cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient perceptions about illness self-management in ANCA-associated small vessel vasculitis

Objectives To characterize patient perceptions, related to eight self-management behaviours relevant for adults with ANCA-associated small vessel vasculitis (ANCA-SVV), and to determine if these perceptions were associated with performance of each behaviour. Methods Adults with ANCA-SVV (n = 202) completed a self-administered questionnaire that assessed eight self-management behaviours (adherence to recommendations for medication, health service use, diet, exercise, infection avoidance and symptom monitoring; prompt reporting of symptoms and side effects; and adjusting activities in response to symptoms), perceptions about these behaviours, socio-demographics, clinical factors and social desirability bias. Descriptive statistics were generated to characterize patients' perceptions about difficulty of, importance of, and specific barriers to performing each behaviour. Regression analyses explored whether these variables were associated with performing each behaviour, controlling for potential confounders. Results With few exceptions, higher perceived importance and lower perceived difficulty of each behaviour were associated with more frequent performance of the behaviour. For each behaviour, several specific barriers were frequently endorsed by patients and a number of these were associated with lower levels of self-management. Conclusion This study reveals that patient perceptions about the illness and its treatment influence ANCA-SVV self-management. Perceived barriers to medication, health services, diet and exercise adherence were similar to those in other illnesses. This study also provides insight into barriers experienced by patients in performing behaviours (infection avoidance, symptom monitoring, reporting symptoms and side-effects and adjusting activities) not often previously studied. How the identification of these barriers can help inform future interventions for ANCA-SVV patients is to be discussed.
Functional anthology of intrinsic disorder. 1. Biological processes and functions of proteins with long disordered regions.

Identifying relationships between function, amino acid sequence and protein structure represents a major challenge. In this study we propose a bioinformatics approach that identifies functional keywords in the Swiss-Prot database that correlate with intrinsic disorder. A statistical evaluation is employed to rank the significance of these correlations. Protein sequence data redundancy and the relationship between protein length and protein structure were taken into consideration to ensure the quality of the statistical inferences. Over 200,000 proteins from Swiss-Prot database were analyzed using this approach. The predictions of intrinsic disorder were carried out using PONDR VL3E predictor of long disordered regions that achieves an accuracy of above 86%. Overall, out of the 710 Swiss-Prot functional keywords that were each associated with at least 20 proteins, 238 were found to be strongly positively correlated with predicted long intrinsically disordered regions, whereas 302 were strongly negatively correlated with such regions. The remaining 170 keywords were ambiguous without strong positive or negative correlation with the disorder predictions. These functions cover a large variety of biological activities and imply that disordered regions are characterized by a wide functional repertoire. Our results agree well with literature findings, as we were able to find at least one illustrative example of functional disorder or order shown experimentally for the vast majority of keywords showing the strongest positive or negative correlation with intrinsic disorder. This work opens a series of three papers, which enriches the current view of protein structure-function relationships, especially with regards to functionalities of intrinsically disordered proteins and provides researchers with a novel tool that could be used to improve the understanding of the relationships between protein structure and function. The first paper of the series describes our statistical approach, outlines the major findings and provides illustrative examples of biological processes and functions positively and negatively correlated with intrinsic disorder.
Receptor tyrosine kinases in sinonasal undifferentiated carcinomas--evaluation for EGFR, c-KIT, and HER2/neu expression.

Background. Our objective was to identify the expression of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), c-KIT (CD117), and HER2/neu in sinonasal undifferentiated carci- noma (SNUC). Methods. Immunohistochemistry for c-KIT (CD117), EGFR, and HER2/neu was performed on paraffin-embedded tissue from SNUC cases. A search for activating mutations in c-kit exons 9, 11, 13, and 17 or gene amplification was undertaken by high-resolution DNA melting curve analysis and fluores- cence in situ hybridization (FISH) for c-kit and chromosome 4, respectively. Results. By immunohistochemistry, 9 of 11 cases (81.8%) were diffusely (4þ) positive for c-KIT, 3 of 11 cases (27.3%) were positive for EGFR, and none of the cases were positive for HER2/neu. Neither activating mutations nor gene amplifica- tion of c-kit were detected in any of the 8 assessable tumors. Conclusion. c-KIT is frequently expressed in SNUC. How- ever, the overexpression is not due to activating mutations or gene amplification. V C 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 31: 919-927, 2009
Availability of recreational resources in minority and low socioeconomic status areas.

