cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RNA-seq analysis of synovial fibroblasts brings new insights into rheumatoid arthritis

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune-disease of unknown origin that primarily affects the joints and ultimately leads to their destruction. Growing evidence suggests that synvovial fibroblasts play important roles in the initiation and the perpetuation of RA but underlying molecular mechanisms are not understood fully. In the present study, Illumina RNA sequencing was used to profile two human normal control and two rheumatoid arthritis synvovial fibroblasts (RASFs) transcriptomes to gain insights into the roles of synvovial fibroblasts in RA. We found that besides known inflammatory and immune responses, other novel dysregulated networks and pathways such as Cell Morphology, Cell-To-Cell Signaling and Interaction, Cellular Movement, Cellular Growth and Proliferation, and Cellular Development, may all contribute to the pathogenesis of RA. Our study identified several new genes and isoforms not previously associated with rheumatoid arthritis. 122 genes were up-regulated and 155 genes were down-regulated by at least two-fold in RASFs compared to controls. Of note, 343 known isoforms and 561 novel isoforms were up-regulated and 262 known isoforms and 520 novel isoforms were down-regulated by at least two-fold. The magnitude of difference and the number of differentially expressed known and novel gene isoforms were not detected previously by DNA microarray. Since the activation and proliferation of RASFs has been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, further in-depth follow-up analysis of the transcriptional regulation reported in this study may shed light on molecular pathogenic mechanisms underlying synovial fibroblasts in arthritis and provide new leads of potential therapeutic targets.
Statistical Search for Hierarchical Linear Optimal Representations of Images

Although linear representations of images are widely used in appearance-based recognition of objects, the frequently used ideas, such as PCA, ICA, and FDA, are often found to be suboptimal. A stochastic search algorithm has been proposed recently [4] for finding representations that are optimal for specific tasks and datasets. However, this search algorithm is computationally efficient only when the image size is relatively small. Here we propose a hierarchical learning algorithm to speed up the search. The proposed approach decomposes the original optimization problem into several stages according to a hierarchical organization. In particular, the following idea is applied recursively: (i) reduce the image dimension using a shrinkage matrix, (ii) optimize the recognition performance in the reduced space, and (iii)expand the optimal subspace to the bigger space in a pre-specified way. We show that the optimal performance is maintained in the last step. By applying this decomposition procedure recursively, a hierarchy of layers is formed. This speeds up the original algorithm significantly since the search is performed mainly in reduced spaces. The effectiveness of hierarchical learning is illustrated on a popular database, where the computation time is reduced by a large factor compared to the original algorithm.
Tuberculosis Control Among People in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Custody

Background People detained by United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) are a high-risk population for tuberculosis (TB). Detainees are screened for TB upon intake, and TB patients are reported to the Division of Immigration Health Services (DIHS). Methods TB case reports were reviewed for ICE detainees reported to DIHS during 2004–2005. Case counts and frequency distributions are presented. Case counts are stratified by demographic characteristics, release status, laboratory and clinical findings, HIV/AIDS status, and drug resistance. Case rates were calculated for patients housed at facilities with DIHS staffing. Duration of treatment and of ICE custody is provided. Analyses were conducted in 2006. Results During 2004 and 2005, 76 and 142 TB patients were reported, respectively. The TB case rate was 82.6/100,000 in 2004 and 121.5/100,000 in 2005. The culture-confirmed case rate of 55.8/100,000 in 2005 was 2.5 times higher than the case rate in the U.S. foreign-born population. Of 218 patients, 127 (58.3%) had Mycobacterium tuberculosis –positive sputum cultures, 70 (32.1%) had acid-fast bacilli–positive sputum smears, and 36 (16.5%) were symptomatic at diagnosis. Patients from Mexico, Honduras, Guatemala, and El Salvador accounted for 184 cases (84.4%) and 184 patients (84.4%) were repatriated. TB patients spent an average 82.6 days in treatment before release or repatriation. Conclusions Screening at intake to ICE custody has helped DIHS staff in diagnosing TB and starting patients on treatment, but patients are usually deported before completing therapy. Because of deportation, and sometimes re-entry into the United States, unique collaborations are required to support completion of treatment.
Comparison of routing and network coding in undirected network group communications

Traditional method of solving group communications problem is by placing a super source with unlimited bandwidth to all sources. In this paper, we show that this method cannot guarantee the fairness within different sources for routing. Also in certain scenarios, the method can lead to wrong conclusion of network achieving higher throughput than it can actually deliver. Two algorithms are presented, one for routing and one for network coding to guarantee that each source has the same fairness and get the sub-optimal throughput for group communications in undirected networks. The throughputs achieved using either of these algorithms (one for routing only and one for network coding) are much better than any current widely-used IP multicast protocols. Between the two proposed algorithms, the algorithm for network coding can have throughput benefit in some scenarios but not always. Here, we show through simulation that network coding does not have constant throughput benefit in undirected networks in group communications scenario with the consideration of fairness within different sources.
Benzo(h)quinoline derivatives as G-quadruplex binding agents

