cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of nature of science metacognitive prompts on science students' content and nature of science knowledge, metacognition, and self -regulatory efficacy

The purpose of the present explanatory mixed-method design is to examine the effectiveness of a developmental intervention, Embedded Metacognitive Prompts based on Nature of Science (EMPNOS) to teach the nature of science using metacognitive prompts embedded in an inquiry unit. Eighty-three (N = 83) eighth-grade students from four classrooms were randomly assigned to an experimental and a comparison group. All participants were asked to respond to a number of tests (content and nature of science knowledge) and surveys (metacognition and self-regulatory efficacy). Participants were also interviewed. It was hypothesized that the experimental group would outperform the comparison group in all measures. Partial support for the hypotheses was found. Specifically, results showed significant gains in content knowledge and nature of science knowledge of the experimental group over the comparison group. Qualitative findings revealed that students in the comparison group reported scientific thinking in similar terms as the scientific method, while the experimental group reported that scientists were creative and had to explain events using evidence, which is more closely aligned to the aspects of the nature of science. EMPNOS may have implications as a useful classroom tool in guiding students to check their thinking for alignment to the nature of science.
Partial shape recognition using dynamic programming

A partial-shape-recognition technique utilizing local features described by Fourier descriptors is introduced. A dynamic programming formulation for shape matching is developed, and a method for comparison of match quality is discussed. This technique is shown to recognize unknown contours that may be occluded or that may overlap other objects. Precise scale information is not required, and the unknown objects may appear at any orientation with respect to the camera. The segment-matching dynamic programming method is contrasted with other sequence-comparison techniques that utilize dynamic programming. Experimental results are discussed that indicate that partial contours can be recognized with reasonable accuracy. >
Formation and Magnetic Properties of Metastable Fe92Bi8 Nanocrystalline Solid Solution

Mechanical alloying was first employed to make supersaturated solution of Fe-Be, which is immiscible under an equilibrium condition at ambient temperature. A nanocrystalline alloy was successfully produced by mechanical alloying for the composition of Fe92Bi8 that could hardly be formed by the rapid solidification of melted alloys. The changes of structure and magnetic properties of milled Fe92Bi8 with the milling time were studied by using XRD, DSC and saturation magnetization (σs) measurements. The nanocrystalline solution is of bcc structure of α-Fe after 160h milling and the crystal size reaches 8nm after 200h milling. The σs of Fe92Bi8 decreases with the increasing of the milling time. After 200h milling, the σs decreases to a value of 156Am2/kg.
Elite Discourses, Nationalism and Moderation: A Dialectical Analysis of Turkish and Kurdish Nationalisms

AbstractScholars of nationalism and ethnicity have long studied when and how nationalist discourses on the one hand and national and ethnic identities on the other are often socially constructed along with their outcomes of ethnic disputes and nationalist polarizations. However, studies on the deconstruction processes of the nationalist discourses, their evolution over time and degrees of ethnic peace and moderation have mostly been limited. By taking the case of Turkish and Kurdish nationalisms in Turkey, this article argues that two competing elite discourses of nationalism have moderated rather than aggravated each other. The article explores the dialectical relationship between the nationalist discourses of the Turkish and Kurdish political elites, especially since the 1980s. Theoretically framing Turkish and Kurdish nationalisms in Michael Hechter's typology of state-building nationalism versus peripheral nationalism, respectively, it is argued that while the Turkish state has become distant from for...
Agir Contre La Convergence: Les « Autorités Centrales » Et Le Réseau Mondial De La Lutte Contre La Criminalité Transnationale Et Le Terrorisme (Countering Convergence: 'Central Authorities' and the Global Network to Combat Transnational Crime and Terrorism)

French Abstract: L'article de Dan Stigall soutient que, face a un ordre mondial de plus en plus instable, la necessite d’une cooperation internationale renforcee dans la lutte contre la criminalite transnationale et le terrorisme n'a jamais ete aussi pressante. Les operations menees par des groupes armes non etatiques, des terroristes et des organisations criminelles transnationales ont pris une dimension mondiale. De plus, comme l'ont montre les recents evenements, ces groupes s'averent plus meurtriers, perturbateurs et destabilisateurs que jamais. Il ressort toutefois qu'une cooperation efficace contre de tels groupes exige d'importants ajustements dans ce que le jargon du developpement international appelle « le secteur de la justice ». Selon Stigall, la communaute internationale doit donc accorder une attention accrue au developpement d’une autorite centrale dans les regions sensibles telles que le Moyen-Orient, l'Afrique du Nord et le Sahel. Les moteurs qui alimentent le cadre institue par les traites internationaux doivent etre construits, revises et correctement entretenus. Faute de quoi les efforts visant a combattre la criminalite transnationale et le terrorisme dans le cadre de l'etat de droit risquent de se solder par un echec.English Abstract: Dan Stigall's article maintains that in a progressively unstable world order, there has never been a greater need for international cooperation in the fight against transnational crime and terrorism. The operations of nonstate armed groups, terrorists, and transnational criminal organizations are becoming global in scope. Moreover, as recent events have demonstrated, such groups are more lethal, disruptive, and destabilizing than ever before. Also apparent, however, is the fact that effective cooperation against such groups requires much development in what the parlance of international development calls "the justice sector." Mr. Stigall argues that the international community must therefore devote more attention to the development of a central authority in critical regions such as the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel. Engines that give life to the international treaty framework must be built, serviced, and properly maintained. Otherwise, efforts to address transnational crime and terrorism through the framework of a rule of law will remain stymied.
Influence of Dimethylaminoethylbenzhydryl Ether Hydrochloride Upon Histamine Flare Reactions

