cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Watchful waiting versus elective repair for asymptomatic and minimally symptomatic paraesophageal hernias: A cost-effectiveness analysis.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the decision of watchful waiting (WW) versus elective laparoscopic hernia repair (ELHR) for minimally symptomatic paraesophageal hernias (PEH) with respect to cost-effectiveness. Background The current recommendation for minimally symptomatic PEHs is watchful waiting. This standard is based on a decision analysis from 2002 that compared the two strategies on quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs). Since that time, the safety of ELHR has improved. A cost-effectiveness study for PEH repair has not been reported. Methods A Markov decision model was developed to compare the strategies of WW and ELHR for minimally symptomatic PEH. Input variables were estimated from published studies. Cost data was obtained from Medicare. Outcomes for the two strategies were cost and QALY's. Results ELHR was superior to the WW strategy in terms of quality of life, but it was more costly. The average cost for a patient in the ELHR arm was 11,771 dollars while for the WW arm it was 2207. Conclusion This study shows that WW and ELHR both have benefits in the management of minimally symptomatic paraesophageal hernias.
Pharmacological reactivation of inactive X-linked Mecp2 in cerebral cortical neurons of living mice.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is a genetic disorder resulting from a loss-of-function mutation in one copy of the X-linked gene methyl-CpG–binding protein 2 (MECP2). Typical RTT patients are females and, due to random X chromosome inactivation (XCI), ∼50% of cells express mutant MECP2 and the other ∼50% express wild-type MECP2. Cells expressing mutant MECP2 retain a wild-type copy of MECP2 on the inactive X chromosome (Xi), the reactivation of which represents a potential therapeutic approach for RTT. Previous studies have demonstrated reactivation of Xi-linked MECP2 in cultured cells by biological or pharmacological inhibition of factors that promote XCI (called “XCI factors” or “XCIFs”). Whether XCIF inhibitors in living animals can reactivate Xi-linked MECP2 in cerebral cortical neurons, the cell type most therapeutically relevant to RTT, remains to be determined. Here, we show that pharmacological inhibitors targeting XCIFs in the PI3K/AKT and bone morphogenetic protein signaling pathways reactivate Xi-linked MECP2 in cultured mouse fibroblasts and human induced pluripotent stem cell-derived postmitotic RTT neurons. Notably, reactivation of Xi-linked MECP2 corrects characteristic defects of human RTT neurons including reduced soma size and branch points. Most importantly, we show that intracerebroventricular injection of the XCIF inhibitors reactivates Xi-linked Mecp2 in cerebral cortical neurons of adult living mice. In support of these pharmacological results, we also demonstrate genetic reactivation of Xi-linked Mecp2 in cerebral cortical neurons of living mice bearing a homozygous XCIF deletion. Collectively, our results further establish the feasibility of pharmacological reactivation of Xi-linked MECP2 as a therapeutic approach for RTT.
From Trade Finance to Supply Chain Finance to Procurement Finance

Trade finance is a long-established financial product. Over time, it has been extended to the financing of the entire supply chain. A modern vision considers the entire end-to-end procurement process. It is what this book defines as procurement finance. Procurement finance includes a holistic view of trade finance and supply chain finance. It extends also to the management of the payments connected with procurement. As such, it is an essential component also of the treasury management for the organizations. Its main objective is to manage the entire process in such a way to improve the relationships with the vendors, optimize working capital and liquidity, support effective payment systems, and add value to the customers and to the organization.
Estimating uncertainty in the volume and carbon storage of downed coarse woody debris

Downed coarse woody debris, also known as coarse woody detritus or downed dead wood, is challenging to estimate for many reasons, including irregular shapes, multiple stages of decay, and the difficulty of identifying species. In addition, some properties are commonly not measured, such as wood density and carbon concentration. As a result, there have been few previous evaluations of uncertainty in estimates of downed coarse woody debris, which are necessary for analysis and interpretation of the data. To address this shortcoming, we quantified uncertainties in estimates of downed coarse woody debris volume and carbon storage using data collected from permanent forest inventory plots in the northeastern United States by the Forest Inventory and Analysis program of the USDA Forest Service. Quality assurance data collected from blind remeasurement audits were used to quantify error in diameter measurements, hollowness of logs, species identification, and decay class determination. Uncertainty estimates for density, collapse ratio, and carbon concentration were taken from the literature. Estimates of individual sources of uncertainty were combined using Monte Carlo methods. Volume estimates were more reliable than carbon storage, with an average 95% confidence interval of 15.9 m3 /ha across the 79 plots evaluated, which was less than the mean of 31.2 m3 /ha. Estimates of carbon storage (and mass) were more uncertain, due to poorly constrained estimates of the density of wood. For carbon storage, the average 95% confidence interval was 11.1 Mg C/ha, which was larger than the mean of 4.6 Mg C/ha. Accounting for the collapse of dead wood as it decomposes would improve estimates of both volume and carbon storage. On the other hand, our analyses suggest that consideration of the hollowness of downed coarse woody debris pieces could be eliminated in this region, with little effect. This study demonstrates how uncertainty analysis can be used to quantify confidence in estimates and to help identify where best to allocate resources to improve monitoring designs.
Combinatorics of X-variables in finite type cluster algebras

Abstract We compute the number of X -variables (also called coefficients) of a cluster algebra of finite type when the underlying semifield is the universal semifield. For classical types, these numbers arise from a bijection between coefficients and quadrilaterals (with a choice of diagonal) appearing in triangulations of certain marked surfaces. We conjecture that similar results hold for cluster algebras from arbitrary marked surfaces, and obtain corollaries regarding the structure of finite type cluster algebras of geometric type.
Chemistry and biology of the molybdenum cofactor.

