cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Physical Activity on Frailty: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Background Limited evidence suggests that physical activity may prevent frailty and associated negative outcomes in older adults. Definitive data from large long-term randomized trials are lacking. Objective To determine whether a long-term, structured, moderate-intensity physical activity program is associated with a lower risk for frailty and whether frailty status alters the effect of physical activity on the reduction in major mobility disability (MMD) risk. Design Multicenter, single-blind, randomized trial. Setting 8 centers in the United States. Participants 1635 community-dwelling adults, aged 70 to 89 years, with functional limitations. Intervention A structured, moderate-intensity physical activity program incorporating aerobic, resistance, and flexibility activities or a health education program consisting of workshops and stretching exercises. Measurements Frailty, as defined by the SOF (Study of Osteoporotic Fractures) index, at baseline and 6, 12, and 24 months, and MMD, defined as the inability to walk 400 m, for up to 3.5 years. Results Over 24 months of follow-up, the risk for frailty (n = 1623) was not statistically significantly different in the physical activity versus the health education group (adjusted prevalence difference, -0.021 [95% CI, -0.049 to 0.007]). Among the 3 criteria of the SOF index, the physical activity intervention was associated with improvement in the inability to rise from a chair (adjusted prevalence difference, -0.050 [CI, -0.081 to -0.020]). Baseline frailty status did not modify the effect of physical activity on reducing incident MMD (P for interaction = 0.91). Limitation Frailty status was neither an entry criterion nor a randomization stratum. Conclusion A structured, moderate-intensity physical activity program was not associated with a reduced risk for frailty over 2 years among sedentary, community-dwelling older adults. The beneficial effect of physical activity on the incidence of MMD did not differ between frail and nonfrail participants. Primary funding source National Institute on Aging, National Institutes of Health.
An importance sampling method based on variance minimization with applications to credit risk

A model for credit risk was established and a new method is presented to deal with credit risk assessment problems for commercial banks based on rare event simulation. The failure probability of repaying loans of listed company is taken as the criterion to measure the level of credit risk. The rare-event concept is adopted to construct the model of credit risk identification in commercial banks, and importance sampling scheme is designed to implement the rare event simulation, based on which the loss probability can be assessed. The simulated results show that the rare event simulation method can effectively solve the credit risk problem.
Representation of empirically derived causal relationships

The objective of this paper is to present a method for the computer representation of empirically derived causal relationships (CR's). This method draws on the theory of multivariate linear models and path analysis. The method is contrasted with the predicate calculus based methods used by most researchers in artificial Intelligence. The representation presented here has been used to store information on medical CR's derived empirically from a large clinical database by a computer program called RX. The principal emphasis in the representation is on capturing the intensities and variances of effects and the variation in the effects across a patient population. Once incorporated into RX's knowledge base, this information is subsequently used by RX in determining the validity of other CR's. The representation uses a directed graph formalism in which the nodes are frames and the arcs contain seven descriptive features of individual CR's: intensity, distribution, direction, mathematical form, setting, validity, and evidence. Because natural systems (such as the human body) are inherently probabilistic, linear models are useful in representing causal flow in them. Knowledge of natural systems is fundamentally probabilistic because of 1) Irreducible indeterminism in their component processes, 2) difficulties in accurately measuring all relevant variables, 3) variation among individuals in a population, and 4) inadequate scientific theory. The principal objective of this paper is to present a method for the computer representation of causal relationships relevant to clinical medicine. The representation presented here is used to store information on clinical causal relationships in the medical knowledge base of a large computer program called RX. In this brief report I will touch on the following topics: 1) the objectives and methods of the RX Project, 2) the character istics of the tasks that RX performs that Influence the admissible forms of representation for causal relationships, 3) the method of representation, and 4) a comparison of this method with the work of other AI researchers.
Influence of growth rate on the epitaxial orientation and crystalline quality of CeO2 thin films grown on Al2O3(0001)

Growth rate-induced epitaxial orientations and crystalline quality of CeO2 thin films grown on Al2O3(0001) by oxygen plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy were studied using in situ and ex situ characterization techniques. CeO2 grows as three-dimensional (3D) islands and two-dimensional layers at growth rates of 1–7 A/min and ≥9 A/min, respectively. The formation of epitaxial CeO2(100) and CeO2(111) thin films occurs at growth rates of 1 A/min and ≥9 A/min, respectively. Glancing-incidence x-ray diffraction measurements have shown that the films grown at intermediate growth rates (2–7 A/min) consist of polycrystalline CeO2 along with CeO2(100). The thin film grown at 1 A/min exhibits six in-plane domains, characteristic of well-aligned CeO2(100) crystallites. The content of the poorly aligned CeO2(100) crystallites increases with increasing growth rate from 2 to 7 A/min, and three out of six in-plane domains gradually decrease and eventually disappear, as confirmed by XRD pole figures. At growth rates ≥9...
Characterization of Controlled Pore Glasses: Molecular Simulations of Adsorption

