cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Harnessing Information Technology to Inform Patients Facing Routine Decisions: Cancer Screening as a Test Case

PURPOSE Technology could transform routine decision making by anticipating patients’ information needs, assessing where patients are with decisions and preferences, personalizing educational experiences, facilitating patient-clinician information exchange, and supporting follow-up. This study evaluated whether patients and clinicians will use such a decision module and its impact on care, using 3 cancer screening decisions as test cases. METHODS Twelve practices with 55,453 patients using a patient portal participated in this prospective observational cohort study. Participation was open to patients who might face a cancer screening decision: women aged 40 to 49 who had not had a mammogram in 2 years, men aged 55 to 69 who had not had a prostate-specific antigen test in 2 years, and adults aged 50 to 74 overdue for colorectal cancer screening. Data sources included module responses, electronic health record data, and a postencounter survey. RESULTS In 1 year, one-fifth of the portal users (11,458 patients) faced a potential cancer screening decision. Among these patients, 20.6% started and 7.9% completed the decision module. Fully 47.2% of module completers shared responses with their clinician. After their next office visit, 57.8% of those surveyed thought their clinician had seen their responses, and many reported the module made their appointment more productive (40.7%), helped engage them in the decision (47.7%), broadened their knowledge (48.1%), and improved communication (37.5%). CONCLUSIONS Many patients face decisions that can be anticipated and proactively facilitated through technology. Although use of technology has the potential to make visits more efficient and effective, cultural, workflow, and technical changes are needed before it could be widely disseminated.
Enabling Real-Time Drug Abuse Detection in Tweets

Prescription drug abuse is one of the fastest growing public health problems in the USA. To address this epidemic, a near real-time monitoring strategy, instead of one resorting to a retrospective health records, may improve detecting the prevalence and patterns of abuse of both illegal drugs and prescription medications. In this paper, our primary goals are to demonstrate the possibility of utilizing social media, e.g., Twitter, for automatic monitoring of illegal drug and prescription medication abuse. We use machine learning methods for an automatic classification that can identify tweets that are indicative of drug abuse. We collected tweets associated with well-known illegal and prescription drugs. We manually annotated 300 tweets that are likely to be related to drug abuse. Our experiment compares a set of classification algorithms, and a decision tree classifier J48, and the SVM outperform others for determining whether tweets contain signals of drug abuse. This automatic supervised classification study results illustrate the utility of Twitter in examining patterns of abuse, and show the feasibility of building the drug abuse detection system that can process large volume data from social media sources in a near real-time.
Cheilectomy for Treatment of Symptomatic Distal Interphalangeal Joint Osteoarthritis: A Review of 78 Patients.

Purpose To determine whether open cheilectomy and debridement of the distal interphalangeal (DIP) joint is a safe and effective alternative to joint arthrodesis for the treatment of symptomatic osteoarthritis. Methods Seventy-eight patients with symptomatic DIP joint osteoarthritis and with a minimum follow-up of 24 months were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative radiographs were graded. Open cheilectomy and debridement of the DIP joint was performed in all patients. The DIP joint was immobilized for 4 weeks after surgery. Patients were evaluated clinically and radiographically. Visual analog scale pain scores and range of motion were assessed. Results At a median final follow-up of 36 months (minimum, 24 months), there was a significant improvement in mean visual analog scale pain scores from 8 to 1. Distal interphalangeal joint flexion contracture was improved by a mean of 6° and DIP joint range of motion was improved by a mean of 20°. No postoperative infections or other complication were noted. No reoperations were required/performed during the follow-up period. Conclusions Open DIP joint cheilectomy is a safe and effective alternative to DIP joint arthrodesis in patients with symptomatic osteoarthritis who wish to preserve joint motion. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Abstract WP154: Forced- and Voluntary-Rate Aerobic Exercise Training Improve Cardiovascular Function in Individuals With Chronic Stroke

Introduction: Aerobic exercise (AE) has been shown to be efficacious in improving cardiovascular function following stroke; however, it is not routinely incorporated into post-stroke rehabilitation...
Autologous rectus fascia sling placement in the management of female stress urinary incontinence.

