cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bayesian inference in a class of partially identified models

This paper develops a Bayesian approach to inference in a class of partially identified econometric models. Models in this class are characterized by a known mapping between a point identified reduced‐form parameter μ and the identified set for a partially identified parameter θ. The approach maps posterior inference about μ to various posterior inference statements concerning the identified set for θ, without the specification of a prior for θ. Many posterior inference statements are considered, including the posterior probability that a particular parameter value (or a set of parameter values) is in the identified set. The approach applies also to functions of θ. The paper develops general results on large sample approximations, which illustrate how the posterior probabilities over the identified set are revised by the data, and establishes conditions under which the Bayesian credible sets also are valid frequentist confidence sets. The approach is computationally attractive even in high‐dimensional models, in that the approach avoids an exhaustive search over the parameter space. The performance of the approach is illustrated via Monte Carlo experiments and an empirical application to a binary entry game involving airlines. Partial identification identified set criterion function Bayesian inference C10 C11
Effect of colloidal nano-silica on alkali–silica mitigation

Alkali–aggregate reaction was first observed in the US during 1920s. In the last decades, several studies investigated the mechanisms of alkali–silica reaction in concrete and the extent of damage it may cause to the cementitious matrix. Research on alkali–silica reaction mitigation covers mainly the use of supplementary cementitious materials and lithium compounds. However, with possible change in coal burning regulations and fly ash shortages in some areas, it is important to investigate approaches to mitigate ASR that involves lower amounts of supplementary cementitious materials. Furthermore, current research has shown the potential enhancements to concrete microstructure through the use of nano-silica. In the current study, the effect of using nano-silica on the alkali–silica reaction will be investigated. Preliminary results show that nano-silica can help mitigate the effect of alkali–silica reaction.
Awake Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation as Bridge to Lung Transplantation: A 9-Year Experience

Background Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is used as a bridge to lung transplantation, but characteristics that influence its success are poorly understood. This large, single-center experience evaluated the implementation and outcomes of ECMO in this setting. Methods Data were collected for patients at our institution (New York-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center in New York) who received ECMO as a bridge to lung transplantation from January 1, 2007 through July 10, 2016. Data were analyzed for demographics, baseline characteristics, survival, and ECMO configuration. Results Seventy-two patients received ECMO as a bridge to lung transplantation. Of the 72 patients, 40 (55.6%) underwent the transplantation procedure, 37 (92.5%) survived to discharge, and 21 (84.0%) survived for 2 years. Inotropy or vasopressor support (70% vs 93.8%; p = 0.011), Simplified Acute Physiology Score (26.8 vs 30.5; p = 0.048), and ambulation (80% vs 56.2%; p = 0.030) were significantly different between the patients who underwent lung transplantation and those who did not. Patients with cystic fibrosis were more likely to have a bridge to transplantation than patients with other lung diseases (47.5% vs 25%; p = 0.050). Daily participation in physical therapy was achieved in 50 patients (69.4%). Conclusions This study demonstrated favorable survival in patients receiving ECMO as a bridge to lung transplantation and achieved high rates of physical therapy and avoidance of mechanical ventilation while ECMO was used in patients awaiting lung transplantation. With more than half of these patients successfully bridged to lung transplantation, we gained insight into the factors influencing patients' outcomes, including patient selection, timing of ECMO, and patient management.
The infectious complications of interventional radiology based procedures in gastroenterology and hepatology.

Background and aims Many interventional radiology (IR) procedures are used to manage gastroenterological and hepatobiliary diseases. One of the most common complications of any IR procedure is infection. Methods Literature published in English from January 1960 to August 2010 pertaining to the infectious complications of IR in gastroenterology and hepatology patients was examined by electronic search (Medline and the National Library of Medicine, Embase and the Cochrane Library). Results Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram (PTC) and biliary drainage, trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS), imaged guided drainage of an intra-abdominal abscess and radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) are the most common IR procedures performed for gastroenterology and hepatology patients. Procedures such as PTC have a high rate of infection. Infectious complications of TACE and TIPS are uncommon but when they occur, they can be devastating. RIG procedures are also rarely complicated by infection and such infections are generally mild. Use of prophylactic antibiotics is recommended for most of the above procedures. Conclusion The increased availability of IR based gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary techniques means that their related infectious complications will inevitably become more common. It is vital that clinicians be aware of the aetiology, timing and treatment of any potential infections in the peri-procedure period.
Ruxolitinib for treatment of refractory hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.

