cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated with Mutations: Their Matching Rates to Cardiovascular and Neurological Diseases.

Monogenic hypertension is rare and caused by genetic mutations, but whether factors associated with mutations are disease-specific remains uncertain. Given two factors associated with high mutation rates, we tested how many previously known genes match with (i) proximity to telomeres or (ii) high adenine and thymine content in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) related to vascular stiffening. We extracted genomic information using a genome data viewer. In human chromosomes, 64 of 79 genetic loci involving >25 rare mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms satisfied (i) or (ii), resulting in an 81% matching rate. However, this high matching rate was no longer observed as we checked the two factors in genes associated with essential hypertension (EH), thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA), and congenital heart disease (CHD), resulting in matching rates of 53%, 70%, and 75%, respectively. A matching of telomere proximity or high adenine and thymine content projects the list of loci involving rare mutations of monogenic hypertension better than those of other CVDs, likely due to adoption of rigorous criteria for true-positive signals. Our data suggest that the factor–disease matching rate is an accurate tool that can explain deleterious mutations of monogenic hypertension at a >80% match—unlike the relatively lower matching rates found in human genes of EH, TAA, CHD, and familial Parkinson’s disease.
Deep Learning Based Land Cover and Crop Type Classification: A Comparative Study

Remote sensing data is available free of cost with an ever-increase in the number of satellites. This satellite imagery can be used as raw input from which cultivated/non-cultivated and crop fields can be mapped. Previous trends included the use of traditional ML techniques and standard CNN, RNN for such mappings. In this paper, we investigate the segmentation models for the task of Landcover and Crop type Classification. We investigate the UNet, SegNet, and DeepLabv3+ in the data-rich states of Nebraska, Mid-West, United States. We acquire dataset from Cropland data Layer provided by USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service. Our Experimental results show that cultivated and non-cultivated landcover is classified with an accuracy of 90% and crop types are classified around 70% ensuring the models trained on one geographical area can be used for accurate classification in other geographical areas, which makes it more reliable for real-time application in agricultural business. [GitHub]
The Outcomes of Interprofessional Experiential Learning for Underrepresented Racial/Ethnic Minority Students to Address Latino Childhood Obesity

Addressing Latino childhood obesity requires effective health promotion programs and culturally resonant health professionals. The current profiles of public health professionals and registered die...
Chronic Joint Pain in a Young Adult With Cystic Fibrosis

A 25-year-old male with end-stage cystic fibrosis (CF) with genotype F508del/F508del presented to the clinic complaining of bilateral knee and ankle pain. He had severe lung disease (forced expiratory volume 1 {FEV1} 19% of predicted), chronic colonization with achromobacter, malnutrition, and CF-related diabetes. On physical examination, he was found to have bilateral knee swelling as well as pain on flexion and extension of the wrists and ankles without erythema or warmth. He was empirically started on prednisone and tramadol; however, at a three-month follow-up visit, he remained symptomatic. He was sent for a whole-body bone scan, which was consistent with hypertrophic pulmonary osteoarthropathy (HPOA). He was started on highly effective modulator therapy with elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor and symptoms spontaneously resolved without further intervention.
Book Review of Achieving Regulatory Excellence

Book review of Achieving Regulatory Excellence (Cary Coglianese, ed., Brookings Institution Press, 2017). The review criticizes the authors, particularly the chapter by John Braithwaite, for not considering the concept of "opportunity cost," namely the idea that regulators who are doing one thing with their time and resources are not devoting them to something else that they might be doing instead. It also criticizes the diffuse chapters for eschewing quantitative measures of regulatory success, and for failing to consider the alternative measure of regulatory success as achieving the goals set by the legislature at a minimum of social cost, as suggested by Peter Schuck and others.
Van Hove Scenario for HITC Superconductivity

After many experimental difficulties with high temperature superconductors, the realization is emerging that there is a connection between their anomalous normal state properties, whose origin lies in the anomalously high quasiparticle lifetime broadening, and their superconducting properties 1–3.
Public knowledge of automatic external defibrillators in a large U.S. urban community

Abstract Background Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) strikes over 40,000 people in the public environment annually in the U.S., but despite evidence-based interventions such as prompt CPR and defibrillation, less than 25% of patients survive public SCA events. Effective use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs), especially by lay bystanders, represents an important strategy to improve survival rates. Previous investigations in Europe and Asia have demonstrated variable public awareness of AEDs; layperson knowledge of AEDs in the U.S. is poorly characterized. Objective To measure understanding of AEDs among the general public, at multiple sites within a busy urban transportation system. Methods Surveys were administered at two high-volume train stations in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania between April and June, 2013. Results A total of 514 surveys were completed. Two thirds (66%) of respondents were able to correctly identify an AED and its purpose, and just over half (58%) of respondents reported willingness to use an AED in an emergency situation. Less than 10% of respondents presented with a hypothetical SCA scenario spontaneously mentioned using an AED when asked what actions they would take. Conclusions In this cross-sectional survey, public knowledge about AEDs and their use was high; however, a smaller number of respondents expressed thoughts of using the device in an emergency situation and demonstrated willingness to serve as a responder. Increased education and training efforts, as well as potential interventions such as 911 dispatcher-assisted AED use may help improve bystander response in SCA events.
"It Isn't Necessarily Sunshine and Daisies Every Time": Coplanning Opportunities and Challenges When Student Teaching.

