cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Does ethnicity matter-Cultural factors underlying older adults' end-of-life care preferences: A systematic review.

Abstract Due to low levels of planned care, older adults of underrepresented communities tend to experience higher rates of unwanted treatments at end of life (EOL). The purpose of this review was to identify factors that may explain differences in EOL care preferences and planning between older adults from the general population and ethnically diverse populations. We hypothesized that culture-specific factors may be fundamental. To describe similarities and differences, we conducted a comprehensive literature search using keywords and subject headings. Findings from 14 studies were critically examined, grouped, and compared across studies and populations. While studies on general populations showed the significance of health and sociodemographic factors, studies on underrepresented groups frequently cited the importance of spirituality, belief systems, acculturation, healthcare system distrust, and social networks.
Etiology of and predictive factors for chronic intestinal failure requiring long term parenteral support in the last two decades: A retrospective study

Summary Background & aims Chronic intestinal failure (CIF) has been long-recognized, however the underlying etiology and risk factors have not been historically well-studied. We aim to study the underlying etiologies of CIF and predictive factors for long-term parenteral support (PS). Methods We retrospectively identified patients with newly diagnosed CIF who received PS to maintain nutrition at the Cleveland Clinic between 2000 and 2017. Long-term PS was defined as a duration of more than 3 months. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the predictors of the need for long-term PS. Results We identified 350 patients with CIF, 150 (43%) and 200 (57%) were diagnosed before and after 2010, respectively. The most common etiology was Crohn's disease (CD) in both cohorts (34.7% versus 30.5%, p = 0.41). Graft-versus-host-disease (GVHD) was a less frequent cause of CIF after 2010 (12.7% versus 2.5%, p = 0.0002). The type of PS was mostly total parenteral nutrition before and after 2010, 95% and 96%, respectively (p = 0.55). On univariable analysis, absence of ileocecal valve (p Conclusion In our cohort of patients with CIF, CD remains the leading etiology over the last 20 years, whereas GVHD is less common after 2010. The absence of ileocecal valve and ischemic bowel disease were reliable predictive factors for requiring long-term PS.
Porous Coatings in Retrieved Acetabular Components

BACKGROUND We evaluated bone volume fraction in retrieved acetabular shells with 2 types of porous coatings: (1) titanium fiber mesh (HG) components and (2) tantalum metal coating (TM) components. METHODS Eight HG shells were matched to 8 TM shells for patient age, body mass index, and gender. The mean age at index surgery was 69 (51-82) years, mean body mass index was 28 (21-40), and patients were evenly divided between male and female (4:4). The length of implantation was 40 (16-96) months for the TM group and 156 (108-216) months for the HG group. Shells were embedded and two 5-mm thick cross-sections were cut through the apex of each component for backscatter scanning electron microscopy assessment. Backscatter scanning electron microscopy images were segmented to threshold for metal, bone, and available space for ingrowth. Slices were assessed regionally for ingrowth at the rim, equator, and pole of the acetabular shell. Differences were assessed using general estimating equations, and P values were adjusted for multiple comparisons using the Holm-Bonferroni step-down procedure. RESULTS The mean bone volume fraction was 21 ± 17% for the HG shell and 7 ± 4% for the TM shell (P < .0001). The rim and pole regions both had less bone ingrowth than the equator. No association was found between bone ingrowth and length of implantation for either design. CONCLUSION Adequate bone ingrowth is a requirement for successful biological fixation, but the amount of ingrowth may not be a driving factor. Both implants studied had successful outcomes and long-term fixation despite the observation of low amounts of ingrowth.
Cu(I) photosensitizers with alkylated diphosphines: Towards enhancing photostability and architecture extension

Abstract Homogeneous copper(I) photosensitizers (PSs) have garnered attention as viable alternatives to the use of noble metal-containing complexes in photoredox processes. More specifically, the heteroleptic architecture [CuI(PP)(NN)]+ (PP = diphosphine; NN = diimine) is attractive as it permits directional charge transfer, an important consideration when integrating PSs into heterogeneous structures. Towards that goal, three new Cu(I) PSs were synthesized and characterized, each containing an alkylated-diphosphine. The diphosphine ligands possess a Nixantphos backbone (Nixantphos = 4,6-bis(diphenylphosphino)-10H-phenoxazine) that has been alkylated at the phenoxazine’s nitrogen atom using ethyl, n-butyl, and n-hexyl groups (labeled Et-Nixantphos, Bu-Nixantphos, and Hex-Nixantphos, respectively). While not capable of direct surface attachment, these alkylated-diphosphines serve as structural and electronic controls for future Cu(I) PSs with anchoring groups. Similar to the [CuI(Nixantphos)(biq)]+ (biq = 2,2′-biquinoline) parent complex, all three alkyl-Nixantphos Cu(I) complexes absorb visible light and populate redox-active excited states (ESs) of sufficient lifetime to undergo bimolecular electron transfer. In the presence of an electron donor and H2-evolving catalyst, 447 ± 10 nm irradiation results in H2 gas production, albeit to a lesser degree than the previously reported PP = Xantphos analogue (Xantphos = 4,5-bis(diphenylphosphino)-9,9-dimethylxanthene). The results highlight that alkylated-Nixantphos Cu(I) PSs maintain favorable properties for visible-light-induced electron transfer; however, long-term photostability remains an issue to prevent formation of the inactive, homoleptic [CuI(biq)2]+ species.
Community violence exposure and cortisol awakening responses in adolescents who are overweight/obese.

