cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Clinical Guidelines for the Emergency Department Evaluation of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is frequently caused by the rupture of an intracranial aneurysmal vessel or arteriovenous malformation, leading to a cascade of events that can result in severe disability or death. When evaluating for this diagnosis, emergency physicians have classically performed a noncontrast computed tomography (NCCT) scan, followed by a lumbar puncture (LP). Recently, however, as CT technology has advanced, many studies have questioned the necessity of the LP in the SAH diagnostic algorithm and have instead advocated for noninvasive techniques, such as NCCT alone or NCCT with CT angiogram (CTA).The primary goal of this literature search was to determine the appropriate emergency department (ED) management of patients with suspected SAH.A MEDLINE literature search from October 2008 to June 2015 was performed using the keywords computed tomography AND subarachnoid hemorrhage AND lumbar puncture, while limiting the search to human studies written in the English language. General review articles and single case reports were omitted. Each of the selected articles then underwent a structured review.Ninety-one articles were identified, with 31 papers being considered appropriate for analysis. These studies then underwent a rigorous review from which recommendations were developed.The literature search supports that NCCT followed by CTA is a reasonable approach in the evaluation of ED patients with possible SAH.
Blended Learning Training for Mentors of STEM Team Competitions

This paper describes the findings of a research study of a blended-learning approach to train mentors of teams in the Botball® Educational Robotics Program. Botball is an international team-based robotics competition for secondary students designed to build skills in computer programming, robotics, teamwork, and problem solving. For this study, we recruited new teams comprising 8-10 middle school students per team and a mentor. Teams were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups or a control group. Mentors of teams in the experimental groups received training in one of three types of mentor practices: best practices, mentoring for self-efficacy, or a combination of best practices and self-efficacy. The training format consisted of web-based self-paced tutorials, a face-to-face workshop, and webinars. Dependent variables were student post-test scores on three assessments: Efficacy for Science-Related Jobs, STEM Achievement-Related Choices, and STEM Self-Efficacy. A priori statistical analyses showed no difference between the groups; however, post hoc analyses showed that the use of self-efficacy techniques was positively related to the three dependent measures. Post-competition surveys of mentor practices indicated that students in the treatment groups did not appear to receive distinctly different treatments, revealing some of the potential challenges of the blended learning approach for professional development of teachermentors.
Maintaining a Safe Blood Supply in an Era of Emerging Pathogens

Coming shortly after outbreaks of dengue and chikungunya virus in related locations, the recent outbreak of Zika virus in the southern part of the western hemisphere is yet another reminder that infectious pathogens continue to emerge rapidly and can adversely affect public health, including the safety of the blood supply. In response to Zika virus, public health measures that rely largely on donor deferral and sourcing of blood from non-outbreak areas until a blood donor screening test becomes available have been implemented to address the safety of the blood supply in the United States. However, a more universal approach to ensuring blood safety in the setting of rapidly emerging infectious diseases is needed.
CHRONIC PLANTAR HEEL PAIN : TREATMENT WITH A SHORT LEG WALKING CAST

The efficacy of a short leg walking cast in the treatment of chronic plantar heel pain was assessed for 32 patients with 37 involved extremities treated over a 2-year period. All patients had failed numerous other treatment modalities and had been symptomatic for an average of 1 year. Long-term follow-up for 24 patients with 28 involved extremities revealed complete resolution of pain for 7 extremities (25%), improvement for 17 (61%), and no improvement for 4 (14%). Ten (42%) patients were completely satisfied with cast treatment, 3 (12%) were satisfied with reservations, and 11 (46%) were dissatisfied. Casting appears to be a reasonable option for patients with recalcitrant heel pain and should be offered before surgical intervention.
Joint attention training shows significant improvement for children with autism

This review provides a summary and appraisal commentary on the treatment review by Kaale, A., Smith, L., & Sponheim, E. (2012). A randomized controlled trial of preschool-based joint attention intervention for children with autism. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 53, 97–105. Source of funding and disclosure of interest: This study was supported by grants from South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority and Centre for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Eastern and Southern Norway; the original authors of this research report no conflicts of interest.
Individual and Contextual Variables in British Voting Behavior: An Exploratory Note*

This note reports the results of an initial exploration into the significance of the social environments (“contexts”) in which people live in the shaping of their individual political behavior. Many scholars have argued that social scientists should pay more serious attention to contextual variables when they go about constructing social theories. But there have been few systematic efforts to demonstrate empirically the overall importance of contextual variables as predictors of individual behaviors, especially relative to the importance of personal (“individual”) predictors. Here the relative potency of two sets of predictors—one individual and one contextual—is investigated for a sample of British voters by means of a well-known multivariate search strategy, “tree analysis.” The results suggest that contextual variables have little to add to explanations of voting behavior based on individual variables—at least for these data.
Perceptions of Satisfaction with Communication and Self-Rated Competence in Dating Relationships

139 undergraduate students' self-rated perceptions of competence influenced their perceived satisfaction with communication in their daring relationships. Two components of competence, e.g., social confirmation and social experience, contributed to these perceptions.
Polyhydride Bonding Groups In PECVD Amorphous Si Thin Films

