cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Particle beam glow discharge mass spectrometry: spectral characteristics of nucleobases.

Use of a particle beam glow discharge (PB-GD) source for mass spectrometric determinations of deoxy- and ribonucleosides and nucleotides is described. Use of this combination of sample introduction and ion source decouples the vaporization and ionization steps, leading to very simple spectral structure. The mass spectra of these compounds are EI-like in nature, with clearly identified molecular ions and fragmentation patterns that are easily rationalized. The PB-GDMS combination can be operated in a flow injection mode wherein the analyte is injected directly into the solvent flow, or can also be coupled to a high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) system allowing LC/MS analysis of mixtures. Mass spectra obtained for nucleic acid bases, nucleosides, and nucleotides are readily obtained with injections of low-nanomole quantities. Representative PB-GDMS spectra for deoxy- and ribonucleosides, nucleotides, and mixed-base oligonucleotides are presented to demonstrate the capabilities of the GD source. Characteristic fragmentation peaks from the spectra of adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine were identified in 22-base sequences of single-stranded DNA. The PB-GD source is capable of producing spectra that may be used to identify the individual bases present in mixed-base DNA and RNA fragments.
Twizzlers as a Cost-Effective and Equivalent Alternative to the Glucola Beverage in Diabetes Screening

Screening for gestational diabetes mellitus requires an oral glucose challenge test with a 50-g glucola beverage and venous blood sample after 1 h. A “positive screen” is defined as a venous blood glucose of either >130 mg/dL or 140 mg/dL (1,2), and the patient then undergoes a diagnostic fasting 3-h glucose tolerance test (GTT) with a 100-g glucola (1). However, up to 30% of pregnant women cannot tolerate the traditional 50-g glucola beverage (3,4). There are few reports demonstrating viable and cost-effective alternatives, such as commercially available candy. For example, jelly beans have been shown to be better tolerated but with demonstrated lower sensitivity, potentially related to their variability in size and resultant difficulty in calculating glucose load (3,4). We therefore sought to identify whether other forms of candy (such as …
Fuzzy inheritance in fuzzy object models

Numerous proposals for fuzzy object models can be found in the literature with a variety of methods for handling inheritance in these models. One of the difficulties is specifying the semantics of fuzzy inheritance and malting clear the distinction among the many forms and uses of inheritance in object models. Different kinds of inheritance, such as generalization, combination and implementation inheritance, are briefly discussed. The primary objective of this paper, however, is to examine several of the issues involving fuzzy inheritance and to provide a discussion of fuzzy extensions to the traditional interpretation of inheritance for conceptual specialization.
A general framework for temporal video scene segmentation

Videos are composed of many shots caused by different camera operations, e.g., on/off operations and switching between cameras. One important goal in video analysis is to group the shots into temporal scenes, such that all the shots in a single scene are related to a particular physical setting, an on-going action or a theme. In this paper, we present a general framework for temporal scene segmentation for various video types. The proposed method is formulated in a statistical fashion and uses the Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) technique to determine the boundaries between video scenes. In this approach, an arbitrary number of scene boundaries are randomly initialized and automatically updated using two types of updates: diffuse and jumps. The posterior probability on the number of scenes and their boundary locations is computed based on the model priors and the data likelihood. The updates of the model parameters are controlled by the hypothesis ratio test in the MCMC process. The proposed framework has been experimented on two types of videos, home videos and feature films, and accurate results have been obtained
The relationship between MRNA levels and the locomotor response to novelty

Abstract Differences in behavioral and neurochemical responses to drugs of abuse and environmental stress have been observed between rats that have a greater locomotor response in a novel environment (high responders: HR) compared to those that have a low response to novelty (low responders: LR). This study examined nuclei associated with the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic systems for differences in mRNA content between HR and LR using Northern blot analysis. These brain regions were chosen because of their role in both drug abuse and stress responses. The mRNAs examined code for either peptide transmitters that interact with the dopaminergic system or components of the dopaminergic system that have not been previously examined for differences between HR and LR. HR rats had approximately 50% lower levels of mRNA for β-preprotachykinin (PPT) in the core of the nucleus accumbens (NACC) compared to LR. No differences between HR and LR in mRNA levels for dynorphin (DYN), preproenkephalin (PPE), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) or neurotensin (NT) were observed in the core of the NACC. In the shell region of the NACC, HR exhibited a 25% reduction in the level of mRNA for NT compared to LR. No differences between HR and LR in mRNA levels for PPT, DYN, PPE or GAD were observed in the shell of the NACC. In the medial frontal cortex and the dorsal striatum, no differences between HR and LR in mRNA levels for PPT, DYN, PPE, GAD or NT were found. In the substantia nigra and ventral tegmental area no differences between HR and LR in mRNA levels for tyrosine hydroxylase, GAD, cholecystokinin, or NT were noted. This work indicates that neurotransmitters other than dopamine may contribute to the differences between HR and LR and that these differences may reside to a greater extent in the mesolimbic than the nigrostriatal systems.
Inhibition of Experimental Hypercholesterolemia and Atherogenesis by 4-Amino Pteroylglutamic Acid (Aminopterin)

