cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hospital-onset Clostridium difficile infection among solid organ transplant recipients.

Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) is a considerable health issue in the United States and represents the most common healthcare-associated infection. Solid organ transplant recipients are at increased risk of CDI, which can affect both graft and patient survival. However, little is known about the impact of CDI on health services utilization posttransplantation. We examined hospital-onset CDI from 2012 to 2014 among transplant recipients in the University HealthSystem Consortium, which includes academic medical center-affiliated hospitals in the United States. Infection was five times more common among transplant recipients than among general medicine inpatients (209 vs 40 per 10 000 discharges), and factors associated with CDI among transplant recipients included transplant type, risk of mortality, comorbidities, and inpatient complications. Institutional risk-standardized CDI varied more than 3-fold across high-volume hospitals (infection ratio 0.54-1.82, median 1.04, interquartile range 0.78-1.28). CDI was associated with increased 30-day readmission, transplant organ complications, cytomegalovirus infection, inpatient costs, and lengths of stay. Total observed inpatient days and direct costs for those with CDI were substantially higher than risk-standardized expected values (40 094 vs 22 843 days, costs $198 728 368 vs $154 020 528). Further efforts to detect, prevent, and manage CDI among solid organ transplant recipients are warranted.
Return to Play and Recurrent Instability After In-Season Anterior Shoulder Instability A Prospective Multicenter Study

Background:There is no consensus on the optimal treatment of in-season athletes with anterior shoulder instability, and limited data are available to guide return to play.Purpose:To examine the likelihood of return to sport and the recurrence of instability after an in-season anterior shoulder instability event based on the type of instability (subluxation vs dislocation). Additionally, injury factors and patient-reported outcome scores administered at the time of injury were evaluated to assess the predictability of eventual successful return to sport and time to return to sport during the competitive season.Study Design:Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2.Methods:Over 2 academic years, 45 contact intercollegiate athletes were prospectively enrolled in a multicenter observational study to assess return to play after in-season anterior glenohumeral instability. Baseline data collection included shoulder injury characteristics and shoulder-specific patient-reported outcome scores at the time of ...
A study of power distribution system fault classification with machine learning techniques

Power system protection includes the process of identifying and correcting faults (failures) before fault currents cause damage to utility equipment or customer property. In distribution systems, where the number of measurements is increasing, there is an opportunity to improve fault classification techniques. This work presents a study in fault classification using machine learning techniques and quarter-cycle fault signatures. Separate voltage- and current-based feature vectors are defined using multi-resolution analysis and input to a two-stage classifier. The classifier was trained and tested on experimental fault data collected in Drexel University's Reconfigurable Distribution Automation and Control (RDAC) software/hardware laboratory. Results show: (1) non-linear, and even non-contiguous decision regions on a “fault plane”, using a phase voltage-based feature, and (2) an accurate classifier for determining the grounding status of multi-phase faults, using a neutral current-based feature.
Bariatric Surgery in Adolescents

It is estimated that 18% of children and adolescents in the United States are now obese (1). According to the NHANES surveys of 1976–1980 and 2003–2006, the prevalence of obesity has risen from 5 to 12.4% in 2–5-year-old children, from 6.5 to 17% in children aged 6–11 years, and from 5 to 17.6% in teenagers (2). The implications are serious and have both immediate and long-term effects. Childhood obesity increases the incidence of hypertension, hyperinsulinemia, and dyslipidemia, which raise the risks of cardiovascular disease. A cross-sectional and longitudinal study of more than 6,000 Louisiana children found that 39% of obese subjects (BMI >95th percentile) had two or more cardiovascular risk factors; cardiovascular risk was even higher in those with BMI at the 99th percentile (3).
Power law behavior in Navy and Marine Corps avionics systems

A power law distribution is a mathematically lopsided probability distribution in which one quantity varies as a power of another. Probability distributions, in general, describe the percentage of items that have a particular value in a data set. Empirical examples of power law distributions typically involve a small group of “bad actors” within a population that cause the tail of the distribution to skew away from that of a straight line. Avionics failures within the Naval Air Enterprise (NAE) also typically involve a small population of bad actors which account for a large portion of failure conditions. Therefore, the authors were eager to investigate whether Navy and Marine Corps avionics systems failures fit a power law distribution. If so, it would suggest that radical change is needed to current maintenance practices, including a change in investments in automatic test equipment. To address this question, the top five hundred avionics degraders from across the NAE were analyzed using a method laid out by Clauset, et al [1]. First, data was gathered and candidate systems were identified using visual inspection of the data. Data from candidates was then analyzed such that the tail of the distribution could be compared to the power law distribution. Finally, a goodness of fit calculation was performed to find whether or not the power law distribution appropriately described the behavior of the candidate system. All power law candidates were then compared to other types of distributions. This information was used to determine if the power law distribution truly is the favored distribution for a given data set. Analysis was done on two data sets: one from 2000 to 2010 and with data from 2010 to mid-2015. It was found that the results from this comparison favored other types of distributions over the power law in almost every case. Furthermore, it was found that no-fault-found maintenance actions can create the illusion of power law failure behavior in some systems, where none actually exists.
The Corporation as Snitch: The New DOJ Guidelines on Prosecuting White Collar Crime

