cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Welcome to the Intelligence Age: an examination of intelligence as a complex venture emergent behavior

Purpose – Aid knowledge management (KM) and business intelligence (BI) practitioners explore and exploit the Intelligence Age complex venture model focusing on intelligence as an emergent behavior. The paper aims to extend the discrete model used by classical system engineering (SE) for a wisdom, knowledge, information, data, and measurement (WKIDM) pyramid to add a wrapper of emergent intelligence to support successful decision making and implementation.Design/methodology/approach – Building on previous theoretical complex venture work, this research explores the value of extending the WKIDM or “Knowledge Pyramid” model proposed by classical SE and KM approaches. The resultant IWKIDM model builds on the insights derived from chaos and complexity theories; KM research; observations of several acquisition successes and failures; and doctoral research on agile enterprise decision support.Findings – The paper finds that successful classical SE complicated systems models built with the closed system assumptio...
Rapid creation of distant entanglement by multiphoton resonant fluorescence

We study a simple, effective, and robust method for entangling two separate stationary quantum dot spin qubits with high fidelity using multiphoton Gaussian state. The fluorescence signals from the two dots interfere at a beam splitter. The bosonic nature of photons leads, in analogy with the Hong-Ou-Mandel effect, to selective pairing of photon holes (photon absences in the fluorescent signals). As a result, two odd photon number detections at the outgoing beams herald trion entanglement creation, and subsequent reduction of the trions to the spin ground states leads to spin-spin entanglement. The robustness of the Gaussian states is evidenced by the ability to compensate for photon absorption and noise by a moderate increase in the number of photons at the input. We calculate the entanglement generation rate in the ideal, nonideal, and near-ideal detector regimes and find substantial improvement over single-photon schemes in all three regimes. Fast and efficient spin-spin entanglement creation can form the basis for a scalable quantum dot quantum computing network. Our predictions can be tested using current experimental capabilities. © 2013 American Physical Society.
Comparison of ease of learning of four glucose meters.

This study examined the ease with which subjects were able to learn to use four blood glucose meters: Glucoscan 3000, Glucometer II, Accu-Chek II, and Diascan. Diabetes educators taught use of meters to 42 subjects in groups of three or four over two hours. Order of presentation was controlled by repeated measures Latin Square design. Twenty-five minutes were allowed for instruction and return demon stration of each meter. Subjects performed tests until three consec utive tests fell within the expected range or the allotted time was completed. Visual analog scales (eg, ease of learning, calibration, starting, testing, reading, and lack of confusion) were completed by subjects immediately following use of each meter. Statistically significant differences were found between meters. Overall ranking (easiest to hardest) was Glucoscan 3000 > Diascan > Glucometer II > Accu-Chek II. In addition to consideration of these results, educators still need to consider the individual in selecting the appropriate meter.
Plasmapheresis and Guillain-Barré syndrome: analysis of prognostic factors and the effect of plasmapheresis.

The time course of recovery in the Guillain-Barre syndrome is known to vary widely, but factors associated with differences have not been previously defined. In this study we used multivariate analysis to identify such factors and to determine whether the presence or absence of specific factors would influence treatment decisions, particularly the use of plasmapheresis. Data from 245 patients randomized into conventional and plasmapheresis arms were used to assess the time to walk independently (Grade 2), the time to improve one grade, and the percentage improved at 4 weeks. Individually, many factors were associated with outcome. In the multivariate analysis, four factors correlate with poorer outcomes: mean amplitude of compound muscle action potential on stimulating distally of 20% of normal or less, older age, time from onset of disease of 7 days or less, and need for ventilatory support. The most powerful predictor of outcome was the abnormal mean amplitude of compound muscle action potential on stimulating distally. Plasmapheresis, the only variable the physician can influence, has a beneficial effect over and above any or all of these factors. The plasmapheresis patients on continuous flow machines had better outcomes than those on intermittent flow machines. From these data, tables of expected outcome probabilities have been developed.
Microfabricated valveless devices for thermal bioreactions based on diffusion-limited evaporation

Microfluidic devices that reduce evaporative loss during thermal bioreactions such as PCR without microvalves have been developed by relying on the principle of diffusion-limited evaporation. Both theoretical and experimental results demonstrate that the sample evaporative loss can be reduced by more than 20 times using long narrow diffusion channels on both sides of the reaction region. In order to further suppress the evaporation, the driving force for liquid evaporation is reduced by two additional techniques: decreasing the interfacial temperature using thermal isolation and reducing the vapor concentration gradient by replenishing water vapor in the diffusion channels. Both thermal isolation and vapor replenishment techniques can limit the sample evaporative loss to approximately 1% of the reaction content.
Facilitating software maintenance by automated detection of constraint violations

CCEL, a language that allows programmers to formally express constraints on their software systems and to automatically detect violations of these constraints, is introduced. The power, flexibility, and overall utility of CCEL are demonstrated by examples showing how it can express real constraints from real software developers for real systems. >
Power Semiconductor Devices

