cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Elimination of antithrombin III concentrate in healthy pregnant and preeclamptic women with an acquired antithrombin III deficiency.

Abstract The activity elimination half-life of heat-treated antithrombin III (AT III) concentrate was studied in 5 healthy pregnant and 5 preeclamptic women with a documented AT III deficiency. Healthy pregnant women received 1500 units over 20 minutes. Serial blood specimen; were obtained over the next 12 hours. The mean (± SEM) activity elimination half-life of AT III was 29.4h ± 3.4h. Preeclamptic subjects had a mean baseline AT III activity of 70.5 ± 2% (range 61 to 75%). Their activity eliminatior half-life after 3000 units of AT III concentrate was 8.5 ± 1.2h. There was a direct relationship between the pre-concentrate AT III activity level and the AT III activity elimination half-life (r = 0.79, p = 0.01) for all subjects. Based upon parameters calculated from the first infusion, the AT III activity of preeclamptic subjects was maintained by a constant infusion at approximately 100% for 96h. At the conclusion of the infusion, the activity elimination half-life was again measured. A dramatic increase in the activity elimination half-life was demonstrated (433.6h). We conclude that the activity elimination half-life of AT III concentrate is increased during normal pregnancy and further increased in preeclamptic women with an acquired deficiency.
Construction and characterization of an isogenic urease-negative mutant of Helicobacter mustelae

Helicobacter mustelae infects the ferret stomach and provides an opportunity to study pathogenic determinants of a Helicobacter species in its natural host. We constructed an isogenic urease-negative mutant of H. mustelae which produced no detectable urease and showed a reduced acid tolerance. This mutant provides an opportunity to further evaluate the role of urease in the pathogenesis of Helicobacter infection.
Thermal design trades for SAFIR architecture concepts

SAFIR is a IO-meter, 4 K space telescope optimized for wavelengths between 20 microns and 1 mm. The combination of aperture diameter and telescope temperature will provide a raw sensitivity improvement of more than a factor of 1000 over presently-planned missions. The sensitivity will be comparable to that of the JWST and ALMA, but at the critical far-IR wavelengths where much of the universe's radiative energy has emerged since the origin of stars and galaxies. We examine several of the critical technologies for SAFIR which enable the large cold aperture, and present results of studies examining the telescope optics and the spacecraft thermal architecture. Both the method by which the aperture is filled, and the overall optical design for the telescope can impact the potential scientific return of SAFIR. Thermal architecture that goes far beyond the sunshades developed for the James Webb Space Telescope will be necessary to achieve the desired sensitivity of SAFIR. By combining active and passive cooling at critical points within the observatory, a significant reduction of the required level of active cooling can be obtained.
DOES PEDIATRICS NEED ITS OWN BIOETHICS

Pediatric bioethics raises unique issues because children are constantly growing, developing, and changing. The ethical issues that arise for newborns are different from those that arise for seven-year-olds or 17-year-olds. Furthermore, children do not develop cognitive capacities or moral reasoning skills at the same rate. Thus, it is difficult to generalize about what is appropriate or inappropriate for children in either the clinical or the research setting. This article responds to some of the issues raised by a new volume of essays about pediatric bioethics. It puts these issues into historical context by examining the implications of Saul Krugman's famous studies on the etiology and prevention of hepatitis at New York's Willowbrook State School.
Optically sectioned in vivo imaging with speckle illumination HiLo microscopy

We present a simple wide-field imaging technique, called HiLo microscopy, that is capable of producing optically sectioned images in real time, comparable in quality to confocal laser scanning microscopy. The technique is based on the fusion of two raw images, one acquired with speckle illumination and another with standard uniform illumination. The fusion can be numerically adjusted, using a single parameter, to produce optically sectioned images of varying thicknesses with the same raw data. Direct comparison between our HiLo microscope and a commercial confocal laser scanning microscope is made on the basis of sectioning strength and imaging performance. Specifically, we show that HiLo and confocal 3-D imaging of a GFP-labeled mouse brain hippocampus are comparable in quality. Moreover, HiLo microscopy is capable of faster, near video rate imaging over larger fields of view than attainable with standard confocal microscopes. The goal of this paper is to advertise the simplicity, robustness, and versatility of HiLo microscopy, which we highlight with in vivo imaging of common model organisms including planaria, C. elegans, and zebrafish.
From Barricades to Firewalls? Strategic Voting and Social Movement Leadership in the Internet Age

