Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Randomized Educational Intervention Trial to Determine the Effect of Online Education on the Quality of Resident-Delivered Care.

BACKGROUND There is limited research on whether online formative self-assessment and learning can change the behavior of medical professionals. OBJECTIVE We sought to determine if an adaptive longitudinal online curriculum in bone health would improve resident physicians' knowledge, and change their behavior regarding prevention of fragility fractures in women. METHODS We used a randomized control trial design in which 50 internal medicine resident physicians at a large academic practice were randomized to either receive a standard curriculum in bone health care alone, or to receive it augmented with an adaptive, longitudinal, online formative self-assessment curriculum delivered via multiple-choice questions. Outcomes were assessed 10 months after the start of the intervention. Knowledge outcomes were measured by a multiple-choice question examination. Clinical outcomes were measured by chart review, including bone density screening rate, calculation of the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) score, and rate of appropriate bisphosphonate prescription. RESULTS Compared to the control group, residents participating in the intervention had higher scores on the knowledge test at the end of the study. Bone density screening rates and appropriate use of bisphosphonates were significantly higher in the intervention group compared with the control group. FRAX score reporting did not differ between the groups. CONCLUSIONS Residents participating in a novel adaptive online curriculum outperformed peers in knowledge of fragility fracture prevention and care practices to prevent fracture. Online adaptive education can change behavior to improve patient care.
Point of Care Technologies for HIV

Effective prevention of HIV/AIDS requires early diagnosis, initiation of therapy, and regular plasma viral load monitoring of the infected individual. In addition, incidence estimation using accurate and sensitive assays is needed to facilitate HIV prevention efforts in the public health setting. Therefore, more affordable and accessible point-of-care (POC) technologies capable of providing early diagnosis, HIV viral load measurements, and CD4 counts in settings where HIV is most prevalent are needed to enable appropriate intervention strategies and ultimately stop transmission of the virus within these populations to achieve the future goal of an AIDS-free generation. This review discusses the available and emerging POC technologies for future application to these unmet public health needs.
Secondary mutations in BRCA2 associated with clinical resistance to a PARP inhibitor

PARP inhibitors (PARPi) for the treatment of BRCA1 or BRCA2 deficient tumours are currently the focus of seminal clinical trials exploiting the concept of synthetic lethality. Although clinical resistance to PARPi has been described, the mechanism underlying this has not been elucidated. Here, we investigate tumour material from patients who had developed resistance to the PARPi olaparib, subsequent to showing an initial clinical response. Massively parallel DNA sequencing of treatment‐naive and post‐olaparib treatment biopsies identified tumour‐specific BRCA2 secondary mutations in olaparib‐resistant metastases. These secondary mutations restored full‐length BRCA2 protein, and most likely cause olaparib resistance by re‐establishing BRCA2 function in the tumour cells. Copyright © 2012 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Programming with the Declic Language

We present in this paper Declic, a new Constraint Logic Programming Language solving systems mixing boolean, integer and real constraints in the uniied framework of intervals. Declic achieves cooperation of specialized solvers over the diierent domains involved , one of its key feature being the cooperation of a solver enforcing box-consistency 5] by means of Newton methods, with a solver enforcing hull-consistency 6]. We present the main functionalities of the language with some classical examples from the CLP community and a xed-point semantics for the cooperation of interval constraint solvers. A prototype has been implemented and is shown to be eecient on benchmarks from various domains.
Adult Science Learning from Local Television Newscasts

American adults learn about science and health from numerous sources including television. The Pew studies demonstrate that half of American adults watch a local television news show three times a week or more, making local television news the most widely used news medium. This study examines the impact of a program to increase the use of science and health stories in local newscasts. The results show substantial story recall and information retention. The analysis suggests that science and health stories in local television newscasts may either enhance viewers’ existing science/health schemas or foster the development of new schemas for less well-known constructs.
Determination of travertine provenance from ancient buildings using self-organizing maps and fuzzy logic

This work is focused on determining provenance of travertine stones employed in the construction of some important monuments in Umbria (Italy) using two systems that use concepts and algorithms inherent to Artificial Intelligence: Kohonen self-organizing maps and fuzzy logic. The two systems have been applied to travertine samples belonging to quarries known to be sites of excavation from ancient times and monuments. Tests on quarry samples show a good discriminative power of both methods to recognize the exact provenance of most samples. The application of the systems to monument samples show that most of employed travertine stones were quarried from outcrops occurring in areas close to the towns where monuments have been erected. Results are in good agreement with historical data.
The political function of narrative in organizations

This article extends recent developments in critical‐interpretive approaches to organizations by examining the relationship between power, ideology, and organizational narrative. It is argued that the production of organizational reality can be explained in terms of its structuration through ideological meaning formations; such meaning formations simultaneously produce and are created by the structure of power interests in organizations. Organizational narrative is examined as one of the principal symbolic forms through which organizational ideology and power structures are both expressed and constituted.
HIGHLIGHTED TOPIC Mechanisms and Modulators of Temperature Regulation Mechanisms and modifiers of reflex induced cutaneous vasodilation and vasoconstriction in humans