Abstract Background Community violence exposure has been identified as a salient environmental stressor associated with dysregulated cortisol awakening response (CAR), which may act to exacerbate hypothalamic−pituitary−adrenal (HPA) axis dysregulation observed in adolescents who are overweight/obese. Purpose To perform an exploratory cross-sectional analysis examining the association between community violence exposure and CAR in adolescents who are overweight/obese. Methods One-hundred adolescents (ages: 13–19 years; 65% female; average BMI percentile: 93.80 ± 4.13) were included in this analysis. Community violence exposure was measured using the Survey of Children’s Exposure to Community Violence. Salivary cortisol collected across three days at awakening and 30 min post-awakening was used to calculate CAR area under the curve (AUC). Results Community violence exposure was associated with a lower CAR AUC when controlling for baseline cortisol, sex, BMI, pubertal development, race and perceived stress (β = −0.04 ± 0.02; p = 0.04). Conclusion Findings from this study identified cross-sectional association between community violence and HPA dysregulation in adolescents who were overweight/obese. If long-term exposure to community violence does indeed accelerate HPA dysregulation in adolescents at increased weight status, policymakers and interventionists should consider implementing programs that limit adolescent violence exposure.
Epidemiology of PCBs and neurodevelopment: Systematic assessment of multiplicity and completeness of reporting

Abstract Background Assessments of scientific evidence often involve a systematic comparison of findings within and across studies. An important consideration in systematic reviews is multiplicity, which can arise from simultaneous consideration of multiple independent and dependent variables, use of multiple statistical models, or multiple subgroup analyses. Multiplicity can affect the results of evidence assessment, if accompanied by incomplete or selective reporting. Birth cohort studies investigating prenatal/neonatal exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and their relation to neurodevelopmental measures during follow up offer an interesting opportunity for assessing multiplicity and completeness of reporting because the literature on the subject is voluminous, and the data typically allow considerable flexibility in terms of choice of analysis and reporting of findings. Methods Following a systematic search, each relevant publication was characterized with respect to its methods of exposure assessment, outcome characterization, analysis and reporting. Based on the total number of unique exposure and outcome categories we calculated the number of possible exposure-outcome associations that could have been examined within and across cohorts. Each association was categorized as “reported” or “not reported/not evaluated”, and the number of studies that reported each association was ascertained. Results A total of 208 prenatal/neonatal exposures and 461 outcomes were measured across 34 cohorts and 111 publications. Only 29 associations were presented in at least three studies; of those, only 21 associations were reported within the same age group allowing a meaningful side-by-side comparison. Percentage of within-cohort associations that were reported among all those that could have been reported based on the available data ranged from 6% to 100%. Conclusions The literature on PCBs and neurodevelopment exemplifies a situation wherein despite large numbers of published studies, inconsistent or incomplete reporting of multiple results impede systematic reviews.
Africana Cultural Memory in the Afroeuropean Context

With the publication of Black Cultural Mythology (2020), the discipline of Africology and African American Studies has a better resource that answers the call for methodological and theoretical too...
Uphyloplot2: visualizing phylogenetic trees from single-cell RNA-seq data.

Recent advances in single cell sequencing technologies allow for greater resolution in assessing tumor clonality using chromosome copy number variations (CNVs). While single cell DNA sequencing technologies are ideal to identify tumor sub-clones, they remain expensive and in contrast to single cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) methods are more limited in the data they generate. However, CNV data can be inferred from scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq, for which several tools have been developed, including inferCNV, CaSpER, and HoneyBADGER. Inferences regarding tumor clonality from CNV data (and other sources) are frequently visualized using phylogenetic plots, which previously required time-consuming and error-prone, manual analysis. Here, we present Uphyloplot2, a python script that generates phylogenetic plots directly from inferred RNA-seq data, or any Newick formatted dendrogram file. The tool is publicly available at https://github.com/harbourlab/UPhyloplot2/ . Uphyloplot2 is an easy-to-use tool to generate phylogenetic plots to depict tumor clonality from scRNA-seq data and other sources.
Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Low-Risk Bicuspid and Tricuspid Patients: Meta-Analysis.

