cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Letter by Giri Regarding Article, “Comparative Effectiveness of Carotid Revascularization Therapies: Evidence From a National Hospital Discharge Database”

After reading the article by McDonald et al,1 I have several concerns about the analysis and the authors’ interpretations of the results. First, a national registry encompassing carotid revascularization procedures at 141 institutions has demonstrated the folly in using large observational data to compare outcomes of carotid artery stenting (CAS) versus carotid endarterectomy.2 The referral patterns for these 2 procedures are so fundamentally different, with CAS being performed in cohorts with much higher comorbidities, that even well-performed propensity-matched analyses fail to balance groups for confounders. Despite the authors claims that their propensity match …
Progesterone decreases the responsiveness of ovine pituitary cultures to luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone.

Progesterone (P4) regulation of LH secretion in sheep was studied in vitro using dispersed pituitary cell cultures. Neither cell content nor basal secretion of LH were normally altered by P4, but maximal stimulation of LH secretion by LHRH was suppressed up to 70% with 10−7 m P4, without changing the ED50 of LHRH. The inhibitory effect of P4 appeared within 6 h and became maximal by 24 h but was partially reversed during continued treatment with P4. The inhibitory effect was completely reversed by 24 h after P4 withdrawal. The ED50 of P4 was 10−9 m. P4 also decreased the sensitizing effect of 17β-estradiol (E2) on LHRH-induced LH secretion in ovine pituitary culture. It partially inhibited the E2-induced increase in maximal response to LHRH and decreased the ability of E2 to lower the ED50 of LHRH. Our results clearly show that P4 can act directly on the ovine pituitary to inhibit both normal and E2-sensitized LH responsiveness to LHRH. (Endocrinology 117: 1436–1440, 1985)
Deep wound infections after spinal fusion in children with cerebral palsy: a prospective cohort study.

Study design Prospective cohort. Objective To (1) calculate the rate of deep wound infection in children with cerebral palsy (CP) after spinal fusion surgery; (2) identify factors (patient, laboratory, and surgical) associated with deep wound infection development; and (3) report causative organisms. Summary of background data Wound infection after spine fusion for CP is more common than after spine fusion for most other diagnoses. Methods We prospectively gathered data on 204 consecutive pediatric patients with CP who underwent surgery at 7 institutions. Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was performed to analyze patient, laboratory, and surgical characteristics to identify factors that were significantly associated with infection development. Statistical significance was set at a value of P less than 0.05. Results Deep wound infection developed in 13 (6.4%) children. The mean time to infection development was 34.2 ± 60.2 days. On univariate analysis, older age, larger curve size, presence of gastrostomy/gastrojejunostomy tube, higher preoperative serum white blood cell count, and longer operative time were significantly associated with deep wound infection. On multivariate analysis, only the presence of a gastrostomy/gastrojejunostomy tube remained significant (1.9-fold risk of deep wound infection compared with patients without tubes). Escherichia coli was the most common organism cultured from the wound sites (5 patients). Other infective agents were: Pseudomonas aeruginosa (2), methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (1), Proteus mirabilis (1), and polymicrobial organisms (4). Conclusion Deep wound infection occurred in 6.4% of children with CP after spinal fusion. The presence of a gastrostomy/gastrojejunostomy tube was a significant predictor of infection. Gram-negative organisms were the most common causative agents. Surgeons should be cognizant of these factors when treating children with CP and may consider Gram-negative antibiotic prophylaxis.
The spread of a partial order

The deficiency of a partial order is the number of incomparable pairs. Another measure, the spread of a partial order is defined and its relation to the deficiency is established. In certain cases which arise naturally in the analysis of various sorting and selection algorithms where the partial order is only implicitly defined, the spread of the partial order is easier to estimate directly and provides a convenient way to estimate the deficiency.
Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity is associated with walking distance in patients referred for peripheral arterial disease evaluation.

Objective Impaired functional capacity predicts morbidity and increased mortality in patients with PAD. We hypothesized that brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV), a measure of arterial stiffness, is associated with functional capacity in patients undergoing noninvasive evaluation for peripheral arterial disease (PAD).
Norovirus vaccine development: next steps.

Noroviruses (NoVs) are a common cause of acute gastroenteritis in humans, with an estimated 21 million cases occurring in the USA annually [1]. Although the disease is often self limited and recove...
Gamma-Rays from Beryllium Caused by Proton Bombardment

In bombarding thin beryllium targets with protons of energy 0.30 Mev to 3.0 Mev, gamma-ray resonances were observed at proton energies 0.975, 1.06, 1.13, 1.36, and 2.52 Mev and a neutron resonance at 2.52 Mev. For 1.04-Mev protons the value obtained for the gamma-ray energy was 7.5 Mev which indicates a radiative capture process. At the 2.52-Mev resonance the measured value of the energy of the gamma-rays was about 3.0 Mev. The most probable explanation of the observed resonance at 2.52 Mev appears to be that it is a resonance for the capture of a proton to form ${\mathrm{B}}^{10*}$ which later disintegrates into (${\mathrm{B}}^{9}+{n}^{1}$) and also into (${\mathrm{Li}}^{6*}$+${\mathrm{He}}^{4}$) where ${\mathrm{Li}}^{6*}$ emits 3-Mev gamma-radiation in returning to the ground state.
Novel conguration of Mg-H complexes in GaN

