cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impacts of neighbourhood influence on social acceptance of small solar home systems in rural western Kenya

Abstract Knowledge of a new technology is necessary for a consumer to make an informed decision on its adoption, but this is difficult with nascent technologies such as solar home systems (SHS) where information is asymmetrical, with producers being in better positions to test the technology than consumers, contributing to their initial slow diffusions in new markets. In such cases, neighbourhood influence from early and independent adopters play important roles in increased future adoptions. In this work, impacts of neighbourhood influence and social pressure on temporal diffusion of SHS in a rural developing community are investigated. A survey is developed and carried out in Kendu Bay area of Kenya to gather information on how neighbourhood influence and social pressure impact on SHS installation decisions. Data from the survey is then used to inform an agent-based model (ABM) developed in NetLogo, to simulate impacts of neighbourhood influence radius and threshold, on temporal diffusion of SHS in a rural developing community. Results show that visibility of newly installed SHS leads to more installations that word-of-mouth alone. Results also show that increasing influence radius leads to exponential growth in SHS installations. For optimal SHS installations, a neighbourhood threshold of between 12.5% and 15% is required.
Trauma‐targeted Delivery of Tranexamic Acid Improves Hemostasis and Survival in Rat Liver Hemorrhage Model

Background Trauma-associated hemorrhage and coagulopathy remain leading causes of mortality. Such coagulopathy often leads to a hyperfibrinolytic phenotype where hemostatic clots become unstable because of upregulated tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) activity. Tranexamic acid (TXA), a synthetic inhibitor of tPA, has emerged as a promising drug to mitigate fibrinolysis. TXA is US Food and Drug Administration-approved for treating heavy menstrual and postpartum bleeding, and has shown promise in trauma treatment. However, emerging reports also implicate TXA for off-target systemic coagulopathy, thromboembolic complications, and neuropathy. Objective We hypothesized that targeted delivery of TXA to traumatic injury site can enable its clot-stabilizing action site-selectively, to improve hemostasis and survival while avoiding off-target effects. To test this, we used liposomes as a model delivery vehicle, decorated their surface with a fibrinogen-mimetic peptide for anchorage to active platelets within trauma-associated clots, and encapsulated TXA within them. Methods The TXA-loaded trauma-targeted nanovesicles (T-tNVs) were evaluated in vitro in rat blood, and then in vivo in a liver trauma model in rats. TXA-loaded control (untargeted) nanovesicles (TNVs), free TXA, or saline were studied as comparison groups. Results Our studies show that in vitro, the T-tNVs could resist lysis in tPA-spiked rat blood. In vivo, T-tNVs maintained systemic safety, significantly reduced blood loss and improved survival in the rat liver hemorrhage model. Postmortem evaluation of excised tissue from euthanized rats confirmed systemic safety and trauma-targeted activity of the T-tNVs. Conclusion Overall, the studies establish the potential of targeted TXA delivery for safe injury site-selective enhancement and stabilization of hemostatic clots to improve survival in trauma.
Novel Medications for the Treatment of Migraine.

Objective To describe the new classes of medication for headache management and their roles in clinical practice. Background Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) is a key component in the underlying pathophysiology of migraine. Research focused on targeting CGRP for headache treatment has led to the development of entirely new classes of medications - the gepants and the CGRP monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) - for both acute and preventive treatment. A third class, the ditans, is being developed to target the 5-HT1F receptor to provide acute treatment without vasoconstrictive effects. Methods This article reviews the pathophysiology of migraine that has led to these new pharmacologic developments. Available information from randomized controlled trials, abstracts, press releases, and relevant preclinical studies is summarized for each class of medications. Results At the time of this writing, one ditan has been submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval. One gepant is anticipated to be submitted within the first quarter of 2019, and others are in clinical trials. Three CGRP mAbs have been FDA approved and are now available in clinical practice, and a fourth was submitted in the first quarter of 2019. Conclusions The development of new migraine-specific classes of medications provides more treatment options for both acute and preventive treatment of migraine.
2622 an Endometriosis Field Guide: Proposing a Standardized Descriptive Nomenclature

Video Objective Well recognized is the variety of presentations of endometriosis lesions beyond simply the classic "black powder-burn lesions" of John Sampson (1927). No standardized nomenclature exists to provide either gross morphologic description nor classification of the variety of endometriosis lesions. Borrowing from Dermatology systems of descriptive nomenclature, this video reviews a classification system specific for endometriosis focusing on Primary as well as Secondary lesion characteristics and then demonstrates use of the classification system for a variety of different endometriosis lesions. The purpose of this video is to propose a standardized nomenclature by which to describe the gross morphologic characteristics of endometriosis lesions seen on laparoscopic imaging at the time of surgery. Setting Laparoscopic excision of endometriosis lesions performed in the OR with then pathologic diagnostic correlation. Interventions During the course of laparoscopic radical excision of endometriosis, we identified a wide variety of "non-classic" or "atypical" lesions returning with pathologic diagnosis of endometriosis. These variety of lesions then formed the basis for a gross morphologic classification system by which such lesions can be standardly described. Conclusion The wide variety of endometriosis lesions can be described and classified according to a standardized nomenclature based on gross morphologic characteristics easily identified at laparoscopy. This standardized nomenclature not only supports a broader recognition of endometriosis lesions by surgeons but permits comparative studies of grossly identified endometriosis.
Neural tracking of musical rhythm reflected in the autonomic nervous system