SummaryDimethylaminoethylbenzhydryl ether hydrochloride orally administered in sufficient amounts is capable of completely suppressing the sensitivity of the skin to histamine, at least as expressed by the wheal and flare reaction. In limited trials, this effect appears to have widespread clinical application.
Adherence to guidelines for the management of local anesthetic systemic toxicity is improved by an electronic decision support tool and designated "Reader".

Background and Objectives A hardcopy or paper cognitive aid has been shown to improve performance during the management of simulated local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) when given to the team leader. However, there remains room for improvement to ensure a system that can achieve perfect adherence to the published guidelines for LAST management. Recent research has shown that implementing a checklist via a designated reader may be of benefit. Accordingly, we sought to investigate the effect of an electronic decision support tool (DST) and designated “Reader” role on team performance during an in situ simulation of LAST. Methods Participants were randomized to Reader + DST (n = 16, rDST) and Control (n = 15, memory alone). The rDST group received the assistance of a dedicated Reader on the response team who was equipped with an electronic DST. The primary outcome measure was adherence to guidelines. Results For overall and critical percent correct scores, the rDST group scored higher than Control (99.3% vs 72.2%, P Conclusions In a prospective, randomized single-blinded study, a designated Reader with an electronic DST improved adherence to guidelines in the management of an in situ simulation of LAST. Such tools are promising in the future of medicine, but further research is needed to ensure the best methods for implementing them in the clinical arena.
Combined surgical and endovascular access of the superficial middle cerebral vein to occlude a high-grade cavernous dural arteriovenous fistula: Case report

Background and importance High-grade cavernous sinus (CS) dural arteriovenous fistulae with cortical venous drainage often have a malignant presentation requiring urgent treatment. In the absence of a venous access to the lesion, transarterial embolization can potentially cure these lesions; however, the high concentration of eloquent arterial territories adjacent to the fistula creates a precarious risk of arterial-arterial reflux. In such cases, a combined surgical and endovascular approach may provide the least invasive option. Clinical presentation We describe a patient presenting with a venous hemorrhagic infarct caused by a high-grade CS dural arteriovenous fistula (Barrow type D caroticocavernous fistula) with isolated drainage via the superficial middle cerebral vein into engorged perisylvian cortical veins. No transfemoral or ophthalmic strategy was angiographically apparent, and the posterior location of the involved CS compartment mitigated a direct puncture. The patient underwent direct puncture of the superficial middle cerebral vein via an orbitozygomatic craniotomy and the CS was catheterized under fluoroscopic guidance. The CS was coil-embolized back into the distal superficial middle cerebral vein with complete obliteration of the fistula. The patient did well with no new deficits and made an uneventful recovery. Conclusion This novel combined open surgical and endovascular approach enables obliteration of a CS dural arteriovenous fistula with isolated cortical venous drainage and avoids the additional manipulation with direct dissection and puncture of the CS itself.
Timber Harvest and Progressive Deformation of Slopes in Southwestern Oregon

The effects of timber harvest operations on progressive deformation of slopes were measured and studied in the Baker Creek Watershed, southwestern Oregon. Four inclinometer access tubes were installed in and adjacent to a well-defined earthflow and monitored over a 10-yr period during which prelogging, harvesting, and postlogging deformation occurred. Prior to logging, ground displacement rates responded to long-term (50-yr) precipitation trends. Following logging, substantial short-term increases in ground displacement rates occurred within the earthflow. Within three years after harvesting, displacement rates returned to prelogging levels.
Research on the Pollution-Resistant Capacity of AC/DC MOA

The research on pollution-resistant capacity of MOA is helpful to formulating a probable artificial pollution test method, and also designing arresters with advanced performance under pollution condition. Based on the pollution test methods specified in the related standard, this article compares the maximum withstand degree of pollution of different samples with different housed. The results show that the external insulation is the key factor of pollution-resistant capacity for MOA, and also the thermal stability should not be ignored for some samples. The internal varistors are helpful to improving anti-pollution flashover of MOA.
Mechanical response of an artery using a standard nonlinear solid