Key Points Optimal salvage therapy for refractory HLH is unknown. In our patient, ruxolitinib treatment led to clinical remission of refractory HLH.
Reverse-selective behavior of room temperature ionic liquid based membranes for natural gas processing

Abstract This experimental study explores the reverse-selective potential of room temperature ionic liquid (RTIL) based membranes by lowering the solubility of the non-condensing gases, N2 and CH4. Particular attention is given to the reverse-selective behavior in the propane/methane, propane/nitrogen, and n-butane/methane separations. For this purpose, a series of experiments were conducted in a batch gas permeance system. The permeances of the above-mentioned gases were obtained using polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as the porous liquid stabilizing support and [emim][Tf2N], [emim][BF4], [emim][TfO], [emim][DCA], [emim][SCN], and [bmim][NO3] as the stabilized RTILs. The permeance of CH4 and N2 were investigated in terms of hydrogen bond accepting ability of the RTIL, as an indication of the gas/RTIL solution nonideality. The results show that an increase in the solution nonideality leads to a decrease in the CH4 and N2 permeances. This decrease in permeances resulted in RTIL-membrane selectivities for the propane separations that are greater than polymer membrane literature values. The reverse-selective behavior decreases with an increase in the viscosity of the RTILs, which may be due to a shift in the dominate transmission mechanism from solubility to diffusion.
30-Day Episode Payments and Heart Failure Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the association of 30-day payments for an episode of heart failure (HF) care at the hospital level with patient outcomes. Background There is increased focus among policymakers on improving value for HF care, given its rising prevalence and associated financial burden in the United States; however, little is known about the relationship between payments and mortality for a 30-day episode of HF care. Methods Using Medicare claims data for all fee-for-service beneficiaries hospitalized for HF between July 1, 2011, and June 30, 2014, we examined the association between 30-day Medicare payments at the hospital level (beginning with a hospital admission for HF and across multiple settings following discharge) and patient 30-day mortality using mixed-effect logistic regression models. Results We included 1,343,792 patients hospitalized for HF across 2,948 hospitals. Mean hospital-level 30-day Medicare payments per beneficiary were $15,423 ± $1,523. Overall observed mortality in the cohort was 11.3%. Higher hospital-level 30-day payments were associated with lower patient mortality after adjustment for patient characteristics (odds ratio per $1,000 increase in payments: 0.961; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.954 to 0.967). This relationship was slightly attenuated after accounting for hospital characteristics and HF volume, but remained significant (odds ratio per $1,000 increase: 0.968; 95% CI: 0.962 to 0.975). Additional adjustment for potential mediating factors, including cardiac service capability and post-acute service use, did not significantly affect the relationship. Conclusions Higher hospital-level 30-day episode payments were associated with lower patient mortality following a hospitalization for HF. This has implications for policies that incentivize reduction in payments without considering value. Further investigation is needed to understand the mechanisms that underlie this relationship.
Heterotrimeric G Proteins and Their Effector Pathways

Almost 30 yr have passed since the discovery of the heptahelical transmembrane (TM) receptors and their connection to heterotrimeric G proteins and sequential signal flow to intracellular effectors (1, 2, 3). Many hormones, sensory stimuli, and neurotransmitters use this signaling system to convert chemical or physical information from the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) through a transducer (G protein) to an effector into an intracellular language that the cell can comprehend and to which it can respond. In the liver, epinephrine signals via the β-adrenergic receptor (AR) through Gαs to adenylyl cyclase to increase cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) production such that it leads to stimulation of glycogen breakdown and inhibition of glycogen synthesis, resulting in glucose production. In the eye, light stimulates the GPCR rhodopsin, which activates the G protein transducin, to stimulate the activity of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) phosphodiesterase (PDE). This results in decreased cGMP levels and changes in the activity of the cyclic nucleotide-gated Na2+ channels, thereby converting photons into electrical impulses and transmitting information to the visual cortex. These cascades of events allow for processing of the initial signal, including amplification.
Assault and Accusation Without Agents: Verb Voice in Media Narratives of Campus Sexual Assault

Previous studies of sexual assault have analyzed the connection between the narrative of events surrounding sexual assault allegations and the agency of the narrative’s characters, especially the assailant and the accuser. To contribute to this growing literature, we conducted a mixed methods word-level content analysis, testing whether the voice of verbs associated with the actions of the assailant and the accuser indicated an absence of agency. This study found that verbs associated with assailants were primarily written in passive voice and verbs associated with accusers were primarily written in active voice in both campus and non-campus sexual assault news reports. Implications for the research and practice of mass media reporting of sexual assault are discussed.
The Political Economy Of International Labor Standards

In the first postwar decades, dramatic steps toward trade liberalization were taken by the developed countries (the “North”) through the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) negotiations. At that time, most developing countries (the “South”) were pursuing protectionist import-substitution policies and calling for a “New International Economic Order” to redress the alleged unfairness of the international economic system, while remaining on the sidelines of GATT negotiations.1 More recently, high unemployment rates in Western Europe and stagnant wages of unskilled workers in the United States have contributed to a new ambivalence in the developed countries about the benefits of trade with less developed countries. Many fear that Northern wages and benefits are forced down by competition from countries with much lower labor costs. Meanwhile, the East Asian “miracle” and the collapse of communism have persuaded much of the developing world to liberalize trade and participate actively in the new World Trade Organization (WTO), the successor to the GATT. Even China now eagerly seeks membership in the WTO as it emerges as a major exporter.
MODIS solar diffuser degradation determination and its spectral dependency

