cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Versatile horizontal force probe for mechanical tests on pipette-held cells, particles, and membrane capsules

We present a multipurpose nanomechanical force probe that combines a sideways-mounted elastic cantilever and an optical-lever detection module with automated micropipette manipulation. It allows us to apply and measure compression, stretching, adhesion, and dissociation forces in the horizontal direction while providing a “side view” of ongoing experiments. The integrated micropipette setup facilitates the easy manipulation and mechanical interrogation of individual cells, functionalized particles, and synthetic membrane capsules. Pipette-held test objects are translated perpendicularly to and from the stationary cantilever, eliminating the need to attach them to a carrier surface and substantially reducing unwanted hydrodynamic coupling effects. Moreover, the test objects can be brought into contact with the cantilever anywhere along its length, which considerably enlarges the range of forces that can be applied with a single cantilever. Advantages of this instrument are demonstrated in example measurements of single-cell compression, membrane-tether extrusion, oligonucleotide stretching, and extraction of individual lipids from surfactant-monolayer surfaces of microbubbles.
Bithiophene–bithiazole copolymers andtheir metal complexes

This paper describes the synthesis, electrochemistry, and electronic properties of 5,5′-di(2-thienyl)-2,2′-bithiazole, 5,5′-di(2-thienyl)-4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bithiazole, and 5,5′-bis(3-methoxy-2-thienyl)-4,4′-dimethyl-2,2′-bithiazole, their complexes with Ru(bpy)22+ and Os(bpy)22+, and electrochemically prepared polymer films of these free and complexed ligands. The uncomplexed ligands and their polymers have electrochemical and electronic properties that are similar to the corresponding thiophene homo-oligomers and polymers, with the substituents exhibiting predictable effects. The metal complexes exhibit reversible M(III/II) electrochemistry and ligand based reductions, and can be electrochemically polymerized under suitably anhydrous conditions. BF3–Et2O was found to facilitate polymerization, either as the electrochemical solvent or when added to a CH3CN based solution. The resulting metallopolymers exhibit reversible M(III/II) electrochemistry with no indication of electronic coupling between metal sites. Oxidation of the polymer backbone results in a rapid loss of conjugation, but does not significantly affect the metal and bipyridine based electrochemistry, nor the reductive electrochemistry of the backbone. It is concluded that polymer oxidation is localized on the bithiophene linkages, while its reduction is localized on the bithiazole segments. The evident localization of the backbone π-orbitals is presumed to be responsible for the lack of significant electronic coupling of metal centres through the polymer backbone.
Methylarginine recognition by tudor domains

The posttranslational modification (PTM) of protein motifs provides docking sites for a number of different protein domains. This facilitates signal transduction from the cell surface, through the cytoplasm and into the nucleus. Arginine methylation is just one of these PTMs, and it has been implicated in a number of cellular processes, including RNA processing, DNA repair, protein translation, and the regulation of gene expression. It is an abundant PTM that is enriched on RNA-binding proteins and on histones. To date, over twenty arginine methylation sites have been cataloged on the different core histones. The only family of protein domains that is known to bind methylarginine motifs is the Tudor family. Tudor domains can be divided into methyllysine- and methylarginine-binding subtypes, with close to ten Tudor domain-containing proteins in each subtype. In this chapter, we will highlight the biological roles of the Tudor domains that interact with arginine-methylated peptide motifs.
Influenza B Virus Encephalitis

Acute encephalitis and postinfectious encephalopathy have been reported infrequently in association with influenza A and B virus infections. We report herein a case of a 6-year-old girl with acute influenza B virus encephalitis resulting in neurological sequelae. The diagnosis was made by isolation of influenza B virus from the nasopharynx, seroconversion to influenza B, and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) identification of the virus from the patient's cerebrospinal fluid. Direct sequencing of viral RNA from the patient's nasopharynx and cerebrospinal fluid revealed identical nucleotide sequences in the HA1 region of the hemagglutinin gene. This is the first report of influenza B virus encephalitis diagnosed by use of RT-PCR and illustrates the need for increased awareness of influenza virus as a cause of acute encephalitis. PCR may be a useful tool for diagnosing future cases.
Learning Why More Learning Takes Place in Some Classrooms Than Others

The relatively poor average performance of German students on the recent PISA international evaluations of 15- and 16-year-olds' literary skills (2000) and mathematical skills (2003) and the wide variation in performance, with low-income students scoring particularly poorly, have led to calls for reforms of the German educational system. Understanding why students in some classrooms learn more than do those in other classrooms is an important first step in considering alternative reform strategies. Possible explanations include differences in teacher quality, class sizes and peer groups, and also differences among the types of secondary schools that parents select for their children. This paper illustrates a set of techniques that are useful in examining the roles these factors play in predicting why, net of family background and prior achievement, the average achievement of children in some classrooms is much higher than that of children in other classrooms. We illustrate the use of these techniques with a dataset from Bogota, Colombia, that has two attractive properties. First, some teachers teach multiple classes of students. Second, students are enrolled in schools in two sectors (public and private). Application of the techniques described in this paper could shed light on the reasons why the average academic achievement of German students attending some schools is much higher than that of German students attending other schools. Copyright Verein fur Socialpolitik and Blackwell Publishing Ltd. 2005.
Distributed algorithms and architectures for optical flow switching in WDM networks

