cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of intralaminar thalamus in gaze mechanisms: evidence from electrical stimulation and fiber-sparing lesions in cat

Information on eye movement related activity in the internal medullary lamina (IML) of the thalamus is consistent with an IML role in the control of eye movements, or with its serving to convey information to the forebrain on impending events in the oculomotor system. Interpretation is impeded by the fact that eye movements evoked by electrical stimulation of the IML might be triggered by antidromic activation of projections to the IML from brainstem preoculomotor centers. In order to address this issue, thesholds for the elicitation of eye movements and cortical recruiting responses (as a marker for IML integrity) were studied before and after destruction of IML neuronal populations by the fiber-sparing neurotoxin ibotenic acid. Experiments were performed in alert cats chronically implanted with a scleral search coil for the monitoring of eye movements and an electrode-cannula assembly that permitted threshold determinations and drug injections at the stimulating site without any movement of probes in the tissue. Drastic elevation of the threshold for cortical recruiting responses, but not for eye movements following ibotenic acid destruction of IML neurons uncomplicated by myelin damage at the site of stimulation suggests an antidromic route for eye movements elicited by IML stimulation.
Readaptation and decay after prism viewing:An exploration of task variables from the viewpoint of the information discordance hypothesis

Subsequent to prism adaptation, subjects may be readapted to their original visual-motor coordination using procedures similar to those occurring during adaptation. It has been argued that such procedures will be more effective than allowing for a decay of the aftereffect if normal visual-motor behavior is itself astate of adaptation. In the present study, two readapta­ tion procedures were compared for their effectiveness to four decay and/or control conditions. Although all groups, except for one decay condition, showed significant reductions in prism aftereffects, only the two readaptation groups showed final aftereffects that were not signif­ icantly different from zero. It is argued that readaptation is distinguishable from decay and, further, that the necessary conditions for readaptation can be elucidated with reference to the information discordance hypothesis of prism adaptation. These arguments are primarily based on an extensive analysis in which discrepant information about the adapted arm's position is supplied by a nonvisual search task using the two arms.
Trying to improve clinical outcome in AML: lessons from negative trials.

0 d ination is far less effective in older adults with AML whose isease is more likely to evolve from antecedent myelodyslasia or other disorders and is more likely to exhibit cytogeetic abnormalities associated with clinical drug resistance 1–4]. In addition, these patients are more likely to suffer ireparable toxicities from intensive cytotoxic chemotherapies 3,5,6]. Taken together, these factors translate into a poor linical outcome. Efforts to improve clinical outcome for the older patients ith AML have focused on developing more effective cominations of agents OR on minimizing toxicities in a palliaive, supportive manner. Giles and colleagues have tried to ddress both concerns in their current study by adding a bilogically active agent, interleukin-11 (IL-11), to induction hemotherapy with idarubicin and ara-C (IA) while reducng the expected therapy-related thrombocytopenia [7]. The cally relevant” stratification within the randomized arms according to a combination of age and cytogenetics. Not only are these the two major prognostic factors in determining clinical outcome in AML, but each factor helps to define biological subsets of AML now recognized in the new WHO Classification of AML [10]. Although a small study, Il-11 had no significant effects in any patient subgroup. Secondly, adaptive randomization is a new concept in clinical trial design that represents a more efficient way of conducting randomized trials and allows more patients to be randomized to the therapeutic arm that stands the greatest chance for benefit (or the least chance for harm) [11]. We often learn lessons of tremendous value when the data do not confirm our hypotheses and, instead, yield so-called “disappointing” results. The design of this particular trial – stratification by biologic features and adaptive randomizaurrent trial was derived from a previous randomized trial f gemtuzumab ozogamicin (GO) +/− IL-11 in which IL1 was associated with higher complete remission rates, but nly in the context of an extremely low response rate to GO lone [8]. Moreover, the addition of IL-11 to GO yielded tion according to “real time” clinical results – represents a new paradigm that can allow for faster and perhaps more accurate assessment of the impact of a particular therapeutic manipulation for definable subsets of patients within a heterogeneous disease population. And that is the true i
The Young and the Wnt-less: Transplantable Fetal Intestinal Spheroids without Wnts

The differences between fetal and adult intestinal stem cells are unclear, and understanding this relationship could present novel therapeutic opportunities. Fordham et al. (2013) and Mustata et al. (2013) report a potential source of transplantable epithelial cells from fetal gut that can convert into adult intestinal stem and differentiated cells.
OPTIMAL DISORDERS FOR TAMING SPATIOTEMPORAL CHAOS

Abstract We study a coupled array of torqued damped nonlinear pendulums. Disordering this system can eliminate chaos. Here, we numerically investigate this phenomenon. For each of several types of disorder, we find an optimal magnitude of disorder which minimizes the system's largest Lyapunov exponent.
Does government provision of healthcare explain the relationship between income inequality and low birthweight

