cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Insulin resistance associated with maternally inherited diabetes and deafness

Abstract Maternally inherited diabetes and deafness (MIDD) is a form of diabetes associated with mutation of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) that occurs in 1% to 2% of individuals with diabetes. Understanding the clinical course and abnormalities in insulin secretion and action in affected individuals should allow better understanding of how this genetic defect alters glucose metabolism. We report the clinical course of three individuals with mtDNA mutations and deafness. Subjects no. 1 and 2 had diabetes not yet requiring insulin therapy, and subject no. 3, the son of subject no. 2, had normal glucose tolerance. Defective oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) based on OXPHOS enzymology of skeletal muscle biopsy of subjects no. 1 and 2 showed activity of less than 5% of the tolerance level in complex III for subject no. 1 and in complexes I, I + III, and IV for subject no. 2. Assessing insulin secretion using insulin response to intravenous glucose and insulin sensitivity based on minimal model analysis of an insulin-modified frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (FSIGT), first-phase insulin secretion was abnormal in subjects no. 1 and 2 and normal in subject no. 3 (AUC, 57, 93, and 1,235 pmol/mL, respectively). In contrast, all three subjects had low insulin sensitivity indices (0.04, 0.14, and 0.27 × 10 −4 × min/pmol/L, respectively). Subject no. 2, who underwent three FSIGT studies over a 16-month interval, showed transient improvement in insulin release in response to modification of diet and exercise (first-phase insulin AUC, 57 pmol/min v 287 pmol/min 10 months later; fasting insulin, 97 pmol/L v 237 pmol/L 10 months later), but by 16 months, first-phase insulin release and fasting insulin had decreased (AUC, 64 and 136 pmol/L, respectively) despite higher fasting glucose. We conclude that in our subjects with MIDD, insulin resistance is present and appears to precede defects in insulin release.
Effects of intravenous ketamine on explicit and implicit measures of suicidality in treatment-resistant depression.

Background Intravenous ketamine has shown rapid antidepressant effects in early trials, making it a potentially attractive candidate for depressed patients at imminent risk of suicide. The Implicit Association Test (IAT), a performance-based measure of association between concepts, may have utility in suicide assessment. Methods Twenty-six patients with treatment-resistant depression were assessed using the suicidality item of the Montgomery-Asberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS-SI) 2 hours before and 24 hours following a single subanesthetic dose of intravenous ketamine. Ten patients also completed IATs assessing implicit suicidal associations at comparable time points. In a second study, nine patients received thrice-weekly ketamine infusions over a 12-day period. Results Twenty-four hours after a single infusion, MADRS-SI scores were reduced on average by 2.08 points on a 0 to 6 scale ( p d = 1.37), and 81% of patients received a rating of 0 or 1 postinfusion. Implicit suicidal associations were also reduced following ketamine ( p = .003; d = 1.36), with reductions correlated across implicit and explicit measures. MADRS-SI reductions were sustained for 12 days by repeated-dose ketamine ( p d = 2.42). Conclusions These preliminary findings support the premise that ketamine has rapid beneficial effects on suicidal cognition and warrants further study.
Lanczos Vectors versus Singular Vectors for Effective Dimension Reduction

This paper takes an in-depth look at a technique for computing filtered matrix-vector (mat-vec) products which are required in many data analysis applications. In these applications, the data matrix is multiplied by a vector and we wish to perform this product accurately in the space spanned by a few of the major singular vectors of the matrix. We examine the use of the Lanczos algorithm for this purpose. The goal of the method is identical with that of the truncated singular value decomposition (SVD), namely to preserve the quality of the resulting mat-vec product in the major singular directions of the matrix. The Lanczos-based approach achieves this goal by using a small number of Lanczos vectors, but it does not explicitly compute singular values/vectors of the matrix. The main advantage of the Lanczos-based technique is its low cost when compared with that of the truncated SVD. This advantage comes without sacrificing accuracy. The effectiveness of this approach is demonstrated on a few sample applications requiring dimension reduction, including information retrieval and face recognition. The proposed technique can be applied as a replacement to the truncated SVD technique whenever the problem can be formulated as a filtered mat-vec multiplication.
Parametric resonance in spatially distributed systems

We consider spatially distributed systems described by partial differential equations (PDEs) in which some of the coefficients are spatially periodic functions. Such systems arise in certain distributed sensorless control schemes which we term spatio-temporal vibrational control, which is a generalized version of standard temporal vibrational control. The mechanism by which certain sensorless periodic feedbacks stabilize or destabilize systems is more generally known as parametric resonance. We develop a spatio-temporal lifting framework using which we analyze stability and system norms of PDEs with periodic coefficients. Examples of PDEs in which parametric resonance occurs are given.
Effects of magnetostatic and varying magnetic fields on heme respiration ability