This paper is about the design and quantitative analysis of distributed approaches for optical flow switching (using dynamic lightpath setup) in a wide area WDM backbone network. The major contribution of this work is to design realistic integrated approaches for flow routing, wavelength assignment, and connection setup in a truly distributed setting, and assess the relative performance of these on a nationwide wide area network (WAN) backbone. A simulation model is used which models timing, wavelength, and fiber constraints. Results are presented in terms of backbone utilization for a given blocking probability of optical flows.
Matrix pencil based realizable reduction for distributed interconnects

We propose a realizable parasitic reduction method for RLGC distributed interconnects. The proposed method generates a reduced order model based on a modified matrix pencil method. By using a set of analytic formulas, this method provides synthesized RLGC elements. This new model is applied to power grid and antenna circuits involving triangular input waveforms, lossy transmission lines and discontinuities of interconnects. The results show better reduction ratio than the standard macromodels and good accuracy compared with the theoretical values.
Understanding the basic biology underlying the flavor world of children

Health organizations worldwide recommend that adults and children minimize intakes of excess energy and salty, sweet, and fatty foods (all of which are highly preferred tastes) and eat diets richer in whole grains, low- and non- fat dairy products, legumes, fish, lean meat, fruits, and vegetables (many of which taste bitter). Despite such recommendations and the well-established benefits of these foods to human health, adults are not complying, nor are their children. A primary reason for this difficulty is the remarkably potent rewarding properties of the tastes and flavors of foods high in sweetness, saltiness, and fatness. While we cannot easily change children's basic ingrained biology of liking sweets and avoiding bitterness, we can modu- late their flavor preferences by providing early exposure, starting in utero, to a wide variety of flavors within healthy foods, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. Because the flavors of foods mothers eat during pregnancy and lactation also flavor amni- otic fluid and breast milk and become preferred by infants, pregnant and lactating women should widen their food choices to in- clude as many flavorful and healthy foods as possible. These experiences, combined with repeated exposure to nutritious foods and flavor variety during the weaning period and beyond, should maximize the chances that children will select and enjoy a healthier diet (Current Zoology 56 (6): 834-841, 2010).
Optimizing Thermoelectric Efficiency of La3-xTe4 with Calcium Metal Substitution

La3-xTe4 is a state-of-the-art high temperature n-type thermoelectric material with a previously reported maximum zT~1.1 at 1273 K. Computational modeling suggests the La atoms play a crucial role in defining the density of states for La3-xTe4 in the conduction band. In addition to controlling charge carrier concentration, substitution with Ca2+ atoms on the La3+ site is explored as a potential means to tune the density of states and result in larger Seebeck coefficients. High purity, oxide-free samples are produced by ball milling of the elements and consolidated by spark plasma sintering. Powder XRD and electron microprobe analysis are used to characterize the material. High temperature thermoelectric properties are reported and compared with La3-xTe4 compositions. A maximum zT of 1.3 is reached at 1273 K for the composition La2.22Ca0.775Te4.
Do Campaigns Change Attitudes About People Targeted by Referendums

Campaigns have been shown to increase public awareness of issues and candidates. Little is known about how ballot measure campaigns affect attitudes about the subjects of those campaigns. This paper makes use of ANES panel data to assess if attitudes about gays and lesbians changed in response to same-sex marriage referendum campaigns. Preliminary analysis suggests that respondents had lower feeling thermometer ratings of gays and lesbians after exposure to same sex marriage campaigns.
Decoding the immune response to successful influenza vaccination.

Systems immunology identifies molecular and cellular signatures associated with adverse clinical events and antibody response to a vaccine against H1N1 influenza virus.
Feasibility and success of cell-phone assisted remote observation of medication adherence (CAROMA) in clinical trials.

Abstract Objective Medication nonadherence is a serious issue in clinical trials, especially in studies of substance abuse disorders. Measuring and confirming adherence is critical to ensuring that collected data is accurate and interpretable. This study evaluated the feasibility and success of a smartphone-based approach (Cellphone Assisted Remote Observation of Medication Adherence [CAROMA]) to visually confirm medication adherence in a clinical trial. Method Medication adherence was confirmed visually via smartphones provided to participants in a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial for cannabis dependence. Every morning, subjects (n = 20) were video-called by staff who observed consumption of study medication. Adherence was also assessed with weekly face-to-face visits, pill counts and plasma drug levels. Subjects were paid for completing daily CAROMA visits, and for returning the smartphone at study completion. Results CAROMA confirmed 96.04% adherence to medication. Concordance between expected and actual remaining study medication counted at weekly study visits was 87.69%. Subjects assigned to active study medication had detectable plasma drug levels, while those assigned to placebo did not. CAROMA was estimated to cost approximately $100 per subject per week − a total of $300.24 per subject for the 3-week outpatient portion of the trial. Conclusion This pilot study demonstrates the feasibility, success and cost-effectiveness of CAROMA to facilitate and confirm medication adherence in a clinical trial. Preliminary findings support larger and longer studies, and possibly applying this approach to clinical care − especially in other populations with high rates of medication nonadherence.
TEMPORAL PATTERNS OF ALLOZYMIC VARIATION IN FLUCTUATING POPULATIONS OF MICROTUS OCHROGASTER.

