cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complex Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Fluorescence Anisotropy Decays: Enhancing Analysis Accuracy

In biological macromolecules, fluorophores often exhibit multiple depolarizing motions that require multiple lifetimes and rotational relaxation times to define fluorescence intensity and anisotropy decays. The related analysis of time-correlated single-photon counting data becomes uncertain due to the multitude of decay parameters and numerical sensitivity to deconvolution of the instrument response function (IRF) via discretization of integrals. By using simulations we show that improved discretizations based on quadratic and cubic local approximations of the IRF yield more accurate estimation of short rotational relaxation times and lifetimes than the commonly used Grinvald-Steinberg discretization, which in turn appears more reliable than two discretizations based on linear local approximations of the IRF. In addition, our simulation suggests that cubic approximation is the most advantageous in discriminating complex heterogeneous and homogeneous anisotropy decay. We show that among three different information criteria, the Akaike information criterion is best suited for detection of heterogeneity in rotational relaxation times. It is capable of detecting heterogeneity even when anisotropy decay appears homogeneous within statistical errors of estimation.
Investigation of Driver Performance With Night Vision and Pedestrian Detection Systems—Part I: Empirical Study on Visual Clutter and Glance Behavior

This paper describes two studies in which two night-vision enhancement systems were examined to compare nighttime driver performance in pedestrian detection. In the first study, the levels of clutter in the images displayed by the two types of night-vision enhancement systems were measured objectively and subjectively. The subjective ratings of clutter changed as a power function of the objective measure of clutter intensity. In the second study, the effect of clutter on glance behavior during pedestrian detection was examined in a driving simulator. Night-vision images with less clutter required shorter search times and fewer glances to detect the pedestrian, but the duration of each glance remained relatively constant.
The Predictability of Stratospheric Warming Events: More from the Troposphere or the Stratosphere?

The roles of the stratosphere and the troposphere in determining the predictability of stratospheric final warming andsudden warming eventsare evaluated in an idealizedatmospheric model. For each stratospheric warming event simulated in the model, a number of forecast experiments are performed from 10 or 20 days priortothewarmingonsetwithperturbationsinthetroposphereandinthestratosphereseparately.Itisfound that the stratosphere affects predictions of warming onset primarily by providing the initial state of the zonal winds,whilethetroposphericinitialconditionshavealargeimpactthroughthegenerationandpropagationof planetary waves. These results correspond to the roles played by the initial zonal flow and the evolution of eddy forcings in a zonally symmetric model. The initial stratospheric zonal flow has some influence on stratospheric wave driving, but in most cases this does not significantly affect the timing of the warming, except when the initial condition is close to the onset date. These results highlight the role of the troposphere in determining stratosphericplanetarywavedrivingandsupportthe importanceof tropospheric precursorsto the stratospheric warming events.
Initial VGH data on operations of small turbojets in commercial transport service.

Initial VGH data on small turbojet operations in commercial transport service relating to accelerations, airspeed operating practices and unusual events
Economics of Managing Hypertension

Hypertension is an important public health problem from both clinical and economic perspectives. Methods used to diagnose hypertension and decisions on who to treat, what treatment to offer, and how vigorously to pursue adherence to long-term medical regimens all have significant implications for the cost-effectiveness, as well as the benefits, of treatment. Each of these issues is discussed and a cost-saving treatment strategy is proposed. The burden of hypertension treatment costs often falls on the patient and especially on lower income groups. These findings need to be carefully considered by clinicians and policymakers alike.
PKA Phosphorylation of NCLX Reverses Mitochondrial Calcium Overload and Depolarization, Promoting Survival of PINK1-Deficient Dopaminergic Neurons.

Mitochondrial Ca2+ overload is a critical, preceding event in neuronal damage encountered during neurodegenerative and ischemic insults. We found that loss of PTEN-induced putative kinase 1 (PINK1) function, implicated in Parkinson disease, inhibits the mitochondrial Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCLX), leading to impaired mitochondrial Ca2+ extrusion. NCLX activity was, however, fully rescued by activation of the protein kinase A (PKA) pathway. We further show that PKA rescues NCLX activity by phosphorylating serine 258, a putative regulatory NCLX site. Remarkably, a constitutively active phosphomimetic mutant of NCLX (NCLXS258D) prevents mitochondrial Ca2+ overload and mitochondrial depolarization in PINK1 knockout neurons, thereby enhancing neuronal survival. Our results identify an mitochondrial Ca2+ transport regulatory pathway that protects against mitochondrial Ca2+ overload. Because mitochondrial Ca2+ dyshomeostasis is a prominent feature of multiple disorders, the link between NCLX and PKA may offer a therapeutic target.
Complete classification of parallel Lorentz surfaces in neutral pseudo hyperbolic 4-space