We describe a novel configuration of the Mg-H complex in GaN, which is not the lowest-energy configuration at T–0 but is stabilized at elevated temperatures by the large entropy associated with a set of low-energy rotational excitations. We focus on a comparison with two types of experimental results: (1) vibrational spectroscopy using polarized light [B. Clerjaud et al., Phys. Rev. B 61, 8328 (2000)]; and (2) ion-channeling [W. Wampler et al., J. Appl. Phys. 90, 108 (2001)]. New results on the predicted quantum-mechanical delocalization of the hydrogen atom and on the effect of replacing hydrogen with deuterium are reported.
Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumors in Adults: A Case Report and Treatment-Focused Review

Atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor is predominantly a childhood tumor and has only been rarely reported in adults; therefore, treatment regimens are often extrapolated from the pediatric experience. Typically, children are treated with craniospinal radiation therapy which is often followed by systemic chemotherapy. Employing pediatric regimens to treat this tumor in adult patients poses a particular risk for myelosuppression, as the prescribed doses in pediatric protocols exceed those tolerated by adults, and conventional craniospinal radiation can be associated with prolonged myelotoxicity and a depletion of the bone marrow reserve in vertebrae of adults. Here we present a case of a woman with a pineal region atypical teratoid/rhabdoid tumor, an unusual adult cancer presenting in an atypical location. This is followed by a review of the disease in adult patients with an emphasis on treatment and suggestions to minimize myelotoxicity. Keywords Atypical rhabdoid tumor; AT/RT; Pineal tumor; Adult
U.S. Multinational Corporations and the Mobility of Productive Capital: A Skeptical View

This article calls into question the view that investment has become essentially “global” in recent decades. The data presented here suggest that productive capital is in fact remarkably immobile. This raises questions about the extent to which capital mobility constrains progressive projects. The article concludes by suggesting ways that we might clarify our understanding of the accumulation process and its potential political consequences.
Penetrating injuries of the foot

Summary Penetrating injuries to the foot are potentially serious injuries in the horse. Diagnosis is usually straightforward and a combination of radiography (including positive contrast studies) and synoviocentesis usually is necessary to determine which structures within the foot are involved. Superficial punctures usually carry a good prognosis but involvement of deep structures such as the distal phalanx or deep digital flexor tendon and navicular bursa adversely influence this. Knowledge of wound healing in the foot and a rational approach to antimicrobial selection and surgical intervention are all necessary for successful case management.
Parasitic central nervous system infections in immunocompromised hosts

Immunosuppression due to therapy after transplantation or associated with HIV infection increases susceptibility to various central nervous system (CNS) infections. This article discusses how immunosuppression modifies the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of selected parasitic CNS infections, with a focus on toxoplasmosis, Chagas disease, neurocysticercosis, schistosomiasis, and strongyloidiasis.
Out‐of‐hospital Endotracheal Intubation—It's Time to Stop Pretending That Problems Don't Exist

Several aspects of the Colwell effort suggest potential internal and external validity issues. Their series comes from a single system and encompasses only three months. Nasotracheal intubation was performed in 55% of patients, a figure that differs significantly from prior series indicating that out-of-hospital ETI occurs primarily on cardiac arrests (since nasal attempts outside of cardiac arrest are less frequent than oral). 2–5 Paramedics performed ETI aggressively in this system, with almost 2% of patients receiving ETI and individual paramedics performing ten to 12 ETIs per year. However, using statewide data, we found that most paramedics struggle to perform even one ETI per year, even those working in busy urban services. 6 Most notably, the low ETI complication rate in the Colwell study was determined using retrospective chart review, a method vulnerable to observation bias and likely to miss critical events such as ET tube misplacement. The importance of the landmark Katz and Falk study was the exposure of alarming ETI error rates through the use of prospective methods. 7 Implicit in their message is that ETI errors may be more prevalent than we would like to believe—we
Wnt2 inhibits enteric bacterial-induced inflammation in intestinal epithelial cells.

