cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Achieving Housestaff Competence in Emergency Airway Management Using Scenario Based Simulation Training: Comparison of Attending vs Housestaff Trainers

Study objectives To evaluate a teaching protocol comparing a critical care attending to a housestaff team in training medical interns in initial airway management skills using a computer-controlled patient simulator (CPS) and scenario-based simulation training (SST). Design Prospective, randomized, controlled, unblinded trial. Setting Internal medicine residency training program in an urban teaching hospital. Participants Forty-nine starting internal medicine interns in July 2003, all of whom had been certified in advanced cardiac life support in June 2003. Interventions All interns were tested and scored with a CPS while responding to a standardized respiratory arrest scenario. Random allocation to either training by a single experienced teaching attending or by a housestaff team occurred immediately following testing. All interns were retested using the same scenario 6 weeks following the initial training, and their clinical performance of airway management was scored during actual patient events throughout the year. Measurements Initial airway management was divided into specific scorable steps. For each intern, individual step scores and total scores were recorded before and after training. For 10 consecutive months following training, intern airway management scores were recorded for actual patient airway events. Results All starting medical interns demonstrated poor initial airway management skills. SST was effective in improving these skills, both on retesting with the patient simulator and in actual patient situations. Interns trained by a housestaff team performed as well as interns trained by the attending. Conclusions SST is effective in training medical interns, and the results are equivalent whether the training is provided by an experienced teaching attending or by a housestaff training team.
Broadly neutralizing antibodies and the search for an HIV-1 vaccine: the end of the beginning

The field of HIV-1 vaccine research has seen a renaissance with the identification of antibodies that neutralize most circulating HIV-1 strains. An understanding of the structural mode of target recognition that these antibodies use and the immune pathways that lead to their development is emerging. This knowledge has provided fundamental insights into the pathways that elicit broadly neutralizing antibodies and provides a foundation for active and passive immunization strategies to prevent HIV-1 infection.
Numerical Modeling of Pressure-Driven Nitrogen Slip Flow in Long Rectangular Microchannels

This article addresses some analytical and numerical modeling issues regarding the simulation of pressure-driven nitrogen slip flow in long microchannels. The main motivation for the study is to overcome the intense computational effort required by the large computational domain and the slow downstream variation and convergence in this problem, and to address some of the existing concerns with current models. A parallel solver is developed and used along with a serial version to obtain the steady state solution. This approach is found to provide an efficient and accurate solution to the problem. A comparison with earlier results is used for validation, as well as for justifying this hybrid approach. Some implemental issues related to the parallel algorithm are discussed and solved. The effects of variable properties, rarefaction, and the source terms in energy equation are determined and are found to be significant, particularly for the case of uniform wall heat flux boundary condition.
Similarity measures for sets of strings

In the companion paper [3], we have presented a common basis for many of the similarity and dissimilarity measures involving a pair of strings. In this paper, we extend the results to capture various numerical and nonnumerical measures involving more than two strings. A measure D(X Y,…Z) has been defined involving the set of strings {X Y,…Z} in terms of two abstract operators ⊕ and ⊛ and a function δ(·, ·) which has as many arguments as there are strings in the set {X Y,…Z}. The quantity D(X Y,…Z) represents various numerical and nonnumerical quantities involving {X Y,…Z} such as Length of their Longest Common Subsequence, (LLCS) the Length of their Shortest Common Supersequence, (LSCS) the set of their common subsequences, the set of their common supersequences and the set of their shuffles. The computational properties of D(X Y,…Z) have also been discussed.
Photoaffinity Labeling of Rat Liver Glutathione S-Transferase, 4-4, by Glutathionyl S-[4-(Succinimidyl)-benzophenone]†

Glutathionyl S-[4-(succinimidyl)benzophenone] (GS-Succ-BP), an analogue of the product of glutathione and xenobiotic substrate, was synthesized and shown to act as a photoaffinity label of rat liver glutathione S-transferase, 4-4. A time-dependent photoinactivation occurs upon irradiation at long wavelength UV light of the complex of enzyme and GS-Succ-BP. The rate of inactivation exhibits nonlinear dependence on [GS-Succ-BP], characterized by an apparent KI of 115 μM and kmax of 0.469 min-1. Effective protection against photoinactivation by 150 μM GS-Succ-BP is provided by dinitrophenol, nitrobenzene, ethacrynic acid, and S-hexylglutathione, analogues of xenobiotic substrates and product. These results suggest that GS-Succ-BP reacts with the enzyme within the active site, probably in the xenobiotic substrate-binding site. Upon complete inactivation, reagent incorporation of about 1 mol/mol of enzyme dimer is measured by radioactivity and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Isolation of modified peptides followe...
A capillary network model for pulmonary blood flow and neutrophil transit

