cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is a super-enhancer greater than the sum of its parts?

The recent back-to-back articles by Hay et al.1 and Shin et al.2 both addressed the important question of how the constituent enhancers of a so-called 'super-enhancer' combine to activate the expression of a target gene. Super-enhancers are collections of closely spaced genomic regions that exhibit hallmarks of enhancers, such as binding by the Mediator complex and acetylation of histone H3 at lysine 27 (H3K27ac)3, 4, 5. As the authors of these articles noted1, 2, there is continuing controversy over whether super-enhancers genuinely represent a new paradigm in transcriptional regulation or whether they may essentially just be clusters of conventional enhancers that together produce a strong transcriptional response6.
Article 45 [Entry into Force] Article 46 [Reservations] Article 47 [Amendments] Article 48 [Denunciation] Article 49 [Accessible Format] Article 50 [Authentic Texts]

Article 45 states that the CRPD “shall enter into force on the thirtieth day after the deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification or accession.”
Embedding FLRW geometries in pseudo-Euclidean and anti-de Sitter spaces

Contrary to the general consensus in the literature that Friedmann-Lema\^{\i}tre-Robertson-Walker (FLRW) geometries are of embedding class one (i.e., embeddable in one higher dimensional pseudo-Euclidean spaces), we show that the most general $k=0$ and $k=\ensuremath{-}1$ FLRW geometries are of embedding class two, and their corresponding pseudo-Euclidean spaces have strictly one and two negative eigenvalues, respectively. These are particular results that follow from the new perspective on FLRW embedding that we develop in this paper, namely, that these embeddings are equivalent to unit-speed parametrized curves in two or three dimensions. A careful analysis of appropriate tensor fields then gives identical results and further explains why the class-two geometries remained hidden. However, the signatures of the embedding spaces, as well as the explicit embedding formulas, follow only from the curve picture. This also streamlines the comparatively difficult $k=0$ class and provides new explicit embedding formulas for it and reproduces known embedding formulas for the $k=1,\ensuremath{-}1$ classes. Embedding into anti--de Sitter space in one higher dimension can likewise be done by constructing associated curves. In particular, we find that all $k=1$ and mildly restricted subclasses of $k=0,\ensuremath{-}1$ geometries are embeddable in anti--de Sitter space in one higher dimension.
Increasing the pipeline and diversity of doctorally prepared nurses: Description and preliminary evaluation of a health disparities summer research program.

Despite calls to increase the number and diversity of doctorally prepared nurses, recent data indicate a severe shortage of PhD-prepared nurses, especially those of racial/ethnic minority backgrounds. This is concerning, given that evidence indicates that racial/ethnic minority PhD-prepared nurses are well-positioned to address health disparities, by attending to the needs/concerns of medically underrepresented groups. The purpose of this article is to describe and provide a preliminary evaluation of a summer research program for minority nursing students. Online surveys were administered to assess for student satisfaction, knowledge gains, attitudes toward research, and intentions to pursue a PhD among minority undergraduate nursing students (N = 6) participating in the 10-week program. Favorable trends were observed related to satisfaction, knowledge gains, and attitudes toward research. Fifty percent of the sample intended to pursue a PhD immediately after the program, compared to none before the program, and this result was maintained at 1-year post-program. The summer research program appears to be a promising strategy for increasing the number/diversity of PhD-prepared nurses. More research on the implementation of programs exposing minority nursing students to health disparities research is needed to strengthen evidence that similar programs can serve to increase the pipeline of diverse doctorally prepared nurses.
Comparison of cumulant expansion and q-space imaging estimates for diffusional kurtosis in brain.

Abstract Purpose To compare estimates for the diffusional kurtosis in brain as obtained from a cumulant expansion (CE) of the diffusion MRI (dMRI) signal and from q-space (QS) imaging. Theory and methods For the CE estimates of the kurtosis, the CE was truncated to quadratic order in the b-value and fit to the dMRI signal for b-values from 0 up to 2000 s/mm2. For the QS estimates, b-values ranging from 0 up to 10,000 s/mm2 were used to determine the diffusion displacement probability density function (dPDF) via Stejskal's formula. The kurtosis was then calculated directly from the second and fourth order moments of the dPDF. These two approximations were studied for in vivo human data obtained on a 3 T MRI scanner using three orthogonal diffusion encoding directions. Results The whole brain mean values for the CE and QS kurtosis estimates differed by 16% or less in each of the considered diffusion encoding directions, and the Pearson correlation coefficients all exceeded 0.85. Nonetheless, there were large discrepancies in many voxels, particularly those with either very high or very low kurtoses relative to the mean values. Conclusion Estimates of the diffusional kurtosis in brain obtained using CE and QS approximations are strongly correlated, suggesting that they encode similar information. However, for the choice of b-values employed here, there may be substantial differences, depending on the properties of the diffusion microenvironment in each voxel.
Abstract P6-07-08: Dual TGFβ/BMP inhibition allows in vitro expansion of multiple cell types from normal and cancerous breast

