cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Healthcare expenditure patterns among elderly with seizure in the United States: Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, 2003–2014. (P6.274)

Objective: To estimate healthcare expenditures in elderly US individuals with epilepsy. Background: Epilepsy is frequent and associated with more adverse outcomes in older individuals. Yet healthcare expenditures have not been evaluated in this population. Design/Methods: We performed an analysis of weighted 37,738,607 U.S. participants aged 65 years to estimate health care expenditures in elderly with and without epilepsy using the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey Household Component (MEPS-HC), 2003–2014 data. Unadjusted healthcare expenditures were estimated. Independent healthcare expenditures were estimated, using a two-part model. Results: We identified 416,496 (1.1%) older individuals with epilepsy. Comorbidities were more prevalent among older individuals with epilepsy compared to younger individuals. The average unadjusted yearly medical cost of epilepsy in elderly with epilepsy was $18,712 ($15,947–$21,476) during the pooled period 2003–2014, which was nearly double the equivalent cost in elderly without epilepsy i.e.$10,168 (9,925 –10,410). The mean annual medical cost of epilepsy in elderly increased by $2,130 from $15,850 (95% CI: 10,668–21,032) in 2003/06 to $17,985 (95% CI: 13,710–22,260) in 2011/14. Similarly, between 2003/06 and 2011/14, inpatient hospital, hospital outpatient expenditure, prescription medicine, emergency room, home health care expenditures increased in elderly with epilepsy. The adjusted incremental healthcare costs associated with epilepsy in elderly accrued by $5,060 (95% CI 2,942–7,178) when compared to elderly without epilepsy. We estimated the annual average aggregate cost of epilepsy at $7.8 billion to the US population. Conclusions: Epilepsy is common in elderly individuals who also have medical comorbidities. On average, unadjusted annual medical costs for elderly individuals with epilepsy is $18,712 which is nearly twice as high as those without epilepsy. Nearly $8 billion are spent every year on elderly patients with epilepsy. Our findings call for further attention towards vulnerable groups of patients with epilepsy such as elderly. Disclosure: Dr. Lekoubou Looti has nothing to disclose. Dr. Bishu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ovbiagele has nothing to disclose.
Case Marking, Canonical Sentence Patterns, and Counter Equi in Japanese (A Preliminary Survey)

This study is primarily concerned with the case marking mechanism of Japanese. I will introduce two devices that are not standard: (1) Counter Equi NP Deletion, i.e. a deletion rule that wipes out the copy of a noun phrase in the matrix clause under the control of the coreferential copy of the same noun phrase in the embedded clause; (2) Canonical Sentence Pattern Hierarchy, which operates cyclically and filters out some forms that are overgenerated due to the assumption that the ordinary Equi (hereafter Straight Equi) and Counter Equi NP Deletion apply freely as variant, once the condition for Equi is met. In addition, it will be claimed that the ‘nominative’ marker ga and the ‘accusative’ marker o are introduced by a transformation (Case Marking) cyclically.
A Decision Support System for Sprint Planning in Scrum Practice

Scrum is one of the Agile software development processes broadly adopted in industry. Scrum promotes frequent customer involvements and incremental short release. Sprint planning is a critical step in Scrum that sets up next release goals and lays out plans to achieve those goals. This paper presents a Sprint Planning dEcision Support System (SPESS) which is a tool to assist the managers for Sprint planning. Among considering other Sprint planning factors, SPESS takes into consideration developer competency, developer seniority and task dependency. The results are that the assignments of the tasks of each Sprint to developers guarantee that each team member contributes to their fullest potential, and project planning is optimized for the shortest possible time.
Strain Relaxation-Induced Twin Interface Migration and Morphology Evolution of Silver Nanoparticles

The twinned structure of nanoscale metal particles is considered to be an important factor in the formation of novel morphologies. Nevertheless, most studies are focused on the growth of nanopartic...
The Academic Performance of Undocumented Students in Higher Education in the United States

Our understanding of the sources of educational inequality for the estimated 250,000 undocumented immigrant college students in the United States is limited by poor data. We use student administrat...
Guest editors’ introduction: on the creative destruction of food as science

This introduction and special issue takes as its inspiration Kyla Wazana Tompkins’ 2012 articulation of Critical Eating Studies. We examine how value is produced through the circulation and...
Dawn of a New Era of Targeted Antioxidant Therapies.

In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Shah et al. (2019) report an in vitro, high-throughput assay that predicts the ability of compounds to suppress peroxidation of phospholipids. This approach provides a way to design and optimize targeted antioxidants that suppress specific oxidative event in cells, potentially overcoming previous failures with generic antioxidants.
A Versatile Apparatus for Measuring the Growth Rates of Small Ice Prisms from the Vapor Phase

I describe an adaptable apparatus for making precision measurements of the growth of faceted ice prisms from water vapor as a function of temperature, supersaturation, and background gas pressure. I also describe procedures for modeling growth data to disentangle a variety of physical effects and better understand systematic errors and measurement uncertainties. By enabling precise ice-growth measurements over a broad range of environmental conditions, this apparatus is well suited for investigating the molecular attachment kinetics at the ice/vapor interface, which is needed to understand and model snow crystal growth dynamics.
Performing the Northern Athens: Dr. Corry's Diorama of Ireland and the Belfast Riot of 1864