G-quadruplexes are unusual structures formed from guanine-rich sequences of nucleic acids. G-quadruplexes have been postulated to play important roles in a number of biological systems including gene regulation and the inhibition of enzyme function. Recently, our laboratory reported on the synthesis and evaluation of a triaza-cyclopentaphenanthrene compound which bound to G-quadruplexes with good affinity and selectivity. This compound contains a 4-pyridone group which has not been previously utilized in other quadruplex binding agents. In this Letter, we describe the synthesis and evaluation of 4-pyridone containing 2- and 3-carboxy-benzoquinolines as G-quadruplex binding agents. We find that these compounds are capable of binding G-quadruplexes with a K(a) in the range of 3 x 10(5)M(-1) and with a 10-fold selectivity for quadruplex over duplex DNA.
Hexachlorophene-induced alterations in the metabolism of cultured human lung cells.

SummaryTreatment of cultured human lung cells for 24 hr with hexachlorophene resulted in an inhibition of cell division and the synthesis of DNA, RNA, and protein. Normal cell division could be restored by rinsing cultures that had been treated with hexachlorophene at 1 or 5 μg/ml.
Just how Credible are your Market Estimates

Executives are frequently misled by conventional measures of research accuracy usually in the direction of overconfidence. The author proposes a research appraisal tool which can be used without te...
Project Duration and Risk Factors on Virtual Projects

This research examines how project duration relates to specific individual risk factors that threaten virtual projects, i.e. where team members are not co-located and must rely heavily on computer mediated communication. A total of 557 project management practitioners completed an online survey concerning the impact of each of 55 risk factors on one of their recently completed virtual projects. MANOVA analysis on the ten factors with the highest risk effect (REff) levels demonstrated a clear relationship between project duration and six of the ten factors. These six risks were significantly higher on longer duration projects, suggesting that (1) these risks need to be followed more closely on longer duration projects, and (2) projects whose schedules increase over time may be at greater risk than their risk analyses might indicate. Reasons why some risk factors have a duration effect, while others do not, are explored.
Renal adrenergic effector mechanisms: glomerular sites for prostaglandin interaction.

Micropuncture experiments were performed in Munich-Wistar rats to ascertain the renal microcirculatory sites at which prostaglandins interact with the renal nerve and angiotensin II. Renal nerve stimulation (RNS) of 3 Hz alone decreased single-nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR) by 30%, the consequence of 10 and 35% reductions in the glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure difference (delta P) and the single-nephron plasma flow (SNPF), respectively. Pre- and postglomerular vascular resistances increased. RNS during prostaglandin inhibition (indomethacin) resulted in a 70% reduction in SNGFR, secondary to 1) a further diminution in delta P and in SNPF, via heightened pre- and postglomerular vasoconstriction and 2) a marked decline in the glomerular ultrafiltration coefficient (LpA), from 0.058 +/- 0.006 to 0.027 +/- 0.002 nl.s-1.mmHg-1.g kidney wt-1 (P less than 0.005). Acute angiotensin II inhibition (MK-421 and [Sar1,Ala8]angiotensin II) in rats pretreated with indomethacin partially attenuated the effects of RNS on vascular resistances and therefore on delta P, SNPF, and SNGFR and prevented the reduction in LpA. Thus vasodilatory prostaglandins act as local modulators of both renal nerve and angiotensin II constrictive actions on glomeruli and renal microcirculation.
A Student’s Guide to Point Sources in Homogeneous Media

The analysis of point sources in homogeneous media is presented in an introductory but rigorous manner. Stokes solution to the elastic wave equation with a concentrated body force is extended to include couples and moment tensor sources. The single couple and the double couple without moment are discussed in detail because of their importance in earthquake source studies. To simplify the treatment, the transformation properties of tensors under rotations are used throughout. This guide is intended to complement that written by Jost and Herrmann (1989) on moment tensors. A FORTRAN 77 program is provided to plot P, SV, SH radiation patterns as well as S-wave polarizations on a lower hemisphere focal sphere for an arbitrary symmetric moment tensor.
Intelligent reminder system of having medicine for chronic patients