Strategic voting, which was frequently described as “Nader trading,” emerged during the 2000 U.S. Presidential Election as a way for voters to redefine their participation in the American electoral process. As a movement that emerged online, strategic voting not only presents potential political ramifications, but raises important issues for social movement scholars. In particular, movements that emerge online, which we refer to as “e-movements,” may challenge movement theories based on offline, pre-Internet forms of activism. In this paper, we use detailed data on the forms of strategic voting and the creators of the movement to address the literature on social movement leadership. We find that biography plays a strong role in the generation of strategic voting leaders, but in ways that differ from previous expectations about movement leadership processes. Further, we find that specific characteristics of leaders’ backgrounds also shape the forms of strategic voting implemented by leaders. We suggest a new institutionalist interpretation of this finding, arguing that scripts for appropriate forms of action generate diverse approaches to strategic voting.
Religion and Social Structure in The Division of Labor

The article offers a thoroughgoing reinterpretation of The Division of Labor, focusing on the six-stage theory of sociocultural change that lies in the background of Durkheim's well-known contrast between the ideal types of mechanical and organic solidarity. Durkheim's characterization of each stage is described in terms of its structural-functional differentiation and religious unity. The Division's evolutionary theory, which underlies much of Durkheim's mature work, is criticized for its dated ethnographic evidence, and contrasted with alternative evolutionary proposals, including that of sociobiology.
Beneficial effects of insulin on cell proliferation and protein metabolism in skin donor site wound.

Background Insulin has been demonstrated to accelerate skin wound healing; however, its effects on wound metabolism have not been adequately studied. Materials and Methods Adult rabbits were prepared by creation of skin donor site wound on the back, catheterization of the carotid artery and jugular vein, and placement of a nasogastric feeding tube under general anesthesia. The rabbits were given total enteral nutrition thereafter. On day 5 stable isotope tracers were infused to measure the kinetics of protein (reflecting tissue repair) and DNA (reflecting cell proliferation) in the wound. During the isotope tracer infusion, regular human insulin was infused at 2.5 mU/kg per min with concomitant glucose infusion for euglycemia in an insulin group but not in a control group. Results Plasma insulin concentration was 140 ± 26 μU/mL in the insulin group (n = 8), greater (P Conclusions Insulin infusion increased wound protein and DNA synthesis, which are anticipated to promote tissue repair and reepithelialization.
Differential Memory Test Sensitivity for Diagnosing Amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment and Predicting Conversion to Alzheimer's Disease

Episodic memory is the first and most severely affected cognitive domain in Alzheimer's disease (AD), and it is also the key early marker in prodromal stages including amnestic mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The relative ability of memory tests to discriminate between MCI and normal aging has not been well characterized. We compared the classification value of widely used verbal memory tests in distinguishing healthy older adults (n = 51) from those with MCI (n = 38). Univariate logistic regression indicated that the total learning score from the California Verbal Learning Test-II (CVLT-II) ranked highest in terms of distinguishing MCI from normal aging (sensitivity = 90.2; specificity = 84.2). Inclusion of the delayed recall condition of a story memory task (i.e., WMS-III Logical Memory, Story A) enhanced the overall accuracy of classification (sensitivity = 92.2; specificity = 94.7). Combining Logical Memory recognition and CVLT-II long delay best predicted progression from MCI to AD over a 4-year period (accurate classification = 87.5%). Learning across multiple trials may provide the most sensitive index for initial diagnosis of MCI, but inclusion of additional variables may enhance overall accuracy and may represent the optimal strategy for identifying individuals most likely to progress to dementia.
Nonlinear phase portrait models for oriented textures

Nonlinear differential equations in Taylor series form are employed to model oriented textures. These models build upon the linear phase portrait description. Inclusion of higher order nonlinear terms provides a more accurate description in critical point regions. Nonlinear models containing multiple critical points are generated from linear phase portrait descriptions. The resulting models are highly compact descriptors, in that the flow-like textures of complex patterns are described by a single nonlinear system of differential equations. >
Identification, molecular characterization and expression analysis of a mucosal C-type lectin in the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica.

Abstract Lectins are well known to actively participate in the defense functions of vertebrates and invertebrates where they play an important role in the recognition of foreign particles. They have also been reported to be involved in other processes requiring carbohydrate–lectin interactions such as symbiosis or fertilization. In this study, we report a novel putative C-type lectin (CvML) from the eastern oyster Crassostrea virginica and we investigated its involvement in oyster physiology. The cDNA of this lectin is 610 bp long encoding for a 161-residue protein. CvML presents a signal peptide and a single carbohydrate recognition domain (CRD) which contains a YPD motif and two putative conserved sites, WID and DCM, for calcium binding. CvML transcripts were expressed in mucocytes lining the epithelium of the digestive gland and the pallial organs (mantle, gills, and labial palps) but were not detected in other tissues including hemocytes. Its expression was significantly up-regulated following starvation or bacterial bath exposure but not after injection of bacteria into oyster's adductor muscle. These results highlight the potential role of CvML in the interactions between oyster and waterborne microorganisms at the pallial interfaces with possible involvement in physiological functions such as particle capture or mucosal immunity.
The impact of surgical approach (nerve bundle preservation versus wide local excision) on surgical margins and biochemical recurrence following radical prostatectomy.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Surgical margin (SM) status is widely reported as a significant risk factor for prostate cancer recurrence following radical prostatectomy (RP). It has been presupposed that preserving the neurovascular bundle may compromise cancer control due to the limited surgical margin obtained with a resultant increase in treatment failure. We examined whether neurovascular bundle preservation during RP is a risk factor for positive SMs and progression-free survival after adjusting for disease severity.Materials and Methods: Outcomes following RP in 7,268 men between 1990 and 2000 were examined retrospectively. Median followup in those last known to be alive is 6.4 years. RP was performed by a total of 21 surgeons in the same basic fashion with strict attention to anatomical detail.Results: Overall a positive SM was identified in 38% of patients. The positive SM rate was higher for wide excision than for nerve sparing (NS) (42% vs 34%) (p ≤0.001). The OR for positive SMs in patients undergoing NS-RP...
Video-based nonphotorealistic and expressive illustration of motion