As a model for learning to teach, coteaching places two or more student teachers and cooperating teachers in a classroom. Effective coteaching requires coplanning, and this case study examines how six coteachers planned instruction for three environmental science classes. Using sociocultural theory, the study provides insight into the complexity and challenges in coplanning such as using collective knowledge to produce lesson plans, identification of teaching resources, the importance of communication between coteachers during planning and the enactment of lessons, and teachers’ time as a limited resource. Coplanning provided learning experiences for student and cooperating teachers through reflective discussions that proposed ideal forms of practice and the alignment of teaching to achieve that goal.
Review of Giovanna Borradori's Philosophy in a Time of Terror: Dialogues with Jurgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida

Review of Giovanna Borradori's Philosophy in a Time of Terror: Dialogues with Jurgen Habermas and Jacques Derrida.
Knowledge acquisition planning: results and prospects

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the results and prospects of knowledge acquisition planning. Knowledge acquisition planning is an integrative technology. Various machine learning tools can all be deployed, based on an automatic assessment of the appropriateness of each tool for a given task. Such tools can be combined into plans for accomplishing complex knowledge acquisition goals. Many new research questions are raised by such a framework, from the way to represent the abilities of individual inference techniques to the way people come to desire specific knowledge. KA planning has demonstrated its potential in IVY, a program that learned about diagnosing lung tumors. Although programs have been responsible for discoveries that have merited scientific publications, AI research into scientific discovery has usually been directed at rediscovery.
Conversion of radiometric to aerodynamic surface temperature with an anisothermal canopy model

[1] A land surface-atmosphere-radiometer model was applied to field data at the First International Satellite-Land Surface Climatology Project (ISLSCP) Field Experiment (FIFE). The model converts from radiometric surface temperature taken at any zenith view angle to an equivalent isothermal (or aerodynamic) surface temperature. With data from one day at a grassy site with a leaf area index of 1.0, values of the three unknowns in the model, which describe the shape of the vertical foliage temperature profile, were found which best agree with reference radiometric and aerodynamic surface temperatures at the site. Having shown that the model can be optimized to be consistent with field data, the model was applied to data taken at the same site on the next day. In this case the model was not optimized but was used in a predictive mode to convert from a radiometric to an aerodynamic surface temperature. The aerodynamic temperatures predicted by the model were closer to the reference values (that is, estimates of aerodynamic temperature obtained by inverting Monin-Obukhov Similarity Theory) than were the radiometric surface temperatures in all cases, for an average improvement of 3.6 K.
Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy: A Tool for Measuring Dynamic and Equilibrium Properties of Molecules in Cells

Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (FCS) measures dynamic processes of fluorescent molecules including diffusion, convection, and chemical reaction and equilibrium properties such as molecular concentrations and aggregation states. The measurements are carried out on low concentrations of fluorescent molecules (nanomolar), in tiny volumes (femtoliter), and over a wide time range (microseconds to seconds). FCS measures correlations of fluorescence intensity from individual fluorescent molecules and therefore inherently is a single molecule technique. FCS is well suited to measurements of molecular processes in cells and has been used to study diffusion, molecular associations, and assembly of cellular structures. A complementary, closely related approach, fluorescence photobleaching recovery (FRAP) is suited for high concentrations of fluorescent molecules and slower times (100 milliseconds to seconds).
Spindle Cell Oncocytoma of the Pituitary Presenting With Severe Hyponatremia

ABSTRACT Objective: Spindle cell oncocytoma (SCO) is a rare neoplasm of the anterior pituitary that is clinically and radiologically indistinguishable from nonfunctioning pituitary adenomas. The 26 cases reported to date presented with symptoms of mass effect and hypopituitarism. We describe a previously unreported presentation of SCO of the pituitary, with severe hyponatremia. Methods: A case report and review of the relevant literature. Results: A 60-year-old male presented with a syncopal episode preceded by a 2-week history of nausea, vomiting, and malaise. A serum sodium was 112 mEq/L, and brain nuclear magnetic resonance imaging showed a sellar mass with suprasellar extension and optic chiasm compression. Endocrine evaluation revealed panhypopituitarism, and replacement with hydrocortisone and levothyroxine improved symptoms and corrected the serum sodium. A presumptive diagnosis of pituitary macroadenoma was made, but during transsphenoidal resection the sellar lesion was vascular resulting in intr...
Application of recursive exact least square ladder estimation algorithm for speech recognition

