cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optimizing Identification of Clinically Relevant Gram-Positive Organisms by Use of the Bruker Biotyper Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry System

Matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) can be used as a method for the rapid identification of microorganisms. This study evaluated the Bruker Biotyper (MALDI-TOF MS) system for the identification of clinically relevant Gram-positive organisms. We tested 239 aerobic Gram-positive organisms isolated from clinical specimens. We evaluated 4 direct-smear methods, including "heavy" (H) and "light" (L) smears, with and without a 1-μl direct formic acid (FA) overlay. The quality measure assigned to a MALDI-TOF MS identification is a numerical value or "score." We found that a heavy smear with a formic acid overlay (H+FA) produced optimal MALDI-TOF MS identification scores and the highest percentage of correctly identified organisms. Using a score of ≥2.0, we identified 183 of the 239 isolates (76.6%) to the genus level, and of the 181 isolates resolved to the species level, 141 isolates (77.9%) were correctly identified. To maximize the number of correct identifications while minimizing misidentifications, the data were analyzed using a score of ≥1.7 for genus- and species-level identification. Using this score, 220 of the 239 isolates (92.1%) were identified to the genus level, and of the 181 isolates resolved to the species level, 167 isolates (92.2%) could be assigned an accurate species identification. We also evaluated a subset of isolates for preanalytic factors that might influence MALDI-TOF MS identification. Frequent subcultures increased the number of unidentified isolates. Incubation temperatures and subcultures of the media did not alter the rate of identification. These data define the ideal bacterial preparation, identification score, and medium conditions for optimal identification of Gram-positive bacteria by use of MALDI-TOF MS.
Property Law as the Infrastructure of Democracy

It is commonly thought that if one is in favor of strong protection for property rights, liberty, and the free market, one must believe in a minimal state that limits "regulation." But if we pay attention to the history of property law, it becomes clear that all these things can only exist with a robust regulatory structure. Libertarian calls for small government fail to recognize that modern property rights came into existence because of laws that prohibited feudalism, slavery, caste status, and discriminatory barriers to entry to the marketplace. Modern statutes go beyond these foundational regulations to protect consumers by establishing minimum standards for market relationships. Property law (including consumer protection laws) functions as a private constitutional structure that shapes the contours of economic and social relationships; it is the infrastructure of democracy. Its core mission is to define the framework for a free and democratic society that treats each person with equal concern and respect. This talk was the Fourth Wolf Family Lecture on the American Law of Real Property delivered April 4, 2011, at the University of Florida Fredric G. Levin College of Law and will be published in Powell on Real Property (Michael Allan Wolf ed., LexisNexis Matthew Bender).
Protective and Pathologic Roles of the Immune Response to Mouse Hepatitis Virus Type 1: Implications for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

Intranasal mouse hepatitis virus type 1 (MHV-1) infection of mice induces lung pathology similar to that observed in severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) patients. However, the severity of MHV-1-induced pulmonary disease varies among mouse strains, and it has been suggested that differences in the host immune response might account for this variation. It has also been suggested that immunopathology may represent an important clinical feature of SARS. Little is known about the host immune response to MHV-1 and how it might contribute to some of the pathological changes detected in infected mice. In this study we show that an intact type I interferon system and the adaptive immune responses are required for controlling MHV-1 replication and preventing morbidity and mortality in resistant C57BL/6J mice after infection. The NK cell response also helps minimize the severity of illness following MHV-1 infection of C57BL/6J mice. In A/J and C3H/HeJ mice, which are highly susceptible to MHV-1-induced disease, we demonstrate that both CD4 and CD8 T cells contribute to morbidity during primary infection, and memory responses can enhance morbidity and mortality during subsequent reexposure to MHV-1. However, morbidity in A/J and C3H/HeJ mice can be minimized by treating them with immune serum prior to MHV-1 infection. Overall, our findings highlight the role of the host immune response in contributing to the pathogenesis of coronavirus-induced respiratory disease.
A descriptive study of medical and chiropractic patients with chronic low back pain and sciatica: Management by physicians (practice activities) and patients (self-management) ☆☆ ☆

