cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Platelet TLR4 A Critical Link in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Platelets are small, disc-shaped cell fragments that circulate in the blood and play an important role in hemostasis. The lifespan of a platelet is ≈5 to 9 days. Emerging evidence indicates that platelets may be involved in the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Platelets store secretory granules that contain growth and mitogenic factors, cytokines, and vasoactive substances, which are released in a regulated manner on stimulation. α granules contain P-selectin, transforming growth factor-β1, platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF), B-thromboglobulin, platelet factor 4, RANTES (Regulated on Activation, Normal T Cell Expressed and SECRETED), CCL2 (chemokine (C-C motif) ligand 2), tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-1α, interleukin-1β, fibrinogen, and coagulation factors V and XIII. δ (dense) granules contain serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]), calcium, and ADP/ATP. Activation of platelets increases the production of thromboxane A2, which, in turn, activates other platelets and promotes vasoconstriction and thrombosis. Article, see p 1596 Several platelet-derived molecules have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of PAH.1 Among them, PDGF is an extremely potent mitogen and chemoattractant for pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells (PA SMCs).2 The PDGF level and its receptor expression are elevated in PA SMCs in animal models of PAH.3,4 PDGF receptor expression is enhanced in the lungs of patients with PAH.5 Multiple experimental studies support a role of PDGF in the pathogenesis of PAH.1 Inhibition of PDGF by imatinib (or Gleevec) was able to reverse pulmonary hypertension in 2 different animal models of PAH.6 Imatinib improved pulmonary arterial remodeling, right ventricular hypertrophy, and cardiac output and increased animal survival. Ghofrani et al7 reported that imatinib reversed SMC proliferation and neointima formation in a human patient with PAH. Therefore, PDGF may play a role in some forms of PAH although the imatinib in PAH, a randomized, efficacy study …
Light diffraction by a subwavelength circular aperture

Diffraction of normally incident light by a subwavelength circular aperture is calculated analytically. The aperture is opened on a perfectly conducting planar screen with infinitesimal thickness. In our model, the aperture is replaced by uniform magnetic currents and charges. The model allows one to obtain the normalized cross section for the aperture radius up to half of the wavelength, which exceeds the 0.2 wavelength limit of the Bethe-Bouwkamp's dipole model [1-3]. Also, in addition to reproducing the (ka)4 dependence, which is characteristic of the dipole mode, our uniform field model explains the transmission enhancement obtained in Abajo's numerical simulation [4].
Dynamic Programming Models and Algorithms for the Mutual Fund Cash Balance Problem

Fund managers have to decide the amount of a fund's assets that should be kept in cash, considering the trade-off between being able to meet shareholder redemptions and minimizing the opportunity cost from lost investment opportunities. In addition, they have to consider redemptions by individuals as well as institutional investors, the current performance of the stock market and interest rates, and the pattern of investments and redemptions that are correlated with market performance. We formulate the problem as a dynamic program, but this encounters the classic curse of dimensionality. To overcome this problem, we propose a provably convergent approximate dynamic programming algorithm. We also adapt the algorithm to an online environment, requiring no knowledge of the probability distributions for rates of return and interest rates. We use actual data for market performance and interest rates, and demonstrate the quality of the solution (compared to the optimal) for the top 10 mutual funds in each of nine fund categories. We show that our results closely match the optimal solution (in considerably less time), and outperform two static (newsvendor) models. The result is a simple policy that describes when money should be moved into and out of cash based on market performance.
Nonparametric methods for identifying differentially expressed genes in microarray data

Motivation: Gene expression experiments provide a fast and systematic way to identify disease markers relevant to clinical care. In this study, we address the problem of robust identification of differentially expressed genes from microarray data. Differentially expressed genes, or discriminator genes, are genes with significantly different expression in two user-defined groups of microarray experiments. We compare three model-free approaches: (1) nonparametric t-test, (2) Wilcoxon (or Mann‐Whitney) rank sum test, and (3) a heuristic method based on high Pearson correlation to a perfectly differentiating gene (‘ideal discriminator method’). We systematically assess the performance of each method based on simulated and biological data under varying noise levels and p-value cutoffs. Results: All methods exhibit very low false positive rates and identify a large fraction of the differentially expressed genes in simulated data sets with noise level similar to that of actual data. Overall, the rank sum test appears most conservative, which may be advantageous when the computationally identified genes need to be tested biologically. However, if a more inclusive list of markers is desired, a higher p-value cutoff or the nonparametric t-test may be appropriate. When applied to data from lung tumor and lymphoma data sets, the methods identify biologically relevant differentially expressed genes that allow clear separation of groups in question. Thus the methods described and evaluated here provide a convenient and robust way to identify differentially expressed genes for further biological and clinical analysis. Availability: By request from the authors.
Scheduling ocean transportation of crude oil

A crude oil tanker scheduling problem faced by a major oil company is presented and solved using an elastic set partitioning model. The model takes into account all fleet cost components, including the opportunity cost of ship time, port and canal charges, and demurrage and bunker fuel. The model determines optimal speeds for the ships and the best routing of ballast empty legs, as well as which cargos to load on controlled ships and which to spot charter. All feasible schedules are generated, the cost of each is accurately determined and the best set of schedules is selected. For the problems encountered, optimal integer solutions to set partitioning problems with thousands of binary variables have been achieved in less than a minute.
Functional outcome and quality of life in anorectal malformations.