Using a recently developed molecular dynamics procedure, we have prepared a series of models of controlled pore glasses with a range of porosities and pore sizes. Nitrogen adsorption isotherms have been obtained in these models using a parallelized version of the Grand Canonical Monte Carlo simulation technique. These isotherms can be analyzed with standard methods to obtain pore size distributions and surface areas, which can be compared with exact results obtained from the model glasses’ atomic structures. In this study, we also measure the partial structure factors for the gas adsorbed in the model glasses at different pressures, and discuss the relationships between features in these data and the pores’ geometry.
Remorse, Apology, and Mercy

It is commonly believed that legal mercy for those guilty of serious crimes is most appropriately bestowed upon those criminals who exhibit sincere remorse and repentance over what they have done - a remorse and repentance often represented by apologies to victims, survivors, and the community as a whole. As the public interest in the Karla Faye Tucker case demonstrated, many people find these displays of remorse particularly compelling if they are presented as a consequence of religious conversion. In contrast, the word "remorseless" is often used to describe those criminals who are viewed as the worst of the worst and thus as least deserving of legal mercy. This essay - a modification of some of the author's earlier work - explores the nature of remorse, its relation to religion, the role it plays in the assessment of moral character, and the role that such a character assessment might play in decisions to grant legal mercy - in particular, decisions of judges at the time of sentencing or decisions of executives with the power to grant clemency. The complex relationship that acts of apology bear to the kind of remorse that, at least in the minds of many, makes a criminal a legitimate candidate for legal mercy is also examined. The author, exploring both moral and epistemic issues, will express considerable skepticism toward relying on judgments about offender remorse at the time of sentencing, but less skepticism about relying on such judgments at the time of an executive decision to grant clemency.
Exploring Linkability of User Reviews

Large numbers of people all over the world read and contribute to various review sites. Many contributors are understandably concerned about privacy in general and, specifically, about linkability of their reviews (and accounts) across multiple review sites. In this paper, we study linkability of community-based reviewing and try to answer the question: to what extent are ”anonymous” reviews linkable, i.e., highly likely authored by the same contributor? Based on a very large set of reviews from one very popular site (Yelp), we show that a high percentage of ostensibly anonymous reviews can be accurately linked to their authors. This is despite the fact that we use very simple models and equally simple features set. Our study suggests that contributors reliably expose their identities in reviews. This has important implications for cross-referencing accounts between different review sites. Also, techniques used in our study could be adopted by review sites to give contributors feedback about linkability of their reviews.
Chronic Dysregulation of Cortical and Subcortical Metabolism After Experimental Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and long-term disability worldwide. Although chronic disability is common after TBI, effective treatments remain elusive and chronic TBI pathophysiology is not well understood. Early after TBI, brain metabolism is disrupted due to unregulated ion release, mitochondrial damage, and interruption of molecular trafficking. This metabolic disruption causes at least part of the TBI pathology. However, it is not clear how persistent or pervasive metabolic injury is at later stages of injury. Using untargeted 1H-NMR metabolomics, we examined ex vivo hippocampus, striatum, thalamus, frontal cortex, and brainstem tissue in a rat lateral fluid percussion model of chronic brain injury. We found altered tissue concentrations of metabolites in the hippocampus and thalamus consistent with dysregulation of energy metabolism and excitatory neurotransmission. Furthermore, differential correlation analysis provided additional evidence of metabolic dysregulation, most notably in brainstem and frontal cortex, suggesting that metabolic consequences of injury are persistent and widespread. Interestingly, the patterns of network changes were region-specific. The individual metabolic signatures after injury in different structures of the brain at rest may reflect different compensatory mechanisms engaged to meet variable metabolic demands across brain regions.
Immunomodulatory effects of heat stress and lipopolysaccharide on the bursal transcriptome in two distinct chicken lines

Exposure to heat stress suppresses poultry immune responses, which can increase susceptibility to infectious diseases and, thereby, intensify the negative effects of heat on poultry welfare and performance. Identifying genes and pathways that are affected by high temperatures, especially heat-induced changes in immune responses, could provide targets to improve disease resistance in chickens. This study utilized RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate transcriptome responses in the bursa of Fabricius, a primary immune tissue, after exposure to acute heat stress and/or subcutaneous immune stimulation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in a 2 × 2 factorial design: Thermoneutral + Saline, Heat + Saline, Thermoneutral + LPS and Heat + LPS. All treatments were investigated in two chicken lines: a relatively heat- and disease-resistant Fayoumi line and a more susceptible broiler line. Differential expression analysis determined that Heat + Saline had limited impact on gene expression (N = 1 or 63 genes) in broiler or Fayoumi bursa. However, Thermoneutral + LPS and Heat + LPS generated many expression changes in Fayoumi bursa (N = 368 and 804 genes). Thermoneutral + LPS was predicted to increase immune-related cell signaling and cell migration, while Heat + LPS would activate mortality-related functions and decrease expression in WNT signaling pathways. Further inter-treatment comparisons in the Fayoumi line revealed that heat stress prevented many of the expression changes caused by LPS. Although fewer significant expression changes were observed in the broiler bursa after exposure to Thermoneutral + LPS (N = 59 genes) or to Heat + LPS (N = 146 genes), both treatments were predicted to increase cell migration. Direct comparison between lines (broiler to Fayoumi) confirmed that each line had distinct responses to treatment. Transcriptome analysis identified genes and pathways involved in bursal responses to heat stress and LPS and elucidated that these effects were greatest in the combined treatment. The interaction between heat and LPS was line dependent, with suppressive expression changes primarily in the Fayoumi line. Potential target genes, especially those involved in cell migration and immune signaling, can inform future research on heat stress in poultry and could prove useful for improving disease resistance.
Modeling Autonomic Pupillary Responses from External Stimuli Using Machine Learning

