cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of ramipril vs amlodipine on renal outcomes in hypertensive nephrosclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.

ContextIncidence of end-stage renal disease due to hypertension has increased in recent decades, but the optimal strategy for treatment of hypertension to prevent renal failure is unknown, especially among African Americans.ObjectiveTo compare the effects of an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor (ramipril), a dihydropyridine calcium channel blocker (amlodipine), and a β-blocker (metoprolol) on hypertensive renal disease progression.Design, Setting, and ParticipantsInterim analysis of a randomized, double-blind, 3 × 2 factorial trial conducted in 1094 African Americans aged 18 to 70 years with hypertensive renal disease (glomerular filtration rate [GFR] of 20-65 mL/min per 1.73 m2) enrolled between February 1995 and September 1998. This report compares the ramipril and amlodipine groups following discontinuation of the amlodipine intervention in September 2000.InterventionsParticipants were randomly assigned to receive amlodipine, 5 to 10 mg/d (n = 217), ramipril, 2.5 to 10 mg/d (n = 436), or metoprolol, 50 to 200 mg/d (n = 441), with other agents added to achieve 1 of 2 blood pressure goals.Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome measure was the rate of change in GFR; the main secondary outcome was a composite index of the clinical end points of reduction in GFR of more than 50% or 25 mL/min per 1.73 m2, end-stage renal disease, or death.ResultsAmong participants with a urinary protein to creatinine ratio of >0.22 (corresponding approximately to proteinuria of more than 300 mg/d), the ramipril group had a 36% (2.02 [SE, 0.74] mL/min per 1.73 m2/y) slower mean decline in GFR over 3 years (P = .006) and a 48% reduced risk of the clinical end points vs the amlodipine group (95% confidence interval [CI], 20%-66%). In the entire cohort, there was no significant difference in mean GFR decline from baseline to 3 years between treatment groups (P = .38). However, compared with the amlodipine group, after adjustment for baseline covariates the ramipril group had a 38% reduced risk of clinical end points (95% CI, 13%-56%), a 36% slower mean decline in GFR after 3 months (P = .002), and less proteinuria (P<.001).ConclusionRamipril, compared with amlodipine, retards renal disease progression in patients with hypertensive renal disease and proteinuria and may offer benefit to patients without proteinuria.
Prevalence of Migraine Headaches in Patients With Congenital Heart Disease

The prevalence of migraine headaches (MH) is 12% in the general population and increases to 40% in patients with patent foramen ovale. This study evaluated the prevalence of MH in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Of 466 patients contacted from the UCLA Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center, 395 (85%) completed a questionnaire to determine the prevalence of MH. Patients were stratified by diagnosis of right-to-left, left-to-right, or no shunt. A group of 252 sex-matched patients with acquired cardiovascular disease served as controls. The prevalence of MH was 45% in adults with CHD compared to 11% in the controls (p 50% reduction in headache days per month. In conclusion, the prevalence of MH in all groups of adults with CHD is 3 to 4 times more than a sex-matched control population, with increasing prevalence of MH in patients with no shunt, left-to-right, and right-to-left shunt. The higher than expected frequency of MH in patients with CHD without an intracardiac shunt, suggests additional mechanisms to explain the significant association with MH.
Optical parametric processes in the presence of strong two-photon absorption

Our experimental results indicate that the two-photon absorption sets the fundamental limits to optical parametric generation and oscillation in periodically-poled lithium niobate. The investigation of how the strong TPA affects the OPG and OPO pumped by a nanosecond 532-nm beam in a PPLN crystal. To our surprise, the OPG becomes more efficient for the signal generation. In addition, the TPA can be further enhanced by self-focusing caused by accumulated thermal effect (ATE) by multiple laser pusles
Machines and Drives Comparison for Low-Power Renewable Energy and Oscillating Applications

The objective of this paper is to analyze, test, and compare machines and drives in oscillating applications. In particular, this paper is focused on low-power wave energy generator applications, such as autonomous weather and monitoring buoys with power requirements in the 100 W and less range. Due to the oscillating motion of waves, the ocean environment can require bidirectional and variable speed operation of the generator. In this research, the efficiency of a set of small brushed dc, induction, brushless dc, and synchronous reluctance drives and machines were compared in constant and oscillating operation. The presented results show that drives and machines used in low-power oscillating applications (e.g., ocean wave energy) should not expect a significant derating with respect to their nameplate rating. In addition, it is shown that the frequency of oscillation (e.g., ocean wave frequency) has little impact on efficiency.
New Insights Into the World of Matrix Metalloproteinases