Functional modeling of breast epithelial hierarchy and stromal-epithelial cell interactions has been difficult due to inability to obtain sufficient stem-progenitor-mature epithelial cells and stromal cells. The recently developed epithelial reprogramming assay has partially overcome this limitation, allowing propagation of epithelial cells with stem, luminal progenitor and mature cell features. However, characterizing stromal cells using this assay is difficult because irradiated fibroblasts which can be difficult to distinguish from stromal cells are needed as feeder layer. A recent study demonstrated expansion of airway basal stem cells without a feeder layer through pharmacologic inhibition of TGFβ/BMP/SMAD signaling. We sought to develop this method for culture and expansion of cells from normal and cancerous breast samples. With appropriate modifications to growth media, we were able to obtain normal and stromal cells from breast biopsies of healthy women. The expanded cell population included CD10+/EpCAM- basal/myoepithelial cells, CD49f+/EpCAM+ luminal progenitor cells, CD49f-/EpCAM+ mature luminal cells, CD73+/EpCAM+/CD90- rare endogenous pluripotent somatic stem cells, CD73+/CD90+/EpCAM- mesenchymal stem cells, ALCAM (CD166)+/EpCAM+ cells, CD44+/CD24- cells, CD44+/CD24+ cells and ALDFLUOR+ stem/luminal progenitor cells. Epithelial cells were KRT14+, KRT19+ or both further documenting heterogeneity within epithelial cell population. We have extended this technique to grow breast epithelial cells from high-risk patients including BRCA1 mutant-carriers, tumor-adjacent normal and tumor cells from the same patient, pleural effusions and liver metastasis from breast cancer patients. Phenotypic characterization showed differences in the differentiation state of adjacent-normal and tumor cells. Tumor cells from pleural effusions showed remarkable phenotypic heterogeneity with a fraction of these cells expressing estrogen receptor. The assay described here, therefore, is versatile and provides resources to model epithelial-stromal interactions under normal and cancerous conditions as well as for genomics and screening of drugs to target metastasis on an individual level. Susan G. Komen for the Cure and Department of Defense supported this work. Citation Format: Nakshatri H, Ananappa M, Prasad MS, Kumar B, Liu Y, Storniolo AM, Miller KD, Bhat-Nakshatri P. Dual TGFβ/BMP inhibition allows in vitro expansion of multiple cell types from normal and cancerous breast [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-07-08.
Focused Flow Micropump Using Ultrasonic Flexural Plate Waves

In this paper, a micromachined pump is presented that uses ultrasonic flexural plate waves traveling along a thin membrane to excite an acoustic field in the fluid that is in contact with the membrane. The acoustic field generates fluid flow by the mechanism of acoustic streaming. A novel combination of radial transducers and unidirectional fluid flow produces a fluid micropump capable of achieving flow speeds up to 1.15 millimeters per second, much faster than flow speeds previously obtained. In addition, the radial transducers successfully focused 2-micron polystyrene spheres over a beam waist of less than 100 microns. Also presented are techniques used to characterize thipt>
Sleep-Related Hypoventilation and Hypoxemia Due to Neuromuscular and Chest Wall Disorders

Patients with neuromuscular and restrictive chest wall disorders are at risk of developing sleep-related hypoventilation/hypoxemia due to respiratory muscle weakness and abnormal chest wall mechanics, and hence are predisposed to poor sleep, daytime fatigue/somnolence, and chronic respiratory failure. These patients should be monitored for symptoms of sleep-disordered breathing and daytime hypoventilation, and undergo overnight polysomonography when indicated. Treatment with noninvasive intermittent positive pressure ventilation improves oxygenation and clinical symptoms, decreases morbidity and prolongs survival, and is accepted as the standard of care.
Written Testimony of Philip Hackney for the Hearing on Oversight of Nonprofit Organizations: A Case Study on the Clinton Foundation (House of Representatives Committee on Oversight, December 13, 2018)

This is written testimony offered to the House Committee on Oversight's Subcommittee on Government Operations on December 13, 2018: Our nation has tasked the IRS with the large and complex responsibility for regulating the nonprofit sector, but has failed to provide the IRS with resources commensurate with that task. This is important work. Nonprofits constitute a large and growing part of our economy, and they are granted a highly preferential tax status. An organization that abuses that preferential status will obtain a significant and unfair advantage over the organizations and individuals who play by the rules. If we are to grant such a substantial advantage to nonprofits, and if we are going to rely on the IRS to oversee regulation of these entities, it is essential that the IRS have the resources it needs to ensure that this preferential status is not abused.
Perceived argument quality's effect on threat and coping appraisals in fear appeals: An experiment and exploration of realism check heuristics