Autologous pubovaginal sling placement remains a treatment option in index patients, given high, long-term success rates. This video reviews the technical considerations for performing an autologous rectus fascia sling. The patient is a 47-year-old woman with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) refractory to conservative management. First, a 10-cm rectus fascial segment is harvested and prepped with placement of nonabsorbable stay sutures for later sling passage. Then, an inverted U-shaped incision is made in the anterior vaginal wall based on the bladder neck, and perforation of the endopelvic fascia is performed. Following passage of the sling in the retropubic space, it is secured to periurethral tissue. Cystoscopy is then used to evaluate for bladder perforation and to confirm sling tensioning. The patient was discharged on the same day of surgery with a suprapubic tube in place, which was removed on postoperative day 7 after passing a capping trial. At 6 weeks’ follow-up, the patient had complete resolution of SUI, with no de novo urgency symptoms, and could empty her bladder to completion. Autologous pubovaginal sling placement remains an effective treatment option for the management of female SUI. This video highlights important technical considerations for this procedure.
Adaptation of Microelectrode Array Technology for the Study of Anesthesia-Induced Neurotoxicity in the Intact Piglet Brain

Every year, millions of children undergo anesthesia for a multitude of procedures. However, studies in both animals and humans have called into question the safety of anesthesia in children, implicating anesthetics as potentially toxic to the brain in development. To date, no studies have successfully elucidated the mechanism(s) by which anesthesia may be neurotoxic. Animal studies allow investigation of such mechanisms, and neonatal piglets represent an excellent model to study these effects due to their striking developmental similarities to the human brain. This protocol adapts the use of enzyme-based microelectrode array (MEA) technology as a novel way to study the mechanism(s) of anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity (AIN). MEAs enable real-time monitoring of in vivo neurotransmitter activity and offer exceptional temporal and spatial resolution. It is hypothesized that anesthetic neurotoxicity is caused in part by glutamate dysregulation and MEAs offer a method to measure glutamate. The novel implementation of MEA technology in a piglet model presents a unique opportunity for the study of AIN.
Electroplated Si3N4 Reinforced Metal Matrix Nanocomposites

Permalloy NiFe matrix nanocomposite layers were electroplated on a copper substrate. The volume fraction of nano-sized Si3 N4 particles in NiFe matrix was controlled by the addition of various percentages of Si3 N4 particles in the NiFe electrolyte. The nanocomposite layers were analyzed by a scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Microhardness test was performed. With nano-sized Si3 N4 particles in the NiFe matrix, the microhardness of NiFe was improved. The samples were then annealed at 800 °C for about 20 hours. The microhardness declined more with more Si3 N4 particles in the NiFe matrix. The analysis result from Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) in the SEM showed that the hardness declination could be caused by the segregation of Si3 N4 in the NiFe matrix. Finally this paper presents nanocomposite micromolds fabricated by electroplating onto polymer molds that were fabricated by micro-stereolithgraphy.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Ranking Universities for Scholarship in Public Administration Research 2006–2010

AbstractThere is a need to assess the scholarly activity of the field of public administration at the institutional level as it continues to develop as a separate, autonomous discipline and to eval...
How Much Should Government Spend

In the abstract, everyone wants lower taxes. And while many people say they want lower government spending, the preferences they give about specific programs do not seem to back up this assertion. If the public holds inconsistent views about their preferred level of taxation and spending, how can we ever develop a sustainable budget? Are the problems an irrational public? Or the way in which the questions and choices are framed?
Audible information design in the New York city subway system: a case study

Beginning with a detailed presentation of the use of audible signals, in the New York City subway stations and trains, we present an analysis of the information that is communicated by the existing sound design. We show the results of a survey of subway riders regarding their awareness and comprehension of the audible signals in the system. An analysis of the system's sound and information environment is presented, followed by a proposed sonic re-design to better serve both communication and aesthetic needs. We conclude by proposing that the principles of information design, sound design and music must be considered equally with those of acoustics and psychoacoustics when designing audio information and feedback systems.
The Algebra of Chern—Simons Classes, the Poisson Bracket on it, and the Action of the Gauge Group

Developing ideas of formal geometry [Gl], [GKF], and ideas based on combinatorial formulas for characteristic classes, we introduce the algebraic structure that models the case of N connections given on the vector bundle over an oriented manifold. First we construct a graded free associative algebra A with a differential d. Then we go to the space V of cyclic words of A. Certain elements of V correspond to the secondary characteristic classes associated to k connections. That construction allows us to give easily the explicit formulas for some known secondary classes and to construct the new ones. The space V has new operations: it is a graded Lie algebra with respect to the Poisson bracket. There is an analogy between our algebra and the Kontsevich version of the noncommutative symplectic geometry. We consider then an algebraic model of the action of the gauge group. We describe how elements of our algebra corresponding to the secondary characteristic classes change under this action.
ATYPICAL PRESENTATION OF SCABIETIC URTICARIAL VASCULITIS