INTRODUCTION The stress and deformation in an artery are determined from an axisymmetric analysis of thick-walled cylinder with a time-dependent internal pressure. The purpose is to understand how different constitutive, loading, and geometric conditions affect the stress and deformation state within the artery. MATERIALS AND METHODS The equilibrium, compatibility, and constitutive equations are applied at N discretized points in the arterial wall, in an efficient scheme using Mathcad software on a desktop computer. The constitutive equations are a modification to a standard linear solid, so that one of the linear elements is nonlinear, and so that the 3-D response is anisotropic and dissipates energy only under deviatoric (shearing) stress states. Solution at each successive time increment requires inversion of a 6N by 6N matrix. RESULTS The model reproduces experimental stress relaxation data with a correlation coefficient of 0.985 and can reproduce quasi-static stress strain data with equal accuracy. Features such as conditioning of the tissue are understood in terms of the time-dependent properties of the tissue. CONCLUSION The program can produce transient and steady-state responses that closely mimic tissue response. The analysis allows for quick and stable determination of the stress and strain states for a variety of loading conditions.
Urinary Tract Deterioration Associated with the Artificial Urinary Sphincter

AbstractIn most recent series of artificial sphincter implantations there has been a reduction in mechanical and surgical complications, with continence rates approaching 90 per cent. Despite initially excellent results in 47 children, with increasing durations of followup we noted a transient hydronephrosis related to incomplete bladder emptying in 5 and a persistent physiological alteration of detrusor dynamics consisting of a rigid, noncompliant bladder in 7. Preoperatively, all patients had had in-depth radiological studies and most had a urodynamic evaluation, and were considered to be excellent candidates. The etiology of these alterations is not understood at this time. Bladder and even upper tract deterioration can occur without the appearance of urinary leakage. Therefore, children with an artificial sphincter must be monitored indefinitely with semiannual assessment of the upper tracts and periodic urodynamic evaluation.
SorghumFDB: sorghum functional genomics database with multidimensional network analysis

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) has excellent agronomic traits and biological properties, such as heat and drought-tolerance. It is a C4 grass and potential bioenergy-producing plant, which makes it an important crop worldwide. With the sorghum genome sequence released, it is essential to establish a sorghum functional genomics data mining platform. We collected genomic data and some functional annotations to construct a sorghum functional genomics database (SorghumFDB). SorghumFDB integrated knowledge of sorghum gene family classifications (transcription regulators/factors, carbohydrate-active enzymes, protein kinases, ubiquitins, cytochrome P450, monolignol biosynthesis related enzymes, R-genes and organelle-genes), detailed gene annotations, miRNA and target gene information, orthologous pairs in the model plants Arabidopsis, rice and maize, gene loci conversions and a genome browser. We further constructed a dynamic network of multidimensional biological relationships, comprised of the co-expression data, protein-protein interactions and miRNA-target pairs. We took effective measures to combine the network, gene set enrichment and motif analyses to determine the key regulators that participate in related metabolic pathways, such as the lignin pathway, which is a major biological process in bioenergy-producing plants.Database URL: http://structuralbiology.cau.edu.cn/sorghum/index.html.
FIRST BORON MRI OF A HUMAN PATIENT WITH A BRAIN TUMOR

Major challenges in the successful administration of BNCT include the development of the BNCT compound used to deliver 10B preferentially to the tumor cells and the analysis of the compound. To obtain treatment parameters this analysis must accurately reveal the distribution and concentration of the boron compound. This analysis can either be invasive or noninvasive. However, with invasive analysis we take the risk of disturbing the biological environment to the extent that the data will be biased. When performing invasive pharmacokinetic studies of a boron compound candidate, we also have the disadvantage that data sampling is often limited to one sample per animal or human experiment requiring multiple experiments per time point in order to have a statistically meaningful data set. We have introduced a method in which patient treatment parameters may be determined noninvasively. Furthermore, nonivasive data acquisition per experiment can be maximized for potential boron compound pharmacokinetic studies.
The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Advanced Aging

A recent news item buried on page 12 of the Daily Mail in London tells of a 75-year-old British nurse who travelled to Basel, Switzerland, seeking assisted suicide which is legal in that country. The news story would not be news if the explanation for this lady’s choice of ending her life had not been so bizarre. Although this nurse was in relatively good health for her age, it turns out that her former occupation was in geriatric care and she believed she was better off dead than eventually becoming one of her frail elderly patients. This story is an extreme view of how many people view their so-called golden years, a stage of life loosely connected with retirement from active work. Very little can be drawn from an event where a healthy, elderly individual wishes to die, especially in this case since the nurse in question probably had access to scheduled drugs that could have easily ended her life without having to travel to Switzerland. But therein may lie the clue.
Lasers in Remote Sensing, Communication, and Operations on Space Platforms