All molybdenum-containing enzymes other than nitrogenase carry out either oxidative hydroxylation or reductive dehydroxylation of their substrates as exemplified by the reactions catalyzed by sulfite oxidase and nitrate reductase respectively, shown below. The results of X-ray absorbance fine structure studies on sulfite oxidase, xanthine dehydrogenase and other enzymes showed ligation of Mo to two to three thiolate ligands in all cases.1 In addition, the ligand field of the metal contained either 2 Mo=0 or 1 Mo=0 and 1 Mo=S bonds. Because of this, the term oxomolybdenum enzyme has been used to describe these proteins.
Traveler’s Diarrhea

Three hundred million people, mostly tourists, participate in international travel each year. Development of an acute diarrheal syndrome abroad, while returning home, or shortly after arriving home is referred to as traveler's diarrhea (TD). TD is not a specific diagnosis but, rather, a clinical syndrome with multiple etiologies. In this article, clinical and epidemiological features of TD, specific etiologies and their pathogenesis, as well as current means of diagnosis, treatment, and prevention will be reviewed.
Turning dry holes from disasters to exploration wisdom: Decision tree to determine the key failure mode for segments in conventional petroleum prospects

Petroleum exploration is a risky business, and dry holes (wells that failed to find movable petroleum fluids) are common, especially in frontier and emerging basins and plays. Technically rigorous, systematic, and consistent postdrill analysis may convert dry holes from disasters to exploration wisdom and future success. Here, we present a decision tree to determine the key failure mode for individual segments in conventional petroleum prospects and illustrate its utility with examples from the deep-water Taranaki Basin, offshore New Zealand. We hope that this decision tree, or its customized versions, will become the best practice in postdrill analysis across the exploration industry.
Measurement of As(III) with in situ subtraction of background and interferent signals by double potential step-anodic stripping coulometry

Abstract Water quality monitoring for heavy metal contaminants is currently performed using instrumental techniques that rely on random “grab sampling” where samples are collected on-site and then transported to a central laboratory for analysis. Alternatively, there are some portable instruments which are suitable for monitoring heavy metals in the field. However, both approaches require a trained technician and provide only a snapshot of the water quality at a particular time and place. Far preferable would be a measurement approach that might enable 24/7, on-demand monitoring in real time, and in this work we describe progress on a novel electrochemical sensor system that might make such applications feasible. Specifically, we report advances in a new technique termed anodic stripping coulometry (ASC) in which the charge associated with the deposition and stripping of the contents of a fixed-volume, thin-layer sample cell is used to provide, viaFaraday’s law, an absolute determination of metal content. As(III) was chosen as the target analyte, and a double potential step (DPS) procedure for in situ background correction has been developed, which does not require the use of a separate blank solution. With the DPS-ASC approach, response for As(III) is linear between 10 0–1,000 ppb with a detection limit at the 75 ppb level. Accurate results were obtained both for lab samples containing high levels of other metals, such as Cu(II), Cd(II), Pb(II), and Zn(II), and for river water samples spiked with As(III). While further work remains to be done, this represents important progress in the development of ASC-based sensors suitable for calibration-free, on-site heavy metal monitoring networks.
An Improved Method for the Practical Determination of Core and Copper Losses in High Frequency Switchmode Transformers

This paper discusses an improved method for testing high frequency transformers, which are pivotal to the construction of switchmode power supplies. A previously-proposed method of testing transformers is shown to have some challenges for practical implementation. Here, a more practical approach to realizing the conventional method is proposed. The tests are applied on a high frequency switchmode transformer and the results are discussed and quantified.
The external costs of wind farm development on the high plains: Have developers made an effort to minimize these costs?

