cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tattoo-based noninvasive glucose monitoring: A proof-of-concept study

We present a proof-of-concept demonstration of an all-printed temporary tattoo-based glucose sensor for noninvasive glycemic monitoring. The sensor represents the first example of an easy-to-wear flexible tattoo-based epidermal diagnostic device combining reverse iontophoretic extraction of interstitial glucose and an enzyme-based amperometric biosensor. In-vitro studies reveal the tattoo sensor’s linear response toward physiologically relevant glucose levels with negligible interferences from common coexisting electroactive species. The iontophoretic-biosensing tattoo platform is reduced to practice by applying the device on human subjects and monitoring variations in glycemic levels due to food consumption. Correlation of the sensor response with that of a commercial glucose meter underscores the promise of the tattoo sensor to detect glucose levels in a noninvasive fashion. Control on-body experiments demonstrate the importance of the reverse iontophoresis operation and validate the sensor specificity....
High-density stretchable electronics: toward an integrated multilayer composite.

High-density stretchable electronics is achieved using multilayer interconnects on an elastomeric substrate. Two major challenges associated with stretchable electronics—increasing integration density and improving electrical bonding—have been addressed by our innovative multilayer via-bonding technology. The resulting multichip-module architecture provides an elastic, high-density solution for numerous potential applications.
DNA methylation and methylase levels in normal and malignant mouse hepatic tissues

The status of DNA methylation, as measured by the 5-methylcytosine content of nuclear DNA, was examined in normal livers and in chemically induced or spontaneous primary hepatocellular carcinoma (PHC) arising in three strains of mice. The DNA from spontaneous tumors of genetic origin in C3H mice and also from acetylaminofluorene, chlordane, or 3'-methyl-4-dimethylaminoazobenzene-induced tumors in C57Bl and B6C3 mice was undermethylated compared to the levels in background and normal liver samples. The DNA methylase activities from normal liver, background liver, and PHC were assayed in C3H mice to determine whether the observed genomic undermethylation is related to a dysfunction of this enzyme and were compared to the rates of DNA synthesis in these tissues. Since DNA methylase levels from tumor nuclei were elevated compared to background, it is concluded that the undermethylation found in the tumor genomes of this system is not due to inactivation nor a significant deficiency of the activity of this enzyme relative to the demand in tumors for methylation of de novo synthesized DNA.
Maintenance immunosuppression in renal transplantation

The need to maintain allograft recipients on immunosuppression is nearly universal. Immunosuppressive agents used in organ transplantation target one or more steps of the host alloimmune response, specifically processes related to CD4-positive T lymphocytes. Calcineurin-inhibitor based steroid-containing regimens have been the mainstay of maintenance immunosuppression over the last two decades. Newer agents have shown efficacy in this role in recent trials with comparable allograft and patient outcomes. These agents have permitted calcineurin-inhibitor minimization and steroid-sparing strategies in selected groups of patients.
Basal lamina thickness and permeability to horseradish peroxidase of intraneural capillaries in diabetic mice

Abstract The fine structural morphology, basal lamina thickness, and permeability to intravenously injected horseradish peroxidase (HRP) of intraneural capillaries have been examined in 10-month-old diabetic mice ( C57BL KsJ , db db ). The afflicted mice of this strain have previously been shown to develop peripheral neuropathy. In this study we observed that a very small percentage of endothelial cells in sciatic nerves of diabetic mice had abnormal accumulations of membrane whorls in their cytoplasm. Although quantitative measurements of intraneural capillary basal lamina thickness showed that there was no statistically significant increase in basal lamina thickness, occasional sciatic nerve capillaries in diabetic mice did have thickened basal laminae. Cytochemical studies showed that there was no apparent leakage of HRP from capillaries in the sciatic nerve, trigeminal nerve, and cerebral cortex from diabetic mice or their unafflicted littermates. These results suggest that microangiopathy, as assessed by these measures, is not prominent in diabetic mice and therefore, probably does not play a major role in the development of peripheral neuropathy in these mice.
576 EPIDEMIOLOGY OF SIDS: TWO POPULATIONS AT RISK?

Descriptive epidemiologic studies of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) have not helped elucidate possible causes but have defined population characteristics that must be addressed by prospective theories. Many such studies have had poorly defined populations. Careful pathologic and statistical studies are still needed to characterize this population. In New Jersey, 826 infants died of SIDS from 1/1/76 to 12/31/81. A State law mandating autopsies in such cases has led to an autopsy rate in excess of 98%. A match of birth and death certificates was available for 767 such deaths over this six-year period. Significant findings included the peak age at death between 1 and 2 mo. and a mean age at death of less than 2 mo. The incidence of SIDS in the non-white population (NWP) (3.17/1,000 LB) was significantly greater than in the white population (WP) (0.89/1,000 LB). The male predominance was present in the WP (250 males/388) but not in the NWP (189 males/379). The well-described seasonal variation was noted but was entirely explained by a significant increase only in the males. Significantly more children ≥3 mo. of age died in the winter months. This was not true of infants <3 mo. of age at the time of death. This analysis suggests that victims of SIDS may represent two distinct populations: a group of younger infants without male predominance and a second group of older infants containing significantly more males who die in winter months when respiratory infections are more common.
The Helical MreB Cytoskeleton in Escherichia coli MC1000/pLE7 Is an Artifact of the N-Terminal Yellow Fluorescent Protein Tag