The article by Carrel et al1 in the present issue of Circulation provides remarkable new insights into the matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and their effects on the remodeling of the vascular system in aortic atherosclerotic and aneurysmal lesions. The MMPs constitute a family of endopeptidases that have in common the presence of zinc in their active site, a dependency on Ca2+ for their activity, and the ability to react with specific tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) to form enzymatically inactive complexes. The MMPs show a wide range of specificity for different substrates, including native and partially degraded fibrillar collagens, basement membrane collagens, proteoglycans, elastin, and fibronectin.2 The ability of certain MMPs, such as MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-9, and MMP-12, to hydrolyze elastin are of particular importance in terms of their effects on the vasculature. The “classic” MMPs are synthesized in an enzymatically inactive form, which requires activation by single or multiple steps, as well as by multiple mechanisms, in order to uncover their active site and thereby become biologically active. The “novel” MMPs (known as membrane-type matrix metalloproteinases or MT-MMPs) are synthesized in an active form and play important roles in the proteolytic activation of the classic MMPs.3 The MMPs are synthesized by a variety of parenchymal cells, connective tissue cells, and inflammatory cells.2 See p 477 The importance of MMPs in the pathogenesis of vascular disorders increasingly is being recognized, particularly with respect to atherosclerotic lesions, aortic and cerebral aneurysm, and Marfan syndrome.4 In normal vascular tissues, endothelial cells, medial smooth muscle cells, and adventitial connective tissue cells are the main sources of MMPs, most of which are present in inactive form.5 However, the macrophages and other types of infiltrating cells are known to be important sources of MMPs in a wide variety of …
Comparing the efficiency of intensity-based forest inventories with sampling-error-based forest inventories

Forest resources can be assessed using two ground measurements approaches: one centred on preset intensity and the other centred on sampling error. The objective of the present research is to evaluate the efficiency of the two sampling approaches using a factorial design, the factors being intensity, area, sampling error and coefficient of variation. Overall, an inventory executed using sampling error is likely more efficient than using a preset intensity (i.e. 89 per cent of the investigated cases). For small tracts (i.e. ≤5 ha) or tracts with one stratum, forest inventories using preset intensities are more efficient, but mainly for reduced intensities (i.e. 5 percent). For larger tracts and moderate variability (i.e. coefficient of variation ≤30 percent), resource estimation based on sampling error is more efficient than the intensity-based, especially when the tract is stratified. Stratified random sampling inventoriesarealmostalwaysmoreefficientthan10percentintensitycruises,and,in90percentofthecases,5per centcruises.Forbalancedstrata,theefficiencyissolargethattracts withsamesizebutdifferentvariabilityareindistinguishable, from sampling efficiency perspective. Therefore, a preliminary cruise can focus on attributes that are not the objective of the inventory but are related to the attributes of interest, easy, fast and accurate to measure, such as diameter at breast height, basal area or tree height.
THE EFFECT OF SEASONALITY OF BURN ON SEED GERMINATION IN CHAPARRAL: THE ROLE OF SOIL MOISTURE

Fire represents an important recruitment phase for many chaparral species. Prescribed burns are often scheduled during winter or spring when soil moisture is high in order to minimize risks of uncontrolled fire. However, chaparral wildfires typically occur in the summer or fall when soil moisture is low. Changing the seasonality of burn affects pre-burn soil moisture, burn temperature and timing of germination. High soil moisture during winter or spring burns is hypothesized to lower germination rates of chaparral plants compared to fall burns. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of prescribed spring burns on the germination of chaparral species in the Mendocino National Forest, California. We conducted two experiments to test for effects of moisture on seed germination. In the soil heating experiment, soil collected under chaparral was heated at several temperatures and soil moistures, and germinating seeds were counted. In the seed heat treatment experiment, seeds of 13 species were heated moist and dry to determine the moisture effect on heated seeds. Results indicate a differential response of seeds to heat and soil moisture. Lotus humistratus, Daucus pusillus and Penstemon heterophyllus were negatively affected by temperature in both moist and dry treatments. Ceanothus cuneatus and Genista monspesullana germination increased with temperature in both dry and moist treatments. Germination of six species (Adenostoma fasciculatum, Camissonia contorta, Emmenanthe pendiflora, Epilobium ciliatum, Galium aparine and Malacothrix clevelandii) decreased under moist heat treatments. These results suggest that spring burns may lead to decreased diversity of chaparral due to reduced seed survival and germination of certain species.
Goods Versus Services: A Call for Sales Tax Neutrality

In the inaugural issue of Marginal Impact last June, I criticized state and local sales taxes for taxing a significant number of business purchases. Even as I said that sales taxes were overboard along that dimension, I also observed that they were overly narrow along another dimension, because they exempted a significant fraction of consumer spending. I elaborate on that point in this article and an upcoming article.
Application of Graph Theory to unsupervised classification of materials by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Abstract In this paper we present a new approach for unsupervised classification of materials from the spectra obtained using the Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy technique. The method is based on the calculation of the correlation matrix between the LIBS spectra, which is interpreted as an Adjacency matrix in the framework of Graph theory. A threshold is applied on the edge values, which is determined through maximization of the Modularity of the Graph. The classification of the spectra is done automatically after the calculation of the Modularity parameter. An example of the application of the proposed method is given, based on the study of six bronze standards of known composition. The advantages of the proposed approach with respect to Principal Component Analysis are also discussed.
Quantitative Aspects of Knowledge: KNOWLEDGE POTENTIAL AND UTILITY