Volkswagen, the world’s largest auto maker, acknowledged in September 2015 that it had equipped its cars with software designed to cheat diesel emissions tests. The VW scandal may become the first major test of the Department of Justice’s recently announced guidelines that focus on individual accountability in white collar criminal investigations. Criminal investigations into safety defects at two other leading car makers, General Motors and Toyota, yielded no criminal charges against any individuals. But in a recent speech announcing the new guidelines, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates stated, “Crime is crime,” whether it takes place “on the street corner or in the boardroom.” “The rules have just changed.” We raise questions about this new approach and some of its possible implications. The new cooperation policy’s emphasis on individual prosecutions could itself result in leniency: prosecutors may award excessively generous credit to corporations in order to build cases against individuals.
Clinical Pearls: Renal Replacement Therapy for Acute Kidney Injury in the Postoperative Period

The management of perioperative patients with severe acute kidney injury (AKI), and its associated complications, is mostly supportive and includes renal replacement therapy (RRT). Available RRT modalities are intermittent hemodialysis (IHD), peritoneal dialysis (PD), continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT), and hybrid therapies, known as prolonged intermittent renal replacement therapy (PIRRT). This chapter reviews the current evidence regarding the timing of initiation of RRT, the modality selection, and the critical elements of the RRT prescription for AKI in the postoperative period.
Development of Renal Failure in Children with the Prune Belly Syndrome

AbstractFrom 1970 to 1987, 32 male and female patients with the prune belly syndrome were evaluated. Of these patients 11 died as neonates or infants, and autopsy in 9 revealed 6 cases of diffuse and severe renal dysplasia. In the 10 surviving patients renal insufficiency developed and a total of 13 nephrectomies and renal biopsies were performed. Renal dysplasia was noted in 9 specimens, but unlike the infant kidneys, the dysplastic changes involved less than 25% of the parenchyma in most cases. Renal failure in these 10 patients was caused by pyelonephritis and obstruction. In our estimation perinatal renal failure in patients with the prune belly syndrome results from renal dysplasia caused by an in utero insult, while in older patients pyelonephritis and obstruction are the causes. Careful treatment of reflux, obstruction and urinary tract infections may decrease the incidence of renal failure in patients with the prune belly syndrome who survive infancy.
Community hospital charges for orthognathic surgery.

Hospital charges for orthognathic surgery with rigid fixation were evaluated for 80 patients from a community surgical practice. Although the surgeon can control to some degree the length of stay and charges for room and board, ancillary services, laboratory, radiology, and medicine by altering practice patterns, these charges together are less than 24% of the hospital bill. Seventy-six percent of the total hospital charges are generated in the operating room (i.e., operating room, anesthesia, recovery, and respiratory apparatus). Surgeons have minimal control over these changes. Further negotiations with private and government third parties about reimbursement for orthognathic surgical procedures require a cooperative effort between the hospital and the surgeons.
Review: 700 to 800 IU/d of vitamin D reduces hip and nonvertebral fractures in older persons.

Source Citation Bischoff-Ferrari HA, Willett WC, Wong JB, et al. Fracture prevention with vitamin D supplementation: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA. 2005;293:2257-64. 15886381
Excitation Energy Redistribution in CryptomonasOvata

The distribution of excitation energy between the photosystems is regulated in some photosynthetic organisms via a mechanism known as the light state transition (1). The nature of the mechanism depends upon the kind of light harvesting apparatus associated with PS2 (2). We have been studying excitation energy redistribution in cryptomonad algae. They are a unique group of organisms as they have an integral thylakoid membrane chl-a/chl-c2 protein complex functionally similar to the chl-a/chl-b LHC, and they have phycobilins which are found densely packed within the thylakoid lumen. Unlike the phycobilisome-containing organisms, cryptomonad algae contain one type of phycobilin (phycoerythrin or phycocyanin) and they do not have allophycocyanin. The detailed structural arrangement of the cryptomonad phycobilins in vivo is not known. in this report we present data which show that selective excitation of pigments associated with PSI or PS2 in Cryptomonas ovata leads to changes in the distribution of excitation energy as assayed by low temperature (77K) fluorescence from whole cells. Although there are similarities to the phycobilisome-containing organisms with respect to regulation of excitation energy distribution, this and the accompanying report (3) indicate that C. ovata does not undergo a light state transition.
Gameplay data plays nicer when divided into cohorts

