cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transition programs in cystic fibrosis centers: Perceptions of pediatric and adult program directors

There is a growing population of adults with cystic fibrosis (CF) and a need for development of adult CF programs. Recommendations for transfer of patients to an adult program include a transition program. Our goal was to assess the current status of transition programs in US CF centers. In addition, we sought to determine the problems related to the transfer of patients to adult programs as perceived by CF center program directors. A survey was sent in 1998 to 110 pediatric and 44 adult program directors at CF centers approved by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF), with a response rate of 65.5% and 72.7%, respectively: 22.2% of pediatric centers reported having a non-CFF-approved adult program, and 38.9% had no specific adult program. About one fifth of pediatric centers cited lack of an adult CF physician as an impediment to establishing an adult program. Age (82% of programs; mean, 18.5 years), but not marriage (17.1%) or pregnancy (24.8%), was used as a criterion for transfer. Criteria precluding transfer included patient/family resistance (51.4%), disease severity (50.5%), and developmental delay (46.7%). The concept of transfer is introduced to the patient and family at the time of diagnosis in a minority (14%) of programs. Over one half of the patients did not meet the adult team until the time of transfer. Pediatricians reported higher perceived parent, patient, pediatric staff, and adult staff concerns about transition issues than did adult program directors. We conclude that there is a lack of standardized programs for transfer of CF patients from a pediatric to an adult care setting, and that there are differences between pediatric and adult program directors' perceptions of concerns that CF patients, their families, and the medical teams have about transfer. These differences may impede the successful transition of patients into an adult program.
`Infertile' Cameroonian Women Social Marginalization and Coping Strategies

A small number of Cameroonian women spoke about the suffering they experience as `infertile' woman. Even though they raise children, they are still considered childless because of not producing biological offspring of their own. Assumed reasons for their `infertility' influence societal and self reactions. `Infertile' women are painfully aware of their need to be giving and acquiescent in order not to arouse the wrath of others. Still they receive derogatory comments and unfair societal demands, such as to work longer hours or share their money. These women explain the coping measures that they use in order to cope with this painful social marginalization.
Identification of material properties of orthotropic elastic cylinders immersed in fluid using vibroacoustic techniques

A numerical study is presented to show the potential for using vibroacoustic-based experiments to identify elastic material properties of orthotropic cylindrical vessels immersed in fluids. Sensitivity analyses and a simulated inverse problem are shown to quantify the potential for material characterization through the use of acoustic emissions. For comparison purposes, the analyses are also shown with the normal component of the velocity at the surface of the cylinder as the measured response in place of the acoustic pressure. The simulated experiment consisted of an orthotropic cylinder immersed in water with an impact force applied to the surface of the cylinder. The material parameters of the cylinder considered in the analyses were the circumferential and longitudinal elastic moduli, and the in-plane shear modulus. The velocity response is shown to provide sufficient information for characterizing all three moduli from a single experiment. Alternatively, the acoustic pressure response is shown to provide sufficient information for characterizing only the two elastic moduli from a single experiment. The analyses show that the acoustic pressure response does not have sufficient sensitivity to the in-plane shear modulus for characterization purposes.
Titanium as Free Oxide and Substituted Forms in Kaolinites and Other Soil Minerals

Titanium in TiO2 minerals was differentiated from that isomorphously substituted into minerals by the use of dihydrogen hexafluorotitanate (hydrofluotitanic acid, H2TiF6), which selectively dissolved minerals containing substituted Ti4+, leaving free crystalline TiO2 minerals in the residue. Titanium analyses on the original samples and the residues remaining after H2TiF6 treatment, by both wet chemical (Tiron) and neutron activation methods, indicated that an average of 86 per cent of the titanium in seven kaolinite samples was present in the residual TiO2 form (largely anatase), whereas only 28 per cent in two bentonites was present in the TiO2 form. Residual Ti accounted for 100 per cent of the Ti in synthetic anatase and for 92 per cent of the Ti in coarse clay sized rutile, the latter value suggesting that about 8 per cent amorphous TiO2 was removed from the mechanically dry ground rutile by the H2TiF6 reagent. The Ti present as residual TiO2 in a variety of other samples ranged from 0 to 100 per cent.
Transactional and Transformational Leadership: A Constructive/Developmental Analysis

The transactional and transformational theories of leadership developed by Burns (1978) and Bass (1985) are clarified and extended by using a constructive/developmental theory to explain how critical personality differences in leaders lead to either transactional or transformational leadership styles. The distinction between two levels of transactional leadership is expanded, and a three-stage developmental model of leadership is proposed.
Cutaneous Herpes Simplex Virus Infection in a Child With Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome

Infections with herpes simplex virus (HSV) are common in children with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and can be severe and atypical.1 Herein, we report a case of a progressive wound of the hand associated with HSV type 1 in a child with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS).
Imaging of malignancies of the biliary tract- an update