We present a semi-automatic approach for adding expressive renderings to images and videos that highlight motions and movement. Our technique relies on motion analysis of video where the motion information from the image sequence is used to add expressive information. The first step in our approach is to extract a moving region of the video by segmenting and then grouping regions of compatible motions. In the second step, a user can interactively choose or refine a grouping region that represents the moving object of interest. In the third and final stage, the user can apply various visual effects such as a temporal-flare, time-lapse, and particle-effects. We have implemented a prototype system that can be used to illustrate and expressively render motions in videos and images, with simple user interaction. Our system can deal with most translational and rotational motions without a need for a fixed background.
Still Chilling after All These Years: Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11 and its Impact on Federal Civil Rights Plaintiffs after the 1993 Amendments

Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure was amended in 1983 in an effort to provide federal district courts with a tool to curb frivolous litigation and, hence, to help control their dockets. In practice, however, the Rule produced severe chilling effects on plaintiffs asserting civil rights claims in the federal courts. Rule 11 was therefore amended again ten years later to reduce or alleviate, among other things, these effects. Unfortunately, the case law research conducted here suggests that, because of the way the 1993 amendments are being interpreted and applied in the federal courts, the chilling effects continue to exist today. The more particular result of this finding is that, in all likelihood, plaintiffs bringing civil rights claims are, and will continue to be, disproportionately affected by Rule 11. At stake in the Rule 11 debate is access to justice. More specifically, under a separation of powers ideal, courts operate to prevent oppression of minorities by the majority; they function, at least in part, to hold government accountable by constitutional standards; and they are an important forum in which public values and group rights can be discussed, renegotiated, and vindicated. Access to courts for minorities asserting rights is therefore a part of a dynamic process of cultural transformation, one that is currently being stymied by the way in which Rule 11 is being interpreted and applied by the federal courts. The solution, then, is for the federal courts to adopt high sanctioning thresholds that privilege access to court over other values that may also be served by the Rule, such as efficiency.
Performance of Steel Energy Dissipators Connected to Cross-Laminated Timber Wall Panels Subjected to Tension and Cyclic Loading

AbstractThis paper presents a new alternative energy dissipation solution to be used with cross-laminated timber (CLT) self-centering walls. CLT is a relatively new building product in North America and could potentially be used for high-rise construction. The development of high-performance seismic design solutions is necessary to encourage innovative structures and the design of these structures to new heights. The objective of this paper is to propose a wall-to-floor connection system that is easy to install and replace (structural fuse) after the occurrence of a large damaging event. The proposed energy dissipators are fabricated following concepts used in developing steel buckling restrained steel braces (BRB), having a milled portion, which is designed to yield and is enclosed within a grouted steel pipe. The connection system is investigated experimentally through a test sequence of displacement-controlled cycles based on a modified version of the test method developed by the American Concrete Inst...
Remorse and Criminal Justice

A defendant’s failure to show remorse is one of the most powerful factors in criminal sentencing, including capital sentencing. Yet there is currently no evidence that remorse can be accurately eva...
Random Walks in Dividend Yields and Bubbles

A nonstationary dividend yield, having a unit root, is seen as proof of bubbles (Craine 1993). This inference is not valid. A sufficient condition for the absence, respectively presence of bubbles is the uniform divergence, respectively uniform convergence of the dividend yield series. I use this criterion to show that a random walk dividend yield must be bubble-free if a positive deterministic trend or a large positive drift is present. I also construct an example where the equilibrium dividend yield is a random walk without a deterministic trend or drift, but bubbles are still absent.
FRACTURES OF THE DORSO-LUMBAR SPINE

