cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predicting Sense of Community among Graduate Students in a Distance Learning Environment

The purpose of the current study was to investigate the sense of community in graduate level distance education programs. This manuscript provides the results of a descriptive analysis of the existing sense of community among students while exploring the most robust prediction model to explain the variation. This cross-sectional analysis included 382 graduate students enrolled in various graduate programs delivered using the same instructional technology. The predictor variables were related to program characteristics (e.g., time spent in asynchronous coursework) and participants' demographics (e.g., age). The outcome variables were the total sense of community, learning community subscale, and social community subscale scores from a revised Classroom Community Scale (Rovai, 2002b). Results showed that perceived outside interaction with students, sexual orientation, importance of sense of community, and outside interaction with faculty accounted a significant proportion of the variation in participants' total sense of community scores. Importance of sense of community, outside interaction with students, and sexual orientation accounted for significant variation in participants' social community subscale scores. Finally, sexual orientation, outside interaction with students, proficiency with technology, outside interactions with faculty, and age accounted for significant variation in participants' learning community subscale scores.
In-sourcing Corporate Responsibility for Enforcement of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

The World Bank estimates that more than $1 trillion in bribes are paid each and every year to government officials who demand that they be given something extra simply for performing their public duties. Bribery supplants the rule of law with the rule of naked will—indeed, of naked greed—and turns many countries into kleptocracies. In the words of former Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer, “everyone—from the fruit stand owner in Tunisia, to the oil rig worker in Nigeria, to the punk rock musician in Russia—knows how pernicious corruption can be; and we in the United States are in a unique position to spread the gospel of anti-corruption, because there is no country that enforces its anti-bribery laws more vigorously than we do.” Former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan characterizes bribery as “‘an insidious plague that has a wide range of corrosive effects on societies. It undermines democracy and the rule of law, leads to violations of human rights, distorts markets, erodes the quality of life, and allows organized crime, terrorism, and other threats to human security to flourish.’” Public corruption “creates gaps in government structures that organized criminal groups and terrorist networks can exploit. In short, corruption is a ‘gateway crime.’” The problems of government and business corruption that are addressed by the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”) therefore cannot be overstated.
Partnerships in noncommunicable disease prevention and control

The World Health Organization (WHO) Noncommunicable Disease (NCD) Global Action Plan 2013–2020 and the WHO Action Plan for NCD in South-East Asia, 2013–2020, have identified advocacy, partnerships, and leaderships as a key strategic action area. The paper describes the proceedings of the plenary session titled “Partnerships in NCD Prevention and Control” which was held at the World NCD Congress at Chandigarh, India, in November 2017. Besides, a review of various data sources and literature was also carried to search for case studies related to successful partnership models in NCD prevention and control. This review describes the role of multiple partners such as the civil society, research organizations, private sector which includes the private health-care sector, pharmaceutical and the food industry, and other national and international experiences in multistakeholder partnerships to combat NCDs. Civil societies play a range of roles from generating evidence to advocating policies, providing technical support, partnering in implementation to monitoring commitments' direct provision of services, and ensuring accountability. Research organizations provide the much-needed evidence for informed policy-making. The key challenges in building a partnership are lack of clarity in roles and responsibilities of each partner in the alliance, resource constraints, imbalance of benefits and power between the partners, organizational difficulties, and differences in philosophies. A clear understanding of roles, responsibilities, interests and incentives of each of the partners, regular communication, and give-and-take philosophy are required to create effective partnerships. A mechanism of feedback channel is essential to monitor the progress and relevance. Communities should remain the central stakeholder in any partnership.
The Relationship between Intimate Partner Relationship Quality and Health Outcomes for Filial Caregivers

AbstractThis study examines the associations between the quality of adult filial caregivers’ intimate partner relationships and health behaviors, mental health, and physical health using structural...
Using Raspberry Pi microcomputers to remotely monitor birds and collect environmental data

Abstract Technological innovations have expanded our ability to understand ecological systems and conserve biodiversity at a time when many species are at risk from climate change and habitat loss. One technology that is predicted to greatly benefit the field of avian ecology is the microcomputer. Raspberry Pi microcomputers are low-cost alternatives to personal computers and are able to house a variety of environmental sensors. Raspberry Pis have recently been used to monitor the behavior of birds in artificial nest cavities. Here, we deploy and assess the ability of five different Raspberry Pi-based devices to record observational and environmental data at avian feeding stations. From January to March 2018, each device generated digital photographs and recorded related temperature and wind speed measurements every 10 s, for three hours per day, at five locations in Stark County, OH, USA. Among photographs taken, 96% were classified as ‘usable’ and no differences were noted in percent of usable photographs among devices (P = .50). In addition, no differences were noted in the mean number of feeder visits of two common birds species detected by devices and detected by a field observer (P = .39 and 0.60). Collectively, temperature measurements recorded by devices were similar to temperatures reported at the Akron-Canton Airport (P = .88), but wind speeds were 1.78 ± 0.12 m/s lower (P
Exploring the innermost solar atmosphere

The Parker Solar Probe spacecraft completed the first two of its 24 scheduled orbits around the Sun on 18 June 2019, making history by flying halfway between Mercury and the Sun.
Peripelvic Lymphatic Malformation Presenting With Gross Hematuria and Renal Colic: A Case Report.