Abstract Growth in wind-generated power installations in the United States has generated economic benefits in regions suitable for development. This research evaluates the likelihood that environmental factors have influenced site choice for wind power facility development in the Great Plains region. A zero-inflated negative binomial regression is utilized to account for excess zeros in the data. The results suggest that wind farm developers have taken some avian species into consideration in their site choices.
Carpet Bombings: A Drama of Chemical Injury in Three Acts

Outdoor images predominate in our cultural conceptions of “air pollution” even though indoor air quality (IAQ) is typically tenfold more contaminated. New modeling of LA smog in Science suggests that source emissions from indoor and personal care products contribute more to that city’s infamous poor air quality than vehicular combustion. In similar paradox, even as outdoor smoke from California wildfires in 2017 pushed PM2.5 levels past red into unprecedented magenta alerts, children were sickened inside school classrooms after new carpets were laid. This auto-ethnographic paper chronicles our ongoing struggle to remove those carpets from “Beacon” Elementary, a bilingual Mexican-American school in California's Central Valley that has suffered decades of racialized neglect of its facilities. Forging through the uncertain epidemiology of environmental illness, “Beacon” mothers began documenting their children’s ailments after the new carpet installation, but the school district dismissed the mothers' citizen science. The Superintendent continued to vouch for the carpet’s safety based on the industry’s voluntary “Green Label.” A historical section of this article therefore recounts how and why the carpet industry invented this label in the aftermath of a scandal in which new carpets sickened a fifth of the EPA workforce at their headquarters in Washington, DC between 1987 and 1988. Thirty years later, once again, three California environmental regulatory agencies are scrutinizing the carpet industry for hazardous ingredients.
What you see is what you get: visual scanning failures of naturalistic social scenes in schizophrenia.

BACKGROUND Impairments in social cognition contribute significantly to disability in schizophrenia patients (SzP). Perception of facial expressions is critical for social cognition. Intact perception requires an individual to visually scan a complex dynamic social scene for transiently moving facial expressions that may be relevant for understanding the scene. The relationship of visual scanning for these facial expressions and social cognition remains unknown. METHODS In 39 SzP and 27 healthy controls (HC), we used eye-tracking to examine the relationship between performance on The Awareness of Social Inference Test (TASIT), which tests social cognition using naturalistic video clips of social situations, and visual scanning, measuring each individual's relative to the mean of HC. We then examined the relationship of visual scanning to the specific visual features (motion, contrast, luminance, faces) within the video clips. RESULTS TASIT performance was significantly impaired in SzP for trials involving sarcasm (p < 10-5). Visual scanning was significantly more variable in SzP than HC (p < 10-6), and predicted TASIT performance in HC (p = 0.02) but not SzP (p = 0.91), differing significantly between groups (p = 0.04). During the visual scanning, SzP were less likely to be viewing faces (p = 0.0001) and less likely to saccade to facial motion in peripheral vision (p = 0.008). CONCLUSIONS SzP show highly significant deficits in the use of visual scanning of naturalistic social scenes to inform social cognition. Alterations in visual scanning patterns may originate from impaired processing of facial motion within peripheral vision. Overall, these results highlight the utility of naturalistic stimuli in the study of social cognition deficits in schizophrenia.
Modular and state-relevant connectivity in high-frequency resting-state BOLD fMRI data: An independent component analysis

Resting-state fMRI (rs-fMRI) data are typically filtered at different frequency bins between 0.008~0.2 Hz (varies across the literature) prior to analysis to mitigate nuisance variables (e.g., drift, motion, cardiac, and respiratory) and maximize the sensitivity to neuronal-mediated BOLD signal. However, multiple lines of evidence suggest meaningful BOLD signal may also be parsed at higher frequencies. To test this notion, a functional network connectivity (FNC) analysis based on a spatially informed independent component analysis (ICA) was performed at seven different bandpass frequency bins to examine FNC matrices across spectra. Further, eyes open (EO) vs. eyes closed (EC) resting-state acquisitions from the same participants were compared across frequency bins to examine if EO vs. EC FNC matrices and randomness estimations of FNC matrices are distinguishable at different frequencies. Results show that FNCs in higher-frequency bins display modular FNC similar to the lowest frequency bin, while r-to-z FNC and FNC-based measures indicating matrix non-randomness were highest in the 0.31-0.46 Hz range relative to all frequency bins above and below this range. As such, the FNC within this range appears to be the most temporally correlated, but the mechanisms facilitating this coherence require further analyses. Compared to EO, EC displayed greater FNC (involved in visual, cognitive control, somatomotor, and auditory domains) and randomness values at lower frequency bins, but this phenomenon flipped (EO > EC) at frequency bins greater than 0.46 Hz, particularly within visual regions. While the effect sizes range from small to large specific to frequency range and resting state (EO vs. EC), with little influence from common artifacts. These differences indicate that unique information can be derived from FNC between BOLD signals at different frequencies relative to a given resting-state acquisition and support the hypothesis meaningful BOLD signal is present at higher frequency ranges.
Neural Network Augmented Intelligent Iterative Learning Control for a Nonlinear System

An iterative learning controller (ILC) is an online method which exploits the information of past trials to improve the performance of the system. For a system controlled by ILC, the state, error, and ILC time histories for varying operating conditions can be recorded. This paper proposes an offline learning method using a neural network which exploits this dataset to approximate the converged ILC for a nonlinear system. The proposed method provides an approximate ILC for the first iteration based on the data collected thereby achieving a faster convergence. The efficiency of the method is tested for a nonlinear problem and results are presented.
Prolonged Exposure: An Effective Treatment for PTSD in Military Personnel