A Lorentz surface of an indefinite space form is called a parallel surface if its second fundamental form is parallel with respect to the Van der Waerden-Bortolotti connection. Such surfaces are locally invariant under the reflection with respect to the normal space at each point. Parallel surfaces are important in geometry as well as in general relativity since extrinsic invariants of such surfaces do not change from point to point. Recently, parallel Lorentz surfaces in 4D neutral pseudo Euclidean 4-space $$ \mathbb{E}_2^4 $$ and in neutral pseudo 4-sphere S 2 4 (1) were classified in [14] and in [10], respectively. In this paper, we completely classify parallel Lorentz surfaces in neutral pseudo hyperbolic 4-space H 2 4 (−1). Our main result states that there are 53 families of parallel Lorentz surfaces in H 2 4 (−1). Conversely, every parallel Lorentz surface in H 2 4 (−1) is obtained from the 53 families. As an immediate by-product, we achieve the complete classification of all parallel Lorentz surfaces in 4D neutral indefinite space forms.
Age-dependent Photoionization Thresholds of Melanosomes and Lipofuscin Isolated from Human Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells†

Melanosomes and lipofuscin were isolated from 14-, 59-, and 76-year-old, human retinal pigment epithelium specimens and examined. The morphological features of these samples were studied by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy, and the photoionization properties were examined by photoelectron emission microscopy. Ovoid- and rod-shaped melanosomes were observed. The size of the granules and the distribution between the two shapes show no significant age-dependent change. However, there is a higher occurrence of irregularly shaped aggregates of small round granules in older samples which suggests degradation or damage to melanosomes occurs with age. The melanosomes from the 14-year-old donor eye are well characterized by a single photoionization threshold, 4.1 eV, while the two older melanosomes exhibit two thresholds around 4.4 and 3.6 eV. Lipofuscin from both young and old cells show two thresholds, 4.4 and 3.4 eV. The similarity of the potentials observed for aged melanosomes and lipofuscin suggest that the lower threshold in the melanosome sample reflects lipofuscin deposited the surface of the melanosome. The amount, however, is not sufficient to alter the density of the melanosome, and therefore these granules do not separate in a sucrose gradient at densities characteristic of the typical melanolipofuscin granule. These data suggest that thin deposits of lipofuscin on the surface of retinal pigment epithelium melanosomes are common in the aged eye and that this renders the melanosomes more pro-oxidant.
Metabolism of sulfoquinovosyl diglyceride in Chlorella pyrenoidosa by sulfoquinovosyl monoglyceride:fatty acyl CoA acyltransferase and sulfoquinovosyl g1yceride:fatty acyl ester hydrolase pathways

Cell-free preparations of Chlorella pyrenoidosa catalyze the transfer of the fatty acyl moiety of fatty acyl CoA derivatives to sulfoquinovosyl monoglyceride to form sulfoquinovosyl diglyceride. This reaction is stimulated by Triton X-100 concentrations of up to 0.6 mg/ml and has a pH optimum of 7.7. Similar Chlorella preparations catalyze the stepwise removal of both fatty acyl groups from sulfoquinovosyl diglyceride to form sulfoquinovosyl monoglyceride and then sulfoquinovosyl glycerol. This reaction is inhibited by both calcium and magnesium. The nonionic surfactant Triton X-100 inhibits the enzymatic deacylation at concentrations of
Empiric antibiotic selection criteria for respiratory infections in pediatric practice

Background. Respiratory infections in children may occur as a consequence of resistant bacterial pathogens. Streptococcus pneumoniae organisms resistant to penicillin, trimethoprim/ sulfamethoxazole and macrolides are increasingly prevalent. Amoxicillin- and macrolide-resistant Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis are also more commonly seen. Traditional agents such as amoxicillin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole remain acceptable choices for most children with respiratory infections because currently most patients are not infected by resistant pathogens and there is a high spontaneous cure rate associated with these infections. Objective. To analyze the criteria for the selection of extended spectrum antimicrobials as empiric therapy for respiratory infections. Discussion. When an extended spectrum antimicrobial is appropriate for empiric therapy, selection should be based on: (1) efficacy; (2) adverse event profile; and (3) compliance-enhancing features (dosing with meals, once or twice daily administration, good palatability in suspension, shortened course of therapy and affordability). A new agent, ceftibuten, has recently joined other extended spectrum cephalosporins and newer macrolides (clarithromycin and azithromycin) as a choice to be considered for empiric therapy for respiratory infections. These antimicrobials are differentiated from each other and traditional agents by differences in activity in vitro against penicillin-resistant pneumococci, relative beta-lactamase stability against Gram-negative bacteria and pharmacodynamic properties. When resistant organisms are isolated or suspected in community-acquired respiratory infections, cautious use of newer antibiotics may have to be considered.
A New Avian Fossil from Kern County, California