Background—Wnt signaling plays an essential role in gastrointestinal epithelial proliferation. Most investigations have focused on developmental and immune responses. Bacterial infection can be chronic and increases the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and colitis-associated cancer. However, we lack studies on how bacteria regulate Wnt proteins and how Wnts modulate the host responses to enteric bacteria. This study investigated the effects of Salmonella and E. coli on Wnt2, one of the Wnt family members, in intestinal epithelia cells. Methodology/Findings—Using cultured epithelial cells, a Salmonella-colitis mouse model, and a gnotobiotic mouse model, we found that Wnt2 mRNA and protein expression levels were elevated after bacterial infection. Enteric bacteria regulate Wnt2 location in the intestine. Furthermore, we found that elevation of Wnt2 was a strategy for host defense by inhibiting cell apoptosis and inflammatory responses to infection. Using Wnt2 siRNA analysis, we show enhanced inflammatory cytokine IL-8 in epithelial cells. Cells over-expressed Wnt2 had less bacterial-induced IL-8 secretion. AvrA is a bacterial protein that inhibits inflammation by stabilizing beta-catenin, the down-stream target of Wnt. We found that the stabilization of Wnt2 was regulated through ubiquitination. Moreover, the bacterial protein AvrA from Salmonella and E. coli stabilized Wnt2 protein expression in vivo. In an ex-germ-free system, E. coli F18 expressing AvrA increased Wnt2 expression and changed Wnt2 distribution in intestine. Conclusion—Wnt2 contributes to host protection in response to enteric bacteria. Our findings thus reveal a previously undefined role of Wnt for host-pathogen interaction and inflammation.
Recovery of parathyroid hormone secretion and function in postoperative hypoparathyroidism: a case series

Context: Transient and permanent postoperative hypoparathyroidism are recognized complications of neck surgery. Postoperative hypoparathyroidism is usually considered permanent when it persists for 6 months; in rare cases, recovery of hypoparathyroidism through 1 year has been described. Recovery of hypoparathyroidism years after diagnosis has not previously been reported. Objective: We report four patients being treated with PTH(1–84) in a research protocol who recovered from postoperative hypoparathyroidism many years after onset. Methods: Recovery from hypoparathyroidism was established by: 1) serum calcium and PTH levels within the normal range off PTH(1–84) treatment for at least 1 week; 2) requirement for daily calcium supplementation reduced to ≤1 g; and 3) no supplemental active vitamin D therapy. Results: Hypoparathyroidism developed in three subjects after repeated neck surgery for primary hyperparathyroidism and in one subject after total thyroidectomy for Graves' disease. Parathyroid tissue au...
Deep venous thrombosis after radiofrequency ablation of greater saphenous vein: A word of caution

Abstract Purpose Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) of the greater saphenous vein (GSV; "closure") is a relatively new option for treatment of venous reflux. However, our initial enthusiasm for this minimally invasive technique has been tempered by our preliminary experience with its potentially lethal complication, deep venous thrombosis (DVT). Methods Seventy-three lower extremities were treated in 66 patients with GSV reflux, between April 2003 and February 2004. There were 48 (73%) female patients and 18 (27%) male patients, with ages ranging from 26 to 88 years (mean, 62 ± 14 years). RFA was combined with stab avulsion of varicosities in 55 (75%) patients and subfascial ligation of perforator veins in 6 (8%) patients. An ATL HDI 5000 scanner with linear 7-4 MHz probe and the SonoCT feature was used for GSV mapping and procedure guidance in all procedures. GSV diameter determined the size of the RFA catheter used. Veins less than 8 mm in diameter were treated with a 6F catheter (n = 54); an 8F catheter was used for veins greater than 8 mm in diameter (n = 19). The GSV was cannulated at the knee level. The tip of the catheter was positioned within 1 cm of the origin of the inferior epigastric vein (first GSV tributary). All procedures were carried out according to manufacturer guidelines. Results All patients underwent venous duplex ultrasound scanning 2 to 30 days (mean, 10 ± 6 days) after the procedure. The duplex scans documented occlusion of the GSV in 70 limbs (96%). In addition, DVT was found in 12 limbs (16%). Eleven patients (92%) had an extension of the occlusive clot filling the treated proximal GSV segment, with a floating tail beyond the patent inferior epigastric vein into the common femoral vein. Another patient developed acute occlusive clots in the calf muscle (gastrocnemius) veins. Eight patients were readmitted and received anticoagulation therapy. Four patients were treated with enoxaparin on an ambulatory basis. None of these patients had pulmonary embolism. Initially 3 patients with floating common femoral vein clots underwent inferior vena cava filter placement. Of the 19 limbs treated with the 8F RFA catheter, GSV clot extension developed in 5 (26%), compared with 7 of 54 (13%) limbs treated with the 6F RFA catheter ( P = .3). No difference was found between the occurrence of DVT in patients who underwent the combined procedure (RFA and varicose vein excision) compared with patients who underwent GSV RFA alone ( P = .7). No statistically significant differences were found in age or gender of patients with or without postoperative DVT ( P = NS). Conclusion Patients who underwent combined GSV RFA and varicose vein excision did not demonstrate a higher occurrence of postoperative DVT compared with patients who underwent RFA alone. Early postoperative duplex scans are essential, and should be mandatory in all patients undergoing RFA of the GSV.
Regulation of Renal Lipid Metabolism, Lipid Accumulation, and Glomerulosclerosis in FVBdb/db Mice With Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetic kidney disease has been associated with the presence of lipid deposits, but the mechanisms for the lipid accumulation have not been fully determined. In the present study, we found that db/db mice on the FVB genetic background with loss-of-function mutation of the leptin receptor (FVB-Lepr(db) mice or FVBdb/db) develop severe diabetic nephropathy, including glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, increased expression of type IV collagen and fibronectin, and proteinuria, which is associated with increased renal mRNA abundance of transforming growth factor-beta, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and vascular endothelial growth factor. Electron microscopy demonstrates increases in glomerular basement membrane thickness and foot process (podocyte) length. We found that there is a marked increase in neutral lipid deposits in glomeruli and tubules by oil red O staining and biochemical analysis for cholesterol and triglycerides. We also detected a significant increase in the renal expression of adipocyte differentiation-related protein (adipophilin), a marker of cytoplasmic lipid droplets. We examined the expression of sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP)-1 and -2, transcriptional factors that play an important role in the regulation of fatty acid, triglyceride, and cholesterol synthesis. We found significant increases in SREBP-1 and -2 protein levels in nuclear extracts from the kidneys of FVBdb/db mice, with increases in the mRNA abundance of acetyl-CoA carboxylase, fatty acid synthase, and 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase, which mediates the increase in renal triglyceride and cholesterol content. Our results indicate that in FVBdb/db mice, renal triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation is mediated by increased activity of SREBP-1 and -2. Based on our previous results with transgenic mice overexpressing SREBP-1 in the kidney, we propose that increased expression of SREBPs plays an important role in causing renal lipid accumulation, glomerulosclerosis, tubulointerstitial fibrosis, and proteinuria in mice with type 2 diabetes.
Behavior of Germanium-Junction Transistors at Elevated Temperatures and Power-Transistor Design