Although sectarian violence characterized life in Belfast for hundreds of years, 1864 marked a shift in how violence played out in the city. Unlike previous conflicts that occurred in open spaces and reflected long-held rural rituals, the riots of August 1864 took place in the city's rapidly developing urban streets. The violence broke out in response to celebrations around the foundation laying for a new statue of Daniel O'Connell, the late Catholic politician, in Dublin. Thousands of Belfast Catholics traveled to Dublin for the celebration. Upon their return to Belfast, ten thousand Protestant loyalists greeted them by burning an effigy of O'Connell on Boyne Bridge and staging a mock funeral and procession that attempted to enter a Catholic burial ground. The resulting violence and rioting continued for ten days on the city streets, where homes and businesses faced destruction on a scale previously unseen. Expelling residents of opposing views, rioters reinforced older ideas of “communal conflict” expressed through “disagreements over each group's place—literally and imaginatively—in the city” and strengthened notions of neighborhood geography based on religious beliefs. As historian Mark Doyle argues, the shifting patterns of violence resulted from “[t]he steady advance of working-class alienation from the state, the growing hegemony of violent extremists in working-class neighbourhoods, the sectarian alliance between Protestant workers and elites, the insecurity of the Catholics and, above all, the polarising effects of earlier outbreaks of violence.” Lasting reminders of conflict lingered as the city recovered, reminding anyone walking the streets of the city's violent past and the likely potential of future clashes.
Analysis of the impact of EEA stapler size on risk of anastomotic complications in colorectal anastomosis: does size matter?

Colorectal anastomotic complications are dreaded and dramatically affect outcomes. Causes are multifactorial, with the size of the end-to-end anastomosis (EEA) stapler a modifiable factor and potential target for risk reduction. Our goal was to examine the impact of the EEA stapler size on the risk of anastomotic complications in left-sided colorectal resections. A prospective divisional database was reviewed for consecutive elective left-sided resections with a colorectal anastomosis using an EEA stapler from January 2013 May 2018 inclusive. Patients were stratified into 25–29 mm or 30–33 mm cohorts. Patient and disease demographics, operative variables, and postoperative outcomes were evaluated. The main outcome measures were the rate and factors associated with anastomotic complications. Four hundred seventy-three cases were evaluated, 185 ( 39.1%) were in the 25–29 mm group and 288 (60.9%) in the 30–33 mm group. Patients were comparable in demographics and operative variables. More males were anastomosed with the 30–33 mm than with the 25–29 mm stapler (57.6% vs 28.6%, p < 0.01). Significantly more patients developed an anastomotic stricture with the 25–29 mm than with the 30–33 mm staplers (7.1% vs. 2.1%; p = 0.007). There was no significant difference in leak rates or reoperation/interventions between groups. On logistic regression, neither gender, operative indication nor approach were associated with anastomotic leak, readmission, or reoperation/intervention. Stapler size remained significantly associated with stricture (p = 0.032). The 25–29 mm EEA staplers were associated with an increased rate of anastomotic stricture compared to 30–33 mm staplers in left-sided colorectal anastomoses. As stapler size is a simple process measure that is easily modifyable, this is a potential target for improving anastomotic complication rates. Further controlled trials may help assess the impact of stapler size on improving patient and quality outcomes.
Polymeric Flocculants and Selective Flocculation An Overview

Behavior of fine particles in aqueous suspensions is markedly different as compared to those at sizes treated by conventional methods for economic recovery. Depletion of natural resources and environmental considerations coupled with the challenge presented by fine particle properties has led to increasing activity in the science and technology of fine particles in recent years. In this connection, the use of water-soluble polymers is of primary importance. This overview presents fundamental aspects of colloid-chemical nature in mixed mineral pulps, together with polymer behavior in solutions and at solid/liquid interfaces. Some new research data are presented, and it is noted that a unified colloid-chemical understanding of such systems is basic to the design of custom-made flocculants that may behave in aqueous media as predicted. Recent trends in flocculant applications and research are also presented with examples.
The stress of success: An online module to help first‐year dental students cope with the Impostor Phenomenon

CONTEXT Professors often spend a great deal of time counseling poorly performing students, which limits the time dedicated to high achievers. This may be problematic, as psychiatrists have determined that gifted students may be susceptible to feelings of inadequacy despite positive external evidence. Dr. Pauline Clance coined the term "Impostor Phenomenon" (IP) to describe these traits. OBJECTIVE Dental students, while academically successful, may be prone to IP and lack appropriate coping strategies. The goal of this project was to create and publish an online module to educate dental students about IP and provide 6 coping mechanisms. DESIGN After viewing the video at the beginning of the semester, students completed the Clance IP Scale to determine the prevalence of IP thoughts. This was repeated at the end of the semester to determine the impact of the online training module. RESULTS There was a decrease in postsemester scores from 63.44 (±14.92) to 59.12 (±14.56), n = 103, 86% response rate, dependent samples within subjects t-test, P < 0.001). The percentage of students reporting intense impostor experiences decreased from 13.6% to 4.9%. Females exhibited significantly higher scores than males, but there was no statistically significant impact of age or race on results. The most common reported coping strategies were a reduction in time spent on nonessential tasks and the use of scheduling to prevent procrastination. CONCLUSION These results suggest that an online training module can improve awareness of the Impostor Phenomenon and help high-achieving students to cope with their stress and feelings of inadequacy.
Relations of maternal power assertion and autonomy support with children’s adjustment in Korea.