Malignancies of the biliary tract include cholangiocarcinoma, gallbladder cancers and carcinoma of the ampulla of Vater. Biliary tract adenocarcinomas are the second most common primary hepatobiliary cancer. Due to their slow growing nature, non-specific and late symptomatology, these malignancies are often diagnosed in advanced stages with poor prognosis. Apart from incidental discovery of gall bladder carcinoma upon cholecystectomy, early stage biliary tract cancers are now detected with computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). Accurate characterization and staging of these indolent cancers will determine outcome as majority of the patients’ are inoperable at the time of presentation. Ultrasound is useful for initial evaluation of the biliary tract and gallbladder masses and in determining the next suitable modality for further evaluation. Multimodality imaging plays an integral role in the management of the biliary tract malignancies. The imaging techniques most useful are MRI with MRCP, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) and positron emission tomography (PET). In this review we will discuss epidemiology and the role of imaging in detection, characterization and management of the biliary tract malignancies under the three broad categories of cholangiocarcinomas (intra- and extrahepatic), gallbladder cancers and ampullary carcinomas.
Test circuit for measuring single-event-induced charge sharing in deep-submicron technologies

A novel on-chip test circuit to measure single-event-induced charge sharing has been developed and implemented in an IBM 90 nm process. Test measurements with Two-Photon Absorption (TPA) backside laser irradiation helps demonstrate the effectiveness of the test circuit in characterizing charge sharing effects for sub-100 nm bulk CMOS processes.
Cyclomatic complexity density and software maintenance productivity

A study of the relationship between the cyclomatic complexity metric (T. McCabe, 1976) and software maintenance productivity, given that a metric that measures complexity should prove to be a useful predictor of maintenance costs, is reported. The cyclomatic complexity metric is a measure of the maximum number of linearly independent circuits in a program control graph. The current research validates previously raised concerns about the metric on a new data set. However, a simple transformation of the metric is investigated whereby the cyclomatic complexity is divided by the size of the system in source statements. thereby determining a complexity density ratio. This complexity density ratio is demonstrated to be a useful predictor of software maintenance productivity on a small pilot sample of maintenance projects. >
Effects of calcium channel blockers on cellular apoptosis: implications for carcinogenic potential.

BACKGROUND A small number of well-publicized, retrospective epidemiologic reports have suggested a causal relation between the use of calcium channel blockers (CCBs) for the treatment of hypertension and an increased risk for cancer. The biologic mechanism proposed to explain this possible relation is that CCBs interfere with apoptosis, an active cell death process required for the regulation of normal cell populations in the body. Because an elevation in cellular calcium (Ca2+) is thought to be involved in apoptosis, it has been argued that CCBs could inhibit apoptosis, leading directly to tumor promotion. METHODS A comprehensive and critical review of the scientific literature was conducted specifically to evaluate the effects of pharmacologic CCBs on apoptosis and tumor development in various experimental models. RESULTS A review of the scientific literature revealed that CCBs have complex and often contradictory effects on cellular apoptosis. In various experimental models of cancer, CCBs did not promote neoplastic growth. By contrast, CCB treatment was associated with an inhibition of tumor growth in certain models of neoplasia and was also an effective adjuvant therapy in the treatment of certain drug-resistant tumors. Additional large epidemiologic studies have failed to support the hypothesis that CCB use is associated with an increased susceptibility for cancer. CONCLUSIONS A biologic link between the use of CCBs and increased human risk for cancer development as a result of modulating cellular apoptosis is not supported by the scientific literature. Cancer 1999;85:2093–102. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Reproductive allocation and the long‐term costs of reproduction in Siparuna grandiflora, a dioecious neo‐tropical shrub

1 Using a combination of observational and experimental approaches, both allocation of resources to reproduction (often called the direct cost of reproduction) and the subsequent long-term costs (the indirect, delayed or demographic cost) associated with reproductive allocation to male and female function in Siparuna grandiflora (Siparunaceae), a tropical dioecious shrub, were examined. 2 The objectives were to determine whether females allocate more biomass or nitrogen per reproductive episode than males, and whether there is a long-term cost of reproduction in terms of subsequent growth or reproduction for either sex. If there is no long-term cost of reproduction, then reproduction may be viewed as free in an evolutionary sense. 3 As is generally the case in dioecious species, females allocated more biomass and nitrogen to reproduction than males. Females also showed delayed costs of reproduction in terms of decreased growth and subsequent reproduction, whereas males did not. 4 The lack of measurable delayed costs in males suggests that with the evolution of dioecy, selection has reduced delayed costs of reproduction in S. grandiflora males. In contrast, females that were prevented from reproducing were able to re-allocate resources to growth, and produced more stem length on average than males. This re-allocation response may have evolved to reduce delayed costs of reproduction in females over time frames longer than that considered in the present study.
Structural constraints, recurrent shapes, and allometry in pocket gophers (genus Thomomys)