Results are presented concerning the pathological effects of both magnetostatic and time-varying magnetic fields as well as other electromagnetic (EM) waves on heme respiratory ability and photocarcinogenesis. Both effects and mechanisms are briefly presented. These include induced oxidation potentials due to magnetostatic fields and the effects of photons from EM fields. It is shown that being exposed to magnetostatic fields of between 40 kG and 161 kG for long periods of time could be harmful. >
Androstenedione Metabolism in Human Alveolar Macrophages

The metabolism of [3H]androstenedione by human alveolar macrophages was investigated. Alveolar macrophages were obtained by bronchopulmonary lavage by use of a heparinized saline solution devoid of Ca++ and Mg++. After purification, the macrophages were incubated at 37 C in RPMI-1640 medium that contained glucose and [l,2,6,7-3H]androstenedione under various experimental conditions. Control incubations were conducted without macrophages. After incubation, 14C-labeled steroids that corresponded to the metabolites were added as internal recovery standards. The metabolites were characterized by chromatography and crystallization to constant 3H to 14C ratios. Human alveolar macrophages convert [3H] androstenedione to 5α-androstane-3,17-dione, testosterone, 5αdihydrotestosterone, androsterone, and isoandrosterone. Unidentified polar metabolites also were formed. Therefore, the following enzymes are present in these cells: 5α-reductase, 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 3α-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 3β-hydro...
Comparative analysis of phosphorylation of translational initiation and elongation factors by seven protein kinases.

Four initiation factors (eIF-2, −3, −4B, and −4F), previously shown to be phosphorylated in vivo, are each phosphorylated to a significant extent in vitro (> 0.3 mol of phosphate/mol of factor) by at least three different protein kinases. An S6 kinase from liver, an active form of protease-activated kinase II which modifies the same sites on S6 as those phosphorylated in vivo in response to mitogens, phosphorylates the β subunit of eIF-2, eIF-3 (p120-p130), eIF-4B, and eIF-4F (p220). The Ca2+, phospholipid-dependent protein kinase phosphorylates eIF-2β, eIF-3 (p170, p120–p130), eIF-4B, and eIF-4F (p220, p25). The cAMP-dependent protein kinase significantly modifies eIF-4B and, to a lesser extent, eIF-3 (p130). Casein kinase I incorporates phosphate only into eIF-4B, but to a limited extent. Casein kinase II phosphorylates eIF-2β, eIF-3 (p170, p120), and eIF-4B, while protease-activated kinase I modifies eIF-3 (p170, p120–p130), eIF-4B, and eIF-4F (p220). The mitogen-stimulated S6 kinase from 3T3-L1 cells, activated in response to insulin, does not phosphorylate any of the initiation factors. There is no significant incorporation of phosphate into eIF-2α or -γ, eIF-4A, eIF-4C, eIF-4D, EF-1, or EF-2 by any of the protein kinases examined. Phosphopeptide mapping of tryptic digests of the phosphorylated subunits shows that the individual protein kinases modify different sites. The sites phosphorylated in vitro reflect those modified in vivo as shown with eIF-4F in concomitant studies with reticulocytes treated with tumor-promoting phorbol ester (Morley, S.J., and Traugh, J. A. J. Biol. Chem., in press). Thus, we have identified multipotential protein kinases which modify four initiation factors phosphorylated in vivo and have shown that phosphorylation of these translational components can be coordinately regulated.
Mixed-Mode Fracture in Unidirectional Graphite Epoxy Composite Laminates with Central Notch:

Mixed-mode matrix fracture in central notched off-axis unidirectional composite laminates was investigated. A limited number of unidirectional tensile type specimens with a central, horizontal, notch were tested. Crack initiation and propagation were examined under various local stress fields that were controlled by fiber orientations. The tested specimens were simulated using a two dimensional finite element method with constant strain loading. The strain energy release rates along the crack were evaluated via crack closure technique. The variation of critical strain energy rates with off-axis angle was studied. The results from single (one-sided) and double (two-sided) crack simulations were presented and compared.
Measuring Performance in Nature: Implications for Studies of Fitness Within Populations

SYNOPSIS. Significant relationships among morphology, behavior, performance and fitness have long served as bona fide evidence for the role of selection in shaping natural populations. Here, I discuss how studies of ecological performance, or how organisms perform in nature, provide an ecological context for such selection studies. Laboratory studies assume that the level of performance expressed under ‘‘optimal’’ conditions accurately reflects the level of performance used in nature, but I show here that this assumption is not always borne out. A review of how various factors affect ecological performance (ontogeny, microhabitat, and macrohabitat) show that animals often express very different levels of movement speed both among different tasks, and when comparing laboratory versus field performance. Thus, a failure to take this variation into account could lead to negative, or even misleading significant fitness-character correlations. While laboratory performance studies should continue to play a key role in studies of selection, recent technological (i.e., portable high-speed cameras) and methodological developments should enable researchers to measure performance in nature to high degrees of accuracy. Thus, I encourage researchers to measure performance both in the laboratory and in the field, and thus expand the traditional paradigm of morphology → performance → fitness to morphology → ecological performance → fitness.
Patents and nanomedicine