The first avian fossil from the Pyramid Hill sands of the San Joaquin Valley, Kern County, California, was presented to the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History in 1964 by Mr. Dick Bishop of Bakersfield, California. The specimen was recovered from a sand quarry discovered by Bishop, which he and Ed Mitchell of the Museum worked extensively in 1961. The site is recorded as Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History (LACM ) locality 1626. Fish, chelonian, and mammalian remains, as well as invertebrates, have come from the same locality, but have not yet been reported upon. From other Pyramid Hill sites, presumably of the same age, a cetacean has been described (Kellogg, Smithsonian Misc. Coll. 87 (2): 1, 1932) and mollusks identified (Barbat, in Kellogg, op. cit. p. 1, and Addicott, U.S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 525X:104, 1965). On the basis of the molluscan identifications, the age of the Pyramid Hill sands is placed as early Miocene (Vaqueros “formation” or “stage”). The fauna is, therefore, older than that of the well-known Sharktooth Hill deposits of the San Joaquin Valley, which contain a middle Miocene marine vertebrate assemblage of more than fifty species, ten of which are avian (see Mitchell, Special Publ. Kern Co. Historical Sot. and Kern Co. Mus., 1965; and Howard, Los Angeles Co. Mus. Contrib. Sci. 114: 1, 1966). The Pyramid Hill avian bone is an upper end of left coracoid. In the triangular outline of the head, with space between the brachial tuberosity and the forward-directed furcular facet, the bone shows a basic relationship to the coracoid in cormorants and anhingas. The shape of the procoracoid and scapular facet, and the flattening of the shaft adjacent to the scapular facet are also cormorantlike characters. Other features of the bone, however, show modifications paralleling those found in divers, such as penguins and auks, in which the head overhangs the shaft and the triosseal area is narrowed anteroposteriorly, and swollen in its lower portion. The specimen undoubtedly represents an undescribed form, which is hereby named.
A Genetic and Statistical Study of the Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The hospital records of 197 infants with the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) were reviewed and the families of 111 of them subsequently contacted to obtain a family history. After correcting for bias of ascertainment, the incidence of RDS among the full sibs was found to be between 12 and 19% depending on whether the individuals diagnosed as “possible RDS” were counted as affected. Among the low birth weight (LBW, ≤2.5 kg) and/or preterm (≤37 weeks gestation) infants in the sibships, the incidence of RDS was 32–50%. Considering only sibs born after the probands yielded the empiric recurrence risk of 17–27% for all younger sibs and of 39–67% for LBW/preterm younger sibs. The risk for maternal half-sibs was of about the same magnitude as that for full sibs, while the risk for paternal half-sibs was minimal. Among the LBW/preterm first cousins of probands, only the infants of maternal aunts showed an RDS incidence clearly higher than that in the general population. We think these data suggest a genetically determined maternal factor predisposing the infants of certain mothers to RDS. Other significant findings include: 1) an excess of males among the probands but a normal sex ratio among the sibs of the probands; 2) a decrease in mean birth weight and mean length of gestation for not only the probands but also their sibs; 3) a decrease in the mean parental ages at the birth of the probands; 4) a relative dearth of first-born and an excess of second-born infants among the probands; 5) an increased incidence of stillbirths in the sibships; 6) an increased number of probands born by cesarean section; and 7) a twin concordance of 75%.
Relationship of in vivo gamete aging and exogenous hormones to early embryo development in rabbits.

SummaryOocytes aged before fertilization by delaying insemination for 10 hr resulted in embryonic failure in culture prior to the blastocyst stage, similar to previous studies in vivo (17). Aging of spermatozoa for 10 hr before inducing ovulation with LH administration reduced fertilization and cleavage rates, and reduced the proportion of embryos that developed into blastocysts. The fertilizable life span of spermatozoa was prolonged by the environment of FSH-primed does. Overall the development in culture of embryos recovered from FSH-primed does was equal to or better than the controls. Some one-celled zygotes along with 2- and 4-celled embryos recovered from both groups developed into blastocysts in culture. Thus, the combined techniques of superovulation and embryo culture appear to be well suited to studies of this kind.
25-Hydroxyvitamin D3: Evidence of an Enterohepatic Circulation in Man

SummaryWithin 24 hr after intravenous administration of isotopic 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 to three normal adults for kinetic studies, one-third of the radioactivity was secreted into the lumen of the duodenum, probably with the bile. The subsequent intestinal reabsorption of over 85% of secreted radioactivity suggests that this major metabolite of vitamin D has a hitherto unrecognized enterohepatic circulation.Our observation of a dynamic hepatic secretion and intestinal reabsorption of radioactivity administered as 3H-labeled 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 to vitamin D-replete man is indicative of an enterohepatic circulation that may be of physiologic importance. It is conceivable that interruption in the recycling of 25-OH-D3 may be an important mechanism of acquired deficiency of vitamin D in gastrointestinal disease.This investigation was supported in part by Research Grants AM-69-2168, RR 585, and AM-6908 from the National Institutes of Health, Public Health Service. We gratefully acknowledge the technical assist...
Does Technologically Enabled Citizen Participation Lead to Budget Adjustments? An Investigation of Boston, MA, and San Francisco, CA:

Citizen participation in government can provide a broad range of benefits to governments and citizens alike. Advances in information technologies have enabled new types of citizen participation wit...
Process Simulation for Packing Workshop

In the factory planning and design stage,through the DELMIA/ Quest platform,the rationalities of process plan and scheduling strategy were verified.Statistical analysis of the equipment utilization was done,so the problem was fully exposed.The reasons causing the problem were analyzed.Then,under certain objective,strategy or production line was optimized,and the capacity was achieved.
Academic and training requirements in advertisements for pharmacy management and clinical positions.