This study is part of a broader investigation into the role of the environment in influencing human physical and cognitive performance. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a baseline...
Cases in Precision Medicine: A Personalized Approach to Stroke and Cardiovascular Risk Assessment in Women

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death among women in the United States, and stroke is third. This article uses a case scenario to examine female sex-specific cardiovascular risk factors across the lifespan and describes a precision medicine-based approach to risk factor modification and primary prevention. It also presents recent updates to the role of genetic testing and polygenic risk scores for the prediction of stroke and cardiovascular disease.
Consumer Interest and Preferred Formats for Disclosure of Restaurant Inspection Results, Minnesota 2019.

ABSTRACT In recent years, numerous state and local health departments have developed systems to disclose restaurant inspection results to consumers. Public disclosure of restaurant inspection results can reduce transmission of foodborne illness by driving improvements in sanitary conditions. In Minnesota, restaurant inspection results are not readily accessible for consumers to use to make decisions about where to eat. The objective of this study was to assess the consumer interest among Minnesota adults in having better access to restaurant inspection results and to identify preferred formats for disseminating this information. We conducted a survey among 1,188 Minnesota residents aged 18 years or older at the 2019 Minnesota State Fair. Overall, 94.4% of respondents wanted better access to restaurants' inspection information. More than three-quarters (77.1%) of respondents stated that they would use this information to decide where to eat. Respondents wanted to see inspection results online (71.6%) and at restaurants (62.1%). Increasing public access to inspection results could reinforce efforts by public health agencies and food service operators to improve the safety of foods prepared away from home. HIGHLIGHTS
Black Caribbean Emerging Adults: A Systematic Review of Religion and Health

Religion, a prominent factor among Black diasporic communities, influences their health outcomes. Given the increase in Black Caribbeans living in the United States, it is important to understand how religion’s function among different ethnic groups of Black Americans. We systematically reviewed four databases and included articles of any study design if they (a) focused on the religious experiences of emerging adults (18–29 years) identifying as Black Caribbean in the United States, in light of medical, public health, or mental health outcomes, and (b) were published before November 30, 2018. Study results contribute to future studies’ conceptualization and measurement of religion among Black Caribbean emerging adults.
Pediatric Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Preoperative and Neurocognitive Considerations for Perioperative Management

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) affects up to 7.5% of the pediatric population and is associated with a variety of behavioral and neurocognitive sequelae. Prompt diagnosis and treatment is critical to halting and potentially reversing these changes. Depending on the severity of the OSA and comorbid conditions, different treatment paradigms can be pursued, each of which has its own unique risk:benefit ratio. Adenotonsillectomy is first-line recommended surgical treatment for pediatric OSA. However, it carries its own perioperative risks and the decision regarding surgical timing is therefore made in the context of procedural risk versus patient benefit. This article presents the seminal perioperative and neurocognitive risks from pediatric OSA to aid with perioperative management.
Chapter 1 – Symmetric Spaces

Publisher Summary In this chapter, the theory of symmetric spaces is explained, which are essential for the study of causal structures on these spaces. The classification of semi-simple symmetric spaces is due to M. The dual constructions presented in the chapter, and the relations between them can be found. The importance of the c-dual for causal spaces are pointed out, where one can also find most of the material on the η-module structure of q. The version of lemma presented here was communicated by K. H. Neeb.
Impact of body composition on outcomes from anti-PD1 +/- anti-CTLA-4 treatment in melanoma.