This paper estimates the relationship between state and county income inequality and low birthweight (LBW) in the U.S. It examines whether more unequal societies are also less healthy because such societies have lower investment in population health. The model includes an extensive list of community and individual controls and community fixed-effects. Results show that unequal states in fact have greater social investments, and absent these investments children born in such states would be more likely to be LBW. Using alternate measures of inequality reveals that income inequality in the upper tail of the income distribution is not related to LBW; but inequality in the lower tail of the income distribution is associated with increased LBW where the supply of healthcare mitigates the effect of income inequality. Consistent with prior findings, county income inequality is not significantly related to LBW.
Design and application of an optimizing XROM silicon compiler

It is demonstrated that optimization techniques incorporated within a silicon compiler for read-only memories (ROMs) can achieve significant yield, power, and speed improvements by minimizing the number of transistors, drains, and metal interconnections in the ROM. Transistor minimization adopts a heuristic solution to the NP-complete graph partitioning problem with a powerful technique applicable to various ROM design styles and technologies. If diffusion mask personalization is permitted, the design can be further improved by solving the traveling salesman problem to minimize transistor source/drain regions. In table look-up ROMs compiled for 3- and 1.2- mu m CMOS with diffusion mask programming, the compiler eliminated over 45% of the transistors and drains. Test results show that 3- mu m CMOS ROMs have access times between 50 and 70 ns. ROMs with 1.2- mu m features achieve simulated access times below 20 ns. A simple interface allows the optimizing compiler to work easily with other CAD tools such as microcode assemblers. >
Climate Simulations with a Spectral, semi-Lagrangian Model with Linear Grids

ABSTRACT Semi-Lagrangian, semi-implicit, spectral transform atmospheric models do not require conventional quadratic unaliased Gaussian grids because advection is not expressed as an Eulerian quadratic product in their formulation. The conventional T42 quadratically unaliased grid with 128 (64) points in longitude (latitude) supports a T63 spectral truncation, and similarly for other resolutions. We refer to these types of truncation/grid combinations as aliased or linear grids, since they can be considered as being aliased for quadratic products or unaliased for linear terms. In this paper, climate simulations based on linear grids are compared with ones based on quadratic unaliased grids. It is shown that for spectral resolutions above T42, the spectral truncation, rather than the transform grid on which the physical parametrizations are calculated, dominates the accuracy of simulations. Thus the linear grid provides a 50 percent increase in resolution of both horizontal dimensions at a negligible addit...
First night of CPAP: impact on memory consolidation attention and subjective experience.

Abstract Objective Neurocognitive deficits are common and serious consequences of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Currently, the gold standard treatment is continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) therapy, although the clinical responses to this intervention can be variable. This study examined the effect of one night of CPAP therapy on sleep-dependent memory consolidation, attention, and vigilance as well as subjective experience. Methods Fifteen healthy controls and 29 patients with obstructive sleep apnea of whom 14 underwent a full-night CPAP titration completed the psychomotor vigilance test (PVT) and motor sequence learning task (MST) in the evening and the morning after undergoing overnight polysomnography. All participants also completed subjective evaluations of sleep quality. Results Participants with OSA showed significantly less overnight improvement on the MST compared to controls without OSA, independent of whether or not they had received CPAP treatment, while there was no significant difference between the untreated OSA and CPAP-treated patients. Within the OSA group, only those receiving CPAP exhibited faster reaction times on the PVT in the morning. Compared to untreated OSA patients, they also felt subjectively more rested and reported that they slept better. Conclusion Our results demonstrate an instant augmentation of subjective experience and, based on PVT results, attention and vigilance after one night of CPAP, but a lack of an effect on offline sleep-dependent motor memory consolidation. This dissociation may be explained by different brain structures underlying these processes, some of which might require longer continued adherence to CPAP to generate an effect.
Preventing behavioural interactions with a male facilitates sex change in female bluebanded gobies, Lythrypnus dalli

Sex change in marine teleost fishes is commonly regulated by social factors. In species that exhibit protogynous sex change, such as the bluebanded goby Lythrypnus dalli, the most dominant female typically initiates sex change when a male is removed from the social group. Females can use visual, chemical or tactile cues to assess the presence or absence of a male. The primary goal of our study was to determine whether the olfactory and visual presence of a male versus its behavioural interactions with females were important for mediating sex change. We exposed females to three different treatments: absence of a male, presence of a male that could physically interact with her and presence of a male behind a barrier that allowed visual and olfactory interactions but prohibited physical interactions. Sex change occurred in the absence of a male but not in the presence of a male that could physically interact with the female. The presence of a male behind the barrier did not prevent sex change but affected the timing of sex change. Season appeared to affect the latency to initiate male typical courtship, with a delay at the end of the reproductive season only when the male was present behind the barrier. We discuss the seasonal results in terms of L. dalli life history and the potential benefits and costs of changing sex late in the season in the presence or absence of aggressive reinforcement by the male. Our results identify direct behavioural interactions as an important proximate mechanism in the social regulation of sex change in L. dalli.
Bayesian Prediction of Deterministic Functions, with Applications to the Design and Analysis of Computer Experiments