A new computational method is developed for generating structurally realistic pulmonary capillary networks and for predicting pulmonary blood flow and RBC and neutrophil transit. Using this model, one can calculate local flow rate, pressure and hematocrit distributions in a capillary network, and evaluate the effects of transpulmonary pressure. Ptp, transcapillary pressure Ptm and capillary blockage on them. Comparisons with experimental data indicate that the predicted RBC transit time, the percentage of neutrophils passing through the network without stopping and their final aspect ratio agree well with measurements. This model also predicts the sample widely variable neutrophil transit times as are observed experimentally.
ECONOMIC IMPACT OF EXISTING AND NEW COMMUTER RAIL SERVICE ON RETAIL AND RECREATIONAL SPENDING IN THE VICINITY OF STATION AREAS

A quantification is provided of the impact of both existing and new commuter rail services on the economies of local jurisdictions, and selectively on direct state government revenues. Specifically, an investigation and documentation have been conducted on increased spending by rail riders on retail services in local station areas and increased spending by recreational rail travelers in resort areas as a result of the presence of rail service. Actual ridership surveys conducted on three commuter rail lines in New Jersey during 1995 and 1996 are used to establish relationships between increased spending in local station areas, as well as other economic impacts, such as induced ridership and relocation of residents as a result of improved commuter rail service. The three surveys were large-scale surveys of two entire rail lines, the Morris and Essex Lines and the Atlantic City Line, and a weekend survey during the summer tourist season of the coastal portion of the North Jersey Coast Line. With a 40-60 perc...
Iris stromal cyst management with absolute alcohol-induced sclerosis in 16 patients.

Importance The management of symptomatic iris stromal cyst is challenging using methods of aspiration with or without adjunctive cryotherapy, intracameral cautery, or photocoagulation. Failed cases often require surgical resection, with risks for epithelial downgrowth, glaucoma, blindness, and loss of the eye. Objective To study the safety and efficacy of the management of iris stromal cysts with aspiration and alcohol irrigation to induce cyst sclerosis. Design, Setting, and Participants Interventional case series at a tertiary referral center among 16 patients. Exposures Microscopically monitored transcorneal aspiration of cysts was performed with a 30-gauge needle on a 3-way T-extension into a 3-mL syringe, followed by immediate infusion of absolute alcohol from a separate 1-mL syringe through the other arm of the T-extension. Subsequent alcohol aspiration and repetition of the cycle was performed until the collapsed cyst wall appeared gray. Main Outcomes and Measures Cyst involution, visual acuity, and treatment complications. Results The iris stromal cysts were primary congenital (n = 6), primary acquired (n = 4), or secondary (n = 6). The cysts had a median basal diameter of 12 mm and a thickness of 4 mm, occupying 50% or more of the anterior or posterior chamber in each case. Treatment was administered following failure of simple aspiration (n = 16) and additional methods (n = 8). During a median follow-up period of 5 years, treatment was successful in 14 of 15 patients (1 patient was lost to follow-up). Cyst sclerosis with stabilization (n = 1) or involution (n = 13) was achieved following 1 (n = 10), 2 (n = 2), or 3 (n = 2) procedures. The single failure occurred in a 3-year-old child with cyst recurrence and severe photophobia requiring resection. Visual acuity remained stable or had improved in 14 patients and was reduced in 1 patient because of cataract. Complications included transient corneal edema (n = 4) and transient anterior chamber inflammation (n = 1), which resolved following topical corticosteroid therapy. No evidence was seen of treatment-related glaucoma, epithelial downgrowth, tissue necrosis, cataract, posterior segment toxic effects, or need for enucleation. Conclusions and Relevance Microscopically monitored aspiration and absolute alcohol–induced sclerosis of iris stromal cysts is safe and effective, with cyst involution obtained in 93% (14 of 15) of patients.
Relying on safe distance to achieve strong partitionable group membership in ad hoc networks

The design of ad hoc mobile applications often requires the availability of a consistent view of the application state among the participating hosts. Such views are important because they simplify both the programming and verification tasks. We argue that preventing the occurrence of unannounced disconnection is essential to constructing and maintaining a consistent view in the ad hoc mobile environment. In this light, we provide the specification for a partitionable group membership service supporting ad hoc mobile applications and propose a protocol for implementing the service. A unique property of this partitionable group membership is that messages sent between group members are guaranteed to be delivered successfully, given appropriate system assumptions. This property is preserved over time despite movement and frequent disconnections. The protocol splits and merges groups and maintains a logical connectivity graph based on a notion of safe distance. An implementation of the protocol in Java is available for testing. This work is used in an implementation of LIME, a middleware for mobility that supports transparent sharing of data in both wired and ad hoc wireless environments.
Warfarin Therapy Initiated before Is More Beneficial Than after Transesophageal Echocardiography Detected Left Atrial Thrombus

