cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What Happened to Me while I Was in the Hospital? Challenges and Opportunities for Generating Patient-Friendly Hospitalization Summaries

Comprehending medical information is a challenging task, especially for people who have not received formal medical education. When patients are discharged from the hospital, they are provided with lengthy medical documents that contain intricate terminologies. Studies have shown that if people do not understand the content of their health documents, they will neither look for new information regarding their illness nor will they take actions to prevent or recover from their health issue. In this article, we highlight the need for generating personalized hospital-stay summaries and several research challenges associated with this task. The proposed directions are directly informed by our ongoing work in generating concise and comprehensible hospitalization summaries that are tailored to suit the patient’s understanding of medical terminologies and level of engagement in improving their own health. Our preliminary evaluation shows that our summaries effectively present required medical concepts.
Graftmaster savior: Injury to a patent LIMA during pericardiectomy, when a covered stent came to the rescue

A 71-year-old male with multivessel coronary artery disease who underwent bypass with saphenous vein grafts to a Marginal branch and distal RCA and LIMA to LAD in 1988, DM II, atrial fibrillation on Coumadin, TIA, obstructive sleep apnea and pulmonary hypertension was referred to our institution after extensive dyspnea evaluation with a diagnosis of constrictive pericarditis for pericardiectomy. He had normal left ventricular function, moderate mitral and tricuspid regurgitation. Coronary angiography revealed ostial LAD CTO, patent LIMA to mid LAD, second Marginal branch CTO with left-to-left collaterals and mid RCA CTO with left-to-right collaterals. Vein grafts to the Marginal branch and distal RCA were occluded. The pericardium was heavily calcified on CT of the chest. The LIMA was inadvertently injured leading to acute STEMI and ventricular fibrillation arrest treated with defibrillation once. Surgical repair was unsuccessful. A Graftmaster covered stent was successful deployed with restoration of TIMI III flow to the LAD territory. Pericardiectomy was completed via both the median resternotomy and left thoracotomy. Triple therapy with Aspirin, Clopidogrel, and Coumadin was initiated and maintained for 3 months without hemorrhagic or thrombotic complications. He has continued to do well in follow-up on Clopidogrel and Coumadin.
Clinical trial of a humanized anti-IL-2/IL-15 receptor β chain in HAM/TSP.

Objective Human T cell lymphotropic virus 1 (HTLV-1)-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is a chronic, progressive, neurological disease. Chronic activation of CD8+ T cells, as evidenced by increased spontaneous lymphoproliferation and HTLV-1-specific cytotoxic T cells, has been demonstrated in HAM/TSP patients. Since IL-2 and IL-15 stimulate memory CD8+ T cell activity, these cytokines have been implicated in the immunopathogenesis of HAM/TSP. In this phase I trial, we evaluated the safety, pharmacokinetics, and ability of Hu-Mikβ1, a humanized monoclonal antibody directed toward the IL-2/IL-15 receptor β-chain (IL-2/IL-15Rβ: CD122), to saturate CD122 and regulate abnormal immune responses in patients with HAM/TSP by inhibition of IL-15 action. Methods Hu-Mikβ1 was administered intravenously at doses of 0.5 mg/kg, 1.0 mg/kg, or 1.5 mg/kg in a total of nine HAM/TSP patients. Five doses of Hu-Mikβ1 were administered at 3-week intervals. The clinical response was evaluated using standardized scales. Viral and immunologic outcome measures were examined including HTLV-1 proviral load, T cell phenotypic analysis and spontaneous lymphoproliferation in HAM/TSP patients. Results There was no significant toxicity associated with Hu-Mikβ1 administration in HAM/TSP patients. Saturation of CD122 by Hu-Mikβ1 was achieved in five out of nine HAM/TSP patients. Administration of Hu-Mikβ1 was associated with inhibition of aberrant CD8+ T cell function including spontaneous lymphoproliferation and degranulation and IFN-γ expression, especially in HAM/TSP patients that achieved CD122 saturation. Interpretation The treatment with Hu-Mikβ1 had a number of immunological effects on HAM/TSP patients although no clinical efficacy was observed. We also did not see any dose-related toxicity.
An Analysis of Student Performance at the Intersection of Diversity and Information Literacy

Abstract Objective – When teaching Information Literacy (IL) concepts, instructors often have no knowledge about the background or previous IL exposure of the students they are teaching. This study aims to create a holistic picture of the students at a large Midwestern United States university in a first year introductory course on the design process for solving engineering problems. Methods – Institutional data and course level data were traced and linked to individual students in an introduction to design thinking first year course. This course is at a major high research activity institution in the Midwestern United States. From a total course size of 650, institutional and course level data of 127 students were selected randomly and analyzed. Some data points are self-reported and some data points are performance-based. Results – Underrepresented minorities (URMs) had a higher increase in IL score from assignment 1 to assignment 3 than non-URM students. However, non-URMs performed higher on both the first and the last assignments. Students in concurrent IL designated courses had a higher increase from assignments 1 to 3 than those not in simultaneous IL designated courses. Black and international students had the highest increases from assignments 1 to 3 of any demographic. Regarding IL, the fact that none of the students had been exposed to much IL instruction justified continued collaboration in the course between the instructor of record and the IL specialist. There were significantly negative correlations between the final grade and first-generation status. Legacy students also performed more poorly from assignments 1 to 3. Conclusion – Students are more diverse in a single classroom setting than presumed prior to research; therefore, our instructional practices should be diverse and inclusive, as well. More preparation work and fact finding should be conducted by library faculty and instructors to facilitate the learning of the students, and not just the act of teaching. Librarians could ask for more information about the course demographics and respond accordingly. Librarians should also be properly trained in instructional practices to be better equipped to meet the expectations and challenges of teaching a diverse class.
Preventing Predation & Encouraging Innovation in Fintech Lending