This paper discusses the limitations of germanium-junction transistors at elevated operating temperatures. The limiting factors are a consequence of increased thermal hole-electron pair generation at higher temperatures. This causes an increase in collector "leakage" current, which affects the base current. Thus, due to the base-lead resistance, the emitter to base-bias conditions are changed. The problems associated with power transistors are discussed, including cooling of the unit, current and voltage limitations, and reduction in base-lead resistance. It is pointed out that, in addition to bias changes, base lead resistance also causes a power loss which becomes important at the high currents used in power units. Examples of liquid convection cooled and metallic conduction cooled n-p-n and p-n-p power transistors are described. Satisfactory "alpha" values are maintained to collector currents of over one hundred milliamperes. In class A operation power gains exceeding 30 db and efficiencies close to the theoretical limit of 50 per cent are obtained at 1 watt dissipation levels.
APPLICATION OF THE POCS INVERSION METHOD TO CROSS-BOREHOLE IMAGING

Cross‐borehole tomography suffers from a well‐known problem of data incompleteness: the limited ray coverage dictated by the poor experimental geometry implies that certain features of the velocity field are not determined by the data. Construction of a tomographic image of the velocity field therefore requires the addition of prior constraints to the inversion. In the Fourier wavenumber domain (assuming straight‐line rays), the process of adding prior constraints is equivalent to specifying unmeasured wavenumber coefficients. The projection onto convex sets (POCS) algorithm can impose physically plausible constraints that allow high quality tomographic images to be produced. Each constraint is viewed as defining a set (in function space) of images that satisfy that particular constraint. The POCS method finds one or more images in the intersection of the constraining sets, which is equivalent to finding an image that simutaneously satisfies a number of constraints including the observed data. The sets of...
Involvement of Nitric Oxide and Potassium Channels in the Reduction of Basal Tone Produced by Blockade of Thromboxane A2/Prostaglandin H2/ Receptors in Aortic Rings Of Hypertensive Rats

This study was designed to investigate involvement of potassium channels in the action of nitric oxide facilitating reduction of basal tone by thromboxane A2/prostaglandin H2 receptor blockade with ifetroban in rings of thoracic aorta taken from rats with aortic coarctation-induced hypertension. Ifetroban-induced reduction of basal tone in aortic rings without drug pretreatment was attenuated (P<0.05) in rings pretreated with the nitric oxide synthesis inhibitor N(omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 3 x 10(-4) mol/L; 0.55+/-0.09 g versus 0.23+/-0.07 g). The vasorelaxing effect of ifetroban also was decreased (P<0.05) in preparations pretreated with a potassium channel blocker, either tetraethylammonium (TEA; 10(-2) mol/L) or 4-aminopyridine (4-AP; 3 x 10(-3) mol/L). Ifetroban-induced reduction of basal tone was not attenuated in preparations pretreated first with L-NAME and then with sodium nitroprusside (SNP; 6+/-1 nmol/L) to compensate for the loss of endogenous nitric oxide. However, the facilitatory effect of SNP on ifetroban-induced relaxation of aortic rings pretreated with L-NAME alone was not demonstrable in rings pretreated with L-NAME plus TEA or 4-AP. These observations suggest that a mechanism involving nitric oxide and potassium channels facilitates the reduction in basal tone produced by ifetroban in aortic rings of rats with aortic coarctation-induced hypertension.
A SPARK/Ada CubeSat Control Program

