cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Selection of Ablation Catheters, Energy Sources, and Power Delivery

The primary purpose of lesion-forming technologies in atrial fibrillation is to create safe and effective myocardial lesions in a reasonable time frame while avoiding collateral damage. The complex anatomy of the left atrium creates unique difficulties for any lesion-forming technology employed in the ablation of atrial fibrillation. Unfortunately, the ideal energy source for the treatment of atrial fibrillation has yet to be developed, and thus multiple different technologies are still used. Lesion-forming technologies currently employed in the treatment of atrial fibrillation include radio-frequency energy, cryothermal energy, and high-intensity focused ultrasound. This review touches on the basic principles behind each of these technologies and highlights the advantages and limitations of their use in the treatment of atrial fibrillation. Finally, we briefly review some evolving strategies for the treatment of atrial fibrillation, including the use of lasers, microwaves, and Beta-irradiation as well as the injection of autologous fibroblasts.
Measurement of the Bending and Twist in a Deforming Airfoil Using Laser-Based Imaging

A simple measurement system is described that can be used to measure the contours and position of surfaces in a wind tunnel. The system uses a standard digital camera with a mega-pixel CCD array and diode lasers whose beams are shaped in to light sheets with a cylindrical lens. The lasers illuminate lines across the surface and the spatial coordinates of illuminated points along these lines are determined using a function determined during a calibration procedure. The approach is non-intrusive and has been used to measure the deformation of an airfoil mounted in a wind tunnel. The concept of the technique, the calibration process, and measurements are presented. Nomenclature
Cytokine replacement in patients with HIV-1 non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: the rationale for low-dose interleukin-2 therapy.

PURPOSE The drastic increase in the incidence of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma in patients infected with HIV-1 is testimony to the fact that our immune system is critical for the prevention of certain malignancies. Preclinical and clinical studies were conducted to (1) gain further insight into defects in immunity that can lead to malignant transformation and (2) determine if certain immune deficiencies could be corrected by cytokines delivered at doses that result in near-physiologic concentrations in vivo. METHODS We have used the severe combined immune deficient mouse engrafted with human peripheral blood leukocytes from healthy individuals who are seropositive for the Epstein-Barr virus to study the spontaneous development of malignant Epstein-Barr virus-positive human B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder. RESULTS We have demonstrated in this model that, in the absence of CD4+ T cells, cytokine replacement with low-dose interleukin (IL)-2 therapy can prevent Epstein-Barr virus-positive human B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder by interacting with mouse natural killer and human CD8+ T cells. We review our clinical experience with administration of low-dose IL-2 therapy in patients with HIV-1-related cancer, noting minimal toxicity and significant immune modulation. We provide evidence that this therapy can favorably alter the type 1 cytokine profile in vivo in these patients, and improve the cellular response to infectious insults in vitro. CONCLUSION Early clinical studies with low-dose IL-2 therapy in patients with HIV-1-related lymphoma suggest that this therapy may have a role in the prevention and treatment of this disease.
Studies on the binding of amylopectin sulfate with gastric mucin.

Amylopectin sulfate, a sulfated polysaccharide that has an antipeptic property, was examined for its ability to bind gastric mucins. After chemically cross-linking the amylopectin sulfate into an insoluble gel, its binding with mucins isolated from antral and fundic mucosa of canine stomachs was studied with chromatography. A component present in both mucin fractions bound to the amylopectin sulfate gel below pH 4.5. This binding was reversible, and the complex dissociated above pH 5. Similar binding properties were found with soluble amylopectin sulfate. The component of the mucin which bound to amylopectin sulfate differed from the one which did not bind in its electrophoretic mobility and in its higher proportion of basic amino acids and a lower hexosamine, serine, and threonine content. This study suggests that amylopectin sulfate may bind to gastric mucins only under conditions of low pH.
Standing out from the giants and colossi

Various forms of magnetoresistance – a change in the electrical resistance of a material or structure that is caused by a magnetic field – have captured the attention of many scientists over the past 12 years. The first observations of giant magnetoresistance in 1988 were followed by the discovery of colossal magnetoresistance in 1993. Now Stuart Solin of the NEC Research Institute in Princeton and co-workers have discovered an even larger form of magnetoresistance (S A Solin et al. 2000 Science 289 1530). Moreover, this geometric effect was discovered in non-magnetic materials at room temperature.
The role of histopathologic subtype in the setting of hippocampal sclerosis–associated mesial temporal lobe epilepsy

