cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using proteomics to uncover extracellular matrix interactions during cardiac remodeling

The left ventricle (LV) responds to a myocardial infarction with an orchestrated sequence of events that result in fundamental changes to both the structure and function of the myocardium. This collection of responses is termed as LV remodeling. Myocardial ischemia resulting in necrosis is the initiating event that culminates in the formation of an extracellular matrix (ECM) rich infarct scar that replaces necrotic myocytes. While the cardiomyocyte is the major cell type that responds to ischemia, infiltrating leukocytes and cardiac fibroblasts coordinate the subsequent wound healing response. The matrix metalloproteinase family of enzymes regulates the inflammatory and ECM responses that modulate scar formation. Matridomics is the proteomic evaluation focused on ECM, while degradomics is the proteomic evaluation of proteases as well as their inhibitors and substrates. This review will summarize the use of proteomics to better understand matrix metalloproteinase roles in post myocardial infarction LV remodeling.
Pastoralism, patriarchy and history : Changing gender relations among Maasai in Tanganyika, 1890-1940

DESPITE the substantial and significant body of scholarly work on changing gender relations among African peoples who are (or were) primarily cultivators, the gender relations of predominantly pastoralist peoples have been, with a few notable exceptions, curiously excluded from historical examination. Instead, despite work which has shown the complexities of trying to determine the ‘status’ of East African pastoralist women, pastoralist gender relations seem to exist outside of history and be immune to change. Earlier anthropological studies that addressed pastoral gender relations applied a synchronic model, analyzing them in terms of either the pastoral mode of production or pastoralist ideology. Harold Schneider, for example, contended that among East African pastoralists, men's control of livestock gave them control of women, who were ‘usually thoroughly subordinated to men and thus unable to establish independent identity as a production force’. In his rich ethnography of Matapato Maasai, Paul Spencer claimed that both male and female Maasai believe in ‘the undisputed right of men to own women as “possessions” ’. Marriage, in his view, was therefore ‘the transfer of a woman as a possession from her father who reared her to her husband who rules her’. Melissa Llewelyn-Davies' study of Loita Maasai women in Kenya corroborated Spencer's findings. Loita Maasai women perceived themselves, and were perceived, as ‘property’, to be bought and sold by men with bridewealth. Llewelyn-Davis argued that ‘elder patriarchs’ used their control of property rights in women, children and livestock to control the production and reproduction of both livestock and human beings. Similarly, in his symbolic analysis of pastoral Maasai ideology, John Galaty contended that Maasai men were the ‘real’ pastoralists, while Maasai women were negatively equated with lower status hunters, providing an ideological explanation for their lower status. Thus, whether they attributed their findings to material or ideological sources (or some combination of the two), few anthropologists questioned the ‘undisputed right’ of contemporary male pastoralists ‘to own women as possessions’.
Detecting inefficiently-used containers to avoid bloat

Runtime bloat degrades significantly the performance and scalability of software systems. An important source of bloat is the inefficient use of containers. It is expensive to create inefficiently-used containers and to invoke their associated methods, as this may ultimately execute large volumes of code, with call stacks dozens deep, and allocate many temporary objects.This paper presents practical static and dynamic tools that can find inappropriate use of containers in Java programs. At the core of these tools is a base static analysis that identifies, for each container, the objects that are added to this container and the key statements (i.e., heap loads and stores) that achieve the semantics of common container operations such as ADD and GET. The static tool finds problematic uses of containers by considering the nesting relationships among the loops where these semantics-achieving statements are located, while the dynamic tool can instrument these statements and find inefficiencies by profiling their execution frequencies.The high precision of the base analysis is achieved by taking advantage of a context-free language (CFL)-reachability formulation of points-to analysis and by accounting for container-specific properties. It is demand-driven and client-driven, facilitating refinement specific to each queried container object and increasing scalability. The tools built with the help of this analysis can be used both to avoid the creation of container-related performance problems early during development, and to help with diagnosis when problems are observed during tuning. Our experimental results show that the static tool has a low false positive rate and produces more relevant information than its dynamic counterpart. Further case studies suggest that significant optimization opportunities can be found by focusing on statically-identified containers for which high allocation frequency is observed at run time.
Enriching short text representation in microblog for clustering

Social media websites allow users to exchange short texts such as tweets via microblogs and user status in friendship networks. Their limited length, pervasive abbreviations, and coined acronyms and words exacerbate the problems of synonymy and polysemy, and bring about new challenges to data mining applications such as text clustering and classification. To address these issues, we dissect some potential causes and devise an efficient approach that enriches data representation by employing machine translation to increase the number of features from different languages. Then we propose a novel framework which performs multi-language knowledge integration and feature reduction simultaneously through matrix factorization techniques. The proposed approach is evaluated extensively in terms of effectiveness on two social media datasets from Facebook and Twitter. With its significant performance improvement, we further investigate potential factors that contribute to the improved performance.
Ethics in Critical Care

