cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microplate-based chromatin immunoprecipitation method, Matrix ChIP: a platform to study signaling of complex genomic events

The chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay is a major tool in the study of genomic processes in vivo. This and other methods are revealing that control of gene expression, cell division and DNA repair involves multiple proteins and great number of their modifications. ChIP assay is traditionally done in test tubes limiting the ability to study signaling of the complex genomic events. To increase the throughput and to simplify the assay we have developed a microplate-based ChIP (Matrix ChIP) method, where all steps from immunoprecipitation to DNA purification are done in microplate wells without sample transfers. This platform has several important advantages over the tube-based assay including very simple sample handling, high throughput, improved sensitivity and reproducibility, and potential for automation. 96 ChIP measurements including PCR can be done by one researcher in one day. We illustrate the power of Matrix ChIP by parallel profiling 80 different chromatin and transcription time-course events along an inducible gene including transient recruitment of kinases.
Point source turbulent diffusion in a pipe

Turbulent diffusion from a small source located in the center of a 3-in. pipe was studied. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide were mixed in air, and potassium chloride solution was mixed in water. Eddy diffusion coefficients calculated from the data are correlated by plotting (E)/(2aUc) vs. NRe. Differences from other data in the literature are discussed. The results could not be used for determining the form of the correlation coefficient because of inaccuracies in the measurements for small diffusion times.
Deduced protein sequence of bone small proteoglycan I (biglycan) shows homology with proteoglycan II (decorin) and several nonconnective tissue proteins in a variety of species.

The small proteoglycans (PG) of bone consist of two different molecular species: one containing one chondroitin sulfate chain (PG II) and the other, two chains (PG I). These two proteoglycans are found in many connective tissues and have Mr = 45,000 core proteins with clear differences in their NH2-terminal sequences. Using antisera produced against synthetic peptides derived from the human PG I and PG II NH2 termini, we have isolated several cDNA clones from a λ gt11 expression library made against mRNA isolated from human bone-derived cells. The clones, which reacted with antisera to the PG II peptide, were sequenced and found to be identical with the PG II class of proteoglycan from human fibroblasts known as PG-40 or decorin. The clones reacting to the PG I antisera, however, had a unique sequence. The derived protein sequence of PG I showed sufficient homology with the PG II sequence (55% of the amino acids are identical, with most others involving chemically similar amino acid substitutions) to strongly suggest that the two proteins were the result of a gene duplication. PG II (decorin) contains one attached glycosaminoglycan chain, while PG I probably contains two chains. For this reason, we suggest that PG I be called biglycan. The biglycan protein sequence contains 368 residues (Mr = 42,510 for the complete sequence and Mr = 37,983 for the secreted form) that appears to consist predominantly of a series of 12 tandem repeats of 24 residues. The repeats are recognized by their conserved leucines (and leucine-like amino acids) in positions previously reported for a diverse collection of proteins (none of which is thought to be proteoglycans) including: two morphogenic proteins (toll and chaoptin) in the fruit fly; a yeast adenylate cyclase; and two human proteins, the von Willebrand Factor-binding platelet membrane protein, GPIb, and a rare serum protein, leucine-rich glycoprotein.
Kinetics of Phase Separation and Crystallization in Poly(Ethylene-Ran-Hexene) and Poly(Ethylene-Ran-Octene)

Abstract The kinetics of phase separation and crystallization in the blends of poly(ethylene-ran-hexene) (PEH) and poly(ethylene-ran-octene) (PEOC) at several compositions were studied using phase contrast optical microscopy and time-resolved simultaneous small-angle X-ray scattering and wide-angle X-ray diffraction. The phase contrast optical microscopy showed the interconnected bicontinuous structure during phase separation process, which is characteristic of a spinodal decomposition. During isothermal crystallization, the average lamellar spacing increases with time for blends at all concentrations. The crystallinity and crystal growth rate depend on the PEH concentration. At dilute PEH concentrations, crystallization of PEH chains is difficult because they are surrounded by many non-crystallizable PEOC chains. On the other hand, at higher PEH concentrations, crystallization processes are similar to pure PEH. For example, the spherulitic growth rates are similar for a PEH/PEOC=50/50 blend and pure PEH.
Effective Targeting of Estrogen Receptor Negative Breast Cancers with the Protein Kinase D inhibitor CRT0066101