In glow discharge deposition (GD) of a-Si:H alloys, the concentration of electronically-active defects increases as the incorporation of bonded hydrogen in polymerized dihydride groups, (SiH2)n increases. Since the fraction of dihydride groups increases strongly with decreasing substrate temperature (Ts), the incorporation of these bonding groups can only effectively be reduced by restricting Ts to about 230°C or higher. We have found that a-Si:H films produced by remote Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (remote PECVD) are qualitatively different than the GD films in the following ways: 1) the amount of bonded hydrogen for Ts > 100°C is less by about a factor of two; and 2) the fraction of polyhydride bonding is also significantly less than the monohydride fraction for Ts > 100°C. We develop a statistical model that provides a basis for translating any process-dependent representation of data for the polyhydride fraction into a universally-obeyed scaling relationship in which the independent variable is [H]. The agreement between the statistical model and the experimental data, replotted as a function of [H], supports our observation that the fraction of polyhydride bonding is not determined simply by Ts, but is a function of the particular reaction pathways in the deposition process chemistry.
Notes on Silkworm Nutrition

Since nutritive liquids can be fed quantitatively to certain insects, it should be possible to determine the essential food components of an insect diet and their relative proportions. As a qualitative example of this method it is shown that cow's milk contains some food which the silkworm can utilize for maintenance. This method and the doubled leaf method described in this paper may also help to explain the specificity of food plants among leaf-eating insects.
Farris-Tang retractor in optic nerve sheath decompression surgery.

ABSTRACTPurpose: Our purpose is to introduce the use of the Farris–Tang retractor in optic nerve sheath decompression surgery.Methods: The procedure of optic nerve sheath fenestration was reviewed at our tertiary care teaching hospital, including the use of the Farris–Tang retractor.Results: Pseudotumor cerebri is a syndrome of increased intracranial pressure without a clear cause. Surgical treatment can be effective in cases in which medical therapy has failed and disc swelling with visual field loss progresses. Optic nerve sheath decompression surgery (ONDS) involves cutting slits or windows in the optic nerve sheath to allow cerebrospinal fluid to escape, reducing the pressure around the optic nerve. We introduce the Farris-Tang retractor, a retractor that allows for excellent visualization of the optic nerve sheath during this surgery, facilitating the fenestration of the sheath and visualization of the subsequent cerebrospinal fluid egress. Utilizing a medial conjunctival approach, the Farris–Tang re...
Effectiveness of a Non-Classroom News Media Literacy Intervention Among Different Undergraduate Populations:

In this study, we test the effectiveness of a short news media literacy message with audiences who differ in their media literacy education. We manipulate whether individuals are exposed to a news ...
Peak Urinary Flow Rate: Observations in Female subjects and Comparison to Male Subjects

Abstract Peak urinary flow rates and volume were determined with a disposable plastic device in 364 female subjects, ranging in age from 15 to 71 years. Of the subjects studied 166 were considered normal, 92 were considered abnormal and 106 were pregnant. The requirement for a minimum voided volume of 100 ml. resulted in a loss of data from 105 patients, leaving 259 for analysis. Normal female subjects have higher peak flow rates for a given volume voided than do male subjects of the same age. When the minimum volume of 100 ml. is accepted the mean of the female population is near 26 ml. per second plus or mines 14. However, such means are not useful clinically because of change with flow owing to volume voided. Female peak flow rates did not show deterioration of voiding with age. Women with diseases such as stress urinary incontinence and urinary infection did reveal a significant decrease in peak urinary flow rate when compared to normal female subjects by linear regression. The mean peak flow rate of this group was 20 ml. per second plus or minus 10. Limited observations were made in these patients after correction of stricture or treatment of urinary infection. In comparison to treated male patients abnormal female patients who were treated did not have as much improvement in peak urinary flow rate. Obstetrical patients were observed to void at consistently higher peak flows than normal female subjects. However, this increase was not statistically significant when compared to normal subjects. Also of interest is the observation that no obstetrical patient voided a volume larger than 350 ml. Therefore, pregnancy appears to create more rapid voiding of smaller volumes than that of non-pregnant female subjects.
Lipidemia in the Setting of Hemolysis.

A 30-year-old man with a history of polysubstance abuse was found agitated and vomiting by a friend. Emergency medical services personnel administered midazolam and transported him to the emergency department (ED). In the ED, he received dexamethasone and antibiotics empirically for meningitis. He also received propofol in addition to the 50 μg · kg−3 · min−1 …
A Dynamic Bayesian Network for Diagnosing Nuclear Power Plant Accidents

When a severe nuclear power plant accident occurs, plant operators rely on Severe Accident Management Guidelines (SAMGs). However, current SAMGs are limited in scope and depth. The plant operators must work to mitigate the accident with limited experience and guidance for the situation. The SMART (Safely Managing Accidental Reactor Transients) procedures framework aims to fill the need for detailed guidance by creating a comprehensive probabilistic model, using a Dynamic Bayesian Network, to aid in the diagnosis of the reactor’s state. In this paper, we explore the viability of the proposed SMART proceedures approach by building a prototype Bayesian network that allows for the diagnosis of two types of accidents based on a comprehensive data set. We use Kullback-Leibler (K-L) divergence to gauge the relative importance of each of the plant’s parameters. We compare accuracy and F-score measures across four different Bayesian networks: a baseline network that ignores observation variables, a network that ignores data from the observation variable with the highest K-L score, a network that ignores data from the variable with the lowest K-L score, and finally a network that includes all observation variable data. We conclude with an interpretation of these results for SMART procedures.
The Role of the WI-38 Cell Strain in Saving Lives and Reducing Morbidity.

