Signal quality of endovascular electroencephalography

Objective, Approach. A growing number of prototypes for diagnosing and treating neurological and psychiatric diseases are predicated on access to high-quality brain signals, which typically requires surgically opening the skull. Where endovascular navigation previously transformed the treatment of cerebral vascular malformations, we now show that it can provide access to brain signals with substantially higher signal quality than scalp recordings. Main results. While endovascular signals were known to be larger in amplitude than scalp signals, our analysis in rabbits borrows a standard technique from communication theory to show endovascular signals also have up to 100× better signal-to-noise ratio. Significance. With a viable minimally-invasive path to high-quality brain signals, patients with brain diseases could one day receive potent electroceuticals through the bloodstream, in the course of a brief outpatient procedure

Metrics for the emissions of F-gas refrigerants

This paper examines the metrics used to account for the contribution to global warming from fluorinated gases (fgases) mainly used as refrigerants for cooling. F-gases are key to climate mitigation discussion as they a) are critical to delivering the surging demand for air conditioners which is expected to triple by 2050, b) have strong Global Warming Potential (GWP) as high as 12,000 kgCO2-eq (for e.g., HFC-23) and c) are targeted by international policy agreements such as the Montreal Protocol and Kigali Amendment. F-gases exacerbate atmospheric warming when leaked from cooling equipment, or during other phases of their life cycle. Thus far, the way these gases impact global warming is mostly reported based on their CO2-equivalent emissions with a time horizon of 100 years. However, the problem is that f-gases have significantly different lifespans and the GWP100 does not account for these variations. The debate on metrics to account for warming of other short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP), such as methane is already ongoing. Here, we provide the first step to open such debate for short-lived f-gases. We address this, first, with a critical review of the available metrics for carbon foot-printing of f-gases and present a gap analysis between the existing carbon foot printing metrics and the need to better understand warming from f-gases. Second, we use an atmospheric model to illustrate how the incumbent metric (CO2-equivalent calculated using GWP100), misrepresent the warming of an exemplary f-gas refrigerant (HFC134a). The model outputs novel profiles of atmospheric concentration, radiative forcing, and temperature, in three scenarios. Scenario A models the response to a positive step change in emissions of the HFC, while Scenario B is the inverse. Scenario C models a reduction of 85% by 2036 of emissions according to targets for highemitting countries set in the Kigali Amendment. The modelling results evidence that the commonly used CO2- equivalent with its GWP100 does not represent the atmospheric responses, and particularly the warming of the exemplary short-lived HFC. Through the literature review, however, we identify many other metrics available that could be applied for f-gases, and particularly GWP* is recommended to examine in future works. In summary, the paper offers insights into which metrics can best help to identify the effects of f-gases in terms of reducing global warming in a rapid timeframe, and how CO2-equivalents should not be used as proxy for atmospheric warming in policy discussions

Diet Composition of Six Anuran Species (Amphibia: Anura) in Terminalia Forest, Mindanao Island, Philippines

The diet of six anuran species (Kaloula conjuncta, Philautus acutirostris, Polypedates leucomystax, Occidozyga laevis, Fejervarya cancrivora and Rana granducola) was determined using the gut content analysis. Nineteen food items were identified with Hymenoptera: Formicidae as the most frequently occurring food item appearing in the guts of 5 out of 6 species.  Coleoptera, Diptera, and Orthoptera followed appearing in 4 out of 6 species. The constantly frequent occurring food item for each species was: Hymenoptera for K. conjuncta and P. leucomystax; Hemiptera for O. laevis; and Orthoptera for R. grandocula. Degree of food preference (DFP) differed for each food item. Preferential food items (2<DFP<3) were Hymenoptera for K. conjuncta and P. leucomystax and Orthoptera for R. granducola. Presence of accidental occurrence and occasionally preferred food items was prominent in P. acutirostris. The occurrence of tadpole in the gut of O. laevis suggesting batracophagy is reported here. The recovery of food items that serve as bioindicators for water quality suggest that the water quality in the area was good. Thus, this study strongly supports the protection of the area for conservation of both anurans and their prey

The WHF Roadmap for Reducing CV Morbidity and Mortality Through Prevention and Control of Rheumatic Heart Disease.

Rheumatic heart disease (RHD) is a preventable non-communicable condition that disproportionately affects the world's poorest and most vulnerable. The World Heart Federation Roadmap for improved RHD control is a resource designed to help a variety of stakeholders raise the profile of RHD nationally and globally, and provide a framework to guide and support the strengthening of national, regional and global RHD control efforts. The Roadmap identifies the barriers that limit access to and uptake of proven interventions for the prevention and control of RHD. It also highlights a variety of established and promising solutions that may be used to overcome these barriers. As a general guide, the Roadmap is meant to serve as the foundation for the development of tailored plans of action to improve RHD control in specific contexts

Orientation dependence of heterogeneous nucleation at the Cu–Pb solid-liquid interface

