cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Biomimetic Compliant System for Smart Actuator-Driven Aquatic Propulsion: Preliminary Results

Biomimetic design takes principles from nature to employ in engineering problems. Such designs are hoped to be quiet, efficient, robust, and versatile, having taken advantage of optimization via natural selection. However, the emulation of specific biological devices poses a great challenge because of complicated, arbitrary, and over-redundant designs. Compliant mechanisms are of immediate appeal in addressing the problem of complex, biomimetic deformation because of their inherent flexibility and distributed compliance. The goal of this research is to develop a biologically-inspired hydrofoil for aquatic propulsion, by assembling planar compliant mechanism building blocks to generate complex 3-D deformations. The building block is a rib structure generated from topology optimization. An ADAMS model is then created to quickly visualize motion and estimate system characteristics. System refinement is achieved through further size and shape optimization of individual ribs. Testing of a single-rib and dual-actuator system is currently in progress. The preliminary results have demonstrated the potential of this combined approach to quickly identify and evaluate new applications that may result from building blocks.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Persistent Barriers and Strategic Practices: Why (Asking About) the Everyday Matters in Diabetes Care

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to explore the everyday barriers to and practices of low-income patients managing their diabetes.MethodsThe study team conducted semistructured qualitative interviews with 20 patients with type 2 diabetes who were receiving care at safety-net clinics in Southern California. Transcripts were analyzed using grounded theory to identify emergent themes across participants.ResultsParticipants described managing diabetes with limited financial resources as often a game of balance and negotiation, whereby purchasing healthy foods is abandoned because of a more pressing concern in their life. Although participants described strategic attempts at incorporating healthy dietary practices for diabetes management into their daily decisions, these efforts were significantly impeded by the existence of persistent and seemingly insurmountable barriers.ConclusionsAlthough the challenges that low-income patients face in managing their diabetes may seem insurmountable at times, there are...
A MODEL FOR VISCOSITY REDUCTION IN POLYSACCHARIDES SUBJECTED TO HIGH‐PRESSURE HOMOGENIZATION

Three polysaccharides (alginate, K-carrageenan, xanthan) dispersed in water and exhibiting Newtonian or pseudoplastic (Power Law) flow properties were subjected to high-pressure homogenization (0 to 300 MPa) and one to five homogenization cycles. An exponential decay in viscosity was observed in the three processed polysaccharides due to both homogenization pressure and number of homogenization cycles. A 75–85% viscosity reduction and a viscosity plateau was reached after the polysaccharide dispersions were subjected to a sufficient homogenization pressure and/or number of homogenization cycles. A modified exponential decay model was proposed to describe a sudden reduction in viscosity and the observed constant minimum viscosity values after sufficient homogenization. The model was adjusted by minimizing the sum of squared differences between observed and modeled viscosity values. The model exhibited good correlation coefficient with experimental observations for the three polysaccharides tested (r > 0.98) and error analysis showed negligible fixed errors (bias) and normally distributed random differences between experimental and modeled viscosity values. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS Polysaccharides are extensively used to modify textural properties of fluid and semi-solid foods. For a given polysaccharide, texture will be greatly affected by molecular weight. This manuscript shows the effect of high pressure homogenization on viscosity reduction for the polysaccharides alginate, K-carrageenan and xanthan gum. High-pressure homogenization offers the potential to be used for the manufacture of polysaccharides with targeted viscosity properties.
Management of infections in pediatric critical care.

In this special issue of the Journal of Pediatric Intensive Care, we have compiled a series of articles addressing the management of infections in critically ill children. Directed antimicrobial treatment and concurrent supportive care are key aspects of pediatric critical care. According to the World Health Organization, in 2013, approximately 50% of all childhood deaths worldwide were caused by the combination of bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic infections [1]. The development of a systemic inflammatory response to an invasive infection defines the sepsis syndrome and sepsis remains the leading cause of multiple organ dysfunction in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) [2, 3]. Recent estimates suggest that over one-third of children who die in the PICU suffer from sepsis [4]. Perhaps most worrisome is that the overall prevalence of severe sepsis and septic shock appears to be rising, likely reflecting an expanding vulnerable population with acute and chronic comorbid conditions and increasing rates of multi-drug resistant organisms and opportunistic infections [4–12] With the current ease of international travel, pediatric intensivists working in both developed and
Quantitative determination of Rap 1 activation in cyclic nucleotide-treated HL-60 leukemic cells : lack of Rap 1 activation in variant cells

Quantitative determination of Rap 1 activation in cyclic nucleotide-treated HL-60 leukemic cells: lack of Rap 1 activation in variant cells
TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT VERSUS SURGICAL AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT FOR SEVERE AORTIC STENOSIS: META-ANALYSIS OF RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIALS

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is an alternative to surgical aortic-valve replacement (SAVR) for high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis (AS). Our objective was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of TAVR compared with SAVR in high-risk patients with AS. We conducted
Simulating the approach-retract phenomenon of AFM in virtual environment with haptic interface

ABSTRACTAtomic Force Microscope (AFM) is a crucial technique to study nanotechnology. The virtual reality simulation presented in this paper could be used to teach students or train professional researchers on approach-retract (AR) phenomenon. Based on different Hamaker constants and surface energies from various sample materials (mica, gold, and silicon nitride), various analytical force models of AR phenomenon were developed. The force models were simulated in the virtual environment using haptic device. Students were asked to complete surveys to examine the role of this simulation in the understanding of AFM. Results showed that students’ perceptions of nanoscale phenomenon have been improved after using the simulation.
Wortmannin inhibits insulin-stimulated activation of protein phosphatase 1 in rat cardiomyocytes.

A major function of insulin in target tissues is the activation of glycogen synthase. Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) has been implicated in the insulin-induced activation of glycogen synthase...
Standing on the Shoulders of the Giant:To Commemorate David H.Jonassen

We wrote this paper in memory of David H. Jonassen,who passed away two years ago,for his great contributions to educational technology. This paper summarized Jonassen's works and achievements according to data from both international and Chinese literature. Particularly,we analyzed his articles and books through citation charts.Four keywords were used for our analysis: learning,problem solving,cognitive tools,and learning environment. As the basis of citations from Chinese literature databases,we emphasized his influence on educational informationization in China and compared it with other countries. Together with Chinese translations from Jonassen's books and articles,we summarized the impacts of his theory and practice in China,including national policies,smart learning environment,and e- textbook / e- schoolbag. His personal charisma and research accomplishments have inspired many scholars and will continue to be a role model for future scholars. As a giant in the area of educational technology,Jonassen will be remembered forever.
Realization and Applicotion of COFF File Extraction Equipment

In the embedded system based on TI DSP,it is very important to improve the efficiency and usability of updating file extraction.More time is needed and mistakes are always made in traditional way.So an efficient and reliable method is needed.TI DSP compiler outputs executable file which is a file of COFF format.The file is structured and hierarchical,with much redundant information that is not useful for downloading.A method based on the structure of executable file that only the useful data can be extracted.It is proved that this method is efficient,flexible and easy to use.This file extraction resolves the disadvantages of the traditional way,and ensures that DSP can be updated quickly and automatically for RD and production.
Morphine Acute Effects on Spontaneous Multiunit Activity Recorded Simultaneously from Medial Thalamus and Caudate Nucleus in Freely Behaving Rats

Treatment with varying doses of morphine and its antagonist naloxone produced different response patterns in "spontaneous" multiunit discharges recorded from the medial thalamus and caudate nucleus of freely behaving rats previously implanted, stereotaxically, with permanent semimicro-electrodes. The changes in electrical discharges induced by incremental doses of morphine exhibited dose-related patterns, and could be reversed by naloxone. This procedure, testing several incremental doses of a drug, provides a tool with which to identify and classify the specific response patterns induced by morphine. The two structures examined in the present study exhibited four response patterns to the treatments but only one pattern of response was similar in the two nuclei. The medial thalamic units are more sensitive to morphine than those recorded from the caudate nucleus. The present finding, i.e., acute effects of morphine, provides basic information with which to examine the physiological properties underlying the chronic effects of morphine.
Entrepreneurship and Bitcoin: Breaking the Network Effect

This paper explores the question of whether the market process is capable of bringing about a spontaneous monetary switch to a new currency in the presence of strong network effects of the incumbent currency. It does so by examining current happenings around Bitcoin. It finds that two mechanisms stand out: the coordinative efforts of the profit-maximizing entrepreneur as well as the ability to use the old and the new currency simultaneously. It finds that marginal decisions made by rational agents seeking to maximize net private benefit in their choice of currency, be it entrepreneurs or buyers and sellers of currency, are capable of setting in motion a switch to a new currency, even in the absence of contingencies such as extreme inflation or political instability. Whether or not these mechanisms play out fully in the case of Bitcoin still remains to be seen.
The Dilemma of Surrogate Testimony for the Forensic Pathologist

Forensic pathologists commonly testify in court. In the past, surrogate testimony by another forensic pathologist was usually done if the original prosector was not available. In the current legal ...
Harvesting Randomness to Optimize Distributed Systems