Abstract Background/Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the early functional outcome and quality of life (QOL) in children with anorectal malformations. Methods Children treated for anorectal malformations (ARMs) from 1994 to 2000 were evaluated if 4 years or older. Primary outcome measures were bowel function score, assessed by functional outcome questionnaire, and QOL using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4). The secondary outcome measure was age at potty training. Twenty healthy children were used as controls for functional outcome and age at potty training. Data are reported as mean (SD) unless otherwise stated. Results Eighty children were evaluated during the study period. The mean age at follow-up was 82 months (18.7). The response rate was 76.3% (58/76) for bowel function and 77.5% (62/80) for QOL questionnaires. Functional outcome score (maximum 20) decreased significantly with increasing severity of the ARM (male perineal fistula, 16 [3]; female perineal fistula, 15 [3]; rectourethral fistula, 12 [4]; vestibular fistula, 13 [3.5]; bladder neck fistula, 6 [2]; analysis of variance, P = .001). However, there was no difference in QOL between patients with ARM and controls. There was no correlation between age and either bowel function score (Pearson r 2 = 0.06) or QOL (Pearson r 2 = 0.12). Affected children took significantly longer to achieve potty training for bladder (35 [13.8] months vs 26 [8.7] months for controls [ t test, P = .005]) and bowels (38 [16] months vs 25 [7] months [ t test, P = .001]). Conclusion Children with ARMs have significantly worse bowel function than their peers, depending on the type of lesion. Despite these findings, QOL was not significantly impaired. No correlation was demonstrated between age and either functional outcome or QOL.
Structure and bonding of molecules at aqueous surfaces.

▪ Abstract Significant advances toward understanding the structure of aqueous surfaces on a molecular level have been made in recent years. This review focuses on the recent contributions of surface vibrational sum frequency spectroscopy (VSFS) to this field of study. An overview of recent VSFS studies of the molecular structure and orientation of molecules at the vapor-water interface and the interface between water and an immiscible organic liquid is presented, with particular emphasis on studies that compare the molecular properties and adsorbate behavior at these two different but related interfaces. This discussion is preceded by a general introduction to VSFS studies at aqueous surfaces and a description of the fundamental principles underlying the technique.
Assessing access of galactic cosmic rays at Moon's orbit

[1] Characterizing the lunar radiation environment is essential for preparing future robotic and human explorations on lunar bases. Galactic cosmic rays (GCR) represent one source of ionizing radiation at the Moon that poses a biological risk. Because GCR are charged particles, their paths are affected by the magnetic fields along their trajectories. Unlike the Earth, the Moon has no strong, shielding magnetic field of its own. However, as it orbits Earth, the Moon traverses not only the weak interplanetary magnetic field but also the distant magnetic tail of Earth's magnetosphere. We combine an empirical magnetic field model of Earth's magnetosphere with a fully-relativistic charged particle trajectory code to model and assess the access of GCR at the Moon's orbit. We follow protons with energies of 1, 10 and 100 MeV starting from an isotropic distribution at large distances outside a volume of space including Earth's magnetosphere and the lunar orbit. The simulation result shows that Earth's magnetosphere does not measurably modify protons of energy greater than 1 MeV at distances outside the geomagnetic cutoff imposed by Earth's strong dipole field very near to the planet. Therefore, in contrast to Winglee and Harnett (2007), we conclude that Earth's magnetosphere does not provide any substantial magnetic shielding at the Moon's orbit. These simulation results will be compared to LRO/CRaTER data after its planned launch in June 2009.
Linear Hypothesis: Regression (Graphics)

Regression analysis is the study of how a response variable depends on one or more predictors. In regression graphics we pursue low-dimensional sufficient summary plots. These plots, which do not require a model for their construction, contain all the information on the response that is available from the predictors. They can be used to visualize dependence, to discover unexpected relationships, to guide the choice of a first model, and to check plausible models. This article covers the foundations for sufficient summary plots and how they can be estimated and used in practice. Their relationship to standard model-based graphics such as residual plots is covered as well.
Beta1 integrin expression in malignant melanoma predicts occult lymph node metastases