The academic and training requirements mentioned in advertisements for various pharmacy management and clinical positions were studied. Position advertisements appearing in five national pharmacy publications between January 1990 and December 1994 were analyzed for requirements or preferences for a particular pharmacy or other degree, postgraduate training (residencies and fellowships), board certification, and experience. The positions were classified as clinical pharmacist, clinical faculty member, pharmacy services manager, clinical manager, or academic manager. A total of 1052 position advertisements were eligible for analysis. Overall, 718 (68%) of the positions either required or preferred postgraduate training; graduates of ASHP-accredited residency programs were sought 10% of the time. Advanced degrees were specified for 934 (89%) of the positions--required for 581 (55%) and preferred for 353 (34%). No degree was specified for 98 (9%) of the positions. Only 20 (2%) of the advertisements indicated that the B.S. degree was a sufficient credential. Board certification was mentioned for 29 (3%) of the positions, although it was never required. Postgraduate pharmacy experience was often acceptable in lieu of advanced degrees and training. Pharmacy management and clinical positions advertised in national pharmacy publications tended to require or prefer residency or fellowship training and advanced degrees.
A Case for Ethical Veganism

This paper argues for ethical veganism: the thesis that it is typically wrong to consume animal products. The paper first sets out an intuitive case for this thesis that begins with the intuitive claim that it is wrong to set fire to a cat. I then raise a methodological challenge: this is an intuitive argument for a revisionary conclusion. Even if we grant that we cannot both believe that it is permissible to drink milk, and that it is wrong to set fire to cats, this leaves open the question of which of these judgments we should abandon. I consider and reject three strategies for addressing this question: more methodologically naive moral theorizing, appeal to systematic normative theory, and attacking non-moral presuppositions. I argue that philosophically satisfying the resolution of the conflict requires debunking our grounds for belief in one of the conflicting claims. Finally, I argue that ethical veganism is supported by consideration of the most salient debunking arguments available.
Pilin Vaccination Stimulates Weak Antibody Responses and Provides No Protection in a C57Bl/6 Murine Model of Acute Clostridium difficile Infection.

Clostridium difficile is the leading cause of nosocomial infections in the United States, adding billions of dollars per year to health care costs. A vaccine targeted against the bacterium would be extremely beneficial in decreasing the morbidity and mortality caused by C. difficile-associated disease; a vaccine directed against a colonization factor would hinder the spread of the bacterium as well as prevent disease. Type IV pili (T4Ps) are extracellular appendages composed of protein monomers called pilins. They are involved in adhesion and colonization in a wide variety of bacteria and archaea, and are putative colonization factors in C. difficile. We hypothesized that vaccinating mice with pilins would lead to generation of anti-pilin antibodies, and would protect against C. difficile challenge. We found that immunizing C57Bl/6 mice with various pilins, whether combined or as individual proteins, led to low antipilin antibody titers and no protection upon C. difficile challenge. Passive transfer of anti-pilin antibodies led to high serum anti-pilin IgG titers, but to undetectable fecal anti-pilin IgG titers and did not protect against challenge. The low antibody titers observed in these experiments may be due to the particular strain of mice used. Further experiments, possibly with a different animal model of C. difficile infection, are needed to determine if an anti-T4P vaccine would be protective against C. difficile infection.
Influence of hemodialysis on regadenoson clearance in an in vitro hemodialysis model

Regadenoson is a novel pharmacological stress agent whose disposition during hemodialysis is not known. The purpose of this study was to determine the clearance of regadenoson under varying dialytic conditions using an in vitro hemodialysis model. Whole human blood was used to analyze the effect of hemodialysis on the clearance of regadenoson. Regadenoson transmembrane clearance (CLD) was assessed for both a standard permeability and a high permeability polysulfone hemodialyzer with blood/dialysate flow rates of 300/600 and 400/800 mL/min. A two-tailed, paired Student’s t test was used to compare regadenoson CLD between hemodialyzer types and flow rates. The mean ± SD regadenoson CLD values ranged between 62.5 ± 11.8 and 89.1 ± 24.0 mL/min for all dialytic conditions. There was no significant difference in regadenoson CLD between hemodialyzer types and flow rates (p > .05). Hemodialysis enhances the clearance of regadenoson independent of hemodialyzer permeability and blood/dialysate flow rate. This clearance is modest relative to total body clearance and is unlikely to produce a clinically significant outcome.
On understanding love

This paper considers two of the popular theories of love, The Appraisal View and The Bestowal View, and combines them in an attempt to create a more compelling explanation for the nature of love. Love is a way of responding to an object through a process of appraising it for its subjective, intrinsic value and then bestowing the experience of that appraisal back onto the object as an extrinsic quality whereby the object becomes valuable and irreplaceably important. By combining the appraisal and bestowal theories, I will be able to maximize their strengths into a coherent theory of love while casting out their weaknesses.
Early Diagnosis of Alzheimer’s Disease by Joint Feature Selection and Classification on Temporally Structured Support Vector Machine

