cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Designer Transgenic Algae for Photobiological Production of Hydrogen from Water

This chapter reports two inventions: designer proton-channel algae (US Patent No. 7,932,437 B2) and designer switchable photosystem-II algae (US Patent No. 7,642,405 B2), for more efficient and robust photobiological production of hydrogen (H2) from water. Use of these inventions could eliminate the following six technical problems that severely limit the yield of algal H2 production: (1) restriction of photosynthetic H2 production by accumulation of a proton gradient, (2) competitive inhibition of photosynthetic H2 production by CO2, (3) requirement of bicarbonate binding at photosystem-II (PSII) for efficient photosynthetic activity, (4) competitive drainage of electrons by O2 in algal H2 production, (5) oxygen sensitivity of algal hydrogenase, and (6) the H2–O2 gas separation and safety issue. By eliminating these six technical problems that currently challenge those in the field, the designer algae approach could enhance photobiological production of hydrogen with a yield likely over ten times better than that of the wild-type.
Psychosocial Impact of Epilepsy in Older Adults

Objective: The purpose of our study was to describe the quality of life of older adults with seizures or epilepsy and compare its psychosocial impact between those who were new diagnosed and those diagnosed before the age of 65. Methods: In-depth face to face interviews with open ended questions were conducted with two participant groups: Incident group: 42 older adults (>65 years) with new onset or newly diagnosed after age of 65; and Prevalent group: 15 older adults (>65 years) diagnosed before age of 65. Interviews were reviewed and coded using a list of themes and results were compared between the two groups. Eight topics were selected from the participants’ responses to questions about the psychosocial impact of epilepsy and seizures. The topics were then analyzed and compared between the two groups. Results: The topics analyzed were: Emotional and physical impact, significant life changes, co-morbidities, information gathering, stigma, AED side effects, changes in relationships and attitude toward diagnosis. Conclusion: We concluded that the age at onset and duration does seem to have a negative correlation with health related quality of life. However, the perceived health status of older adults with chronic epilepsy was significantly better and reflected in their more positive approach to the diagnosis of seizures or epilepsy probably because they have had a longer opportunity to learn to cope with their diagnosis.
Effect of Temperature and Safeners on Glutathione Levels and Glutathione S-Transferase Activity in Maize

Studies were conducted to determine the biochemical aspects of chloroacetamide injury to maize and the mechanism by which safeners maintain herbicide tolerance, even at reduced temperatures. The objectives of these studies were threefold: one, determine whether gluta­thione (GSH) content varies in maize plants grown at three different temperatures in safener-treated and non-treated plants; two, determine whether glutathione S-transferase (GST) activ­ity varies in plants grown at different temperatures; and three, determine if GSH activity is sensitive to low temperatures in vitro. The herbicide safeners CGA -154281 [4-(dichloroacetyl)-3,4-dihydro-3-methyl-2 H-1 ,4-benzoxazine] and dichlormid [2,2-dichloro-N,N-di-2-propenylacetamide] were used with metolachlor [2-chloro-N-(2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-n-(2-methoxy-1-methyl)acetamide] or acetochlor [2-chloro-N-(ethoxymethyl)-N-2-ethyl-6-methylphenyl)-acetamide], respectively, to determine the mechanisms of maize tolerance. CGA -154281 signifi­cantly increased GSH levels in maize seedlings grown at 27 °C compared to non-safened seed­lings, however significant differences were not seen at 17 or 37 °C. Dichlormid increased GSH levels by 1.6-fold at all growth temperatures. Both CGA -154281 and dichlormid increased GST activity significantly at all growth temperatures. The safener-induced GST activity was main­tained at in vitro incubation temperatures of 5 and 15 °C for acetochlor and metolachlor, re­spectively. In contrast, GST activity from non-safened tissue was essentially absent at these temperatures. Therefore, greater GST activity following safener treatment may result in higher levels of herbicide metabolism, even at low temperatures.
Deep Trance Subjects: A Schema of Two Distinct Subgroups

This chapter will review previous research on characteristics of deep trance subjects with special attention to the trait of fantasy proneness. Then a study will be presented which distinguishes two types of deep trance subjects. One fits the characterization of fantasy proneness and the other is distinguished by dissociative phenomena.
Small Bowel Access for Jejunostomy Tube Feedings in Gastroparesis

The health care ramifications of gastroparesis (GP) can be significant. It has been estimated that patients with severe GP can have health-related costs of about US$7,000.00/month. Although there are a variety of pharmacologic, surgical, and medical device interventions available for patients with gastroparesis, there is a group of “refractory” patients who do not respond to treatment or partially respond to current treatments. It is in this group that we find patients who are at risk for fluid, electrolyte, and nutrient deficits. In addition, the erratic availability of macronutrients leads to the inability to effectively control blood sugars in patients with diabetes and gastroparesis. It is not unusual to see weight loss occur as there is a chronic inability to reliably consume calories over time. For patients who fail to stabilize their weight with diet enteral nutrition (EN) is indicated. The delivery of EN into the patient with gastroparesis would require enteral access into the small bowel in order to bypass the gastroparetic stomach. Enteral access into the small bowel can be temporary (nasoenteric) or long-term (percutaneous). In general, temporary small bowel access is used to demonstrate small bowel feeding tolerance prior to putting in a more permanent jejunostomy tube. This chapter reviews the various techniques for small bowel access and reviews the use of small bowel feeding for patients with gastroparesis.
Exploiting Bi-Stability to Enhance Energy Capture From Turbulent Flows