Charkoudian N. Mechanisms and modifiers of reflex induced cutaneous vasodilation and vasoconstriction in humans. J Appl Physiol 109: 1221–1228, 2010. First published May 6, 2010; doi:10.1152/japplphysiol.00298. 2010. —Human skin blood flow responses to body heating and cooling are essential to the normal processes of physiological thermoregulation. Large increases in skin blood flow provide the necessary augmentation of convective heat loss during environmental heat exposure and/or exercise, just as reflex cutaneous vasoconstriction is key to preventing excessive heat dissipation during cold exposure. In humans, reflex sympathetic innervation of the cutaneous circulation has two branches: a sympathetic noradrenergic vasoconstrictor system, and a non-noradrenergic active vasodilator system. Noradrenergic vasoconstrictor nerves are tonically active in normothermic environments and increase their activity during cold exposure, releasing both norepinephrine and cotransmitters (including neuropeptide Y) to decrease skin blood flow. The active vasodilator system in human skin does not exhibit resting tone and is only activated during increases in body temperature, such as those brought about by heat exposure or exercise. Active cutaneous vasodilation occurs via cholinergic nerve cotransmission and has been shown to include potential roles for nitric oxide, vasoactive intestinal peptide, prostaglandins, and substance P (and/or neurokinin-1 receptors). It has proven both interesting and challenging that no one substance has been identified as the sole mediator of active cutaneous vasodilation. The processes of reflex cutaneous vasodilation and vasoconstriction are both modified by acute factors, such as exercise and hydration, and more long-term factors, such as aging, reproductive hormones, and disease. This review will highlight some of the recent findings in these areas, as well as interesting areas of ongoing and future work.
Enhancing Biomedical Text Summarization Using Semantic Relation Extraction

Automatic text summarization for a biomedical concept can help researchers to get the key points of a certain topic from large amount of biomedical literature efficiently. In this paper, we present a method for generating text summary for a given biomedical concept, e.g., H1N1 disease, from multiple documents based on semantic relation extraction. Our approach includes three stages: 1) We extract semantic relations in each sentence using the semantic knowledge representation tool SemRep. 2) We develop a relation-level retrieval method to select the relations most relevant to each query concept and visualize them in a graphic representation. 3) For relations in the relevant set, we extract informative sentences that can interpret them from the document collection to generate text summary using an information retrieval based method. Our major focus in this work is to investigate the contribution of semantic relation extraction to the task of biomedical text summarization. The experimental results on summarization for a set of diseases show that the introduction of semantic knowledge improves the performance and our results are better than the MEAD system, a well-known tool for text summarization.
Stem Cell Technologies 1998–2008: Controversies and Silences

In May 2001, the Prime Minister of the German Land of North Rhine-Westphalia, Wolfgang Clement, created a lot of political heat. A brief overseas excursion led to an outcry of representatives from almost every political party and a media frenzy that left the Prime Minister and his family in need of police protection. What had Clement done? Had he smuggled drugs, embezzled money, or had an illicit affair? Clement’s ‘crime’ had been of a very different sort altogether. Together with a scientific team he had travelled to Israel to explore a potential collaboration between the University of Bonn and the University of Haifa in human embryonic stem cell (hESC) research. It was an academic fieldtrip that was to have dramatic and long-lasting political consequences for both the PM and, as some might argue, for Germany as a whole. By the time of Clement’s ill-fated Middle Eastern tour, stem cells had emerged as one of the most promising new avenues for potential cures for a wide range of diseases including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, heart and kidney failure, diabetes, traumatic spinal cord injury, and vision and hearing loss (Geesink et al., 2008). Stem cells were promising because of their potential to develop into different cell types in the body—thus offering the possibility of regenerative repair for rare and common diseases, as well as injury. Human embryonic stem cell lines—typically derived from embryos ‘left over’ from IVF procedures—were especially highly valued for their ability to divide indefinitely. This ‘immortality’, in addition to their malleability (their capacity to be manipulated without Science as Culture Vol. 17, No. 4, 351–362, December 2008
Design of a Sub-Picosecond Jitter with Adjustable-Range CMOS Delay-Locked Loop for High-Speed and Low-Power Applications

