cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Viral-mediated gene therapy for the muscular dystrophies: Successes, limitations and recent advances

Much progress has been made over the past decade elucidating the molecular basis for a variety of muscular dystrophies (MDs). Accordingly, there are examples of mouse models of MD whose disease progression has been halted in large part with the use of viral vector technology. Even so, we must acknowledge significant limitations of present vector systems that must be overcome prior to successful treatment of humans with such approaches. This review will present a variety of viral-mediated therapeutic strategies aimed at counteracting the muscle-wasting symptoms associated with muscular dystrophy. We include viral vector systems used for muscle gene transfer, with a particular emphasis on adeno-associated virus. Findings of several encouraging studies focusing on repair of the mutant dystrophin gene are also included. Lastly, we present a discussion of muscle compensatory therapeutics being considered that include pathways involved in the up-regulation of utrophin, promotion of cellular adhesion, enhancement of muscle mass, and antagonism of the inflammatory response. Considering the complexity of the muscular dystrophies, it appears likely that a multilayered approach tailored to a patient sub-group may be warranted in order to effectively contest the progression of this devastating disease.
Thermal Protective Performance of Heat-Resistant Fabrics in Various High Intensity Heat Exposures

The thermal protective performance of 21 heat-resistant fabrics made with poly benzimidazole (PBI), aromatic polyamide (aramid), and blends of PBI with aramid or with flame retardant rayon fibers was evaluated in laboratory tests using highly intense exposures to radiant or convective heat sources. The contribution of heat transfer mechanisms to thermal insulation is discussed, as is the degradation behavior of different materials in high intensity heating. Variables important in the development of improved fabrics for thermal protective apparel are identified.
Genitourinary myiasis (maggot infestation).

34-year-old homeless man presented to the emergency room with a severe maggot infestation of his legs, penile urethra, scrotum, and perineum (Fig. 1 and Video). Cystoscopy demonstrated a normal-appearing urethra and bladder. Areas of crepitus, induration, and ulceration were observed in the perineal region and scrotal skin (Fig. 2). Examination under anesthesia demonstrated viable tissue, and a diagnosis of Fournier’s gangrene was excluded. The general surgical team debrided the wet gangrene of the legs and performed bilateral above the knee amputations. Myiasis describes the infestation by flies at their larval or pupal stages (commonly known as maggots) on warm-blooded hosts. 1 Infestation may be cutaneous or internal, although subcutaneous infestations are most common. The diagnosis is cat
Folk Epistemology and the Justification of Democracy

In introduce the concept of a "folk epistemology" and argue that norms arising from our folk epistemic commitments provide a compelling social epistemic justification for democratic political norms.
Theoretical prediction of fast 3D AC electro-osmotic pumps

AC electro-osmotic (ACEO) pumps in microfluidics currently involve planar electrode arrays, but recent work on the underlying phenomenon of induced-charge electro-osmosis (ICEO) suggests that three-dimensional (3D) geometries may be exploited to achieve faster flows. In this paper, we present some new design principles for periodic 3D ACEO pumps, such as the "fluid conveyor belt" of ICEO flow over a stepped electrode array. Numerical simulations of these designs (using the standard low-voltage model) predict flow rates almost twenty times faster than existing planar ACEO pumps, for the same applied voltage and minimum feature size. These pumps may enable new portable or implantable lab-on-a-chip devices, since rather fast (mm s(-1)), tuneable flows should be attainable with battery voltages (<10 V).
Raising and Lowering Operators for Askey-Wilson Polynomials ?

In this paper we describe two pairs of raising/lowering operators for Askey- Wilson polynomials, which result from constructions involving very different techniques. The first technique is quite elementary, and depends only on the "classical" properties of these polynomials, viz. the q-difference equation and the three term recurrence. The second technique is less elementary, and involves the one-variable version of the double affine Hecke algebra.
Effect of amount and timing of subsurface drip irrigation on corn yield

A field study was conducted at North Platte, Nebraska in 2007–2009, imposing eight irrigation treatments, ranging from dryland to fully irrigated. Four of the eight treatments allowed for various degrees of water stress only after tasseling and silking. In 2007, corn yield ranged from 8.9 Mg ha−1 with a season total of 41 mm of irrigation water to 11.5 Mg ha−1 for the fully irrigated treatment (264 mm of irrigation water). The treatment with the greatest reduction in irrigation water after tasseling and silking (158 mm) had a mean yield of 10.9 Mg ha−1, only 0.6 Mg ha−1 less than the fully irrigated treatment. In 2009, yields ranged from 12.6 to 13.5 Mg ha−1. There were no significant yield differences between the irrigation treatments for several possible reasons: more in-season precipitation and cooler weather required less irrigation water; much of the irrigation water was applied after the most water-stress sensitive stages of tasseling and silking; and lower atmospheric demand allowed for soil water contents well below 50 % management allowed depletion (MAD) not to cause any yield losses.
Personalized location-based services