The modern success story of vaccinations involves a historical chain of events that transformed the discovery that vaccines worked, to administering them to the population. We estimate the number of lives saved and morbidity reduction associated with the discovery of the first human cell strain used for the production of licensed human virus vaccines, known as WI-38. The diseases studied include poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella (chicken pox), herpes zoster, adenovirus, rabies and Hepatitis A. The number of preventable cases and deaths in the U.S. and across the globe was assessed by holding prevalence rates and disease-specific death rates constant from 1960–2015. Results indicate that the total number of cases of poliomyelitis, measles, mumps, rubella, varicella, adenovirus, rabies and hepatitis A averted or treated with WI-38 related vaccines was 198 million in the U.S. and 4.5 billion globally (720 million in Africa; 387 million in Latin America and the Caribbean; 2.7 billion in Asia; and 455 million in Europe). The total number of deaths averted from these same diseases was approximately 450,000 in the U.S., and 10.3 million globally (1.6 million in Africa; 886 thousand in Latin America and the Caribbean; 6.2 million in Asia; and 1.0 million in Europe).
Predicting a Drug’s Membrane Permeability: A Computational Model Validated With in Vitro Permeability Assay Data

Membrane permeability is a key property to consider during the drug design process, and particularly vital when dealing with small molecules that have intracellular targets as their efficacy highly depends on their ability to cross the membrane. In this work, we describe the use of umbrella sampling molecular dynamics (MD) computational modeling to comprehensively assess the passive permeability profile of a range of compounds through a lipid bilayer. The model was initially calibrated through in vitro validation studies employing a parallel artificial membrane permeability assay (PAMPA). The model was subsequently evaluated for its quantitative prediction of permeability profiles for a series of custom synthesized and closely related compounds. The results exhibited substantially improved agreement with the PAMPA data, relative to alternative existing methods. Our work introduces a computational model that underwent progressive molding and fine-tuning as a result of its synergistic collaboration with num...
Demand and Revenue Management of Deteriorating Inventory on the Internet: An Empirical Study of Flash Sales Markets

In this study, we investigate demand and revenue management of deteriorating inventory in flash sales markets (FSM). Retailers operating FSM source excess inventories of products from secondary markets in fixed lot sizes and offer them as part of deals that get no replenishments and expire after running for predetermined periods (e.g., 24 hr) or when they sell out, whichever occurs first. We develop a demand forecasting model that incorporates the effects of sentiments conveyed by consumers in discussion forum posts associated with different deals on the deals’ empirical demand rates. We then conduct a survival analysis to find that the empirical demand rates projected from our forecasting model are significant predictors of the deals’ actual time to stockout, even after controlling for their initial inventory provisions and markdowns. We also find that the predicted effects of these demand rates on stockout times are stronger at low markdowns. Our investigation offers insights into different strategies that sellers operating FSM can pursue to improve their inventory performance. These strategies involve decisions that sellers must make both a priori, before deals start, and a posteriori, according to real-time detection of departures from projected demand rates as deals run their course.
« Il connaît le chemin de l’école, il peut y aller s’il veut » : écoles de jour indiennes et vie scolaire chez les Anichinabés de Kitigan Zibi (1853-1958)

Au Quebec, les etudes systemiques sur les ecoles de jour indiennes de la fin du xixe siecle jusqu’a la premiere moitie du xxe siecle sont inexistantes. Pourtant, trente et une ecoles de jour indiennes ont ete en operation dans la province afin d’enseigner aux enfants amerindiens comment etre des petits Canadiens. A partir d’une reflexion sur les modus operandi de ces institutions et en s’appuyant sur une recherche archivistique et historique concernant la bande de la Riviere Desert et la vie scolaire dans la region de l’Outaouais, cet article retrace l’origine des premieres ecoles indiennes a Kitigan Zibi et les jeux de pouvoir entre l’administration des Affaires indiennes et le conseil de bande en matiere d’education.
HIV outcomes among migrants from low-income and middle-income countries living in high-income countries: a review of recent evidence.

Purpose of reviewMigrants living in high-income countries are disproportionately affected by HIV infection and frequently have characteristics associated with poor HIV clinical outcomes. HIV epidemiology among migrants is influenced by changes in migration patterns and variations in transmission ris
Private Governance of Public Schools: Representation, Priorities, and Compliance in New Orleans Charter School Boards:

In many cities, charter schools make up an increasing proportion of public schools, substantially altering education governance. In New Orleans, nearly every public school student attends a charter...
Redefining radiology education for first-year medical students: shifting from a passive to an active case-based approach.