A Delay-Locked Loop (DLL) with a modified charge pump circuit is proposed for generating high-resolution linear delay steps with sub-picosecond jitter performance and adjustable delay range. The small-signal model of the modified charge pump circuit is analyzed to bring forth the relationship between the DLL’s internal control voltage and output time delay. Circuit post-layout simulation shows that a 0.97 ps delay step within a 69 ps delay range with 0.26 ps Root-Mean Square (RMS) jitter performance is achievable using a standard 0.13 µm Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) process. The post-layout simulation results show that the power consumption of the proposed DLL architecture’s circuit is 0.1 mW when the DLL is operated at 2 GHz.
NO‐synthase‐/NO‐independent regulation of human and murine platelet soluble guanylyl cyclase activity

Summary. Objectives: Platelets, specialized adhesive cells, play key roles in normal and pathological hemostasis through their ability to rapidly adhere to subendothelial matrix proteins (adhesion) and to other activated platelets (aggregation), functions which are inhibited by nitric oxide (NO). Platelets have been reported to be regulated not only by exogenous endothelium‐derived NO, but also by two isoforms of NO synthase, endothelial (eNOS) and inducible (iNOS), endogenously expressed in platelets. However, data concerning expression, regulation and function of eNOS and iNOS in platelets remain controversial. Methods and results: Using important positive (endothelial cells, stimulated macrophages) and negative (eNOS/iNOS knock‐out mouse) controls, as well as human platelets highly purified by a newly developed protocol, we now demonstrate that human and mouse platelets do not contain eNOS/iNOS proteins or mRNA. NOS substrate (l‐arginine), NOS inhibitors (L‐NAME, L‐NMMA), and eNOS/iNOS deficiency did not produce detectable functional effects on human and mouse platelets. von Willebrand factor (VWF)/ristocetin treatment of platelets increased cGMP by NO‐independent activation of soluble guanylyl cyclase (sGC) which correlated with Src kinase‐dependent phosphorylation of sGC β1‐subunit‐Tyr192. Conclusions: Human and mouse platelets do not express eNOS/iNOS. VWF/ristocetin‐mediated activation of the sGC/cGMP signaling pathway may contribute to feedback platelet inhibition.
The Conceptual Underwear of Financial Reporting

The paper examines the role of metaphor in debates about “conceptual frameworks” for financial reporting and accounting standard setting. It takes the form of a dialogue between a standard setter and an academic. The paper demonstrates the power of metaphor by substituting a different, unfamiliar metaphor in place of the cliched “framework” for describing a set of accounting principles. The effect of the replacement is examined in the context of UK Accounting Standards Board’s (ASB’s) draft Statement of Principles. Underlying the apparent engineering parsimony of the framework metaphor, a mutable and inconsistent set of principles is discovered. The substitution of metaphors suggest that conceptual frameworks serve multiple purposes, such as marketing standards to preparers and users. The use of metaphors inevitably entails the importation of “baggage” into analysis, so that metaphors need to be chosen with care and baggage needs to be examined.
Induced expression of dominant‐negative c‐jun downregulates NFκB and AP‐1 target genes and suppresses tumor phenotype in human keratinocytes

Neoplastically transformed mouse and human keratinocytes elevate transactivation of both activator protein 1 (AP‐1) and nuclear factor κB (NFκB) transcription factors. The present study addresses the question of whether elevated NFκB in addition to elevated AP‐1–dependent gene expression is necessary for maintaining the tumor cell phenotype. When a tetracycline‐regulatable dominant‐negative c‐jun (TAM67, having a truncated transactivation domain) was expressed in tumorigenic human keratinocytes, AP‐1‐ and NFκB‐ but not p53‐dependent reporter activity was inhibited by 40–60%. Tumor phenotype, as measured by anchorage‐independent growth, was inhibited by 90%. Neither AP‐1/NFκB activation nor expression of tumor phenotype was inhibited in TAM67‐harboring keratinocytes under noninducing conditions. Electrophoretic mobility shift analysis showed that induction of TAM67 expression slightly increased AP‐1‐ but reduced NFκB DNA‐binding activity. Immunoprecipitation showed that TAM67 interacted in keratinocyte nuclei with NFκB p65, suggesting that inhibition of NFκB by TAM67 is mediated by direct protein‐protein interactions, possibly producing decreased binding to DNA or inactivating p65. To analyze the putative effector genes that may be targeted by TAM67, expression of genes responsive to AP‐1 or NFκB was measured by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction in TAM67 transfectants with or without TAM67 induction. Induction of TAM67 inhibited or reduced the expression of collagenase I, stromelysin I (AP‐1 responsive), and interleukins 1 and 6 (NFκB responsive). These results indicate that genes controlled by NFκB and by AP‐1 may be transformation‐relevant targets of TAM67 and that TAM67 may inhibit NFκB activation through direct interaction with NFκB p65. Moreover, the findings provide proof for the principle of using inducible TAM67 as a gene therapy to suppress tumor phenotype in human carcinoma cells. Mol. Carcinog. 29:159–169, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pore Formation by the Cytotoxic Islet Amyloid Peptide Amylin (*)