Abstract This article is concerned with prediction of a function y(t) over a (multidimensional) domain T, given the function values at a set of “sites” {t (1), t (2), …, t (n)} in T, and with the design, that is, with the selection of those sites. The motivating application is the design and analysis of computer experiments, where t determines the input to a computer model of a physical or behavioral system, and y(t) is a response that is part of the output or is calculated from it. Following a Bayesian formulation, prior uncertainty about the function y is expressed by means of a random function Y, which is taken here to be a Gaussian stochastic process. The mean of the posterior process can be used as the prediction function ŷ(t), and the variance can be used as a measure of uncertainty. This kind of approach has been used previously in Bayesian interpolation and is strongly related to the kriging methods used in geostatistics. Here emphasis is placed on product linear and product cubic correlation func...
A note on global output regulation of nonlinear systems in the output feedback form

This note shows how the adaptive control method developed recently for nonlinearly parameterized systems can be used to solve the problem of global output regulation, for nonlinear systems in the so-called output-feedback form with unknown parameters and exogenous signals belonging to a compact set whose bound is also unknown.
Changes in crossbridge attachment in a myosin-regulated muscle

THE accompanying paper by Simmons and Szent-Gyorgyi1 presents a direct confirmation that regulation of activity in scallop muscles is mediated by the thick filaments: when one particular polypeptide (a regulatory light chain) is removed from the myosin molecules, tension development is no longer inhibited by the absence of calcium ions. Yet we still have no picture of the structural events associated with myosin-linked regulation, comparable with (for example) the ‘tropomyosin-shift’ model for the interactions of calcium, troponin and tropomyosin in actin-linked regulation (see, for example, Wakabayashi et al.2). We report here that removal of the regulatory light chain can lead to a structural change observed by X-ray diffraction. Our observations on the scallop may have a more general significance since myosin-linked regulation is found, in addition to actin-linked regulation, in many types of muscle3.
Presence of Inhibitors and Activators of Xanthine Oxidase in Milk

Abstract Xanthine-oxidase activity of milk as determined by the catalytic reduction of triphenyl tetrazolium chloride with xanthine as substrate demonstrated that milk contains activators and inhibitors of this enzyme. Heating milk to 91.4 C for 4.2 sec was sufficient to inactivate the enzyme, but did not destroy activators or inhibitors. Efforts to identify these components revealed that all of the major milk protein fractions are activators or inhibitors, depending upon their concentration in the reaction mixture. A nonionic dialyzable inhibitor was also found in the natural-protein-free milk system. The action of these substances upon xanthine oxidase can be explained in a manner similar to that proposed by Hofstee for substrate inhibition. To determine the xanthine-oxidase content of the various fractions of cow's milk obtained during fractionation procedures, it is necessary to add an amount of protein equivalent to that in milk. Then the true activity can be determined by measuring the formazan produced for three different amounts of sample, extrapolating to zero a plot of the ratio of the volume of the sample to the micrograms of formazan produced versus the volume of the sample, and comparing the value obtained with that of a standard xanthine oxidase preparation.
Developmental trajectories of alcohol use among monoracial and biracial Black adolescents and adults.

Abstract Objective: The present study investigates developmental trajectories of alcohol use from early adolescence to adulthood by age and race/ethnicity among White, Black, Black-American Indian, Black-Hispanic, and Black-White individuals and associated sociodemograhphic correlates. Method: We used a subsample of nationally representative data obtained from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health (Add Health). The analytic sample consisted of 15,278 individuals in Wave 1 (ages 11 to 21 years). The sample consists of adolescents who were in Grades 7–12 at wave one and who were followed across four waves of data collection into adulthood. Respondents could report more than one race/ethnicity. Results: We find distinct alcohol trajectories among monoracial and biracial/ethnic Blacks with all groups showing a cross-over or catch-up effect. Black-White adults demonstrated a cross-over effect by surpassing the alcohol drinking rates of Whites in adulthood, Black-American Indians showed a within-...
Mission and Method: The Early Nineteenth-Century French Public Health Movement

List of tables and illustrations Preface Acknowledgments Introduction 1. Community, method, context 2. The methodology of public hygiene 3. The context of public hygiene: national public health policy 4. Institutionalization: the health councils 5. Investigation and moralization: occupational hygiene and industrialization 6. Investigation and practical reform: public health in Paris 7. Public health in Paris: investigation, salubrity, and social welfare 8. Public health and public health movements: comparison and assessment 9. Before Pasteur: hygienism and the French model of public health Epilogue Appendixes Bibliographical note Index.
Grenville Magmatism in West Texas: Petrology and Geochemistry of the Red Bluff Granitic Suite

zone of regional extension, as suggested by recent geophysical and The Red Bluff granitic suite (RBGS) underlies part of the Franklin petrological studies. Mountains in west Texas. It was emplaced into a Middle Proterozoic shelf sequence at 1120±35 Ma. The suite is predominantly metaluminous; it consists of early granitic to quartz syenitic sills, a main mass of alkali feldspar granite, small bodies of alkali feldspar syenite, leucogranitic dikes, and late-stage peralkaline
Sizing up the Peace Dividend: Economic Growth and Military Spending in the United States, 1948–1996.