Abstract Renal lymphangectasia is a benign malformation of the lymphatics which can be perirenal or peripelvic in location. Diagnosis is made on imaging including ultrasound, computed tomography , or MRI. We present an unusual case of renal lymphangectasia presenting with gross hematuria and flank pain diagnosed on computed tomography.
Myectomy of the four horizontal rectus muscles with pulley fixation for the treatment of horizontal nystagmus in 10 adults: a pilot study

Purpose Myectomy and release of the four horizontal rectus muscles can ameliorate nystagmus, but may result in adduction limitation, convergence insufficiency, or exotropia. We developed a modified four-muscle myectomy with pulley fixation, in which the myectomized muscles are attached to the pulley rather than released. The purpose of this study was to present a prospective review of the clinical, nystagmographic, and quality-of-life data in a cohort of adults. Methods Ten adults with horizontal infantile nystagmus syndrome were recruited between July 2018 and October 2018. Subjects were grouped according to presence or absence of foveal hypoplasia (FH). Following myectomy, all four horizontal rectus muscles were sutured within the pulley or encircling fascia. All participants completed a comprehensive sensorimotor examination, videonystagmography, and a nystagmus-specific quality-of-life questionnaire. Results Of the 10 subjects, 5 were in the FH group and 5 in the no-FH group. Postoperatively, all 10 subjects experienced an improved quality of life, with median increases of 73% (FH) and 104% (No-FH). Nystagmus amplitude and slow-phase velocity were reduced, and binocular best-corrected visual acuity improved in both groups. Foveation time increased, but inconsistently, within subjects and between groups. Horizontal ocular rotations were reduced by up to 58%. Five subjects required transposition surgery for symptomatic exotropia (4) or hypertropia (1). Conclusions In this small study cohort, four-muscle myectomy with pulley fixation reduced the amplitude and velocity of nystagmus and improved quality of life and visual acuity, notwithstanding reduced ocular rotation and reoperation. Fixation of the muscle to the pulley did not reduce the risk of exotropia.
SARS-CoV-2 infection of African green monkeys results in mild respiratory disease discernible by PET/CT imaging and prolonged shedding of infectious virus from both respiratory and gastrointestinal tracts

Vaccines are urgently needed to combat the global coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic, and testing of candidate vaccines in an appropriate non-human primate (NHP) model is a critical step in the process. Infection of African green monkeys (AGM) with a low passage human isolate of SARS-CoV-2 by aerosol or mucosal exposure resulted in mild clinical infection with a transient decrease in lung tidal volume. Imaging with human clinical-grade 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) co-registered with computed tomography (CT) revealed pulmonary lesions at 4 days post-infection (dpi) that resolved over time. Infectious virus was shed from both respiratory and gastrointestinal (GI) tracts in all animals in a biphasic manner, first between 2-7 dpi followed by a recrudescence at 14-21 dpi. Viral RNA (vRNA) was found throughout both respiratory and gastrointestinal systems at necropsy with higher levels of vRNA found within the GI tract tissues. All animals seroconverted simultaneously for IgM and IgG, which has also been documented in human COVID-19 cases. Young AGM represent an excellent species to study mild/subclinical COVID-19 disease and have shed light on unknown aspects of long-term virus shedding. They are ideally suited for preclinical evaluation of candidate vaccines and therapeutic interventions.
Topological behavior of a neutral spin-1/2 particle in a background magnetic field

We present results of a numerical experiment in which a neutral spin-1/2 particle subjected to a static magnetic vortex field passes through a double slit barrier. We demonstrate that the resulting interference pattern on a detection screen exhibits fringes reminiscent of Aharonov-Bohm scattering by a magnetic flux tube. To gain better understanding of the observed behavior, we provide analytic solutions for a neutral spin-1/2 rigid planar rotor in the aforementioned magnetic field. We demonstrate how that system exhibits a generalized Aharonov-Bohm effect [Wu and Yang, Phys. Rev. D 12, 3845 (1975)], due to the emergence of an effective SU(2) Wu-Yang (WY) flux tube. We study the behavior of the gauge invariant partition function and demonstrate a topological phase transition for the spin-1/2 planar rotor. We provide an expression for the partition function in which its dependence on the Wilson loop integral of the WY gauge potential is explicit. We generalize to a spin-1 system in order to explore the Wilczek-Zee (WZ) mechanism in a full quantum setting. We show how degeneracy is lifted by higher-order gauge corrections that alter the semiclassical WZ phase. Models that allow analytic description provide a foil to objections that question the fidelity of predictions based on the generalized Born-Oppenheimer approximation in atomic and molecular systems. Though the primary focus of this paper concerns the emergence of gauge structure in neutral systems, the theory is also applicable to systems that possess electric charge. In that case, we explore interference between fundamental gauge fields (i.e., electromagnetism) with effective gauge potentials. We propose a possible laboratory demonstration for the latter in an ion trap setting. We illustrate how effective gauge potentials influence wave-packet revivals in the said ion trap.
Proyecto Promover: Attempts to Roll Out an HIV Prevention and Testing Initiative Within a Mexican Immigrant Community

