical methodology with existing technology computer aided design (TCAD) tools. The design of experiment (DoE) technique can be successfully employed to analyze the effect of manufacturing variations on the SOT device reliability. As an example, the reliability analysis and the statistical analysis have performed on SOT MOS devices (partially depleted and fully depleted SOT) and submicron bulk-Si MOSFET's to verify the applied modeling method.
Reforming the 4th-Year Curriculum as a Springboard to Graduate Medical Training: One School's Experiences and Lessons Learned

ABSTRACTProblem: Concerns regarding the quality of training in the 4th year of medical school and preparation of graduates to enter residency education persist and are borne out in the literature. Intervention: We reviewed the published literature regarding Year 4 concerns as well as institutional efforts to improve the 4th-year curriculum from several schools. Based on input from key stakeholders, we established 4 goals for our Year 4 curriculum reform: (a) standardize the curricular structure, (b) allow flexibility and individualization, (c) improve the preparation for residency, and (d) improve student satisfaction. After the reform, we evaluated the outcomes using results from the Association of American Medical Colleges Questionnaire, student focus groups, and program director surveys. Context: This article describes the context, process, and outcomes of the reform of the Year 4 curriculum at Stony Brook University School of Medicine. Outcome: We were able to achieve all four stated goals for the ref...
Ethical Vagueness and Practical Reasoning

This paper looks at the phenomenon of ethical vagueness by asking the question, how ought one to reason about what to do when confronted with a case of ethical vagueness? I begin by arguing that we must confront this question, since ethical vagueness is inescapable. I then outline one attractive answer to the question: we ought to maximize expected moral value when confronted with ethical vagueness. This idea yields determinate results for what one rationally ought to do in cases of ethical vagueness. But what it recommends is dependent on which substantive theory of vagueness is true; one can’t draw conclusions about how to reason about vagueness in ethics in the absence of concrete assumptions about the nature of vagueness. Vagueness—or indeterminacy, or indefiniteness—is pervasive, and the practical domain is not exempt from it. Cases where it is vague what we ethically ought to do are widespread. One response to this situation is to acquiesce in ethical vagueness and let related notions of practical normativity, blameworthiness, rationality, go vague whenever vagueness in ethics is present. On this approach, when there is vagueness in the ethical status of an action, it immediately follows that it is also vague whether one rationally ought to perform that action, it is vague whether one is blameworthy if one performs it, and so on. But this isn’t the only approach to the issue, and I will set it aside for present purposes. After giving some structure to the issue of ethical vagueness, I outline an approach to achieving definite answers to the question of what one rationally ought to do, when it is vague what one ethically ought to do. ∗Special thanks to Elizabeth Barnes, Ross Cameron, Jennifer Carr, Matti Eklund, John Hawthorne, Miriam Schoenfield, Mark Schroeder, Alex Silk, Julia Staffel, David Manley, Robbie Williams, and participants at the Rocky Mountain Ethics Congress and the Indeterminacy in What We Care About conference at the University of Leeds for discussion of the issues in this paper.
Explaining Immigrant Health Service Utilization: A Theoretical Framework

Although there is no paucity of theoretical frameworks for explaining people’s health service utilization (HSU), theoretical frameworks designed to account for variations in immigrants’ HSU remain ...
Differentiated planetesimal impacts into a terrestrial magma ocean: Fate of the iron core