Objective: Warfarin anticoagulation significantly reduces the risk of thromboembolism in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). However, there are many patients with AF who begin anticoagulation only after left atrial thrombus (LAT) is detected by transesophageal echocardiography (TEE). The impact of anticoagulation in these patients has not been clearly described. The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) among AF patients who began warfarin before LAT was detected by TEE compared to those who began warfarin only after TEE demonstrated LAT and those did not receive warfarin at any point. Method: Of the 90 consecutive AF patients with LAT (male 48, female 42, age 71.5 ± 10.1 years), 49 began warfarin more than 3 weeks before TEE (Group I); 29 began warfarin after TEE (Group II); and 12 did not receive warfarin at all (Group III). Results: The incidence of CVA in Group I (14%, 7/49, prior CVA 5, new CVA after TEE 2) was significantly lower than Group II (45%, 13/29, prior CVA 10, new CVA after TEE 3, P = 0.006) and III (42%, 5/12, prior CVA 3, new CVA after TEE 2, P = 0.047). Patients with persistent LAT had significantly higher incidence (64% vs 23%, P = 0.024) of CVA and lower CVA free survival than those with resolved LAT. Conclusion: The incidence of CVA among AF patients, who began warfarin before LAT detection, is significantly lower than those who began warfarin after LAT detection as well as those who did not receive warfarin at all.
Generalized cofactoring for logic function evaluation

Logic evaluation of a Boolean function or relation is traditionally done by simulating its gate-level implementation, or creating a branching program using its Binary Decision Diagram (BDD) representation, or using a set of look-up tables. We propose a new approach called generalized cofactoring diagrams, which are a generalization of the above methods. Algorithms are given for finding the optimal cofactoring structure for free-ordered BDD's and generalized cube cofactoring under an average path length (APL) cost criterion. Experiments on multi-valued functions show superior results to previously known methods by an average of 30%. The framework has direct applications in logic simulation, software synthesis for embedded control applications, and functional decomposition in logic synthesis.
Pathway Commons at Virtual Cell: use of pathway data for mathematical modeling

Summary: Pathway Commons is a resource permitting simultaneous queries of multiple pathway databases. However, there is no standard mechanism for using these data (stored in BioPAX format) to annotate and build quantitative mathematical models. Therefore, we developed a new module within the virtual cell modeling and simulation software. It provides pathway data retrieval and visualization and enables automatic creation of executable network models directly from qualitative connections between pathway nodes. Availability and implementation: Available at Virtual Cell (http:// vcell.org/). Application runs on all major platforms and does not require registration for use on the user’s computer. Tutorials and video are available at user guide page.
Further examination of the impact of patient participation on physicians' communication style.

Abstract Objective Previous research in primary care has shown that physicians are more informative and/or patient-centered when they interact with high participation patients (e.g., those who ask questions, express preferences and concerns). This study contributes to this literature by examining parents’ participation and physicians’ discourse in a pediatric surgery context. Methods The audiotapes of 7 pediatric surgeons and 68 of their patients’ parents/guardians were coded and examined for physicians’ information exchange and support utterances as they interacted with parents/guardians with varying degrees of participation. Results The results of a multilevel regression analysis showed, consistent with related research, that the same physicians were more informative overall and provided more information in response to parents’ questions when interacting with high participation parents. However, participation was not associated with physicians’ volunteered information, general explanations, or support utterances. Discussion and conclusion The results are discussed with respect to the impact of participation on physicians’ information provision and implications for future research, particularly with respect to general explanations, volunteered information, and medical context. Practice implications This study suggests that surgeons may provide more detailed information to patients who are active participants in the preoperative interview, thereby improving the adequacy and validity of informed consent for surgical procedures.
Genetic Epidemiology of Psychiatric Disorders

Perhaps more than any other domain, the search for etiologic factors in psychiatry has been characterized by an enduring "nature versus nurture" debate, with researchers in medicine, psychology, and public health traditionally emphasizing separate causal factors in the generation of mental disorders. More recently, researchers have increasingly embraced a biopsychosocial model based on a growing body evidence that psychiatric disorders are determined by an interaction of multiple factors. Genetic epidemiology reflects this comprehensive approach by clarifying how both genetic and environmental components produce the complex phenotypes of various forms of disorders. However, its application to psychiatry is still relatively new and its methods and contributions within this domain are not well understood. The purpose of this presentation is to review issues and methodological concepts basic to the genetic epidemiology of psychiatric disorders, and to present examples of its application to this field.
Acute toxic effects of endosulfan sulfate on three life stages of grass shrimp, Palaemonetes pugio

In this study, the toxicity of endosulfan sulfate, the primary degradation product of the insecticide endosulfan, was determined in three life stages of the grass shrimp (Palaemonetes pugio). After 96 h exposure to endosulfan sulfate, the grass shrimp adult LC50 was 0.86 microg/L (95% CI 0.56-1.31), the grass shrimp larvae LC50 was 1.64 microg/L (95% CI 1.09-2.47) and the grass shrimp embryo LC50 was 45.85 microg/L (95% CI 23.72-88.61 microg/L). This was compared to the previously published grass shrimp 96-h LC50s for endosulfan. The toxicity of the two compounds was similar for the grass shrimp life stages with adults more sensitive than larvae and embryos. The presence of sediment in 24h endosulfan sulfate-exposures raised LC50s for both adult and larval grass shrimp but not significantly. The USEPA expected environmental concentrations (EEC) for total endosulfan and endosulfan sulfate and the calculations of risk quotients (RQ) based on the more sensitive adult grass shrimp 96-h LC50 clearly show that environmental concentrations equal to acute EECs would prove detrimental to grass shrimp or other similarly sensitive aquatic organisms. These results indicate that given the persistence and toxicity of endosulfan sulfate, future risk assessments should consider the toxicity potential of the parent compound as well as this degradation product.
Significance of mosaic isochromosome 20q on amniocentesis.