Humans start responding to music even before birth, and one particular measure, heart rate variability (HRV), reflecting the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) function, has been shown to respond to a music stimulus and to music therapy in the NICU. However, whether and how HRV is related to musical rhythm processing has not been examined. A group of adults (N = 15) passively listened to duple and triple rhythmic patterns while we measured their neural tracking of the rhythmic patterns and PNS function simultaneously using MEG and ECG. Results showed that adults’ neural tracking of beat level rhythm is 2.5 times stronger than their tracking of meter level rhythm, regardless of the energy of the beat and meter in the stimulus. Moreover, this ratio is significantly related to HRV across individuals. That is, the stronger an individual’s brain tracks the meter level rhythm, the higher the HRV, indicating a higher level PNS function (i.e., lower stress). This relation is not affected by an individual’s expe...
Election, International Election Monitoring Groups and Nigeria’s Fourth Republic

A representative democracy can be achieved through a free and fair electoral environment. It is at the instance of ensuring free and fair election that observation has emerged as a fundamental principle in restoring people’s confidence, trust and appraising electoral integrity for democratic development. The participation and involvement of international election observers in electoral matters aim to ensure that elections are conducted in accordance with conventional democratic ethical standards across the globe. Premised on this background, this paper seeks to examine the role of international election observers in major elections conducted in Nigeria’s fourth republic. Six international election observation bodies were sampled: National Democratic Institute (NDI), The Commonwealth Secretariat (CS), European Commission (EC), International Republican Institute (IRI), Human Right Watch (HRW) and Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). The study unravels the essential roles of international election observers in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections in Nigeria. The paper therefore avers that international election observers have performed more than expectation in correcting previous electoral malfeasances through their dynamic reports and recommendations. Their monumental roles discerned the 2011 general election from the preceding 1999, 2003 and 2007 elections which were marred by miscellaneous electoral flaws in Nigeria. Thus, the paper recommends ultimate cooperation of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), civil society, security agency and electorate with International Electoral Observers for the realization of sustainable democracy in Nigeria.
Reconstructing the precontact Late Woodland archaeology of site 20LU115 and the landscape history of Sleeping Bear Point, Great Lakes, USA

A multifaceted, multidisciplinary research strategy was employed to reconstruct the taphonomy and environmental history of a late Holocene coastal archaeological site (20LU115) at Sleeping Bear Poi...
Taking the Climate Crisis Personally

The global threat of a warming planet and the increasing devastating consequences for the environment and vulnerable people throughout the world have pushed the author, a researcher and advocate fo...
Association between low estrogen receptor positive breast cancer and staining performance.

Estrogen receptor (ER) expression in breast carcinomas, determined by immunohistochemistry, indicates statistically significant benefit to endocrine therapy in patients with tumors expressing ER in ≥1% of tumor cells. Rare cases with low ER expression (1–10%) lead to the dilemma of treating these tumors as ER positive or negative. We hypothesize that low ER positive result from poor staining performance and that we may detect this artefact by assessing the average dynamic range of normal ducts adjacent to low ER positive tumors. Using quantitative tools, we compare the dynamic range of normal background ER expression in patients with low (1–10%) ER tumors to dynamic range of ER expression in normal epithelium from control patient populations, to determine if low ER cases are accompanied by decreased dynamic range. Low ER cases were infrequent (1% of invasive breast carcinomas). Twenty-one cases with low ER staining and two control cohorts, including a tissue microarray (TMA) of 10 benign breast sections and a group of 34 control breast carcinomas (reported as ER negative or >10% ER positive) with normal background epithelium, were digitally scanned. QuPath was utilized to quantify ER staining for each cell as the mean optical density of nuclear DAB staining. The dynamic range of ER expression in normal epithelium surrounding low ER tumors was significantly lower (range 2–240, median 16.5) than that of the benign epithelium in the control tumors (range 3–475, median 30.8; p < 0.001) and benign TMA sections (range 38–212, median 114; p < 0.001) suggesting inconsistent stainer performance.
Rac(e)ing to computer science for all: how teachers talk and learn about equity in professional development

Though computer science education is marked by a pronounced racial participation gap, there is little research about effective ways that teachers can be supported in creating racially-just and equi...
Correction to: Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-BB Restores HIV Tat-Mediated Impairment of Neurogenesis: Role of GSK-3β/β-Catenin

We have now noticed that that the wrong western blot images of GSK-3β was inadvertently included in Fig. 4C.
Straightening up for life in a biofilm.