Introduction Pruritic rash with burrows is pathognomonic for scabies. Classic lesions are seen less frequently as the incidence has increased. Our patient presented with none of the classic findings of scabies and biopsy features consistent with urticarial vasculitis. Case Description 75-year old male presented with a generalized urticarial eruption for 1 month that burned and itched, and was accompanied by post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. No new medications had been started. No family members had similar symptoms. Multiple urticarial plaques were noted with post-inflammatory changes without burrows. Dermatographism was present. Skin biopsy showed dense perivascular and superficial interstitial infiltrate, leukocytoclasis, and smudged small vessel walls. No mites or eggs were identified. No eosinophilia was present. Autoimmune work up and complement were normal. Treatment with Colchicine, Dapsone, Prednisone, and Hydroxychloroquine led to initial improvement but then relapse. When he was not improving, we sent him to dermatology again and they did not recommend any changes. As medications were changed, lesions again improved and then worsened. He called complaining of persistent lesions. When he was seen at that point, he had developed typical features of scabies and was treated with topical Permethrin and oral Ivermectin and rash completely subsided. After he improved, he was tapered off Dapsone without recurrence of his symptoms. Discussion Urticarial vasculitis is an uncommon presentation of scabies with frequently delayed diagnosis. This case serves as a reminder to reassess the diagnosis if the patient does not respond as expected to treatment and adds to the cases of scabies with atypical presentations.
Abstract TP215: Clinical Phenotypes of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Stroke Patients: A Cluster Analysis

Introduction: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is highly prevalent in stroke survivors. Untreated OSA is associated with an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular outcomes and OSA treatment may impr...
Factors Associated with Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) Alcohol and Other Drug Measure Performance in 2014-2015

AbstractBackground: Only 10% of patients with alcohol and other drug (AOD) disorders receive treatment. The AOD Initiation and Engagement in Treatment (AOD-IET) measure was added to the national He...
Networking Social Scholarship…Again

This paper proposes to answer several questions that arise from the actions of American scientists between 1840 and 1890. How did the broader organization of science in the late nineteenth century create a system of professional disciplines? Why did the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) form, and why did specialized societies like the American Chemical Society (ACS) later found an organization separate from the AAAS? Why did these professional societies create journals, and how did these journals help to communicate science? This paper combines both quantitative textual analysis and qualitative historical and sociological methods within the context of nineteenth-century American science. It is hoped that by broadening the methods used, and by better understanding the early deliberations of scientists before there was a formal scholarly communication system, it may be possible to contextualize current debates about the need for changes in the scholarly communication system.
Patient-Specific, Risk-Based Prevention, Maintenance, and Supportive Care: A Need for Action and Innovation in Education.

Purpose To develop a competency-based curriculum framework for prevention, supportive care, and maintenance for use in educational and patient care programs and to seek consensus on an overarching competency statement that embraces these critical learning and patient care concepts. Materials and methods A preliminary survey of current preventive and maintenance practices in U.S. dental and prosthodontic programs was completed and summarized with quantitative analysis. The American College of Prosthodontists organized a one-day consensus workshop with 14 participants from various U.S. dental schools with diverse backgrounds to develop a curriculum framework. The curriculum framework was used in the development of a joint competency statement using an iterative, online consensus process of debate and feedback. Results The preliminary survey helped frame the initiative and identify potential educational needs and gaps. Consensus was achieved for a recommended competency statement: "Graduates must be competent in promoting oral health through risk assessment, diagnosis, prevention, and management of the hard tissue, soft tissue, and prostheses, and as part of professional recall and home maintenance." This competency statement complements the proposed curriculum framework designed around 3 domains-caries prevention, periodontal supportive care, and prosthesis supportive care-with a set of recommended learning objectives. Conclusions Commission on Dental Accreditation (CODA) learning standards do not outline patient-customized, evidence-based recall and home maintenance programs that highlight prevention of dental caries, periodontal supportive care, prosthesis maintenance, and patient education. The proposed competency-based curricular framework serves as an initial step in addressing student learning and patient care within the context of a recall system and home maintenance program while offering schools the needed flexibility for implementation within their curriculum.
Why alliances fail: Islamist and leftist coalitions in North Africa: by Matt Buehler, Syracuse, NY, Syracuse University Press, 2018, xiv + 288 pp., $39.95 (paperback) / $75.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0-8156-3607-6

In this well-written and informative book based on extensive research, Matt Buehler explores opposition alliances in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) at a time when political regimes are in ...
(11R,13R)-13-(Tetra-lin-1-ylamino)-4,5-ep-oxy-11,13-dihydro-costunolide.

The title compound [systematic name: (12R)-4,8-dimethyl-12-[(1′R)-1′,2′,3′,4′-tetrahydro-1′-naphthyl)aminomethyl]-3,14-dioxatricyclo[9.3.0.02,4]tetradec-7-en-13-one}, C25H33NO3, was formed from the reaction of (1R)-1-amino­tetra­lin with parthenolide in methano­lic solution. X-ray crystal structure analysis determined that the configuration of the new chiral center in the title compound was R.
Organoids as Oracles for Precision Medicine in Rectal Cancer

Summary Two recent papers in Cell Stem Cell and Nature Medicine ( Yao et al. [2019] and Ganesh et al. [2019] ) demonstrate the successful use of rectal cancer patient-derived organoids to predict patient responses to neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy, paving the way toward a new paradigm for precision medicine.
Monitoring of multi-bolt connection looseness using a novel vibro-acoustic method

