cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The neurological complications of bariatric surgery.

Weight is a national obsession. In 1999, Americans spent more than $300 million on prescription medications for obesity, 1 and 2.5% of the adult population reported using such preparations at the end of the 20th century. 2 By some estimates, the total cost of obesity in the United States is $1000 billion annually. 3 Obesity is now officially recognized by the surgeon general of the United States as a significant health risk factor. Obesity increases the risk for numerous medical illnesses, among them, diabetes mellitus, hypercholesterolemia, hypertension and other cardiovascular disorders, pulmonary disease, osteoarthritis, and some forms of cancer. 4,5 Obesity also increases the risk of death from all causes; it is estimated that 300000 adults in the United States die of obesity-related causes annually. 6 Obesity currently ranks as the seventh leading cause of death in the United States. 3 The problem of obesity is a global phenomenon consequent to the ready availability of food with high caloric content and the reduction of daily energy expenditure. While the percentage of overweight adults in most western European countries has not surpassed that of the United States, their overweight population is increasing rapidly. The percentage of obese children in many of these countries, such as England, is growing rapidly 7 and has outstripped the percentage of obese children in the United States. In major population centers of developing countries, obesity is also seen with increasing frequency.
The Domestic Determinants of Foreign Policy Behavior in Middle Eastern Enduring Rivals, 1948–1998

Rivalry-related issues tend to dominate the foreign policy agenda of states in enduring rivalries. Thus, the enduring rivalry research program provides an important framework for foreign policy analysis. This paper probes the domestic elements of strategic interaction in the three main Middle Eastern rivalries: Israel–Egypt, Israel–Jordan, and Israel–Syria. The empirical tests probe whether the number of parties represented in Israel's cabinet and Arab and Israeli domestic unrest impact the propensity for these rivals to employ hostility against each other. We specify vector autoregression (VAR) models and negative binomial event count models with monthly levels of hostility as the dependent variables for the period 1948–1998. The results provide interesting foreign policy implications regarding the impact of Israeli domestic political structures on conflict dynamics in the Middle East. There is no evidence that the foreign policy behavior of Arab states becomes risk averse when Israeli leaders might need an external scapegoat. These findings are discussed in the context of other research on enduring rivalries and strategic interaction.
Noninvasive measurement of platelet kinetics in normal and hypertensive pregnancies

Objective: Our purpose was to determine platelet kinetics in pregnancy by means of noninvasive reticulated platelet counts and to examine in a pilot study whether increased reticulated platelet values were associated with preeclampsia and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Study Design: Nulliparous women had blood samples drawn at enrollment (first prenatal visit) and at 28 and 36 weeks' gestation. The percent of reticulated platelets (an index of marrow platelet release correlating with increased thrombopoiesis), platelet-associated immunoglobulin, and serum antiplatelet antibody were measured and correlated with the clinical course for each patient. Results: In 31 normal pregnancies the percent of reticulated platelets was never significantly higher than the values for normal nonpregnant women (5.8% ± 2.2%) in spite of a significant decrease in platelet count by 36 weeks. By contrast, the percent of reticulated platelets in four women with preeclampsia rose significantly to 13.9% ± 11.2% at 28 weeks, before the onset of clinical signs. No women had evidence of immune platelet destruction. Conclusion: In normal pregnancy the decline in platelet count is not accompanied by an increase in marrow platelet production, suggesting that the platelet decrease is dilutional without a compensatory thrombopoietic response or alternatively that thrombopoiesis is down-regulated during normal pregnancy. However, platelet production does increase before the onset of symptoms in a small number of women in whom preeclampsia or pregnancy-induced hypertension subsequently develops. These findings may justify a larger prospective study to determine whether noninvasive serial measurement of the percent of reticulated platelets can predict those pregnant women at risk for hypertension and preeclampsia.
Why Can't John Read? Perhaps He's Not a Good Listener

The relationship between listening comprehension and reading comprehension was investigated. Written and oral comprehension tasks were presented to two groups of readers, matched for IQ and chronological age but differing in their reading ability. The skilled-reader group consistently performed better than poor readers in both reading and listening tasks. The results suggest that reading comprehension and listening comprehension are dependent on the same general language processing skills and that poor readers are also poor listeners. Implications for these findings for teaching the reading disabled child are suggested.
Parameter estimation for the logistic regression model under case-control study