We report on 2 fetuses with prenatally diagnosed mosaic isochromosome 20q in amniotic fluid. Neither had an identifiable cytogenetic abnormality after birth. One infant developed a benign intracranial dermoid cyst at age 8 months. The other was completely normal in all respects. We are aware of 13 fetuses with this prenatally diagnosed chromosome finding; all fetuses tested have had normal chromosomes on subsequent cytogenetic studies and all, except one, have been morphologically normal. Fetuses with mosaic isochromosome 20q identified on amniocentesis are are most likely to be phenotypically and cytogenetically normal after birth. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Substance refusal skills in a population of adolescents diagnosed with conduct disorder and substance abuse.

The present study examined substance refusal skills of 44 conduct-disordered male adolescents. Fifty percent of these adolescents were dually diagnosed with substance abuse/dependence. Substance refusal skills were assessed utilizing a role-play test that con- sisted of four interpersonal scenarios in which a confederate prompted youths to engage in il- licit drug and alcohol activity. The test demonstrated adequate interrater agreement and va- lidity. Overall skill in refusing alcohol was positively related to adolescents' perceptions of belonging and attention, and overall skill in refusing illicit drugs was positively related to school performance and social competence. Contrary to expectations, substance refusal skills of dually diagnosed adolescents were comparable to their non-substance-abusing counter- parts. Clinical implications of this study are discussed. © 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd
PRIMARY CULTURES OF DISSOCIATED SYMPATHETIC NEURONS : I. Establishment of Long-Term Growth in Culture and Studies of Differentiated Properties

Rat sympathetic ganglia were disrupted by mechanical agitation to yield dissociated primary neurons, and the conditions for long-term growth in culture of the isolated neurons were examined. The neurons were grown with or without non-neural cells, simply by the addition or deletion of bicarbonate during growth in culture. Fluorescence histochemistry indicated that the isolated neurons contained catecholamines; incubations with radioactive precursors were used to verify the synthesis and accumulation of both dopamine and norepinephrine. The neurons also produced octopamine using tyramine as precursor, but not with tyrosine as the precursor. In the presence of eserine, older cultures synthesized and stored small amounts of acetylcholine. The cultures did not synthesize and accumulate detectable levels of radioactive γ-aminobutyric acid, 5-hydroxytryptamine, or histamine.
ETHNIC DISPARITIES IN ACCESSING TREATMENT FOR DEPRESSION AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS IN AN INTEGRATED HEALTH PLAN

Objective:This study examined ethnic differences in accessing treatment for depression and substance use disorders (SUDs) among men and women in a large integrated health plan and explored factors potentially contributing to health care disparities.Methods:Participants were 22,543 members ages 20 to 65 who responded to health surveys in 2002 and 2005. Survey questions were linked to provider-assigned diagnoses, electronic medication, psychiatry, and chemical dependency program records.Results:Among women diagnosed with depression, Latinas (p < .01) and Asian-Americans (p < .001) were less likely than Whites to fill an antidepressant prescription. Among men diagnosed with depression, African Americans (p < .01) were less likely than Whites to do so. Among women diagnosed with an SUD, African Americans (p < .05) were less likely than Whites to have one or more chemical dependency program visits.Conclusions:Results demonstrated ethnic differences in accessing depression and SUD treatment among patients diagn...
Feedback, queueing, and the reliability of the ideal Poisson channel above capacity

The ideal Poisson channel, the ideal Poisson channel with feedback, the exponential-server timing channel, and the exponential-server timing channel with feedback are known to have the same capacity. We show that above this capacity they have the same reliability function, which we determine. For the ideal Poisson channel without feedback, this improves upon the strong converse of Burnashev and Kutoyants.
Comparison of 1/f noise in irradiated power MOSFETs measured in the linear and saturation regions

1/f noise in n-channel and p-channel power MOSFETs is investigated as a function of total dose and annealing. All the devices used in this study are nonhardened commercial parts. The preirradiation noise dependence on the gate and drain biases is analyzed. A different evolution of the noise measured in the linear and saturation regions through irradiation and annealing is reported. The build-up of interface traps was found to correlate well with the increase of noise during annealing for the p-channel devices. Measurements taken in the saturation region do not correlate as well with radiation-induced charge build-up, even though the overall noise increases slightly during irradiation. >
Effects of Yo-yo Diet, Caloric Restriction, and Olestra on Tissue Distribution of Hexachlorobenzene

Chlorinated hydrocarbons are lipophilic, toxic, and persistent in the environment and animal tissues. They enter the body in food and are stored in adipose tissue. Loss of body fat through caloric ...
Full-wave Quasi-TEM characteristic impedance of an imperfectly-conducting strip transmission line