Bolted connections are prone to losing their preloads with the increasing service life, thus inducing engineering accidents and economic losses in industries. Therefore, it is important to detect bolt loosening, while current structural health monitoring methods mainly focus on single-bolt joints, whose applications in industries are limited. Thus, in this paper, a novel vibro-acoustic modulation (VAM) method, is developed to detect looseness of the multi-bolt connection. Compared to traditional VAM, the proposed method uses linear swept sine waves for both low-frequency and high-frequency excitations, which avoids a priori knowledge of the structure. Moreover, the orthogonal matching pursuit method is applied to compress original modulated signals and exclude redundant features. Then, a new entropy, namely the Gnome entropy with acronym gEn, is proposed in this paper. According to simulation analysis, the gEn has better anti-noise capacity and fewer parameters than traditional entropy. Finally, after quantifying the dynamic characteristics of compressed signals to obtain feature sets through the gEn, we feed feature sets into a random forest classifier and achieve looseness detection of the multi-bolt connection. Moreover, the proposed method in this paper has great potential to detect other structural damages and provides guidance for further investigations on the VAM method.
Receipt of Substance Use Counseling Among Ambulatory Patients Prescribed Opioids in the United States

Background:As opioid-related overdose deaths climb in the U.S., risk reduction measures are increasingly important. One such measure recommended involves provision of proactive substance use counse...
Is There a Local Culture of Corruption in The U.S.

U.S. corporations headquartered in states with greater public corruption are prone to more unethical behavior, reflective of a state-level "culture-of-corruption". We test for state-level differences by exploiting passage of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) that curtailed bribery of foreign officials. Firms in corrupt states, especially firms trading with more corrupt countries, suffer greater value (Tobin's Q) and performance (ROA) decline following FCPA, indicating larger losses from restrictions on bribery. Culture-of-corruption is also manifest in greater agency problems: Firms in corrupt states are more likely to manage earnings, face securities fraud litigation and be adversely affected by state-level anti-takeover laws.
Antipyretics: Acetaminophen, Arachidonic Acid Agents, and COX1 and COX2 Inhibitors

This chapter is intended to provide an overview of fundamentals of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). They are one of the most commonly prescribed medications, with an estimated 70 million number of prescriptions written annually written and $6.8 billion spent worldwide.
Nanomaterial Delivery Systems for mRNA Vaccines

The recent success of mRNA vaccines in SARS-CoV-2 clinical trials is in part due to the development of lipid nanoparticle delivery systems that not only efficiently express the mRNA-encoded immunogen after intramuscular injection, but also play roles as adjuvants and in vaccine reactogenicity. We present an overview of mRNA delivery systems and then focus on the lipid nanoparticles used in the current SARS-CoV-2 vaccine clinical trials. The review concludes with an analysis of the determinants of the performance of lipid nanoparticles in mRNA vaccines.
Sympathy, Blame, and Just Allocation of Health Costs Entailed by Risky Conventional Lifestyles

How does the general public feel about people suffering from lifestyle related conditions, and what do they see as a socially just division health costs for these conditions? Using data from random, nationwide surveys of Australians, 1989-2001 (n=8031) my structural equation model with multiple-item measurement and corrections for attenuation due to random measurement error predicts respondents’ ideal division of medical payment responsibility. The only significant sociodemographic influence is education, which inclines people towards governmental financial responsibility. Cultural and social-psychological factors have large effects. A net time trend favors individual responsibility. Blaming sufferers is strongly associated with favoring individual responsibility. By contrast, people who sympathize with the sufferers tend to favor government payments. Political party preference also matters: Partisans of the main conservative party tend to support individual responsibility. There are clear implications for the current COVID-19 epidemic, especially with regards to “social distancing” behavior.
Costs of U.S. Allopathic Medical Students Applying to Neurosurgery Residency: Geographic Considerations and Implications for the 2020-2021 Application Cycle.

Objective Although studies have evaluated the economic burden to medical students desiring a neurosurgery residency broadly, a detailed breakdown of costs has not been reported. Given that the Association of American Medical Colleges and Society of Neurological Surgeons have recommended neurosurgery residency programs for the 2021 residency application cycle cancel away rotations and in-person interviews, our objective was to evaluate cost savings to medical students applying during this time and the implications. Methods Using the 2019–2020 Texas STAR Dashboard database, we queried responses from neurosurgery residency applicants. We recorded application costs, away rotation costs, interview costs, and total costs for medical school seniors applying to neurosurgery residency. Demographic information for applicants was also recorded. Mean and median costs were reported with percentile distributions and geographic comparisons. A Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to determine differences in mean costs by medical school region. Results Our cohort included 121 U.S. allopathic applicants to neurosurgery residency. Mean application costs were $1711, away rotation costs were $3840, interview costs were $6400, and total costs were $11,882. No significant difference was observed for mean total costs for applicants from schools in the central ($10,525/applicant), northeast ($11,311/applicant), south ($12,660/applicant) and west ($12,404/applicant) regions (P = 0.181). There was no significant difference in the mean application fees, away rotation costs, or interview costs among regions. Conclusions In the COVID-19 era, neurosurgery residency applicants could save >$10,000 through the use of virtual interviews and lack of away rotations. There are potential geographic trends; however, further evaluation should be performed.
Upper Limb Home-Based Robotic Rehabilitation During COVID-19 Outbreak