Location-Based Services (LBS) are based on a combination of the inherent location information about specific data, and/or the location information supplied by LBS clients, requesting location-specific and otherwise customized services. The integration of location-annotated data with existing personal and public information and services creates opportunities for insightful new views on the world, and allows rich, personalized, and contextualized user experiences. One of the biggest constraints of current LBS is that most of them are essentially vertical services. These current designs makes it hard for users to integrate LBS from a variety of service providers, either to create intermediate value-added services such as social information sharing facilities, or to facilitate client-side aggregations and mashups across specific LBS providers. Our approach, the Tiled Feeds architecture, applies the well-established, standard Web service pattern of feeds, and extends it with query and location-based features. Using this approach, LBS on the Web can be exposed in a generalized and aggregation-friendly way. We believe this approach can be used to facilitate the creation of standardized, Web-friendly, horizontally integrated location-based services.
PET/CT Imaging and Human Papilloma Virus–Positive Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Cancer: Evolving Clinical Imaging Paradigm

Human papillomavirus (HPV)–positive oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) represents an emerging disease that differs from HPV-negative OPSCC in natural history and prognosis. Contrast-enhanced PET/CT is essential to accurately stage the primary site when there are smaller tumors; neck nodal metastases, which tend to have a more cystic component; and distant metastases that manifest in unusual sites (disseminating phenotype) such as bones and other solid organs, including brain. Metastases tend to appear later in the disease course during follow-up for HPV-positive OPSCC than for HPV-negative OPSCC. Because HPV-positive OPSCC patients have a better clinical outcome, there is a need for treatment deintensification to spare the patient from treatment-related toxicities. 18F-FDG PET/CT would play a role in monitoring patients with deintensified treatments to ensure that no adverse outcome is introduced. The better prognosis and outcome of HPV-positive OPSCC patients would warrant imaging follow-up that is less intense but continues longer because of the manifestation of distant metastases later in the disease course and at unusual sites. All these clinical paradigms facilitate a definite role for PET/CT imaging in the management of HPV-positive OPSCC.
Validation study of a web-based assessment of functional recovery after radical prostatectomy

Good clinical care of prostate cancer patients after radical prostatectomy depends on careful assessment of post-operative morbidities, yet physicians do not always judge patient symptoms accurately. Logistical problems associated with using paper questionnaire limit their use in the clinic. We have implemented a web-interface ("STAR") for patient-reported outcomes after radical prostatectomy. We analyzed data on the first 9 months of clinical implementation to evaluate the validity of the STAR questionnaire to assess functional outcomes following radical prostatectomy. We assessed response rate, internal consistency within domains, and the association between survey responses and known predictors of sexual and urinary function, including age, time from surgery, nerve sparing status and co-morbidities. Of 1581 men sent an invitation to complete the instrument online, 1235 responded for a response rate of 78%. Cronbach's alpha was 0.84, 0.86 and 0.97 for bowel, urinary and sexual function respectively. All known predictors of sexual and urinary function were significantly associated with survey responses in the hypothesized direction. We have found that web-based assessment of functional recovery after radical prostatectomy is practical and feasible. The instrument demonstrated excellent psychometric properties, suggested that validity is maintained when questions are transferred from paper to electronic format and when patients give responses that they know will be seen by their doctor and added to their clinic record. As such, our system allows ready implementation of patient-reported outcomes into routine clinical practice.
Performance degradation analysis using principal component method

This paper describes a strategy of using the principal component method to analyze the performance characteristics of products. In particular, the authors relate performance characteristics to reliability and propose a relative reliability metric, which is useful in reliability screening. The importance of individual performance characteristics to reliability is evaluated. The importance indicates the critical characteristic and the direction in which efforts should be made to improve the reliability of a product. They use score plots to identify degradation modes and determine dominant degradation mechanisms. The principal component method is applied to analyze the degradation data of infrared light emitting diodes.
Dynamic pulmonary CT of children.

OBJECTIVE. Wide-detector CT allows simultaneous imaging of the entire airway and lungs in small children. Images acquired in multiple phases by continuous scanning during respiration are viewed dynamically, allowing more complete airway and pulmonary evaluation than possible with static protocols. The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether low-dose techniques can be applied to dynamic pulmonary CT of small children. MATERIALS AND METHODS. The study included 24 infants and small children with persistent respiratory difficulty who underwent dynamic pulmonary CT (11 with IV contrast administration, 13 without contrast administration). No significant difference in patient age was present in the two groups. Continuous-mode wide-detector scans were obtained at 350-millisecond gantry rotation for a total of 1.4 seconds at 80 kVp. Some contrast-enhanced studies for simultaneous vascular and airway evaluation were performed at slightly greater tube current. The effective dose for each patient was calculated...
Applying the Spatial-Contiguity Effect to Software Manuals

Research on the design of user manuals has supported the multimedia principle, asserting the effectiveness of including screen captures along with text in procedural learning tasks. However, much of this research has yet to focus on several other major design principles presented in Mayer's Cognitive Theory of Multimedia Learning. This paper will provide designers and developers of user manuals a new perspective on the design process based on principles from instructional design, as described in Mayer's research. Mayer showed that students indeed learned more deeply when the design of multimedia documents adhered to these principles, regardless of medium. This study will discuss the ways in which user manuals adhere to one of Mayer's principles, the spatial-contiguity effect, and will provide recommendations about how user manuals can be improved by greater adherence to that principle.
Calbindin D28K Overexpression Protects Striatal Neurons From Transient Focal Cerebral Ischemia