Morphological variation in pocket gophers (genus Thomomys) is analysed from the point of view of structural and allometric factors resulting in a constrained morphospace and the mechanisms of variation within it. The analyses focus on incisor procumbency, a typical descriptor of geometric shape and an important component of ecogeographic and taxonomic variation in gophers. This trait is part of a complex of allometrically related characters whose variation and relations to size are analysed in bivariate and multivariate contexts. Within the constrained morphospace available to pocket gophers, morphological shifts in geometric shape are the result of extended growth with conserved allometric trends (hypermorphosis), pre-displacement of ontogenetic allometries, and combinations of both. Independently derived phylogenetic relationships show that there are at least three lineages that have departed from a generalized morphology by pre-displacement of the same set of structurally related variables involved in procumbency.
Self-management of heart disease by older adults assessment of an intervention based on social cognitive theory

A randomized, controlled trial involving 636 older individuals was conducted to evaluate an intervention to enhance self-management of heart disease. Program participants experienced less impact of...
THE R21C MUTATION IN TROPONIN I HAS A FOUNDER EFFECT IN SOUTH LEBANON AND CAUSES MALIGNANT HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY

Although gene testing is widely available for Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), determining the clinical implications of a mutation is limited by an understanding of its phenotype. Inbred populations with founder mutations provide an opportunity to study genotype-phenotype correlations. We
Focal Cubics Associated with Four Points in a Plane

(1942). Focal Cubics Associated with Four Points in a Plane. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 226-234.
The effect of zinc on growth and sclerotial formation in Whetzelinia sclerotiorum.

The omission of Zn from a glucose-salts liquid medium (initial pH 4.1-4.3 in stationary culture) resulted in decreased dry weight and three of four isolates of Whetzelinia sclerotiorum (= Sclerotinia sclerotiorum) did not produce sclerotia without added Zn. Following growth, the pH of the medium without added Zn was lower than in the medium with Zn. Of the concentrations tested, 1 mg of Zn/liter resulted in maximum sclerotial production. Larger amounts (10 mg of Zn/liter) resulted in increased total dry weight but a smaller proportion of the total became sclerotia. Sclerotial production occurred if Zn was added to cultures grown for periods of 1-22 days in medium without added Zn. Analyses of the cultural filtrate and fungus after growth on medium containing 0.1 or 1.0 mg of Zn/liter showed that the fungus removed all the Zn from the medium.
Abstract 2197: p53-dependent expression of the fluorouracil (5-FU) catabolic enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) in mouse liver.

Fluorouracil (5-FU) a commonly used drug in the treatment of cancer is hampered by a short unpredictable plasma half-life, which complicates dose modulation to minimize toxicity and improve efficacy of 5-FU treatment. Strategies to improve on the unfavorable pharmacokinetic properties of 5-FU, currently under clinical trial, involve targeting of the catabolic enzyme dihydropyrmidine dehydrogenase (DPD).This requires understanding the mechanisms regulating the expression of DPD and the inducibility of 5-FU catabolism, which is inadequately investigated. By performing in silico analysis we were able to identify putative p53 binding sites in the proximity of the dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (DPYD) and confirm by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) that p53 increasingly locates to a binding site (about 1.8 ± 0.05 fold over untreated control) downstream of DPYD (P53DBS) following a single IV bolus of 5-FU (150 mg/kg bw) in mouse liver. Indeed, DPYD mRNA increased by 1.8 fold and protein by 1.8 fold (P Citation Format: Prashanth R. Gokare, Niklas Finnberg, Joshua Allen, Jenny Dai, Wafik El-Deiry. p53-dependent expression of the fluorouracil (5-FU) catabolic enzyme dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD) in mouse liver. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 2197. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-2197
Postoperative Evaluation of Tibial Plateau Fractures

To document problems of operative treatment, we evaluated postoperative results of 30 patients with tibial plateau fractures.Patients included 17 males and 13 females, with a mean age of 49 years, ranging from 17 to 78. The average follow-up period was 15 months, ranging from 6 to 54 months. Following the principle of Hohl, there were 4 minimally displaced fractures, one with local depression, 9 with split depression, 3 with total depression, and 13 comminuted fractures. These patients were treated by open reduction and internal fixation with a cannulated cancellous screw, with a plate, or with a tibia bolt.According to the evaluation of Hohl & Luck, excellent and good results were achieved in 83%. Fair and poor results were seen in the split depression group or in the comminuted fracture group. These cases had a depression of more than 5mm in depth, located from the central to posterior region of the weight bearing area, except 2 miserable comminuted fractures.We think anatomical reduction of joint surfaces is most important, as mentioned by other investigators. However, it is difficult to verify posterior joint surfaces in common surgical approaches. We must take care to remember this point during open reduction.
Futility and the Care of the Perioperative Patient

Futility in healthcare is an area of significant debate. Generally, a futile treatment is one that is incapable of producing a beneficial result. The degree of benefit required has been contentious in the ethics literature. Different definitions of futility have been proposed to arrive at a consensus regarding which treatments would be provided and to agree on futile interventions that could be withheld. However, each of these definitions has flaws. Some hospitals, healthcare organizations, and states have implemented policies to create a procedural approach to futility disputes. Several authors have advocated discarding the language of futility as it often is an expression of physician frustration and impedes communication between care providers, patients and their surrogates. Many resources are available to assist in difficult cases involving futility including preoperative risk calculators and institutional ethics committees, but, ultimately, the best tool in approaching these challenging situations is open and honest communication between the patient, or surrogate, and the physician.
Risk factors for infectious readmissions following radical cystectomy: results from a prospective multicenter dataset.