Big pharma’s business model, which relies on a few blockbusters to generate profits, is clearly broken. Patent expiration on numerous blockbusters in recent years is already altering the drug landscape. Drug companies are also facing other challenges that necessitate development and implementation of novel R&D strategies, including those that focus on nanotechnology and miniaturization. Clearly, there is enormous excitement and expectation regarding nanomedicine’s potential impact. However, securing valid and defensible patent protection will be critical. Although early forecasts for nanomedicine commercialization are encouraging, there are numerous bottlenecks as well. One of the major hurdles is an emerging thicket of patent claims, resulting primarily from patent proliferation as well as continued issuance of surprisingly broad patents by the US Patent and Trademark Office (PTO). Adding to this confusion is the fact that the US National Nanotechnology Initiative’s widely cited definition of nanotechnology is inaccurate and irrelevant from a nanomedicine perspective. It is also the cause of the inadequate patent classification system that was recently unveiled by the PTO. All of this is creating a chaotic, tangled patent landscape in various sectors of nanomedicine where the competing players are unsure of the validity and enforceability of numerous issued patents. If this trend continues, it could stifle competition and limit access to some inventions. Therefore, reforms are urgently needed at the PTO to address problems ranging from poor patent quality and questionable examination practices to inadequate search capabilities, rising attrition, poor employee morale and a skyrocketing patent application backlog. Only a robust patent system will stimulate the development of commercially viable nanomedicine products that can drastically improve a patient’s quality of life and reduce healthcare costs. New paradigms are shrinking our world and a technological revolution in medicine is unfolding. Nanomedicine [1,2], a newly emerging interdisciplinary field and part of the high-risk, high-payoff global nanotechnology phenomenon, has yet to establish itself fully, although there are a few nanomedicine products on the market and many more potential applications under consideration. Commercial nanomedicine is at a nascent stage of development and the full potential of nanomedicine is years or decades away. However, make no mistake, recent advances in nanotechnology-related drug delivery, diagnosis and drug development are beginning to alter the landscape of medicine. Towards this goal, significant technological advances across multiple scientific areas of
THE THEORY OF VARIABLE LEVIES

SINCE the early 1970's there has been a vast increase in the variability of world trade and a dramatic rise in the variability of world prices of most agricultural products, particularly cereals. FAO estimates indicate that the coefficient of variation of world price of wheat rose from 3.6 percent in the 1960's to 30 percent in the 1970's and of rice from 17.5 percent to 39 percent. The major factor responsible for the growing instability in world price, including the turbulence in 1972-1974, appears to be the mounting interventions of governments in both developed and developing countries to restrict free trade. D. Gale Johnson (1975) and Josling ((1977) and (1980)) warned that trade restrictions have become the primary cause of the increased instability in world markets of agricultural produce. Shei and Thompson (1977) demonstrated that during the 1970's more and more countries prevented world price signals from being reflected across their borders into the domestic market by imposing various trade controls, thereby causing the rise in the variability of the world market price. Zwart and Meilke (1979) showed that the destabilizing effects of these policies made even small variations in world supply to be magnified to large changes in the world price. Sarris and Freebairn (1983) estimated that with free trade the variability of the world price would have declined by 35 percent. Blandford and Schwartz (1983) concluded that "the tendency towards a high degree of domestic market insulation coupled with substantial domestic transmission of instability is a major determinant of potential price variability" (p. 309). Although trade restrictions through variable levies have become perhaps the most important element in the agricultural and food distribution policies of many countries, and the cornerstone of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) of the European Economic Community, only little attention has been given in the economic literature to their effects on world trade and welfare. The various rounds of the Multilateral Trade Negotiations, have also generally ignored these policies. The purpose of this paper is to develop an analytical framework for evaluating the policy of variable levies and assessing its effects on the country's trade, balance of payments, werfare, income distribution and fiscal budget. The analysis in the paper indicates that the instability inherent in supply and prices of agricultural products may justify some measure of government interventions and trade restrictions. It shows that some trade controls through appropriately designed variable levies will not only insulate the economy from the external instability but may also raise the country's
Personal computers in electrical and computer engineering: education survey

The results are presented of a survey conducted to determine the impact of the personal computer on current electrical and computer engineering programs. A total of 82 schools responded to the questionnaire. The data obtained from the responses indicate that a large number of personal computers are available for students to use, but that their application in engineering programs is considerably less than might be expected. Some suggestions are made for ways in which this situation might be improved. >
Early life influences on life-long patterns of behavior and health.