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) from neuroimaging data at the pre-clinical stage has been intensively investigated because of the immense social and economic cost. In the past decade, computational approaches on longitudinal image sequences have been actively investigated with special attention to Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI), which is an intermediate stage between normal control (NC) and AD. However, current state-of-the-art diagnosis methods have limited power in clinical practice, due to the excessive requirements such as equal and immoderate number of scans in longitudinal imaging data. More critically, very few methods are specifically designed for the early alarm of AD uptake. To address these limitations, we propose a flexible spatial-temporal solution for early detection of AD by recognizing abnormal structure changes from longitudinal MR image sequence. Specifically, our method is leveraged by the non-reversible nature of AD progression. We employ temporally structured SVM to accurately alarm AD at early stage by enforcing the monotony on classification result to avoid unrealistic and inconsistent diagnosis result along time. Furthermore, in order to select best features which can well collaborate with the classifier, we present as joint feature selection and classification framework. The evaluation on more than 150 longitudinal subjects from ADNI dataset shows that our method is able to alarm the conversion of AD 12 months prior to the clinical diagnosis with at least 82.5 % accuracy. It is worth noting that our proposed method works on widely used MR images and does not have restriction on the number of scans in the longitudinal sequence, which is very attractive to real clinical practice.
Significance of Abuse Chemical Contamination of Returnable Dairy Containers: Hazard Assessment.

Certain pesticide residues reabsorbed into milk (or water) contents when stored in LEXAN® resin and polyethylene plastic returnable milk containers that had been exposed to diluted pesticide products, washed, and subsequently filled. The significance of these laboratory test results is comprehensively discussed by attempting to characterize the nature of exposure to pesticide residues from a washed returnable dairy container, as opposed to exposure to milk containing pesticide residues of non-container origin. Laboratory findings are compared to actual public use experience with returnable plastic dairy containers. A hazard assessment is presented, which includes a comparison of quantities of pesticide residues found extracting with existing Federal milk tolerance standards, food tolerance standards, unavoidable contaminant food additive regulations, World Health Organization and Safe Drinking Water Committee acceptable daily intake values. The probability of purchase of milk that is contaminated with pesticide residues, where the washed returnable dairy container is the source, is presented.
Lateral transfer recirculating etalon receiver for methane spectroscopy

We describe an etalon spectrometer with a novel light recirculation scheme to generate simultaneous parallel wavelength channels with no moving parts. We present results from a system to resolve the 1651 nm absorption feature of methane. We present results from a prototype and a corresponding model. We also show results from a solid, 3-mirror etalon that has >95% peak transmission and significantly better out-of-band rejection than its 2-mirror counterpart. We show application of this system to methane laser spectroscopy.
Effects of Pawpaw Seed Powder as an Additive on Growth of Catfish Fingerlings Reared in an Indoor Tanks

Since the demand of African Catfish (Clarias gariepinus) is on increase there is need to increase its production so as to meet the protein requirement of the populace. An investigation was conducted for six weeks feeding trial to determine the performance of African catfish (Clarias gariepinus) fingerlings feed diets containing varying replacement level of fish meal with pawpaw seed powder meal (Carica papaya). Fingerlings of Clarias gariepinus were subjected to five different dietary treatments with varying levels of pawpaw seed powder meal. The diets I-V contained 0, 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% replacement levels, respectively. The experiment was carried out in an 80 litres circular plastic bowls, the treatments were in triplicate. Each bowl contained 12 fingerlings. Feeding was done at 3% body weight per day and fishes were weighed every week. Growth parameters such as specific growth rate (SGR), weight gained (WG), food conversion ratio (FCR), protein efficiency ratio (PER) and mortality were determined. Therefore, it could be concluded that fish meal could be replaced up to 80% with pawpaw seed powder meal in the diet of Clarias gariepinus fingerlings to encourage growth, while at 40% pawpaw seed powder meal inclusion mortality was reduced.
A Hydrocarbon Charge Model of the Hibernia Drainage Area, Jeanne d'Arc Basin, Offshore Newfoundland:

An integration of map based and geological/geochemical modelling methodologies has enabled us to image the burial, subsidence, thermal and organic maturation histories of an area which, given its present and past structural geometry, drains into the Hibernia Oil Field. Our models indicate that the deeper parts of the Hibernia Drainage Area (HDA) contributed significant volumes of hydrocarbons, as early as 80–100 Ma, to the Hibernia structural culmination. The shallower portion of the HDA, such as the area vertically below pooled petroleum at Hibernia, has only been contributing hydrocarbons during the last 30–40 Ma. Translation of the modelled maturation history into volumetric estimates of generated, expelled and migrated oil within the area is accomplished assuming a 20% saturation threshold prior to hydrocarbon flow from the source to the reservoir/carrier system. Secondary Migration loss is estimated through assuming a reservoir/carrier-wide residual saturation of 2%. Our volume estimates suggest that...
Real world MRI experience with nonconditional and conditional cardiac rhythm devices after MagnaSafe