Gameplay data is inherently noisy due to many potential environmental factors, but cohort analysis can help extract the signal. Form cohorts to control for different conditions, then compare these cohorts to find differences that may help provide insight about the players. Cohorts based on the install date of the game make it possible to find out whether changes in the software have a long-term effect. Forming cohorts based on some condition of the players, such as skill level, can reveal how these groups are different and why they are different.
Examining Self-Similarity Network Traffic Intervals

Understanding network traffic pattern and its impact on the Internet provides valuable insights in designing new network protocols, particularly in designing one for applications with a tendency to generate bursty traffic of data, such as Voice over IP (VoIP). To capture the behavior, network traffic can be illustrated on many scales using the notation of self-similarity because network traffic is statistically self-similar. In this paper, we propose a study on analyzing the length of a traffic interval by self- similarity based on the difference between arrival times of packets. We examine the dependency between fast and slow interval as well as a study on the data transition between both intervals.
Non-Provocative Assessment of Intracranial Volume — Pressure Relationships

Although intracranial volume — pressure relationships can be directly determined, volume — pressure testing is an invasive and potentially dangerous maneuver requiring a ventricular or lumbar catheter. Therefore, we examined three nonprovocative mathematical techniques for estimating the volume — pressure relationship by analyzing the shape and character of the ICP waveform.
Status Epilepticus in Neonates

Neonatal seizures occur with an incidence of 1–5 cases per 1000 live births, and status epilepticus or recurrent seizures are not uncommon patterns. This chapter outlines a definition of neonatal seizures and status epilepticus and describes the newborn’s neurobiologic predisposition to seizures. This is followed by an overview of diverse causes of neonatal seizures ranging from acquired to genetic conditions. We then characterize the clinical semiologies and electrographic features of neonatal status epilepticus, particularly those that are distinct from that in older children and adults. We conclude with a review of appropriate treatments and what is known about the prognosis and outcome following neonatal seizures and status epilepticus.
Actions and Services for the New Family

In the 1970s, as in past decades, the same question is being raised: Will the family survive as a primary social system in the 21st century? The answer is a qualified yes—in that some form of family will persist, but the meaning it will have for its members, the structure of relationships, the way in which marital and parenting functions will be performed, and its durability over time are unknowns. Also, these future functions will vary extensively from the more commonly known and prevalent nuclear family form of procreation, where males traditionally hold gainfully employed roles and women are homemakers.
Stimulation and regulation of tumor cell motility in invasion and metastasis

In this review, the role of extracellular factors in the stimulation and regulation of tumor cell motility are discussed. Tumor cells respond in a motile fashion to a variety of external ligands including autocrine motility factors, growth factors, and components of the extracellular matrix. Since tumor cell motility is a necessary component of tumor invasion and metastasis, we speculate that these protein factors could play important regulatory roles in tumor motility at different stages of the metastatic cascade.
Privacy Primer: An Ethical Review in an Information Systems and Technology Curriculum

One of the most important topics in modern information technology today is the impact of privacy ethics and laws on the design, development, and implementation of information systems and databases, including Internet and electronic commerce websites. Unfortunately, the ethical and legal issues associated with this important topic are rarely addressed formally in information systems or sciences education. This paper presents an overview of the major issues associated with information privacy, suggests relevant sources for instructional content, and develops a series of pedagogical exercises that can be used to instill in current students the key issues associated with the ethical construct of privacy. The background of privacy rights are reviewed as well as legal and regulatory implementations both in the US and internationally. As an example of a specific current technology privacy issue, radio frequency identification is discussed including its privacy ramifications. The report concludes with a call for others to participate in implementation of this important technology component as proposed by many including the 2002 model IS curriculum.
Autism Spectrum Disorder and Neonatal Serum Magnesium Levels in Preterm Infants.

Premature birth is associated with increased risk of autism spectrum disorder. Antenatal maternal magnesium administration is known to reduce subsequent risk of cerebral palsy including among prema...
Lung cancer screening rates: Data from the lung cancer screening registry.

6504Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer related mortality in the United States. Since 2013, the United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommended annual screening...
Is Antibiotic Prophylaxis Necessary Before Dental Procedures in Patients Post Total Ankle Arthroplasty

Background:The need for dental antibiotic prophylaxis after orthopedic surgery remains unclear. Current recommendations are based on patients with total hip and total knee arthroplasties. We invest...
United Voice & Divisive Tactics: The Role of the ECJ in European Legal Integration