Since our eyes were opened to the microscopic world centuries ago, microbiologists have been dazzled by the incredible diversity of shapes and sizes adopted by bacteria (1). Given this dizzying morphological potential, it is remarkable that most species gravitate to a particular shape. It is tempting to speculate that the “one species, one form” paradigm reflects the selective benefits of the chosen shape in the natural environment of each species. But how is cell shape determined? And does a given shape truly confer a fitness advantage? Although these questions are often asked, definitive answers have remained elusive. Vibrio cholerae , the pathogen responsible for the diarrheal disease cholera, typically adopts a characteristic comma (curved) shape. In PNAS, Fernandez et al. (2) report that cellular curvature in V. cholerae is regulated by the second messenger cyclic dimeric guanosine monophosphate (c-di-GMP), whose levels are known to regulate cell motility (3) and biofilm formation (4). Fernandez et al. further suggest that c-di-GMP regulation of cell shape may provide an advantage during environmental transitions in which motility and formation of a sessile biofilm are alternately beneficial (4). Unlike most model bacteria that are not typically considered shape shifters, the typical shape of V. cholerae cells changes over the course of a batch culture. In 1928, Arthur Henrici (5) published a tour-de-force quantification of the shapes of thousands of V. cholerae cells sampled from a culture as it grew from lag phase to exponential phase and then to … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: kchuang{at}stanford.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Relationship Between Mental Health and HIV Transmission Knowledge and Prevention Attitudes Among Adolescents Living with HIV: Lessons from Suubi + Adherence Cluster Randomized Study in Southern Uganda

We assessed the effect of depression, hopelessness, and self-concept on HIV prevention attitudes and knowledge about infection, transmission and sexual risk behavior among adolescents living with HIV in Uganda. Utilizing longitudinal data from 635 adolescents living with HIV, multiple ordinary least square regression was used to evaluate associations between the three indicators of mental health functioning at baseline and HIV knowledge and prevention attitudes at 12-months follow-up. We found that depression (β = − 0.17; 95% CI − 0.31, − 0.04) and hopelessness (β = − 0.16; 95% CI − 0.28, − 0.04) scores at baseline were associated with a 0.17 and 0.16 average reduction in HIV prevention attitudes and HIV knowledge scores, respectively at 12-months follow-up. However, self-concept was not significantly associated with HIV knowledge or prevention attitudes. Adolescents living with HIV with greater levels of hopelessness are at increased risk of having limited HIV knowledge while those with greater symptoms of depression had less favorable HIV prevention attitudes.
Developmental Differences in the Availability of Cognitive Resources Supporting Rhyming and Dual Tasking.

Purpose We investigated developmental differences in a dual task involving rhyming and tone judgment/decisions and the effects of varying cognitive demands on task performance. Method Participants ...
Developing a particle size specification for asphalt emulsion

Abstract There are many parameters that influence the properties of asphalt emulsion including emulsifier type, emulsifier dosage, soap solution pH, and milling time. These parameters influence viscosity, residue, storage stability, and particle size of the asphalt emulsion. Current specifications are over 80 years old, therefore, a movement toward more innovative specifications is desirable. This research examined cationic slow set (CSS) and cationic medium set (CMS) asphalt emulsion. Preliminary results for particle size recommends a d10 of 2.4 μm and d50 of 4.4 μm for CSS, and a d10 of 3.2 μm and d50 of 6.9 μm for CMS asphalt emulsion.
Sexual dimorphism in vascular ATP-sensitive K+ channel function supporting interstitial via convective and/or diffusive O2 transport