Hippocampal sclerosis (HS) and focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) are among the most common neuropathological findings in those undergoing surgery for refractory mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Existing data regarding differences among the most recent International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE) HS subtypes remain limited. This study sought to characterize the roles of HS subtype and coexistent FCD. Epilepsy surgery pathologic specimens in 307 cases of temporal lobe epilepsy with HS were reviewed (mean age±SD, 37±15years; 56% women). HS and coexistent FCD were classified according to ILAE guidelines. Medical records were reviewed for data on seizure recurrence and seizure burden (clinical follow-up mean duration ± SD, 5±4years). Cases of typical HS (ILAE type I) predominated (ILAE type Ia: 41%, Ib: 47%, II: 11%, and III: 0.7%]. The HS subtypes shared similar demographic and etiologic characteristics, as well as associated pathology and postoperative seizure outcomes. Individuals with type Ib HS were more likely to remain seizure free at long-term follow-up when compared with other subtypes, and they had a later age of seizure onset. Two hundred forty-three cases (79%) demonstrated FCD within the adjacent temporal lobe. Its presence was associated with a significantly decreased risk of seizure recurrence (P=.02). When present, FCD was predominantly type I (98%). HS subtype does not appear to affect epilepsy surgery outcomes despite some clinical differences between the subgroups. FCD is often observed in association with HS in mesial temporal lobe epilepsy; the finding of FCD was associated with better postoperative outcomes.
Phosphodiesterase-4 inhibition restored hippocampal long term potentiation after primary blast.

Abstract Due to recent military conflicts and terrorist attacks, blast-induced traumatic brain injury (bTBI) presents a health concern for military and civilian personnel alike. Although secondary blast (penetrating injury) and tertiary blast (inertia-driven brain deformation) are known to be injurious, the effects of primary blast caused by the supersonic shock wave interacting with the skull and brain remain debated. Our group previously reported that in vitro primary blast exposure reduced long-term potentiation (LTP), the electrophysiological correlate of learning and memory, in rat organotypic hippocampal slice cultures (OHSCs) and that primary blast affects key proteins governing LTP. Recent studies have investigated phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibition as a therapeutic strategy for reducing LTP deficits following inertia-driven TBI. We investigated the therapeutic potential of PDE4 inhibitors, specifically roflumilast, to ameliorate primary blast-induced deficits in LTP. We found that roflumilast at concentrations of 1 nM or greater prevented deficits in neuronal plasticity measured 24 h post-injury. We also observed a therapeutic window of at least 6 h, but
Hometown Community Church: Opportunities and Challenges of Continued Growth

ABSTRACT: Hometown Community Church is a not-for-profit (NFP) organization that is faced with substantial attendee growth and the corresponding challenges that come with increasing demand. Located in the Midwest, Hometown Community Church has grown over the past several decades from a few dozen parishioners to a church with two building sites and increasing attendance. As growth continues, three alternatives are presented to help alleviate the space crunch. The business and accounting topics that this case addresses include: • The necessity and usefulness of accounting information in NFP enterprise decisions. • The need to make well-informed and well-analyzed choices when “business” is good, not just when “business” is bad. • The analysis, in a NFP, of management decision-making scenarios, such as make or buy, adding a second branch “store,” and capacity constraints. • The discussion of both quantitative and qualitative data in the decision-making process.
Combined arms command and control (CAC2): advanced technology demonstration (ATD)

The CAC2 ATD is a brigade and below command and control (C2) concept which leverages existing and emerging technologies to address goals of improving battle management, force synchronization, and situation awareness, through battlefield digitization. The ongoing objective of this concept is to automate and digitally integrate all friendly forces on the battlefield by providing an information-based digital system architecture at brigade and below to support horizontal and vertical integration capabilities that yield shared situation awareness, battlefield synchronization, and near real time target handover capabilities. The primary objective is to evolve and demonstrate a digital Systems Architecture, that supports the Army Battlefield Digitization goals, by providing near term Modeling and Simulation (MandS) and software products to support digitization Army Warfighting Experiments (AWEs) including Task Force XXI a live experiment scheduled at Fort Hood in 1997. The concept will be continually advanced by integrating new systems, technologies and tactics, as they evolve, into the iterative processes of analysis, modeling, simulation and demonstrations.
DUV laser lithography for photomask fabrication

In the recent past significant work has been done to isolate and characterize suitable single layer Chemically Amplified Resist (CAR) systems for DUV printing applicable to photomask fabrication. This work is complicated by the inherent instability of most DUV CAR systems, particularly in air, showing unacceptable CD degradation over the normal photomask write time in today’s DUV mask pattern generators. The high reflectivity of most photomask substrates at DUV wavelengths, creating unacceptable standing waves in the photo resist profile, further compounds this problem. A single layer CAR system suitable for 90nm technology node mask fabrication with DUV printing has been characterized and optimized. Results of this optimization in terms of relevant mask making parameters will be detailed. Furthermore, comparison of the properties of this resist system to other commercially available systems, including FEP-171, will be shown. The pattern fidelity of DUV laser generated masks has been studied in considerable detail. A demonstration of the capabilities of the Etec Systems ALTA 4300 will be shown. The pattern fidelity achieved will be compared/contrasted to that achieved with today’s leading edge 50KeV vector scan e-beam systems. Advanced methods for modulating the DUV printed patterns’ fidelity will be detailed. Finally, the cost and cycle time implications of inserting the DUV laser pattern generator into the mask manufacturing flow will be discussed.
The Orthomorphism Graph $\mathcal{L}_3(q)$