Introduction:Radical cystectomy (RC) is the gold standard treatment for muscle-invasive bladder cancer. This procedure has a high rate of perioperative complications, many of which are infectious in nature. The objective of our study was to evaluate demographic, intrinsic and extrinsic patient variables associated with developing readmission within 30 days due to infectious complications following RC.Methods:We acquired data available from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program. We queried this dataset to identify all patients who underwent RC for muscle-invasive malignant disease (CPT 188.x) in 2012 based on CPT coding. Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate the relationship between preoperative variables and readmissions for infectious complications.Results:Of the 961 patients undergoing cystectomy for malignancy, 159 (17%) required readmission for any indications at a median of 16 days (interquartile range 13–22 days) postoperatively. We identified ...
Uniaxial Strain Redistribution in Corrugated Graphene: Clamping, Sliding, Friction, and 2D Band Splitting

Graphene is a promising material for strain engineering based on its excellent flexibility and elastic properties, coupled with very high electrical mobility. In order to implement strain devices, it is important to understand and control the clamping of graphene to its support. Here, we investigate the limits of the strong van der Waals interaction on friction clamping. We find that the friction of graphene on a SiO2 substrate can support a maximum local strain gradient and that higher strain gradients result in sliding and strain redistribution. Furthermore, the friction decreases with increasing strain. The system used is graphene placed over a nanoscale SiO2 grating, causing strain and local strain variations. We use a combination of atomic force microscopy and Raman scattering to determine the friction coefficient, after accounting for compression and accidental charge doping, and model the local strain variation within the laser spot size. By using uniaxial strain aligned to a high crystal symmetry ...
Outcome of Treatment with Fludarabine Versus Fludarabine and Cyclophosphamide in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) Is Adversely Impacted by High Risk Genetic Features: Results from ECOG 2997.

Several prognostic factors including un-mutated VH mutational status, select interphase cytogenetic abnormalities [del(11q22.3), del(17p13.1)] and p53 mutations have been associated with shorter interval time from diagnosis to symptomatic disease requiring treatment, shortened progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Limited prospective data exists relative to the relevance of these biologic markers on PFS following treatment with modern therapies for CLL. E2997 is a randomized phase III trial of 278 previously untreated, symptomatic CLL patients who received fludarabine and cyclophosphamide (FC) versus fludarabine (F). We analyzed the response rates and PFS of the patients for whom interphase cytogenetics, VH mutational status, and p53 mutational status studies have been completed. FC therapy had a higher complete response (CR) (23% versus 5%, p del(11q)>del(6q)>tri12>normal> del(13q14)], the relationship of interphase cytogenetics, VH mutational status and p53 mutational status with PFS is summarized below: | | Median PFS on FC (months) | Median PFS on F (months) | |:---------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------ | | NR = median not reached; p53 mut+ = mutation present | | del(17p) | 11.9 | 8.2 | | del(11q) | 30.6 | 12.8 | | del(6q) | 26.9 | 26.7 | | tri 12 | NR | 20.3 | | normal | NR | 11.2 | | del(13q) | NR | 21.2 | | del(17p)/p53 mut+ | 11.9 | 8.9 | | no del(17p)/p53 mut+ | NR | 17.8 | | VH<98% | NR | 21.2 | | VH>98% | 21.4 | 13.4 | Using the interphase cytogenetic groups, there was a significant difference in PFS for both the FC (p=0.04) and F (p=0.01) treatment arms. Similarly, the presence of a p53 mutation or deletion [del(17p)] predicted for shorter PFS for both FC (p=0.005) and F (p=0.02) therapies. PFS did not statistically differ among VH mutational groups for either arm. We next investigated a Cox proportional hazards analysis to assess the impact of multiple molecular features and treatment arm on PFS. Treatment with F (hazard ratio 3.14, p<0.0001), presence of del(17p) or p53 mutation (hazard ratio 3.13, p=0.0001), and presence of del(11q) (hazard ratio 2.067, p=0.019) were highly significant in the model. Finally, VH unmutated status and del(11q) were highly associated. In conclusion, our data demonstrate that high risk genomic features including p53 mutations, del(17p), and del(11q) are highly predictive of shortened PFS. Our data provide support for a risk-stratified therapy approach for the treatment of CLL.
Overview of the Mori Program