In this paper, we enhance and extend the quantitative theory of knowledge [1] that emphasizes the truism that academic knowledge is acquired over a time by process of learning from faculty and staff at the colleges and universities. A formal model of student environment from high schools to various levels of universities granting doctoral degrees training is assumed in this research. In this paper we also include the effects of learning in post secondary schools and in post-doctoral institutions. The net effect is that most human beings continue to learn but to varying degrees depending on the characteristic of the student/employee, the faculty attitude to teaching/job environment and the duration of such interactive process. The proposed model allows for desirable growth of individuals who reward the society in a beneficial way. This is the primary reason for the development of the model. However, the same model is also applicable for those who live to hurt and destroy social values. The Mafia schools and warring nations train their terrorists and offer them all the lethal tools of hurt and destruction. The systematic decay of human civilizations appears as scientific to the negative thinkers as the science would appear attractive to the civilized societies. The portrait of different forms of life is thus tracked as a mathematical approximation based on statistics and norms drawn from the society itself. The model is predictive and becomes a good leading indicator of where living and learning can take any individual over a given period. Different scenarios of student personality who learn to earn, who learn to learn, who love to learn are presented in conjunction with the faculty personality who teach to earn, who teach to educate, who love to teach are examined to gauge the knowledge potential gained by the learners from postsecondary training centers to postdoctoral centers advanced research and social contributions.
Preliminary seismic hazard assessment for Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange counties, California, affected by the 17 January 1994 Northridge earthquake

Abstract The seismic ground motion hazard is assessed for a 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years for the three counties (Los Angeles, Ventura, and Orange) impacted by the 1994 Northridge earthquake ( M w 6.7). The earthquake source model of the Southern California Earthquake Center has been modified with additional slip-rate information for mapped faults and blind thrusts and incorporated into seismic hazard maps that will be used for making regional hazard and risk mitigation decisions by state and local government agencies. Peak horizontal ground acceleration (pga) and 5% damped spectral acceleration (SA) (0.3 and 1 sec) were calculated with three equally weighted attenuation relationships of Boore et al. (1993), Campbell and Bozorgnia (1994), and Sadigh (written comm., 1994). The results of this assessment indicate high hazard over the entire tri-county area with ground motions exceeding 0.4 g (pga), 1.0 g (0.3-sec SA), and 0.5 g (1-sec SA) nearly everywhere. A Monte Carlo uncertainty analysis is described for two sites located in Los Angeles and Northridge. This analysis yields 95% confidence limits for peak ground acceleration at the two sites that range between ±0.1 and ±0.2 g . Our calculations indicate that the uncertainty in the magnitude-rupture length relations, magnitude distribution, moment-magnitude relation, attenuation relation, and slip-rate contribute most to the hazard uncertainty at these sites and that the highest uncertainties in the mapped ground motion are associated with the strongest anticipated ground motions.
The Techniques Used by the Court in the Exercise of the Power to Determine Its Jurisdiction

In the preceding parts of this study the power of the International Court to determine the limits of its jurisdiction has been analyzed both in its inherent qualities and in its application to the different patterns of this Court’s jurisdiction. It remains now to probe further into the attitude of the Court in the course of exercising this power, in an attempt to discover the motives that justify this attitude and the techniques that enable the Court to apply it in the specific cases. Through this and similar attempts, it is hoped that the seemingly variable doctrines of the Court on jurisdictional matters will become more readily subjected to predictable standards. It may help determine in general the situations where the Court could be expected to adopt a restricitve view of its jurisdiction and those where it tends to enlarge its limits. It may help clarify in particular the possible alternatives that the Court may have to follow when it is faced anew with the problem of a challenge to its very competence de la competence. Needless to say, however, any attempt of this sort will inevitably involve a degree of speculation particularly when it comes to interpreting “the mind of the Court” or what has elsewhere been described as its “imagination juridique.”1
Deeds Done in Words: Presidential Rhetoric and the Genres of Governance.: By Karlyn Kohrs Campbell and Kathleen Hall Jamieson., University of Chicago Press, 1990, 288 pp., $27.50, Cloth

(1991). Deeds Done in Words: Presidential Rhetoric and the Genres of Governance. American Journalism: Vol. 8, No. 2-3, pp. 192-193.
Food safety modernization act: A quality management approach to identify and prioritize factors affecting adoption of preventive controls among small food facilities