Abstract Background Most pivotal transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) trials have excluded patients with bicuspid aortic stenosis (AS). This study compared TAVR in low-risk patients with bicuspid AS to those with tricuspid AS, incorporating data from prospective trials. Methods We selected prospective US low-risk TAVR trials containing a bicuspid arm for this meta-analysis, examining outcomes at 30 days. Study results were pooled using a hierarchical Bayesian random-effects model. Results Included were 3 Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved investigational device exemption (IDE) trials that enrolled a total of 1810 low-risk patients with symptomatic severe AS for TAVR. We compared 380 bicuspid patients with 1430 tricuspid patients. Event rates at 30 days overall were low, with similar mortality (odds ratio [OR], 0.38; 95% credible interval [CrI]: 0.08, 1.78; I2, 0%), non-disabling stroke (OR, 0.45; 95% CrI: 0.15, 1.07; I2 , 9%), and permanent pacemaker implantation (OR, 0.86; 95% CrI: 0.41, 1.47; I 2, 59%). There were statistically significant differences in disabling stroke (OR, 0.16; 95% CrI: 0.01, 0.90; I2 , NA) and coronary obstruction (OR, 0.21; 95% CrI: 0.05, 0.91) that disappeared after sensitivity analysis by adding a single event to the tricuspid arm. Hemodynamics were similar at 30 days. Conclusions Preliminary data from the FDA-approved IDE trials of low-risk patients with bicuspid AS undergoing TAVR demonstrated 30-day outcomes comparable to low-risk tricuspid patients, except for a trend toward higher stroke in bicuspid patients. Randomized trials are warranted to reassure the safety and long-term outcome of TAVR in patients with severe bicuspid AS.
Incidentally Detected Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia in Hilar Lymph Nodes at the Time of Lung Transplantation: A Case Report

A 68-year-old man with interstitial pulmonary fibrosis underwent bilateral lung transplantation. Histopathologic examination of hilar lymph nodes in the explanted lungs showed effacement of normal nodal architecture by the proliferation of small lymphocytes, consistent with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL). Unexpectedly discovered malignancies at the time of lung transplantation is uncommon, especially in the lymph nodes. The clinical management was challenging because of attempts to balance treatment of CLL and immunosuppressive treatment to prevent graft rejection. Here, we report a case of incidentally detected CLL in hilar lymph nodes with explanted lungs and review the relevant literature.
ICG Image-Guided Surgery with the Assessment for Anastomotic Safety

Humans have been performing gastrointestinal anastomosis since the 1700s, when it was a highly controversial procedure associated with near-universal mortality. Advances in the 1800s included recognition of the importance of serosal apposition and the development of aseptic surgery which greatly improved outcomes. Technological growth led to surgical stapling devices, laparoscopy, and even surgical robots to further reduce morbidity and mortality, but anastomotic leak remains a feared and not infrequent complication. Various methods of intraoperative anastomotic evaluation have been employed, but leaks persist. It has been hypothesized that anastomotic malperfusion could contribute to breakdown, but surrogates for perfusion to the anastomosis might be misleading. Fluorescent angiography with indocyanine green dye allows for real-time, intraoperative visualization of blood flow to the bowel. Inadequate perfusion may then be addressed intraoperatively, which may decrease complications. Determining optimal procedures and applications remains an area of active research.
Use of public data to describe COVID-19 contact tracing in Hubei Province and non-Hubei provinces in China between 20 January and 29 February 2020.

Objective: Contact tracing has been used in China and several other countries in the WHO Western Pacific Region as part of the COVID-19 response. We describe COVID-19 cases and the number of contacts traced and quarantined per case as part of COVID-19 emergency public health response activities in China. Methods: We abstracted publicly available, online aggregated data published in daily COVID-19 situational reports by China's National Health Commission and provincial health commissions between 20 January and 29 February 2020. The number of new contacts traced by report date was computed as the difference between total contacts traced in consecutive reports. A proxy for the number of contacts traced per case was computed as the number of new contacts traced divided by the number of new cases. Results: During the study period, China reported 80 968 new COVID-19 cases and 659 899 contacts. In Hubei Province, there were 67 608 cases and 264 878 contacts, representing 83% and 40% of the total, respectively. Non-Hubei provinces reported tracing 1.5 times more contacts than Hubei Province; the weekly number of contacts traced per case was also higher in non-Hubei provinces than in Hubei Province and increased from 17.2 in epidemiological week 4 to 115.7 in epidemiological week 9. Discussion: More contacts per case were reported from areas and periods with lower COVID-19 case counts. With other non-pharmaceutical interventions used in China, contact tracing and quarantining large numbers of potentially infected contacts probably contributed to reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Von Behring, Emil Adolf (1854–1917)

This article has no abstract. Keywords: Von Behring, Emil Adolf (antitoxins against diphtheria and tetanus); preventive tetanus vaccination
Over, Under, or Just Right? How do we interpret ICD utilization in the modern era?