The stability of a child's early life has profound effects on physical and mental health, and unstable parent-child relationships, as well as abuse, can lead to behavioral disorders and increased mortality and morbidity from a wide variety of common diseases later in life. One common consequence, namely, depressive illness, is associated with chemical imbalances in the brain and hormonal dysregulation, constituting a form of allostatic load that alters interpretations of stimuli and influences, behavioral, and hormonal responses to potentially stressful situations. The brain not only encodes information and controls the behavioral responses but it is also changed structurally by those experiences. Structural changes in the hippocampus and amygdala, which are important brain structures for cognition and emotion, are representative of what may be occurring throughout the brain as a result of allostatic load resulting from the chronic stress of a disorder such as depression. Such structural changes include dendritic debranching and hypertrophy, cell proliferation, and synaptic remodeling; they are produced by the combined overactivity of stress hormones and endogenous neurotransmitters. These mediators are normally involved in adaptation, but can also promote damage when they are dysregulated and over-active. They are very likely to be strongly biased by early life experiences. The findings from animal models thus provide a basis for understanding potential mechanisms of environmental and developmental determinants of individual differences in human stress reactivity, as well as anxiety, depression, and a host of related systemic disorders. There is an increasing amount of translational research that is beginning to tie the basic research to clinical outcomes of individuals exposed to abusive or inconsistent care-giving in early life. A major goal of studies on this important topic is to define times in development and strategies for intervening to prevent or reverse the effects of adverse early life experiences. Although prevention is clearly the preferable route, some degree of reversal of psychopathology and pathophysiology caused by early life adversity appears to be an achievable goal.
The Effect of Body Weight on CAPD Related Infections and Catheter Loss

CAPD related infections an d catheter loss continue to be the major problems facing the peritoneal dialysis patient. Few risk factors for infections and catheter loss have been identified. We hypot...
The relationship between worry, sexual aversion, and low sexual desire

The psychological trait of worry is associated with many psychiatric conditions and maladaptive ways of coping, but is relationship to sexual dysfunctions, and desire disorders in particular, is unclear. In this study, we assessed the relationship between worry, sexual aversion, and low sexual desire using the Sexual Aversion Scale, the Hurlbert Index of Low Sexual Desire, and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire. Data were collected from 138 college undergraduates. As expected, results showed a modest but significant relationship between sexual aversion and low sexual desire, which is consistent with the taxonomy of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th ed.; American Psychiatric Association, 1994), which lists sexual aversion disorder and hypoactive sexual desire disorder as separate but related conditions. Contrary to our prediction, however, the tendency to worry was no more related to sexual aversion than it was to low sexual desire. The relationship between these variables was significant, but it was also relatively weak. We conclude that chronic and intense worry may predispose one to certain anxiety disorders, but it does not appear to be a risk factor for sexual desire problems in nonclinical populations.
Providing data science support for systems pharmacology and its implications to drug discovery.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The conventional one-drug-one-target-one-disease drug discovery process has been less successful in tracking multi-genic, multi-faceted complex diseases. Systems pharmacology has emerged as a new discipline to tackle the current challenges in drug discovery. The goal of systems pharmacology is to transform huge, heterogeneous, and dynamic biological and clinical data into interpretable and actionable mechanistic models for decision making in drug discovery and patient treatment. Thus, big data technology and data science will play an essential role in systems pharmacology.Areas covered: This paper critically reviews the impact of three fundamental concepts of data science on systems pharmacology: similarity inference, overfitting avoidance, and disentangling causality from correlation. The authors then discuss recent advances and future directions in applying the three concepts of data science to drug discovery, with a focus on proteome-wide context-specific quantitative drug target ...
The Pursuit of Pluralism: The Lessons from the New French Audiovisual Communications Law

Electronic mass communications, which have become increasingly influential over the past quarter century, have also undergone rapid and profound technological change. Constitutional governments around the world have struggled to apply their fundamental legal principals to the electronic media through sensible and balanced regulation. Perhaps the central problem in such regulation is to protect truth in the media, mainly by encouraging diversity, without allowing the regulators themselves to exert undue influence over what is disseminated over the airwaves and cables of a country's communications infrastructure. The following article traces the history of France's attempts to solve this problem in its electronic media law, analyzes the most recent reform of French law and suggests some possibilities for applying the lessons of the French experience to U.S. regulation of electronic media.
Gran Torino: directed by Clint Eastwood, with screenplay by Nick Schenk. Produced by Jenette Kahn, Tim Moore and Bruce Bergman. Burbank, CA: Warner Brothers Studios, 2008

Set in modern day Detroit, Gran Torino courageously explores a wide variety of themes related to aging, racism and oppression, forgiveness, death and dying, culture, gang violence—and the meaning a...
Ethanol-Tolerant Gene Identification in Clostridium thermocellum Using Pyro-Resequencing for Metabolic Engineering

Classic strain development that combines random mutagenesis and selection has a long history of success in generation of biocatalysts with industrially designed traits. However, the genetic loci contributing to the phenotypic strain changes are difficult to identify prior to genome sequencing technology advancement. In this chapter, we present the approach using Roche 454 next-generation pyro-resequencing to identify the genotypic changes such as single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) associated with an ethanol-tolerant strain of Clostridium thermocellum. The parameters used to filter the pyro-resequencing output for SNP identification are also discussed. These can help researchers to identify the genotypic change of other biocatalysts for strain improvement through metabolic engineering.
Prospects for earlier diagnosis of carcinoma of the stomach.