Abstract The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) was signed into law in the United States in 2011, shifting the existing food safety focus from a reactive to a preventive approach. According to literature, legislative requirements of FSMA can be challenging for small food facilities affected by the regulations immediately or in near future. Thus, the purpose of this research was to utilize quality management tools to identify and prioritize major challenges faced by small food facilities in adopting the preventive controls' component of the FSMA legislation. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews of food industry representatives and academic professionals from the Midwest region of the United States. An affinity diagram was used to identify the set of challenges that emerged from the interviews, following which a weighted multi-voting survey was used to prioritize the identified challenges. Major identified challenges included: understanding of the FSMA law, cost of implementation, timeline for implementation, employee preparedness, absence of quality culture, and employee willingness. Furthermore, a difference was observed in how industry representatives and academic professionals rank ordered the above-listed challenges.
Evidence-Based Guidelines for Blood Transfusion

The AABB has initiated a process to develop evidence-based guidelines for blood transfusion to assist clinicians, other health professionals, and patients in their transfusion decisions. In this article, the author discusses the process of developing the recently published guidelines for plasma transfusion using the GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation) methodology.
Methodological studies on the uptake of zinc by 3T3 cells.

SummaryIn the present work, experiments were conducted on the uptake of zinc by 3T3 cells. (1) The percent Zn uptake gradually decreased with addition of increasing amount of zinc (0.05-8.4 μg). (2) With the increase of the incubation period from 2 to 16 hr, Zn uptake by nearly confluent cells increases gradually; however, confluent cells which are newly replated show a distinct cyclic increase in the Zn uptake after 2, 6, and 10 hr. (3) The amino acids of DMM and serum decrease Zn uptake. (4) Histidine at a molar excess of 1:50, 1:500, and 1:5000 reduces Zn uptake in comparison to a treatment with 65Zn-Zn-L-hist2 at a molar ratio of 1:5. (5) When zinc is added in the form of different Zn compounds, at a molar ratio of 1:2 or 1:1 (Zn:ligand), EDTA decreases the Zn uptake markedly. A small influence was shown also by albumin and histidine; however, other amino and organic acids at a molar ratio of 1:2 did not alter Zn uptake significantly.
Efficacy and safety of leflunomide therapy in lupus nephritis:a meta-analysis

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of leflunomide in treating lupus nephritis(LN).Methods According to the requirements of meta-analysis,a literature search about efficacy and safety of leflunomide therapy in LN was performed among Cochrane clinical controlled trials database,PubMed,BMJ-Clinical Evidence,CNKI,VIP and Wanfang data from the establishment of the database till December 2010.All included RCTs were graded in term of randomization,allocation concealment and blinding and non-RCTs were graded in term of grouping method,blinding,withdrawal and loss of follow-up,baseline comparability,diagnostic criteria and bias control.RevMan 5.0 software was used for meta-analysis.Results A total of 828 literatures were included.Five RCTs and 2 non-RCTs were enrolled for meta-analysis.Four RCTs described the method of random allocation,1 literature used double blind method.Five RCTs were all lack of information about allocation concealment,selectively reporting and other bias,but reported withdrawal and loss of subjects.Two non-RCTs were lack of grouping method and blinding,but reported withdrawal and loss of subjects,also used established diagnostic criteria.Leflunomide group was treated with leflunomide and glucocorticoid,while control group was given cyclophosphamide and glucocorticoid or placebo.①There was no significant difference in complete remission rate(OR=1.51,95%CI:0.90-2.54),partial remission rate(OR=1.06,95%CI:0.70-1.61)or overall remission(OR=1.63,95%CI:0.98-2.71)between leflunomide group and cyclophosphamide group.②The 24 h urine protein,SCr and SLEDAI scores of leflunomide group were significantly lower than that of cyclophosphamide group.There was no significant difference in C3,positive rate of anti-ds DNA between leflunomide group and cyclophosphamide group.③There was no significant difference in infection,herpes zoster,hypertension,palpitations,leukopenia,alopecial,elevation in ALT,memoxenia,rashes,or the incidence of gastrointestinal reactions between the two groups.Conclusions Based on the current evidence,the efficacy and safety of leflunomide for treatment of LN are close to cyclophosphamide.Further evidence from RCT studies is needed to elucidate the efficacy and safety of leflunomide for LN.
Purinergic dysregulation in pulmonary hypertension

This is the first study to report that deletion of CD39 results in high pulmonary arterial pressures and increases in the intravascular ATP/adenosine ratio and pulmonary vascular P2X1 receptors. It...
Development and Psychometric Properties of a New Questionnaire for Assessing Mental Health Literacy in Young People