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have transformed treatment for melanoma, but identifying reliable biomarkers of response and effective modifiable lifestyle factors has been challenging. Obesity has been correlated with improved responses to ICI, although the association of body composition measures (muscle, fat, etc) with outcomes remains unknown. Methods We performed body composition analysis using Slice-o-matic software on pretreatment CT scans to quantify skeletal muscle index (SMI=skeletal muscle area/height2), skeletal muscle density (SMD), skeletal muscle gauge (SMG=SMI × SMD), and total adipose tissue index (TATI=subcutaneous adipose tissue area + visceral adipose tissue area/height2) of each patient at the third lumbar vertebrae. We then correlated these measures to response, progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicity. Results Among 287 patients treated with ICI, body mass index was not associated with clinical benefit or toxicity. In univariable analyses, patients with sarcopenic obesity had inferior PFS (HR 1.4, p=0.04). On multivariable analyses, high TATI was associated with inferior PFS (HR 1.7, p=0.04), which was particularly strong in women (HR 2.1, p=0.03). Patients with intermediate TATI and high SMG had the best outcomes, whereas those with low SMG/high TATI had inferior PFS and OS (p=0.02 for both PFS and OS). Conclusions Body composition analysis identified several features that correlated with improved clinical outcomes, although the associations were modest. As with other studies, we identified sex-specific associations that warrant further study.
Representing ‘development’ on Instagram: questioning ‘what’, ‘who’, and ‘how’ of development in digital space

Development institutions communicate about development through mediated communication strategies. The advent of image-intensive digital spaces such as Instagram has facilitated communication for th...
Adaptive Risk-Based Life-Cycle Management for Large-Scale Structures Using Deep Reinforcement Learning and Surrogate Modeling

AbstractOptimal life-cycle management is a challenging task for large-scale structures. The complexity of structural states, represented by the numerous combinations of component conditions, and th...
An Initial Assessment of Radar Data Assimilation on Warm Season Rainfall Forecasts for Use in Hydrologic Models

AbstractThe effect of introducing radar data assimilation into the WRF Model to improve high-resolution rainfall forecasts that are used for flash flood forecasting is analyzed. The authors selected 12 heavy rainfall events and performed two WRF 24-h simulations that produced quantitative precipitation forecasts (QPFs) for each, one using the standard configuration in forecast mode (QPF-Cold) and one using radar data assimilated at initialization (QPF-Hot). Simulation outputs are compared with NWS stage IV QPEs for storm placement, area over threshold coverage, and equitable threat scores. The two QPF products and stage IV data are used to force the distributed hydrological model CUENCAS for the same 800 km × 800 km domain centered over Iowa (and to calculate peak flows across the river network). The hydrological model responses to the three products are compared in terms of spatial location and flood intensity. In general, QPF-Hot outperformed QPF-Cold in replicating stage IV QPE statistics. However, QPF...
Endocardial fibro-elastosis. I. Endocardial fibro-elastosis associated with congenital malformations of the heart.

The site and degree of endocardial fibrosis has been estimated and recorded in 129 hearts with relatively uncomplicated congenital malformations. The great majority showed endocardial thickening. Mechanical factors, including increased pressure and abnormal currents of intracardiac blood, are of importance in the production of endocardial fibrosis, because the sites of fibrosis follow the same pattern in various examples of the same defect and occur where general increase in intracardiac pressure may be presumed to occur on where localized jets may impinge on cause vibration. The degree of fibrosis increases with age. Deficiency of oxygen in the coronary blood supply is also of importance, especially in cases of severe aortic stenosis or atresia and in hearts with a coronary artery arising from the pulmonary artery. A hypothesis is offered that the warty valvular vegetations occasionally seen with aortic stenoss represent the reaction of fetal valvular endocardium to mechanical factors combined with hypoxia. Elastic tissue stains show that proliferation of elastic fibers occurs in association with proliferation of the collagen in the thickened endocardium found in congenitally malformed hearts and in other types of heart disease. It is concluded that elastic tissue is a normal component of endocardial fibrosis.
CT in the Emergency Department: A Real-Time Study of Changes in Physician Decision Making

Our results indicate that, in emergency department settings, physicians frequently make different diagnoses and decisions for their patients after CT and that diagnostic uncertainty is alleviated.
Research Findings Using Mindfulness-Based Interventions for Chronic Pain

Chronic pain is a complex condition that is very detrimental to physical and psychological wellbeing. It carries a significant level of disability and economic burden. Pain patients frequently experience comorbid mental illness (e.g. depression, anxiety, PTSD, insomnia) and often require psychotherapeutic interventions in addition to medication management. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) have emerged as a means to treat several chronic conditions (e.g. chronic pain, depression, anxiety, substance abuse, stress, insomnia). The objective of this review is to evaluate the current research on the use of MBIs in chronic pain managment. Although there are several controlled trials on the use of MBIs in chronic pain management, only a few studies were found that demonstrated significant effects on pain intensity, quality of life, as well as physical and psychological functioning. Therefore, the current evidence is mixed and there are insufficient data to definitively confirm the full impact of the use of MBIs in chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia, chronic low back pain, rheumatoid arthritis, and chronic musculoskeletal pain. The lack of compelling evidence at this time signals a demand for higher quality investigations in this area. Research examining MBIs and concomitant CBT may be of great value in order to synergize and strengthen patient outcomes.
Differential stimulation of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-10 by live and killed Helicobacter pylori in vitro and association of IL-12 production with gamma interferon-producing T cells in the human gastric mucosa