Latinx immigrants and men, in particular, living in the US are disproportionally impacted by HIV. Despite these concerns, there is limited research on the development, implementation, and evaluation of community-based HIV education and HIV testing interventions. The current study describes such efforts within a historic Mexican immigrant enclave in Chicago. A mixed-methods case study was used to describe intervention development, as well as preliminary evaluation data. Community intervention components were refined through early focus groups, asset mapping, community networking and consultation with cultural advisors. We exceeded our activity goals. We were successful in reaching a segment of the population that is often overlooked and remains unaware of HIV and its risks. Incorporating social network approaches could facilitate reaching at-risk community groups. Demonstration projects require more time and resources (fiscal and technical) to develop, refine, evaluate and sustain community-level intervention components.
Heterogeneous sensing and scientific machine learning for quality assurance in laser powder bed fusion – A single-track study

Abstract Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) is the predominant metal additive manufacturing technique that benefits from a significant body of academic study and industrial investment given its ability to create complex geometry parts. Despite LPBF’s widespread use, there still exists a need for process monitoring to ensure reliable part production and reduce post-build quality assessments. Towards this end, we develop and evaluate machine learning-based predictive models using height map-derived quality metrics for single tracks and the accompanying pyrometer and high-speed video camera data collected under a wide range of laser power and laser velocity settings. We extract physically intuitive low-level features representative of the meltpool dynamics from these sensing modalities and explore how these vary with the linear energy density. We find our Sequential Decision Analysis Neural Network (SeDANN) model – a scientific machine learning model that incorporates physical process insights – outperforms other purely data-driven black box models in both accuracy and speed. The general approach to data curation and adaptable nature of SeDANN’s scientifically informed architecture should benefit LPBF systems with an evolving suite of sensing modalities and post-build quality measurements.
Sympathetic Nerve Control of Blood Pressure Response during Exercise in Peripheral Artery Disease and Current Application of Experimental Disease Models

In patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), the blood supply directed to the lower limbs is reduced. This results in severe limb ischemia and thereby intermittent claudicating which is characterized by pain in lower limbs that occurs with walking and is relieved by rest. Of note, PAD can extremely affect the quality of living of patients and increase high risk of coronary and cerebral vascular accidents. However, effective treatments of PAD are still challenging in clinics. A number of reports have demonstrated the beneficial effects of supervised exercise on symptoms of PAD patients. This review will summarize results obtained from recent human and animal studies, which include the abnormalities in sympathetic control of blood pressure response during exercise in PAD, and rationality of animal models used for study human PAD. Nonetheless, additional in-depth studies are necessary to better explore the underlying mechanisms of the exaggerated responses of sympathetic nerve and blood pressure in PAD at molecular and cellular levels.
Carbon foam production from lignocellulosic biomass via high pressure pyrolysis

Abstract Carbon foams are a diverse class of materials with general characteristics of high carbon content and monolithic, porous structure. Carbon foams possess low density, high temperature tolerance and tailorable electrical and thermal conductivities. These properties make carbon foams useful for a variety of applications such as insulation, battery and fuel cell electrodes, and catalyst supports. This study presents carbon foam production from lignocellulosic biomass via a single-step high-pressure pyrolysis method. Detailed parametric testing was performed to identify operational parameters for the pyrolysis process to produce high quality foams from corn stover. The applicability of the methods to other lignocellulosic feedstocks was then demonstrated by production of carbon foams from pine wood and miscanthus grass. Additionally, mechanistic insights into carbon foam production under high pressure pyrolysis conditions were attained through monitoring of feedstock temperature during pyrolysis and evaluation of carbon foam production from major lignocellulose constituents: hemicellulose (xylan), cellulose, and lignin.
Socially distanced, virtually connected: Faculty and resident perceptions of virtual didactics