Abstract The abundance of moderately siderophile elements (“iron-loving”; e.g. Co, Ni) in the Earth's mantle is 10 to 100 times larger than predicted by chemical equilibrium between silicate melt and iron at low pressure, but it does match expectation for equilibrium at high pressure and temperature. Recent studies of differentiated planetesimal impacts assume that planetesimal cores survive the impact intact as concentrated masses that passively settle from a zero initial velocity and undergo turbulent entrainment in a global magma ocean; under these conditions, cores greater than 10 km in diameter do not fully mix without a sufficiently deep magma ocean. We have performed hydrocode simulations that revise this assumption and yield a clearer picture of the impact process for differentiated planetesimals possessing iron cores with radius = 100 km that impact into magma oceans. The impact process strips away the silicate mantle of the planetesimal and then stretches the iron core, dispersing the liquid iron into a much larger volume of the underlying liquid silicate mantle. Lagrangian tracer particles track the initially intact iron core as the impact stretches and disperses the core. The final displacement distance of initially closest tracer pairs gives a metric of core stretching. The statistics of stretching imply mixing that separates the iron core into sheets, ligaments, and smaller fragments, on a scale of 10 km or less. The impact dispersed core fragments undergo further mixing through turbulent entrainment as the molten iron fragments rain through the magma ocean and settle deeper into the planet. Our results thus support the idea that iron in the cores of even large differentiated planetesimals can chemically equilibrate deep in a terrestrial magma ocean.
Neurophysiology of sleep and wakefulness

Wakefulness, NREM sleep, and REM sleep are three distinct states of existence. Each state has characteristic behavioral and physiologic patterns,and each has specific neurophysiologic mechanisms associated with its generation and control. Structures in the brainstem use various neurotransmitters to influence higher brain structures in the midbrain and cortex. The ARAS provides cholinergic, noradrenergic, and glutaminergic stimulation to the thalamus, hypothalamus, and basal forebrain resulting in cholinergic and glutaminergic excitation of the cortex. An active cortex that exhibits a characteristic pattern of desynchronized EEG manifests wakefulness. Various factors affect the need and timing of sleep onset. These factors influence the nucleus tractus solitarius, causing its noradrenergic projections to midbrain and forebrain structures to inhibit activity in the ARAS, resulting inactivation of inhibitory GABAergic thalamocortical projections to the cor-tex. During a state of decreased activation, the cortex exhibits a pattern of synchronized EEG. Transition between NREM sleep and REM sleep is controlled by noradrenergic neurons in the loci coeruleus and serotoninergic neurons in the raphe called REM-off cells and cholinergic neurons in the nucleus reticularis pontis oralis called REM-on cells. Other brain structures are involved in generation and control of REM sleep-related phenomena, such as eye movement and muscle atonia. During wakefulness, there is increased sympathetic tone and decreased parasympathetic tone that maintains most organ systems in a state of action or readiness. During NREM sleep, there is decreased sympathetic tone and increased parasympathetic activity that creates a state of reduced activity. REM sleep is characterized by increased parasympathetic activity and variable sympathetic activity associated with increased activation of certain brain functions. The states of wakefulness and sleep are characterized as stages that are defined by stereotypical EEG, EMG, and EOG patterns. Wakefulness stage has an EEG pattern predominated by the alpha rhythm. With onset of stage 1 sleep, the alpha rhythm attenuates, and an EEG pattern of relatively low voltage and mixed frequency is seen. Progression to stage 2 sleep is defined by the appearance of sleep spindles or K-complexes. Further progression into the deepest sleep stages 3 and 4 is defined by the occurrence of high-amplitude, low-frequency EEG activity. The progression of sleep stages occurs in cycles of 60 to 120 minutes throughout the sleep period. Various circadian environmental and ontologic factors affect the pattern of sleep stage occurrence.
Rediscovering the joy of family practice.

Developing a strong inner world helps us gain a new enthusiasm for our work, which in turn makes us better physicians.
Nogo in nerve regeneration.

A protein long thought to inhibit the growth of regenerating nerve axons has at last been identified and cloned. This discovery could be an important step towards promoting nerve regeneration after stroke or spinal-cord injury.
Agenesis of corpus callosum and dementia of the Alzheimer's type: a review and case report.