Orthomorphisms of groups and pairwise orthogonal orthomorphisms have been used in several constructions of combinatorial designs, in particular in the construction of mutually orthogonal sets of latin squares based on groups. In this paper we will use difference equations to construct orthomorphisms in $\mathcal{L}_3(q)$, an orthomorphism graph of $GF(q)^{+}\times GF(3)^+$, and to establish lower bounds for the number of pairwise orthogonal orthomorphisms in $\mathcal{L}_3(q)$.
Defining Successful Transition: Adult Provider Perspective

A successful transition for an adolescent or young adult with special health-care needs (AYASHCN) is not achieved just because that young adult has established with an adult primary care team. Many times transition fails either at the time of the initial appointment with an adult health-care team or shortly thereafter. In trying to define a successful transition from the perspective of adult providers receiving an AYASHCN, one needs only to look at the factors that adult providers value in all of their patient-physician relationships. To an adult provider, transition is successful when the AYASHCN has integrated into the adult practice, has come to trust the adult health-care team, and ideally has become an active partner in managing their health care. Additionally, because AYASHCN do have complex care needs, transition can be considered successful only when the relationships and interactions between the adult primary care medical home and the various subspecialists involved in the patient’s care function collaboratively, with good communication and with respect for the role of the primary care medical home as the coordinator and manager for the patient’s care as a whole.
Convergence analysis of fixed stress split iterative scheme for anisotropic poroelasticity with tensor Biot parameter

We perform a convergence analysis of the fixed stress split iterative scheme for the Biot system modeling coupled flow and deformation in anisotropic poroelastic media with tensor Biot parameter. The fixed stress split iterative scheme solves the flow subproblem with all components of the stress tensor frozen using a multipoint flux mixed finite element method, followed by the poromechanics subproblem using a conforming Galerkin method in every coupling iteration at each time step. The coupling iterations are repeated until convergence and Backward Euler is employed for time marching. The convergence analysis is based on studying the equations satisfied by the difference of iterates to show that the fixed stress split iterative scheme for anisotropic poroelasticity with Biot tensor is contractive. We also demonstrate that the scheme is numerically convergent using the classical Mandel’s problem solution for transverse isotropy.
Caterpillar Climbing: Robust, Tension-Based Omni-Directional Locomotion

Animals that must transition from horizontal to inclined or vertical surfaces typically change their locomotion strategy to compensate for the relative shift in gravitational forces. The species that have been studied have stiff articulated skeletons that allow them to redistribute ground reaction forces (GRFs) to control traction. Most also change their stepping patterns to maintain stability as they climb. In contrast, caterpillars, most of which are highly scansorial, soft-bodied, and lack rigid support or joints, can move with the same general kinematics in all orientations. In this study, we measure the GRFs exerted by the abdominal prolegs of Manduca sexta (Linnaeus) during locomotion. We show that, despite the orthogonal shift in gravitational forces, caterpillars use the same tension-based environmental skeleton strategy to crawl horizontally and to climb vertically. Furthermore, the transition from horizontal to vertical surfaces does not seem to require a change in gait; instead gravitational loading is used to help maintain a stance-phase body tension against which the muscles can pull the body upwards.
Structure–Activity Relationships of the Competence Stimulating Peptide in Streptococcus mutans Reveal Motifs Critical for Membrane Protease SepM Recognition and ComD Receptor Activation

Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans) is a Gram-positive human pathogen that is one of the major contributors to dental caries, a condition with an economic cost of over $100 billion per year in the United States. S. mutans secretes a 21-amino-acid peptide termed the competence stimulating peptide (21-CSP) to assess its population density in a process termed quorum sensing (QS) and to initiate a variety of phenotypes such as biofilm formation and bacteriocin production. 21-CSP is processed by a membrane bound protease SepM into active 18-CSP, which then binds to the ComD receptor. This study seeks to determine the molecular mechanism that ties 21-CSP:SepM recognition and 18-CSP:ComD receptor binding and to identify QS modulators with distinct activity profiles. To this end, we conducted systematic replacement of the amino acid residues in both 21-CSP and 18-CSP and assessed the ability of the mutated analogs to modulate QS. We identified residues that are important to SepM recognition and ComD receptor binding...
Effects of hydrology on spatial patterns of soil development in created riparian wetlands

Surficial soil development was studied in four wetland basins created on the floodplain of the Des Plaines River near Chicago, Illinois, USA. These studies determined changes in the spatial distribution of plant-available nutrients as a result of establishing two different wetland hydrologic regimes. Three wetland basins had mineral soils and one an organic soil. A geostatistical analysis including kriging of collected data indicated that all soil parameters showed significant changes in their spatial structure as a result of the water inputs and unidirectional flows. The degree of spatial variability as indicated by autocorrelation in the soil data (i.e., points closer to one another are more similar than points further apart due to the influence of landscape processes) declined for all parameters except Mg+2. Temporal changes in the spatial patterns of extractable phosphorus (P) and percent organic carbon (OC) tended to be inverse; P declined in areas where OC increased and vice versa. The spatial pattern of these changes was dissimilar in the mineral soils as compared to the organic soil and was related to patterns of primary productivity. Zones of P uptake and OC accumulation were also related to wetland hydrology and primary productivity. Changes in the distribution of nutrients, particularly P, may be viewed as a result of nutrient spirals within the wetlands. By comparison, the reorganization in the concentrations of K+ and Ca+2 appear to have been mediated by cation exchange processes. The formation of new concentration gradients was strongly related to both flow pathways and the different water inflow rates. The formation of concentration gradients in exchangeable cations was not reflected in the average concentrations within each basin. Mean values changed significantly in only a few instances. Reducing data in this way missed important biogeochemical changes occurring within the experimental wetland basins.
CX-01, an inhibitor of CXCL12/CXCR4 axis and of platelet factor 4 (PF4), with azacitidine (AZA) in patients with hypomethylating agent (HMA) refractory AML and MDS.