Know the four fundamental principles of medical ethics. Understand the importance of obtaining informed consent. Know when an order for no resuscitation is appropriate. Understand the issues regarding withholding and withdrawing life-sustaining therapy, organ donation, and the concept of medical futility. Understand the role of ethics consultation in the critical care setting.
Towards a practical cognitive communication network for satellite systems

We present progress toward the formulation of a mathematical model for a cognitive communication network with applications to satellite systems. Our model employs abstract concepts including communicators, communications channels, and demand for capacity. These model elements may be tailored to represent a wide variety of practical communication scenarios. We present a dynamic automated reasoning methodology which uses the model to find communication resource allocations for specific scenarios that are superior to static scheduling approaches. This reasoning process resolves resource dependencies, enforces communication policies, and learns from previous communication attempts. We have implemented this reasoning process using Answer Set Prolog and used it to plan communications for a constellation of 8 satellites and 3 ground stations. The example demonstrates performance improvement over a static scheduling approach and shows how solutions can be found with reasonable computational effort.
RENAL TUBULAR EXCRETION OF TRIETHYLCHOLINE (TEC) IN THE CHICKEN: ENHANCEMENT AND INHIBITION OF RENAL EXCRETION OF CHOLINE AND ACETYLCHOLINE BY TEC

1. [3H]-triethylcholine (TEC) was actively transported by the renal tubule of the chicken at a rate 85% that of simultaneously administered p-aminohippuric acid (PAH). 2. TEC was demonstrated to be transported by the organic cation transport system in the kidney through inhibition with quinine and the bio-cation choline. 3. When the infusion of TEC was increased to 2 times 10(-6) mol kg(-1) min(-1) reaching the infused kidney, the transport of [3H]-TEC was inhibited, suggesting that an excretory transport maximum for TEC in the renal tubules had been reached. 4. The excretion of both choline and acetylcholine was enhanced by TEC loads as low as 1 times 10(-18) mol kg(-1) min(-1). Enhancement continued as TEC infusion was increased up to approximately 1 times 10(-7) mol kg(-1) min(-1) at which point this enhancement was converted to inhibition. 5. Possible mechanisms for the biphasic effect of TEC on organic cation transport are discussed.
NON-INVASIVE COMPUTERIZED SYSTEM FOR AUTOMATICALLY INITIATING VAGUS NERVE STIMULATION FOLLOWING PATIENT-SPECIFIC DETECTION OF SEIZURES OR EPILEPTIFORM DISCHARGES

Objective: To demonstrate the feasibility of using a computerized system to detect the onset of a seizure and, in response, initiate Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) in patients with medically refractory epilepsy. Methods: We designed and built a non-invasive, computerized system that automatically initiates VNS following the real-time detection of a pre-identified seizure or epileptiform discharge. The system detects these events through patient-specific analysis of the scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals. Results: We evaluated the performance of the system on 5 patients (A-E). For patients A and B the computerized system initiated VNS in response to seizures; for patients C and D the system initiated VNS in response to epileptiform discharges; and for patient E neither seizures nor epileptiform discharges were observed during the evaluation period. During the 81 hour clinical test of the system on patient A, the computerized system detected 5/5 seizures and initiated VNS wi...
Lux vs. wavelength in light treatment of seasonal affective disorder

Objective: Published dosing guidelines for treatment of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) refer to photopic lux, which is not appropriate for short-wavelength light. Short wavelengths are most potent for many non-visual responses to light. If SAD therapy were similarly mediated, standards utilizing lux risk overestimating necessary dose. We investigated antidepressant responses to light using two light-emitting diode (LED) sources, each emitting substantial short-wavelength light, but <2500 lux. Method: A randomized, double-blind trial investigated 3-week 45 min\day out-patient treatment with blue-appearing (goLITEÂ®) or blue-enriched white-appearing light in 18 moderately-depressed adults (12F, 49.1 Â± 9.5 years). Equivalent numbers of photons within the short-wavelength range were emitted, but the white source emitted twice as many photons overall and seven-fold more lux. Results: Depression ratings (SIGH-ADS; http://www.cet.org) decrease averaged 82% (SD = 17%) from baseline (P < 0.0001) in both white- and blue-light groups. Both sources were well tolerated. Conclusion: Short-wavelength LED light sources may be effective in SAD treatment at fewer lux than traditional fluorescent sources. Â© 2009 Blackwell Munksgaard.
Stealing the Keys to the Kitchen: Viral Manipulation of the Host Cell Metabolic Network.