Cancer of the stomach is one of the most frequent causes of death in the United States today. Its onset is insidious, and it remains undiscovered until by its growth it interferes with function. Surgery offers only scant chance of cure. One bright spot looms on the horizon: the development of a device for intensification of the x-ray fluoroscopic image, by which diagnosis may be possible at an earlier date.
Arms around the Problem: Suggestions for Future Governance

The decision when to design, what to design, and how to use a particular technology is routinely left up to the engineers who work with the science upon which the technologies are based. There is a wide array of additional specialties including non-govemmental organizations, international organizations, non-state actors, and those who are impacted by their use whose concerns need to be considered. For the military, decisions regarding design and use of these technologies is of particular and immediate concern. Governance of military technologies must reflect the legal and ethical concerns of the people the military is sworn to protect; yet it must also recognize the existential need for soldiers to accomplish a myriad of violent and dangerous tasks while at the same time looking out for the welfare of the soldier. Part one: Who gets to decide? Part two: How to regulate?
Optical Pulse Train Propagation in Sodium Vapor

We present here results of a theoretical and experimental study of the propagation of infinite pulse trains through a two-level absorber. Our model is based on the semiclassical theory used in the description of single-pulse self-induced transparency (SIT).1 Previous theoretical studies of infinite pulse trains have been based on analytical solutions found with the assumption of an infinitely long relaxation time for the atomic system.2 In an experiment, however, relaxation by spontaneous emission, collisions, or other mechanisms is present. We find that for long pulse trains, even weak relaxation has important consequences and must be included in the theory.3 In particular, relaxation provides a mechanism for the atomic system to come to equilibrium with a repetitive pulse train. At equilibrium, the atomic variables are also fully repetitive in time. The repetitive polarization causes reshaping of the pulse train as it propagates through the atomic medium. In fact, our computer simulations show that the characteristic features of single-pulse SIT, including pulse breakup, peaking, delays, and low-loss transmission are, in theory, observable on a pulse train at equilibrium. Moreover, our experimental results reported here demonstrate this to be true in practice.
A mixed technology gate array with ECL and BiMOS logic on a single chip

BI-CMOS technology has allowed the implementation of a new type of gate array which is part ECL logic for high speed and part BiMOS logic for low power dissipation. Test circuits have been fabricated and show acceptable performance of ECL logic on the BiMOS process. Applications of a mixed technology gate array are discussed.
Disparities in delivery of ophthalmic care; An exploration of public Medicare data.

Purpose Cataract is a major cause of age-related eye diseases in the United States, and cataract extraction is the most commonly performed surgery on Medicare beneficiaries. Analyzing the pattern in delivery of cataract care at the national level can highlight areas of disparities. We evaluated geographic disparities seen in cataract surgery delivery to Medicare beneficiaries in the United States. Setting Cataract extractions across the United States in 2012. Design Cross-sectional study examining distance to provider and observed versus expected number of cataract extractions. Methods Cataract extraction current procedural terminology codes were used to sum the total observed number of cataract extractions per cataract surgeon. Epidemiology data on expected number of cataract surgeries in one year by decade of life were extrapolated via a Gaussian Process model. A linear regression model was used to compare differences in delivery of care between US economic regions. Results 2.2 million patients underwent cataract surgery in the Medicare dataset in 2012. The average distance to the nearest provider was 9.846 miles (standard deviation: 11.410 miles). This distance was statistically significant (p < 2.0 x 10−22) in the New England (5.935 mi), Mideast (6.356 mi), Great Lakes (8.733 mi), Far West (9.038 mi), Southeast (9.793 mi), Southwest (12.711 mi), Plains (16.047 mi), and Rocky Mountain (17.934 mi) regions. The total number of expected cataract surgeries greater than 100 miles to the nearest cataract surgeon was 1,901, where Montana, South Dakota, and Texas each had over 200 of these expected distances. Conclusions A large discrepancy exists in cataract delivery to the Medicare population based on geographic factors. Patients who live in rural areas travel farther on average to see ophthalmologists, resulting in a lower observed than expected rate of cataract surgery. Our results have implications in future allocation of resources and ophthalmologists.
Theatre Involvement and Well-Being, Age Differences, and Lessons From Long-Time Subscribers.

