cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-energy pulsed Raman fiber laser for biological tissue coagulation

We demonstrate a high-energy pulsed Raman fiber laser (RFL) with an emission wavelength of 1.44 μm, corresponding to an absorption peak of water. Microsecond pulses with >20 mJ/pulse and >40 W peak power were generated, well above the threshold for tissue coagulation and ablation. Here, we focus on the optical characterization and optimization of high-energy and high-power RFLs excited by an ytterbium fiber laser, comparing three configurations that use different Raman gain fibers, but all of which were prepared with a one-side opened, free-run mode without output mirrors. We show that the free-run configuration can generate sufficiently high energy without requiring a closed cavity design. Experimental RFL characteristics corresponded well with numerical simulations. We discuss the Stokes beam generation process in our system and loss mechanisms mainly associated with fiber Bragg gratings.
An integrated chemical sensor for downhole CO2 monitoring in carbon sequestration

A Severinghaus-type CO 2 sensor was prepared for in-situ downhole CO 2 monitoring during geological carbon sequestration. The sensor consists of: a porous support material; gas-permeable membranes coated onto the inner and outer surface of the support material; a metal-oxide electrode and a reference electrode; and an internal electrolyte composed of equal amounts of bicarbonate source and a halide salt. The sensor was tested by measuring the output potential between the metal-oxide electrode and the reference electrode. The prepared CO 2 sensor demonstrated an excellent linear interrelation between the sensor response potential and the logarithm of the CO 2 concentration at high pressure. A microcontroller-based data acquisition system was designed for downhole CO 2 sensor data logging, which could convert the sensor's analog signal to a digital signal without discharging the sensor during data collection.
Dilevalol: a selective beta-2 adrenergic agonist vasodilator with beta adrenergic blocking activity

Dilevalol is the R-R' optical isomer of labetalol and differs pharmacologically from the racemic mixture in the following ways: it is seven-fold more potent as a selective beta-2 agonist; it is four times more potent as a nonselective beta antagonist; it has no clinically significant alpha antagonist property. Dilevalol is a vasodilator and reduces blood pressure by reducing systemic vascular resistance. It has a half-life of 15-18 hours, and is demonstrated to be effective as an antihypertensive agent for 24-30 hours. Hemodynamic studies in humans show that following administration of dilevalol either orally or intravenously, blood pressure falls as a consequence of a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. Cardiac index is unchanged and heart rate decreases slightly. Dilevalol is shown to cause regression of left ventricular hypertrophy in younger individuals, to improve left ventricular performance and to have no effect on parameters of renal function. Prospective double-blinded clinical trials in comparison with placebo, propranolol, metoprolol and atenolol were conducted and demonstrate dilevalol to be an effective antihypertensive agent with a favorable side effect profile with a particularly low incidence of central nervous system side effects.
Fear of Litigation in Mental Health Professionals

Although lawsuits against mental health professionals are increasing, the responses by professionals generally have been well out of proportion to the nature of the risk. In some cases, a simple ph...
Mechanism of the Effects of Furosemide on Renin Secretion in Anesthetized Dogs

Furosemide was administered to anesthetized dogs in priming doses of 0.1, 0.5, or 2.5 mg/kg followed by the same amounts per hour as infusion. When sodium and water balances were maintained constant by the continuous replacement of urinary losses with isotonic saline, the renal venous renin activity (and renin release) was not altered by the 0.1 mg/kg dose but was significantly increased by the two larger doses. This increase was manifest within 5 to 10 minutes. The larger doses also increased mean arterial pressure but did not change plasma sodium or glomerular filtration rate. Renal plasma flow was increased by the 2.5 mg/kg dose but not by the 0.5 mg/kg. In another group of dogs in which salt depletion was allowed to occur, 0.1 mg/kg produced an increased renin release within 30 minutes; this increase was completely reversed by the replacement of sodium and water losses. In this group of dogs, the glomerular filtration rate decreased and then returned to control values after restoration of fluid balance. It is hypothesized that the two higher doses of furosemide stimulated renin release by directly inhibiting macula densa sodium transport, and that the reported effects of all natriuretics can be explained in terms of a single macula densa theory.
Quantizability and learning complexity in multilayer neural networks

The relationship between quantizability and learning complexity in multilayer neural networks is examined. In a special neural network architecture that calculates node activations according to the certainty factor (CF) model of expert systems, the analysis based upon quantizability leads to lower and also better estimates for generalization dimensionality and sample complexity than those suggested by the multilayer perceptron model. This analysis is further supported by empirical simulation results.
Expression of 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 5 in Human Ovary: A Pilot Study:

Objective:Conversion of androstenedione to testosterone, the most potent androgen secreted by the ovary, is carried out by androgenic 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17β-HSD) activity. The molecular basis for this is unclear. We tested the hypothesis that type 5 17β-HSD (17β-HSD5) is responsible for testosterone formation from androstenedione in the human ovary.Methods:We used primers specific for each type of 17β-HSD to identify quantitatively and directly sequence the polymerase chain reaction products of a human ovary library.Results:17β-HSD1, 17β-HSD4, and 17β-HSD5 were detected in the library lysate, but not 17β-HSD2 or 17β-HSD3. 17β-HSD5 was the predominant androgenic form of 17β-HSD expressed in human ovary.Conclusion:These data suggest that 17β-HSD5 may play a major role in testosterone biosynthesis by the human ovary. Further investigation of the regulation of 17β-HSD5 gene expression is warranted with regard to ovarian testosterone secretion in normal and abnormal states of ovarian function, s...
Charles P. Bailey and Dwight E. Harken—The dawn of the modern era of mitral valve surgery

The modern era of mitral valve surgery began in the 1940s. I acknowledge the important contributions of two of our country's outstanding pioneers, Charles P. Bailey and Dwight E. Harken. Their trials and tribulations should encourage future generations of cardiac surgeons to proceed with further developments in this field.
Do changes in sex steroid hormones precede or follow increases in body weight during the menopause transition? Results from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Context: Whether menopause-related changes in sex steroids account for midlife weight gain in women or whether weight drives changes in sex steroids remains unanswered. Objective: The objective of the study was to characterize the potential reciprocal nature of the associations between sex hormones and their binding protein with waist circumference in midlife women. Design, Setting, and Participants: The study included 1528 women (mean age 46 yr) with 9 yr of follow-up across the menopause transition from the observational Study of Women's Health Across the Nation. Main Outcome Measures: Waist circumference, SHBG, testosterone, FSH, and estradiol were measured. Results: Current waist circumference predicted future SHBG, testosterone, and FSH but not vice versa. For each sd higher current waist circumference, at the subsequent visit SHBG was lower by 0.04–0.15 sd, testosterone was higher by 0.08–0.13 sd, and log2 FSH was lower by 0.15–0.26 sd. Estradiol results were distinct from those above, changing dire...
Fast accurate fuzzy clustering through data reduction

Clustering is a useful approach in image segmentation, data mining, and other pattern recognition problems for which unlabeled data exist. Fuzzy clustering using fuzzy c-means or variants of it can provide a data partition that is both better and more meaningful than hard clustering approaches. The clustering process can be quite slow when there are many objects or patterns to be clustered. This paper discusses the algorithm brFCM, which is able to reduce the number of distinct patterns which must be clustered without adversely affecting the partition quality. The reduction is done by aggregating similar examples and then using a weighted exemplar in the clustering process. The reduction in the amount of clustering data allows a partition of the data to be produced faster. The algorithm is applied to the problem of segmenting 32 magnetic resonance images into different tissue types and the problem of segmenting 172 infrared images into trees, grass and target. Average speed-ups of as much as 59-290 times a traditional implementation of fuzzy c-means were obtained using brFCM, while producing partitions that are equivalent to those produced by fuzzy c-means.
The Influence of Age at Housing on Laying House Performance of Red × Rock Sex-linked Females

Abstract Red × Rock sex-linked females were used in an experiment in which the birds were transferred from floor rearing facilities to laying cages at 6, 11, 16 or 21 weeks of age. Commercial-type starter, grower and layer diets were fed ad libitum to all birds. The feed efficiency, hen-day and hen-housed egg production of the birds caged at 16 or 21 weeks of age were significantly higher than that of those caged at 6 weeks of age and their hen-housed egg production was significantly higher than that of those caged at 11 weeks. Livability of the birds caged at 11 weeks was significantly lower than that of the birds caged at all other ages.
Work in progress - what is PowerPoint? educating engineering students in its use and abuse

PowerPoint software has become the standard presentation tool used in professional engineering workplaces and in engineering classrooms. The current pervasiveness of the software has led us to consider whether we should view PowerPoint as merely a medium for communication, a tool, or if we should examine the uses practitioners make of the software for signs that they have assigned it to the level of a communication genre, with comparable status to the "progress report", "research report", or "engineering change order". Our work in progress is focused on identifying the conventions of the use of PowerPoint that indicate that it has assumed a new status. We base our conclusions on comparing communication genres (like a scientist's conference presentation and a team leader's status report on a corporate project) that once were very distinct but now exhibit striking similarities in the ways in which content is processed and conveyed. In bringing this analysis to the classroom, we hope to help our students recognize the power and inherent limitations of PowerPoint
Effects of magnet shape on torque characteristics of Interior Permanent Magnet machines

Interior Permanent Magnet (IPM) motors are widely used in various industrial applications due to many advantages such as high power density, high efficiency, low manufacturing cost and wide constant power operating range. Compared to Surface Mounted Permanent Magnet (SMPM) motors, IPM motors take advantage of both magnetic torque produced by permanent magnets and reluctance torque, which is due to unequal reluctance of the d and q axis. In this paper, the effects of permanent magnet configurations on motor performance are investigated. Three-phase, 8-pole, 9-slot modular and three-phase 4-pole, 36-slot conventional IPM machines have been considered in this study. The effect of straight-shape, V-shape and U-shape permanent magnets on machine performance characteristics are compared through finite element analysis (FEA). The average torque, torque ripple, phase back-EMFs along with constant power operating capability are analyzed.
The Detection of Airborne Mycobacterium tuberculosis Using Micropore Membrane Air Sampling and Polymerase Chain Reaction