The present study examined how maternal power assertion and autonomy support were associated with children's social, school, and psychological adjustment in Korea. The participants were 631 Korean elementary school students (306 boys; mean age = 10.15 years) and their mothers. Maternal power assertion and autonomy support were assessed through mothers' reports. Data on children's adjustment were collected from multiple sources, including peer evaluations, teacher ratings, and children's self-reports. It was found that maternal power assertion was positively associated with children's social and school adjustment. Maternal autonomy support was positively associated with children's social and school adjustment and negatively associated with psychological problems. The results suggest that, in general, children may benefit from both maternal power assertion and autonomy support, which may serve similar as well as different functions in children's adjustment in specific domains. The results are discussed in terms of the context of contemporary Korea. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Kansas Family Physicians Perceptions of Parental Vaccination Hesitancy.

Introduction. In the past few decades, patients expressing the idea that vaccines are unsafe or unneeded have been experienced increasingly by physicians and other healthcare providers. Discussions with patients regarding their reasons for vaccine refusals are important, as it may provide information that can be utilized in an intervention to increase vaccination rates and combat the spread of diseases that are making a resurgence in the United States. The main objective of this study was to explore the perceptions of family physicians as to why parents in Kansas may be vaccine hesitant. Methods. An electronic survey was distributed to family physicians in the State of Kansas via the University of Kansas School of Medicine-Wichita Family Medicine Research and Data Information Office (FM RADIO). Several aspects of physician perceptions regarding patients’ vaccine hesitancy were measured in this study, including vaccines that are most often refused, reasons for refusing vaccinations, as well as what responses physicians employ when presented with vaccine concerns. Results. The majority of physicians surveyed have experienced vaccine hesitancy or refusal in their practice, and the human papillomavirus (HPV) and flu vaccines were reported to be the primary vaccines refused for children. In addition, physicians reported frequently employing various practices in response to vaccine refusals, including requiring parents to sign a form (40%) and dismissing families from their practice (1.5%). Physician perceptions on the reasons as to why parents/guardians refuse vaccinations also were measured, and the most common response was that parents possess a fear of long-term complications for their children as a result of vaccines (74%). Additionally, the three most commonly refused vaccines were HPV, influenza, and measles, mumps, and rubella. Conclusion. Physicians must not only deal with time constraints that vaccine hesitant discussions require, but also must try and implement discussions or interventions suited to the varying reasons why parents/guardians refuse vaccines to convince parents of their safety. The results suggested that vaccine refusals by parents/guardians seemed to be affecting Kansas family physicians’ clinics in more than one way. This study could be a useful tool to help physicians better understand why vaccine refusals occur and be able to combat unwarranted concerns about vaccines.
Leadership of Political Policy Entrepreneurs: a Comparison of Transactional and Transformational Styles

Policy changes owe its allegiance to both transactional and transformational styles of leadership of policy entrepreneurs; putting a question, which style brings better result. To do so, overall policy changes in India during NDA rule of 2014–2019 was taken into study scope, focusing only on political policy entrepreneurs. Multiple stream framework was used in this study. The qualitative data helped in designing the questionnaire, which consequently got filled by 158 respondents. The results established the positive and significant relationship of both the styles with policy changes. However, the transformational leadership behavior is more preferable to transactional in influencing policy changes.
Developmental Outcomes in Early-Identified Children Who Are Hard of Hearing at 2 to 3 Years of Age

Objectives This study examined the psychosocial, adaptive behavior, and language outcomes of young children who are hard of hearing (HH) without additional disabilities or neurocognitive impairments. Relations between early developmental outcomes and child and parent demographic variables, and parenting stress and self-efficacy were also explored. Design Participants were 39 children with early identified, permanent mild to severe hearing loss, between the ages of 2 and 3 years, and a comparison group of 47 children with normal hearing (NH). Developmental outcomes were measured using clinician-administered standardized tests and parent-completed behavior rating instruments specific to language, psychosocial functioning, and adaptive behavior. Mothers completed self-report measures that assess parenting stress and maternal self-efficacy. Results The children who are HH were similar to the children with NH in terms of their psychosocial functioning and adaptive behavior, with the exception of their socialization skills. As a group, the children who are HH performed significantly worse than their peers with NH on all measures of language ability. Among the children who are HH, maternal self-efficacy showed a strong positive correlation with adaptive behavior outcomes; however, it failed to contribute unique variance above that explained by language ability and gender. Maternal self-efficacy was also significantly correlated with better psychosocial outcomes, but only parenting stress proved to be a significant predictor of child behavioral problems once other variables considered were in the model. Conclusions Early-identified young children who are HH can demonstrate age-appropriate development in multiple domains, including language, psychosocial, and adaptive behavior. However, mild to severe hearing loss places young children with no additional disabilities or neurocognitive impairments at risk for language delays. Although the children who are HH demonstrated no more emotional or behavioral problems than their same-age peers with NH, results suggest that language delays increase their vulnerability for delays in various aspects of social competence.
Fiscal Waivers and State "Innovation" in Health Care