Background and objectives Activities that provide positive emotions, meaningful social interaction, and psychological stimulation can bolster well-being throughout life. We tested a model of psychological benefit from, and age differences in, adult ticket buyers' involvement with a large regional theatre. Research design and methods We sent online surveys to Actors Theatre of Louisville ticketbuyers, measuring involvement with the theatre, satisfaction/enjoyment, social engagement, flow, and sense of belonging while attending, and well-being. Structural models (N = 496) tested a model of well-being and age differences; focus groups of older subscribers (N = 20) elaborated quantitative findings. Results As hypothesized, theatre involvement was indirectly related to satisfaction and enjoyment of the theatre, hedonic well-being, and social functioning, through the psychosocial benefits of flow, social engagement, and belonging. Age moderated the model relationships: involvement was more strongly related to benefits for younger than older participants, but there were no age differences in the relationship between benefits and well-being. Focus group participants articulated how theatre contributes to a sense of community and pride of place, connecting individual well-being to community well-being. Discussion and implications Involvement in performing arts organizations may have lifelong benefits. The relationship between involvement and psychosocial benefit may be particularly strong for younger audience members despite the fact that older adults have more involvement. Older adults with long-term involvement appear to benefit even when they reduce their involvement. Our qualitative findings underscore the great richness of experience that younger generations might lose as a result of lower participation.
Implementing single-item screening for drug use in a Veterans Health Administration outpatient setting

Background: Unhealthy drug use is a concern in many settings, including military and veteran populations. In 2013, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) medical center in Bedford, Massachusetts,...
Prostate stem cell compartments: expression of the cell cycle inhibitor p27Kip1 in normal, hyperplastic, and neoplastic cells.

The stem cells of rapidly renewing tissues give rise to transiently proliferating cells, which in turn give rise to postmitotic terminally differentiated cells. Although the existence of a transiently proliferating compartment has been proposed for the prostate, little molecular anatomical evidence for its presence has been obtained to date. We used down-regulation of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p27 Kip1 to identify cells capable of entering the proliferative phase of the cell cycle and, therefore, competent to fulfill the role of the transiently proliferating compartment. We examined the expression of p27 Kip1 in relation to its role in the development of prostatic carcinoma. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded specimens from matched samples of normal-appearing prostate tissue, benign prostatic hyperplasia, high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia, primary adenocarcinomas, and pelvic lymph node metastases were evaluated by comparative immunohistochemistry against p27 Kip1 . In normal-appearing prostate epithelium, moderate to strong nuclear staining of p27 Kip1 was present in greater than 85% of the terminally differentiated secretory cells. The normal basal cell compartment, believed to contain prostatic stem cells, showed distinctive p27 Kip1 expression; acini in epithelial benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue contained more p27 Kip1 -negative basal cells than acini from non-benign prostatic hyperplasia tissue. A third layer of cells was identified that was sandwiched between the basal cells and the luminal cells, and this layer was consistently p27 Kip1 negative. This intermediate layer was accentuated in the periurethral region, as well as in prostate tissue that had been subjected to prior combined androgen blockade. We hypothesize that, on appropriate additional mitogenic stimulation, cells in this layer, and other p27 Kip1 -negative basal cells, are competent for rapid entry into the cell cycle. Consistent with the fact that cancer cells are capable of cell division, all cases of high-grade prostatic intraepithelial neoplasia and invasive carcinoma also showed down-regulation of p27 Kip1 as compared with the surrounding normal-appearing secretory cells. In pelvic lymph node metastases, p27 Kip1 expression was also reduced. In summary, our results suggest that lack of nuclear p27 Kip1 protein may delineate a potential transiently proliferating subcompartment within the basal cell compartment of the human prostate. In addition, these studies support the hypothesis that reduced expression of p27 Kip1 removes a block to the cell cycle in human prostate epithelial cells and that dysregulation of p27 Kip1 protein levels may be a critical early event in the development of prostatic neoplasia.
Cooperativity and Avidity in Membrane Binding by C2AB Tandem Domains of Synaptotagmins 1 and 7

Synaptotagmin-1 (Syt-1) and synaptotagmin-7 (Syt-7) contain analogous tandem C2 domains, C2A and C2B, which together serve as a Ca2+ sensor to bind membranes and promote the stabilization of exocytotic fusion pores. Functionally, Syt-1 triggers fast release of neurotransmitters, while Syt-7 is involved in lower-Ca2+ processes such as hormone secretion. Evidence suggests that Syt-1 C2 domains bind membranes cooperatively, penetrating farther into membranes as the C2AB tandem than as individual C2 domains. In contrast, we previously reported that the two C2 domains of Syt-7 bind membranes independently, based in part on measurements of their liposome dissociation kinetics. Here, we have investigated the effects of C2A-C2B interdomain cooperativity with Syt-1 and Syt-7 using directly comparable measurements. We report Ca2+ sensitivities, dissociation kinetics, and membrane insertion using liposomes approximating physiological lipid compositions. Equilibrium Ca2+ titrations confirm that the Syt-7 C2AB tandem has a greater Ca2+ sensitivity of membrane binding than either of its individual domains. Stopped-flow fluorescence kinetic measurements show that Syt-1 C2AB dissociates from liposome membranes much more slowly than either of its isolated C2 domains, suggesting that the two C2 domains of Syt-1 bind membranes cooperatively. In contrast, the dominant population of Syt-7 C2AB has a dissociation rate comparable to its C2A domain, indicating a lack of cooperativity, while only a small subpopulation dissociates at a slower rate. Measurements using an environment-sensitive fluorescent probe indicate that the Syt-7 C2B domain inserts more deeply into membranes as part of the C2AB tandem, similarly to Syt-1. Overall, these measurements are consistent with a model in which the structural linkage of C2A and C2B impacts the membrane-binding geometry of synaptotagmin C2B domains, but imparts little or no cooperativity to Syt-7 membrane binding and dissociation events that are dominated by its C2A domain.
Women’s Voices: An Appreciative Inquiry of Off-Site Postsecondary Correctional Education:

Using an appreciative inquiry method, this study explored the experiences of women who participated in off-site postsecondary correctional education (PSCE). Semistructured interviews were conducted...
Prediction of diameter distributions and tree-lists in southwestern Oregon using LiDAR and stand-level auxiliary information

Diameter distributions and tree-lists provide information about forest stocks disaggregated by size and species and are key for informing forest management. Diameter distributions and tree-lists ar...
Reproductive Governance, Redux.

The latter half of 2018 produced some startling headlines. Forty years after imposing the one-child policy, the Chinese government encouraged citizens to have more babies by promising tax incentive...
Parental divorce or separation during childhood and adult smoking: a mediation effects of social engagement

Using the life course paradigm, this study investigates the effects of childhood parental divorce or separation on adult children’s cigarette smoking and social engagement. To understand the mechan...
Sudski postupci protiv katoličkoga tiska u komunističkoj Hrvatskoj 1960-ih i 1970-ih

This paper examines and presents court proceedings against the Catholic newspapers Mali koncil (Little Council), Glas koncila (Voice of the Council), and Glasnik sv. Antuna Padovanskog (St Anthony of Padua’s Herald), later the Veritas, and their editors and authors Franjo Kuharic, Živko Kustic, and Ivon Cuk during the 1960s and 1970s. Based on original archival material and relevant literature, seven court proceedings against Ivon Cuk and Živko Kustic have been reconstructed. These include misdemeanour proceedings, the confiscation of or bans on the distribution of individual articles or issues of the mentioned papers, and two criminal proceedings, through which the communist authorities tried to limit the writing of the Catholic press and, indirectly, the activity of the Catholic Church in contemporaneous society. Using various research methods – analysis of contemporaneous legislation and court records, the contents of official correspondence between the then state and Church representatives, and individual articles published in the Catholic press – the author sheds further light on not only the legal aspects of these proceedings, but also their political background and motivation, placing them within the context of the contemporaneous relations between Church and state. The activities of the then Commission for Religious Matters of the Executive Committee of the Parliament of the Socialist Republic of Croatia regarding monitoring the contents of the Catholic press, resolving certain legal and political dilemmas related to initiating court proceedings, and its cooperation with the contemporaneous so-called “prosecution organs”, especially the District Public Prosecutor’s Office in Zagreb, are studied separately. Presenting certain reactions of Church representatives, especially through the diary entries of then Zagreb (arch)bishop Franjo Kuharic, the author has shown the way in which the mentioned court proceedings were experienced and “read” by the contemporaneous Church leadership in Croatia. It can be concluded that the then Catholic press – despite being faced with court proceedings – primarily fought for the freedom of the Catholic Church in contemporaneous society. However, in doing so the Catholic media and authors also indirectly broadened the freedom of the press and public speech in the Socialist Republic of Croatia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, especially after 1971, when the Catholic Church remained the sole organised “opposition” force to the country’s regime.
Predicting factors of muscle necrosis in acute compartment syndrome of the lower extremity

Abstract Background Acute physiologic compartment syndrome (ACS) is a disorder of increased intra-compartmental pressure leading to decreased tissue perfusion and muscle necrosis. Tissue ischemia can result in irreversible muscle and nerve injury and requires urgent fasciotomy. The aim of this study was to determine the factors associated with the presence of necrotic muscle in patients undergoing leg fasciotomy. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study of all patients undergoing fasciotomies for ACS of the leg at two level 1 trauma centers from 2000 to 2015. We found 1,028 patients who underwent leg fasciotomies. We excluded ACS at other sites than the leg, the index fasciotomy performed at an outside institution, prophylactic fasciotomy with no clinical signs of ACS, and patients with inadequate medical records. A total of 357 patients were included in the final analysis. We used bivariate analysis to assess which explanatory variables are associated with the main outcome measure, the presence of necrotic muscle at fasciotomy. We used multivariable regression analysis to determine association accounting for any confounding. Results Of 357 cases of ACS of the leg, 14.6% of patients presented with an open fracture and 21.3% of patients were multiply injured. Overall, 14.3% of cases had muscle necrosis at the time of fasciotomy. Fifty-nine percent of patients with necrotic muscle required more than 3 debridements. Open fracture was the only statistically significant predictor of muscle necrosis (OR=2.8). Crush injury (OR=3.1) and soft tissue injuries (OR=2.8) were at an increased odds of necrotic muscle, but only marginally significant. Conclusion ACS is a potentially limb threatening condition often associated with poor outcomes, particularly when the diagnosis is delayed. Patients with open fracture have a three-fold increase in odds of necrotic muscle at the time of fasciotomy.
Qualifying and quantifying the precision medicine rhetoric