Introduction The recent MagnaSafe Registry demonstrated safety of nonthoracic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with nonconditional cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs). However, independent validation and extension to thoracic MRIs are needed. Methods and results We prospectively examined 178 consecutive patients with CIEDs who underwent 212 MRI scans (62 with implantable cardioverter/defibrillators) for clinical reasons between February 2014 and August 2016. Scans were done in standard modes with a limit of 2 W/kg. Pacing modes were ODO or OVO for intrinsic rates > 40 and DOO or VOO for rates ≤ 40. Patients were cleared prescan by both radiology and cardiology, and pre- and postscan CIED interrogations were performed. Primary outcome events were death and generator or lead failure. Secondary events included battery voltage loss > 0.04 V, decrease in P wave voltage > 50% or R wave voltage > 25%, threshold increase of > 0.5 V, and impedance change > 50 Ω. Scan sites were 87 (41%) C-spine/head/neck, 28 (13%) T-spine/cardiac/shoulder (thoracic), 69 (33%) L-spine/abdomen/pelvis, and 28 (13%) lower extremity. No primary or secondary outcome events occurred, and no periscan disruption of pacing was noted. Conclusion In a real-world MRI experience in patients with CIEDs representing a broad range of models, types, and scan sites (including thoracic scans), no adverse safety signals were noted. This experience validates and extends that of the large but inclusion-restricted MagnaSafe Registry, profiles MRI scanning in CIED patients in general clinical practice, and argues against replacing nonconditional with conditional devices when MRI is performed in a carefully controlled environment.
Internal curing of pervious concrete using lightweight aggregates

Abstract Pervious concrete is an important stormwater management technique for the urban environment. Surface raveling is the single most common distress caused primarily by plastic drying and paste shrinkage. Internal curing is one mechanism to provide additional moisture to elevate internal humidity and reduce shrinkage and is most commonly provided through prewetted lightweight aggregates (PLWA). This study evaluated how fine PLWA influence properties when used to completely replace the small portion of conventional fine aggregate present in pervious concrete. Samples were placed at a fixed void content to not confounded results with changes in density. Strength, degree of hydration, shrinkage, and freeze–thaw testing all showed substantial improvements over the control mixture, strongly suggesting that internal curing become routine for pervious concrete.
Dominant Invoicing Currency and Asymmetric Monetary Effects

We show how the U.S. dollar as the dominant invoicing currency in international trade causes the U.S. monetary policy to have asymmetric monetary effects. We develop a model of two countries, U.S. and Japan. Households in both countries need to hold cash in advance to purchase consumption goods: The U.S. dollar can be used to purchase both countries' goods, while the Japanese yen can only be used to purchase Japan's goods. Under these constraints, an expansionary U.S. monetary policy leads to (1) a larger U.S. trade deficit, (2) larger foreign holdings of the U.S. dollar, and (3) an appreciation of the U.S. real exchange rate. In contrast, the Japanese monetary policy has none of these real effects. Beyond asymmetric monetary effects, our novel mechanism also explains the correlation between consumption and real exchange rate, and the connection between foreign economic growth and the demand for the U.S. dollar.
Third-generation cephalosporins

Third-generation cephalosporins are broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents useful in a variety of clinical situations. No one cephalosporin is appropriate for all infectious disease problems. Cefotaxime and ceftizoxime have the best gram-positive coverage of the third-generation agents. Ceftazidime and cefoperazone are the only third-generation drugs that provide antipseudomonal coverage. Ceftriaxone's long half-life allows for once-daily dosing, making ceftriaxone an excellent drug for outpatient antibiotic therapy of community-acquired infections. Ceftriaxone is also useful for the treatment of Lyme disease and sexually transmitted diseases. The third-generation cephalosporins except for cefoperazone penetrate cerebrospinal fluid and are indicated for the treatment of bacterial meningitis. Their proven record of clinical efficacy, favorable pharmacokinetics, and low frequency of adverse effects make third-generation cephalosporins the preferred antibiotic in many clinical situations.
Mortality from malignant bowel obstruction in hospitalized U.S. cancer patients.