Abstract The article proposes parameter estimation and model testing of logistic regressions under case-control framework. Estimators are proposed by minimizing the integrated square distance (ISD) based on estimated density log-ratio. Estimation consistency and asymptotic normality are established. The test statistic based on the minimized ISD is also asymptotically normal under null hypotheses.
Conserved amino acids in metal-binding motifs of PDE3A are involved in substrate and inhibitor binding

The activity of phosphodiesterase (PDE)3A requires divalent cations. Putative metal-binding sites are expected at 2 highly conserved metal-binding motifs, HXXXH(X)(25)E. A functional truncated recombinant PDE3A containing the catalytic domain (PDE3Atriangle up1) and mutant proteins were expressed in a baculovirus/Sf9 cell system. All the mutant proteins had decreased catalytic efficiency (k(cat)/K(m)). Mutants H752A, H756A, and E825A had k(cat) of less than 0.0008 s(-1) to 0.0475 s(-1) compared to PDE3Atriangle up1, with 1.86 second(-1), with unchanged K(m). Although E866A had a k(cat) of 0.235 s(-1), the K(m) for cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) was increased 11-fold and the K(i) for cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP) was 27-fold higher than PDE3Atriangle up1. The K(i) of H836A for cGMP was 177-fold higher than that of PDE3Atriangle up1. The K(m) for E971A was 5-fold higher than PDE3Atriangle up1. These results suggest that the cAMP and cGMP binding sites are overlapping, but not identical, involving both common and different amino acids. Mutants E825A, H836A, and E866A showed low activity in a metal ion-free assay; however, their enzymatic activities were increased 4- to 10-fold in buffers containing Mn(2+), Mg(2+), or Co(2+). This observation indicates that conserved amino acids in the second metal-binding motif might not be involved in binding divalent cations but may serve other functions such as substrate or inhibitor binding in PDE3A.
Restructuring Games and Forming Winning Strategies

In this chapter we shall focus on (i) restructuring games so that each player may claim a victory (Section 12.1); (ii) useful observations from the behavior mechanism for understanding and solving nontrivial game problems (Section 12.2); (iii) construction of conflict maps and perspectives to help us understand the nontrivial games more thoroughly (Section 12.3); and (iv) forming winning strategies for nontrivial games including making people like us, making suggestions effectively, bargaining and negotiation, and direct conflict and wars (Section 12.4).
Monetary Policy in an Emerging European Economic and Monetary Union: Key Issues

This paper discusses key issues relating to the design and implementation of monetary policy in an emerging European economic and monetary union. Specific institutional proposals for transition to EMU are neither endorsed nor dismissed. In examining the goals of monetary policy, the paper explores the interrelationships among price stability, current account equilibrium, and exchange rate stability. Turning to the implementation of monetary policy, the issues addressed are: coordination versus autonomy, rules versus discretion, and the role of sterilized official intervention. Finally, the last part of the paper emphasizes the importance of fiscal discipline, and evaluates several alternative mechanisms for encouraging it.
A Day Late, a Dollar Short: Opening a Governmental Snare Which Tricks Poor Victims Out of Their Medical Malpractice Claims

In the early 1990's, Congress attempted to enhance the federal program for subsidizing community health centers for the poor by eliminating the need of the centers for medical malpractice insurance. It did so by making the federal government the only proper defendant victims of the centers' malpractice could sue by "deeming" the centers and their clinicians to be federal "employees" covered by the Federal Tort Claims Act. The FTCA has a relatively short statute of limitations, two years, which cuts off liability for torts of federal employees no matter where they arise if the victim initiates suit more than two years after his or her claim accrues. Since patients of the community health centers have no reason to know of federal involvement in their medical services, when malpractice occurs neither they nor their lawyers are on notice that their state law claims are preempted by the FTCA. In states with statutes of limitations more generous than the federal two year period, a substantial number bring state law claims thought to be governed by state time limits only to discover too late that because of federal preemption their actions are time-barred. The article discusses an unreported federal district court decision in Maryland, Kelly v. Total Health Care, Inc., to illustrate how the law frustrates valid claims brought by diligent but ignorant poor people who have by victimized by medical practice. The paper ends up recommending solution to the problem through better statutory construction than that which occurred in Kelly or alternatively through legislative revision of the FTCA or the community health assistance act.
A Critique of Length-Weight Ratios