This study presents a modeling approach to improve solar diffuser (SD) degradation determination from SD stability monitor (SDSM) measurements. The MODIS instrument uses a SDto calibrate its reflective solar bands (RSBs) on-orbit. Due to the imperfectly designed SDSM sun view screen, the SD reflectance tracked by SDSM has large noise. The SDSM measurements noise is spectrally coherent and can be minimized by normalizing measurements to the least degradeddetector 9 (936 nm). In this study, a SD degradation model is used to determine the SDdegradation's wavelength dependency and the detector 9 degradation is estimated by the model solution.The results show the SD degradations measured at 6 SDSM detectors (554 _ 936 nm) have stable relationships, where the degradation is inversely proportion to 1/wavelength^4. The model estimated SD degradation at SDSM detector 9 wavelength (936 nm) is ~0.9% from 2002 to 2018.Based on the SD degradation model solution, the SD degradation at short/mid wave bands are estimated to improve short/mid wave bands calibration. The model can also be used to improve interpolating SD degradation at SDSM detectors to RSB wavelengths. Compared to linear interpolation, bands 9 and 10 show the largest differences of up to 0.3 and 0.4% respectively. These differences directly impact the calibration coefficients of these bands.
Steel pan developments

The Caribbean steel pan is likely the single most significant new acoustic musical instrument of the 20th Century. Some major developments incorporated by Felix Rohner of Panart have led to important instrument modifications. Among the differences to be discussed are as follows: using specified steel alloys in the sheet metal to replace commercial 55 Gal drums, sinking the pan in a press rather than by hand, surface hardening the playing surface in a nitride bath, dispensing with chiseled note section boundaries, adding a central dome to each note section, replacing the pan by a Hang (a lap-held instrument played by hand), and finally an additional air volume enclosed, to enhance low frequency resonances (the Gubal).
The Hearthstone: Language, Culture, and Politics in the Films of Tunde Kelani.

Nollywood, now rated as the second most significant film industry in the world, has been recognized in academic spheres for its substantial production of low-budget, narrative-driven, and serialized films. The tradition balances elements of cinema and television to emerge as the dominant producer of video-films in Sub-Saharan Africa. However, despite its fame and growth, further research into the specific content, context, and the artistic plurality of the films themselves has been comparatively less frequent. In this paper, I examine the films of Tunde Kelani, who is regarded as the most prolific filmmaker in Nigeria, to underscore recurrent themes that are germane to his filmmaking art. Apart from his penchant for making films with crisp pictures and quality audio sounds, I conclude that three elements: language, culture, and politics are essential to Kelani’s cinematic art in Nollywood. And that through his representation and portrayal of culture and tradition in his films, Kelani implies that the possible solution to institutionalized corruption in Nigeria is not likely to come from implementation of foreign ideas but through the adoption of indigenous cultural principles and sacred rites.
Survival among Heart Failure Older Adults with Three Highest Impact Comorbidities in the United States

Introduction Heart failure (HF) mortality remains high in the United States in spite of the decline in HF incidence in recent decades. HF patients are more likely to suffer from multiple comorbidities, contributing to increased mortality. It is important to identify the most predictive comorbidities of mortality and promote treatment for HF patients with these comorbidities. Objective We describe the prevalence of several comorbidities in HF patients and quantify their impact on mortality. Methods Sample (31,126) included adult (50 + years of age) participants from the 1999-2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) and 2015 linked mortality data. Presence of HF is defined based on the subject's response to the question: ‘Have you ever been told by a physician that you had heart failure?’ Prediction of mortality among HF patients with comorbidities is obtained by using Cox proportional hazards regression, after the adjustment of gender, age, and race. Results The prevalence of self-reported comorbidity among 512 HF subjects is: emphysema (12.5%), kidney weakness or failure (13.1%), diabetes mellitus (34.8%), CHD (44.3%), stroke (20.9%), and anemia (11.7%). The HF subjects with the three highest impact commodities (emphysema, kidney weakening or failure, and diabetes mellitus) are associated with increased hazards of mortality compared to subjects without commodities. The hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) are: emphysema (1.87: 1.35-2.60), kidney weakness or failure (1.50: 1.08-2.08), and diabetes mellitus (1.42: 1.12-1.80). Subsequently, subjects are classified into 4 groups according to these 3 comorbidities and their hazard of mortality is compared. Group 1 is the reference group consisting of subjects without any of the three comorbidities. Group 2 consists of subjects with all three comorbidities. Group 3 consists of subjects with emphysema only. Group 4 consists of subjects without emphysema. The three groups each have a significantly higher hazard of mortality than the reference group, with HR and 95% CI as 5.07 (1.22, 21.0), 1.99 (1.31, 3.03) and 1.59 (1.08, 2.36), respectively. Conclusion Three comorbidities, emphysema, kidney weakness or failure, and diabetes mellitus, are considered to be the major predictors of mortality in HF subjects. Health providers should prompt care for the three comorbidities in order to improve survival in HF patients.
EU single market(s) after Brexit