The purpose of this article is to discuss the relationship between the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and British Judges and show that horizontal judicial interaction has important effects on this relationship. This article posits that despite concern over the maintenance of parliamentary sovereignty, British judges have embraced European Union (EU) law and have formed horizontal ties with EU legal actors particularly Advocates General’s attached to the ECJ and other member state’s courts to facilitate their absorption of EU law. The EU international legal order was created in 1952 by the Treaty of Paris. Since its start as the European Coal and Steel Community it has expanded from six to twenty-eight European member states. EU law began as a way to prevent war by binding production of the tools of war (coal and steel) and has since expanded to touch upon a wide range of law including immigration, economic and business law, environmental law, and criminal law.
Slough evolution and legacy mercury remobilization induced by wetland restoration in South San Francisco Bay

Abstract Coastal wetlands have a long history of degradation and destruction due to human development. Now recognized as one of the most productive ecosystems in the world, substantial efforts are being made to restore this critical habitat. While wetland restoration efforts are generally viewed as beneficial in terms of providing wildlife habitat and flood control, they are often accompanied by dramatic physical and chemical changes that may result in unintended consequences, which are rarely studied. Alviso Slough, a tidal slough in South San Francisco Bay, California, is the site of an ongoing effort to restore former salt-production ponds to intertidal marsh habitat. Restoration is complicated by the fact that (1) the ponds undergoing restoration are severely subsided and (2) subsurface sediments within the slough and surrounding ponds are contaminated with legacy mercury deposits. Due to concerns regarding mercury remobilization, restoration has proceeded in a cautious, methodical manner. To assess the amount of legacy mercury remobilized since restoration began, we developed a technique of combining high-resolution, biannual measurements of bathymetric scour with mercury concentration measurements from sediment cores. We estimate that 52 kg (±3) of mercury was remobilized in the 6 years since restoration began. Net bathymetric change analyses revealed seasonal trends of peak erosion during the winter months and little to no net change during summer months. Our analyses provide crucial insight on the spatial and temporal scales of geomorphic evolution within a tidal slough resulting from both natural (seasonal) variability and restoration actions. The technique presented here could be applied to other study sites and various sediment-associated contaminants of concern to aid in the design and management of restoration projects aiming to minimize negative impacts from legacy contaminants.
A Student-Faculty Collaborative Journey toward Transformative Religious and Secular Worldview Literacy

This article presents the process and results of an action research project conducted during collaboration between one professor and seven students as they worked on designing a course to help students at a religiously owned and sponsored university become “religiously literate” persons, as described by the American Academy of Religion. The new course has been designed to enhance students’ public service, increase professional effectiveness, and enrich their private lives. Administrators, faculty, and students in similar contexts will hopefully see in this report how such efforts can create a transformative educational space that helps students become leaders in a world where religious diversity is understood, protected, and respected.
Aerobic bacterial pretreatment to overcome algal growth inhibition on high-strength anaerobic digestates.

Abstract Coupling anaerobic digestion and algae cultivation has attracted attention as a sustainable means of treating high-strength wastewaters. In such a scenario, nutrients from the liquid anaerobic digestate are used by algae to produce biomass. However, use of full-strength digestate results in poor algal growth and nutrient removal. Most researchers have overcome this challenge by diluting digestate 10–30 fold prior to algae growth but such dilution rates demand large amounts of fresh water, posing challenges for scale-up. The objectives of this study were to 1) assess whether ammonium, turbidity, and heavy metals in digestate were the primary sources of inhibition for a highly-nutrient tolerant strain of Chlorella sorokiniana, and, 2) develop a biological pretreatment strategy to overcome algal growth inhibition on full strength digestate. Ammonia toxicity, turbidity, and heavy metals have been commonly hypothesized as the source of algal growth inhibition, but our results showed that these factors were not critical inhibitors of C. sorokiniana. Dose response studies showed that C. sorokiniana could grow robustly on 3,500 mg/L ammonium. Regardless, full strength digestates of wastewater sludge and food waste were very inhibitory to C. sorokiniana. We utilized a pretreatment approach using activated sludge which led to robust algal growth on full-strength digestate. High growth rates of 250–500 mg/L/d were achievable on pretreated digestates despite very high ammonium levels of ∼2,000 mg/L. Pretreating digestate also led to significantly faster algal nutrient uptake compared to untreated digestate (p
Phosphorylated ribosomal S6 (p-S6) as an indicator of HER2 signaling targeted drug resistance.