Rabbits pretreated with Aminopterin (4-amino pteroylglutamic acid) for 4 weeks were fed an atherogenic diet for 8 weeks, during which Aminopterin injections also were continued. The atherogenic diet consisted of a stock diet with 3/4 per cent cholesterol added. As a result of some manipulation of the Aminopterin dosage during the period before cholesterol feeding was begun, some of the Aminopterin-treated animals lost weight from overdosage, and 7 of the original 20 died. The surviving animals upon reduction of dosage made good weight gains, comparable to the controls, during the cholesterol feeding period. When sacrificed after 8 weeks of cholesterol feeding, the control animals, 21 in number, all had grossly demonstrable 1+ to 4+ atheromatosis of the aorta. Of the 13 surviving Aminopterin-treated animals, 9 had no atheromatosis or doubtful deposits of minimal extent. Only 4 had definite atheromatosis comparable in extent to the controls. Serum cholesterol levels were 30 to 50 per cent lower in the treated animals than in the controls.
Incorporating Student Covariates in Cognitive Diagnosis Models

In educational measurement, cognitive diagnosis models have been developed to allow assessment of specific skills that are needed to perform tasks. Skill knowledge is characterized as present or absent and represented by a vector of binary indicators, or the skill set profile. After determining which skills are needed for each assessment item, a model is specified for the relationship between item responses and skill set profiles. Cognitive diagnosis models are often used for diagnosis, that is, for classifying students into the different skill set profiles. Generally, cognitive diagnosis models do not exploit student covariate information. However, investigating the effects of student covariates, such as gender, SES, or educational interventions, on skill knowledge mastery is important in education research, and covariate information may improve classification of students to skill set profiles. We extend a common cognitive diagnosis model, the DINA model, by modeling the relationship between the latent skill knowledge indicators and covariates. The probability of skill mastery is modeled as a logistic regression model, possibly with a student-level random intercept, giving a higher-order DINA model with a latent regression. Simulations show that parameter recovery is good for these models and that inclusion of covariates can improve skill diagnosis. When applying our methods to data from an online tutor, we obtain reasonable and interpretable parameter estimates that allow more detailed characterization of groups of students who differ in their predicted skill set profiles.
Alternative Donor Allogeneic Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (alloHCT) provides a potentially curative therapy for patients with high-risk or chemorefractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Historically, the applicability of alloHCT has been limited as only 30%–35% of patients have human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-matched siblings and outcomes using other donor types have been markedly inferior due to excess toxicity, graft failure, graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and consequently non-relapse mortality. Advances in HLA typing, GVHD prophylactic approaches, and other transplantation techniques have successfully addressed these historical challenges. Herein, we review recent alloHCT studies using volunteer unrelated donors, umbilical cord blood units, or HLA-haploidentical donors, specifically focusing on studies that compared outcomes between donor sources. Although none are randomized and most are retrospective, these analyses suggest that current outcomes for AML patients using most alternative donor types are comparable to those seen using HLA-matched siblings.
Spatiotemporal Video Upscaling Using Motion-Assisted Steering Kernel (MASK) Regression

In this chapter, we present Motion Assisted Steering Kernel (MASK) regression, a novel multi-frame approach for interpolating video data spatially, temporally, or spatiotemporally, and for video noise reduction, including compression artifact removal. The MASK method takes both local spatial orientations and local motion vectors into account and adaptively constructs a suitable filter at every position of interest. Moreover, we present a practical algorithm based on MASK that is both robust and computationally efficient. In order to reduce the computational and memory requirements, we process each frame in a block-by-block manner, utilizing a block-based motion model. Instead of estimating the local dominant orientation by singular value decomposition, we estimate the orientations based on a technique similar to vector quantization. We develop a technique to locally adapt the regression order, which allows enhancing the denoising effect in flat areas, while effectively preserving major edges and detail in texture areas. Comparisons between MASK and other state-of-the-art video upscaling methods demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Leading the Public through the New Media

The White House communications environment has undergone a sea change. The president cannot depend on reaching the fragmented and ideologically insulated audience for news. Although the White House has embraced the latest technology to take its case to the people, it mostly reaches its base. Moreover, the opposition is able to exploit the same tools and audience characteristics to challenge the White House and reinforce the tendencies of its adherents. And in the unkindest cut of all, true believers among Democrats push back against the president. In addition, there is little evidence that the president can use the new media to mobilize his supporters to pressure Congress for change.
Thermal modeling for FinFET NAND gate circuits using a multi-block reduced-order model