This research is originally creative research, and already applied patent under authority of Patent Bureau of Taiwan (applying case number: 095121418). People living in modern society are full of much pressure from all kinds of environment everyday and with the great change of dining habit people easily have many chronic diseases. In addition to causing huge damage to individual health, it also cost much society medical resource. Most chronic diseases need special care from nursing staff to remind of when to have the correct medicine. It is naturally proceeding in wards but patients usually forget to punctually have medicine once they leave the hospital and get back home, and this situation neglecting or forgetting to have medicine according to doctors' instruction often causes many un-fortunate deaths of patients resulting in offsetting-less for individual and family. Owing to the speedy development of communication technology and semiconductor, GSM communication module can be integrated and embedded into single chip and let GSM be carried into many products to increase the added-value of products. So how to combine microprocessor with communication module to construct a safe, intelligent, and full-purpose monitoring system for individual to have medicine to solve the problem mentioned above becomes an interesting issue for us. The research category of this study are including a medicine box as the main part of product which includes GSM module, speech-functional DSP, control panel displaying all information for patients, medicine detecting function, and a single chip microprocessor to operate the monitoring function. On the other hand, the interface of the commander terminal PC in nursing center, instructing all information for patients to punctually have medicine, is developed by us programming with VB language. The system function was verified completed successful and could be published for commercials for its creativity and practical purpose.
Natriuretic response to renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure during angiotensin II blockade.

Increases in renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (RIHP) increase urinary sodium excretion (UNaV). Experimentally increasing RIHP by direct renal interstitial volume expansion (DRIVE) has been shown to decrease proximal tubule sodium reabsorption. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether the renin-angiotensin system modulates the natriuretic response to DRIVE. Unilateral nephrectomy and implantation of two polyethylene matrices were performed 3 wk before the acute experiment. Fractional sodium excretion (FENa), RIHP, and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) were measured before and after DRIVE in control rats (n = 9) and in rats receiving the angiotensin II (ANG II) receptor antagonist, losartan potassium (10 mg/kg i.v.; n = 10). DRIVE was achieved by infusing 100 microliters of 2.5% albumin solution directly into the renal interstitium. GFR remained unchanged by DRIVE in both groups. In control animals, DRIVE significantly increased both RIHP (delta 3.8 +/- 0.5 mmHg) and FENa (delta 0.92 +/- 0.19%). In the losartan-treated group, RIHP (delta 2.8 +/- 0.4 mmHg) and FENa (delta 1.93 +/- 0.41%) also significantly increased. The natriuretic response to DRIVE was significantly enhanced during ANG II receptor blockade compared with control animals (delta UNaV/delta RIHP = 2.01 +/- 0.67 vs. 0.44 +/- 0.17 mu eq.min-1 x mmHg-1, respectively; P < 0.05). These results suggest that the blockade of angiotensin enhances the natriuretic response to increased RIHP during DRIVE.
Cancer Chemotherapy for Heterogeneous Tumor Cell Populations and Drug Resistance

The results of the previous chapter are consistent with the classical MTD paradigm in medicine: give as much of the drug as possible immediately. This makes perfect sense in many situations: cancer is a widely symptomless disease which, once finally detected, often is in an advanced stage where immediate action is required. Then the aim simply is to be as toxic as possible to the cancerous cells. However, this presumes that cells can be killed, i.e., that the tumor population consists of chemotherapeutically sensitive cells. Malignant cancer cell populations on the other hand are often highly genetically unstable and coupled with fast proliferation rates; this leads to a great variety in the structure of the cells within one tumor—the number of genetic errors present within one cancer cell can lie in the thousands [220]. Consequently, many tumors consist of heterogeneous agglomerations of subpopulations of cells that show widely varying sensitivities toward the actions of a particular chemotherapeutic agent [104, 107]. Coupled with the fact that growing tumors also exhibit considerable evolutionary ability to enhance cell survival in an environment that is becoming hostile, this leads to multi-drug resistance of some strains of the cells. Naturally, it makes sense to combine drugs with different activation mechanisms to reach a larger population of the tumor cells—and this is what is being done—but the sad fact remains that some cells develop multi-drug resistance to a wide variety of even structurally unrelated drugs. There may even exist subpopulations of cells that are not sensitive to the treatment from the beginning (ab initio, intrinsic resistance). For certain types of cancer cells, there are simply no effective agents known.
Operative wound classification: an inaccurate measure of pediatric surgical morbidity.

Background Wound classification has catapulted to the forefront of surgical literature and quality care discussions. However, it has not been validated in laparoscopy or children. We analyzed pediatric infection rates based on wound classification and reviewed the most common noninfectious complications which could be a more appropriate measure for quality assessment. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 800 patients from 2011 to 2014 undergoing common procedures at a tertiary pediatric hospital. Demographics, procedure, wound classification and complications were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results Infection rates were in the expected low range for clean procedures. However, 5% of pyloromyotomy patients required readmission and 10% of circumcision patients developed penile adhesions; 2% required reoperation. Ostomy reversal, a clean contaminated case, had 17% wound infections, whereas acute appendicitis, a contaminated case had only a 4% infection rate. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (clean-contaminated or contaminated depending on inflammation) had 2% postoperative infections. Perforated appendicitis, a dirty procedure had an 18% infection rate, below the expected >27% for dirty cases in adults. Conclusions Current wound classifications do not accurately approximate the risk of surgical site infections in children, particularly for laparoscopic procedures. It would be more appropriate to grade hospitals based on disease and procedure specific complications.
Norton and the Logic of Thought Experiments