Abstract Persuasion is key to encourage compliance with information security policies through fear appeals, though research has not examined how the perceived quality of their arguments affects threat and coping appraisals. Because we know that perceived argument quality can influence attitudes and behavior, it may improve fear appeal effectiveness. The results of a scenario-based field experiment suggest that perceived argument quality increases response efficacy perceptions and compliance intentions. We also examine emerging heuristics about how to use realism checks in scenario-based research and find that current realism check heuristics in behavioral information security research may be misguided, contributing to biased interpretation.
Replace the Corporate Tax with a Market Capitalization Tax

This proposal would replace the 35 percent corporate tax on publicly traded companies with a low 20-basis point quarterly tax on the issuer on the market capitalization including both traded debt and equity.A low-yield corporate tax would remain for corporations that are not publicly traded, and for a transition period, the tax would apply to publicly traded corporations to allow tax credits.The proposal is made as a part of the Shelf Project, a collaboration by tax professionals to develop and perfect proposals to help Congress raise revenue. Shelf Project proposals are intended to raise revenue without raising tax rates, because the best systems have taxes that are unavoidable to reach the lowest feasible tax rates. Shelf Project proposals defend the tax base and improve the rationality and efficiency of the tax system. A longer description of the Shelf Project is found at ‘‘The Shelf Project: Revenue-Raising Proposals That Defend the Tax Base,’’ Tax Notes, Dec. 10, 2007, p. 1077, Doc 2007-22632, or 2007 TNT 238-37.Copyright 2007 Calvin H. Johnson.
Cognitive Trajectory Phenotypes in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Patients.

Objective The presentation of cognitive impairments in HIV-infected individuals has transformed since the introduction of antiretroviral therapies. Although the overall prevalence of cognitive impairments has not changed considerably, frank dementia is now infrequent, and milder forms of cognitive impairments predominate. Mechanistic insights to the underlying causes of these residual cognitive impairments have been elusive, in part due to the heterogenous etiology of cognitive dysfunction in this population. Here, we sought to categorize longitudinal change in HIV-infected patients based on the performance in specific cognitive domains. Design This study consisted of 193 participants from the CHARTER cohort with detailed demographic, clinical, and neuropsychological testing data obtained from 2 study visits interspersed by ∼6 months. Cognitive testing assessed executive function, learning and delayed recall, working memory, verbal fluency, speed of information processing, and motor skills. Change scores were calculated for each domain between the 2 study visits. Dimension reduction and clustering was accomplished by principal component analysis of change scores and k-means clustering to identify cognitive domains that group together and groups of subjects with similar patterns of change. Results We identified 4 distinct cognitive change phenotypes that included declines in: (1) verbal fluency, (2) executive function (3) learning and recall, and (4) motor function, with approximately equal numbers of participants in each phenotype. Conclusions Each of the 4 cognitive change phenotypes identify deficits that imply perturbations in specific neural networks. Future studies will need to validate if cognitive change phenotypes are associated with alterations in associated neural pathways.
Synthesis and structure of strained, cyclic bisallenes

Reaction of 1,3-dilithio-1,3-bis(trimethylsilyl)allene and ClMe[sub 2]SiSiMe[sub 2[minus]]Cl in THF affords in combined 57% yield an ca. 1:1 mixture of meso and dl diastereomers. One of these diastereomers could be purified by fractional crystallization, thus allowing subtraction for the spectral features of the others. Assignment of structure could not be accomplished by NMR as chiral shift reagents were ineffective, but the meso structure was established for the selectively crystallized isomer by X-ray diffraction and the molecular structure is shown. The allene unit is bent only slightly from linearity to 178.6[degrees] but is twisted to produce a dihedral angle of 80.6[degrees] as defined as plane Si(1)C(1)C(2)vs Si(4)C(3)C(2). However, a dihedral angle of 86.1[degrees] is obtained from plane Si(1)C(1)Si(2)vsSi(3)C(3)Si(4), and comparison of plane Si(2)C(1)C(2) and Si(3)C(3)C(2) yields an apparently normal 89.4[degrees]. 14 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab.
The role of surgical shunts in the treatment of pediatric portal hypertension

Abstract Background Portal diversion by surgical shunt plays a major role in the treatment of medically refractory portal hypertension. We evaluate our center’s experience with surgical shunts for the treatment of pediatric portal hypertension. Methods All patients who underwent surgical shunt at a single institution from 2008 to 2017 were reviewed. The primary outcome was intervention-free shunt patency. Results In this study, 34 pediatric patients underwent portal shunt creation. The median age was 7.7 years (interquartile range 4.3–12.0). Twenty-nine patients (85%) had prehepatic portal hypertension and 5 patients (15%) had intrahepatic portal hypertension. The primary manifestations of portal hypertension were esophageal varices (97%) and gastrointestinal bleeding (77%). Eighteen patients (53%) underwent meso-Rex bypass, 10 patients (29%) underwent splenorenal shunt, and 6 patients (18%) underwent mesocaval shunt. Outcomes were notable for minimal wound complications (9%), rebleeding events (12%), and mortality (3%). In the postoperative setting, 10 patients (29%) experienced a shunt complication (occlusion or stenosis), 4 of which occurred in the early postoperative period and required urgent intervention. The 1-year and 5-year “primary patency” patency rates were 71% and 66%, respectively. Conclusion Children suffer significant morbidity from the sequelae of portal hypertension. Our experience reinforces the feasibility of surgical shunts as an effective treatment option associated with low rates of morbidity and mortality.
The pattern of mortality in dogs with gastric dilatation and volvulus