Based on fluorescence microscopy, the actin homolog MreB has been thought to form extended helices surrounding the cytoplasm of rod-shaped bacterial cells. The presence of these and other putative helices has come to dominate models of bacterial cell shape regulation, chromosome segregation, polarity, and motility. Here we use electron cryotomography to show that MreB does in fact form extended helices and filaments in Escherichia coli when yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) is fused to its N terminus but native (untagged) MreB expressed to the same levels does not. In contrast, mCherry fused to an internal loop (MreB-RFPSW) does not induce helices. The helices are therefore an artifact of the placement of the fluorescent protein tag. YFP-MreB helices were also clearly distinguishable from the punctate, “patchy” localization patterns of MreB-RFPSW, even by standard light microscopy. The many interpretations in the literature of such punctate patterns as helices should therefore be reconsidered.
Theoretical prediction of the thermoelastic properties and thermal stresses in unidirectional composites

A theoretical investigation is undertaken to predict the thermoelastic properties of com posites consisting of an isotropic matrix reinforced with either isotropic or transversely isotropic fibers. Both constituent materials are assumed to be elastic. The effects of the constituent material properties and fiber anisotropy on the elastic moduli and thermal ex pansion coefficients of unidirectional composites are evaluated for a square array model. The proposed expressions for the coefficients of thermal expansion are used in the analysis of unidirectional glass-epoxy and carbon-epoxy composites. The solutions for the thermo elastic properties and thermal stresses of the example problems considered in this study compare favorably with the existing results. The method of solution can be extended to ac count for the effect of inelastic strains.
Stochastic quantization and regularization

Abstract In this paper the method of stochastic quantization introduced by Parisi and Wu is extended to field theories that include fermions and are supersymmetric. A new non-perturbative regulator based on stochastic quantization is introduced. This regulator preserves all the symmetries of the lagrangian, including gauge, chiral, and supersymmetries, at the expense of introducing non-locality.
FDG and 82Rb PET/MRI features of brain metastasis of breast cancer

A 64-year-old woman with stage IV breast cancer underwent an FDG and Rb PET brain studies. The PET brain images were fused with MRI brain T1 post-contrast images. The known enhancing left superoposterior frontal brain metastasis is positive on both FDG Rb PET/MRI images. The Rb PET/MRI showed better target-to-noise ratio, but showed nonspecific uptake in the superior sagittal sinus.
Culture of respiratory syncytial virus infected diploid bovine nasal mucosa cells on cytodex 3 microcarriers.

In preliminary studies, a system for the propagation of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) using cytodex 3 microcarriers was established. Optimal growth conditions were defined in culture to be a microcarrier concentration of 1.5 g/L with a cell inoculum density of 4 × 104 cells/ml tissue culture medium. Under these conditions growth coefficients were 3-fold greater in microcarriers when compared to conventional monolayer culture in roux culture flasks. Maximum yield of virus antigen was achieved after 8 days culture.
EFFECTS OF BATTING PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK ON MOTIVATIONAL FACTORS AND BATTING PERFORMANCE IN YOUTH BASEBALL

The effects of batting feedback on motivational factors and batting of young baseball players were investigated. Hypotheses were that, compared to participants receiving feedback or no feedback on their batting average, those receiving contact average would exhibit (a) a greater increase in batting efficacy, (b) more enjoyment, satisfaction, and persistence, and (c) superior batting performance. Participants were 78 children from nine teams. Although analyses did not support the hypotheses, performance-to-efficacy correlations as well as other data provided tentative evidence for the premise that contact average may be more appropriate feedback for young players because (compared to batting average) it is less ambiguous and is based on a more realistic definition of success. Limitations and implications for coaches were discussed.
On the distribution of a new measure of heaviness of tails

Distributional properties are given for a statistic T*, which has previously been reported to have power properties as a test of normality as attractive as those of the sample kurtosis or perhaps slightly more attractive. Asymptotic results, the mean and variance under normality, the range of variation, and approximation of critical values for testing normality are obtained
Seroprevalence of Helicobacter pylori and Hepatitis A Virus among Children in Rural Central Taiwan