More than 20 years ago, IBM's Deep Blue vanquished chess grandmaster and reigning world chess champion, Garry Kasparov, in a pair of best-of-six matches. Since then, numerous companies have invested large sums of money to develop additional game-playing, machine-learning algorithms. They have enjoyed significant successes. For example, in 2016, AlphaGo demolished Lee Sedol, a world champion Go player, 4-1 in a series of matches by, among other things, making “a move no human would ever play, stunning experts and fans and utterly wrong-footing world champion Lee Sedol.” In addition, Libratus defeated “four of the top-ranked human Texas Hold'em players in the world over the course of 120,000 hands” during a twenty-day poker competition in 2017. Other algorithms have also defeated top players in checkers, chess, Jeopardy!, and Scrabble. These companies are not trying to dominate your family game nights. Instead, they are betting that many of the techniques and strategies used to create world-class game-playing algorithms can be deployed for other purposes as well. In other words, they are looking to create general-purpose artificial intelligence (AI) systems. One use for AI systems is to improve credit-underwriting models. The regulation of these types of AI systems is the focus of this paper. This new breed of lenders, often called fintech lenders, are amassing hordes of data (Big Data) and using machine- learning techniques honed in the game-playing context to improve existing credit-underwriting models. Fintech lenders commonly use nontraditional, tech-centric methods to market themselves to prospective borrowers, evaluate borrower creditworthiness, and to match prospective borrowers with sources of credit. Examples include Lenddo and ZestFinance. Fintech lenders often claim that they can lower loan origination costs and loan default rates, thus improving credit accessibility. This essay proceeds as follows. First, it briefly explains fintech lending, focusing on its differences from traditional lending. Next, it highlights the promise and peril of fintech lending. Finally, it considers how state and federal regulators might deploy their powers to prohibit unfair acts and practices to encourage the promise and avoid the peril of fintech lending. A brief conclusion follows.
False Data Detection in Distributed Oscillation Mode Estimation using Hierarchical k-means

Wide-area oscillation monitoring and control in power systems is essential for preventing large-scale outages. To detect and estimate oscillation modes in real-time distributed measurement-based mode estimation approaches have been proposed. Unfortunately, these methods are vulnerable to false data injection attacks. In this paper we propose a hierarchical k-means false data detection approach to detect and remove false data from distributed Prony algorithms for oscillation mode estimation. Our proposed method is able to detect both multi-goal adversaries and noisy outliers equally well. We empirically illustrate the resiliency of our method against different attacks and show that it can detect corrupted data and accurately estimate oscillation modes.
Single-Cell Electrophysiological Measurements Reveal Bacterial Membrane Potential Dynamics during Extracellular Electron Transfer

Abstract Extracellular electron transfer (EET) allows microorganisms to gain energy by linking intracellular reactions to external surfaces ranging from natural minerals to the electrodes of bioelectrochemical renewable energy technologies. In the past two decades, electrochemical techniques have been used to investigate EET in a wide range of microbes, with emphasis on dissimilatory metal-reducing bacteria, such as Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, as model organisms. However, due to the typically bulk nature of these techniques, they are unable to reveal the subpopulation variation in EET or link the observed electrochemical currents to energy gain by individual cells, thus overlooking the potentially complex spatial patterns of activity in bioelectrochemical systems. Here, to address these limitations, we use the cell membrane potential as a bioenergetic indicator of EET by S. oneidensis MR-1 cells. Using a fluorescent membrane potential indicator during in vivo single-cell level fluorescence microscopy in a bioelectrochemical reactor, we demonstrate that membrane potential strongly correlates with the electrode potential, produced current, and position of cells relative to the electrodes. The high spatial and temporal resolution of the reported technique can be used to study the single-cell level dynamics of EET not only on electrode surfaces, but also during respiration of other solid-phase electron acceptors.
Modeling Long-Haul Optical Networks with Quasi-single-mode Fibers

Few-mode fibers (FMFs) with weak mode coupling which are used to transmit signals predominantly in the fundamental mode are referred to as quasi-single-mode (QSM) fibers. QSM fibers can be designed to have much larger effective areas for the fundamental propagation mode than conventional single-mode fibers (SMFs). Signal transmission over the fundamental mode of QSM fibers can reduce distortion arising from the fiber Kerr nonlinearity. Random light coupling, however, among QSM fiber modes leads to multipath interference (MPI). Simultaneous reduction of nonlinear distortion and MPI can be achieved by using hybrid fiber spans, each composed of a QSM fiber segment to restrict nonlinear distortion, followed by an ultra-low-loss, large-effective-area SMF segment to suppress MPI.
A broader perspective needed in Canadian guideline for Parkinson disease.