The use of lasers for a wide variety of tasks in the application areas of remote sensing, communication, and space operations is emerging as a major factor in the planning for future space missions. Ideas and proposals for various laser beam applications from space platforms are not new. Lasers and the space-age grew up together over the past three decades, and many researchers world-wide have noted the logical combination of technologies [1]. The arrival of laser technology in space has often been delayed, however, by lack of flight opportunities, by funding of the means to get to space rather than the instruments to be carried along, and by a pervasive conservatism in program management that defers to proven tecnhnology. Laser devices as a group have also not been ready to withstand the rigors of spaceflight, nor have they had much to contribute to the specific missions constructed around microwave technology and passive electro-optical sensors. What is new as we enter the fourth decade of mankind’s advancement into space, is that the tools for successful application of laser technology to the enhancement of space-based activities are almost all in place and there appears to be an increased realization that laser technology may in fact provide fundamental advancements in space-based capabilities.
Some Thoughts on the New High TC Superconductors

Rarely in the history of physics has there been such excitement as there is right now. This field of high temperature superconductors is mov- so rapidly that the usual journals are barely capable of recording the developments; a number of workers have resorted to newspapers and press conferences in order to more rapidly inform others as to their new discoveries. The prospects for technological development appear to be outstanding: already the critical currents at liquid nitrogen temperature have been found to be more than adequate for most purposes, and the enormous critical field values at low temperatures are presently too large to measure. A wealth of experimental results on pressed powders are presently available, and some preliminary data on single crystals has been obtained. Some of these data have implications for the mechanism for superconductivity in these materials, and a number of models have been proposed. In this talk, I would like to discuss some of the experiments which have been performed to date, and their consequences for a theory. I will then discuss a number of models that have been presented, giving my biases regarding their strengths and weaknesses. Finally, I shall present a new model for one of the materials, which I believe is consistent with all of the data, and discuss its consequences.
Commentary: The Industrial Construction of Audiences in Mass Media Industries Notes toward a Research Agenda

(2013). Commentary: The Industrial Construction of Audiences in Mass Media Industries Notes toward a Research Agenda. Annals of the International Communication Association: Vol. 36, Communication Yearbook 36, pp. 270-275.
Estimation and Inference under Weak Identification and Persistence in Dynamic Nonlinear Regression

The reaction coefficients in the forecast-based monetary policy reaction function are only weakly identified when the smoothing coefficient for the nominal interest rate is close to unity. This situation also causes the nominal interest rate to be highly persistent. Inference based on the standard strong identification assumption and recently developed identification robust procedures based on stationarity fail in this setting, and we propose modifications. In particular, based on nonlinear least squares (NLS) estimation, we develop valid confidence sets for reaction coefficients that are robust to a wide range of the smoothing coefficient, including close and distant neighborhoods of unity. Allowing for both potential weak identification and a nearly unit root constitutes the novelty of the suggested procedure. Our empirical application using recently available real-time data suggests that, whether the estimates are accurate enough to rule out the possibility of indeterminacy in US monetary policy depends on forecast horizons of expected inflations and output gaps used in the model.
Synthesis of Water-Soluble Imidazolium Polyesters as Potential Nonviral Gene Delivery Vehicles

The inherent hydrolytic reactivity of polyesters renders them excellent candidates for a variety of biomedical applications. Incorporating ionic groups further expands their potential impact, encompassing charge-dependent function such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) binding, antibacterial properties, and pH-responsiveness. Catalyst-free and solvent-free polycondensation of a bromomethyl imidazolium-containing (BrMeIm) diol with neopentylglycol (NPG) and adipic acid (AA) afforded novel charged copolyesters with pendant imidazolium sites. Varying ionic content influenced thermal properties and offered a wide-range, −41 to 40 °C, of composition-dependent glass transition temperatures (Tgs). In addition to desirable melt and thermal stability, polyesters with ionic concentrations ≥15 mol % readily dispersed in water, suggesting potential as nonviral gene delivery vectors. An electrophoretic gel shift assay confirmed the novel cationic copolyesters successfully bound DNA at an N/P ratio of 4 for 50 mol % and 7...
Proton exchange in gasoline-ethanol fuel blends

Abstract The rate of proton exchange between ethanol and water in gasoline-ethanol blends is catalyzed by acids, and can be used to monitor the acidity of the blends. The exchange rate can be measured from the water linewidth in a simple single-pulse proton NMR spectrum.
Strategic planning process and technology management

The strategic planning process in the large corporation is an elusive instrument to the technical manager, but is one of the key mechanisms used by top management to run the company. The technological revolution and the new wave of managing in a period of change and increasing complexity begs a look at the meaning of the strategic plan, its advantages and short–comings, how it influences the engineering management and professional alike, and how the technical manager can influence it.
Return to Sport and Clinical Outcomes After Hip Arthroscopic Labral Repair in Young Amateur Athletes: Minimum 2-Year Follow-Up