Helicobacter pylori and hepatitis A virus (HAV) are thought to have similar routes of transmission and epidemiology. This study investigated the seroprevalence of these 2 pathogens among children in rural, central Taiwan. Serum samples were collected from 856 children between 2010 and 2012 and levels of anti-HAV and anti-H. pylori antibodies were measured by ELISA. Questionnaires were used to investigate possible risk factors. The overall H. pylori and HAV infection rates were 6% and 0.8%, respectively. There was a significant difference in H. pylori infection rates (P value=0.008), but not HAV infection rates, between different age groups. H. pylori infection rates were significantly higher in children whose mothers had lower education levels. In contrast, HAV infection rates were significantly higher in children whose fathers had lower education levels. The risk of HAV infection was also 14.20-fold higher in children whose family members had traveled to China or Southeast Asia. No significant correlation was found between H. pylori and HAV seropositivity. The seroprevalences of H. pylori and HAV were low in rural central Taiwan. Universal HAV vaccination is highly recommended to prevent outbreak due to low seroprevalence.
Computer simulation of polyolefin interfaces

Abstract Interfaces, thin films and amorphous cells of several hydrocarbon polymers are studied with atomistic computer simulation. Solubility parameters, surface tensions and interfacial tensions are evaluated from the computed structures. These structures are constructed using Molecular Dynamics and Molecular Mechanics techniques. The various components of the energetic interactions (torsional, vdW, etc.) are examined in detail in order to gain an insight into the nature of the regular and anomalous interactions between these films.The polymers studied in this article are all are atactic linear hydrocarbons and have approximately 200 carbons in the backbone chain. These include polypropylene (PP), head to head polypropylene (hhPP), a polymer which is termed P78 (a random copolymer composed of 22% of a linear (–CH2CH2CH2CH2–) monomer and 78% of a branched (–CH2CH(C2H5)–) monomer), polyethylenepropylene (PEP), and PE2P2 (an alternating copolymer consisting of two ethylene (E) and two propylene (P) monomers in the repeating pattern (–(EEPP)n–)). The primary difference between the different polymers studied is the type of side group (ethyl or methyl) and the location, frequency and spacing of that group.Interfaces formed with the same polymer type (PP–PP, PEP–PEP, P78–P78) yield a surface tension close to zero as expected. Attractive interactions between some of the pairs of films is found in the simulation. The distribution among the energetic terms seems to indicate that this attractive interaction is brought about by favorable local intramolecular energetic terms rather than simply by van der Waals interactions alone.
Microwave Radiometer Calibration on Decadal Time Scales Using On-Earth Brightness Temperature References: Application to the TOPEX Microwave Radiometer

Abstract A method is described to calibrate a satellite microwave radiometer operating near 18–37 GHz on decadal time scales for the purposes of climate studies. The method uses stable on-earth brightness temperature references over the full dynamic range of on-earth brightness temperatures to stabilize the radiometer calibration and is applied to the Ocean Topography Experiment (TOPEX) Microwave Radiometer (TMR). These references are a vicarious cold reference, which is a statistical lower bound on ocean surface brightness temperature, and heavily vegetated, pseudoblackbody regions in the Amazon rain forest. The sensitivity of the on-earth references to climate variability is assessed. No significant climate sensitivity is found in the cold reference, as it is not sensitive to a climate minimum (e.g., coldest sea surface temperature or driest atmosphere) but arises because of a minimum in the sea surface radio brightness that occurs in the middle of the climatic distribution of sea surface temperatures (...
Hard Times in the Kantō: Economic Change and Village Life in Late Tokugawa Japan

Things were not right in the Kantō region during the early nineteenth century. In his memoirs, Mastsudaira Sadanobu, architect of the Kansei Reforms, lamented the sorry state of the villages in Edo's hinterland:Much land throughout the Kantō is going to waste for want of cultivators. All the people of some villages have left for Edo, leaving only the headman behind. … Many Kantō villagers are suffering great hardship. Babies are killed, the population has declined, and land has gone to waste.
Player aggregation in the traveling inspector model

We consider a model of dynamic inspection/surveillance of a number of facilities in different geographical locations. The inspector in this process travels from one facility to another and performs an inspection at each facility he visits. His aim is to devise an inspection/ travel schedule which minimizes the losses to society (or to his employer) resulting both from undetected violations of the regulations and from the costs of the policing operation. This model is formulated as a noncooperative, single-controller, stochastic game. The existence of stationary Nash equilibria is established as a consequence of aggregating all the inspectees into a single "aggregated inspectee." It is shown that such player aggregation causes no loss of generality under very mild assumptions. A notion of an "optimal Nash equilibrium" for the inspector is introduced and proven to be well-defined in this context. The issue of the inspector's power to "enforce" such an equilibrium is also discussed.
Experimental inward solidification of initially superheated water in a cylinder

Abstract The subject of this investigation was the freezing of initially superheated pure water, at small Stefan numbers, contained in a horizontal cylinder. Three experiments were conducted and were compared to an analytical model based upon the heat balance integral method which considered one-dimensional (radial) conductive heat transfer with either zero or a finite amount of initial superheat contained in the water. The equations are solved numerically, employing the Runge-Kutta method for solving the first order governing differential equations. The solution yielded the radius of the phase change boundary as a function of time and the time for the liquid to reach the phase change temperature (0°C) when there is initial superheat. The analytical and experimental solidification time results obtained in this investigation compare very well. As in previous studies, the solidification time was found to be a linear function of Stefan number for zero initial superheat. The analytical results obtained for no initial superheat, though, differ somewhat from the results of some other investigations. Free convection affects appeared to be negligible.
Connecting New Urbanism and American planning: an historical interpretation