We view randomization through the lens of statistical machine learning: as a powerful resource for offline optimization. Cloud systems make randomized decisions all the time (e.g., in load balancing), yet this randomness is rarely used for optimization after-the-fact. By casting system decisions in the framework of reinforcement learning, we show how to collect data from existing systems, without modifying them, to evaluate new policies, without deploying them. Our methodology, called harvesting randomness, has the potential to accurately estimate a policy's performance without the risk or cost of deploying it on live traffic. We quantify this optimization power and apply it to a real machine health scenario in Azure Compute. We also apply it to two prototyped scenarios, for load balancing (Nginx) and caching (Redis), with much less success, and use them to identify the systems and machine learning challenges to achieving our goal. Our long-term agenda is to harvest the randomness in distributed systems to develop non-invasive and efficient techniques for optimizing them. Like CPU cycles and bandwidth, we view randomness as a valuable resource being wasted by the cloud, and we seek to remedy this.
Outpatient Treatment of Pulmonary Embolism: a Practical Guide

Pulmonary embolism (PE) is an ever increasing diagnosis in the emergency department. Traditionally, all patients with PE were admitted to the hospital; however, with the advent of higher resolution CT scanners, more PEs of questionable clinical significance are being diagnosed. This phenomenon coupled with the emerging evidence of the safety of non-warfarin oral anticoagulants for outpatient management suggests that an alternative approach is both timely and appropriate. This paper reviews the growing body of literature supporting outpatient treatment of select patients with low risk pulmonary embolism. We believe that with an established protocol, institutional support to include assurance of reliable and timely outpatient follow-up that select low risk PE patients can be safely discharged home.
PREPARING STATISTICIANS FOR GOVERNMENT CAREERS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the centrally valuable attributes of a useful statistician in the government. The three attributes are knowledge, skills, and attitudes. The chapter explores these three areas are explored and describes the way in which training in baccalaureate, masters, professional, and doctoral programs may help the student to develop these attributes valuable in government statistics. Government statistics is a broad set of activities ranging from biomedical research in the laboratory or field to keeping track of the kinds and amounts of petroleum (or cheese) imports. It is not feasible to deal comprehensively with the whole range. The master's degree is a lot more valuable and important than it has been previously recognized. The degree can provide a direct competence and a foundation for professional growth.
Muscle insulin resistance amended with exercise training: role of GLUT4 expression.

Purpose: Muscle insulin resistance is characterized by the inability of a normal insulin concentration to produce a favorable rate of glucose uptake. The muscle of the obese Zucker rat is highly insulin resistant. The purpose of this review is to discuss the cellular defects associated with the muscle insulin resistance of the obese Zucker rat, as well as the mechanisms by which exercise training alleviates or compensates for these defects. Emphasis will be given to the importance of an increased GLUT4 expression on alleviating muscle insulin resistance. Methods: A review of the relative research from my laboratory and the scientific literature was performed to obtain information on the muscle insulin resistance of the obese Zucker rat and its response to exercise training. Results: The insulin resistance of the obese Zucker rat results from defects in the insulin signaling cascade, which limits translocation of the glucose transporter GLUT4 to the plasma membrane upon insulin binding to its receptor. Exercise training improves the muscle insulin resistance of obese Zucker rat but does not correct the defects in insulin signaling or GLUT4 translocation. The improvement in insulin resistance, i.e., glucose transport, is correlated with an increased expression of GLUT4 protein. Preventing GLUT4 overexpression during exercise training will inhibit the improvement in insulin-stimulated glucose transport. Conclusion: Exercise training does not correct but compensates for the defects in muscle insulin resistance by increasing expression of GLUT4. This increase in GLUT4 protein is essential for the improvement in muscle insulin resistance.
A review on laser deposition-additive manufacturing of ceramics and ceramic reinforced metal matrix composites

Abstract Ceramics and ceramic reinforced metal matrix composites (MMCs) are widely used in severe working conditions and have been applied in biomedical, aerospace, electronic, and other high-end engineering industries owing to their superior properties of high wear resistance, outstanding chemical inertness, and excellent properties at elevated temperatures. These superior properties, on the other hand, make it difficult to process these materials with conventional manufacturing methods, posing problems of high cost and energy consumptions. In response to this problem, direct additive manufacturing (AM), which is equipped with a high-power-density laser beam as heat source, has been developed and extensively employed for processing ceramics and ceramic reinforced MMCs. Compared with other direct AM processes, laser deposition-additive manufacturing (LD-AM) process excels in several aspects, such as lower labor intensity, higher fabrication efficiency, and capabilities of parts remanufacturing and functionally gradient composite materials fabrication. Besides these benefits, problems of poor bonding, cracking, lowered toughness, etc. still exist in LD-AM fabricated parts. This paper reviews developments on LD-AM of ceramics and ceramic reinforced MMCs in both bulk parts fabrication and cladding. Main issues to be solved, corresponding solutions, and the trend of development are summarized and discussed.
Drug Interference with the Assessment of Nutritional Status

The use of drugs is viewed from two perspectives: the effect they may have on nutritional status by altering electrolyte balances and vitamin or mineral levels, and their interference in obtaining correct results from assays of nutritional status, particularly red cell enzyme tests.
Freely available or over-the-counter occlusal splints obtainable in commercial outlets: a reality dentists should know.