Study objectives: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb) bacilli are carried on airborne droplet nuclei produced by aerosolization that can occur from coughing, talking, or even singing. Because of their prolonged period of suspension, they can be filtered from the air onto a porous medium and readily detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Design: Prospective cohort analysis. Setting: Samples of circulating air were collected over a 12-month period from within the rooms of 10 hospitalized patients who were under respiratory isolation to rule out MTb infection. A small laboratory pump was used to draw ambient air at a rate of 2 L/min over a 6-h period through a 0.2-mm polycarbonate membrane filter placed near the patient’s bed. Analysis of the membrane filters was conducted using PCR. Sputum cultures for MTb were performed simultaneously, and the results of smears stained for acid-fast bacilli (AFB) were noted. Measurements and results: MTb complex was successfully detected by PCR in six of seven patients in whom sputum MTb cultures were subsequently positive, and in zero of three with subsequently negative sputum cultures. Sampling in one patient with a positive culture, in whom PCR results were negative, was only carried out for 2 h due to pump malfunction. One of the six PCR-positive patients was AFB-smear negative at the time of air sampling. Conclusions: Our preliminary findings indicate that the technique of Micropore membrane air sampling with PCR analysis has important applications in the epidemiology and diagnosis of MTb. (CHEST 1999; 115:19 ‐25)
Plant genotype shapes ant-aphid interactions: implications for community structure and indirect plant defense.

Abstract: Little is known about the mechanisms by which plant genotype shapes arthropod community structure. In a field experiment, we measured the effects of milkweed (Asclepias syriaca) genotype and ants on milkweed arthropods. Populations of the ant‐tended aphid Aphis asclepiadis and the untended aphid Myzocallis asclepiadis varied eight‐ to 18‐fold among milkweed genotypes, depending on aphid species and whether ants were present. There was no milkweed effect on predatory arthropods. Ants increased Aphis abundance 59%, decreased Myzocallis abundance 52%, and decreased predator abundance 56%. Milkweed genotype indirectly influenced ants via direct effects on Aphis and Myzocallis abundance. Milkweed genotype also modified ant‐aphid interactions, influencing the number of ants attracted per Aphis and Myzocallis. While ant effects on Myzocallis were consistently negative, effects on Aphis ranged from antagonistic to mutualistic among milkweed genotypes. As a consequence of milkweed effects on ant‐aphid in...
Adjuvant Home Urethral Balloon Dilation for the Recalcitrant Urethral Stricture

AbstractPurpose: We determined the efficacy of adjuvant home balloon self-dilation as an alternative to office dilation and to reduce the likelihood of recurrence in patients with recalcitrant urethral strictures.Materials and Methods: A total of 31 men participated in a urethral self-dilating protocol following phallic construction, urethroplasty or visual internal urethrotomy, or as conservative management in 2 nonoperative candidates. Uroflow data and subjective information obtained by blinded questionnaire were reviewed.Results: The 31 patients were followed for a mean of 18.7 months (range 3 to 45) after initial balloon dilation, and 25 (81%) were available for followup interviews. Of the 25 patients 24 (96%) found no difficulty in learning the technique and 21 (84%) thought they received adequate training with 1 office visit. Most patients noted improvement in voiding with balloon dilation, and peak uroflowmetry rates were preserved or improved with long-term followup.Six patients (19%) complained o...
On the capacity of the symbol-asynchronous relay channel

The capacity of the symbol-asynchronous single-relay channel is investigated. Symbol asynchronism implies that the codewords transmitted from the relay and the source do not coincide in time at the destination. Due to propagation or implementation effects (e.g. mis-synchronized clocks), symbol asynchronism occurs in many practical situations. In ad hoc scenarios, such as sensor networks, achieving perfect synchronism is challenging (due to the distributed nature of the network). Herein it is shown that the symbol-asynchronous single-relay channel can be modeled as a MIMO relay channel with memory. First, lower and upper bounds on the capacity are derived under the assumption that the receivers know the symbol epochs and the transmitters know their mutual offset. Next, the case where the transmitters only know that the mutual offsets that parameterize the channel belong to an uncertainty set and receivers have no knowledge of the symbol epochs is examined. Conditions for characterizing capacity (when the upper and lower bounds match) are also derived. Simple asynchronous coding schemes for the relay channel are also explored. The proposed coding scheme can be extended to the relay with memory. Bilayer LDPC codes are used to replicate the binning strategy of the relay and MLC coding with MSD decoding is used to counter the effect of memory.
The Unexamined Relationship Between Neoliberalism and Plurilingualism: A Cautionary Tale