The purpose of this chapter is to outline the key points of the Mori program in dimension 3 (or higher), extending the analogy from dimension 2 to higher dimensions as much as possible. At the same time we try to distinguish the remarkable features, such as flips, that are unique to higher dimensions. We will not give any detailed proofs in this chapter. The emphasis is on presenting the global picture at an early stage by taking the reader on a quick roller-coaster ride of the Mori program.
Polar codes for sources with finite reconstruction alphabets

Polar codes are a new class of codes introduced by Arikan capable of achieving the symmetric capacity of discrete memoryless channels. It was later shown that polar codes can achieve the symmetric rate-distortion bound for the lossy source coding problem when the size of the reconstruction alphabet is a prime. In this paper, we show that polar codes achieve the symmetric rate-distortion bound for finite-alphabet sources regardless of the size of the reconstruction alphabet.
Drop impact reliability analysis of CSP packages at board and product levels through modeling approaches

Chip scale package (CSP) and fine pitch ball grid array (BGA) packages have been increasingly used in portable electronic products such as mobile cell phones and PDA, etc. Drop impact which is inevitable during its usage could cause not only housing crack but also package to board interconnect failure, such as BGA solder breaks. Various drop tests have been used to ensure high reliability performance of packaging to withstand such impact and shock load. Due to extreme difficulty in directly measuring responses in solder joint during drop shock event, computer simulation based modeling approach has been increasingly played an important role in evaluating product reliability performance during product development. An advanced modeling technique with a comprehensive failure criterion including high strain rate effect needs to be developed to quantitatively evaluate package reliability performance especially in cross comparisons between different board and system level designs. In this paper, three drop tests have been modeled, namely, bare board drop, board with fixture drop or shock, and system level phone drop. Submodeling and explicit-implicit sequential modeling techniques are used to characterize the dynamic responses of CSP/BGA packages in different board designs. Failure criteria and effects of strain rate and edge support on BGA in multicomponent boards are also investigated. A validation test with data acquisition is used to correlate the test results with numerical results.
Robust adaptive speed regulator with self-tuning law for surfaced-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor

Abstract This study exhibits a self-tuning speed control scheme for the surface-mounted permanent magnet synchronous motor (SPMSM) against the parameter variations through the multivariable approach. The proposed method has two novelties. The first one is to combine the adaptive controller with the self-tuning algorithm so as to make the decay ratio of the tracking errors higher in the transient period. The second one is to provide a systematical way to find a robust stabilizing control gain corresponding the speed and current tracking errors by solving an optimization problem. The efficacy of the proposed method was experimentally investigated using a 3- kW SPMSM.
Phase II study of Hyper-CVAD with pegylated liposomal doxorubicin alternating with methotrexate and cytarabine (HCVIDD/MA) in patients with newly diagnosed T- and NK-cell lymphoma (T/NKCL).

8538 Background: Prognosis of T/NKCL is poor after standard CHOP therapy. To prospectively evaluate the role of dose intensified chemotherapy, we conducted a phase II trial of HCVIDD/MA in patients...
Effects of cell-wall instability and local failure on the response of closed-cell polymeric foams subjected to dynamic loading

Abstract Dynamic deformation response of closed-cell rigid polymeric form is explored at different length scales. This study is facilitated by ultra-high speed photography in conjunction with digital image correlation (DIC). In-plane strain components developed over cell-walls are measured via DIC and compared with the global deformation response of the material. Local strain rates measured at mesoscopic scale are found to be at least one order of magnitude greater than the global strain rates applied on the specimen. Such substantial variation across different scales is used to explain the contribution of the strength and modulus of parent polymer material in the cellular scale deformation and failure response of the specimen, as well as load bearing and strong strain rate sensitivity of the foam. Experimental results are also used in conjunction with idealized models to identify the dominant cellular scale failure mechanisms in the examined material.
Decreased basal hepatic glucose uptake in impaired fasting glucose.

This research aimed to define the pathophysiological defects responsible for the elevated fasting plasma glucose (FPG) concentration and excessive rise in post-load plasma glucose observed in individuals with impaired fasting glucose (IFG). We used tracer techniques to quantify basal splanchnic (primarily hepatic) glucose uptake and glucose fluxes following glucose ingestion in individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT; n = 10) and IFG (n = 10). Individuals with IFG had a comparable basal rate of hepatic glucose production to those with NGT (15.2 ± 0.2 vs 18.0 ± 0.8 μmol min−1 [kg lean body mass (LBM)]−1; p = 0.09). However, they had a significantly reduced glucose clearance rate during the fasting state compared with NGT (2.64 ± 0.11 vs 3.62 ± 0.20 ml min−1 [kg LBM]−1; p < 0.01). The difference between the basal rate of glucose appearance measured with [3-3H]glucose and [1-14C]glucose, which represent basal splanchnic glucose uptake, was significantly reduced in IFG compared with NGT (1.39 ± 0.28 vs 3.16 ± 0.44 μmol min−1 [kg LBM]−1; p = 0.02). Following glucose ingestion, the total amount of exogenous glucose that appeared in the systemic circulation was not significantly different between groups. However, suppression of endogenous glucose production (EGP) was markedly impaired in individuals with IFG. These results demonstrate that decreased tissue (liver) glucose uptake, not enhanced EGP, is the cause for elevated FPG concentration in individuals with IFG, while the excessive rise in plasma glucose concentration following a glucose load in these individuals is the result of impaired suppression of hepatic glucose production.
Two-Step Screening for Depressive Symptoms and Prediction of Mortality in Patients With Heart Failure