Background: During the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency medicine (EM) residency programs have transitioned from traditional in-person to virtual synchronous didactics to comply with social distancing guidelines. This study explores the perceptions of EM residents and faculty regarding this new virtual format. Methods: This was a multicenter, cross-sectional study at five EM residencies using a mixed-methods approach to investigate resident and faculty perceptions of virtual didactics. Institutions selected reflect different program lengths and geographic locations. Quantitative data measured on a Likert scale were summarized as percentages. Differences were calculated using Welch's t-test and chi-square, where p < 0.05 was significant. Open-ended responses were analyzed qualitatively. Results: Our response rate was 64% (n = 141) for residents and 48% (n = 108) for faculty. Fifty-one percent of faculty and 54% of residents felt that they were more likely to attend virtually than in person. Among residents, 77% felt that they were more likely to attend virtual conferences during vacation or elective rotations. Perceived retention of information from virtual sessions was perceived to be the same or better for 69% of residents and 58% of faculty. Residents felt that they paid more attention in the virtual format (29% vs. 26%, p = 0.037). Both groups missed the social interactions of in-person conference (86% of faculty, 75% of residents). Respondents from both groups felt that < 20% of total didactic time should remain virtual once social distancing recommendations are lifted. Qualitative analysis revealed recommendations from residents and faculty to optimize lecture style and interactivity. Decreased commute time and ability to multitask at home increased wellness for both groups. Conclusions: While benefits of virtual didactics were acknowledged, residents and faculty missed the social interaction of in-person conference and preferred < 20% of future didactics to be virtual. Further research should assess the difference in knowledge acquisition and retention between conference models.
The neural basis of one's own conscious and unconscious emotional states

Abstract The study of emotional states has recently received considerable attention within the cognitive and neural sciences. However, limited work has been done to synthesize this growing body of literature within a coherent hierarchical, neuro-cognitive framework. In this article, we review evidence pertaining to three interacting hierarchical neural systems associated with the generation, perception and regulation of one's own emotional state. In the framework we propose, emotion generation proceeds through a series of appraisal mechanisms – some of which appear to require more cognitively sophisticated computational processing (and hence more time) than others – that ultimately trigger iterative adjustments to one's bodily state (as well as to the modes of processing in other cognitive systems). Perceiving one's own emotions then involves a multi-stage interoceptive/somatosensory process by which these body state patterns are detected and assigned conceptual emotional meaning. Finally, emotion regulation can be understood as a hierarchical control system that, at various levels, modulates autonomic reactions, appraisal mechanisms, attention, the contents of working memory, and goal-directed action selection. We highlight implications this integrative model may have for competing theories of emotion and emotional consciousness and for guiding future research.
Experience and the ever-changing brain: What the transcriptome can reveal

The brain is an ever-changing organ that encodes memories and directs behavior. Neuroanatomical studies have revealed structural plasticity of neural architecture, and advances in gene expression technology and epigenetics have demonstrated new mechanisms underlying the brain's dynamic nature. Stressful experiences challenge the plasticity of the brain, and prolonged exposure to environmental stress redefines the normative transcriptional profile of both neurons and glia, and can lead to the onset of mental illness. A more thorough understanding of normal and abnormal gene expression is needed to define the diseased brain and improve current treatments for psychiatric disorders. The efforts to describe gene expression networks have been bolstered by microarray and RNA-sequencing technologies. The heterogeneity of neural cell populations and their unique microenvironments, coupled with broad ranging interconnectivity, makes resolving this complexity exceedingly challenging and requires the combined efforts of single cell and systems level expression profiling to identify targets for therapeutic intervention.
ADDIE in the Library: Building a Model for the Information Age Library.

Abstract Shifts in networked technologies have removed the need to store information geographically close to students, staff, and faculty on college campuses. This shift has put libraries on the offense to remain vital to the campuses they serve. As the library of the future emerges, new mod-els for decision making that place an emphasis on the teaching and learn-ing process will be needed. One such model is the ADDIE (assess, design, develop, implement, and evaluate) model for instruction. By extending this model, the library can position itself to better serve the curricula of the modern community college.
Impairment of intestinal hydrolysis of lactose in newborn infants.

A total of 122 oral lactose, glucose, glucose-galactose, and intravenous galactose tolerance tests were performed on 38 premature infants age 0-44 days and on 11 term infants age 0-3 days with the following conclusions: 1. Median fasting blood glucose levels were lower in premature infants than in term infants; values in premature infants rose steadily from 36 mg/100 ml in infants less than 3 days of age to 70 mg/100 ml in infants over 15 days of age. 2. Following orally administered lactose, 30- and 60-minute increments in blood glucose values were significantly less in premature and term infants younger than 3 days than in older infants. This was not true following oral administration of glucose. 3. In premature infants 0-3 days of age, 30- and 60-minute increments were significantly less following lactose than after either glucose or glucose-galactose. After 2 weeks of age, lactose tolerance tests were similar to glucose tolerance tests. 4. Intravenous galactose tolerance tests showed competent conversion of galactose to glucose in all age groups. 5. Significantly greater increments in blood glucose values were observed in premature and term infants less than 3 days of age when lactase was introduced into the duodenum prior to lactose administration. From the present study, it appears that hydrolysis of lactose in the intestine of the newborn infant is relatively impaired during the first few days of life. Further studies with quantitative assays of lactase activity in the intestinal epithelial cells will be necessary to determine whether an absolute insufficiency of lactase exists at birth.
Identity and the New Psychoanalytic Explorations of Self-organization