John D. Norton defends an empiricist epistemology of thought experiments, the central thesis of which is that thought experiments are nothing more than arguments. Philosophers have attempted to provide counterexamples to this claim, but they haven’t convinced Norton. I will point out a more fundamental reason for reformulation that criticizes Norton’s claim that a thought experiment is a good one when its underlying logical form possesses certain desirable properties. I argue that by Norton’s empiricist standards, no thought experiment is ever justified in any deep sense due to the properties of its logical form. Instead, empiricists should consider again the merits of evaluating thought experiments more like laboratory experiments, and less like arguments.
Prognostic Value of Late Gadolinium Enhancement CMR in Systemic Amyloidosis

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to access the prognostic implication of late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in patients with systemic amyloidosis undergoing cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR). Background Cardiac amyloidosis confers significantly worse prognosis in patients with systemic amyloidosis. CMR imaging has emerged as an attractive noninvasive modality to diagnose cardiac involvement in patients with systemic amyloidosis. We performed a systemic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the prognostic role of LGE-CMR imaging in patients with systemic amyloidosis. Methods Electronic databases MEDLINE, PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane were systematically searched to identify studies evaluating the association between LGE-CMR and prognosis in systemic amyloidosis with cardiac involvement. The present study was designed to systematically review and assess the association between LGE and the primary endpoint of all-cause mortality. A random effects model was used to calculate a pooled odds ratio using inverse-variance weighting. Results Data were included from 7 studies with a total of 425 patients and a mean follow-up of 25 months. Patients had a weighted average age of 64 years and left ventricular ejection fraction of 59.2%; 67% were male. Endomyocardial biopsy was positive for amyloidosis in 20%, whereas LGE was present in 73% of patients. LGE-positive patients had increased overall mortality compared with those without LGE (pooled odds ratio: 4.96; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.90 to 12.93; p = 0.001). For the LGE group, the pooled death rate was 0.07 (95% CI: 0.03 to 0.19) events per year and for the LGE+ group, the rate was 0.25 (95% CI: 0.16 to 0.39 per year; p = 0.001). The proportion of patients with cardiac biopsy within each study ranged from 3% to 68%, and the relationship between LGE status and death did not vary according to cardiac biopsy proportion across studies. Conclusions LGE on CMR in patients with systemic amyloidosis with known or suspected cardiac amyloidosis is associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality.
Fundamentals of plan making: Methods and techniques , by Edward J. Jepson, Jr., and Jerry Weitz

As a doctoral student at the University of Washington more than two decades ago I was tapped to serve as a teaching assistant and then co-instructor for a land use planning methods class as part of...
Contamination mediated continuous-wave laser damage of optical materials

Free carrier generation due to the presence of absorbing contaminants is considered as a primary mechanism for initiating continuous-wave laser damage in low absorption, high bandgap optical coatings. Thermal, optical, and ion-generation are examined as means of exciting electrons above the bandgap of the material. Once electrons exist above the bandgap, they absorb incident light, causing a runway thermal-absorption process leading to material breakdown. Testing this theory, high reflectivity distributed Bragg reflectors and half-wave coatings were tested with a 17kW 1070nm continuous wave laser in the presence of carbon contamination. Damage thresholds of titania, tantala, hafnia, alumina, and silica were compared to theory and found to follow similar trends. In an effort to prevent laser damage, samples were conditioned using lower irradiance levels, prior to higher exposure. This was found to reduce absorption by up to 90% as well as increase damage thresholds by over an order of magnitude for some samples.
P2P grid technology for virtual classrooms and laboratories

Computing technologies can play important role in Virtual Classrooms and Laboratories (VCL) and e-learning settings. In these systems, the underlying computing platforms enable large number of students across the globe to collaborate and interact with each other as well as with the learning components. A typical VCL can be setup based on a traditional or Peer-to-Pear (P2P) Grid Computing. While several VCLs are currently using the traditional Grid, few have been reported utilizing P2P Grid. The latter provides with an alternative computing system, which mainly targets the scalability of the system and often with improved flexibility and interactions. We studied whether P2P Grid could provide an improved platform over its counterpart. We inspected large number of systems, examples of which are presented in this paper. We scrutinized their features, capabilities, and performance. Our investigation indicates that P2P Grid exhibits a superior behavior over its traditional counterpart for VCL setting. This is especially true for courses such as Parallel Computing, Simulation, and Networking since P2P Grid offers accessing to larger scale computational and data resources as well as much improved collaborative environment in heterogeneous and distributed communities.
Violence, kinship networks, and political resilience

Previous literature has shown a link between violent victimization and pro-sociopolitical behavior. This study asks why victimization is shown to increase the likelihood of political participation ...
Hypertonic stress increases NaK ATPase, taurine, and myoinositol in human lens and retinal pigment epithelial cultures.