Key points Inhibition of pancreatic ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP ) channels is the intended effect of oral sulphonylureas to increase insulin release in diabetes. However, pertinent to off-target effects of sulphonylurea medication, sex differences in cardiac KATP channel function exist, whereas potential sex differences in vascular KATP channel function remain unknown. In the present study, we assessed vascular KATP channel function (topical glibenclamide superfused onto fast-twitch oxidative skeletal muscle) supporting blood flow and interstitial O2 delivery-utilization matching ( P O 2 is) during twitch contractions in male, female during pro-oestrus and ovariectomized female (F+OVX) rats. Glibenclamide decreased blood flow (convective O2 transport) and interstitial P O 2 in male and female, but not F+OVX, rats. Compared to males, females also demonstrated impaired diffusive O2 transport and a faster fall in interstitial P O 2 . Our demonstration, in rats, that sex differences in vascular KATP channel function exist support the tentative hypothesis that oral sulphonylureas may exacerbate exercise intolerance and morbidity, especially in premenopausal females. Abstract Vascular ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP ) channels support skeletal muscle blood flow ( Q m ), interstitial O2 delivery ( Q O 2 )-utilization ( V O 2 ) matching (i.e. interstitial-myocyte O2 flux driving pressure; P O 2 is) and exercise tolerance. Potential sex differences in skeletal muscle vascular KATP channel function remain largely unexplored. We hypothesized that local skeletal muscle KATP channel inhibition via glibenclamide superfusion (5 mg kg-1 GLI; sulphonylurea diabetes medication) in anaesthetized female Sprague-Dawley rats, compared to males, would demonstrate greater reductions in contracting (1 Hz, 7 V, 180 s) fast-twitch oxidative mixed gastrocnemius (97% type IIA+IID/X+IIB) Q m (15 μm microspheres) and P O 2 is (phosphorescence quenching), resulting from more compromised convective ( Q O 2 ) and diffusive ( D O 2 ) O2 conductances. Furthermore, these GLI-induced reductions in ovary-intact females measured during pro-oestrus would be diminished following ovariectomy (F+OVX). GLI similarly impaired mixed gastrocnemius V O 2 in both males (↓28%) and females (↓33%, both P Q m (male: ↓31%, female: ↓35%, both P Q O 2 (male: 5.6 ± 0.5 vs. 4.0 ± 0.5, female: 6.4 ± 1.1 vs. 4.2 ± 0.6 mL O2 min-1 100 g tissue-1 , P P O 2 is, with females also demonstrating a reduced D O 2 (0.40 ± 0.07 vs. 0.30 ± 0.04 mL O2 min-1 100 g tissue-1 , P P O 2 is fall (mean response time: Sex × Drug interaction, P = 0.026). Conversely, GLI did not impair the mixed gastrocnemius of F+OVX rats. Therefore, in patients taking sulphonylureas, these results support the potential for impaired vascular KATP channel function to compromise muscle Q m and therefore exercise tolerance. Such an effect, if present, would likely contribute to adverse cardiovascular events in premenopausal females more than males.
Radiographic Evaluation of the Upper Cervical Spine

Abstract This chapter discusses the evaluation of the upper cervical spine with the use of plain radiographs. It starts by presenting a broad overview of the pertinent anatomy of the upper cervical spine and the utility of the radiographic evaluation of this anatomy. Next, important pathological findings and their evaluation are presented. These include, but are not limited to, occipital condyle fractures, craniocervical dissociation, and injuries involving the atlas and axis. Throughout this chapter, various radiographic parameters are discussed and shown using diagrams and actual patient cervical spine radiographs. These parameters are further discussed to delve into their applications and limitations. This chapter will aid the reader in evaluating the upper cervical spine using radiographs; however, other imaging modalities and treatments are beyond the scope of this chapter.
Vertical tillage impacts on water quality derived from rainfall simulations

Abstract Increasing soluble phosphorus (SP) loads to Lake Erie occurring around the same time as the implementation of no-tillage in the watershed has led to speculation that this important conservation practice is a primary cause of the SP loading. Thus, conservationists are interested in finding management practices that will minimize stratification of P, which may be common in no-tillage systems, while also minimizing erosion losses that result from conventional tillage practices. As no-tillage was marketed as a practice to decrease sediment and total P (TP) loads, it is important to examine adoption of future conservation practices for their impact on multiple resource concerns. This study was conducted to determine if a shallow vertical tillage practice was sufficient to minimize P, N and atrazine loading from long-term no-tillage fields in a corn-soybean rotation, while maintaining minimal erosion. Rainfall simulations (average intensity of 53 mm h−1) were performed on no-tillage and vertical tillage plots (5 × 1 m) sufficient to produce 30 min of runoff. Runoff was collected every 2.5 min, and analyzed for sediment and nutrients (NH4–N, NO3–N, total Kjehldahl N (TKN), SP and TP). Runoff was delayed by 17 min using vertical tillage; however, the steady-state rate of runoff was significantly greater from vertical tillage compared to no-tillage. There were no significant differences for N from runoff (NH4–N, NO3–N, or TKN). There was a trend of slightly higher SP loads from vertical tillage than no-tillage. Total P losses were correlated with sediment, and were observed to be higher from vertical tillage than no-tillage. The primary advantage that vertical tillage has with respect to nutrient losses is in delaying runoff initiation, however this effect could be nullified in subsequent runoff events. If P loading to surface waters is the primary concern, it would appear from the data presented in this study that vertical tillage may not be an appropriate practice, and in fact may impose greater risks due to greater erosion and associated TP losses.
The Northern Hardwood Ecosystem in the Hubbard Brook Valley in Relation to Other Forest Ecosystems