Background Elective lymph node dissection for malignant melanoma is still controversial. Experimental studies suggest that differential expression, activation, or both of β1 integrins facilitate melanoma metastases. However, the clinical significance of β1 integrin expression in human melanoma is unclear. Methods We examined primary cutaneous melanomas from 76 patients undergoing elective lymph node dissection. We quantified the percentage of tumor area stained by β1 integrin antibody with an image analyzer. Results β1 integrin was expressed in all 23 primary tumors from patients with pathologically positive lymph nodes (LNs) but in only 14 (26%) of 53 cases with pathologically negative nodes (p Conclusions Our study is the first to show a correlation between expression of a molecular marker in the primary cutaneous melanoma and likelihood of regional LN metastases. β1 immunostaining of 10% or more of tumor area reliably predicts patients most likely to harbor occult LN metastases and likely to benefit from ELND.
Influence of data acquisition environment on accuracy of acoustic voice quality measurements

Summary Accuracy of acoustic voice analysis is influenced by the quality of recording. Lately, articles have suggested that soundcards perform equivalently to specialized professional-grade data acquisition (DA) systems. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of DA environment (DA system and microphone) on acoustic voice quality measurement (VQM) while balancing for gender, age, intersubject and intrasubject variability, and analysis software. More specifically, the relative performance of different hardware environments and the relationship between their technical characteristics and VQM performance was investigated. The discretization error and the effective dynamic range of the different DA environments were measured. We used 3 software systems to record and measure separately 2000 acoustic samples of sustained phonation for fundamental frequency, jitter, and shimmer. Analyses of variance (ANOVA) were performed with these parameters as the dependent variables. The results of the study suggested that professional-grade DA hardware is strongly recommended to provide accurate and valid voice assessment. The fundamental frequency measurement differences across DA environments were highly correlated to the discretization error ( r =1.00), whereas jitter and shimmer were highly correlated to the effective dynamic range of the DA environments ( r =−0.68 and r =−0.86, respectively).
Intercellular Communication during Plant Development

Multicellular organisms depend on cell-to-cell communication to coordinate both development and environmental responses across diverse cell types. Intercellular signaling is particularly critical in plants because development is primarily postembryonic and continuous over a plant’s life span. Additionally, development is impacted by restrictions imposed by a sessile lifestyle and limitations on relative cell positions. Many non-cell-autonomous signaling mechanisms are known to function in plant development, including those involving receptor kinases, small peptides, and mobile transcription factors. In this review, we focus on recent findings that highlight novel mechanisms in intercellular signaling during development. New details of small RNA movement, including microRNA movement, are discussed, as well as protein movement and distribution of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in ROS signaling. Finally, a novel temporal mechanism for lateral root positioning and the implications for intercellular signaling are considered.
Invited Talk - Engineering Self-Healing and Self-Improving Systems

The proliferation of computing systems into every facet of our everyday lives raises a number of challenges for software engineering. Among those, we need to be able to build systems that take more control over their own dependability, security, and usefulness -- automating many of the things that now lead to system failures and require computing experts to manage. In this talk I describe new architectural approaches to addressing these challenges, including the ability to support self-healing through architectural refection and automated repair, and architectures that allow systems to learn new behaviors by observing their users.
Chromosome Odds and Ends

Here I give a brief history of my scientific career, beginning with my early interest in natural history and my introduction to the microscope and the wonderful world of the cell. My studies have focused on chromosomes, nucleoli, and other nuclear structures, with a few forays into the cytoplasm. In each case, I have tried to understand how proteins and nucleic acids are physically organized to give rise to the structures seen under the microscope. I describe how studies in my laboratory on amplified ribosomal RNA genes led to the development of in situ hybridization, a technique that permitted us to localize specific nucleic acid sequences with high precision. My early exposure to the diversity of animals and plants made it seem natural to choose organisms best suited to a particular problem, hence the use of salamanders, frogs, and mice, as well as protozoa, fruit flies, and other invertebrates.
Corporate Governance in the European Union: Firm Nationality and the ‘German’ Model

While there has been some convergence in corporate governance codes and securities regulations across the European Union (EU), the remaining areas of divergence are the most contentious as they reflect differences in fundamental societal norms and values. I propose that using the multinational corporation as the referent unit of analysis yields a means for making a qualitative distinction between the two regimes. I suggest that at least for firms with EU‐wide scope, certain critical elements of the German model may be more appropriate, as the neoclassical justifications of the Anglo‐American model are less reliable in such a setting.
Psychological Adjustment of Children with Asthma: Effects of Illness Severity and Recent Stressful Life Events

Although children with chronic illness are at greater risk for decreased psychological adjustment than physically healthy children, little is known about the factors that lead to increased risk. Eighty-one children with asthma between the ages of 6 and 14 years and their parents participated in a study to determine the relative contribution of background variables (age, gender, and socioeconomic status), recent stressful life events, and illness severity to psychological adaptation. Overall 11.5% of the children had CBCL Total Behavior Problems scores above the 98th percentile. Multiple regression revealed that lower SES, negative life change, and high illness severity were predictive of less optimal psychological adjustment. The results highlight the need for interventions to improve coping with both disease and nondisease issues.
Evaluation and Management of Anal Intraepithelial Neoplasia in HIV-Negative and HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men