Background Differences in availability of recreational resources may contribute to racial and socioeconomic status (SES) disparities in physical activity. Variations in the location and density of recreational resources were examined by SES and racial composition of neighborhoods. Methods Densities of resources available in recreational facilities and parks were estimated for census tracts between April 2003 and June 2004 in North Carolina, New York, and Maryland using kernel estimation. The probability of not having a facility or park was modeled by tract racial composition and SES, adjusting for population and area, using binomial regression in 2006. Mean densities of tract resources were modeled by SES and racial composition using linear regression. Results Minority neighborhoods were significantly more likely than white neighborhoods not to have recreational facilities (relative probability [RP]=3.27 [95% CI=2.11–5.07] and 8.60 [95% CI=4.48–16.51], for black and Hispanic neighborhoods, respectively). Low-income neighborhoods were 4.5 times more likely to not have facilities than high-income areas (95% CI=2.87–7.12). Parks were more equitably distributed. Most resources located in recreational facilities required a fee and were less dense in minority and low-income areas. Those located inside parks were usually free to use, sports-related, and denser in poor and minority neighborhoods. Conclusions Recreational facilities and the resources they offer are not equitably distributed. The presence of parks in poor and minority areas suggest that improving the types and quality of resources in parks could be an important strategy to increase physical activity and reduce racial/ethnic and socioeconomic disparities.
Severely and Persistently Mentally ILL in Hawaii: Profile and Implications

This study examines the characteristics, treatment, and care of severely and persistently mentally ill clients at Hawaii's largest public-sector psychiatric facility, Hawaii State Hospital. The implications of this information are discussed in terms of treatment and care. As was found in previous studies, the 88 participants included in this study were mostly male, less than 40 years of age, with a high school education or less, and hospitalized under a penal code. More remarkable variations were revealed, however, when clients were grouped according to ethnicity and racial origin. For example, clients from marginalized groups had a significantly higher likelihood of violence than clients from more politically, economically, and socially powerful groups in Hawaii. The findings of this research challenge nurses to combine social advocacy with clinical expertise to provide effective and complete treatment and care.
WHEN DO CONSUMERS SEARCH

This paper provides empirical evidence relating search to price movements. We measure consumer search directly from traffic statistics for web sites that report gasoline prices. We show empirically that consumers search more as prices rise than they do when prices fall. Asymmetric search patterns have consequences for price behavior. Our findings indicate that retail margins are squeezed by increased search. In addition, we show that there is more price dispersion when prices are falling than when prices are either stable or rising. Our results provide a search-based explanation for the ‘rockets and feathers’ phenomenon of asymmetric price adjustment.
Immune and Receptor Assays in Theory and Practice. Patrick Englebienne. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press, 2000, 392 pp., $95.95. ISBN 0-8493-0061-4.

Since the description of RIAs 40 years ago, the use of ligand-binding assays to quantify analytes has come a long way. Along the way, the development of monoclonal antibodies, availability of receptors, and the reluctance to use radioisotopic tracers have been driving forces in the development of this sector of diagnostics. This book is not a manual of protocols for RIA and radio-receptor assay methods. Englebienne has crafted a very easy-reading, user-friendly, and informative text, which I think could be used in teaching a methods course in this area. This text covers a lot of ground, but the reader will find that certain reagents and approaches to assay conditioning are shared, regardless of the binding protein used. As a testimony to the book’s concept building and completeness, the first two chapters introduce the reader to the biochemistry of receptors and signaling and their biosynthesis and ligand-binding properties. This will be a welcome introduction to readers new to the field. Chapter 3 is entirely about how to get or make the two reagents that are needed most for these assays, the antibody and the receptor, and this chapter assists the reader in locating sources. It catalogs cell lines, which contain various receptors, and also includes a …
Recombinant Activated Factor VII Use in Critically III Patients: Clinical Outcomes and Thromboembolic Events

BACKGROUNDHemorrhage and coagulopathy are associated with morbidity and mortality in critically ill patients. Recombinant activated factor VII (rFVIIa) is frequently used in these situations to control bleeding; however, few controlled clinical trials have demonstrated clinical benefit and prolonged survival.OBJECTIVETo compare clinical outcomes and thromboembolic events in intensive care unit (ICU) patients who received rFVIIa versus ICU patients who did not between 2000 and 2005.METHODSA total of 2918 nonhemophiliac adult ICU patients, which included 1459 who received at least 1 dose of rFVIIa and 1459 matched controls who did not, were included in a retrospective database study. Data were extracted from the Solucient ACTracker database, which included 550 hospitals across the US. Measures included patient demographics, rFVIIa prescribing, death, thromboembolic events, discharge disposition, length of stay, and transfusion data.RESULTSThe most common primary diagnoses for patients receiving rFVIIa inclu...
Music in Paris during the Franco-Prussian War and the Commune