This paper describes a previously sufficiently functioning 57 year old man who presented with a recent onset of frontal behaviour. Partial agenesis of corpus callosum was an incidental finding on a...
Body mass index and glycemic control influence lipoproteins in children with type 1 diabetes

Background Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have an extremely high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. It is well known that dyslipidemia is a subclinical manifestation of atherosclerosis. Objective To analyze presence and predicting factors of lipoprotein abnormalities prevalent in children with T1DM and whether race-specific differences exist between non-Hispanic white (NHW) and non-Hispanic black (NHB) in the lipoprotein characteristics. Methods A retrospective electronic chart review including 600 (123 NHB and 477 NHW) T1DM patients aged 7.85 ± 3.75 years who underwent lipoprotein analysis. Results Relative to NHW counterparts, NHB T1DM subjects had a higher HbA1c, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), apoB 100, lipoprotein (a), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), HDL-2, and HDL-3. Body mass index (BMI) was positively associated with TC, LDL-c, apoB 100, and non-HDL-c and inversely associated with HDL, HDL-2, and HDL-3. HbA1c was positively associated with TC, LDL-c, apoB 100, non-HDL-c, and HDL-3. Multilinear regression analysis demonstrated that HbA1c was positively associated with apoB 100 in both NHB and NHW, and BMI was a positive determinant of apoB 100 in NHW only. Conclusion Poor glycemic control and high BMI may contribute to abnormal lipoprotein profiles. Glycemic control (in NHB and NHW) and weight management (in NHW) may have significant implications in T1DM. ApoB 100 concentrations in subjects with T1DM were determined by modifiable risk factors, BMI, HbA1C, and blood pressure, indicating the importance of adequate weight, glycemic, and blood pressure control for better diabetes care and likely lower CVD risk.
LDL Receptor–Related Protein-1: A Regulator of Inflammation in Atherosclerosis, Cancer, and Injury to the Nervous System

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein-1 (LRP1) is an endocytic receptor for numerous proteins that are both structurally and functionally diverse. In some cell types, LRP1-mediated endocytosis is coupled to activation of cell signaling. LRP1 also regulates the composition of the plasma membrane and may, thereby, indirectly regulate the activity of other cell-signaling receptors. Given the scope of LRP1 ligands and its multifunctional nature, it is not surprising that numerous biological activities have been attributed to this receptor. LRP1 gene deletion is embryonic-lethal in mice. However, elegant studies using Cre-LoxP recombination have helped elucidate the function of LRP1 in mature normal and pathological tissues. One major theme that has emerged is the role of LRP1 as a regulator of inflammation. In this review, we will describe evidence for LRP1 as a regulator of inflammation in atherosclerosis, cancer, and injury to the nervous system.
Live donor liver transplantation for a child presented with severe hepatopulmonary syndrome and nodular liver lesions due to Abernethy malformation.

A 15-year-old boy first presented with severe lung lesions and hypoxia and he was considered as a lung transplant candidate. Upon evaluation, hepatopulmonary syndrome, multiple nodular liver lesions, and Abernethy type 1b malformation were diagnosed. The patient underwent successful right lobe live donor liver transplantation, and all of the symptoms disappeared soon after the transplant. He is currently alive and well with excellent liver and lung functions 4 years after surgery.
The Art of Repeal — Republicans’ Health Care Reform Muddle

Republicans’ failure to advance the American Health Care Act reflects persistent divisions within the party and underscores a crucial reality: 7 years after Obamacare’s enactment, the GOP still lacks a viable replacement for it. So what will Republicans do next?
Sources of media bias in coverage of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict: the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid in German, British, and US newspapers

This article examines the sources of media bias in coverage of the Israeli–Palestinian conflict by applying Dave D’Alessio and Mike Allen’s framework for measuring media bias to a sample of German,...
Women and the opioid crisis: historical context and public health solutions

Driven by a legitimate but overly opioid-focused response to pain, the United States is currently experiencing an opioid crisis, a crisis with parallels to the first opioid epidemic at the turn of the 20th century. Women, particularly white reproductive-age women, are increasingly the face of the opioid crisis. Given the penetration of opioid misuse and addiction across all income and insurance strata, any provider who cares for women needs to be prepared to assess and evaluate opioid use, misuse, and addiction. Although responsible opioid prescribing is essential, treatment capacity must be expanded and be inclusive of the unique needs of women. However, the public and public health response to the opioid crisis must include rolling back the war on drugs. The continued criminalization of the public health issue of drug use and the medical condition of addiction is unethical, ineffective, and inhumane.
Effects of Karlovitz number on turbulent kinetic energy transport in turbulent lean premixed methane/air flames