This article focuses on the European single market, which has been one of the central issues in terms of the impacts of Britain’s withdrawal from the EU. As the aim of the single market project is to open the internal borders of the EU to the free movement of goods, services, capital, and labor to create cross-jurisdictional markets, the economic and political effects of Brexit will be widespread, if not yet fully understood, outside the British polity. The article looks at the current state of the single market, then highlights the impact of British withdrawal on economic governance, focusing on different market freedoms, given the degree of trade interdependence and integrated supply chains that have evolved in response to changes in goods and services. One of the lessons from Brexit negotiations is the importance of distinguishing between different single market(s) when assessing the impact of British ‘exit’ on member states. The concluding section focuses on the political safeguards of market integration to manage the relationship between the UK and EU, to illustrate how judicial, market, and institutional safeguards create options and constraints in mitigating the effects of ‘exit’.
Infertility knowledge and treatment beliefs among African American women in an urban community

To assess infertility knowledge and treatment beliefs among African American women in an urban community in Atlanta, Georgia. This was a cross sectional study at a safety net hospital. A convenience sample of a total of 158 women receiving outpatient obstetrical or gynecologic care from March–April 2017 were recruited. Infertility knowledge and treatment beliefs were assessed using a previously applied and field-tested survey from the International Fertility Decision Making Study. The mean infertility knowledge score was 38.15% for total subjects. Those with a higher level of education (p < 0.0001) and those with paid employment (p = 0.01) had a significantly higher level of infertility knowledge. Those who had a history of infertility therapy were significantly more likely to agree with negative treatment beliefs (p = 0.01). There was no significant difference in infertility knowledge or treatment beliefs based on age, sexuality, parity or being pregnant at the time of survey completion. African American women in our urban clinic setting seem to have a limited level of knowledge pertaining to infertility. Further research is needed to understand how differences in knowledge and beliefs translate into infertility care decision-making and future childbearing.
A 63-Year-Old Man with Nausea, Vomiting, Orthostatic Dizziness, and Distal Limb Paresthesia

Peripheral neuropathy commonly occurs in both hereditary and acquired amyloidosis. Immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis is the most common form of acquired amyloidosis, whereas transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is the most common form of hereditary amyloidosis. When neuropathy is the primary feature of amyloidosis related to a TTR mutation, it is often referred to as neuropathic hATTR amyloidosis. Here we present a case of neuropathic hATTR amyloidosis to illustrate the clinical and pathological features and to discuss exciting new therapies.
HYPOXIA, RIGHT-LEFT SHUNT, AND A UNFORTUNATELY LOCATED MASS

Cardiac myxomas are benign intracavitary neoplasms known to cause exertional dyspnea and presyncope due to obstructed pulmonary venous drainage or impaired flow across the atrio-ventricular valves. A left atrial (LA) myxoma should not typically lead to hypoxia even with a concomitant PFO. A 75-year
Circulating endothelial cell derived microvesicles are elevated with hypertension and associated with endothelial dysfunction

The purpose of this study was to determine (1) if circulating endothelial microvesicles (EMVs) are elevated in hypertensive adults and (2) whether circulating EMVs are associated with hypertension-related endothelial vasodilator dysfunction. Circulating EMVs (CD31+/42b-) were determined in 30 middle-aged adults (55 ± 1 years): 15 normotensive (10 males, 5 females; blood pressure 114/71 ± 2/1 mm Hg) and 15 hypertensive (10 males, 5 females; blood pressure 142/87 ± 2/2 mm Hg). Forearm blood flow (FBF) (via plethysmography) was assessed by intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine and sodium nitroprusside. Circulating EMVs were ∼65% higher (P < 0.05) in hypertensive (157 ± 10 EMVs/μL) than in normotensive (96 ± 10 EMVs/μL) adults. FBF to acetylcholine was significantly lower (∼30%) in the hypertensive group (from 5.0 ± 0.4 to 11.8 ± 0.8 mL·100 mL tissue-1·min-1 versus from 4.4 ± 0.2 to 15.6 ± 0.8 mL·100 mL tissue-1·min-1). Circulating EMVs were inversely associated with vasodilation (r = -0.65; P < 0.05). Hypertension is associated with elevated circulating levels of EMVs. EMVs may serve as a biomarker of, and contribute to, blood pressure related endothelial dysfunction.
Estradiol Protects Hypothalamic Neurons Against Insulin Resistance