Over 5 million individuals are afflicted with heart failure in the United States per year. Current guidelines based on the MADIT- I and II, MUSTT and SCDHeFT trials recommend the use of pharmacologic as well as implantable cardioverter defibrillator (ICD) therapy as Class I indications for the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD) in a subgroup of patients (depending on their ejection fraction, NYHA class, and a variety of other parameters). However, despite these guidelines, the use of ICDs has been reported as suboptimal in prior publications as well as in the article by Pillarisetti, et al in this issue of the Journal .
Video coding with motion compensation for groups of pictures

This paper discusses the efficiency of a compression scheme for video sequences that jointly encodes groups of pictures. Our approach, motion-compensated transform coding, applies a KLT to decorrelate a set of motion-compensated pictures for efficient encoding. The theoretical investigation utilizes a signal model for inaccurate motion compensation and provides a performance comparison to motion-compensated prediction. We discuss the influence of motion accuracy, residual noise, and the correlation of displacement errors dependent on the number of coded pictures.
“I’ve come too far, I’ve worked too hard”: Reinforcement of Support Structures Among Black Male Mathematics Students

Along with the growth and refinement of our shared discourses on equity, the community of education researchers focused on Black males has developed lenses with which to examine the risk and protective factors related to Black males’ participation in and experiences with mathematics. In this paper, the authors focus on the importance of the “supports” associated with mathematically high-achieving Black high school students in urban high schools. Using Critical Race Theory (CRT) and narrative analysis, the authors report findings from semi-structured interviews of mathematically successful Black male students (n = 12) from four urban high schools. Analysis of key themes suggests that high-achieving Black male mathematics students make use of powerful family & peer networks, as well as various features of the school and classroom community as support structures in the course of maintaining consistent mathematics achievement. Recommendations for strengthening support for all Black male mathematics students in urban contexts are discussed.
When Is Property Intellectual? The Leveraging Problem

Patents and copyrights protect inventions and expression; they do not protect products. This distinction, I argue in this essay, is a key to the antitrust problem of the "leveraging" of intellectual property. In a typical leveraging case, the manufacturer of a durable good, like a copier or computer, refuses to sell replacement parts for its equipment unless the purchaser also hires the manufacturer to service the equipment. Such a practice can be illegal under antitrust law, but when the leveraging products-in this example, replacement parts-are protected by patent or copyright, the manufacturer will often claim that the leveraging is a permissible use of its intellectual property. I argue in this essay that intellectual property rights should provide special protection from the antitrust laws only when the owner of the rights is truly denying access to the intellectual aspect of its property. That will never be the case when the owner's property is denied to one who will not use the intellectual property. In the recent Kodak and Xerox cases, independent service organizations sought access to the defendants' patented parts only in order to install them in the equipment of others. It was the equipment owners, not the service organizations, that benefitted from any inventions embodied in those parts. Hence, the defendants' patents should not have allowed them to deny the parts to the service organizations. Somewhat more broadly, intellectual property also should not allow owners of the property to discriminate among potential buyers or licensees if those buyers or licensees do not differ in their uses of the intellectual element of the property. That is, not only should a patent or copyright not give its owner the right to deny a product to one who would not use the invention or expression, but it also should not give the owner the right to deny the product to one who would use the protected work if the owner at the same time grants access to others who use it in the same way. Such discrimination where there is no difference in the use of the protected aspect of the property does not rest on a denial of access to the owner's intellectual property. A similar conclusion was in fact reached, though on somewhat different reasoning, in the Federal Trade Commission's recent case challenging Intel Corporation's licensing practices.
Radha’s Revenge: Feminist Agency, Postcoloniality, and the Politics of Desire in Anita Nair’s Mistress

This paper examines the relationship between feminist agency, postcoloniality and the politics of desire in the novel Mistress . The paper begins with drawing from a range of classical as well as contemporary theological texts in order to read Radha of Mistress as and against the Radha of Hindu mythology. Arguing that the latter’s agency was co-opted by a series of androcentric cultural commissions and omissions, the paper reads Mistress as a feminist reclamation of Radha’s agency through a nuanced reworking of desire. Thereafter, the paper goes on to suggest that the notion of desire deployed in Mistress can usefully engage postcolonial feminist concerns. I argue that, by dislocating centre-periphery, global-local and universal-particular binaries in order to address past and present political hegemonies, and in locating female desire within a hybrid, ‘third space’ of agency, Mistress envisions a powerful postcolonial feminist politics of an alternative, open futurity.
Comment on "Power-Law Time Distribution of Large Earthquakes"

Mega et al.(cond-mat/0212529) proposed to use the ``diffusion entropy'' (DE) method to demonstrate that the distribution of time intervals between a large earthquake (the mainshock of a given seismic sequence) and the next one does not obey Poisson statistics. We have performed synthetic tests which show that the DE is unable to detect correlations between clusters, thus negating the claimed possibility of detecting an intercluster correlation. We also show that the LR model, proposed by Mega et al. to reproduce inter-cluster correlation, is insufficient to account for the correlation observed in the data.
Echocardiography in Clinical Practice: A Case-Oriented Approach