The incidence of human papillomavirus (HPV)–associated anal cancer in men who have sex with men (MSM) is striking and has not been mitigated by the use of highly active antiretroviral therapy. Detection and treatment of high-grade anal intraepithelial neoplasia (HGAIN) may reduce the incidence of anal cancer. Anal cytology is a useful tool to detect HGAIN; annual screening of HIV-positive MSM and biennial screening of HIV-negative MSM appears to be cost-effective. MSM with abnormal cytology should be referred for high-resolution anoscopy and biopsy. Individuals with HGAIN should receive treatment; treatment modalities for HGAIN demonstrate moderate efficacy and are usually well tolerated, but greater study is required to determine which treatment is optimal. Large prospective studies are needed to document the efficacy of screening and treatment of HGAIN on anal cancer incidence. The HPV vaccine holds promise for primary prevention of anal cancer in MSM, but significant implementation challenges remain.
HOW ELECTIVE PUBLIC OFFICE ALLAYS CONSCIENCE

Self-serving behavior in elective public office is frequently rationalized by the claim that it was intended for the benefit of others. This paper proposes that the elected official's conscience may be altered as a consequence of habitual use of such rationalizations. The author, a psychoanalyst, derives his observations from his own experience as an elected public official.
A new sufficient condition for nonsymmetric CNNs to have a stable equilibrium point

This letter gives a new sufficient condition for nonsymmetric CNNs to have at least one stable equilibrium point. Existence of a stable equilibrium point is important for nonsymmetric CNNs because it is a necessary condition for complete stability. It is shown that our sufficient condition is a generalization of a previous result concerning the existence of a stable equilibrium point, and that it can easily be applied to space invariant CNNs with a 3/spl times/3 neighborhood.
A Nested Logit Approach for Investigating Distractors as Causes of Differential Item Functioning

In multiple-choice items, differential item functioning (DIF) in the correct response may or may not be caused by differentially functioning distractors. Identifying distractors as causes of DIF can provide valuable information for potential item revision or the design of new test items. In this paper, we examine a two-step approach based on application of a nested logit model for this purpose. The approach separates testing of differential distractor functioning (DDF) from DIF, thus allowing for clearer evaluations of where distractors may be responsible for DIF. The approach is contrasted against competing methods and evaluated in simulation and real data analyses.
Inhaled Anesthetics in Horses

Inhaled agents represent an important and useful class of drugs for equine anesthesia. This article reviews the ether-type anesthetics in contemporary use, their uptake and elimination, their mechanisms of action, and their desirable and undesirable effects in horses.
Efficient Byzantine-tolerant erasure-coded storage

This paper describes a decentralized consistency protocol for survivable storage that exploits local data versioning within each storage-node. Such versioning enables the protocol to efficiently provide linearizability and wait-freedom of read and write operations to erasure-coded data in asynchronous environments with Byzantine failures of clients and servers. By exploiting versioning storage-nodes, the protocol shifts most work to clients and allows highly optimistic operation: reads occur in a single round-trip unless clients observe concurrency or write failures. Measurements of a storage system prototype using this protocol show that it scales well with the number of failures tolerated, and its performance compares favorably with an efficient implementation of Byzantine-tolerant state machine replication.
Single-Nucleotide Mutations in FMR1 Reveal Novel Functions and Regulatory Mechanisms of the Fragile X Syndrome Protein FMRP

Fragile X syndrome is a monogenic disorder and a common cause of intellectual disability. Despite nearly 25 years of research on FMR1, the gene underlying the syndrome, very few pathological mutations other than the typical CGG-repeat expansion have been reported. This is in contrast to other X-linked, monogenic, intellectual disability disorders, such as Rett syndrome, where many point mutations have been validated as causative of the disorder. As technology has improved and significantly driven down the cost of sequencing, allowing for whole genes to be sequenced with relative ease, in-depth sequencing studies on FMR1 have recently been performed. These studies have led to the identification of novel variants in FMR1, where some of which have been functionally evaluated and are likely pathogenic. In this review, we discuss recently identified FMR1 variants, the ways these novel variants cause dysfunction, and how they reveal new regulatory mechanisms and functionalities of the gene.
Relative Source-Time Function Studies and Stress Drop of Earthquakes in Southeastern Alaska-Northwestern Canada

Abstract We use the relative source–time function (RSTF) method to estimate the source properties of earthquakes within southeastern Alaska–northwestern Canada in an effort to determine if there are systematic variations in the source parameters of these earthquakes (e.g., stress drop, rupture complexity, and rupture directivity) with the tectonic setting. In the RSTF technique we deconvolve the P ‐arrival signal of a smaller event from that of a larger event by the following process: select arrivals with a tapered cosine window, fast Fourier transform to obtain the spectrum, apply a water level to the spectrum of the smaller event, and apply a band‐pass filter before inverse transforming the result to obtain the RSTF. Our results show self‐similarity over earthquakes of magnitude less than five and stress drop dependence on focal mechanism. Strike‐slip events appear to have larger stress drops, with the highest stress drops for events within the Queen Charlotte fault system. We find evidence for rupture directivity consistent with previous studies for three earthquakes that had adequate azimuthal station coverage.
The metabolism of abscisic acid in relation to its reversible action on stomata in leaves of Hordeum vulgare L.