Invasive ductal carcinomas (IDCs) of the breast are associated with altered expression of hormone receptors (HR), amplification or overexpression of HER2, or a triple-negative phenotype. The most aggressive cases of IDC are characterized by a high proliferation rate, a great propensity to metastasize and their ability to resist to standard chemotherapy, hormone therapy or HER2 targeted therapy. Using progression tissue microarrays we here demonstrate that the serine/threonine kinase Protein Kinase D3 (PKD3) is highly up-regulated in estrogen receptor (ER)-negative tumors. We identify direct binding of the estrogen receptor to the PRKD3 gene promoter as a mechanism of inhibition of PKD3 expression. Loss of ER results in upregulation of PKD3 leading to all hallmarks of aggressive IDC, including increased cell proliferation, migration and invasion. This identifies ER-negative breast cancers as ideal for treatment with the PKD inhibitor CRT0066101. We show that similar to a knockdown of PKD3, treatment with this inhibitor targets all tumorigenic processes in vitro and decreases growth of primary tumors and metastasis in vivo. Our data strongly support the development of PKD inhibitors for clinical use for ER-negative breast cancers, including the triple-negative phenotype.
Experience with ketamine and sodium pentobarbital as anesthetics in a rat model of cardiac arrest and resuscitation

We review 7 years experience with the chest compression model of cardiac arrest and resuscitation, comparing two different anesthetics. Ketamine stimulates cardiac function and only mildly depresses respiration; of the two it provides easier resuscitation. However, ketamine severely depresses brain protein synthesis; in studies using this measure ketamine is unsuitable and another agent must be used. Sodium pentobarbital mildly depresses brain protein synthesis, but depresses both cardiac and respiratory function, making resuscitation more difficult. Use of alternate chest/abdominal pumping (Babbs resuscitation technique), with judicious use of intra-cardiac epinephrine (adrenaline), made resuscitation reliable under sodium pentobarbital as well.
Illustrating an integrated typology of meaning reconstruction in discourse: grief-related disclosures.

A typology of meaning reconstruction in grief-related discourse is offered as an extension to extant approaches to meaning making as a factor in relieving distress. Sensemaking, acceptance or resignation without understanding, realization of benefits via positive reappraisal, and realignment of roles and relationships are advanced as the 4 types of meaning reconstruction that are formed by the 4 intersections of Park's (2010) categorical distinctions in meaning making (i.e., searching for comprehensibility/searching for significance and assimilation/accommodation). Interpretive analysis of grief-related texts from an emotional disclosure study reveals 25 themes across the 4 types. Related theoretical insights and practical implications are discussed.
Analyzing heart rate variability in infants using non-linear Poincaré techniques

Congenital heart defects, such as Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, are the most prevalent type of birth defect. Palliative reconstructive procedures may interrupt autonomic cardiac function and increase infant mortality rate. Autonomic cardiac tone is classically assessed using linear, Fourier-based techniques. A non-linear Poincare technique is proposed to more completely characterize heart rate variability in terms of short-term (SD1) and long-term (SD2) variability and randomness (SD1/SD2). 24-hour ECG data was collected for 27 normal infants (Group I) and 26 infants with congenital heart defects (Group II) and analyzed in five-minute segments. At birth, Group II showed reduced SD1 and SD2 and increased SD1/SD2 (p≪0.001). Post-procedure, greater SD1 and SD2 (p≪0.001) was seen in Group II. Poincare analysis captures congenital differences in autonomic cardiac function and improvements over time.
The Mathematical Theory of a Countercurrent Catalytic Reactor

The steady-state behaviour of a countercurrent catalytic reactor has been analysed mathematically for a reversible reaction-adsorption system $A \rightleftharpoons A* \rightleftharpoons B* \rightleftharpoons B$ occurring, in the first instance, under the ideal chromatographic conditions in which negligible axial dispersion and instantaneous local adsorption equilibrium are assumed. The system is considered to be one-dimensional and isothermal. The internal discontinuity of the steady-state model was analysed in connection with the transient model, while the boundary behaviour was investigated in relation to the non-equilibrium-adsorption model. Two of the most influential parameters on the system behaviour were found to be the relative adsorptivity of the two chemical species A and B, and the relative carrying capacity of the two moving streams. It has been shown by heuristic examples how the chemical reaction process and the adsorption process interact to break the local thermodynamic equilibrium limitation by the formation of a stationary shock front inside the reactor. The physical meaning of this internal shock appears to be that it is the interface between two different regions; on one side the process is controlled by the reaction rate, and on the other side by the adsorption rate. The effect of non-ideality has also been investigated, and the performance characteristics have been discussed in comparison with those of the conventional fixed-bed reactor.
The Effects of Differential Government Policies on Social Integration in One Region of Mexico: A Historical Perspective

The focus of this paper is on differential government policies in the agricultural context in one rural region of Mexico and the resultant effect of these policies on the vertical integration of two village communities within the region. The specific governmental policies to be examined bear on land distribution and investment in agricultural development particularly relating to the expansion of irrigation. Using a diachronic perspective, I shall argue that community integration along with community development is largely a function of the interaction between government policies and the linkages such policies generate between a community and the nationstate. The historical dimension illuminates the ways in which Mexico's pre-revolutionary land tenure patterns have influenced subsequent national investment strategies which in turn have produced different linkages of two communities with the national sector Socio-structural variation resulting from differential integration is reflected in community development and is associated with the presence and absence of power brokers who play a crucial role in village integration into the nation-state.
Stoichiogenomics: the evolutionary ecology of macromolecular elemental composition