An approach to thermal simulation of semiconductor ICs has been developed using a multi-block reduced-order model (ROM). The ROM projects the heat equation onto a functional space to represent the thermal solution using only a few degrees of freedom (DOF). The approach does not require any assumption on the physical geometry, dimensions, BCs or heat flow pathways. The developed approach is applied to a FinFET NAND gate circuit constructed using multiple blocks of a FinFET NAND gate. It is shown that the multi-block ROM approach is able to offer accurate thermal solution for a NAND IC subjected to power pulse excitations with large variations of pulse frequency, width, shape and time shift that substantially deviate from those used in the model construction. The approach offers accurate thermal solution as detailed as the detailed numerical simulation with a reduction in the numerical DOF by 5 to 6 orders of magnitude.
Some Biological Observations on Sarcophaga Falciformis, A Parasite of Grasshoppers (Diptera: Sarcophagidae)

S. falciformis Aldrich has been found parasitizing Melanoplus devastator (Scudder) and Oedaleonotus enigma (Scudder) in California. The female fly viciously attacks adults and older nymphs of these important rangeland grasshoppers, and inserts a larva through the cuticle into the muscles of the hind femur. The larva migrates into the thoracic cavity, where it matures in 6 days. The host dies when the fly emerges, or soon thereafter. The last generation of the flies overwinters as larvae in the soil. S. falciformis reduced one localized, heavy population of M. devastator almost to the vanishing point.
Corona Discharge Characteristic for Fittings of High Altitude AC Transmission Line

The problems of electromagnetic environment caused by corona discharge from fittings are more and more concerned at high altitude area in recent years.In order to acquire the corona discharge characteristics and altitude correction methods for fittings of high altitude 330 kV AC transmission line,the research work of inception voltage for different fittings were experimentally performed respectively both at climate laboratory in Ultra-high Voltage Test Base in Wuhan and High Altitude Test Base in Tibet.The phenomenon of corona discharge was detected and recorded by ultraviolet image apparatus,and correction errors of test results were given in accordance with the existing standards.It is indicated that the corona inception voltage for fittings decreases with the rise of altitude to the sea level,and corona discharge characteristic is affected by the electrode type.Formulae of linear form and exponential form based on the test results at different simulated altitudes are obtained,by which the correction errors are lower than those of the existing standards and the absolute value of correction errors can be controlled at less than 5 percent.
Coexisting Lymphangioleiomyomatosis and Bilateral Angiomyolipomas in a Patient with Tuberous Sclerosis

AbstractA patient with tuberous sclerosis and known bilateral angiomyolipomas presented with a complete pneumothorax prior to scheduled renal surgery. Evaluation revealed the presence of pulmonary lymphangioleiomyoma, an unusual entity known to coexist with tuberous sclerosis. Pulmonary decortication and conservative renal surgery resulted in a satisfactory long-term result.
Urethrography in the Diagnosis of Acute Urethral Injuries

Urethrography has proved to be tremendously valuable in the evaluation of patients with suspected acute urethral injuries. The authors review the techniques of examination, the anatomy, and the urethrographic classification of acute injuries in the male patient.
Return Migration to India: Decision‐Making among Academic Engineers and Scientists

The decision-making process among migrants, whether to leave their country of birth for a foreign country or deciding to return to their native country is complex and laden with challenges. This article seeks to understand the decision-making process by which immigrant engineers and scientists select to return to India after study and work in the United States. It is based on in-depth interviews conducted with 54 returned engineers and scientists. Results indicate that the decision to return is anything but a linear process as highlighted in rational choice theory. Prospect and planned behaviour theories are better positioned to explain the decision-making process among returned migrant engineers and scientists.
A Toolkit for Pediatric CT Dose Reduction in Community Hospitals

Pediatric CT radiation dose optimization is a challenging process for pediatric-focused facilities and community hospitals alike. Ongoing experience and trial-and-error approaches to dose reduction in the large academic hospital setting may position these centers to help community hospitals that strive for CT quality improvement. We describe our hands-on approach in a pilot project to create a partnership between an academic medical center and a community hospital to develop a toolkit for implementing CT dose reduction. Our aims were to (1) assess the acceptability of an interactive educational program and electronic toolkit booklet, (2) conduct a limited test of the efficacy of the toolkit in promoting knowledge and readiness to change, and (3) assess the acceptability and practicality of a collaborative approach to implementing dose reduction protocols in community hospitals. In partnering with the community hospital, we found that they had size-specific radiation doses two to three times higher than those at our center. Survey results after a site visit with interactive educational presentations revealed an increase in knowledge, stronger opinions about the health risks of radiation from CT scans, and willingness and perceived ability to reduce pediatric CT doses.
Permissive role for nitric oxide in active thermoregulatory vasodilation in rabbit ear