This paper describes prolonged exposure therapy, an empirically supported treatment for PTSD. The treatment has been applied with success in reducing PTSD symptoms in civilians and military personnel. After presenting the theoretical foundation for the treatment, the core elements of in vivo and imaginal forms of prolonged exposure therapy are presented. Empirical studies are cited that either lend support to or identify limitations of administering prolonged exposure therapy to military personnel. Research on the cross-cultural usefulness of prolonged exposure therapy with military personnel is needed.
Physiomimetic Models of Adenomyosis

Adenomyosis remains an enigmatic disease in the clinical and research communities. The high prevalence, diversity of morphological and symptomatic presentations, array of potential etiological explanations, and variable response to existing interventions suggest that different subgroups of patients with distinguishable mechanistic drivers of disease may exist. These factors, combined with the weak links to genetic predisposition, make the entire spectrum of the human condition challenging to model in animals. Here, after an overview of current approaches, a vision for applying physiomimetic modeling to adenomyosis is presented. Physiomimetics combines a system's biology analysis of patient populations to generate hypotheses about mechanistic bases for stratification with in vitro patient avatars to test these hypotheses. A substantial foundation for three-dimensional (3D) tissue engineering of adenomyosis lesions exists in several disparate areas: epithelial organoid technology; synthetic biomaterials matrices for epithelial–stromal coculture; smooth muscle 3D tissue engineering; and microvascular tissue engineering. These approaches can potentially be combined with microfluidic platform technologies to model the lesion microenvironment and can potentially be coupled to other microorgan systems to examine systemic effects. In vitro patient-derived models are constructed to answer specific questions leading to target identification and validation in a manner that informs preclinical research and ultimately clinical trial design.
Decline in Soil Microbial Abundance When Camelina Introduced Into a Monoculture Wheat System.

Camelina [Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz] of the Brassicaceae family is a potential alternative and oilseed biofuel crop for wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)-based cropping systems of the Inland Pacific Northwest (PNW) of the United States. We investigated the effect of this relatively new rotational crop on soil microbial communities. An 8-year cropping systems experiment was initiated in 2007 at Lind, WA, to compare a 3-year rotation of winter wheat (WW)-camelina (C)-fallow (F) to the typical 2-year WW-F rotation. All phases of both rotations (total = 20 plots) were present every year to allow valid statistical analysis and data interpretations. Monoculture WW-F is the dominant system practiced by the vast majority of farmers on 1.56 million ha of cropland in the PNW drylands that receive <300 mm average annual precipitation. Microbial abundance and community composition were determined using phospholipid fatty acid analysis (PLFA) from soil samples collected during 3 consecutive years beginning in 2010. The abundance of fungi, mycorrhizae, Gram positive and negative bacteria, and total microbial abundance all declined over the 3-year period in the WW-C-F rotation compared to the WW-F rotation. All microbial lipid biomarkers were significantly less in fallow compared to WW of the WW-C-F rotation. The 2-year WW-F rotation demonstrated few differences in microbial lipid abundance and community structure between the rotation phases. Microbial abundance declined and community structure shifted in the 3-year WW-C-F rotation likely due to the combination of a Brassica crop followed by a 13-month-long fallow. The results of this study suggest that camelina in combination with a fallow period may disrupt microbial communities that have become stable under historical WW-F monocropping. Such disturbances have the potential to affect soil processes that have been provided by wheat-adapted microbial communities. However, the disruption appears to be short-lived with the microbial abundance of WW in the WW-C-F rotation, returning to similar levels observed in the WW-F rotation.
Beyond Reality and Fiction: William Demby’s Congo vivo

Set during the height of the Congolese Civil War (1960-1965), Congo vivo (Giuseppe Bennati, 1962), narrates the affair between an Italian journalist, Roberto (Gabriele Ferzetti) and Annette (Jean S...
GUCY2C as a biomarker to target precision therapies for patients with colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most-deadly malignancies worldwide. Current therapeutic regimens for CRC patients are relatively generic, based primarily on disease type and stage, with littl...
The national institutes of health's approach to address research gaps in pancreatitis, diabetes and early detection of pancreatic cancer.

Purpose of review Diseases of the pancreas are a broad spectrum of conditions resulting from metabolic, inflammatory, and neoplastic processes (pancreatitis, pancreatogenic diabetes, and pancreatic cancers). Pancreatic diseases cause significant morbidity, mortality, and cost. Recent findings Research progress in diseases of the exocrine pancreas (chronic pancreatitis [CP], pancreatogenic diabetes mellitus, and pancreatic cancer) has been hampered by the disorders' heterogeneity, the limitations of previous small cross-sectional studies, the inability to safely obtain pancreatic tissue for study, and the lack of structured epidemiology tools, genetic testing, and biomarker development. Summary Given the increasing incidence and prevalence of CP and its complications, high mortality rate, and associated healthcare cost, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases and the National Cancer Institute funded the Consortium for the study of Chronic Pancreatitis, Diabetes and Pancreatic Cancer (CPDPC) to identify research gaps and foster multidisciplinary collaborations to better diagnose, characterize and manage CP and its sequelae and to understand the diabetes/pancreatic cancer association.The studies undertaken by the CPDPC are described in other articles in this journal's issue.
Impact of aging on selenium and glutathione levels in different lobes of the rat prostate