Aim and objective: Bruxism is defined by The American Sleep Disorders association as “tooth grinding during sleep plus tooth wear, sounds or jaw muscle discomfort in absence of medical disorder. People are obtaining over the counter splints (OTC) as a possible alternative to manage bruxism without the need for dental assessment. The aim of this study is survey OTC bruxism splints available in Chile through the internet or other commercial outlets, categorize their characteristics, claims, safety warnings and contrast it with scientific evidence. Materials and Methods: An internet search was made for OTC bruxism splints available in Chile. Only Chilean domains were evaluated. Information recorded was manufacture, name of the device, splint design, material, adjustability, price, claims and safety warnings. Results: five devices were found in our search. Only one is from a Chilean laboratory, being the most accessible. All devices have a full coverage splint design. the material made of is only described in one and their prices in the market are very dissimilar. The most usual advertising was “Eliminate Bruxism. Stop Night-Time Grinding & Clenching”. Two manufactures suggest that the device will help to sleep better. No manufacture provided a guide for how long each day the splint must be worn. Conclusion: Dentists should be aware to keep this market in mind when reviewing patients if there have been unexplained occlusal changes or other problems. Bruxism is often a long-term problem and with any type of bruxism appliance the importance of regular review by a professional is critical.
Difference-in-differences and matching on outcomes: a tale of two unobservables

Difference-in-differences combined with matching on pre-treatment outcomes is a popular method for addressing non-parallel trends between a treatment and control group. However, previous simulations suggest that this approach does not always eliminate or reduce bias, and it is not clear when and why. Using Medicaid claims data from Oregon, we systematically vary the distribution of two key unobservables—fixed effects and the random error term—to examine how they affect bias of matching on pre-treatment outcomes levels or trends combined with difference-in-differences. We find that in most scenarios, bias increases with the standard deviation of the error term because a higher standard deviation makes short-term fluctuations in outcomes more likely, and matching cannot easily distinguish between these short-term fluctuations and more structural outcome trends. The fixed effect distribution may also create bias, but only when matching on pre-treatment outcome levels. A parallel-trend test on the matched sample does not reliably distinguish between successful and unsuccessful matching. Researchers using matching on pre-treatment outcomes to adjust for non-parallel trends should report estimates from both unadjusted and propensity-score matching adjusted difference-in-differences, compare results for matching on outcome levels and trends and examine outcome changes around intervention begin to assess remaining bias.
Dapagliflozin and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes

Abstract Background The cardiovascular safety profile of dapagliflozin, a selective inhibitor of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 that promotes glucosuria in patients with type 2 diabetes, is undefined. Methods We randomly assigned patients with type 2 diabetes who had or were at risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease to receive either dapagliflozin or placebo. The primary safety outcome was a composite of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), defined as cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or ischemic stroke. The primary efficacy outcomes were MACE and a composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure. Secondary efficacy outcomes were a renal composite (≥40% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate to <60 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area, new end-stage renal disease, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes) and death from any cause. Results We evaluated 17,160 patients, including 10,186 without atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, ...
Investigation of materials and methods for air delivery of whole blood and blood products.

Abstract : The present standard shipping box has proved reliable over the years for long-distance shipment. However, the standard unit, when subjected to such maximum stresses as free fall air drop, did not provide very good physical protection to the blood units. The use of either chute, or additional packing made of foam or air bubble material, did provide more protection. A newly developed shipping box of foam, though slightly more protective, did better with additional material. A different type of container, in the form of an air pillow, did protect the blood units in free fall delivery. However, this form of container was limited in space, holding only 1 to 5 units, did not provide any temperature protection, and was not physically suitable for long-distance shipping. An additional problem was noted in that the blood bag was particularly vulnerable to trauma when cold, even in the air pillow. Similarly, the plastic unit containing frozen plasma was easily broken during shipment. However, use of the air bubble material around each unit was more protective, permitting long-term shipment of this item. (Author)
On Virtues of Love and Wide Ethical Duties

In this article I argue that understanding the role that the virtues of love play in Kant’s ethical theory requires understanding not only the nature of the virtues themselves, but also the unique nature of wide Kantian duties. I begin by making the case that while the Doctrine of Virtue supports attributing an affective component to the virtues of love, we are right to resist attributing an affective success condition to these virtues. I then distinguish wide duties from negative and narrow (positive) duties in order to make the case that prudential considerations often unavoidably and unproblematically play a role in deliberation about how we fulfil our wide duties. In the final section I combine these findings, arguing that the virtues of love play an important moral role by shaping these prudential considerations.
Process Mining of Incoming Patients with Sepsis