This paper investigates utilizing a nonlinear (bi-stable) restoring force to enhance the transduction of galloping energy harvesters in turbulent flows. To that end, a harvester consisting of a piezoelectric cantilever beam augmented with a square-sectioned bluff body at the free end is considered. Two repulsive magnets located at the tip of the beam are used to introduce the bi-stable restoring force. Turbulence is generated in a wind tunnel using static-grid structures located in the upstream of the bluff body. Three different mesh screens with square bars are designed with different bar and mesh widths to control the Reynolds numbers and associated turbulence intensity. A series of wind tunnel tests are then used to experimentally investigate the response of the harvester with and without the tip magnets. Results demonstrate that the bi-stable restoring force can be used to improve the output power of the harvester for sufficiently large turbulence intensities.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
The Foundational Importance of Participation: A Response to Professor Flanders

In this solicited piece for the Oklahoma Law Review symposium on election law, I examine the theoretical underpinning of the right to vote as inherent in citizens in our democracy. This flows from the notion that voting is a foundational concept for our entire democratic regime and, indeed, the most fundamental right individuals enjoy. Both developing and long-standing democracies have embraced the individual right to vote as a first principle to their democratic structures and constitutional order; the United States should be no different. Participation is important because it provides the bedrock foundation for everything that follows in a democracy. This broader concept of voting and participation as a foundational right places an affirmative duty on governments to create an easy voting process and avoid unreasonable obstacles, even if the barriers impact everyone the same. That is, governments should not lose every election lawsuit, as they have legitimate regulatory concerns and economic limitations, but courts should more strictly review election rules to be consistent with the foundational understanding of the right to vote.
Differential response of muscle and gastric histidine decarboxylase to compound 48/80 and dietary calcium.

AbstractPrevious work from this laboratory had indicated that in vivo, histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity was stimulated by compound 48/80 in rat leg muscle, and that high dietary calcium had a stimulating effect on gastric HDC activity. In the present investigations the 48/80 effect was also observed in vitro in leg muscle extracts from rats, chicks, and guinea pigs. Compound 48/80 had no effect in vitro on histamine metabolism of gastric tissue homogenates in any of the animal species studied. A dietary effect of high calcium intake was noted in rat gastric tissue but not in rat leg muscle. In vitro addition of 48/80 and/or calcium had no stimulatory effect on bacterial HDC or on muscle carnosinase activity. These findings, in conjunction with a comparison of stomach and leg muscle mast cell populations, confirm an HDC stimulatory role for 48/80 in muscle, in addition to its histamine-releasing function from mast cells.
BESIDE TOOLS FOR STRATIFICATION OF THE ETIOLOGY OF CARDIAC HYPERTROPHY

Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a common finding in multiple different cardiovascular conditions including hypertension, infiltrative amyloid, myocardial storage disorders and sarcomeric hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). We aimed to identify novel techniques for bedside stratification of LVH
Observations on the course of fibrinolysis.

SummaryThe time course of fibrinolysis was observed by release of solubilized protein from washed clots. The slope of the resulting curve was proportional to the amount of plasminogen incorporated into the clots; plasminogen added after clotting did not alter the maximum rate of lysis. With a constant amount of plasminogen, the rate of fibrin lysis was a measure of the amount of activator added.
THE FIXED POINT PROPERTY AND CARTESIAN PRODUCTS

(1982). The Fixed Point Property and Cartesian Products. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 89, No. 9, pp. 654-678.
Structure and properties of the semiconductors Tl 2SnAs 2Q 6 (Q = S, Se)

We describe the Tl2SnAs2Q6, (Q= S, Se) compounds which consist of [SnAs2S6]2- layers with the Tl+ cations lying in between. Tl2SnAs2S6 and Tl2SnAs2Se6 crystallize in the space group P-3 with a = 6.706(4) A, c = 7.187(6) A and a = 6.996(3) A, c = 7.232(4) A respectively. These compounds are semiconductors with band gaps of 1.68 eV for the sulfide and 1.08 eV for selenide corresponding to their dark red and black colors respectively. Band structure calculations suggest indirect band gaps in these materials.
3D optical imagery for motion compensation in a limb ultrasound system