Abstract Background: A practice-based study of ambulatory patients with low back pain noted a long-term outcome advantage for self-referred chiropractic (DC) patients over medical (MD) patients within a subgroup of patients with chronic low back pain and radiating pain below the knee. The frequency of self-care education by physicians in both provider cohorts coupled with current thinking on management of chronic low back pain led to an exploration and description of physicians' noncore practice activities and patients' self-management attitudes and behaviors. Methods: A longitudinal, practice-based, observational study was undertaken in 14 general practice and 51 chiropractic community-based clinics. We enrolled 2945 consecutive patients with ambulatory low back pain of mechanical origin; of these, 268 comprised the subgroup of patients with chronic low back pain and radiating pain below the knee. The patients' low back status was followed for 1 year. Data on physicians' practice activities were obtained from doctor questionnaires completed at each patient visit and from chart abstraction. Patient data obtained from self-administered questionnaires at enrollment included sociodemographics, complaint characteristics, health status, and health encounter preferences. Questionnaires mailed at 2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months collected data on low back complaint status and satisfaction with treatment. At 1 to 3 years follow-up, mailed questionnaires collected data on patients' self-management attitudes and behaviors. Results: Physicians' core practice activities were as expected. Exercise plans and self-care education (>55%) were conspicuous in the frequency of their use in the DC cohort. MD patients appeared to rely more on family and friends for support during periods of back trouble. DC patients were characterized by greater self-efficacy motivation ( P = .000). Both groups showed evidence of self-care activities during and between bouts of back pain, although MD patients were far more likely to choose bed rest ( P = .007). Conclusions: The chiropractic encounter may have enhanced patients' self-efficacy motivation, leading to better coping abilities and better pain and disability outcomes. Understanding, respecting, and capitalizing on the role and influence of psychosocial factors can help all physicians become more effective healers and counselors for their patients with back pain. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2001;24:543-51)
Effect of avocadofurans on larval survival, growth, and food preference of the generalist herbivore, Spodoptera exigua

We examined the effect of two avocadofurans, 2-(pentadecyl)furan and 2-(heptadecyl)furan, from avocado idioblast oil cells on maturation and larval feeding behavior of a generalist insect herbivore, Spodoptera exigua (Hubner) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Experiments were conducted using two larval sizes: early-stadium larvae refer to those larvae from experiments initiated with neonates while late-stadium larvae refer to those larvae from experiments initiated with third instars. In order to use selected sublethal doses for developmental and behavioral studies on early- and late-stadium larvae, log-dose probit lines were determined using diet incorporation bioassays. Both avocadofurans had similar toxicities to early-stadium larvae [LC50 D 2:2 and 1.9 moles/g of diet for 2(pentadecyl)furan and 2-(heptadecyl)furan, respectively] and late-stadium larvae (LC 50D 3:0 and 3.4moles/g of diet, respectively). In diet bioassays extending from egg hatch to adult emergence, the avocadofurans significantly prolonged larval developmental times and reduced S. exigua pupal weights. In 7 d no-choice bioassays initiated with cohorts of newly-molted third instars, the avocadofurans significantly reduced larval weights at various sublethal concentrations (below LC50 values). To test larval feeding deterrence effects of these avocadofurans, choice tests were conducted using early and older instar larvae. A significantly higher proportion of early-stadium larvae preferred control diet over diet treated with either avocadofuran at several sublethal concentrations. Similarly, choice tests with late-stadium larvae showed greater proportions of larvae on control diet than treated diet even at concentrations below the LC50. Moreover, late-stadium larvae consumed significantly more of the control diet than the treated diet. Thus, the avocadofurans may act as feeding deterrents as well as toxicants in plant protection against non-adapted insect herbivores.
Comparison of resonant frequency calculations for wideband U-slot antennas on microwave substrates

The paper compares results to test and validate the applicability of two different empirical formulae for calculating the resonant frequencies of a rectangular, probe-fed, U-slot microstrip patch antenna on single-layer, grounded substrates with permittivity ranging from /spl epsiv//sub r/=2.2 to /spl epsiv//sub r/=9.8. The results indicate that the empirical formulae for the resonant frequencies of the U-slot antenna geometries agree well with the results from exact analysis for relatively low permittivity substrates with /spl epsiv//sub r/<4.5.
Benefits of performance standards for lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries

This presentation focuses on the benefits of establishing a minimum performance standard for lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer cells. Electrical performance aspects such as initial impedance, capacity vs. temperature, cycle life, self discharge and irreversible capacity loss due to storage, could be covered by the standard. An established standard will help to reduce cycle time to develop cells and cost. Such a standard would also help to synchronize the product needs and the cell performance. The standard would accelerate competition among cell suppliers. It is imperative for original equipment manufacturers (OEM) leadership in portable electronics to work together to develop and implement a new set of acceptable performance standard or improve the existing performance requirements listed in the IEC Standard 61960-1 to include all performance areas that are relevant to the OEM application.
Decreasing preoperative delays--a rapid process improvement project.