609 Background: Thetargeting of HER2/neu oncoprotein with trastuzumab (Herceptin) has altered the natural history of HER2+ breast cancer, however, its clinical benefit is limited by de novo and/or ...
Employing knowledge patterns for auditing the Foundational Model of Anatomy

We introduce an approach to auditing ontologies based on knowledge patterns. These patterns make explicit the correspondence between the domain being modeled and the representation used within the model. In this work, we first construct anatomical knowledge patterns relevant to the musculoskeletal system and then use the patterns as guides to retrieve content from the Foundational Model of Anatomy. By examining the results of the content retrievals, we demonstrate how our approach can be employed for ontology auditing and quality assurance efforts.
Space to Think: Co-Designing a Library Environment for Student Ideation

The University of Oregon Libraries recently launched the campus’s first ideation room, the Innovation, Design, Education, and Aspire (IDEA) Space. The IDEA Space differentiates from other creative ...
Cascaded Multifunctional Metasurfaces for Single-Shot Quantitative Phase Gradient Microscopy

We experimentally demonstrate a single-shot quantitative phase gradient microscope by two cascaded multifunctional metasurfaces. Experiments with various specimens show the capability to capture quantitative phase gradient images with single-cell resolution and low noise levels.
Multi-omic Evaluation of Metabolic Alterations in Multiple Sclerosis Identifies Shifts in Aromatic Amino Acid Metabolism

ABSTRACT The circulating metabolome is a product of interactions between the genome, epigenome, exposome and microbiome. The metabolome may be altered in people with multiple sclerosis (MS); however, existing metabolomics studies were relatively small or characterized a limited number of metabolites. Herein, we performed a multi-site study profiling the circulating metabolome to obtain relative abundances for 269 metabolites in a large cohort of MS patients and healthy controls. After adjusting for batch effects and extensive quality control, we created an overall metabolic dysfunction score, defined apriori sets of metabolites using known metabolic pathways, and derived novel networks of correlated metabolites using a weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA). We assessed whether metabolic dysfunction, individual metabolites, metabolic pathways or WGCNA-identified module scores differed between people with MS versus healthy controls (HC) after adjusting for age, sex and race using generalized estimating equations (participants could provide multiple samples). In a subset of patients, information on disability status was also available. Similar models assessed the association between metabolites and metabolite sets with measures of disability. In people with MS, we identified striking abnormalities in a WGCNA-defined module enriched in aromatic amino acid (AAA) metabolites (FDR-adjusted p-value=2.77E-18) that are also strongly associated with disability (FDR-adjusted p-value for AAA module=1.01E-4). Consistent results were obtained using apriori-defined metabolite sets or in analyses of individual metabolites. The identified abnormalities likely relate to imbalances in gut microbial metabolism of AAAs resulting in reduced production of immunomodulatory metabolites and increased production of metabotoxins (indole acetate, phenylacetylglutamine, p-cresol sulfate, p-cresol glucuronide). Single cell RNA sequencing data analysis demonstrated altered AAA metabolism in CSF and blood derived monocyte cell populations, while treatment of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells with AAA-derived metabotoxins resulted in increased production of tumor necrosis factor-α. We identify novel metabolic alterations in people with MS potentially contributing to disease pathophysiology.
Optimization of a Tri-layered Vascular Graft: The Influence of Cellular and Mechanical Properties

148 Introduction 149 Materials and Methods 152 Results 159 Discussion 182 Conclusion 197 6 Integrin binding analysis of electrospun polycaprolactone, collagen, elastin, and silk 199 Abstract 199 Introduction 200 Materials and Methods 204 Results 210 Discussion 219 Conclusion 224 Conclusion and Future Studies 225 Literature Cited 227 Appendices 249 A SEM of intimal, medial, and adventitial layers of the 45-45-10 (A-F), 5535-10 (G-L), and 65-25-10 (M-S) PCL-Elastin-Collagen graft after cross-linking with 50 mM EDC 249
Does Walkability Influence Housing Prices? Evidence from Miami

Objective: We examine the effects of neighborhood walkability on house values. Recent research claims that walkability makes homes more valuable, ceteris paribus. We contend that some studies report a spurious effect of walkability because of differences between areas with high and low walkability. Methods: We replicate the positive effect of walkability on prices for single family homes and condominiums in Miami, Florida, using a unique dataset of house values and characteristics. We employ a fixed effects regression model instead of a traditional ordinary least-squares (OLS) regression model to account for the unobserved heterogeneity of neighborhoods. Results: We find that walkability’s impact on housing value becomes statistically insignificant at the margin after controlling for heteroskedasticity and neighborhood fixed effects. Conclusions: The significant impact of the fixed effects suggests that something other than walkability is affecting prices and that better specified models are needed to discern the real price effects of walkability.
Using the inclined-plane test to evaluate the resistance of outdoor polymer insulating materials to electrical tracking and erosion

Evaluating the electrical tracking and erosion resistance of polymeric housing materials is an essential task performed in the development of outdoor insulators. “Tracking” means the formation of a surface carbonaceous path, and “erosion” means weight loss of the housing material. An absolute measurement of the tracking and erosion resistance is not possible; only relative ranking of composites can be achieved using the standard tracking and erosion tests. During the early use of organic insulating materials, failure due to tracking was a major concern, and therefore standard screening methods were proposed to evaluate the tracking rather than the erosion resistance. Erosion has become more important following the development of trackingresistant composites containing high levels of inorganic fillers.
The 'difficult' patient - may I refuse to treat him? : ethics