The objective of these experiments was to examine the ability of Helicobacter pylori to stimulate interleukin-10 (IL-10) or IL-12 and select for either Th1 or Th2 cells. Gastric biopsy specimens were collected from patients who were categorized with respect to the presence of H. pylori and gastric disease as well as their age, gender, medications, and other factors. As Th1 and Th2 cells are selected by IL-12 and IL-10, respectively, biopsy specimens were screened for mRNA and protein for these cytokines. Although mRNA for IL-12 and IL-10 was detected in biopsy specimens obtained from both infected and uninfected patients, IL-12 protein predominated. Levels of IL-10 and IL-12 in gastric tissue did not change in response to infection. Moreover, gamma interferon (IFN-gamma)-producing T cells were found in both the infected and the uninfected gastric mucosa. Stimulation of peripheral blood leukocytes from either infected or uninfected donors with various concentrations of live or killed H. pylori induced immunoreactive IL-12 and IL-10. After stimulation with live H. pylori, IL-12 levels increased more than 30-fold, whereas IL-10 levels increased only 2- to 5-fold, compared to cells stimulated with medium alone. Interestingly, killed H. pylori induced significantly more IL-10 (P
Gender differences in masking negative emotions: Ability or motivation?

Research has demonstrated that boys display greater negative affect than girls when they receive a disappointing gift. In this study, ability and motivation were investigated as possible reasons for the gender differences. First- and 3rd-grade children's emotion dissimulation in a disappointing gift task was compared with their degree of dissimulation in a highly motivating game task that required the same ability (masking disappointment with a positive expression) but involved a self-gain motive. If boys are motivated, can they hide their disappointment as well as girls? Boys reduced their expression of negative affect in the game task; however, they still showed higher levels of negativity than did the girls. Perhaps because of socialization experiences, girls have more practice in hiding disappointment and, therefore, are better skilled. Girls also showed higher levels of social monitoring behaviors than boys, and younger girls demonstrated the greatest number oftension behaviors.
Osmotic Pools in Escherichia coli

Osmotically sensitive pools in Escherichia coli are released by treatment with warm water without loss in viability or of cytoplasmic components. The rates of protein release are linear and are inversely dependent on the osmolarity of the medium, and only discrete amounts are released. These pools, which are thought to be periplasmic and mesosomal, are stabilized with magnesium ions; material released in the presence of these ions may have been localized outside of these pools at the cell surface.
Crack Tip Dislocation Nucleation in FCC Solids

We present results of molecular dynamic simulations aimed at examining crack tip dislocation emission in fcc solids. The results are analyzed in terms of recent continuum formulations of this problem. In mode II, Au, Pd, and Pt displayed a new unanticipated mechanism of crack tip dislocation emission involving the creation of a pair of Shockley partials on a slip plane one plane below the crack plane. In mode I, for all the materials examined, Rice's continuum formulation [J. Mech. Phys. Solids 40, 239 (1992)] underestimated the stress intensity for dislocation emission by almost a factor of 2. Surface stress corrections to the emission criterion brought the agreement between continuum predictions and simulations to within 20%.
Photoinduced Phase Transitions in Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Microgels

Photoresponsive microgels have been prepared by precipitation polymerization of the thermoresponsive polymer poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) followed by covalent conjugation of the temperature-jump dye malachite green. The photoresponsivity of these dye-labeled microgels was characterized by a pump−probe optical setup. A HeNe laser is used for exciting the dye molecules and a near-IR-diode laser is used to simultaneously measure the turbidity of the colloidal dispersion. Irradiation of malachite green increases the temperature of the sample through rapid nonradiative decay, thereby causing the polymer chains to aggregate. On deswelling, a decrease in the intensity of transmitted light is observed due to scattering. It is also observed that the photoresponsive behavior of the microgels is dependent on the concentration of the dye, intensity of the laser, and bath temperature.
Hydrogen Phases on the Surfaces of a Strongly Magnetized Neutron Star

The outermost layers of some neutron stars are likely to be dominated by hydrogen, as a result of fast gravitational settling of heavier elements. These layers directly mediate thermal radiation from the stars and determine the characteristics of X-ray/EUV spectra. For a neutron star with surface temperature T 106 K and magnetic field B 1012 G, various forms of hydrogen can be present in the envelope, including atoms, polyatomic molecules, and condensed metal. We study the physical properties of different hydrogen phases on the surface of a strongly magnetized neutron star for a wide range of field strengths B and surface temperatures T. Depending on the values of B and T, the outer envelope can be either in a nondegenerate gaseous phase or in a degenerate metallic phase. For T 105 K and moderately strong magnetic field, B 1013 G, the envelope is nondegenerate and the surface material gradually transforms into a degenerate Coulomb plasma as density increases. For higher field strength, B 1013 G, there exists a first-order phase transition from the non-degenerate gaseous phase to the condensed metallic phase. The column density of saturated vapor above the metallic hydrogen decreases rapidly as the magnetic field increases or/and temperature decreases. Thus the thermal radiation can directly emerge from the degenerate metallic hydrogen surface. The characteristics of surface X-ray/EUV emission for different phases are discussed. We also study the possibility of magnetic field-induced nuclear fusion on the neutron star surface. Because of the strong compression of molecules and condensed droplets by the magnetic field, the fusion rate can be significantly enhanced even at a low temperature and external pressure. This implies that for nonaccreting neutron stars, there is a limit to the field strength, ~1014 G, above which the surface hydrogen layer is absent.
Lack of relation between imaging and physiology in ostial coronary artery narrowings