Current speech recognition techniques can usually determine accurately the vowels within a particular word since vowels are of relatively long duration and change character slowly. Within the class of consonants, the stop consonants are often hard to differentiate due to their short duration and transient nature. In isolated word recognition, a time normalization step is required before comparing the unknown word with reference word templates. Recursive estimation techniques should make transient sound recognition more accurate and eliminate the necessity of time normalization. The approach presented here utilized the recursive exact least square ladder form estimation algorithm to determine an autoregressive model (hence a spectral representation) of the speech. This recursive algorithm updates its representation at every speech sample using exponentially weighted past data. Thus it is possible to track the spectral changes in the speech without much time smearing. By using an appropriate multidimensional speech parameterization, the space spanned by various speech sounds should allow subdivisions to be associated with each of the phonemes. Currently, cluster regions for vowels in the F1-F2 space are known. Using a more extensive parameterization suited for transition type sounds, should extend the accuracy of consonant recognition and remove the requirement of normalization. The recursive ladder technique will be explained and its estimation behavior illustrated. The voiced stops /b/, /d/ and /g/ followed by different vowels were examined to determine the usefulness of recursive spectral estimation in differentiating these very similar transient sounds.
Premature birth and the changing composition of newborn infectious disease mortality: reconsidering "exogenous" mortality.

Linked death and birth records from San Antonio, Texas reveal that infectious infant mortality is increasingly a function of premature birth and low birth weight. Between 1935 and 1944, 4% of infectious infant deaths had associated causes involving prematurity and related conditions; by 1980, 25% of infectious infant deaths involved prematurity and more than 40% of those infants weighed less than 2,500 grams. The shift in birth-weight composition results almost entirely from an increase in very low-weight births. Under conditions of advanced perinatal technology, infectious infant mortality should no longer be viewed as wholly exogenous. These findings further undermine the contemporary relevance of the exogenous-endogenous distinction.
The use of propofol sedation in a paediatric intensive care unit.

Background: The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate and report the experience of the use of continuous intravenous propofol sedation in a paediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Methods: All children younger than 16 years who were admitted to the PICU at a University Hospital for slightly more than a year and received propofol infusion were included prospectively and data were recorded before and within 6 h after completion of the propofol infusion. Results: A total of 174 out of 955 children (18·2%) received propofol infusion for sedation. The median age was 2 years 10 months (range: 2 months to 16 years), duration of propofol infusion 13 h (range: 1·6-179 h) and dose of propofol 2·9 mg/kg/h (range: 0·3-6·5 mg/kg/h). No one developed signs of the propofol infusion syndrome (PRIS). Neither dose >3 mg/kg/h, duration of infusion >48 h nor both were found to be related to adverse metabolic derangements or circulatory failure. Eight children increased their lactate concentration ≥1·8 mmol/L during propofol infusion. All had a favourable outcome. One child who had received propofol infusion for 10 h died, but this occurred 14 h after the infusion ceased and was without doubt attributed to a multiple organ failure not related to the propofol infusion. Conclusion: Propofol infusion was used in this population at low risk of PRIS with no metabolic or circulatory adverse effects. These findings indicate that the occurrence of adverse effects may not be directly related to dose or duration of infusion, but emphasizes the risk that sporadic factors may be involved, such as genetic mutations. Guidelines are presented.
Carotid artery dissection.

Abstract Carotid artery dissection (CAD) is one of the more common causes of stroke in persons younger than 50 years. In this age group and in older persons, CAD is most often associated with trauma. Significant morbidity can be a consequence of CAD, particularly a stroke or other permanent neurologic deficit. Because stroke is the third leading cause of death in the United States, attention has focused in the past decade on understanding the phenomenon of dissection of the carotid artery. This article presents a review of the risk factors associated with CAD, the role of the nurse as a provider of care for these persons, and the approaches to prevent or limit disability related to CAD, the ultimate goal of patient care. Nurses play a crucial role in the detection of CAD and in the prevention of strokes or other neurologic disabilities through recognition of persons at risk, assessment for early signs and symptoms, and implementation of prophylactic measures. Because more than half of persons with CAD have cerebral ischemia, thrombolytic, anticoagulant, and antiplatelet regimens have evolved to limit the development of a thromboembolic event associated with dissection. The administration of these agents, the monitoring for their effectiveness, and the education of patients receiving them are fundamental aspects of care. (J Vasc Nurs 2001;19:2-9)
COMPETITIVENESS OF U.S. AQUACULTURE WITHIN THE CURRENT U.S. REGULATORY FRAMEWORK