This Article describes how the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has used fiscal waiver authorities—delegated power to alter federal payments to states under Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act (ACA)—to influence state health policy choices. It highlights how the agency uses its fiscal waiver authorities to shape which reforms states choose to pursue, in some cases inspiring genuine state innovation and in others encouraging states to adopt reforms favored by HHS or discouraging states from adopting disfavored reforms. Moreover, while HHS has sometimes influenced state policy making in ways that further the substantive goals of the ACA and Medicaid (such as by facilitating reinsurance programs that make coverage more affordable), at other times it has done so in ways that undermine those goals (such as by incentivizing states to cut benefits and eligibility or by stifling state single payer and public option experiments). This Article theorizes fiscal waiver authorities as a double-edged tool from the perspectives of health policy, federalism, and administrative law. Fiscal waiver authorities are a distinctively valuable tool from the standpoint of health policy because they share federal savings, using delegated scorekeeping to overcome the “tyranny of the budget” and its adverse effects on health reform. But the informality currently surrounding the agency’s use of executive conditions on waiver approvals makes fiscal waiver authorities ripe for leveraging and abuse, raising health policy, federalism, and administrative law concerns. This Article concludes by offering concrete prescriptions for the next phase of health reform, which is poised to rely heavily on either existing fiscal waivers or new ones. It recommends that HHS bring greater formality to its process for approving, denying, or negotiating state waiver requests and cautions that if the agency does not do so then courts may force such formality on it by way of non-delegation, federalism, or administrative law doctrine. It also suggests the development of a Pioneer Pathway with greater predictability and fiscal flexibility to facilitate health-promoting state innovations.
Accommodating Pregnancy Five Years After Young v. UPS: Where We Are & Where We Should Go

This Article will explore how pregnant employees fare when they are denied accommodations in the workplace that would have allowed them to work safely through their pregnancies. The two most commonly used legal avenues for pregnant plaintiffs are the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Successful cases under the ADA were very rare until Congress expanded the ADA’s definition of disability in 2008. And PDA claims became easier after the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Young v. United Parcel Service, Inc.1 Five years after that decision, this Article will analyze the body of PDA cases decided since Young, and all of the ADA cases where pregnancy is the claimed disability since the ADA was amended in 2008. Although the picture is not quite rosy for pregnant plaintiffs, it is perhaps more positive than many scholars predicted it would be. Nevertheless, there remain many gaps in protection — some caused by the statutes’ limitations — but many caused by litigants’ and judges’ inability (or unwillingness) to properly interpret these two statutes. This Article will explain where we are and explore options for where we should go in the future.
Linear and Bent Nitric Oxide Ligand Binding in an Asymmetric Butterfly Complex: CoMoCo'.

Two synthetic approaches to install metallodithiolate ligands on molybdenum centers using the synthons [Mo2(CH3CN)10]4+ and (N2S2)Co(NO) [N2S2 = N,N-bis(2-mercaptoethyl)-1,4-diazacycloheptane and NO = nitric oxide], or [Mo(NO)2(CH3CN)4]2+ (CH3CN = acetonitrile) and [(N2S2)Co]2 lead to a bis-nitrosylated, trimetallic dication, CoMoCo'. This unique asymmetric butterfly complex, with S = 1, has a bent NO within the small {Co(NO)}8 wing (denoted as Co), reflecting CoIII(NO-), and is S-bridged to a linear {Mo(NO)}6 diamagnetic unit. The latter is further S-bridged to a pentacoordinate (N2S2)CoIII(CH3CN) donor in the larger wing and is the origin of the two unpaired electrons, denoted as Co'. The asymmetry in Mo-Co distances, 3.33 A in the Co wing and 2.73 A in the Co' wing, indicated a Mo-Co' bonding interaction. The transfer of NO from (N2S2)Co(NO) in the former path is needed to cleave the strong quadruple bond in [Mo≣Mo]4+, with the energetic cost compensated for via a one-electron bond between Mo and Co', as indicated by natural bonding orbital analysis.
Recovering John Dewey’s Lost Vision for Social Science in Contemporary American Sociology

Pragmatism, especially the works of Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, John Dewey, and George Herbert Mead, is in the midst of a revival in American sociology. American sociologists have drawn on these authors in their addressment of contemporary debates in the wider disciplinary field. Placing these contemporary applications of pragmatist thought alongside the broader intellectual tradition of pragmatic philosophy, however, demonstrates tensions associated with this revival. This paper draws on the work of John Dewey as a particularly stark case of the conflict between the philosophy of social science espoused by the original pragmatist philosophers and the use of their ideas in American sociology today. This treatment affords the opportunity to recover a vision for social science which has been overlooked in the contemporary pragmatist revival with deep implications for the practice of social science today.
The use of extracorporeal hemodialysis in the treatment of salicylate intoxication in a 2-year-old child.