Introduction The primary study objective was to characterize the pattern of in-hospital mortality in dogs with gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV), with a focus on preoperative nonsurvival. Materials and methods A retrospective review of medical records from a 10-year period was undertaken at a university teaching hospital. Data collected included signalment, physical examination parameters at hospital presentation, blood lactate concentration, and outcome. Results A total of 498 dogs were included. Overall, 319 (64.1%) survived to discharge and 179 (35.9%) were nonsurvivors. Of the nonsurvivors, 149 (31.3% of all dogs) were euthanized and 30 (6%) died. Of those dogs euthanized, the majority (n = 116) were euthanized at the time of hospital presentation prior to surgery (ie, without intent to treat). When dogs that were euthanized prior to surgery were excluded, 83.5% of dogs survived to discharge. Median group age was higher in those euthanized than in the group of dogs that survived to discharge. Conclusions Preoperative euthanasia and hence nonsurvival without intent to treat accounted for the majority of GDV mortality in this study. Given the high rate of nonsurvival without intent to treat it is likely that efforts focused at disease prevention will ultimately affect a much greater improvement in overall disease mortality than those focused on improving treatment.
An Enhanced Ride Sharing Model Based on Human Characteristics and Machine Learning Recommender System

Abstract Ride Sharing provides benefits like reducing traffic and pollution, but currently, the usage is significantly low due to social barriers, long rider waiting time, and unfair pricing models. Considering the aforementioned issues, we present an Enhanced Ride Sharing Model (ERSM) in which riders are matched based on a specific set of human characteristics using Machine Learning. After trip completion, we record the user feedback and compute two main characteristics that are most important to riders. The registered and the computed characteristics are fed to a classification module, which later predicts the two main characteristics for new riders. We have carried an extensive simulation with Google Map APIs and real-time New York City Cab data to measure the model performance. Our proposed model and obtained results will help service providers to increase the usage of Ride Sharing, and implicitly preserve natural resources plus improve environmental conditions.
Spectrum of Neutrons from Muon Capture in Silicon, Sulfur, and Calcium

The energy spectrum of neutrons emitted following the capture of negative muons in silicon, sulfur, and calcium has been measured between 7.7 and 52.5 MeV. The spectra were found to decrease exponentially with energy in the three cases, and no evidence was found for excitation of giant dipole resonances.
Examining youth participatory action research as a context to disrupt implicit bias in African American adolescent girls

Youth participatory action research (YPAR) projects are powerful developmental contexts for important lessons in identity, power, stereotypes, and bias. African American girls develop in a society ...
Sexual Identity Differences in Health Behaviors and Weight Status among Urban High School Students.

Although racial/ethnic disparities in childhood obesity are well documented in the United States (U.S.), fewer studies have investigated elevated body mass index (BMI) and related health behaviors among sexual minority youth (SMY; gay/lesbian, bisexual, not sure). We examined pooled data from the 2009-2017 Youth Risk Behavior Surveys, which included high school students from 12 urban U.S. school districts. We used sex-stratified logistic regression models to estimate the association of sexual identity with health behaviors and elevated BMI (reference = heterosexual participants). A total of 133,615 participants were included. Sexual minority boys were more likely to report physical inactivity than heterosexual boys. Gay and not sure boys were also less likely to consume the recommended daily intake of fruit. Bisexual girls were more likely than heterosexual girls to report watching television ≥ 3 hours on a school day and to consume sugar-sweetened beverages (AOR 1.30, 95% CI= 1.18-1.43). All SMY reported higher rates of current tobacco use than their heterosexual peers. Sexual minority girls and bisexual boys had significantly higher rates of obesity than their heterosexual counterparts. These findings can inform tailored health promotion initiatives to reduce obesity risk in SMY.
Cardiac Dysfunction and Shock in Pediatric Patients With COVID-19

Abstract Coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) has been reported to cause significant morbidity in adults, with reportedly a lesser impact on children. Cardiac dysfunction has only been described in adults thus far. We describe 3 cases of previously healthy children presenting with shock and COVID-19–related cardiac inflammation. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)
Quality Improvement for Surgical Resection of Pancreatic Head Adenocarcinoma : Hospital and Surgeon Predictors of Higher Than Expected R1 Resection Using the National Cancer Database.