Barley leaves extracted 35 min after a 15-min pulse of 10-6 M 14C-labelled cis,trans-(±)-abscisic acid (ABA) showed very little breakdown of the ABA. Leaves extracted 2 h after a 30-min pulse of 10-5 M labelled ABA showed at least 34% degradation of the hormone. The pattern of degradation was very similar for leaves kept in either light or darkness following the labelling pulse, and the products formed resembled those described in tomato fruit and bean axes. No detectable isomerization to the physiologically inactive trans,trans-(±)-ABA isomer occurred in these leaves during the 2-h period. ABA-induced stomatal closure is partially reduced 30 min after the pulse. The reversal cannot be attributed to catabolism of the hormone and must be explained by removal of the hormone into storage sites where it cannot act on the stomata.
VALIDATION OF A TRANSPORT MODEL FOR A SHIELD AND SOLID STATE DETECTOR ARRANGEMENT

A critical enabling technology for the Human Exploration and Development of Space is the provision of adequate radiation protection to the astronauts and their equipment. In consequence, there is considerable interest in the development of new shielding materials for protection against the hazards of galactic cosmic rays. Since it is impractical to verify the shielding properties of every candidate material and configuration in space, it is desirable to develop a protocol for the rapid assessment of shielding properties. Solid-state detectors are often used to measure the charge and energy of particles in ion beam experiments. The direct measurement is energy deposited in the detector. As a means of separating the charge components in typical shield transmission studies with observation, a stack of many such detectors is used followed by analysis to determine charge and energy. The development of a transport model for the shield and detector arrangement and evaluation of prediction of the energy loss spectrum for direct comparison with the experimentally derived data allows a rapid assessment of the shield transmission characteristics. Such a model has recently been developed and is validated herein by comparison with results from particle beam experiments.
Microserver system use of optical technologies

The DOME microserver project achieves best operations per Joule thanks to ultra-dense packaging and the use of a suitable Server-on-a-Chip. Dense packaging eliminates many PHY chips and also replaces many off-board photonic links with on-board electronic links. Photonic links are, however, required at high density (32 ports) and high speed (40 Gbps) at the rack-unit edge.
Enhancement of glucose absorption by oleic acid.

Summary1. NaTC alone exerted no effect on absorption of glucose from the jejunum. 2. Oleic acid (20 mEq/1 and 5 mEq/1) in the presence of NaTC enhanced the absorption of glucose. 3. Oleic acid and NaTC did not increase absorption of 3-0-methylglucose. 4. Intestinal absorption of oleic acid in a solution of NaTC was not increased by the presence of glucose. 5. It is concluded that enhanced absorption of glucose from the jejunum by the presence of a micellar solution of oleic acid is possibly related to utilization of glucose in intracellular lipid metabolism.
Influence of Nonideaities on the Performance of a Self-Balancing Rotor System

An analytical, numerical and experimental investigation of the dynamic behavior of a four degree of freedom passive balancing system using pendulum balancers is presented. This work is an extension of previous studies which considered such automatic balancing systems and devices. It has previously been demonstrated analytically that a 4-DOF pendulum self-balancing system is capable, under idealized conditions, of exact radial balancing [10]. However, imperfections in the fabrication and assembly of such a system tend to compromise a number of the ideal modeling assumptions that were used to provide this result. The present research study examines the effects of a variety of such imperfections and their influence on the functional capability of the self-balancing system. Both analytical/simulation results and experimental validation are provided and discussed.© 2005 ASME
Epidemiological Analysis of New HIV/AIDS Cases in Nanyang City from 2005 to 2006

Objective The present study was designed to analyze the current epidemical status and the factors affecting the frequency of new HIV/AIDS cases in the city from 2005 to 2006 in order to provide the reference for effective HIV prevention and control.Methods Data concerning the new cases of HIV/AIDS between 2005 and 2006 were collected and analyzed.Results A total of 1 236 new HIV/AIDS cases were collected.747 patients(60.44%) acquired HIV through the paid blood donation,185(14.97%) patients acquired HIV through blood transfusion,264(21.36%) patients were infected through heterosexual contact,in which 128(48.48%) patients were infected through the sexual contact with their spouse,and 136(51.52%) patients got HIV infection from other sexual partners.Of the 1 236 new cases,762 cases(61.65%) were detected by voluntary counselling and testing(VCT).Conclusion There was an increasing trend in acquiring AIDS through heterosexual contact.VCT is particularly useful in facilitating the identification of AIDS patients.
THE SOCIAL IDENTITY AND VALUE ORIENTATION OF PUBLIC INTERESTS FOR ANTI-DUMPING

As worldwide economic development gaining its strengths with goods and capital flowing internationally,contradictions of competition and monopoly,trade liberalism and trade protectionism,and individual interests and public interests are increasingly apparent,while the principle of public interests is prominently becoming more significant in terms of its preventing and balancing the damage caused by anti-dumping.This essay analyses the social identity and relevant practice of public interests,and leads the international anti-dumping problem to a way of developing well.
Diagnostic and operative arthroscopy.