The historical lineage of New Urbanism is often confined to the traditional American small town, John Nolen's planned communities, or the neighborhood unit model of Clarence Perry. This paper argues that the lineage is more complex, and actually consists of four separate though inter-related dimensions. These are essentially four different ways of approaching the task of making good urban places. I label these incrementalism, plan-making, planned communities, and regionalism. Concisely, incrementalism is about small scale, incremental change; plan-making is about using plans to achieve good urbanism; planned communities focuses on complete settlements; and regionalism looks at the city in its natural, regional context. New Urbanism is a movement attempting to reconcile these different approaches to urbanism in America that have been evolving since the nineteenth century. Its statement of principles, published as the Charter of the New Urbanism (a concise list of 27 principles) reveals its straightforward reliance on such diverse proposals as Jane Jacob's views on organized complexity, Werner Hegemann and Elbert Peet's civic art, Ebenezer Howard's garden cities, and Benton MacKaye's regionalism. Focusing on the American planning context, this paper traces this varied lineage and attempts to organize the recurrent threads that define the movement. It also discusses some of the conflicts that necessarily arise in attempting to combine diverse ideas about urbanism in America.
The effectiveness of business games in strategic management course work

The variety and user-friendliness of computer-based games available to the strategic management instructor has increased, although the number of commercially available games has fallen due to a number of factors. Based on the criterion of objectively measured learning outcomes, the various games studied over the years produce genuine results and results that are superior to those obtained via the case approach, which is the major alternative teaching strategy. Far less research has been conducted on game-facilitating factors that lead to effective learning outcomes in a business game environment.
Sensitivity considerations in state-space model-based harmonic retrieval methods

State-space models are considered for estimating the frequencies of multiple sinusoids, and robust coordinate systems for frequency estimation are identified. It is shown that the ideal parameter set from a parameter sensitivity point of view involves estimating a unitary state transition matrix and then computing its eigenvalues to obtain an estimate of the frequencies. Procedures to estimate such matrices from covariance and time-series data are examined. It is shown that two state-space methods, the Toeplitz approximation method and direct data approximation, estimate robust state transition matrices. >
A non-parametric approach to automatic change detection in MRI images of the brain

We present a novel approach to change detection between two brain MRI scans (reference and target.) The proposed method uses a single modality to find subtle changes; and does not require prior knowledge (learning) of the type of changes to be sought. The method is based on the computation of a local kernel from the reference image, which measures the likeness of a pixel to its surroundings. This kernel is then used as a feature and compared against analogous features from the target image. This comparison is made using cosine similarity. The overall algorithm yields a scalar dissimilarity map (DM), indicating the local statistical likelihood of dissimilarity between the reference and target images. DM values exceeding a threshold then identify meaningful and relevant changes. The proposed method is robust to various challenging conditions including unequal signal strength.
Why do teens smoke? American Indian and Hispanic adolescents' perspectives on functional values and addiction.

Tobacco use by the young is one of the greatest public health concerns in the United States and is targeted by a number of prevention and control programs. A fuller understanding of the social and cultural values that youths attach to smoking is important in achieving focused, effective prevention strategies. Drawing on data collected through individual and focus group interviews, this article examines reasons that Hispanic and American Indian youths give to explain their smoking. The analysis presented here focuses on two interrelated sets of reasons: the functional values of tobacco use (including mood management, peer influences, and image maintenance) and addiction. This article concludes with a discussion of the implications these data may have for prevention and cessation programs aimed at youth and outlines ideas for an anthropological research agenda on youth and tobacco, [addiction, youth, smoking]
Effects of Word Processing and Short‐term Memory Deficits on Verbal Learning: Evidence from Aphasia

We report two experiments that investigate the abilities of aphasic subjects with lexical and short-term memory impairments to learn supraspan lists of 10 words. We examined effects of stimulus factors (characteristics of words and lists to be learned) and subject factors (verbal and nonverbal STM span, nature of language impairment). Learning ability was influenced by the imageability and frequency of the words to be learned (Experiment 1) and by the linguistic relationship among words in a list (Experiment 2). Additionally, learning ability was affected by the nature of a subject's word processing deficit (whether it involved semantic and/or phonological processes). Phonological ability was positively associated with learning in both experiments, and semantic ability was associated with learning when words in a list were high in both frequency and imageability (Experiment 1) or were contextually related to one another (Experiment 2). Finally, verbal STM span was positively related to learning performanc...
Sensor Placement Algorithms for Triangulation Based Localization