Abstract Obesity is a worldwide health problem that leads to a number of serious diseases of which metabolic syndrome associated with insulin and leptin resistance is of the most serious. Males exhibit a higher incidence of metabolic syndrome than women in early adult life, but this sex difference diminishes sharply in hypoestrogenic states as during menopause. Importantly the gonadal hormone 17β-estradiol (E2) has been found to protect obese females against insulin resistance during the reproductive years by actions on hypothalamic anorexigenic and orexigenic neurons. Thus E2 helps maintain the insulin-mediated excitation of canonical transient receptor potential 5 (TRPC 5) channels in proopiomelanocortin (POMC) neurons and the hyperpolarizing effects of insulin via activation of KATP channels in neuropeptide Y/agouti-related peptide (NPY/AgRP) neurons in obese females, but not in obese males. These studies, therefore, have identified a sex difference in the hypothalamic development of insulin resistance with obesity, which will be the topic of this review.
Multivariate localization functions for strongly coupled data assimilation in the bivariate Lorenz 96 system

Abstract. Localization is widely used in data assimilation schemes to mitigate the impact of sampling errors on ensemble-derived background error covariance matrices. Strongly coupled data assimilation allows observations in one component of a coupled model to directly impact another component through the inclusion of cross-domain terms in the background error covariance matrix. When different components have disparate dominant spatial scales, localization between model domains must properly account for the multiple length scales at play. In this work, we develop two new multivariate localization functions, one of which is a multivariate extension of the fifth-order piecewise rational Gaspari–Cohn localization function; the within-component localization functions are standard Gaspari–Cohn with different localization radii, while the cross-localization function is newly constructed. The functions produce positive semidefinite localization matrices which are suitable for use in both Kalman filters and variational data assimilation schemes. We compare the performance of our two new multivariate localization functions to two other multivariate localization functions and to the univariate and weakly coupled analogs of all four functions in a simple experiment with the bivariate Lorenz 96 system. In our experiments, the multivariate Gaspari–Cohn function leads to better performance than any of the other multivariate localization functions.
Electrical Status Epilepticus during Sleep and Evaluating the Electroencephalogram

Electrical status epilepticus during sleep (ESES) is an age-related, self-limited epileptic encephalopathy characterized by heterogeneous clinical manifestations and a specific electroencephalographic pattern of continuous spikes and waves during slow sleep. The etiology of ESES is not completely clear, although structural brain lesions, abnormal immunological markers, and genetic mutations have been associated with the syndrome. ESES was first described in 1971 and since then, the diagnostic criteria have changed multiple times. Additionally, inconsistency between authors in how to record and evaluate the electroencephalogram also leads to variability between studies. These inconsistencies hamper objectivity, comparison, and generalization. Because of this, one of the first priorities of physicians treating this condition should be defining the parameters of this disease so that cooperative building can occur.
Seed Treatment With Jasmonic Acid and Methyl Jasmonate Induces Resistance to Insects but Reduces Plant Growth and Yield in Rice, Oryza sativa

When applied exogenously to plants, jasmonates (i.e., jasmonic acid (JA) and methyl jasmonate (MeJA)) increase plant resistance against herbivores, and their use in pest management has been suggested. For integration into pest management programs, the benefits of the resistance induced by jasmonates must outweigh the costs of jasmonates on plant growth and yield. A previous field study in rice found that seed treatment with MeJA reduced densities of the rice water weevil, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus, but also reduced plant growth. Yields from MeJA plots were similar to yields from control plots. Because this study was conducted under field conditions with natural levels of pest populations, it was unclear whether effects on growth and yield were due to direct effects of MeJA treatment on the plant or due to insufficient protection from rice water weevil feeding. Therefore, the present study was designed to characterize the effects of JA and MeJA seed treatment on rice plant growth and yield in a pest-free environment under greenhouse conditions. Seed treatment with 2.5mM JA and 2.5mM MeJA enhanced resistance in rice plants to rice water weevils when plants were exposed to weevils 30 days after planting. Seed treatment with MeJA reduced plant emergence and plant height at 4- and 14- days after planting, respectively, compared to JA and control treatments. However, numbers of tillers per plant at 45 days after planting and days to heading were unaffected by jasmonate seed treatment. Of four yield components (panicles per plant, filled grains per panicle, percent unfilled grains and filled grain mass) that were measured, only filled grain mass was reduced by seed treatment. Plants grown from MeJA-treated seeds showed 31% lower grain masses compared to plants grown from control-treated seeds. Thus, the effects of seed treatment with MeJA on plant growth were stronger immediately post-treatment and subsided over time, such that plant growth mostly recovered six weeks after treatment. At maturity, MeJA may reduce some but not all components of yield. Despite similar effects on rice water weevil resistance, the negative effects of JA seed treatment on plant growth and yield were smaller compared to MeJA seed treatment.
RELATIONSHIP OF PYRIDOXINE TO IMMUNOLOGICAL PHENOMENA.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews the present status of the role of pyridoxine in various immunological phenomena and discusses recent experiments conducted in the laboratory dealing with the mode of action of this vitamin. Production of circulating antibodies as well as the state of delayed hypersensitivity is impaired in pyridoxine deficiency. The effect of this deficiency upon a delayed hypersensitivity reaction is illustrated by the prolongation of skin homografts in pyridoxine-deficient rats. The application of this deficiency state in the production of immune tolerance with splenic cells has been demonstrated and its possible clinical value indicated. The chapter describes experiments in which tolerance was achieved by administering ribosomes or RNA to newborn mice and microsomal RNA to adult, pyridoxine-deficient rats. It is hypothesized that specific messenger RNA associated with ribosomes initiates synthesis of donor transplantation antigens within the host. Pyridoxine deficiency again functions to provide in the adult the necessary state of immunological inertness that is already present in the newborn. Clinical application of such cellular components involved in synthesis of specific proteins, as well as utilization of the transplantation antigens themselves, has been projected.
Capabilities of printed reflectarray antennas