The arthroscope is now essential for adequate joint examination and therapy. The author briefly explores the history, benefits, problems, and frontiers of diagnostic and surgical arthroscopy.
Common mistakes in managing metabolic disorders.

PreviewCan volume depletion be managed by pushing oral fluids? What are the consequences of hypophosphatemia? Does a low serum bicarbonate level indicate metabolic acidosis only? In this article, using hypothetical examples, Dr Elms gives tips on avoiding errors in the treatment of patients with volume depletion, hypophosphatemia, and respiratory alkalosis.
Transplant coronary disease: nonimmunologic risk factors.

Since the time that coronary artery disease was first described in the transplanted human heart, attempts have been made to define risk factors for its development. Although recent reports have emphasized immunologic and infectious (i.e., cytomegalovirus) mechanisms in the development of transplant coronary disease, the influence of several nonimmunologic risk factors has also been studied. Some of the nonimmunologic risk factors that have been evaluated include recipient characteristics (age, sex, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, smoking, diabetes mellitus, pretransplantation heart disease), donor characteristics (age, sex), immunosuppressive agents/protocols, and nonimmune mechanisms of endothelial injury (cyclosporine, ischemic time). Studies evaluating the role of these risk factors have produced variable results. One or more studies, however, have suggested an effect of recipient age and sex, donor age and sex, obesity, hyperlipidemia, pretransplantation diagnosis, and ischemic time on the development of transplant coronary disease. The most consistently described relationship has been between hyperlipidemia and transplant coronary disease. Hyperlipidemia is common after heart transplantation, with elevations noted in total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides. The cause of posttransplantation hyperlipidemia is not well defined, but obesity and the immunosuppressive agents prednisone and cyclosporine play a role. Treatment of posttransplantation hyperlipidemia can be difficult because commonly used lipid-lowering agents have side effects and interactions with immunosuppressive drugs that necessitate caution in their use in the posttransplantation population. Transplant coronary disease almost certainly has a multifactorial cause, with endothelial injury and nonimmunologic risk factors, particularly hyperlipidemia, playing contributory roles. Because hyperlipidemia and the obesity that commonly accompany it are modifiable risk factors, weight loss and treatment of hyperlipidemia are recommended.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Naturalistic Metaethics at Half Price

Let us call the world of facts studied by science ‘the naturalistic world.’ And let us call ‘naturalism’ the view that all facts have to fit neatly into the naturalistic world. The relevant notion of ‘fitting into’ is meant to be quite broad, but one obvious way in which a fact could fit into the naturalistic world would be for that fact simply to be a fact about the naturalistic world.1 On this interpretation, naturalism amounts to the view that all facts are naturalistic facts. One can make this view more or less controversial by having a more or less restricted view of what counts as science, and therefore as the naturalistic world. But a problem for anyone who wishes to defend a version of this simple sort of naturalism is that certain kinds of facts have seemed difficult to understand as a part the naturalistic world, even quite liberally conceived: facts about evaluative matters, facts about the meanings of words, facts about conscious experiences, and about mathematics and logic, to name just a few. One promising strategy for dealing with these threats to naturalism is to move to a more sophisticated understanding of ‘fitting into’ the naturalistic world. This strategy begins by appealing to the kinds of facts that do not seem problematic, even on the simpler understanding of what it is to fit into the naturalistic world: facts about human behavior and about our linguistic capacities. It then seeks to show that our ways of thinking and talking about the problematic topics — including in many cases our regarding them as being factual — are completely unproblematic and unsurprising.
Advancing Hand Gesture Recognition with High Resolution Electrical Impedance Tomography

Electrical Impedance Tomography (EIT) was recently employed in the HCI domain to detect hand gestures using an instrumented smartwatch. This prior work demonstrated great promise for non-invasive, high accuracy recognition of gestures for interactive control. We introduce a new system that offers improved sampling speed and resolution. In turn, this enables superior interior reconstruction and gesture recognition. More importantly, we use our new system as a vehicle for experimentation ' we compare two EIT sensing methods and three different electrode resolutions. Results from in-depth empirical evaluations and a user study shed light on the future feasibility of EIT for sensing human input.
Orbital angular momentum (OAM) based LDPC-coded free-space optical communication