1249 In the USA prostate cancer (PC) is the 2nd leading cause of cancer related death in men. Aging is a major risk factor for PC development; however, the mechanisms responsible for this relationship are unclear. Deficiencies in trace elements including the antioxidant selenium are common during old age and preclinical and clinical investigations support the protective role of selenium against PC. Oxidative stress may be involved in the mechanisms linking selenium deficiency, aging, and PC as reduction in the major cellular antioxidant glutathione (GSH) commonly occur in aging tissues. In the present study we have compared the levels of selenium, GSH and protein-bound GSH (GSSP) in blood and prostate tissues in young (4-months), mature (12-months) and old (18-24 months) male F344 rats, fed Teklad 2014 diet. Of particular importance, each prostate lobe including dorsolateral (DL), anterior (AL) and ventral (VL) lobes were analyzed separately based upon their differing potential for PC development. At all ages, selenium levels were lowest in DL
Portfolio Selection and Asset Pricing Models

Finance theory can be used to form informative prior beliefs in financial decision making. This paper approaches portfolio selection in a Bayesian framework that incorporates a prior degree of belief in an asset pricing model. Sample evidence on home bias and value and size effects is evaluated from an asset-allocation perspective. U.S. investors' belief in the domestic CAPM must be very strong to justify the home bias observed in their equity holdings. The same strong prior belief results in large and stable optimal positions in the Fama–French book-to-market portfolio in combination with the market since the 1940s.
The Influence of Tax and Non-Tax Costs on Book-Tax Reporting Differences: Public and Private Firms

We provide archival evidence of the effect of tax and non-tax costs on book-tax reporting using tax return data on public and private manufacturing firms. Prior research suggests that managers should conform their book-tax income to minimize tax-related costs. However, book-tax reporting conformity can also impose non-tax costs. We find evidence that public firms have generally higher non-tax financial reporting costs that result in larger book-tax reporting differences. In addition, we find that debt imposes higher non-tax costs on firms that are privately-held or more financially distressed, and that non-tax costs associated with bonus plan thresholds and book income patterns affect public-managers' book-tax reporting. Our results extend prior studies that focus on conforming transactions. From a tax policy perspective, our results suggest that book-tax differences may be a less useful indicator of private firms' aggressive tax positions because they have fewer incentives to report non-conforming book income.
Barriers to carriers: faults and recombination in non-stoichiometric perovskite scintillators

Tuning the efficiency and speed of charge carrier recombination in inorganic scintillators can potentially improve their performance in diverse applications. Recent work suggests that this maybe be achieved via a two-phase scintillator AB that naturally phase separates into A-rich and B-rich domains. In addition, a favorable electronic structure and band-edge alignment such that the charge carriers are confined or are thermodynamically driven to preferentially accumulate in one of the two domains, might lead to an improved radiative recombination rate. Here, we use density functional theory computations and ab initio molecular dynamics (AIMD), including non-adiabatic molecular dynamics (NAMD) simulations, to examine an alternative phase structure and its potential impact on recombination. Using a model perovskite SrTiO $$_3$$ system with one-, two- and three-dimensional Ruddlesden–Popper (RP) phases, we demonstrate that RP faults induce band structure changes in the material that can act as barriers to carrier transport. Our AIMD/NAMD simulations indicate competing effects of a lower mean free path (potentially enhancing the desired radiative recombination and overall scintillating efficiency) and faster non-radiative recombination (undesired) due to enhanced electron–phonon coupling in the faulted system. Full exploitation of such a rational design approach would require tuning of the effective scintillation efficiency by varying the perovskite chemistry using appropriate arrangements of RP faults in the bulk material. Finally, other effects, such as the tendency of point defects to segregate at the interface, that might affect the overall performance, are briefly discussed. We expect the basic results found here to apply to other nanostructured scintillators.
Theoretical Analysis of the Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for the Formation of Adsorption Azeotropes in Binary Gas Mixtures.