In this work, we examine the effect of surface structure on the heterogeneous nucleation of Pb crystals from the melt at a Cu substrate using molecular-dynamics (MD) simulation. In a previous work [Palafox-Hernandez et al., Acta Mater. 59, 3137 (2011)] studying the Cu/Pb solid-liquid interface with MD simulation, we observed that the structure of the Cu(111) and Cu(100) interfaces was significantly different at 625 K, just above the Pb melting temperature (618 K for the model). The Cu(100) interface exhibited significant surface alloying in the crystal plane in contact with the melt. In contrast, no surface alloying was seen at the Cu(111) interface; however, a prefreezing layer of crystalline Pb, 2-3 atomic planes thick and slightly compressed relative to bulk Pb crystal, was observed to form at the interface. We observe that at the Cu(111) interface the prefreezing layer is no longer present at 750 K, but surface alloying in the Cu(100) interface persists. In a series of undercooling MD simulations, heterogeneous nucleation of fcc Pb is observed at the Cu(111) interface within the simulation time (5 ns) at 592 K—a 26 K undercooling. Nucleation and growth at Cu(111) proceeded layerwise with a nearly planar critical nucleus. Quantitative analysis yielded heterogeneous nucleation barriers that are more than two orders of magnitude smaller than the predicted homogeneous nucleation barriers from classical nucleation theory. Nucleation was considerably more difficult on the Cu(100) surface-alloyed substrate. An undercooling of approximately 170 K was necessary to observe nucleation at this interface within the simulation time. From qualitative observation, the critical nucleus showed a contact angle with the Cu(100) surface of over 90°, indicating poor wetting of the Cu(100) surface by the nucleating phase, which according to classical heterogeneous nucleation theory provides an explanation of the large undercooling necessary to nucleate on the Cu(100) surface, relative to Cu(111), whose surface is more similar to the nucleating phase due to the presence of the prefreezing layer

Vitamin A deficiency and inflammatory markers among preschool children in the Republic of the Marshall Islands

BACKGROUND: The exclusion of individuals with elevated acute phase proteins has been advocated in order to improve prevalence estimates of vitamin A deficiency in surveys, but it is unclear whether this will lead to sampling bias. The purpose of the study was to determine whether the exclusion of individuals with elevated acute phase proteins is associated with sampling bias and to characterize inflammation in children with night blindness. METHODS: In a survey in the Republic of the Marshall Islands involving 281 children, aged 1–5 years, serum retinol, C-reactive protein (CRP), and α(1)-acid glycoprotein (AGP) were measured. RESULTS: Of 281 children, 24 (8.5%) had night blindness and 165 (58.7%) had serum retinol <0.70 μmol/L. Of 248 children with AGP and CRP measurements, 123 (49.6%) had elevated acute phase proteins (CRP >5 mg/L and/or AGP >1000 mg/L). Among children with and without night blindness, the proportion with serum retinol <0.70 μmol/L was 79.2% and 56.8% (P = 0.03) and with anemia was 58.3% and 35.7% (P = 0.029), respectively. The proportion of children with serum retinol <0.70 μmol/L was 52.0% after excluding children with elevated acute phase proteins. Among children with and without elevated acute phase proteins, mean age was 2.8 vs 3.2 years (P = 0.016), the proportion of boys was 43.1% vs. 54.3% (P = 0.075), with no hospitalizations in the last year was 11.0% vs 23.6% (P = 0.024), and with anemia was 43.8% vs 31.7% (P = 0.05), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Exclusion of children with inflammation in this survey of vitamin A deficiency does not improve prevalence estimates for vitamin A deficiency and instead leads to sampling bias for variables such as age, gender, anemia, and hospitalization history

Modern microwave methods in solid state inorganic materials chemistry: from fundamentals to manufacturing

No abstract available

Biology and use of the Pacific fat sleeper Dormitator latifrons (Richardson, 1844): state of the art review

The present work is a review of the literature on the native Mexican fish Dormitator latifrons. The aim is to contribute to the integration and systematization of current knowledge to make it easier to identify existing knowledge gaps and breakthroghs Moreover, promote the successful cultivation and protection of this species whose consumption is increasing in Latin America. A review of the articles related to D. latifrons published in international and regional databases was carried out. The articles reviewed focus on taxonomy and systematics, phylogenetic, geographic distribution, ecology, physiology, reproduction, development, pathology, health, and the technologies used to cultivate this fish species. The conclusion is that, even though the cultivation of D. latifrons is of commercial interest in some countries, there are still significant gaps in our knowledge of biology and, consequently, the domestication potential of the species. Filling these gaps will require systematic research efforts on protecting natural populations and improving mass cultivation techniques.Fil: Vega Villasante, Fernando. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Ruiz González, Luis E.. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Chong Carrillo, Olimpia. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Basto Rosales, Mao E. R.. Tecnológico Nacional de Bahía de Banderas; MéxicoFil: Palma Cancino, David J.. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Tintos Gómez, Adrián. Universidad Tecnológica de Manzanillo; MéxicoFil: Montoya Martínez, Cynthia E.. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Kelly Gutiérrez, Liza D.. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Guerrero Galván, Saúl R.. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Ponce Palafox, Jesús T.. Universidad Autónoma de Nayarit; MéxicoFil: Zapata, Ana. Universidad de Guadalajara; MéxicoFil: Musin, Gabriela Eliana. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Santa Fe. Instituto Nacional de Limnología. Universidad Nacional del Litoral. Instituto Nacional de Limnología; ArgentinaFil: Badillo Zapata, Daniel. Universidad de Guadalajara; Méxic