ABSTRACT The years 1870––71 marked the beginning of dramatic changes in French political and cultural life. A few short months witnessed defeat to Germany in the Franco-Prussian War and the fall of the Second Empire, as well as the rapid rise of the Paris Commune and its subsequent violent suppression through the establishment of republican government. The Parisian musical world, while severely affected by the events of war and deprived of performers and audiences, did not come to a standstill. Indeed, these years ushered in a remarkable increase in the number of institutions and concert societies dedicated to supporting French music and to making what would become the standard repertoire more accessible to the average citizen. Music heightened reactions to the turmoil of war and revolution in Paris at this crucial moment in France9s history. Because of their stringent governmental control and largely middle- and working-class audiences, entertainments organized initially by wartime concert societies, and then under the aegis of the Commune, provide us with the greatest opportunity for understanding the political and social contexts in which music operated. Through investigation of the contemporary French press it can be shown that: (1) the perceived function of musical performance was adjusted to suit the practical and symbolic needs of a besieged city; (2) all the factions competing for power during the war and the post-war insurrection in Paris appropriated the connotations of civilization, social stability, and good taste that surrounded ““art music””; (3) the Commune9s sudden rejection of the Austro-German musical tradition marked a brief but significant moment in which nationalistic preoccupations supplanted historically cosmopolitan attitudes toward foreign art. The study concludes with a meditation on Alfred Roll9s painting of the execution of a Communard trumpeter, in which we find one of the strongest images relating war and rebellion to music in the France of 1871.
A study of ground-structure interaction in dynamic plate load testing

A mathematical treatment is presented for the forced vertical vibration of a padded annular footing on a layered viscoelastic half-space. On assuming a depth-independent stress distribution for the interfacial buffer, the set of triple integral equations stemming from the problem is reduced to a Fredholm integral equation of the second kind. The solution method, which is tailored to capture the stress concentrations beneath footing edges, is highlighted. To cater to small-scale geophysical applications, the model is used to investigate the near-field effects of ground-loading system interaction in dynamic geotechnical and pavement testing. Numerical results indicate that the uniform-pressure assumption for the contact load between the composite disc and the ground which is customary in dynamic plate load testing may lead to significant errors in the diagnosis of subsurface soil and pavement conditions. Beyond its direct application to non-intrusive site characterization, the proposed solution can be used in the seismic analysis of a variety of structures involving annular foundation geometries. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Electron microscopy of C. Sporogenes endospore attachment and germination

The bacterial endospores of C. sporogenes ATCC 3584 are quite small (approximately 0.7–1.0 μm in length) and are difficult to examine during the attachment and germination process by conventional light microscopy methods. Although transmission electron microscopy provides high magnification and resolution, it has not been possible to date to visualize the attachment process and surface changes of intact clostridial endospores. With the advent of higher resolution conventional scanning electron microscopes (SEM), it is now possible to study these small spores attached to their nutrient substrate in their intact state and readily obtain detailed morphologic information about the attachment, germination, and outgrowth process. Spores were examined in their dormant, dehydrated state and allowed to germinate. Samples were prepared for light, transmission, and SEM under anaerobic conditions for morphologic and histochemical examination. SEM revealed that the spores developed a distinct polarity at the beginning of the germination process and that the exosporial membrane at this time produced projections that attached the spore to a substrate. These projections were altered by calcium chelation with EDTA and the presence of barium. Following colchicine and cytochalasin B treatment, the exosporial membrane projections were morphologically altered and the germination sequence was modified. Histochemical examination of the spores suggested that calcium was predominantly located in the protoplast and spore coat.
The vital few versus the trivial many: examining the Pareto principle for software

This paper discusses the Pareto principle as it relates to the distribution of software defects in code. We look at evidence in the context of both the software test team, and users of the software. We also investigate two related principles. The first principle is that the distribution of defects in code relates to the distribution of complexity in code. The second principle is that how we define complexity relates to the distribution of defects in code. We present this work as an empirical study of three general hypotheses investigated for large production-level software; we show that the essence of the principle holds, while precise percentages do not.
That Government Man Tried to Poison All the Klallam Indians: Metanarratives of History and Colonialism on the Central Northwest Coast

Stories about the past offer important clues for understanding how people articulate the role of history within different cultural contexts. Coast Salish narratives collected by John P. Harrington concerning early colonial encounters on the Olympic Peninsula reveal indigenous methods for engaging and representing the past. Telling stories about the colonial period enabled Klallam people to frame traumatic cultural ruptures on their own terms. Two brief narratives analyzed here illustrate that such stories are not raw data to be turned into "real" history by Western academics but instead are evidence of a coeval Coast Salish historiography.
Joint estimation of calibration and expression for high-density oligonucleotide arrays