Microtine rodents undergo 2-4 year fluctuations in population density known as population cycles. A genetic-behavioral mechanism that is based on an rand Kselection argument has been proposed by Chitty (1960, 1967) for controlling these cycles. During the phase of increasing numbers when mutual interference is minimal, genotypes with a high reproductive effort have a selective advantage, whereas during the peak phase when mutual interference is intensive, there is selection for aggressive behavior. Although aggressive genotypes have an advantage with respect to intraspecific competition for food and space, their fitness is reduced in other ways which sets the stage for the decline phase. Thus, Chitty's hypothesis assumes that natural selection coupled with changes in the genetic composition of the population is the driving force behind population cycles. The results from studies monitoring allozymic variation in fluctuating vole populations are compatible with Chitty's hypothesis. Semeonoff and Robertson (1968) observed changes in gene frequency at a plasma esterase locus in a declining population of Microtus agrestis. Canham (1969) found that heterozygote fitness at transferrin and albumin loci was correlated with density in Peromyscus maniculatus and Clethrionomys gapperi populations. Changes in gene frequency at transferrin (Tamarin and Krebs, 1969) and leucine aminopeptidase loci (Gaines and Krebs, 1971) were correlated with
115 RESOLUTION OF BONE MARROW FIBROSIS IN A PATIENT TREATED FOR PROMYELOCYTIC LEUKEMIA.

Introduction Bone marrow fibrosis is known to be associated with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), most frequently with AML-M7. However, it is rarely seen with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APML). The fibrosis is thought to occur secondary to activation of normal fibroblasts by cytokines secreted by the leukemia cells and often can be reversed with therapy. The overall frequency of fibrosis in patients with APML is unknown. Whether there is a prognostic implication is unknown as well. We report the case of a patient with bone marrow reticulin fibrosis at presentation with a diagnosis of APML that improved with therapy directed at the leukemia. Case Report A 42-year-old female presented to the emergency room with progressive weakness and fatigue of 1 month9s duration. She had no fever, chills, or bruising. She was on no prior medications but had not seen a doctor in over 5 years. Bloodwork was performed, and complete blood count showed a WBC count of 9.11 × 10ˆ3/μL, hemoglobin was 3.9 g/dL, and platelets were 15,000/μL with 33% blasts seen on peripheral smear. Bone marrow aspirate and biopsy were performed. The marrow showed blasts comprised > 90% of all cellular elements, with 50% of the marrow space being fibrotic. Reticulin was markedly increased. The blasts had folded nuclei and scant cytoplasmic granules. Findings were morphologically consistent with M3, a microgranular variant of the FAB classification of AML. Molecular analysis for t(15;17) by fluorescence in situ hybridization analysis was positive in the bone marrow and peripheral blood. Patient was initiated on induction therapy with all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and idarubicin. Repeat bone marrow biopsy in 2 months showed a complete remission (CR), with improvement in fibrosis from severe to moderate. She was then treated with two cycles of consolidation therapy with idarubicin. A third bone marrow biopsy continued to show CR pattern with further improvemen in reticulin fibrosis to minimal. The patient began maintenance therapy with daily 6-mercaptopurine, weekly methotrexate, and ATRA daily for 15 days monthly. Conclusion Bone marrow reticulin fibrosis is commonly associated with AML but rarely seen with APML. This case highlights that, although rare, it may be a secondary process of the leukemia and that therapy directed at the leukemia can help the fibrosis process.
Occupational Stress and Health Outcomes Comparison of Faculty Teaching in Online, On-Ground, and Mixed Working Environments:

This quantitative cross-sectional comparative study used the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health occupational stress model to determine if stress levels and associated health outc...
The HRO Reformers

This chapter introduces the other group of East German reformers, those affiliated with the human rights organizations (HROs). Like the SED reformers, they were a numerically small and socially homogeneous group. For the most part, they were young, and almost all had at one point in their short lives had a run-in with the GDR’s ubiquitous secret police, the Stasi. Most found employment in church-related jobs or in subordinate positions in the GDR’s health services.
The Implications of Literary Criticism: A Review

Review article of Harry Levin, The Implications of Literary Criticism. Jonathan Locke Hart, ed. and intro. Jean Bessiere, series editor. Paris: Honore Champion, 2011.
Multisite microelectrode arrays for measurements of multiple neurochemicals

Multisite microelectrode arrays designed for electrochemical measures of neurochemicals in CNS tissues are presented. The arrays have platinum recording sites insulated with polyimide on a ceramic substrate. Most designs include 4 recording sites, however arrays with 5 to 8 recording sites have been fabricated. Enzyme coatings have been developed to measure glutamate, choline, lactate, and glucose. Electroactive compounds such as dopamine, norepinephrine, and O/sub 2/ can also be measured. The multiple recording sites can be exploited for interferent or noise removal and measures of multiple compounds using a single microelectrode array.
Current Challenges and Opportunities for Chemoprevention of Pancreatic Cancer.