This work theoretically assessed the necessary and sufficient conditions for the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in a binary gas mixture when this mixture exhibits either intersecting or nonintersecting single gas isotherms. The thermodynamically consistent dual process Langmuir (DPL) model with equal component i saturation capacities qi,js on site j and the general DPL model with nonequal qi,js on site j were used for this purpose. Analytical expressions derived for both DPL models, in terms of the single gas isotherm DPL model parameters, were used to find examples or to determine theoretically when an adsorption azeotrope forms in a binary gas mixture for both intersecting and nonintersecting single gas isotherms. For the general DPL model, it was determined that neither necessary nor sufficient conditions exist for the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in a binary gas mixture. This means that an adsorption azeotrope can form irrespective of whether the corresponding single gas isotherms intersect or not. For the thermodynamically consistent DPL model, it was determined that the intersection of the single gas isotherms is a sufficient condition for the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in a binary gas mixture, but it is not a necessary condition. This means that intersecting single gas isotherms guarantee the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in the corresponding binary gas mixture, while nonintersecting single gas isotherms can also result in the formation of an adsorption azeotrope in the corresponding binary gas mixture. Overall, this analysis provides a well-posed resolution to the question of necessity and sufficiency for the formation of adsorption azeotropes in binary gas mixtures and the intersection of their corresponding single gas isotherms based on two physically sound formulations of the very popular DPL model.
The attention economy of authentic cities: how cities behave like influencers

Cities, like the people that live in them, are subject to the attention economy. Familiar social media platforms aggregate users’ tastes and reconstitute them as advertising and curated content. In...
Phase-Plane Trajectories of EEG Seizure Patterns in Epilepsy

ABSTRACT.We investigated EEG phase-plane trajectories associated with the transition from the interictal state to clinical seizures. Our recordings were taken from scalp and invasive electrodes placed in epilepsy patients undergoing prolonged video/EEG monitoring. We systematically examined trajectories from 60 seizures in an attempt to determine criteria which may be used for classifying interictal and ictal patterns. These phase-plane trajectories emphasize the presence of repetitive waves, and clearly show some phase relationships between EEG channels. It is possible to follow the progress of seizure onset using these trajectories, and to define the time-course of the activity. We have found that phase-plane representations provide a different set of criteria for classifying and grouping EEG signals.
“DISSECTING” QUARTZITE AND BASALT BIPOLAR FLAKE SHAPE: A MORPHOMETRIC COMPARISON OF EXPERIMENTAL REPLICATIONS FROM OLDUVAI GORGE, TANZANIA

In this pilot study we explore the relationship between bipolar flake shape and stone raw material differences. We conducted a morphometric analysis of 40 quartzite and 40 basalt experimentally replicated specimens from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania. We carried out two sets of statistical analyses to investigate the shapes of quartzite and basalt bipolar flakes. Our first set of analyses focused on statistical comparisons of five morphometric variables recorded on the two samples of bipolar flakes. For the second set of analyses we used principal components analysis (PCA) to investigate shape differences among the quartzite and basalt bipolar flakes. Our results suggested that there are no significant differences amongst the quartzite and basalt samples. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the close association between quartzite and bipolar reduction during the Lower Paleolithic at Olduvai Gorge is due to a single motivating factor, namely, expediency. However, we emphasize that more experimen...
EFFECTS OF GENE DOSAGE ON PEROXIDASE ISOZYMES IN DATURA STRAMONIUM TRISOMICS

ABSTRACT. Uniform leaf samples of eight of the trisomic (2n + 1) types of Datura stramonium , as well as the diploid (2n) and tetraploid (4n), were analyzed for peroxidase isozymes. Six isoperoxidases appeared in each type; however, the staining intensity of specific bands was altered from the 2n according to the genotype. At least one trisomic gave a significant increase in intensity of a particular band; others were associated with significant decreases in intensity of specific bands. The tetraploid zymogram did not differ from that of the diploid. On the assumption that isoperoxidases represent direct gene products, speculations about the results in terms of gene regulatory systems are discussed.
The intracerebroventricular injection of rimonabant inhibits systemic lipopolysaccharide-induced lung inflammation

We investigated the role of intracerebroventricular (ICV) injection of rimonabant (500ng), a CB1 antagonist, on lipopolysaccharide ((LPS) 5mg/kg)-induced pulmonary inflammation in rats in an isolated perfused lung model. There were decreases in pulmonary capillary pressure (Ppc) and increases in the ((Wet-Dry)/Dry lung weight)/(Ppc) ratio in the ICV-vehicle/LPS group at 4h. There were decreases in TLR4 pathway markers, such as interleukin receptor-associated kinase-1, IκBα, Raf1 and phospho-SFK (Tyr416) at 30min and at 4h increases in IL-6, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 and myeloperoxidase in lung homogenate. Intracerebroventricular rimonabant attenuated these LPS-induced responses, indicating that ICV rimonabant modulates LPS-initiated pulmonary inflammation.
Formulation influence on conjunctival penetration of four beta blockers in the pigmented rabbit: a comparison with corneal penetration.