1 . A series of 166 fractures and fracture-dislocations of the dorso-lumbar spine has been reviewed. 2. A new method of classifying these injuries is suggested. 3. A type of fracture with lateral wedging, previously unidentified, which has certain distinctive clinical and anatomical features is described. 4. The factors responsible for redisplacement are discussed and it is considered that in most cases this is predictable from the outset. 5. At the present time orthodox treatment is based on the assumption that a perfect anatomical result is indispensable to a perfect functional result. Analysis of the results in the series now reported shows that there are no grounds for this assumption. 6. Treatment is discussed in the light of the foregoing conclusions. This is based on a division of cases into stable and unstable types, the recognition of which is of crucial importance.
Use of Computer Game Cotgame in Teaching Entomology

During the period 1977–1979, a computer assisted instructional tool known as COTGAME was used in teaching insect pest management at Mississippi State University. Computer models used in COTGAME simulate the interactions among a cotton crop and its main insect pests, predators, insecticide applications and weather. The game is divided into 3 phases: initialization, management and results. In the initialization phase, the user establishes the agronomic, weather and insect conditions for the game. During the management phase the user can select the next decision date, insecticide application, irrigation, fertilization or harvest. At each decision date a scouting report is provided. Once harvest is reached, the program produces a complete summary of the conditions set in the initialization phase, as well as the decisions and results which occurred during the simulated growing season. COTGAME has been used primarily to aid in the instruction of the economic threshold concept to both graduate and undergraduate students. In general, graduate students responded more positively to COTGAME than undergraduate students. The instructional value of COTGAME is discussed.
The Influence of Deposition Pressure on the Incorporation of Target and Ambient Oxygen Into Laser Ablated Material

Oxygen plays an essential role in the growth of a variety of oxides such as high-Tc superconductors, ferroelectrics, ferrites and dielectrics. The oxygen available for film growth during laser ablation can come from two sources: the target material and the ambient deposition atmosphere. The amount of oxygen incorporated from these two sources at room temperature has been investigated over a range of deposition pressures. This was accomplished using 18O as a tracer during pulsed laser deposition of amorphous films from Cu and CuO targets. It was found that the total amount of oxygen incorporated by the amorphous films increases with chamber pressure up to approximately 35 mTorr. For pulsed laser deposition from the oxide target, the major fraction of the oxygen within the deposited material comes from the target. For the oxide target, the amount of oxygen incorporated from the ambient atmosphere is strongly pressure dependent with a maximum near 35 mTorr. These results are compared to earlier work with YBa2Cu3O7.
Reading Fortran

A new type of computer science service course is described which was developed in response to a request from several natural science departments. The goal of the course is to give advanced students the ability to read and understand existing Fortran programs. An evaluation of the course is also given.
Analysis of AIDS among the floating population in Zhuhai city from 2010 to 2012

Objective To understand the awareness of AIDS related knowledge,prevalence of risk behaviors and infection status of HIV,Treponema pallidum and HCV in the floating population in Zhuhai,and to provide evidence for the comprehensive prevention and control of AIDS.Methods According to the requirement of "The National Sentinel Surveillance of AIDS Protocol,2009",face to face questionnaire survey on the male migrant workers were conducted with combination of stratified random sampling method during the sentinel surveillance period in Zhuhai.Blood samples were also collected for examination.Results 1 224 subjects were monitored.1 subject was found to have HIV,2 with syphilis,and 7 with HCV.Total awareness of AIDS-related knowledge was 78.10%,and the increase in the awareness was correlated with their education background.The rate of awareness on "do mosquitoes spread AIDS" was low,and the awareness on the acquisition of AIDS through the HIV contaminated blood was high.The rate of condom usage was low.12 subjects had the history of drug abuse,and 2 subjects were injection drug users.However,they did not share the needle with other people.Conclusions There was an increase in AIDS knowledge among the floating population in Zhuhai city in 2010-2012.The ratio of subjects with safe sex was not high.The status of HIV,syphilis and the HCV infection should not be neglected.
A Tale of Three Theorems

In combination the Okishio theorem (1961) and a theorem due to John Roemer (1981) imply that a capital-saving technical change could simultaneously (1) reduce production costs and therefore be adop...
Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus megaterium Bacteriophage Eldridge

ABSTRACT In this study the complete genome sequence of the unique bacteriophage Eldridge, isolated from soil using Bacillus megaterium as the host organism, was determined. Eldridge is a myovirus with a genome consisting of 242 genes and is unique when compared to phage sequences in GenBank.
Bag-of-Audio-Words Approach for Multimedia Event Classification

Abstract : With the popularity of online multimedia videos, there has been much interest in recent years in acoustic event detection and classification for the improvement of online video search. The audio component of a video has the potential to contribute significantly to multimedia event classification. Recent research in audio document classification has drawn parallels to text and image document retrieval by employing what is referred to as the bag-of-audio words (BoAW) method. Compared to supervised approaches where audio concept detectors are trained using annotated data and extracted labels are used as low level features for multimedia event classification. The BoAW approach extracts audio concepts in an unsupervised fashion. Hence this method has the advantage that it can be employed easily for a new set of audio concepts in multimedia videos without going through a laborious annotation effort. In this paper, we explore variations of the BoAW method and present results on NIST 2011 multimedia event detection (MED) dataset.
West Nile Virus: Molecular Epidemiology and Diversity