The new field of 'stoichiogenomics' integrates evolution, ecology and bioinformatics to reveal surprising patterns of the differential usage of key elements [e.g. nitrogen (N)] in proteins and nucleic acids. Because the canonical amino acids as well as nucleotides differ in element counts, natural selection owing to limited element supplies might bias monomer usage to reduce element costs. For example, proteins that respond to N limitation in microbes use a lower proportion of N-rich amino acids, whereas proteome- and transcriptome-wide element contents differ significantly for plants as compared with animals, probably because of the differential severity of element limitations. In this review, we show that with these findings, new directions for future investigations are emerging, particularly via the increasing availability of diverse metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data sets.
Age-related Changes in Venticular–Arterial Coupling: Pathophysiologic Implications

The interaction of the heart with the systemic vasculature, termed ventricular-arterial coupling, is a central determinant of net cardiovascular performance. The capacity of the body to augment cardiac output, regulate systemic blood pressure, and respond appropriately to elevations in heart rate and venous filling volume is related as much to the properties of the heart as it is the vasculature into which the heart ejects. With aging, changes in the arterial system associated with vascular stiffening and a reduction in peripheral vasomotor regulation can profoundly affect this coupling by imposing far greater pulsatile and late-systolic loads on the heart. This is accompanied by tandem increases in left ventricular end-systolic stiffness (end-systolic chamber elastance) and reduced diastolic compliance. Altered coupling related to combined ventricular-vascular stiffening increases blood pressure lability for a given change in hemodynamic loading and heart rate (i.e. under stress demands), as well as reduces the capacity to enhance cardiac output without greatly increasing cardiac wall stress. Furthermore, such coupling influences myocardial perfusion by elevating the proportion of coronary flow during the systolic time period. This more closely links ventricular systolic function with myocardial flow, and can compromise flow reserve and exacerbate ischemic dysfunction when ventricular systolic function declines, such as with concomitant heart failure or acute regional ischemia. This article reviews the theory behind ventricular-arterial coupling analysis, the changes in coupling that occur with age and their impact on normal reserve mechanisms, and the likely role of these changes have on heart failure and ischemic heart disease and disease therapy in the elderly.
High Speed All Optical Logic Gates Using Binary Phase Shift Keyed Signal Based On QD-SOA

A scheme to realize all-optical Boolean logic functions, XOR, AND and NAND operations using binary phase shift keyed (BPSK) signal based on quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers (QD-SOA) has been designed and studied. Nonlinear dynamics including carrier heating and spectral hole-burning are taken into account together with the rate equations. We demonstrate XOR, AND and NAND operations at 250Gb/s using a pair of QD-SOA Mach-Zehnder interferometers. Results show that this scheme is suitable for high speed all-optical Boolean logic operations and can improve the output quality comparing with the system using on-off-keyed (OOK) signal.
Excitation of convectively and absolutely unstable disturbances in three-dimensional boundary layers

Two disparate mechanisms of instability featuring boundary-layer flows are under discussion. Convective instability associated with TS waves is known from numerous wind-tunnel tests with two-dimensional boundary-layer flows, predominantly on a flat plate. In the route to transition driven by convective instability, initially weak wave packets originating (or artificially introduced) at some position in the boundary layer are swept downstream exponentially growing in time and space. These modulated disturbances enter an essentially nonlinear stage terminating in transition a fairly long distance away from the place where they were given birth. Convective instability is also inherent in three-dimensional boundary layers and brings about the wave packets of high amplitude. The large-sized disturbances are related to the global and local maxima in the real part of the complex frequency as a function of both wavenumbers. However, a study of the dispersion-relation properties shows that lower-amplitude wave packets are emitted in either of the two orthogonal, streamwise or crossflow, directions upstream of a pulsed-moving ribbon stretching, respectively, in the crossflow or streamwise direction. The small-sized disturbances also amplify in time and space and therefore can induce nonlinear interactions provoking transition far ahead of the ribbon. This new effect is referred to as an absolute instability in the direction of the disturbance propagation and growth. A short discussion clarifies a specific role played by the wall-shear vector. Repercussions for the boundary layers on swept wings are examined, with emphasis on contraditions arising both from the theory and wind-tunnel measurements.
XLVIII: Lord Kimberley and the foundation of Liberal Irish policy: annotations to George Sigerson’s Modern Ireland: its vital questions, secret societies, and government (1868)