Several instruments assess constructs related to mental health literacy and to the stigma associated with mental health problems. However, most of them have conceptualisations that may limit the assessment of the mental health literacy concept in a more up-to-date and comprehensive perspective. Furthermore, some of the instruments’ structure may limit their use in large scale samples, in a short period of time and with repeated measures. This article presents the development of the Mental Health Literacy questionnaire (MHLq) and the studies to assess its psychometric properties. After item-pool generation, content validity was assessed by experts and a think aloud procedure. The MHLq was tested in two samples of students (study 1 n=239; aged between 12 and 15 years old; study 2 n=737; aged between 11 and 17 years old) to determine its psychometric properties. Factor analysis procedures favoured a three-factor solution (with 33 items) of the MHLq. The questionnaire showed good internal consistency (total score α=0.84; Factor 1 first aid skills and help seeking - α=0.79; Factor 2 knowledge/stereotypes - α=0.78; Factor 3 self-help strategies - α=0.72); and excellent test-retest reliability, the ICC for the total score of MHLq was 0.88 and for the three dimensions of MHLq was 0.80 (Factor 1), 0.90 (Factor 2) and 0.86 (Factor 3). The MHLq is a practical, valid and reliable tool for identifying gaps in knowledge, beliefs and behavioural intentions, in large samples, allowing the development and evaluation of interventions aimed at promoting mental health in young people.
The Poetics of Reading in Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler

Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler is a writer’s novel to write and a reader’s challenge to read. And that challenge begins even before one actually starts to read the novel as a novel in the manner in which most novels are read. The reader is presented with a “table of contents” which, on the face of it, appears fairly innocuous; however, in fact, it isn’t just a table of contents, but the actual beginning of the novel. The essay focuses on the relationship between how this particular novel is written and how the composition of the novel affects its reading thus challenging the reader to dismiss any preconceived notions of what constitutes a “novel” and to approach the text on its own terms.
Nation® Membranes for the 1990’s

During the 1980s membrane technology for chloralkali production was established as the most economical technology for new plant installations. Conversions to membranes are also often justified. Nafion® membranes have contributed significantly to this technological revolution in chloralkali, having produced 20,000,000 mT of caustic in more than 110 chloralkali plants. Du Pont is expanding this well proven technology to further reduce chloralkali cost and to serve important emerging needs. Our expectations include: 1) Power consumption below 2000 kwh/mT. 2) Membranes tailored for specific applications; e.g., operating more efficiently at high current density. 3) Five year life under demanding conditions. Examples of developmental products are given.
Dynamic Stability Under Constant Load of Finite Duration

Consider a system (model) at its natural (unloaded) position. At time t=0 a constant load P is suddenly applied to the system and it acts only for a finite duration, time t = T0 (Figure 3.1). After the release of the force P, the system moves because of the energy imparted, during the action of the load P. The concept of dynamic stability for this particular load case is similar to the concept used in the cases of the ideal impulse and of the constant load of infinite duration. Thus, for all three cases the concept of dynamic stability is based on the definition of buckled and unbuckled motion.
Loss of MTSS1 results in increased metastatic potential in pancreatic cancer.

// Ann E. Zeleniak 1, 2 , Wei Huang 2, 3 , Mary K. Brinkman 2, 3 , Melissa L. Fishel 4, 5, 6 , Reginald Hill 2, 3 1 Integrated Biomedical Sciences Program, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, USA 2 Harper Cancer Research Institute, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, USA 3 Department of Biological Sciences, University of Notre Dame, South Bend, Indiana, USA 4 Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 5 Indiana University School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA 6 Pancreatic Cancer Signature Center, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA Correspondence to: Reginald Hill, email: rhill3@nd.edu Keywords: pancreatic cancer, metastasis, MTSS1, inflammation, tumor microenvironment Received: September 18, 2016 Accepted: January 19, 2017 Published: January 27, 2017 ABSTRACT Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) has a 5-year survival rate of 7%. This dismal prognosis is largely due to the inability to diagnose the disease before metastasis occurs. Tumor cell dissemination occurs early in PDAC. While it is known that inflammation facilitates this process, the underlying mechanisms responsible for this progression have not been fully characterized. Here, we functionally test the role of metastasis suppressor 1 (MTSS1) in PDAC. Despite evidence showing that MTSS1 could be important for regulating metastasis in many different cancers, its function in PDAC has not been studied. Here, we show that loss of MTSS1 leads to increased invasion and migration in PDAC cell lines. Moreover, PDAC cells treated with cancer-associated fibroblast-conditioned media also have increased metastatic potential, which is augmented by loss of MTSS1. Finally, overexpression of MTSS1 in PDAC cell lines leads to a loss of migratory potential in vitro and an increase in overall survival in vivo . Collectively, our data provide insight into an important role for MTSS1 in suppressing tumor cell invasion and migration driven by the tumor microenvironment and suggest that therapeutic strategies aimed at increasing MTSS1 levels may effectively slow the development of metastatic lesions, increasing survival of patients with PDAC.
Trophic Niche Differences in Arachnid Predators Between Field and Forest Ecosystems

ABSTRACT: Arachnids are important predators in arthropod assemblages that occur from early successional old fields to mature forests. As generalist predators, they may occupy varying trophic niches in different environments that have different prey available. Given that trophic niche can be quantified by the enrichment of 15N in an organism, we tested the null hypothesis that the trophic niche is invariant between old fields and forests in three groups of arachnids: cursorial and web weaving spiders (Araneae), and harvestmen (Opiliones), by comparing the stable isotope ratios of nitrogen (δ15N) in specimens of each group collected from field and forest. Cursorial spiders fed at the highest trophic level in both habitats, and likely consumed other predators as well as herbivores in the field. Web weavers showed slightly higher δ15N in the field than in the forest. Harvestmen and cursorial spiders had significantly lower δ15N in the forest, indicating a trophic shift downward during later succession when th...
Barriers to timely discharge from the general medicine service at an academic teaching hospital.