Background Comorbid depression in patients with heart failure is associated with increased risk for death. In order to effectively identify depressed patients with cardiac disease, the American Heart Association suggests a 2-step screening method: administering the 2-item Patient Health Questionnaire first and then the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire. However, whether the 2-step method is better for predicting poor prognosis in heart failure than is either the 2-item or the 9-item tool alone is not known. Objective To determine whether the 2-step method is better than either the 2-item or the 9-item questionnaire alone for predicting all-cause mortality in heart failure. Methods During a 2-year period, 562 patients with heart failure were assessed for depression by using the 2-step method. With the 2-step method, results are considered positive if patients endorse either depressed mood or anhedonia on the 2-item screen and have scores of 10 or higher on the 9-item screen. Results Screening results with the 2-step method were not associated with all-cause mortality. Patients with scores positive for depression on either the 2-item or 9-item screen alone had 53% and 60% greater risk, respectively, for all-cause death than did patients with scores negative for depression after adjustments for covariates (hazard ratio, 1.530; 95% CI, 1.029-2.274 for the 2-item screen; hazard ratio, 1.603; 95% CI, 1.079-2.383 for the 9-item screen). Conclusions The 2-step method has no clear advantages compared with the 2-item screen alone or the 9-item screen alone for predicting adverse prognostic effects of depressive symptoms in heart failure.
Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells Derived Extracellular Vesicles: A Potential Therapy for Cardiac Repair.

> “The science of today is the technology of tomorrow” > > —Edward Teller Cardiovascular disease remains one of the major health issues in the United States. Existing therapies prolong the life of patients but do not actually regenerate the lost cardiac muscle tissue. In this perspective, evidence from animal models of experimental ischemic injuries suggests that exogenous transfer of a variety of stem/progenitor cells orchestrate functional improvement and ischemic tissue repair/regeneration after cardiac injury.1 One of the primary features of stem cells relates to their ability to differentiate into different types of cells and tissues. This potential to regenerate tissues was the primary rationale behind the early studies of stem cell therapy in animal models and subsequently in humans. However, with the rapid increase in studies that show very little or no replacement of lost cells through transdifferentiation of stem cells, the support for the paracrine effects theory has grown. It is now generally believed that adult stem cells induce organ repair primarily via mechanisms other than differentiating into another cell type, such as a cardiomyocyte. Article, see p 296 Pluripotent embryonic stem cells have shown a great promise in cardiac regeneration because of their unparalleled cardiomyocyte differentiation potential.2 However, major obstacles using embryonic stem cells transplantation include immune rejection, arrhythmogenesis, and tumorigenic potential.3 The promise of true regeneration of damaged or lost tissues was greatly enhanced in 2006 with the discovery of induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) by Takahashi and Yamanaka4 who showed the traits of a truly pluripotent cell and revolutionized the field of regenerative medicine because somatic cells can now be reprogrammed to pluripotent stem cells, thus circumventing the immune rejection and ethical issues associated with embryonic stem cells.5 The …
Hyobanche hanekomii (Orobanchaceae), a New Species from the Western Cape of South Africa .

The new species Hyobanche hanekomii is described and illustrated. It is somewhat intermediate in appearance between H. sanguinea and H. atropurpurea, but can be distinguished from both in several morphological characters that are presented. The new species occurs in the Cape Fold Belt Mountains of the northwest part of the Western Cape.
Detection of Aggregation-Competent Tau in Neuron-Derived Extracellular Vesicles

Progressive cerebral accumulation of tau aggregates is a defining feature of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). A popular theory that seeks to explain the apparent spread of neurofibrillary tangle pathology proposes that aggregated tau is passed from neuron to neuron. Such a templated seeding process requires that the transferred tau contains the microtubule binding repeat domains that are necessary for aggregation. While it is not clear how a protein such as tau can move from cell to cell, previous reports have suggested that this may involve extracellular vesicles (EVs). Thus, measurement of tau in EVs may both provide insights on the molecular pathology of AD and facilitate biomarker development. Here, we report the use of sensitive immunoassays specific for full-length (FL) tau and mid-region tau, which we applied to analyze EVs from human induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived neuron (iN) conditioned media, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and plasma. In each case, most tau was free-floating with a small component inside EVs. The majority of free-floating tau detected by the mid-region assay was not detected by our FL assays, indicating that most free-floating tau is truncated. Inside EVs, the mid-region assay also detected more tau than the FL assay, but the ratio of FL-positive to mid-region-positive tau was higher inside exosomes than in free solution. These studies demonstrate the presence of minute amounts of free-floating and exosome-contained FL tau in human biofluids. Given the potential for FL tau to aggregate, we conclude that further investigation of these pools of extracellular tau and how they change during disease is merited.
A study of the effects of filler particles on the degradation mechanisms of powder epoxy novolac coating systems under corrosion and erosion