The procedure employed in the dialysis of a 13 kg boy with salicylate intoxication is described. Clinical and chemical data are presented which demonstrate the effectiveness and safety of this procedure. The arguments in favor of dialysis rather than exchange transfusion in the treatment of salicylate intoxication are discussed and the indications for the use of hemodialysis are enumerated.
Integrating International Business and Liberal Arts Education: The Southern Cone Studies Program

Abstract In recent years, the Association of American Colleges and Universities has urged educational institutions to focus on preparing students for life as well as for rewarding careers. The typical compartmentalization of courses and separation between general education and professional curricula aggravates this challenge. Furthermore, the prominence of emerging economies in the global marketplace requires that educators develop curricula that go beyond global awareness and help students gain knowledge and skills to function effectively in an increasingly globalized world. This paper presents the undergraduate Southern Cone Studies program as a viable option for integrating business and liberal arts education within an international context. In addition to a description of the program, the benefits for students, faculty, and the institution are discussed. Suggestions for implementing, modifying, and adapting the program at other institutions are also provided.
The Future of Fannie and Freddie

This is a transcript of a panel discussion titled, “The Future of Fannie and Freddie.” The panelists were Dr. Mark Calabria from the Cato Institute; Professor David Reiss from Brooklyn Law School; Professor Lawrence White from NYU Stern School of Business; and Dr. Mark Willis from NYU’s Furman Center for Real Estate and Urban Policy. The panel was moderated by Professor Michael Levine from NYU School of Law. Panelists looked at economic policy and future prospects for Fannie and Freddie. The remarks have not been edited by the panelists.
The Post‐SOX Evolution of the Client Portfolio of the Second Tier: A Focus on Restatement and Internal Control Risk

The Post-SOX era coincides with the rise of the Second Tier auditing firms. Our study tests risk characteristics of new (and departing) clients versus continuing clients of the Second Tier to judge overall risks faced by this auditing tier. We add to the prior literature by focusing on prevalence and severity of restatement and internal control weaknesses (ICW). We show that the new clients of the Second Tier indeed have higher prevalence and severity of restatements and ICW. Departing clients also show a high risk profile compared to continuing clients, but the difference is perhaps not as strong as that indicated in the new versus continuing comparison. We confirm the widely held belief that the Second Tier is gaining market share, but this gain appears to be achieved in a somewhat controlled manner.
Nerve growth factor-stimulated neuronal differentiation induces changes in P2 receptor expression and nucleotide-stimulated catecholamine release

Extracellular nucleotides modulate synaptic transmission and neuronal communication by activating purinergic 2 (P2) (nucleotide) receptors. Here, we assessed changes in the regulation by nucleotides and their receptors of an important physiological response – release and uptake of catecholamines – that accompanies sympathoadrenal neuronal differentiation. Nerve growth factor (NGF)-promoted differentiation of pheochromocytoma 12 (PC12) cells enhanced the ability of the non-hydrolyzable ATP analog, ATPγS, to stimulate catecholamine (norepinephrine, NE) release and this enhancement occurred without a significant alteration in NE uptake. In addition to ATPγS, 2-MeSATP and αβMeATP, P2X receptor-selective agonists, caused greater NE release from NGF-differentiated than from undifferentiated PC12 cells. NGF-differentiated PC12 cells had altered mRNA expression of several P2Y and P2X receptors but protein expression was only increased for P2X, in particular P2X1-4, receptors and P2X, but not P2Y, receptor inhibitors blunted the NGF-promoted enhancement in nucleotide-regulated catecholamine release. Surprisingly, siRNA directed against P2X2, the receptor with the highest expression, failed to alter NE release by ATPγS. These findings indicate that sympathetic neuronal differentiation by NGF increases both the expression of P2X receptor sub-types and their regulation of catecholamine release. NGF-promoted increased expression of P2X receptors thus appears to be a physiologically important response that characterizes sympathetic neuronal differentiation.
Balloon valvuloplasty for congenital aortic stenosis: Multi-center safety and efficacy outcome assessment.

Objective To describe contemporary outcomes of balloon aortic valvuloplasty (BAVP) performed in 22 US centers. Background: BAVP constitutes first-line therapy for congenital aortic stenosis (cAS) in many centers. Methods We used prospectively-collected data from two active, multi-institutional, pediatric cardiac catheterization registries. Acute procedural success was defined, for purposes of this review, as a residual peak systolic gradient ≤ 35 mm Hg and no more than mild aortic regurgitation (AR) for patients with isolated cAS. For patients with mixed aortic valve disease, a residual peak systolic gradient ≤ 35 mm Hg without worsening of AR was considered successful outcome. Results In 373 patients with a median age of 8 months (1 day to 40 years of age) peak systolic gradient had a median of 59 [50, 71] mm Hg pre-BAVP and 22 [15, 30] mm Hg post-BAVP (P < 0.001). Procedural success was achieved in 160 patients (71%). The factors independently associated with procedural success were: first time intervention (OR = 2.0 (1.0, 4.0) P = 0.04), not-prostaglandin dependent, (OR=3.5 (1.5, 8.1); P = 0.003), and isolated cAS (absence of AR) (OR = 2.1 (1.1–3.9); P = 0.03). Twenty percent of patients experienced adverse events, half of which were of high severity. There was no procedural mortality. Neonatal status was the only factor associated with increased risk of high severity adverse events (OR 3.7; 95% CI 1.5–9.0). Conclusion In the current era, BAVP results in procedural success (gradient reduction with minimal increase in AR) in 71% of patients treated at US centers where BAVP is considered first-line therapy relative to surgery. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A new class of histone H2A mutations in Saccharomyces cerevisiae causes specific transcriptional defects in vivo.