Rationale and Objectives The aim of the study is to design and implement an elective course in which first-year medical students learn about radiology by actively integrating imaging with hospital records and radiology reports, rather than passively observing radiologists or images. Materials and Methods Twenty students enrolled in an elective entitled “Introduction to Clinical Radiology.” Students were divided into groups of two or three and given a case file describing the hospital visit of a patient with a common computed tomographic (CT) diagnosis. Files contained a PowerPoint presentation with all images from the patient’s CT examination (allowing students to scroll through the images as if viewed on a picture archive and communication system workstation), as well as emergency department records, admission and discharge summaries, surgical notes, pathology reports, and radiology reports. Group discussion was facilitated by radiology staff acting as consultants, rather than instructors. As a final project, each group presented its case to the students and faculty. Results Compared with before the course, students’ understanding of the role of radiologists in the clinical management of patients significantly increased, but interest in radiology as a specialty was unchanged. Students significantly preferred scrolling through images on their own, rather than being shown static images in a didactic format. Students significantly agreed that they would recommend the course to a classmate. Conclusion Case-based instruction in radiology, in which first-year medical students are actively engaged in the integration of clinical and imaging information, can affect students’ views on the role of radiologists and their clinical management of patients.
Development and initial validation of the urban adolescent hope scale.

Objective: Hope is an important component to adolescents’ mental health and well-being. While much study and theory have explored hope, few examine the idea within contextualized factors such as lo...
Geometric String Field Theory

One of the embarrassments of string field theory [1, 2] is that it has fewer symmetries than the first quantized approach. Reparameterization invariance is nowhere to be seen, which accounts for the fact that the midpoints and endpoints of strings become special points. Worse, the light cone theory seems to be totally incompatible with the midpoint theory. They seem to triangulate moduli space in entirely different ways. Each is totally different off-shell, each has a different set of interactions, yet they miraculously yield the same S matrix. For example, for closed strings, the nonpolynomial closed string field theory triangulates moduli space in a highly nontrivial fashion, while the light cone theory triangulates moduli space in an almost trivial fashion via strings that fission. Our goal is to postulate a geometric string field theory [3–7] in which reparameterization symmetry is built in from the start, that is, we wish to gauge the reparameterization group. In this way, one should be able to select as gauge choices either the endpoint or midpoint as special points along the string. Then, we should be able to view the various string field theories as gauge choices, that is, the “midpoint gauge” and “endpoint gauge”. This, in turn, would give us a unifying principle by which all self-consistent string field theories could be seen as gauge choices of a single theory.
Datenbanksysteme aus Benutzersicht — Stand und Entwicklungstendenzen

Datenbanksysteme (DB-Systeme) haben in der praktischen Datenverarbeitung zunehmend an Bedeutung gewonnen. Der Entwurf von Datenbanken sowie die Entwicklung und der Einsatz von DB-Systemen haben sich deshalb zu einer Ingenieur- und Wissenschaftsdisziplin innerhalb der Informatik und ihren Anwendungen herausgebildet.
Graphene pn Junction: Electronic Transport and Devices

This chapter provides a tutorial style review on the physics of electronic transport through a graphene pn junction in the absence and presence of a magnetic field, including the case of a strain-induced pseudo-magnetic field. We review the basic transport theories for the graphene pn junction and complement this understanding with numerical studies and key experimental findings. Novel devices, such as electron optics and strain-induced pseudo-magnetic devices, that exploit the physics of the graphene pn junction discussed in here, will be presented.
Habermasian Communication Pathologies in Do-Not-Resuscitate Discussions at the End of Life: Manipulation as an Unintended Consequence of an Ideology of Patient Autonomy

The focus on patient autonomy in American and increasingly British medicine highlights the importance of choice. However, to truly honour patient autonomy, there must be both understanding and non-control. Fifty-eight semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with internal medicine physicians at three hospitals in the US and one in the UK. At hospitals where autonomy was prioritised, trainees equated autonomy with giving a menu of choices and felt uncomfortable giving a recommendation based on clinical knowledge as they worried that that would infringe upon patient autonomy. Employing Habermas’s Theory of Communicative Action, this paper explores how physician trainees’ communication practices of using purposefully graphic descriptions of resuscitation to discourage that choice prevent greater understanding and compromise non-control. Central to this problem are also issues of colonisation of the lifeworld by the system. Physicians are fully inculcated in their respect for autonomy but unintentionally resort to strategic forms of communication that prevent patients from adequately understanding their situation because trainees feel constrained against making recommendations. However, if the ideal of autonomy is to be realised, physicians might have to move towards practices that embrace a more authentic autonomy that fosters open communication that allows for co-creation of consensus between doctors and patients.
UTX Mutations in Human Cancer