Host cells possess the metabolic assets required for viral infection. Recent studies indicate that control of the host's metabolic resources is a core host–pathogen interaction. Viruses have evolved mechanisms to usurp the host's metabolic resources, funneling them towards the production of virion components as well as the organization of specialized compartments for replication, maturation, and dissemination. Consequently, hosts have developed a variety of metabolic countermeasures to sense and resist these viral changes. The complex interplay between virus and host over metabolic control has only just begun to be deconvoluted. However, it is clear that virally induced metabolic reprogramming can substantially impact infectious outcomes, highlighting the promise of targeting these processes for antiviral therapeutic development.
Personal Financial Coaching, Part I: Basics The Public Needs To Know

In the course of our university service to the community in outreach activities, we have gravitated toward providing occasional group sessions in personal financial planning. On the surface, the content of these financial coaching events may appear elementary to the casual observer. But to the contrary, we have found that personal financial planning is a sorely needed skill set for many in our region. Our typical session touches on the basic elements of family budgeting, retirement planning, goal setting and behavior modification. Those contemplating establishment of a similar program of study may benefit from our field experience.
Toxicity of Three Acaricides to Tetranychus urticae (Tetranychidae: Acari) and Orius insidiosus (Anthocoridae: Hemiptera)

Abstract Management for twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch, populations in peanut, Arachis hypogaea L., relies on acaricides. The outcomes of acaricide applications are most predictable when complete information on their toxicity and specificity is available. Specifically, the degrees to which acaricides impact different stages of T. urticae and natural enemies combined determine the overall efficacy of an acaricide application. The objectives of this study were to determine stage-specific direct and residual efficacies of three acaricides (fenpropathrin, etoxazole, and propargite) against T. urticae, and the direct and residual toxicity of the acaricides to Orius insidiosus (Say) adults. Direct toxicity of acaricides to T. urticae was measured on peanut cuttings. All acaricide treatments caused significant mortality to a mixed stage population of T. urticae, and mortality did not differ among the acaricides 7 d after treatment. When toxicity to eggs was tested, the proportion of eggs that h...
If It's Broke, Fix It: Improving Voting Rights Act Preclearance

In the debate over whether to reauthorize key provisions of the Voting Rights Act of 1965 that expire in 2007, there has been increasing attention to the risk of partisan manipulation in the Justice Department's exercise of its preclearance power. Under Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act, covered jurisdictions must obtain preclearance of election changes from either the U.S. Department of Justice or the U.S. District Court in Washington. Historically, preclearance has served a critical role in protecting racial minorities' access to the vote and in creating districts from which they may elect candidates of their choice. Recent events, however, have called into question whether the Justice Department can be trusted to exercise its Section 5 preclearance power evenhandedly. Its decisions to preclear Texas' 2003 re-redistricting plan and Georgia's 2005 voter identification law have drawn especially vigorous criticism. In both cases, the Justice Department granted preclearance against the recommendation of career staff, who warned that the proposed changes would have a retrogressive effect on African American and Latino voters in violation of Section 5. This article addresses the risk of partisan manipulation in the Justice Department's exercise of its Section 5 preclearance power and recommends changes to the preclearance process that would reduce this risk. After tracing the origins and history of Section 5, the article assesses controversies over the Department's exercise of its preclearance power in the 1990s and 2000s. It concludes that there is a substantial risk of the Justice Department using its discretion to advance the partisan ends of the party in control of the White House, rather than to protect minority voting rights. The article then considers three possible changes to the preclearance process: (1) creating a private right of action under Section 5 for voters who disagree with the Justice Department's decision to grant preclearance; (2) removing preclearance authority from the Justice Department entirely, and placing it in the hands of a bipartisan or nonpartisan agency; and (3) replacing the administrative preclearance process with a negotiation process between community leaders and state or local election authorities. The article suggests a cocktail approach that combines elements of each. It recommends, however, that any changes to the preclearance process be limited to state-level changes. It also recommends that any amendments to the preclearance process not become effective until the year after the next presidential election, so that Congress considers possible changes behind a veil of ignorance as to which party will be in control of the executive branch.
Demystifying the cardiopulmonary code team response.

OBJECTIVE To familiarize the reader with the sequence of events in a hospital-based cardiopulmonary resuscitation. DATA SOURCES The American Heart Association's Textbook of Advanced Cardiac Life Support and the Standards and Guidelines for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiac Care. DATA EXTRACTION The roles and responsibilities of members of the cardiopulmonary code team are discussed. DATA SYNTHESIS A typical code sequence is described, with emphasis on drug therapy. CONCLUSIONS This information will provide a better understanding of the cardiopulmonary resuscitation team response and, in particular, the role of the pharmacist as an integral team member.
Forensic Psychiatry and the Forensic Sciences: In Memory of Peter J. Batten, MD

This commentary is dedicated to the memory of Peter J. Batten, MD. He was a public health physician, a psychiatrist, and a medical examiner who spent his entire career in Salem, the capital of the State of Oregon. Salem was a unique place to work because, early in the history of Oregon, the state elected to build all of its original public institutions in the environs of the city. As the county medical examiner, Dr. Batten reviewed all questionable deaths that occurred within the county and in particular within the public institutions. Many of his findings were subsequently published, and these reports influenced the direction of mental health policy in these same institutions. He also used his position as county medical examiner to examine deaths in road rage incidents and those occurring at railroad crossings in Salem. The commentary also emphasizes the benefits of collaboration within the forensic sciences.
Architectural Topography of the α-Subunit Cytoplasmic Loop in the GABA A Receptor