7027Background: Outcomes are poor for older patients with AML and MDS who progress on HMAs. Blocking the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis may be therapeutic as this is essential for retention of malignant stem ce...
Effect of Medicaid Expansion on Colorectal Cancer Screening Rates.

BACKGROUND:Colorectal cancer screening decreases incidence and improves survival. Minorities and low-income patients have lower screening rates. The Affordable Care Act increased insurance coverage for low-income Americans by funding Medicaid expansion. Not all states expanded Medicaid. The effect o
Colocalization of distinct NMDA receptor subtypes at excitatory synapses in the entorhinal cortex.

The subunit composition of a N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, which dictates most aspects of its function, can vary between neurons in different brain regions and/or between synaptic inputs on...
Factors Influencing Georgia Legislators' Decision-Making on Nurse Practitioner Scope of Practice.

The state of Georgia faces challenges in providing access to care, largely due to rural hospital closures and physician shortages. Although nurse practitioners (NPs) could help address Georgia's ur...
Identification of bone involvement in patients with prostate cancer recurrence using 18F-fluciclovine PET/CT and impact on subsequent management.

248Background: Bone is the most frequent site of metastasis in prostate cancer. Accurate localization of recurrence following primary treatment can help optimize salvage therapy. Positron emission ...
Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis- the importance of patient education

Hypokalemic periodic paralysis (HOKPP) is a rare neuromuscular disorder caused by altered transport of cellular potassium that leads to significant muscle weakness of the extremities. Paralytic attacks are induced by a drop in the serum potassium level and they have been associated with specific triggers. This case describes a 21-year-old male who has had recurrent presentations of acute paralytic attacks following vigorous physical activity. At presentation, this patient exhibited flaccid paralysis of all skeletal muscles below the neck, but was alert and oriented with stable vital signs. The patient was found to have a potassium level of 2.1 mmol/L and an EKG demonstrating U waves (characteristic of hypokalemia). The patient was treated with potassium supplementation with resolution of symptoms. The mainstay of prevention of long term permanent muscle weakness is avoidance of triggers that can lead to hypokalemia. Through education on disease process and lifestyle modifications, we were able to end the cycle of recurrent hospital readmissions and the subsequent financial burden this generated for the patient and his family.
Matrix Properties and Concepts

The title of this book, Matrix Iterative Analysis, suggests that we might consider here all matrix numerical methods which are iterative in nature. However, such an ambitious goal is in fact replaced by the more practical one where we seek to consider in some detail that smaller branch of numerical analysis concerned with the efficient solution, by means of iteration, of matrix equations arising from discrete approximations to partial differential equations. These matrix equations are generally characterized by the property that the associated square matrixes are sparse, i.e., a large percentage of the entries of these matrices are zero. Furthermore, the nonzero entries of these matrices occur in some natural pattern, which, relative to a digital computer, permits even very large-order matrices to be efficiently stored. Cyclic iterative methods are ideally suited for such matrix equations, since each step requires relatively little digital computer storage or arithmetic computation. As an example of the magnitude of problems that have been successfully solved on digital computers by cyclic iterative methods, the Bettis Atomic Power Laboratory of the Westinghouse Electric Corporation had in daily use in 1960 a two-dimensional program which would treat, as a special case, Laplacian-type matrix equations of order 20,000.
Empirically Investigating the Source of the Repeat Player Effect in Consumer Arbitration

Policymakers, courts, and scholars have long been interested in whether repeat players enjoy an advantage in forced arbitration. Sophisticated empirical studies of consumer and employment awards reveal that there is indeed a repeat player effect: even controlling for other factors, companies that arbitrate more than once boast higher win rates than one-shot firms. However, researchers have not yet tried to determine whether this repeat player effect is a product of experience within the arbitral forum (the “experience” hypothesis) or characteristics of the repeat playing companies themselves (the “defendant-specific” hypothesis). This Article begins to address this issue by analyzing 4,570 consumer arbitration awards from the American Arbitration Association. Using a unique regression specification that includes both discrete and continuous random variables (a combination of functional forms not used in previous literature), it finds that the repeat player effect is more consistent with the defendant-specific hypothesis than it is with the experience hypothesis. Indeed, to the extent that repeat-playing businesses enjoy an advantage in arbitration, it likely emanates from company-specific characteristics.
Thin-layer chromatographic analysis of flower color phenotypes in Dendranthema grandiflorum Ramatuelle inbreds and clonal cultivars