This study compared ostial lesion angiographic severity with physiologic assessment and showed that, for diameter narrowings >70%, fractional flow reserves were >0.75 in 20 of 25 lesions and >0.75 in 30 of 30 lesions with <70% diameter narrowings. Using fractional flow reserve in all ostial narrowings ≥70% may prevent patients from undergoing unnecessary interventions.
Tellurium alloy lead sheath for power cable

DURING RECENT YEARS there has been a pronounced increase in load requirements and operating temperatures of power cable systems. The accompanying increase in cyclical expansion movement of cable in underground ducts has placed such a severe bending burden on ordinary sheath, such as copper bearing, that sheath life no longer can be co-ordinated with insulation life. Alloy sheaths with greatly improved bending fatigue resistance are a solution of this problem.
Cervical spine trauma in the injured child: a tragic injury with potential for salvageable functional outcome,.

Abstract Background/Purpose: Cervical spine injuries are uncommon in children, and, therefore, presumptive immobilization and diagnosis remain controversial. The purpose of this study was to review the author's experience with cervical spine injuries in children to determine the incidence, injury mechanism, pattern of injury, and subsequent functional outcome. Methods: Fifty-two children over a 6-year period (1994 to 1999) with a cervical spine injury secondary to blunt trauma were identified (1.3% incidence). The functional independent measure (FIM) was assessed at the time of discharge in each of 3 categories: communication, feeding, and locomotion. Results: Mean age of the study children was 10.7 ± 0.7 years. Eight children (15%) were less than 5 years old, and 4 (8%) were less than 2 years old. The mechanism of injury included motor vehicle crash (52%), falls (15%), bicycle accidents (11%), sports-related injuries (10%), pedestrian accidents (8%), and motorcycle crashes (4%). Seven patients died yielding an overall mortality rate of 13%. Injuries were distributed along the cervical spinal cord as follows: 5 atlanto-occipital dislocations, 28 C1 to C3 injuries, 17 C4 to C7 injuries, and 2 ligamentous injuries. FIM scores were recorded for 18 patients. Seventeen communicated independently, 14 fed themselves independently, and 12 had independent locomotive function. Conclusions: Cervical spine injuries occur in children across a spectrum of ages. Although atlanto-occipital dislocation is a highly lethal event, children with C1 to C7 injuries have a high likelihood of reasonable independent functioning. J Pediatr Surg 35:1571-1575. Copyright © 2000 by W.B. Saunders Company.
Subdivision schemes for fluid flow

The motion of fluids has been a topic of study for hundreds of years. In its most general setting, fluid flow is governed by a system of non-linear partial differential equations known as the Navier-Stokes equations. However, in several important settings, these equations degenerate into simpler systems of linear partial differential equations. This paper will show that flows corresponding to these linear equations can be modeled using subdivision schemes for vector fields. Given an initial, coarse vector field, these schemes generate an increasingly dense sequence of vector fields. The limit of this sequence is a continuous vector field defining a flow that follows the initial vector field. The beauty of this approach is that realistic flows can now be modeled and manipulated in real time using their associated subdivision schemes. CR Categories: I.3.5 [Computer Graphics]: Computational Geometry and Object Modeling— Physically based modeling; I.6.5 [Simulation and Modeling]: Model Development—Modeling Methodologies
The use of propofol and mivacurium anesthetic technique for the immediate postoperative adjustment of sutures in strabismus surgery.