9626 Background: Malignant bowel obstruction (MBO) affects an estimated 3 - 15% of cancer patients globally, with a mean survival rate no longer than 4 weeks in inoperable MBO. We assessed predictors of survival and the influence of treatment modality in hospitalized MBO patients in the US. Methods: Data were obtained from all US states that contributed to the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) by Agency for Health Care Research and Quality in 2006 and 2010. MBO diagnoses and treatment variables were identified using Clinical Classification Software code based on ICD9 and CPT codes. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with a logistic model, weighted chi-square test, and a generalized linear model with the use of generalized estimated equation. Initial analysis in the 2006 NIS data was validated in the 2010 NIS data. Results: 942,014 and 1,103,528 eligible MBO patients were identified in 2006 and 2010 respectively. The in-hospital mortality was 24.5% in 2006, decreasing to 21.4% by 2010. The...
From Battery Cell to Electrodes: Real-Time Estimation of Charge and Health of Individual Battery Electrodes

Accurate information of battery internal variables is crucial for health-conscious and optimal battery management. Due to lack of measurements, advanced battery management systems rely heavily on estimation algorithms that provide such internal information. Although algorithms for cell-level charge and health estimation have been widely explored in the literature, algorithms for electrode-level quantities are almost nonexistent. The main obstacle in electrode-level estimation is the observability problem where the individual electrode states are not observable from terminal voltage output. However, if available, real-time feedback of electrode-level charge and health can be highly beneficial in maximizing energy utilization and battery life. Motivated by this scenario, in this paper we propose a real-time algorithm that estimates the available charge and health of individual electrodes. We circumvent the aforementioned observability problem by proposing an uncertain model-based cascaded estimation framework. The design and analysis of the proposed scheme are aided by a combination of Lyapunov's stability theory, adaptive observer theory, and interconnected systems theory. Finally, we illustrate the effectiveness of the estimation scheme by performing extensive simulation and experimental studies.
Examining the International Judicial Function: International Courts as Dispute Resolvers

This article examines the judicial function of international courts by considering both what it is and what it ought to be. The article identifies and describes two distinct functions - dispute settlement and peace promotion - and explores the tensions that exist in pursuing these two aims. It then introduces a third way of understanding the international judicial function that respects international courts’ traditional role as dispute settlers while allowing for their more engaged and proactive function as peacemakers. This third approach conceptualizes that the role of international courts is to resolve disputes. Doing so requires understanding courts as entities that exist within the broader system of international dispute resolution made up of many institutions and methods that collectively aim to promote global peace and security. It also demands considering how the judicial function of courts might evolve (e.g. combining judicial settlement with mediation through integrated approaches) to better serve the needs of nations and the global community in today's complex world.
A Geometric Scattering Model for Circularly Polarized Indoor Channels

Wireless systems are being deployed in evermore complex environments, ones that can introduce multipath resulting in not only severe frequency selective fading but also signal depolarization. Polarization diversity is a known technique to mitigate such fades. To date, primarily linearly polarized (LP) systems have been used for indoor communications, but recently circularly polarized (CP) systems have received attention. As such there is motivation to better understand how both linearly and CP systems perform in depolarizing environments. In this article, we present a 3-D geometry-based stochastic channel model (GBSCM) for dual-polarized systems to evaluate circular and LP in cluttered settings. Using a Poisson distribution, the model generates a number of multipath scatterers. Measurements have been conducted at 2.4 GHz to validate the model. Leveraging parameters extracted from measured data, linear and circular polarization conditions are simulated for both line-of-sight (LOS) and non-LOS (NLOS) conditions. cross-polarization discrimination (XPD) and 1% link margins are considered as performance metrics. These metrics applied to both simulated and empirical data are both within 1 dB of each other.
Complete Genome Sequence of Klebsiella pneumoniae Strain TK421, a Conjugative Hypervirulent Isolate

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a Gram-negative bacterium that is a major cause of nosocomial infections worldwide. Here, we present the complete genome sequence of TK421, a clinical bacteremia isolate containing a hypervirulence plasmid carrying tra-associated conjugation machinery genes. Emergence of conjugative hypervirulence plasmids could portend rapid dissemination of hypervirulence among multidrug-resistant K. pneumoniae strains.
A Lens for Transfer: A History of the Theoretical Frameworks and Conceptual Models Applied to the Study of Transfer Students:

This literature-based study traces the emergence and application of theoretical frameworks and conceptual models applied to the study of higher education transfer students and practices. From the a...
MRI features associated with rapid disease activity in clinically isolated syndrome patients at high risk for multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) is a central nervous system inflammatory and demyelinating event that lasts at least 24 h and can represent the first episode of relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. MRI is an important imaging tool in the diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring of CIS progression. Accurate differential diagnosis of high-risk versus low-risk CIS is important because high-risk CIS patients could be treated early. Although a few studies have previously characterized CIS and explored possible imaging predictors of CIS conversion to MS, it remains unclear which amongst the commonly measured MRI features, if any, are good predictors of rapid disease progression in CIS patients. The goal of this review paper is to identify MRI features in high-risk CIS patients that are associated with rapid disease activity within 5 years as measured by clinical disability.
Development of Reverse Genetics for the Prototype New World Mammarenavirus Tacaribe Virus.