Four glasshouse and 13 garden chrysanthemum cultivars or inbred seedlings from the color groups white, yellow, pink/purple, and orange/red/bronze were analyzed with thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for qualitative and quantitative pigment constituents. TLC confirmed the presence of eight carotenoids in yellow and bronze cultivars. Qualitative differences exised only for spots 5–8. Rf values for lutein matched those of spot 4. Flavonoid analysis of purples and bronzes revealed two anthocyanidins, one of which was cyanidin, one flavone, and two phenylpropanoids. White cultivars had four phenylpropanoids, two of which were caffeic and ferulic acids. In most cases, inbred and non-inbred cultivars within a given phenotypic class did not exhibit qualitative differences. Color analysis could be pursued at any level of inbreeding, but inheritance studies would be severely hampered using non-inbred genotypes of this hexaploid floricultural crop.
Comparing Extracted and Stipulated Definitions in Algebra 1 Textbooks and Khan Academy

Previous research has established the importance of definitions in mathematics and have distinguished the difference between extracted and stipulated definitions. Much remains unknown, however, about the role definitions serve in developing students’ disciplinary literacy. In this study, we analyze how definitions from four US Algebra 1 textbooks and Khan Academy define vocabulary in the context of quadratics. Results show that Khan Academy tends to use extracted definitions, where textbooks tend to use stipulated definitions. Implications from this study are that there is a need to teach students both stipulated and extracted definitions
Comparison of PTSD Symptom Centrality in Two College Student Samples

Network analysis is becoming more widely used as a method of understanding the structure and potential causal and influential relationships between symptoms within and across psychiatric syndromes such as posttraumatic stress disorder. Because large samples are often needed to yield more stable findings in network analysis, researchers often struggle to overcome limitations associated with small sample size. So, researchers often combine samples to ensure appropriate statistical power for analyses. Little research has been done, however, to determine whether such strategies are appropriate. The present study evaluates the network structure and indices of two college student samples (N = 668 and 456) from mid-sized cities to examine similarities and differences that might inform whether similar samples can be combined for network analysis. The findings suggest that the overall network structures are not different based on a network comparison analysis; however, centrality stability coefficients for centrality indices across both networks were below recommended cut-offs, indicating that the networks were generally unstable. We discuss the implications for these findings in the paper, highlighting that network comparison alone is likely insufficient in determining whether or not to combine samples for network analysis.
Maximum Removal Efficiency of Barium, Strontium, Radium, and Sulfate with Optimum AMD-Marcellus Flowback Mixing Ratios for Beneficial Use in the Northern Appalachian Basin.

Mixing of acid mine drainage (AMD) and hydraulic fracturing flowback fluids (HFFF) could represent an efficient management practice to simultaneously manage two complex energy wastewater streams while reducing freshwater resource consumption. AMD discharges offer generally high sulfate concentrations, especially from the bituminous coal region of Pennsylvania; unconventional Marcellus shale gas wells generally yield HFFF enriched in alkaline earth metals such as Sr and Ba, known to cause scaling issues in oil and gas (O&G) production. Mixing the two waters can precipitate HFFF-Ba and -Sr with AMD-SO4, therefore removing them from solution. Four AMD discharges and HFFF from two unconventional Marcellus shale gas wells were characterized and mixed in batch reactors for 14 days. Ba could be completely removed from solution within 1 day of mixing in the form BaxSr1-xSO4 and no further significant precipitation occurred after 2 days. Total removal efficiencies of Ba + Sr + SO4 and the proportion of Ba and Sr in BaxSr1-xSO4 depended upon the Ba/Sr ratio in the initial HFFF. A geochemical model was calibrated from batch reactor data and used to identify optimum AMD-HFFF mixing ratios that maximize total removal efficiencies (Ba + Sr + SO4) for reuse in O&G development. Increasing Ba/Sr ratios can enhance total removal efficiency but decrease the efficiency of Ra removal. Thus, treatment objectives and intended beneficial reuse need to be identified prior to optimizing the treatment of HFFF with AMD.
Chapter 137 – PX Domains

Publisher Summary The phox (phagocyte oxidase) homology (PX) domains are members of an expanding family of established phosphoinositide-binding domains that includes PH domains, FYVE domains, C2 domains, ENTH domains, and tubby domains. The large differences in structure between these domains suggest that their lipid-binding function arose through the convergent evolution of different structures for the same biological function of lipid binding. Additionally, the PX domain has been shown to participate in a variety of lipid binding-independent functions by acting as a protein–protein interaction module. The examples presented in this chapter show how the understanding of the functional roles that PX domains play in the regulation of their parent proteins has progressed, and it will be important for future work to further elucidate their various mechanisms of action.
Bilirubin-Coated Radioluminescent Particles for Radiation-InducedPhotodynamic Therapy

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) has shown potential as a cancer treatment modality, but its clinical application is limited due to its visible light activation since visible wavelengths of light cannot ...
FDA Regulation and Approval of Medical Devices: 1976-2020.