Background The incidence of pancreatic cancer (PC) is rising in parallel with the deaths caused by this malignant disease largely due to limited improvement in current treatment strategies. In spite of aggressive PC research, for the past three decades, there has been no significant improvement in the five-year survival for this cancer. Like many other cancers, it takes several years for normal pancreatic cells to transform into pancreatic precursor lesions and to further progress into invasive carcinoma. Hence there is a scope for the development of chemo-preventive strategies to inhibit/ delay/prevent progression of this disease into an advanced stage cancer. Objective Chemoprevention of pancreatic cancer. Method Review of published literature. Results and conclusion Availability of various genetically engineered mouse (GEM) models of PC has led to accelerated progress in understanding the disease and developing intervention strategies otherwise stalled for a long time. These GEM models spontaneously develop PC in a stepwise manner and mimic the disease etiology in humans. Understanding PC development from initiation to progression to metastasis is very important for early detection and prevention of PC. In this review, we focus on the current situation, the potential challenges, the progress in existing strategies and available opportunities as well as suggest key areas for research within the increasingly important area of pancreatic cancer chemoprevention.
Experiences of men who commit to romantic relationships with younger breast cancer survivors: A qualitative study.

ABSTRACTThis phenomenological study examined the experiences of men who committed to romantic relationships with women under 50, post–breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. Twelve men from throughout the United States, who were dating their partner for at least 6 months, participated in semistructured interviews. Findings focused on initial disclosure timing, previous experience/knowledge about the cancer, reacting with acceptance despite concerns, focusing on love/connection, respecting and admiring the survivor, and the ongoing impact of cancer on the relationship. Clinical implications are discussed, highlighting the systemic effect that breast cancer may have on a couple even after treatment is completed.
Efficacy and safety of oral vitamin D (cholecalciferol) supplement therapy in Stage I primary hypertension; a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo controlled, clinical trial in a tertiary care hospital in central India.

Introduction : Hypertension is one of the most common cardiovascular disorders. Almost all targets in its therapy are exploited and there is a growing need to search for newer targets. Vitamin D is gaining increasing attention in treatment of primary hypertension. Objectives : To study the efficacy and safety of Vitamin D supplementation on systolic and diastolic BP in patients of primary hypertension (JNC 7 stage I) receiving conventional antihypertensive medications (namely Tab atenolol 50mg or Tab amlodipine 5mg). Methods : It was a prospective, randomized, double blind, parallel, placebo controlled clinical trial with 2 groups of 33 patients each. Both groups had patients receiving conventional antihypertensives (Tab atenolol50mg or Tab amlodipine 5mg). Group A patients were given placebo (lactose tablets) and Group B were given oral Vitamin D 3 (60,000 IU) once weekly at bedtime after meals, repeated every fortnightly for 12 weeks. Results : Patients belonging to Group B showed a statistically significant (p < 0.0001) decline in both systolic blood pressure after 12 weeks of receiving vitamin D supplementation. There was no significant change in the safety parameters. Conclusions : Thus, our study shows that Vitamin D supplementation has some role in safely reducing systolic blood pressure after 12 weeks of supplementation and hence it should be supplemented with antihypertensive drugs to the patients with hypertension.
Effects of spinal non-viral interleukin-10 gene therapy formulated with d-mannose in neuropathic interleukin-10 deficient mice: Behavioral characterization, mRNA and protein analysis in pain relevant tissues