Abstract THE problem of finding a quantitative expression for conformation or shape of birds is of considerable importance in breeding for improved market type. Selection can be practiced competently only when subjective criteria and standards of comparison are available, since visual evaluation of type is usually not adequate for an efficient breeding program. Jaap (1938a) has recently suggested the use of ratios of linear measurements to the cube root of body weight as indices of shape of turkeys. Extending this usage to chickens, Jaap and Penquite (1938) report that the ratios of shank length, keel length, body depth, and breast width to the cube root of body weight may be used to distinguish dressed poultry of different visual conformations. Similarly for turkeys, Jaap, Thompson, and Milby (1939) indicate that shank length, body depth, and keel length ratios may be used in selection for improved type. Any ratio or index devised may . . .
Dispersal of Muscidifurax zaraptor (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae), a Filth Fly Parasitoid, at Dairies in Eastern Nebraska

The dispersal of mass released Muscidifurax zaraptor Kogan & Legner, a solitary pupal parasitoid of house flies and stable flies, was monitored in two fly breeding habitats. Under a raised feedbunk, parasitism ranged from 32.5 to 63.5% when monitored by a linear arrangement of sentinel house fly pupae. Dispersal patterns were not apparent; average parasitoid emergence from sentinel pupae on each side of the release point were not significantly different. Parasitoid releases in open-piled manure generally produced lower parasitism levels than under the feedbunk. In open-piled manure, M. zaraptor tended to move more in one direction (northerly) than the other. Sentinel pupae were parasitized as far as 8 m from the release site. There was no apparent correlation between the numbers of female M. zaraptor released and the levels of parasitism achieved in either habitat. Increasing the density of sentinel pupae under the feedbunk significantly decreased parasitoid emergence; however, changing the pupal density in open-piled manure had no effect on parasitoid emergence.
Concentration of Two 1,4-Benzoxazinones in Dent Corn at Various Stages of Development of the Plant and Its Relation to Resistance of the Host Plant to the European Corn Borer

Dried tissues of 5 inbreds of dent Corn at various stages of development of the plant were analyzed for 6-methoxy-2-benzoxazolinone (MBOA) and 2-benzoxazolinone (BOA) by the technique of isotopic dilution. The analytical values obtained are stoichiometrically related to the respective labile cyclic hydroxamic acid precursors, 2,4-di- hydroxy-7-methoxy- (2H)-1,4-benzoxazin-3 (4H)-one (DI- MBOA) and 2,4-dihydroxy-2H-1,4-benzoxazin-3 (4H)-one (DIBOA), which are formed enzymatically from their glucosides when the plant tissues are crushed. High concentrations of these benzoxazinones occurred in the embryonic plant; the endosperm and scutellum contained lower concentrations. Biosynthesis of the benzoxazinones took place throughout the development of the plant; but the overall concentration in the whole plant decreased as the plant matured. Concentrations were generally highest in the root and then in decreasing order of concentration, in the stalk, whorl, and leaf. Moreover, the concentrations in these parts were different for each inbred. Concentration of DIBOA was 1/10-1/20 that of DIMBOA. The high concentration of DIMBOA in seedling corn may explain the apparent resistance of young corn to the European corn borer, Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner). Those inbreds that maintained high concentrations of the compound in the whorl at later stages of development were borer resistant. Also, the intermediate resistance of inbred B49 at pollination was attributed to DIMBOA, while the resistance of inbreds B52 and CI.3IA at pollination was caused by other unidentified antibiotic factors peculiar to B52 and CI.31A.
Inside-Out Versus All-Inside Repair of Isolated Meniscal Tears: An Updated Systematic Review:

Background:Meniscal tears are common in the young, active population. In this group of patients, repair is advised when possible. While inside-out repair remains the standard technique, recent advances in all-inside repair devices have led to a growth in their popularity. Previous reviews on the topic have focused on outdated implants of limited clinical relevance.Purpose:To determine the difference in failure rates, functional outcomes, and complications between inside-out and modern all-inside repairs.Study Design:Systematic review.Methods:A systematic review was registered with PROSPERO and performed following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines using the MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases. Inclusion criteria were (1) clinical study reporting on all-inside or inside-out repair, (2) evidence levels 1 to 4, and (3) use of modern all-inside implants for all-inside repairs. Exclusion criteria were (1) use of meniscal arrows or screws and (2) concomita...
Moral Injury as Inherent Political Critique: The Prophetic Possibilities of a New Term

Moral injury is a term developed specifically to highlight the moral harm accrued by U.S. veterans during war, the salience of which seems to exceed the analytical range of terms such as “trauma.” Veterans can feel that they violated fundamental moral ideals, leaving some to feel they have lost the ability to be “good.” Moral injury as a term originally had an important political dimension, however, one that has been lost in a turn to a more clinical approach. I argue that the experience of moral injury can lend itself to potential, prophetic insights into the effects of one's culture on the wider world. Instead of seeing moral injury as a disorder in need of clinical treatment, it can be the basis of a religiously informed social ethic empowering veterans to engage the broader social conditions and policies that lead to war in the first place.
Discussion on evaluation methods for stress sensitivities of low permeability and tight sandstone reservoirs.