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak requires rapid reshaping of rehabilitation services to include patients recovering from severe COVID-19 with post-intensive care syndromes, which results in physical deconditioning and cognitive impairments, patients with comorbid conditions, and other patients requiring physical therapy during the outbreak with no or limited access to hospital and rehabilitation centers. Considering the access barriers to quality rehabilitation settings and services imposed by social distancing and stay-at-home orders, these patients can be benefited from providing access to affordable and good quality care through home-based rehabilitation. The success of such treatment will depend highly on the intensity of the therapy and effort invested by the patient. Monitoring patients' compliance and designing a home-based rehabilitation that can mentally engage them are the critical elements in home-based therapy's success. Hence, we study the state-of-the-art telerehabilitation frameworks and robotic devices, and comment about a hybrid model that can use existing telerehabilitation framework and home-based robotic devices for treatment and simultaneously assess patient's progress remotely. Second, we comment on the patients' social support and engagement, which is critical for the success of telerehabilitation service. As the therapists are not physically present to guide the patients, we also discuss the adaptability requirement of home-based telerehabilitation. Finally, we suggest that the reformed rehabilitation services should consider both home-based solutions for enhancing the activities of daily living and an on-demand ambulatory rehabilitation unit for extensive training where we can monitor both cognitive and motor performance of the patients remotely.
Investigating the active learning research landscape through a bibliometric analysis of an influential meta-analysis on active learning

To gain a better understanding of the landscape of active learning research, we conducted a bibliometric analysis of 1671 scholarly sources that cited the influential meta-analysis on active learning conducted by Freeman et al. We investigated eight research questions including yearly publication trends; authorships; country/region affiliations, organizations, and funding entities; Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) subject categories; document types; and publication outlets. Results showed an increasing number of sources from 2014 to 2019, 17% of sources supported by the National Science Foundation, approximately 75% of sources published in journals, the majority of sources published in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) journals, and most of the publication outlets categorized in education- or science-related disciplines in WOSCC. In addition, there were 5 countries/regions and 8 universities that tended to be the most highly represented within sources citing the meta-analysis. These results highlight the impact of a prominent meta-analysis and the widespread reach it has had around the world. Implications for how this study may impact research consumers and producers are discussed.
A Systematic Review of Parkinson's Disease Cluster Analysis Research.

One way to understand the Parkinson’s disease (PD) population is to investigate the similarities and differences among patients through cluster analysis, which may lead to defined, patient subgroups for diagnosis, progression tracking and treatment planning. This paper provides a systematic review of PD patient clustering research, evaluating the variables included in clustering, the cluster methods applied, the resulting patient subgroups, and evaluation metrics. A search was conducted from 1999 to 2021 on the PubMed database, using various search terms including: Parkinson’s disease, cluster, and analysis. The majority of studies included a variety of clinical scale scores for clustering, of which many provide a numerical, but ordinal, categorical value. Even though the scale scores are ordinal, these were treated as numerical values with numerical and continuous values being the focus of the clustering, with limited attention to categorical variables, such as gender and family history, which may also provide useful insights into disease diagnosis, progression, and treatment. The results pointed to two to five patient clusters, with similarities among the age of onset and disease duration. The studies lacked the use of existing clustering evaluation metrics which points to a need for a thorough, analysis framework, and consensus on the appropriate variables to include in cluster analysis. Accurate cluster analysis may assist with determining if PD patients’ symptoms can be treated based on a subgroup of features, if personalized care is required, or if a mix of individualized and group-based care is the best approach.
Order of magnitude enhancement of inherently selective atomic layer deposition of zirconia on silicon without deposition on copper: The role of precursor

Abstract Zirconia atomic layer deposition (ALD) using zirconium 2-methyl 2-butoxide (ZMB) and ethanol is reported for the first time. The process selectively deposits a uniform ZrO2 film on silicon with a high deposition rate (∼2 A/cycle), without any deposition on copper at a relatively low temperature (200 °C) and up to at least 200 cycles. This is the largest thickness of inherently surface selective ZrO2 ALD ever reported (∼400 A) and is at least 10 times more selective than that achieved using a similar deposition process but with a different precursor, tris(dimethylamino)cyclopentadienyl Zirconium (ZyALD™). The selectively deposited ZrO2 films were characterized using spectral ellipsometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS), atomic force microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy obtained during scanning electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Surface characterization techniques employed here confirmed the chemical nature and topography of the deposited ZrO2, whereas EXAFS showed the ZrO2 to be amorphous on silicon having local bonding structure similar to that of ZrO2 deposited with ZyALD™ precursor.
Heart failure in diabetes.