An orbital angular momentum (OAM) based LDPC-coded modulation scheme suitable for use in FSO communication is proposed. We demonstrate that proposed scheme can operate under strong atmospheric turbulence regime and enable 100Gb/s optical transmission while employing 10Gb/s components.
Tumor Microenvironment In Pediatric Hodgkin Lymphoma: Clues for Disease Biology

Abstract 2681 The non-malignant elements in Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) tissue are very prominent and represent a reactive process either directly against or induced by tumor cells. Thus far, only clinical characteristics have been used in the risk assessment of HL. Biologic markers of disease remain largely unidentified. This study examined cellular immunologic features of the tumor microenvironment in pediatric HL patients seen at a single children9s hospital since 1997 for whom flow cytometric evaluation at diagnosis was available. Retrospective chart review was conducted to gather other relevant clinical and laboratory data on the cases. Student t-test, nonparametric Mann-Whitney U and Kruskal-Wallis tests, and Pearson9s correlation analysis were used for statistical evaluation. Thirty-one patients, 14 male and 17 female, with a median age of 14 years (range 3–17) were included in the study. Twenty-one cases were nodular sclerosis (NS) [71% female, with a median age of 14 years], 6 mixed cellular (MC) [17% female, with a median age of 11 years] and 4 undetermined subtype. While T cells were predominant in nodular sclerosis (NS), the infiltrate was B cell-rich in mixed cellular (MC) subtype. CD4+ T cells were significantly higher in NS (55 vs. 30.5; p=0.01) and, conversely, CD8+ cells in MC (21.3 vs. 11.3; p=0.02). Consistently, CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly higher in NS (9.6 vs. 1.6; p=0.02). All of the MC tumors were in situ EBV-positive, compared to only 24% of NS tumors (p=0.008). The WBC and absolute lymphocyte count were higher in NS compared with MC, 12×10 9 /L vs. 6.1×10 9 /L and 3.9×10 9 /L vs. 1.5×10 9 /L, respectively. Occurrence of primary continuous complete remission (CCR) without recurrence or refractoriness was significantly higher in MC group (p=0.009). Higher hemoglobin, DR+CD38+ lymphocyte percentage and lower CD4/CD8 ratio were also predictive of primary CCR status (p Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Peri-Procedure Laser Scar Therapy Protocol: A Pilot Survey of Plastic Surgeons' Practices.

Scar management using laser phototherapy continues to evolve as it gains wide acceptance among patients and providers. Despite widespread use of laser therapy, there are no guidelines or consensus published regarding optimal pre- and post-procedure patient management. Our objective is to gain insight into the best laser practices; we decided to poll colleagues nationwide. An online survey was distributed to members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. The survey consisted of 34 questions regarding pre- and post-procedure protocols related to laser scar therapy. Forty plastic surgeons responded to the survey. The survey demonstrated that ten types of lasers are currently used to treat scars. The most commonly used lasers are fractional Er:YAG (44.7%), pulsed dye (42.1%), and fractional CO2 (36.8%). On a Likert 3-point scale, providers favored the use of pre-procedural sunblock (2.12), topical analgesics (1.91), and oral antivirals (1.83). They also preferred the use of topical moisturizer (2.45), oral analgesics (2.29), and oral antivirals (1.97) as a part of the post-laser treatment regimen. The study verified there is no consensus regarding peri-procedure laser scar therapy regimens. As laser scar management continues to grow in popularity, this lack of consensus suggests the need for experts in the field to come together and propose agreeable protocols to be used as guidelines. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
An Enhanced Cultural Competence Curriculum and Changes in Transcultural Self-Efficacy in Doctor of Nursing Practice Students:

Purpose: The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree is the most advanced clinical leadership role in nursing. Curricula prepare these students to design, implement, evaluate, and continuously impr...
The Origins of the Economics of Innovation: John Rae (1824)

John Rae has recently been rediscovered as a precursor of the endogenous growth theory. This study argues that Rae needs to be rediscovered a second time for his original contribution to clarify the role of the innovation and technical change within the economic systems. The aim of this paper is to suggest that the origins of the Economics of innovation go back to many years before Schumpeter’s theory (1911), with the original study by John Rae in 1834. The Scottish philosopher with his book Statement of Some New Principles on the Subject of Political Economy, issued in 1834, put forward the basis of the Economics of innovation individuating the nature, causes and effects of the technological progress on economic growth of nations. Rae also discusses the evolution and role of vital technologies for the wealth and employment of nations in Europe and America. Overall, then, this study here suggests the importance of Rae’s work for the origin of the Economics of innovation and a definition of this discipline, which embodied the main concepts appeared during the history of the economic thought. The conclusions are tentative, but it is the first step to detect the purpose of this important research field that explains one of the causes of economic growth and progress of nations over time.
Pricing hybrid bundles by understanding the drivers of willingness to pay