γ-Aminobutyric acid type A receptor, is a neurotransmitter-gated chloride channel that controls neuronal inhibition and is a crucial target for pharmacological intervention. The ligand-binding and transmembrane domains are highly conserved, well-characterized, and comprehensively studied. However, the intracellular loop domain (ILD) is strikingly variable among the subunit subtypes, and its structure is still a mystery. Using computational approaches and bioinformatics, we garnered new insight into the architectural topology of this region. Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), the abundant ubiquitous glycolytic enzyme, binds to the ILD and regulates channel function. Understanding the structural orientation of the ILD may offer clues to the role of this protein in clustering the receptors at synaptic regions. We propose that positively charged lysine residues, arrayed asymmetrically in helical cylinders, attract acidic phospholipids, such as phosphatidylserine (PS). Since GAPDH also binds PSs, this focal accumulation of lipids recruits GAPDH to this macromolecular aggregate.
Graduate Real Estate Education: The ULI Hines Student Competition as a Pedagogical Tool

In this paper, I explore the potential for using Urban Land Institute (ULI) Hines Student Competition as a pedagogical tool in teaching real estate development. I examine a graduate-level course, within which student teams undertook the ULI Hines Student Competition. I use pre- and post-course student surveys and team self-evaluation questionnaires, observation of team interactions and dynamics, and evaluation of teams' final competition entries to assess student learning. Findings reveal the competition to be a valuable tool in teaching aspects of real estate development in alignment with the theories of problem-based learning (PBL) and team-based learning (TBL). I offer suggestions for improving upon and integrating this teaching model into graduate real estate curricula.
Bacteria: Salmonella Typhi and Salmonella Paratyphi

Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A are host-restricted pathogens whose reservoir is humans. Unlike other Salmonella serovars that primarily cause local intestinal inflammation and diarrhea, Salmonella Typhi and Paratyphi A, B, and C characteristically invade from the gastrointestinal tract into the bloodstream, survive and reproduce within macrophages, and in 1–4% of cases result in chronic carriage. The typhoidal Salmonellas are estimated to cause over 200 000 deaths per year. Typhoid fever is most common in densely populated urban communities where drinking water is contaminated with human feces. Increasing antimicrobial resistance risks increasing case fatality ratios and disease burden in the coming years. Low-cost vaccines and improved drinking water quality and food safety can reduce the burden of typhoid fever.
Connection Between Thermodynamics and Dynamics of Simple Fluids in Pores: Impact of Fluid-Fluid Interaction Range and Fluid-Solid Interaction Strength.

Using molecular simulations, we investigate how the range of fluid–fluid (adsorbate–adsorbate) interactions and the strength of fluid–solid (adsorbate–adsorbent) interactions impact the strong connection between distinct adsorptive regimes and distinct self-diffusivity regimes reported in [Krekelberg, W. P.; Siderius, D. W.; Shen, V. K.; Truskett, T. M.; Errington, J. R. Langmuir 2013, 29, 14527−14535]. Although increasing the fluid–fluid interaction range changes both the thermodynamics and the dynamic properties of adsorbed fluids, the previously reported connection between adsorptive filling regimes and self-diffusivity regimes remains. Increasing the fluid–fluid interaction range leads to enhanced layering and decreased self-diffusivity in the multilayer-formation regime but has little effect on the properties within film-formation and pore-filling regimes. We also find that weakly attractive adsorbents, which do not display distinct multilayer formation, are hard-sphere-like at super- and subcritical...
Diffusion of a Small Molecule in the Aqueous Compartment of Mammalian Cells

Cell biologists, biochemists, biophysicists, and other life scientists who study the mammalian cell are in general concerned with the basic questions, What is the cell made of? How does it work? In order to answer these questions, scientists are continuing to develop new techniques and approaches which are revealing a variety of information. It is interesting that some of this information remains buried, only to be rediscovered a decade or so later as new or even old models of cell structure and function are proposed (see Conklin, 1940, for an historical review).
Membrane Current and Membrane Potential from Single-Channel Kinetics

The problem we wish to address in this chapter is how an action potential is constructed from the time- and voltage-dependent kinetics of single-channel currents. In order to solve this problem, we must know how channels behave in a free-running, unclamped membrane. When channels open or close, membrane voltage changes. Since opening and closing are themselves voltage dependent, channel kinetics are self perturbing. This chapter presents a model of channel kinetics in an unclamped membrane and how channel fluctuations are related to membrane excitability.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis in Infants with Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome Following Stage 1 Palliation or Heart Transplant.