Susan E. Wiegers, Ted Plappert, and Martin St John Sutton 548 pp. London, UK: Martin Dunitz; 2001. $175.00. ISBN 1-853174-723-7* The book, Echocardiography in Clinical Practice: A Case-Oriented Approach , is described exactly by its title. The book consists of a series of 150 simplified case reports. The organization reflects the flow of blood through the heart, starting with the right heart, and progressing through the pulmonary artery, left atrium, mitral valve, left ventricle, aortic valve and, finally, the aorta. Sections on cardiomyopathies, pericardial disease, and congential disease are also included. Each case report includes 3 to 6 echocardiographic images, 1 to 2 pages of text, and 2 to 4 key references. The echocardiographic images are predominantly 2D …
Spontaneous neurotransmission signals through store-driven Ca2+ transients to maintain synaptic homeostasis

Learning and memory is thought to rely on changes in the strength of the connections between nerve cells. When an electrical impulse travelling through a nerve cell reaches one of these connections (called a synapse), it causes the cell to release chemical transmitter molecules. These bind to receptors on the cell on the other side of the synapse. This starts a series of events that ultimately leads to new receptors being inserted into the membrane of this second cell, which strengthens the connection between the two cells. The receptors involved in this process belong to two groups, called AMPA and NMDA receptors. Both groups are ion channels that regulate the flow of charged particles from one side of a cell's membrane to the other. In resting nerve cells, NMDA receptors are partially blocked by magnesium ions. However, the binding of the transmitter molecules to AMPA receptors causes these receptors to open and allow positively charged sodium ions into the cell. This changes the electrical charge across the cell membrane, which displaces the magnesium ions from the NMDA receptors so that they too open. Calcium ions then enter the cell through the NMDA receptors and activate a signaling cascade that leads to the production of new AMPA receptors. Nerve cells also release transmitter molecules in the absence of electrical impulses, and evidence suggests that individual cells can use this ‘spontaneous transmitter release’ to adjust the strength of their synapses. When these spontaneous release levels are high, AMPA receptors are removed from the membrane of the nerve after the synapse to make it less sensitive to the transmitter molecules. Conversely, when spontaneous release levels are low, additional AMPA receptors are added to the membrane to increase the sensitivity. Reese and Kavalali have now identified the mechanism behind this process by showing that spontaneously released transmitter molecules cause small amounts of calcium to enter the second nerve cell through NMDA receptors, even when these receptors are blocked by magnesium ions. This trickle of calcium triggers the release of more calcium from stores inside the cell, which amplifies the signal. The ultimate effect of the flow of calcium into the cell is to block the production of AMPA receptors, and ensure that the synapse does not become any stronger. As confirmation of this mechanism, Reese and Kavalali showed that simulating low levels of spontaneous activity by blocking the so-called ‘calcium-induced calcium release’ has the opposite effect. This led to more AMPA receptors being produced and stronger synapses. Taken together these findings indicate that spontaneous transmitter release exerts an outsized influence on communication between neurons by maintaining adequate levels of AMPA receptors via these ‘amplified’ calcium signals.
Response Surface Methodology Central-Composite Design Modifications for Human Performance Research:

Selected response surface methodology (RSM) designs that are viable alternatives in human performance research are discussed. Two major RSM designs that are variations of the basic, blocked, central-composite design have been selected for consideration: (1) central-composite designs with multiple observations at only the center point, and (2) central-composite designs with multiple observations at each experimental point. Designs of the latter type are further categorized as: (a) designs which collapse data across all observations at the same experimental point; (b) between-subjects designs in which no subject is observed more than once, and observations at each experimental point may be multiple and unequal or multiple and equal; and (c) within-subject designs in which each subject is observed only once at each experimental point. The ramifications of these designs are discussed in terms of various criteria such as rotatability, orthogonal blocking, and estimates of error.
World Englishes, English as a Lingua Franca, and Intelligibility.

ABSTRACT: This paper tests claims concerning the English as Lingua Franca (ELF) movement's position within the world Englishes paradigm. To do so, it considers the writings of Jennifer Jenkins, a leader in this movement, on what she calls “phonological intelligibility”, and the writings of Larry Smith, an established scholar on intelligibility in cross-cultural communication. The mutual intelligibility of Expanding Circle users of English is a primary concern to ELF researchers, and Jenkins has identified Smith's work as the foundation for her investigation of core phonological features to use in pronunciation teaching. The paper aims to determine the extent to which Jenkins' theoretical views on intelligibility correspond to Smith's concept of understanding as a central issue in international communication.
Health Literacy in Transitions of Care: An Innovative Objective Structured Clinical Examination for Fourth-Year Medical Students in an Internship Preparation Course.