Background and Purpose —Increased intracellular calcium accumulation is known to potentiate ischemic injury. Whether endogenous calcium-binding proteins can attenuate this injury has not been clearly established, and existing data are conflicting. Calbindin D28K (CaBP) is one such intracellular calcium buffer. We investigated whether CaBP overexpression is neuroprotective against transient focal cerebral ischemia. Methods —Bipromoter, replication-incompetent herpes simplex virus vectors that encoded the genes for cabp and, as a reporter gene, lacZ were used. Sprague-Dawley rats received bilateral striatal injections of viral vector 12 to 15 hours before ischemia onset. With the use of an intraluminal occluding suture, animals were subjected to 1 hour of middle cerebral artery occlusion followed by 47 hours of reperfusion. Brains were harvested and stained with X-gal (to visualize β-galactosidase, the gene product of lacZ ). The number of remaining virally transfected, X-gal–stained neurons in both the ischemic and contralateral striata were counted and expressed as the percentage of surviving neurons in the ischemic striatum relative to the contralateral nonischemic striatum. Results —Striatal neuron survivorship among cabp -injected animals was 53.5±4.1% (n=10) versus 26.8±5.4% among those receiving lacZ (n=9) (mean±SEM; P <0.001). Conclusions —We conclude that viral vector–mediated overexpression of CaBP leads to neuroprotection in this model of central nervous system injury. This is the first demonstration that CaBP overexpression protects neurons in a focal stroke model.
New insight into the material parameter B to understand the enhanced thermoelectric performance of Mg2Sn1−x−yGexSby

Historically, a material parameter B incorporating weighted mobility and lattice thermal conductivity has guided the exploration of novel thermoelectric materials. However, the conventional definition of B neglects the bipolar effect which can dramatically change the thermoelectric energy conversion efficiency at high temperatures. In this paper, a generalized material parameter B* is derived, which connects weighted mobility, lattice thermal conductivity, and the band gap. Based on the new parameter B*, we explain the successful tuning of the electron and phonon transport in Mg2Sn1−x−yGexSby, with an improved ZT value from 0.6 in Mg2Sn0.99Sb0.01 to 1.4 in Mg2Sn0.73Ge0.25Sb0.02. We uncover that the Ge alloying approach simultaneously improves all the key variables in the material parameter B*, with an ∼25% enhancement in the weighted mobility, ∼27% band gap widening, and ∼50% reduction in the lattice thermal conductivity. We show that a higher generalized parameter B* leads to a higher optimized ZT in Mg2Sn0.73Ge0.25Sb0.02, and some common thermoelectric materials. The new parameter B* provides a better characterization of material's thermoelectric transport, particularly at high temperatures, and therefore can facilitate the search for good thermoelectric materials.
Poetic Imag(ination): Finding Praxis Through Haiku

I draw on poetic inquiry to explore my experience using and interpreting haiku within the context of a literacy methods course. From this project I learned that poetry, as a pedagogical tool as well as one of inquiry, opens up spaces for (un)imaginable possibilities to be exposed, moving both teacher and students toward a place of praxis and reflexive agency.
Analytical Study of Heat Transfer to Liquid Metals Flowing In-Line Through Closely Packed Rod Bundles

Circumferential variations of temperature and local heat transfer coefficients were obtained for sodium flowing in-line through a staggered rod bundle. The conditions of the study were: turbulent f...
Problems in Safety Education

(1940). Problems in Safety Education. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 11, No. 4, pp. 225-270.
The Problematic Presumption of Board Confidentiality

This talk explores several issues connected with a change from a legal presumption of transparency to one of confidentiality of board deliberations and work product, a change which is proposed by the draft Principles of the Law of Nonprofit Organizations. In addition to presenting historical and cultural claims, it offers a Coasean analytic model to demonstrate that under the most reasonable assumptions a presumption of transparency would be beneficial.
Determination of sex differences in activities of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) requires an activity assay that doesn't underestimate ACE2.