Doctors have both legal and ethical responsibilities towards their patients. Is it ever acceptable to refuse to treat a patient? In fact, it is, although the healthcare practitioner has to beware of abandonment of the patient. Some of the reasons for refusal to treat that are discussed in this article include risk to the doctor, non-compliance on the part of the patient, conscientious objection to the required treatment, or if the patient is hostile or abusive to the doctor and/or treating team.
Kids, Guns, and Homicide: Policy Notes on an Age-Specific Epidemic

Concern about the violent young offender is a cyclical phenomenon in the United States, usually lagging a few years behind general public alarm about rising crime rates. The sharp increase in violent crime in the United States between 1965 and 1974 occurred without any particular focus on adolescent offenders. After 1975 and until the beginning of the 1980s, however, youth crime and the young offender became the featured problem in public and legislative debates.1 The moral panic about drugs and drug control that was launched in the mid-1980s, like the reaction to the crime problem in the late 1960s, did not center on young offenders for a number of years. Since about 1993, however, the young offender and particularly the violent young drug offender has been a special target of public anxiety and governmental activity. One aspect of the attention young offenders are getting in the 1990s is brand new, rather than merely a cyclical recurrence. For the first time in modern history, middle-adolescent offenders are being identified as a high-risk and highusage group for firearms. The federal Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention now issues reports on reducing youth gun violence.2 Drive-by shootings, fear of guns, the demand for metal detectors in schools, proposals for special legislation, these are the youth violence soundbites of the 1990s. The most poignant reminder of the change in public focus was the passage of a federal law that established the creation of "gun-free schools" as a policy ambition of the national government.3 The sad part of this stated ambition is that gun-free schools were regarded as an accomplished fact for all of previously recorded American history. This essay is a brief examination of three dimensions of the juvenile firearms use epidemic of the period since 1985. Part II of the essay will examine the factual foundation for concerns about rising youth gun use. It will compare
Postprandial myofibrillar and whole body protein synthesis in young and old human subjects.

Rates of incorporation of leucine (using L-[1-13C]leucine as a tracer) into myofibrillar and whole body proteins were determined in healthy old (> 60 yr old, n = 7) and young (< 30 yr old, n = 9) men and women who were fed small meals (4% of daily energy) every 30 min. There was no difference in whole body incorporation of leucine into proteins in the young (148 +/- 5 mumol.h-1.kg lean body mass-1, means +/- SE) and old groups (150 +/- 3 mumol.h-1.kg lean body mass-1). However, the fractional myofibrillar protein synthesis in the vastus lateralis muscle was 28% slower in the older group (0.063 +/- 0.004 vs. 0.088 +/- 0.003 %/h, P < 0.001). Extrapolation of these results to whole body myofibrillar synthesis (fractional rate x myofibrillar mass estimated by creatinine excretion) indicated that, in the older group, total myofibrillar synthesis was 43% slower (1.8 +/- 0.2 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.2 g/h, P < 0.01) and that their myofibrillar synthesis was a smaller portion of whole body protein synthesis (15 +/- 1 vs. 23 +/- 1%, P < 0.001). Compared with age-matched postabsorptive subjects, whole body protein synthesis was approximately 25% faster, and fractional myofibrillar synthesis was approximately 50% faster in these fed subjects, both young and old. We conclude that myofibrillar synthesis is slower in older subjects during both postabsorptive and postprandial conditions but that aging does not impair the stimulatory effect of feeding on protein synthesis.
Measurement of gastric mucosal blood flow in man

Abstract In 5 normal subjects and 5 patients with duodenal ulcer, the clearance of [ 14 C]aminopyrine from plasma into gastric juice was studied during the intravenous infusion of stepwise increasing doses of pentagastrin ranging from 25 to 2000 ng per kg-hr. Acid secretion in response to pentagastrin and clearance of aminopyrine was significantly greater in duodenal ulcer patients than in normal subjects. In both duodenal ulcer patients and normal persons there was a significant correlation between rate of acid secretion and clearance of [ 14 C]aminopyrine, and the slopes and intercepts of the lines relating these two variables did not differ significantly between the two groups. Similarly, R , the ratio of gastric juice to plasma aminopyrine concentrations, which also is a measure of the milliliters of blood flow for each milliliter of juice secreted, showed a negative correlation with rate of acid secretion in both duodenal ulcer patients and normal subjects and the slopes and intercepts of the lines relating R to acid secretion did not differ significantly between the two groups. The relation between acid secretion and clearance of [ 14 C]aminopyrine in man is similar to that found in earlier studies in dog, a species in which clearance of aminopyrine has been shown to be a valid measure of mucosal blood flow. We conclude: (1) that clearance of [ 14 C]aminopyrine from plasma into gastric juice appears to be a valid measure of mucosal blood flow in man; and (2) that the relationship between rate of acid secretion and clearance of [ 14 C]aminopyrine is similar in normal subjects and in patients with duodenal ulcer.
Probing the binding sites and coordination limits of buckybowls in a solvent-free environment: Experimental and theoretical assessment