Abstract Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) tests were conducted on powder epoxy novolac (PEN) coating systems with different loadings and types of filler particles. The performance of the coatings was examined in an aqueous corrosive environment with a chloride concentration of 2000 ppm, pH of 3.5, temperature of 60 °C, and saturated with carbon dioxide (CO 2 ). The coating’s performance under the influence of grit blast erosion was also studied. Equivalent circuit models were proposed to study the degradation mechanisms of the coating systems under the synergic effect of corrosion and erosion. Coating systems with a low amount of filler particles provided the best protection against corrosion in the testing environment, while systems with an increased amount filler particles provided the best erosion resistance. Platy shaped filler particles were found to be the best in reinforcing coating’s resistance against both corrosion and erosion.
Introduction: Literary Realism as Meta-Spectacle

In dialog with Situationist critic Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle, Barnaby argues that literary realism advances a critical perspective called “meta-spectacle” which responds to the spectatorial distance from the real that is produced by industrialized visual culture. He distinguishes “realist” fiction that engages ethically with visual discourses from “realistic” fiction that reproduces the visible veneer of reality for aesthetic consumption. This introductory chapter traces an ethos of realism across critical writings of the authors treated in the study and explores a history of competing critical claims about whether realist fiction estranges or naturalizes social transformations. Barnaby highlights certain limitations of artistic critiques of spectacle, considers their resilience toward a culture industry that continuously repackages their iconoclasm as iconicity, and reflects upon the process of reorienting the reader to comprehend realist gestures.
Catching Fire: Institutional Interdependencies in Union‐Facilitated Knowledge Diffusion

I find that school union representatives’ ‘boundary spanning’ communications throughout the school district predict the diffusion of knowledge between schools. Hence, my data reveal school union representatives as critical conduits for improvement‐related knowledge transfer and innovation. Yet, I also find that these external networks interact strongly with the level of workforce participation characterizing each school: The effects of external networks on internal knowledge diffusion are considerably stronger in more participative schools compared to less participative schools. This research contributes to industrial relations scholarship by demonstrating how union‐related institutions can foster unique social structures that directly strengthen innovation‐related capabilities, as well as how the efficacy of these networks depends on managerial norms at different areas of the organization. This study is also of timely practical relevance at a time when labour unions are increasingly painted as obstacles to, rather than potential facilitators of, improvement and innovation.
Intrinsic Spinal Cord Abnormalities in Sport

Spinal cord and brain stem anomalies are being diagnosed with increasing frequency, as more magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans are being obtained in athletes. These conditions can be a source of significant concern for both athletes and the physicians involved in their care. This concern is magnified by the consequences associated with spinal cord injury and the dearth of information surrounding the proper management of many of these conditions. This chapter reviews the literature relevant to athletic activity with regard to congenital and vascular conditions affecting the spinal cord, with particular attention to Chiari malformations, syringomyelia, tethered cord, spinal cysts, and arterial anomalies and injuries. Each section offers an overview of the condition, recommendations for evaluation, and expected impact on athlete participation, with “common sense” approaches on how to manage these conditions in an athlete.
Structural and Mutational Studies of the Cytochrome bc 1 Complex

The ubihydroquinone:cytochrome c oxidoreductase, or the cytochrome bc 1, is a widespread multi-subunit, multi-cofactor-bearing, membrane-integral enzyme complex of crucial importance both for photosynthesis and respiration. It is a major contributor of proton motive force that is subsequently used depending on the growth conditions for multiple cellular tasks, including ATP production via photo- or oxidative-phosphorylation. The simplest form of the cytochrome bc 1 is generally found in prokaryotes, and that of the purple nonsulfur anoxygenic photosynthetic bacteria of Rhodobacter species is amenable to diverse multidisciplinary approaches. This chapter is focused on recent progress related to structural and mutational studies on the cytochrome bc 1. Detailed information derived from the three-dimensional (3-D) structures of the bacterial enzyme, which consists of the iron-sulfur protein, cytochrome b and cytochrome c 1 subunits, is integrated with molecular genetic studies that yielded invaluable mutant variants. In particular, the roles of various structural components of the cytochrome bc 1 that affect the unique mobility of the iron-sulfur subunit during catalysis are emphasized. Clearly, the nature of specific protein-protein interactions between the surface loops of the iron-sulfur and the cytochrome b subunits is of importance for this mobility and the steady-state activity of the enzyme. Recent progress illustrates that the cytochrome bc 1 provides an invaluable model system for studying the mechanism of redox driven proton translocation across energy transducing membranes.
Stress and Coping in Families of Autistic Adolescents