Thank you for the making available the “Canadian Guideline for Parkinson Disease”[1][1] with its extensive documentation of expertise and ethical rigour. For the past 12 years, since co-founding Parkinson en mouvement ([www.parkinsonenmouvement.org][2]), I and my colleagues have built up years
Fetal Pain: The Science Behind Why It Is the Medical Standard of Care:

Despite pain as the fifth vital sign in adult and pediatric care, many still dismiss the fact that immature human beings (whether a fetus, a preterm, or term baby) are capable of being affected by ...
Asthma and Chronic Rhinosinusitis: Surgical Management and Outcomes

Appropriate medical therapy is the first-line management for chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS), but patients commonly fail medical therapy and become candidates for endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and, potentially, extended ESS. ESS with postoperative therapies such as high-volume corticosteroid irrigation has proven to be efficacious in decreasing CRS symptoms and preventing recurrence of disease. ESS is superior to continued medical therapy in the management of refractory CRS, reduces asthma symptoms and dependence on asthma medications, and facilitates aspirin desensitization for patients with aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD). ESS is especially beneficial when comorbid depression and the total economic burden of disease are considered.
Measuring Exercise Capacity and Physical Function in Adult and Older Mice

The inability of older adults to maintain independence is a consequence of sarcopenia and frailty. In order to identify the molecular mechanisms responsible for decreased physical function, it will be critical to utilize a small animal model. The main purpose of this study was to develop a composite Comprehensive Functional Assessment Battery (CFAB) of well-validated tests to determine physical function and exercise capacity in 3 age groups of male C57BL/6 mice (6 months old, n = 29; 24 months old, n = 24; 28+ months old, n = 28). To measure physical function in mice, we used rotarod (overall motor function), grip meter (forelimb strength), treadmill (endurance), inverted cling (strength/endurance), voluntary wheel running (volitional exercise and activity rate), and muscle performance with in vivo contractile physiology (dorsiflexor torque). We hypothesized that CFAB would be a valid means to assess the physical function of a given mouse across the life span. In addition, we proposed that CFAB could be used to determine relationships between different parameters associated with sarcopenia. We found that there was an overall age-related significant decline (p < .05) in all measurements, and the CFAB score demonstrated that some individual mice (the upper quartile) retained the functional capacity of average mice 1 cohort younger. We conclude that the CFAB is a powerful, repeatable, and noninvasive tool to assess and compare physical function and assess complex motor task ability in mice, which will enable researchers to easily track performance at the individual mouse level.
ALD TiN Surface Defect Reduction for 12nm and Beyond Technologies

Atomic layer deposition (ALD) TiN metal films are used in semiconductor manufacturing for various purposes, such as work function metal, metal cap, and barrier films. ALD TiN chamber and process generate different types of particle defects having different morphologies and compositions. One of the main types of defect was found to be TiN surface particle from tetrakis-dimethylamino titanium (TDMAT). This work presents a solution to reduce the surface defects that are generated from the condensation of TDMAT. In this work, heated gas lines for He carrier gas and other process gases, such as Ar and N2, were used to reduce surface defects from ALD TiN. Two methods for heating gas lines were evaluated. In one method, gas lines with in-build heater were used and, in another method, heating jackets were used to heat the gas lines. A detailed material characterization of ALD TiN film using SIMS, XRD, and XPS was carried out to understand the influence of heated process gases on ALD TiN film properties. A significant surface defects reduction of more than 30% was achieved using the heated gas lines of process gases.
Single-Arm Open-Label Clinical Trial of Two Grams of Aztreonam for the Treatment of Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

ABSTRACT The threat of ceftriaxone-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae necessitates new gonorrhea treatment regimens. Repurposing older antibiotics not routinely used for N. gonorrhoeae may expeditiously identify new therapies. Ideally, all recommended therapies should eradicate gonorrhea at the pharynx. Between April and September 2019, we enrolled men in an open-label, one-arm clinical trial of single-dose intramuscular aztreonam (2 g). Enrollment criterion included (i) nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)-positive pharyngeal gonorrhea for ≤14 days or (ii) Gram stain-positive gonococcal urethritis plus report of performing oral sex in ≤2 months. At enrollment, we collected cultures from NAAT-positive or screening sites, and men returned 3 to 8 days following treatment for a test of cure (TOC) by culture. The per-protocol analysis required men to be culture positive at enrollment and to return for TOC. We calculated efficacy as the number of subjects with negative culture at TOC divided by the number culture positive at enrollment by anatomic site. Thirty-two men enrolled in the study; 21 were pharyngeal NAAT positive, and 11 had gonococcal urethritis. The per-protocol analysis included 17 men, 6 with pharyngeal, 9 with urethral, and 4 with rectal gonococcal infections. Aztreonam cured 2 of 6 pharyngeal infections (33%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 4.3% to 78%) and 3 of 4 rectal infections (75%; 95% CI, 19% to 99%). All 11 men with urethritis were cured (100%; 95% CI, 66% to 100%). The aztreonam MIC90 was 0.5 μg/ml (range, 0.06 to 2.0 μg/ml). All treatment failures occurred at a MIC of ≥0.25 μg/ml. Single-dose aztreonam is not a reliable treatment for gonorrhea at the pharynx but may be useful for men with gonococcal urethritis and beta-lactam allergy. (This study has been registered at ClinicalTrials.gov under identifier NCT03867734.)
Studying the affordances of a technology-based nanoscience module to promote student engagement in learning novel nanoscience and nanotechnology concepts at the middle school level