We examine the relationship between military expenditures and economic growth in the United States from 1948 to 1990, in order to gauge the potential peace dividend. Our main results suggest that military spending is a significant drain on the economy. We then examine the implications of a restructured international system for U.S. military expenditures and their resultant impact on economic growth in the 1990s. Simulations of Democratic and Republican proposals for cuts in defense spending suggest increases in economic output of between 2.5% and 4.5% over the period 1993–96.
Flame-Retardant Polyethylene Terephthalate Fibers

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber production reached 3 billion pounds in 1973 in the United States. Because of its outstanding physical properties, ease of care, and low cost, polyester fiber has captured 40% of the total U.S. wearing-apparel fiber market; it accounts for 68% of the synthetic fibers used in apparel. Most of this fiber is used in outerwear as 100% polyester fabric or blended with cotton where flammability of the garment must be considered as an important factor in the overall fabric performance. Owing to increased public awareness and concern and the adoption of more severe fabric flammability standards, the need for the development of fire-retarding polyester fiber or fabric has become critical.
The knowledge and perceptions of medical personnel relating to outcome after cardiac arrest.

Summary Objective We sought to evaluate the knowledge of probable outcome by medical personnel for in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, and self-reported history of CPR training referrals for family members of cardiac patients. Methods One hundred people from each of three population lists were randomly selected at a large, urban school of medicine and affiliated medical center: (1) year III and IV medical students; (2) residents in family medicine, emergency medicine, internal medicine, anesthesia, and surgery; (3) attending physicians in the same departments. A questionnaire was distributed that elicited estimates of in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA and OHCA, respectively) survival rates, and CPR training referral history. Estimates were compared against published data for accuracy (IHCA: 5–20%; OHCA 1–10%) Results The overall response rate was 63%. Accurate in-hospital cardiac arrest estimates [% (95% CI)] of survival were provided by 51.1% (36.8–63.4%), 47.3% (35.9–58.7%), and 36.7% (23.2–50.2%) of students, residents, and attending physicians, respectively. Accurate out-of-hospital estimates of survival were provided by 51.1% (36.8–63.4%), 52.1% (40.6–63.5%), and 70.8% (57.9–83.7%), respectively. Most thought that family members of cardiac patients ought to be CPR trained (92.6%). However, few had referred any for training in the past year (16.5%). There was strong support across respondent groups for including death notification information in the ACLS training program, with 80.4% of all respondents in favor. Conclusions This study demonstrates that medical experience is not associated with accurate estimates of cardiac arrest survival. Overwhelmingly, medical personnel believe family members should be trained to perform CPR, however, few refer family members for CPR training.
Predictive Modeling of the Effects of Skew and Imbalance on Radiated EMI from Cables

This paper provides an approach for predicting the effects of skew and imbalance on radiated emission of cables inside a commercial 19-inch rack-based cabinet. Scattering parameters (S-parameters) for two sets of cable assembly are measured with a four-port vector network analyzer (VNA) and converted into mixed mode S-parameters. Time-domain input signals with different slew rates and different amount of skew are transferred into frequency-domain using fast Fourier transform (FFT). The spectra of radiation emission associated with different inputs are then estimated.
Randomized control trial to evaluate the effects of acute testosterone administration in men on muscle mass, strength, and physical function following ACL reconstructive surgery: rationale, design, methods

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of four major ligaments in the knee that provide stability during physical activity. A tear in the ACL is characterized by joint instability that leads to decreased activity, knee dysfunction, reduced quality of life and a loss of muscle mass and strength. While rehabilitation is the standard-of-care for return to daily function, additional surgical reconstruction can provide individuals with an opportunity to return to sports and strenuous physical activity. Over 200,000 ACL reconstructions are performed in the United States each year, and rehabilitation following surgery is slow and expensive. One possible method to improve the recovery process is the use of intramuscular testosterone, which has been shown to increase muscle mass and strength independent of exercise. With short-term use of supraphysiologic doses of testosterone, we hope to reduce loss of muscle mass and strength and minimize loss of physical function following ACL reconstruction compared to standard-of-care alone.
Study of the chiral transition in U(1) lattice gauge-Higgs theory with fermions

Abstract Using Monte Carlo methods, we study the (zero-temperature) chiral phase transition in 4D U(1) lattice gauge-Higgs theory with fermions of charge qf = 1 and 2. We report the first comparison between Monte Carlo data and analytic results (applicable at strong gauge coupling), and find very good agreement. In the interior of the phase diagram, the chiral transition is observed to coincide with the confinement-Higgs phase boundary for qf = 1 and to occur at larger βh for qf = 2.
Room temperature derivatization of 5-hydroxy-2'- deoxycytidine and 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine for analysis by GC/MS.