Background Reducing delays for patients who are safe to be discharged is important for minimising complications, managing costs and improving quality. Barriers to discharge include placement, multispecialty coordination of care and ineffective communication. There are a few recent studies that describe barriers from the perspective of all members of the multidisciplinary team. Study objective To identify the barriers to discharge for patients from our medicine service who had a discharge delay of over 24 hours. Methodology We developed and implemented a biweekly survey that was reviewed with attending physicians on each of the five medicine services to identify patients with an unnecessary delay. Separately, we conducted interviews with staff members involved in the discharge process to identify common barriers they observed on the wards. Results Over the study period from 28 October to 22 November 2013, out of 259 total discharges, 87 patients had a delay of over 24 hours (33.6%) and experienced a total of 181 barriers. The top barriers from the survey included patient readiness, prolonged wait times for procedures or results, consult recommendations and facility placement. A total of 20 interviews were conducted, from which the top barriers included communication both between staff members and with the patient, timely notification of discharge and lack of discharge standardisation. Conclusions There are a number of frequent barriers to discharge encountered in our hospital that may be avoidable with planning, effective communication methods, more timely preparation and tools to standardise the discharge process.
DIURNAL RHYTHM IN RESPONSE TO NOXIOUS STIMULI - INCREASE OF MET-ENKEPHALIN IN GLOBUS PALLIDUS

The biochemical correlates of the previously reported diurnal rhythm in response to noxious stimuli have been studied further. The stress-induced PM increase of met-enkephalin has been localized regionally to the striatum, specifically to the globus pallidus.
Improved CMUT structure and method of operation for dual-frequency acoustic angiography

“Acoustic angiography” is a super-harmonic contrast imaging technique, which is based on the fact that when excited with a moderate acoustic pressure near their resonance (2–4 MHz; around MI of 0.5–0.7) ultrasound contrast agents produce broadband content which extends well past 15 MHz. By detecting the higher order harmonic energy while transmitting at a low fundamental frequency, exquisite resolution and tissue-contrast (microvasculature) sensitivity can be achieved. The fundamental challenge with this technique is that it requires transducers that can transmit a low-frequency (LF) pulse and receive high-frequency (HF) harmonics. We propose a novel scheme to transmit a LF high-pressure pulse from a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) operating in conventional mode and then switching to collapse mode to receive the HF microbubble harmonics in the same transmit-receive cycle. Previously we demonstrated vacuum-sealed CMUT arrays realized on an insulating glass substrate. Now we pattern and etch the substrate to create glass spacers inside the device cavity. In case of pull-in, the top electrode rests on these spacers that prevent electrical shorting. Dielectric charging is mitigated in these devices. The improved design allows operation in LF transmit and HF receive modes in the same pulse-echo cycle. In preliminary experiments, we demonstrated 1.75-MPapp pressure output on the transducer surface and switching the center frequency of operation from 4.8 MHz to 7.8 MHz with a higher cutoff frequency of 13 MHz.
The Neuroscience of Emotion and Its Relation to Cognition

In recent years an appreciation for the emotional dimension of life has asserted itself in all of the major disciplines of the liberal arts. There is a good reason for this. While the dangers of passion are well known to all, this chapter will demonstrate neuroscience’s contributions toward making the case for the necessity of emotion for effective cognition. As Socrates implies above, cognition alone and by itself lacks the capacity to move us to action or to grant a critical component to understandings and “realizations” that only experience can give. While an emotionally distanced attitude may be essential to science, as Scheffler (1982) observed, even the notion of the un-emotional scientist is incomplete. One can be passionately devoted to objectivity. If the “unexamined life is not worth living” certainly experience without emotion is pathologically empty.
Incidence of arrhythmias and impact of permanent pacemaker implantation in hospitalizations with transcatheter aortic valve replacement

Background This study sought to analyze in‐hospital outcomes associated with preexisting and newly implanted permanent pacemaker (PPM) in patients who underwent transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). PPM implantation following the development of conduction abnormalities is a common adverse event following TAVR. Furthermore, PPM implantation rates are higher in TAVR hospitalizations compared with the surgical alternative, thus we have analyzed the predictors of pacing post‐TAVR.
A 5GHz 370fs rms 6.5mW clock multiplier using a crystal-oscillator frequency quadrupler in 65nm CMOS