Late in 1868 the Dublin doctor, author and nationalist George Sigerson ( c. 1836–1925) published, under the title Modern Ireland , a collection of widely quoted articles he had written for the Daily Chronicle during the previous year. Among the bewildering flood of Irish commentary on British rule, his was notable for its clear exposition and its moderate tone. From the perspective of the Liberal Party, on the verge of being returned to office, Sigerson’s observations were valuable in representing the views of a moderate, middle-class Irish element which might co-operate in implementing a liberal policy acceptable to all parties in both England and Ireland. His credentials as a nationalist were impeccable, yet he had not been seduced by the Fenian inclination towards violence. The book prompted modest praise from critics and enjoyed a reasonable success in the book trade, going through several printings and two editions. One man who read the first edition was John Wodehouse, first earl of Kimberley (1826–1902), the immediate past viceroy of Ireland, who annotated profusely as he read. His notes are unusual in that they are extensive (52 of 393 pages were annotated), spread throughout the text, and generally lengthy (averaging twenty words per annotated page). A few involve the kinds of ethnically disparaging remarks to which he was prone. However, the majority deal with substantive issues with which Kimberley as viceroy had had to deal (Fenianism and land improvement) or would be dealing later that year as part of Gladstone’s first government (disestablishment and land reform).
Promoting mentorship in translational research: should we hope for Athena or train mentor?

Despite consensus that mentorship is a critical determinant of career success, many academic health centers (AHCs) do not provide formal training for their mentors. In part, this problem arises from a lack of evidence-based mentorship training curricula. In this issue of Academic Medicine, Pfund and colleagues from 16 AHCs, including 15 Clinical Translational Science Award institutions report the results of a randomized, controlled trial that addressed this research gap. In their study, mentors randomized to undertake a formal mentoring curriculum reported significant gains in self-assessed competencies. These improvements were corroborated by the most critical and objective observers of mentorship skills: their own mentees.Evidence-based curricula will not transform research mentorship in isolation. An organization-wide culture of mentorship is necessary to meet the mentorship needs of all research trainees and faculty. The development of a culture of mentorship requires attention to structural issues such as the provision of protected time, physical resources, and targeted funding in addition to evidence-based curricula. Organizations must monitor the implementation of these structures in the day-to-day process of mentorship. Finally, institutions must develop measures to track outcomes for both mentors and mentees, and create incentives to achieve those outcomes. In the current environment of constrained research funding and competing demands from clinical and educational programs, a substantive organizational commitment to mentorship is necessary to ensure that the next generation of mentees achieves success in translational research.
MarCO: Interplanetary Mission Development on a CubeSat Scale

Shortly after JPL’s Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) mission launches, separates, and commences its cruise phase, two CubeSats will deploy from the launch vehicle’s upper stage and begin independent flight to Mars (Fig. 1). During InSight’s entry, descent, and landing (EDL) sequence, these twin Mars Cube One (MarCO) spacecraft will fly 3500 km above the Martian surface, recording and relaying InSight UHF radio data to the Deep Space Network (DSN) on Earth [1].
What is the good of health care system reform

The ethics of health care system reform are best viewed as parallel to clinical ethics. The individual good of patient care is a microcosm of the social good of reform. By writing clinical ethics "large" we may help construct a new American "health care Commons," matching public good and private interests.
Stem Cell Transplantation for Degenerative Muscle Diseases

Under normal physiological conditions, skeletal muscle has a robust potential for tissue regeneration, which requires the activation of muscle progenitor cells (MPCs). However, degenerative muscle disease triggers recurrent muscle fiber destruction and repair, requiring persistent activation of MPCs, and ultimately leading to depletion of the progenitor cell pool. Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a classic example of degenerative muscle disease which results in a reduced and dysfunctional progenitor cell pool, a phenomenon known as MPC depletion. Although DMD is a congenital disease, patients do not exhibit symptoms until 3–5 years of age, which coincides with MPC depletion. Replenishment of the MPC pool through cell therapy has therefore been explored as a potential treatment for DMD and other related degenerative muscle diseases. Several preclinical and clinical studies are ongoing to evaluate the efficacy of stem cell transplantation in patients with DMD. Notably, these studies are investigating various cell sources, genetic manipulations, and administration routes to achieve optimal treatment. In the past, studies have been hindered by cell availability, poor engraftment, and limited myogenic differentiation ability. Recent findings have revealed the many complexities of the degenerative muscle microenvironment, which include chronic inflammation, ectopic ossification, fatty infiltration, and pathological fibrosis. This hostile environment likely influences progenitor cell survival, engraftment, and differentiation after stem cell transplantation. This chapter aims to describe several clinical and preclinical examples of cell transplantation, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches, while emphasizing the importance of the cellular and molecular disease environment in order to afford successful cell therapy.
From “Letter to a Teacher”: seeking the implied portraits of a good teacher. A Vietnamese father’s perspective

This article aims at portraying the characteristics of a good teacher through “Letter to a Teacher” – the work of Lorenzo Milani and eight boys of “Barbiana” – from an Asian perspective. Beyond this discourse, the analysis has implied that a good teacher (1) gives constructive feedback, (2) has knowledge, (3) uses marks properly, (4) balances and satisfi es learners’ needs, (5) looks into the roots of problems, (6) cares for the learners, (7) limits inequality, (8) thinks critically and is responsible, and (9) communicates well in most cases.
A flexible route to high strength α-alumina and aluminate spheres