BackgroundThe mainstay of treatment for pancreatic cancer is surgical resection; however, positive surgical margins remain commonplace. We identified hospitals with higher than predicted rates of p...
Statistical evaluation of data requirement for ramp metering performance assessment

Abstract Ramp metering is known to be an effective freeway control measure that ensures the overall efficiency and safety of a highway system by regulating the inflow traffic on-ramps. Therefore, agencies are required to frequently assess the performance of their ramp meters. However, one major challenge for the agencies conducting ramp metering performance assessments is the lack of knowledge about data requirements. Data requirements consist of the information regarding the duration of data collection for accommodation time (the time needed for the users to get familiar with the change) and for the evaluation time. In this paper, a non-parametric statistic approach is proposed that is robust to the underlying distribution of the random variable. Meaning that the accuracy of the model is insensitive to the data distribution. For validation purposes, three active ramps along State Route 51, in the Phoenix Metropolitan area, Arizona are selected as the case study. ADOT altered their ramp control strategy from fixed-time to responsive control and is attempting to know the extent of data required for assessing its new ramp metering strategy. For this particular case study, the results suggest that two months’ worth of data is the minimum data sufficient for a ramp metering assessment. The proposed assessment approach can be transferred to other ramp metering applications to help traffic engineers efficiently tune up ramp metering strategies.
Comparative Anticoagulant and Thrombin Generation Inhibitory Profile of Heparin, Sulodexide and Its Components.

Introduction:Sulodexide represents a mixture of fast-moving heparin (FMH) and dermatan sulfate (DS) and has been used for the management of venous diseases such as DVT and related disorders. The pu...
Fatal hepatitis B reactivation in a patient receiving chemoradiation for cervical cancer

IntroductionHepatitis B virus (HBV) infection remains a global public health threat, with approximately 257 million people suffering from chronic HBV infection worldwide in 2015. HBV reactivation i...
Canonical Equation K 24 for Random G-Matrices with Infinitesimally Small Random Entries

In this chapter, we describe the general form of possible limit theorems for normalized spectral functions v n (x, y) of random matrices Ξ n with independent infinitesimally small random entries. This description is much more complicated than in the case of Hermitian random matrices H n . To construct the required description of the n.s.f. of nonsymmetric random matrices Ξ n , we consider the so-called V-transform [αI + (H n -Iτ)(H n -Iτ)*]−1, α > 0, τ = t + is. Then we find the inverse V-transform to determine the limit n.s.f. of the matrix Ξ n . See the first proof of Circular Law in [Gir96]. Here, we omit the procedure of converting of the V-transform due to very complicated analytic calculations involved and present only the result for n.s.f. µ n (x, t, s) of the corresponding G-matrices (H n -Iτ)(H n -Iτ)*.
Fabrication of Birefringent Anisotropic Model Materials

Widely different techniques have been employed in the fabrication of transparent, birefringent, anisotropic model materials. Some of the techniques reported in the technical literature are briefly reviewed. A simple method of fabricating large plates of arbitrary layup is described.
Setting Servicemembers Up for More Success: Building and Transferring Wealth in a Challenging Economic Environment — A Tax and Estate Planning Analysis

In times of increasing financial uncertainty, servicemembers must consider the extent of their financial planning. Current economic conditions have transformed the way people plan for themselves and their families. While, prior to the financial crisis that began in 2007 the average American considered financial planning in terms of building wealth, modern times have forced Americans to focus on providing for their own subsistence and maintaining enough resources to outlast the next financial crisis. This article is the second installment of a 2006 military financial planning resource. While the first article addressed planning considerations for the average military member considering the purchase of a home, this article considers the unique issues facing servicemembers who have substantial assets, who want to provide for non-citizen dependents, and who desire to make unusual conveyances in their wills. These issues are addressed in a manner that is sensitive to the unique challenges of the contemporary financial operating environment. To avoid financial ruin in times of increased financial risk, all servicemembers should have a process in place for evaluating their current and future needs, including the period after their death. At the simplest level, prudent financial planning is encapsulated in a four-step process. First, servicemembers should understand that estate planning is appropriate for almost everyone. Therefore, they should pursue legal measures, such as preparing a will and power of attorney. Second, servicemembers should become familiar with the tax system so that they can make informed tax decisions and minimize the negative consequences of uninformed legal and financial choices. Third, servicemembers should build and hold assets in a calculated manner to build wealth while accounting for risk. Fourth, servicemembers should make appropriate arrangements during life and at death to ensure that their designated beneficiaries reap the maximum rewards of their lifetime efforts. While most servicemembers will not have to complete the full four-step analysis servicemembers should become familiar with broader tax concepts so that they can accomplish their lifelong objectives and minimize negative tax and estate planning consequences.
A Free Start: Community-based Organizations As Antidote to the Mass Incarceration of Women Pretrial