Forests and woodlands cover some 57 × 106 km2, which is about 38 % of the total continental area or 11 % of the Earth’s surface. Despite this relatively small area, 92 % of the Earth’s plant biomass and 46 % of its annual net primary production come from forest (Table 33). The ~80 billion metric tons of dry plant matter produced (net) each year by forests exceeds the total net primary production of the oceans, even though the oceans are more than six times larger in area. The animal biomass in these forests represents some 68 % of the total found on continental land masses [Whittaker and Likens 1973; but see Cole (2013, pp. 113–114)].
On Adaptive Radar Polarimetry: Concepts of Implementation

Basic fundamentals of adaptive signal processing applicable to radar polarimetry when either the scattering properties of the target are unknown or they change in a real time have been examined. Suggested algorithms for a reference signal to be used in a process of adaptive evaluation are based on a generalized analysis of polarization states in a nonorthogonal basis. A calibration procedure of the transmit—receive radar system involving a one-to-one mapping from a sample transmit space to a sample receive space, as well as a real-time estimation technique and adaptive refinement in radar polarimetry are discussed.
Remote Sensing Recognition of Paddy Waterlogging Using Change Vector Analysis Model

It is significant to monitor crop waterlogging range timely and correctly for later field management, agricultural insurance and yield prediction. The change regularity of paddy injured growth was analyzed and the sensitive parameters of growth stress were screened. The model of identifying the paddy waterlogging range based on change vector analysis (CVA) was developed by using the HJ-1/2 CCD images around waterlogging. At last the accuracy of the developed model was evaluated by in-situ sample data. Results showed that the waterlogged paddy mainly scattered around the Huaihe River system. The spatial distribution pattern was in conformity with the occurrence tendency of paddy waterlogging provided by local agricultural department as a whole. By evaluating the accuracy of the model with in-situ samples, the overall accuracy of the model developed in the study reached 87.5%, while the Kappa coefficient reached 0.737. The change vector analysis model could identify the waterlogged paddy and normal paddy correctly and efficient in Huaihe River Basin.
Implementation and performance comparison of five DSP-based control methods for three-phase six-switch boost PFC rectifier

In this paper, implementation and performance comparison of five control methods for the average-current-controlled three-phase six-switch boost PFC rectifier are presented. The considered average-current-control methods include implementations with three independent controllers, with six-step PWM, and with three-step PWM all in stationary (a,b,c) reference frame, as well as average-current control in rotating (d,q) reference frame with zero-sequence-signal (ZSS) injection-based PWM and with space vector modulation (SVM). It is shown that the average-current control with three independent controllers exhibits the lowest total harmonic distortion (THD) of input currents, whereas, the average-current control in the rotating (d,q) reference frame with ZSS injection-based PWM and SVM exhibit the highest power factor. It is also shown that the average-current control with three independent controllers requires the shortest calculation time. The measurements were performed on a 3-kW, three-phase, six-switch, boost PFC rectifier prototype controlled by the TMS320F2808 DSP from TI.
Control over bandlimited communication channels: limitations to stabilizability

This paper concerns the sampled data control of continuous time plants from a remote location when the feedback and actuation signals are transmitted over finite bandwidth communication channels. We show two results. First that under the theoretical restriction of perfect bandlimitation an unstable plant cannot be stabilized, if the actuation and feedback data are transmitted at rates exceeding the Nyquist frequencies of the communications channels. Under more practical bandlimitations, we show that super-Nyquist rates result in closed loop /spl Hscr//sub /spl infin// norms that grow with the severity with which band confinement is imposed. In theory these problems do not appear if sub-Nyquist rates are used. We explain in the paper that this loss of Stabilizability is a consequence of a fundamental interplay between communications and control.
A Comparison of Three Coal-Derived, Middle Distillate, Synthetic Fuels in a Single-Cylinder DI Diesel Engine

Three synthetic fuels, derived from coal, were compared to a Phillips DF-2 control fuel. These fuels were tested in a single-cylinder, direct-injected, Diesel engine. Comparisons were made on the basis of performance, combustion characteristics, gas-phase emissions including aldehydes, and particulate emissions. In addition, the mutagenic activity of the soluble organic compounds from the particulates were analyzed using the Ames test. The objective of these experiments was to determine how well the synthetic fuels would perform as direct replacements for DF-2. All three synthetic fuels were manufactured from an initial batch of middle distillates produced by the Exxon donor Solvent (EDS) process. The first fuel was a blend of the EDS middle distillate and the baseline DF-2 with a cetane number of 35. For the second test fuel, the phenolics were removed from the EDS middle distillate by caustic extraction, and the product was then mixed with the baseline DF-2 to achieve a cetane rating of about 35. The third test fuel was obtained by severely hydrotreating the caustic-washed EDS middle distillate used to prepare the second fuel; its cetane number was 38. Overall, the hydrotreated EDS fuel gave the best results compared to DF-2. The raw EDS and caustic-treated EDSmore » blends showed poor results, especially at light loads, compared to DF-2.« less
Angular momentum in field theory