Purpose To determine the rate of return of young amateur athletes to sport after hip arthroscopy, their clinical outcomes, and pathologic risk factors for worse outcomes 2 years after surgery. Methods This study included all patients between age 13 and 23 who participated in a sport prior to surgery with intent to return who underwent hip arthroscopy after failure of comprehensive nonoperative management for whom 2-year outcome scores were available. Outcomes collected retrospectively included modified Harris Hip Score (mHHS) and the Hip Outcome Scores (HOS) subscales for activities of daily living (ADL) and sport (HOS Sport). In addition, sport played, return to sport rates, and Tegner Scores were measured preinjury and postoperatively. Descriptive statistics were used to present demographic data. A priori analysis was used to determine the sample size needed to show minimal clinically important differences for mHHS, HOS ADL, and HOS Sport. Results The study population included 50 patients with a mean age of 17.8 years. Athletes returned to sport at a rate of 92% (46/50). At a mean follow-up of 34 months, the mean mHHS, HOS ADL, and HOS Sport outcome scores were 85, 91, and 80 for the entire study group; 87, 92, and 84 for the group that returned to sport; and 67, 82, and 41 for the group that did not return to sport, respectively. Median preinjury and postoperative Tegner levels were 8 and 7, respectively. Labral takedown and reattachment was associated with lower HOS ADL ( P = .01) and HOS Sport scores ( P = .02). Conclusions Athletes returned to sport at a high rate (92%; 46/50) after hip arthroscopy and perform activities at near preinjury levels. In this group of athletes, arthroscopic labral repair with chondrolabral preservation, which reflected less severe chondrolabral pathology, performed better than labral repair with takedown and reattachment. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic case series.
Phylogeny, classification and evolution of the water scavenger beetle tribe Hydrobiusini inferred from morphology and molecules (Coleoptera: Hydrophilidae: Hydrophilinae)

The water scavenger beetle tribe Hydrobiusini contains 47 species in eight genera distributed worldwide. Most species of the tribe are aquatic, although several species are known to occur in waterfalls or tree mosses. Some members of the tribe are known to communicate via underwater stridulation. While recent morphological and molecular-based phylogenies have affirmed the monophyly of the tribe as currently circumscribed, doubts remain about the monophyly of included genera. Here we use morphological and molecular data to infer a species-level phylogeny of the Hydrobiusini. The monophyly of the tribe is decisively supported, as is the monophyly of most genera. The genus Hydrobius was found to be polyphyletic, and as a result the genus Limnohydrobius stat. rev. is removed from synonymy with Hydrobius, yielding three new combinations: L. melaenus comb.n., L. orientalis comb.n., and L. tumbius comb.n. Recent changes to the species-level taxonomy of Hydrobius are reviewed. The morphology of the stridulatory apparatus has undergone a single remarkable transformation within the lineage, from a simple, unmodified pars stridens to one that is highly organized and complex. We present an updated key to genera, revised generic diagnoses and a list of the known distributions for all species within the tribe.
Cobalt-Mediated [2+2+2] Cycloadditions of Alkynes to Benzo­-[b]furans and Benzo[b]thiophenes: A Potential Route toward Morphanoids

Exploratory studies of the CpCo-mediated [2+2+2] cycloaddition of alkynes to the 2,3-double bond of benzo[b]furans (and some benzo[b]thiophenes) are presented, with the general aim to access morphinan substructures. The basic feasibility of constructing Co-complexed tetrahydrophenanthro[4,5-bcd]furans (and -thiophenes) in moderate to good yields is demonstrated, with complete to extensive diastereoselectivity. Limitations are the apparent necessity for bulky (silylated) monoalkynes, the lack of regioselectivity in the cocyclization with unsymmetrical alkynes, and the sensitivity of the ligands, both complexed and uncomplexed, with respect to ring opening and rearrangement.
Broadband low-loss optical phase change materials and devices (Conference Presentation)

Optical phase change materials (O-PCMs) are a unique class of materials which exhibit extraordinarily large optical property change (e.g. refractive index change > 1) when undergoing a solid-state phase transition. These materials, exemplified by Mott insulators such as VO2 and chalcogenide compounds, have been exploited for a plethora of emerging applications including optical switching, photonic memories, reconfigurable metasurfaces, and non-volatile display. These traditional phase change materials, however, generally suffer from large optical losses even in their dielectric states, which fundamentally limits the performance of optical devices based on traditional O-PCMs. In this talk, we will discuss our progress in developing O-PCMs with unprecedented broadband low optical loss and their applications in novel photonic systems, such as high-contrast switches and routers towards a reconfigurable optical chip.
Spectral-radiometric differentiation of non-photosynthetic vegetation and soil within Landsat and Sentinel 2 wavebands.