With software’s increasing role in safety-critical and security sensitive infrastructure it is of paramount importance to educate the next generation of software engineers in the use of high integrity development methods. In this paper we discuss our experience training undergraduate students in the use of SPARK toward the construction of a mission-critical embedded system. In particular the students designed and implemented the control program for a CubeSat nano-satellite that will orbit the Earth as the first step toward the ultimate goal of building a prototype CubeSat that will go to the Moon. Our work shows that inexperienced undergraduates can learn to use SPARK to produce more robust software than might otherwise be the case, even in the environment of a volatile student project.
Creating Competitive Advantage Using Non-Equity Strategic Alliances: A Small Company Perspective

Global supply chain strategic alliances are an underdeveloped area in international business research. Development of non-equity strategic alliances is posited in this study as a technique that sma...
The Influence of Sponsorship on Product Recall and Image among Sport Spectators

A recent trend in corporate marketing and promotion is the heavy emphasis on sporting event sponsorship, whether local, national, or international in scope. In 1990, approximately 70 percent of all sponsorship money was spent on sports (Mullin, Hardy & Sutton, 1993). In the same year, 25 of the 39 televised Professional Golf Association (PGA) events were named for sponsors, as were 17 major college football bowls.
The effect of altering the size of poly C on the toxicity and antigenicity of poly I:C.

SummaryAppropriate reduction in size of poly C by degradation with ribonuclease prior to complexing with poly I effected marked reduction in toxicity for mice and antigenicity for rabbits of poly I:C without detectable reduction in in vivo or in vitro protection against viral infection. There was slight reduction in interferon-inducing capacity for rabbits. Such procedure adds another possible means for increasing the safety of poly I:C in eventual clinical application.The authors are indebted to Mary-Ellen Davies, Helen Perry, Carolyn Saydah and Carol Bonoma for excellent technical assistance.
Introduction to meningiomas.

Although the biology of meningiomas and their growth rate is becoming progressively more clear and MR imaging with gadolinium enhancement has made a major contribution to the surgeon's capacity to predict his or her ability to carry out a complete removal, there are still some very personal factors involved in the decision to operate. In this brief article, the author analyzes his own decision-making processes that lead him to operate rather than observe a given patient.
Breast Reconstruction Following Mastectomy

Two methods of reconstruction are described and illustrated. The procedure is delayed for as long as possible and thereafter a one-stage procedure is performed, or, in the patients who have undergone radical mastectomies, a two-stage procedure is used, after provision of a satisfactory foundation by the importation of vascularized skin and subcutaneous tissue by local myocutaneous flaps.
Pulsed EPR in the Study of Drug Binding in Cytochrome P450 and NOS

Pulsed EPR methods for the study of drug binding to heme-thiolate enzymes such as cytochrome P450 and nitric oxide synthase are discussed. HYSCORE and ENDOR methods to measure (1)H of axial ligands of the heme group are described with illustrations of water serving as the axial ligand in the drug-free enzyme and ligands coordinating directly to the heme or through one or more bridging water molecules. Some practical aspects of measurement and data processing are discussed along with prospects for use with other nuclei and at other EPR bands.
Unleash and Stimulate Entrepreneurial Creativity

The hurdle for small businesses in getting a start anywhere in the world often comes down to the same issue: credit. If you can’t get a loan, you can’t get your enterprise up and running. If you’re in the stone-carving business, for example — like the artisans in the Carrara region of Tuscany, Italy, sources of marble for Michelangelo’s David and La Pieta — how do you get a new business going when you don’t have a financial track record, don’t have collateral, and nobody knows you at the bank?
Introduction: The Era of a War on Terror

America’s War on Terror is continuing since September 11, 2001. President G. W. Bush and his successor President Obama have led the USA into a proverbial quagmire as the nation deploys troops, monies, and strategies to combat the enemies in an ever-changing battlefield. First, the nation waged war against al-Qaeda, now the nation wages war against ISIS (ISIL). The face of terror is ever changing and with it changes the American foreign policy to combat the enemy. In this book, I examine the Presidential prerogative to wage war against the terrorists and discover that the presidents, so far, have disregarded the Constitution as they determine what policy and what power to use when attacking the enemies and in waging the War on Terror. The findings in this book should cause concerns for all serious readers and lovers of American liberty. During this War on Terror, the nation is under the control of presidential decree and orders, rather than deliberative Congressional policy.
A Novel Approach to the Management of Neonatal Diabetes Using Sensor-Augmented Insulin Pump Therapy With Threshold Suspend Technology at Diagnosis