Studies show that spinal (intrathecal; i.t.) interleukin-10 (IL-10) gene therapy reverses neuropathic pain in animal models, and co-administration with the mannose receptor (MR; CD206) ligand d-mannose (DM) greatly improves therapeutic efficacy. However, the actions of endogenous IL-10 may be required for enduring pain control observed following i.t. IL-10 gene therapy, potentially narrowing the application of this non-viral transgene delivery approach. Here, we show that i.t. application of naked plasmid DNA expressing the IL-10 transgene co-injected with DM (DM/pDNA-IL-10) for the treatment of peripheral neuropathic pain in IL-10 deficient (IL-10 KO) mice results in a profound and prolonged bilateral pain suppression. Neuropathic pain is induced by unilateral sciatic chronic constriction injury (CCI), and while enduring relief of light touch sensitivity (mechanical allodynia) in both wild type (WT) and IL-10 KO mice was observed following DM/pDNA-IL-10 co-therapy, transient reversal from allodynia was observed following i.t. DM alone. In stably pain-relieved IL-10 KO mice given DM/pDNA-IL-10, mRNA for the IL-10 transgene is detected in the cauda equina and ipsilateral dorsal root ganglia (DRG), but not the lumbar spinal cord. Further, DM/pDNA-IL-10 application increases anti-inflammatory TGF-β1 and decreases pro-inflammatory TNF mRNA in the ipsilateral DRG compared to allodynic controls. Additionally, DM/pDNA-IL-10 treated mice exhibit decreased spinal pro-inflammatory mRNA expression for TNF, CCL2 (MCP-1), and for the microglial-specific marker TMEM119. Similarly, DM/pDNA-IL-10 treatment decreases immunoreactivity for the astrocyte activation marker GFAP in lumbar spinal cord dorsal horn. Despite transient reversal and early return to allodynia in DM-treated mice, lumbar spinal cord revealed elevated TNF, CCL2 and TMEM119 mRNA levels. Both MR (CD206) and IL-10 receptor mRNAs are increased in the DRG following CCI manipulation independent of injection treatment, suggesting that pathological conditions stimulate upregulation and availability of relevant receptors in critical anatomical regions required for the therapeutic actions of the DM/pDNA-IL-10 co-therapy. Taken together, the current report demonstrates that non-viral DM/pDNA-IL-10 gene therapy does not require endogenous IL-10 for enduring relief of peripheral neuropathic pain and does not require direct contact with the spinal cord dorsal horn for robust and enduring relief of neuropathic pain. Spinal non-viral DM/pDNA-IL-10 co-therapy may offer a framework for the development of non-viral gene therapeutic approaches for other diseases of the central nervous system.
A simple fluorescent method for the detection of superficial fungi in skin and hair. A combined stain with acridine orange and potassium hydroxide.

The classical method for the detection of superficial fungi in skin scrapings and hair is the 10-20% potassium hydroxide preparation studied by means of the white light microscope. In experienced hands, the above method is a simple but highly effective tool. Such preparations are, however, subject to misinterpretation by the similar appearance of various artifacts to that of hyphae. More specifically, the artifacts of prime importance are vegetable fibers, either in the clinical specimen or on the slide and the appearance of superimposed cell walls in thick preparations. A method is, therefore, needed which would be as simple as the KOH preparation but in addition would provide an adequate means for ruling out false positives due to artifact. A method is presented which fulfills these criteria, by combining acridine orange, a fluorescent stain for fungi, with the KOH.
Speckle removal and change preservation by distance-driven anisotropic diffusion of synthetic aperture radar temporal stacks

Abstract We propose a method that smoothes spatially and uses, but also preserves, temporal information of synthetic aperture radar image stacks. To provide smoothing of such imagery without effacing temporal changes in the scene, we put forth an anisotropic diffusion technique, using a PDE approach. This approach smoothes uniform areas and preserves and enhances edges, such as roads or other features. In order to use this anisotropic diffusion technique, a homogeneous region must first be selected in the image to calculate statistics of the speckle noise. We propose a method that uses the temporal information to automatically select a homogeneous region prior to smoothing. Our proposed smoothing method calculates the distance between either pixel time-series or pixel CDFs as a measure of similarity, or uniformity. Results demonstrate the efficacy of the approach on real and synthetic data, showing lower mean squared ratio and higher structural similarity index than leading methods, as well as temporal change preservation.
Loss and restoration of immune privilege in eyes with corneal neovascularization.

Purpose To delineate the time course for loss of immune privilege after induction of corneal neovascularization (NV), and to test whether treatment with angiostatic agents can restore the eye's capacity to induce anterior chamber-associated immune deviation (ACAID). Methods Corneal NV in murine eyes was induced by placement of intrastromal sutures. At different time points after NV induction, study eyes were initiated on a 10-day regimen of one of a variety of anti-inflammatory or angiostatic agents. After the completion of their treatment regimen, eyes were tested as to whether they could support ACAID. To test whether any observed effect on the delayed-type hypersensitivity response was because of a systemic absorption of the topically applied medication, certain animals had only their fellow eyes treated. Results Inflammatory corneal NV leads to the loss of immune privilege during the first week of the NV induction. Left untreated, these eyes remain incapable of supporting ACAID, even weeks after the initial corneal insult. However, when treatment with an anti-inflammatory agent is initiated during the first 2 weeks after the NV induction, these eyes show a restored capacity for ACAID induction, and this appears to be unrelated to any systemic effect of the treatment regimen. Treatment started at later time points is not capable of restoring the eye's normal capacity for inducing deviant immunity. Conclusions Corneal neovascularization leads to loss of immune privilege in the anterior segment manifested as the inability to sustain ACAID. Moreover, topical angiostatic strategies can lead to restoration of immune privilege when instituted sufficiently early in the course of the neovascular response.
Assessment of High Incidence Learning Disorders: Isolating Measures with High Discriminant Ability

Research into the diagnosis and assessment of high incidence learning disorders has resulted in the proliferation of psychometric and observational techniques which have demonstrated deficits in ha...
Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of austenitic stainless steels in high temperature light water reactor (LWR) environments