Previous studies of necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) among infants with hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS) were conducted in single centers or had small sample sizes. This study aimed to determine the mortality rate and the risk factors for NEC among infants with HLHS who were discharged over a 10-year period (2004–2013) from 41 Pediatric Health Information System affiliated children’s hospitals. Either stage 1 palliation and/or heart transplant were completed prior to patient’s death or hospital discharge. We compared the characteristics of infants with HLHS who did not develop NEC and those who developed medical or surgical NEC and of patients who had medical vs. surgical NEC. The primary outcome was mortality over time and by birth weight category (low birth weight [LBW], birth weight < 2500 vs. ≥ 2500 g). Multivariable analyses were performed to identify the risk factors for developing NEC and for mortality among infants with HLHS. The study evaluated 5720 infants with HLHS including 349 patients (6.1%) with medical or surgical NEC. Fifty-two patients (0.9%) required laparotomy or percutaneous abdominal drainage. On univariable analysis, the overall mortality rate for infants who developed NEC was significantly higher than infants who did not develop NEC (23.5 vs. 13.9%, P < 0.001). On multivariable analysis, neither medical nor surgical NEC was a significant predictor of mortality in the study population. LBW infants were at higher risk for mortality in both the univariable and the multivariable models. Nevertheless, LBW did not significantly predispose infants with HLHS to develop NEC. Our results provide a national benchmark incidence of NEC, its risk factors, and outcomes among a large cohort of infants with HLHS and establish that NEC is not a significant risk factor for mortality in this population.
Brain Morphogenesis and Developmental Neurotoxicology

Abstract The developing brain is a self-organizing system that incorporates environmental influences into its structure and function. Morphologic features of the developing brain are emergent properties of dynamic interactions, and the differentiation of particular brain regions depends on the whole. System biology holds promise for revealing the dynamics of brain morphogenesis and its vulnerability and resilience to toxic insult. With an increased emphasis on systems, the focus of developmental neurotoxicology shifts from reductionist to holistic approaches. The dynamics of morphogenesis provides a structural context for linkages across biological levels, linkages that are critical to a holistic approach. We briefly explore three examples of emergent properties of brain morphogenesis: sensory pathways, neurovascular coupling, and engrams. We then present preliminary observations from our assessments of the zebrafish brain. Finally, we speculate on how morphology may help inform holistic models of the developing brain that have the potential to simulate developmental neurotoxicity.
Computational studies of micellar and nanoparticle nanomedicines

Nanomedicines are typically formed by nanocarriers which can deliver in a targeted manner drugs poorly soluble in blood, increase their therapeutic activities, and reduce their side effects. Many tested nanomedicines are formed by lipids, polymers, and other amphiphilic molecules isolated or self-assembled into various complexes and micelles, functionalized nanoparticles, and other bio-compatible composite materials. Here, we show how atomistic molecular dynamics simulations can be used to characterize and optimize the structure, stability, and activity of selected nanomedicines. We discuss modeling of nanomedicines based on micelles, which can deliver selected therapeutic agents, and nanoparticles designed to act like large drugs. We show how to model nanomedicines interacting with lipid membranes, viruses, and amyloid fibrils.
Ultrasonic Interaction of Bats and Moths

Much of the work described in this paper has been recently reviewed and discussed (Roeder and Treat, 1961b). Details of the experiments and a review of the earlier literature on hearing in moths are to be found in earlier papers (Roeder and Treat, 1957, 1961a, 1961c). Therefore, only a short statement of the general objectives of the work and a summary of the findings will be presented here.
Hate Crimes and the War on Terror

This chapter, which will be part of a 5 volume treatise entitled, Hate Crimes: Perspectives and Approaches (Barbara Perry ed. forthcoming 2009), situates the private acts of hate violence committed against Arab-Americans, Muslim-Americans, Sikh-Americans, and South Asian-Americans in the aftermath of 9/11 into the broader context of the war on terror. In Part I, after providing some general background information on hate crimes, I discuss some of the hate crimes committed in the aftermath of 9/11. In Part II, I examine two common stereotypes about Arabs and Muslims which likely contributed to the post 9/11 backlash against Arabs and Muslims and those perceived to be Arab or Muslim: the Arab-as-Terrorist stereotype and the Arab-as-Foreigner stereotype. In Part III, I suggest that government action in the war on terror was influenced by and reinforced these stereotypes. I conclude by discussing broader possible implications of the Arab-as-Terrorist stereotype.
Astronomía sin telescopios. Conceptos mayas del orden astronómico

El camino que hacia finales del siglo XIX y principios de este emprendieron entre otros, Forsteman y Bowditch, para el estudio de las inscripciones jeroglificas, tuvo diferentes fines; uno de ellos fue el de conocer la astronomia maya precolombina. En el interin, el analisis de estos jeroglificos y su iconografia, asi como el estudio de los restos de ciertos arreglos arquitectonicos, han arrojado algunas luces acerca de cuales cuerpos celestes fueron importantes para los mayas. A pesar de todo, aun sabemos muy poco acerca del como los mayas percibieron las propiedades fisicas del Sol, la Luna, las estrellas y los planetas. Muchas interrogantes permanecen todavia sin respuesta; como por ejemplo, de que manera conceptualizaron el fenomeno del movimiento de los astros, de su propiedad como fuentes de luz y de las relaciones que guardaban entre si.
Reconstruction of Hemi-Tip and Ala with Single Interpolated Paramedian Forehead Flap for Lining and Cover