Ubiquitously transcribed tetratricopeptide repeat on chromosome X (UTX, encoded by KDM6A) is a histone demethylase that targets di- and tri-methylated histone H3 lysine 27 (H3K27). UTX function has been linked to homeotic gene expression, embryonic development, and cellular reprogramming. UTX and its protein interactors within the COMPASS family, including the MLL3 and MLL4 lysine methyltransferases, are frequently mutated in multiple human cancers; however, the molecular basis of how these mutations contribute to oncogenesis remains unclear. Here, we discuss catalytic-dependent and -independent functions of UTX and its partners MLL3 and MLL4 as part of the COMPASS family during development and in oncogenesis.
Ancient Hindu Science: Its Transmission and Impact on World Cultures

Abstract To understand modern science as a coherent story, it is essential to recognize the accomplishments of the ancient Hindus. They invented our base-ten number system and zero that are now use...
L form bacteria growth in low-osmolality medium.

L form bacteria do not have a cell wall and are thought to require medium of high osmolality for survival and growth. In this study we tested whether L forms can adapt to growth in lower osmolality medium. We first tested the Escherichia coli L form NC-7, generated in 1987 by Onoda following heavy mutagenesis. We started with growth in osmoprotective medium (~ 764 mOsm kg–1) and diluted it stepwise into medium of lower osmolality. At each step the cells were given up to 10 days to adapt and begin growing, during which they apparently acquired multiple new mutations. We eventually obtained a strain that could grow in LB containing only 34 mM NaCl, 137 mOsm kg–1 total. NC-7 showed a variety of morphologies including spherical, angular and cylindrical cells. Some cells extruded a bud that appeared to be the outer membrane enclosing an enlarged periplasm. Additional evidence for an outer membrane was sensitivity of the cells to the compound CHIR-090, which blocks the LPS pathway, and to EDTA which chelates Mg that may stabilize and rigidify the LPS in the outer membrane. We suggest that the mechanical rigidity of the outer membrane enables the angular shapes and provides some resistance to turgor in the low-osmolality media. Interestingly, cells that had an elongated shape underwent division shortly after addition of EDTA, suggesting that reducing the rigidity of the outer membrane under some turgor pressure induces division before lysis occurs. We then tested a well-characterized L form from Bacillus subtilis . L form strain LR-2L grew well with sucrose at 1246 and 791 mOsm kg–1. It survived when diluted directly into 440 mOsm kg–1 but grew poorly, achieving only 1/10 to 1/5 the density. The B. subtilis L form apparently adapted to this direct dilution by rapidly reducing cytoplasmic osmolality.
Relationship education among incarcerated populations

Incarceration represents a significant shift in the life course trajectories of the nearly seven million inmates in the American criminal justice system and their families and can have far-reaching...
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Activity in Retinas of Streptozotocin-Induced and Zucker Diabetic Rats The Effect of Angiotensin II on Na + ,K + -ATPase Activity

Purpose. To investigate whether serum and/or retinal angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity might correlate with the decrease in sodium potassium adenosine triphosphatase (Na,K-ATPase) activity in the retina of experimentally diabetic rats. Methods. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus was induced by a single intraperitoneal injection of streptozotocin (STZ) in male Sprague-Dawley rats. Male Zucker fatty diabetic (ZDF/Gmifa) rats were used as models of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. ACE activity in the serum and retina of diabetic rats (1 through 5 months) and age-matched control animals was measured by radioimmunoassay using benzoyl-gly-gly-gly as substrate. The activity of total Na,K-ATPase was determined spectrophotometrically. The al and a 3 isozymes of Na,K-ATPase were distinguished pharmacologically by their differential sensitivity to ouabain and were measured in the retina. Results. Serum ACE activity was significandy increased in rats with STZ-induced diabetes at 3 weeks through 4 months of diabetes (28% to 32%) but was significantly decreased in ZDF rats after 2 to 5 months of diabetes (—9% to —16%). The activity of ACE in retinas obtained from the same groups of STZ and ZDF rats was significantly reduced at all time points examined in both models (—43% and —55%, respectively). The effect of angiotensin II (AngH) on the activity of Na,K-ATPase in retinas from normal rats was also studied in vitro. Angll significantly lowered the activities of total Na,K-ATPase ( — 16%) and its al and a3 isozymes. The inhibitory effect of Angll was abolished completely by losartan (0.1 fiM), a specific antagonist of the ATI receptor-subtype of Angll, and by nordihydroguaiaretic acid (50 (jM), which at this concentration inhibits the lipoxygenase and cytochrome P-450-dependent pathways of arachidonic acid metabolism. The inhibitory effect of Angll on the Na,K-ATPase activity was not altered significantly by N Cl -iminoethyl ornithine (10 fxM), an irreversible nitric oxide synthase inhibitor. Conclusions. The authors suggest that systemic ACE probably is not involved in the mechanisms responsible for the reduced activity of Na,K-ATPase in diabetes. Although Angll inhibits retinal Na,K-ATPase by a mechanism possibly involving arachidonic acid metabolites, it is unlikely that Angll contributes to the decreased Na,K-ATPase activity because of its reduced formation by retinal ACE in diabetes. The possible importance of reduced retinal ACE activity in diabetes warrants further investigation. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1996;37:2157-2164.
Regulation of beta adrenoceptor-mediated myocardial contraction and calcium dynamics by the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1.