The present study was designed to test the hypothesis that during whole body heating (WBH), nitric oxide (NO) synthesized in the endothelium acts synergistically with an unknown neurotransmitter to elicit active vasodilation. Rabbits were instrumented for the measurement of mean arterial pressure, heart rate, and ear blood flow (EBF) (Doppler ultrasound). During WBH, either N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 10-40 mg over 10-15 min, n = 6 rabbits; group 1), a NO synthase inhibitor, or saponin (30-40 mg over 10-20 min, n = 6 rabbits; group 2), a detergent that denudes the endothelium, was given via a lingual artery catheter until thermoregulatory vasodilation was reversed. When EBF stabilized at the new reduced level, the NO donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), was infused (0.2-1.0 mg/ml, 0.01-0.05 ml/min, 2-5 min) via the lingual artery catheter. During WBH, EBF increased from 0.39 +/- 0.08 to 6.47 +/- 0.63 kHz in group 1, and from 0.69 +/- 0.18 to 5.72 +/- 0.49 kHz in group 2. Infusion of L-NAME decreased EBF in group 1 to 1.97 +/- 0.40 kHz. Infusion of saponin decreased EBF in group 2 to 1.23 +/- 0.40 kHz. Subsequent SNP infusion during hyperthermia returned EBF to 6.88 +/- 0.72 kHz in group 1 and 5.53 +/- 1.27 kHz in group 2 but had no effect when administered during normothermia. These results suggest that NO acts in conjunction with another substance, presumably the neurotransmitter released on WBH, to elicit thermoregulatory vasodilation.
Kinases as Novel Therapeutic Targets in Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

Multiple kinases play a critical role in orchestrating the chronic inflammation and structural changes in the respiratory tract of patients with asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Kinases activate signaling pathways that lead to contraction of airway smooth muscle and release of inflammatory mediators (such as cytokines, chemokines, growth factors) as well as cell migration, activation, and proliferation. For this reason there has been great interest in the development of kinase inhibitors as anti-inflammatory therapies, particular where corticosteroids are less effective, as in severe asthma and COPD. However, it has proven difficult to develop selective kinase inhibitors that are both effective and safe after oral administration and this has led to a search for inhaled kinase inhibitors, which would reduce systemic exposure. Although many kinases have been implicated in inflammation and remodeling of airway disease, very few classes of drug have reached the stage of clinical studies in these diseases. The most promising drugs are p38 MAP kinases, isoenzyme-selective PI3-kinases, Janus-activated kinases, and Syk-kinases, and inhaled formulations of these drugs are now in development. There has also been interest in developing inhibitors that block more than one kinase, because these drugs may be more effective and with less risk of losing efficacy with time. No kinase inhibitors are yet on the market for the treatment of airway diseases, but as kinase inhibitors are improved from other therapeutic areas there is hope that these drugs may eventually prove useful in treating refractory asthma and COPD.
Enumeration of Fungi in Grain Flours and Meals as Influenced by Settling time in Diluent and by the Recovery Medium.

A study was undertaken to determine if the time elapsed, i.e., settling time, after homogenizing grain flours and meals in a primary diluent and withdrawing samples for serially diluting and plating has an effect on populations of yeasts and molds detected. Sixty samples of flour and meal were analyzed. Samples were withdrawn from the top, middle, and bottom areas of graduated cylinders containing homogenates after settling times of 0, 2, 6, and 10 min and plated on dichloran 18% glycerol agar and dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol agar. As the settling time between homogenizing plain and self-rising wheat flours and rye flour increased, the population of fungi detected in the top area of primary homogenates decreased significantly (P ≤ 0.05), whereas the population detected in the bottom area increased significantly. Dichloran 18% glycerol agar was clearly superior to dichloran rose bengal chloramphenicol agar for recovering fungi from wheat and rye flours, regardless of settling time. Populations detected in buckwheat flour and in plain and self-rising corn meal were largely unaffected by settling time, sampling location, and recovery medium.
Vulnerability to Food Insecurity and Households' Coping Strategies

Nearly, a billion people globally are food insecure. Over 90 per cent of them are from sub-Saharan African countries, of which Ethiopia is part. The country has been renounced by its food insecurity level and dependent on food aid for decades. Severity of food insecurity in the country is mainly deep in rural areas and smallholder farmers are vulnerable to the shocks of food shortage. The aim of this study is to assess household's vulnerability to food insecurity and coping strategies with evidence from southern Ethiopia. In this study, universal coping strategy questions were used to answer "What do farmers do when they don't have enough food, and don't have enough money to buy food?" The finding indicates that about 79.2 per cent of households are vulnerable to food insecurity and responded to food shortage shocks in different ways. Over half of the respondents reduced meal frequency and consumed enset (is a false banana grown in southern and south western part of Ethiopia which is used to cope food shortages during drought seasons) while others consumed less preferred food (44.2 per cent). The rest adapted asset depleting strategies like borrowing grain (35.4 per cent), using saved money (27.5 per cent), and selling livestock (25 per cent) to cope with food insecurity. This shows that unless asset building and income enhancing strategies are promoted; vulnerable people will deplete assets and fall in chronic food insecurity. The average coping strategy is 13.4 while it is 16.4 for the very poor households implying that they face more severe food insecurity than non-poor households. Therefore, in order to build the resilience of rural households towards food shortage shocks, asset transfer strategies, access to credit services, and diverse income generating enterprises should be promoted.
Successful Aging as the Intersection of Individual Resources, Age, Environment, and Experiences of Well-being in Daily Activities.