Data mining is a technique for analyzing large amounts of data, in various formats, often called Big Data, in order to gain knowledge about it. The healthcare industry is the next Big Data area of interest as its large variability in patients, their health status and their records which can include image scans, graphical test results, and hand-written physician notes, has been untapped for analysis. In addition to data mining, there is a newer analysis method called process mining. Process mining is similar to data mining in that large data files are reviewed and analyzed, but in this case, event logs specific to a particular process or series of processes, are analyzed. Process mining allows one to understand the initial baseline, determine any bottlenecks or resource constraints, and evaluate a recently implemented change. Process mining was conducted on a hospital event log of patients entering the emergency room with sepsis, to better understand this newer analysis method, to highlight the information discovered, and to determine its role with data mining. Not only did the analysis of the event logs provide process mapping and process analysis, but it also highlighted areas in the clinical operations in need of further investigation, including a possible relationship with patient re-admission and their release method. In addition, the data mining method of creating a histogram, of the process data, was applied, allowing data mining and process mining to be utilized complimentary.
Affective Aspects of Instruction Librarians’ Decisions to Adopt New Teaching Practices: Laying the Groundwork for Incremental Change

This article addresses the question: How do emotions and emotional labor relate to instruction librarians’ motivations to adopt new teaching practices? Twelve information literacy instruction librarians were interviewed about their motivations to adopt new teaching practices. An initial round of coding was completed using grounded theory, to surface themes of motivations to adopt new teaching practices. In a second round, the themes were retained while further coding was used to identify language reflective of emotion and affective labor, along with five conditions for human motivation identified by Charles J. Walker and Cynthia Symons: competence, autonomy, worthwhile goal-setting, feedback, and affirmation. Using the results of the analysis, suggestions are made for library managers and administrators to lay the groundwork for developing supportive and collegial environments that encourage incremental change and emotional self-reflection.
Plaque Radiotherapy for Medulloepithelioma in 6 Cases From a Single Center.

Purpose To describe outcomes of 6 patients treated with plaque radiotherapy for medulloepithelioma. Design Retrospective review. Methods Computerized medical records were reviewed for patients with cytopathologically confirmed medulloepithelioma and treated with plaque radiotherapy from January 1970 to December 2017. Clinical and radiotherapy parameters along with outcomes of tumor regression, globe salvage, and metastatic disease were recorded. Results Of 6 patients with medulloepithelioma, plaque radiotherapy was primary (n = 5) or secondary (n = 1) treatment. The median patient age at diagnosis was 41 months (mean, 145; range, 10-624 months). Patient demographics included white race (n = 6) and female sex (n = 5). Patients presented with strabismus (n = 1), decreased vision (n = 1), ocular pain (n = 1), hyphema (n = 1), corectopia (n = 1), and visible iris lesion (n = 1). The mean tumor basal diameter was 11.2 mm (median, 10.0; range, 7.0-16.0 mm), and mean tumor thickness was 6.8 mm (median, 6.4; range, 3.1-11.0 mm). Related findings included cataract (n = 2), iris neovascularization (n = 5), secondary glaucoma (n = 2), and ectropion uveae (n = 2). The mean radiation dose to tumor apex was 44 Gy (median, 38; range, 35-70 Gy). At a mean follow-up of 59 months (range, 12-210 months), tumor control was achieved in 5 eyes (83%) with globe salvage in 4 eyes (67%). No patient had evidence of metastases or death at the last follow-up visit. Conclusions Plaque radiotherapy is a reasonable alternative treatment for localized, small- to medium-size medulloepithelioma. Tumors larger than 11.0 mm, with retrolental cyclitic membrane or extrascelral extension, might still require enucleation.
Cultural Competence: Where Are We as Athletic Training Educators?

Context Cultural competence is the ability of health care professionals to investigate and incorporate the cultural needs of patients into care and clinical decisions. Research shows that athletic ...
Enhancing Reality: A Systematic Review of Augmented Reality in Neuronavigation and Education.

Objective Augmented reality (AR) is increasingly being explored as an adjunct to conventional neuronavigation systems. AR affords the ability to superimpose 3-dimensional images onto the real environment. A natural extension of this technology is to help guide neurosurgical planning and a means of stereotactic planning and guidance. Here we review the literature on the use of AR in neurosurgery with a focus on current technologies and limitations. Furthermore, we discuss this technology in the context of neurosurgical training as an educational tool. Methods PubMed search was performed for “augmented reality and neurosurgery” and “mixed reality and neurosurgery” from 2010. A total of 113 articles written in the last 5 years were retrieved, and 39 were ultimately included in the systematic review. Results The most common use of AR in neurosurgery was in cranial surgery (n = 26). Other uses included spine surgery (n = 9) and education (n = 2). Devices used for display of AR images varied as did image-to-patient registration methods and overall system accuracy. Conclusions Although various AR systems have been successfully utilized across many neurosurgical disciplines, more research is needed to improve accuracy in registration and to assess whether AR-assisted surgery is safe and effective for widespread adoption.
The Overlap Between Sleep Disorders and Psychiatric Disorder s