A 59-year-old man developed a basal cell carcinoma of the left nostril, which was resected and the defect reconstructed with an auricular cartilage structural graft and a right interpolated paramedian forehead flap. These procedures were performed by another surgeon and the details of the surgery were not available. The patient was referred to the author several years later with either a recurrence of his malignancy or a new basal cell carcinoma of the reconstructed left nostril. Examination of the nose demonstrated a well-healed paramedian forehead flap that had been transferred to the left nasal sidewall and nostril. The flap displayed hyperemia resulting in a poor color match with the adjacent nasal skin. There was an ulcerating basal cell carcinoma involving the reconstructed left nostril margin which extended cephaled into the sidewall and laterally toward the cheek. The patient reported no health problems but smoked one pack of cigarettes a day and had done so for 40 years.
The Role of Nonradiative Processes in the Spectroscopy of Optically Active Centers in Solids

This article deals with the basic mechanisms responsible for the radiative and nonradiative relaxations of optically active centers in solids. In the first section the systems and the basic interactions affecting them are defined. The second section deals with the quantum theory of molecular systems: the adiabatic (Born-Oppenheimer) approximation is introduced and its implications are discussed. The subject of the third section is the “phonon” system, namely the system of vibrations of the solid; the two pictures of harmonic oscillators and, when applicable, of phonons, are considered. The fourth section deals with the Franck-Condon principle and the basic processes of absorption, induced emission, and spontaneous emission; a simple model based on a single normal coordinate is used in order to derive the Pekar formula and the Huang and Rhys formula. The fifth section introduces the basic mechanism for the nonradiative relaxation, due to deviations from the adiabatic approximation, and treats the nonradiative transitions in terms of the normal coordinates of the solid. Finally the last section deals with the phenomenon of energy transfer among optically active centers in solids, a process that may provide an additional nonradiative decay path to an excited optical center.
Branding in the era of digital (dis)intermediation

Abstract Marketing academics are keenly aware of the seismic shifts in today's marketing environment caused by digital (dis)intermediation. In this article, we discuss four types of digital (dis)intermediation, and how they affect branding activities of incumbents and new firms. First, we discuss digital transaction intermediation, a development that is closely tied to the rise of ecommerce retailers. A second type is digital transaction disintermediation associated with the rise of ecommerce D2C models. These first two types of digital (dis) intermediation are primarily top-down processes, where firms are developing new ways to sell their brands to consumers. The next two types of digital (dis) intermediation are of the bottom-up kind — the consumer is in the driver's seat. Digital marketing intermediation and the rise of D2C brand-building models is powered by crowdsourcing. A final development is digital marketing disintermediation, which is closely tied to the rise of C2C models. We present issues in need of future research for each type of digital (dis)intermediation. We conclude with an appeal that marketing takes the lead in developing overarching, indigenous theories of digital (dis)intermediation to make sense of the rapid changes in the marketplace.
Pancreatic cyst fluid harboring a KRAS mutation

A 55-yr-old woman presented with abdominal bloating for approximately 1 year. Imaging studies showed a cyst in the body of the pancreas with proximal pancreatic ductal dilation. An endoscopic ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration (EUS-FNA) was performed. Cytologic findings from the cyst fluid were consistent with a mucinous neoplastic cyst, and the possibility of malignancy could not be entirely excluded. A KRAS mutation analysis was performed on the cyst fluid using the Idylla system and circulating tumor KRAS (ctKRAS) cartridge (Biocartis, Mechelen, Belgium), which tests for actionable mutations in exons 2, 3, and 4 of the KRAS gene. Idylla testing detected a KRAS G12D mutation in the cyst fluid. The patient subsequently underwent a distal subtotal pancreatectomy with splenectomy. Microscopic examination of the resected tissue revealed an intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasm (IPMN) with an associated invasive carcinoma. KRAS testing on the resected tumor tissue confirmed the G12D mutation detected in the cyst fluid earlier. The described rapid testing of KRAS directly from the pancreatic cyst fluid can complement cytology assessment to classify pancreatic cysts more reliably and can potentially be of significant help when other cyst findings are nondiagnostic.
Serum Potassium Levels at Hospital Discharge and One-Year Mortality among Hospitalized Patients