Importance US law generally requires testing of high-risk medical devices prior to approval, as well as premarket evaluation of moderate-risk medical devices, with the goal of ensuring that the benefits of these products exceed their risks. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) attempts to balance the need for evidence generation with an approval process that facilitates access and encourages innovation. Objective To review the development of laws and standards affecting the evaluation and oversight of medical devices by the US regulatory system and the outcomes of this system from 1976 to 2020. Evidence Review Laws enacted by US Congress and regulations promulgated by the FDA through 2020; databases maintained by the FDA of device authorizations from 1976 to 2020; and annual reports of user fees paid to the FDA by industry. Findings Since Congress and the FDA initiated premarket review of medical devices in 1976, some fundamental innovations in the device regulation system have included special pathways to accelerate availability of investigational devices, more flexible evidence and review requirements, and increased funding to the FDA through industry-paid user fees. From 1987 to 2020, the annual number of novel devices granted premarket approval (which excludes supplements) ranged from 8 to 56 (median, 32), and the number of clearances for 510(k) devices (those that are “substantially equivalent” to marketed devices) ranged from 2804 to 5762 (median, 3404). User fee funding for devices was established in 2002 and annual fees collected increased from $30 million in 2003 (in 2019 dollars) to more than $208 million in 2019; this represented 43% of FDA funding related to the review of medical devices. Although many new devices have led to considerable patient benefit, such as hypodermic needles and magnetic resonance imaging machines, important adverse events caused by some devices, such as an implanted device for birth control and a surgical mesh implant for pelvic organ prolapse, have led to calls to reexamine the regulatory system for such products. Conclusions and Relevance Over the last 45 years, medical device regulation has become more complex, with more regulatory pathways and greater variations in the evidence and controls required for authorization. Increased FDA support from industry and concern about flexible authorization requirements reflect the tension between efficient access and the need for assurances that products will safely benefit patients.
JPSS-3 VIIRS prelaunch geometric calibration and characterization status

The NASA/NOAA Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) is a key instrument in the JPSS missions (SNPP, JPSS-1-4). Being part of the calibration and validation process, JPSS-3 VIIRS prelaunch geometric performance assessment focuses on the sensor’s spatial response, band-to-band co-registration(BBR), and pointing knowledge. In general, JPSS-3 VIIRS’ prelaunch geometric performance is very good, and consistent with SNPP and JPSS-1-2 VIIRS sensors. This paper highlights some specific key findings from the JPSS-3 VIIRS’ prelaunch tests. We firs t s how that with timing adjustments, JPSS-3 VIIRS scan BBR error between VisNIR and S/M/LWIR bands has been reduced from 0.12/0.03 M sampling intervals to 0.005/0.002 M sampling intervals, respectively. Focal Plane Assembly (FPA) rotations have beenchangedfrom0.1 degree to 0.04 degree in VisVIR, from 0.18 degree to 0.09 degree in S/MWIR, and 0.16 degree to 0.08 degree in LWIR. Another finding from the pre launch test is that JPSS-3 VIIRS has relatively large band-to-band co-registration errors between VisNIR and S/M/LWIR bands in the track direction. This BBR mis - registration increases when aft‐optics assembly (AOA) temperature decreases. The BBRmis-registration is about 0.10 M sampling intervals between VisNIR and S/MWIR bands, and 0.08 M sampling intervals between Vis NIR and LW IR bands. By comparison, the track BBR offset in JPSS-2 is less than 0.02 M sampling intervals between VisNIR and S/M/LWIR bands. We also notice that the unsymmetrical Day Night Band (DNB) scan-direction Line Spread Function (LSF) of JPSS-2 VIIRS at different gain stages and aggregation modes have been corrected in J3 VIIRS.
Shakespeare and the Force of Modern Performance

Introduction: dramatic performativity and the force of performance 1. Performing history 2. Globe performativity 3. Shakespearean geographies 4. Cyber-performance.
The intermittent endotracheal intubation technique for the treatment of recurrent atelectasis.

Thirty-five out of a total of 36 episodes of significant atelectasis in six patients were successfully treated using an intermittent endotracheal intubation technique (IIT). No complications were encountered even though the procedure was repeated as frequently as every 12 hours for days. This technique is most advantageous in treating recurrent atelectasis in infants with certain known predisposing factors, and thus obviates the use of bronchoscopy and the complications of prolonged endotracheal intubation and tracheostomy.
Observations of the interstellar K I lambda4044 line

Equivalent widths of interstellar K I lambda4044 lines were measured toward three stars in order to resolve uncertainties in the interstellar column densities of K I due to possible saturation of the stronger K I lambda7699 line. Toward rho Oph, N/sub KI/ = 1.7 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/; while toward HD 195592, N/sub KI/ < 8.8 x 10/sup 12/ cm/sup -2/. The latter limit is an order of magnitude less than the published result, which was based on the lambda7699 line. 1 table.
Disposition of clofibrate in the rat. Acute and chronic administration.