Abstract Heart failure and cardiovascular disorders represent the leading cause of death in diabetic patients. Here we present a systematic review of the main mechanisms underlying the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. We also provide an excursus on the relative contribution of cardiomyocytes, fibroblasts, endothelial and smooth muscle cells to the pathophysiology of heart failure in diabetes. After having described the preclinical tools currently available to dissect the mechanisms of this complex disease, we conclude with a section on the most recent updates of the literature on clinical management.
Great Netherlands Idea

On the eve of World War II there were some 15,200,000 Dutch- speaking people in the world. Of these 9,000,000 were Nether- landers, 4,500,000 were Flemish, 1,200,000 were Afrikaners and 500,000 were Netherlanders, Eurasians and Indonesians living in the Netherlands Indies.1 Spoken Flemish deviates somewhat from Dutch but the written language is practically identical, but both written and spoken Afrikaans differ considerably from Dutch. Dutch was and still is the only official language of the Netherlands and of Surinam and the Dutch West Indies. In the former Netherlands Indies members of representative bodies were free to use Malay as well as Dutch, but official documents were published only in Dutch. While Dutch is the official language of Surinam and Curacao, it is spoken by few outside of official circles. Flemish and French are the two official languages of Belgium, all government publications being printed in these two languages. Dutch was one of the three official languages of the Union of South Africa, though it was not on a basis of full equality with Afrikaans and English. It could be used in representative bodies, in petitions and in all official examinations.
pH sensing in bacterial chemotaxis

Bacteria are able to sense a broad range of chemical and energetic stimuli and modulate their swimming behaviour to migrate to more favourable environments. Signal transduction in bacterial chemotaxis is mediated by a two-component system composed of a protein histidine kinase, CheA, and a response regulator, CheY. The phosphorylated response regulator, P approximately CheY, binds to a protein at the flagellar motor, FliM, to cause reversals in flagellar motor rotation. The level of P approximately CheY is controlled by the activity of the kinase CheA, which is in turn regulated by membrane receptors at the cell surface. Membrane receptors such as the aspartate receptor, Tar, are composed of two distinct regions: an extracellular sensing domain that binds stimulatory ligands, aspartate in the case of Tar; and an intracellular signalling domain that forms a complex with the protein kinase CheA. What is the mechanism of transmembrane signalling? How does aspartate binding to the sensing domain at the outside surface of the membrane translate into a change in kinase activity at the membrane cytosol interface? Recent results suggest that the mechanism depends on perturbations in lateral packing within an extensive array of receptors localized to patches at the cell poles. Receptor patching appears to depend on higher-order associations with the kinase CheA as well as an adaptor protein, CheW. It is difficult to assess the locus of pH effects within the context of even a simple signal transduction system like that involved in bacterial chemotaxis. Previous results with mutant strains have indicated that the serine receptor, Tsr, is critical for pH sensing, but in vitro results do not support such a straightforward interpretation of the genetic data.
Lost Classics of Intellectual Property Law

Santayana wrote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” American legal scholarship often suffers from a related sin of omission: failing to acknowledge its intellectual debts. This short piece attempts to cure one possible source of the problem, in one discipline: inadequate information about what’s worth reading among older writing. I list “lost classics” of American scholarship in intellectual property law. These are not truly “lost,” and what counts as “classic” is often in the eye of the beholder (or reader). But these works may usefully be found again, and intellectual property law scholarship would be strengthened by better and more consistent acknowledgement of earlier work.
Surface modification of thin film composite forward osmosis membrane by silver-decorated graphene-oxide nanosheets

Forward osmosis (FO), as an emerging technology for seawater desalination and wastewater reuse, has been attracting significant interest because of its energy efficiency. However, membrane fouling represents one of the major limitations for this technology, notably for thin film composite (TFC) polyamide (PA) membranes, which are prone to chlorine attack. In this study, silver nanoparticle (AgNPs)-decorated graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets (as an effective biocidal material) were covalently bonded to the PA surface to impart improved hydrophilicity and antibacterial properties to the membrane. AgNPs were synthesized in situ by the wet chemical reduction of silver nitrate onto the surface of GO nanosheets. The formation of the composite was verified by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The synthesized GO/Ag nanocomposites were then covalently bonded onto the TFC PA membrane surface using cysteamine through an amide forming condensation reaction. ATR-FTIR and XPS results confirmed the covalent bonding of the nanocomposite onto the TFC PA surface. Overall, the GO/Ag nanocomposite functionalized membranes exhibited super-hydrophilic properties (contact angles below 25°) and significant bacterial (E. coli) inactivation (over 95% in static bacterial inactivation tests) without adversely affecting the membrane transport properties.
VISUAL SPACE PERCEPTION AS INFLUENCED BY UNUSUAL VESTIBULAR STIMULATION.