This article presents an advanced antenna technology, namely the printed reflectarray, that has the potential for providing an enhanced communication capability with relatively low cost, small size and small mass. It has application in the commercial and military arenas as well as in space exploration.
An enzymatically active cross-linked complex of calmodulin and rabbit skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase.

Abstract The interaction between bovine testes calmodulin and rabbit fast skeletal muscle myosin light chain kinase was investigated with the zero-length cross-linking reagent N,N'-dicyclohexylcarbodiimide. A cross-linked product of 110 kDa was produced only in the presence of Ca2+. The reaction mixture was separated on diethylaminoethyl cellulose, and a fraction containing the cross-linked complex of calmodulin and myosin light chain kinase was found to have an elevated kinase activity in the absence of Ca2+, which constituted approximately 50% of the maximally stimulated kinase activity of control, and additional kinase activity in the presence of Ca2+, which constituted the remaining 50% of control activity. Calmodulin added exogenously to the cross-linked complex had no effect on the measured Ca2+ dependence or the maximal extent of kinase activity, which is consistent with the cross-linking of calmodulin in close proximity to a regulatory region of myosin light chain kinase. Moreover, the results are consistent with a mechanism whereby the association of calmodulin is sufficient to stimulate kinase activity and the binding of Ca2+ to bound calmodulin increases catalytic efficiency.
Dural inversion procedure for moyamoya disease: Technical note

A variety of surgical procedures have been proposed for the treatment of moyamoya disease, but few have used the potential of the middle meningeal artery to any great extent. During the period of spontaneous collateral formation, patients with this disease are at risk for the development of transient ischemic attacks and strokes. Surgical treatments aimed at increasing collateral flow to the brain from the external carotid system have included both direct and indirect anastomotic methods. In this report, the authors describe a technique that used the middle meningeal artery circulation as a source of collateral blood supply by inverting dural flaps that are located on a large meningeal vessel, allowing the richly vascularized outer dural surface to contact a large surface area of the ischemic cortex. An extensive degree of revascularization was observed.
Almost disturbance decoupling for a chain of power integrators perturbed by a lower-triangular vector field

The problem of almost disturbance decoupling with internal stability (ADD) is formulated, in terms of a nonlinear (instead of an L/sub 2/) gain, for a class of high-order nonlinear systems which consist of a chain of power integrators perturbed by a lower-triangular vector field. A significant feature of the systems considered in the paper is that they are neither feedback linearizable nor affine in the control input, which have been two basic assumptions made in all the existing ADD nonlinear control schemes. Using the so-called adding a power integrator technique developed recently, we solve the ADD problem via static smooth state feedback, under a set of growth conditions that can be viewed as a high-order version of the feedback linearizable conditions. We also show how to explicitly construct a smooth state feedback controller that attenuates the disturbance's effect on the output to an arbitrary degree of accuracy, with internal stability.
Stepped Wedge Design

Stepped wedge trials are randomized trials in which each randomization unit first receives the control condition and then crosses over to receive the intervention. However, the time at which the intervention is provided to each unit is randomized. Stepped wedge trials may be either individually or cluster-randomized. The stepped wedge design is particularly useful when it is not feasible to provide the intervention to everyone or every community at once, and for evaluating the effectiveness of interventions that have been shown to be efficacious in a more limited, research setting and are now being scaled up to the community level. This design is also useful for evaluating temporal changes in the intervention effect. Keywords: Phase IV trials; community intervention trial; effectiveness; phased introduction; crossover
Remarks on holography with broken Lorentz invariance