Questioning Identity. Identity Disturbances. Learning Self, Psychologically. Identity Sense and Personality Disorder. Identity and Self Esteem.
Ionospheric wave spectrum measurements

Une quantite importante a mesurer, dans l’ionosphere, est le spectre local S(k,ω) des fluctuations de densite electronique ou de potentiel electrostatique. A partir de S(k,ω), on peut en effet determiner des caracte-ristiques du plasma a l’echelle macroscopique, telles que la temperature et la densite locales, les coefficients de transport, ou les courants de derive. La determination de S(k,ω) peut s’effectuer a partir des mesures d’interspectres. Les signaux issus de deux sondes sont envoyes dans un analyseur d’interspectre, et la mesure est repetee pour toute une serie de distances de separation entre les deux sondes. L’interspectre resultant H(r,ω) fournit, grâce a une transformee de Fourier, la grandeur S(k,ω). Les problemes lies a la mise en œuvre de cette methode sont discutes. En particulier, on etudie le rapport signal a bruit attendu, ainsi que la resolution en frequence et nombre d’onde qui peut etre atteinte.
A New Approach for Testing Budgetary Incrementalism

We present evidence suggesting that the widely used regression method for testing budgetary incrementalism (Davis, Dempster, and Wildavsky, 1966a, 1966b, 1971) is not suited for U.S. budgetary data that appear to be nonstationary. The method, moreover, cannot detect a nonincremental period following (or preceding) an incremental period. We offer an alternative method that is valid even in nonstationary cases. Our method exploits both the crosssectional and time-series characteristics of the budgetary data to identify statistically the occurrence of incremental decisions (counts) and to estimate incremental cycles for various agencies. More important, the method lends itself to explanatory hypotheses testing. We formulate a set of hypotheses about how various political and economic factors may affect incremental budgeting. We test these hypotheses using the estimated counts in a Poisson regression context. Our results suggest that the Democrats’ control over the political process, a switch in the party con...
Average speaking fundamental frequency in soprano singers with and without symptoms of vocal attrition.

Summary Nineteen trained soprano singers aged 18–30 years vocalized tasks designed to assess average speaking fundamental frequency (SFF) during spontaneous speaking and reading. Vocal range and perceptual characteristics while singing with low intensity and high frequency were also assessed, and subjects completed a survey of vocal habits/symptoms. Recorded signals were digitized prior to being analyzed for SFF using the Kay Computerized Speech Lab program. Subjects were assigned to a normal voice or impaired voice group based on ratings of perceptual tasks and survey results. Data analysis showed group differences in mean SFF, no differences in vocal range, higher mean SFF values for reading than speaking, and 58% ability to perceive speaking in low pitch. The role of speaking in too low pitch as causal for vocal symptoms and need for voice classification differentiation in vocal performance studies are discussed.
Life after heart transplantation.

CCORDING TO the 1988 report of the Registry of the International Society for Heart Transplantation,] approximately 2,200 heart transplantations were performed in 1987. There are 109 heart transplant programs in the United States and 79 in the rest of the world. Most patients are male, with an average age of 43 years. Cardiomyopathy and coronary artery disease are the most common indications. The frequency of transplantation increased almost exponentially from 1980 through 1986, slowing in 1987, perhaps because demand has caught up with readily available donor supply. The 30 day mortality rate for heart transplantation is about 7% to 10%. Recent reports indicate the 5 and 10 year survival of heart transplant patients to be over 72.5%, with five year survival for patients on a three-drug regimen as high as 84%.’ Infection, cardiac failure, and acute and chronic rejection remain the leading causes of death. Patients over 55 years old are increasingly recognized as viable candidates with survival equivalent to younger patients. 2*3 Recent experience, especially with the introduction of cyclosporine immunosuppression, has rendered earlier psychiatric observations4-9 obsolete, and improved long-term survival heightens the importance of issues of quality of life for heart transplant recipients.
Yield response of head lettuce (Lactuca sativa l. ) to ozone

Head lettuce (Lactuca sativa L. cv ‘Empire’) was grown in the field and exposed in open-top chambers to proportional increments of ozone (O3) from full charcoal filtration (CF) to twice ambient O3 concentrations (NF × 2.0). Severe foliar injury developed on young plants exposed to O3 concentrations 1.7 and 2.0 times greater than ambient (seasonal 7 hr means of 0.104 and 0.128 ppm, respectively). These exposure levels also reduced total head weight 13 and 35%, respectively, compared with CF plants. Marketable-sized head weight was reduced 21 and 80%, respectively. Plants in O3-added chambers matured 2–3 weeks later than plants in low O3 chambers. Regression analysis of yield data indicated that the threshold for significant yield reduction of head weight was > 0.083 ppm (seasonal 7-hr O3 mean).
Synoptic climatology and the analysis of atmospheric teleconnections

Over recent decades, analyses of the structure and impact of atmospheric teleconnections have substantially increased our understanding of the climate system and the role of climate variability. Mo...
4664 Sphincter of oddi manometry and endoscopic sphincterotomy in patients with pancreatitis of unknown etiology: a long-term study and results in a tertiary referral center.

Sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD) is responsible for 15% of PUE. Limited data is available about the benefit and long-term outcome of ES. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcome of ES in this group of patients. Methods: All SOM performed for PUE were reviewed. A total of 67 studies were identified. A basal sphincter of Oddi pressure (SOP) greater than 40mmHg was considered abnormal. Nineteen out of 67 patients (28%) with clinical pancreatitis had elevated SOP.All patients had biliary sphincter manometry (BSM). If the pressure was high, biliary sphincterotomy (BS) was performed. If BSM was normal, pancreatic sphincter manometry was performed (PSM), and if high, pancreatic sphincterotomy (PS) was performed. Initially, 18 patients had BS and 1 patient had PS. All patients were admitted overnight for observation. Further follow-up was obtained by telephone interview using a standard protocol, which included 21 variables addressing pain resolution, narcotic use, the need for hospital admissions or ER visits, and any further intervention. Results: Complete follow-up was obtained in all 19 patients. The mean follow up time was 54 months (Range 6 -126). Patients were categorized in 3 groups according to the presence or absence of pain with or without narcotics, and the recurrence or not of documented pancreatitis. Eleven patients (58%) were pain free. Four patients (23.5%) had mild pain that did not require narcotics, and four patients (21%) had pain that required narcotics on a daily basis. Four patients (21%) required a second procedure, which included a SOM. Two of them had a PS because of elevated pancreatic sphincter pressure. Extension of the original sphincterotomy was performed in the remaining two because of residual biliary sphincter pressure. Complications occurred in 4 patients (21%). Three had mild pancreatitis and one patient with prior sphincteroplasty had a duodenal perforation requiring surgery. Globally, fifteen patients (79%) felt better after the ES was performed, and 4 patients (21%) had no improvement. Conclusions: 1-SOD is frequently identified in patients with PUE. 2- Initial measurement of biliary sphincter pressure is adequate for identification and treatment of most patients with pancreatitis and SOD. 3- Isolated pancreatic sphincter dysfunction requiring PS is infrequent. 4- Further studies are required to confirm these results.
Management of primary vaginal carcinoma.

Abstract Fifty-eight patients with primary squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the vagina were analyzed retrospectively. Twenty-seven patients were Stage I, 18 Stage II, 6 Stage III, and 5 Stage IV. In 2 patients staging information was not available. Thirty patients underwent operative therapy including 19 with Stage I disease. The adjusted actuarial survival for the entire group was 50% at 5 years and 46% at 10 years. The 5-year survival for Stage I treated with operation was 84% and with radiation therapy was 55%. The problems in staging vaginal carcinoma, patterns of persistent and recurrent disease, and complications of surgical therapy are discussed.
Worldwide incidence and prevalence of pediatric onset systemic lupus erythematosus

Compilation of worldwide data regarding the incidence and prevalence of pediatric-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is needed in order to evaluate the scope of the disease in the pediatric population. A literature review was performed to unify the current data available on the global incidence and prevalence of pediatric-onset SLE. We examined 13 available epidemiological studies concentrated on the incidence and prevalence of pediatric-onset SLE. The available reports were predominantly from North America, Europe and Asia. The limited amount of studies available highlights the need for more epidemiological research in order to better comprehend the global scope of this disease.
HAS and LAS rats respond differentially to behavioral effects of ethanol, pentobarbital, chlorpromazine and chlordiazepoxide.

Abstract The drug discrimination paradigm (DD) was used to evaluate differences in performance of rats selectively bred for differential sensitivity to the hypnotic effects of ethanol. Tenth generation high-alcohol sensitive (HAS) and low-alcohol sensitive (LAS) rats were trained to discriminate between ethanol (1.0 g/kg, IP) and saline vehicle on a VR-5 schedule of reinforcement. The HAS strain was more sensitive to the discriminative effects of ethanol than the LAS strain, but the magnitude of difference was much smaller than the differential sleep-time differences. The biphasic action of ethanol was differentially seen when the LAS animals exhibited increased activity during both DD and spontaneous motor activity measures and the HAS exhibited decreases activity during DD only. Pentobarbital and chlordiazepoxide but not chlorpromazine elicited the ethanol discriminative choice in both HAS and LAS strains. Response rates during DD indicated a dissociation of rate depressant effects and discriminative performance following ethanol. These findings are discussed in relationship to some current and future uses of selectively bred animal strains and DD for studying the effects of alcohol.
The Quality of University Writing: A preliminary analysis of undergraduate portfolios