To the Editor: We read with interest the recent article, “Sex Differences in Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Modulation of Ang (1–7) Levels in Normotensive WKY Rats,”1 by Bhatia et al. in which they report their investigation of the enzymatic mechanisms whereby female rats have higher levels of angiotensin (1–7) (Ang (1–7)) than male rats. They measured the enzymatic activities of angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), ACE2, and neprilysin in the kidney cortex and medulla from normotensive WKY rats. They hypothesized that female rats would have higher activities than male rats of neprilysin or ACE2, which can generate Ang (1–7) from angiotensin I and angiotensin II, respectively. However, they found no statistically significant sex differences in neprilysin and ACE2 activities. They did observe higher cortical ACE activity as well as higher cortical Ang (1–7) concentrations in female rats than male rats. These observations led to the conclusion that ACE has a role for renal cortical Ang (1–7) formation in female rats. For measuring ACE2 activity, Bhatia et al. 1 used the fluorogenic substrate 7Mca-YVADAPK(Dnp)-OH. Because the substrate can also be hydrolyzed by ACE, they included the ACE inhibitor captopril in the reaction mixture. They then determined the ACE2 activity as the hydrolysis rate of 7Mca-YVADAPK(Dnp)-OH that could be inhibited by 1 µM of the ACE2 inhibitor DX600. For the ACE2 activity assay, Bhatia et al. refer to an article2 describing the assay that our laboratory used in the past. However, we recently discovered that both rat ACE2 and mouse ACE2, in contrast with human ACE2, are poorly inhibited by 1 µM DX600.3 We further estimated that only 19% of the ACE2 activity in mouse kidney was inhibited by 1 µM DX600. Similar incomplete inhibition of rodent ACE2 by 1 µM DX600 was observed by Ye et al. 4 Using 10 µM of the fluorogenic substrate 7Mca-APK(Dnp)-OH, they observed around 50% inhibition of the hydrolysis rate from rat kidney cortex with 1 µM DX600. Unless Bhatia et al. optimized the ACE2 reaction conditions to allow effective inhibition of rat kidney ACE2 with 1 µM DX600, the reported renal ACE2 activities are likely substantially underestimated. Because the means of the ACE2 activities determined by Bhatia et al. were higher in female rats than male rats, although not statistically significant, it is conceivable that the full renal ACE2 activities would show a significant sex difference. To determine whether there are sex differences in renal ACE2 activity, an ACE2 activity assay that doesn’t underestimate ACE2 should therefore be used. Such an assay can be carried out with 10 µM 7Mca-APK(Dnp)-OH at pH 6.5 in the absence and presence of 10 µM DX600.3
Oviposition-Deterring Pheromone in Anastrepha suspensa

During ovipositor dragging following egglaying in hawthorne fruit, females of Anastrepha suspensa (Loew) were found to deposit on the fruit surface an unidentified pheromone deterring repeated oviposition attempts in that fruit. The pheromone proved water-soluble, and when collected and sprayed in aqueous solution onto un infested fruits in laboratory cages, effectively deterred boring attempts by A. suspensa for at least 6 days (= termination of test).
Hybrid Sterility: Eupyrene Sperm Production and Abnormalities in the Backcross Generations of Interspecific Hybrids between Heliothis subflexa and H. virescens (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae)

Sterile males from the backcross generations (BC) 40–49 and 72–79 of Heliothis subflexa (Guenee) females × Heliothis virescens (F.) males (fertile females crossed to H. virescens males each generation) were studied to determine the basis of sterility. BC males produce normal numbers of eupyrene sperm bundles in the testis, but in 50 to 90% of the BC males no eupyrene bundles descend from the testis to the duplex region of the reproductive tract. BC males that do have eupyrene sperm bundles in the duplex have significantly fewer than fertile H. virescens males. Electron microscope studies of the BC duplex bundles showed frequent rupture of the bundle exposing the individual sperm tails with swollen areas or blebs located along the tail region. These swellings were characterized by enlargement and rupture of the extracellular sheath, enlarged mitochondrial derivatives, sloughing off of the membrane associated with the mitochondrial derivatives, and the appearance of tubular aggregates. Absence of eupyrene sperm bundles in the duplex or abnormalities in the sperm tails most likely account for the sterility of BC males.
Biosynthesis of insoluble elastin in hamster lungs during elastase-emphysema.

SummaryThe synthesis of elastin in vivo in normal-mature animals is difficult to demonstrate because of a very slow turnover of this protein. Thus most of the studies of elastin synthesis have been limited to aortic tissue cultures or in in vivo young animals. Our data indicate that the lung, upon elastase-injury, synthesized elastin at demonstratively faster rates than normal. However, the mechanism by which the activation of elastin synthesis occurs in the emphysematous lungs remains for further study.
In Vitro Examination of the HeartWare Circulite VAD in the Fontan Circulation

Mechanical Circulatory Support as a Bridge to Transplantation in Children with Single Ventricle Physiology: A Multicenter Study B.B. Das ,1 J. Kirklin,2 E. Pruitt,2 M. Chrisant,3 K. Lin,4 B. Hong,5 S. Daneman,6 C. Canter.7 1UT Southwestern Med Ctr, Dallas, TX; 2University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL; 3Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Hollywood, FL; 4Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA; 5Seattle Children’s Hospital, Seattle, WA; 6Children’s Medical Center, Dallas, TX; 7St Louis Children’s Hospital, St Louis, MO.
Progress of Study on Indices of Driving Adaptation in Locoman

The review summarized the definition and theoretical basis of driving adaptation,at the same time,pointed out the progress and the future of testing technique in driving adaptation,especially showed the study indices of driving adaptation in locoman and indicated the direction of future study in this area.
Temporal Data Model for Program Debugging.