Background and Objectives: The optimal range of serum potassium at hospital discharge is unclear. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between discharge serum potassium levels and one-year mortality in hospitalized patients. Materials and Methods: All adult hospital survivors between 2011 and 2013 at a tertiary referral hospital, who had available admission and discharge serum potassium data, were enrolled. End-stage kidney disease patients were excluded. Discharge serum potassium was defined as the last serum potassium level measured within 48 h prior to hospital discharge and categorized into ≤2.9, 3.0–3.4, 3.5–3.9, 4.0–4.4, 4.5–4.9, 5.0–5.4 and ≥5.5 mEq/L. A Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to assess the independent association between discharge serum potassium and one-year mortality after hospital discharge, using the discharge potassium range of 4.0–4.4 mEq/L as the reference group. Results: Of 57,874 eligible patients, with a mean discharge serum potassium of 4.1 ± 0.4 mEq/L, the estimated one-year mortality rate after discharge was 13.2%. A U-shaped association was observed between discharge serum potassium and one-year mortality, with the nadir mortality in the discharge serum potassium range of 4.0–4.4 mEq/L. After adjusting for clinical characteristics, including admission serum potassium, both discharge serum potassium ≤3.9 mEq/L and ≥4.5 mEq/L were significantly associated with increased one-year mortality, compared with the discharge serum potassium of 4.0–4.4 mEq/L. Stratified analysis based on admission serum potassium showed similar results, except that there was no increased risk of one-year mortality when discharge serum potassium was ≤3.9 mEq/L in patients with an admission serum potassium of ≥5.0 mEq/L. Conclusion: The association between discharge serum potassium and one-year mortality after hospital discharge had a U-shaped distribution and was independent of admission serum potassium. Favorable survival outcomes occurred when discharge serum potassium was strictly within the range of 4.0–4.4 mEq/L.
Estimation of case-fatality rate in COVID-19 patients with hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the New York State

We estimated the case-fatality rate (CFR) and ratios (RR) in adult COVID-19 cases with hypertension and diabetes mellitus in the New York State. We found that the elderly population had a higher CFR, but the elevated CFR ratios associated with comorbidities are more pronounced for the younger population.
A Case Report of Malignant Eccrine Porocarcinoma Involving the Palm Requiring Surgical Excision and Free Flap Reconstruction

BACKGROUND Eccrine porocarcinoma (EPC) was first described in 1963 as an epidermotropic eccrine carcinoma. Fifty years later, its etiology remains poorly understood. The infrequent nature of this disease merits further inquiry into its etiology, presentation, and standards of management. Furthermore, the propensity for metastasis, which may be as high as 31% on presentation, increases the importance of investigating this rare disease. CASE REPORT The patient was a 63-year-old mechanic who presented with the lesion as a chronic wound following a chemical exposure. The lesion involved the ulnar aspect of his right palm and had concern for extension to the underlying tendons. He underwent a wide excision extending from the wrist to the proximal interphalangeal joint, preserving the ulnar neurovascular bundle. The hand was reconstructed with an anterolateral thigh fascia perforator flap and a skin graft. He had an excellent functional and cosmetic recovery. Unfortunately, he developed metastases to the lymph nodes, necessitating an axillary lymphadenectomy followed by adjuvant chemoradiation using concurrent cisplatin and docetaxel with radiation for 6 weeks. Follow-up at 18 months found no recurrence. CONCLUSIONS Cases of EPC presenting in the fingers have been managed with amputation of the involved phalanges; however, in addition to obtaining complete excision with negative margins, surgeons who deal with tumors of the hand must also consider the goals of limb preservation, functional preservation, and functional reconstruction. Options for reconstruction following excision include primary closure, dermal regeneration templates, skin grafts, flaps, and free-tissue transfer, depending on what tissue types are needed.
Examining Preoperative Expectations and Postoperative Satisfaction in Rhinoplasty Patients: A Single-Center Study.

Background: In Rhinoplasty, understanding patient expectations are pivotal in achieving an optimal surgical outcome. Objective: To understand preoperative expectations and postoperative satisfactio...
Teaching Sustainability Practice through Service Learning: A Case Study of Reducing Food Waste

This case report details the collaboration and integration of three distinct courses using a service-learning approach for a grant-based environmental project at the University of Southern Maine (U...
Institutional Aspects of the Power Abuse Problem in Healthcare Under Totalitarian Rule: Case of Nazi Germany

German Imperial Government fearing socialist rivals’ would benefit from the possible success of private non-commercial healthcare insurance prevented the rise of thereof. The governmental run system was established instead. The trend was solidified by social-democratic and other governments during the Weimar Republic period. German physicians’ experience to work for government first and foremost in the framework of non-patient interests centered system make this professional group the most adaptive to Nazi totalitarian rule. While under free society and democratic rule information asymmetry problem is mitigated more or less successfully by a number of reliable, tested solutions, under totalitarian rule, doctor-patient asymmetry not counted as a problem at all (at the best).
A new approach for measuring water concentration in oil using copper sulfate powder and infrared spectroscopy.