Power semiconductor devices constitute the heart of power electronic system. Modern power electronics era started with the introduction of power semiconductor devices in the 1950’s, particularly with the commercial introduction of thyristor in 1958. Since then, many power semiconductor devices, such as triac, gate turn-off thyristor (GTO), bipolar power transistor (BPT or BJT), power MOSFET, insulated gate bipolar transistor (IGBT), static induction transistor (SIT), static induction thyristor (SITH) and MOS-controlled thyristor (MTC) have appeared. These power switching devices along with the microelectronic circuits are recently ushering a new era in power electronics and motion control systems. Power electronics and motion control are expected to have an increasing influence on a nation’s industrial productivity, energy conservation and urban pollution problems in the coming decades. This chapter will give a comprehensive state-of-the-art technology review of power semiconductor devices.
Construction of alternative hypotheses for randomization tests with ordinal outcomes

Abstract We construct sequences of alternative hypotheses in increasing order of departures from the sharp null hypothesis of zero treatment effect on each experimental unit, to help assess the powers of randomization tests with ordinal outcomes in randomized treatment-control experiments.
Abnormalities in protein synthesis and degradation induced by extracellular pH in BC3H1 myocytes.

Metabolic acidosis impairs protein and amino acid metabolism in rat muscle. To examine how extracellular acidification affects cellular protein turnover, we studied the BC3H1 myocyte. At pH 7.1 vs....
Guidelines for the prediction and prevention of pressure ulcers. The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research

Of the 26 recommendations made by the panel, only six (23 percent) have sufficient research data to warrant a level A or B strength of evidence rating. Thus expert opinion, while traditionally valuable for filling the gaps where research-based information is missing, is used more extensively than data to support the recommendations of this guideline. The literature on pressure ulcers is voluminous but of variable quality. After reviewing this literature, I am not surprised at the confusion and frustration that physicians feel when trying to prevent pressure ulcers. More research is needed to confirm or refute expert opinion on prevention of pressure ulcers. The guideline does, however, provide physicians five specific steps that can be used to prevent pressure ulcers in their patients: (1) perform a risk assessment on all bed- and chair-bound patients, (2) keep the pressure off the bony prominences of at-risk patients by using a turning schedule, (3) use a pressure-reducing mattress in the treatment of all at-risk patients, (4) avoid massage of bony prominences, and (5) encourage the development of institutional educational programs or skin care teams for the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. The remaining 20 recommendations are reasonable and can be applied selectively, but they are based on expert opinion and have not been shown to reduce the rate of pressure ulcers in well-designed research studies.
The Influence of National Contextual Factors on State Legislative Election Outcomes

This paper investigates how national level factors associated with the presidential election cycle and the president’s party contribute to state legislative election results. Specifically, I focus on two patterns, whereby during presidential election years, the party that wins the presidency enjoys increased support in state legislative elections, and during midterm elections the party of the presidency loses support in those elections. I test several theories used to explain this pattern including surge and decline, referendum voting and vertical balancing. Using data from various sources for 42 states from the years 1970-2010, I find that, as is the case for congressional elections, all three of these theories influence state lower house elections and can help to explain the pattern of midterm loss.
Inhibition of Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3: An Emerging Target in the Treatment of Traumatic Brain Injury

Although traumatic brain injury (TBI) has been a major public health concern for decades, the pathophysiological mechanism of TBI is not clearly understood, and an effective medical treatment of TBI is not available at present. Of particular concern is sustained TBI, which has a strong tendency to take a deteriorating neurodegenerative course into chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and dementia, including Alzheimer's disease. Tauopathy and beta amyloid (Aβ) plaques are known to be the key pathological markers of TBI, which contribute to the progressive deterioration associated with TBI such as CTE and Alzheimer's disease. The multiple lines of evidence strongly suggest that the inhibition of glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a potential target in the treatment of TBI. GSK-3 constitutively inhibits neuroprotective processes and promotes apoptosis. After TBI, GSK-3 is inhibited through the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) and canonical Wnt signaling pathways as an innate neuroprotective mechanism against TBI. GSK-3 inhibition via GSK-3 inhibitors and drugs activating RTK or Wnt signaling is likely to reinforce the innate neuroprotective mechanism. GSK-3 inhibition studies using rodent TBI models demonstrate that GSK-3 inhibition produces diverse neuroprotective actions such as reducing the size of the traumatic injury, tauopathy, Aβ accumulation, and neuronal death, by releasing and activating neuroprotective substrates from GSK-3 inhibition. These effects are correlated with reduced TBI-induced behavioral and cognitive symptoms. Here, we review studies on the therapeutic effects of GSK-3 inhibition in TBI rodent models, and critically discuss the issues that these studies address.
The nature of the free amino groups in the native proteins