Conventional processes for prosthetic socket fabrication are heavily subjective, often resulting in an interface to the human body that is neither comfortable nor completely functional. With nearly 100% of amputees reporting that they experience discomfort with the wearing of their prosthetic limb, designing an effective interface to the body can significantly affect quality of life and future health outcomes. Active research in medical imaging and biomechanical tissue modeling of residual limbs has led to significant advances in computer aided prosthetic socket design, demonstrating an interest in moving toward more quantifiable processes that are still patient-specific. In our work, medical ultrasonography is being pursued to acquire data that may quantify and improve the design process and fabrication of prosthetic sockets while greatly reducing cost compared to an MRI-based framework. This paper presents a prototype limb imaging system that uses a medical ultrasound probe, mounted to a mechanical positioning system and submerged in a water bath. The limb imaging is combined with three-dimensional optical imaging for motion compensation. Images are collected circumferentially around the limb and combined into cross-sectional axial image slices, resulting in a compound image that shows tissue distributions and anatomical boundaries similar to magnetic resonance imaging. In this paper we provide a progress update on our system development, along with preliminary results as we move toward full volumetric imaging of residual limbs for prosthetic socket design. This demonstrates a novel multi-modal approach to residual limb imaging.
Abstract B07: Design and preliminary outcomes of a study to reduce cancer-associated reactive metabolite levels in breast cancer survivors – The RCAM Study

Breast cancer (BCa) is the 2nd leading cause of cancer death in women in the US. African American (AA) women have higher BCa mortality rates and higher obesity rates compared to other women. It is well known that exercise and a healthier diet can improve prognosis among BCa survivors but little is known about their positive effects on common biological pathways involved in BCa recurrence. The RCAM Study is a 1-year study designed to identify bio-behavioral pathways that may impact BCa recurrence. The study evaluates the effect of the intervention on a novel biomarker associated with cancer recurrence advanced glycation end products (AGEs). The intervention, adapted from the highly successful Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP), consists of a 12-week physical activity and dietary counseling program. The supervised physical activity component is conducted twice a week at a local health system9s cardiopulmonary rehabilitation center; the individualized dietary counseling component is conducted weekly at the health system9s weight management center. The study participants consist of overweight or obese women who received surgery for invasive BCa and who are within 36 months of diagnosis. In addition, adjuvant therapy must have been received at least four weeks prior to study enrollment. To date, 10 participants have completed the 12-week intervention and will be followed for 1 year. Preliminary ELISA data from blood samples collected pre- and post-12 week intervention show significant post-intervention reductions in inflammatory biomarker levels. Commensurate decreases in body mass, resting heart rate, and blood pressure were also seen. The average pre-/post-intervention decrease in AGE levels was not as dramatic for the AA participants, most of whom were morbidly obese at enrollment, as for the European American (EA) women, most of whom were overweight at enrollment. These data demonstrate the high potential of the RCAM intervention in improving prognosis among BCa survivors and show the need to tailor the intervention to meet the specific needs of AA women. Citation Format: Marvella E. Ford, David P. Turner, Mathew J. Gregoski, Lindsay L. Peterson, Kendrea D. Knight, Ebony J. Hilton, Gayenell Magwood. Design and preliminary outcomes of a study to reduce cancer-associated reactive metabolite levels in breast cancer survivors – The RCAM Study. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eighth AACR Conference on The Science of Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; Nov 13-16, 2015; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2016;25(3 Suppl):Abstract nr B07.
A preliminary study on obstructive sleep apnea syndrome in children

Objective To evaluate the clinical features and methods for diagnosis and the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in children Methods Eight cases with OSAS were reviewed and the apnea hypoventilation index (AHI) was calculated, meanwhile the transcutaneous oxygen saturation (TcSO 2) was monitored during sleep and the response to the treatment was observed Results Recurrent respiratory tract infection (RRTI) was the leading reason in all cases brought for consulting by the parents The adenotonsillar hypertrophy and the loud snoring during sleep were found respectively in 7 cases The AHI value was 7 9±2 7 and the TcSO 2 decreased 7 8% averagely during sleep Tonsillectomy was performed in 5 cases and the nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) was used in 2 cases, it was showed that these procedures were effective Conclusion (1) RRTI was the predominant cause for consulting in most OSAS children (2) The hypertrophy of the tonsils and adenoids was always found in physical examination of OSAS children (3) The triad of loud snoring, breathing difficulty during sleep and sleep related apnea and/or hypoventilation were characteristics of OSAS in the children studied (4) Tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy played imortant roles in treatment and the nCPAP was safe and effective for relieving OSAS
Renal Cystography: Unusual Complication

AbstractA patient is described in whom renal cyst aspiration and subsequent contrast material instillation caused pain, flank mass and spiking temperature, eventually necessitating exploration and drainage of a sterile abscess. Undiluted, hyperosmotic contrast material was the probable cause of this complication. A simple, easy way to calculate cyst volume and amount of contrast material to be used during cyst aspiration injection studies is discussed.
Supporting self-efficacy through interactive discussion in online communities of weight loss