It is of importance for formation damage control and determination of appropriate exploitation means to evaluate stress-sensitivity. Many work have been done in regard to experimental method and relations between permeability and effective stress, however, there are much argument on experimental method, data analysis and evaluation criterion. Data from the analysis of 70 core plugs are used in the study, which are chosen from tight sand gas and oil layers in center of Sichuan Basin, and low permeability sand oil layers in Songliao Basin. Relation between stress sensitive coefficient and permeability damage ratio under different original conditions was analyzed. Advantages and disadvantages of different assessment method were discussed. Results demonstrate that there have strong correlation between stress sensitive coefficient and permeability damage ratio, and stress sensitive coefficient can be used as an index to stress-sensitivity of reservoir rock. We state to use stress sensitive coefficient to characterize stress-sensitivity of different reservoirs.
Personality-targeted Gamification: A Survey Study on Personality Traits and Motivational Affordances

While motivational affordances are widely used to enhance user engagement in "gamified" apps, they are often employed en masse. Prior research offers little guidance about how individuals with different dispositions may react-positively and negatively-to specific affordances. In this paper, we present a survey study investigating the relationships among individuals' personality traits and perceived preferences for various motivational affordances used in gamification. Our results show that extraverts tend to be motivated by Points, Levels, and Leaderboards; people with high levels of imagination/openness are less likely to be motivated by Avatars. Negative correlations were found between emotional stability (the inverse of neuroticism) and several motivational affordances, indicating a possible limitation of gamification as an approach for a large segment of the population. Our findings contribute to the HCI community, and in particular to designers of persuasive and gamified apps, by providing design suggestions for targeting specific audiences based on personality.
Targeting Mitochondria for Healthy Brain Aging

Mitochondrial dysfunction has been linked to aging and various age-related neurodegenerative diseases within the brain. These “power plants” of the cell are essential for appropriate metabolism and energy flow within neurons, but have also been found to contribute to metabolic-mediated oxidative stress, and to be a major factor in cell death. Because of this, mitochondria have been proposed as a therapeutic target in models of aging and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). With mitochondria being key players in metabolism, dietary interventions and supplementation with various antioxidants and mitochondrial co-factors have been proposed to target mitochondrial dysfunction in order to avoid age- and AD-related deficits. However, results from these studies have been controversial and, to date, there are articles that support and articles that reject the use of mitochondrial targeting interventions. This chapter will explain why mitochondrial targeting interventions are an important area of research, and propose ideas as to why certain studies have failed.
What are neural correlates neural correlates of

How should neuroscience research about social-psychological phenomena identify its objects of inquiry, so as to develop adequate experimental paradigms and tasks to elicit them, and then look for their neural correlates? How should it go about conceptualizing objects such as morality, empathy, art, love, creativity, or religious belief? If a neuroscientist is after the neural correlates of X, how can she tell X from non-X? This is an important methodological problem, to which neuroscience hasn’t given enough thought. I argue that it actually consists of two distinct questions: first, what counts as object X; and second, how to tell what counts as object X. At neither level can neuroscientists avoid taking sides in philosophical and social science controversies. I further argue that they can therefore benefit from the relevant literatures in philosophy, social science, and the humanities. These literatures can help neuroscience studies better conceptualize and operationalize the social-psychological phenomena they are interested in—and thus better get at them, specify how experimental results might speak to the real social world, and clarify what exactly neural correlates are neural correlates of.
Cake or fruit? Influencing healthy food choice through the interaction of automatic and instructed mental simulation

Promoting healthy food choice is a central issue for public welfare and a continuous challenge for marketers and policy makers. This research examines how marketing communication elements, such as visuals and text, can be used to encourage healthy food choices. Extending previous research in automatic process mental simulation, this research examines whether visual presentations of food items can trigger a different type of automatic mental simulation that is outcome oriented. Results from four studies show that visual presentations of food items in an advertisement can trigger process and outcome automatic mental simulation (AMS) of food consumption, and AMS interacts with an advertisement’s instructed mental simulation (IMS) to influence consumer healthy food choice. Contributing to marketing research in using IMS in advertising to promote product offerings, this research demonstrates that the success of IMS cues varies depending not only on the amount, but more importantly, the type of AMS triggered from visual cues.
Use of structure-activity relationships for probing biochemical mechanisms: glutathione transferase zeta conjugation of haloacids.