Motivation: The need for normalization in microarray experiments has been well documented in the literature. Currently, many analysis methods treat normalization and analysis as a series of steps, with summarized data carried forward to the next step. Results: We present a unified algorithm which incorporates normalization and class comparison in one analysis using probe level perfect match and mismatch data. The algorithm is based on calibration models common to most biological assays, and the resulting chip-specific parameters have a natural interpretation. We show that the algorithm fits into the statistical generalized linear models framework, describe a practical fitting strategy and present results of the algorithm applied to an example dataset as well as based on metrics used in affycomp. The algorithm ranks amongst the top third of the affycomp competitors, performing best in measures of bias. Availability: R functions are available on request from the authors. Contact: oberg.ann@mayo.edu
Hereditary cholinesterase deficiency: A report of a family with two rare genotypes

Cholinesterase deficiency was detected in a young girl following an episode of postanesthesia apnea. Subsequently, plasma and serum cholinesterase levels and dibucaine numbers were determined on blood samples from 56 members of her extended family. Including the proband, three individuals were identified with severe cholinesterase deficiency and 12 were found to have mild abnormalities. The occurrence of two genetic variants regulating cholinesterase production, the "silent" gene and the atypical enzyme, is postulated to account for the unusual pattern of inheritance in this family. Screening family members of confirmed cases is essential to prevent the potentially fatal consequences of this hereditary disorder.
Transcriptome profiling of human FoxP3+ regulatory T cells

The major goal of this study was to perform an in depth characterization of the "gene signature" of human FoxP3(+) T regulatory cells (Tregs). Highly purified Tregs and T conventional cells (Tconvs) from multiple healthy donors (HD), either freshly explanted or activated in vitro, were analyzed via RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) and gene expression changes validated using the nCounter system. Additionally, we analyzed microRNA (miRNA) expression using TaqMan low-density arrays. Our results confirm previous studies demonstrating selective gene expression of FoxP3, IKZF2, and CTLA4 in Tregs. Notably, a number of yet uncharacterized genes (RTKN2, LAYN, UTS2, CSF2RB, TRIB1, F5, CECAM4, CD70, ENC1 and NKG7) were identified and validated as being differentially expressed in human Tregs. We further characterize the functional roles of RTKN2 and LAYN by analyzing their roles in vitro human Treg suppression assays by knocking them down in Tregs and overexpressing them in Tconvs. In order to facilitate a better understanding of the human Treg gene expression signature, we have generated from our results a hypothetical interactome of genes and miRNAs in Tregs and Tconvs.
Gap Filling, Hedge Funds, and Financial Innovation

In this paper, we examine changes in financial instruments and institutions by contrasting the successes and failures of institutional shareholder activism during the 1990s with more recent developments in hedge fund activism and the use of financial innovation. We find that although institutional investor activism was the watch word of the 1990's, overall traditional institutional activism has been of marginal importance at targeted firms. In contrast, there is evidence of real monitoring in the more aggressive recent activism of hedge fund managers, in part because financial innovation has generated a host of new opportunities that did not exist a decade ago. To illustrate these points, we compare institutional activism and hedge fund activism with respect to voting, litigation, and change of control contests. We also categorize the costs and benefits of four major types of strategies activist hedge funds recently have pursued: information asymmetry and convergence trades; capital structure motivated trades; merger and risk arbitrage; and, most controversially, governance and strategy. We conclude with a discussion of the policy implications of our work, pointing out some of the regulatory challenges created by this new wave of investor activism.
Recent advances in pulmonary drug delivery using large, porous inhaled particles

The ability to deliver proteins and peptides to the systemic circulation by inhalation has contributed to a rise in the number of inhalation therapies under investigation. For most of these therapi...
Cutting-edge practice model: Experience in a community hospital system.

In 2006, Providence Health and Services developed a common vision for clinical pharmacy practice throughout its 27-hospital system. Soon thereafter, we began using a clinical intervention documentation tool that allowed us to compare outcomes among hospitals according to the presence or absence of
Sensitivity to molecular order of the electrical conductivity in oligothiophene monolayer films.

Using conducting probe atomic force microscopy (CAFM), we show that electrical conductivity in oligothiophene molecular films deposited on SiO2/Si wafers is extremely sensitive to degree of crystalline order in the film. By locally distorting the molecular order in the films through the controlled application of pressure with the AFM tip, the lateral charge transport was reduced by factors varying from 2 to 10, even when no changes in the height of the film could be observed.
Neutron Imaging of a Two-Phase Refrigerant Flow