An ex post facto study was conducted to test for differences in the quality of university student writing as reflected in early writing (by first or second year students) and later writing (third or final year). The study was based on a sample of 30 undergraduate portfolios, which contained a range of writing samples across the college years. Two rubrics, the holistic measure and a deep-and-surface measure, were used to evaluate writing samples. Additionally, the relationship of writing quality to a traditional performance measure was investigated. Results support moderate relationships between the deep- and surface-evaluation and the holistic evaluation. There were no significant differences in the quality of writing between early and late samples, and no significant relationships between Grade Point Average (GPA) and writing quality. Implications include suggestions for curricular and instructional change, as well as directions for further research.
Mesenteric angiography for lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage are there predictors for a positive study

PURPOSE: Selective mesenteric angiography is an expensive, invasive, diagnostic, and therapeutic tool for lower gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Some institutions have required a positive nuclear medicine bleeding scan before angiography. We have attempted to determine if this is a valid screening test for mesenteric angiography. Are there any other factors to predict which patients are actively bleeding and who will benefit from angiography? METHODS: All cases of mesenteric angiography for hemorrhage performed during a 12-year period were reviewed. RESULTS: A total of 131 angiograms were performed during a 12-year period with 45 patients demonstrating active bleeding; 54 patients had a bleeding scan before angiography. A positive bleeding scan did not increase the percentage of positive angiograms. A history of prior gastrointestinal bleeding, transfusions, orthostatic hypotension, or tachycardia were not predictors for a positive angiogram. DISCUSSION: This study could not identify any single useful predictor that will increase the likelihood of obtaining a positive angiogram. Nuclear medicine scans should not be used routinely as a screening test for angiography.
Petrology of a margarite-bearing meta-anorthosite from Seljeneset, Nordfjord, western Norway: Implications for the P-T history of the Western Gneiss Region during Caledonian uplift

Abstract The Western Gneiss Region of Norway contains relics of eclogite and high-pressure granulite that have been extensively overprinted by amphibolite-facies assemblages. A meta-anorthosite from Seljeneset. Nordfjord, contains fine-grained margarite+quartz+plagioclase±muscovite clots set in a zoisite+quartz+plagioclase±clinozoisite matrix. In some clots relict kyanite is preserved. Equilibria modeled in the CASH system indicate a retrograde P-T path that begins in the kyanite+zoisite field (P>8.2 kbar), passes through reaction (1), kyanite+zoisite+quartz⇌anorthite+H2O, between 610°C and about 800°C, and finally through reaction (2), kyanite+anorthite+H2O⇌margarite+quartz. The sodic composition of plagioclase in reaction (1) suggests that pressures in excess of 15–17 kbar (at 750–800°C) may have been experienced during Silurian eclogite-facies metamorphism. The simplified CASH reaction (2) occurs between invariant points at 4.3 kbar,520°C and 8.2 kbar,610°C, but polyvariance, due to variable Na solid solution, broadens the reaction into a band about 150°C wide. Cooling through 500°C occurred about 410 Ma ago. This study provides the first well-defined P-T path for Caledonian retrograde metamorphism at amphibolite-facies conditions.
Second-order finite element approximations and a posteriori error estimation for two-dimensional parabolic systems

We discuss an adaptive local refinement finite element method of lines for solving vector systems of parabolic partial differential equations on two-dimensional rectangular regions. The partial differential system is discretized in space using a Galerkin approach with piecewise eight-node serendipity functions. An a posteriori estimate of the spatial discretization error of the finite element solution is obtained using piecewise fifth degree polynomials that vanish on the edges of the rectangular elements of a grid. Ordinary differential equations for the finite element solution and error estimate are integrated in time using software for stiff differential systems. The error estimate is used to control a local spatial mesh refinement procedure in an attempt to keep a global measure of the error within prescribed limits. Examples appraising the accuracy of the solution and error estimate and the computational efficiency of the procedure relative to one using bilinear finite elements are presented.
Angiotensin II and L-arginine in tissue fibrosis: More than blood pressure

Angiotensin II and L-arginine in tissue fibrosis: More than blood pressure. Angiotensin II (Ang II) blockade and restriction of dietary protein are thought to retard progression of renal disease primarily by reducing glomerular capillary pressure and thereby reducing injury to renal tissues. Relatively recent data suggest that both of these therapies may also act through pressure-independent mechanisms to reduce repair processes that follow tissue injury and which, if not self-limited, can continue to cause tissue fibrosis and organ failure. We review recent data suggesting that Ang II is a profibrotic molecule independent of blood pressure. Therapeutic actions of dietary restriction of total protein and restriction of the amino acid L-arginine that appear independent of pressure are also discussed. These effects are separated into those that reduce injury and those that reduce tissue repair. Finally, we ask whether the Ang II blockade or restriction of dietary protein could be more effective if they were aimed not only at limiting injury, but also at halting excessive repair.
Ontogeny of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) gene expression reveals a distinct origin for GnRH-containing neurons in the midbrain.