Background: Nanotechnology, a multidisciplinary field with increasing societal importance, demands for an increase in research abilities and capacities. Yet, nanoscience and nanotechnology (NST) ar...
Mechanical and durability characteristics of pervious concrete reinforced with mechanically recycled carbon fiber composite materials

A more durable pervious concrete was produced using mechanically processed carbon fiber composite scraps from the aerospace industry, referred to as cured carbon fiber composite materials (CCFCMs). The processed CCFCM were fiber-like shreds with large aspect ratios and were a composite of carbon fibers reinforcing the thermoset resin. CCFCMs were used as 0.5, 1, 2 vol% replacement of natural coarse aggregate in a low-porosity (well packed) pervious concrete with pea gravel. Mechanical and durability evaluation was performed compared to two baseline mixes, a neat mix with zero CCFCM (control) and a mix with 0.5 vol% replacement with commercial synthetic fibers (POLY-0.5). CCFCMs disturbed the packing arrangement of natural aggregate and resulted in higher porosity. Mechanical properties increased with more amounts of CCFCM due to bridging actions of high-aspect-ratio elements and reached similar or higher flexural strength than the control at 1 and 2 vol%. CCFCM had similar or higher mechanical properties than POLY-0.5, except the synthetic fibers increased the flexural toughness index by 85% compared to the maximum 53% increase by CCFCM. The most significant enhancement was with CCFCM-1 and 2 vol% in rapid freeze–thaw cycling and deicer chemical application evaluation. CCFCM-2 maintained 95% of its original mass and 77% of the initial dynamic modulus after more than 200 cycles. The incorporation of CCFCM as a replacement of natural aggregate shows a high potential for previous concrete while creating a new use for this high-volume waste from the automobile and aerospace industries for a circular economy.
Changes in eating and exercise behaviors during the COVID-19 pandemic in a community sample: A retrospective report.

Abstract Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has generated extreme physical, psychological, and social consequences across the world, many of which have the potential to exacerbate disordered eating and exercise behaviors. The purpose of this study was to retrospectively assess changes in eating pathology and exercise behaviors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in a community sample. Method Participants (n = 159, Mage = 27.59 years, 90.6% female) were individuals in the United States surveyed during COVID-19. Participants completed measures quantifying eating pathology, exercise behaviors, and motives for exercise both prior to and during the pandemic. Results All results compare variables prior to and during COVID-19. Overall, individuals with a prior eating disorder (ED) diagnosis did not report significantly different changes in eating or exercise pathology compared to the non-ED group. Participants had significantly fewer episodes of overeating (p Discussion Our results suggest that in a sample of primarily young adult females, with and without a prior ED, exercise behaviors and motives, but not eating pathology, shifted significantly in the first few months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Further longitudinal studies examining the maintenance and potential risk of these changes are warranted, particularly in individuals at high risk, as the pandemic continues.
The Effect of First-Year Seminar Classroom Design on Social Integration and Retention of STEM First-Time, Full-Time College Freshmen

Classroom design is related to student satisfaction and learning, but its effect on student retention is unknown. This exploratory study compared the impact of classroom design on social integration and retention among STEM first-time, full-time college freshmen in a first-year seminar course by comparing classroom sizes (large (LL) vs. small (SL) lecture), classroom formats (lecture (SL) vs. flipped classroom (FC)), and classroom student composition of students at risk of attrition based on low math placement scores (combined low math (CLM) vs. separated low math (SLM)). To capture social integration of freshman after their first semester, students completed a survey for course credit. Retention rates of freshman returning to the university for their second year were included. Almost all students in all classrooms had made friends in college; most had made friends with peers in the course and were spending time with them outside of class. Compared with LL students, SL reported lower satisfaction with their overall social life. More FC students were satisfied with their social life, and fewer found making friends to be harder than expected. These findings showed even greater disparities between groups for at-risk students. SLM students exhibited lower social integration than CLM students. The CLM flipped classroom retained the highest percentage of students at the university into the second year. Findings from the present study suggest that integrating at-risk students into a first-year seminar flipped classroom that matches student composition of the major benefits social integration and retention into the second year, for all students as well as those with low math scores.
Reframing Involuntary Population Displacement and Resettlement—The Case of the Palestinian Refugees: Causes, Consequences, and Prospects for an Impoverishment Process Reversal