A discussion of a separation of the total angular momentum into spin and orbital parts is presented in terms of the relation of the latter to a position operator for quantized fields.
Network Interns Volunteer Support After Katrina

The effectiveness of college internships often vary dramatically. Sometimes an internship can provide excellent work experiences but on other occasions work may be less than satisfactory. When an internship comes along that provides an excellent opportunity for learning, leadership, and contributions to society, it is quite rewarding to all involved. Just such an internship was provided soon after Hurricane Katrina struck the Mississippi gulf coast on August 29, 2005.
Applications of lasers in ophthalmology

Summary form only given, as follows. Over the past decade the use of laser technology has been incorporated in to many aspects of ophthalmology. The purpose of the talk is to acquaint scientists and engineers outside the medical community with the state of the art of laser applications in ophthalmology, in order to help identify future research opportunities.
Correction: Plasmonics in the ultraviolet with the poor metals Al, Ga, In, Sn, Tl, Pb, and Bi

Correction for ‘Plasmonics in the ultraviolet with the poor metals Al, Ga, In, Sn, Tl, Pb, and Bi’ by Jeffrey M. McMahon et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013, 15, 5415–5423.
The role of carnitine supplementation in valproic acid therapy.

Carnitine is a simple, vitamin-like compound that transports long-chain fatty acids into mitochondria. Despite its essential role in human nutrition and metabolism, carnitine engendered relatively little medical interest until the description in the 1970s of human disorders in which muscle or systemic levels of carnitine were markedly depressed and in which clinical improvement followed treatment with carnitine. Since then, carnitine has enjoyed a remarkable rise in popularity as an aid to everything from common muscle fatigue to treatment of specific inborn errors of metabolism. Nowhere has the popularity of carnitine been more evident than in the treatment of children taking valproic acid, which causes in some children a depression of free carnitine levels.
Combination Drug Therapy for Patients with Intractable Ventricular Tachycardia Associated with Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy

Background Drug therapy for patients with right ventricular (RV) cardiomyopathy refractory to single-drug therapy and ablation has not been well defined. Methods We reviewed our entire RV cardiomyopathy database (31 patients) and found four patients presenting with ventricular arrhythmias of RV origin refractory to single-drug therapy. These patients underwent complete evaluation for arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC). Results Following the revised 2010 task force criteria, of these four patients, three were diagnosed with ARVC, and one with cardiac sarcoidosis. These patients proved to be refractory to drug monotherapy and either failed or deemed to not be candidates for endocardial ablation. Their arrhythmias were ultimately controlled with combinations of sotalol, flecainide, and mexiletine. Conclusions In our experience, combination drug therapy is an effective treatment strategy for patients with ventricular tachycardia refractory to monotherapy and, in some cases, ablation. In addition, flecainide appears to be safe and effective for those with RV cardiomyopathy without significant left ventricular dysfunction.
Ensemble hidden Markov models with application to landmine detection

We introduce an ensemble learning method for temporal data that uses a mixture of hidden Markov models (HMM). We hypothesize that the data are generated by K models, each of which reflects a particular trend in the data. The proposed approach, called ensemble HMM (eHMM), is based on clustering within the log-likelihood space and has two main steps. First, one HMM is fit to each of the N individual training sequences. For each fitted model, we evaluate the log-likelihood of each sequence. This results in an N-by-N log-likelihood distance matrix that will be partitioned into K groups using a relational clustering algorithm. In the second step, we learn the parameters of one HMM per cluster. We propose using and optimizing various training approaches for the different K groups depending on their size and homogeneity. In particular, we investigate the maximum likelihood (ML), the minimum classification error (MCE), and the variational Bayesian (VB) training approaches. Finally, to test a new sequence, its likelihood is computed in all the models and a final confidence value is assigned by combining the models’ outputs using an artificial neural network. We propose both discrete and continuous versions of the eHMM. Our approach was evaluated on a real-world application for landmine detection using ground-penetrating radar (GPR). Results show that both the continuous and discrete eHMM can identify meaningful and coherent HMM mixture components that describe different properties of the data. Each HMM mixture component models a group of data that share common attributes. These attributes are reflected in the mixture model’s parameters. The results indicate that the proposed method outperforms the baseline HMM that uses one model for each class in the data.
Does a "split" stent make sense?