In recent years, TESOL scholars have offered both explicit and implicit critiques of language ideologies developed within nationalist frameworks that positioned monolingualism in a standardized national language as the desired outcome for all citizens. These scholars have used insights from both the social and the natural sciences to call into question static conceptualizations of language and have reconceptualized language pedagogy in ways that place the fluid and dynamic language practices of bilingual students at the center of instruction. This dynamic turn in TESOL has informed the emergence of plurilingualism as a policy ideal among language education scholars in the European Union. This article argues that this shift in the field of TESOL parallels the characteristics of the ideal neoliberal subject that fits the political and economic context of the current sociohistorical period—in particular, the desire for flexible workers and lifelong learners to perform service-oriented and technological jobs as part of a post-Fordist political economy. These parallels indicate a need for a more critical treatment of the concept of plurilingualism to avoid complicity with the promotion of a covert neoliberal agenda. The article ends with a framework for TESOL that works against the grain of neoliberal governance.
Interaction of plasticity and circuit organization during the acquisition of cerebellum-dependent motor learning

Motor learning occurs through interactions between the cerebellar circuit and cellular plasticity at different sites. Previous work has established plasticity in brain slices and suggested plausible sites of behavioral learning. We now reveal what actually happens in the cerebellum during short-term learning. We monitor the expression of plasticity in the simple-spike firing of cerebellar Purkinje cells during trial-over-trial learning in smooth pursuit eye movements of monkeys. Our findings imply that: 1) a single complex-spike response driven by one instruction for learning causes short-term plasticity in a Purkinje cell's mossy fiber/parallel-fiber input pathways; 2) complex-spike responses and simple-spike firing rate are correlated across the Purkinje cell population; and 3) simple-spike firing rate at the time of an instruction for learning modulates the probability of a complex-spike response, possibly through a disynaptic feedback pathway to the inferior olive. These mechanisms may participate in long-term motor learning. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01574.001.
Optimization of design parameters of a prototype CCD-based lens-coupled imaging system for the detection of beta particles in a microfluidic chip

Microfluidic chips are an emerging technology that facilitates the study of molecular processes in nano-liter levels in a finely controlled manner. A prototype imaging system capable of detecting and quantifying very small amounts of beta particles in a microfluidic chip, utilizing a scintillator, an optical lens, and a charge coupled device (CCD), was developed and proof of concept was previously demonstrated [1]. In this study, we optimized the system design parameters, such as CCD binning and types of scintillators, and evaluated the system performance for spatial resolution and minimum detectable activity. Pixel binning of the CCD during readout process improved the signal-to-noise ratio with no spatial resolution degradation in beta particle imaging of 18F, up to a binning of 3times3 in our study, which was equivalent to 44 mum times 44 mum pixels in an object plane with a magnification of 0.5. The full width at half maximum (FWHM) of line sources with a finite width of 115 mum were measured to be 493 mum with a plastic scintillator and 289 mum with a CsI(Tl) scintillator. The minimum detectable activities were measured to be 360 pCi/mm2 with a plastic scintillator and 40 pCi/mm2 with a CsI(Tl) scintillator for a 5-min acquisition.
Competitive Dynamics and Pricing Behavior in US Hotels: The Role of Co-location

Which hotels benefit from locating next to competitors? In this study of 14,995 hotels we provide evidence of both a price benefit and a detriment for specific hotels that co‐locate next to other hotels. Relying on the theoretical framework of agglomeration economics, the results reveal that hotels that co‐locate in the same geographic cluster with the highest quality segmented firms (luxury hotels) accrue a price premium compared to competitors in markets with larger proportions of lower‐segmented competitors. The strongest price premiums were obtained by midscale hotels without food and beverage in clusters with large proportions of luxury and upscale hotels. Similarly, high‐end hotels that pursue differentiation strategies experience price erosion when they are in the same geographic location as lower‐end hotels. Luxury hotels experienced the greatest price erosion when they operate in locations with large proportions of economy and midscale hotels. The paper concludes with a discussion of the implicat...
NSAID injury to the gastrointestinal tract: evidence that NSAIDs interact with phospholipids to weaken the hydrophobic surface barrier and induce the formation of unstable pores in membranes

In this review, we have discussed our current understanding of the barrier properties that are in place to protect the upper gastrointestinal mucosa from luminal acid, and the pathogenic mechanism by which nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) induce injury to the gastrointestinal tract. The changes in our view of the importance of NSAID-induced cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibition on the pathogenesis and prevention of NSAID-induced gastrointestinal injury is presented. The focus of this paper has been placed on the effects of NSAIDs on the mucosal surface, and specifically the effect of these powerful drugs in inducing changes in the hydrophobicity, fluidity, biomechanical and permeability properties of extracellular and membrane phospholipids. Lastly, recent evidence is presented that salicylic acid and related NSAIDs may alter the stability of membranes, inducing the formation of unstable pores that may lead to back-diffusion of luminal acid and membrane rupture. This understanding of the interaction of NSAIDs with membrane phospholipids may prove valuable in the design of novel NSAID formulations with reduced gastrointestinal side-effects.
Percutaneous umbilical blood sampling: current trends and outcomes