Increased attention has been paid in recent years to both positive and negative effects of increasing numbers of regulations on businesses in the United States. The decline in U.S. aquaculture has been attributed in part to increasing volumes of imports and high feed prices. However, there is increasing concern that the U.S. regulatory environment, as compared to that of international competitors, may also have contributed to this decline. More than 1,300 laws apply to U.S. aquaculture and even though the majority has been issued by individual states and apply only to specific types of aquaculture businesses in that state, the cumulative regulatory burden has increased over time. Major compliance categories include: 1) environmental management; 2) food safety; 3) legal and labor standards; 4) interstate transport of aquatic products; 5) fish health; and 6) culture of commercially harvested species. A substantial portion of the regulatory burden is the managerial and labor time spent on compliance in addit...
The Material Culture of Daily Living in the Anglo-Saxon World

Consisting of fourteen thematic chapters along with the introduction, this volume addresses various aspects of pre-Conquest material culture in England and occasionally the surrounding areas, from ...
The influence of progressive growth on the specific catalase activity of human diploid cell strains. III. Experiments bearing on the mechanism responsible for change in specific activity

It was shown previously that the specific catalase activity of human diploid cell strains falls immediately after subculture and then progressively rises in an exponential fashion. In this paper evidence is presented suggesting that the rise in catalase activity cannot be due to an accumulation within the cell of a small molecule which enhances enzyme activity in cell-free extracts. It is also shown that activity per cell, as well as per unit cell protein, rises as the culture grows. The rate of fall of specific catalase activity immediately after subculture is greater if the cells are at a low population density than if they are at a high one. The rate of fall can be made more sharp by increasing the frequency with which the cultures are fed. It is shown that used medium, which has previously been incubated with cultured cells of the same strain, does not significantly change either the rate of fall of specific catalase activity following subculture, or the rate of its subsequent rise. It is postu- lated, as one possibility, that the cells liberate into the medium an enhancer of cell catalase activity which is highly labile. The steady state concentration of this enhancer in the medium might be expected to increase as the culture grew, but to decrease when the cells are subcultured into fresh medium or when the frequency of feedings is increased.
Tracking changes in behavioral health services: how have carve-outs changed care?

This special issue of theJournal of Behavioral Health Services & Research on mental health carve-outs brings together some of the latest research on recent policy and market changes affecting behavioral health services. This introductory article provides background information about carve-outs and the managed behavioral health care industry. This article also reviews prior research in the mental health carve-out field.
Are we there yet? The four-year impact of a VA fellowship program on the recovery orientation of rehabilitation programs.

OBJECTIVE This study represents the first program evaluation of the impact of a Psychosocial Rehabilitation (PSR) fellowship program within the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). Specifically, it examines the recovery orientation of five mental health rehabilitation programs at the Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial VA Medical Center (ENRM VAMC) in Bedford, MA by comparing program stakeholder rating of the "recovery orientation" between the initial data and the four-year follow-up during which the PSR fellowship was in operation. The goal of this fellowship program is to increase the VHA's fidelity to recovery-oriented best practice recommendations. METHOD Participants were mental health consumers and staff members within five key psychiatric rehabilitation programs at the ENRM VAMC. Perception of programs' recovery orientation was measured at the start of the fellowship (Time 1) and after the fellowship was in place for four years (Time 2). RESULTS Results demonstrate that across the entire sample of stakeholders, perceptions of recovery orientation significantly improved from Time 1 to Time 2. Results also reveal a significant overall increase in program recovery orientation over time in three out of the five rehabilitation programs, with years of fellow involvement in particular programs significantly and positively correlating with increases in ratings of program recovery-orientation gains. DISCUSSION Implications for using fellowships as agents of program change, and specifically, recovery-oriented change, are discussed.
The Impact of Personality Disorders on Treatment Outcome for Veterans in a Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Residential Treatment Program

This study evaluated the effect of comorbid personality disorders on treatment outcome for male and female Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). One hundred and sixty-six Veterans participated in a PTSD Residential Rehabilitation Program, which included cognitive processing therapy (CPT) provided in a combined individual and group format. Sixty-six percent of participants met criteria at pre-treatment for at least one personality disorder. No difference was found between participants with and without personality disorders on pre-treatment demographic variables, self-reported PTSD symptoms, or clinician-assessed PTSD symptoms. However, differences were found between the groups on self-reported depression symptoms. When controlling for pre-treatment self-reported depression symptoms, results indicated that both groups had significant reductions on PTSD outcome measures, regardless of the presence of a personality disorder. Additionally, a comparable number of participants with and without personality disorders no longer met criteria for PTSD following treatment. Findings suggest that Veterans with personality disorders can benefit from a CPT-based PTSD residential program.
Interventions in children's play: Video modeling produces positive outcomes in reciprocal pretend play for children who demonstrate abilities in pretend play

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by MacDonald, R., Sacramone, S., Mansfield, R., Wiltz, K., & Ahearn, W. (2009). Using video modeling to teach reciprocal pretend play to children with autism. Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis, 42, 43–55. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: No source of funding reported, and the original authors of this research do not report any conflicts of interest.
Ferromagnetism in granular nickel films