Recently a family of solutions of Einstein equations in backgrounds with broken Lorentz invariance was found. We show that the gravitational solution recently obtained by Kachru et al. is a part of the former solution which was derived earlier in the framework of extra-dimensional theories. We show how the energy-momentum and Einstein tensors are related and establish a correspondence between parameters which govern Lorentz invariance violation. Then we demonstrate that scaling behavior of two point correlation functions of local operators in scalar field theory is reproduced correctly for two cases with critical values of scaling parameters. Therefore, we complete the dictionary of 'tree-level' duality for all known solutions of the bulk theory. In the end we speculate on relations between renormalization group flow of a boundary theory and asymptotic behavior of gravitational solutions in the bulk.
Isolation of M. abscessus from patients with M. avium complex (MAC) lung disease

MAC and M. abscessus lung diseases occur predominantly in females with bronchiectasis. Both organisms are sometimes isolated from the same patient (Griffith et al, ARRD 1993, 147; 1271-8). In that circumstance, the clinical significance of M. abscessus may be difficult to determine. Between 2006 and the present we identified 53 patients treated for MAC lung disease who also had M. abscessus isolated from sputum. Patients were 92% female, age 73.2 ± 7.6 yrs and divided into 2 groups. Group 1 consisted of 32 patients not diagnosed with clinically significant M. abscessus infection. Group 1 had 1.4 ± 0.9 M. abscessus isolates per patient out of 39.3 ± 19.4 total cultures per patient. 25/32 (78%) patients had only 1 M. abscessus isolate. Group 2 consisted of 21 patients with clinically significant M. abscessus infection who had 15.0 ± 11.1 M. abscessus isolates per patient out of 41.7 ± 19.4 total cultures per patient (p M. gordonae, M. terrae , etc.) than Group 2 patients, 41% vs 14% (p Pseudomonas, Stenotrophamonas , etc.) between Groups 1 and 2 (86% vs 81%). In Group 2, 11/21 (52%) patients were treated for M. abscessus infection including 5/9 (56%) diagnosed with concomitant MAC and M. abscessus infections. Determining the clinical significance of M. abscessus isolates in MAC lung disease patients is generally not difficult, however, due to the many challenges of of M. abscessus treatment, therapeutic decisions remain quite difficult.
The Relationship Between Intercondylar Notch Width of the Femur and the Incidence of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Tears A Prospective Study

For 714 consecutive patients who underwent autogenous patellar tendon graft anterior cruciate ligament reconstructions we intraoperatively measured intercondylar notch width. We prospectively recorded height, weight, sex, and which patients subsequently tore their contralateral anterior cruciate ligament or the 10-mm autograft. The patients were divided into two groups based on notch width (group 1, or = 16mm. The mean notch width was 13.9 +/- 2.2 mm for women and 15.9 +/- 2.5 mm for men. There was no statistically significant difference in notch width between height groups for women or men. Analysis showed that, with height and weight as covariates, women had statistically significantly narrower notches than men. Twenty-three of 388 patients in group 1 and 4 of 326 patients in group 2 tore their contralateral anterior cruciate ligaments. Within groups, no statistically significant differences in contralateral tear rates existed between men and women. Once the men and women had reconstructions with equally sized 10-mm autografts, there was no difference in graft tear rate between groups or between men and women. Our results show that patients with narrower notches have a higher incidence of tearing their contralateral anterior cruciate ligament. After reconstruction with a 10-mm autograft, the incidence of graft rupture is the same for men and women.
β-2 adrenergic receptor gene methylation is associated with decreased asthma severity in inner-city schoolchildren: asthma and rhinitis.

SummaryBackground Genetic variation in the β-2 adrenergic receptor gene (ADRB2) has been implicated in asthma severity and control with conflicting results. Epigenetic variation in the ADRB2 may play an important role in asthma phenotype. Objective We aimed to evaluate whether DNA methylation of ADRB2 is associated with asthma phenotypes in inner-city school-aged children. Methods Multiple CpG sites in the promoter region of ADRB2 gene were analysed in 177 children enrolled in the School Inner-City Asthma Study. Blood- or saliva-derived DNA was measured by bisulphite-polymerase chain reaction pyrosequencing assay. Average percentage DNA methylation across the sites was evaluated for association with asthma severity (report of dyspnoea, night-time symptoms, rescue medication use, and baseline spirometry) and morbidity (school absences and unscheduled healthcare visits). Three clades composed of highly correlated methylation sites within the methylated segment of ADRB2 were further analysed. Results Methylation of individual sites generally ranged from 0% to 6% with average percentage methylation across sites of 2.4%. Univariate analyses strongly favoured the association of higher percentage methylation with lower asthma severity measured by report of dyspnoea. Furthermore, there was a non-significant trend towards less rescue medication use, night-time symptoms, school absences, activity limitation due to asthma, and improved lung function measurements with increased methylation. Multivariate analysis demonstrated methylation of ADRB2 gene significantly associated with less dyspnoea (odds ratio (OR) 0.2, 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.1–0.6, P = 0.002). Each of the three clades of methylation sites showed a strong, but not statistically significant, effect on decreased dyspnoea. Conclusions and Clinical Relevance DNA methylation in the ADRB2 gene is associated with decreased asthma symptom severity, suggesting a role for methylation in asthma phenotypes.
A potential thermal erosion lava channel on Io