The fact that at least some proteins contain a small but definite proportion of their nitrogen in the form of free amino groups capable of reacting with nitrous acid has been proven by one of us. Levites and Skraup failed to obtain lysine from proteins which had been treated with nitrous acid before hydrolysis. This indicates that the ω-NH2 group of lysine, NH2·(CH2)4·CH2(NH2)-COOH, may be free in the protein molecule. As lysine is peculiar among the amino acids in possessing an ω-NH2 group, it appeared possible that this might be responsible for all or most of the amino nitrogen determined. We have, therefore, determined the free amino nitrogen in ten proteins in which the lysine has already been quantitatively determined in either our laboratory or in Osborne's.Without exception the free amino N of the native proteins equals within a fraction of a per cent. that of the ω-group of the lysine. It appears that the ω-group of lysine constitutes practically all of the free amino nitrogen of the native protei...
Viability of the Organism of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever when Frozen

In a previous paper 1 it was demonstrated that the organism of Rocky Mountain spotted fever remained viable in glycerol in the cold, confirming the observations of Spencer and Parker.2 Brain was shown to be the tissue of choice; for in each of two series the percentage of infections obtained was 65(^, as compared with 40% with spleen, and 36*^ with testicle. It was noted further that there was no apparent difference between the effect of 100% and that of 50% glycerol. Reported here are experiments to test the viability of the organism when frozen. The technique consisted of removing the brain of a guinea-pig at the height of its infection with Rocky Mountain spotted fever and setting it away immediately in a sterile test-tube in an icebox. The temperature was maintained fairly constant at 20 F. (?7 C). After a given period of time the solidly frozen brain tissue was thawed out rapidly and injected into a normal guinea-pig as a fine suspension in 5 to 10 cc. of citrated salt solution. To prevent any negative results from the use of an insufficient amount of material, the dosage in every case was a whole brain, although y10 of a brain has proved infectious after 30 days' freezing. The criteria of infection consisted of a typical clinical course of the disease together with the demonstration of the causative organism in sections of the testicle of the tested guinea-pig, or the exhibition of a specific immunity subsequent to recovery. The results of the first series are tabulated. Ten brains were
Synthesis of Polyaniline Using Electrostatically Layered Hematin Assemblies

The enzyme horseradish peroxidase has been recently used for the polymerization of water-soluble conductive polyaniline. Hematin, an ironporphyrin molecule that catalyzes the oxidative polymerization of aniline and phenol, is a robust and inexpensive biomimetic alternative to horseradish peroxidase. Composite thin film assemblies were fabricated by electrostatic layer-by-layer (ELBL) alternate deposition of a polyelectrolyte, poly(dimethyl diallylammonium chloride), and hematin. These multilayer assemblies were then used for the polymerization of aniline in the presence of a polystyrene sulfonate as a template. It was found that the polymerization rate depends on both pH and the concentration of hematin deposited and the polyaniline synthesis was possible both onto the ELBL surfaces and in solution. It was also discovered that it is possible to reuse the ELBL assembled hematin substrates for multiple aniline polymerizations.
The Effect of Wedge Structure on Displacement Subduction of Piedmont Thrust Structure:A Case Study of the Southern Margin of Junggar Basin

The foreland thrusting belts in the southern margin of Junggar Basin,lying between the stable Junggar craton and rejuvenated Tianshan orogen,is the product of long distance effect of collision between India plate and Eurasia plate in the Cenozoic,and also the directive result from the Tibet plateau uplifting and pushing toward north.The structure on one side of the craton tended to be stable after the foreland fold and thrust belts absorbed the thrust structural displacement resulted from orogen.The southern margin of Junggar basin shares similar geological characteristic as many other foreland thrusting belts in the world.Through analyses of fine geometry and kinematics of structural geology in south Junggar basin,it is found that the unique wedge structure is one of major approaches to absorb thrust displacement within the foreland thrust faulting zone and controls the scope of thrust distribution and deformation style.The structural deformation in the basin is dominated by northward overthrusting of the Tianshan orogenic belt in south,but most displacement was consumed by backward movement of the wedge structure.During northward expansion of the wedges along the Jurassic Xishanyao Formation coal seam in the deep foreland close to the Qigu-Kalazha-Jichang structural zone in north Tianshan Mts,part of displacement was absorbed southward along overthrusting layer at top of structural wedge and cut overlying strata to form the first row of anticline zone.And part of displacement propagated northward and deformed,triggering folding deformation at faulted slope and forming the Huo-Ma-Tu structural zone(the second row) and Anjihai-Hutubi the anticline zone(the third row).Within the Cenozoic of the second and third structural zones of the southern margin of Junggar Basin developed many small structural wedges.These superimposed wedges have limited horizontal extension,and this adds much difficulty in complexity of structural deformation and identification of structural traps.
Impact of genomic heterogeneity associated with acquired anti-EGFR resistance in colorectal cancers.