In 2010, reports showed that the number of women in jails and prisons increased in the last two decades by over 600%. Many of these women face ramifications to incarceration, which impacts their homes, health, parenting rights - before any adjudication of their criminal court case. Most women held pretrial are detained on low amounts of bail, without financial resources to pay bail on their cases. As a result of being detained, many women also face harsher sentences. Advocates have used this moment, when cities are engaged in women-centered discussions, as a way to push community-based methods for keeping people out of jail, including alternatives to pretrial detention. In this piece, I discuss the harms caused by pretrial detention, the benefits of pretrial community-based services pre- and post-trial, and innovative ideas in pretrial services for women that have emerged from the experiences of people in women's facilities.
Clinical Signs in Small Animal Medicine

This new edition of the bestselling Clinical Signs in Small Animal Medicine presents 800 all new color photographs of the highest quality, with detailed captions that focus on key pointers to diagnosis and treatment. The book is organised into chapters by body system, each beginning with a list of ‘Clinical Pearls'. These amusing and accurate key points will be invaluable when considering conditions or highlighting common concerns. Within each chapter, the superb photographs of real cases are annotated with brief, key information that provides a succinct and useful reminder of lessons learned.
Clinical Outcomes of Continuation of Metformin Titration Instructions with Electronic Prescribing

Background Anecdotal evidence suggests that metformin titration instructions are not being updated and refill requests are approved without modification of the titration instructions such that the titration instructions is continued for patients newly initiated on metformin.
Openable electromagnetic actuator as a non-contact, agile tool for crimping operations

Abstract This work focuses on using electromagnetic forming (EMF) for creating a conformal interference fit between an aluminum outer tube and a coaxially aligned inner part using a novel tool known as an openable actuator, or simply O-actuator. The utility of the O-actuator is in applications where it is impractical or impossible to remove a crimped assembly from a traditional helical actuating coil. In this work, a fully conformal joint between aluminum alloy type 6061 tube of circular starting geometry and AISI 1018 steel hexagonal rod was created with an input electrical energy of 8 kJ.
What are You Mixed with: the Effect of Multiracial Identification on Perceived Attractiveness

Studies consistently show that attractiveness is racialized, and in a racial hierarchy that privileges whites at the expense of blacks, white phenotypic characteristics are deemed more attractive than black phenotypic characteristics. This study seeks to examine whether the racialized nature of attractiveness is based on more than just appearance. To that end, I use Add Health data to analyze whether black people who identify as mixed race rather than as a single race are perceived as more attractive even when controlling for phenotype, particularly skin tone, eye color, and hair color.
Identification of Leuconostoc spp. by analysis of soluble whole-cell protein patterns.

Abstract Leuconostoc spp. share several physiologic characteristics, which sometimes makes it difficult to identify these organisms to the species level. We developed a system, based on the patterns of soluble whole-cell proteins separated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis, that was able to discriminate between the six Leuconostoc spp. that are capable of growth at 37 degrees C. Nine unidentified Leuconostoc-like bacterial isolates that were included in the study did not fit any of the protein profiles of the type strains and may represent new Leuconostoc spp.
DESCARTES' COMPOSITIONAL THEORY OF MENTAL REPRESENTATION

In his, ‘Descartes' Ontology of Thought’, Alan Nelson presents, on Descartes' behalf, a compositional theory of mental representation according to which the content of any mental representation is either simple or is entirely constituted by a combination of innate simples. Here the simples are our ideas of God, thought, extension, and union. My objection will be that it is simply ludicrous to think that any four simples are adequate to the task of combining to constitute all of human thought, and that the simples God, thought, extension, and union are particularly ill suited to it.
Sleepiness and sleep disordered breathing in Prader-Willi syndrome: relationship to genotype, growth hormone therapy, and body composition.

Study Objectives:Patients with Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) suffer from excessive sleepiness and sleep disordered breathing (SDB). We reviewed the polysomnograms (PSGs) and multiple sleep latency te...
Atrial septation: I. Scanning electron microscopy in the chick

Abstract Chick hearts were prepared for scanning electron microscopy by standard methods, the purpose being to investigate the surface morphology of the developing atrial septal region. By Day 3, the atrial septum primum appeared as a sickle-shaped structure. During Day 4, the first representation of the foramina secunda occurred in the mid-dorsal portion of the septum. During Day 5, the septum primum fused with the atrioventricular endocardial cushions, thereby occluding the foramen primum. From Days 5 through 8, the secondary perforations (foramina secunda) multiplied and increased in size. The endocardial-covered cords of cells comprising the septum thickened from Days 9 through 15. This resulted in a marked reduction in the dimensions of the perforations from Day 16 to hatching. The atrial septum at hatching occasionally contained a small single orifice. At 3 days posthatching, the atrial septum was a solid sheet covered with flattened endocardial cells. All interatrial communications were occluded. During Days 5 through 9, two distinct cell types became apparent on the endocardial-covered cords. Simultaneously, fenestrations were observed on the cords surrounding the foramina secunda and on the ventral portion of the atrial septum. The integral role which the fenestrations and cellular types play in the development of the formina secunda is discussed.
Applications of Californium-252 and the Californium User Facility for Neutron Capture Therapy Research