In the preceding article, Ewert et al. [1] describe a technique in which they implant in piglets stents that have been split longitudinally. The sides of the stent were reattached using absorbable sutures that, when absorbed, allow for further expansion of the stents. These modified stents were placed in normal inferior venae cavae, descending aortae, or pulmonary arteries through a 5 Fr sheath. The animals were recatheterized 14–23 weeks later. In no instance was a pressure gradient recorded across the stented vessel segment. In 10 of 20 stents, there was angiographic appearance of narrowing of no more than 10% of the vessel diameter. These stents were redilated successfully, although the definition of “successful” is not given. The authors conclude that this “may be a promising new device for the permanent treatment of stenotic vessels in infancy and childhood.” The primary advantage of this technique seems to be that the stents can implanted through small (5 Fr) sheaths. However, one must interpret this report with caution. As the authors themselves point out, these stents were implanted in native nonstenotic vessels. Whether similar success is achievable in diseased stenotic vessels is not clear. Additionally, the fact that the radial strength of this split stent will be disturbed could be of major concern. Redilating, especially using high-pressure balloons, is likely to deliver outward forces to the stenotic vessel in a nonuniform manner. This nonhomogeneity of force coupled with the increased elastic filaments, which were stretched and widely separated as demonstrated in the present report, raises serious questions about the use of this technique in small infants with diseased vessels. This concern would also be true for a stent with a single longitudinal split, as described by Ing et al. [2]. Finally, the fact that the two halves of the stents described in the present report had separated with growth of the vessel raises the question as to how much they are responsible for the lack of stenosis in the older animals. Another stent with a novel design described by Forbes et al. [3] has many of the characteristics desirable in a stent that can be redilated to a larger size in growing children. This stent, which is not split, requires a 6 Fr sheath for implantation, but it is flexible enough to be implanted in the pulmonary arteries and can be dilated up to 20 mm. Because of the design of the stent, interposing omega hinges between cells, it maintains uniform radial strength with little shortening on subsequent dilation, unlike a similar stent without the newer design [4]. The issue of implanting stents in infants and small children has been problematic because of the inability to dilate the stents to an adequate size as the child grows. Innovations, such as the one described in this report, have begun to address this issue. As with many other developments in the catheterization laboratory, it is only a matter of time before this issue is resolved. Whether the right technique will include use of a split stent or some other design remains to be seen.
Renal dysfunction in liver transplant recipients: Evaluation of the critical issues

Major progress has been made in the field of liver transplantation since the first procedure was performed nearly 50 years ago. Despite these improvements, renal dysfunction before and after liver transplantation remains a major complicating factor associated with increased health care costs, morbidity, and mortality. Creatinine-based estimates of renal function are inaccurate in the setting of end-stage liver disease and often lead to underdiagnosis and late intervention. This issue is critical in that it is important to understand both the etiology and chronicity of renal dysfunction before liver transplantation because the treatment clearly varies, especially with respect to simultaneous liver-kidney (SLK) transplantation. Because of the scarcity of available grafts, identifying appropriate candidates for SLK transplantation is crucial. Hepatorenal syndrome is common in liver transplant candidates; however, other etiologies of renal dysfunction need to be considered. Renal dysfunction after liver transplantation is common and may have an acute or chronic presentation. Although calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) have been associated with post-liver transplant nephrotoxicity, their role may be overestimated, and other contributing etiologies should remain in a clinician's differential diagnosis. Alternatives to CNIs have been evaluated; however, a safe immunosuppressive regimen that achieves the preservation of renal function in liver transplant recipients remains to be established. In this review of the literature, renal dysfunction in the setting of liver transplantation is evaluated, and the critical issues that are barriers to improved outcomes are highlighted.
Spelling Errors of Future Teachers

The writer kept a record of spelling errors found in written assignments of 97 student teachers enrolled at Hunter College of the City of New York during a period of six consecutive terms, from the spring term of 1954 through the fall term of 1956. These 97 students comprised the total number of student teachers assigned to the writer during six five-month terms. The words misspelled by these students were recorded from an av?ra g e of nine written assignments per term. No record was kept of the number of times any one word was misspelled by the same student, but a count was made of the number of students who misspelled the same word.
Improved magnetic resonance imaging of the temporomandibular joint by oblique scanning planes

This study was undertaken to investigate whether the quality of magnetic resonance images of the temporomandibular joint could be improved by scanning in oblique planes oriented according to the individual angle of the mandibular condyle (oblique images) instead of in the true anatomic sagittal and coronal planes (orthogonal images). Sagittal and coronal magnetic resonance images obtained by both methods in 21 patients were compared for image quality of the disk. In more than half the patients the oblique images demonstrated the anatomy of the disk better than the orthogonal images. Oblique images are therefore recommended.
Dynamics and Rheology of Fouling Cakes Formed During Ultrafil Tration

Abstract The solute cake which forms on a membrane surface during ultrafiltration processes is well known for its fouling characteristics. The dynamics and rheology of the cake are investigated and observed under the action of cross-flow shear. Experiments with slurries having 300 nm diameter particles of titanium dioxide indicate average volume concentrations of 0.56 or 0.57 and show that this cake indeed ‘flows’ with a creeping velocity under applied shear. The cake thickness reaches a steady state when the solute advection towards the membrane balances the solute mass carried away at the trailing edge by the creeping cake. The viscosityshear rate dependence of this layer is determined experimentally and the ‘Creeping velocity’ of the cake is calculated assuming the transverse drag force is determined from the Kozeny-Carman equation. Upon instantaneous compression the cake compresses while maintaining its mass distribution. The change in cake resistance allows interpetation of the pressure modified conc...
Mechanochemical synthesis of layered hydroxy salts