PURPOSE Recent evidence suggests that taurine and myoinositol may serve as organic osmolytes in a number of cells, including lens and retinal pigment epithelia, but the mechanism for their increased accumulation in response to hypertonic stress is not known. To assess whether NaK ATPase contributed to the elevated levels of taurine and myoinositol in cells exposed to hypertonic media, we measured the activity of NaK ATPase, which is known to be implicated in the transport of these substances, in human lens and retinal pigment epithelia cultured in isotonic and hypertonic media. METHODS Primary cultures of human lens epithelial (HLE) and human retinal pigment epithelial (HRPE) cells were maintained in isotonic and hypertonic media for varying periods of time, and the activity of NaK ATPase and the levels of taurine and myoinositol were measured in cells cultured under two different conditions. The possible involvement of the transport enzyme in the accumulation of the two osmolytes was also investigated by inhibiting the enzyme with ouabain. RESULTS When primary cultures of HLE and HRPE were exposed to hypertonic medium containing NaCl (600 mOsm) or cellobiose (500m Osm) for 72 hours, the concentration of taurine and myoinositol in HLE cells increased by 218% and 558% of control, respectively, in NaCl medium, whereas the corresponding increases in cellobiose medium were 147% and 439%. In HRPE cells, the increase in myoinositol levels in the two hypertonic media was more dramatic than that in taurine. Concomitant with the increase in the concentration of the osmolytes, there was an increase in NaK ATPase activity in both cell types. Although the accumulation of taurine in HLE cells in hypertonic media in a 6-hour culture was essentially prevented by 10(-8) mmol/l ouabain, myoinositol levels were affected to a lesser, but still significant, extent. In HRPE cells, which were cultured for 24 hrs in the presence of 10(-6) mmol/l ouabain, there was a more direct correlation between the inhibition of NaK ATPase and the decreased accumulation of taurine and myoinositol in the hypertonic media. CONCLUSION Although the exact mechanism by which NaK ATPase activity increases in response to hypertonic stress remains to be established, the increased activity of the enzyme is related to the enhanced accumulation of the organic osmolytes, taurine, and myoinositol, in HLE and HRPE cells cultured in hypertonic medium.
Causal Rule Sets for Identifying Subgroups with Enhanced Treatment Effect

A key question in causal inference analyses is how to find subgroups with elevated treatment effects. This paper takes a machine learning approach and introduces a generative model, Causal Rule Sets (CRS), for interpretable subgroup discovery. A CRS model uses a small set of short decision rules to capture a subgroup where the average treatment effect is elevated. We present a Bayesian framework for learning a causal rule set. The Bayesian model consists of a prior that favors simple models for better interpretability as well as avoiding overfitting, and a Bayesian logistic regression that captures the likelihood of data, characterizing the relation between outcomes, attributes, and subgroup membership. The Bayesian model has tunable parameters that can characterize subgroups with various sizes, providing users with more flexible choices of models from the \emph{treatment efficient frontier}. We find maximum a posteriori models using iterative discrete Monte Carlo steps in the joint solution space of rules sets and parameters. To improve search efficiency, we provide theoretically grounded heuristics and bounding strategies to prune and confine the search space. Experiments show that the search algorithm can efficiently recover true underlying subgroups. We apply CRS on public and real-world datasets from domains where interpretability is indispensable. We compare CRS with state-of-the-art rule-based subgroup discovery models. Results show that CRS achieved consistently competitive performance on datasets from various domains, represented by high treatment efficient frontiers.
Retention of the flight-adapted avian finger-joint complex in the Ostrich helps identify when wings began evolving in dinosaurs

The functional anatomies of avian finger joints have never been compared with those of the basal avian Archaeopteryx lithographica or maniraptoran theropod dinosaurs. These startling oversights are due to unfamiliarity of the joints outside of highly specialised studies of bird-wing biomechanics. Here fleshed to skeletonised repeated-measures analyses of finger-joint ranges of motion (ROMs) in a basal palaeognath, the Ostrich Struthio camelus, were utilised as a model to begin filling in these knowledge gaps. Results verified that all of the flight-adapted, avian-specific finger joints are retained in the flightless, yet large and well-differentiated fingers of the Ostrich. Moreover, Ostrich finger joints still possess flight-restricted ROMs within the semi-pronated plane of the manus. The osteological markers of these highly conserved flight-adapted characters in Ostrich show that prior descriptions have unknowingly demonstrated that the main avian finger-joint complex began evolving at the base of Penna...
A finite-difference frequency domain solver for quasi-TEM applications

A finite-difference frequency-domain (FDFD) solver applicable to quasi-TEM applications is defined. The FDFD solver is applicable to a wide variety of transmission line structures where the cross-sectional dimensions govern the frequency range over which the quasi-TEM approximation is valid. The quasi-TEM FDFD solver provides an efficient solution for conductor current distributions involving both skin effect and proximity effect. Simulation results obtained using the quasi-TEM FDFD solver are compared to measurements and other numerical methods.
Application of contextual design methods to inform targeted clinical decision support interventions in sub-specialty care environments.