Abstract Objectives To report our contemporary experience with PUBS, including indications and complications, stratified by the presence of hydrops fetalis. Study design All PUBS performed from 1988 to 2013 at a single tertiary care center were identified using a comprehensive ultrasound database. We recorded patient demographics, relevant obstetric, fetal and neonatal data, indication for and success of PUBS and any complications. Data were analyzed using SAS, version 9.3 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC). Results 455 PUBS were performed on 208 pregnant women, 97.8% of which were successful. The average gestational age at the time of PUBS was 26.7 weeks (SD 5.1 weeks, range 17.5–41.3 weeks). Indications were available for 441: 245 (55.6%) isoimmunization, 77 (17.5%) non-immune hydrops fetalis (NIHF), 98 (22.2%) chromosomal diagnosis, and 21 (4.8%) other indications. Isoimmunization was a less common indication for PUBS in 2008–2013 as compared to 1988–1992 (51.7% vs 66.2%, p = 0.07). Amongst PUBS performed in the setting of hydrops, isoimmunization was much less common in the later time period (61.1% vs 0%, respectively; p Conclusions PUBS has a high likelihood of success with a relatively low complication rate. The complication rate is highest in pregnancies with NIHF, and these pregnancies are also at a significantly higher risk of IUFD, particularly those patients with parvovirus-mediated NIHF. Our findings can be used when counseling patients who are considering PUBS for diagnostic or therapeutic purposes.
COMPARISON OF THE METHODS OF ESTIMATING MEAN AREAL RAINFALL

A comparison of nine different methods of estimating mean areal rainfall is made. Five areas from three continents of the world are selected for application of the methods. The methods are utilized to estimate mean areal rainfall for daily, monthly and yearly values. It is shown that all methods generally yield comparable results, and that for most hydrologic problems simpler methods of estimating mean areal rainfall are sufficiently accurate-an observation contradicting the traditional belief.
Propensity score stratification for observational comparison of repeated binary outcomes

A two-stage longitudinal propensity adjustment is described for bias reduction in treatment effectiveness estimates in observational studies. The initial stage characterizes those who receive various ordinal doses of treatment in a model of time-varying propensity for treatment intensity. The second stage incorporates the propensity adjustment in longitudinal treatment effectiveness analyses of a binary outcome that are stratified by propensity quantile. MantelHaenszel pooled parameter estimates are then calculated as weighted means of quantile-specific estimates. A simulation study compares four approaches to quantile stratification and shows that the quintile stratification reduces more bias than when fewer strata are used with longitudinal data. Statistical power, type I error and coverage are also evaluated. A longitudinal, observational study of antidepressant effectiveness illustrates the approach.
Synthesis of hafnium oxide-gold core-shell nanoparticles.

Developing cheap composite nanoparticle systems that combines a high dielectric constant with good conductivity is important for the future of the electronic industry. In this study, two different sizes, 7.3 ± 2.2 and 5.6 ± 1.9 nm, of HfO2@Au core–shell nanoparticles are prepared by using a high-temperature reduction method. The core–shell nanoparticles are characterized by powder X-ray diffraction, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), and UV–visible absorption spectroscopy. HfO2 exhibits no absorption in the visible region, but the HfO2@Au core–shell nanoparticles show a plasmon absorption band at 555 nm that is 25 nm red-shifted as compared to pure gold nanoparticles. According to transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis, the HfO2 particles are coated with approximately three atomic layers of gold.
Is pulmonary aspiration still an important problem in anesthesia

Recent studies suggest that perioperative pulmonary aspiration is an infrequent event (approximately 1 : 2000-3000 general anesthetics), but its impact on individual patients can be devastating. Patients who appear to have the greatest risk of developing severe pulmonary morbidity or dying after asp
Micro-Bubble Experiments at the Van de Graaff Accelerator

In order to test and verify the experimental designs at the linear accelerator (LINAC), several micro-scale bubble ("micro-bubble") experiments were conducted with the 3-MeV Van de Graaff (VDG) electron accelerator. The experimental setups included a square quartz tube, sodium bisulfate solution with different concentrations, cooling coils, gas chromatography (GC) system, raster magnets, and two high-resolution cameras that were controlled by a LabVIEW program. Different beam currents were applied in the VDG irradiation. Bubble generation (radiolysis), thermal expansion, thermal convection, and radiation damage were observed in the experiments. Photographs, videos, and gas formation (O2 + H2) data were collected. The micro-bubble experiments at VDG indicate that the design of the full-scale bubble experiments at the LINAC is reasonable.
Splanchnic and renal hemodynamic responses to intraportal infusion of glucagon.