By conducting a content analysis of online communities connected by the Weight Watchers' online message boards, this study examined the relationship between conversational interactivity and consumer-generated content about consumer health information, self-efficacious content, and experiences with dieting and physical activities. The results showed that discussion about successful experiences with weight loss tended to be more interactive. Discussion about consumer health information tended to be non-interactive. The findings suggest that online communities generate social support through interactive discussion about successful experiences, and the interactive discussion, in return, sustains active participation in the community.
Selective Growth of Titanium Nitride on HfO2 across Nanolines and Nanopillars

This work targets the area selective atomic layer deposition (AS-ALD) of TiN onto HfO2 for use as the word line in a memory device. Unlike other patterning processes, AS-ALD eliminates etching steps and also allows for growth of patterned films with precise thickness control. This study investigates how AS-ALD differs on planar and nonplanar surfaces. Using a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy, we demonstrate a way to confer selectivity to a substrate using surface features. Self-assembled monolayers form defects at regions of high curvature, allowing nucleation of TiN films in ALD. This is in contrast to a treated planar surface with no features, which exhibits complete blocking of TiN up to a certain limit of ALD cycles.
Interpolation Method of Shalva Mikeladze with Following Applications

The paper deals with the numerical method of Shalva Mikeladze, the accuracy of which depends on the number of interpolation points. The method called the method without saturation is devoted to the numerical solution of ordinary differential equations. It is constructed on the basis of an interpolation formula to solve numerically linear and nonlinear ordinary differential equations of any order and systems of such equations. Using its different versions, it is possible to solve boundary value, eigenvalue, and Cauchy problems (Mikeladze, Soobsh AN GSSR 45(2):284–296, 1967 and Mikeladze, Soobsh AN GSSR 47(2):263–268, 1967). This method in combination with the method of lines can also be applied to solve boundary value problems for partial differential equations of elliptic type (Makarov, Karalashvili, Soobsh AN GSSR 131(1):33–36, 1988). As a model, the Dirichlet problem for a Poisson equation in the symmetric rectangle is considered. This application created a semi-discrete difference scheme with matrices of central symmetry having certain properties.
18 The impact of growth restriction in the setting of early onset severe preeclampsia at the limits of viability

Title The impact of growth restriction in the setting of early onset severe preeclampsia at the limits of viability. Introduction Expectant management of early onset preeclampsia improves neonatal outcomes. Growth restricted fetuses delivered prior to 28 weeks’ gestation are at increased risk for morbidity and mortality when compared to appropriately growth fetuses. Objectives The aim of this study is to compare neonatal morbidity and mortality of growth restricted and normally grown fetuses in the setting of early onset severe preeclampsia. We hypothesize that neonatal mortality and morbidity is increased in early preeclampsia when growth restriction is present; this information will aid in the counseling of patients who will deliver at the threshold of viability. Methods All pregnancies delivered from 2013–2015 for the diagnosis of preeclampsia with severe features between 23 and 28 weeks’ gestation at a single institution were included in this IRB approved study. Neonates with the diagnosis of small for gestational age (SGA) were compared to neonates with normal birth weight (AGA). The primary outcome is mortality. The secondary outcomes are bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH), IVH grade III or IV, severe retinopathy of the newborn (ROP) and a composite of all secondary outcomes. Results 76 patients were delivered for early onset severe preeclampsia between 23 and 28 weeks’ gestation during the specified time period. 24 neonates were SGA, 52 neonates were AGA. There was no difference between median gestational ages at time of delivery between the two groups (26 weeks vs 27 weeks, p = 0.14). Median length of stay of survivors was significantly increased in the SGA group (116 vs 76, p = 0.02). By univariate analysis, mortality and composite outcome were significantly increased in the SGA group (7/24 vs 5/52, p = 0.03) and (14/24 vs 15/52, p = 0.01) respectively. Those differences were eliminated after correcting for demographics factors (sex, race), gestational age and birthweight, see Table. Conclusions Fetal growth restriction in the setting of early onset preeclampsia may confer an increased risk of mortality of the newborn; this risk is mostly modulated by the degree of growth restriction (birthweight). The length of hospitalization is longer when growth restriction is present. There was no difference in other morbidities. Patients can be counseled that in surviving infants, neonatal morbidities are similar between growth restricted and normally growth fetuses. Download : Download high-res image (186KB) Download : Download full-size image
Isoflurane exposure leads to apoptosis of neurons and oligodendrocytes in 20- and 40-day old rhesus macaques

Previously we reported that a 5-hour exposure of 6-day-old (P6) rhesus macaques to isoflurane triggers robust neuron and oligodendrocyte apoptosis. In an attempt to further describe the window of vulnerability to anesthetic neurotoxicity, we exposed P20 and P40 rhesus macaques to 5h of isoflurane anesthesia or no exposure (control animals). Brains were collected 3h later and examined immunohistochemically to analyze neuronal and glial apoptosis. Brains exposed to isoflurane displayed neuron and oligodendrocyte apoptosis distributed throughout cortex and white matter, respectively. When combining the two age groups (P20+P40), the animals exposed to isoflurane had 3.6 times as many apoptotic cells as the control animals. In the isoflurane group, approximately 66% of the apoptotic cells were oligodendrocytes and 34% were neurons. In comparison, in our previous studies on P6 rhesus macaques, approximately 52% of the dying cells were glia and 48% were neurons. In conclusion, the present data suggest that the window of vulnerability for neurons is beginning to close in the P20 and P40 rhesus macaques, but continuing for oligodendrocytes.
Monocyte chemotactic protein-1 deficiency attenuates and high-fat diet exacerbates bone loss in mice with Lewis lung carcinoma