Neutrons for neutron capture therapy (NCT) are potentially available from three sources: nuclear reactors, accelerators, and 252Cf radioisotope sources. A small number of reactors are currently or will soon become available for NCT. The costs of building and operating a reactor are too large to justify NCT-only usage. Accelerators which can provide effective NCT treatments are nearing realization, but the potential cost, except for boron neutron capture synovectomy, is sobering. The epithermal flux from available 252Cf neutron sources is too low for conventional NCT, but 252Cf can potentially provide a valuable contribution in several ways: (1) provide a neutron flux for testing NCT pharmaceuticals such as boron-containing compounds in vitro; (2) provide a neutron flux for skin and near-surface neutron therapy; (3) provide a neutron driver for a subcritical multiplying assembly (SMA) for epithermal beam generation; and (4) provide miniature sources for neutron brachytherapy (i.e., inserting the source inside the body into the tumor location), which can be used in conjunction with NCT pharmaceuticals. Although an appropriately designed SMA could provide a hospital-based neutron source for NCT at a limited number of sites, neutron brachytherapy represents the greatest medical potential of 252Cf in bringing relatively low-cost neutron therapy to a large number of clinical locations.
Gender as a Situational Phenomenon in Negotiation

We explore how situational factors moderate gender differences in negotiation. We conduct a baseline study with MBA students and 2 experiments with laboratory participants. In Study 1, males (vs. females) report significantly higher performance targets and agreement payoffs within a structurally ambiguous negotiation. Study 2 reveals a significant interaction between gender and structural ambiguity: gender differences (favoring males) in target prices, intended offers and agreement prices are significant under high ambiguity but diminish under low ambiguity. Study 3 produces a significant interaction between gender and representation role (for self vs. other) on prenegotiation expectations: gender differences (favoring males) in target wages and intended offers are greater when negotiators represent themselves vs. others. We conclude with prescriptive implications of this research.
Assessing the Sustainability of Trade Policies and Agreements

Economic globalisation and the liberalisation of international trade have generated widespread concern not only for their economic impacts but also for their potential impacts on the environment and for their social impacts, particularly on the poorest and most vulnerable groups in society. There is a high level of public awareness of the potential impact of trade liberalisation on sustainable development, reflected in such issues as "fair" trade in terms of the distribution of the economic gains from trade; "sustainable" trade in renewable natural resources; and "decent work" standards to protect against the exploitation of labour. Trade negotiators need to give careful consideration to the environmental and social consequences of trade agreements.
Photography and Desire: Fashion, Glamour, and Pornography

The invention of photography in the 1830s brought voyeurism to the masses. It made public what was previously only imagined and secret.
Feeling High but Playing Low Power, Need to Belong, and Submissive Behavior

Past research has demonstrated a causal relationship between power and dominant behavior, motivated in part by the desire to maintain the social distinctiveness created by one’s position of power. In this article, we test the novel idea that some individuals respond to high-power roles by displaying not dominance but instead submissiveness. We theorize that high-power individuals who are also high in the need to belong experience the social distinctiveness associated with power as threatening, rather than as an arrangement to protect and maintain. We predict that such individuals will counter their feelings of threat with submissive behaviors to downplay their power and thereby reduce their distinctiveness. We found support for this hypothesis across three studies using different operationalizations of power, need to belong, and submissiveness. Furthermore, Study 3 illustrated the mediating role of fear of (positive) attention in the relationship between power, need to belong, and submissive behavior.
Lactose Malabsorption in Children and Adolescents with Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Lactose breath hydrogen tests were given to 70 children and adolescents with chronic ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease in order to determine the prevalence of lactose malabsorption in childhood inflammatory bowel disease. Twenty-nine percent of these patients demonstrated lactose malabsorption; the majority of these children (70%) experienced gastrointestinal symptoms during the test. The prevalence was not significantly different whether the diagnosis was ulcerative colitis or Crohn's disease. With the exception of those with diffuse small bowel disease, the location of intestinal involvement with Crohn's disease and the severity of clinical symptoms did not affect lactose malabsorption. Lactose malabsorption was not more frequent in patients with inflammatory bowel disease than in a group of children with recurrent abdominal pain and normal gastrointestinal x-rays, although significant differences in the prevalence of lactose malabsorption were observed in relation to ethnic background. Milk incubated with commercially available yeast lactase (LactAid, Surgarlo Co., Atlantic City, N.J.) for > 24 h prevented an increase in breath hydrogen when administered to 6 patients previously shown to have lactose malabsorption.
Personalizing Online Trading Without Spoiling Its Intrinsic Advantages