We present a novel approach to program debugging and dynamic program analysis based on a temporal data model and query language. The data model exposes a point-based view of executions, while the underlying data is represented using intervals, for efficiency reasons. The point-based query language supports selection, projection, joins, grouping/aggregation, and recursion on both data and temporal attributes. We present examples of debug and dynamic analysis queries to illustrate our approach. The main technical contribution of the paper lies in showing how to evaluate pointbased recursive queries against the interval-based data. In order to evaluate a non-recursive point-based query, it is first compiled into an interval-based query. The compilation relies on a normalization operation to preserve point-based semantics when evaluating compiled queries against interval-based data. It turns out that a straightforward extension of the compilation to handle recursion yields non-linear recursive queries with non-stratified negation. We circumvent this problem by employing a simpler compilation and introducing a normalizing immediate-consequence operator for bottom-up evaluation. We also present correctness and termination theorems for our temporal recursive query evaluation strategy. This work forms part of a larger research project in developing JIVE, a state-of-the-art dynamic analysis and visualization system for Java.
C-FOREST: parallel shortest-path planning with super linear speedup

In (Otte and Correll 2013) we present C-FOREST, a parallelization framework for single-query sampling-based shortest-path planning algorithms. C-FOREST has been observed to have super linear speedup on many problems, e.g., paths of quality Ltarget are found 350X faster by 64 CPUs working in parallel than by 1 CPU. In (Otte and Correll 2013) C-FOREST is tested in conjunction with the RRT* algorithm. In the current work we perform additional experiments that show C-FOREST provides similar advantages when used conjunction with the SPRT algorithm. This reinforces our original claim that C-FOREST is generally applicable to a wide range of sampling based motion planning algorithms.
The joy-maker in the garden: cognitive behavioural therapy in The Secret Garden (1911)

AbstractCogntive Behavioural Therapy appears in the classic children’s novel The Secret Garden (1911) by Frances Hodgson Burnett. This essay demonstrates how “thinking about thinking” helps three central characters (Mary, Colin, and Archie) overcome depression and prolonged grief. They learn to challenge habitual cognitive distortions and socially endorsed absolutist myths such as: 1) I alone am special. 2) What I can see with my eyes is all that is real; there is no supernatural realm. 3) If people must speak of God, they should use the (only) proper name. 4) I must suffer without hope. The essay explains CBT, a form of psychotherapy that began in the 1980s and is used around the world today. It also explains Burnett’s “Beautiful Thought” which is rooted in the New Testament and also in the New Thought Movement of mid-1800s. After an analysis of how CBT appears in the characters and plot of The Secret Garden, the essay provides guidance for how adults can help children to think criticially about beliefs;...
A D.C. -pumped coupled mode parametric amplifier with depressed collector

It was suggested by Gould and Johnson [1] that an interesting amplifier would result from the coupling of the fast cyclotron wave with the slow synchronous wave by means of an axially symmetric electrostatic pump field. After removing the fast cyclotron wave at the output coupler, the spent beam would consist of the slow synchronous wave which would have uniform axial velocity and no rotational velocity. Thus, a depressed collector could be effectively employed and very high values of efficiency would result. Their work was based on a filamentary electron beam and a linear approximation of the electric field which is valid near, the axis.
Multicenter Evaluation of a Modified Cefoxitin Disk Diffusion Method and PBP2a Testing to Predict mecA-mediated oxacillin resistance in atypical Staphylococcus aureus

Phenotypic variants of Staphylococcus aureus that display small colonies, reduced pigmentation, and decreased hemolysis and/or coagulase activity are periodically isolated by the clinical laboratory. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) of these isolates is complicated, because many do not grow on routine AST media, including Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA) and cation-adjusted Mueller-Hinton broth. This multicenter study evaluated cefoxitin disk diffusion for 37 atypical S. aureus isolates (156 readings) with MHA supplemented with 5% sheep's blood (BMHA), using mecA PCR as the reference standard. The correlation of two commercial PBP2a assays with mecA PCR was also assessed. Ten isolates were negative and 27 positive for mecA No major errors for cefoxitin were observed, but 19.5% very major errors (VMEs) were observed at 24 h of incubation, and 17.2% VMEs were observed at 48 h. The proportions of VMEs ranged from 14.7 to 23.0% at 24 h, and from 13.3 to 17.6% at 48 h, across three testing laboratories. PBP2a tests were performed from growth on BMHA and blood agar plates (BAP), with and without cefoxitin disk induction. The Alere PBP2a SA culture colony test sensitivities for mecA were 90.0% with uninduced growth and 97.4% with induced growth from BMHA. On BAP, sensitivity was 96.0% with induced growth. The sensitivities of the Oxoid PBP2' latex agglutination test were 85.7% with uninduced growth and 93.9% with induced growth from BMHA and 95.9% with induced growth on BAP. On the basis of these data, we recommend that laboratories perform only mecA PCR and/or PBP2a tests when requested to perform AST on atypical isolates of S. aureus.
Modeling and Characterization of Cyclic Shape Memory Behaviors of the Binary Ni 49.9 Ti 50.1 Material System