In the teleost fish,Haplochromis burtoni, three gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) peptides and their corresponding cDNA sequences and full-length genes have previously been reported. Here we describe the ontogeny of mRNA expression for these three GnRH forms inH. burtoni. Each of the three forms has been shown to have a distinct spatial expression pattern in the adult brain. {Ser8}GnRH (the releasing form) is expressed exclusively in the hypothalamus, {His5Trp7Tyr8}GnRH is expressed in the midbrain mesencephalon, and {Trp7Leu8}GnRH is expressed in the terminal nerve area of the telencephalon. Previous work in other animals has shown that GnRH-containing neurons in the preoptic area arise from the olfactory placode and that these cells migrate into their final positions in the brain during early development. By using molecular probes to identify the cell types expressing distinct GnRH forms, our data are consistent with the migration of both {Ser8}GnRH and {Trp7Leu8}GnRH neurons from the placode to their appropriate adult locations in the brain. In contrast, we show that {His5Trp7Tyr8}GnRH neurons arise from the germinal zone of the third ventricle. By usingin situhybridization with digoxigenin-labeled cRNA probes, {His5Trp7Tyr8}GnRH mRNA was first evident at day 4, {Trp7Leu8}GnRH mRNA at day 8, and {Ser8}GnRH mRNA at day 14. However, by using the reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), all three GnRH mRNAs were found in whole embryos at day 4 of the 14 days of embryogenesis. This striking difference may be due to the greater sensitivity of RT-PCR compared within situhybridization. Alternatively, it is possible that {Ser8}GnRH and {Trp7Leu8}GnRH are expressed outside the brain during early development and only later inside the brain.
A model of distributed phase aberration for deblurring phase estimated from scattering

Correction of aberration in ultrasound imaging uses the response of a point reflector or its equivalent to characterize the aberration. Because a point reflector is usually unavailable, its equivalent is obtained using statistical methods, such as processing reflections from multiple focal regions in a random medium. However, the validity of methods that use reflections from multiple points is limited to isoplanatic patches for which the aberration is essentially the same. In this study, aberration is modeled by an offset phase screen to relax the isoplanatic restriction. Methods are developed to determine the depth and phase of the screen and to use the model for compensation of aberration as the beam is steered. Use of the model to enhance the performance of the noted statistical estimation procedure is also described. Experimental results obtained with tissue-mimicking phantoms that implement different models and produce different amounts of aberration are presented to show the efficacy of these methods. The improvement in b-scan resolution realized with the model is illustrated. The results show that the isoplanatic patch assumption for estimation of aberration can be relaxed and that propagation-path characteristics and aberration estimation are closely related.
Correlates and predictors of HIV risk among inner-city African American female teenagers.

Objective Design: For human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-related prevention initiatives to be most effective, they should be broad-based and incorporate multiple domains of influence. This study tested how several ecodevelopmental domains influenced HIV-risk related attitudes and behaviors in a community sample of African American female teens (N = 242). Main Outcome Measures: Outcome measures were number of partners, frequency of intercourse, number of pregnancies, abstinence/condom use, HIV/AIDS-related attitudes and behaviors, and HIV testing. Results: Structural Equation Modeling revealed many direct paths from ecodvelopmental domains to risky sexual behaviors. The findings include having more partners was associated with parental alcohol-related problems, more drug use, and a younger age at first intercourse. More frequent intercourse was associated with less cultural pride and more drug use. More pregnancies were related to a younger age at first intercourse and parental alcohol problems. HIV testing was associated with having experienced sexual abuse, an older age at first intercourse, and stronger self-efficacy. Conclusions: Prevention programs that focus on risk reduction could expand their focus beyond sexual behavior to include a broad-range of psychosocial domains that are associated with HIV-risk. The effectiveness of prevention programs should be monitored carefully for appropriateness in different ethnic groups.
Female genital mutilation: Insider/outsider discourses and the politics of judgment

Through the lens of a contemporary antifemale genital mutilation discourse, this field note provides background on how psychoanalysts and feminists have written about the practice of female circumcision. The authors provide preliminary ethnographic data, obtained from women and men in two indigenous groups in Kenya, on the subjects’ firsthand views of the practice. Their views are consistent with control of women's sexuality, but also implicate an adjacent discourse on blame and responsibility for HIV. These findings are considered in terms of how political stances are affected by insider and outsider positioning and the role of judgment in political activism.