// Lin Yan 1 , Forrest H. Nielsen 1 , Sneha Sundaram 1 , Jay Cao 1 1 U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center, Grand Forks, ND 58202, USA Correspondence to: Lin Yan, email: lin.yan@ars.usda.gov Keywords: MCP-1, high-fat diet, bone, metastasis, mice Received: October 20, 2016 Accepted: December 26, 2016 Published: February 03, 2017 ABSTRACT Bone loss occurs in obesity and cancer-associated complications including wasting. This study determined whether a high-fat diet and a deficiency in monocyte chemotactic protein-1 (MCP-1) altered bone structural defects in male C57BL/6 mice with Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) metastases in lungs. Compared to non-tumor-bearing mice, LLC reduced bone volume fraction, connectivity density, trabecular number, trabecular thickness and bone mineral density and increased trabecular separation in femurs. Similar changes occurred in vertebrae. The high-fat diet compared to the AIN93G diet exacerbated LLC-induced detrimental structural changes; the exacerbation was greater in femurs than in vertebrae. Mice deficient in MCP-1 compared to wild-type mice exhibited increases in bone volume fraction, connectivity density, trabecular number and decreases in trabecular separation in both femurs and vertebrae, and increases in trabecular thickness and bone mineral density and a decrease in structure model index in vertebrae. Lewis lung carcinoma significantly decreased osteocalcin but increased tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRAP 5b) in plasma. In LLC-bearing mice, the high-fat diet increased and MCP-1 deficiency decreased plasma TRAP 5b; neither the high-fat diet nor MCP-1 deficiency resulted in significant changes in plasma concentration of osteocalcin. In conclusion, pulmonary metastasis of LLC is accompanied by detrimental bone structural changes; MCP-1 deficiency attenuates and high-fat diet exacerbates the metastasis-associated bone wasting.
Cerebral oximetry versus end tidal CO2 in predicting ROSC after cardiac arrest.

Abstract Study objective Both end tidal CO2 (ETCO2) and cerebral oxygen saturations (rSO2) have been studied to determine their ability to monitor the effectiveness of CPR and predict return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC). We compared the accuracy of ETCO2 and rSO2 at predicting ROSC in ED patients with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). Methods We performed a prospective, observational study of adult ED patients presenting in cardiac arrest. We collected demographic and clinical data including age, gender, presenting rhythm, rSO2, and ETCO2. We used receiver operating characteristic curves to compare how well rSO2 and ETCO2 predicted ROSC. Results 225 patients presented to the ED with cardiac arrest between 10/11 and 10/14 of which 100 had both rSO2 and ETCO2 measurements. Thirty three patients (33%) had sustained ROSC, only 2 survived to discharge. The AUCs for rSO2 and ETCO2 were similar (0.69 [95% CI, 0.59–0.80] and 0.77 [95% CI, 0.68–0.86], respectively), however, rSO2 and ETCO2 were poorly correlated (0.12, 95% CI, − 0.08–0.31). The optimal cutoffs for rSO2 and ETCO2 were 50% and 20 mm Hg respectively. At these cutoffs, ETCO2 was more sensitive (100%, 95% CI 87–100 vs. 48%, 31–66) but rSO2 was more specific (85%, 95% CI, 74–92 vs. 45%, 33–57). Conclusions While poorly correlated, rSO2 and ETCO2 have similar diagnostic characteristics. ETCO2 is more sensitive and rSO2 is more specific at predicting ROSC in OHCA.
Feature Learning and Fusion of Multimodality Neuroimaging and Genetic Data for Multi-status Dementia Diagnosis.

In this paper, we aim to maximally utilize multimodality neuroimaging and genetic data to predict Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and its prodromal status, i.e., a multi-status dementia diagnosis problem. Multimodality neuroimaging data such as MRI and PET provide valuable insights to abnormalities, and genetic data such as Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) provide information about a patient’s AD risk factors. When used in conjunction, AD diagnosis may be improved. However, these data are heterogeneous (e.g., having different data distributions), and have different number of samples (e.g., PET data is having far less number of samples than the numbers of MRI or SNPs). Thus, learning an effective model using these data is challenging. To this end, we present a novel three-stage deep feature learning and fusion framework, where the deep neural network is trained stage-wise. Each stage of the network learns feature representations for different combination of modalities, via effective training using maximum number of available samples. Specifically, in the first stage, we learn latent representations (i.e., high-level features) for each modality independently, so that the heterogeneity between modalities can be better addressed and then combined in the next stage. In the second stage, we learn the joint latent features for each pair of modality combination by using the high-level features learned from the first stage. In the third stage, we learn the diagnostic labels by fusing the learned joint latent features from the second stage. We have tested our framework on Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset for multi-status AD diagnosis, and the experimental results show that the proposed framework outperforms other methods.
Direct-to-Consumer Advertising of Pharmaceuticals: An Integrative Review