Abstract A simple one minute synthesis method was adapted for the preparation of layered hydroxy salts of copper, zinc, nickel and cadmium by grinding the metal salts with sodium hydroxide in a mortar. This solvent free method is environment friendly and fast. This method could be extended to the preparation of Ni/Zn hydroxy double salts. The Ni/Zn ratio could be varied from 1.2 to 1.9 by varying the metal contents of the precursor salts without the formation of any impurities in the sample. The prepared compounds had similar characteristics as that of the samples prepared by precipitation route. No sign of carbonate contamination was observed in any of the prepared samples.
FoldMiner: Structural motif discovery using an improved superposition algorithm

We report an unsupervised structural motif discovery algorithm, FoldMiner, which is able to detect global and local motifs in a database of proteins without the need for multiple structure or sequence alignments and without relying on prior classification of proteins into families. Motifs, which are discovered from pairwise superpositions of a query structure to a database of targets, are described probabilistically in terms of the conservation of each secondary structure element's position and are used to improve detection of distant structural relationships. During each iteration of the algorithm, the motif is defined from the current set of homologs and is used both to recruit additional homologous structures and to discard false positives. FoldMiner thus achieves high specificity and sensitivity by distinguishing between homologous and nonhomologous structures by the regions of the query to which they align. We find that when two proteins of the same fold are aligned, highly conserved secondary structure elements in one protein tend to align to highly conserved elements in the second protein, suggesting that FoldMiner consistently identifies the same motif in members of a fold. Structural alignments are performed by an improved superposition algorithm, LOCK 2, which detects distant structural relationships by placing increased emphasis on the alignment of secondary structure elements. LOCK 2 obeys several properties essential in automated analysis of protein structure: It is symmetric, its alignments of secondary structure elements are transitive, its alignments of residues display a high degree of transitivity, and its scoring system is empirically found to behave as a metric.
Economic Instability and the Unfortunate, and Unavoidable, Consequences of Acting Ethically

In this paper I describe and analyze an economic situation involving two competitive organizations. I put forth the argument that because of the systemic nature of decision making relative to managing the requirements of utilizing a descriptive equation that determines how many people an economic system can support, that even if all the players in the situation act ethically, the results will still be harmful, and necessarily so, to the system and to many innocent people. I will demonstrate that harming innocent people is required and morally defensible given the choices available. The best one can do is slow down the increase in disutilities and possibly operate the system within a range of acceptable behavior that minimizes the resulting harm to innocent people, even if we cannot entirely remove this harm. In this context ethics becomes the study of the acceptable as opposed to the preferable.
Body mass index in fetal alcohol syndrome

Abstract Introduction: Prenatal alcohol exposure is an important cause of growth impairment. In this study we examined the stability of the growth measurements, including height, weight, and body mass index (BMI) percentiles, from birth to age at the time of diagnosis for subjects who were referred for evaluation to determine if they had fetal alcohol syndrome. Methods: We utilized subjects from the North Dakota Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Registry. Each person referred for assessment was provided a standardized assessment completed by a medical geneticist. We also examined differences in the diagnostic schema from the Institute of Medicine. The population consisted of 315 subjects with paired weight measurements, 234 subjects with paired height measurements, and 322 subjects with current BMI measurements. Results: Increases in weight percentiles and decreases in height percentiles were found. Children with FAS had consistently lower growth measurements. There was significant movement in and out of lower 5th and 10th percentiles by partial and no FAS children from birth to diagnosis. Discussion: The requirement for growth impairment needs to be broad rather than narrow, if most subjects with a diagnosis of FAS and partial FAS/ARND are to be captured.
The transport of trace chemicals by planetary waves in the stratosphere. II - Transport of O3 and N2O by transient waves

Abstract The transport of ozone and nitrous oxide by transient planetary wave in the stratosphere is studied on a midlatitude β-plane with Newtonian cooling. The transport is found for chemically-inert traces when the mean-zonal state is forced from equilibrium by an initial switch-on of the wave at the lower boundary and returned to the initial state by radiative damping. In the absence of a critical level the net change in the tracer was due almost entirely to horizontal eddy flux convergence. However, this net change could also be described in terms of a one-ell Lagrangian-mean circulation. In the critical level case the net transport resulted from the superposition of the one-cell Legragian-mean circulation and the critical level circulation of Matsuno and Nakamura, as well as from particle mixing. It is concluded that transient waves are more important in tracer transport than steady waves because of the nonlinear dependence of transport on wave amplitude and Doppler-shifted frequency. Critical level...