The formation of hollow alumina spheres is accomplished by coating polystyrene beads of 3 μm and 50–80 μm diameter with carboxylic acid functionalized alumina nanoparticles (alumoxanes) from aqueous solution 2–8 wt%. The resulting coated beads were heated to 220°C to calcine the alumoxane to porous amorphous alumina before washing with toluene to remove the polystyrene from inside the ceramic coating. The resulting hollow spheres were sintered at 1000°C to form α-alumina. The α-alumina spheres have been characterized, by SEM (scanning electron microscopy), BET, and hardness measurements, that show the hardness of the hollow alumina sphere (1900 ± 100 Kg.mm−2) approaches that of corundum (ca. 2000 Kg.mm−2). Multilayered bi-phasic spheres may be prepared by subsequent coating the α-alumina spheres with a solution of a metal-doped alumoxane. After calcining, the mixed metal oxide phase (CaAl12O19, Er6Al10O24, MgAl2O4, Al2TiO5, and Y3Al5O12) forms outside of the alumina sphere resulting in a composite like ceramic bi-layer sphere. Pre-formed hollow alumina spheres were incorporated into a resin and ceramic thin film formed from a 1 wt% A-alumoxane aqueous solution. The hardness of the composites is compared to the matrix materials themselves.
Institutional Ethnography: A Holistic Approach to Understanding Systems

This paper introduces institutional ethnography IE as a useful and systematic process for examining organizations and work data through the lens of stakeholders, at different levels, and considering the different forces at play. Drawing from ethnomethodology, IE focuses on how everyday experience is socially organized. Ideological shifts have changed the view of research as purely technical and rational to one of social practice embedded in particular cultural, political, and historical contexts. Research has translated into partially unsuccessful practice because it negates individuals' unique experiences based on race, ethnicity, class, and gender, allowing for a monolithic view to become the given reality for all those who live in today's society. Because adult vocational education is practiced in a highly charged political context, amongst a nexus of interconnected and interdependent social processes such as federal and state legislation, program funding and planning, literacy work, and employment training, discourse sets the parameters for a person's ability or inability to navigate the structural and political subsystems that impact learning, teaching, and work. Power is critically important as an analytic focus which crosses boundaries providing researchers a view of social organization that illuminates practices that marginalize.
Part-Time Nursing Faculty Perceptions of Their Learning Needs During Their Role Transition Experiences

Abstract The purpose of this study was to explore and interpret the part-time nursing faculty's perceptions of their need to learn pedagogical skills during their role transition experiences from an expert clinician identity to a clinical instructor identity while teaching at a rural 2-year institution (community college). A qualitative design with Moustaka's phenomenological methods approach was conducted with 3 nurses as they transitioned into their clinical instructor identities. Analysis of the data yielded 5 themes: (a) development of their clinical instructor identity; (b) perception of similar and different learning needs; (c) incentive and motivation to learn; (d) the necessity of prior and current nursing experience; and (e) the importance of other faculty and resources. Study results propose the use of Illeris' Transformative Learning and Identity theory as a framework for associate degree nursing program administrators to use in the development of successful part-time faculty orientation and professional development programs.
Lineage-specific ablation of retinoic acid synthesis impacts on the development of gut-tropic regulatory T cells and oral tolerance

Oral tolerance is a multifaceted process that leads to systemic unresponsiveness to orally administrated antigens. Successful establishment of oral tolerance relies on induction of antigen-specific gut-tropic regulatory T cells (Tregs). Retinoic acid (RA), the active metabolite of vitamin A, is critical for the induction of gut-homing receptor on T cells and differentiation of Foxp3+ Tregs. Current paradigm, developed from in vitro experimentation, suggests that CD103+ RA-producing dendritic cells (DCs) are critical for mediating mucosal tolerance. However, in vivo evidence supporting this statement is lacking, due to the challenge of lineage-specific ablation of RA. We developed a novel mouse model to ablate RA synthesis in defined cell lineages and evaluate the requirement of RA for the migration, retention and stability of gut-tropic Tregs in different intestinal compartments. We found that RA regulates the development of gut-tropic Tregs cells in a step-wise process by lineage-specific up-regulation of gut-homing receptors. Furthermore, evaluation of the establishment of oral tolerance in an oral Listeria infection model revealed that suppression of immunity against Listeria was less efficient when RA synthesis is ablated. Collectively, this is the first study that elucidates the role of RA for oral tolerance in vivo, and offers novel insight into how RA fine-tunes the balance between gut immunity and tolerance.
Epidemiology of Sepsis: Current Data and Predictions for the Future