Void fraction remains a crucial parameter in understanding and characterizing two-phase flow. It appears as a key variable in both heat transfer and pressure drop correlations of two-phase flows, from the macro to micro-channel scale. Void fraction estimation dictates the sizing of both evaporating and condensing phase change heat exchangers, for example. In order to measure void fraction some invasive approach is necessary. Typically, visualization is achieved either downstream of the test section or on top by machining to expose the channel. Both approaches can lead to inaccuracies. The former assumes the flow will not be affected moving from the heat exchanger surface to the transparent section. The latter distorts the heat flow path.Neutron Imaging can provide a non-invasive measurement because metals such as Aluminum are essentially transparent to neutrons. Hence, if a refrigerant is selected that provides suitable neutron attenuation; steady-state void fraction measurements in two-phase flow are attainable in-situ without disturbing the fluid flow or heat flow path.Neutron Imaging has been used in the past to qualitatively describe the flow in heat exchangers in terms of maldistributions without providing void fraction data. This work is distinguished from previous efforts because the heat exchanger has been designed and the refrigerant selected to avail of neutron imaging.This work describes the experimental flow loop that enables a boiling two-phase flow; the heat exchanger test section and downstream transparent section are described. The flow loop controls the degree of subcooling and the refrigerant flowrate. Heating cartridges embedded in the test section are employed to control the heat input. Neutron-imaged steady-state void fraction measurements are captured and compared to representative high-speed videography captured at the visualization section. This allows a qualitative comparison between neutron imaged and traditional techniques. The measurements are also compared to correlations in the literature.Preliminary void fraction images from a macro-channel flow are presented, consisting of 1 channel, 4mm wide, 4mm high and 83.32mm long. Flow regime identification is examined.The experiments were conducted at the High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) Cold Guide 1D neutron imaging facility at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Teaching in the ICU A Comprehensive Review

Teaching in the fast-paced, high-pressure environment of the ICU can be very demanding. Thus, the educator-intensivist must learn teaching strategies that are time-efficient, simple, and successful. In this article, we provide an overview of the current and relevant teaching theories and highlight potential obstacles and limitations to teaching in the ICU. In the second part, we discuss a sample of simple approaches to optimize the ICU-rotation curriculum as well as effective techniques to improve teaching, while not compromising quality of care.
Quantitative Dietary Studies on Phymata

The predatory bug, Phymata pennsylvanica americana Melin, lends itself well to research on the principles of nymphal growth and adult life as these are affected by quantitatively differentiated rates of feeding. It is common, large and phlegmatic, hence is collected, handled, weighed and dissected with ease, and thrives on the easily-cultured Drosophila melanogaster and Musca domestica.
Orbital transfer vehicle (OTV) system sizing study for manned GEO satellite servicing

In an effort to quantify the feasibility of candidate space architectures for astronauts servicing Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) satellites, a conceptual assessment of architecture-concept and operations-technology combinations has been performed. The focus has been the development of a system with the capability to transfer payload to and from geostationary orbit. Two primary concepts of operations have been selected: (a) Direct insertion/re-entry (Concept of Operations 1 – CONOP 1); (b) Launch to low-earth orbit at Kennedy Space Center inclination angle with an orbital transfer to/from geostationary orbit (Concept of Operations 2 – CONOP 2). The study concludes that a capsule and de-orbit propulsion module system sized for the geostationary satellite servicing mission is feasible for a direct insertion/re-entry concept of operation CONOP 1. Vehicles sized for CONOP 2 show overall total mass savings when utilising the aero-assisted orbital transfer vehicle de-orbit propulsion module options compared to the pure propulsive baseline cases. Overall, the consideration of technical, operational and cost factors determine if either the aero-assisted orbital transfer vehicle concepts or the re-usable/expendable ascent/de-orbit propulsion modules is the preferred option.
When trauma, spirituality, and mental illness intersect: A qualitative case study.

OBJECTIVE: Studies have identified spirituality to be a helpful resource for dealing with various types of trauma experiences. This coincides with a heightened focus on the role of spirituality within trauma-related theory (e.g., spiritual coping, meaning-making, and posttraumatic growth). Little remains known, however, about the relationship between trauma and spirituality among people with severe psychiatric disorders. Meanwhile, a high percentage of those with psychiatric disabilities are known to have trauma histories, whereas a majority self-identify as spiritual and/or religious. METHOD: Two cases from a hermeneutic phenomenological qualitative study of people with co-occurring psychiatric disabilities and trauma histories are highlighted. Themes related to trauma and spirituality are discussed in-depth. RESULTS: Study participants drew upon a variety of spiritual coping strategies (e.g., prayer, meditation, spiritual readings) to help deal with trauma experiences. Participants additionally experienced spiritual struggles--a detailed account is given of a participant who was able to work through such struggles by shifting to a less self-blaming spiritual worldview (e.g., shifted from believing in a "punishing God" to viewing oneself as part of "oneness with humanity"). The study also examined the meaning-making process and shows how concepts such as global and appraised meaning-making are applicable to people with psychiatric disabilities. Finally, unique challenges related to posttraumatic growth are discussed (e.g., intrusive ruminations and "voices" with spiritual themes). CONCLUSION: This study offers useful examples of how spirituality and trauma can impact one another, and how people with psychiatric disabilities draw upon spirituality to cope as they strive for recovery. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) Language: en
Herpes simplex latent infection: quantitation of latency-associated transcript-positive neurons and reactivable neurons.