The quasi-TEM characteristic impedance of an imperfectly-conducting strip transmission line based on a full-wave analysis is investigated. The effect of the imperfect outer conductors of the stripline are accommodated via a dyadic Green's function satisfying surface impedance boundary conditions. The imperfect center conductor is accommodated through the use of a resistive sheet boundary condition and leads to an EFIE formulation for the quasi-TEM strip current. This center strip current subsequently allows computation of the quasi-TEM characteristic impedance. The effect that finite conductivity has on the quasi-TEM characteristic impedance is investigated. The importance of these results for use in future applications is discussed.
Surgical anatomy of the lower trapezius tendon transfer

Background The precise surgical anatomy of the lower trapezius tendon transfer has not been well described. A precise anatomic description of the different trapezius segments and the associated neurovascular structures is crucial for operative planning and execution. We aimed (1) to establish a reliable demarcation between the middle and lower trapezius, (2) to establish the precise relationship of the main neurovascular pedicle to the muscle belly, and (3) to evaluate the utility of the relationships established in (1) and (2) by using the results of this study to perform cadaveric lower trapezius tendon harvest. Methods In phase 1, a single surgeon performed all measurements using 10 cadavers. In phase 2, 10 cadaveric shoulders were used to harvest the tendon by using the relationships established in phase 1. Results We found anatomically distinct insertion sites for the lower and middle trapezius. The lower trapezius inserted at the scapular spine dorsum and the middle trapezius inserted broadly along the superior surface of the scapular spine. The distance from tip of tendon insertion to the nearest nerve at the most superior portion of the lower trapezius was 58 mm (standard deviation ± 18). By use of these relationships, there were no cases of neurovascular injury during our cadaveric tendon harvests. Conclusion The lower trapezius can be reliably and consistently identified without violating fibers of the middle trapezius. Muscle splitting can be performed safely without encountering the spinal accessory nerve (approximately 2 cm medial to the medial scapular border).
Pancreatic alpha-cell function in relation to cholesterol metabolism.

The function of the alpha cells of the islets of Langerhans remains an enigma despite knowledge of their existence for many years. In 1945 Thorogood and Zimmermann advanced the hypothesis that these cells produce a hyperglycemic factor antagonistic to insulin (1). During recent years many data have been obtained which appear to support this concept. A hyperglycemic-glycogenolytic factor (HGF) has been found in pancreatic extracts and has even been isolated in crystalline form. This work has been reviewed by Foa (2). However, no one has been able to prove that the alpha cells are the source of HGF. In fact, recent work egates his concept.
Assessing element-specific patterns of bioaccumulation across New England lakes.

Little is known about differences among trace elements in patterns of bioaccumulation in freshwater food webs. Our goal was to identify patterns in bioaccumulation of different elements that are large and consistent enough to discern despite variation across lakes. We measured methylmercury (MeHg) and trace element (As, Cd, Hg, Pb, and Zn) concentrations in food web components of seven New England lakes on 3–5 dates per lake, and contrasted patterns of bioaccumulation across lakes, metals and seasons. In each lake, trace element concentrations were compared across trophic levels, including three size fractions of zooplankton, planktivorous fish, and piscivorous fish. The trophic position of each food web component was estimated from N isotope analysis. Trace element concentrations varied widely among taxa, lakes and sampling dates. Yet, we identified four consistent patterns of bioaccumulation that were consistent across lakes: (1) MeHg concentration increased (i.e., was biomagnified) and Pb concentration decreased (i.e., was biodiminished) with increased trophic position. (2) Zinc concentration (as with MeHg) was higher in fish than in zooplankton, but overall variation in Zn concentration (unlike MeHg) was low. (3) Arsenic and Cd concentrations (as with Pb) were lower in fish than in zooplankton, but (unlike Pb) were not significantly correlated with trophic position within zooplankton or fish groups. (4) Average summer concentrations of As, Pb, Hg, and MeHg in zooplankton significantly predicted their concentrations in either planktivorous or piscivorous fish. Our secondary goal was to review sampling approaches in forty-five published studies to determine the extent to which current sampling programs facilitate cross-lake and cross-study comparisons of bioaccumulation. We found that studies include different components of the food web and sample too infrequently to enable strong cross-lake and cross-study comparisons. We discuss sampling strategies that would improve our capacity to identify consistent patterns of bioaccumulation and drivers of elevated trace element concentrations under naturally high levels of variability.
Theorizing Citizenship and Evaluating Public Achievement