We compared the 60-min splanchnic and renal hemodynamic responses to intraportal (IPV) and intravenous infusion of glucagon (5 ng.kg-1.min-1) in anesthetized dogs and quantitated the importance of glucose in mediating the renal hemodynamic responses to intraportal infusion of glucagon. Intraportal glucagon elevated superior mesenteric (SMA) and renal (RA) artery blood flows by 8 and 16%, respectively, by minute 15. By minute 30, RA flow had increased by 23%. Thereafter, SMA flow returned to control, while RA flow remained elevated by 24%. Glomerular filtration rate (GFR) followed the same pattern as RA flow over 60 min. Intravenous glucagon elicited smaller hemodynamic responses. During intraportal and intravenous glucagon infusion, plasma glucose rose by 20-25%. Renal hemodynamics were not affected by incremental changes in blood glucose of up to 6.25 mmol/l. At an incremental change in glucose of 10.06 mmol/l, RA flow and GFR were elevated by 12 and 9%, respectively. We conclude that intraportal glucagon infusion increases splanchnic and renal hemodynamics, although the splanchnic response is evanescent. Importantly, hepatic release of glucose into the circulation during intraportal glucagon infusion does not have a significant effect on renal hemodynamics. Thus, similar to intravenous infusion of the hormone, renal hemodynamic responses to intraportal glucagon are independent of and dissociated from elevations in blood glucose produced during hormone infusion.
Synthetic oligopeptide of hepatitis D virus antigen and its clinical application

A 27-peptide fragment derived from natural HDAg sequence was selected, identified and synthesized. It was used to develop an EIA method for detection of anti-HD. The 27-peptide possessed the similar antigenicity with the corresponding fragment of natural HDAg, and could also compete with natural HDAg for serum anti-HD. High specificity and no cross-reaction were found among the peptide and normal human sera, normal mice sera and sera positive with HAV, HBV or HCV antibody alone. 36 serum samples were identified previously, with Abbott kits with a coincident rate of 97.2%. Anti-HD was also detected in serum samples of some blood donors and patients with liver diseases and HBV infection from 1990-1992. One (0.33%) of 300 blood donors was positive (two times higher than normal ALT level in serum). 62 patients with hepatitis A and 58 patients with non-hepatitis B were anti-HD negative. 100 (11.64%) of 859 patients with HBV infection were positive: ASC 13/410 (3.17%), AH 7/63 (10.29%), CPH 1/9 (11.11%), CAH 22/121 (18.18%), SH 15/75 (20.00%), LC 23/78 (29.49%), PHC 19/89 (19.39%). The results are consistent with our previous reports.
Effects of Socioeconomic, Political, Cultural, and Other Macro Factors on QOL

I begin Part II of the book by a chapter that addresses the effects of objective reality on subjective aspects of QOL at the most macrolevel addressing the effects of socioeconomic, political, cultural, and other macrofactors. Country-level economic effects on subjective aspects of QOL will be discussed first, followed by political factors, followed by cultural factors. However, we start the chapter by providing the reader with a theoretical model to better understand the mediating effects between the macrofactors and subjective aspects of QOL.
MACHINE ELEMENTS WITH NONLINEAR CHARACTERISTICS - SOME CONCEPTS AND APPLICATIONS

ABSTRACT New concepts in machine element designs are needed to better comply with very stringent specifications of modern machines. This paper describes several examples of novel machine elements employing mechanical components with nonlinear load-deflection characteristics. Some of these elements are successfully implemented in industry, the others are currently in the research and development stage. The examples include vibration isolators with “constant natural frequency” characteristics; materials with a combination of hardening static and softening dynamic nonlinearity which demonstrate substantial amplitude dependency of their stiffness and damping; systems based on application of ultra-thinlayered rubber-metal laminates whose compressive modulus is changing 1–2 decimal orders of magnitude on displacements of 1.0 − 1.5 × 10 −5 m (misalignment compensating couplings and power transmission gears); torsional flexible rubber couplings; and key connections. Specially addressed is the issue of preloading in nonlinear systems.
Interdisciplinary Pain Education: Moving From Discipline-Specific to Collaborative Practice.

BACKGROUND Pain is a common symptom reported by hospitalized patients with cancer. Cancer pain management requires an interdisciplinary approach for quality patient care. Although the literature suggests that most cancer pain can be managed with available treatments, many patients continue to experience pain even with opioid prescriptions. Implementation of evidence-based guidelines, such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network's guidelines for adult cancer pain, promotes collaboration across disciplines and enhances patient care. OBJECTIVES This article reports the development, implementation, and evaluation of an interdisciplinary pain education program, Oncology Provider Pain Training (OPPT), to improve clinician knowledge and promote collaborative practice. METHODS The Kirkpatrick Model was used to design the OPPT program. A multifaceted training approach was used to accommodate the various needs of potential participants. Interdisciplinary educational sessions were held during a one-month period. Knowledge gained, learner reaction, and satisfaction were evaluated using predetermined benchmarks one month following program completion. FINDINGS Satisfaction benchmarks for content, teaching materials, and presenter were met. Although the knowledge gained benchmark was not met, substantial progress toward achievement was made. Additional modifications include increasing discipline-specific content and focus on pain pathophysiology and addressing time constraints. Inconsistent technology adoption across disciplines may have a negative effect on interdisciplinary educational efforts.
Advances in international accounting: A retrospective commentary