Objective We conceptualize successful aging as a cumulative index of individual resources (the absence of disease and disability, high cognitive and physical functioning, social embeddedness) in the service of successful aging outcomes (global well-being, experienced well-being, and vital status), and conditioned by age, social structure, and environment. Method The study used baseline and follow-up data from the 2008-2014 waves of the Health and Retirement Study (N = 17,230; age = 51-101). Linear, multilevel, and logistic models compared individual resources at baseline as independent, cumulative, and binary predictors of outcomes 4 years later. Results Individual resources were unequally distributed across age group and social structures (education, wealth, race, gender) and had a cumulative effect on all successful aging outcomes. For experienced well-being, individual resources were most important at midlife and for groups with lower education. Person-environment congruence (social cohesion, city satisfaction) was associated with all successful aging outcomes and conditioned the effect of individual resources on experienced well-being. Discussion A cumulative index allows for gradations in resources that can be compensated for by external factors such as person-environment congruence. This index could guide policy and interventions to enhance resources in vulnerable subgroups and diminish inequalities in successful aging outcomes.
Angiotensin II Enhances Tubuloglomerular Feedback Via Activation of Luminal At 1 Receptors on the Macula Densa

P87 Angiotensin II (Ang II) enhances tubuloglomerular feedback (TGF) through its actions on the afferent arteriole (Af-Art). Recent studies revealed AT 1 -receptors on macula densa cells, raising the possibility that Ang II could enhance TGF by affecting macula densa cell function. We hypothesized that Ang II enhances TGF via activation of AT 1 receptors on the luminal membrane of the macula densa. Rabbit Af-Arts and the attached macula densa were simultaneously microperfused in vitro. Af-Art diameter was measured while the macula densa was perfused with low NaCl (Na + : 5 mM; Cl - : 3 mM) and then with high NaCl (Na + : 79 mM; Cl - : 77 mM). In the absence of Ang II, Af-Art diameter decreased by 2.4 ± 0.5 μm (from 17.3 ± 1.0 to 14.9 ± 1.2 μm) when the NaCl concentration at the macula densa was increased. After adding Ang II (0.1 nM) to the lumen of the macula densa, the diameter decreased by 3.8 ± 0.7 μm ( p via activation of AT 1 receptors on the luminal membrane of the macula densa, we compared the TGF response in the presence and absence of Ang II plus losartan in the macula densa perfusate. With losartan in the macula densa perfusate, Af-Art diameter decreased by 2.5 ± 0.5 μm (from 16.7 ± 1.8 to 14.2 ± 2.1 μm). When Ang II was added to the macula densa perfusate with losartan, the TGF response was 2.7 ± 1.1 μm (n.s.). We concluded that Ang II enhances TGF via activation of AT 1 receptors on the luminal membrane of the macula densa.
The Hillary Doctrine: Sex and American Foreign Policy

Given the title of this book, some might think its relevance depends on whether Hillary Clinton is elected president of the United States. The authors, however, emphasize that they are evaluating a...
Sex and nitric oxide bioavailability interact to modulate interstitial Po2 in healthy rat skeletal muscle

Interstitial Po2 (Po2is; determined by O2 delivery-to-utilization matching) plays an important role for O2 flux into skeletal muscle. We show that both sexes regulate Po2is at similar levels at res...
Succession Planning Research Within the Business/IT Arena

Business Information Technology (Business IT) is among the areas in which many organizations are at risk of losing the most experienced and skilled workforce. Imagine a number of individuals who have overseen an organization’s Business IT for an extended duration of 20 years or more—professionals who have overseen countless software development projects and migrations from legacy systems and web technology to mobile technology. Without proper succession planning and solid data preservation strategies, companies are at risk of losing the knowledge acquired by experienced Business IT individuals and teams. IT leaders are encouraged to anticipate turnover and emphasize the value of succession planning by ensuring that legacy workforce experts work side by side with the new generation workforce to preserve legacy knowledge.
Reducing meat consumption in the USA: a nationally representative survey of attitudes and behaviours.