Abstract Background & Objectives In healthcare, the routine use of evidence-based specialty care management plans is mixed. Targeted computerized clinical decision support (CCDS) interventions can improve physician adherence, but adoption depends on CCDS’ ‘fit’ within clinical work. We analyzed clinical work in outpatient and inpatient settings as a basis for developing guidelines for optimizing CCDS design. Methods The contextual design approach guided data collection, collation and analysis. Forty (40) consenting physicians were observed and interviewed in general internal medicine inpatient units and gastroenterology (GI) outpatient clinics at two academic medical centers. Data were collated using interpretive debriefing, and consolidated using thematic analysis and three work modeling approaches (communication flow, sequence and artifact models). Results Twenty-six consenting physicians were observed at Site A and 14 at Site B. Observations included attending (33%) and resident physicians. During research team debriefings, 220 of 341 unique topics were categorized into 5 CCDS-relevant themes. Resident physicians relied on patient assessment & planning processes to support their roles as communication and coordination hubs within the medical team. Artifact analysis further elucidated the evolution of assessment and planning over work shifts. Conclusions The usefulness of CCDS tools may be enhanced in clinical care if the design: 1) accounts for clinical work that is distributed across people, space, and time; 2) targets communication and coordination hubs (specific roles) that can amplify the usefulness of CCDS interventions; 3) integrates CCDS with early clinical assessment & planning processes; and 4) provides CCDS in both electronic & hardcopy formats. These requirements provide a research agenda for future research in clinician-CCDS integration.
Membrane orientation of Rh(D) polypeptide and partial localization of its epitope-containing domain.

We have previously shown that the effects of various enzyme treatments on Rh antigen-containing polypeptides in situ could be monitored by an antibody preparation which recognizes only these polypeptides following Western blotting. We now have prepared antibodies that specifically react with either the N- or C-terminal ends of Rh-related proteins. Using all three, we have established that the C-terminus of Rh(D) polypeptide is at the cell surface, whereas its N-terminal domain is situated at the cytoplasmic side of the red blood cell membrane. Chymotrypsin digestion of ghosts derived from (-D-/-D-) cells that are devoid of Rh (C/c) and (E/e) antigens produces three major Rh(D)- related fragments: the 20-Kd fragment contains the molecule's C- terminal domain, the 17-Kd fragment its N-terminus, and the 13-Kd fragment neither. However, only the 17-Kd fragment forms an immune- complex with human polyclonal anti-D, indicating that it contains the Rh(D) antigenic domain. Other findings presented here provide further evidence for a unique folding of Rh(D) polypeptide within the cell membrane and suggest that Rh(C/c) and (E/e) polypeptides, when present, may form complexes with it.
Biochemical studies on red and white muscles ofCaranx sexfasciatus quoy and gaimard

1. Acid-soluble and insoluble phosphorus compounds were determined in the red and white muscles ofCaranx sexfasciatus in the early and late stage of gonadial maturity.
CHAPTER 19 – Signal Transduction and Integral Membrane Proteins

The classic paradigms for signal transduction across the cell membrane are the membrane-bound receptors. Crystal structures of a bacterial ion channels and transporters have been elucidated, and the next frontiers of membrane protein structural biology will likely focus on smaller mammalian targets. Cells need to adapt their behavior continuously in response to a barrage of external stimuli. Integral membrane proteins are the best positioned to interact with outside stimuli and are, therefore, critical components of signal transduction. Ion channels, transporters, and receptors are integral membrane proteins that can mediate signaling across the cellular membrane. The availability of detailed structural information on these proteins has been limited by technical challenges unique to the high-resolution structure determination of membrane proteins by X-ray crystallography. In recent years, however, the X-ray structures of a few of these important proteins have been solved, providing insight into the molecular structural basis of signal transduction across the cell membrane.
CO2 permeation through asymmetric thin tubular ceramic-carbonate dual-phase membranes