Neonatal diabetes mellitus (NDM) is a rare genetic condition with an incidence of 1 in 100,000 (1) that presents before 1 year of age (2). There are two main clinical forms of NDM: permanent NDM (PNDM), which requires lifelong treatment with insulin, and transient NDM (TNDM), which may spontaneously remit and sometimes recurs in the second to third decade of life. In most cases, TNDM and PNDM cannot be distinguished clinically at the time of diagnosis, and genetic analysis needs to be performed. The genetic origin for >90% of TNDM cases has been established. In TNDM, 68% of the cases have abnormalities in an imprinted region on chromosome 6q24; 10% have KCNJ11 gene mutations; and 13% have an ABCC8 gene mutation (3). Multiple genes involved in pancreatic development, β-cell apoptosis, or dysfunction cause PNDM (4). The most common mutations are in the KATP channel genes KCNJ11 (30%) and ABCC8 (11%) or the insulin (INS) gene (13%) (3). Insulin is acutely required in most infants to establish metabolic control in NDM (5). Early initiation of sulfonylurea treatment is also recommended (6) as a treatment option in selected cases of NDM caused by ABCC8 and KCNJ11 mutations, and, in responsive cases, sulfonylurea therapy provides better long-term metabolic control (7,8) and could even improve neurodevelopmental outcomes (9). The MiniMed 530G (Medtronic, Inc., Northridge, CA) is a first-generation artificial pancreas system approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on 26 September 2013 for the management of diabetes in people ≥16 years of age. The system includes an external glucose sensor and insulin pump, transmitter, glucose meter, and therapy management software. Sensor signals are transmitted to the MiniMed 530G insulin pump and converted into glucose values every 5 minutes. Fingerstick blood glucose testing is still required for both …
An invisible minority? Return migration and ethnicity in Okinawa*

This paper examines ethnic return migration in Japan by looking at a particular case – that of people of half-Okinawan parentage returning to Okinawa, referred to in this paper as the Nisei. By goi...
Birth outcomes in Flint in the early stages of the water crisis

Following Flint’s switching from the Detroit Water Authority to the Flint River as the source of its tap water, we show, using birth records, that there were lower average birthweights and higher incidence of low birthweight (< 2500 g) among infants. We compare these observed reductions in Flint birthweights to a series of counterfactuals. We find that among white mothers, there was a 71 g reduction in birthweight and a 26% increase in the incidence of low birthweight relative to what would have likely occurred without the water change. For infants of black mothers, we were unable to verify that the smaller reduction in birthweight was statistically different than what would have occurred without the water change. We consider lead contamination and stress as potential causes of the poor birth outcomes, as well as the reasons for the null effect among the infants of black mothers.
Building a global database: consequences for the national I–O data

Global economic analysis requires consistent and balanced data, which necessitates the reconciliation of datasets from both national and international sources. In the case of the Global Trade Analy...
Gleason’s Problem Associated to a Real Ternary Algebra and Applications

This paper is an introduction of a new class of analytic functions defined on a ternary algebra, a three dimensional structure different from $${{\mathbb {C}}}\times {{\mathbb {R}}}$$ , i.e. a real commutative algebra given by the linear span of $$\{1,\mathbf{e},\mathbf{e}^2\}$$ , where $$\mathbf{e}\not \in {{\mathbb {C}}}$$ is a generating unit. We define a single ternary conjugate and we build a new analytic function theory, different from previous approaches, on the basis of this single conjugation (akin to the quaternionic case). We give the solution to the Gleason problem which gives rise to Fueter-type variables and study the space of rational functions in this case.
Towards a provenance collection framework for Internet of Things devices

The Internet of Things (IoT) offers immense benefits by enabling devices to leverage networked resources thereby making intelligent decisions. The numerous heterogeneous connected devices that exist throughout the IoT system creates new security and privacy concerns. Some of these concerns can be overcome through trust, transparency, and integrity, which can be achieved with data provenance. Data provenance, also known as data lineage, provides a history of transformations that occurs on a data object from the time it was created to its current state. Data provenance has been explored in the areas of scientific computing, business, forensic analysis, and intrusion detection. Data provenance can help in detecting and mitigating malicious cyber attacks. In this paper, we explore the integration of provenance within the IoT. We introduce Provenance Aware Internet of Things System (PAIoTS), a provenance collection framework for IoT devices. We evaluate the effectiveness of our framework by developing a prototype system for proof of concept.
Cutaneous Lymphoid Infiltrates in Patients Receiving Biologic Modifiers

Major advancements in the treatment of cancer and immune-mediated diseases have been made over the past few decades with the introduction of a variety of new biologic and chemotherapeutic agents. Their use, however, has been associated with a variety of adverse cutaneous reactions, some of which may even lead to the discontinuation of the inciting therapy. In this chapter, the clinical and histologic features of the following reactions are discussed: granuloma annulare/interstitial granulomatous dermatitis and urticaria/cellulitis associated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors, neutrophilic dermatoses associated with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor, injection site reactions of interferon, hand-foot skin reaction of kinase inhibitor (sorafenib, sunitinib), urticaria and infusion reactions of CD20 inhibitors, Richter’s syndrome associated with CD52 inhibitors, and pseudodermatomyositis associated with chronic hydroxyurea.
Radiography experiments at Argonne National Laboratory

Several neutron radiography experiments were done at the Neutron Radiography Reactor facility, Argonne National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, Idaho. Square samples of cadmium were exposed to collimated neutrons (L/D = 185 and 300) to determine the width of the squares. Two methods of analysis, the arctangent fitting technique and the differential smoothing technique, were applied to data produced by microdensitometer measurements of several types of film. The results were compared for accuracy and precision with a carefully calibrated measurement of the samples. From the mathematical analysis a resolution parameter is obtained that might serve as a facility calibration parameter.
Identification of Specific and Nonspecific Inhibitors of Bacillus anthracis Type III Pantothenate Kinase (PanK)

Antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action are desperately needed to combat the increasing rates of multidrug-resistant infections. Bacterial pantothenate kinase (PanK) has emerged as a target of interest to cut off the biosynthesis of coenzyme A. Herein we report the results of an in vitro high-throughput screen of over 10 000 small molecules against Bacillus anthracis PanK, as well as a follow-up screen of hits against PanK isolated from Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Burkholderia cenocepacia. Nine hits are structurally categorized and analyzed to set the stage for future drug development.
Respiration and Digestion: Bioengineering Basics

Respiration is exchange of oxygen through the lungs and circulatory system. Oxygen diffuses into capillaries, which surround the alveolus. The circulatory system carries the oxygen to all of the cells within the body. Mitochondria inside of cells use this oxygen to produce cellular energy. The concentration of oxygen in the external air is measured in units of partial pressure—it is usually about 150 mmHg.
Mitigating Threats and Vulnerabilities of RFID in IoT Through Outsourcing Computations for Public Key Cryptography

The widespread use of IoT devices that rely on Radio Frequency IDentification (RFID) technologies has resulted in numerous benefits; however, device connectivity has also created numerous security threats and vulnerabilities. This is due to the nature of the wireless links and the limited computational capabilities of such devices. However, until now, there has not been a noteworthy practical solution to many of the security issues related to the RFID technology. This chapter addresses the major threats and vulnerabilities related to RFID technologies in the IoT environment. In addition, it reviews some of the recently proposed cryptographic solutions as countermeasures for security and privacy issues. These solutions allow devices with limited computational resources to use asymmetric cryptographic encryption techniques in robust cryptographic protocols. In addition, these solutions, through delegation of exponentiation techniques, satisfy four core requirements, viz., correctness, privacy, efficiency, and security. Moreover, they ensure that the probability, which an untrusted server can convince a client (RFID) of an incorrect computational result, is exponentially small (almost equal to zero). This has a significant impact on the adoption of the said technologies in fields and areas where the use of RFID technology has not been considered. The solutions proposed in this chapter enable RFID technology to be more secure and be part of the IoT vision as a trusted technology, which can be adopted in any field globally without having concerns regarding privacy, security, and trust.
Psychophysical Correlates of Middle-Ear-Muscle Action

The psychophysical correlates of middle-ear muscle activity are anything but clear. The acoustic reflex (AR) reduces TTS at and from low frequencies, and it reduces the TTS caused by impulse noise. A shift in absolute threshold at low frequencies is observed in people who can do something that may be a voluntary contraction of the muscles, but not in people whose reflex is presumably aroused by external stimuli. As for changes in the loudness of suprathreshold stimuli, the evidence is contradictory: Some evidence suggests that the loudness of a low-frequency test tone is reduced when the AR is aroused by a contralateral stimulus only when the test tone is very loud; other evidence suggests that the loudness level is reduced the same number of phons no matter what the tone’s intensity; still other evidence suggests that loudness is not reduced at all, but rather enhanced, particularly at high intensities. Thus the precise manner in which the AR, separated from central interactive influences, has an effect on psychophysical judgments, demands further investigation.
Effects of active smoking on postoperative outcomes in hospitalised patients undergoing elective surgery: a retrospective analysis of an administrative claims database in Japan.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of smoking on prognosis after elective surgeries. Incidence of 30-day postoperative complications was compared between propensity score-matched ‘ever-smoker’ and ‘never-smoker’ cohorts. Thirty-day mortality and medical costs during the hospital stay were also compared. Design and setting A large-scale retrospective study using deidentified administrative claims data obtained from 372 acute care hospitals across Japan using the Diagnosis Procedure Combination system (ie, a flat-fee payment system). Participants Inpatients who were hospitalised to undergo elective surgery. Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary endpoint of this study was incidence of 30-day postoperative complications. Secondary endpoints were 30-day mortality and total medical costs during hospitalisation. Comparison between ever-smokers and never-smokers was conducted using matched cohorts created by 1:1 propensity score matching. Results Using 561 598 eligible patients, matched ever-smoker and never-smoker cohorts (n=1 55 593 each) were created. Ever-smokers were defined as patients with Brinkman Index ≥1. The percentage of patients who were male was 76.7%, and mean ages for ever-smokers and never-smokers were 65.1±13.8 years old and 66.4±15.3 years old, respectively. The Brinkman Index of the ever-smoker cohort was 677.6±553.4. Smoking was significantly associated with higher risk of 30-day postoperative complications compared with not smoking (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.13 to 1.17, p Conclusions Our results suggest that smoking could be associated with risk of poor postoperative outcomes. In particular, a history of smoking may increase the risk of 30-day postoperative complications as well as that of 30-day mortality. The results suggest that smoking might have a harmful effect on postoperative outcomes irrespective of types of surgery.
Interactions of the Bismuthate Anion with Alkali, Alkaline Earth, Lanthanide, and Actinide Metals in Nitric Acid Systems