The objective of this study was to compare the influence of pH, tonicity, benzalkonium chloride, and EDTA on the conjunctival and corneal penetration of four beta blockers—atenolol, timolol, levobunolol, and betaxolol. Drug penetration was evaluated using the isolated pigmented rabbit conjunctiva and cornea in the modified Ussing chamber. The conjunctiva was more permeable than the cornea to all four beta blockers. Formulation changes caused larger changes in corneal than in conjunctival drug penetration, especially for the hydrophilic beta blockers, atenolol and timolol. Raising the solution pH to 8.4 caused the largest increase in corneal penetration for all drugs except atenolol. This increase was greater than that obtained by removing the corneal epithelium. The same formulation also increased conjunctival drug penetration, although to a lesser extent. In the case of timolol, the formulation changes evaluated brought about similar changes in its ocular and systemic absorption with good in vitro–in vivo correlations. The above findings indicate that in making formulation changes to maximize corneal drug penetration, it is necessary to evaluate possible changes in conjunctival drug penetration, hence systemic absorption. Moreover, because the conjunctiva plays an active role in the noncorneal route of ocular drug absorption, the relative contribution of the noncorneal to the corneal routes to ocular drug absorption may also be altered by formulation changes.
Short-term outcomes in adult cardiac surgery in the use of del Nido cardioplegia solution

Objectives:Del Nido cardioplegia in adult cardiac surgery has not been studied although it has been in common use as a “single” dose cardioplegia in pediatric heart surgery. We retrospectively assessed the short-term (in-hospital) clinical outcomes of patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) using del Nido cardioplegia solution, comparing it to conventional multi-dose whole blood cardioplegia.Methods:We switched our cardioplegia protocol from conventional whole blood cardioplegia exclusively to del Nido solution in May 2011. In 2011, 240 consecutive patients underwent isolated AVR. One hundred and seventy-eight of them were operated on with the use of del Nido cardioplegia (del Nido group) and whole blood cardioplegia (conventional group) was used in the other 62 patients. Isolated AVR was chosen as a cohort because of its relative simplicity and the similarity of surgical techniques among surgeons. Propensity-score matching identified 54 matched pairs for analysis.Results:The retrograde cardiop...
Partial Anomalous Pulmonary Venous Return With Persistent Angina: Simulating Coronary Artery Disease

Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return (PAPVR) is an uncommon adult congenital heart disease caused by an abnormal return of one or more, but not all, of the pulmonary veins to the right atrium or indirectly through venous connections from the anomalous pulmonary vein. Presentations vary from incidental findings to severe heart failure and diagnosis could easily be missed. We report a case of PAPVR in a 51-year-old male with a history of coronary artery bypass surgery presenting with exertional dyspnea and chest discomfort which were initially interpreted as angina in light of patient’s known coronary disease and prior revascularization. Patient underwent surgical repair with redirection of the pulmonary connection to the left atrium. On follow-up, patient had symptomatic improvement and decrease in pulmonary artery pressures. Diagnosis of PAPVR may be particularly elusive when patient also has a more common diagnosis, such as coronary disease. Unexplained pulmonary hypertension should alert physicians to consider additional differential diagnoses including congenital heart disease despite the patient’s adult age. As evidenced in this patient, successful surgical repair can lead to gratifying results and improved prognosis. J Med Cases. 2015;6(11):485-487 doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.14740/jmc2309w
Functional MRI Preprocessing in Lesioned Brains: Manual Versus Automated Region of Interest Analysis

Functional magnetic resonance imaging has significant potential in the study and treatment of neurological disorders and stroke. Region of interest (ROI) analysis in such studies allows for testing of strong a priori clinical hypotheses with improved statistical power. A commonly used automated approach to ROI analysis is to spatially normalize each participant’s structural brain image to a template brain image and define ROIs using an atlas. However, in studies of individuals with structural brain lesions such as stroke, the gold standard approach may be to manually hand-draw ROIs on each participant’s non-normalized structural brain image. Automated approaches to ROI analysis are faster and more standardized, yet are susceptible to preprocessing error (e.g., normalization error) that can be greater in lesioned brains. The manual approach to ROI analysis has high demand for time and expertise but may provide a more accurate estimate of brain response. In this study, we directly compare commonly used automated and manual approaches to ROI analysis by reanalyzing data from a previously published hypothesis-driven cognitive fMRI study involving individuals with stroke. The ROI evaluated is the pars opercularis of the inferior frontal gyrus. We found a significant difference in task-related effect size and percent activated voxels in this ROI between the automated and manual approaches to ROI analysis. Task interactions, however, were consistent across ROI analysis approaches. These findings support the use of automated approaches to ROI analysis in studies of lesioned brains, provided they employ a task interaction design.
Evolution of the ferric enterobactin receptor in gram-negative bacteria.