The Palestinian refugees issue is at the core of the Arab-Israeli multi-faceted conflict. This paper relies on a study which investigated the multi-level complexity of the Palestinian refugees case to identify the causes and consequences, and some prospects for its resolution. The study analyzed and compared frames and narratives used by the different parties at several stages of the investigated case, and also integrated lessons from two kinds of involuntary migration. During the Israeli/ Arab peace process, a transformation from exclusionary narratives and one dimensional “either/ or” solutions into a multi-optional synergistic environment was evident. The parties’ frames changed again while this protracted conflict re-escalated. This paper focuses on the Palestinian refugees claim for repatriation, and portrays a process of framing and reframing, of narrative co-creation and re-creation, and to a lesser degree of the creation of alternative options and solutions. The essay links insights from conflict analysis and resolution, and regional planning and development. It introduces an interactive model regarding the interconnections between reframing processes and transformation of intractable conflicts, and concludes with some lessons for this and other population displacement cases with regard to prospects for conflicts mitigation and for voluntary resettlement.
The Polyether Brevetoxins and Site Five of the Voltage-Sensitive Sodium Channel

Florida red tide brevetoxins interact with a specific site associated with the voltage-sensitive sodium channel (VSSC) in a number of selected species. It is this same site which is involved in the molecular action of the marine polyether ciguatoxin. The site is located in a hydrophobic portion of the channel, the portion which is involved in activation/inactivation of ion flux across excitable membranes. Several different types of derivatized brevetoxins are available for investigation of sodium channel topography. Four tritiated brevetoxin probes, PbTx-3, PbTx-9, PbTx-7, and PbTx-10 are available for specific binding studies. In all cases, measurement of specific binding affinity and capacity parallels in vivo and in vitro potency. Dissociation constants are in the nanomolar concentration range, and binding maxima approximate 6–8 pmoles/mg protein. Brevetoxin photoaffinity probes bind in a specific covalent fashion to a protein component of approximately 260 kDa from synaptosomes, suggesting an association with the α-subunit of sodium channel. Bound toxin has been detected following polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of sodium dodecylsulfate solubilized rat brain synaptosomes using: (1) goat antibrevetoxin-rabbit anti-goat-peroxidase sandwich immunoassays following Western blotting; (2) goat antibrevetoxin-peroxidase direct immunoassay; or (3) liquid scintillation detection of tritium-labeled brevetoxin photoaffinity probesodium channel conjugates.
Divalent cation sites in tomato bushy stunt virus. Difference maps at 2-9 A resolution.

Difference electron density maps, using as few as four 1/2° oscillation photographs, have been computed for tomato bushy stunt virus crystals soaked in EDTA, GdCl3 and silicotungstate. The maps define a double divalent cation site, responsible for regulating expansion of the virus particle, as well as sites for biding tungstate anions.
Water, 6. Treatment by Oxidation Processes

The article contains sections titled: 1. Physical and Chemical Properties of Chemical Oxidants 2. Production of Chemical Oxidants 3. Uses of Chemical Oxidants 3.1. Drinking Water Treatment 3.1.1. Disinfection 3.1.2. Chemical Oxidation 3.2. Wastewater Treatment 3.3. Oxidation in Pulp and Paper Treatment 3.4. Advanced Oxidation Processes 4. Toxicology and Environmental Health 5. Acknowledgement
Cerebral ischemia associated with parenteral terbutaline use in pregnant migraine patients.

Abstract Two pregnant patients with a history of migraine each developed evidence of cerebral ischemia while being treated with subcutaneous terbutaline, for asthma in one case and for tocolysis in the other. The evidence for cerebral ischemia as well as the occurrence of strokes associated with pregnancy or migraine is discussed. Mechanisms by which a selective β 2 agonist could affect cerebral vasculature are unknown. Until more is known we recommend that pregnant patients with migraine or vascular headache not be given terbutaline.
The Hypergeometric Process: A Flexible Parameterization of the Moving Average Process Time Series

We introduce an apparently new parameterisation of the Wold decomposition of a standard Box-Jenkins time series model in terms of the Hypergeometric Function pFq(.). This parameterization is sufficiently flexible to treat both finite standard ARMA(p, q) models and also fractionally integrated models such as FI(d). We demonstrate the parametric domain over which the process is variance stationary and also over which it is ergodic. We compute the autocovariance function for the general process and illustrate how the parameterization proposed here may be used to model other well known parameterizations of the MA(q) process.
Globally hyperbolic space-times which are timelike Cauchy complete

LetM be a globally hyperbolic manifold. Among the many forms of completeness that may be imposed onM are timelike Cauchy completeness and finite compactness. These two forms of completeness are shown to be equivalent for globally hyperbolic manifolds. They are also equivalent to the statement that every inextendible future-directed (past-directed) geodesic starting in the chronological future (past) ofp has points at arbitrarily large distance fromp.
Wittgenstein on the unreasonableness of education: Connecting teaching and meaning