ABSTRACT Patient delays in the preoperative area are frustrating to patients, staff members, and physicians. These delays result in indirect costs that waste resources and decrease revenue. The purpose of this project was to determine whether implementation of rapid process improvement methodology would decrease preoperative patient delays. A delay was defined as any time a patient is not ready 30 minutes before his or her scheduled surgery time. A 7% reduction in delays occurred as a result of the project. Although the change was not statistically significant, it was clinically significant. AORN J 77 (April 2003) 737–741.
First Description of a New Species of Demodex (Acari: Demodecidae) from Rhesus Monkey

Species of Demodex live in hair follicles and sebaceous glands of many species of mammals. Demodex macaci n .sp. is described (all life stages) from a captive rhesus monkey, Macaca mulatta (Zimmermann, 1780). Mites were found at all levels of the hair follicles and occasionally in sebaceous glands of the skin of the perineal region. This is the first description of a demodectic hair follicle mite from the primate family Cercopithecidae.
Trans-Scaphoid, Transtriquetral, Volar Lunate Fracture-Dislocation of the Wrist. A Case Report*

Fracture-dislocations of the carpus represent a spectrum of complex injuries1-3,5-12,14. Accurate description of a specific injury may be difficult because of the number of skeletal and ligamentous structures involved. Some authors have suggested that these injuries represent so-called perilunate injuries, as the mechanism of injury has been noted to follow a pattern about the lunate5,9,10. Moneim described greater arc injuries as those including trans-scaphoid, transcapitate, trans-hamate, and transtriquetral perilunate fracture-dislocations. When the lunate itself is dislocated, the injury is more extensive and classification is more difficult. We report the case of a patient who had an unusual fracture-dislocation of the wrist. The lunate was displaced volarly in conjunction with displaced fractures of the adjacent scaphoid and triquetrum. A twenty-six-year-old, female, right-hand-dominant law student fell from a height of approximately twenty-four feet (7.3 meters). She could not recall the position of the upper extremity at the time of the impact. On examination, the right wrist was markedly swollen and any attempt at motion produced pain. Sensibility was diminished in the distribution of the median nerve and, although deep-pressure sensation was present, light-touch sensation was absent. Circulation to the hand was intact. The only associated injury was a compression fracture of the second lumbar vertebra without neurological deficit. Radiographs of the right wrist showed displaced fractures of the scaphoid and triquetrum as well as volar dislocation of the lunate (Figs. 1-A, 1-B, 1-C, 2-A through 2-B). Fig. 1-A Posteroanterior, oblique, and lateral radiographs showing the trans-scaphoid, transtriquetral, volar lunate fracture-dislocation. Fig. 1-B Posteroanterior, oblique, and lateral …
Chapter 7 – Peptide antagonists of neuropeptide Y: Design, structure and pharmacological characterization

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses design, structure, and pharmacological characterization of peptide antagonists of neuropeptide. The structure-affinity pattern found for the pentapeptide series agrees well with reported structural requirements at the N-terminus of neuropeptide Y (NPY). Incorporation of the residues into appropriately substituted pentapeptides is sufficient to allow interaction, with modest affinity, to NPY rat brain Y2 receptors. The improvement in the affinity/activity of the native C-terminal decapeptide of NPY following introduction of the critical Tyr-6 and Leu-8 residues is analyzed. It has been proposed that the C-terminal α-helical domain of NPY provides an additional receptor recognition site and may play a role in receptor-subtype selectivity. The ability of the dimers and their monomeric counterparts to inhibit the NPY-induced increase in cytosolic calcium in HEL cells is examined. The inhibitory potency of the dimers in HEL cells correlates well with their potency in antagonizing the pressor effect of NPY in anesthetized rats. HEL cells may constitute a good model to screen for NPY receptor antagonists as potential antihypertensive agents. It is suggested that the possible reasons commonly proposed for enhanced receptor affinity upon ligand dimerization includes increased local concentration of the ligand at the receptor and co-operative binding to multiple sites on the same receptor.
Radioimmunoassay in Non-Equilibrium Conditions

ABSTRACT The tendency to convert RIA into a “rapid-response” analytical procedure for routine clinical applications implies the generalization of a non-equilibrium approach in the assay design. However, owing to possible differences in kinetics for interactions of antibody sites with antigen and its cross-reactants, working at non-equilibrium can yield a variation of the overall assay specificity. Using as a model angiotensin I and angiotensin II antisera, experimental evidence of the incubation time dependence of the assay specificity is given. In the former case, data indicating important variations of the value of the “plasma blank” (cross-reacting substances contained in plasma) were obtained for some of the antisera tested, for which either an improvement or a decrease of the specificity was found when shortening the incubation time. For the single Val5-angiotensin II antiserum tested both cross-reactions of Ileu5-angiotensin II and 3-8 (Ileu5) hexa-peptide, used as an aspecificity index of the system, were found to increase significantly when reducing the incubation time.
Jews and Pietists in Early America - Introduction: Intersecting Diasporas

This essay contrasts two models of cultural exchange in early America. The first model looks at transmission between a core and series of peripheries - either a British metropolis and its colonies, or between English settlers connected to that metropolis and a variety of European, African, and Native American populations. The second model explores transmission among diasporic communities in British North America. These models are general enough to illuminate patterns of exchange in different realms of culture, including law, politics, and religion.
High frequency heart-rate variability predicts adolescent depressive symptoms, particularly anhedonia, across one year