Many companies are increasingly selling hybrid bundles, which comprise one or more goods and one or more services. Hybrid bundle pricing depends on understanding consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for the bundle, which rests on trade-offs among the benefits from four key drivers: service autonomy, complementarity, service quality variability, and overall bundle quality (basic vs. premium). The effects of these drivers and their interactions on the WTP of hybrid bundles are unknown. The authors develop hypotheses and test them rigorously using incentive-aligned choice-based conjoint and hierarchical Bayesian analysis. The results offer important guidelines for developing appropriate hybrid bundles. If a typical firm under budget constraint has to offer either of two hybrid bundles, one with high complementarity or one with service autonomy, the results suggest that it should offer the bundle with high complementarity. Furthermore, contrary to the conventional wisdom of minimizing service quality variability for premium quality bundles relative to basic quality bundles, the results recommend lowering service quality variability for basic quality bundles but maintaining it for premium bundles.
Methodologic considerations of household-level methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus decolonization among persons living with HIV.

Background People living with HIV (PLWH) have a higher prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) colonization and likelihood of recurrent infection than the general population. Simultaneously treating MRSA-colonized household members may improve success with MRSA decolonization strategies. This article describes a pilot trial testing household-level MRSA decolonization and documents methodologic and pragmatic challenges of this approach. Methods We conducted a randomized controlled trial of individual versus individual-plus-household MRSA decolonization to reduce recurrent MRSA. PLWH with a history of MRSA who are patients of an urban HIV clinic received a standard MRSA decolonization regimen. MRSA colonization at 6 months was the primary outcome. Results One hundred sixty-six patients were referred for MRSA screening; 77 (46%) enrolled. Of those, 28 (36%) were colonized with MRSA and identified risk factors consistent with the published literature. Eighteen were randomized and 13 households completed the study. Conclusions This is the first study to report on a household-level MRSA decolonization among PLWH. Challenges included provider referral, HIV stigma, confidentiality concerns over enrolling households, and dynamic living situations. Although simultaneous household MRSA decolonization may reduce recolonization, recruitment and retention challenges specific to PLWH limit the ability to conduct household-level research. Efforts to minimize these barriers are needed to inform evidence-based practice.
CD8+ mycosis fungoides: A low-grade lymphoproliferative disorder

Background The prognosis of the CD8 + subtype of mycosis fungoides (MF) is controversial. Although most authors believe that determining the presence of this cell surface antigen has no prognostic value, others have observed a more indolent course for CD8 + MF compared with CD4 + MF. Objectives To review the cases of CD8 + MF in the pediatric and adult populations seen at our institution. Methods This is a retrospective review of clinical and pathologic data. Age, stage at presentation, and outcomes of patients at our institution were compared with those of 2 large MF cohorts that predominantly were CD4 + from the relevant literature. Results Sixty-seven patients of a median age of 46 years were included. A higher frequency of early-stage disease was observed for CD8 + MF patients at diagnosis when compared with other cohorts, including 31 (47%) patients with stage IA, 33 (50%) with stage IB, and 2 (3%) with stage IIB ( P = .001, P = .001, and P = .002, respectively). With a median follow-up (5.5 years, range 0.2-21 years) similar to other cohorts, a higher rate of complete remission was achieved (65.5%, P = .001), and a lower rate of progression was observed ( P = .004). Limitations This is a retrospective review. Conclusion Our experience with CD8 + MF confirms a more indolent course of disease with this MF variant. Our results warrant a conservative treatment approach limited to skin-directed therapies and observation in most patients.
Validation of an LC-MS/MS method for analysis of anti-diabetic drugs in botanical dietary supplements labeled for blood sugar management.

We developed and validated a liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method to detect and quantitate 14 anti-diabetic, 2 anti-obesity and 3 cholesterol-lowering drugs in botanical dietary supplements marketed for blood sugar management. Many botanical dietary supplements which carry label statements related to blood sugar management are available over the internet. Potential adulteration of such dietary supplements with anti-diabetic and other prescription drugs, some of which have been removed from the market due to adverse events, is of concern. No significant matrix effects were observed and mean recoveries of all 19 analytes from a single product matrix were 88 to 113% at spiking concentrations from 500 to 2000 μg/g. Mean recoveries of metformin, phenformin, and sibutramine from matrices prepared from multiple product composites ranged from 93 to 115% at a spiking concentration of 100 μg/g. The relative standard deviations (RSD) (%) of intra-day analyses ranged from 0.2 to 13 for all recovery studies. Eighty dietary supplements obtained in the U.S. and carrying label statements related to blood sugar management were analyzed using this method and none were found to be adulterated with the above 19 drugs. Two products obtained outside of the U.S. and known to be adulterated were also analyzed by this method and found to contain phenformin, glibenclamide, and sibutramine. This method provided satisfactory selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, and sensitivity for rapid determination of 19 drugs and has broad applicability for the analysis of dietary supplements for possible adulteration with these compounds.