Psychiatric disorders and sleep dysfunction are closely linked. This relationship has been shown to be bidirectional. Insomnia, fatigue, and sleep changes can be diagnostic in mood, anxiety, and neurodevelopmental disorders, while sleep disorders may present with significant neuropsychiatric symptomatology. Studies suggest that unless one addresses sleep conditions, reaching remission for psychiatric conditions may be challenging, with concordant increases in relapse risk. Insomnia has been associated with increased suicidality independent of the presence of a mood component.
A positive psychology-motivational interviewing program to promote physical activity in type 2 diabetes: The BEHOLD-16 pilot randomized trial.

Abstract Background The majority of persons with type 2 diabetes (T2D) do not meet recommended levels of physical activity, despite clear links between physical activity and superior medical outcomes in this population. The objective of this trial was to assess the feasibility and impact of a novel 16-week combined positive psychology-motivational interviewing (PP-MI) program to promote physical activity among inactive persons with T2D. Methods This pilot randomized trial compared the 16-week, phone-delivered PP-MI intervention to an attention-matched diabetes counseling condition among 70 persons with T2D and low levels of baseline moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA; Results Participants completed a mean 11.0 (SD 4.4; 79%) of 14 PP-MI phone sessions, and composite mean ratings of ease/utility were 8.6/10, above our a priori benchmarks for feasibility/acceptability (70% session completion; 7.0/10 mean ratings). PP-MI participants had small to medium effect size (ES) difference improvements in MVPA (ES difference = 0.34) and steps/day (ES difference = 0.76) at 16 weeks, with sustained but smaller effects at 24 weeks (ES difference = 0.22–0.33). Conclusions Next-step studies of this PP-MI program in T2D patients can more rigorously explore the intervention's effects on physical activity and clinical outcomes.
Challenges of treating mixed arterial-venous disease of lower extremities.

Introduction Mixed arterial-venous lower extremity disease (AVLED) poses a unique challenge for clinicians. This review will outline the impact mixed AVLED has on patients and the healthcare system, by reviewing its epidemiology, diagnosis, current treatment, and the challenges encountered implementing therapies. Evidence acquisition An extensive search of current literature from online sources, journals and book chapters identified the current challenges facing the treatment of mixed arterial venous ulcers of the lower extremities and potential solutions to these challenges. Evidence synthesis The challenges that are identified in the search are the time to heal AVLED, patient education and motivation, early detection of AVLED, wound care center development, treatment consensus from multidisciplinary team members, and cost of treatment. Conclusions AVLED ulcers are a challenging problem, but over time we have continued and will continue to improve patient care and tackle these difficult challenges as we have throughout the last century. A diagnostic algorithm to address how we approach these patients in terms of conservative care with wound care and compression and treat arterial and venous insufficiency is crucial. In looking to the future, continued standardization of wound care centers will overcome the social and financial challenges faced by patients and continued clinical research will improve targeted therapies and treatment challenges faced by physicians.
Should Personal Injury Damage Awards Be Taxed

The exclusion of personal injury damage awards from gross income is inconsistent with established principles of taxation. Section 104(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code excludes from gross income “the amount of any damages received... on account of personal injury or sickness.” While the existence of Section 104(a)(2) traditionally has been justified as a humanitarian gesture, more logical explanations have been offered. Damage awards cannot accurately be characterized as a return of capital. Nor does the involuntary nature of the transaction justify the exclusion. While so-called imputed income is not taxed, the reasons supporting its non-taxability do not extend to damage awards representing a cash substitute for such income. Excluding damage awards avoids certain administrative problems that may otherwise arise, but those problems could be resolved by less drastic means. These justifications for the exclusion cannot be rationalized as a logical application of tax theory. To the extent that such a justification is lacking, the exclusion should be evaluated as a tax subsidy. Although Congress did not originally intend the exclusion to be a subsidy, it functions as such in the context of modern tax law. The exclusion provided by Section 104(a)(2) compensates tort victims by allowing receipts that logically should be included in gross income to escape taxation. While an expenditure of government funds for the benefit of innocent tort victims has emotional appeal, a closer inspection of the ramifications of the subsidy reveals that it is not a wise investment of public resources. The subsidy is not fairly allocated and the government subsidization of injuries is contrary to sound tort policy. If damage awards were taxed, the policy goals of the tort system would be advanced rather than frustrated, since defendants would not be under-penalized and plaintiffs would not be overcompensated.
RCEP's Contribution to Global Data Governance