Although access to the Internet has become more efficient than before, investors seem still shy away from taking advantage of online trading. Early research indicates that one main reason for the setback is the impersonality of online trading. Brokerage firms and researchers have investigated various kinds of decision support that mimic offline brokerage services, but the lack of timeliness and simplicity of such support may have just ruined the purpose of online trading. To cope with the situation, we have investigated a heuristic model for representing financial securities such that inexperienced investors can naturally perceive personalized guidance for their investment decisions. In addition to a description of our model, this paper also discusses the reasoning schema behind the model and proposes the methods for constructing the model. In contrast to other approaches, our model is aimed to provide personalized decision support without spoiling the intrinsic advantages of online trading.
Dynamics of Income Inequality and Welfare in Latvia in the Late 1990s

This paper analyzes the dynamics of poverty and income inequality during the recovery phase of the transition that characterized the Republic of Latvia in the late 1990s. Despite a continued rise in income inequality, empirical evidence suggests an improvement in living standards, owing largely to a significant surge in per capita income growth, particularly in urban areas. In a context of rising income inequality and widening urban-rural income and poverty gaps, the benefits of growth were not equally distributed, and poverty persisted in a number of regions (particularly the regions of Latgale and Vitzeme) and among some socioeconomic groups (particularly households deriving their main income from social benefits). In addition to income inequality and asset endowments, poverty appears to be highly correlated with a number of labor market-related variables, particularly unemployment, suggesting that the labor market could be an important transmission channel from growth to poverty. However, though positive, the association between poverty and unemployment is non linear, especially in urban areas, where the labor market and demand are the most important channels of transmission through which growth and macroeconomic development affect household income and living standards.
Regulation of leukocyte degranulation by cGMP-dependent protein kinase and phosphoinositide 3-kinase: potential roles in phosphorylation of target membrane SNARE complex proteins in rat mast cells.

We examined the roles of cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) and PI3K in degranulation induced by fMLF and by FceRI cross-linking. In rat basophilic leukemia-2H3 cells expressing formyl peptide receptor, the PKG inhibitors KT5823 and Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMP, as well as the PI3K inhibitor LY294002, reduced agonist-stimulated β-hexosaminidase release in a dose-dependent manner. These inhibitors also abolished vesicular fusion with the plasma membrane, as evidenced by diminished annexin V staining. Agonist-induced degranulation was completely blocked when LY294002 was applied together with one of the PKG inhibitors, suggesting an additive and possibly synergistic effect. In contrast, the PKG inhibitors did not affect fMLF-induced intracellular calcium mobilization and Akt phosphorylation. Likewise, LY294002 did not alter fMLF-induced elevation of intracellular cGMP concentration, and the inhibitory effect of LY294002 was not reversed by a cell-permeable analog of cGMP. Treatment with fMLF induced phosphorylation of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein (SNAP)-23, syntaxins 2, 4, and 6, and Monc18-3. The induced phosphorylation of SNAP-23 and syntaxins 2 and 4 was blocked by Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMP and LY294002. However, LY294002 was less effective in inhibiting Munc18-3 phosphorylation. The induced phosphorylation of syntaxin 6 was not effectively blocked by either Rp-8-Br-PET-cGMP or LY294002. Treatment of human neutrophils with the PKG inhibitors and LY294002 reduced enzyme release from primary, secondary, and tertiary granules. These results suggest that PKG and PI3K are involved in degranulation, possibly through phosphorylation of target membrane SNAP receptor proteins and their binding proteins.
Targeted Induction of Ceramide Degradation Leads to Improved Systemic Metabolism and Reduced Hepatic Steatosis

Summary Sphingolipids have garnered attention for their role in insulin resistance and lipotoxic cell death. We have developed transgenic mice inducibly expressing acid ceramidase that display a reduction in ceramides in adult mouse tissues. Hepatic overexpression of acid ceramidase prevents hepatic steatosis and prompts improvements in insulin action in liver and adipose tissue upon exposure to high-fat diet. Conversely, overexpression of acid ceramidase within adipose tissue also prevents hepatic steatosis and systemic insulin resistance. Induction of ceramidase activity in either tissue promotes a lowering of hepatic ceramides and reduced activation of the ceramide-activated protein kinase C isoform PKCζ, though the induction of ceramidase activity in the adipocyte prompts more rapid resolution of hepatic steatosis than overexpression of the enzyme directly in the liver. Collectively, our observations suggest the existence of a rapidly acting "cross-talk" between liver and adipose tissue sphingolipids, critically regulating glucose metabolism and hepatic lipid uptake.
Topological phase of N = 2 superconformal field theory and topological Landau-Ginzburg field theory

Abstract We construct a topological invariant version of two-dimensional Landau-Ginzburg field theory which turns out to describe the topological phase of N = 2 superconformal field theory. The theory provides us with an alternative approach to two-dimensional topological field theory.