A structure-activity relationship (SAR) represents an empirical means for generalizing chemical information relative to biological activity, rationalizing existing data, and, ideally, providing an effective linkage between theory and experiment. In addition, by virtue of its implicit relationship to one or more rate determining step(s) of a biological interaction, an SAR can serve as a valuable tool for inquiry into the molecular mechanisms that underlie empirical observation. Such efforts are most productively guided and constrained by plausible hypotheses, some molecular-level resolution of the problem, and some knowledge of the probable chemistry and biochemical activation pathways of structurally similar chemicals. It follows that information pertaining to biologically reactive intermediates and their formation is highly relevant to, and can be potentially inferred from successful SAR models.
Evolution of the propeller near-wake and potential energy in a thermally-stratified environment

The unsteady near-wake of a self-propelled body in a linearly stratified environment is studied through the novel use of an actuator-line model. A comparison to experiment at Re L = 1.6×106 shows agreement in wake profiles and the emergence of individual blade-wake structures. Increasing the Reynolds number to Re L = 3.1×108 reveals a delayed vortex breakdown and relative reduction in velocity profile magnitude, in addition to a thinner boundary layer and reduced skin-friction coefficient as predicted by theory. Downstream turbulent-kinetic, mean-kinetic, and potential energies reveal the persistence of swirl and growth of potential energy, which is embodied as a mixed patch. While velocity and turbulent-kinetic energy are axisymmetric in the mixed patch, the temperature field grows into a unique profile that is asymmetric in the azimuthal direction.
Future Clinical and Professional Directions in Cardio-oncology

With the availability of new and very effective therapies, cancer has increasingly become a chronic condition and led to the need for close collaboration between the specialties of oncology and cardiology. Collaboration is developing in the clinic, research, and training arenas and has drawn the attention of major national and international cardiology and oncology associations to the field of cardio-oncology. This chapter discusses how the partnership of these two medical subspecialties in the future will improve outcomes for cancer patients.
Amicus Brief of the Constitution Project Submitted to D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals in Smith v. Trump

In Smith v. Obama (2016), the District Court found that Captain Smith’s action presents a political question for three reasons: first, it presented questions committed to the political branches of government; second, the courts are ill-equipped to resolve those questions; and third, there is no conflict between Congress and the President regarding the lawfulness of the war against ISIS. In this brief, amici ask the DC Circuit to reverse that ruling, arguing that the District Court erred in each of those findings. First, the Supreme Court has previously reached the merits to decide two seminal cases that are directly on point — Little v. Barreme (1804) and Youngstown Sheet & Tube Co. v. Sawyer (1952) — without even considering the possibility that either presented a political question. Second, judicial fact-finding incapacities present an evidentiary hurdle that a plaintiff can overcome by meeting the applicable burden of persuasion, not an insurmountable justiciability barrier that prevents a plaintiff from even attempting to do so. And third, the District Court could conclude that no conflict exists between Congress and the president only by holding sub silentio that the War Powers Resolution’s clear statement rule is unconstitutional — thus creating an issue of statutory validity that the Supreme Court has emphasized does not present a political question.
Effects of Fines in Gravel Bed Streams Behavior

A model-gravel bed stream is studied in the laboratory. Flow visualization of bedload motion correlates with bursting phenomena near the bed. The bedload variation as a result of the addition of fines correlates with the amount of fines in the subpavement and pavement. Initially the fines collect in the immediate subpavement, and consequently reducing the bedload rate. This trend is continued until the top of the subpavement has been saturated with fines, and a significant quantity of fines appears in the pavement. Then the bedload rate increases, due to the higher mobility of coarse particles moving over a surface rendered smooth by the filling of the crevices between roughness elements with fines. As the original gravel bed is buried below a sand bed, the bedload transport rate once again decreases, as a result of the reduced availability of grains from the original bed.
Large Scale Systems Containing Multipartite Symmetrically Composite Subsystems: Analysis and Synthesis of Decentralized Controllers