Abstract Purpose: Adjustable suture techniques have become increasingly popular over the last decade and may reduce the re-operation rate after strabismus surgery. The adjustment usually is made in the hospital or office 5 to 24 hours after surgery, when the patient has fully recovered from general anesthesia. The ability to perform suture adjustment in the operating room, immediately after completion of surgery, would be an attractive alternative with respect to patient monitoring, sterility, comfort, and timing. The purpose of this study is to compare the alignment of patients in the operating room adjusted immediately after surgery with their alignment the morning after surgery. Methods: Patients with strabismus who have good vision in each eye and who were judged to be appropriate candidates for adjustable sutures were invited to enroll in a study using propofol and mivacurium total intravenous anesthetic technique. Patients underwent strabismus surgery in which one or more muscles were placed on adjustable sutures. Immediately after extubation, these patients were awakened in the operating room, assisted in sitting upright, and asked to fixate on a 20/400 Snellen E target on the operating room wall. Sutures were adjusted, when necessary, to obtain the desired postoperative alignment. Prism and alternate cover measurements, taken after the sutures were permanently tied, were compared with measurements taken the morning after surgery. Results: Twenty-nine patients qualified for inclusion. Measurements of horizontal and vertical alignment in the operating room were all within 12 prism diopters ( P D) of the measurements taken 18 to 24 hours after surgery (mean variation, 4 PD horizontally and 2 PD diopters vertically). The measured deviation changed less than or equal to 6 PD horizontally in 78% of patients and less than or equal to 3 PD vertically in 70% of patients. Conclusion: For some adult patients with strabismus, a total intravenous general anesthesia technique using an infusion of propofol and mivacurium may provide the opportunity for accurate suture adjustment in the operating room, immediately after completion of surgery.
The genomic structure of the human Charcot-Leyden crystal protein gene is analogous to those of the galectin genes.

The Charcot-Leyden crystal (CLC) protein, or eosinophil lysophospholipase, is a characteristic protein of human eosinophils and basophils; recent work has demonstrated that the CLC protein is both structurally and functionally related to the galectin family of {beta}-galactoside binding proteins. The galectins as a group share a number of features in common, including a linear ligand binding site encoded on a single exon. In this work, we demonstrate that the intron-exon structure of the gene encoding CLC is analogous to those encoding the galectins. The coding sequence of the CLC gene is divided into four exons, with the entire {beta}-galactoside binding site encoded by exon III. We have isolated CLC {beta}-galactoside binding sites from both orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus) and murine (Mus musculus) genomic DNAs, both encoded on single exons, and noted conservation of the amino acids shown to interact directly with the {beta}-galactoside ligand. The most likely interpretation of these results suggests the occurrence of one or more exon duplication and insertion events, resulting in the distribution of this lectin domain to CLC as well as to the multiple galectin genes. 35 refs., 3 figs.
Filippo Tommaso Marinetti: the Futurist as Fascist, 1929–37

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti, the leader of Futurism, is no stranger to scholarly inquiry, and the centenary of 2009 only magnified this attention. However, what is often avoided, downplayed, or misunderstood are Marinetti's politics, and specifically his connection to the Fascist regime of Benito Mussolini. In this article Ialongo investigates just what this connection was, and concludes that Marinetti was exactly what Mussolini called him, a ‘fervent Fascist’, and not simply an opportunistic fellow-traveller, as many have argued. By putting the Futurist initiatives of the 1930s, such as Aeropittura, Arte sacra futurista, Cucina futurista and Naturismo into a broad political perspective, Ialongo demonstrates that each of these initiatives were all geared towards furthering Marinetti and Mussolini's twin goals of strength at home as a springboard for imperial expansion abroad, culminating in the conquest of Ethiopia in 1936. Ialongo argues that the political goals of each of these initiatives were evidence o...
Controllability of stressors and rewarding brain stimulation: effect on the rate-intensity function.

Abstract Previous research in mice has shown that an uncontrollable stressor, but not a controllable stressor, depresses responding for rewarding electrical stimulation of the brain (ESB) (33). We reexamined this effect in rats by determining rate-intensity functions for rewarding brain stimulation 24 h and 48 h following stressor exposure. In each rat, two electrodes, one on each side of the brain, were aimed at the posterior, lateral hypothalamus. Self-stimulation rate-intensity functions were obtained for each electrode; stimulation of one electrode always caused stronger activity than equivalent stimulation of the other. If the rats had been stressed with uncontrollable shock the preceding day, their responding was significantly depressed to stimulation at the weaker electrode site but not the stronger electrode site. However, if the rat had control over the stressor, then rate-intensity functions were unchanged. Repeating the test for rate-intensity function 48 h after exposure to the stressor showed no effect of prior stress on self-stimulation. This work suggests that relatively brief exposure to an uncontrollable stressor can leave a residual, 24-h depressive influence on reward system substrates. Some effects of exposure to uncontrollable stressors on acquisition and maintenance of responding for rewards may be due, therefore, to attenuation of reward strength.
Mitral valve surgery in the adult Marfan syndrome patient.

Background Because mitral valve dysfunction in adults with Marfan syndrome is poorly characterized, this study compares mitral valve pathophysiology and morphology with that of myxomatous mitral disease, documents types of mitral valve operations, and assesses long-term survival and durability of mitral valve surgery in Marfan patients. Methods From May 1975 to June 2000, 27 adults with Marfan syndrome underwent mitral valve surgery. Their valve pathophysiology and morphology was compared with that of 119 patients with myxomatous mitral disease undergoing surgery from September 1995 to March 1999. Survival and repair durability were assessed at follow-up. Results Compared with myxomatous disease patients, Marfan patients had less posterior leaflet prolapse (44% versus 70%, p = 0.01), more bileaflet (44% versus 28%, p = 0.09) and anterior leaflet prolapse (11% versus 3%, p = 0.07), and presented earlier for surgery (age 41 ± 12 years versus 57 ± 13, p Conclusions Mitral valve pathophysiology and morphology differ between Marfan and myxomatous mitral valve diseases. Valve repair in Marfan patients is durable and gives acceptable long-term results, even in adults who present with advanced mitral valve pathology. With increasing use of the modified David reimplantation operation and sparing of the aortic valve, mitral valve repair is a greater imperative, particularly since we have not had to reoperate on any Marfan patients with reimplantations.
Role of Radiation Therapy in the Management of Craniopharyngiomas in Children