Descriptions of sepsis can be found in humanity’s oldest written documents. It has long been recognized as a cause of severe illness and death. In the modern era, advances in the microbiology brought with them the understanding of sepsis as a severe inflammatory response to infection. Consensus conferences have provided definitions of sepsis that emphasize its many potential manifestations and allow us to study its incidence over time and space. Studies of the epidemiology of sepsis demonstrate significant variability in both design and outcome measurements, but several points remain relatively consistent. Severe sepsis and septic shock are both common problems in intensive care units (ICUs) worldwide and incidence appears to be increasing. Mortality rates are significant but appear to be improving over time. The disease is quite costly, accounting for major portions of both ICU and overall healthcare expenditure. Sepsis appears to disproportionately affect men, blacks, and patients of lower socioeconomic status in most studies and has been shown to have a genetic component as well. It is strongly associated with malignancy, HIV, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. The most common site of infection driving sepsis has been and continues to be the lungs, while the predominant etiologic agent seems to be shifting from gram-negative organisms to gram-positive organisms over time.
Impact of Perioperative Voice Therapy on Outcomes in the Surgical Management of Vocal Fold Cysts

Summary Introduction Vocal fold cysts are benign mid-membranous lesions of the true vocal fold, classified as mucus retention or epidermal inclusion cysts. Treatment is surgical excision with or without postoperative voice therapy. Methods A retrospective review was performed of the demographics, treatment approach, and outcomes of patients treated for vocal fold cysts between 2009 and 2014. Voice Handicap Index (VHI)-10 scores before and after treatment were compared using the Wilcoxon Rank-Sum test and the two-tailed Student's t test. Videostroboscopy examinations were reviewed for posttreatment changes in vibratory characteristics of the vocal folds. Results Twenty-five patients were identified, and one was excluded for incomplete records. Mean age was 41.9 years (66.7% female), and mean follow-up time was 5.58 months. Microflap excision was pursued by 21/24 (87.5%) patients, with 14 patients (58.3%) undergoing perioperative voice therapy. One cyst recurred. Two patients elected for observation, and their cysts persisted. VHI-10 decreased from 23.8 to 6.6 ( P P Conclusions Vocal fold cysts impact mucosal wave and glottic closure. Surgical excision resulted in low rates of recurrence, and in improvement in the mucosal wave and VHI-10. Perioperative voice therapy did not offer a significant benefit. Mucus retention cysts were the majority, in contrast to other published studies.
Teaching Classes of Organic Compounds with a Sticky Note on Forehead Game

An in-class game has been developed to teach students the classes of organic compounds that arise from the common functional groups in organic chemistry. The rules are simple and straightforward and are already familiar to students because they are based on a popular party game. All of the students have either the structure or name of an unknown class of compound written on a sticky note that they place on their foreheads. The objective is for each student to figure out what his or her molecule is by asking other students a series of provided questions. The game is a fun alternative to rote memorization or using flash cards. The strategy is effective because it requires students to think about these molecules through discussion, especially their similarities and differences. I call it The Organic Compound Name Game.
Predator-Prey Dynamics in Spatially Structured Populations: Manipulating Dispersal in a Coccinellid-Aphid Interaction

Naturalists have long recognized that populations change not only as a result of birth and death, but also as a result of individual movement (Elton 1949). Only within the last decade, however, have mathematical ecologists given much attention to dispersal. Nonetheless, because theoretical advances have proceeded so rapidly, mathematical investigations of dispersal’s involvement in population dynamics have raced far ahead of empirical studies (see Levin 1978 for a review of the theory). Consequently, whereas there is a plethora of models connecting dispersal and interspecific interactions, none of these models have been tested in the field. The dearth of empirical work addressing theory in this area is especially evident in the literature on predator-prey systems; Huffaker’s (1958) classic “orange-andmites” experiment, which was published a quarter of a century ago, is still the key inspiration for most models of predator-prey interactions in patchy environments (cf Maynard Smith 1974, Hilborn 1975, Gurney and Nisbet 1978, Hassell 1980). Much more exploratory empirical work is clearly needed, both for evaluating existing models and indicating new theoretical avenues.
Risk Factors for Failure in Complicated Intraabdominal Infections.

Objectives Approximately 20% of patients with complicated intraabdominal infections (cIAIs) fail therapy. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for clinical failure in patients with cIAIs. Methods International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes for cIAIs were obtained to identify patients. Adult patients who received at least 48 hours of intravenous antibiotics were included. Patients were chronologically matched for age, sex, and comorbidities. The primary outcome was clinical failure. Statistical analysis included bivariate tests and multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 1405 patients were screened; 139 patients were included. The median (interquartile range) age and Charlson Comorbidity Index were 54 (37-62) years and 0 (0-1), respectively. Clinical failure was observed in 47 patients (34%), with 5 deaths (3.6%). Multivariate analysis of the unmatched population showed older age was protective (odds ratio [OR] 0.967, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.944-0.991). In the matched population elevated serum creatinine (OR 2.2168, 95% CI 1.091-4.308) and increased time to source control (OR 1.015, 95% CI 1.000-1.030) were predictive of clinical failure. Conclusions In a low comorbid cIAI population with and without surgical intervention, serum creatinine was an independent risk factor for clinical failure. In the matched case-control of patients, time to source-control procedure was an independent predictor of clinical failure.
Nonuniform Molecular Divergence