West Nile virus (WNV) is a member of the Japanese encephalitis (JE) antigenic complex in the family Flaviviridae , genus Flavivirus. Since the mid-1990s the incidence of West Nile neuroinvasive disease has increased and the geographic range of the virus has expanded significantly. This collection of widely geographically distributed genotypes has facilitated research on the molecular epidemiology and genetic variation of the virus, and important population parameters such as the mutation rate and natural selective forces. Novel insights have been gained regarding the evolution of a mosquito-borne zoonotic virus on a regional and intercontinental scale. This chapter reviews recent literature on WNV genetic diversity, and discusses research on the phenotypic impact of this diversity on enzootic transmission of the virus and pathogenesis in vertebrates. Also addressed are analyses of viral fitness and intrahost genetic diversity, as well as population genetic determinants that facilitate perpetuation and adaptation of WNV in new environments. Future challenges, including re-analysis of relationships of JE serogroup viruses, and significance of genetic diversity, are posed for consideration.
Contribution of formant frequency information to vowel perception in steady-state noise by cochlear implant users

Cochlear implant (CI) recipients have difficulty understanding speech in noise even at moderate signal-to-noise ratios. Knowing the mechanisms they use to understand speech in noise may facilitate the search for better speech processing algorithms. In the present study, a computational model is used to assess whether CI users' vowel identification in noise can be explained by formant frequency cues (F1 and F2). Vowel identification was tested with 12 unilateral CI users in quiet and in noise. Formant cues were measured from vowels in each condition, specific to each subject's speech processor. Noise distorted the location of vowels in the F2 vs F1 plane in comparison to quiet. The best fit model to subjects' data in quiet produced model predictions in noise that were within 8% of actual scores on average. Predictions in noise were much better when assuming that subjects used a priori knowledge regarding how formant information is degraded in noise (experiment 1). However, the model's best fit to subjects' confusion matrices in noise was worse than in quiet, suggesting that CI users utilize formant cues to identify vowels in noise, but to a different extent than how they identify vowels in quiet (experiment 2).
Influence of Higher Visual Dependence on Sensorimotor Functions in Community-Dwelling People over 60 Years Old

Summary Background Effective spatial orientation and postural control requires the integration of proprioceptive, vestibular, and visual inputs. Older people have been reported to rely on vision more than on other sensory systems for orientation and balance. However, the effects of visual dependence on sensorimotor functions have not been thoroughly evaluated. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate the influence of higher visual dependence on balance and functional mobility in community-dwelling healthy older adults over 60 years old. Methods Twenty-four older adults were categorized into two groups with higher and lower visual dependence regarding their values of subjective visual vertical (SVV) tilt by the Rod and Disc test. Static balance was assessed by postural sway under 6 sensory conditions, dynamic balance by functional forward and lateral reach tests, and functional mobility by the Timed up and go (TUG) test. Results The results showed only significant difference in postural sway acceleration under the condition of standing on foam while looking at rotating image; in contrast, there was similarity in age, functional reach distance, TUG time, and sway acceleration in conditions which only one sense was altered between groups. Conclusion These findings suggest that visual dependence might negatively influence static balancing tasks where visual and proprioceptive inputs are unreliable. Unaffected dynamic balance and functional mobility might be caused by a lack of visual components in the tests to challenge visual dependence.
The lateral variation of Pn velocity gradient under Eurasia

Mantle lid P wave velocity gradient, or Pn velocity gradient, reflects the depth and lateral variations of thermal and rheological state of the uppermost mantle. Mapping the Pn velocity gradient and its lateral variation helps us gain insight into the temperature, composition, and dynamics of the uppermost mantle. In addition, because Pn velocity gradient has profound influence on Pn propagation behavior, an accurate mapping of Pn velocity gradient also improves the modeling and prediction of Pn travel times and amplitudes. In this study, I used measured Pn travel times to derive path-specific Pn velocity gradients. I then inverted these velocity gradients for two-dimensional (2-D) Pn velocity-gradient models for Eurasia based on the assumption that a path-specific Pn velocity gradient is the mean of laterally varying Pn velocity gradients along the Pn path. Result from a Monte Carlo simulation indicates that the assumption is appropriate. The 2-D velocity-gradient models show that most of Eurasia has positive velocity gradients. High velocity gradients exist mainly in tectonically active regions. Most tectonically stable regions show low and more uniform velocity gradients. Strong velocity-gradient variations occur largely along convergent plate boundaries, particularly under overriding plates.
Social Media in the Writing Classroom and Beyond