Phase noise performance of ring-oscillator-based (RO-based) clock multipliers is typically limited by oscillator noise. The most power-efficient method for improving the phase noise of such clock multipliers is by increasing the oscillator noise suppression bandwidth (F BW ). While F BW depends on the type of clock multiplier, the maximum achievable F BW is limited by the reference frequency (F ref ). For instance, in phase-locked loops (PLLs) F BW = F ref /10, while multiplying delay-locked loops (MDLLs) [1] and injection-locked clock multipliers (ILCMs) [2] can achieve F BW of F ref /4 and F ref /6, respectively. Exploiting this behavior, the MDLL in [1] and the ILCM in [2] achieved excellent performance at the expense of using a high-frequency low-noise reference (REF) clock and a small multiplication factor (N ref in MDLLs/ILCMs involves increasing the injection rate by using both the positive and negative edges of the REF clock [3, 4] but at the cost of making jitter/spurious performance susceptible to duty cycle errors in the REF clock. While [3] demonstrated an effective means to correct such errors, it still needed a relatively high F ref of 125MHz. In view of this, we present a method to quadruple the frequency of a conventional 54MHz Pierce XO and demonstrate its application using an RO-based ILCM achieving less than 370fs rms integrated jitter at a 5GHz output. The proposed quadrupler acts as a low noise XO frequency multiplier and can be used to increase the bandwidth of MDLLs and ring/LC-based integer-or fractional-N PLLs also.
Towards Workload Balancing in Fog Computing Empowered IoT

As latency is the key performance metric for IoT applications, fog nodes co-located with cellular base stations can move the computing resources close to IoT devices. Therefore, data flows of IoT devices can be offloaded to fog nodes in their proximity, instead of the remote cloud, for processing. However, the latency of data flows in IoT devices consist of both the communications latency and computing latency. Owing to the spatial and temporal dynamics of IoT device distributions, some BSs and fog nodes are lightly loaded, while others, which may be overloaded, may incur congestion. Thus, the traffic load allocation among base stations (BSs) and computing load allocation among fog nodes affect the communications latency and computing latency of data flows, respectively. To solve this problem, we propose a workload balancing scheme in a fog network to minimize the latency of data flows in the communications and processing procedures by associating IoT devices to suitable BSs. We further prove the convergence and the optimality of the proposed workload balancing scheme. Through extensive simulations, we have compared the performance of the proposed load balancing scheme with other schemes and verified its advantages for fog networking.
Chemokine/cytokine biology during the evolution of fibrotic disease

Although the sequence of events in the pathology of many interstitial fibrotic diseases is not well characterized, numerous factors that regulate immune and fibrotic processes have been implicated in the evolution of these disorders. These processes include potential viral infections [1], genetic variations [2], immune complexes [3], environmental factors [4] and effector cell activation [5]. This last category has generated recent interest, as the classification of effector cells can no longer be limited to peripheral blood leukocytes, but must include resident stromal and parenchymal cells that comprise the tissue. Epithelial cells [6], endothelial cells [7], and fibroblasts[8] have all been identified as effector cells via their ability to generate significant levels of regulatory cytokines and chemokines that participate in cytokine networks. Of particular interest is the elevated levels of chemokines that these non-inflammatory cells can express when activated. Table 1 contains representative ligands and their corresponding receptors for the CC and CXC chemokine families. This list is not inclusive as it is now known that there are at least four supergene families of chemokines containing over 50 different proteins.
Gilbert Technique: PHS Bilayer Repair

Successful inguinal hernia repair requires reduction of the hernia contents and prevention of recurrence herniation by blockage of the myopectineal orifice. An appreciation of the anatomy of the region is necessary for performing the optimal procedure. Because of the complexity of the anatomy and the variable skill of surgeons, there have been many different hernia repair techniques described, seeking the ideal procedure. In 1997, Dr. Arthur Gilbert designed the Prolene Hernia System (PHS), a bilayer polypropylene mesh device with a flat underlay and overlay joined by a central connector. The product is suitable for all groin hernia repairs giving immediate strength and excellent long-term outcomes, with less than ½% recurrence rate, few complications, and minimal chronic pain. The procedure can be done as an outpatient under local anesthesia with sedation.
Section 809 and “E-Portal” Proposals, by Cutting Bid Protests in Federal Procurement, Could Breach International Agreements and Raise New Risks of Corruption

Bid protests — vendors’ challenges to contracting officials’ errors, either before or after award — have been an established part of federal procurement for at least a century. Protests (sometimes called “challenges” or “remedies proceedings” abroad) are a recognized bulwark against corruption in the United States, and have become a standard part of procurement systems around the world, often at the urging of the United States. But new proposals being considered for U.S. government procurement in practice could dramatically limit bid protests, in the name of streamlining the procurement process. This drastic change to U.S. procurement practices could violate international agreements under which the United States has agreed to maintain an effective bid protest system, and could raise new risks of corruption in procurement.
The Sastra Ramanujan Prize: Its Origins and Its Winners.