This contribution to the Afronomicslaw symposium on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), convened by Md. Rizwanul Islam, analyzes RCEP's electronic commerce chapter from a perspective of global data law and governance. RCEP features remarkable parallels to TPP, which pioneered new digital economy provisions in megaregulatory agreements. In contrast to TPP, RCEP allows its members to craft restrictive data policies they deem necessary without threat of external scrutiny or dispute settlement. In this way, RCEP might also influence the WTO's ongoing plurilateral negotiations for a new e-commerce agreement under the Joint Statement Initiative.
Making sense of business-to-government guanxi amidst the northern-southern and rural-urban divides in China: The institutional vs. the cultural perspective

Abstract This study examines Chinese managers’ ethical evaluations of business-to-government guanxi in three regions of China. We conducted in-depth interviews with 20 senior Chinese managers in Beijing, Shanghai, and a county of Hebei, representing the urban northern, urban Southern, and rural northern regions of China, respectively. Based on the content analysis of these interviews, we found that the ethical evaluations of the managers in Beijing and Shanghai were more negative than those of the managers in Hebei. Our findings suggest that institutions play a more important role in shaping attitudes toward business-to-government guanxi than culture.
Richard Nixon and Europe: The Reshaping of the Postwar Atlantic World

The US-European relationship remains the closest and most important alliance in the world. Since 1945, successive American presidents each put their own touches on transatlantic relations, but the literature has reached only into the presidency of Lyndon Johnson (1963–9). This first study of transatlantic relations during the era of Richard Nixon shows a complex, turbulent period during which the postwar period came to an end, and the modern era came to be on both sides of the Atlantic in terms of political, economic, and military relations.
The NAD glycohydrolase CD38 regulates macrophage effector function and defense against Listeria monocytogenes. (INC7P.409)

CD38, an ecto-enzyme with ADP-ribosyl cyclase activity, is expressed on myeloid cells and has been shown to be a regulator of innate immunity and inflammation. Our study aimed to determine whether CD38 plays a role in the immune response to the Gram-positive bacterial pathogen Listeria monocytogenes (Lm). Following an intravenous Lm infection, Cd38-/- mice exhibited increased mortality and morbidity compared to wild-type mice. Analysis of tissue homogenates showed greater bacterial burden in the spleen and liver of Cd38-/- mice 3-4 days post infection, suggesting that early Lm resistance is CD38-dependent. Bone marrow chimera experiments revealed that the increased susceptibility of Cd38-/- mice was due to defects on myeloid lineage cells. While recruitment of PMNs, CD11b+ cells and NK cells to the spleen was not affected in Lm-infected CD38-/- mice, the efflux of monocytes from the bone marrow to the blood and spleen was significantly reduced. Expression levels of IL-10, an inhibitor of macrophage effector function, were elevated in serum and spleens of Lm-infected Cd38-/- mice, and splenocytes isolated from Lm-infected Cd38-/- mice had decreased nitric oxide production and TNFα secretion. Furthermore, in vitro stimulation experiments showed decreased expression of key inflammatory cytokines in activated CD38-deficient macrophages. Our data suggest that CD38 deficiency impairs macrophage effector function that is crucial for an effective early immune response to Lm.
Effect of thermal processing on mobility in strained Si/strained Si1−yGey on relaxed Si1−xGex (x<y) virtual substrates

Annealing effects on hole and electron mobility in dual-channel structures consisting of strained Si and Si1−yGey on relaxed Si1−xGex layers (x=0.3/y=0.6, and x=0.5/y=0.8) were studied. Hole mobility decreases sharply, but electron mobility is quite immune to annealing conditions of 800 °C, 30 min or 900 °C, 15 s. The hole mobility decrease is more severe in dual-channel structures with higher Ge contents. Hole mobility degradation is a direct result of Ge outdiffusion from the Si1−yGey layer, and the resulting decreased Ge content. Ge diffusion preferentially towards the Si1−xGex buffer layer, rather than the Si cap layer, is a reason that electron mobility is highly immune to such annealing.
Customer Relationship Management on the Web

The essence of the information technology revolution and, in particular, the World Wide Web is the opportunity afforded companies to choose how they interact with their customers. The Web allows companies to build better relationships with customers than was previously possible in the offline world. This revolution in customer relationship management (CRM) has been referred to as the new “mantra” of marketing. A problem, however, is that CRM means different things to different people. This chapter develops a comprehensive CRM model incorporating seven phases: database creation, analysis of the database, customer selection, customer targeting, relationship marketing, privacy issues, and new metrics necessary for evaluating the CRM effort. In the early 21st century, all of these activities are facilitated by the Internet. The chapter also discusses the implications of CRM for future marketing organizations. Keywords: clickstream data; customer database; customer relationship management (CRM); mass customization; metrics; privacy law; relationship marketing
The Influence of Middle Management on Information Technology Alignment