This chapter provides an integrative review of direct-to-consumer advertising (DTCA) of prescription pharmaceuticals. We introduce the history and current trends of DTCA in the USA and in other countries. Then, we discuss research methods and databases appropriate for DTCA studies. We review past literature on DTCA related to different stakeholders: (1) DTCA and patients; (2) DTCA and physicians; (3) welfare effects of DTCA and government regulation; (4) DTCA and pharmaceutical firms. Our review of the literature indicates that this topic has received attention in multiple fields, including marketing, health economics, medicine, public policy, and law and economics. However, it remains a “hot” topic with near daily coverage in the media, providing rich fodder for new and interesting research questions that are important to firms, patients, and policy makers. Finally, we have identified a few unresolved research questions that we believe are significant and worthy of future research.
Abstract 19821: Integrin αDβ2 (CD11d/CD18) Promotes Atherogenesis by Supporting Macrophage Retention in Atherosclerotic Lesions

Understanding the mechanism of macrophage retention in atherosclerotic lesions is a key question in the control of atherogenesis. Integrin α D β 2 (CD11d/CD18) is a multiligand leukocyte adhesive receptor with unidentified functions. Previously we found that CD11d overexpression on cell surface inhibits cell migration due to excessive adhesive force. Currently, we found that CD11d expression is dramatically upregulated on macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions and on pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages in vitro . Hence, we hypothesized that high expression of CD11d promotes atherogenesis and serves for the retention of pro-inflammatory macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions. To test our hypothesis we generated CD11d -/- /ApoE -/- mice and evaluated atherogenesis after 16 weeks on a Western diet. CD11d-deficiency markedly reduced lipid deposition in the entire aorta (2.12-fold) and aorta sinuses (1.53-fold). Macrophage number in aorta sinuses of CD11d -/- mice was also significantly reduced without affecting their apoptosis and proliferation, which indicates a potential role of CD11d in migration-related macrophage accumulation. The effect of CD11d on macrophage migration/retention was tested using adoptive transfer of wild type (WT) and CD11d -/- monocytes labeled with two non-overlapping near-infrared fluorescent dyes. Equal numbers of WT and CD11d -/- monocytes were injected into the tail vein of ApoE -/- mice and their accumulation in atherosclerotic lesions was assessed at 72 hrs. The result showed a similar monocyte emigration from the circulation, but significantly reduced number of labeled CD11d -/- macrophages in the aortas (2.4-fold). The contribution of CD11d to macrophage retention was further verified in the model of resolution of peritoneal inflammation. Fluorescently-labeled WT and CD11d -/- M1 macrophages were injected intraperitoneally to WT mice with pre-conditioned thioglycollate-induced peritoneal inflammation. The efflux of CD11d-deficient macrophages was 1.8-fold faster from the peritoneal cavity which confirms improved migratory properties of CD11d -/- macrophages. In summary, macrophage CD11d is involved in atherogenesis by the contribution to the retention of M1 macrophages in the atherosclerotic lesions.
General Features of Cerebral Vascular Disease

To begin the epidemiology of CVD, we shall in this chapter look at its general distribution by country and age. We will consider “stroke” as one entity, and later note wherein the parts differ from the whole. The materials used are chiefly mortality statistics and population surveys. Our prime question here then is how common in general is CVD — and in whom.
The Complexity of the HIF-1-Dependent Hypoxic Response in Breast Cancer Presents Multiple Avenues for Therapeutic Intervention

A critical aspect of tumor physiology is the sensation of oxygen in the microenvironment. The oxygen-responsive Hypoxia-Inducible Factor (HIF)-1α protein is a master transcriptional regulator of the hypoxic response, controlling expression of a variety of genes related to metabolism, glucose transport, cell cycle progression, cell migration, multidrug resistance, and angiogenesis. Several studies have demonstrated that over-expression HIF-1α protein in breast cancer correlates with poor prognosis, increased risk of metastasis and decreased survival. Moreover, hypoxic regions of tumors are believed to be the source of tumor cells that are resistant to radiation and chemotherapy. More recently, it has also been proposed that hypoxia stimulates expansion of normal and cancer stem cells. Despite a complete understanding of how HIF-1α impacts breast cancer progression and metastasis, the HIF-1α pathway is ideal for targeting drug design since interfering with a master regulator of the hypoxic response could disrupt multiple downstream processes essential to tumor cell self-renewal, expansion, dissemination, and metastatic colonization.
Chemical modification of amino groups and guanidino groups of trypsin. Preparation of stable and soluble derivatives.