ObjectiveExcess meat consumption, particularly of red and processed meats, is associated with nutritional and environmental health harms. While only a small portion of the population is vegetarian, surveys suggest many Americans may be reducing their meat consumption. To inform education campaigns, more information is needed about attitudes, perceptions, behaviours and foods eaten in meatless meals.DesignA web-based survey administered in April 2015 assessed meat reduction behaviours, attitudes, what respondents ate in meatless meals and sociodemographic characteristics.SettingNationally representative, web-based survey in the USA.SubjectsUS adults (n 1112) selected from GfK Knowledgeworks’ 50 000-member online panel. Survey weights were used to assure representativeness.ResultsTwo-thirds reported reducing meat consumption in at least one category over three years, with reductions of red and processed meat most frequent. The most common reasons for reduction were cost and health; environment and animal welfare lagged. Non-meat reducers commonly agreed with statements suggesting that meat was healthy and ‘belonged’ in the diet. Vegetables were most often consumed ‘always’ in meatless meals, but cheese/dairy was also common. Reported meat reduction was most common among those aged 45–59 years and among those with lower incomes.ConclusionsThe public and environmental health benefits of reducing meat consumption create a need for campaigns to raise awareness and contribute to motivation for change. These findings provide rich information to guide intervention development, both for the USA and other high-income countries that consume meat in high quantities.
Sodium Hydroxide Production from Seawater Desalination Brine: Process Design and Energy Efficiency

The ability to increase pH is a crucial need for desalination pretreatment (especially in reverse osmosis) and for other industries, but processes used to raise pH often incur significant emissions and nonrenewable resource use. Alternatively, waste brine from desalination can be used to create sodium hydroxide, via appropriate concentration and purification pretreatment steps, for input into the chlor-alkali process. In this work, an efficient process train (with variations) is developed and modeled for sodium hydroxide production from seawater desalination brine using membrane chlor-alkali electrolysis. The integrated system includes nanofiltration, concentration via evaporation or mechanical vapor compression, chemical softening, further ion-exchange softening, dechlorination, and membrane electrolysis. System productivity, component performance, and energy consumption of the NaOH production process are highlighted, and their dependencies on electrolyzer outlet conditions and brine recirculation are investigated. The analysis of the process also includes assessment of the energy efficiency of major components, estimation of system operating expense and comparison with similar processes. The brine-to-caustic process is shown to be technically feasible while offering several advantages, that is, the reduced environmental impact of desalination through lessened brine discharge, and the increase in the overall water recovery ratio of the reverse osmosis facility. Additionally, best-use conditions are given for producing caustic not only for use within the plant, but also in excess amounts for potential revenue.
Uncited Research Articles in Popular United States General Radiology Journals.

Rationale and Objectives This study aimed to characterize articles in popular general radiology journals that go uncited for a decade after publication. Methods Using the Web of Science database, we identified annual citation counts for 13,459 articles published in Radiology, American Journal of Roentgenology, and Academic Radiology between 1997 and 2006. From this article cohort, we then identified all original research articles that accrued zero citations within a decade of publication. A concurrent equal-sized cohort of most cited articles was created. Numerous characteristics of the uncited and most cited articles were identified and compared. Results Only 47 uncited articles went uncited for a decade after publication. When compared to the 47 most cited articles over that same window, the uncited articles were significantly (P Conclusion Of articles published in popular general radiology journals, only a very small number of original research investigations remained uncited a decade after publication. Given that citations reflect the impact of radiology research, this observation suggests that journals are appropriately selecting meaningful work. Investigators seeking to avoid futile publication might consider their research initiatives in light of these characteristics.
Bacterial endophyte communities in Pinus flexilis are structured by host age, tissue type, and environmental factors

Forest tree microbiomes are important to forest dynamics, diversity, and ecosystem processes. Mature limber pines (Pinus flexilis) host a core microbiome of acetic acid bacteria in their foliage, but the bacterial endophyte community structure, variation, and assembly across tree ontogeny is unknown. The aims of this study were to test if the core microbiome observed in adult P. flexilis is established at the seedling stage, if seedlings host different endophyte communities in root and shoot tissues, and how environmental factors structure seedling endophyte communities. The 16S rRNA gene was sequenced to characterize the bacterial endophyte communities in roots and shoots of P. flexilis seedlings grown in plots at three elevations at Niwot Ridge, Colorado, subjected to experimental treatments (watering and heating). The data was compared to previously sequenced endophyte communities from adult tree foliage sampled in the same year and location. Seedling shoots hosted a different core microbiome than adult tree foliage and were dominated by a few OTUs in the family Oxalobacteraceae, identical or closely related to strains with antifungal activity. Shoot and root communities significantly differed from each other but shared major OTUs. Watering but not warming restructured the seedling endophyte communities. The results suggest differences in assembly and ecological function across conifer life stages. Seedlings may recruit endophytes to protect against fungi under increased soil moisture.
IASC and Globalization: Can the Problem of Noncompliance be Overcome?