Abstract An approach for measuring water concentration in oil, based on the use of CuSO4 particles and infrared spectroscopy, is described. The particles interact with both dissolved water and water droplets to form the monohydrate, CuSO4·H2O. These particles are collected on an infrared transparent membrane and then an infrared spectrum in transmission mode is recorded. Strong interaction of the water with the CuSO4 shifts and intensifies the water bending mode to produce a unique band at 1743 cm−1. The method provided values which are equivalent to those measured by Karl Fischer titration over the range of 10 to 3500 mg L-1 with a linearity R2 value of > 0.99 and an average %RSD for all measurements was 6%. No matrix specific calibrations are required.
Recent Progress in Materials Chemistry to Advance Flexible Bioelectronics in Medicine

Designing bioelectronic devices that seamlessly integrate with the human body is a technological pursuit of great importance. Bioelectronic medical devices that reliably and chronically interface with the body can advance neuroscience, health monitoring, diagnostics, and therapeutics. Recent major efforts focus on investigating strategies to fabricate flexible, stretchable, and soft electronic devices, and advances in materials chemistry have emerged as fundamental to the creation of the next generation of bioelectronics. In this review, the summarize contemporary advances and forthcoming technical challenges related to three principal components of bioelectronic devices: (i) substrates and structural materials, (ii) barrier and encapsulation materials, and (iii) conductive materials. Through notable illustrations from the literature, integration and device fabrication strategies and associated challenges for each material class are highlighted. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Architectural study of active membrane antennas

One method to dramatically reduce the weight, volume and associated cost of space-based Synthetic Aperture Radars (SAR) is to replace the conventional rigid manifold antenna architecture with a flexible thin-film membrane. This has been successfully demonstrated as a passive array. To further reduce the cost and weight and provide 2D scanning required by space-based applications we also need to integrate the Transmit/Receive (T/R) function into the inflatable antenna elements. This paper explores the constraints that must be placed on the active electronics of a flexible antenna array and preliminary work in this area.
Mobile Monitors for Health Systems

As must be clear at this stage in the book, the new healthcare infrastructure must deal more with everyday life than with intensive care, more with homes than with hospitals, more with chronic care than with acute care. This orientation affects what health features should be measured at what frequency. The effective measurements are focused upon Rings 2, 3, 4 as discussed in Sects. 13.2–13.4 below. Section 13.1 discusses how to design a new health system using existing commercial technologies. Section 13.5 concludes by outlining the new Provider Pyramid possible with the new Healthcare Infrastructure.
Aldehyde oxidase and xanthine dehydrogenase from wild-type Drosophila melanogaster and immunologically cross-reacting material from ma-1 mutants. Purification by immunoadsorption and characterization.

The pleiotropic effect of the ma-1 mutation on the enzymes xanthine dehydrogenase and aldehyde oxidase in Drosophila melanogaster can most readily be explained by assuming that the enzymes share a subunit or cofactor whose synthesis is controlled by the ma-1 locus. According to this hypothesis a protein or a tightly bound cofactor common to both enzymes should be inactive or missing in the corresponding immunologically cross-reacting material found in ma-1 flies. Three of the proteins involved were purified by immunoadsorption: xanthine dehydrogenase, xanthine dehydrogenase cross-reacting material and aldehyde oxidase. On gel filtration xanthine dehydrogenase and xanthine dehydrogenase cross-reacting material showed identical molecular weights of 300000 whereas 280000 was found for aldehyde oxidase. All three proteins appear to be dimers. Under dissociating conditions (polyacrylamide electrophoresis in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate) a single protein band with a mobility corresponding to one half the native molecular weight was found. There was no evidence of small polypeptide subunits. All three proteins contain FAD, molybdenum and iron, cofactors known to be present in related vertebrate enzymes. Thus the ma-1 locus apparently does not control the mere incorporation of a polypeptide subunit or one of the prosthetic groups necessary for activity into the enzymes.
Synergistic lethality of mifepristone and LY294002 in ovarian cancer cells

We have previously shown that the antiprogestin and antiglucocorticoid mifepristone inhibits the growth of ovarian cancer cells. In this work, we hypothesized that cellular stress caused by mifepristone is limited to cytostasis and that cell killing is avoided as a consequence of the persistent activity of the PI3K/Akt survival pathway. To investigate the role of this pathway in mifepristone-induced growth inhibition, human ovarian cancer cells of various histological subtypes and genetic backgrounds were exposed to cytostatic doses of mifepristone in the presence or absence of the PI3K inhibitor, LY294002. The activation of Akt in ovarian cancer cells, as marked by its phosphorylation on Ser473, was not modified by cytostatic concentrations of mifepristone, but it was blocked upon treatment with LY294002. The combination mifepristone/LY294002, but not the individual drugs, killed ovarian cancer cells via apoptosis, as attested by genomic DNA fragmentation and cleavage of caspase-3, and the concomitant downregulation of antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2 and XIAP. From a pharmacological standpoint, when assessing cell growth inhibition using a median-dose analysis algorithm, the interaction between mifepristone and LY294002 was synergistic. The lethality caused by the combination mifepristone/LY294004 in 2-dimensional cell cultures was recapitulated in organized, 3-dimensional spheroids. This study demonstrates that mifepristone and LY294002 when used individually cause cell growth arrest; yet, when combined, they cause lethality.