Abstract 1. Isoionic chemical modification of amino groups of trypsin (EC 3.4.21.4) was studied for the purpose of obtaining a well-defined modified trypsin with minimum changes in physicochemical properties and with sufficient stability at neutral pH. Acetamidination with methyl acetimidate hydrochloride proceeded very rapidly at pH9.8 and 5degrees C and all 14 epsilon-amino groups were modified in 2h. The reaction was limited to epsilon-amino groups. The alpha-amino group of N-terminal isoleucine was modified only by repeated reactions in the presence of 5.5 M-guanidine or 8 M-urea. 2. The epsilon-acetamidinated derivative of beta-trypsin retained enzymic activity at values comparable with those of native enzyme tested with alpha-N-benzoyl-L-arginine ethyl ester and alpha-N-benzoyl-L-arginine p-nitroanilide as substrates; it also showed substrate activation comparable with that of native enzyme. The acetamidination of alpha-trypsin resulted in approx. 50% decrease in its esterolytic activity. 3. The epsilon-acetamidinated beta-trypsin was very stable at pH8 and 25degrees C in the absence of Ca2+. The activity of 0.04% (W/V) enzyme solution remained practically unchanged for 10h, and after 24h 90% of the activity was still retained. Possible autolytic cleavage of peptide bonds of acetamidinated enzymes was followed by N-terminal analysis by using automated Edman degradation. Only the Arg(105)-Val(106) bond was found to be cleaved to an appreciable extent. Thus beta-trypsin can be stabilized simply by complete acetamidination of epsilon-amino groups without modifying guanidino groups of arginine residues. Acetamidinated alpha-trypsin was unstable, but its inactivation at a neutral pH could not be attributed to the cleavage of a single specific peptide bond. 4. The acetamidination of the alpha-amino group of the N-terminal isoleucine results in the inactivation of esterolytic activity. However, this enzyme retained the ability to react with p-nitrophenyl p'-guanidinobenzoate. 5. It was concluded that acetamidination of beta-trypsin is a convenient method for preparing a well-defined stable and soluble trypsin derivative without appreciable change in its physical properties.
Open-ended coplanar waveguide sensor for dielectric permittivity measurement

A novel open-ended coplanar waveguide (CPW) sensor for dielectric permittivity measurement is presented in this paper. The open-ended CPW with flange is designed and fabricated on FR4 substrate. The admittance model that includes the radiation effect was used to describe the open-ended CPW sensor. Accurate dielectric permittivity measurements are obtained by using the three-material calibration technique, air, distilled water, and a 25% ethanol aqueous solution. Validation results on 50% and 75% ethanol aqueous solutions agreed with measurements by the commercially available open-ended coaxial-line probe.
Last Stop in Lwów: Janowska as a Hybrid Camp

The Janowska camp complex in Lwow, which was responsible for the murder of at least 80,000 Jews, has received relatively little academic treatment. The camp is of particular interest due to its hybrid nature as slave labor camp, transit camp, and dedicated killing site. Using a wide variety of source materials and approaches, this article details and analyzes these connected functions, arguing that this unique combination of activities reveals many new insights into our typology of camps as well as the role of Janowska in the Holocaust in Galicia.
Sticky ends in a self-assembling ABA triblock copolymer: the role of ureas in stimuli-responsive hydrogels

Directing polymer self-assembly through noncovalent interactions is a powerful way to control the structure and function of nanoengineered materials. Dynamic hydrogen bonds are particularly useful for materials with structures that change over time or in response to specific stimuli. In the present work, we use the supramolecular association of urea moieties to manipulate the morphology, thermal response, and mechanical properties of soft polymeric hydrogels. Urea-terminated poly(isopropyl glycidyl ether)-b-poly(ethylene oxide)-b-poly(isopropyl glycidyl ether) ABA triblock copolymers were synthesized using controlled, anionic ring-opening polymerization and subsequent chain-end functionalization. Triblock copolymers with hydroxy end-groups were incapable of hydrogelation, while polymers terminated with meta-bis-urea motifs formed robust gels at room temperature. Rheometric analysis of the bulk gels, variable-temperature infrared spectroscopy (VT-IR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) confirmed the formation of structured hydrogels via association of the meta-bis-urea end-groups. Monourea end-groups did not result in the same regular structure as the meta-bis-urea. In future, the reported hydrogels could be useful for elastomeric, shape-morphing 3D-printed constructs, or as biomimetic scaffolds with precisely tailored porosity and mechanical properties.
Trust, Money, and Power: Life Cycle Dynamics in Alliances Between Management Partners and Accountable Care Organizations.