Abstract The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) produces cardioprotective effects. However, the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. We aimed to investigate the role of GPER in β adrenoceptor-mediated cardiac contraction and myocardial signaling. In anesthetized animals, intrajugular administration of isoproterenol produces a rapid and sustained rise in left ventricular pressure (LVP) and increases ectopic contractions. Administration of the GPER agonist G-1 during the plateau phase of isoproterenol-induced LVP increase rapidly restores LVP to baseline levels and reduces the frequency of ectopic contractions. In freshly isolated cardiomyocytes, isoproterenol potentiates electrically induced peak currents of L-type Ca2+ channels (LTCC) and increases the potential sensitivity of their inactivation. Coadministration of G-1 prevents isoproterenol-induced potentiation of peak LTCC currents and makes channels more sensitive to being inactivated compared to isoproterenol alone. Isoproterenol treatment of cardiomyocytes without electrical stimulation triggers slow-rising Ca2+ signals that are inhibited by the β1AR antagonist metoprolol but not by β2AR antagonist ICI-118551. G-1 pretreatment dose-dependently suppresses isoproterenol-induced total Ca2+ signals and the amplitude and frequency of the intrinsic Ca2+ oscillatory deflections. Pretreatment with the GPER antagonist G-36 produces opposite effects, dose-dependently increasing these signals. ISO promotes robust phosphorylation of Cav1.2 channels at Ser1928. G-1 pretreatment inhibits isoproterenol-stimulated phosphorylation of Cav1.2 at Ser1928, while G-36 pretreatment enhances this signal. Our data indicate that GPER functions as an intrinsic component of β1AR signaling to moderate myocardial Ca2+ dynamics and contraction.
The E. coli NudL enzyme is a Nudix hydrolase that cleaves CoA and its derivatives

Abstract The process of bacterial coenzyme A (CoA) degradation has remained unknown despite the otherwise detailed characterization of the CoA synthesis pathway over 30 years ago. Numerous enzymes capable of CoA degradation have been identified in other domains of life that belong to the Nudix superfamily of hydrolases, but the molecule responsible for this process in the model bacterial system of E. coli remains a mystery. We report here that E. coli contains two such Nudix enzymes capable of CoA degradation into 4’-phosphopantetheine and 3’,5’-adenosine monophosphate. The E. coli enzymes NudC and NudL were cloned in various promoter-fusion constructs in order to purify them as soluble active enzymes and characterize their ability to catalyze the phosphohydrolysis of CoA. NudC, an enzyme known to hydrolyze NADH as its principal substrate, demonstrated the ability to hydrolyze CoA, among other coenzymes, at comparable rates to eukaryotic Nudix hydrolases. NudL, a previously uncharacterized enzyme, demonstrated the ability to cleave only CoA and CoA-related molecules at a rate orders of magnitude slower than its eukaryotic orthologs. NudC and NudL therefore represent a previously uncharacterized pathway of CoA degradation in the highly studied E. coli system. While the two enzymes display some substrate overlap, their respective activities imply that NudC may play a role as a general coenzyme hydrolase, while NudL specifically targets CoA. These data further suggest a role for these enzymes in the regulation of bacterial CoA-RNA.
Optimizing Lifestyle Interventions in Adult Patients With Comorbid Asthma and Obesity

The prevalence of obesity and asthma are both increasing at alarming rates. The link between obesity and asthma suggests that obesity contributes to both risk of new onset asthma and increased asthma severity. The emerging evidence demonstrating the role of obesity and other lifestyle factors, such as diet and physical activity, on asthma outcomes warrants lifestyle interventions that can address these components of asthma care. This review examines the current literature on the pathophysiology of obesity's role in asthma, as well as the role of diet and physical activity in weight loss and in asthma outcomes. We discuss recent studies that employ lifestyle interventions to target improved asthma outcomes. Finally, we discuss the future direction of research in this area. The reviews of this paper are available via the supplemental material section.
Cancer-related distress: Revisiting the utility of the national comprehensive cancer network distress thermometer problem list in women with gynecologic cancers

PURPOSE:The Distress Thermometer (DT) includes a measure of cancer-related distress and a list of self-reported problems. This study evaluated the utility of the DT problem list in identifying conc...
A web-based automated machine learning platform to analyze liquid biopsy data