Abstract International accounting research made huge strides over the last 30 years. Advances in International Accounting was first published in 1987 and ends in December 2016 having published over 400 articles to help advance our understanding of various topics in international accounting. This retrospective commentary provides a brief history of the journal with an emphasis on its editors, editorial boards, expanse of articles, and significance of its contributions to the literature.
Awareness Advertising and International Market Segmentation

In recent years, multinational corporations have increasingly employed advertising in markets where their products are not available. Such ‘awareness advertising’ is only in small part for products that are likely to be introduced in those markets in the near future. A significant and larger part of awareness advertising is for products that are unlikely to be sold in the particular market because of government restrictions on commercial importation and sale. In this paper, we will analyse the motivation behind the use of awareness advertising, the benefits that multinational firms may receive from such advertising and its implications for international market segmentation. The paper concludes with a discussion of areas for fruitful future research on awareness advertising.
Aging and Haptic-Visual Solid Shape Matching.

A total of 36 younger (mean age = 21.3 years) and older adults (mean age = 73.8 years) haptically explored plastic copies of naturally shaped objects (bell peppers, Capsicum annuum) one at a time for 7 s each. The participants’ task was to then choose which of 12 concurrently visible objects had the same solid shape as the one they felt. The younger and older participants explored the object shapes using either one, three, or five fingers (there were six participants for each combination of number of fingers and age group). The outcome was different from that of previous research conducted with manmade objects. Unlike Jansson and Monaci (2006), we found that for most objects, our participants’ performance was unaffected by variations in the number of fingers used for haptic exploration. While there was no significant overall effect of the number of fingers, there was a significant main effect of age. The younger adults’ shape matching performance was 48.6% higher than that of the older adults. When percei...
Developing a Peer Support Protocol for Improving Veterans' Engagement to Computer-Delivered Cognitive Behavioural Therapy.

Background: Computer-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (cCBT) is an effective alternative to provider-delivered treatment for depression and anxiety, but high attrition poses a significant challenge to its use. Peer support is a feasible approach to improving cCBT engagement, but less is known about its acceptability among Veterans. Aims: To obtain feedback from Veterans (n = 24) with depression and/or anxiety on their preferences for (a) activities of Veterans Administration Peer Support Specialists (VA PSS) in helping Veterans use Moving Forward, a cCBT-based protocol developed by VA, and (b) methods for delivering support to Veterans using this programme. Method: Four focus groups (5–7 Veterans per group) provided feedback to be used in the development of a peer-supported engagement intervention to help Veterans with depression and anxiety use Moving Forward. Content areas included roles that a VA PSS might play in supporting the use of and engagement in Moving Forward, as well as methods of delivering that support. Results: Veteran preferences for PSS activity focused on practical aspects of using Moving Forward, including orientation to the programme, technical support, and monitoring progress. Feedback also suggested that Veterans preferred more personal roles for the PSS, including emotional support, as well as application of Moving Forward to ‘real life’ problems. Conclusions: The findings extend the literature on online, patient-facing mental health protocols by identifying emotional support and ‘real life’ skills application as Veteran-preferred components of a peer-support protocol designed to enhance use of and engagement in cCBT for depression and anxiety.
Gender and the (In)divisibility of Contested Sacred Places: The Case of Women for the Temple

Contested sacred sites, over which different religious groups assert claims to exclusivity, have drawn scholarly attention to the spatial interaction between religion and politics. However, the gendered dimensions of inter-communal religious-political disputes over sacred space, and women's roles in these site-specific conflicts, have been largely neglected. Using a case study of Orthodox Jewish women's activism for access to Temple Mount al-Haram al-Sharif, this article demonstrates how attention to gender and to women's engagement in inter-communal conflict over sacred places can illuminate unique intra-communal processes that aim to make a contested sacred site increasingly indivisible for parties to the conflict.
Abstract 52: PPAR-γ Targeted by MicroRNA-130a Regulates Angiotensin II-Induced Cardiac Fibrosis