Hydroxylated DNA basesare one type of oxygen free radical-induced damage to DNA. Such damage has been implicated in the process of carcinogenesis, and the levels of hydroxylated DNA bases may serve as a marker of cancer risk in humans. Measurement of oxidative DNA damage can be hampered by the ease with which artifactual oxidative DNA damage can be induced via sample processing. In this report we describe convenient room temperature derivatization and stability of 5-hydroxy-2'-deoxycytidine (5-OHdCyd) and 5-hydroxymethyl-2'-deoxyuridine (5-OHmdU) using GC/MS analysis. The derivatization reagent was N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) containing 1% trimethylchloro-silane:acetonitrile, 2:1. This method avoids use of acid and is much milder than previously reported derivatization conditions which typically involve heating above 100C for at least 20 min. Although heating has been reported to be problematic, the calculated levels of 5-OHdCyd and 5-OHmdU in enzymatically-hydrolysed calf thymus DN...
Mass Spectrometric Studies of Pulsed Laser Ablation: Existence of Rydberg State Atoms

An unusual aspect of the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process is that highly oriented (sometimes epitaxial) films of complex, multicomponent materials can often be prepared at low substrate temperatures. It is argued, using a simple model, that the arrival of even minor quantities of electronically excited species (Rydberg atoms and ions) can significantly affect the local surface temperature of the growing film. The present study experimentally confirms the existence of these energetic components in an ablation plume using a specially-modified time-of-flight quadrupole mass spectrometer. Ions as well as long-lived, excited state (Rydberg state) atoms were detected from laser ablation from a YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) target. Multiple peaks in the TOF profiles appear to derive from electron/ion recombination from higher charged species; the high kinetic energies observed are explainable from simple electrostatics involving localized holes trapped on the target surface.
Determination of Acetaminophen Residues in Whole Body Brown Treesnakes

Abstract Acetaminophen was extracted from brown treesnakes (Boiga irregularis) and analyzed by reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Acetaminophen was quantified by UV absorbance at 250 nm. Recoveries were determined by analyzing acetaminophen‐fortified blank homogenized tissue. The mean recovery of acetaminophen in whole body brown treesnakes was 87.9% ± 5.9% and 92.2% ± 5.8% for the fortification levels of 20 and 2400 µg/g, respectively. The method's limit of detection (MLOD) with UV detection was 0.70 µg/g.
Environmental and genetic influences on queen and worker body size in the social wasp Vespula maculifrons

Many social insects exhibit morphologically distinct worker and queen castes that perform different functions. These functional differences may generate unique selection regimes operating on body size. For example, queens may be under directional selection for large body size, whereas directional selection on worker body size may be limited. Such contrasting selection pressures may differentially affect levels of genetic variation associated with size variation in the two castes. This study sought to determine if genetic effects underlying phenotypic differences varied between the worker and queen castes of the social wasp Vespula maculifrons. We predicted that directional selection would remove genetic variation associated with size differences in the queen caste, whereas a lack of directional selection would tend to maintain genetic variation associated with size differences in the worker caste. We thus (1) calculated broad and narrow sense heritabilities for several morphological traits, (2) examined whether some paternal genotypes produced more morphologically diverse offspring than others, and (3) determined whether trait size variation was associated with genetic variation within colonies. We found that few morphological traits were significantly heritable, indicating that little genetic variance for those traits existed within our study population. We also found that some patrilines produced more morphologically variable offspring than others, suggesting a role of genotype in phenotypic plasticity. And finally, no significant correlations between genetic diversity arising from multiple mating by queens within colonies and trait variation in either caste were found. Overall, our findings indicate a weak effect of genotype on both worker and queen body size variation and are suggestive of a large environmental influence on morphological trait size. Moreover, our results do not indicate that levels of genetic variation underlying size variation differ substantially between castes in this species.
Multiple Morphological Measurements as Larval Indicators for Saperda vestita (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

Ten sclerotized morphological structures were measured to determine the number of instars of the linden borer, Saperda vestita Say (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between maximal cranial width and the other structures measured, including length of the terminal labial palpomere, length of the first thoracic spiracle, width of the first thoracic spiracle, length of clypeolabral suture, length of frontoclypeal suture, cranial width measured at antennal insertions (from outside edges), maximal prothoracic width, mesal pronotal length, and length from apical margin of labrum to distal end of the prothorax. Linden borer instar number was determined through the use of frequency distribution diagrams. Mean, standard error of the mean, Dyar’s ratio, and Crosby’s ratio were calculated and evaluated for each instar designation to confirm that none of the five to six instars of S. vestita was overlooked.
Ivabradine: Heart Failure and Beyond