At one time, Professor Macmillan was especially exercised with remark # 337 from Volume II of Wittgenstein’s Remarks on the Philosophy of Psychology. The published translation of this remark reads “Am I doing child psychology? I am making a connection between the concept of teaching and the concept of meaning”.
Murine Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor-Related Protein 1 (LRP) Is Required for Phagocytosis of Targets Bearing LRP Ligands but Is Not Required for C1q-Triggered Enhancement of Phagocytosis

C1q and members of the defense collagen family are pattern recognition molecules that bind to pathogens and apoptotic cells and trigger a rapid enhancement of phagocytic activity. Candidate phagocytic cell receptors responsible for the enhancement of phagocytosis by defense collagens have been proposed but not yet discerned. Engagement of phagocyte surface-associated calreticulin in complex with the large endocytic receptor, low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 1 (LRP/CD91), by defense collagens has been suggested as one mechanism governing enhanced ingestion of C1q-coated apoptotic cells. To investigate this possibility, macrophages were derived from transgenic mice genetically deficient in LRP resulting from tissue-specific loxP/Cre recombination. LRP-deficient macrophages were impaired in their ability to ingest beads coated with an LRP ligand when compared with LRP-expressing macrophages, confirming for the first time that LRP participates in phagocytosis. When LRP-deficient and -expressing macrophages were plated on C1q-coated slides, they demonstrated equivalently enhanced phagocytosis of sheep RBC suboptimally opsonized with IgG or complement, compared with cells plated on control protein. In addition, LRP-deficient and -expressing macrophages ingested equivalent numbers of apoptotic Jurkat cells in the presence and absence of serum. Both LRP-deficient and -expressing macrophages ingested fewer apoptotic cells when incubated in the presence of C1q-deficient serum compared with normal mouse serum, and the addition of purified C1q reconstituted uptake to control serum levels. These studies demonstrate a direct contribution of LRP to phagocytosis and indicate that LRP is not required for the C1q-triggered enhancement of phagocytosis, suggesting that other, still undefined, receptor(s) exist to mediate this important innate immune function.
Deep-inelastic processes: A workbench for large scale motion in nuclear matter

The most prominent collective modes excited in deep-inelastic reactions are reviewed, and the natural hierarchy provided by their characteristic relaxation times is described. A model is presented which treats the relaxation of the mass asymmetry mode in terms of a diffusion process. Charge distributions and angular distributions as a function of Z calculated with this model are in good agreement with experimental data. An extension of this diffusion model which treats the transfer of energy and angular momentum in terms of particle transfer is described, and is successfully compared with experimental γ-ray multiplicities as a function of both Q-value and mass asymmetry. The problem of angular momentum transfer is again considered in connection with the sequential fission of heavy, deep-inelastic fragments and the excitation of collective modes in the exit channel is suggested. Lastly, the role of the giant El mode in the equilibration of the neutron-to-proton ratio is discussed.
Effects of anorectic drugs on the topography of feeding behavior in baboons.

Food intake of six adult male baboons (Papio c. anubis) was monitored during daily experimental sessions lasting 22 hr. Food was available under a chain schedule with two-components. After completion of the first "procurement component" response requirement, access to food, i.e., a meal, became available under the second "consumption component" during which each response produced a 1-g food pellet. After 10 min in which no response occurred, the consumption component was terminated. When given p.o. 45 to 60 min before the start of the daily session, anorectic drugs, with the exception of (+/-)-phenylpropanolamine, produced dose-dependent decreases in food intake, with the following order of potency: phentermine greater than mazindol greater than diethylpropion greater than phendimetrazine = chlortermine = phenmetrazine = chlorphentermine. Feeding topography was differentially affected by drug administration. The latency to the first meal was increased by all of the drugs except chlorphentermine. Only diethylpropion, phendimetrazine and mazindol decreased the number of daily meals, whereas only diethylpropion, phendimetrazine, phenmetrazine and clortermine decreased the size of the first meal. Mazindol was the only anorectic drug tested that did not decrease intake during the first 8 hr of the session. (+/-)-phenylpropanolamine did not decrease food intake in the tested dose range. Phencyclidine, by decreasing intake during the first 8 hr, but not the entire 22-hr session, affected feeding topography differently than the anorectic drugs. In contrast to anorectic drug administration, decreases in food intake after phencyclidine administration were followed by caloric compensation for this initial decrease.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Bone Resorption Activity of All-trans Retinoic Acid Is Independent of Vitamin D in Rats