The divergence of species is accompanied by molecular changes in the primary structure of genes and their messenger RNA products. In the present chapter we consider the simplest of such changes, those caused by point mutation: the replacement of one nucleoside—adenosine (A), cytidine (C), guanosine (G), or thymidine (T)—by another and fixation of that replacement by natural selection or by random drift.
Birth Order, Effect on Personality, and Behavior

The relationships between birth order, personality, and behavior are ones that have received a great deal of attention from researchers. Much recent progress into understanding the impact birth order has in shaping personality and behavior has been made by taking a Darwinian family niche perspective on birth order. There are a number of documented birth order patterns in the big five personality traits as well as behavioral aspects such as risk-taking, interactions with family and friends, cooperativeness, and workplace choice and relationships. Methodological issues have sometimes led to inconsistent results, but overall, the evidence suggests that birth order does indeed have a significant impact.
Popular Sovereignty and Constitutional Design

The first part of this book has used a broad range of public choice and economic theory to interpret Swedish constitutional experience. Although the analysis has made several modest extensions of core theories, it has generally used well-established tools, referred to well-established (if not always fully accepted) results, and focused on well-known constitutional events. Constitutional political economy (CPE) suggests that changes in the constitutional setting can have broad and enduring effects on national politics and thereby on public policies. Swedish economic and political experience provides many instances of such effects.
2.03 – An Industry Perspective

The modern-day pharmaceutical industry can trace its roots back to the turn of the twentieth century and serendipitous discoveries of medicinals from plant or animal sources or from compounds frequently made for other purposes in the chemicals industries. Prior to the mid-1950s these serendipitous discoveries frequently arose from the observation of useful pharmacology in human subjects and hypothesis driven research. The discovery and development of new medicinals in the first decade of this twenty-first century is firmly rooted in the interaction of drugs with molecular targets implicated in the etiology of diseases. In the intervening time there have been tremendous advances in modeling human diseases in the laboratory either in animal models or in unique cellular systems. Over the last 30 years these extraordinary advances have only been possible through the utilization of broad, multidisciplinary research teams that provide an in-depth evaluation of the many phases of drug discovery and development in a multiyear effort. Furthermore, within the last two decades of drug discovery and development, the costs have increased more than 10-fold approaching nearly US$2 billion per successful launch of a new drug. Two decades ago a blockbuster drug generated several hundred million dollars in revenue. Today there are over 80 blockbuster drugs generating at least US$1 billion in revenues with the largest being US$10 billion in revenue. In spite of these extraordinary revenues, costs and time to commercialization have increased disproportionately.
Growth and Characterization of Sb Overlayers on InP(110)

The InP(110)-Sb(ϑ) interface, formed on cleaved room temperature InP, is studied with LEED and AES. We show that Sb grows in monolayer-high islands which coalesce at ϑ=1ML to form a well ordered (1x1) structure. The nature of this overlayer is discussed. We study the growth of the amorphous Sb layer for ϑ>1ML. Finally, we examine the resistance of the ordered single monolayer to oxidation and draw some comparisons with other III-V(110)-Sb interfaces.
Reviving the corporate medical library: using technology to become a cost center.

As Americans adjust to the global economy, corporate librarians are beginning to face the service challenges that these changes bring to their own institutions. Not only are they serving staff working in various geographic locations and time zones, corporate librarians are finding that they must do so with fewer staff and smaller budgets [1]. If corporate librarians are unable to meet these new challenges, they might find management questioning the value of their services and the need for the organization to support a library or information center. The literature reports cost-effective evaluation of library services to assist librarians in proving their value to administration [2–4]. However, while this approach is a useful one, librarians may want to begin exploring ways, not just to prove that they are “worth the money,” but to prove that they can actually contribute to their institution's revenue base. Library staff at Qualidigm, a quality improvement organization (QIO), did just that and are becoming a self-sustaining department in their organization.
Tackling tumor heterogeneity and phenotypic plasticity in cancer precision medicine: our experience and a literature review