Direct numerical simulations of lean methane/air flames are carried out to study the effects of premixed combustion on turbulence. The equivalence ratio of the flame is 0.5 and non-dimensional turbulence intensities (urms/SL) are between 2 and 25. The mixture pressure is 20 bars and temperature is 810 K to simulate approximate conditions in lean-burn natural gas engines. The Karlovitz number (Ka) varies from 1.1 to 49.4, and the Damkohler number (Da) varies from 0.26 to 3.2 corresponding to turbulent premixed combustion in the thin reaction zone (TRZ) regime. It is found that turbulence kinetic energy (TKE) and its dissipation rate decrease monotonically across the flame brush while the integral length scale increases monotonically for flames in the TRZ regime. The transport equation of TKE is then examined, and the scaling of the terms in the equation is discussed. It is found that the sink term which represents molecular diffusion and viscous dissipation is the dominant term in the TKE balance and it sc...
Understanding the “Weekend Effect” for Emergency General Surgery

Several studies have identified a “weekend effect” for surgical outcomes, but definitions vary and the cause is unclear. Our aim was to better characterize the weekend effect for emergency general surgery using mortality as a primary endpoint. Using data from the University HealthSystem Consortium from 2009 to 2013, we identified urgent/emergent hospital admissions for seven procedures representing 80% of the national burden of emergency general surgery. Patient characteristics and surgical outcomes were compared between cases that were performed on weekdays vs weekends. Hospitals varied widely in the proportion of procedures performed on the weekend. Of the procedures examined, four had higher mortality for weekend cases (laparotomy, lysis of adhesions, partial colectomy, and small bowel resection; p < 0.01), while three did not (appendectomy, cholecystectomy, and peptic ulcer disease repair). Among the four procedures with increased weekend mortality, patients undergoing weekend procedures also had increased severity of illness and shorter time from admission to surgery (p < 0.01). Multivariate analysis adjusting for patient characteristics demonstrated independently higher mortality on weekends for these same four procedures (p < 0.01). For the first time, we have identified specific emergency general surgery procedures that incur higher mortality when performed on weekends. This may be due to acute changes in patient status that require weekend surgery or indications for urgent procedures (ischemia, obstruction) compared to those without a weekend mortality difference (infection). Hospitals that perform weekend surgery must acknowledge and identify ways to manage this increased risk.
Underwater Blast Response of Weathered Carbon Composite Plates

An experimental study was conducted to evaluate the response of weathered unidirectional composite plates subjected to near-field blast loading. The composite materials in this study are carbon-epoxy composite plates with a [45, −45]s layup and was subjected to simulated marine aging through submersion in seawater baths for 70 days at 65 degrees Celsius in order to simulate approximately 20 years of real life operating conditions. Experiments were performed by fully clamping the specimen plates to an air-backed enclosure in a water tank. An RP-503 explosive was placed underwater behind the composite structure to be loaded. During the experiments, transducers measured the pressure emitted by the explosive, and three high-speed cameras captured the entire event. Two of the cameras were placed apart facing the specimen to measure full-field displacements through 3-D Digital Image Correlation analysis. Results show that the diffusion of water into the composite material leads to degradation of the blast response behavior as well as a loss of flexural strength and modulus.
Arguing with ISIS: web 2.0, open source journalism, and narrative disruption