Abstract This work overviews the coordination properties of fullerene fragments or buckybowls, a new class of open geodesic polyaromatic hydrocarbons that map onto the surface of fullerenes but lack their full closure. In contrast to fullerenes, the bowl-shaped polyarenes have both the convex and concave unsaturated carbon surfaces open and available for coordination, which makes them unique and interesting π-ligands for metal binding reactions. Variable synthetic methods based on solution and solid-state reactions have been developed to access transition metal complexes of buckybowls and to reveal their coordination properties. These studies have been mainly focused on the smallest fragments of the C60-fullerene, corannulene (C20H10) and sumanene (C21H12). In order to utilize directional metal–π-arene interactions effectively and to differentiate π-bonding sites of buckybowls, we have introduced a micro-scale gas-phase deposition method. We have proven this technique to be very effective for the preparation of metal complexes of buckybowls in a single crystalline form. Plus, it allowed us to expand the coordination studies to larger bowls, including dibenzo[a,g]corannulene (C28H14), monoindenocorannulene (C26H12), and the C3-symmetric hemifullerene (C30H12). Specifically, several dimetal core complexes of varied electrophilicity have been used in the gas-phase coordination reactions to identify the preferential binding sites and to test the coordination limits of π-bowls in a solvent-free environment. The coordination preferences of several buckybowls having different surface area and bowl depth, as well as different curvature and strain are compared and discussed here based on the results of X-ray diffraction and DFT calculation studies.
Regulation of complex I by Engrailed is complex too.

Engrailed, a homeobox transcription factor that is crucial for neuronal development, is now shown to regulate mitochondrial complex I and to be critical for the survival, protection and physiology of adult dopamine neurons.
A blended learning approach to teaching pre-clinical complete denture prosthodontics.

Purpose The current study tested the hypothesis that a blended learning curriculum would develop competency in both pre-clinical laboratory and didactic learning with less direct supervision than in a traditional curriculum, and be positively accepted by both the students and the faculty. With the ability to efficiently deliver course material electronically came the ability to blend the traditional delivery of course material with an asynchronous approach involving online lecture presentations and online laboratory demonstrations. Methods The class was divided into two groups with bench space available to accommodate self-paced learning. All audio-visual and written support materials for both didactic and laboratory procedures were provided to the students at the beginning of the semester on a DVD. These materials included online access through the Blackboard Learning System™. Results Students' performance and satisfaction in the course as well as the supporting faculty response to the course were very favourable to the new blended curriculum. Conclusions Making use of the technologically advanced environment, the blended curriculum fostered student-focused learning to develop the didactic and laboratory skills necessary for competency in a pre-clinical setting.
Endor study of the 2-adamantyl radical

Abstract The endor spectrum of the 2-adamantyl radical in γ-irradiated adamantane reveals a proton hyperfine splitting of + − 3.55 g. This has been assigned to the σ bridgehead protons on the basis of indo calculations. A maximum value of a β H from the endor spectrum has been used to estimate a maximum value of B 0 ≈ 0.8 g for the widely employed relationship a β H = B 0 + B 2 cos 2 θ relating dihedral angle to proton hyperfine interactions in π electron radi cals. No evidence for other radicals in γ-irradiated adamantane has been obtained.
Correlation of the smoking tendency of materials

Physical aspects of smoke produced in an NBS Aminco Smoke-density Chamber are considered. A theory based on light scattering, light absorption, and particulate coagulation is developed in detail and calculated results are presented to relate the optical density to particulate size and mass concentration. Both flaming and nonflaming modes of material degradation are treated. The theory involves the particulate optical density (POD), a smoke parameter which is the ratio of the optical density per unit length of light path to the particulate mass concentration. Values of POD calculated theoretically for each mode do not vary widely and are in good agreement with measured values for a number of different natural and synthetic polymers. Separate correlations of POD for the two modes enable the prediction of specific optical density provided that particulate mass concentration is known or can be estimated.
The Educational Implications of the Computer: A Media Ecology Critique.