Nucleosomes have been shown to repress transcription both in vitro and in vivo. However, the mechanisms by which this repression is overcome are only beginning to be understood. Recent evidence suggests that in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, many transcriptional activators require the SNF/SWI complex to overcome chromatin-mediatedrepression.WehaveidentifiedanewclassofmutationsinthehistoneH2A-encodinggene HTA1 that causes transcriptional defects at the SNF/SWI-dependent gene SUC2. Some of the mutations are semidominant, and most of the predicted amino acid changes are in or near the N- and C-terminal regions of histone H2A. A deletion that removes the N-terminal tail of histone H2A also caused a decrease in SUC2 transcription. Strains carrying these histone mutations also exhibited defects in activation by LexA-GAL4, a SNF/SWI-dependent activator. However, these H2A mutants are phenotypically distinct fromsnf/swimutants. First, not all SNF/SWI-dependent genes showed transcriptional defects in these histone mutants. Second, a suppressor of snf/swi mutations, spt6, did not suppress these histone mutations. Finally, unlike in snf/swi mutants, chromatin structure at the SUC2 promoter in these H2A mutants was in an active conformation. Thus, these H2A mutations seem to interfere with a transcription activation function downstream or independent of the SNF/SWI activity. Therefore, they may identify an additional step that is required to overcome repression by chromatin.
L-Glutamine therapy reduces endothelial adhesion of sickle red blood cells to human umbilical vein endothelial cells

We have previously demonstrated that therapy with orally administered L-glutamine improves nicotinamide adenosine dinucleotide (NAD) redox potential of sickle red blood cells (RBC). On further analysis of L-glutamine therapy for sickle cell anemia patients, the effect of L-glutamine on adhesion of sickle RBC to human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) was examined. The first part of the experiment was conducted with the blood samples of the 5 adult sickle cell anemia patients who had been on L-glutamine therapy for at least 4 weeks on a dosage of 30 grams per day compared to those of patient control group. In the second part of the experiment 6 patients with sickle cell anemia were studied longitudinally. Five of these patients were treated with oral L-glutamine 30 grams daily and one was observed without treatment as the control. t-test and paired t-test were used for determination of statistical significance in cross-sectional and longitudinal studies respectively. In the first study, the mean adhesion to endothelial cells with the autologous plasma incubated cells were 0.97 ± 0.45 for the treated group and 1.91 ± 0.53 for the nontreated group (p < 0.02). Similarly with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) incubated cells the mean adhesion to endothelial cells were 1.39 ± 0.33 for the treated group and 2.80 ± 0.47 for the untreated group (p < 0.001). With the longitudinal experiment, mean decrease in the adhesion to endothelial cells was 1.13 ± 0.21 (p < 0.001) for the 5 treated patients whereas the control patient had slight increase in the adhesion to endothelial cells. In these studies, oral L-glutamine administration consistently resulted in improvement of sickle RBC adhesion to HUVEC. These data suggest positive physiological effects of L-glutamine in sickle cell disease.
Usefulness of Peer Ratings of Personality in Educational Research

ALTHOUGH PEER RATINGS WERE NOT REGARDED AS vA!!r INDICATORS IN TrcT ,TV^!ES. rKUJECT DEMONSTRATES THAT PEER RATINGS OF PERSONALITY CAN BF HELPFUL IN CLARIFYING THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY AND ACADINIC SUCCESS. TEST CONDITIONS WERE DESIGNED TO AVOID METHODOLOGICAL PROBLEMS. PERSONALITY VARIABLES WERE CAREFULLY ANALYZED, AND A FORCED-CHOICE PROCEDURE WAS ADOPTED. TEST SUBJECTS WERE CAPABLE OF EFFECTIVELY RATING ONE ANOTHER BECAUSE THEY INTERACTED FREQUENTLY. PEER RATINGS WERE COLLECTED BEFORE THE FIRST MIDTERM EXAMINATIONS IN ORDER TO PREVENT AN ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE BIAS. THE RESULTS OF RELIABILITY AND FACTOR ANALYTIC STUDIES PERFORMED ON PEER-RATING DATA DEMONSTRATED A POSTIVE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PERSONALITY AND ACADEMIC SUCCESS. THE STUDY SHOWS THAT PERSEVERANCE,
INAPPROPRIATE ALLOANTIGEN‐LIKE SPECIFICITIES DETECTED ON SPONTANEOUS AND TRANSPLANTABLE RETICULUM CELL SARCOMAS OF SJL/J MICE