Cetuximab and panitumumab are anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies approved by the Food and Drug Administration of the Unites States for treatment of patients with metastatic colorectal cancers, but the response rate is only around 10% in unselected patient populations (1). Despite initial response to cetuximab and panitumumab, almost all patients develop resistance within several months of anti-EGFR-therapy. Mechanisms for acquired resistance to targeted therapeutics with small molecule kinase inhibitors have been extensively studied, because new inhibitors can be designed to overcome the resistance mutations which commonly happen in the kinase domain of the targeted kinase (2). For example, the most common resistance mutation, EGFR p.T790M, is detected in 50–60% or more of lung cancer patients who progressed during treatment with first-generation or second-generation EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (3). Detection of p.T790M has become a common clinical practice to select patients with non-small cell lung cancers for third-generation tyrosine kinase inhibitors.
Baculovirus-mediated expression and characterization of rat CYP2A3 and human CYP2a6: role in metabolic activation of nasal toxicants.

Cytochrome P450 2A3 (CYP2A3) was previously identified in rat lung by cDNA cloning and recently found to be expressed at a high level in the olfactory mucosa. In the current study, CYP2A3 was expressed in insect cells lacking endogenous cytochrome P450 (P450) activity, and the substrate specificity of the recombinant cytochrome was characterized and compared with that of CYP2A6, a human ortholog of rat CYP2A3, which has been detected in human olfactory mucosa as well as in liver. The CYP2A3 and CYP2A6 cDNAs were cloned into baculovirus, and recombinant viruses were used to produce active enzymes in Spodoptera frugiperta (SF9) cells. The metabolic activities of S. frugiperta cell microsomal fractions containing CYP2A3 or CYP2A6 were studied in a reconstituted system with purified rabbit NADPH-P450 reductase. CYP2A3 was found to be active toward testosterone, producing 15 alpha-hydroxytestosterone and several other metabolites, but it had only low activity toward coumarin. On the other hand, CYP2A6 was active toward coumarin but not toward testosterone. However, both enzymes were active in the metabolic activation of hexamethylphosphoramide, a nasal procarcinogen, and 2,6-dichlorobenzonitrile (DCBN), a herbicide known to cause tissue-specific toxicity in the olfactory mucosa of rodents at very low doses. In addition, both enzymes were active toward 4-nitrophenol, a preferred substrate for CYP2E1. Consistent with CYP2A3 being a major catalyst in microsomal metabolism of DCBN, the activities of both CYP2A3 and rat olfactory microsomes in DCBN metabolism were inhibited strongly by metyrapone and methoxsalen (ID50 50 microM). Thus, rat CYP2A3 and human CYP2A6 have differences in substrate specificity as well as tissue distributor. These findings should be taken into account when assessing the risk of exposure to potential nasal toxicants in humans.
HIV-associated musculoskeletal involvement.

Various rheumatic manifestations associated with HIV infection have been recognized, ranging from infectious conditions, such as septic arthritis, to seronegative spondyloarthropathy. Other musculoskeletal manifestations include lupus-like and Sjogren-like diseases and HIV-related malignancy. The introduction of HAART has changed the spectrum of the clinical manifestations of rheumatic disease seen today, with infections and articular involvement being the most frequently observed.
Sbi00515, a Protein of Unknown Function from Streptomyces bingchenggensis, Highlights the Functional Versatility of the Acetoacetate Decarboxylase Scaffold

The acetoacetate decarboxylase-like superfamily (ADCSF) is a group of ∼4000 enzymes that, until recently, was thought to be homogeneous in terms of the reaction catalyzed. Bioinformatic analysis shows that the ADCSF consists of up to seven families that differ primarily in their active site architectures. The soil-dwelling bacterium Streptomyces bingchenggensis BCW-1 produces an ADCSF enzyme of unknown function that shares a low level of sequence identity (∼20%) with known acetoacetate decarboxylases (ADCs). This enzyme, Sbi00515, belongs to the MppR-like family of the ADCSF because of its similarity to the mannopeptimycin biosynthetic protein MppR from Streptomyces hygroscopicus. Herein, we present steady state kinetic data that show Sbi00515 does not catalyze the decarboxylation of any α- or β-keto acid tested. Rather, we show that Sbi00515 catalyzes the condensation of pyruvate with a number of aldehydes, followed by dehydration of the presumed aldol intermediate. Thus, Sbi00515 is a pyruvate aldolase-...
Methodology and Epistemology for Second-order Cybernetics

Analysis of second-order concepts—observation, method, consciousness, etc.—illuminates the scientific and philosophical character of cybernetics. Such analysis cannot be undertaken without consideration of social conditions in which cybernetic efforts occur or the social implications of decisions based upon cybernetic models. Implications for politics and planning are explored.
Biomechanical evaluation of DTRAX® posterior cervical cage stabilization with and without lateral mass fixation