Aims: Cardiac fibrosis which occurs due to disruption of extracellular matrix network resulted in the accumulation of excess collagens and other matrix components leading to myocardial dysfunction. Angiotensin II (Ang II), a critical effector of this system has been implicated in the development of hypertension-induced cardiac fibrosis. In recent years, miRNAs have identified as an attractive targets for therapeutic intervention in various disease pathologies including cardiac fibrosis. However, the exact effect and underlying mechanism of miRNAs in cardiac fibrosis remains unclear. Here, we sought to investigate and test our hypothesis that miR-130a plays a critical role in the development of myocardial fibrosis by restoring PPARγ level. Methods and Results: We have identified a panel of novel miRNAs via miRNA array in Ang II infused mice heart. Among them, we found that miR-130a was upregulated both in pressure overload and Ang II infused models targeting PPARγ. Overexpressing miR-130a in cardiac fibroblast promoted the pro-fibrotic gene expression (collagen I/III, fibronectin and CTGF) and myofibroblasts differentiation. Inhibition miR-130a reversed the process and weakened these activities. Using luciferase-linked constitutive and dominant negative constructs of PPARγ, we determined the underlying mechanism of cardiac fibrosis occurred via targeting PPARγ. The in vivo inhibition of miR-130a by subcutaneous injections of LNA-based anti-miR-130a in mice subjected to Ang II infusion significantly reduced the severity of cardiac fibrosis, hypertrophy. The protective mechanism is associated with restoration of PPARγ level, reduction of pro-fibrotic genes and apoptosis; reversion of myofibroblasts differentiation and improved cardiac function. Conclusions: Our findings provide evidence that miR-130a plays a critical role in the progression of cardiac fibrosis by directly targeting PPARγ, and that inhibition of miR-130a reversed the cardiac fibrosis. We conclude that miR-130a may be a new marker for cardiac fibrosis and inhibition of miR-130a would be a promising strategy in the treatment of cardiac fibrosis.
county government finance practices: What independent auditors are finding and what makes local government susceptible

The financial audit process has provided much transparency into the internal control structure and the ability of local governments to remain fiscally stable. The outcomes of many of these audits have provided much information regarding the ability of local governments to provide services in a timely and efficient manner. Even with the implementation of stricter legislation and more stringent accounting standards in addition to an increased level of state oversight, irregular practices and mismanagement continue to occur. This study examines the independent auditor findings in professionally administered governments in North Carolina. Findings indicate numerous reporting problems within a majority of county governments ranging from internal control problems to reconciliation issues that are required to be addressed for information users that question the sustainability of the unit. Lengthy audits processes, less expensive audits and smaller governments that do not have the ability to employ more accountants or accounting specialists are among the factors that increase the probability of reporting problems and inaccurate data.
Economic Impacts of Biofuels

The impacts of biofuels are not limited to biofuel industry and the agriculture sector, they spill over throughout an economy due to the inter-linkages between production sectors. The impacts are also felt across the borders through the international trade. For example, EU’s mandate on biofuels could boost Brazil and Indonesia’s economy. Using global macroeconomic models, particularly, computable general equilibrium (CGE) models, a number of studies have assessed economic impacts of EU’s or global mandates on biofuels (e.g., Timilsina et al. 2012; Hertel et al. 2010; Kretschmer et al. 2010). While a single biofuel project implemented in a country may not have economic impacts at a scale noticeable at a national and an international level, a large group of projects or a biofuel policy aiming a large-scale expansion of biofuels would certainly have significant economic impacts at country level if not at global level. For example, Timilsina et al. (2012) finds that if the biofuel mandates and targets announced by the 40 plus countries around the world are executed by 2020 thereby increasing the share of biofuels in the global liquid fuel demand for transportation to 9 % from the current level of 3 %, various countries or regions would exhibit significant difference in their economic impacts ranging from 0.23 % loss of GDP in India to 0.05 % increase in GDP in Thailand. However, at the global level the impact was fairly modest (0.02 %) compared to that in the baseline. Similarly, Kretschmer et al. (2009) find a 10 % EU-wide biofuel mandate not causing a noticeable change in aggregate welfare of EU countries compared to a reference scenario where EU meets its 20 % GHG mitigation targets without biofuel mandate. However, the welfare impacts differ significantly across EU countries with some countries gaining, while others loosing.
Polymers synthesized via catalyst-transfer polymerization and their applications

Abstract Catalyst-transfer polymerization has enabled synthesizing conjugated polymers with unmatched control over both polymer sequence and end-group identity. These attributes provide access to complex materials, including conjugated–conjugated and conjugated–nonconjugated block copolymers, gradient copolymers, nonlinear copolymers, and hybrid materials. This review discusses these materials, highlighting their syntheses as well as their applications.
Dry bean preferences and attitudes among Midwest Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women.

Bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) intakes in the United States (US) lag behind dietary recommendations despite their positive nutrition profile, health benefits for reducing chronic disease risk, and inclusion in nutrition assistance programs. Low-income groups, including Hispanics, have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, and some cancers. Hispanic dietary quality and bean consumption may decline with increasing acculturation. Intakes at recommended levels could improve health in all vulnerable low-income populations. The study objectives were to describe dry and canned bean preferences, consumption frequency, and attitudes among low-income Hispanic and non-Hispanic white women, and to assess if these characteristics differed by ethnicity and acculturation level among the Latinas. A convenience sample of 158 women, aged 18–65 years, completed a written survey in English or Spanish at two healthcare clinics, one Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children office, and five County Extension nutrition education and outreach programs in Iowa. Less acculturated Latinas consumed beans more often, preferred dry to canned, bought in bulk, valued color and shape in dry bean selection, and held less positive attitudes toward canned beans in contrast to bicultural/more acculturated and non-Hispanic white women. Ethnicity and acculturation level have a role in varying purchase patterns and attitudes regarding dry and canned beans. Culturally-held differences should be considered in nutrition programs and leveraged to increase consumption and improve health.