Heart failure affects over 5 million people in the United States and carries a high rate of mortality. Ivabradine, a new agent has been added to the current medical options for managing heart failure. It is a selective funny current (If) inhibitor in sinoatrial node and slows its firing rate, prolonging diastolic depolarization without a negative inotropic effect. Ivabradine was only recently approved by Food and Drug administration after the results of Systolic Heart Failure Treatment with the If Inhibitor Ivabradine (SHIFT) trial, for a reduction in rehospitalizations from chronic heart failure. This trial assessed patients with stable heart failure with reduced ejection fraction and a heart rate of at least 70 beats per minute at rest on maximally tolerated beta-blocker therapy and demonstrated statistically significant reduction in heart failure hospitalization and deaths. Additionally, ivabradine has been associated with reduced cardiac remodeling, reduced heart rate variability, improvement in exercise tolerance, improved heart failure class of New York Heart Association, and better quality of life. It has also been tried in other conditions, such as inappropriate sinus tachycardia and cardiogenic shock, and is currently in phase II trial for patients with newly diagnosed multiple organ dysfunction syndrome.
Close to the node but far enough: What nodal antibodies tell us about CIDP and its therapies.

Chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP) is the most common and gratifying chronic autoimmune neuropathy because it is treatable in the majority of cases.1 The demyelination is multifocal, accounting for the variable distribution of symptoms and signs, clinically expressed as CIDP variants. Although histologically the demyelination is associated with macrophages, complement-fixing immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies have been implicated for more than 30 years2 but never clearly identified, probably because we had focused on compact myelin molecules as antigenic targets.
Compressive Strength of Glass-Fiber-Reinforced Composites at Room Temperature and 77 K

Considerable quantities of low-thermal-conductance, high-load-carrying strut material are needed for large magnet systems such as the Wisconsin Superconductive Energy Storage Magnet [1,2]. For this magnet, struts are required which can carry the high compressive loads from the magnet coils at 1.8 K to the room-temperature bedrock. The major refrigeration cost is due to the heat leak through these struts; therefore, it is desirable to minimize their thermal conductance. Fiber-reinforced polymer matrix composites are a logical choice because of their low thermal conductivity-to-strength ratio [3]. The large mass of material (1.6 × 106 kg for a 1000-MWh I-C Reference Unit) needed for struts necessitates the use of easily obtainable low-cost materials. This generally means that commercially fabricated composites will be used.
Advances in Human Factors and Ergonomics 2012- 14 Volume Set: Proceedings of the 4th AHFE Conference 21-25 July 2012

With contributions from an international group of authors with diverse backgrounds, this set comprisesall fourteen volumes of the proceedings of the4th AHFE Conference 21-25 July 2012. The set presents the latest research on current issues in Human Factors and Ergonomics. It draws from an international panel that examines cross-cultural differences, design issues, usability, road and rail transportation, aviation, modeling and simulation, and healthcare.
Discrete free-surface millifluidics for rapid capture and analysis of airborne molecules using surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy.

A lithography-free, low-cost, free-surface millifluidic device is reported using discrete liquid interfaces for capturing and detecting gas-phase analyte molecules at low partial pressures out of a gas flow of time-varying composition. The architecture, based on segmented flow, consists of alternating regions of liquid and gas wherein the liquid regions contain surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS)-active silver nanoparticles, while the gas regions contain trace quantities of vapor-phase analyte, thereby controlling and optimizing transport and mixing of the gas-phase analyte with the liquid phase. Once absorbed in the liquid phase, the entrained analyte molecules induce aggregation of the aqueous silver nanoparticles. The resulting aggregates consisting of nanoparticles and adsorbed analyte molecules produce intense SERS spectra that reliably identify the absorbed analyte in real time. The approach can be used to determine the time-variable trace chemical composition of a gas stream with application...
N-Trifluoroacetyl-L-prolyl Amino Acid n-Butyl Ester Derivatives for the Ultramicrodetermination of Amino Acids by Mass Fragmentography

The fragmentation of 46 kinds of N-trifluoroacetyl-L-prolyl amino acid n-butyl esters upon electron impact is investigated for the ultramicrodetermination of amino acids by mass fragmentography. It is found that ion at m/e 166 is the common and base peak for most of the amino acid. Characteristic ions for each α-amino acid are observed at m/e (M-101) or (R+29). Using mass fragmentography monitored at m/e 166, about 10-10 g of amino acids can be detected.
Defining Software Flexibility in Space Systems