Abstract: This chapter focuses on stress corrosion cracking (SCC) of austenitic stainless steels in high temperature light water reactor (LWR) environments, and emphasizes common grades of wrought austenitic stainless steel over cast, ferritic or martensitic stainless steels. Corrosion fatigue and environmental effects on fracture are related forms of degradation, and are also addressed. This chapter provides insight into the SCC dependencies and the underlying processes and mechanisms. There are 20–30 key, interdependent variables, and this complexity makes a purely empirical approach intractable. Research has transformed this complexity to one in which the origin of the effects and their interaction is reasonably well understood and quantified.
Recreation Therapists’ Knowledge and Attitudes toward Pain

The purpose of this study was to explore recreation therapists’ (RT) knowledge and attitudes toward pain. A 41-item electronic survey was sent to a randomly selected sample of Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialists (CTRSs) who were practicing full time. The response rate was 23.9% (n = 1433) with 1296 completed surveys. Seven items from the Knowledge and Attitudes toward Pain Survey (Ferrell & McCaffery, 2014) were used to measure respondents’ knowledge and attitudes toward client pain. Overall knowledge and attitudes scores were fairly high (82.6% correct). However, several items fell below 80% correct, indicating misperceptions. Low-scoring items included young children have decreased pain sensitivity; accuracy of vital signs to assess pain; those who can be distracted are not in severe pain; and patients may sleep in spite of severe pain. Significant differences in knowledge and attitudes toward pain scores were found by level of training in pain management (F(3, 1241) = 4.295, p < .01) and population served (F(7, 1227) = 2.435, p < .05). Although there are limitations due to low response rates, the results indicate there are deficits in CTRSs’ knowledge and attitudes towards pain. Attitudes impact health care professionals’ responses to persons experiencing pain; thus, it is critical that the RT discipline include training in pain management in curricula, continuing education, and daily clinical practice. Subscribe to TRJ
Early Results of a Phase I Trial Using an Adipose-Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cell-Coated Fistula Plug for the Treatment of Transsphincteric Cryptoglandular Fistulas.

BACKGROUND:Management of transsphincteric cryptoglandular fistulas remains a challenging problem and the optimal surgical approach remains elusive. Mesenchymal stem cells, increasingly being utilized for perianal Crohn’s disease, offer a novel therapy to treat cryptoglandular fistulas.OBJECTIVES:Thi
On linear aggregation of infinitely many finitely additive probability measures

We discuss Herzberg’s (Theory Decis 78(2):319–337, 2015) treatment of linear aggregation for profiles of infinitely many finitely additive probabilities and suggest a natural alternative to his definition of linear continuous aggregation functions. We then prove generalizations of well-known characterization results due to (J Am Stat Assoc 76(374):410–414, 1981). We also characterize linear aggregation of probabilities in terms of a Pareto condition, de Finetti’s notion of coherence, and convexity.
Randomized clinical trial of high concentration versus titrated oxygen use in pediatric asthma

Objective To compare the effects of high concentration to titrated oxygen therapy (HCOT) on transcutaneous carbon dioxide (PtCO2 ) level in pediatric asthma exacerbation. Titrated oxygen therapy (TOT) in acute asthma will avoid a rise in PtCO 2 in the pediatric population. Method The study design is a prospective, randomized, clinical trial comparing HCOT (maintain SpO2 92-95%) while being treated for asthma exacerbation in the emergency department (ED). Inclusion criteria 2 to 18 years, previously diagnosed asthma with acute exacerbation (asthma score >5). PtCO2 and asthma scores were measured at 0, 20, 40, 60 minutes and then every 30 minutes until disposition decision. The primary outcome was a change in PtCO 2 . Secondary outcomes were admission rate and change in asthma score. Results A total of 96 patients were enrolled in the study with a mean age of 8.27 years; 49 in HCOT and 47 in the TOT group. The 0 minute PtCO2 was similar (35.33 + 3.88 HCOT vs 36.66 + 4.69 TOT, P = 0.13); whereas, the 60 minutes PtCO 2 was higher in the HCOT (38.08 + 5.11 HCOT vs 35.51 + 4.57 TOT, P = 0.01). The asthma score was similar at 0 minute (7.55 + 1.34 HCOT vs 7.30 + 1.18 TOT, P = 0.33); whereas, the 60 minutes asthma score was lower in the TOT (4.71 + 1.38 HCOT vs 3.57 + 1.25 TOT, P = 0.0001). The rate of admission to the hospital was 40.5% in HCOT vs 25.5% in the TOT (P = 0.088). Conclusions HCOT in pediatric asthma exacerbation leads to significantly higher carbon dioxide levels, which increases asthma scores and trends towards the increasing rate of admission. Larger studies are needed to explore this association.
Personal Income Taxes and Labor Downskilling: Evidence from 27 Million Job Postings