Liquid biopsy (LB) technologies continue to improve in sensitivity, specificity, and multiplexing and can measure an ever growing library of disease biomarkers. However, clinical interpretation of the increasingly large sets of data these technologies generate remains a challenge. Machine learning is a popular approach to discover and detect signatures of disease. However, limited machine learning expertise in the LB field has kept the discipline from fully leveraging these tools and risks improper analyses and irreproducible results. In this paper, we develop a web-based automated machine learning tool tailored specifically for LB, where machine learning models can be built without the user's input. We also incorporate a differential privacy algorithm, designed to limit the effects of overfitting that can arise from users iteratively developing a panel with feedback from our platform. We validate our approach by performing a meta-analysis on 11 published LB datasets, and found that we had similar or better performance compared to those reported in the literature. Moreover, we show that our platform's performance improved when incorporating information from prior LB datasets, suggesting that this approach can continue to improve with increased access to LB data. Finally, we show that by using our platform the results achieved in the literature can be matched using 40% of the number of subjects in the training set, potentially reducing study cost and time. This self-improving and overfitting-resistant automatic machine learning platform provides a new standard that can be used to validate machine learning works in the LB field.
Reappraising Effects of Word-of-Mouth Communication on the Innovation Diffusion Process: An Abstract

Since the digital revolution, the internet and mobile communication now play a crucial role in marketing. Consumers are both more informed and more skeptical than before, which has transformed the way a company implements its marketing strategies and the patterns used to study consumer behaviors. These behaviors took shape under the influence of traditional marketing tools, such as offline advertising, promotional activities, and personal selling (Kimmel and Kitchen 2014). Because of the advancement of technology, mainly social media’s role in marketing communication, marketers can reach consumers more easily, but they are less influential to those customers (Kimmel and Kitchen 2014). The level of trustworthiness improves dramatically for unknown consumers if the information’s source is from a trusted website. Because eWOM is written, it is more permanent than traditional WOM, which explains why an increasing number of firms now use social networks as their marketing platforms (Brown et al. 2007; eMarketer 2012).
“Ambulatory Management of Moderate to High Risk COVID-19 Patients: The Coronavirus Related Outpatient Work Navigators (CROWN) Protocol”

During the height of the novel 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in New York City, area hospitals were filled to 150% capacity, and there was a significant fear among the public of going...
Telemedicine and Medical Licensure - Potential Paths for Reform.

Telemedicine and Medical Licensure The growth of telemedicine is seen by some physicians, academics, and policymakers as a silver lining of the Covid-19 pandemic. Congress is considering bills that...
Quantification of the Hemodynamic Changes of Cirrhosis with Free-Breathing Self-Navigated MRI.

BACKGROUND Non-invasive assessment of the hemodynamic changes of cirrhosis might help guide management of patients with liver disease but are currently limited. PURPOSE To determine whether free-breathing 4D flow MRI can be used to quantify the hemodynamic effects of cirrhosis and introduce hydraulic circuit indexes of severity. STUDY TYPE Retrospective. POPULATION Forty-seven patients including 26 with cirrhosis. FIELD STRENGTH/SEQUENCE 3 T/free-breathing 4D flow MRI with soft gating and golden-angle view ordering. ASSESSMENT Measurements of the supra-celiac abdominal aorta, supra-renal abdominal aorta (SRA), celiac trunk (CeT), superior mesenteric artery (SMA), splenic artery (SpA), common hepatic artery (CHA), portal vein (PV), and supra-renal inferior vena cava (IVC) were made by two radiologists. Measures of hepatic vascular resistance (hepatic arterial relative resistance [HARR]; portal resistive index [PRI]) were proposed and calculated. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Bland-Altman, Pearson's correlation, Tukey's multiple comparison, and Cohen's kappa. P < 0.05 was considered significant. RESULTS Forty-four of 47 studies yielded adequate image quality for flow quantification (94%). Arterial structures showed high inter-reader concordance (range; ρ = 0.948-0.987) and the IVC (ρ = 0.972), with moderate concordance in the PV (ρ = 0.866). Conservation of mass analysis showed concordance between large vessels (SRA vs. IVC; ρ = 0.806), small vessels (celiac vs. CHA + SpA; ρ = 0.939), and across capillary beds (CeT + SMA vs. PV; ρ = 0.862). Splanchnic flow was increased in patients with portosystemic shunting (PSS) relative to control patients and patients with cirrhosis without PSS (P < 0.05, difference range 0.11-0.68 liter/m). HARR was elevated and PRI was decreased in patients with PSS (3.55 and 1.49, respectively) compared to both the control (2.11/3.18) and non-PSS (2.11/2.35) cohorts. DATA CONCLUSION 4D flow MRI with self-navigation was technically feasible, showing promise in quantifying the hemodynamic effects of cirrhosis. Proposed quantitative metrics of hepatic vascular resistance correlated with PSS. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY STAGE: 2.
0077 Mental health among firefighters: understanding the mental health hazards, treatment barriers, and coping strategies