A retrospective study of 32 children treated for craniopharyngioma between 1956 and 1974 was conducted. Twenty-eight patients survived at least 5 years. The length and quality of survival were determined for four treatment subgroups: estimated total resection (8 patients), subtotal resection (4 patients), subtotal resection plus radiotherapy (12 patients), and biopsy and/or cyst aspiration plus radiotherapy (8 patients). The recurrence and survival rates as well as the postoperative morbidity rate for the patients with estimated total resection are comparable to the data from the other modern series. The group receiving radiation therapy after known subtotal resection has done as well as the group with estimated total removal. The excellent response of patients harboring large tumors of a predominantly mixed type to biopsy and/or cyst aspiration followed by radiation therapy provides further evidence of the efficacy and low morbidity of this form of management in selected cases.
Co-ordination polymers of ethylenebisdithiocarbamate and hexamethylenebisdithiocarbamate

Abstract This study involved the synthesis and characterization of selected alkylene bisdithiocarbamates with nickel (II), cobalt (II), copper (I) and iron (III). The structures of the co-ordination compounds were elucidated with infra-red absorption and magnetic susceptibility data.
Arf tumor suppressor and miR-205 regulate cell adhesion and formation of extraembryonic endoderm from pluripotent stem cells

Induction of the Arf tumor suppressor (encoded by the alternate reading frame of the Cdkn2a locus) following oncogene activation engages a p53-dependent transcriptional program that limits the expansion of incipient cancer cells. Although the p19(Arf) protein is not detected in most tissues of fetal or young adult mice, it is physiologically expressed in the fetal yolk sac, a tissue derived from the extraembryonic endoderm (ExEn). Expression of the mouse p19(Arf) protein marks late stages of ExEn differentiation in cultured embryoid bodies (EBs) derived from either embryonic stem cells or induced pluripotent stem cells. Arf inactivation delays differentiation of the ExEn lineage within EBs, but not the formation of other germ cell lineages from pluripotent progenitors. Arf is required for the timely induction of ExEn cells in response to Ras/Erk signaling and, in turn, acts through p53 to ensure the development, but not maintenance, of the ExEn lineage. Remarkably, a significant temporal delay in ExEn differentiation detected during the maturation of Arf-null EBs is rescued by enforced expression of mouse microRNA-205 (miR-205), a microRNA up-regulated by p19(Arf) and p53 that controls ExEn cell migration and adhesion. The noncanonical and canonical roles of Arf in ExEn development and tumor suppression, respectively, may be conceptually linked through mechanisms that govern cell attachment and migration.
On the stability of two superposed compressible fluids

The authors consider the case of two compressible, non-viscous fluids, one above the other, and investigate the stability of their equilibrium under the action of gravity. It is found that the equilibrium is stable if and only if the density of the upper fluid in the immediate vicinity of the interface is less than that of the lower.
THE EFFECT OF ESTROGENIC SUBSTANCES UPON THE PITUITARY, ADRENALS AND OVARIES1

Although there is abundant experimental evidence that the estrogenic hormones exert an influence upon the pituitary, the nature and extent of this influence is not entirely clear. The working hypothesis that gonadal hormones suppress the pituitary, making available to the organism a reduced amount of gonad-stimulating secretion was advanced by Moore and Price (1) in 1930. They felt that results obtained by them in a large number of careful experiments, as well as certain observations of other investigators, could be explained on such a basis. In support of this concept is the work of Meyer, Leonard, Hisaw and Martin, who reported that long-continued injections of estrin resulted in a decreased ovarian-stimulating capacity of the pituitary of the adult rat (2) and in an ovarian depression in the immature animal (3). The latter observation was confirmed by Spencer, Gustavson and D’Amour (4) and by Doisy, Curtis and Collier (5). Kunde, D’ Amour, Gustavson and Carlson (6) found a reduction in the size of pitu...
Transverse instabilities for multiple nonrigid bunches in a storage ring

We describe a method for determining the stability of a system consisting of several highly relativistic bunches of charged particles circulating in a storage ring. The particles interact with magnets designed to guide the beam as well as with electromagnetic fields induced by the particles themselves. Previous calculations considered multibunch modes with one type of internal motion; our method includes coupling between these modes. We also include effects of feedback systems designed to correct these dipole motions. We include an example from a real storage ring design.