Robots operating in a workspace can localize themselves by querying nodes of a sensor-network deployed in the same workspace. This paper addresses the problem of computing the minimum number and placement of sensors so that the localization uncertainty at every point in the workspace is less than a given threshold. We focus on triangulation based state estimation where measurements from two sensors must be combined for an estimate. We show that the general problem for arbitrary uncertainty models is computationally hard. For the general problem, we present a solution framework based on integer linear programming and demonstrate its practical feasibility with simulations. Finally, we present an approximation algorithm for a geometric uncertainty measure which simultaneously addresses occlusions, angle and distance constraints.
Can food and addiction change the game

eingmindfulofrisksandbeneﬁtssurroundingfoodandad-diction will play a key role in determining whether the fullpotential of this topic is realized in efforts to address majorpublichealthissues(e.g.,obesity,diabetes).Itisessentialtoevalu-atewhethercertainfoodshaveaddictivepotential,butmuchmorewillberequiredtotranslatethisscienceintogame-changingreali-ties,changesinthenationaldiscourseaboutfood,andindecisionsmade by policy makers (Table 1). Here we consider the opportuni-ties and costs of food addiction as a framework and suggest keyquestionstohelptranslatescienceintopolicy.
The Path Prefix Software Testing Strategy

A new software testing strategy is described. The strategy is "adaptive" in that previous test paths (inputs) are used as a guide in the selection of subsequent paths (inputs). Preliminary implementations have successfully exploited the method's inherent user-interactive capability. The method ensures branch coverage, requires only "order n" tests (n being the number of decision nodes in the program flowgraph), and offers considerable advantages over existing strategies in its computational requirements.
Singapore’s Bilateral Merchandise Trade Linkages with Japan and the United States: Trends, Patterns and Comparisons

This paper analyses and compares trends and patterns in Singapore’s bilateral merchandise trade relations with its two largest trading partners, Japan and the United States (US). Over the period 1976-1992, the analyses reveal that both Japan and the US have been relatively over-represented as Singapore’s trade partners. However, whereas Singapore’s trade with Japan has become more intensive in recent years, that with the US has become less so. Computations reveal that the degree as well as level of Singapore’s intra-industry trade with the US has exceeded that with Japan. Nevertheless, while the degree of Singapore’s intra-industry trade with Japan has been consistently increasing since 1981, bilateral trade with the US since 1987 has become increasingly inter- rather than intra-industry. The important nexus between trade and FDI is also highlighted.
Circulatory and Renal Adjustments to Acute Femoral Arteriovenous Fistulas

This Paper is concerned with the pattern of cardiorespiratory and renal changes produced by opening a systemic arteriovenous fistula. Flow through bilateral femoral arteriovenous fistulas averaged approximately 53 per cent of the control cardiac output. The rise in cardiac output elicited by the shunt averaged 51 per cent of the shunt flow PAH clearances decreased 23 per cent in animals anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital, and 46 per cent in animals premedicated with morphine sulfate prior to administration of sodium pentobarbital. The per cent reduction in renal blood flow did not differ significantly from the per cent reduction in flow through the extrarenal systemic capillary beds.
Communicating the impact of an introduction to engineering course to engineering departments

The Introduction to Engineering and Science course at Clemson has many objectives-for those that stay in the College, it is their first point of contact and helps them select a major; for many who will not major in engineering or science, the authors aim for students to discover this as early as possible. While responses to traditional survey questions are used within Clemson's General Engineering program to assess the value of the course to the students, this study focuses on the message department representatives want to hear. The departments this course serves generally set aside survey results from the general population of students taking the course, because the value of those results is clouded by the presence of many students who will never major in engineering because they do not pass prerequisite courses. This study therefore focuses on the major-changing behaviors of students who were eligible for majors in engineering. Combining the results of pre- and post-survey instruments with an analysis of student records, the study quantifies multiple ways that the course affects departments.
Successful thoracoscopic lung biopsy in children utilizing preoperative CT-guided localization.

Background/Purpose: Although thoracoscopy in children is a well-accepted technique, there are limitations to this approach. Small lung nodules or those not located on the pleural surface often require an open thoracotomy. The purpose of this report is to evaluate the utility of computed tomography (CT) guided needle localization of lung nodules in children followed by thoracoscopic resection. Methods: From 1997 to 2000, 13 thoracoscopic procedures were performed on 12 children who presented with small pulmonary nodules (<1 cm) or nodules deep to the pleural surface. Preoperative needle localization was performed by injecting methylene blue under CT guidance. Patients then were taken directly to the operating room for thoracoscopic resection. Results: All 13 procedures were completed successfully thoracoscopically. Twelve yielded diagnostic pathologic findings as well as therapeutic resections in 7. All patients underwent extubation in the operating room, and chest tubes were removed within 36 hours. No thoracotomies were performed, and there were no complications. Conclusions: Preoperative localization utilizing CT guidance is safe and beneficial in children with pulmonary nodules less than 1 cm in size and those located deep to the pleural surface. This technique allows the surgeon to perform thoracoscopy for diagnosis and therapeutic resection of these lesions rather than submitting patients to the morbidity of a thoracotomy. J Pediatr Surg 37:970-973. Copyright 2002, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
A Review of New Pharmacologic Treatments for Patients With Chronic Heart Failure With Reduced Ejection Fraction