In this work, we address two of the main challenges encountered in constitutive modeling of the thermomechanical behaviors of actuation-based shape memory alloys. Firstly, the complexity of behavior under cyclic thermomechanical loading is properly handled, particularly with regard to assessing the long-term dimensional stability. Secondly, we consider the marked differences in behavior distinguishing virgin-versus-trained SMA material. To this end, we utilize a set of experimental data comprehensive in scope to cover all the anticipated operational conditions for one and same SMA alloy, having a specific chemical composition with fixed heat treatment. More specifically, this includes twenty-four different tests from the recent SMA experimental literature for the Ni49.9Ti50.1 material having austenite finish temperature above 100 °C. Under all the different conditions investigated, the model results were found to be in very good agreement with the experimental measurements.
Family of Runge–Kutta-Based Algorithms for Unsteady Incompressible Flows

A family of algorithms based on implicit Runge–Kutta time integration suitable for unsteady incompressible flow is developed. Spatially discretized momentum equations are integrated in time using i...
A Time-Walk Correction Method for PET Detectors Based on Leading Edge Discriminators

The leading edge timing pick-off technique is the simplest timing extraction method for PET detectors. Due to the inherent time-walk of the leading edge technique, corrections should be made to improve timing resolution, especially for time-of-flight PET. Time-walk correction can be done by utilizing the relationship between the threshold crossing time and the event energy on an event-by-event basis. In this paper, a time-walk correction method is proposed and evaluated using timing information from two identical detectors both using leading edge discriminators. This differs from other techniques that use an external dedicated reference detector, such as a fast PMT-based detector using constant fraction techniques to pick-off timing information. In our proposed method, one detector was used as reference detector to correct the time-walk of the other detector. Time-walk in the reference detector was minimized by using events within a small energy window (508.5–513.5 keV). To validate this method, a coincidence detector pair was assembled using two SensL MicroFB SiPMs and two 2.5 mm $ {\times } 2.5$ mm $ {\times } 20$ mm polished lutetium-yttrium oxyorthosilicate crystals. Coincidence timing resolutions (CTRs) using different time pick-off techniques were obtained at a bias voltage of 27.5 V and a fixed temperature of 20 °C. The CTR without time-walk correction were 389.0 ± 12.0 ps (425–650 keV energy window) and 670.2 ± 16.2 ps (250–750 keV energy window). The timing resolution with time-walk correction improved to 367.3 ± 0.5 ps (425–650 keV) and 413.7 ± 0.9 ps (250–750 keV). For comparison, timing resolutions were 442.8 ± 12.8 ps (425–650 keV) and 476.0 ± 13.0 ps (250–750 keV) using constant fraction techniques, and 367.3 ± 0.4 ps (425–650 keV) and 413.4 ± 0.9 ps (250–750 keV) using a reference detector based on the constant fraction technique. These results show that the proposed leading edge-based time-walk correction method works well. Timing resolution obtained using this method was equivalent to that obtained using a reference detector and was better than that obtained using constant fraction discriminators.
Power Estimation Under Uncertain Delays

While estimating glitches or spurious transitions is a challenge due to signal correlations, the random behavior of logic gate delays makes the estimation problem even more difficult. In this paper, we present statistical estimation of signal activity at the internal and output nodes of combinational Complementary Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor (CMOS) logic circuits considering uncertainty of gate delays. The methodology is based on the stochastic models of logic signals and the probabilistic behavior of gate delays due to process variations, interconnect parasitics, etc. We propose a statistical technique of estimating average-case activity, which is exible in adopting different delay models and variations and can be integrated with worst-case analysis into statistical logic design process. Experimental results show that the uncertainty of gate delays has a great impact on activity at individual nodes (more than 100%) and total power dissipation (can be overestimated up to 65%) as well.
Heart Failure in Pregnant Women: A Concern Across the Pregnancy Continuum.

Background Heart failure (HF) is a leading cause of maternal morbidity and mortality in the United States, but prevalence, correlates, and outcomes of HF-related hospitalization during antepartum, delivery, and postpartum periods remain unknown. The objective was to examine HF prevalence, correlates, and outcomes among pregnancy-related hospitalizations among women 13 to 49 years of age. Methods and Results We used the 2001 to 2011 Nationwide Inpatient Sample. Rates of HF were calculated by patient and hospital characteristics. Survey logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted odds ratios representing the association between HF and each outcome, stratified by antepartum, delivery, and postpartum periods. Joinpoint regression was used to describe temporal trends in HF and in-hospital mortality. Over 50 million pregnancy-related hospitalizations were analyzed. The overall rate of HF was 112 cases per 100 000 pregnancy-related hospitalizations. Although postpartum encounters represented only 1.5% of pregnancy-related hospitalizations, ≈60% of HF cases occurred postpartum, followed by delivery (27.3%) and antepartum (13.2%). Among postpartum hospitalizations, there was a significant 7.1% (95% confidence interval, 4.4–9.8) annual increase in HF from 2001 to 2006, followed by a steady rate through 2011. HF rates among antepartum hospitalizations increased on average 4.9% (95% confidence interval, 3.0–6.8) annually from 2001 to 2011. Women with a diagnosis of HF were more likely to experience adverse maternal outcomes, as reflected by outcome-specific adjusted odds ratios during antepartum (2.7–25), delivery (6–195), and postpartum (1.5–6.6) periods. Conclusions HF is associated with increased risk of maternal mortality and morbidities. During hospitalization, high-risk mothers need to be identified and surveillance programs developed before discharge.
Yield Study of the Poly(Beta-Hydroxyalkanoate) Produced by Pseudomonas Oleovorans Grown on Sodium Octanoate