The disposition of 1-[14C]clofibrate (0.4 mmolekg) was studied in rats after acute (single dose) and chronic (b.i.d., for 14 days) administration. With a single dose (orally or by intraperitoneal injection) of clofibrate, most (~90 per cent) of the 14C-dose appeared in the urine within 24 hr and the recovery of 14C from the urine and feces was nearly quantitative within 72 hr. Little fecal excretion of 14C (< 5 per cent) occurred after a single or chronic clofibrate administration. Clofibrate was readily absorbed and eliminated, as evidenced by a rapid increase in plasma 14C level within 90 min and a calculated biological half-life of 4.1 hr. The pharmacokinetic profile of 14C-elimination in rats was unaffected by pretreatment with cholestyramine. Clofibric acid [2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-2-methylpropionic acid] was identified as the major metabolite in plasma (~97 per cent) whereas the glucuronide of clofibric acid was the main urinary and biliary metabolite (~96 per cent). Clofibric acid, as the free acid and glucuronide form, accounted for 99 per cent of the total 14C-dose in rats, and unchanged clofibrate was not detected in any of the biological samples. Two unidentified, minor urinary metabolites were also detected. In cannulated bile duct studies, it was found that [14C]clofibrate, as clofibric acid, was rapidly and efficiently excreted in the bile. The biliary excretion rates of 14C and of the glucuronide of clofibric acid were also not altered by phenobarbital pretreatment. Chronic treatment with [14C]clofibrate did not alter the qualitative or quantitative nature of biotransformation in vivo. An increased rate of urinary 14C-elimination was observed following chronic 1-[14C]clofibrate treatment, with concomitant reductions in blood and heart 14C-content and an elevation in 14C-content of epididymal fat tissue. Subcellular fractionation of liver, from rats given [14C]clofibrate chronically, indicated an increased distribution of 14C into mitochondria and peroxisomes. Tissue 14C-levels, achieved in these in vivo studies, were an order of magnitude lower than those required for the pharmacological activities of clofibrate and clofibric acid in vitro.
Purchasing for libraries and information centers: Part IIA—Bids and contracts

Library and information managers have become increasingly concerned about the fiscal management functions in their organizations as they have watched inflation erode the purchasing power of their budgets. Since these managers have introduced participatory management as standard practice in making decisions relating to the operations of their organizations, staff members are finding that they need to understand more managerial concepts. Among these are concepts and definitions associated with the purchasing process. Most purchasing activities, with the exception of books and related materials, are coordinated by a central purchasing agent or office of the parent organization or entity in which libraries and information centers are a part. However, this does not preclude many of the activities associated with the purchasing function being shared by the central purchasing agent with librarians or information personnel. Bids and contracts are considered by most purchasing professionals to be two of the major elements of the purchasing process. Therefore, the purposes of this article are to provide a conceptual understanding of bids and contracts and to provide a set of guidelines for competitive bidding and contracts.
Calixarenes, 19. Studies of the formation of calixarenes via condensation of p-alkylphenols and formaldehyde†

The base-induced reaction of p-alkyl substituted phenols with formaldehyde yields oligomers which, in some cases, are cyclic [1,1,1,1]-metacyclophames known as calixarenes. The present work attempts to provide insight into the mechanism of calixarene formation by studying various facets of the reaction, including the effect on the product distribution (i.e. cyclic tetramer, cyclic pentamer, cyclic hexamer, cyclic heptamer, and cyclic octamer) of (a) reactant ratios, temperature, solvent, and cation, (b) starting oligomer (i.e. monohydroxymethyl or dihydroxymethyl monomer phenol, dimer phenol, trimer phenol, or tetramer phenol), and (c) p-alkyl group of the starting phenol. Product analyses were carried out by isolation and TLC methods in some cases and by HPLC methods in others. On the basis of the data that have been obtained it is postulated that (a) the calix[8]arenes are the product of kinetic control and are formed via a hemicalix[8]arene arising from intermolecular association between a pair of hydroxymethylated linear tetramers, (b) the calix[6]arenes are the product, in part, of template control and may be formed via a hemicalix[6]arene anion arising from intermolecular association between a pair of hemicalixarene anions from hydroxymethylated linear trimers, and (c) the calix[4]arenes are the product of thermodynamic control and can be formed via ring contraction of the calix[8]arenes and the calix[6]arenes.
The plasticizer BBP selectively inhibits epigenetic regulator sirtuins.