Statement of purpose The purpose of this qualitative study is to explore potential risk factors, treatment barriers, and coping mechanisms that may influence mental health outcomes in Minnesota firefighters. Methods/Approach This study employed a two-phased, sequential qualitative design consisting of in-depth interviews followed by focus group discussions with both fulltime and volunteer firefighters in Minnesota. Fifty-two interviews were conducted with open-ended questions designed to identify themes and main areas of concern about Minnesota firefighters’ mental health, then presented to focus groups (n=10, with 3–15 participants per group) to obtain feedback and initiate open discussion. Audio recordings were analyzed for codes and themes developed after each interview and focus group session. Results The major contributor to mental health stress perceived by Minnesota firefighters involves the personal impact of the call. Coping mechanisms varied among institutions and individuals, and included Employee Assistance Programs, Critical Incident Stress Management, departmental debriefs, peer support groups, family, and exercise. However, barriers to treatment were equally as diverse, and included departmental and individual stigma, lack of personal and institutional support, and lack of knowledge about mental health. Conclusions Our study identified potential pathways to mental health conditions in firefighters. The findings should be leveraged to improve current strategies to protect the health and well-being of firefighters. Significance Major themes identified contribute to literature gaps regarding the perceived factors influencing psychological injuries in firefighters, in addition to the perceived barriers to treatment that would mitigate or prevent these injuries. However, the burden to each of the concepts, themes, and mental health issues are currently being assessed in a statewide survey completed by Minnesota firefighters. Study findings warrant future research to consider assessing the mental health in firefighters from other states, regionally, nationally, and globally.
Head impact exposure and concussion in women’s collegiate club lacrosse

This study sought to describe head impact exposure in women’s collegiate club lacrosse. Eleven women’s collegiate club lacrosse players wore head impact sensors during eight intercollegiate competi...
Cardiac and respiratory muscle responses to dietary N-acetylcysteine in rats consuming a high-saturated fat, high-sucrose diet

BACKGROUND: Exertional dyspnea is a significant clinical concern in individuals with overweight or obesity. The pathophysiology of dyspnea is multifactorial and complex. Previous data suggest that diaphragm and cardiac abnormalities should be considered as likely contributors to obesity-related exertional dyspnea. Additionally, oxidative stress is a causative factor in the general etiology of obesity as well as skeletal and cardiac muscle pathology. Thus, this preclinical study aimed to define diaphragm and cardiac morphological and functional alterations following an obesogenic diet in rats and the therapeutic potential of an antioxidant supplement, N-acetylcysteine (NAC). METHODS: Male Wistar rats (~7 weeks old) consumed ad libitum either lean (20% protein, 70% carbohydrate, 10% fat) or high-saturated fat, high-sucrose (HFHS, 20% protein, 35% carbohydrate, 45% fat) diets for ~22 weeks. Rats receiving HFHS diet were randomized to drink control water or water with NAC (2 mg/ml) for the last eight weeks of the dietary intervention: Lean, HFHS, and HFHS+NAC (n = 8 per group). We evaluated diaphragm bundles (in vitro function and histology) and hearts (weights and echocardiography) for all groups. RESULTS: Final body weights of HFHS rats, but not HFHS+NAC rats, were significantly higher than Lean controls. Neither HFHS diet nor NAC supplementation affected diaphragm specific force (N/cm2), peak power (W/kg), or morphology. In cardiac muscle, right and left ventricle weights (normalized to tibia length) of HFHS rats were greater than those of Lean controls and HFHS+NAC rats. Cardiac functional abnormalities were also present in HFHS rats, with left ventricular fractional shortening (%) and posterior wall maximal shortening velocity (cm/s) increasing compared to Lean controls, but HFHS+NAC rats did not demonstrate these markers of hypercontractility. HFHS rats showed an elevated deceleration rate of early transmitral diastolic velocity (E/DT) consistent with diastolic dysfunction, but NAC eliminated this effect. CONCLUSION: Our data suggest that an HFHS diet does not compromise diaphragm muscle morphology or in vitro function, suggesting other possible contributors to breathing abnormalities in obesity (e.g., neuromuscular transmission abnormalities). However, an HFHS diet resulted in cardiac hypertrophy, hypercontractility, and diastolic dysfunction. Supplementation with NAC did not affect diaphragm morphology or function but attenuated cardiac abnormalities in the HFHS diet. Our findings support future studies testing NAC supplementation in clinical trials of humans with obesity.
Reporting choices in the shadow of bank runs

Abstract This paper investigates banks’ reporting choices in the context of bank runs. A fundamental-based run imposes market discipline on insolvent banks, but a panic-based run closes banks that could have survived with better coordination among creditors. We augment a bank-run model with the bank’s reporting choices. We show that banks with intermediate fundamentals have stronger incentive to misreport than those in the two tails. Moreover, reporting discretion reduces panic-based runs, but excessive discretion also reduces fundamental-based runs. The optimal amount of reporting discretion increases in the bank’s vulnerability to panic-based runs. Finally, a given bank’s opportunistic use of reporting discretion exerts a negative externality on other banks. Our paper answers the call by Armstrong et al. (2016) and Bushman (2016) to understand better the effects of banks’ special features on their reporting choices.
Understanding the Nexus of R&D Expenditures and Intangible Assets in Different Asset Types: A Quantile Regression Approach

The financial outcomes of research and development (R&D) expenditures and intangible assets are not instantaneous and straightforward. To explore the varied perspectives of these relationships, quantile regression technique is used to understand whether and how such relationships vary for the firms with different financial strength. The findings provide insights in risk-return paradigm of R&D investment and the successive return, besides helping the policy makers to settle the priority sector, to get the expected result in line with country’s investment policy.