Summary The immune response of SJL/J (H-25) mice to syngeneic reticulum cell sarcoma (RCS) tumour cells was investigated. The nature of tumour-associated antigens was examined by immunological and biochemical techniques. Reticulum cell sarcomas of different origins (spontaneous, transplantable and cultured cell lines) stimulate a strong syngeneic response measured by [3H]-thymidine incorporation. However, only the cell line were able to stimulate a syngeneic cell-mediated cytotoxic response. Further analysis of the syngeneic response revealed that RCS cells express inappropiate alloantigenic specificities on their surface. Thus, evidence is provided which demonstrates that RCS tumour cells carry antigens which cross-react with BALB/c (H-2d) and C57BL/6 (H-2b) alloantigens. The presence of inappropriate antigens in the in vitro lines was detected by cell-mediated cytotoxicity, cytotoxic antibody and immunofluorescence whereas antigens on in vivo lines and spontaneous RCS were detected primarily by immunofluorescence. Conversely, H-25 expression on the in vitro lines was detected only by immunofluorescence whereas the H-25 of the in vivo lines were detected by cytotoxic antibody. By these assays inappropriate antigens were not detected on normal SJL/J lymphocytes. Immunochemical analysis of the inappropriate antigens by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was performed with SJL/J anti-BALB/c and monospecific anti-H-2Dd sera. These sera precipitated 45,000 MW molecules from BALB/c lymph node cells and from SJL/J in vivo and in vitro RCS tumour which appeared very similar. The sera also precipitated molecules from SJL/J lymph node cells which resemble the BALB/c and RCS molecules. Thus, RCS tumours express inappropriate alloantigens which may be cryptic on normal cells. The biological significance of these tumour-associated antigens in vivo is discussed briefly.
Impact of sheet resistance on 2-D modeling of thin-film solar cells

Abstract A rigorous mathematical approach was used to find a relation between the transparent-conductive-oxide (TCO) sheet resistance ρ S (Ω/□) of a thin-film solar cell and the parameter R (Ω) that describes the TCO resistance in a two-dimensional circuit model. Additionally, the mathematical relationship that connects experimentally derived series resistance R S (Ω cm 2 ) of the solar cell to the TCO sheet resistance ρ S (Ω/□) and the bulk semiconductor resistivity ρ (Ω cm) was derived. It was found that the fill factor of the solar cell is governed by a reduced dimensionless TCO sheet resistance that depends only weakly on the type and quality of the solar cell. Parameters corresponding to thin-film Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 , two-junction a-Si, and an ideal solar cell were used as concrete examples.
Fading of minimum tracks in Ilford G-5 and K-5 emulsions

The fading of plateau electron tracks in Ilford G-5 and K-5 emulsions, stored after exposure at temperatures of 20°C, − 1 °C, − 18 °C and − 40 °C, has been compared. It has been found that the same initial grain densities are obtained on tracks in both G-5 and K-5 emulsions with identical development one day after the exposure, while the rate of fading is lower in K-5 than G-5 emulsions. The results also show that the rates of fading in both emulsions are much higher at 68 °F than at the lower temperatures. After four weeks at 20 °C there is a marked effect, the reduction in blob densities being 41% in G-5 and 38% in K-5 emulsions. In emulsions tored at 0 °F, on the other hand, even for 2 1/2 months after the exposure, easily recognizable electron tracks have been obtained with blob densities reduced by only 18% and 13.5% respectively. No significant difference between the rates of fading at − 1 °C, − 18 °C and − 40 °C could be detected. It was also found that fading is much more rapid during the first two weeks after the exposure than during a later period.
The dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes) is susceptible to infection by Anaplasma phagocytophilum originating from woodrats, horses, and dogs

The dusky-footed woodrat (Neotoma fuscipes) is the putative reservoir for Anaplasma phagocytophilum in the western United States based on high prevalence of A. phagocytophilum genetic material detected by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), high antibody prevalence, and infestation with the vector tick Ixodes pacificus. Following inoculation of nine wild-caught woodrats with woodrat-, canine-, or equine-origin A. phagocytophilum, all became PCR-positive and seroconverted. However, when PCR-positive woodrat blood was delivered as inoculum to three horses, the horses never became clinically ill, PCR-positive, or antibody-positive. Each horse was subsequently infected with either the equine- or chipmunk-origin A. phagocytophilum, resulting in clinical anaplasmosis. Our data show that woodrats are permissive to several strains of A. phagocytophilum, but strains originating from woodrats did not cause clinical disease in horses.
Macitentan for the Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Objective: To review the pharmacology, safety, and efficacy of macitentan. Data Sources: PubMed, EMBASE, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched using the terms macitentan and ACT-064992. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Phase II and III trials were reviewed in our primary analysis; data from phase I trials and other studies were reported as applicable. Data Synthesis: Macitentan is a dual endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) approved for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Current treatment options for PAH include 2 other ERAs, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, prostanoids, and calcium channel blockers. Recently published guidelines do not assert a preference for individual agents. Two trials evaluated the safety and efficacy of macitentan. The phase II study was a 12-month placebo-controlled trial involving patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis; the primary end point was change in forced vital capacity. No significant treatment effect was observed. The phase III study was a...
Extraordinary incidence of electrophoretically silent genetic polymorphisms.