Researcher (R): How has doing Public Achievement (PA) changed the way you think about yourself?Casey (pseudonym for an elementary school student): I am less lonely now that I have done Public Achievement.R: Really, that's interesting, what is it in PA makes you less lonely?Casey: Well, people used to think that I am kinda weird here, and I am different. I like playing in the woods and stuff by myself and doing my own kind of stuff.R: And people think of you as less weird when you do PA?Casey: Yeah, they even give awards to kids like me in PA.R: Wow! It sounds like you are a leader in PA.Casey: Yeah, I really like doing PA.R: Let me see if I am hearing you right, before PA people thought that you were weird, and now that you have done PA, people look at you differently?Casey: Yeah.R: How do you think they look at you differently now?Casey: They look at me as a citizen.R: As a citizen, what does it mean for them to look at you as a citizen?Casey: Like I am more of an equal, they listen to what I have to say.This dialogue, filled with civic promise, is typical of the many conversations I have had with young participants in reflecting upon their experiences in Public Achievement.
Multiple Injury in Children

We studied thirty-four consecutive surviving children who had severe injuries, including a major fracture of at least one extremity or of the pelvic girdle, and at least one other major injury. The severity of the injuries was classified according to the Modified Injury Severity Scale, and that scale proved to be predictive for morbidity and residual impairment. The study showed that in one-third of the patients there was substantial residual impairment that was attributable to their musculoskeletal and neural injuries. Most of the musculoskeletal impairment was attributable to the nature of the skeletal injury rather than to the treatment.
The isoperimetric and Kazhdan constants associated to a Paley graph

In this paper, we investigate the isoperimetric constant (or expansion constant) of a Paley graph, and the Kazhdan constant of the group and generating set associated with a Paley graph. We give two new upper bounds for the isoperimetric constant h(Xp) for the Paley graph Xp. These bounds improve previously known eigenvalue bounds on h(Xp). Along with a known eigenvalue lower bound for h(Xp), they provide a narrow strip in which h(Xp) must live. More precisely, we show that (p −p)∕4 ≤ h(Xp) ≤ (p − 1)∕4, which implies that limp→∞h(Xp)∕p = 1∕4. In addition, we show that the Kazhdan constant associated with the integers modulo p and the generating set for the Paley graph Xp approaches 2 as p tends to infinity, which is the best possible limit that the Kazhdan constant can be.
Independent surgical validation of the new prostate cancer grade-grouping system.

Objective To report the independent prognostic impact of the new prostate cancer grade-grouping system in a large external validation cohort of patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP). Patients and methods Between 1994 and 2013, 3 694 consecutive men were treated with RP at a single institution. To investigate the performance of and validate the grade-grouping system, biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS) rates were assessed using Kaplan–Meier tests, Cox-regression modelling, and discriminatory comparison analyses. Separate analyses were performed based on biopsy and RP grade. Results The median follow-up was 52.7 months. The 5-year actuarial bRFS for biopsy grade groups 1–5 were 94.2%, 89.2%, 73.1%, 63.1%, and 54.7%, respectively (P < 0.001). Similarly, the 5-year actuarial bRFS based on RP grade groups was 96.1%, 93.0%, 74.0%, 64.4%, and 49.9% for grade groups 1–5, respectively (P < 0.001). The adjusted hazard ratios for bRFS relative to biopsy grade group 1 were 1.98, 4.20, 5.57, and 9.32 for groups 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively (P < 0.001), and for RP grade groups were 2.09, 5.27, 5.86, and 10.42 (P < 0.001). The five-grade-group system had a higher prognostic discrimination compared with the commonly used three-tier system (Gleason score 6 vs 7 vs 8–10). Conclusions In an independent surgical cohort, we have validated the prognostic benefit of the new prostate cancer grade-grouping system for bRFS, and shown that the benefit is maintained after adjusting for important clinicopathological variables. The greater predictive accuracy of the new system will improve risk stratification in the clinical setting and aid in patient counselling.
Electronic Defects in Transient, Thermally Processed Semiconductors

This paper summarizes the general observations that may be drawn from numerous studies of electronic defects in transient thermally annealed bulk single–crystal silicon and discusses the emerging subjects of electronic defect evaluation in beam–crystallized silicon thin films and in epitaxially–grown III–V semiconductors.
German Cockroach (Dictyoptera: Blattellidae) Gut Contents Inhibit Cytochrome P450 Monooxygenases

German cockroach, Blattella germanica (L.), gut contents inhibited cytochrome P450-catalyzed methoxyresorufin O -demethylation and aldrin epoxidation. Inhibitory activity was associated mainly with midgut contents of nymphs. However, midgut content preparations from both nymphs and adults were inhibitory to methoxyresorufin O -demethylase activity when evaluated in vitro. A direct relationship between food consumption and loss of enzyme activity in final instar male nymphs was observed when microsomes were prepared with midgut contents in situ. Cytochrome c reductase activity was increased in the presence of midgut contents. These data suggest that the inhibitory factor is possibly a digestive enzyme or some other entity released into the midgut in response to feeding. Furthermore, it emphasizes the importance of gut cleaning before microsome preparation to ensure accurate assays of cytochrome P450 monooxygenase activity in German cockroaches.
ULTRA-TIGHTLY COUPLED GPS/INS TRACKING PERFORMANCE