Strategy alignment challenges are a longstanding concern of information technology (IT) executives as both business dependence and spending on IT have grown continually. Dominant research shows that the varying degrees of contribution from IT investments are closely tied to alignment. However, limited attention has been given to the examination of middle management, top management's driving force to operationalize strategic direction. Using top and middle management informants, we investigate the middle management influence on business and IT strategy alignment. Drawing from literature, we identify three factors -- middle management IT involvement, middle management IT commitment, and middle management IT strategy awareness -- as antecedents to strategy alignment. Our test results suggest that IT commitment and IT strategy awareness have a positive influence on alignment. Hence, our findings reveal that middle management has a significant and direct added value to business and IT strategy alignment.
Auxiliary proteins that facilitate formation of collagen-rich deposits in the posterior knee capsule in a rabbit-based joint contracture model.

Post-traumatic joint contracture is a debilitating consequence of trauma or surgical procedures. It is associated with fibrosis that develops regardless of the nature of initial trauma and results from complex biological processes associated with inflammation and cell activation. These processes accelerate production of structural elements of the extracellular matrix, particularly collagen fibrils. Although the increased production of collagenous proteins has been demonstrated in tissues of contracted joints, researchers have not yet determined the complex protein machinery needed for the biosynthesis of collagen molecules and for their assembly into fibrils. Consequently, the purpose of our study was to investigate key enzymes and protein chaperones needed to produce collagen-rich deposits. Using a rabbit model of joint contracture, our biochemical and histological assays indicated changes in the expression patterns of heat shock protein 47 and the α-subunit of prolyl 4-hydroxylase, key proteins in processing nascent collagen chains. Moreover, our study shows that the abnormal organization of collagen fibrils in the posterior capsules of injured knees, rather than excessive formation of fibril-stabilizing cross-links, may be a key reason for observed changes in the mechanical characteristics of injured joints. This result sheds new light on pathomechanisms of joint contraction, and identifies potentially attractive anti-fibrotic targets. © 2015 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res
China's Last Empire: The Great Qing – By William T. Rowe

This author is an accomplished researcher and a fine writer who has written numerous studies taking new approaches, which have made significant contributions to the field. In this study, William Ro...
Frequency distributions for chloroplast genes in Chlamydomonas zygote clones: evidence for random drift

Abstract Mitochondria and chloroplasts of eucaryotic cells contain populations of DNA molecules. In certain cases, e.g., the chloroplasts of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and the mitochondria of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, organelles contributed by the two parents are known to fuse in the zygote, creating a single population of DNA molecules. In a cross, this population will include molecules of both parental genotypes. There is reason to suspect that organelle DNA molecules in this population are selected randomly for replication and recombination. This would result in random changes in the frequency of a particular allele or genotype within the organelle gene pool of a single zygote and also within its clone of progeny cells. A given gene frequency would increase in some zygote clones and decrease in others, analogous to random drift of gene frequencies in small Mendelian populations. To test this, we have examined the distribution of chloroplast gene frequencies among the zygote clones produced in each of a number of crosses of Chlamydomonas. These distributions are typically U or L shaped as predicted by the random drift hypothesis. They include uniparental zygote clones, in which a chloroplast allele from one parent has been fixed (frequency 100%) and the alternative allele from the other parent has been lost (frequency 0%). Among the remaining (biparental) zygote clones, there is a linear distribution of allele frequencies, showing a great increase in variance over the input frequencies. In these experiments both biparental and uniparental zygotes show a bias favoring chloroplast alleles from the mt+ (maternal) parent, and there is no statistically significant mode at the allele frequency of 0.5 corresponding to the equal input of alleles from the maternal and paternal (mt−) parents. The observed distributions support the hypothesis that both uniparental inheritance and the high variance of allele frequencies among zygote clones are due to random drift of allele frequencies, coupled with a directional force which favors fixation of the maternal allele. In addition, statistical analysis of the data shows a strong but incomplete tendency for linked chloroplast markers to be fixed or lost together in uniparental zygotes. Possible cellular and molecular mechanisms for these observations are discussed.
A sensitive method to measure physical and chemical carcinogen-induced "unscheduled DNA synthesis" in rapidly dividing eukaryotic cells.

Abstract A sensitive assay for quantitating ‘unscheduled DNA synthesis’ (repair synthesis) in transformed human amnion (AV 3 ) cells has been developed. The combined use of hydroxyurea and arginine-deficient culture medium enabled the detection of 10–20 fold increases in ‘unscheduled DNA synthesis’ after treatment with N -acetoxy-2-acetylaminofluorene or ultraviolet light. The technique allows the detection of ‘DNA repair synthesis’ following treatment with extremely low doses of mutagens and carcinogens.