*† On -board software is a vital element in the operation and functionality of a space system. The functiona l requirements of space systems can change over time, and unforeseen failures can affect systems performance, thereby necessitating modifications to the on -board software. It is thus important to know in how far the possibility of remote software upgrades can help the system to maintain its functionality in an uncertain environment, or even use the uncertainty to its advantage by adding or improving functionality. In this paper, the concept of software flexibility for space systems is defined and a measure for its evaluation is introduced. The flexibility measure is designed such that it can incorporate monetary as well as non -monetary changes in the systems performance. Subsequently, the values of software flexibility for the Deep Space One mission, and th e Galileo mission are evaluated. The case studies show how existence of this relative quantitative measure for software flexibility allows decision -makers to assess the extent of software flexibility their space systems can exhibit in the face of uncertain ty. The case studies also indicate that the flexibility of a space system depends significantly on the relative cost of substituting the entire space system versus the cost of upgrading software. Given the fact that remote software upgrades are often far l ess expensive than on -orbit servicing and upgrading of hardware components, it becomes clear that software flexibility could be used as a first choice in flexibility to the extent that hardware limitations permit. Nomenclature b a t t F � = Flexibility of the system over a time interval i R = Discounted value of monetary benefits of function i of the system over its specified lifetime i = system function i that is of importance to the stakeholders ) (t p i = Probability that a flexible change occurs to function i at time t i U = Utility of non -monetary system function i for stakeholders
Photochemical Ablation of Intestinal Mucosa for Bladder Augmentation

AbstractComplications associated with enterocystoplasty include mucus production, electrolyte abnormalities, infections, stones and cancer at the vesicoenteric anastomosis. Removal of the intestinal mucosa with subsequent urothelialization may obviate these problems. We describe a unique approach whereby photodynamic therapy is used to de-epithelialize an ileal segment before augmentation.Enterocystoplasty was performed in 32 female Fischer 344 rats using a 1.5cm. patch of terminal ileum. Of the 32 rats 24 survived at least 6 weeks before euthanasia. The experimental group (10 rats) received hematoporphyrin derivative intravenously 24hours before surgery. The ileal patch was treated with red light for 20 minutes and then used for augmentation. There were 3 control groups, including 1 group of 5 rats that underwent augmentation alone, while the other 2 groups were augmented but received either light treatment (4 rats) or hematoporphyrin derivative (5 rats). Histological analysis revealed urothelialization ...
Role of potassium channels in hypoxic relaxation of porcine bronchi in vitro.

To elucidate the mechanism of hypoxic relaxation of airway smooth muscle in vitro, we investigated the role of adenosine triphosphate-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels in this response. Second- and third-order porcine bronchial rings were suspended in 10-ml organ baths containing Krebs-Henseleit solution. To demonstrate the presence of KATP channels in this tissue, bronchial rings were contracted with carbachol (1 microM) in the presence of glibenclamide (100 microM), a KATP channel blocker, or the vehicle dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) (0.1 ml), and dose-response curves to levcromakalim (a KATP channel opener) or isoproterenol were constructed. In separate experiments, either glibenclamide or DMSO was added to the chamber and rings were contracted with carbachol (1 microM) in the presence of 95% O2-5% CO2. At the plateau, airways were relaxed with either isoproterenol (0.1 or 0.3 microM) or hypoxia (50, 28, or 0% O2, with constant 5% CO2). Glibenclamide, when compared with DMSO, shifted the dose-response curve to levcromakalim, but not to isoproterenol. Glibenclamide attenuated hypoxic relaxation in rings exposed to 50% O2 (from 35 +/- 4% to 23 +/- 3%, n = 6, P
How do you define the health of populations

What are the perceptions of population health, and how do you define it to move forward on any common action agenda of policy, management, teaching, or research? The author asks a series of questions to clarify the ambiguities around the population health concept, beginning with defining "health" as more than the absence of disease, but less than the breadth of complete well-being. Such a framework requires an operational measure of population health outcome that goes beyond quantity of life (mortality) to add extra dimensions. In other words, the goal is not only to purchase life years, but life years at some level of quality. The article provides an argument for the importance of some aggregate measure of health outcome, such as Health Adjusted Life Expectancy (HALE), as a management tool for purchasing populations health.
Alternatives to Acellular Dermal Matrix for Implant-Based Breast Reconstruction

Alloplastic reconstruction has evolved as the most popular technique for post-mastectomy breast reconstruction for the appropriate patient population. Acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) offer many advantages in optimizing aesthetic results and have gained significant popularity in recent years. Their use as an inferolateral sling has expanded the plastic surgeon’s armamentarium to include immediate direct-to-implant reconstructions. However, ADMs have been reported to result in increased complication rates, particularly with regard to infection and seroma formation. In addition, they are costly to manufacture and produce. Therefore, alternatives to ADMs are discussed that may serve to lower complication rates and cost without sacrificing aesthetic results.
Pore morphology and temperature dependence of gas transport properties of silica membranes derived from oxidative thermolysis of polydimethylsiloxane