ELECTROPHORETICALLY detected genetic polymorphisms are ubiquitous. In man, for example, they emerged by chance in two1,2 out of four1–4 kinds of protein examined in this laboratory during 1960–1962. Since then, polymorphisms have been documented for about 33 % of those human loci5 and as many as 80% of those Drosophila loci6 whose products can be analysed electrophoretically. Despite this abundance, the variation represented by electrophoretically detected polymorphism is comparatively restricted. In general, no more than a few kinds of frequent alleles can be detected at any one locus. At three haemoglobin loci (α, β, and δ), for example, a total of only five kinds of variant alleles with frequencies > 0.03 were found in a survey of 404 individuals representing nine primate genera7. Thus, among 3×2×440 = 2,640 allele products, the incidence of different kinds of common variant alleles was 5/2,640.
A self-calibration method for an implantable displacement sensor

This paper describes a hardware implementation of an automatic calibration process for an implantable sensor used for monitoring the postoperative stability of a hip or knee implant. The RL-Wheatstone bridge, which is the essential part of the sensor, is capable of being self calibrated in vivo by adjusting its electronic component values alternatively until it is balanced. This calibration method extends the measurement range of the sensor by separating the small, elastic movement from the gross, unrecoverable movement, which is suitable for long term in-vivo measurements. The subsystem for calibration is realized using 0.35 μm CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor) technology on two 2.8 mm2 chips, consisting of two voltage-controlled resistors, a ±90° phase detector and a preamplifier. The simulated and on-bench measured results validate its feasibility to calibrate the bridge, which will ensure a detectable range of ±150 μm in subsequent micromotion measurement.
Electroencephalographic study of experimental cerebro-vascular occlusion.

Abstract It was possible to follow the changes in the electroencephalogram during a protracted period in a group of 29 dogs in whom the middle cerebral artery had been clipped close to its origin. A slight variation in the location of the clip was unavoidable but useful in that the size of the resulting infarcts differed. Massive lesions included the cortex in the fronto-temporo-parietal region, the striatum, the internal capsule and the anterior portions of the thalamus and, rarely, the hypothalamus. The majority of lesions were confined to the internal capsule and to the caudate nucleus. The clinical syndrome consisted of a contralateral spastic hemisparesis with the loss of the placing reaction and of position sense. Forced circling movements occurred towards the side of the lesion, persisting even after blindfolding the animal. The changes in the electroencephalogram varied with the size of the lesion. In the scalp to ear records, slow frequencies were most conspicuous over the involved hemisphere in all types of recordings and were most prominent in recording to the contralateral ear. In the scalp to scalp records, flattening was evident over the frontal and temporal regions and slow frequencies were conspicuous posteriorly. Flattening was found over the entire hemisphere only in the most massive lesions and then in both types of recordings. The scalp to scalp records tended to become more symmetrical after two to three weeks, the flat tracings being replaced at times by high voltage slow frequencies. The abnormalities in the scalp to ear records tended to persist for the duration of the experiment. Flat records were obtained in the electrocorticogram overlying the area of infarction, and high voltage slow waves were found in the peripheral zone. Using the multipolar needle electrodes, an unusually low voltage to flat records was obtained from the depths of the lesion. A fairly constant change was the loss of the high voltage 10–12 per sec. spindles from the fronto-central scalp electrodes and from electrodes placed on the sigmoid gyri. The sleep records were far superior to the waking records as a diagnostic aid, the latter being of value only during the first post-operative week.
Conceptual Differences between Mexican and Peruvian Archaeology

This essay asks why interpretations of pre-Columbian history and state formation in Mexico and Peru are framed in different terms by archaeologists. While the differences are due in part to the empirical realities of the two civilizations, this essay explores how sociological considerations and theoretical orientations of archaeologists as they interpreted those empirical realities contributed to the construction of the interpretive differences.
World's highest tides: Hypertidal coastal systems in North America, South America and Europe

Abstract Hypertidal systems can be defined as areas where spring tides have ranges greater than 6 m. These very high tidal ranges results in unique patterns of sedimentation within hypertidal estuaries. Such systems are not common but they do occur on a number of continents. This report will discuss six areas that have the highest tides in the world. North America hypertidal systems occur within Cook Inlet in Alaska, USA, Leaf Basin in Ungava Bay, Quebec Province, Canada, and the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, Canada. In South America, the Straits of Magellan and associated Atlantic coastal settings exhibit hypertidal conditions. European hypertidal systems include Bristol Channel and Severn estuary in southwest England and the Gulf of St. Malo in Normandy, France. These six areas have the highest tides in the world and spring tidal ranges that regularly exceed 10 m. All the six areas can be divided into intertidal sedimentological zones. Zone 1 is the outermost zone and contains longitudinal bars. Zone 2 exhibits laterally extensive sand flats. Zone 3 includes the innermost extent of tides and estuarine point bars. Annual and neap–spring cycles have been documented in Zone 3 and are probably the most indicative features of hypertidal systems. The North American systems occur in high-latitude cold climates where winter ice can have a minor or major impact on the development of sedimentary facies. Conversely, the European and Patagonia systems have climates minimal ice formation.