Using big data on U.S. job postings, we document detrimental effects of local personal income taxes on the level of education, experience, and technological skills required by firms when hiring workers (downskilling). Tax-induced downskilling is identified at the county level and at individual firms' establishments. It is driven by taxes on middle-class earners. Multi-state corporations internally reassign their hiring of low- vs. high-skill workers according to local personal tax changes. Together with worker downskilling, firms cut IT investment in localities that hike personal taxes. Our results suggest that corporations amplify the ``brain drain'' effect induced by local personal income taxes.
Rapid Beer Fermentation: The Effect of Vacuum Pressure on a Pilot Scale Lager Fermentation

Changes to industrial fermentation processes are rare, largely due to the impact on viability for Saccharomyces spp., related to environmental stresses during the process such as: osmotic pressure,...
Swiss ball training to improve trunk control and balance in spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy

Introduction: Trunk control is one of the impairments in spastic hemiplegics which affects the balance in cerebral palsy children. Trunk balance is a pre-requisite for upper limb function. By improving trunk control, the balance increases, helping the child to be functionally independent. Objectives: To improve trunk control and balance in spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy children by Swiss ball training. Method: Thirty subjects were included in the study after obtaining informed consent from their parents and they were separated into two groups. One group was given conventional training and the other group was given Swiss ball training for 30 minutes, 4 times weekly for 6 weeks. Gross Motor Functional Measure (GMFM-88) scale was utilized for assessment of trunk balance and Paediatric Balance Scale (PBS) for assessment of functional balance.Paired t-test was used to analyse the effect of trunk control and balance functions Results: The post-test mean values of all the variables of Swiss ball training group were significantly improved compared to those of the conventional group (p Conclusions: The study shows that Swiss ball training improves trunk control and balance in spastic hemiplegic cerebral palsy children. Sri Lanka Journal of Child Health, 2019; 48(4): 300-304
MARPOL 73/78 and Vessel Pollution: A Glass Half Full or Half Empty?

As global commerce has grown over the past several decades, so too has the world's hunger for oil. The amount of oil it takes to satisfy this demand on just a daily basis is staggering. Every day, an estimated 100,000,000 tons of oil are ferried between the ports of shippers and consuming nations.1 Given the volume of oil shipped over the oceans, as well as the scale of the supertankers involved,2 it is not surprising that some oil makes its way into the oceans. Vessels annually release some one to two million tons of oil into the marine environment.3 Sometimes the release is related to ship operations; other times it is due to accidental spills. In both cases, the oceans are degraded.4 Disasters such as the Exxon Valdez grounding provide gripping illustrations of the problem of vessel pollution.5 Since these large coastal spills are both newsworthy and accessible, television regularly treats viewers eto up to the minute pictures of the ensuing ecological harm. As a result, the public, galvanized by graphic images of blackened beaches and oil
Dynamic Characterization of Structural, Molecular, and Electrophysiological Phenotypes of Human-Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-Derived Cerebral Organoids, and Comparison with Fetal and Adult Gene Profiles.

Background: The development of 3D cerebral organoid technology using human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) provides a promising platform to study how brain diseases are appropriately modeled and treated. So far, understanding of the characteristics of organoids is still in its infancy. The current study profiled, for the first time, the electrophysiological properties of organoids at molecular and cellular levels and dissected the potential age equivalency of 2-month-old organoids to human ones by a comparison of gene expression profiles among cerebral organoids, human fetal and adult brains. Results: Cerebral organoids exhibit heterogeneous gene and protein markers of various brain cells, such as neurons, astrocytes, and vascular cells (endothelial cells and smooth muscle cells) at 2 months, and increases in neural, glial, vascular, and channel-related gene expression over a 2-month differentiation course. Two-month organoids exhibited action potentials, multiple channel activities, and functional electrophysiological responses to the anesthetic agent propofol. A bioinformatics analysis of 20,723 gene expression profiles showed the similar distance of gene profiles in cerebral organoids to fetal and adult brain tissues. The subsequent Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) of select canonical pathways related to neural development, network formation, and electrophysiological signaling, revealed that only calcium signaling, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element-binding protein (CREB) signaling in neurons, glutamate receptor signaling, and synaptogenesis signaling were predicted to be downregulated in cerebral organoids relative to fetal samples. Nearly all cerebral organoid and fetal pathway phenotypes were predicted to be downregulated compared with adult tissue. Conclusions: This novel study highlights dynamic development, cellular heterogeneity and electrophysiological activity. In particular, for the first time, electrophysiological drug response recapitulates what occurs in vivo, and neural characteristics are predicted to be highly similar to the human brain, further supporting the promising application of the cerebral organoid system for the modeling of the human brain in health and disease. Additionally, the studies from these characterizations of cerebral organoids in multiple levels and the findings from gene comparisons between cerebral organoids and humans (fetuses and adults) help us better understand this cerebral organoid-based cutting-edge platform and its wide uses in modeling human brain in terms of health and disease, development, and testing drug efficacy and toxicity.
Understanding therapy preferences of cancer patients with the use of therapy preference scale.

e24186Background: Patients’ (pts) preferences, crucial in selecting an appropriate treatment (tx), are understudied in cancer pts. We developed a novel self-reported questionnaire “Therapy Preferen...
Marine conservation: local community perceptions of coastal resources conservation and livelihood implication in Bagamoyo