The mechanism by which all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induces bone resorption is unknown. However, an interaction between vitamin A and vitamin D has been established. In fact, although the mechanism is still unclear, vitamin A has been shown to be a weak antagonist of the actions of vitamin D. Taking into account this interaction and the influence of vitamin D on other calcitropic hormones, such as parathyroid hormone, the effect of vitamin D on ATRA-induced bone resorption was investigated. Vitamin D-deficient rats were fed diets containing 0 or 150 micro g of ATRA/g of diet. The rats then were orally administered 0 or 625 ng of cholecalciferol (vitamin D(3)) daily. Various bone parameters were measured after 3-8 wk. Regardless of the presence or absence of vitamin D(3), ATRA was able to cause bone resorption. In addition to examining the effect of vitamin D on ATRA-induced bone resorption under normal conditions, this effect also was studied under conditions that inhibit bone mineralization or growth by altering dietary calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) levels. Changes in dietary levels of Ca and P did not affect the ability of ATRA to cause bone resorption. Interestingly, despite its ability to stimulate bone resorption, ATRA did not affect serum calcium or phosphorus levels. Overall, the ability of ATRA to cause bone resorption is not dependent on vitamin D(3), dietary Ca or dietary P.
Thrombophilia Testing, Recurrent Thrombosis, and Women’s Health

Case Presentation 1: A 33-year-old previously healthy man presented with sudden-onset dyspnea and sharp right-sided chest pain. He had noted right leg edema and calf discomfort a week earlier. He denied recent trauma, surgery, or immobility. His mother had a history of postpartum deep vein thrombosis (DVT). On physical examination, he was tachycardic with a heart rate of 114 bpm, normotensive with a blood pressure of 102/76 mm Hg, and hypoxemic to 88% on room air. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomogram demonstrated bilateral segmental pulmonary embolism. Right lower-extremity venous ultrasound documented femoral and popliteal DVT. Case Presentation 2: A 78-year-old woman with hypertension and obesity developed acute left leg edema and pain 2 days after open reduction and internal fixation of a right hip fracture. On physical examination, the patient had severe edema and tenderness of the left lower leg and thigh. Left lower-extremity venous ultrasound documented left common femoral, distal femoral, and popliteal DVT. Thrombophilias describe inherited and acquired hypercoagulable states that increase the risk of venous and, in some cases, arterial thrombosis. The prevalence of thrombophilias varies according to the population studied. In the general population, thrombophilias are less frequent than “traditional” venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk factors such as cancer, immobility, and obesity. However, in patients who have experienced an initial episode of VTE or have a family history of VTE, the prevalence of thrombophilia increases. In a European registry of 21 367 consecutive patients with symptomatic VTE, thrombophilia testing was performed in 21%.1 Thrombophilia was detected in 32% of those in whom testing was performed. The most frequently detected thrombophilias were factor V Leiden (26%), antiphospholipid antibodies (20%), and prothrombin gene mutation (18%). The rate of thrombophilia detection was similar in patients with idiopathic (unprovoked) and provoked VTE. Thrombophilias may be classified according to their diagnostic yield. …
LACTATE DEHYDROGENASE IS SUPERIOR TO SERUM-FREE HEMOGLOBIN AS A MARKER OF PUMP THROMBOSIS IN LEFT VENTRICULAR ASSIST DEVICES

Purpose: Mechanical circulatory support is known to have significant effects on red blood cell integrity resulting in hemolysis. The incidence, impact, and characteristics of clinically important hemolysis with longterm left ventricular assist device (LVAD) therapy is largely unknown. Methods and Materials: Data were obtained from the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (INTERMACS). Adult patients who received an intracorporeal continuousflow LVAD (CF-LVAD) between June 2005 and March 2012 were included. A hemolytic event was defined as a plasma-free hemoglobin 440 mg/dL in association with clinical signs of hemolysis occurring at least 72 hrs after LVAD implant. Descriptive statistics, time-dependent analyses, and multivariable modeling were employed for statistical purposes. Results: A total of 4850 patients comprised the study population. There were 340 hemolytic events in 260 patients. Freedom from hemolysis was 97% at 3 months, 94% at 1 year, and 91% at 2 years. Mean time from implant to first hemolysis event was 7.4 months. Average hematocrit and plasma-free hemoglobin were 28.3% and 115.3 mg/dL, respectively. Those with a biventricular device were more likely to have hemolysis than those with LVAD support alone (p1⁄40.02). CF devices led to a nominally greater hemolytic rate. Younger age was independently associated with hemolysis (p1⁄40.01), and survival was significantly lower after an event (Figure). Conclusions: Hemolysis occurs in nearly 1 out of 10 LVAD patients by 2 years and significantly reduces survival. Further evaluation is necessary to better understand causal factors and mechanisms of hemolysis, as well as potential therapeutic options for affected patients.
Constrained LMS phase noise estimation algorithm for coherent optical M-QAM intradyne receivers

We analyze and optimize the performance of a single-tap constrained decision-directed least-mean square algorithm for computationally-efficient phase noise estimation in coherent optical intradyne receivers intended for the detection of arbitrary M-QAM constellations.
Therapeutic jurisprudence in a comparative law context

Therapeutic jurisprudence is the study of the role of the law as a therapeutic agent. Legal rules, legal procedures, and the roles of legal actors are seen as social forces that may produce therapeutic or antitherapeutic consequences. With a focus on legal arrangements and therapeutic outcomes, interest in therapeutic jurisprudence is less tied to domestic legal doctrine than are many other areas of legal scholarship. The present article proposes a comparative law approach to the study of therapeutic jurisprudence, and discusses some of the benefits—and possible cautions—of such an approach. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
From gain-sharing to gain-generation: The quest for distributive justice in international joint ventures