Abstract This paper discusses a class of large-scale systems containing multi-pertite symmetrically composite subsystem. It is shown that the solutions of some important problems for such large-scale systems can be conducted by using the solutions of corresponding problems for some lower order subsystems the problems includes the spectrum characterization, controllability, observability and the solutions of the algbraic Riccati equation. The design procedures of dacentralizad controller and decentralized observer are presented by the utilization of the available structural information.
Poster Abstract: Wireless Control for the IoT: Power, Spectrum, and Security Challenges

We present recent work in the design and operation of wireless sensor-actuation systems along three aspects. At the device level, a major drive is the reduced power consumption of the wireless transceivers without loss of control performance. At the channel access level, a shared wireless channel needs to be administered between multiple systems with control performance guarantees for all systems. At the application security level, the broadcast nature of the wireless medium raises confidentiality concerns against eavesdroppers who may overhear sensor and actuator measurements.
Randomized, four-arm, dose-response clinical trial to optimize resistance exercise training for older adults with age-related muscle atrophy.

Abstract Purpose The myriad consequences of age-related muscle atrophy include reduced muscular strength, power, and mobility; increased risk of falls, disability, and metabolic disease; and compromised immune function. At its root, aging muscle atrophy results from a loss of myofibers and atrophy of the remaining type II myofibers. The purpose of this trial ( NCT02442479 ) was to titrate the dose of resistance training (RT) in older adults in an effort to maximize muscle regrowth and gains in muscle function. Methods A randomized, four-arm efficacy trial in which four, distinct exercise prescriptions varying in intensity, frequency, and contraction mode/rate were evaluated: (1) high-resistance concentric-eccentric training (H) 3 d/week (HHH); (2) H training 2 d/week (HH); (3) 3 d/week mixed model consisting of H training 2 d/week separated by 1 bout of low-resistance, high-velocity, concentric only (L) training (HLH); and (4) 2 d/week mixed model consisting of H training 1 d/week and L training 1 d/week (HL). Sixty-four randomized subjects (65.5 ± 3.6 y) completed the trial. All participants completed the same 4 weeks of pre-training consisting of 3 d/week followed by 30 weeks of randomized RT. Results The HLH prescription maximized gains in thigh muscle mass (TMM, primary outcome) and total body lean mass. HLH also showed the greatest gains in knee extension maximum isometric strength, and reduced cardiorespiratory demand during steady-state walking. HHH was the only prescription that led to increased muscle expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine receptors and this was associated with a lesser gain in TMM and total body lean mass compared to HLH. The HL prescription induced minimal muscle regrowth and generally lesser gains in muscle performance vs. the other prescriptions. Major conclusions The HLH prescription offers distinct advantages over the other doses, while the HL program is subpar. Although limited by a relatively small sample size, we conclude from this randomized dose-response trial that older adults benefit greatly from 2 d/week high-intensity RT, and may further benefit from inserting an additional weekly bout of low-load, explosive RT. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02442479
The impact of physician communication on diabetes management in cancer survivors.

77Background: As cancer survivors live longer and many die from other comorbidities, it becomes increasingly important to understand factors associated with self-management behaviors for common com...
Role of oral intake in maintenance of gut mass and disaccharide activity.

Previous studies demonstrating small intestinal atrophy and hypoplasia during fasting failed to distinguish between negative nitrogen balance and lack of oral intake as the cause for the observed changes. To differentiate between these factors, intravenously alimented (IVA) rats were compared with rats fed the same solution orally (OA). After 1 week, decreases in gut weight (22%), mucosal weight (28%), mucosal protein (35%), DNA (25%), and mucosal height were observed in IVA rats, primarily due to a decrease in these parameters in the proximal small bowel. As a result of the atrophy and hypoplasia of the proximal gut, the proximal to distal gradient of mass, protein, and DNA observed in OA rats was minimal after IVA. IVA rats had lower total intestinal maltase (62%), sucrase (62%), and lactase (44%), with a 46% decrease in maltase and sucrase specific activities, but without a change in lactase specific activity. Sucrase and maltase activities (specific activity and per centimeter) were highest in the jejunum of both groups, although they were higher in OA than in IVA rats. Lactase activity per centimeter was greater in OA rats, reflecting the greater protein content, but without a change in specific activity. This study demonstrates that the physiological responses related to food ingestion are important in maintaining small intestinal mass, disaccharidase activity, and the proximal-distal gradient.
Applying Pulmonary Immunotoxicity Data to Risk Assessment