The solubility, dissolution, and degradation of the bismuthate anion were studied in the presence of various metal ions. A molar extinction coefficient of the bismuthate species of 11.1 ± 0.2 L mol...
Students’ interactions in online asynchronous discussions in qualitative research methods coursework

This paper reports on findings from a study that examined students’ online asynchronous discussions in five online courses on qualitative research methods. Online asynchronous discussion data from ...
Development of gemcitabine-resistant patient-derived xenograft models of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Aim Gemcitabine is a frontline agent for locally-advanced and metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), but neither gemcitabine alone nor in combination produces durable remissions of this tumor type. We developed three PDAC patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models with gemcitabine resistance (gemR) acquired in vivo, with which to identify mechanisms of resistance relevant to drug exposure in vivo and to evaluate novel therapies. Methods Mice bearing independently-derived PDXs received 100 mg/kg gemcitabine once or twice weekly. Tumors initially responded, but regrew on treatment and were designated gemR. We used immunohistochemistry to compare expression of proteins previously associated with gemcitabine resistance [ribonucleotide reductase subunit M1 (RRM1), RRM2, human concentrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hCNT1), human equilibrative nucleoside transporter 1 (hENT1), cytidine deaminase (CDA), and deoxycytidine kinase (dCK)] in gemR and respective gemcitabine-naive parental tumors. Results Parental and gemR tumors did not differ in tumor cell morphology, amount of tumor-associated stroma, or expression of stem cell markers. No consistent pattern of expression of the six gemR marker proteins was observed among the models. Increases in RRM1 and CDA were consistent with in vitro-derived gemR models. However, rather than the expected decreases of hCNT1, hENT1, and dCK, gemR tumors expressed no change in or higher levels of these gemR marker proteins than parental tumors. Conclusion These models are the first PDAC PDX models with gemcitabine resistance acquired in vivo. The data indicate that mechanisms identified in models with resistance acquired in vitro are unlikely to be the predominant mechanisms when resistance is acquired in vivo. Ongoing work focuses on characterizing unidentified mechanisms of gemR and on identifying agents with anti-tumor efficacy in these gemR models.
Losing Control? The 20-Year Decline in Loan Covenant Restrictions

We find that lenders today rely on less restrictive financial covenants than 20 years ago, resulting in a nearly 70% drop in the annual proportion of U.S. public firms reporting a loan covenant violation. To study this decline, we develop a simple model of optimal covenant design that balances the costs associated with violations that occur when a firm is not in danger of financial distress (“false positives”) with the costs of failing to detect a borrower in danger of financial distress (“false negatives”). Our evidence suggests that lenders have eased the restrictiveness of covenants in ways that greatly reduce the ratio of false positives relative to false negatives, including by switching to covenant packages with higher signal-to-noise ratios.
His345 mutant of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) remains enzymatically active against angiotensin II.

Glasgow et al. (1) report their mutagenesis survey of ACE2 traps for treatment of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The virus invades human cells via host ACE2 receptor, and strategies aimed at disrupting this process are being explored. As compared to monoclonal antibodies and targeted vaccines that are prone to mutational escape of the virus, the ACE2 trap strategy has unique advantages and was shown to be efficacious in experimental and clinical tests (2, 3). Current studies, including Glasgow et al., focus on further improvements through alternative designs. These include extending in vivo half-life with an Fc tag (4, 5), increasing Spike-binding affinity via mutagenesis (1, 6), and inactivating ACE2 peptidase activity (1, 4). The Glasgow study combined all three approaches in their lead design (1 … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: jing.jin{at}northwestern.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
A robust two‐sample transcriptome‐wide Mendelian randomization method integrating GWAS with multi‐tissue eQTL summary statistics

By treating genetic variants as instrumental variables (IVs), two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) methods detect genetically regulated risk exposures for complex diseases using only summary statistics. When considering gene expression as exposure in transcriptome-wide MR (TWMR) analyses, the eQTLs (expression-quantitative-trait-loci) may have pleiotropic effects or be correlated with variants that have effects on disease not via expression, and the presence of those invalid IVs would lead to biased inference. Moreover, the number of eQTLs as IVs for a gene is generally limited, making the detection of invalid IVs challenging. We propose a method, "MR-MtRobin," for accurate TWMR inference in the presence of invalid IVs. By leveraging multi-tissue eQTL data in a mixed model, the proposed method makes identifiable the IV-specific random effects due to pleiotropy from estimation errors of eQTL summary statistics, and can provide accurate inference on the dependence (fixed effects) between eQTL and GWAS (genome-wide association study) effects in the presence of invalid IVs. Moreover, our method can improve power and precision in inference by selecting cross-tissue eQTLs as IVs that have improved consistency of effects across eQTL and GWAS data. We applied MR-MtRobin to detect genes associated with schizophrenia risk by integrating summary-level data from the Psychiatric Genomics Consortium and the Genotype-Tissue Expression project (V8).