Abstract Background Few prospective studies examine the link between lower heart rate variability (HRV) and depression symptoms in adolescents. A recent animal model specifically links HRV to anhedonia, suggesting a potential translational model for human research. Method We investigated the association between spectral measures of resting HRV and depressive symptoms measured one year later, among 73 adolescents, aged 11–18 years. We evaluated (1) the predictive power of relative high frequency (HF) HRV, relative low frequency (LF) and relative very low frequency (VLF) HRV for depressive symptoms; and (2) the relative strength of association between HF HRV and depressive symptomatology (anhedonia, negative mood, interpersonal problems, ineffectiveness, negative self-esteem). Results HF HRV significantly predicted self-reported depressive symptoms across one year, controlling for age, puberty and sex. HF HRV was most strongly associated with anhedonia one year later, after considering other facets of depressive symptomatology. Conclusions Results provide support for the prospective relationship between relative HF HRV and depressive symptoms among adolescents across one year. Findings concur with rodent models that suggest a specific link between HF HRV and anhedonia. Limitations We investigated relative spectral power HF HRV and depressive symptom dimensions. We cannot make strong claims about these associations in clinical depression. Physical activity levels could be controlled in future work.
Laplacian Shape Editing with Local Patch Based Force Field for Interactive Segmentation

Segmenting structure-of-interest is a fundamental problem in medical image analysis. Numerous automatic segmentation algorithms have been extensively studied for the task. However, misleading image information and the complex organ structures with high curvature boundaries may cause under- or over-segmentation for the deformable models. Learning based approaches can alleviate this issue, while they usually require a large number of representative training samples for each use case, which may not be available in practice. On the other hand, manually correcting segmentation errors produces good results and doctors would like such tools to improve accuracy in local areas. Therefore, we propose a 3D editing framework to interactively and efficiently refine the segmentation results, by editing the mesh directly. Specifically, the shape editing framework is modeled by integrating the Laplacian coordinates, image context information and user specified control points. We employ a local patch based optimization to enhance the supplement force field near the control points to improve correction accuracy. Our method requires few (and intuitive) user inputs, and the experimental results show competitive performance of our interactive refinement compared to other state-of-the-art methods.
Runs in Coin Tossing: Randomness Revealed

(2002). Runs in Coin Tossing: Randomness Revealed. The College Mathematics Journal: Vol. 33, No. 5, pp. 391-394.
The psychological significance of humility

AbstractHumility is a virtue with a rich and varied past. Its benefits and pitfalls – indeed, its status as a virtue – have been debated by philosophers and theologians. Recently, psychologists have entered into the dialectic, with a small but growing body of empirical research at their disposal. We will discuss this research on humility, including our own recent contributions. Our goal is to shed light on the following three important questions: First, what is humility? Second, why we should care about being humble? Finally, are there constructive steps we can take to induce people to adopt more humble at titudes towards themselves and others? In the process of answering these questions, we will consider the major empirical accounts of humility in the literature, highlight their primary difficulties, and then introduce a new account that cuts through the confusion, getting to the core of what we take humility to be.
SURFACE MODIFICATION OF NANO-METER TiO_2 FOR NANO-METER THERMAL INSULATING PAINT

The surface modification of nano-meter TiO2 poder and the effect factors are studied by using silane couplin gagent as modifier.Results show the nano-meter TiO2,causes its water affinity surface to change lipophilic,in the optimal modifying condition that the content of silane coupling agent is 15%,modification time is 2 h.And the poders are well dispersed in toluene.And the was used for nano-meter thermal insulating paint.
Weed Species Harboring Tobacco Thrips in Texas

A survey of 101 plant species representing 29 families was conducted to locate seasonal populations of the tobacco thrips, Frankliniella fusca, an important vector of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) in south Texas peanut. Of 39,187 thrips (33,532 adult and 5,655 immature thrips) collected from 12,705 blooms, 23,123 adults were permanently mounted and identified to species, sex and wingform. F. fusca constituted 2.17% of these. They were collected from 40 plant species and found in every month except December. Female F. fusca were three times more common than males. Adults were most common on Xanthisma texanum and Phyla incisa, where 80–100 tobacco thrips were collected per plant species. From Daucus pusillus, Taraxacum officinale, Aster subulatus, Heterotheca latifolia, H. canescens, Xanthocephalum dracunculoides, Oenothera laciniata and Ipomoea trichocarpa, F. fusca populations ranged from 15 to 40 per plant species. F. fusca were rare (<10 per plant species) in the remaining 30 plant species found harboring this thrips. F. fusca does not develop large populations in blooms of weeds associated with the Texas peanut agroecosystem, and no individual weed species appears to serve as a reservoir for this thrips in Texas.
New and Noteworthy - Creating a Knowledge Infrastructure: KM in Libraries