Abstract Dorsal root ganglion neurons, which express herpes simplex virus (HSV) latency-associated transcript (LAT) during experimental latent infection, were investigated by in situ hybridization. The number of LAT-positive neurons was determined by examination of ganglion serial sections. In other latently infected mice, the number of ganglion neurons that reactivated HSV antigen after explant culture was determined in serial sections. LAT was detected in 100 percent of ganglia, with an average of 19.5 LAT-positive neurons per ganglion. After explant culture of latently infected ganglia (in the presence of colchicine to decrease spread of reactivated virus), HSV antigen was detected in 94 percent of ganglia, with an average of 13.1 positive neurons in the antigen-positive ganglia. The similar quantities of LAT- and antigen-positive neurons within ganglia support the hypothesis that LAT-positive neurons were the neurons from which HSV was reactivated.
Wegener's granulomatosis presenting with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage and negative antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody test.

ABSTRACT One of the causes of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates can be blood from diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Other causes include malignancy, edema fluid, infections, and protein (blood, pus, water, cells, or protein). Autoimmune vasculitis, such as Wegener's granulomatosis, should be considered in the setting of diffuse pulmonary infiltrates, anemia, systemic symptoms, and recurrence despite antibiotic therapy. Antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody testing can be useful but is not always diagnostic. Early tissue biopsy should be considered to guide therapy. We present a case of Wegener's granulomatosis that presented with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage. Diagnosis was made through renal biopsy; however, antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody testing was negative. A brief overview of pulmonaryrenal vasculitides is also presented.
Computation of Solutions

The fact is that most differential equations cannot be solved with simple analytic formulas. Therefore we are interested in developing methods to approximate solutions. An approximation can be a formula, or it can arise as a data set or plot obtained by a computer algorithm. The latter forms the basis of modern scientific computation, and it may be the most useful topic in this book for future scientists and engineers. In particular, we introduce the Euler, modifed Euler, and Runge-Kutta methods for numerically solving differential equations. No specific knowledge of software packages is assumed. However, in an appendix we introduce basic commands in MATLAB for interested readers.
Pocock, Machiavelli and Political Contingency in Foreign Affairs: Republican Existentialism Outside (and Within) the City

SUMMARYIn this essay, inspired by J.G.A. Pocock's appropriation of Machiavelli's theory of political contingency, and building upon my previous engagements with Pocock's ‘republican existentialism’, I focus on the role played by ‘accidents’ in Machiavelli's analysis of war and foreign affairs within The Prince and the Discourses. In so doing, I consider the following issues: the ways through which a potential imperial hegemon might consolidate control over nearby lesser powers—and, conversely, how such less powerful polities might resist imperial encroachments on their autonomy; the contrasting military modes and orders characteristic of ancient and modern republics; and the extent to which Machiavelli actually thought that accidents in foreign affairs were ever truly ‘accidental’ in light of his determinations concerning well- versus badly ordered domestic institutions.
The Quest for the Universal Semiconductor Memory

This paper examines the requisites for emerging semiconductor memory technologies to becoming potential candidates replacing all or most of the existing semiconductor memory technologies.
Building Identity in Collegiate Midlevel Choral Ensembles: The Director’s Perspective

This study was designed to explore the director’s perspective on the role organizational images play in social identity development in midlevel choral ensembles. Using a phenomenological methodolog...
Differential Effects on Cell Cycle Regulators by AML1-ETO and a C-Terminal Truncated AML1-ETO (From Tumor Suppressor to Oncogene).