Emerging technologies, especially social media, have transformed the forms and genres of writing. Studies suggest that pedagogically sound use of social media has the potential to increase students' motivation for writing, strengthen their awareness of audience and authorship, and promote writing development. These affordances of social media expand opportunities for second language learners to engage with writing in their daily lives and can enhance students' writing development in classroom environments. Keywords: computer mediated communication; new literacy research; social media and writing; language learning technology; writing
Porous Poly(ε-caprolactone)–Poly(l-lactic acid) Semi-Interpenetrating Networks as Superior, Defect-Specific Scaffolds with Potential for Cranial Bone Defect Repair

The treatment of irregular cranial bone defects is currently limited due to the graft resorption that can occur when an ill-fitting interface exists between an autograft and the surrounding tissue. A tissue engineering scaffold able to achieve defect-specific geometries could improve healing. This work reports a macroporous, shape memory polymer (SMP) scaffold composed of a semi-interpenetrating network (semi-IPN) of thermoplastic poly(l-lactic acid) (PLLA) within cross-linked poly(e-caprolactone) diacrylate (PCL-DA) that is capable of conformal fit within a defect. The macroporous scaffolds were fabricated using a fused salt template and were also found to have superior, highly controlled properties needed for regeneration. Specifically, the scaffolds displayed interconnected pores, improved rigidity, and controlled, accelerated degradation. Although slow degradation rates of scaffolds can limit healing, the unique degradation behavior observed could prove promising. Thus, the described SMP semi-IPN scaf...
Pulmonary effects of aging

Purpose of review As the population ages, the increase in chronic illnesses among patients with decreasing lung function will pose a major public health challenge. Determining which elderly patients are fit for surgery is an increasingly important skill. Anesthetic care of elderly patients requires an understanding of the effects that chronic diseases have on normal age-related changes in physiology and function. Postoperative respiratory complications are significantly increased in patients over 65 years of age, especially those with preexisting diseases. Recent findings Advanced age is associated with changes in the immunity of the pulmonary system. Dysregulation of pro-inflammatory mediators and antimicrobial defense systems contribute to a reduction in pulmonary function and its response to infections. Aging is also associated with a disruption of the function of alveolar macrophages, neutrophils, and natural killer cells. Summary Aging can increase the risk of postoperative complications because of a loss of physiologic reserve and airway defenses. These limitations may only become apparent after the stressors of surgery and anesthesia.
Novel metal-ceramic composite microstructures produced through the partial reduction of CoTiO3

Metal–ceramic composites exhibit desirable combinations of materials properties, but are limited by the complexity of processing, particularly for metal–ceramic nanocomposites. The in situ partial reduction technique is a simple processing method that can be used to produce tailorable metal–ceramic composite microstructures. In this work, in situ partial reduction was utilized to generate novel Co–Ti x O y composites, including nanocomposites, through the reduction of CoTiO3. By modifying the temperature (800–1400 °C) and time (1–8 h) of reduction, composites with varying cobalt particle size and cobalt grain size were fabricated. Differences in the cobalt crystal structure and nature of the titanium oxide phase were also observed. The lowest-temperature heat treatments resulted in metal–ceramic nanocomposites. The Co–Ti x O y composites were characterized through scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The effect of processing variables on the properties of the composites was evaluated through nanoindentation of the embedded cobalt particles, and it was found that cobalt particle hardness is strongly correlated with grain size. The many useful properties of cobalt and titanium oxide, in conjunction with the range of controllable microstructures, demonstrate that the in situ partial reduction technique has excellent potential for metal–ceramic composite production.
Demographic-Specific Rates for Life Events in the Cardiovascular Health Study and Comparisons With Other Studies.

Purpose of the Study (1a) We use the Cardiovascular Health Study (CHS), a multi-site heterogeneous sample of Medicare enrollees (N = 5,849) to provide rates for specific life events experienced within 6 months; (1b) We present rates for 29 other studies of community-residing older adults (N = 41,308); (2) For the CHS, we provide demographic-specific rates and predicted probabilities for age [young-old (65-75) vs old-old (≥75)], gender, race, marital status, and education. Design/Methods The CHS sample is 57.6% women, 84.2% white (15.8% black), and 66.3% married. Mean age is 72.8 years (standard deviation [SD] = 5.6, range = 65-100) and education is 13.7 years (SD = 4.8). Life events were interviewer-assessed. Regressions estimated associations of life event rates with demographic groups (e.g., age), controlling for other demographic variables (e.g., gender, etc.). Results (1a) CHS rates ranged from 44.7% (death of someone close) to 1.1% (retirement/work changes). (1b) Most life event studies used total scores and only 5 that met our inclusion criteria used time intervals <1 year; longer intervals were associated with higher rates. (2) In the CHS, the life event for illnesses was related to 5 demographic variables (net the other 4 demographic variables), difficulties caregiving to 4, and worse relationships to 3 demographic variables. Race was related to 8 life events, marital status to 7, education to 6, and age to 4 events. Implications By identifying demographic groups at highest risk for life events, this research focuses on older adults at greatest risk for health problems. These data are necessary for translating research into interventions, practice, and policy.
Predicting neo-adjuvant chemotherapy response from pre-treatment breast MRI using machine learning and HER2 status.