The predominant cause of cancer mortality is metastasis. The major impediment to cancer cure is the intrinsic or acquired resistance to currently available therapies. Cancer is heterogeneous at the genetic, epigenetic, and metabolic levels. And, while a molecular-targeted drug may be pathway-precise, it can still fail to achieve wholesome cancer-precise toxicity. In the current review, we discuss the strategic differences between targeting the strengths of cancer cells in phenotypic plasticity and heterogeneity and targeting shared vulnerabilities of cancer cells such as the compromised integrity of membranous organelles. To better recapitulate subpopulations of cancer cells in different phenotypic and functional states, we developed a schematic combination of 2-dimensional culture (2D), 3-dimmensional culture in collagen I (3D), and mammosphere culture for stem cells (mammosphere), designated as Scheme 2D/3D/mammosphere. We investigated how the tumor suppressor maspin may limit carcinoma cell plasticity and affect their context-dependent response to drugs of different mechanisms including docetaxel, histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor MS-275, and ionophore antibiotic salinomycin. We showed that tumor cell phenotypic plasticity is not an exclusive attribute to cancer stem cells. Nonetheless, three subpopulations of prostate cancer cells, enriched through Scheme 2D/3D/mammosphere, show qualitatively different drug responses. Interestingly, salinomycin was the only drug that effectively killed all three cancer cell subpopulations, irrespective of their capacity of stemness. Further, Scheme 2D/3D/mammosphere may be a useful model to accelerate the screening for curative cancer drugs while avoiding costly characterization of compounds that may have only selective toxicity to some, but not all, cancer cell subpopulations.
Origins of significant reduction of lattice thermal conductivity in graphene allotropes

Lattice dynamics in artificial periodic structures, or ``phononic crystals'', have attracted significant research interest, thanks to the potential to manipulate acoustic wave propagation with more flexibility. The same control on heat conduction, however, has proven challenging due to the short wavelength of thermal phonons. In this work, we use first-principles simulations to characterize the previously unstudied thermal properties of dodecagraphene and tetragraphene, two-dimensional (2D) carbon allotropes based upon graphene but containing a secondary, in-plane periodicity. Surprisingly, we find that despite very similar atomic structure and bonding strength, they possess significantly different thermal properties than that of graphene: at room temperature, their thermal conductivity is up to 80% lower than that of graphene. We attribute these distinct properties to the presence of naturally occurring, low frequency optical phonon modes that arise from a folding of the acoustic modes due to the superstructure and the associated frequency gap opening. Furthermore, we observe significantly enhanced Umklapp scatterings in both carbon allotropes that largely suppress the hydrodynamic phonon transport in pristine graphene. Our study presents dodecagraphene and tetragraphene as ideal model systems to explore lattice dynamics in 2D and demonstrates the potential to significantly modify thermal transport of 2D materials without making drastic changes to their fundamental compositions.
New Graph-Blind Convolutional Network for Brain Connectome Data Analysis

Human connectome provides essential insights in diagnosing many psychiatric disorders. Though machine learning methods in predicting clinical scores have been successfully applied, it is still challenging to capture the complex relation and exploit the graph structure of brain networks. In this paper, we proposed a method to address the problem by extracting the graph embeddings using graph convolutional network (GCN), and using multi-layer perceptron for the regression. Particularly, previous GCN explicitly requires pre-defined graph structures which is not clearly defined in brain connectome. To address this problem, we showed that with naive complete graph structure, GCN can get meaningful results. Meanwhile, an effective algorithm was proposed to learn the graph structure from the data, via generating random graph during training based on the small-world model. Also, the advantages of GCN over multi-layer perceptron was discussed. The experiments demonstrate that the proposed method outperform related baselines significantly on predicting depression scores.
A Review of Secure and Privacy-Preserving Medical Data Sharing

In the digital healthcare era, it is of the utmost importance to harness medical information scattered across healthcare institutions to support in-depth data analysis and achieve personalized healthcare. However, the cyberinfrastructure boundaries of healthcare organizations and privacy leakage threats place obstacles on the sharing of medical records. Blockchain, as a public ledger characterized by its transparency, tamper-evidence, trustlessness, and decentralization, can help build a secure medical data exchange network. This paper surveys the state-of-the-art schemes on secure and privacy-preserving medical data sharing of the past decade with a focus on blockchain-based approaches. We classify them into permissionless blockchain-based approaches and permissioned blockchain-based approaches and analyze their advantages and disadvantages. We also discuss potential research topics on blockchain-based medical data sharing.
Filtering Algorithms for Biobjective Mixed Binary Linear Optimization Problems with a Multiple-Choice Constraint

This paper deals with a class of biobjective mixed binary linear programs having a multiple-choice constraint, which are found in applications such as Pareto set–reduction problems, single-supplier...
Selecting for a Diverse Public Health Workforce: Community Health Education MPH Program Admissions at the California State University

The population of California continues to become more diverse; it has become increasingly important for California universities to provide graduate education to underrepresented groups and to prepare culturally competent health educators whose skills are adapted to these dynamic demographic changes. This paper describes the graduate admissions requirements of the four California-based graduate programs in Community Health Education (CHE) accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH ) and uses the graduate admissions process at San Jose State University as a case example for selecting a cohort that reflects the cultural and linguistic diversity of the state. The use of multiple methods of assessment and the avoidance of undue emphasis on standardized tests in the admissions selection creates a more equitable graduate admissions process.