Abstract Using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of iron-deficient and replete cell envelopes, 59Fe-siderophore uptake studies, and Western immunoblots and cytofluorimetric analyses with monoclonal antibodies (MAbs), we surveyed a panel of gram-negative bacteria to identify outer membrane proteins that are structurally related to the Escherichia coli K-12 ferric enterobactin receptor, FepA. Antibodies within the panel identified FepA epitopes that are conserved among the majority of the bacteria tested, as well as epitopes present in only a few of the strains. In general, epitopes of FepA that are buried in the outer membrane bilayer were more conserved among gram-negative bacteria than epitopes that are exposed on the bacterial cell surface. The surface topology and tertiary structure of FepA are quite similar in E. coli and Shigella flexneri but differ in Salmonella typhimurium. Of the 18 different genera tested, 94% of the bacteria transported ferric enterobactin, including members of the previously unrecognized genera Citrobacter, Edwardsiella, Enterobacter, Haemophilus, Hafnia, Morganella, Neisseria, Proteus, Providencia, Serratia, and Yersinia. The ferric enterobactin receptor contains at least one buried epitope, recognized by MAb 2 (C. K. Murphy, V. I. Kalve, and P. E. Klebba, J. Bacteriol. 172:2736-2746, 1990), that is conserved within the structure of an iron-regulated cell envelope protein in all the bacteria that we have surveyed. With MAb 2, we identified and determined the Mr of cell envelope antigens that are immunologically related to E. coli FepA in all the gram-negative bacteria tested. Collectively, the library of anti-FepA MAbs showed unique patterns of reactivity with the different bacteria, allowing identification and discrimination of species within the following gram-negative genera: Aeromonas, Citrobacter, Edwardsiella, Enterobacter, Escherichia, Haemophilus, Hafnia, Klebsiella, Morganella, Neisseria, Proteus, Providencia, Pseudomonas, Salmonella, Serratia, Shigella, Vibrio, and Yersinia.
The early stage of fatigue crack propagation

It is observed that an early stage fatigue crack propagates along the maximum shear direction rather than perpendicular to the maximum tensile stress direction. In the present paper, an analytical consideration is given concerning the effects of localized plastic deformation on the early stage of fatigue crack propagation. It is seen that the localized plastic deformation shields the local mode II stress intensity factor and leads the micro-crack to propagate along the maximum shear stress direction. In this analytical modeling, the localized plastic zone is modeled as an elliptical inclusion with eigenstrains where the Eshelby inclusion solution [Proc. R. Soc.A241, 376–396 (1957)] is employed.
Fear Appeals in Marketing—A Social Perspective:

Little attention has been paid to ethical and social questions concerning the use of fear appeals in marketing. This article highlights some critical aspects of this controversial issue and suggest...
MYC-induced myeloid leukemogenesis is accelerated by all six members of the antiapoptotic BCL family.

Signals that control the fine balance between cell death and cell survival are altered during tumorigenesis. Understanding the mechanisms by which this balance is perturbed, leading to excessive cell survival, is important for designing effective therapies. Proteins belonging to the B-cell lymphoma (BCL) family are known to regulate death responses to apoptotic signals, especially those originating within cells. A subset of BCL family members capable of inhibiting cell death is known to contribute to tumorigenesis; however, it is not known whether all six antiapoptotic BCL family members play a causal role in tumor development. Using a mouse model of MYC-driven leukemia, we showed that, in addition to the well characterized BCL2 and BCLxl (BCL2L1), the other four family members—BCLw (BCL2L2), BCLb (BCL2L10), BFL1 (BCL2A1) and MCL1—also cooperate with MYC to accelerate leukemogenesis. In addition, high levels of each family member are found in either solid human tumors or cell lines derived from human leukemias or lymphomas.
Assessing forest change in a priority West African mangrove ecosystem: 1986–2010

Abstract This study examines the areal extent and status of mangrove forests in a West African region prioritized in contemporary conservation, climate change, and livelihood initiatives. The focus is the transnational region of the western coastal section of The Gambia and Senegal located between the Gambia and Casamance Rivers. Remote sensing applied to Landsat images of the interfluvial region in 1986 and 2010 indicates a 35% decline in overall mangrove coverage for the study area with sub-regions of pronounced loss. There was a 12% decline along the south bank of the lower Gambia River and a 43% decrease in coverage between the Gambian border and the Casamance River. Mangrove loss reached 92% in the northern section of Casamance south of the international border between Senegal and The Gambia. Fieldwork suggests that the mangrove decline over the study period is in part driven by the growing firewood demand of urban centers. The remote-sensing analysis, complemented by fieldwork in the region, attributes the negative trends to the Gambian demand for firewood, political instability in Casamance, and a porous international border that facilitates illegal cutting and smuggling.
Logit-log calibration curves for EMIT assays*

The logit-log and four-parameter logistic procedures when appropriate for calculation of enzyme-multiplied immunoassay (EMIT) data have the advantage that they can be applied regardless of the kinetic analyzer or reaction conditions. To use these procedures correctly one must determine the change in absorbance at an infinite drug concentration (delta A infinity). The marked variation of delta A infinity with equipment and reaction conditions and the difficulty in determining this value have hindered broad use of these otherwise universally applicable procedures. We have evaluated two simple methods for determining delta A infinity, both based on its equivalence to delta A in the absence of specific antibody: (1) cross-kit reaction using antibody/substrate and enzyme-drug reagents from kits for different drugs, and (2) substitution of an antibody-free substrate reagent with composition based on direct analysis. The cross-kit procedure was tested with EMIT assays for phenobarbital, primidone, phenytoin, carbamazepine, ethosuximide, and theophylline. In some cases an unexpected type of cross-reaction occurred, giving an erroneously low value for delta A infinity. The antibody-free substrate reagent always permitted accurate determination of delta A infinity.