Abstract The fusion protein AML1-ETO created by the 8;21 translocation involved in de novo acute myeloid leukemia requires secondary mutational events to promote leukemia. Here, we report that the loss of the molecular events associated with AML1-ETO C-terminus including an NCoR/SMRT interacting domain transforms AML1-ETO into a potent leukemogenic protein in mice. Furthermore, we present evidence of aberrant protein expression of cell cycle regulators in a hematopoietic cell line expressing AML1-ETO compared to the leukemogenic truncated form of AML1-ETO (AML1-ETOtr). Our studies show that AML1-ETO and AML1-ETOtr are biochemically isolated from the same cellular compartments, that they can oligomerize, and that they can both efficiently immunoprecipitate the transcription factor Gfi-1. However, contrary to AML1-ETO, AML1-ETOtr does not promote growth arrest. Western analyses show that cell cycle promoting factors cyclin D3 and cyclin A are decreased by AML1-ETO, while their RNA levels remain the same. In addition, an increase in the cdk-inhibitor p21WAF1 is observed in the presence of both proteins, while only AML1-ETO induces high expression of the cdk-inhibitor p27KIP1. These changes are associated with a deregulation of the SCF ubiquitin E3 ligase component Skp2 that is involved in controlling the levels of both cyclins and cdk-inhibitors. These observations suggest that AML1-ETO has tumor suppressor activity. Additional mutations to bypass this effect can change it into an oncogenic protein. Therefore, our results lead to a new model of AML1-ETO in leukemogenesis, i.e., the gain/loss of function of cell cycle regulators to promote cell cycle progression or disruption of molecular events associated with AML1-ETO C-terminal NCoR/SMRT interacting domain are required for AML1-ETO involved leukemogenesis. The disrupted molecular events may include 1) the loss of factor(s) physically interacting with the C-terminal domain of AML1-ETO, 2) the alteration by mutagenesis of signaling pathways downstream of AML1-ETO C-terminal domain, and 3) the dysfunction within AML1-ETO C-terminal domain by truncations or mutations.
Stress and Wound Healing

A wound can be defined as a disruption in the normal structure and function of the skin and soft tissues. Caused by a variety of different etiologies and mechanisms, wounds are further divided into acute or chronic wounds. A loop may ensue as these wounds may also create stress. For patients with diabetes mellitus, the fear of having a new ulcer generates anxiety and distress. Patients healing from burn wounds often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (7 % at discharge and 22 % at follow up). Moreover, stress and pain can result from wound care itself. Dressing changes are often painful for patients, doctor’s appointments and wound care visits can be taxing financially and time consuming, thus inducing anxiety and stress.
Phylogenomics using formalin-fixed and 100+ year-old intractable natural history specimens.

Museum specimens provide a wealth of information to biologists, but obtaining genetic data from formalin-fixed and fluid-preserved specimens remains challenging. While DNA sequences have been recovered from such specimens, most approaches are time-consuming and produce low data quality and quantity. Here, we use a modified DNA extraction protocol combined with high-throughput sequencing to recover DNA from formalin-fixed and fluid-preserved snakes that were collected over a century ago and for which little or no modern genetic materials exist in public collections. We successfully extracted DNA and sequenced ultraconserved elements (x¯ = 2318 loci) from 10 fluid-preserved snakes and included them in a phylogeny with modern samples. This phylogeny demonstrates the general use of such specimens in phylogenomic studies and provides evidence for the placement of enigmatic snakes, such as the rare and never-before sequenced Indian Xylophis stenorhynchus. Our study emphasizes the relevance of museum collections in modern research and simultaneously provides a protocol that may prove useful for specimens that have been previously intractable for DNA sequencing.
Effects of surface orientation, fluid chemistry and mechanical polishing on the variability of dolomite dissolution rates

Abstract Recent studies of carbonate surface reactivity have underscored the fundamental variability of dissolution rates and the heterogeneous distribution of the reaction over the mineral surface due to the inhomogeneous distribution of surface energy. Dolomite dissolution rates relative to different cleavage planes (r-planes) and surfaces cut approximately perpendicular to the c-axis (c-planes) were studied at 50 °C as a function of pH (3.4 ≤ pH ≤ 9.0) and solution composition by vertical scanning interferometry (VSI) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), with the aim of providing an estimate of the intrinsic rate variation of dolomite single crystals and describing the surface reaction distribution and the rate controlling mechanisms. Surface normal retreat rates measured under acidic conditions increased linearly with time and were not visibly affected by the parallel increase of surface roughness. Mean total dissolution rates of r-planes decreased by over 200 times from pH 3.4 to pH 9.0 and CO32–-rich solutions, whereas corresponding rate variations spanned over 3 orders of magnitude when also c-plane rate distributions were included in the analysis. At acid to near neutral pH, c-planes dissolved ∼ three times faster than the adjoining r-planes but slower at basic pH and high total carbon concentration, displaying a distinctive morphologic evolution in these two regimes. The comparison of polished and unpolished crystals showed that polished cleavage planes dissolved about three times faster than the unpolished counterpart at near neutral to basic conditions, whereas no significant difference in reactivity was observed at pH Although experimental data and observations indicate a tendency of dolomite faces to reach a low-energy topography over the course of the reaction, the evolution of the entire crystal morphology depends also on the reactivity of edge and corner regions, whose contribution to measured rates is not generally taken into account by laboratory experiments. The study of time-dependent mineral morphology and reactivity requires an integrated approach of kinetic modeling and experimentation, where measured rate variance and observed reaction mechanisms represent fundamental parameters for the improvement of geochemical models in predicting long-term reaction rates in a wide range of environmental conditions.
Local Box–Cox transformation on time-varying parametric models for smoothing estimation of conditional CDF with longitudinal data