Abstract Ceramic-carbonate dual-phase dense membrane is a promising high temperature CO2 separation membrane with remarkable CO2 permeance and theoretically infinite CO2 selectivity. This paper reports synthesis and CO2 permeation properties of asymmetric tubular dual-phase membranes with a thin samarium doped ceria (Ce0.8Sm0.2O1.9, SDC)-carbonate separation layer and a thick porous SDC-Bi1.5Y0.3Sm0.2O3-δ (BYS) support. The asymmetric tubular thin (0.12 mm) dual-phase membrane has much higher CO2 permeance and lower activation energy for permeation than the thick (1.0–1.5 mm) membranes. At 900 °C with 50%CO2/N2 feed at 1 atm, the CO2 permeation flux and permeance for the thin membrane reach 1.53 × 10−2 mol m−2 s−1 (or 2.05 mL(STP) cm−2 min−1) and 3.16 × 10−7 mol m−2 s−1 Pa−1, respectively, with activation energy for permeation of 62.5 kJ/mol. These dual-phase membranes exhibit slightly higher CO2 permeance with essentially same activation energy for permeation, and stable operation, for CO2 permeation with simulated syngas (with the composition of 49.5%CO, 36%CO2, 4.5%N2, 10%H2) feed. The CO2 permeation fluxes of the tubular asymmetric membranes can be well described by the power-function flux equation. The analysis of CO2 permeation data with the model shows that the CO2 separation performance of the tubular asymmetric membranes can be further improved by optimizing the microstructure of ceramic porous supports. This work demonstrates that asymmetric SDC-carbonate dual-phase membrane has high potential for practical application in high temperature CO2 separation.
New Looks at Old Ideas

The title for my talk, New looks at Old Ideas, was originally chosen by Andrea De Marchi and the conference Board of Directors. Initially I refused to give a talk under this title because such a talk might sound too much like a typical older person who says most new ideas are just old ideas warmed over. Later I realized that there was much to be said on the subject of New Looks at Old Ideas so I agreed to use that title, but I wish to emphasize at the outset that in so doing I am by no means belittling the importance and the novelty of the great new ideas in frequency standards and metrology. In fact there are so many in both areas that to avoid diffuseness I shall concentrate my comments on the field of frequency standards.
Study of the Uniaxial Deformation of Rubber Network Chains by Small Angle Neutron Scattering

Small angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements were performed on poly(isoprene) networks at different uniaxial strains, i.e., 1.0 ≤ λ (extension ratio) ≤ 2.1. The networks were prepared from anionically polymerized, α,ω,-dihydroxy-poly(isoprene) precursors (H-chains) and the corresponding poly(isoprene-d8) isotopic counterparts (D-chains), crosslinked in concentrated tetrahydrofuran solutions by trifunctional crosslinkers, tri-isocyanates. The two components of the radius of gyration of elastic strands, parallel and perpendicular to the strain axis, were determined from the SANS data of the networks with 8% and 15% D-chains. Two molecular weights of D-chains, 26,000 and 64,000, crosslinked with approximately the same molecular weight H-chains (29,000 and 68,000 respectively) were examined for the deformation behaviors. From the observed changes in the parallel and perpendicular components of the radius of gyration relative to macroscopic extension ratio, after appropriate correction for the dangling chain contributions, the chain extensive deformation is found to follow a behavior intermediate between the junction affine model and the phantom network model which allows unrestricted fluctuations of network junctions. On the other hand, the chain contractive deformation follows closely the chain affine model, indicating an asymmetry between extensive and contractive chain deformation. In either case, the deformation behavior is found to be the same for the two molecular weights.
Experimental Infection of Tadarida brasiliensis with Pseudogymnoascus destructans, the Fungus That Causes White-Nose Syndrome

ABSTRACT White-nose syndrome (WNS) is causing significant declines in populations of North American hibernating bats, and recent western and southern expansions of the disease have placed additional species at risk. Understanding differences in species susceptibility and identifying management actions to reduce mortality of bats from WNS are top research priorities. However, the use of wild-caught susceptible bats, such as Myotis lucifugus, as model species for WNS research is problematic and places additional pressure on remnant populations. We investigated the feasibility of using Tadarida brasiliensis, a highly abundant species of bat that tolerates captivity, as the basis for an experimental animal model for WNS. Using methods previously established to confirm the etiology of WNS in M. lucifugus, we experimentally infected 11 T. brasiliensis bats with Pseudogymnoascus destructans in the laboratory under conditions that induced hibernation. We detected P. destructans on all 11 experimentally infected bats, 7 of which exhibited localized proliferation of hyphae within the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue, similar to invasive cutaneous ascomycosis observed in M. lucifugus bats with WNS. However, the distribution of lesions across wing membranes of T. brasiliensis bats was limited, and only one discrete “cupping erosion,” diagnostic for WNS, was identified. Thus, the rarity of lesions definitive for WNS suggests that T. brasiliensis does not likely represent an appropriate model for studying the pathophysiology of this disease. Nonetheless, the results of this study prompt questions concerning the potential for free-ranging, migratory T. brasiliensis bats to become infected with P. destructans and move the fungal pathogen between roost sites used by species susceptible to WNS. IMPORTANCE White-nose syndrome (WNS) is a fungal disease that is causing severe declines of bat populations in North America. Identifying ways to reduce the impacts of this disease is a priority but is inhibited by the lack of an experimental animal model that does not require the use of wild-caught bat species already impacted by WNS. We tested whether Tadarida brasiliensis, one of the most abundant species of bats in the Americas, could serve as a suitable animal model for WNS research. While T. brasiliensis bats were susceptible to experimental infection with the fungus under conditions that induced hibernation, the species exhibited limited pathology diagnostic for WNS. These results indicate that T. brasiliensis is not likely a suitable experimental model for WNS research. However, the recovery of viable WNS-causing fungus from experimentally infected bats indicates a potential for this species to contribute to the spread of the pathogen where it coexists with other species of bats affected by WNS.
Spatial heterodyne spectroscopy for high speed measurements of Stark split neutral beam emission in a high temperature plasma.