We explore the comprehensive differentiation of non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV) and soil using Landsat and Sentinel 2 wavebands through a spectral library approach. NPV and soil spectra from on...
Genetic and Hormonal Regulation of Maize Inflorescence Development

Abstract Plant development is determined by the activity of meristems, pools of undifferentiated cells that generate organs throughout the life of the plant. Inflorescence morphology is determined by the position and activity of meristems that form during reproductive development. Grass inflorescences are complex, highly branched structures that initiate higher order meristems before the floral meristems, which ultimately produce the floral organs. Maize produces two inflorescences: the tassel is formed at the apex of the plant and bears male flowers and the ear is formed in the axil of a leaf and bears female flowers. Despite their distinct morphologies at maturity, the tassel and ear arise from strikingly similar inflorescence primordia and their patterning depends largely on the same set of developmental regulators. Many of these developmental regulators have been identified through mutant analysis and cloning efforts, and include multiple transcription factors, microRNAs and plant hormones. This chapter focuses on the molecular mechanisms that regulate the maintenance, identity, and activity of meristems in maize inflorescences, as well as floral development and sex determination.
Well-Posed Initial-Value Problems; Semigroups

This chapter gives the general theory of linear initial-value problems or problems of evolution in physics.
Effect of a Behavioral Intervention for Underserved Preschool-Age Children on Change in Body Mass Index: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Prevention of obesity during childhood is critical for children in underserved populations, for whom obesity prevalence and risk of chronic disease are highest. Objective To test the effect of a multicomponent behavioral intervention on child body mass index (BMI, calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) growth trajectories over 36 months among preschool-age children at risk for obesity. Design, Setting, and Participants A randomized clinical trial assigned 610 parent-child pairs from underserved communities in Nashville, Tennessee, to a 36-month intervention targeting health behaviors or a school-readiness control. Eligible children were between ages 3 and 5 years and at risk for obesity but not yet obese. Enrollment occurred from August 2012 to May 2014; 36-month follow-up occurred from October 2015 to June 2017. Interventions The intervention (n = 304 pairs) was a 36-month family-based, community-centered program, consisting of 12 weekly skills-building sessions, followed by monthly coaching telephone calls for 9 months, and a 24-month sustainability phase providing cues to action. The control (n = 306 pairs) consisted of 6 school-readiness sessions delivered over the 36-month study, conducted by the Nashville Public Library. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was child BMI trajectory over 36 months. Seven prespecified secondary outcomes included parent-reported child dietary intake and community center use. The Benjamini-Hochberg procedure corrected for multiple comparisons. Results Participants were predominantly Latino (91.4%). At baseline, the mean (SD) child age was 4.3 (0.9) years; 51.9% were female. Household income was below $25 000 for 56.7% of families. Retention was 90.2%. At 36 months, the mean (SD) child BMI was 17.8 (2.2) in the intervention group and 17.8 (2.1) in the control group. No significant difference existed in the primary outcome of BMI trajectory over 36 months ( P = .39). The intervention group children had a lower mean caloric intake (1227 kcal/d) compared with control group children (1323 kcal/d) (adjusted difference, −99.4 kcal [95% CI, −160.7 to −38.0]; corrected P = .003). Intervention group parents used community centers with their children more than control group parents (56.8% in intervention; 44.4% in control) (risk ratio, 1.29 [95% CI, 1.08 to 1.53]; corrected P = .006). Conclusions and Relevance A 36-month multicomponent behavioral intervention did not change BMI trajectory among underserved preschool-age children in Nashville, Tennessee, compared with a control program. Whether there would be effectiveness for other types of behavioral interventions or implementation in other cities would require further research. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT01316653
Pain Assessment and Management

Skilled and compassionate pain assessment and management is a central component of the palliative care approach. While we are in need of new drugs with more manageable side effect profiles, and more research to help guide us as to what other “alternative” approaches may be helpful to our patients, the most pressing need of our patients is a partnership with their clinician and the assurance that they are being cared for by skilled clinicians. This chapter provides a set of important skills including (1) adequate pain assessment; (2) a basic understanding of various pain mechanisms; (3) targeted pain management including management of neuropathic pain; (4) opioid principles and management of opioid side effects; and (5) a discussion of the public health challenges of prescription drug abuse and the under-treatment of pain. Pain is often overlooked in neurologic conditions, but appropriate evaluation of pain combined with judicious selection of analgesic interventions can improve pain dramatically in our patients.
Acute Post-Traumatic Sleep May Define Vulnerability to a Second Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice.