Abstract Magnetoresistance and magnetization measurements on the granular Ni-SiO 2 system show the existence of a ferromagnetic to supermagnetic transition. Around 50% nickel concentration the transition temperature is strongly composition dependent. In addition it is concluded that the intergrain tunneling probability depends on the orientation of the electronic spin.
Site-selective non-linear spectroscopy of pentacene: p-terphenyl

Abstract Site-selective spectroscopy is demonstrated for both parametric and non-parametric four-wave non-linear mixing in the pentacene: p -terphenyl system where there are four unique substitutional sites. The lineshapes show the different interference effects expected for parametric versus non-parametric methods.
Economic Outcomes of Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators

Background—We reviewed the literature pertaining to the cost-effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy in the management of ventricular fibrillation and tachycardia. Discussed are the methodology, advantages, and limitations of economic-outcomes analyses as related to ICD therapy; the impact of new technology and physician practice patterns; and methodological recommendations for future studies. Methods and Results—Articles published between 1990 and 1997 were screened for cost-effectiveness analyses of ICD versus antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Randomized clinical trials, prospective and retrospective studies, and economic models were included. These studies report incremental cost-effectiveness ratios ranging from cost savings of $13 975 per life-year saved (LYS) to an incremental cost of $114 917 per LYS for ICD therapy. Differences were due to study type, cost-reporting methodology, ICD technology used, and length of follow-up. Assuming current technology and physician practic...
RT PC distributed services overview

RT PC Distributed Services provides distributed operating system capabilities for the AIX1 operating system. These include distributed files with local/remote transparency, a form of "single system image" and distributed interprocess communication. Applications, including data management/data base applications, can typically be used in the distributed environment without modification to existing object code. Distributed Services is architected for strong compatibility with AIX, the UNIX2 operating system, IBM architectures such as SNA and some of the architectures of Sun Microsystems'3 NFS. The Distributed Services implementation includes caching mechanisms and other algorithms designed for high performance without sacrificing strict functional transparency. This paper describes the key characteristics and decisions in the design of Distributed Services.
Evolution of surgical techniques for aneurysms of the descending thoracic aorta: twenty-nine years experience with 659 patients.

Between 1953 and 1993, 659 patients underwent descending thoracic aneurysm resection. The most common etiology was atherosclerosis. Pain was the main presenting symptom. Perioperative mortality fell from 24.2% between 1953 and 1964 to 14.3% between 1970 and 1993. Paraplegia occurred in 4.1% (27/659) patients overall and was little affected by time of operation or use of atriofemoral bypass. Paraparesis occurred in 5.9% (39/659) patients and was reduced by use of atriofemoral bypass. The low rate of paraparesis in the earlier experience was offset by the higher perioperative mortality from hemorrhage, attributable to the use of systemic heparin. The use of heparin-free circuits with centrifugal pumps should be considered in patients likely to have a clamp time greater than 30 minutes. The major source of perioperative morbidity and mortality was cardiac causes (48%) followed by perioperative hemorrhage (14.4%), pulmonary complications (14.4%), and rupture of another aneurysmal segment (12.0%). Late mortality occurred most commonly from cardiac causes (30.6% of deaths) and rupture of another aneurysm (16.3% of deaths). Improvement in results was due to general refinements of management in all areas rather than any single factor. These results indicate that complete preoperative assessment of the patient and the entire aorta is essential and that regular life-long follow-up is critical in order to avoid unnecessary morbidity and mortality from cardiac, cerebrovascular, or subsequent aneurysmal complications. (J Card Surg 1994;9:648–661)
Temporal and spatial expression of liver receptor homologue-1 (LRH-1) during embryogenesis suggests a potential role in gonadal development

Liver receptor homologue-1 (LRH-1), an orphan member of the nuclear receptor family highly expressed in adult mouse ovary, is closely related to steroidogenic factor 1 (SF-1), known to be important in gonadal formation. To analyze the potential role of LRH-1 in gonadal differentiation, we compared LRH-1 and SF-1 expression during mouse embryonic and postnatal development. LRH-1 expression was first detected in the urogenital ridge before sexual determination, in primordial germ cells and surrounding somatic cells; expression persisted after differentiation into testes and ovaries. Of interest, LRH-1 expression declined in the developing ovary and testis at embryonic day 15.5 but increased again just after birth in the ovary in granulosa cells and transiently in oocytes of developing follicles. By comparing and contrasting LRH and SF-1 expression with the two tissue-specific steroidogenic markers, cytochromes P450 aromatase and P450 17α-hydroxylase/17,20 lyase, we provide evidence for a potential role for LRH-1 in gonadal development, the initiation of folliculogenesis and regulation of estrogen biosynthesis within the ovary. Developmental Dynamics 234:159–168, 2005. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Error Control in Residue Number Systems

This paper introduces an alternate approach to error control in residue number systems which utilizes sets of moduli that include pairs with non-trivial common factors. Necessary and sufficient conditions for achieving a specified capacity for error detection or correction are derived by considering the minimum Hamming distance of an associated linear code. Effective error-control procedures are developed based on a syndrome matrix whose entries are obtained directly from the residue digits. The potential of a priori bounds on the magnitude of measurement errors to increase the efficiency of the control process is analyzed.
The economic burden of toxicities associated with cancer treatment: review of the literature and analysis of nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, oral mucositis and fatigue.