The New World mammarenavirus Tacaribe virus (TCRV) has been isolated from fruit bats, mosquitoes, and ticks, whereas all other known New World mammarenaviruses are maintained in rodents. TCRV has not been linked to human disease, but it has been shown to protect against Argentine hemorrhagic fever-like disease in marmosets infected with the New World mammarenavirus Junin virus (JUNV), indicating the potential of TCRV as a live-attenuated vaccine for the treatment of Argentine hemorrhagic fever. Implementation of TCRV as a live-attenuated vaccine or a vaccine vector would be facilitated by the establishment of reverse genetics systems for the genetic manipulation of the TCRV genome. In this study, we developed, for the first time, reverse genetics approaches for the generation of recombinant TCRV (rTCRV). We successfully rescued a wild-type (WT) rTCRV (a trisegmented form of TCRV expressing two reporter genes [r3TCRV]) and a bisegmented TCRV expressing a single reporter gene from a bicistronic viral mRNA (rTCRV/GFP). These reverse genetics approaches represent an excellent tool to investigate the biology of TCRV and to explore its potential use as a live-attenuated vaccine or a vaccine vector for the treatment of other viral infections. Notably, we identified a 39-nucleotide (nt) deletion (Δ39) in the noncoding intergenic region (IGR) of the viral large (L) segment that is required for optimal virus multiplication. Accordingly, an rTCRV containing this 39-nt deletion in the L-IGR (rTCRV/Δ39) exhibited decreased viral fitness in cultured cells, suggesting the feasibility of using this deletion in the L-IGR as an approach to attenuate TCRV, and potentially other mammarenaviruses, for their implementation as live-attenuated vaccines or vaccine vectors.IMPORTANCE To date, no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved vaccines are available to combat hemorrhagic fever caused by mammarenavirus infections in humans. Treatment of mammarenavirus infections is limited to the off-label use of ribavirin, which is partially effective and associated with significant side effects. Tacaribe virus (TCRV), the prototype member of the New World mammarenaviruses, is nonpathogenic in humans but able to provide protection against Junin virus (JUNV), the causative agent of Argentine hemorrhagic fever, demonstrating the feasibility of using TCRV as a live-attenuated vaccine vector for the treatment of JUNV and potentially other viral infections. Here, we describe for the first time the feasibility of generating recombinant TCRV (rTCRV) using reverse genetics approaches, which paves the way to study the biology of TCRV and also its potential use as a live-attenuated vaccine or a vaccine vector for the treatment of mammarenavirus and/or other viral infections in humans.
Vascular imaging in the initial evaluation of embolic stroke source

Abstract Purpose During acute ischemic stroke evaluations, neurovascular imaging is commonly performed to localize the source of a thromboembolus and to identify vascular stenoses. In this study, we aimed to analyze 1) the usefulness of intracranial and/or cervical CTA and MRA and carotid doppler ultrasound (DUS) for identifying the stroke source and 2) the incidence of vascular stenoses across stroke etiologies. Methods We retrospectively reviewed intracranial and/or cervical CTA, DUS and MRA studies to identify the source of the acute stroke by Trial of ORG 10172 in Acute Stroke Treatment (TOAST) criteria for 200 consecutive patients admitted with a stroke to our tertiary hospital. Stroke etiologies were ascertained and the rates of intracranial and cervical vascular stenoses were stratified by stroke type. Results Of 200 patients, the most probable sources of stroke were small vessel disease (29%), cardioembolic (26.0%) and atheroembolic (23.5%). Across all groups, 27.5% of patients had ≥70% stenosis on neurovascular imaging. The rate of ≥70% vascular stenosis in the neck was 6.9% and 5.8% in the small vessel and cardioembolic categories, respectively. Conclusions The TOAST etiologies of strokes were nearly equally distributed. Neurovascular imaging was of high utility for identifying large vessel intracranial stenoses in patients presenting with acute stroke across all etiologies, although neck CTA/MRA had a lower rate of positive studies with cardiogenic and small vessel strokes. These findings have implications on the use of CTA/MRA in acute stroke work-up.
Novel Parameters to Assess the Severity of Corneal Neovascularization Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose Assessment of anterior segment–optical coherence tomography angiography (AS-OCTA) to determine severity of corneal neovascularization (CoNV). Design Retrospective, cross-sectional, single-center study. Methods Patients of various CoNV etiologies were selected and classified into mild, moderate, and severe. Their AS-OCTA images were measured for CoNV anterior limit, CoNV posterior limit, CoNV thickness, CoNV depth%, CoNV vessel density, CoNV area, and CoNV volume. Further, AS-OCTA parameters were correlated to clinical parameters, such as classification, a numerical severity scale, vascular clock hours, and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Results A total of 19 mild, 10 moderate, and 6 severe CoNV eyes were included with no significant age-gender differences. CoNV depth% and volume increased from mild to moderate (9.3 ± 1.1% to 17.7 ± 3.3%, P = .030, and 0.2 ± 0.1 mm3 to 1.0 ± 0.3 mm3, P = .025, respectively) and from moderate to severe CoNV (44.6 ± 5.3%, P Conclusions Severe CoNV shows greater CoNV posterior limit, thickness, depth%, area, and volume on AS-OCTA compared to mild. CoNV volume and depth strongly correlate to BCVA. AS-OCTA provides novel, quantitative, and noninvasive parameters for assessing CoNV severity.