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the environmental factors that influence accounting practices worldwide. Accounting practices differ substantially from one country to another. Several factors explain this. The most likely characteristics which influence accounting development include differences in political systems, nature of economic laws, providers of finance, taxation rules, legal systems, and strength of the accounting profession. The strength, size, competence, and age of the accounting profession in a country may follow to a large extent from the various factors and from the type of accounting system they have helped to produce. For example, the lack of a substantial body of private shareholders, and companies of the private sector in some European countries meant that the need for auditors is much smaller than it is in the United States, or the United Kingdom. It is found that in France, the youth, and the absence of a private professional accounting body may be explained by the fact that the government dominated early, and set accounting, and auditing rules that led to the unimportance of auditing.
Laboratory Testing, Electrocardiography and Imaging

Testing – blood determinations, urine analysis, electrocardiography, various types of body imaging and all the rest – represent a two-edged sword for physicians. On one hand a test result can provide the key piece of data that clinches a diagnosis; an example is the detection of a malarial crescent on a blood smear. On the other hand, easy access to laboratory testing can foster dependence, and even a little intellectual laziness, in the clinician. After all, it is easier to order a test than listen to a patient, although, given such a forced choice, eliciting a thorough medical history is generally the best option.
Correlation of Structural Strain to Tip Vorticity and Lift for a MAV Pliant Membrane Wing

The last decade has witnessed a surge of scientific interest in flight at the micro air vehicle (MAV) scale. To date, a MAV utilizing an adaptable, flexible smart wing design has yet to come to fruition. While highly flexible aerodynamic surfaces have repeatedly demonstrated improved performance through passive adaptation, limited structural and flow state knowledge prevents the inclusion of active control strategies which could improve performance of such designs.
Pivotal Functions of Plasmacytoid Dendritic Cells in Systemic Autoimmune Pathogenesis.

Plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) were initially identified as the prominent natural type I interferon-producing cells during viral injection. Over the past decade, the aberrant production of interferon α/β by pDCs in response to self-derived molecular entities has been critically implicated in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus and recognized as a general feature underlying other autoimmune diseases. On top of imperative studies on human pDCs, the functional involvement and mechanism by which the pDC-interferon α/β pathway facilitates the progression of autoimmunity have been unraveled recently from investigations with several experimental lupus models. This article reviews correlating information obtained from human in vitro characterization and murine in vivo studies and highlights the fundamental and multifaceted contribution of pDCs to the pathogenesis of systemic autoimmune manifestation.
Process improvement for reducing side discrepancies in radiology reports

BackgroundLaterality errors in radiology reports can lead to serious errors in management.PurposeTo reduce errors related to side discrepancies in radiology reports from thoracic imaging by 50% ove...
Detection of Nonexudative Choroidal Neovascularization and Progression to Exudative Choroidal Neovascularization Using OCT Angiography.

Purpose To detect nonexudative choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) with OCT angiography (OCTA) and determine the risk of exudative CNV developing compared with eyes without nonexudative CNV. Design Prospective, longitudinal, observational study. Participants Consecutive patients with drusen and pigmentary changes in the study eye and exudative neovascular AMD in the fellow eye. Methods In this prospective observational study, participants underwent spectral-domain OCTA (AngioVue; Optovue, Inc, Fremont, CA), clinical examination, and structural OCT at baseline and 6-month intervals for 2 years. OCT angiography images were exported for custom processing to remove projection artifact and calculate CNV vessel area. Main Outcome Measures Rate of developing exudation in eyes with and without nonexudative CNV as detected by OCTA on regular follow-up. Results Sixty-three study participants were followed up every 6 months and 48 completed the 2-year study. Mean age was 78 years and 60.3% were female. On the baseline visit, 5 eyes (7.9%) were found to have nonexudative CNV by OCTA, and 3 of them demonstrated exudation. Of 58 eyes with a normal OCTA on baseline visit, 5 eyes developed nonexudative CNV during a follow-up visit. All 5 of these nonexudative CNV went on to develop exudation in subsequent visits. Overall, 8 of the 10 eyes with nonexudative CNV developed exudation with a mean time of 8 months and mean CNV area growth rate of 20% per month (P = 0.014, exponential model). Initiation of antiangiogenic treatment halted their growth. In comparison, exudation occurred in only 6 of the 53 eyes (11%) that lacked a precursor nonexudative CNV. Cox proportional hazard analysis showed that having nonexudative CNV detected was associated with an 18.1-fold increase in the rate of exudation subsequently developing (P Conclusions Nonexudative CNV frequently is detected by OCTA in the fellow eyes of those with exudative CNV. These lesions carry a high risk of exudation developing within the first year after detection and could benefit from close monitoring. The high risk of progression may justify prophylactic treatment; further studies are needed.
Outcomes assessment for the athlete

Foot and ankle problems are highly common in athletes. In the assessment of foot and ankle problems in the athlete it is important to assess the general health of the athlete, the sports-related risks, and the risk tolerance modifiers. With the help of this information the athlete and the medical team can make a decision about return to sport (RTS) timing and return to sporting activity levels. Return to sport should be regarded as a continuum. RTS can be divided in three subcategories: return to participation, return to sport, and return to preinjury level. Another tool in the assessment of foot and ankle problems in the athlete are patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs). A number of PROMs are specifically designed to assess sports-related outcomes in the foot and ankle.
To Speak or to Text: Effects of Display Type and I/O Style on Mobile Virtual Humans Nurse Training