ABSTRACTThis paper considers American strategies for countering ISIS social media, focusing on notions of narrative and rational debate in the Web 2.0 era. In addition to chronicling an evolution in American governmental ideas about the online public sphere, the paper looks specifically at the work of Al-Tamimi, an open source journalist who verifies and catalogues original ISIS documentation. Using both textual analyses and long-form interviews with Al-Tamimi as evidence, the paper argues that Al-Tamimi’s archival work serves to disrupt emotionally driven, logically questionable narratives about ISIS, whether they emerge from the group itself or its Western opponents.
Islands of Encounter: A Reflection on the Place of Psychoanalysis

What is an encounter? What is an island? How can discourses on islands speak to our understanding of the place of practice and the placing of affect in the psychoanalytic encounter? Using notions o...
The effects of temperature and strain rate in fcc and bcc metals during extreme deformation rates

Abstract The present work investigates the effects of temperature and strain rate in fcc and bcc metallic samples subjected to the extreme strain rates, higher than 10 8 s − 1 , using large scale atomistic simulation. In addition to the stress-strain curve, the microstructural information of the samples is studied to capture the underlying mechanisms of temperature and rate effects. The results show that as the strain rate increases, the material strength increases in a way that the underlying mechanisms of strength depend on the material crystal structure. However, the results show that the material response dependency on temperature is much smaller than that of the strain rate in the region of extreme deformation rates. In other words, the change in temperature does not lead to a noticeable change in the material response. In the case of fcc metals subjected to the extreme strain rates, the results show that the work hardening mechanism, i.e., interaction of dislocation with one another, is the governing mechanism of material strength, and the contribution of thermal activation mechanism is negligible. In the case of bcc metals subjected during the extreme rate deformations, both work hardening and phonon drag mechanisms are important, while the former one is dominant. Again, the thermal activation mechanisms can be neglected in the regime of high strain rates. Finally, a multi-scale model is incorporated to capture the observed response of material in the regime of extreme strain rates.
Coronary artery bypass graft readmission rates and risk factors - A retrospective cohort study

Abstract Background Hospital readmissions contribute substantially to the overall healthcare cost. Coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) is of particular interest due to its relatively high short-term readmission rates and mean hospital charges. Methods A retrospective review was performed on 2007–2011 data from California, Florida, and New York from the State Inpatient Databases, Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project. All patients ≥18 years of age who underwent isolated CABG and met inclusion/exclusion criteria were included. Insurance status was categorized by Medicaid, Medicare, Private Insurance, Uninsured, and Other. Primary outcomes were unadjusted rates and adjusted odds of readmission at 30- and 90-days. Secondary outcomes included diagnosis at readmission. Results A total of 177,229 were included in the analyses after assessing for exclusion criteria. Overall 30-day readmission rate was 16.1%; rates were highest within Medicare (18.4%) and Medicaid (20.2%) groups and lowest in the private insurance group (11.7%; p Conclusions CABG readmission rates remain high and are associated with insurance status and racial and socioeconomic markers. Further investigation is necessary to better delineate the underlying factors that relate racial and socioeconomic disparities to CABG readmissions. Understanding these factors will be key to improving healthcare outcomes and expenditure.
Cyber Capabilities in Modern Warfare

Cyberspace is becoming more and more important in modern warfare. It is almost impossible to launch a war without utilizing cyber capabilities in this era. In which way are cyber conflicts different from or similar to conventional conflicts? What are the unique characteristics of cyber conflicts? What roles can cyber play in modern warfare? What are cyber capabilities? How can these capabilities be utilized in deterrence, defensive operations, and offensive maneuvers? Ultimately, what is cyber dominance? How can cyber dominance be achieved? These are the questions that this chapter intends to address. After conducting the literature review, a mechanism is proposed to reveal what cyber can do and cannot do in modern warfare. Based on this analysis, it recommends ways of fully utilizing cyber capabilities. This study can help commanders, strategists, and policy-makers to identify, allocate, and make full use of tangible and intangible cyber capabilities in decision-making.
HIV-1 TAT-mediated microglial activation: role of mitochondrial dysfunction and defective mitophagy

While the advent of combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) has dramatically increased the life expectancy of HIV-1 infected individuals, paradoxically, however, the prevalence of HIV-1-associate...