Measurement of electrostatic potential, or local electric field, turbulence is a critical missing component in validating nonlinear turbulence and transport simulations of fusion plasmas. A novel diagnostic is being developed for measuring local electric field fluctuations, E(r,t) , via high-speed measurements of the light emitted from a hydrogenic neutral beam. It exploits the proportionality of the spectral line splitting from the Motional Stark Effect to the total electric field experienced by the neutral atom at the excitation site. The measurement is localized by the usual cross-beam geometry of beam-spectroscopy measurements. The corner stone of the diagnostic is a high spectral resolution, high etendue spatial heterodyne spectrometer (SHS). A SHS design with high etendue (∼5 mm2 sr) and resolution (∼0.14 nm) meets the formidable spectrometer requirements. Field tests of the spectrometer at the DIII-D tokamak demonstrate that the beam emission spectrum produced by the SHS agrees with that of a traditional spectrometer and that the measured flux is adequate for turbulence studies.
Disruption of the airway epithelial barrier in a murine model of respiratory syncytial virus infection

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of hospitalization for infants and young children worldwide. RSV is known to infect epithelial cells and increase the permeability of model airway...
Perception, Cognition, Writing

Chapter 2 threads an intellectual story about hearing as a sense through a line of examples, both scholarly (example: Michel Serres) and literary (Gerard Manley Hopkins). Perception-into-writing is the focus. The point is that in language, we replace and re-enact an enormous range of movements within the material surround that perception has needed in order to perform. That is how we bring the instinctual, which is invisible, up into the visible, which is the legible. In this book the sentence, and the stringing of sentences called scene, are the carriers of animalist perception. Art sentences, in a novel by Louise Erdrich or in a poem by Ted Hughes, make us more conscious of our positions in time, space, hierarchy, society, the planet.
Near-Optimal A-B Testing

We consider the problem of A-B testing when the impact of the treatment is marred by a large number of covariates. Randomization can be highly inefficient in such settings, and thus we consider the...
Discovery of Dihydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3(4H)-one-Based Second-Generation GluN2C- and GluN2D-Selective Positive Allosteric Modulators (PAMs) of the N-Methyl-d-Aspartate (NMDA) Receptor.

The N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) is an ion channel that mediates the slow, Ca2+-permeable component of glutamatergic synaptic transmission in the central nervous system (CNS). NMDARs are k...
Associations between partner's diet undermining and poor diet in mixed-weight, older gay married couples: a dyadic mediation model.

Prior studies have examined how individuals may undermine their partner’s efforts to maintain a healthy diet, but gay couples have not been represented in this work. Additionally, research has not ...
The Impact of Changing Workforce Demographics and Dependency on Technology on Employers’ Need for Expert Skills

This chapter examines how workforce demographics and technology are impacting how human expertise is perceived and defined. First, it focuses on the changing composition of the U.S. workforce, which is increasingly more diverse compared to previous decades (in educational attainment, age, gender, and race). It looks at how this diversity has changed the typical profile of today’s CEOs and entrepreneurs. Second, it explains how the digital revolution and the exponential use of artificial intelligence in the workplace have created new demands in labor needs and employee skills in for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The author posits that the combination of these changes is reshaping how human expertise is perceived and defined, especially in technology fields.
History of the HITRAN Database

For almost 50 years the HITRAN molecular spectroscopic database has been the standard archive for transmission and radiance calculations. Laurence Rothman reviews its history and some applications.
Micro-scale technologies propel biology and medicine.

10.1063/5.0047196.1 Historically, technology has been central to new discoveries in biology and progress in medicine. Among various technologies, microtechnologies, in particular, have had a prominent role in the revolution experienced by the life sciences in the last few decades, which will surely continue in the years to come. In this Perspective, we illustrate how microtechnologies, with a focus on microfluidics, have evolved in trends/waves to tackle the boundary of knowledge in the life sciences. We provide illustrative examples of technology-enabled biological breakthroughs and their current and future use in clinics. Finally, we take a closer look at the translational process to understand why the incorporation of new micro-scale technologies in medicine has been comparatively slow so far.