Knowledge management (KM) is an essential management function involved the identification, gathering, and sharing of a library's information assets. This column discusses recent KM books, articles and websites of interest to library managers.
Exploring Shared Measurement Properties and Score Comparability Between Two Versions of the Supports Intensity Scale

This study examined similarities and differences in measurement properties and score comparability of the Supports Intensity Scale–Adult Version (16–64 years) and the Supports Intensity Scale–Children’s Version (5–16 years). Data were collected from 142 adolescents with intellectual disability with both versions of the Supports Intensity Scale. Data analyses indicated clear alignment of the specific set of items across parallel activity domains, as well as support for score comparability across two assessments. This suggests the two versions of Supports Intensity Scale can be used with confidence with transition-aged students to assess their support needs and inform supports planning, depending on the purpose of assessment. Implications and future directions for research and practice are discussed.
Gender and Family Life in Mid-Victorian Bradford

In a letter to the Bradford Observer on January 7, 1864, a ‘Voice from the Back Slums’ raised the issue he termed the ‘most important question of modern times’ — the homes of the working class. The writer noted that their significance went beyond their obvious importance as shelter, ‘homes being, as has been truly said, the manufactories of men’. The idea of the home as a manufactory represents the antithesis of Victorian ideals that pictured the home as a separate sphere removed from the marketplace. On several levels, however, it addresses the reality of family life for many in nineteenth-century England. The rise of industry and the spread of urban life transformed the home and family life. The decline of the home as a place of work and its isolation as a place of consumption and reproduction failed to shield its inhabitants from the public sphere of the marketplace. Family members entered the market as workers, under the control and influence of others. Inevitably this shift changed the relationships within the family and brought the market, in the form of wage labor, into the home. Such a rearrangement of the family and the home served the needs of industry, making the family an adjunct of the mill.
Fighting for our place in the sun: Malcolm X and the radicalization of the Black student movement, 1960–1973

Fifty-one years after his assassination, Malcolm X remains one of the most studied leaders of the Black freedom struggle in the United States. Assessments of his legacy have generated impassioned d...
Influence of cleavage of photosensitive group on thermally induced micellization and gelation of a doubly responsive diblock copolymer in aqueous solutions: A SANS study ☆

Abstract In the present study, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) was used to investigate the temperature and concentration dependence of micelle formation and growth of a thermo- and light-responsive hydrophilic block copolymer and the influence of removing photosensitive group. The water-soluble polymer poly(ethylene oxide)- b -poly(ethoxytri(ethylene glycol) acrylate- co - o -nitrobenzyl acrylate) (PEO- b -P(TEGEA- co -NBA) underwent sol-gel/gel-sol transitions in response to temperature changes in the range of 15–55 °C in a 25 wt% aqueous solution. The SANS data showed that individual chains existed at low temperatures and dilute solutions. Spherical micelles formed and packed into an ordered structure at elevated temperatures and high concentrations. Data fitting revealed that the micelle growth followed both micelle fusion and unimer insertion mechanisms after the critical micelle temperature was reached in moderately concentrated solutions whereas the fusion mechanism was dominant at higher temperatures. The UV exposure led to a 22% expansion in chain dimension at the unimer stage due to repulsive interactions between the ionized segments after the removal of the light sensitive group. The higher onset temperature of sol-gel transition after irradiation was mainly ascribed to the higher lower critical solution temperature (LCST). On the other hand, the lower gel-sol transition temperature upon UV exposure was due to the reduction in micelle volume fraction after the cleavage of o -nitrobenzyl group. These results correlated well with the dynamic rheological data.
Black Pearls on a String: Narrative Reasoning and the Restorative Power of Naming

A parent hopes to understand developmental differences in her son by recounting stories of his uniqueness to medical practitioners and asking them to use narrative reasoning to designate a diagnosi...
On-chip photon pair source based on spontaneous parametric down conversion

We demonstrate an on-chip parametric down conversion photon pair source based on second order nonlinearity. High brightness, low noise, high purity photon pairs are generated in a microring resonator on Aluminum nitride-on-Insulator platform.
Cell Therapy for Age-Related Macular Degeneration: A New Vision for the Bone Marrow?

In this issue of Molecular Therapy, Qi et al.1 report that a cell therapy can improve retinal structure and vision in a mouse model of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). AMD is the leading cause of severe and irreversible central vision loss in the elderly, affecting over 1.7 million Americans.2 The authors made use of bone marrow-derived cells (BMDCs) that had been engineered to stably express RPE65 protein (BMDC-RPE65). RPE65 is a marker of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) that degenerates in AMD.
The Gender Citation Gap