ABSTRACTNonparametric estimation and inferences of conditional distribution functions with longitudinal data have important applications in biomedical studies, such as epidemiological studies and longitudinal clinical trials. Estimation approaches without any structural assumptions may lead to inadequate and numerically unstable estimators in practice. We propose in this paper a nonparametric approach based on time-varying parametric models for estimating the conditional distribution functions with a longitudinal sample. Our model assumes that the conditional distribution of the outcome variable at each given time point can be approximated by a parametric model after local Box–Cox transformation. Our estimation is based on a two-step smoothing method, in which we first obtain the raw estimators of the conditional distribution functions at a set of disjoint time points, and then compute the final estimators at any time by smoothing the raw estimators. Applications of our two-step estimation method have bee...
Borderline personality disorder traits and sexual compliance: A fear of abandonment manipulation.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) traits are primarily characterized by frantic efforts to avoid abandonment and unstable interpersonal relationships. Sexual coercion and consequently sexual compliance are overrepresented in the romantic relationships of those with BPD traits. The present study examined whether this association is altered after inducing fear of abandonment with a novel false feedback manipulation. After receiving an accurate personality assessment, 130 undergraduate women were randomly told how well they match with their current romantic partner—either in 11th percentile or the 89th. Our manipulation decreased mood and relationship expectations in the poorly matched condition; these effects were positive in the highly matched condition. We found that this fear of abandonment manipulation moderated the association between BPD traits and hypothetical sexual compliance. In the poorly matched condition, participants predicted that they would be more likely to engage in unwanted sexual activity the more BPD traits they endorsed (s = 0.498, p < 0.001, ηp2 = 0.257); this association was not present in the highly matched condition (s = 0.209, p = 0.102, ηp2 = 0.045). Knowing that the relationship between BPD traits and sexual compliance may be situational increases our understanding of the relationships of people with BPD traits.
Wrist Force Sensor Feedback for Improved Actuation Performance in Conventional Arms

Abstract Torque control is an effective technique for improving robot performance. However, most conventional robots are not equipped with torque sensors, and they are difficult to add without modifying the robot's mechanical structure. The paper presents a new method that allows torque feedback to be implemented in the absence of joint-torque sensors. This technique estimates the torque components acting in the force-control subspace, using a conventional wrist force sensor. This approach has been implemented and experimentally validated using a PUMA 560 manipulator. The results confirm the effectiveness of this method in dealing with the limitations of conventional actuation/transmission systems.
Noninferiority Trials in Interventional Cardiology

The hallmark of interventional cardiology is innovation. As such, iterative or novel therapies are continually developed and investigated in randomized controlled trials. Historically, most randomized controlled trials have aimed to determine the superiority of one intervention over another. However, failure to identify a difference does not necessarily imply equivalence. Increasingly, randomized controlled trials in interventional cardiology are conducted to determine whether a new treatment is no worse than another treatment with respect to its therapeutic efficacy (so-called noninferiority trials).1–4 Demonstrating therapeutic noninferiority is worthwhile because newer treatments often have advantages compared with current ones, such as lower cost, ease of use, less risk, fewer side effects, etc. A noninferiority trial seeks to demonstrate that a new treatment is not inferior to a standard treatment by a prespecified amount, referred to as the noninferiority margin or Δ, for the primary end point.5,6 The common statistical approach is to compare the upper limit of the 2-sided 95% confidence interval (CI) around the treatment difference point estimate with the prespecified Δ. If the upper limit of this 95% CI is less than Δ and crosses zero, noninferiority of the new treatment relative to the standard treatment is established (Figure).6 Therefore, determination of Δ is a critical step in the design of a noninferiority trial. This can often be a challenging task because Δ cannot be directly measured in the trial itself but must be estimated based on prior studies, preferably random-effects meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials of a standard treatment. The Δ is typically defined in terms of some fraction ( f ) of the standard treatment effect to be preserved. The choice of f is a matter of clinical judgment and depends on several factors, such as the seriousness of the primary end point (higher values …
The Ambiguity in Clarifying Expectations

This chapter explores how principals clarify organizational expectations to meet the demands levied upon schools. The school’s vision plays an essential and fundamental role in clarifying the expectations for the principal, community members, parents, teachers, school staff members, and students. How the school’s vision is developed, enacted, and sustained is closely linked to how well the school community have a shared understanding of both what the school’s vision means and what expectations are derived from that meaning. Clarifying the meaning underlying expectations is fraught with ambiguity emerging from quandaries of engagement, trust, and focus.