Side effects or toxicities are frequent, undesirable companions of almost all forms of non-surgical cancer therapy. It is unusual for patients to complete treatment with radiation or chemotherapy without experiencing at least one form of therapy-associated tissue injury or systemic side effect. Often, toxicities do not occur as solitary events; rather, they result in clusters of symptoms that share a common biological aetiology. Like any disease, cancer treatment-related toxicities (CTRTs) vary in their severity. But, in contrast to most diseases in which incidence is described as being present or absent, the current approach to CTRT typically limits reporting to severe cases only. Not only does this dilute the frequency with which CTRTs occur, but it also undermines our ability to determine the full burden of their impact and to accurately assess the cost effectiveness of potential toxicity interventions. In this article, we report the results of a directed literature review for the years 2000–2012, in which we studied and compared three tissue-based toxicities (nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, and oral mucositis) and one systemic toxicity (fatigue). Our results confirm the heavy burden of resource use and cost associated with CTRTs. The inclusion of fatigue in our analysis provided an opportunity to compare and contrast a toxicity in which there are both acute and chronic consequences. Our findings also demonstrate a number of challenges to, and opportunities for, future study. Among the most obvious are the lack of provider consistency in diagnosis and grading, especially when there is no global agreement on severity scales. Compounding this inconsistency is the disconnect between healthcare providers and patients that exists when describing toxicity severity and impact. In many cases, cancer can be thought of as a chronic disease that requires prolonged but episodic treatment once the acute disease is eradicated. This change reflects increasing treatment successes, but it also implies that the burden of CTRTs will be expanded and prolonged. Creation of hierarchical attribution of costs in the presence of simultaneous CTRTs, accurate coding, and consistent tracking tools for toxicities will be imperative for effective appraisal of the costs associated with cancer treatment regimen toxicities.
Demerit scholarships: a method for weeding out the marginally bad resident.

I propose a program that identifies weak residents, those ill-suited to the practice of orthopaedic surgery, and bestows upon them large sums of money.
The kinetics of skin cancer: progression of actinic keratosis to squamous cell carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Actinic keratoses (AKs) are intraepidermal skin tumors that have the potential to progress to squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). SCCs are the second most common cancer with more than 200,000 cases each year in America. Approximately 10% of AKs will progress to SCCs. This progression is thought to be due to chronic sun exposure, specifically ultraviolet B sunlight. OBJECTIVE Understanding the kinetics of this developmental process can help physicians better evaluate and subsequently treat precancerous AKs. METHODS To determine the time scale of AK progression, we conducted a retrospective electronic medical record study of all patients diagnosed histopathologically with an SCC between July 1, 2003, and June 30, 2005. RESULTS Of a total patient population of 6,691, 91 had a histopathologically confirmed diagnosis of an AK at the same site as the subsequent SCC. The length of time for an AK to progress to an SCC was determined to be 24.6 months (95% confidence interval, 21.04-28.16 months). CONCLUSIONS Although a more controlled in vivo study is indicated, these data provide a good estimate of the time course from an AK to an SCC. In summary, of the estimated 10% of AKs that will develop into an SCC, the progression will take approximately 2 years.
Trichodaganomania: The compulsive habit of biting one’s own hair

A 17-year-old male presented with patches of hair loss on both forearms with comorbid depression and anxiety disorders. He had irresistible urges to bite his hair on easily approachable sites and endorsed biting his hair during periods of severe anxiety and boredom, resulting in noticeable patches of hair loss. There was no evidence of trichotillomanic behavior or any other skin pathology resulting in loss of hair at those sites. Microscopy of the bitten end of hairs showed smooth, sharply demarcated, blunted shafts. Trichodaganomania (biting one's own hair) should not be confused with trichotillomania, trichotemnomania, or trichoteiromania. A psychodermatologic evaluation is warranted in the evaluation of these cases.
The Lost Sheep of ICT4D Literature

Information communication technologies for development (ICT4D) is a new field of study that contains few grand theories compared to other areas of social science. This article analyzes some shortcomings of ICT4D research. First, there is juxtaposition between ICT4D's being a multidisciplinary field while its authors are predominantly not multidisciplinary. Second, ICT4D is not a panacea; it is only a piece of the development puzzle. ICTs alone cannot lead to social elevation. Third, who is responsible for the structure of ICT4D literature? Fourth, Habermas's public sphere is applied to mobile telephony in sub-Saharan Africa to demonstrate how ICT4D could expand upon the theoretical tradition within media studies. The conclusion recommends the creation of a global summit on ICT4D and more grand theories.
The structure of β-d-fructofuranose in aqueous solution