The polyester produced by Pseudomonas oleovorans when grown on sodium octanoate appears to be a biodegradable thermoplastic elastomer. The elastomeric properties result from a Tg below room temperature (−36 C), and a low degree of crystallinity which provides physical crosslinks. The polymer has a Tm of 61 C and a heat of melting of 8.3 cal/g.
Topical nitroglycerin for the treatment of intraoperative microsurgical vasospasm

BACKGROUND Papaverine remains a popular agent to treat intraoperative microsurgical vasospasm. However, the recent shortage has forced surgeons to trial antispasmodic agents unproven in microsurgery, but commonly used in other areas. During this shortage we have trialed topical nitroglycerin to break intraoperative vasospasm. This study aims to analyze the outcomes of this medication on flap complications compared with papaverine. METHODS All consecutive free flaps performed for breast reconstruction at a single institution were reviewed. Data collected included patient demographics, co-morbidities, complications and type of antispasmodic agent. Rates of re-exploration, complications and flap salvage were compared between patients receiving nitroglycerin and papaverine. RESULTS Over 10 years, 991 flaps were treated with antispasmodics: 18 of which were treated with topical nitroglycerin. Patients treated with nitroglycerin tended to have higher BMI (32.1 vs. 27.9, P < 0.01), higher rates of pre-operative chemotherapy (83.3% vs. 51.3%, P < 0.01) and shorter follow-up duration (735 vs. 1691 days, P < 0.01). However, no differences in complications were observed, including: unplanned return to the operating room, flap loss, fat necrosis, infection, hematoma, or seroma. Subgroup analysis with a time-matched cohort of papaverine patients revealed minimal difference in comorbidities and no difference in complications. CONCLUSIONS Substituting topical nitroglycerin for papaverine to treat vasospasm during the shortage did not demonstrate an increased rate of flap loss or return to the operating room, making these medications a safe alternative to papaverine.
The Scope of Discretion in Government Administration Law: Constitutional or Unconstitutional?

Law No. 30 of 2014 on Government Administration (Government Administration Law) has set the scope of discretion in Indonesian legal system. But the form of discretion is limited in scope government decision (KTUN) and factual actions of the government. The restriction implicates circulars or others policy rule is not a form of discretion. In addition, the provisions concerning the terms of use discretion, procedures and legal effect of discretion in the Government Administration Law are not applicable to the use of policy rule. In fact, the substance of discretion in policy rule (e.g. circulars and instructions) has the potential of conflicting laws and regulations and/or General Principles of Good Administration. The legal issues in this study are the constitutionality of the scope of discretion in Article 1 point 9 and Article 23 paragraph (1) of the Government Administration Law. This analysis showed that limits the scope of discretion in Government Administration Law contrary to formal elements, substantive, and control mechanisms within the rule of law. This analysis also suggests the expansion of the scope of discretion in the Government Administration Law and setting policy rules as the object of the petition for judicial review so that there is a control mechanism by trial to discretion in the form of policy rule.
Dynamic actuation of glassy polymersomes through isomerization of a single azobenzene unit at the block copolymer interface

Nature has engineered exquisitely responsive systems where molecular-scale information is transferred across an interface and propagated over long length scales. Such systems rely on multiple interacting, signalling and adaptable molecular and supramolecular networks that are built on dynamic, non-equilibrium structures. Comparable synthetic systems are still in their infancy. Here, we demonstrate that the light-induced actuation of a molecularly thin interfacial layer, assembled from a hydrophilic-azobenzene-hydrophobic diblock copolymer, can result in a reversible, long-lived perturbation of a robust glassy membrane across a range of over 500 chemical bonds. We show that the out-of-equilibrium actuation is caused by the photochemical trans–cis isomerization of the azo group, a single chemical functionality, in the middle of the interfacial layer. The principles proposed here are implemented in water-dispersed nanocapsules, and have implications for on-demand release of embedded cargo molecules.
The Roles of Morality Development and Personal Power in Mass School Shootings