Heart failure (HF) impacts an estimated 5.7 million Americans, and its prevalence is projected to increase to more than 8 million Americans in the next 15 years. Key clinical trials have established an evidence-based foundation for treatment of heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). Ivabradine and sacubitril/valsartan, which inhibit the f-channel and the angiotensin receptor and neprilysin, respectively, were recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration for HFrEF. In systolic heart failure, treatment with the If inhibitor ivabradine significantly reduced the combined endpoint of cardiovascular mortality or heart failure hospital admission vs placebo (P < .05). In the Prospective Comparison of angiotensin receptor-neprilysin inhibitor (ARNI) with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (ACEI) to Determine Impact on Global Mortality and Morbidity in Heart Failure trial, sacubitril/valsartan significantly reduced the combined endpoint of cardiovascular death or heart failure hospitalization vs enalapril (P < .001). The place of therapy with ivabradine and sacubitril/valsartan is defined by these trials and their interplay with guideline-directed medical therapy. Ivabradine and sacubitril/valsartan increase pharmacotherapy options for the treatment of HFrEF but are not yet first-line agents. Clinical application will be better defined in the coming years as practitioners increase their familiarity with ivabradine and sacubitril/valsartan.
Abstract TP105: Increaed GABAA Mediated Synaptic Activity and Structural Remodeling in Peri-infarct Cortex Layer 5 in the Post-stroke Rodent Brain.

Introduction: The mechanisms of functional recovery after stroke are thought to be based on structural and functional changes in brain circuits adjacent to or connected with the stroke site. Deciphering these changes at the synaptic level is key to understanding the re-organization of the synaptic circuitry. Here we use a combined approach of i) array tomography to determine the composition of GABA synapses in the post-stroke mouse brain, with ii) electrophysiology to determine whether stroke leads to functional changes in GABA A receptor-mediated neurotransmission. Methods: A cortical lesion was induced in 12-week-old C57BL/6J male mice using the distal middle cerebral artery occlusion model of ischemia. For array tomography, small tissue was removed from the peri-infarct cortex and ribbons of serial ultrathin sections were obtained. Ribbons were stained with antibodies for synaptic markers. Analysis of the resultant staining pattern was used to quantify GABAergic synapses. In addition, whole-cell patch clamp recordings from acute neocortical brain slices were performed to evaluate GABA-mediated synaptic signaling in the peri-infarct cortex. Behavior was evaluated weekly. Results: At 1 week post-stroke, the array tomography data revealed an increase in the density and proportion of alpha1 subunit-containing GABAergic synapses in layer 5 of the peri-infarct cortex (Density: 0.064 vs 0.036 synapses/μm3. Proportion: 15.3 vs 9.1 %, p A receptor-mediated currents were enhanced in layer 5, but not in layer 2/3. These changes were specific to the pyramidal neurons. Behavioral impairment after stroke was observed only at 1 week compared to sham mice (p Conclusion: Our results suggest that stroke leads to an increased expression of functional GABA A receptors in peri-infarct neocortex and that these changes are layer- and cell type-specific. These synaptic changes may represent a mechanism of post-stroke functional recovery and remapping of surviving circuits.
Single crystal growth and characterization of NiSe2

Abstract A method is described for growth of single crystals of NiSe2 from the elements. The crystals are approximately 5 mm on an edge and free of secondary phases or pores if care is taken in compositional control, in repetitive regrindings, and in slowly removing the sample from the furnace. The electrical and magnetic properties of the crystals are briefly described; no prior measurements of resistivity have been reported below room temperature. A theoretical analysis shows that NiS1.93 is a metal exhibiting weak correlation effects.
Bence-Jones proteins and light chains of immunoglobulins. V. X-ray crystallographic investigation of the amino-terminal half of a kappa Bence-Jones protein

Abstract The ability to cleave specifically a human κ type Bence-Jones protein (LEN) into its amino-terminal (variant) half and carboxyl-terminal (constant) half made possible the preparation and isolation of the variant half in quantities sufficient for immunochemical and physicochemical studies on the properties of the variant half of a κ light polypeptide chain. The variant half (Vl) was readily crystallized in a form suitable for x-ray diffraction studies. The Vl crystals were monoclinic with space group P2; the unit cell dimensions from 13° precession photographs were a = 65.6 ± 0.1 A, b = 37.9 ± 0.1 A, c = 43.5 ± 0.1 A, β = 90.0 ± 0.2°. The number of Vl molecules (mol wt ≅ 11,500) per asymmetric unit was calculated to be 2 and the number of molecules per unit cell was 4.
Ageing and rejuvenators: evaluating their impact on high RAP mixtures fatigue cracking characteristics using advanced mechanistic models and testing methods