During flight in aircraft and spacecraft, pilots are regularly subjected to unusual force environments. These forces not only influence a variety of pressure-sensitive mechanisms but, in particular, they stimulate the vestibular mechanism of the inner ear. The latter source of information regarding spatial orientation may be in accord with information from direct visual stimulation or it may be in conflict with it. In the first case, veridical space perception may be expected, while in the second the perception is frequently nonveridical. This results in constant errors in judgment with respect to motion of visual objects and in the pilot's estimates of the objects' position. These errors, referred to by pilots as “vertigo,” are believed to be of importance in piloting aircraft and spacecraft where the pilot's task involves actions based on visual space perception.
Graves' disease: An analysis of thyroid hormone levels and hyperthyroid signs and symptoms

Purpose Assessment of disease severity for patients with hyperthyroidism involves clinical evaluation and laboratory testing. To determine if there is a correlation between symptoms and thyroid function test results, we prospectively studied hyperthyroid patients using a standardized symptom rating scale and serum thyroid function parameters. Patients and methods We examined 25 patients with untreated, newly diagnosed Graves' disease using the Hyperthyroid Symptom Scale (HSS) and serum levels of thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3) relative insulin area (RIA), and estimates of free thyroxine index (FTI). In addition, we compared thyroid hormone levels with standard measures of depression and anxiety in these patients. Results When regression analyses controlling for age were performed, none of these symptom ratings were associated with FTI or T3 RIA. The HSS was correlated with goiter size and anxiety ratings and was inversely correlated with age. Conclusion The present study suggests that there is no relationship between the clinical assessment of disease severity and serum levels of thyroid hormone in untreated Graves' disease.
The influence of microstructure on the mechanical response of copper in shear

Abstract Shear localization is often a failure mechanism in materials subjected to high strain rate loading. While the constitutive behavior of copper has been extensively studied, the influence of cold work, strain rate, and temperature on the microstructural development in Cu under shear loading conditions has received less systematic quantification. The purpose of this study is to quantify the mechanical response and the microstructural evolution of as-annealed and cryogenically rolled copper loaded dynamically in shear and to understand the mechanisms controlling shear deformation as well as the role of stored defects due to cryo-rolling on shear localization. It was found that localization is promoted in the cryo-rolled copper as compared to the as-annealed material and this instability is linked to stored defect structure specific to the cryo-rolled microstructure and its influence on the subsequent defect generation and storage in dynamically loaded Cu.
Dysregulated Selectin Expression and Monocyte Recruitment During Ischemia-Related Vascular Remodeling in Diabetes Mellitus

Objective—Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with impaired ischemia-related vascular remodeling and also dysregulation of the inflammatory response. We sought to determine whether impaired selectin-mediated monocyte recruitment in ischemic tissues contributes to blunted ischemia-mediated angiogenesis in DM. Methods and Results—Contrast-enhanced ultrasound perfusion imaging and molecular imaging of endothelial P-selectin expression in the proximal hindlimb were performed at 1, 3, and 21 days after arterial ligation in wild-type and db/db mice. Ligation reduced muscle blood flow to ≈0.05 mL/minute per gram in both strains. Significant recovery of flow occurred only in wild-type mice (60%–65% of baseline flow). On molecular imaging, baseline P-selectin signal was 4-fold higher in db/db compared with wild-type mice (P<0.01) but increased minimally at day 1 after ischemia, whereas signal increased approximately 10-fold in wild-type mice (P<0.01). Immunohistology of the hindlimb skeletal muscle demonstrated s...
Calcium accumulation by lichens and transfer to lichen herbivores.

Populations of the saxicolous lichen Xanthoparmelia conspersa were sampled from two Potomac River islands. Plummers Island is located below the Cabin John Bridge between Maryland and Virginia, and ...
A systematic comparison and evaluation of high density exon arrays and RNA-seq technology used to unravel the peripheral blood transcriptome of sickle cell disease.