This article investigates the extent to which citation and publication patterns differ between men and women in the international relations (IR) literature. Using data from the Teaching, Research, and International Policy project on peer-reviewed publications between 1980 and 2007, we show that women are systematically cited less than men after controlling for a large number of variables including year of publication, quality of publication, substantive focus, theoretical perspective, methodology, tenure status, and institutional affiliation. These results are robust to a variety of modeling choices. We then turn to network analysis to investigate the extent to which the gender of an article’s author affects that article’s relative centrality in the network of citations between papers in our sample. Articles authored by women are systematically less central than articles authored by men, all else equal. This is likely because (1) women tend to cite themselves less than men, and (1) men (who make up a disproportionate share of IR scholars) tend to cite men more than women. This is the first study in political science to reveal significant gender differences in citation patterns and is especially meaningful because citation counts are increasingly used as a key measure of research’s quality and impact.
Psyllium, but not methylcellulose or calcium polycarbophil, reduced LDL cholesteral levels in mild-to-moderate hypercholesterolemia

Source Citation Anderson JW, Floore TL, Geil PB, O'Neal DS, Balm TK. Hypocholesterolemic effects of different bulkforming hydrophilic fibers as adjuncts to dietary therapy in mild to moderate hyper...
Relationship between anterior occlusion and frontal sinus size

ABSTRACT Objective: To determine the relationship between anterior occlusion and frontal sinus size. Methods: The patient database at the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, University of Rochester, was searched for male patients older than 15 years and females older than 13 years of age. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, participants' photos and lateral cephalometric and posteroanterior radiographs were examined then classified into a control class I group (n = 20, 15.7 ± 2.7 years) and eight malocclusion groups (n = 136, 16.1 ± 2.1 years). The frontal sinus area on the lateral cephalometric radiograph and on the posteroanterior radiograph were measured and compared between groups. Results: One-way analysis of variance demonstrated a significant difference among all nine groups (P = .0001). Pairwise comparison showed a significant difference between the class I group and all other malocclusion groups (P < .05) except the edge-to-edge group for both radiographs and except the bimaxillary pro...
New Research on Designing Strategies for Global Marketing

It is our goal to gain recognition for the Journal of Global Marketing among the top-tier journals and attract the best research papers with a global, cross-cultural, and/or cross-national research...
Biotechnology, Human Nature, and Christian Ethics

In public debates over biotechnology, theologians, philosophers, and political theorists have proposed that biotechnology could have significant implications for human nature. They argue that ethical evaluations of biotechnologies that might affect human nature must take these implications into account. In this book, Gerald McKenny examines these important yet controversial arguments, which have in turn been criticized by many moral philosophers and professional bioethicists. He argues that Christian ethics is, in principle, committed to some version of the claim that human nature has normative status in relation to biotechnology. Showing how both criticisms and defences of this claim have often been facile, he identifies, develops, and critically evaluates three versions of the claim, and contributes a fourth, distinctively Christian version to the debate. Focusing on Christian ethics in conversation with secular ethics, McKenny's book is the first thorough analysis of a controversial contemporary issue.
The Futility Of Medical Necessity

One of the causes of the recent upheaval in health care is health plans' adoption of the concept of "medical necessity" as the limit of their coverage -- i.e., that the plans will cover the cost of procedures that are "medically necessary." The concept has caused hardships for the plans, physicians, patients, and coverage purchasers because medical necessity has proven to be legally vague, clinically artificial, and both unreliable and restrictive for patients. To avoid those problems, plans should jettison medical necessity and the notion that they will provide "all of the care someone needs." Instead, the plans should turn to guidelines-based contracting: They should lay open to consumers the clinical guidelines by which they make benefit determinations, and make those guidelines the explicit basis on which the plans contract with enrollees. That way, people would have a clearer idea of what coverage the plans provide.
The Development of Durkheim's Social Realism: Introduction: sociology and its history

This book has two main goals. The first is to explore the meaning and significance of the constellation of ideas in Durkheim's work that is often characterized as his “social realism” – i.e., the view, epitomized in Les Regles de la methode sociologique (1895), that social phenomena should be studied comme des choses , as real, concrete things, subject to the laws of nature and discoverable by scientific reason. The second, subsidiary goal is to exemplify a particular way of thinking and speaking about the history of sociological theory, one that might best be described as “historicist,” “nominalist,” and/or “pragmatist.” For me, the first goal has always been the most important. But since so much of what I have to say about Durkheim presupposes some grasp of my views on sociology and its history, this introduction will begin with a brief explanation of the second. In a famous essay published in 1984, Richard Rorty suggested that we think of the history of ideas as comprising different kinds of “conversations” that we imagine and reconstruct, sometimes between ourselves and classic writers of the past, and sometimes among the classic writers themselves. In “rational reconstructions,” for example, we imagine and then converse with an “ideally reasonable and educable Durkheim” – e.g., the Durkheim who speaks our language, who might be brought to describe himself as having overstated the “objectivity” of social facts, the “normality” of crime, or the “pathology” of the forced division of labor.
School-Based Interventions for Aggressive Children