Media ecology, the study of media environments, is a perspective that is concerned with the social, cultural, and psychological impact of media and technology. This article describes this perspective and uses its principles in a critique of emerging computer‐based media and their use in education.
SO2 heat exchanger failure

Critical heat exchanger components are usually manufactured from durable steels, such as stainless steel, which exhibit good strength and corrosion resistance. Failure of a heat exchanger occurred due to specification of a plain carbon steel that did not survive service in the SO2 vapor environment. However, failure analysis showed that cavitation erosion was the responsible failure mechanism, not corrosion as might be expected.
Deficits, money and inflation

Abstract This paper examines the interrelationships between monetary and fiscal policy. Specifically, it seeks to determine whether Government budget deficits influence monetary growth. Using a money supply model originally developed by Barro, we find that deficits have had a significant impact on the growth of the U.S. money supply throughout most of the period since 1961. Such a relationship need not always hold. It depends on whether government deficits place upward pressure on interest rates and whether the central bank monetizes the debt in an effort to stabilize interest rates.
The ωn cusp in π−p elastic differential cross-section

The effect of the opening of the ωn channel on the π−p elastic differential cross-section is investigated. It is shown that, despite the ωn’s large production rate, the 10 MeV width of ω is large enough to smear the cusp and render it unobservable as a dramatic effect in the π−p elastic differential cross-section. This is in sharp contrast to a prominent cusp observed at the ηn threshold.
Mastery learning: Applying the theory

(1980). Mastery learning: Applying the theory. Theory Into Practice: Vol. 19, Teaching Methods: Learning Applications, pp. 104-111.
Myers–Briggs Type Personality Scales and their Relation to Taste Acuity

SENSITIVE quinine taste responders, that is, subjects with low taste thresholds for quinine and other compounds the taste thresholds of which also follow a Gaussian distribution in a population9, are more particular in their choice of food1,2, react earlier and in response to smaller doses of systemic stimulants3 or tranquillizers4 and display faster reaction times as measured by the serial seven test5. There are also significantly fewer heavy cigarette smokers among sensitive quinine responders as a group if contrasted with an age and sex-matched population of subjects with high quinine taste thresholds1,6.
The influence of estrogen on pituitary growth and on prolactin-production in vitro in the diabetic rat.

SummaryThe influence of estrogen injection on anterior pituitary (AP) weight and on prolactin secretion in vivo and in vitro was examined in the diabetic rat. In the absence of insulin estrogen did not have any effect on increasing AP weight while the increase in uterine weight was similar to that of normal animals. Thus insulin is an obligatory permissive mitogenic agent for estrogen-induced pituitary growth. The lack of insulin had no effect on the estrogen-induced increase in prolactin production. However, the method of expressing prolactin production is significant to the interpretation. If the prolactin production is expressed on the basis of AP weight then erroneous conclusions can result, i.e., an increase in prolactin release. Only when prolactin production is expressed on a pituitary basis does the in vitro finding agree with the in vivo observation. Data are also presented under a number of experimental circumstances to indicate that the amount of prolactin released into the medium is a percenta...
Digestibility and utilization of the energy and protein of wheat by infants.

The lack of suitable foods for weaned infants is a major nutritional problem in most of the world. The tolerance to and digestibility of wheat as pasta was studied in the diets of nine convalescent malnour ished infants ages 7 to 18 months, weight 6 to 11 kg. Pasta diets provided 25, 50 or 75% of energy as wheat. Protein provided 6.6% of energy in 25% wheat (50% casein-507c wheat protein) and 50% wheat (100% wheat protein). The 75% pasta diet provided 9.8% energy as wheat protein. Balance studies were carried out during the last 6 days of seven 9-day dietary periods. Appropriate isoenergetic-isonitrogenous casein control pe riods separated pasta periods. Apparent N retention during consumption of a 50:50 mixture of casein and wheat protein equalled that of casein alone. Apparent N retention during consumption of pasta at 9.8% protein-energy was inferior to casein in five children, similar in three children and superior in only one. Digestibility of wheat at all three levels of intake was excellent. Apparent N absorption did not differ from casein. Analysis of variance showed no effect of consumption of increased amounts of wheat on ap parent N absorption or stool wet weight. A linear relation to fecal energy and fecal carbohydrate content was found. Although the latter relationships were highly significant statistically, the incremental loss of energy in the stool at 75% pasta over 50% pasta was less than 3% of total energy intake, a value of minor biological significance. Pasta can readily provide a sub stantial proportion of the energy and protein in the diet of infants and should be valuable as a weaning food in developing countries. Without lysine supplementation, however, it cannot easily satisfy their protein needs. J. Nutr. 109: 1290-1298, 1979.
Effect of salt concentration on membrane lysis pressure

Cell membranes are capable of withstanding significant osmotic stress, the exact amount of which varies with the lipid composition. In this paper, we examine the effect that salt concentration has on the lysis pressure of membranes containing anionic lipids. Vesicles containing varying amounts of phosphatidylcholine and phosphatidylglycerol were osmotically stressed using NaCl as the osmolyte. The lysis pressure was observed to vary linearly with the Debye screening length and the extent of the variation was linear with anionic lipid content. The implications these results have for cells that frequently encounter low solute environments are discussed.