Transcriptomic studies in clinical research are essential tools for deciphering the functional elements of the genome and unraveling underlying disease mechanisms. Various technologies have been developed to deduce and quantify the transcriptome including hybridization and sequencing-based approaches. Recently, high density exon microarrays have been successfully employed for detecting differentially expressed genes and alternative splicing events for biomarker discovery and disease diagnostics. The field of transcriptomics is currently being revolutionized by high throughput DNA sequencing methodologies to map, characterize, and quantify the transcriptome. In an effort to understand the merits and limitations of each of these tools, we undertook a study of the transcriptome in sickle cell disease, a monogenic disease comparing the Affymetrix Human Exon 1.0 ST microarray (Exon array) and Illumina’s deep sequencing technology (RNA-seq) on whole blood clinical specimens. Analysis indicated a strong concordance (R = 0.64) between Exon array and RNA-seq data at both gene level and exon level transcript expression. The magnitude of differential expression was found to be generally higher in RNA-seq than in the Exon microarrays. We also demonstrate for the first time the ability of RNA-seq technology to discover novel transcript variants and differential expression in previously unannotated genomic regions in sickle cell disease. In addition to detecting expression level changes, RNA-seq technology was also able to identify sequence variation in the expressed transcripts. Our findings suggest that microarrays remain useful and accurate for transcriptomic analysis of clinical samples with low input requirements, while RNA-seq technology complements and extends microarray measurements for novel discoveries.
The Structure of a Human p110α/p85α Complex Elucidates the Effects of Oncogenic PI3Kα Mutations

PIK3CA , one of the two most frequently mutated oncogenes in human tumors, codes for p110α, the catalytic subunit of a phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase, isoform α (PI3Kα, p110α/p85). Here, we report a 3.0 angstrom resolution structure of a complex between p110α and a polypeptide containing the p110α-binding domains of p85α, a protein required for its enzymatic activity. The structure shows that many of the mutations occur at residues lying at the interfaces between p110α and p85α or between the kinase domain of p110α and other domains within the catalytic subunit. Disruptions of these interactions are likely to affect the regulation of kinase activity by p85 or the catalytic activity of the enzyme, respectively. In addition to providing new insights about the structure of PI3Kα, these results suggest specific mechanisms for the effect of oncogenic mutations in p110α and p85α.
Radiation therapy for gliomas

Radiotherapy remains one of the cornerstones of treatment of patients with gliomas. Radiationinduced damage to DNA can result in the loss of proliferative capacity of neoplastic cells. In addition to mitotic cell death, it has recently been found that other cellular events can lead to reproductive failure. Apoptosis, or programmed cell death, has been described as a response to radiation in many cell types. Gradually, radiation has been found to cause a great variety of other changes in both normal and neoplastic tissue, ranging from necrosis due to changes in the vasculalure to alterations in gene expression. As radiosurgery becomes more common and the patients have longer survival, investigators are working to understand the responses of brain tissue to radiation. We present several studies related to the effects of radiation on normal brain and gliomas. One paper suggests a mechanism of radiation-induced reproductive failure that is separate from mitotic cell death and apoptosis. Others describe changes in cytokine regulation and receptor density. After irradiation, necrosis of normal tissue can be indistinguishable from recurrence of the tumor with conventional studies. However, functional imaging can differentiate between neoplasm and functional alterations in tissue due to radiation. While much more work must be done in this field, these papers indicate that radiation therapy results in a variety of cellular and molecular alterations. As a result of these chan-ges, they suggest that irradiated brain tissue is functionally and clinically different from untreated brain.
Role of eosinophil peroxidase in host defense and disease pathology

Abstract Three unusual substrates—bromide (Br−), nitrite (NO2−), and thiocyanate (SCN−)—compete for oxidation by eosinophil peroxidase (EPO) in physiologic fluids in the presence of H2O2 to yield, respectively, hypobromous acid (HOBr), nitrogen dioxide (NO2 ), or hypothiocyanous acid (HOSCN). These oxidant products have strikingly different reactivities: HOBr and NO2 are potent, widely reactive, membrane-lytic oxidants whereas HOSCN is a weak, SH-specific oxidant that penetrates into cells and imposes an intracellular oxidant stress that can activate kinase pathways and transcription factors that profoundly influence gene expression in host cells. All three oxidants are lethal for pathogens. SCN− is the strongly preferred substrate for the EPO/H2O2. Specific biomarkers document that EPO-dependent oxidants are generated at sites of inflammation, but direct evidence that these oxidants cause disease is confined to the observation that an EPO knockout mouse line has dramatically less pathologic damage than do wild type animals in a murine model of ulcerative colitis.
Outcome effects and capacity cost reporting

Lists research evidence that organizations are often unaware of underutilized capacity resources and examines the implications of explicit unused capacity reporting which identifies the cost of unused capacity, pointing out that although this information is useful, it may increase evaluator outcome effects. Describes an experiment to test this and shows that where unused capacity is reported biased performance evaluation results; and individual decision makers may inappropriately reduce capacity or increase production to avoid negative evaluations. Considers how management accountants can mitigate this effect, recognizes the limitations of the study and calls for further research.