Policy Points Accountable care organizations (ACOs) form alliances with management partners to access financial, technical, and managerial support. Alliances between ACOs and management partners are subject to destabilizing tension around decision-making authority, distribution of shared savings, and conflicting goals and values. Management partners may serve either as trainers, ultimately breaking off from the ACO, or as central drivers of the ACO. Management partner participation in ACOs is currently unregulated, and management partners may receive a significant portion (in some cases, majority) of shared savings. Context Accountable care organizations (ACOs) are a prominent payment and delivery model. Though ACOs are often described as groups of health care providers, nearly 4 in 10 ACOs partner with a management company for services such as financial investment, contracting, data analytics, and care management, according to recent research. However, we know little about how and why these partnerships form. This article aims to understand the reasons providers seek partners, the nature of these relationships, and factors critical to the success or failure of these alliances. Methods We used qualitative data collected longitudinally from 2012 to 2017 at 2 ACOs to understand relationships between management partners and ACO providers. The data include 115 semistructured interviews and observational data from 7 site visits. Two coders applied 48 codes to the data. We reviewed coded data for emergent themes in the context of alliance life cycle theory. Findings Qualitative data revealed that management partners brought specific skills and services and also gave providers confidence in pursuing an ACO. Over time, tension between providers and management partners arose around decision-making authority, distribution of shared savings, and conflicting goals and values. We observed 2 outcomes of partnerships: cemented partnerships and dissolution. Key factors distinguishing alliance outcome in these 2 cases include degree of trust between organizations in the alliance; approach to conflict resolution; distribution of power in the alliance; skills and confidence acquired by the ACO over the life of the alliance; continuity of management partner delivery on promised resources; and proportion of savings going to the management partner. Conclusions The diverging paths for ACOs with management partners suggest 2 different roles that management partners may play in ACO development. In some cases, management partners may serve as trainers, with the partnership dissolving once the ACO gains skills and confidence to work alone. In other cases, the management partner is a central driver of the ACO and unlikely to break off.
Delocalization in 2D Lattices of Various Geometries

In this chapter, we apply the spectral approach to the Anderson localization problem in 2D lattices of various geometries. The numerical simulations shown suggest that extended states exist for the disordered honeycomb, triangular, and square crystals. This observation stands in contrast to the predictions of scaling theory and aligns with experiments in photonic lattices and electron systems. A comparison of the results for the three geometries indicates that the triangular and honeycomb lattices experience transition in the transport behavior for similar levels of disorder, which is to be expected from the planar duality of the lattices. This provides justification for the use of artificially-prepared triangular lattices as analogues for honeycomb materials, such as graphene. The analysis also shows that the transition in the honeycomb case happens more abruptly compared to the other two geometries, which can be attributed to the number of nearest neighbors.
Quantifying the Impact of Weather Events on Travel Time and Reliability

It is of practical significance to understand the specific impact of weather events on the operating condition of the surface transportation system so that proactive and reactive strategies can be quickly implemented by transportation agencies to minimize the negativity resulted from adverse weather events. Many studies have been conducted on quantifying such effects yet suffer from limitations such as subjectively defining a time window under uncongested conditions and not being able to account for the severe impact from weather events which result in travel time unreliability. To overcome those shortcomings in existing literature, an integrated data mining framework based on decision tree and quantile regression techniques is developed in this study. The results demonstrate that the approach is effective in characterizing time periods with different traffic characteristics and quantifying the impact of rain and snow events on both congestion and reliability aspects of the transportation system. It is observed that snow events impose more significant impact on travel times than that from rain events. In addition, the impact from weather events is even more severe on travel time reliability than average delay. The impact magnitude is directly related to the level of recurrent congestion under study. Other insights with regard to the capability of quantile regression and future improvement on the methodological design are also offered.
Characterization of atrial flutter after pulmonary vein isolation by cryoballoon ablation

Pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) by cryoballoon ablation (CBA) has emerged as a commonly used technique for the treatment of atrial fibrillation. We sought to explore the incidence, risk factors for, and characterization of post-CBA-PVI atrial flutter. We analyzed a prospective registry of patients who underwent CBA-PVI at a single institution. We included patients with more than 3 months of follow-up data and excluded those with a history of cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI) ablation. Locations of post-CBA-PVI atrial flutters were determined by analysis of intracardiac electrograms and electroanatomic maps. There were 556 patients included in the analysis. The mean age was 61.0 ± 10.6 years, 67.4% were male, the number of failed anti-arrhythmic medication trials was 1.2 ± 0.8, and the duration of atrial fibrillation pre-CBA was 54.3 ± 69.1 months. The 28-mm second-generation cryoballoon was used almost exclusively. Over a median follow-up time of 22.7 ± 17.9 months, 25 (4.5%) patients developed post-CBA-PVI atrial flutter after the 3-month blanking period. Of those 25 patients, 15 (60%) underwent subsequent ablation to eliminate the atrial flutter circuit, with 60% being CTI-dependent and the remainder left-sided (p value not significant). Risk factors for the development of atrial flutter included NYHA class ≥ 2 (OR 5.02, p < 0.001), presence of baseline bundle branch block (OR 4.33, p = 0.006), and left ventricular ejection fraction < 50% (OR 3.36, p = 0.007). The rate of post-CBA-PVI atrial flutter is low after the blanking period even with medium-term follow-up. The origin of atrial flutter is equally divided between the right and left atria.