Our understanding of the problems and needs of autistic adolescents and adults is still in its infancy, compared with what we know about autism in children. During the past decade some important strides have been made in the study and treatment of autistic children and their families (Paluszny, 1979; Rutter & Schopler, 1978). These have included the recognition that autism is not primarily an emotional illness but a developmental disability (Schopler, Rutter, & Chess, 1979). Autism is not caused by parental pathology; instead parents can be productively involved in their own child’s treatment (Schopler & Reichler, 1971). Moreover the optimum treatment for such children is not psychotherapy, but special education made available in our public schools and implemented with the collaboration of parents (Schopler & Bristol, 1980). However, in most of our public schools special education ends when the student reaches 18 years of age. What happens to the adolescent with autism? What happens to the struggles of his parents?
Once a Microbrew Always a Microbrew? Identity constraints in the specialty brewing industry

This paper addresses the question of how specialist organizations cope with identity constraints related to growth. While the organizational theory literature speaks to generalist organizations cre...
Psychopharmacology in Transplant Patients

Patients undergoing transplantation experience higher incidences of depression, anxiety, and cognitive disorders. In addition, substance use disorders might be more common and pertinent in some organ transplant candidates and recipients. Organ dysfunction, multiple comorbidities, and concurrent medications influence effects and metabolism of psychotropic medications needed to treat patients. On the other hand, psychotropic medications might cause side effects that are relevant and important to appreciate in patients with end-stage organ disease and after transplantation. Finally, medications used in transplant medicine, such as immunosuppressants, are associated with a variety of neuropsychiatric side effects. It is important for treatment providers to appreciate these important considerations, and thus this chapter covers above issues.
LONG-TERM VISUAL RECOVERY IN BILATERAL HANDHELD LASER POINTER-INDUCED MACULOPATHY.

Purpose To describe the long-term visual, clinical, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) recovery after 4 years in a patient who incurred severe bilateral handheld laser pointer damage. Methods The findings on clinical examination, color fundus photography, and spectral domain OCT at presentation followed by sequential time points over 4 years are presented. Results A 9-year-old healthy boy presented with bilateral reduced vision to count fingers in each eye with yellow irregular lesions. After extensive evaluation, he admitted to multiple, prolonged episodes of staring at a handheld red laser pointer reflected in a mirror. Initial visual acuity was count fingers bilaterally. Clinical examination revealed bilateral yellow streaks radiating from the fovea without hemorrhages or fluid and retinal pigment epithelium pigmentary mottling. Spectral domain OCT showed disruption of the foveal outer retina extending from the outer plexiform layer to the retinal pigment epithelium spanning 896 μm in the right eye and 564 μm in the left eye. Six months after injury, vision had only minimally improved to 20/200 with resolution of outer plexiform layer and outer nuclear layer opacification on OCT. Over the ensuing 4 years, visual acuity slowly recovered to 20/30 in each eye and the regions of outer retinal disruption progressively reduced in size to 295 μm in the right eye and 115 μm in the left eye. Conclusion This case illustrates gradual vision and anatomical improvement over 4 years despite initial poor vision after severe laser pointer macular damage. Visual recovery may be related to patient and exposure factors as well as initial OCT features where an intact Bruch membrane can provide a scaffold for photoreceptors to recover, thereby reducing the outer retinal defect.
Management versus Democracy: Political Legitimacy and (the Management of) European Economic and Social Problems

IR as a discipline famously missed the fall of the Berlin Wall, the end of the Cold War, and the breakup of the Soviet Union. Comparative Political Economy as a sub-­field similarly missed the housing bubble and global financial crisis of the 2000s. Will CPE as a sub-­discipline repeat this error with respect to the disruption of existing party and governing regimes in the European Union over the next decade? Put simply, the blindness in IR and CPE derived from cognitive blinders. Some things simply were not considered as part of the contrast space of the discipline, or, in everyday language, as something to be taken seriously.
The Criminalization of Homelessness

Communities across the USA use anti-homeless policies to reduce the presence of homeless people. Such policies commonly criminalize behaviors associated with homelessness, such as panhandling, loitering, and sleeping outside. These policies are typically justified as a way to improve the quality of life for community members, failing to regard homeless people as part of the community. This chapter has four primary aims. First, it presents an overview of criminalization and the historical origins of anti-homeless policies. Second, it illustrates the influential factors and common arguments used to justify such policies. Third, it demonstrates how criminalization approaches do little to end homelessness or promote housing stability. Finally, it discusses alternatives to criminalization and recommendations for what social workers can do to prevent and end the use of anti-homeless policies.