Abstract Transport properties of silica membranes derived from the oxidative thermolysis of crosslinked polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) were studied between 35–100 °C. Changes in pore morphology and transport properties were investigated for varying thermolysis and crosslinking treatments. Permeation and pressure-decay sorption measurements were made for CO2, H2, He, O2, N2, and CH4. Physisorption data for CO2 and N2 were also analyzed to characterize the pore size distributions of these materials. The activation energies of permeation and diffusion were measured along with the enthalpies of sorption to compare the effects of varying fabrication methods. All samples showed similar enthalpies of sorption. Regular and extended-thermolysis heat treated silica showed similar permeabilities and diffusion coefficients, but the heat treated silicas showed an average increase of 2.3 kJ/mol in their activation energies of permeation. The permeation, sorption, and diffusion selectivities of various gas pairs were compared. The silicas showed high sorption selectivity in gas pairs with large differences in critical temperature, but showed low diffusion selectivity due to low entropic selectivity. Overall, the PDMS-derived silicas show promise, but require further tuning to improve the entropic selectivity of penetrants.
Nasal and Olfactory Deposition with Normal and Bidirectional Intranasal Delivery Techniques: In Vitro Tests and Numerical Simulations

Abstract Background: Intranasal delivery protocols that can effectively deposit drugs to the olfactory region are severely lacking. Furthermore, it is still challenging to quantify nasal deposition on a regional or local basis, which is crucial in assessing the performance of targeted olfactory drug delivery. Objectives: To visually and quantitatively compare drug depositions in the nose and olfactory region with normal and bidirectional breathing patterns with vibrating mesh and jet nebulizers. Methods: A sectional nose cast was developed based on an anatomically accurate nasal airway model to visualize deposition patterns and quantify regional doses. Sar-Gel was used to visualize the deposition pattern inside the nose and the delivered doses were measured using a high precision scale. Numerical modeling was performed to understand the underlying mechanisms in both the normal and bidirectional deliveries. Results: Results show that the bidirectional technique yielded higher deposition in both the nasal c...
Ketamine Infusions for Treatment Refractory Headache.

Background Management of chronic migraine (CM) or new daily persistent headache (NDPH) in those who require aggressive outpatient and inpatient treatment is challenging. Ketamine has been suggested as a new treatment for this intractable population. Methods This is a retrospective review of 77 patients who underwent administration of intravenous, subanesthetic ketamine for CM or NDPH. All patients had previously failed aggressive outpatient and inpatient treatments. Records were reviewed for patients treated between January 2006 and December 2014. Results The mean headache pain rating using a 0-10 pain scale was an average of 7.1 at admission and 3.8 on discharge (P < .0001). The majority (55/77, 71.4%) of patients were classified as acute responders defined as at least 2-point improvement in headache pain at discharge. Some (15/77, 27.3%) acute responders maintained this benefit at their follow-up office visit but sustained response did not achieve statistical significance. The mean length of infusion was 4.8 days. Most patients tolerated ketamine well. A number of adverse events were observed, but very few were serious. Conclusions Subanesthetic ketamine infusions may be beneficial in individuals with CM or NDPH who have failed other aggressive treatments. Controlled trials may confirm this, and further studies may be useful in elucidating more robust benefit in a less refractory patient population.
Directed Evolution of a Bright Near-Infrared Fluorescent Rhodopsin Using a Synthetic Chromophore.

By engineering a microbial rhodopsin, Archaerhodopsin-3 (Arch), to bind a synthetic chromophore, merocyanine retinal, in place of the natural chromophore all-trans-retinal (ATR), we generated a protein with exceptionally bright and unprecedentedly red-shifted near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence. We show that chromophore substitution generates a fluorescent Arch complex with a 200-nm bathochromic excitation shift relative to ATR-bound wild-type Arch and an emission maximum at 772 nm. Directed evolution of this complex produced variants with pH-sensitive NIR fluorescence and molecular brightness 8.5-fold greater than the brightest ATR-bound Arch variant. The resulting proteins are well suited to bacterial imaging; expression and stability have not been optimized for mammalian cell imaging. By targeting both the protein and its chromophore, we overcome inherent challenges associated with engineering bright NIR fluorescence into Archaerhodopsin. This work demonstrates an efficient strategy for engineering non-natural, tailored properties into microbial opsins, properties relevant for imaging and interrogating biological systems.
Materials challenges for the fusion nuclear science facility

Abstract The phased development and component testing mission of the Fusion Nuclear Science Facility (FNSF) implies a unique scenario for the development of structural and plasma-facing materials. The phased development of the machine and the capability to periodically remove and replace power core sectors allows for the introduction of materials and components with progressively improved operating characteristics throughout the lifetime of the machine. In addition, the machine components removed at each operational phase will provide the first opportunity to test and examine materials irradiated to useful neutron fluences in a fully integrated fusion environment. Options for structural and plasma-facing materials are considered and a preliminary set of materials identified to meet the challenges of power core components and for the machine-lifetime components such as the vacuum vessel and the structural ring. The status of FNSF-relevant materials research and development within the US fusion material program is summarized, and future directions for developing advanced materials to enable the long-term missions of an FNSF are discussed.