PrimeTime is a school-based secondary prevention program that integrates empirically supported treatment components into a unified intervention. We use our experience with PrimeTime to illustrate recommended practices in school-based interventions. First, however, we present a rationale for schools as logical sites for the delivery of psychological health services, especially prevention services, and place PrimeTime within the context of educational and health care restructuring. Next we articulate our conceptualization of the development of conduct problems that underlies the PrimeTime intervention and describe the intervention components. We strive to make clear the connections between our theory of the development of conduct problems, our theory of change, and our intervention components. We evaluate the empirical support for PrimeTime by first reviewing the empirical support for each of the four separate interventions, based on published literature, and then reviewing the first round of outcome data for the integrated intervention. In evaluating these data, we assess support for the efficacy of the intervention as well as support for the underlying theoretical conceptualization. We conclude with a discussion of practical issues in implementing schoolbased prevention programs, including eliciting school support and obtaining operating funds.
Urbanization, Poverty Reduction, and Ecosystem Integrity

Cities and the urbanization process are often portrayed as environmental villains (Odum 1991; Srinivas 2000; White 1983; Brown and Jacobson 1987; Marshall 2005; Wackernagel and Rees 1996). For example, analysts focused on the “green agenda” of biodiversity conservation often suggest that urbanization is a major driver of environmental harm (Millennium Ecosystem Assessment 2005; York et al. 2003). Cities have been depicted as dystopias of poverty, chaos, and confusion (Linden 1996). By some estimates, almost one billion urban dwellers are living in poverty in today’s cities (Satterthwaite 2007), and the numbers are predicted to continue growing (Davis 2007; UNFPA 2007). Hence, when it comes to both environmental harm and poverty, the reputation of cities and the urbanization process itself are considered as suspect at best.
Programming with Fine-Grained Atomic Actions

Real computer hardware does not implement as atomic actions all the assignment statements, guard evaluation actions, and atomic statements of our programming notation. A typical computer can execute only a small, fixed set of unconditional atomic actions; an operating system might add to this a few conditional atomic actions. Thus, there is a gap between the programming model we have been assuming and what is available on an actual computer system.
Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) regulates KCNQ3 K+ channels by interacting with four cytoplasmic channel domains

Phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) in the plasma membrane regulates the function of many ion channels, including M-type (potassium voltage-gated channel subfamily Q member (KCNQ), Kv7) K+ channels; however, the molecular mechanisms involved remain unclear. To this end, we here focused on the KCNQ3 subtype that has the highest apparent affinity for PIP2 and performed extensive mutagenesis in regions suggested to be involved in PIP2 interactions among the KCNQ family. Using perforated patch-clamp recordings of heterologously transfected tissue culture cells, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy, and the zebrafish (Danio rerio) voltage-sensitive phosphatase to deplete PIP2 as a probe, we found that PIP2 regulates KCNQ3 channels through four different domains: 1) the A–B helix linker that we previously identified as important for both KCNQ2 and KCNQ3, 2) the junction between S6 and the A helix, 3) the S2–S3 linker, and 4) the S4–S5 linker. We also found that the apparent strength of PIP2 interactions within any of these domains was not coupled to the voltage dependence of channel activation. Extensive homology modeling and docking simulations with the WT or mutant KCNQ3 channels and PIP2 were consistent with the experimental data. Our results indicate that PIP2 modulates KCNQ3 channel function by interacting synergistically with a minimum of four cytoplasmic domains.
Convergent synaptic inputs to layer 1 cells of mouse cortex

We used whole cell recordings from slice preparations of mouse cortex to identify various inputs to neurons of layer 1. Two sensory cortical areas were targeted: a primary somatosensory area, namely, the barrel cortex of S1, and a higher order visual area, namely, V2M. Results were similar from both areas. By activating local inputs using photostimulation with caged glutamate, we also identified glutamatergic (and possibly GABAergic) inputs from all lower layers plus GABAergic inputs from nearby layer 1 neurons. However, the patterns of such inputs to layer 1 neurons showed great variation among cells. In separate experiments, we found that electrical stimulation of axons running parallel to the cortical surface in layer 1 also evoked a variety of convergent input types to layer 1 neurons, including glutamatergic "drivers" and "modulators" plus classic modulatory inputs, including serotonergic, nicotinic, α- and β-adrenergic, from subcortical sites. Given that these layer 1 cells significantly affect the responses of other cortical neurons, especially via affecting the apical dendrites of pyramidal cells so important to cortical functioning, their role in cortical processing is significant. We believe that the data presented here lead to better understanding of the functioning of layer 1 neurons in their role of influencing cortical processing.
Development of venous thrombi in a pediatric population of intestinal failure.