The observed coastal and shoreline changes eroded beaches destructed fish haunts and shifted shorelines affects the beautiful scenery disfigure beaches fish catches coastal forest and related livelihood activities Such situation increases vulnerability to coastal resources and local livelihood In understanding the changes in coastal resources and local livelihood a questionnaire survey key informant interviews and field observation were deployed to explore local perceptions on costal resources management and implication on community livelihood in two wards of Bagamoyo district The data were analyzed by using content and trend analysis Microsoft excel and Statistical Package for Social Science SPSS The results revealed changes in the marine and coastal environment such as degradation of habitats in the coastal zone which were attributed by increase in population use of deleterious fishing techniques such as dynamite and the recurring climate change and variability that increased extraction and destruction of natural resources A weak institutional infrastructure to monitor and regulate destructive activities were reported to reduce the ability of authorities to prevent deleterious practices Such perceived environmental changes resulted in reduced fish catches agricultural production and affected local livelihood activities along the coastal area Despite the presence of Beach Management Units BMUs and Collaborative Fisheries Management Areas CFMAs which aims to empower local fishers to monitor and become responsible for the resources and habitats they depend on most of the local community are not motivated and have low awareness on such initiatives Thus with increased dependency on natural resources use of low technology and low adaptive capacity render community rsquo s livelihood vulnerable to environmental changes and fluctuating weather patterns To ameliorate the situation strategies aimed at reducing the risk and improving environmental management have been recommended These include the provision of education to all key stakeholders Adherence and implementation of existing bylaws this need to include regular visit and involvement of local communities in cleanup on the coastal areas and the provision of incentives to the local community for managing resources nbsp
Winter cover crops and no till management enhance enzyme activities in soybean field soils

Abstract Elimination of tillage and planting winter cover crops are two conservation practices employed in agricultural row crop production to promote the accumulation of plant residues on the soil surface, improve soil structure, reduce erosion, and decrease losses of excess nutrients in runoff. The purpose of the current study was to assess the effects of no till management and two different cover crop species, Elbon rye (Secale cereal L.) and Crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), on microbial aspects of soil health, namely microbial biomass and enzyme activities (phosphatase, β-glucosidase, N-acetylglucosaminidase, and fluorescein diacetate [FDA] hydrolysis) in order to determine potential impacts on the size and nutrient cycling capabilities of microbial communities in lower Mississippi Delta soybean (Glycine max L.) field soils over a three-year period. Microbial biomass in surface soil was elevated under no till and both cover crop treatments. Soil enzyme activities associated with organic matter breakdown were increased by cover crop more than tillage, while phosphatase and FDA hydrolysis were increased by both. The higher activities due to cover crop input appear to be the result of an enlarged microbial community as well as increased substrate availability. While these enhanced soil biological traits did not translate into higher soybean yields, longer evaluation periods may be necessary to fully appreciate the benefits of improved soil health in crop production systems.
Metric Graphs with Totally Disconnected Boundary.

Boundary analysis is developed for a rich class of generally infinite weighted graphs with compact metric completions. These graph completions have totally disconnected boundaries. The classical notion of $\epsilon$-components and the existence of suitable measures are used to construct generalized Haar bases and Hilbert spaces of functions on the boundaries. Suitable exit measures are constructed and analyzed using harmonic functions.
Book Review, Learning from Practice: A Text for Experiential Legal Education

Review of “Learning from Practice: A Text for Experiential Legal Education”, 3d. ed. 2016. This review outlines the contents of this latest edition, which provides a comprehensive, student-centered collection of reading, exercises, and questions designed to promote student reflection, primarily for use with the seminar component of field placement courses. Given the expansion of experiential education, the concepts and topics in the book may also be a resource for multiple types of courses and experiences, particularly those that involve some form of real legal practice.
The FDA Ought to Change Plan B's Label.

This commentary defends three arguments for changing the label of levonorgestrel-based emergency contraception (LNG EC) so that it no longer supports the possibility of a mechanism of action after fertilization. First, there is no direct scientific evidence confirming any post-fertilization mechanisms. Second, despite the weight of evidence, there is still widespread public misunderstanding over the mechanism of LNG EC. Third, this FDA label is not a value-free claim, but instead it has functioned like a political tool for reducing contraceptive access. The label is laden with anti-abortion values (even though EC is contraception, not abortion), and it imposes these values on potential users, resulting in barriers to access such as with Burwell v. Hobby Lobby. These three arguments together provide scientific, social, and ethical grounds for the FDA to take the initiate in changing Plan B's drug label.
Mechanisms of Proton-Hydroxide Flux Across Membranes

In both model and biological membranes, measurements of proton-hydroxide flux produce permeability coefficients that are orders of magnitude greater than those obtained with other monovalent ions. As a working hypothesis, we suggest that this large variance can be explained by the flux of protons along hydrogenbonded strands of associated water or protein in the hydrophobic plane of the membrane.