Abstract This research investigates how distributive justice (DJ) affects cooperation-related outcomes in international joint ventures (IJVs) through several routes that intersect with reciprocal commitment, organizational attachment and contractual specification. Grounded in the convergent insights of IJV theory and justice theory, this study argues that DJ improves IJV performance through enhanced mutual commitment and interparty attachment, as well as through DJ's complementary role with IJV contract. The findings extend previous research by demonstrating that (1) DJ is an important variable affecting IJV stability via the mediation of interorganizational attachment and (2) DJ and IJV contract function as complements rather than substitutes in governing cooperation and improving IJV profitability and stability.
Spherical harmonics convergence studies for critical spheres

Abstract The use of spherical harmonics approximations of the monoenergetic Boltzman neutron transport equation to determine the critical radius of a spherical reactor is considered with emphasis placed upon the even-order approximations. Numerical computations indicate that in terms of the prediction of a critical radius the P2 approximation is usually superior to the P1 approximation. For higher order approximations the odd-order approximations are invariably superior to their corresponding even-order approximations. When Mark's vacuum-interface boundary conditions are used for a bare spherical reactor or the appropriate interfacial boundary condition applied to a reactor with a thick reflector, the even-order approximations provide a lower bound on the exact critical radius. Under the same circumstances, the odd-order approximations provide an upper bound. A particular weighted average of these counter convergent even and odd-order approximations is found to converge more rapidly than the use of either independently.
Your best life: relationships - the lifeblood of a peaceful existence.

The life of an orthopaedic surgeon is filled with excitement, personal satisfaction, and daily anxiety. I run two operating rooms, see approximately 125 patients a week, and do my best to educate the next generation of surgeons. I would not trade my vocation for any other; yet, stress abounds each and every day. My wife of 27 years, Marie, my trusted colleagues, friends, and staff all help buoy my emotions. I share my professional journey with them. We all need the trusted support of another person—whether a spouse, close personal friend, or family member—to help navigate the daily stressors that confront us. Relationships, not material things, determine our personal happiness [5]. We might say that the quality of our lives is directly proportional to the quality of our relationships. The deeper each relationship, the more influence it has on our well-being. This column will focus chiefly on the importance of a significant other, spouse, or partner. Are physicians more prone to divorce? How does a physician balance family obligations with his or her commitments in the workplace? And what role do trusted friends and family play, beyond that served by the significant other or spouse?
Expansion(s) of r −212

The expansion for r claimed by Luchow and Kleindienst to be “new” is shown to be algebraically identical to that reported some years previously by Pauli and Kleindienst but with the coefficients of the expansion brought to a far more convenient form. The demonstration presented here also reveals some previously unreported relationships connecting these coefficients. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2004
Contemplative Practices and the Renewal of Legal Education.

This chapter describes the nascent development of a contemplative approach to law and legal education. It describes some of the notable innovations—inspiring new courses and cocurricular offerings—that have been increasingly observed among law schools and argues that because these reforms respond to a range of criticisms of the legal profession they merit further research and support among legal educators.
Dairy cow handling facilities and the perception of Beef Quality Assurance on Colorado dairies.

A survey was conducted on Colorado dairies to assess attitudes and practices regarding Dairy Beef Quality Assurance (DBQA). The objectives were to (1) assess the need for a new handling facility that would allow all injections to be administered via DBQA standards; (2) establish if Colorado dairy producers are concerned with DBQA; and (3) assess differences in responses between dairy owners and herdsmen. Of the 95 dairies contacted, 20 (21%) agreed to participate, with a median herd size of 1,178. When asked to rank the following 7 traits—efficiency, animal safety, human safety, ease of animal handling, ease of operation, inject per Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) procedures, and cost—in order of priority when designing a new handling facility, human and animal safety were ranked highest in priority (first or second) by the majority of participants, with ease of animal handling and efficiency ranked next. Interestingly, the administration of injections per BQA standards was ranked sixth or seventh by most participants. Respondents estimated the average annual income from the sale of cull cows to be 4.6% of all dairy income, with 50% receiving at least one carcass discount or condemnation in the past 12 mo. Although almost all of the participating dairy farmers stated that the preferred injection site for medications was the neck region, a significant number admitted to using alternate injection sites. In contrast, no difference was found between responses regarding the preferred and actual location for intravenous injections. Although most participating producers are aware of BQA injection guidelines, they perceive efficiency as more important, which could result in injections being administered in locations not promoted by BQA. Dairy owners and herdsmen disagreed in whether or not workers had been injured in the animal handling area in the last 12 mo. Handling facilities that allow for an efficient and safe way to administer drugs according to BQA guidelines and educational opportunities that highlight the effect of improved DBQA on profitability could prove useful. Dairy producers play a key role in ensuring that dairy beef is safe and high quality, and just as they are committed to producing safe and nutritious milk for their customers, they should be committed to producing the best quality beef.