Amylin is a 37-amino acid cytotoxic constituent of amyloid deposits found in the islets of Langerhans of patients with type II diabetes. Extracellular accumulation of this peptide results in damage to insulin-producing β cell membranes and cell death. We report here that at cytotoxic concentrations, amylin forms voltage-dependent, relatively nonselective, ion-permeable channels in planar phospholipid bilayer membranes. Channel formation is dependent upon lipid membrane composition, ionic strength, and membrane potential. At 1-10 μM, cytotoxic human amylin dramatically increases the conductance of lipid bilayer membranes, while noncytotoxic rat amylin does not. We suggest that channel formation may be the mechanism of cytotoxicity of human amylin.
Comparison of Velocity Vector Imaging Echocardiography With Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Mouse Models of Cardiomyopathy

Background—Myocardial strain imaging using echocardiography can be a cost-effective method to quantify ventricular wall motion objectively, but few studies have compared strain measured with echocardiography against magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in small animals. Methods and Results—We compared circumferential strain (CS) and radial strain (RS) measured with echocardiography (velocity vector imaging [VVI]) to displacement encoding with stimulated-echo MRI in 2 mouse models of cardiomyopathy. In 3-month-old mice with gene targeted deficiency of cardiac myosin-binding protein-C (cMyBP-C−/−, n=6) or muscle LIM protein (MLP−/−, n=6), and wild-type mice (n=8), myocardial strains were measured at 3 cross-sectional levels and averaged to obtain global strains. There was modest correlation between VVI and MRI measured strains, with global CS yielding stronger correlation compared with global RS (CS R2=0.4452 versus RS R2=0.2794, both P<0.05). Overall, strain measured by VVI was more variable than MRI (P<0.05) and the limits of agreement were slightly, but not significantly (P=0.14), closer for global CS than RS. Both VVI and MRI strain measurements showed significantly lower global CS strain in the knockout groups compared with the wild type. The VVI (but not MRI) CS strain measurements were different between the 2 knockout groups (−14.5±3.8% versus −6.6±4.0%, cMyBP-C−/− versus MLP−/− respectively, P<0.05). Conclusions—Measurements of left ventricular CS and RS are feasible in small animals using 2-dimensional echocardiography. VVI and MRI strain measurements correlated modestly and the agreement between the modalities tended to be greater for CS than RS. Although VVI and MRI strains were able to differentiate between wild-type and knockout mice, only global CS VVI differentiated between the 2 models of cardiomyopathy.
L'étiquette des vins: analyse d'un objet ordinaire

Nombre d'objets ordinaires composes de textes et d'images sont vus sans etre lus, c'est-a-dire sans que soient clairement interpretes les messages qu'ils emettent. Ils sont percus globalement par l'œil ; ils ne sont pas analyses par l'esprit. Et pourtant ils determinent des attitudes mentales et des comportements physiques chez celui qui les recoit. Ces messages implicites tiennent aux choix lexicaux, typographiques et iconiques, a leur rapprochement et imbrication. Dans de precedents numeros de C & L, les messages des cartes d'acces aux bibliotheques ont ete analyses par Marielle de Miribel (n° 117), ceux des timbres-poste par David Scott (n° 120). Dans l'etude ci-dessous1, Yves Jeanneret et Emmanuel Souchier analysent les etiquettes d'un produit de « haute culture », le vin, particulierement les grands vins. Les etiquettes contribuent largement a sublimer ce produit naturel, une simple boisson, en un produit culturel, precieux, raffine, sophistique, et a en accroitre les enjeux sociaux et economiques.
Advancing Patient Record Safety and EHR Semantic Interoperability

Electronic Health Records (EHRs) contain an increasing wealth of medical information, which has the potential to significantly advance medical research and health policies formulation, providing society with additional benefits within a global health perspective. However, the European healthcare information space is fragmented due to the lack of legal and technical standards, cost effective platforms, and sustainable business models. Providing an interoperability infrastructure for EHRs is on the agenda of many regional, and international eHealth initiatives. The semantic interoperability of patient data between EHRs and medical research can transform today's process of drug discovery and development, enable faster access to effective new medications, provide improved patient outcomes, and provide a key foundation for targeted (personalized) medicines. The scope of the current paper is the description of the effort undertaken by the Linked2Safety consortium towards the development of an innovative interoperability framework, for the efficient, homogenized access to and the effective utilization of the increasing wealth of medical information contained in the EHR systems deployed and maintained at regional and/or national level across Europe.
Term Structure Economics from A to B

The interest rates for bonds of different maturities are related, but the interplay of factors that influence these rates is not easy to tease apart. The author leads the reader through the development of a model of the term structure of interest rates, then works with the model to provide some insights into the interplay of factors, especially the effect of uncertainty on interest rates. His analysis shows how a common simplification known as the expectations hypothesis obscures the significant contribution that uncertainty can make to the determination of interest rates.