582Background: Many breast cancer patients receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) will ultimately fail to achieve pathological complete response (pCR). A pre-treatment clinical marker of pCR cou...
Interaction of Gravitational and Electromagnetic Waves in General Relativity

Les equations d’Einstein-Maxwell, dans un espace-temps V admettant deux vecteurs de Killing de type espace qui commutent, font intervenir les composantes du tenseur metrique g μv et celles du potentiel vecteur A μ Les solutions dont on discute sont telles que g μv et A μ ont des derivees premieres discontinues a travers chacune des deux ondes planes en collision, mais pas de fonction delta en le tenseur de Ricci de V, ni en le tenseur de Maxwell F μv
Psychological Influences on Immunity: Making Sense of the Relationship between Stressful Life Events and Health

During the last two decades there has been ample documentation of the relationship between an accumulation of negative major life events and subsequent health impairments. Although there are a number of methodological problems with many of these studies, the consistency and pervasiveness of the effects are striking1,2. However, throughout most of this literature the size of the relationship between the number of negative life events and subsequent illness has been modest, with most studies showing correlations in the range of.301. In fact, most individuals who experience major life events do not become ill, or they only experience relatively short illness episodes that are frequently quite comparable to those experienced by their population agemates.
High-resolution seismic profiling on water

Herein is presented an overview of high-resolution seismic profiling on water. Included are basic concepts and terminology as well as discussions of types of sources and receivers, field practice, data recording and data processing. Emphasis is on digital single-channel profiling for engineering and environmental purposes.
Total Artificial Heart Technology: Where Are We Now?

The intended goal of this paper is to review current indications, available devices, and future directions of total artificial heart therapies. Throughout the paper, we sought to help clinicians identify appropriate patients who might be considered for total artificial heart therapy, highlighting the most current data regarding outcomes and adverse events. The INTERMACS report on the total artificial heart has recently been published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation and represents the largest study to date on available TAH therapies. Notable findings include better outcomes at experienced centers, likely a result of appropriate patient selection, timing, and management of device therapy. There are multiple new types of total artificial hearts under development. Having learned from prior experience, and with increasing use and standardization of peri- and post-operative management, there is hope of ongoing success in improving care for those with advanced heart disease and biventricular failure with the use of this technology.
PW 2562 Improving seatbelt use through high-tech enforcement in a chinese city: results from an observational study

Objective As the most populous city in China, Shanghai has 24.4 million resident population, 6.5 million of whom are motor vehicle drivers. According to the Traffic police, 868 people died due to road traffic crashes in 2016 in Shanghai. Wearing a seatbelt reduces the risk of death in the event of a crash by 50% for front seat occupants and 75% for rear seat occupants. Chinese traffic laws require seatbelt use for all occupants, but difficulty with enforcement has resulted in low compliance rate. Shanghai police started using high-resolution cameras and object-detection algorithm in seatbelt enforcement since early 2016. Our objective is to assess the level and trend of seatbelt use in Shanghai. Methods Data are collected at eight randomly selected locations throughout the city. The sites were picked to allow for a range of road types (elevated and ground, urban and peri-urban, varying speed limits) and geographic locations. Data collection covers most times of the day on both weekday and weekend. This allows a full representation of varying traffic models during both rush hours and non-rush hours. At each site, trained field workers from Shanghai CDC observed seatbelt use of occupants in all passing motor vehicles. Findings We have completed five rounds of data collection with a total sample size of 57 639 drivers and passengers. The seatbelt use rate has been consistently increasing over time, from 60.8% in round 1% to 81.4% in round 5. The increase is substantial and statistically significant for both drivers and passengers. The seatbelt use was more than twice higher among drivers than passengers, but the ratio of driver over passenger wearing rate has been declining, which implies that the passenger use rate is catching up. Females are more likely to wear seatbelt than males. 95.7% of female drivers and 71.2% female passengers use seatbelt, compared to 94.4% for male drivers and 39.6% for male passengers. Conclusion and policy implications Seatbelt use has been boosted by the deployment of computer vision technology in enforcement. Other cities in China and other countries facing similar challenges with seatbelt enforcement may learn from Shanghai’s experience.
Tracking with Deterministic Batch Trackers

In this chapter, we present two deterministic (i.e., non-Bayesian) batch trackers—the Maximum Likelihood Probabilistic Data Association (ML-PDA) tracker and the Maximum Likelihood Probabilistic Multi-Hypothesis Tracker (ML-PMHT). Both trackers formulated by making assumptions about the target and the environment in which the target is present. Using these assumptions, in both cases, a log-likelihood ratio (LLR) is formulated, and then the state vector x that maximizes this LLR is usually chosen as the target state. Both the ML-PDA and the ML-PMHT LLRs are developed. We specifically consider two different amplitude likelihood ratios that have been used in these trackers—a fluctuating Gaussian model and a heavier-tailed clutter model. Finally, we present a method for determining a “tracking threshold” for ML-PMHT—i.e., if the maximum ML-PMHT likelihood value for a batch of data is above this level, it is determined to be a target; if it is below this level, the peak is rejected as clutter originated.
Re: Impact of Medical Scribes in Primary Care on Productivity, Face-to-Face Time, and Patient Comfort.