Low health literacy is associated with adverse health outcomes, especially during transitions of care. Competency-based assessments may improve communication during this time. To develop an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) for medical students to demonstrate communication skills to be used during the hospital discharge process with patients of low health literacy. The OSCE was integrated into the curriculum of an internship preparatory clerkship. One hundred and one fourth-year medical students participated. Students received a skills-based health literacy workshop. In the OSCE, learners counseled standardized patients regarding initiation of anticoagulation at discharge and wrote discharge instructions. Fifty-seven students completed the workshop prior to the OSCE, and 44 participated in the workshop after the completing the OSCE. Participants who completed the workshop first outperformed their peers on the checklist (15.1 vs. 13.4, p < 0.0001) and on the reading level of their written instructions (9.9 vs. 10.6, p = 0.01); 82% felt confident communicating with patients of low health literacy after the workshop and OSCE. This OSCE is a tool to train and evaluate future interns’ ability to communicate with patients of limited health literacy levels at hospital discharge. Such innovations may make this period of time safer for patients, improving health outcomes.
Unpacking Widow Headship and Agency in Post-Conflict Nepal

ABSTRACTFeminist scholars have highlighted a rise in “non-traditional” household structures, as exemplified by female- and widow-headed households, as a consequence of war. This study points to the necessity of disaggregating female headship to trace the contours of household vulnerability of widow-headed households, a subset of female-headed households. The inadequacy of surveys in explaining the interplay between economic vulnerability and social norms is ameliorated through the use of ethnographic data and the narratives of widow heads collected through fieldwork in 2008–9 and 2011. The study traces key coping strategies of widow-headed households in Nepal to provide insight into the processes by which widow heads mediate social institutions and patriarchal norms in their everyday struggles for survival, and the spaces of agency that emerge herein. The study concludes with implications for prevailing understandings of household headship and agency that development practitioners must be attentive to in ...
REPRESENTACIONES DE LA ACCIÓN HUMANITARIA Y DEL TRABAJO DE DESARROLLO

De cara al mundo contemporaneo y a la situacion de guerra y pobreza en muchos paises, los trabajadores humanitarios representan una forma particular, personal incluso, de actuar, con todas las dificultades que esto implica, sobre ese mundo. En este texto se exploran y se plantean una serie de preguntas sobre las complejidades, ambiguedades y limitaciones del trabajo humanitario y de desarrollo.
Developing a Peer-Mentor Program for Medical Students

Background: Doctoring is a 2-year preclinical course designed to teach medical students fundamental clinical skills. Purpose: We designed, implemented, and evaluated an innovative and cost-effective peer-mentoring program embedded within Doctoring. Our Teaching Academy (TA) included a formal orientation for teaching “Fellows.” Methods: During academic years 2008–09 and 2009–10, 2nd-year students were systematically selected by course faculty and then trained as TA Fellows to peer-mentor 1st-year students. Both TA Fellows and 1st-year medical students completed anonymous written surveys. Results: Peer-mentors reported a significant increase of confidence in their ability to provide feedback (p < .001). First-year students reported a significant increase of confidence in their ability to conduct a medical interview and perform a physical exam (p < .001 for each). Conclusions: Student participation in a formal peer-mentor program embedded within a clinical skills course significantly increased, for both teac...
The Structural Context of City Adoption of War on Poverty and National Flood Insurance Programs

A theoretical formulation is presented that represents an abstract and parsimonious conception of public policy adoption at the subnational level. The formulation consists of two components: the principle that social phenomena exist in contexts with which they are compatible, and several distinguishing attributes of subnational collectivities and public policies. Taken together, these statements lead to the conclusion: if there is a match between attributes of a policy and those of a collectivity, then the probability increases that the policy will be adopted by the collectivity. General hypotheses derived from the formulation appear generally consistent with findings of previous research. Specific hypotheses derived from the formulation regarding city adoption of War on Poverty and National Flood Insurance programs are tested with cross–sectional data for a sample of U.S. cities. Results of an ordinary least-squares regression analysis reveal support for derived hypotheses. It is concluded that the explanatory and predictive powers of the theoretical formulation are high.
Sleep quality versus sleep quantity: Relationships between sleep and measures of health, well-being and sleepiness in college students

Two studies assessed whether measures of health, well-being, and sleepiness are better related to sleep quality or sleep quantity. In both studies, subjects completed a 7-day sleep log followed by a battery of surveys pertaining to health, well-being, and sleepiness. In subjects sleeping an average of 7 hours a night, average sleep quality was better related to health, affect balance, satisfaction with life, and feelings of tension, depression, anger, fatigue, and confusion than average sleep quantity. In addition, average sleep quality was better related to sleepiness than sleep quantity. These results indicate that health care professionals should focus on sleep quality in addition to sleep quantity in their efforts to understand the role of sleep in daily life.
Nonlinear Synergetic Optimal Controllers

Optimality properties of synergetic controllers are analyzed using the Euler-Lagrange conditions and the Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. First, a synergetic control strategy is compared with the variable structure sliding mode control. The connections of synergetic control design methodology and the methods of variable structure sliding mode control are established. In fact, the methods of sliding surface design for the sliding mode control are essential for designing invariant manifolds in the synergetic control approach. It is shown that the synergetic control strategy can be derived using tools from the calculus of variations. The synergetic control laws have a simple structure because they are derived from the associated first-order differential equation. It is also shown that the synergetic controller for a certain class of linear quadratic optimal control problems has the same structure as the one generated using the linear quadratic regulator approach by solving the associated Riccati equation. The synergetic optimal control and sliding mode control methodologies are applied to the nonlinear control of the wing-rock suppression problem. Two different wing-rock dynamic models are used to test the design of the synergetic and sliding mode controllers. The performance of the closed-loop systems driven by these controllers is analyzed and compared.
A Kato type theorem on zero viscosity limit of Navier-Stokes flows