The plasticizer benzyl butyl phthalate (BBP) is a well-known endocrine disruptor. Widespread human exposure to phthalates has raised substantial public concern due to its detrimental health effects. However, molecular mechanisms of the phthalates effect require elucidation. In this study, we analyzed: 1) the binding interaction of several phthalates and persistent organic pollutants with epigenetic regulator sirtuins and 2) the effect of BBP on the sirtuins in HepG2 cells. AutoDock molecular docking analysis showed that BBP binds to Sirt1 and Sirt3 proteins similarly to the native ligands with shortest binding free energies (ΔGb) of -7.35 and -8.3 kcal/mol, respectively; and inhibition constants (Ki) of 4.07 μM and 0.82 μM, respectively. Furthermore, BBP was superimposed onto the co-crystallized ligands within the least root-mean-square deviation (RMSD) of 0.96A and 1.55A for Sirt1 and Sirt3, respectively, and bound into the sites with a sufficient number of hydrogen bonds, implying the best fit compared to other sirtuins. In HepG2 cells, BBP significantly down-regulated Sirt1 and Sirt3 (p<0.05) gene expression at a concentration as low as 10nM; other sirtuins remained unaffected. Consistent with decreased gene expression, Sirt1 and Sirt3 protein levels were significantly decreased at 48 h (p<0.05). In addition, mitochondrial biogenesis regulators PGC-1α, NRF-1, and NRF-2, were decreased (p<0.05). SiRNA studies showed that BBP did not regulate PGC-1α via sirtuin and BBP requires sirtuin's presence to regulate NRF-1 or NRF-2. BBP significantly increased ROS production (p<0.05) and ROS may be chiefly regulated by NRF-1 and NRF-2 in HepG2 cells under Sirt1 and Sirt3 silenced condition. This is the first report to demonstrate that BBP selectively disrupts specific sirtuins in HepG2 cells. In conclusion, our study suggests that BBP can impair two vital epigenetic regulators and mitochondrial biogenesis regulators in liver cells.
Reproducir y transformar la didáctica de las ciencias en un ambiente colaborativo

La adopcion de nuevas perspectivas teoricas arroja nueva luz sobre las formas en que las personas experimentan la vida social y como le dan sentido a la participacion en sus vidas cotidianas. Reflexiono sobre las diferentes posibilidades de una nueva y estimulante era de investigacion y estudios en didactica de las ciencias, especialmente en lo referente a la interseccion entre investigacion, politicas y practicas profesionales. Durante casi 40 anos he seguido dos lineas de investigacion paralelas: ciencia del aprendizaje y la ensenanza y aprender a ensenar ciencias. Continuamente he desarrollado los marcos teoricos para mejorar la calidad de mi investigacion, cambiando los focos de interes y los metodos de investigacion, y favoreciendo cambios simultaneos en temas identificados como significativos. Por ejemplo, la ensenanza y el aprendizaje fueron teorizados como asociados a cultura y la dialectica, modelos que previamente enfatizaban la agencia humana incluyeron la pasividad, y las emociones se enmarcaron como partes permanentemente presentes en la didactica de las ciencias. Presento la revision de una investigacion en dialogo cogenerativo como ejemplo de un enfoque colaborativo a la didactica de las ciencias, lo cual promete resolver muchos de los problemas que persisten. Los participantes en el dialogo cogenerativo ampliaron su agencia y aprendieron a colaborar con otros que eran social y culturalmente diferentes a ellos. La investigacion en dialogo cogenerativo destaca el potencial de construir la educacion en torno a la colaboracion, rechazando asi la maxima hegemonica de que la efectividad en la didactica de las ciencias necesita someterse a metaforas tales como la competicion, el individualismo y el control sobre los demas.
Effect of predation threat on repeatability of individual crab behavior revealed by mark-recapture

The persistence of behavioral types in situ and the drivers of persistence are central to predicting the ecological effects of intraspecific behavioral variation. We surveyed individual refuge use of mud crabs (Panopeus herbstii), a behavior related to the strength of a trait-mediated trophic cascade in oyster reefs, in the absence and presence of toadfish (Opsanus tau) predation threat. We then released these crabs into the field and using mark-recapture, measured the repeatability of this behavior in the absence and presence of threat, and how behavioral change was affected by time in the field (a month on average, up to 81 days), crab size, and sex. Because crabs exhibited some evidence of a circatidal rhythm in refuge use, we also tested how tidal height during observation influenced behavioral change. Predation threat increased refuge use, and small crabs used the refuge more than large crabs, particularly under threat. In recaptured crabs, refuge use was more repeatable under threat. Neither time in the field, crab size, crab sex, nor tidal height had any effect on behavioral change. Our results support the non-mutually exclusive hypotheses that (1) prey organisms in the presence, rather than absence, of predation threat should exhibit less behavioral variability because the fear of dying (a severe fitness consequence) should take precedence over less immediately important influences on behavior (e.g., hunger) and that (2) individual behaviors tied to fixed traits (e.g., the body size dependence of refuge use under threat in this study), rather than variable traits, should be more repeatable over time.
The French Lycees de jeunes filles in International Perspective, 1878-1910.

In preparing the law that established the French system of public secondary schools for girls, Camille See and his supporters conducted a major survey of female education in other countries. Yet they used the information gathered much more to demonstrate French backwardness than to provide guidelines for the new schools; with regard to the possibility of male directors and of teaching ancient languages to girls, foreign evidence was brushed aside. Alternative models of municipal or private schools, as well as of coeducational institutions, received little attention. After creation of the girls' lycees, many foreign observers commented on them but only Belgium adopted a similar law. Contrary to the usual picture of German influence on French institutions in this era, several Germans did advocate imitating aspects of the girls' lycees.