Abstract Chronic neurological impairments can manifest from repetitive traumatic brain injury (rTBI), particularly when subsequent injuries occur before the initial injury completely heals. Herein,...
Experimental Determination of Thermal Accommodation Coefficients

The free molecule flow regime of rarefied gas dynamics and heat transfer is of considerable Interest In any situation dealing with a highly rarefied atmosphere. Free molecule flow occurs when the Knudsen number Kn, is greater than about 3 where Kn = λ/L is the ratio of the mean free path λ to the characteristic length of the system L [1,2]. In a free molecule flow situation collisions between gas molecules are negligible when compared with collisions between gas molecules and the solid surfaces. Hence, a molecule may be considered to travel from one wall to the other without suffering a collision in between.
How Gullible Are You?: Predicting Susceptibility to Fake News

In this research, we hypothesize that some social users are more gullible to fake news than others, and accordingly investigate on the susceptibility of users to fake news--i.e., how to identify susceptible users, what are their characteristics, and if one can build a prediction model.Building on the crowdsourced annotations of 5 types of susceptible users in Twitter, we found out that: (1) susceptible users are correlated with a combination of user, network, and content features; (2) one can build a reasonably accurate prediction model with 0.82 in AUC-ROC for the multinomial classification task; and (3) there exists a correlation between the dominant susceptibility level of center nodes and that of the entire network.
Surgical Therapy for Patent Arterial Duct and Vascular Rings

Today, it is extremely rare for an adult patient to present with a patent arterial duct (PAD). Moreover, when such a patient is identified, the preferred and initial treatment involves transcatheter device closure. Surgical options are reserved for complications of endocarditis (see Chap. 16), aneurysm formation, and failure of device closure. The surgeon, therefore, may be called on to treat PAD in the adult as the only lesion or in association with other congenital heart defects.
Concurrent Cultivation of Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare Identified by a Single Sanger Sequencing of the 16S Gene.

Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare are ubiquitous environmental mycobacteria that are frequently isolated from clinical specimens. These mycobacteria may cause significant infections, in immunocompromised patients in particular. Due to similar biochemical characteristics, they are
Microsurgery for Unruptured Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations in the National Inpatient Sample is More Common Post-ARUBA

Background The ARUBA trial (A Randomized Trial of Unruptured Brain Arteriovenous Malformations) was the first randomized control trial to investigate unruptured cerebral arteriovenous malformation (cAVM) treatments and concluded that medical management was superior to interventional therapy for the treatment of unruptured cAVMs. This conclusion generated considerable controversy and was followed by rebuttals and meta-analyses of the ARUBA methodology and results. We sought to determine whether the ARUBA results altered treatment trends of cAVMs within the United States. Methods Using the National Inpatient Sample, the largest all-payer inpatient care database within the United States, we isolated patients who were admitted on an elective basis for cAVM treatment and determined the treatment modality undergone by these patients. The cohort was dichotomized separately at 2 ARUBA time points: the European Stroke Conference presentation in May 2013, and The Lancet publication in February 2014. Results We found that the overall treatment rate of unruptured cAVMs decreased after both time points. However, the rate of surgical excision alone, relative to other modalities, was significantly increased, and endovascular intervention demonstrated a nonsignificant decrease. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the ARUBA trial has influenced unruptured cAVM treatment patterns within the United States. Although the overall treatment rate has decreased, unruptured cAVMs, when treated post-ARUBA, are most commonly approached with surgical excision alone.
Development and Implementation of a Capstone Experience in Criminal Justice

During the academic year 2015–2016, our department implemented a capstone experience for all criminal justice majors. The contemporary scholarly literature on developing a capstone in a criminology...
Juveniles’ Consent in Delinquency Proceedings

The Fifth and Sixth Amendment rights—the rights to silence and to the benefit of legal counsel—are extended to persons in legal proceedings that might lead to their conviction of criminal offenses. In re Gault 1 and subsequent cases extended these rights to minors. Whenever police or court officers wish to question a minor about alleged involvement in a delinquent act, the minor must first have waived the rights to silence and counsel: that is, must have consented to questioning in the absence of legal counsel. Waiver of rights must have been made knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily in order for the products of the waiver (e.g., confession) to be validly obtained and admissable as evidence in proceedings against the suspect. These circumstances raise a critical question: to what extent can the waiver of the rights to silence and legal counsel by minors be made competently—that is, knowingly, intelligently, and voluntarily?
Sex and ideology: liberal and conservative responses to scandal

Research finds citizens are less likely to penalize politicians implicated in sex scandals compared to corruption. Still, observational data reveals that some politicians have better luck surviving...
Anticoagulation reduces iliocaval and iliofemoral stent thrombosis in patients with cancer stented for nonthrombotic venous obstruction.