Fatigue cracking of asphalt mixtures is highly dependent on ageing. Using larger amounts of reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) presents a concern that the resultant mixtures may be prone to fatigue cracking because of the aged binder in the RAP. Several studies have indicated that asphalt rejuvenators can allow more aged binder to be incorporated into asphalt mixtures. The four-point flexural beam fatigue test, HMA (hot-mix asphalt) fracture mechanics model, simplified viscoelastic continuum damage model, and the semi-circular bending test were used to evaluate the effect of ageing on the fatigue characteristics of high RAP mixtures modified with rejuvenators. The results from these tests were compared to see if they provided similar performance trends. The results indicated that the long-term ageing used in this study did not have a significant effect on the fatigue characteristics of the high RAP mixture with and without rejuvenators. Comparison of the fatigue tests did not show universal agreement.
Economic Sanctions: The Cuba Embargo Revisited

The majority academic verdict has long concluded that economic sanctions are a policy instrument with little, if any, chance of achieving much beyond making policy-makers feel good about having done something for a particular domestic community. Yet it is equally axiomatic that ‘policy-makers do “not seem to have been deterred by any academic conventional wisdom from applying sanctions”’ (Philip Hansen quoted in Nossal, 1989, p. 301). The end of the Cold War has not slowed the use of sanctions, especially from the perspective of the American business community (see, for example, National Association of Manufacturers, 1997; Haass, 1997), who have formed a lobbying entity whose specific purpose is to curtail restrictions on economic activities for ‘foreign policy’ purposes.
Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria: report of a case with an exceptionally high thermal range Donath-Landsteiner antibody.

A patient with idiopathic paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria had severe hemolytic anemia despite minimal exposure to cold. The patient’s autoantibody demonstrated all the characteristic features of Donath-Landsteiner antibodies, except that strong hemolysis occurred with simple cooling (monophasic hemolysis), as well as with traditional cold-warm incubation (biphasic hemolysis). Monophasic hemolysis was caused by a Donath-Landsteiner antibody of exceptionally high thermal range, which caused red cell sensitization and hemolysis up to 32°C. The patient’s severe hemolytic anemia was probably a result of the high thermal range of the autoantibody, which would allow intravascular hemolysis with even minimal exposure to cold. Corticosteroids had a beneficial effect in controlling hemolysis; however, strict environmental control, with vigorous prophylaxis against even minimal cold, was the most important part of the therapeutic program.
Trade Openness and Economic Growth

Trade liberalization has been central to the discussion of development policy in recent decades. In the 1990s, the Washington Consensus, a set of 10 major development policy recommendations from Washington-based institutions such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank (WB), regarded trade openness as essential to achieve higher economic growth. Trade policy, according to the Washington Consensus, should focus on lowering tariffs on imports, especially cheap intermediate inputs that give countries competitive edges in export industries. Although acknowledging the negative effects this type of policy could have on competing domestic industries, the Consensus believed that protection would create “costly distortions that end up penalizing exports and impoverishing the domestic economy” while generating a “massive potential” of corruption (Williamson 1990). This pro-trade-liberalization view garnered early support from academia, as evidenced through a host of cross-country econometric studies by Sachs and Warner (1995), Harrison (1996) and Edwards (1998), among others. All these papers suggest that trade liberalization has a positive impact on economic growth. This article is available in The Park Place Economist: http://digitalcommons.iwu.edu/parkplace/vol23/iss1/11
Effectiveness of Evacuated Multiple-Layer Insulations

This chapter describes the effectiveness of evacuated multiple-layer insulations. The multiple-layer insulation, which consists of evacuated layers of closely spaced shields of high reflectivity, held apart by low heat-conducting spacers, minimizes the different modes of heat transfer between the warm and cold surfaces. Radiation is reduced by placing a chosen number of high-reflectivity shields in series and solid conduction, by reducing the conductivity of the spacers separating the shields, conduction and convection through the gas, by evacuating the insulation to pressures below 10 -4 Torr. The heat flux through the sample is calculated from the measurement of the boil-off rate of the cryogenic liquid in the measuring vessel. The cold boundary temperature of the specimen is assumed to be the same as the boiling temperature of the liquid in the measuring and guard vessels. The temperature of the warm boundary of the specimen is measured by thermocouples imbedded in the warm plate.
Nonlinear performances of an autoparametric vibration-based piezoelastic energy harvester

Nonlinear characterizations of an autoparametric vibration-based energy harvester are investigated. The harvester consists of a base structure subjected to an external excitation and a cantilever b...
Hepatocyte Gap Junctions: Metabolic Regulation and Possible Role in Liver Metabolism