Nursing programs are designed to teach students the knowledge, skill and attitudes needed to provide nursing care to patients of various ages, genders, cultures and religious backgrounds. Traditionally, students acquire these skills through patient interaction. There have been shown benefits to training nurses, and other medical students, via embodied virtual humans. We have designed a system to enable mobile interactive training for nursing students using an embodied conversational virtual human. Furthermore, we conducted a study to compare whether display type and interaction type have an effect on users’ interactions. In this paper, we present the details of our system and results from our user study. Our results could have impact for designing and using VH training systems.
Increased visual interest and affective responses to impossible figures in early infancy

This research evaluated infants' facial expressions as they viewed pictures of possible and impossible objects on a TV screen. Previous studies in our lab demonstrated that four-month-old infants looked longer at the impossible figures and fixated to a greater extent within the problematic region of the impossible shape, suggesting they were sensitive to novel or unusual object geometry. Our work takes studies of looking time data a step further, determining if increased looking co-occurs with facial expressions associated with increased visual interest and curiosity, or even puzzlement and surprise. We predicted that infants would display more facial expressions consistent with either "interest" or "surprise" when viewing the impossible objects relative to possible ones, which would provide further evidence of increased perceptual processing due to incompatible spatial information. Our results showed that the impossible cubes evoked both longer looking times and more reactive expressions in the majority of infants. Specifically, the data revealed significantly greater frequency of raised eyebrows, widened eyes and returns to looking when viewing impossible figures with the most robust effects occurring after a period of habituation. The pattern of facial expressions were consistent with the "interest" family of facial expressions and appears to reflect infants' ability to perceive systematic differences between matched pairs of possible and impossible objects as well as recognize novel geometry found in impossible objects. Therefore, as young infants are beginning to register perceptual discrepancies in visual displays, their facial expressions may reflect heightened attention and increased information processing associated with identifying irreconcilable contours in line drawings of objects. This work further clarifies the ongoing formation and development of early mental representations of coherent 3D objects.
End-of-Life Decision-Making for ICU Patients With Limited English Proficiency: A Qualitative Study of Healthcare Team Insights

Objectives Research indicates that the increasing population of over 25 million people in the United States who have limited English proficiency experience differences in decision-making and subsequent care at end of life in the ICU when compared with the general population. The objective of this study was to assess the perceptions of healthcare team members about the factors that influence discussions and decision-making about end of life for patients and family members with limited English proficiency in the ICU. Design Qualitative study using semistructured interviews with ICU physicians, nurses, and interpreters. Setting Three ICUs at Mayo Clinic Rochester. Subjects Sixteen ICU physicians, 12 ICU nurses, and 12 interpreters. Intervention None. Measurements and main results We conducted 40 semistructured interviews. We identified six key differences in end-of-life decision-making for patients with limited English proficiency compared with patients without limited English proficiency: 1) clinician communication is modified and less frequent; 2) clinician ability to assess patient and family understanding is impaired; 3) relationship building is impaired; 4) patient and family understanding of decision-making concepts (e.g., palliative care) is impaired; 5) treatment limitations are often perceived to be unacceptable due to faith-based and cultural beliefs; and 6) patient and family decision-making styles are different. Facilitators of high-quality decision-making in patients with limited English proficiency included: 1) premeeting between clinician and interpreter; 2) interpretation that communicates empathy and caring; 3) bidirectional communication of cultural perspectives; 4) interpretation that improves messaging including appropriate word choice; and 5) clinician cultural humility. Conclusions End-of-life decision-making is significantly different for ICU patients with limited English proficiency. Participants identified several barriers and facilitators to high-quality end-of-life decision-making for ICU patients and families with limited English proficiency. Awareness of these factors can facilitate interventions to improve high-quality, compassionate, and culturally sensitive decision-making for patients and families with limited English proficiency.
Individualize Treatment With Aspirin for Primary Prevention.

The editorialist discusses Selak and colleagues' model and its application to clinical practice in light of other conflicting evidence.
Flight in Drosophila. II. Variations in stroke parameters and wing contour.

1. In tethered flight in a wind tunnel fruit-flies adjust lift and thrust by shifting the horizontal component of the lower extreme wing position. The upper extreme wing position is nearly constant. 2. Stroke angle and stroke plane are fully interdependent parameters. 3. Angle of attack varies along the length of the wing; no length-wise twisting occurs. 4. Angle of attack varies with flying speed; pitch is unchanged as speed is increased. 5. These characteristics suggest that the flight machinery of fruit-flies is considerably simpler than that of larger flying animals.