With the rise of precision medicine efforts worldwide, our study objective was to describe and map the emerging precision medicine landscape. A Google search was conducted between June 19, 2017 to July 20, 2017 to examine how “precision medicine” and its analogous terminology were used to describe precision medicine efforts. Resulting web-pages were reviewed for geographic location, data type(s), program aim(s), sample size, duration, and the key search terms used and recorded in a database. Descriptive statistics were applied to quantify terminology used to describe specific precision medicine efforts. Qualitative data were analyzed for content and patterns. Of the 108 programs identified through our search, 84% collected only biospecimen(s) and, of those that collected at least two data types, 42% mentioned both Electronic Health Records (EHR) and biospecimen. Given the majority of efforts limited to biospecimen(s) use, genetic research seems to be prioritized in association with precision medicine. Roughly, 54% were found to collect two or more data types, which limits the output of information that may contribute to understanding of the interplay of genetic, lifestyle, and environmental factors. Over half were government-funded with roughly a third being industry-funded. Most initiatives were concentrated in the United States, Europe, and Asia. To our knowledge, this is the first study to map and qualify the global precision medicine landscape. Our findings reveal that precision medicine efforts range from large model cohort studies involving multidimensional, longitudinal data to biorepositories with a collection of blood samples. We present a spectrum where past, present, and future PM-like efforts can fall based on their scope and potential impact. If precision medicine is based on genes, lifestyle and environmental factors, we recommend programs claiming to be precision medicine initiatives to incorporate multidimensional data that can inform a holistic approach to healthcare.
Mortality Synopsis Among Women of Reproductive Age Group in Nigeria: A Hospital-Based Study.

PURPOSE Identification of health problems of women of reproductive age, using a reliable mortality data, is essential in evading preventable female deaths. This study aimed at investigating mortality profile of women of reproductive age group in Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS This is a descriptive, retrospective study involving women of reproductive age group of 15-49 years that died at DELSUTH from 1st January 2016 to 31st December 2018. The age, date of death and cause of death were retrieved from the hospital records and subsequently analyzed using SPSS version 21. RESULTS One hundred and eighty-seven eligible deaths were encountered in this study, constituting 17.5% of all deaths in the hospital. Twenty four (12.8%) cases were of maternal etiology while 163 (87.2%) were of non-maternal causes. Non-communicable disease, communicable disease and external injuries accounted for 100 (53.5%), 44 (23.5%) and 19 (10.2%) deaths among the non-maternal causes. The mean age and the peak age group are 34.4 years and the 4th decade respectively. The leading specified non-maternal causes of death (in descending order) are AIDS/TB, cerebrovascular accidents (CVA), breast cancer, road traffic accident (RTA), diabetes, perioperative death and sepsis while the leading maternal causes of death are abortion, postpartum hemorrhage, eclampsia and puerperal sepsis. CONCLUSION Most deaths affecting WRAG are preventable, with non-maternal causes in excess of maternal causes. There is need for holistic life-long interventional policies and strategies that will address the health need of these women, using evidence-based research findings.
Correction to: Radiographic review of anatomy and pathology of the masticator space: what the emergency radiologist needs to know

Unfortunately, the original publication of this article contained a mistake in Fig. 7a. The correct figure is presented here. The original article has been corrected.
Chapter 7 – Linear Programming

In this chapter, we introduce the concept of linear programming. Although developed independently a few years earlier by Russian and Dutch scientists, linear programming was formalized in a general form in 1947 when colleagues of George Dantzig suggested he use the term as a descriptor for the solution technique he had developed for the US Air Force (O’Connor and Robertson, 2003). The reasoning behind the choice of words was: (1) Dantzig’s problem-solving methods were based on linear equations, and (2) the term “programming” was (in 1947) synonymous with “planning” in the military. Linear programming has since been adopted for use in a number of fields, including business and natural resource management. In forest management and planning, typically it is used to allocate activities and resources across a broad area, such as a forest or rangeland landscape, and over a long time frame. Linear programming also allows us to understand the trade-offs between different management objectives, and the trade-offs among management constraints. Many if not all of the US National Forest plans developed from about 1970 until the 2012 forest planning rule become effective have used linear programming. In addition, a number of industrial companies, state forest management organizations, and Canadian provinces also use linear programming for the development of forest plans. A number of examples of these can be found in Forest Plans of North America (Siry et al., 2015). As a result, over the past 50 years a large number of natural resource management plans have been developed using this problem-solving technique.