Over the past three decades, it has become clear that cells of most tissues communicate through specialized intercellular structures called gap junctions(1) which have also been termed nexus or maculae communicantes. One of the most exhaustively studied examples of this type of intercellular communication is that between hepatocytes, which is emphasized in this chapter. In electron micrographs of thin sections, gap junctions are seen as specialized regions of contact where apposed plasma membranes of adjacent cells are separated by a gap of 2–3 nm (Fig. 1A). In electron micrographs of freeze fracture replicas, hepatocyte gap junctions show arrays or plaques of 8.5–9.5 nm intramembrane particles cleaving with the P face (Fig. 1B); complementary pits appear on the E face. In the center of the fractured particles a dimple is commonly discernible that presumably represents the central aqueous lumen of the gap junction channel. Channels of isolated gap junctions can form a regular hexagonal array, and application of Fourier transform techniques reveal substructure in which each hemichannel or con-nexon is made up of six subunits.(2) The hemichannels or connexons crossing each plasma membrane protrude into the extracellular gap, where they connect to those in the other half of the junction to form the complete aqueous channel(3) (Fig. 1C).
Epilepsy and Hyperkinetic Behavior

A 4-year-old boy with benign partial epilepsy and hyperkinetic behavior between seizures is reported from Sapporo Medical University, Japan.
Task shifting to clinical officer-led echocardiography screening for detecting rheumatic heart disease in Malawi, Africa.

Background Echocardiographic screening for rheumatic heart disease in asymptomatic children may result in early diagnosis and prevent progression. Physician-led screening is not feasible in Malawi. Task shifting to mid-level providers such as clinical officers may enable more widespread screening. Hypothesis With short-course training, clinical officers can accurately screen for rheumatic heart disease using focussed echocardiography. Methods A total of eight clinical officers completed three half-days of didactics and 2 days of hands-on echocardiography training. Clinical officers were evaluated by performing screening echocardiograms on 20 children with known rheumatic heart disease status. They indicated whether children should be referred for follow-up. Referral was indicated if mitral regurgitation measured more than 1.5 cm or there was any measurable aortic regurgitation. The κ statistic was calculated to measure referral agreement with a paediatric cardiologist. Sensitivity and specificity were estimated using a generalised linear mixed model, and were calculated on the basis of World Heart Federation diagnostic criteria. Results The mean κ statistic comparing clinical officer referrals with the paediatric cardiologist was 0.72 (95% confidence interval: 0.62, 0.82). The κ value ranged from a minimum of 0.57 to a maximum of 0.90. For rheumatic heart disease diagnosis, sensitivity was 0.91 (95% confidence interval: 0.86, 0.95) and specificity was 0.65 (95% confidence interval: 0.57, 0.72). Conclusion There was substantial agreement between clinical officers and paediatric cardiologists on whether to refer. Clinical officers had a high sensitivity in detecting rheumatic heart disease. With short-course training, clinical officer-led echo screening for rheumatic heart disease is a viable alternative to physician-led screening in resource-limited settings.
Unidirectional perfect absorber

We show an interplay between Fano resonances and a judicious absorption mechanism leads to a unidirectional perfect absorber which can be controlled both in direction and frequency.
Biotic immigration events, speciation, and the accumulation of biodiversity in the fossil record

Abstract Biotic Immigration Events (BIMEs) record the large-scale dispersal of taxa from one biogeographic area to another and have significantly impacted biodiversity throughout geologic time. BIMEs associated with biodiversity increases have been linked to ecologic and evolutionary processes including niche partitioning, species packing, and higher speciation rates. Yet substantial biodiversity decline has also been documented following BIMEs due to elevated extinction and/or reduced speciation rates. In this review, we develop a conceptual model for biodiversity accumulation that links BIMEs and geographic isolation with local (α) diversity, regional (β) diversity, and global (γ) diversity metrics. Within the model, BIME intervals are characterized by colonization of existing species within new geographic regions and a lack of successful speciation events. Thus, there is no change in γ-diversity, and α-diversity increases at the cost of β-diversity. An interval of regional isolation follows in which lineage splitting results in successful speciation events and diversity increases across all three metrics. Alternation of these two regimes can result in substantial biodiversity accumulation. We tested this conceptual model using a series of case studies from the paleontological record. We primarily focus on two intervals during the Middle through Late Ordovician Period (470–458 Ma): the globally pervasive BIMEs during the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE) and a regional BIME, the Richmondian Invasion. We further test the conceptual model by examining the Great Devonian Interchange, Neogene mollusk migrations and diversification, and the Great American Biotic Interchange. Paleontological data accord well with model predictions. Constraining the mechanisms of biodiversity accumulation provides context for conservation biology. Because α-, β-, and γ-diversity are semi-independent, different techniques should be considered for sustaining various diversity partitions. Maintaining natural migration routes and population sizes among isolated regions are vital to preserving both extant biodiversity and biogeographic pathways requisite for future diversity generation.
Medical overpayment estimation: A Bayesian approach:

AbstractOverpayment estimation using a sample of audited medical claims is an often used method to determine recoupment amounts. The current practice based on central limit theorem may not be effic...