Abstract Objective To identify factors associated with venous stent thrombosis in patients with cancer treated for nonthrombotic iliocaval or iliofemoral venous obstruction. Methods We performed a retrospective review of relevant imaging and medical records from 30 consecutive patients with cancer treated at a single center who underwent venous stent placement for nonthrombotic iliocaval or iliofemoral venous obstruction between 2008 and 2018. Follow-up imaging was used to assess stent patency. Variables examined included patient demographics, cancer type, stent characteristics, anticoagulant, and antiplatelet medications and complications of treatment. Results Overall primary stent patency was 83% (25/30). The median follow-up period was 44 days (range, 3-365 days). Ten percent of patients occluded owing to in-stent thrombosis and 7% owing to tumor compression of the stent without thrombosis. Therapeutic poststent anticoagulation with enoxaparin, warfarin, or a factor Xa inhibitor was initiated in 87% of the patients. Stent thrombosis occurred in one patient in the anticoagulation group (4%) at 50 days. Stent thrombosis occurred in two patients in the nonanticoagulation group (50%), one at 9 days and the other at 91 days. Anticoagulation was found to be protective against stent thrombosis in this population (hazard ratio, 0.015; P = .011). No statistically significant associations were found among the remaining variables. One patient in the anticoagulation group experienced major bleeding (1/26 [4%]). Conclusions Iliocaval and iliofemoral stent placement for nonthrombotic malignant venous obstruction is safe with favorable primary patency rates. Therapeutic anticoagulation is associated with less stent thrombosis in patients with cancer stented for nonthrombotic iliocaval and iliofemoral venous obstruction.
Survival and thermal resistance of Salmonella in dry and hydrated nonfat dry milk and whole milk powder during extended storage.

Abstract Foodborne pathogens such as Salmonella can endure dry environments of milk powders for extended periods due to the increased adaptability at a low water activity (aw) and proliferate when powders are hydrated. This study compared the survivability and the thermal resistance of a 5-serovar Salmonella cocktail in dry and hydrated nonfat dry milk (NFDM) and whole milk powder (WMP) stored for 180 days at ambient temperature (~20 °C). This study was designed as two factorial (storage days and milk powder type) randomized complete block design with three replications as blocks. The milk powders were spray inoculated with 5-serovar Salmonella cocktail and dried back to the original pre-inoculation aw. The D-values of Salmonella in inoculated NFDM and WMP were determined periodically (every 30 days, starting from day one). The milk powders were also individually hydrated on each analysis day to determine D- and z-values of Salmonella in hydrated powders. The D-values were determined using thermal-death-time disks and hot-water baths at 80, 85 and 90 °C for milk powders, and 59, 62 and 65 °C for hydrated powders. The D- and z-values of Salmonella at specific temperatures within dry or hydrated powders during the storage period were compared at P ≤ 0.05 using two-way ANOVA and Tukey's Test. The D-values of Salmonella in WMP on day 1 were 18.9, 9.9 and 4.4 min at 80, 85 and 90 °C, respectively, which increased to 29.4, 13.6 and 6.5 min at 80, 85 and 90 °C, respectively, on day 180. Whereas, D-values of Salmonella in NFDM on day 1 were 17.9, 9.2 and 4.4 min at 80, 85 and 90 °C, respectively, and stayed similar during the storage. The D-values of Salmonella in milk powder remained similar throughout the storage once hydrated. The overall z-value of Salmonella in NFDM and WMP was 16.3 °C, whereas in hydrated NFDM and WMP, the overall z-value was 6.4 °C.
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 is required for complement component C1q and fibronectin dependent enhancement of Fcγ- receptor mediated phagocytosis in mouse and human cells

C1q is a soluble pattern recognition protein that regulates multiple leukocyte functions, and deficiency in C1q results in autoimmunity. C1q stimulates enhanced phagocytic function through multiple mechanisms including the rapid enhancement of Fcγ receptor (FcγR) -mediated phagocytosis. The molecular mechanism responsible for this rapid enhancement of phagocytic function is unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular pathway required for C1q-dependent enhanced phagocytosis. Leukocyte associated immunoglobulin like receptor-1 (LAIR-1) is a receptor that mediates C1q-dependent activation of leukocytes; however, using LAIR-1 deficient mouse bone marrow derived macrophages (BMDM), we demonstrated that LAIR-1 was not required for C1q-dependent enhanced FcγR-mediated phagocytosis. A phospho-kinase array identified extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 as dysregulated following activation with C1q. Validation of the array in BMDM and the human monocyte cell line THP-1 demonstrated a decrease in basal ERK1/2 phosphorylation in C1q-stimulated cells compared to control cells. However, subsequent stimulation with immune complexes stimulated rapid upregulation of phosphorylation. The extracellular matrix protein fibronectin regulates enhanced phagocytic activity in macrophages similar to C1q, and both C1q and fibronectin-dependent enhanced phagocytosis required ERK1/2 since both were blocked by pharmacologic inhibition of ERK1/2. Furthermore, diminished C1q-dependent ERK1/2 phosphorylation was sustained after four-hour treatment with lipopolysaccharide and correlated with a significant reduction in TNFα production. These data demonstrate that C1q and fibronectin utilize a similar ERK1/2-dependent mechanism for enhanced phagocytosis, which should lead to development of novel approaches to modulate C1q-dependent regulation of macrophage activation, inflammation and autoimmunity.
Incidence of Hip Dysplasia Diagnosis in Young Patients With Hip Pain: A Geographic Population Cohort Analysis.

Background:Hip dysplasia is a common source of hip pain and a known cause of early osteoarthritis of the hip.Purpose:To (1) define the population-based incidence of hip dysplasia diagnosis in young...