This paper presents the results of improvements in the GPS receiver tracking performance when Ultra-tightly coupled with an Inertial Measurement Unit. In a tightly coupled system I and Q data are input to traditional fixed gain tracking loops. Residuals are then formed between the LOS projected navigation solution and the tracking loop outputs. High rate IMU inputs are converted to line of sight aiding via the navigation function, in order to reduce tracking loop bandwidths and provide a level of tracking stability. In an Ultratightly coupled system the tracking loop block is replaced by an Integrate and Dump (I&D) processing block. Both range and range rate residuals are formed directly with the I&D block, producing uncorrelated measurements into the Kalman Filter. The Navigation Kalman Filter now “plays the role” of the loop filter in directly stabilizing tracking errors. Additional states are added in the Kalman Filter for IMU and oscillator performance. This technique reduces the effective bandwidth of the tracking loop, which results in higher tracking performance. The effects of IMU and oscillator quality were also studied and play a direct role in receiver tracking performance and navigation accuracy in both tightly coupled and ultra-tightly coupled systems. Results presented in this paper were collected from both a high fidelity C-model simulation of a tightly coupled and an Ultra-tightly coupled navigation receiver and from laboratory testing of Raytheon’s miniaturized ultra-tightly coupled GPS navigation system when integrated with a variety of IMUs and oscillator technologies.
The adoption of an electronic health record did not improve A1c values in Type 2 diabetes

Background: A major justification for the clinical adoption of electronic health records (EHRs) was the expectation that it would improve the quality of medical care. No longitudinal study has tested this assumption. Objective: We used hemoglobin A1c, a recognized clinical quality measure directly related to diabetes outcomes, to assess the effect of EHR use on clinical quality. Methods: We performed a five-and-one-half-year multicentre longitudinal retrospective study of the A1c values of 537 type 2 diabetic patients. The same patients had to have been seen on at least three occasions: once approximately six months prior to EHR adoption (before-EHR), once approximately six months after EHR adoption (after-EHR) and once approximately five years after EHR adoption (five-years), for a total of 1,611 notes. Results: The overall mean confidence interval (CI) A1c values for the before- EHR, after-EHR and five-years were 7.07 (6.91 – 7.23), 7.33 (7.14 – 7.52) and 7.19 (7.06 – 7.32), respectively. There was a small but significant increase in A1c values between before-EHR and after-EHR, p = .04; there were no other significant differences. There was a significant decrease in notes missing at least one A1c value, from 42% before-EHR to 16% five-years (p < .001). Conclusion: We found that based on patient’s A1c values, EHRs did not improve the clinical quality of diabetic care in six months and five years after EHR adoption. To our knowledge, this is the first longitudinal study to directly assess the relationship between the use of an EHR and clinical quality.
High-resolution infrared studies of perdeutero-spiropentane, C5D8

Abstract Perdeutero-spiropentane (C 5 D 8 ) has been synthesized, and infrared and Raman spectra are reported for the first time. Wavenumber assignments are made for most of the fundamental vibrational states. Gas phase infrared spectra were recorded at a resolution (0.002 cm −1 ) sufficient to resolve individual rovibrational lines and show evidence of strong Coriolis and/or Fermi resonance interactions for most bands. However a detailed rovibrational analysis of the fundamental ν 15 ( b 2 ) parallel band proved possible, and a fit of more than 1600 lines yielded a band origin of 1053.84465(10) cm −1 and ground state constants (in units of cm −1 ): B 0 = 0.1120700(9), D J = 1.51(3) × 10 −8 , D JK = 3.42(15) × 10 −8 . We note that the B 0 value is significantly less than a value of B a = 0.1140 cm −1 calculated using structural parameters from an earlier electron diffraction (ED) study, whereas one expects B a to be lower than B 0 because of thermal averaging over higher vibrational levels. A similar discrepancy was noted in an earlier study of C 5 H 8 (Price et al., 2011). The structural and spectroscopic results are in good accord with values computed at the anharmonic level using the B3LYP density functional method with a cc-pVTZ basis set.
Antimicrobial therapy of postpartum endomyometritis

Seventy patients with postpartum endomyometritis were treated with either intravenous mezlocillin (16 gm/day) or ampicillin (8 gm/day) in a prospective, randomized, double-blind comparison. Endocervical dilatation was routinely performed. Clindamycin (2 gm/day) was added if patients failed to improve within 48 hours of beginning therapy. Pretreatment clinical and microbiologic profiles were comparable in the two groups. Bacteremia was documented in 21 patients (30%). Anaerobic cocci and Bacteroides spp. (non- B. fragilis ) comprised 19 of 29 (65%) blood isolates. Thirty of 33 mezlocillin-treated patients (91%) and 30 of 37 ampicillin-treated patients (81%) responded to initial therapy (P>0.4). Resolution was need after the addition of clindamycin in all ten nonresponders; two of these patients also required surgical wound debridement. Objective parameters of clinical response were not significantly different in the two treatment groups. Side effects of mezlocillin therapy were minimal. We conclude that mezlocillin and ampicillin are equally effective and sate for therapy of postpartum endomyometritis. That mezlocillin was not superior to ampicillin, despite expanded activity against B. fragilis end members of Enterobacteriaceae , suggests that these pathogens are less important than was previously considered in postpartum endomyometritis.
Cofactor engineering of ketol-acid reductoisomerase (IlvC) and alcohol dehydrogenase (YqhD) improves the fusel alcohol yield in algal protein anaerobic fermentation