We present a necessary and sufficient condition for the convergence of solutions of the incompressible Navier-Stokes equations to that of the Euler equations at vanishing viscosity. Roughly speaking convergence is true in the energy space if and only if the energy dissipation rate of the viscous flows due to the tangential derivatives of the velocity in a thick enough boundary layer, a small quantity in classical boundary layer theory, approaches zero at vanishing viscosity. This improves a previous result of T. Kato (1984) in the sense that we require tangential derivatives only while the total gradient is needed in Kato’s work. However we require a slightly thicker boundary layer. We also improve our previous result where only sufficient conditions were obtained. Moreover we treat more general boundary condition which includes Taylor-Couette type flows. Several applications are presented as well. ∗wang@math.iastate.edu, 1-(515)294-1752 (T), 1-(515)294-5454(F)
Effects of temperature and concentration on bovine lens α-crystallin secondary structure: a circular dichroism spectroscopic study

Elucidation of the structure of α-crystallin, the major protein in all vertebrate lenses, is important for understanding its role in maintaining transparency and its function in other tissues under both normal and pathological conditions. Progress toward a unified consensus concerning the tertiary and quaternary structures of α-crystallin depends, in part, on an accurate estimation of its secondary structure. For the first time, three algorithms, SELCON, K2D and CONTIN were used to analyze far ultra-violet circular dichroism (UV–CD) spectra of bovine lens α-crystallin to estimate the secondary structure and to determine the effects of temperature and concentration. Under all experimental conditions tested, the analyses show that α-crystallin contains 14% α-helix, 35% β-sheet and the remainder, random coil and turns. The results suggest that α-crystallin is best classified as a mixed protein. In addition, increased temperature and concentration of α-crystallin result in increased α-helices with a compensatory decrease in β-sheets. Such structural alterations in α-crystallin may be functionally important during terminal differentiation of the lens fiber cells that is accompanied by increased protein concentrations and its role as a chaperone-like protein.
Comparison of hydrazine, dimethylhydrazine, and t-butylamine nitrogen sources for MOVPE growth of GaInNAs for solar cells

Abstract Dimethylhydrazine (DMHy) has been shown to be an effective nitrogen source for the growth of the alloy Ga 1− x In x N y As 1− y (x, y⪡1) . However, high DMHy flow rates are required, and low diffusion lengths and high p-type background doping concentration are typically observed in the grown material. It is therefore of interest to evaluate alternative nitrogen sources. Here, we evaluate two such sources: hydrazine and tertiarybutylamine. Hydrazine is of particular interest because it contains no carbon, suggesting that it might yield lower p-type background doping than DMHy does. With tertiarybutylamine, no nitrogen incorporation was observed, even with nitrogen/III ratios as high as 2000, and so does not appear promising. With hydrazine, by contrast, significant nitrogen incorporation was observed, even at much lower nitrogen/III ratios than would be required using DMHy. However, the p-type background doping appears no lower than with DMHy.
Pesticide use and chronic bronchitis among farmers in the Agricultural Health Study.

Background Farmers have increased risk for chronic bronchitis. Few investigators have considered pesticides. Methods We evaluated pesticides as risk factors for chronic bronchitis using the Agricultural Health Study enrollment data on lifetime pesticide use and history of doctor-diagnosed chronic bronchitis from 20,908 private pesticide applicators, primarily farmers. Results A total of 654 farmers (3%) reported chronic bronchitis diagnosed after age 19. After adjustment for correlated pesticides as well as confounders, 11 pesticides were significantly associated with chronic bronchitis. Heptachlor use had the highest odds ratio (OR = 1.50, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) = 1.19, 1.89). Increased prevalence for chronic bronchitis was also seen for individuals who had a history of a high pesticide exposure event (OR = 1.85, 95% CI = 1.51, 2.25) and for those who also applied pesticides in off-farm jobs (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.88). Co-morbid asthma and current farm activities did not explain these results. Conclusions These results provide preliminary evidence that pesticide use may increase chronic bronchitis prevalence. Am. J. Ind. Med. 50:969–979, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Piloting Home-Based Behavioral Family Systems Therapy for Adolescents With Poorly Controlled Diabetes

This study employed a within-subjects design in which 18 adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes received 10 11/2-hr sessions of home-based Behavioral Family Systems Therapy (BFST). Adolescents and their parents completed a variety of psychosocial questionnaires at baseline and immediately following their last session of BFST. Metabolic control was assessed at each evaluation using a hemoglobin A1c assay. The initial posttreatment follow-up evaluation indicated that participants participating in 10 sessions of home-based BFST evidenced pre- to posttreatment decreases in general family conflict, diabetes-related family conflict, and behavior problems. In addition, pre- to posttreatment improvements were observed for treatment adherence of adolescents with poorly controlled diabetes. No significant differences were observed between pre- and posttreatment HbA1c values.
Hyperventilation following aero-medical rapid sequence intubation may be a deliberate response to hypoxemia.