[1] We have discovered a prominent >190 km long, ∼0.5–6 km wide lava channel on Io. The channel is sinuous with interior islands and may be associated with the active Tawhaki Patera hotspot. Photoclinometric analysis of the Galileo images indicates that this channel, provisionally named Tawhaki Vallis, is ∼40–65 m deep. Although a constructional contribution cannot be ruled out, the depth, morphology, and sinuosity of the channel is consistent with erosion by lava. Erosion of flowing silicate over silicate substrate or flowing sulfur over sulfur substrate likely requires eruption durations of days to months to form an ∼50 m deep channel, whereas flowing silicate over a sulfur substrate or flowing sulfur over a frozen SO2 substrate would likely require only hours to days. Future spacecraft observation of actively forming lava channels on Io are possible and desirable.
Relation between levels of infant‐, child‐ and maternal‐mortality and their rates of decline

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the cross‐country relation between initial levels of infant‐, child‐ and maternal‐mortality and their rates of decline so as to see whether the so‐called Matthew effect or the inverse‐care principle operates relative to these three important health indicators.Design/methodology/approach – Data on the three variables for a large number of countries covering several periods between 1950 and 2007 are considered. Signs and significance of correlations between initial levels and the rates of decline over the period, and of coefficients of initial levels in regressions of rates of decline on the initial level, are studied.Findings – First, in a broad global context, higher initial levels of mortality are associated with significantly lower rates of decline in each of the three indicators for every period, thus providing strong support to the operation of the inverse‐care principle and the Matthew effect. Second, the high‐income countries (and transition economies)...
Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury: Evidence-Based Medicine, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Complications

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is the most common cause of long-term morbidity and mortality in pediatric trauma. It is estimated that over 400,000 children in the United States are evaluated in emergency departments after sustaining a TBI annually, resulting in over 3,000 deaths and ten times as many hospitalizations. This chapter reviews the epidemiology, pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and imaging findings associated with TBI in children. A diagnostic and management algorithm is then reviewed. Finally, the representative evidence and risks/benefits of intracranial pressure monitoring, hyperosmolar therapy, barbiturate coma, decompressive craniectomy, and other therapeutic modalities are explained in detail.
A double-DANTE tagging sequence for the evaluation of heart wall motion

A magnetic resonance imaging sequence that generates a high-density grid pattern of tags is discussed. In the sequence described, the tag placement occurs by exciting the sample with a DANTE pulse sequence in the presence of a continuous frequency encoding gradient. This results in a set of thin parallel lines whose separation can be controlled by varying either the Dante delay or the gradient strength. The tagging sequence requires less than 10 ms to define a cross-sectional grid. By alternating the phase of the DANTE pulses between 0 degrees and 180 degrees , excitation occurs at four different frequencies, thereby quadrupling the number of tags. The use of a DANTE pulse train provides better frequency selectivity and reduces the bandwidth limitation of the longer binomial pulses. >
Ornithology and integrated pest management: red-winged blackbirds Agelaius phoeniceus and corn.

Red-winged Blackbirds Agelaius phoeniceus, the most abundant bird in North America, annually destroy over 360 000 tonnes of field corn and substantial amounts of sweet corn. This loss, representing <1% of North American corn production, is localized within 8 km of wetlands where Red-winged Blackbirds roost in late summer. Red-winged Blackbirds are often initially attracted to corn fields to feed on insect pests during the 2–3 week period between silking and kernel development. An ideal resolution of the conflict between corn farmers and Red-winged Blackbirds is to couple the birds' beneficial feeding habits in silking-stage corn with management techniques to reduce subsequent damage to kernels. Once birds switch from feeding on insects to feeding on corn, protective measures to reduce damage are more critical in the early (milk) stages of kernel development than later because the damage potential is much higher at this time. Birds must eat three times more kernels at 20 days after silking than at 40 days in order to receive the same corn biomass. The use of bird-resistant cultivars of corn, the deployment of frightening devices during the critical damage period, and the provision of alternative feeding sites are important components of an integrated management programme. The goal is to accommodate Red-winged Blackbirds as a part of the wetland-agricultural complex in North America.
The Events of February 4, 1883, Michigan, Indiana, and Illinois

The event listed for February 4, 1883, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, in the National Earthquake Catalog is attributable to the accidental railroad explosions in La Porte, Indiana, and is in fact not an earthquake. This is the second largest event attributed to the lower peninsula. No damage occurred in Kalamazoo despite reports by the Chicago press. The distribution of felt reports corresponds to that expected for an explosion in February. The event was further confused with a 5 A.M. earthquake in the Bloomington, Illinois-St. Louis area.