Abstract The specific rotation of β- d -fructofuranose in aqueous solution is positive (+78°) and that of methyl β- d -fructofuranoside is negative (−60°). The opposing chir-optical properties of these compounds are attributed to the formation by the former, of a hydrogen bond between the anomeric (OH—2) and C—6 hydroxyl groups to form a bicyclic and dextrorotatory chelate structure. The assignment explains the optical rotatory behaviour of d -fructose in aqueous solution at different temperatures and in aqueous alcohol, urea and borate solutions. It also explains precisely why β- d -fructofuranose is devoid of sweetness.
Barriers to the implementation of medication-assisted treatment for substance use disorders: The importance of funding policies and medical infrastructure

Despite growing interest in the use of evidence-based treatment practices, adoption of pharmacotherapies for treating substance use disorders (SUDs) remains modest. Using data from telephone interviews with 250 administrators of publicly funded SUD treatment programs, this study estimated a model of adoption of medication assisted treatment (MAT) for SUDs and examined the relative importance of regulatory, cultural, medical resource, patient-level, and funding barriers to MAT implementation. MAT-adopting programs had significantly greater medical resources, as measured by the employment of physicians and nurses, than non-adopting programs. Administrators of non-adopting programs were asked to rate the importance of 18 barriers to MAT implementation. The most strongly endorsed barriers were regulatory prohibitions due to the program's lack of medical staff, funding barriers to implementing MAT, and lack of access to medical personnel with expertise in delivering MAT. Barriers related to insufficient information about MAT and unsupportive staff attitudes were not widely endorsed. These findings suggest that efforts to promote the implementation of MAT that are inattentive to funding barriers and weaknesses in medical infrastructure may achieve sub-optimal results.
Failure to transmit infectious hepatitis to chimpanzees.

Summary1. Two adult and 4 young chimpanzees were given material known to contain the etiologic agent of infectious hepatitis. Five of the animals remained healthy and showed no evidence of impairment of certain tests of liver function. One animal which was sick before beginning the experiment, died of a severe parasitic infestation 65 days after inoculation. The liver was normal grossly and histologically. Another animal died accidentally at the end of the period of observation and the liver was also normal. 2. Data are presented on serial determinations of certain tests of liver function in the chimpanzee. Quantitative determinations of serum bilirubin and per cent of bromsulfalein dye retention were of a lower order than similar determinations in normal humans. The cephalin flocculation was consistently positive in one apparently healthy adult animal and in one young chimpanzee with an overwhelming parasitic infestation. Three young healthy animals had consistently negative cephalin flocculation tests.
EXTREMAL EIGENVALUE PROBLEMS FOR STARLIKE PLANAR DOMAINS

Abstract Each eigenvalue of the Laplacian, subject to Dirichlet boundary conditions, is shown to attain its extremes over those open planar starlike sets that simultaneously (i) contain a given disk, (ii) occupy a given area, and (iii) do not exceed a prescribed perimeter. Over that subclass of starlike sets with Lipschitz boundary we compute the generalized gradient, with respect to domain, of each eigenvalue and deduce, from the ensuing necessary conditions, partial regularity of the extremal domains.
Insulin responses to oral carbohydrate in true prediabetics and matched controls.

Abstract The definition of prediabetes by genetic criteria alone has limitations since not all such subjects progress to overt diabetes. Sequential oral glucose tolerance testing in a population has enabled the identification of 14 " true prediabetic" subjects with baseline two-hour plasma glucose levels 275 mg. per 100 ml.). All but one were matched for baseline two-hour plasma glucose and relative weight with a subject whose glucose tolerance remained unchanged during a mean follow-up period of 4 years. Fasting insulin levels and responses at 1/2, 1, and 2 hour sampling times were similar in both group and matched pair analysis at baseline. No evidence was found that subjects destined to develop diabetes have either excessive or diminished insulin secretion.
Pancreatic cystic lesions: clinical predictors of malignancy in patients undergoing surgery.

Summary Background Despite advances in cross-sectional imaging and the use of molecular markers, distinguishing between benign and malignant cysts remains a clinical challenge. Aims To identify both preoperative clinical and cyst characteristics at the time of EUS that predict malignancy. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on consecutive patients with pancreatic cysts who underwent endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and surgical resection from May 1996 to December 2007 at a tertiary centre. Clinical history, EUS characteristics, cytology, tumour markers and surgical histology were collected. Predictors of malignancy were determined by univariate and multivariate analysis using logistic regression. Results A total of 153 patients underwent a EUS and subsequent surgical intervention.Of the 153 patients, 57 (37%) had a histological diagnosis of malignancy. On univariate analysis, older age (P < 0.001), male gender (P = 0.010), jaundice (P = 0.039), history of other malignancy (P = 0.036), associated mass in cyst (P = 0.004) and malignant cytology (P < 0.001) were found to be associated with malignancy. History of pancreatitis (P = 0.008) and endoscopist impression of pseudocyst (P = 0.001) were found to be associated with benign cysts. Multivariate analysis found that only older age [Odds ratio (OR), 1.04; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.01–1.08], male gender (OR, 2.26; 95% CI, 1.08–4.73) and malignant cytology (OR, 6.60; 95% CI, 2.02–21.58) were independent predictors of malignancy. Conclusions Older age, male gender and malignant cytology from EUS predict malignancy at surgical resection. These characteristics may be used to estimate the probability of malignancy in a cyst and aid in management. Aliment Pharmacol Ther 31, 285–294
A kinetic approach for polymer solution data