INTRODUCTION Lateral mass screw (LMS) fixation with plates or rods is the current standard procedure for posterior cervical fusion. Recently, implants placed between the facet joints have become available as an alternative to LMS or transfacet screws for patients with cervical spondylotic radiculopathy. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the biomechanical stability of the DTRAX(®) cervical cage for single- and two-level fusion and compare this to the stability achieved with LMS fixation with rods in a two-level construct. METHODS Six cadaveric cervical spine (C3-C7) specimens were tested in flexion-extension, lateral bending, and axial rotation to ±1.5 Nm moment without preload (0 N) in the following conditions: 1) intact (C3-C7), 2) LMS and rods at C4-C5 and C5-C6, 3) removal of all rods (LMS retained) and placement of bilateral posterior cages at C5-C6, 4) bilateral posterior cages at C4-C5 and C5-C6 (without LMS and rods), and 5) C4-C5 and C5-C6 bilateral posterior cages at C4-C5 and C5-C6 with rods reinserted. RESULTS Bilateral posterior cervical cages significantly reduced range of motion in all tested directions in both single- and multilevel constructs (P<0.05). Similar stability was achieved with bilateral posterior cages and LMS in a two-level construct: 0.6°±0.3° vs 1.2°±0.4° in flexion-extension (P=0.001), (5.0°±2.6° vs 3.1°±1.3°) in lateral bending (P=0.053), (1.3°±1.0° vs 2.2°±0.9°) in axial rotation (P=0.091) for posterior cages and LMS, respectively. Posterior cages, when placed as an adjunct to LMS, further reduced range of motion in a multilevel construct (P<0.05). CONCLUSION Bilateral posterior cages provide similar cervical segmental stability compared with a LMS and rod construct and may be an alternative surgical option for select patients. Furthermore, supplementation of a lateral mass construct with posterior cages increases cervical spine stability in single- and multilevel conditions.
Contemporary National Trends of Prostate Cancer Screening Among Privately Insured Men in the United States

Objective To assess the possible impact of changes to the clinical guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force recommendations in 2012 on the national trends of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening and identify patient characteristics associated with PSA screening from a large private insurance database. Materials and Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study of men between 40 and 80 years of age who underwent PSA screening for prostate cancer from 2008 to 2013 in a population-based cohort of privately insured patients. Unadjusted and adjusted rates were calculated using member-years and reported per 1000 member-years. Results Rates of PSA screening remained stable from 190.4 per 1000 member-years in 2008 to 196.4 in 2013 ( P = .66). From 2008 to 2013, PSA screening did not change for patients aged 50-59 (236.5 to 241.1 per 1000 member-years; P = .78), 60-64 (284.1 to 288.3 per 1000 member-years; P = .77), 65-69 (250.6 to 248.0 per 1000 member-years; P = .56), and 70-74 (266.4 to 280.3 per 1000 member-years; P = .17). However, patients ≥75 years had marked decrease in the rate of PSA screening from 201.5 to 124.1 per 1000 member-years ( P = .04). Across different racial groups, PSA screening rates remain unchanged over time irrespective of age. Conclusion Among this population-based cohort of privately insured men, we found little effect on PSA screening from changes to the US Preventive Services Task Force clinical practice guidelines. However, the rates of PSA screening were much lower among older men (>75 years). Further research is needed to assess the impact of the new guidelines on prostate cancer incidence and survival.
Cardiac Motion Estimation from Gated Emission Computed Tomography Images

Quantitative description of the cardiac left ventricle (LV) motion is desirable to assist in detecting myocardial motion abnormalities. It has been recognized that the torsion component of the LV movement is considerably more difficult to track than its radial counterpart. We develop a motion estimation method that estimates three-dimensional (3-D) LV motion vector field (MVF) that includes the twisting motion from four-dimensional (4-D) gated myocardial perfusion (MP) emission computed tomography (ECT) images. The method is implemented through searching for an MVF that minimizes a cost function consisting of the image matching error between two frames and the weighted strain energy constraint that prevents physically implausible movement. The strain energy is calculated on segmented heart voxels with physical parameters that model the material properties of the myocardium. The close-to-optimal weight of the strain energy was obtained by minimizing the root-mean-square errors of the estimated MVF from standard NCAT phantom images simulating gated MP data. The performance of this method has been quantitatively evaluated, in estimating MVF from NCAT generated images with specified motion corresponding to varied LV twisting angles (different from the standard phantom) and to regional LV motion defects. The estimated defect MVF can be distinguished from the estimated normal MVF.
A high-energy, long cycle-life hybrid supercapacitor based on graphene composite electrodes

Abstract The energy density of a hybrid supercapacitor consisting of a battery-type electrode and a capacitive electrode could be significantly higher than that of an electrical double-layer capacitor (EDLC) due to the broadened voltage window and the high capacity of the battery-type electrode. However, the commercialization of hybrid supercapacitors is still hampered by lacking of proper electrode materials of desired nanostructures. Here we report a class of nanocomposite electrodes composed of CoxNi1-x(OH)2 and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), derived from a facile process at room temperature using hydrous hydrazine and proper ratios of Co(II) to Ni(II) to tune the composition and morphology. In particular, an architectural composite electrode consisting of porous CoxNi1-x(OH)2 disks wrapped by rGO achieves large capacity, high rate capability (743 and 545 C g-1 at 1 and 20 A g-1, respectively), and long cycling life. When coupled with a p-phenylenediamine (PPD)-modified rGO, the resulting hybrid supercapacitor exhibits superior energy densities of 72 and 44 W h Kg-1 at power densities of 797 W Kg-1 and 16.7 kW Kg-1, respectively, and excellent cycling stability for 20,000 cycles at 20 A g-1, implying that it is a very promising device for portable power and next-generation energy storage.
14 Markov Chains