Abstract The feasibility of converting algal protein to mixed alcohols has recently been demonstrated with an engineered E. coli strain, enabling comprehensive utilization of the biomass for biofuel applications. However, the yield and titers of mixed alcohol production must be improved for market adoption. A major limiting factor for achieving the necessary yield and titer improvements is cofactor imbalance during the fermentation of algal protein. To resolve this problem, a directed evolution approach was applied to modify the cofactor specificity of two key enzymes (IlvC and YqhD) from NADPH to NADH in the mixed alcohol metabolic pathway. Using high throughput screening, more than 20 YqhD mutants were identified to show activity on NADH as a cofactor. Of these 20 mutants, the four highest activity YqhD mutants were selected for combination with two IlvC mutants, both accepting NADH as a redox cofactor, for modification of the protein conversion strain. The combination of the IlvC and YqhD mutants yielded a refined E. coli strain, subtype AY3, with increased fusel alcohol yield of ~ 60% compared to wild type under anaerobic fermentation on amino acid mixtures. When applied to real algal protein hydrolysates, the strain AY3 produced 100% and 38% more total mixed alcohols than the wild type strain on two different algal hydrolysates, respectively. The results indicate that cofactor engineering is a promising approach to improve the feasibility of bioconversion of algal protein into mixed alcohols as advanced biofuels.
Effect of plant growth regulators on Blissus insularis (Hemiptera: Blissidae)

Summary Plant growth regulators are known to influence a plant's characteristics and therefore can be used as an alternative strategy in making Blissus insularis Barber (Hemiptera: Blissidae) habitat unfavorable for this insect's survival. The reduction of B. insularis population densities following the application of mefluidide and trinexapac-ethyl in field plots indicated the indirect effect of plant growth regulator application on B. insularis for its management in St. Augustinegrass.
Comparing Twitter and Online Panels for Survey Recruitment of E-Cigarette Users and Smokers.

Background: E-cigarettes have rapidly increased in popularity in recent years, driven, at least in part, by marketing and word-of-mouth discussion on Twitter. Given the rapid proliferation of e-cigarettes, researchers need timely quantitative data from e-cigarette users and smokers who may see e-cigarettes as a cessation tool. Twitter provides an ideal platform for recruiting e-cigarette users and smokers who use Twitter. Online panels offer a second method of accessing this population, but they have been criticized for recruiting too few young adults, among whom e-cigarette use rates are highest. Objective: This study compares effectiveness of recruiting Twitter users who are e-cigarette users and smokers who have never used e-cigarettes via Twitter to online panelists provided by Qualtrics and explores how users recruited differ by demographics, e-cigarette use, and social media use. Methods: Participants were adults who had ever used e-cigarettes (n=278; male: 57.6%, 160/278; age: mean 34.26, SD 14.16 years) and smokers (n=102; male: 38.2%, 39/102; age: mean 42.80, SD 14.16 years) with public Twitter profiles. Participants were recruited via online panel (n=190) or promoted tweets using keyword targeting for e-cigarette users (n=190). Predictor variables were demographics (age, gender, education, race/ethnicity), e-cigarette use (eg, past 30-day e-cigarette use, e-cigarette puffs per day), social media use behaviors (eg, Twitter use frequency), and days to final survey completion from survey launch for Twitter versus panel. Recruitment method (Twitter, panel) was the dependent variable. Results: Across the total sample, participants were recruited more quickly via Twitter (incidence rate ratio=1.30, P=.02) than panel. Compared with young adult e-cigarette users (age 18-24 years), e-cigarette users aged 25 to 34 years (OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00-0.60, P=.03) and 35 to 44 years (OR 0.01, 95% CI 0.00-0.51, P=.02) were more likely to be recruited via Twitter than panel. Smokers aged 35 to 44 years were less likely than those aged 18 to 24 years to be recruited via Twitter than panel (35-44: OR 0.03, 95% CI 0.00-0.49, P=.01). E-cigarette users who reported a greater number of e-cigarette puffs per day were more likely to be recruited via Twitter than panel compared to those who reported fewer puffs per day (OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.05-1.20, P=.001). With each one-unit increase in Twitter usage, e-cigarette users were 9.55 times (95% CI 2.28-40.00, P=.002) and smokers were 4.91 times (95% CI 1.90-12.74, P=.001) as likely to be recruited via Twitter than panel. Conclusions: Twitter ads were more time efficient than an online panel in recruiting e-cigarette users and smokers. In addition, Twitter provided access to younger adults, who were heavier users of e-cigarettes and Twitter. Recruiting via social media and online panel in combination offered access to a more diverse population of participants. [J Med Internet Res 2016;18(11):e288]