Abstract Background/Purpose Although pediatric intestinal failure (IF) is now a survivable diagnosis, children are still at risk for complications. Loss of venous access persists as a leading indication for intestinal transplantation. The goal of this study was to identify risk factors for loss of venous access in a pediatric intestinal failure population on long-term PN. Methods We identified all patients who were PN dependent. Results Patients that developed venous thrombosis had significantly more lines placed in the first 2 years of life compared to those who did not develop thrombosis. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that diagnosis (NEC and gastroschisis) and parental education were significant predictors of venous thrombosis. Conclusion By identifying potential risk factors for thrombus development, interventions can be developed to improve the overall outcome in pediatric IF patients. Type of Study Diagnostic Level of Evidence III
Sleep-related problems and suicide behavior and ideation among Black and White trauma-exposed psychiatric inpatients.

Abstract Objective Sleep-related problems (SRPs) are associated with increased risk for suicide-related behavior and death. Given that Black adults report greater SRPs as compared to White adults, the purpose of the current study was to examine sleep problems, suicide-related psychiatric admission, and suicide ideation, in Black and White trauma-exposed adults. Method Suicide-related behavior (i.e., intent, plan, and/or behavior) as reason for hospital admission was obtained via medical records review for 172 Black and White adults who were admitted to an acute-care psychiatric facility; all participants completed validated measures of sleep quality and suicide ideation. Results Adjusted logistic regression analyses revealed that sleep-related daytime dysfunction (AOR = 4.32, p Conclusions SRPs may be related to suicide-related behavior and ideation differently for vulnerable Black and White adults. More research is needed to understand potential race group differences and mechanisms by which SRPs increase risk for suicide crisis across racial groups.
Why Insurance Companies Should Pay for Medical Cannabis.

Although medical cannabis has been legalized in 33 states and the District of Columbia, it has not yet gained federal acceptance. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) still classifies it with ...
Towards Automated Melanoma Detection With Deep Learning: Data Purification and Augmentation

Melanoma is one of ten most common cancers in the US. Early detection is crucial for survival, but often the cancer is diagnosed in the fatal stage. Deep learning has the potential to improve cancer detection rates, but its applicability to melanoma detection is compromised by the limitations of the available skin lesion data bases, which are small, heavily imbalanced, and contain images with occlusions. We build deep-learning-based tools for data purification and augmentation to counter-act these limitations. The developed tools can be utilized in a deep learning system for lesion classification and we show how to build such system. The system heavily relies on the processing unit for removing image occlusions and the data generation unit, based on generative adversarial networks, for populating scarce lesion classes, or equivalently creating virtual patients with pre-defined types of lesions. We empirically verify our approach and show that incorporating these two units into melanoma detection system results in the superior performance over common baselines.
The fragility of randomized trial outcomes underlying management of dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori infections.

AIM The fragility index is calculated by changing one outcome event to a nonevent within a trial until the associated P value exceeds 0.05. In this study, we assessed the robustness, risk of bias (RoB), and power of randomized controlled trials that underlie recommendations set forth by the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) on managing dyspepsia and Helicobacter pylori infections. METHODS All citations referenced in the guidelines were screened for inclusion criteria. The fragility indexes for eligible trials were then calculated. The likelihood and sources of bias in the included trials were evaluated by the Cochrane 'RoB' Tool 2.0. RESULTS The median fragility index for the 52 trials was three events. Five studies (9.6%) resulted in a fragility index of 0 when statistical analysis was applied. For the 52 trials, 12 (23.1%) were at a low RoB, 15 (28.8%) had some concerns, and 25 (48.1%) were at a high RoB. High RoB was most commonly due to bias of selection in the reported result (15.5%). CONCLUSION A median of three events was needed to nullify statistical significance in 52 trials that underpin guideline recommendations on the management of dyspepsia and H. pylori infections. In addition, concerns for RoB were found for these trials.
Rate versus Free Energy Change for Attaching Highly Mobile Electrons to Molecules in Nonpolar Liquids

The inverted region of the Marcus theory, usually absent for bimolecular electron transfer reactions, is clearly observed for electron attachment reactions to molecules in nonpolar fluids. Application of pressure increased the energies of the solvated electron reactants letting us continuously adjust the free energy change. Inverted behavior is enabled by the very high mobilities of the solvated electrons which raise the diffusion-controlled encounter rates so high that they do not limit the reaction rates. The nonpolar media used in these experiments reduce reorganization energies, enhancing inverted behavior. Still, for every case showing an inverted region, the presence of low-lying excited states in the product radical anions led to regions of increasing rate constants that began at the energies of excited states of -0.54 to -1.2 eV. While continuum models predict no solvent reorganization energy in nonpolar liquids, fits to the data found solvent reorganization energies of 0.05-0.4 eV supporting ideas advanced in theories of Matyushov.
Effects of Schematic Chunking on Enhancing Geometry Performance in Students With Math Difficulties and Students at Risk of Math Failure

Schematic chunks denote patterns, schemes, or sophisticated rules and knowledge stored in the long-term memory in the form of chunks. We investigated whether schematic chunking is effective in impr...