A Markov chain is a stochastic process on a finite state space such that the system evolves from one state to another according to a prescribed probabilistic law. For example, card shuffling can be modeled via a Markov chain. The state space is all 52! orderings of a deck of cards. Each step of the Markov chain corresponds to performing a riffle shuffle to the deck.
Low-Dose Gamma Knife Radiosurgery for Vestibular Schwannomas: Tumor Control and Cranial Nerve Function Preservation After 11 Gy

Objectives This study aims to report tumor control rates and cranial nerve function after low dose (11.0 Gy) Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) in patients with vestibular schwannomas. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on 30 consecutive patients with vestibular schwannomas treated from March 2004 to August 2010 with GKRS at the Robert H. Lurie Comprehensive Cancer Center of Northwestern University. The marginal dose for all patients was 11.0 Gy prescribed to the 50% isodose line. Median follow-up time was 42 months. The median treatment volume was 0.53 cm 3 . Hearing data were obtained from audiometry reports before and after radiosurgery. Results The actuarial progression free survival (PFS) based on freedom from surgery was 100% at 5 years. PFS based on freedom from persistent growth was 91% at 5 years. One patient experienced tumor progression requiring resection at 87 months. Serviceable hearing, defined as Gardner–Robertson score of I–II, was preserved in 50% of patients. On univariate and multivariate analyses, only higher mean and maximum dose to the cochlea significantly decreased the proportion of patients with serviceable hearing. Conclusion Vestibular schwannomas can be treated with low doses (11.0 Gy) of GKRS with good tumor control and cranial nerve preservation.
Analysis of the experimental licenses of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)

For innovation to be successful, it is necessary for the adequate resources to be readily available. Commonly, resource availability results from significant technical, regulatory and scientific investments. Regulatory bodies, like the Federal Communications Commission, have made significant efforts in order to promote innovation. Innovation comes from entities of different sizes and areas of impact, as well as from commercial to academic objectives.
Treatment of Intractable Bacterial Cystitis with Intermittent Catheterization and Antimicrobial Instillation: Case Report

Intractable bacterial cystitis associated with residual urine formation was treated successfully in 4 women by intermittent self-catheterization with instillation of an aminoglycoside directly into the bladder after other methods had failed.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis and Oxidative Stress

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is one of the most common gastrointestinal conditions affecting newborn infants. Despite vigorous research the pathogenesis of NEC remains unclear. Oxidative stress has been shown to contribute to the development of other diseases involving premature infants such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). More recently, oxidative stress has implicated in the pathogenesis of NEC. This chapter will briefly review the clinical presentation and management of NEC, discuss the potential role of oxidative stress in the pathogenesis of NEC, and finally review possible therapeutic targets in the hope of preventing NEC in high-risk infants.
Anatomical and Mathematical Tools in the Visual Pathways Studies: An Historical Overview

The main purpose of this communication is to present the scientists engaged into the visual system studies with a simplified overview of the historical developments of the progressive integration between anatomical and mathematical tools levelled at the understanding of the basic processes of this sensory modality. The temporal sequence will be amply simplified and made almost sketchy in order to allow for a more comprehensive reconstruction of the events. The reason why such a contribution may be of some interest and vantage to the workers in this field is, at least, twofold. First: although the epistemological studies centred on the historical mechanisms underlying the history of ideas and the history of “exact” sciences are all well known and worked out, the particular field of the experimental methodologies applied to the field of visual sciences has been not treated in a general and comprehensive way. Second: young scientists may completely ignore the intricate, albeit very often much revealing, sequence of “discoveries”, “inventions” and “intuitions” which had paved their way to the study of the visual system.0 It is a feeling strongly felt by the writer that science is, strictly speaking, culture under all the effects and aspects of the word. The ignorance of the preceding steps which led to the contemporary “epistemological scenario” may be a dumping and limiting factor, even at the level of the most elementary and mundane laboratorial activities.
Murnaghan’s Finite Deformation of an Elastic Solid (1952)

Apparently intended as a text, this book follows the growing custom of beginning with an introductory chapter containing pure mathematics neither necessary nor sufficient for the applications which follow. The student is deterred from accepting the results without question by frequent interjections of “(why?)”, “(prove this)”, and other commands, and the paedagogical usefulness of the work is attested by the numerous simple exercises. The pages, whose crowding with symbols and parenthetical expressions in the text suggest that the publisher confused the manuscript with some work on topology or algebra, are a bit frightening.
Impact of a cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) modulator on high-dose ibuprofen therapy in pediatric cystic fibrosis patients.