Much as many Americans today speak of a preand post-9/11 political world, some speak of a preand post-Columbine world of education. As a number of K-12 educators, academicians, and journalists suggest (e.g., McKenna & Haselkorn, 2005; cf. Martinson, 2000; Lawrence & Birkland, 2004), Columbine and the other well-publicized mass school shootings (and attempted school shootings) that occurred during the 1990s have coalesced in the public mind, becoming a watershed event. Media coverage was wide-ranging and intense, and as Hancock (2001) points out, much of it was presented out of context (for examples of media coverage, see links provided at CNN.com, 2001; cf. Moore, 2003). As one prominent example, the March 19, 2001, cover of Time magazine proclaimed, “The Columbine Effect” and offered stories on “Inside the Mind of the California Killer,” “Confronting the Classroom Code of Silence,” and “Why Some Kids Snap–and Others Don’t” (cf. Gibbs, 2001). Indeed, Pam Riley, executive director of the Center for the Prevention of School Violence, publicly described Columbine as “the ‘Pearl Harbor’ of school violence” (see Dunne, 2000). This, despite the fact that statistically schools are safer than homes and neighborhoods in terms of likelihood of children experiencing violence. Hancock writes: “National education statistics show that, at most, thirty-five children were murdered in school during the 1997–1998 academic year, while 2,752 were killed beyond campus” (Hancock, 2001, p. 77). As the Justice Policy Institute points out, during the 1998–1999 school year, the year of the Columbine mass school shootings, a child had about a one in two million chance of being killed in school. Indeed, of the 40 children (and adults) killed at schools during the 1997– 1998 school year, 11 were killed in mass school shootings. Similarly, on average, 11 children died each day of that school year from family violence (Donohue et al., 1998). Leone et al. (2000) point out that most crimes in schools are thefts, and the majority of injuries to children at school are nonviolent. Evidence of the uncommon nature of such violence is found in the fact that “until the release of the 1998 federal
Inter-Group Disparities in Fatal Road Traffic Accident in Texas

The risk of dying from a road accident is higher than dying from heart and infectious diseases. Mortality and injury related to fatal accident is increasing partly due to the level of motorization. Further, the associated risk of accident varies among diverse population groups. This study examines the inter-group difference in injury and mortality caused by road accident in Texas using Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), the nation’s most comprehensive population-based accident database from 2014 to 2016. Texas had the highest accident mortality in 2016 making accident the fifth leading cause of death. This study performed two main tasks: 1) It analyzed injury severity variation for different age groups using data mining technique. 2) Accident fatality disparity was determined by using both nonparametric version of analysis of variance and multilevel binary logistic regression. The study interprets fatality risk using the odd ratio. Result shows that Asian subgroups, European Spanish, Central and South Americans, and children were at greater risk. This study is important for culturally specific public health intervention design targeting the most vulnerable subgroups based on people’s cultural orientation.
Assessing variability of wind speed: comparison and validation of 27 methodologies

Abstract. Because wind resources vary from year to year, the intermonthly and interannual variability (IAV) of wind speed is a key component of the overall uncertainty in the wind resource assessment process, thereby creating challenges for wind farm operators and owners. We present a critical assessment of several common approaches for calculating variability by applying each of the methods to the same 37-year monthly wind-speed and energy-production time series to highlight the differences between these methods. We then assess the accuracy of the variability calculations by correlating the wind-speed variability estimates to the variabilities of actual wind farm energy production. We recommend the robust coefficient of variation (RCoV) for systematically estimating variability, and we underscore its advantages as well as the importance of using a statistically robust and resistant method. Using normalized spread metrics, including RCoV, high variability of monthly mean wind speeds at a location effectively denotes strong fluctuations of monthly total energy generation, and vice versa. Meanwhile, the wind-speed IAVs computed with annual-mean data fail to adequately represent energy-production IAVs of wind farms. Finally, we find that estimates of energy-generation variability require 10±3 years of monthly mean wind-speed records to achieve a 90 % statistical confidence. This paper also provides guidance on the spatial distribution of wind-speed RCoV.
Tri-Phasic Model ofOxytocin (TRIO): A systematic conceptual review of oxytocin-related ERP research.

Abstract Background The neuropeptide oxytocin (OT) has been shown to play a role in variety of cognitive and social processes and different hypotheses have been put forth to explain OT’s effects on brain and behavior in humans. However, these previous explanatory accounts do not provide information about OT-related temporal modulation in the brain. Objectives This paper systematically reviewed intranasal OT administration studies employing event-related potentials (ERPs) and synthesized the existing evidence into a novel conceptual framework. Methods Empirical studies, published until February 2020 and cited in major databases (EBSCOhost, PubMed, and Web of Science), were examined in accordance with PRISMA guidelines. To be included, studies had to: (i) employ intranasal administration of OT, as the chemical modulator; (ii) measure ERPs; (iii) be peer-reviewed journal articles; (iv) be written in English; and (v) examine human participants. Results The search criteria yielded 17 empirical studies. The systematic review resulted in conceptualization of the Tri-Phasic Model of Oxytocin (TRIO), which builds on three processing stages: (i) perception, (ii) selection, and (iii) evaluation. While OT increases attention irrespective of stimuli characteristics in the perception stage, in the selection and evaluation stages, OT acts as a filter to guide attention selectively towards social over non-social stimuli and modulates prosociality/approach motivation associated with social stimuli. Conclusions TRIO offers an empirically-derived conceptual framework that can guide the study of OT-related modulation on attentional processes, starting very early in the processing stream. This novel account furthers theoretical understanding and informs empirical investigation into OT modulation on the brain.