The SASTRA Ramanujan Prize is a $10,000 annual award given to mathematicians not exceeding the age of 32 for path-breaking contributions in areas influenced by the Indian mathematical genius Srinivasa Ramanujan. The prize has been unusually effective in recognising extremely gifted mathematicians at an early stage in their careers who have gone on to accomplish even greater things in mathematics and be awarded prizes with a hallowed tradition such as the Fields Medal. This is due to the enthusiastic support from leading mathematicians around the world and the calibre of the winners. The age limit of 32 is because Ramanujan lived only for 32 years, and in that brief life span made revolutionary contributions; so the challenge for the prize candidates is to show what they have achieved in that same time frame! The way the prize was conceived and launched is an incredible story which I will relate here. I will then briefly describe some major aspects of the work of the winners for which they were awarded the prize, and what they have accomplished after winning the prize. I will also provide a few of their biographical highlights.
Risk Factor Modification

Risk factor modification in patients with established coronary heart disease (CHD) is intended to slow progression of atherosclerotic vascular disease and, more importantly, prevent recurrent coronary and other vascular events. This chapter will present an overview of risk factor modification in patients with established CHD and provide a template for the implementation of preventive strategies based on randomized clinical trials and new concepts in the pathophysiology of acute coronary syndromes.
Nitric Oxide‐Mediated Resistance to Antitumor Photodynamic Therapy

As an antitumor modality based on sensitizer photoexcitation by tumor-directed light, photodynamic therapy (PDT) has the advantage of being site-specific compared with conventional chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Like these other therapies, however, PDT is often limited by pre-existing or acquired resistance. One type of resistance, discovered in the author's laboratory, involves nitric oxide (NO) generated by inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in tumor cells. Using human breast, prostate and brain cancer cell lines, we have shown that iNOS is dramatically upregulated after a moderate PDT challenge sensitized by 5-aminolevulinic acid-induced protoporphyrin IX. The elevated NO not only elicited a greater resistance to cell photokilling, but also an increase in the growth and migration/invasion rate of surviving cells. Greater iNOS/NO-based resistance was also demonstrated at the in vivo level using a breast tumor xenograft model. More recent studies have shown that NO from PDT-targeted cells can stimulate a progrowth/promigration response in non-targeted bystander cells. These novel effects of NO, their negative impact on PDT efficacy and possible mitigation thereof by anti-iNOS/NO pharmacologic agents will be discussed.
The impact of financial development, IFRS, and rule of LAW on foreign investments: A cross-country analysis

Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of financial development, International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), and rule of law on foreign investments in 51 advanced and developing countries over the period from 1997 to 2017. The study is motivated by the argument that the lack of portfolio investments results mainly from asymmetric information that can be mitigated by providing reliable and relevant information based on IFRS and a strong rule of law. Using country-level data obtained from the IMF, World Development Indicators, and World Governance Indicators websites, it was found that financial development, IFRS, and rule of law are important for foreign investments. Although empirical analyses indicate that financial development, IFRS and rule of law have individually a significant positive effect on foreign direct investments relative to total investments, this positive effect is mitigated for interactions of these variables, suggesting that international investors would prefer portfolio rather than direct investments in financially developed countries adopting IFRS and an effective rule of law. The findings are important for stakeholders who are interested in financial development, IFRS, rule of law and their impacts on foreign investments.
Disease-Induced Microbial Shifts in Citrus Indicate Microbiome-Derived Responses to Huanglongbing Across the Disease Severity Spectrum

Plant microbiomes are critical components to plant health and can influence disease outcomes. We provide empirical data describing disease-induced shifts within the citrus microbiome at different l...
A Note on Regular Near-Rings

In this note we introduce the concept of a regular near-ring with identity and develop several elementary properties of such near-rings. We show that every near-ring with identity is isomorphic to a sub-near-ring of a regular near-ring with identity.
THE BIOLOGY OF PERIOSTEAL REACTIONS

BACKGROUND The periosteum is a thin membrane that covers almost all bony surfaces in the human body. This membrane is attached to the underlying bone through type I collagen fibers known as Sharpey's fibers. The periosteum is organized into an inner cellular layer with significant osteoblastic potential and an outer fibrous layer. This osteoblastic potential can be stimulated by both physiologic processes in growth and fracture repair and by pathologic conditions. The characteristics of the periosteal responses are modulated by factors such as the type of initiating stimulus, age, and anatomic site. CASE REPORT Through illustrative cases, we will discuss the biologic bases for periosteal responses and the association of these radiologic presentations with pathophysiologic situations such as in inflammation and malignancy. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSIONS This poster will review the gross and cellular anatomy of the periosteal membrane and a range of periosteal responses. An understanding of bone and periosteal biology serves as a foundation for a radiologist to recognize patterns of periosteal responses and to decipher the causative stimuli.