The phenomenological theory previously prsented for describing the rheological properties of non-Newtonian materials was applied to two polymer solution systems. The basic shear diagram is needed over a wide range of shear rates and polymer concentrations, and such data are not readily available; however, what could be found supported the analysis. In order to confirm the theory further, ten solutions of polymethylmetacrylate in diethyphthalate with concentrations up to 55% were investigated at 40°C. The results indicated that the forward and reverse orders were 1 and 2 respectively and that the two parameters of the theory (a susceptibility to shear term and an equilibrium type of constant) were constant over the range of concentrations investigated. The flow data were reproduced to within a few percent for all solutions, although the errors were large for the very dilute concentration, where experimental difficulties precluded obtaining reliable data. The method allows correlation of polymer solution data over the range from lower to upper Newtonian viscosities and over a wide concentration range.
Improving UGV teleoperation performance using novel visualization techniques and manual interfaces

ABSTRACT Unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) are well-suited to a variety of tas ks that are dangerous or repetitive forhumans to perform. Despite recent advances, UGVs still su er fr om reliability issues, and human operationfailures have been identi ed as one root cause of UGV system failure . However, most literature relevant to UGVreliability does not address the e ects of human errors or the user interface. Our previous work investigatedthe issue of user situational awareness and sense of presence in t he robot workspace by implementing a MixedReality interface featuring a rst-person video feed with an Augme nted Reality overlayand a third-person VirtualReality display. The interface was evaluated in a series of user tests in which users manually controlled a UGVwith a manipulator arm using traditional input modalities including a comp uter mouse, keyboard and gamepad.In this study, we learned that users found it challenging to mentally m ap commands from the manual inputs tothe robot arm behavior. Also, switching between control modalities seemed to add to the cognitive load duringteleoperation tasks. A master-slavestyle manual controllercan p rovide an intuitive one-to-onemapping from userinput to robot pose, and has the potential to improve both operat or situational awareness for teleoperation tasksand decrease mission completion time. This paper describes the desig n and implementation of a teleoperatedUGV with a Mixed Reality visualization interface and a master-slave con troller that is suitable for teleoperatedmobile manipulation tasks.Keywords: MixedReality, UserInterface, HumanRobot Interaction, Situatio nalAwareness, UnmannedGroundVehicles (UGVs), Teleoperation, Manipulator Arm, Master-Slave, M anual Interfaces
MAJORITIES AGAINST UTILITY: IMPLICATIONS OF THE FAILURE OF THE MIRACLE OF AGGREGATION

A surprising conclusion of modern political economy is that democracies with highly ignorant voters can still deliver very good results as long as voters' errors balance each other out. This result is known as the Miracle of Aggregation. This paper begins by reviewing a large body of evidence against this Miracle. Empirically, voters' errors tend to be systematic; they compound rather than cancel. Furthermore, since most citizens vote for the policies they believe are best for society, systematic errors lead voters to support socially suboptimal policies. The paper then considers the case for “paternalistically” vetoing popular but misguided democratic decisions, presenting several arguments that overruling democratic decisions is much less objectionable than overruling individual decisions. In fact, since democracies routinely adopt paternalistic policies, the opponent of paternalism for individual decisions should embrace paternalism for democratic decisions. The paper concludes by considering several different mechanisms for improving upon majority rule.
Free intermingling of mammalian β-tubulin isotypes among functionally distinct microtubules

Abstract Mammalian cells express a spectrum of tubulin isotypes whose relationship to the diversity of microtubule function is unknown. To examine whether different isotypes are segregated into functionally distinct microtubules, we generated immune sera capable of discriminating among the various naturally occurring β-tubulin isotypes. Cloned fusion proteins encoding each isotype were used first to tolerogenize animals against shared epitopes, and then as immunogens to elicit a specific response. In experiments using these sera, we show that there is neither complete nor partial segregation of β-tubulin isotypes: both interphase cytoskeletal and mitotic spindle microtubules are mixed copolymers of all expressed β-tubulin isotypes. Indeed, a highly divergent isotype normally expressed only in certain hematopoietic cells is also indiscriminately assembled into all microtubules both in their normal context and when transfected into HeLa cells.