Background This study was undertaken to determine if a clinically relevant drug-drug interaction occurred between ibuprofen and lumacaftor/ivacaftor. Methods Peak ibuprofen plasma concentrations were measured prior to and after lumacaftor/ivacaftor initiation. A Wilcoxon signed rank sum test was used to compare the values. Results Nine patients were included in the final analysis. Peak ibuprofen plasma concentrations decreased an average of 36.4 mcg/mL after initiation of lumacaftor/ivacaftor with a relative reduction of 41.7%. The average peak plasma concentration was 84.2 mcg/mL (SD = 10.9) prior to lumacaftor/ivacaftor initiation and 47.9 mcg/mL (SD = 16.4) following initiation (P = 0.0039). Peak concentrations occurred at an average of 100 min (SD = 30) and 107 min (SD = 40) prior to and following lumacaftor/ivacaftor initiation, respectively. Conclusions We suggest a clinically relevant drug-drug interaction exists between ibuprofen and lumacaftor/ivacaftor. Lumacaftor may cause subtherapeutic ibuprofen plasma concentrations due to the induction of CYP enzymes and increased metabolism of ibuprofen. Based on this analysis, we have modified our use of ibuprofen in several patients after evaluation of this drug-drug interaction.
Cerebral Palsy and Fetal Hypoxia

Little, in 18621, stressed the association of abnormal parturition, difficult labor, premature labor, and asphyxia with cerebral palsy.
Probenecid inhibits the metabolic and renal clearances of zidovudine (AZT) in human volunteers.

The effect of probenecid on the disposition of AZT was investigated in a pilot study in two healthy volunteers. The pharmacokinetics of AZT were examined after a single oral dose of 200 mg with and without probenecid coadministration in a balanced crossover study. Administration of 500 mg probenecid every 6 hr prior to and during AZT dosing resulted in an increase in the average AUCAZT from 89 micrograms.min/ml (control) to 191 micrograms.min/ml during probenecid treatment. This was manifested by a corresponding decrease in CLTOT/F, which is attributed to the inhibitory effect of probenecid on the glucuronidation and renal excretion of AZT. Average CLR and CLTOT/F of AZT decreased from 4.76 and 28.7 to 2.98 and 14.1 ml/min/kg during control and probenecid treatment, respectively. AZT glucuronidation was affected to a greater extent than its renal excretion, as reflected by the decreased ratio of GAZT/AZT urinary recoveries. The terminal half-life of AZT was slightly longer during probenecid administration. That only a small change in the half-life occurred indicates that probenecid also reduced the volume of distribution of AZT. The CLR of GAZT decreased from an average of 11.3 ml/min/kg (control) to 2.63 ml/min/kg during probenecid treatment, resulting in a greater than 3.5-fold increase in AUCGAZT. Probenecid did not affect the blood/plasma distribution or the plasma protein binding of AZT. These preliminary findings suggest that it may be possible to maintain effective plasma AZT concentrations in AIDS patients receiving a reduced daily dose, in combination with probenecid.
THE APPLICATION OF MARKOV DECISION PROCESSES TO FOREST MANAGEMENT

Publisher Summary The long-term management of forest lands involves making periodic decisions on when to intervene in the natural evolution of the stands and what actions to undertake as part of such interventions. This chapter discusses how the tools of Markov decision processes (MDP) can be applied to forest stand management. The MDP approach is attractive for this problem because the infinite time horizon captures the long-term nature of forest management, the Markovian transition probabilities explicitly reflect the various inherent uncertainties, and MDP leads to stationary optimal policies that are easy to implement. Standard MDP methods can be used for the two primary forest management criteria. Forest stands are managed either to maximize the perpetual average annual usable wood removed or to maximize the net present value. In the MDP context, these criteria result in either an MDP with averaged, undiscounted rewards or an MDP with summed, discounted rewards.
Role of epidural steroids in the management of chronic spinal pain: a systematic review of effectiveness and complications.

Background Epidural steroid injections are commonly used for chronic spinal pain. However, there is no conclusive evidence regarding their effectiveness, and debate continues as to their value in managing chronic spinal pain. Objective To evaluate various types of epidural injections (interlaminar, transforaminal, and caudal) for managing chronic spinal pain (axial and radicular). Study design A systematic review utilizing the criteria established by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) for evaluation of randomized and non-randomized trials, and criteria of the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Review Group for randomized trials. Methods Data sources included relevant English literature identified through searches of MEDLINE and EMBASE (January 1966 to November 2004), manual searches of bibliographies of known primary and review articles and abstracts from scientific meetings within the last 2 years. Three reviewers independently assessed the trials for the quality of their methods. Subgroup analyses were performed for trials with different control groups, with different modes of epidurals (interlaminar, transforaminal, and caudal), with different injection sites (cervical/thoracic, lumbar/sacral), and with timing of outcome measurement (short- and long-term). Outcome measures The primary outcome measure was pain relief. Other outcome measures were functional improvement, improvement of psychological status, and return to work. Short-term improvement was defined as less than 6 weeks, and long-term improvement was defined as 6 weeks or longer. Results For lumbar radicular pain with interlaminar lumbar epidural steroid injections, the level of evidence was strong for short-term relief and limited for long-term relief. For cervical radicular pain with cervical interlaminar epidural steroid injections, the evidence was moderate. The evidence for lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections for lumbar nerve root pain was strong for short-term and moderate for long term improvement. The evidence for cervical transforaminal epidural steroid injections for cervical nerve root pain was moderate. The evidence was limited for lumbar radicular pain in post lumbar laminectomy syndrome. The evidence for caudal epidural steroid injections was strong for short-term relief and moderate for long-term relief. For managing chronic postlumbar laminectomy syndrome and spinal stenosis the evidence was limited for low back and radicular pain. The evidence was moderate for chronic low back pain. Conclusion The evidence for effectiveness of epidural injections in managing chronic spinal pain ranged from limited to strong.
Patch Clamp of Gap Junction Containing Membranes in Guinea-Pig Ventricular Myocytes