To the Editor: In their article reporting the impact of medical scribes, Zallman et al.[1][1] reported greater physician productivity with scribes due to an increase in the mean number of patients seen per hour (from 1.82 to 1.98), while also reporting that visit length and visit cycle times were
A profile of spa-goers in the U.S. luxury hotels and resorts: a posteriori market segmentation approach

A spa is one amenity that enhances the overall experience of hotel guests, which in turn, generates significant revenue for luxury hotels and resorts in the U.S. Little research has examined spa-go...
Proportional hazards regression of survival‐sacrifice data with cause‐of‐death information in animal carcinogenicity studies

Rodent survival-sacrifice experiments are routinely conducted to assess the tumor-inducing potential of a certain exposure or drug. Because most tumors under study are impalpable, animals are examined at death for evidence of tumor formation. In some studies, the cause of death is ascertained by a pathologist to account for possible correlation between tumor development and death. Existing methods for survival-sacrifice data with cause-of-death information have been restricted to multi-group testing or one-sample estimation of tumor onset distribution and thus do not provide a natural way to quantify treatment effect or dose-response relationship. In this paper, we propose semiparametric regression methods under the popular proportional hazards model for both tumor onset and tumor-caused death. For inference, we develop a maximum pseudo-likelihood estimation procedure using a modified iterative convex minorant algorithm, which is guaranteed to converge to the unique maximizer of the objective function. Simulation studies under different tumor rates show that the new methods provide valid inference on the covariate-outcome relationship and outperform alternative approaches. A real study investigating the effects of benzidine dihydrochloride on liver tumor in mice is analyzed as an illustration.
Complications of Ureteroscopy

Ureteroscopy is used with increasing regularity to diagnose and treat myriad upper urinary tract pathologies. Advances and miniaturization in the design of ureteroscopes and their accessory instruments combined with sound ureteroscopic technique make modern ureteroscopy quite safe. However, complications of ureteroscopy still do occur and can result in severe ureteral injury and possible kidney loss. There exists no standardized classification system to report complications of ureteroscopy and so determining exact incidences of these complications is difficult.
ACCOUNTING FOR DISTRIBUTION COSTS IN THE DENNISON MANUFACTURING COMPANY DURING THE 1920S AND 1930S

This paper suggests that Activity-Based Costing is not a new cost accounting technique but rather one that has been revived as a consequence of difficult economic times. The Dennison Manufacturing Company of Framingham, Massachusetts used accounting techniques throughout their organization that were clearly activity-based. This company's approach to costing distribution or marketing costs in particular is explored here. These costs tend to be ignored today; yet this company, along with others, made a concerted effort to understand these costs and to account for them.
The effect of the menstrual cycle on running economy

Background The aim of this study was to examine the effect of the menstrual cycle on running economy (RE). Methods Using a repeated-measures design, ten eumenorrheic, trained female runners (age: 32±6 yrs, VO2max: 59.7±4.7 mL·kg-1·min-1) completed four, weekly, identical sub-maximal and maximal incremental step tests on a treadmill to measure physiological responses across a full menstrual cycle. For phase comparison, the results from the trials that fell in the early follicular (low estrogen, low progesterone), late follicular (high estrogen, low progesterone) and mid-luteal (high estrogen, high progesterone) phases were used. Results There was a significant effect of menstrual cycle phase on RE (P=0.001), with RE in the mid-luteal (ML) phase being worse than that of the early follicular (EF) (+2.33 mL·kg-1·min-1; P=0.026) and late follicular (LF) (+2.17 mL·kg-1·min-1; P=0.011) phases. The ML phase also resulted in elevated core temperature versus the EF (+0.51 oC; P=0.001) and LF (+0.66 oC; P=0.037) phases, and elevated minute ventilation versus the EF phase (+3.83 L·min-1; P=0.003). No significant effects of menstrual cycle phase were found on body mass, heart rate, ratings of perceived exertion, time-to-exhaustion, maximal oxygen consumption, or blood lactate concentration. Conclusions In the ML phase, which causes increased core temperature and minute ventilation, RE is impaired at exercise intensities that are applicable to training and performance. In physiologically stressful environments, this impairment in RE may have a significant impact on training and performance.