Summary Background Recent studies document a high incidence of hyperventilation by prehospital providers, with a potentially detrimental effect on outcome in traumatic brain injury (TBI). Purpose To document the incidence of hyperventilation by aero-medical providers and explore a possible relationship between hyperventilation episodes and desaturations or impending hypoxemia. Methods This was a prospective, descriptive study using TBI patients undergoing prehospital RSI by aero-medical crews. Continuous data regarding end-tidal CO 2 (EtCO 2 ), ventilatory rate, and oxygen saturation (SpO 2 ) were downloaded from hand-held oximeter–capnometer devices. Two investigators independently assessed oximetry/capnometry data to identify the following occurrences: desaturation during RSI (SpO 2 2 decrease by ≥3% to a value 2 signal, hyperventilation (EtCO 2 2 2 signal. Results A total of 32 aero-medical patients were enrolled with a mean duration of ventilation monitoring of 14.8min. The incidence of hyperventilation or severe hyperventilation was substantially lower than previously documented with ground paramedics. A total of 28 hyperventilation episodes were identified in 16 patients; 13 of these were associated with impending hypoxemia following intubation, five were associated with desaturation during RSI, and seven were associated with loss of SpO 2 signal. The remaining three occurred immediately following intubation without desaturation during RSI. Desaturation was observed in 62% of patients; of note, desaturation was recorded on the quality improvement document in only 23% of these. Covariate analysis revealed an association between hyperventilation episodes and either desaturatios during RSI, impending hypoxemia following intubation, or loss of SpO 2 signal. Conclusions The incidence of hyperventilation by aeromedical crews was lower than reported for ground paramedics and appears to occur in response to desaturation, impending hypoxemia, or loss of SpO 2 signal.
Selection for reproductive rate in females and feeding regimen on testicular traits and epididymal sperm reserves in Rambouillet rams

The objectives of this study were to evaluate whether selection for or against reproductive rate in Rambouillet ewes altered testicular and epididymal characteristics in male offspring, and to examine the interaction of post-weaning feeding regimen and selection line on body weights and testicular and epididymal characteristics. Rams were from lines selected for either low or high reproductive rate and from a random-bred control line. At 10 months of age, rams from each line were assigned to one of two feeding regimens, (i) placed on pasture and fed grass hay for duration of experiment (normal plane; NP) or (ii) continued on a pelleted diet for 7 months then combined with NP rams for the duration of experiment (high plane; HP). Testicular and epididymal traits and epididymal sperm reserves were evaluated at the end of the feeding period. Rams on the HP gained weight more rapidly (P 0.10) body weights. Selection line, feeding regimen or their interactions did not affect (P>0.10) scrotal circumference, testicular or epididymal characteristics or epididymal sperm reserves, except that there was a line by feeding regimen interaction (P<0.05) for caput/corpus epididymal weight. These results indicate that selecting for low or high reproductive rate in Rambouillet ewes or feeding a high plane of nutrition after weaning did not alter testicular or epididymal characteristics of mature male offspring.
LIPOIDS AND IMMUNOLOGICAL REACTIONS : I. THE RELATION OF PHOSPHOLIPINS TO THE TYPE-SPECIFIC REACTIONS OF ANTIPNEUMOCOCCUS HORSE AND RABBIT SERA.

It has been demonstrated that the removal of lipoids from Type I antipneumococcus horse serum causes a loss of the visible phenomena of type specific agglutination and precipitation, and in the case of rabbit serum a marked reduction in these properties. Initial activity of the type specific antibody can be restored to extracted immune horse serum by the addition of lecithin, and to rabbit serum by the addition of cephalin. The significance of these observations in respect to the relation of phospholipins to the type specific reactions of antipneumococcus serum is discussed.
Animal Consciousness: Some Historical Perspective1

A monodimensional understanding of both the past and the present has often characterized the historical background provided for scientific disciplines. It scans the past for the antecedents of the current cutting edge. But establishing such genealogical connections is difficult, even on the level of terminology. For example, neither “animal” nor “consciousness” has ever been defined without contention. The main current (and past) problem with the term “animal” is taxonomic: does it include people or not? and if so, are people included in only their physical aspect or in some more encompassing sense? An examination of 18th and 19th-century taxonomical treatments of the great apes shows how convictions and uncertainties on these issues were expressed through classification. With regard to “consciousness” the main problem has been whether that term refers to something shared by humans and other species. An examination of 19th-century attempts to claim that non-primates like the dog resembled humans more closely than did apes shows that this issue too reflects scientific as well as lay discomfort at the awkward proximity of other primates. A final problem with establishing scientific genealogies is that they often assume past consensus among experts on issues where there was actually intense disagreement, complicated by the difficulty of deciding who the experts actually were two or three centuries ago. None of these problems has completely disappeared even now.