Patch clamp of guinea-pig ventricular myocyte intercalated discs revealed a conductance with characteristics typical of gap junctions. Whole cell currents were monitored in cells bathed in CsCl solution with and without mM Ca2+ present. Whole cell conductance was found to be inversely proportional to the Ca2+ concentration in the bath, [Ca2+]B. Further evidence that the [Ca2+]B dependent conductance arises from gap junction channels was derived from electron microscopic evidence. Electron microscopic images showed that the freshly isolated cells possessed intact junctions with one cytoplasmic surface facing the extracellular space. In detached patch recordings a 50 −60 pS channel was observed under ionic conditions which make unlikely any channel activity other than from gap junction channels. This study demonstrates the feasibility of patch clamping the intercalated disc and further reveals some fundamental intrinsic behavior of the gap junction channel
Cerebrovascular reactivity after cessation of menopausal hormone treatment.

Objective: Women who are currently using menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) have higher cerebrovascular reactivity when compared with postmenopausal women who are not taking MHT; however, the...
A New Investment Technology: The ZCAPM

This paper builds efficient diversified portfolios that are sensitive to market volatility. A two-factor model based on Black's zero-beta CAPM is employed to measure sensitivity to cross-sectional market volatility. Based on U.S. stock returns in the sample period 1965 to 2015, aggregate portfolios are constructed by combining the CRSP market index with zero-investment portfolios that reflect different levels of market volatility risk. Strikingly, a substantially higher average return of almost 1.50 percent per month can be achieved relative to the benchmark CRSP market index of 0.89 percent, holding constant total risk. Further results show that an efficient frontier of zero-investment portfolios with different risk levels can be developed that outperforms zero-investment portfolios formed on size, value, and momentum investment strategies. These and other results lead us to conclude that market volatility is useful in building relatively efficient portfolios.
The Tyranny of Bodily Strength: Harriet Taylor Mill and John Stuart Mill on Domestic Violence

John Stuart Mill and Harriet Taylor Mill were very much aware of the problem of domestic violence. In the years between 1849 and 1853, they wrote a series of newspaper articles and pamphlets on domestic violence. These works are notable for their passion, insight and the way they prefigure contemporary discussions of this topic. Their thoughtful and detailed discussion is thus important not just for its historical interest, but for the light that it sheds on a complex problem that is every bit as pressing in the twenty first century as it was in the nineteenth.
Experimental Model of Human Light-Chain-Associated Disease

The three types of human light-chain-associated disease—“myeloma kidney” disease (myeloma [cast] nephropathy), light-chain deposition disease, and AL amyloidosis—are characterized by renal and systemic deposition of monoclonal light chains, i.e., Bence Jones proteins, as casts, linear precipitates, or fibrils, respectively [1]. These light-chain deposits ultimately result in the impairment of kidney (and other organ) function and account for much of the morbidity and mortality in patients with these disorders [2]. The fact that, clinically and experimentally [1], tubular casts, basement membrane deposits, amyloid formation, and other physiological aberrations are not an invariant accompaniment of Bence Jones proteinuria or are not necessarily related to the amount of monoclonal light chain synthesized or excreted implies that, in addition to host or exogenous factors (e.g., dehydration, hypercalcemia, sepsis, nephrotoxic antibiotics, etc.), certain light chains are “malignant” while others are “benign” [3].
C3-Flow: Compute Compression Co-Design Flow for Deep Neural Networks

Existing approaches to neural network compression have failed to holistically address algorithmic (training accuracy) and computational (inference performance) demands of real-world systems, particularly on resource-constrained devices. We present C3-Flow, a new approach adding non-uniformity to low-rank approximations and designed specifically to enable highly-efficient computation on common hardware architectures while retaining more accuracy than competing methods. Evaluation on two state-of-the-art acoustic models (versus existing work, empirical limit study approaches, and hand-tuned models) demonstrates up to 60% lower error. Finally, we show that our co-design approach achieves up to 14X inference speedup across three Haswell- and Broadwell-based platforms.
Recruitment and Enrollment of a National Sample of Transgender Youth via Social Media: Experiences from Project Moxie.

Abstract This report compares social media strategies for enrolling transgender youth (TY) into online HIV prevention research. Over 12 months, 202 TY enrolled in Project Moxie, a randomized trial ...