From the preceding Chapters, it is clear that a number of contaminants in our environment can modulate pulmonary immune responses. These same immune responses represent the first line of defense against many microorganisms for which the respiratory tract is the primary portal of entry. Suppression of these responses may increase the risks associated with these infections. On the other hand, stimulation of the immune response in the lung can lead to hypersensitivity reactions that can range from mild to life-threatening. In order to protect the public from potentially adverse health effects, it is important to understand the risks associated with modulation of these pulmonary immune responses. This Chapter will review the various components of risk assessment, describe some of the approaches that can be used in applying pulmonary immunotoxicity data to the risk assessment process, and discuss the inherent uncertainties and research which may help to reduce these uncertainties.
ELECTROLYSIS OF SWINE MANURE EFFLUENTS USING THREE DIFFERENT ELECTRODES Fe-Fe, Al-Al AND Fe-Al

Swine effluent with high organic strength need to be treated to make it suitable for applying to crop/pasture fields, or discharging to any waterways. Electrocoagulation is a relatively simpler and cheaper technique over biological and chemical treatment methods currently used to treat high-strength industrial and municipal wastewater. The performance of an electrocoagulation system mainly depends on the pH, Electrical Conductivity (EC) of the medium, Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) loading rates and catalytic activity of the electrodes used. In this research, a study was conducted to compare the pollutant removal efficiencies of three electrodes (Fe-Fe, Al-Al and Fe-Al) with three electric current levels (500, 1000 and 2000 mA) while treating swine manure effluents. The electrochemical cell consisted of two parallel rectangular plates (90×25×1.5 mm) of Iron (Fe-Fe), Aluminum (Al-Al) and Iron-Aluminum (Fe-Al, later on described as hybrid) electrodes; immersed in a beaker with 550 mL swine effluents and powered by a Direct Current (DC) supply. All studies were conducted in batches at room temperature. In general, removal efficiencies were increased with increasing current densities and electrolysis times for electrodes evaluated. Aluminum electrodes outperformed iron and hybrid (iron-aluminum electrodes) in removing Total Phosphorus (TP) at all current density levels tested. Overall, use of hybrid electrodes resulted in better COD removal. For the same treatment times (1200 s) at higher current density (21 mA cm �2 ), hybrid electrodes removed about 100% COD, which are about 1.9 and 1.3 times higher than those of aluminum and iron electrodes, respectively. Iron electrodes showed the highest removal efficiency (85%) for Total Organic Carbon (TOC) at 21 mA cm �2 current density and 1200 s treatment time. Overall, lower Specific Electrical Energy Consumptions (SEECs) per kg of Pollutants (TP, COD and TOC) were estimated for the aluminum electrodes than the other electrodes combination.
Microscopic Aspects of Ductile Tearing Resistance in AISI Type 303 Stainless Steel

The initiation toughness (J I c ) and the resistance to stable crack growth (J R -curve) of AISI Type 303 stainless steel were characterized using side-grooved compact-type specimens. The test material was produced by a hotextrusion process which resulted in long cylindrical MnS inclusions aligned in the longitudinal direction. In addition, several interrupted tests were conducted in which CT specimens were loaded monotonically to different levels of stable crack growth. These specimens were sectioned at mid-thickness for detailed metallography to observe the microscopic aspects of the ductile crack growth process and the evolution of damage ahead of the crack tip. Following is a summary of the results and the conclusions from the study. Stable crack growth or ductile tearing occurs by nucleation, growth, and coalescence of voids which nucleate at the inclusions. Void growth appears to be most dominant during stable crack growth. At J I c the void closest to the initial crack tip coalesces with the crack. During this period, growth of voids further away from the crack tip also occurs. Thus the increment in J required to continue the crack growth process decreases progressively until a steady-state dJ R / da is obtained. Based on the observations of this study and the void growth model of Rice and Tracey, a simple model relating the microstructural parameters such as inclusion spacing and size to the stable crack growth resistance of the material is proposed. The model is capable of predicting the J R -curve. The predicted J R -curve for the test material agreed with the observed behavior.
Endoscopic management of surgical complications

Abstract Development of endoscopic devices to manage surgical complications has revolutionized the endoscopic industry. With the constant development of new endoscopic techniques, these devices have consistently pushed the envelope of endoluminal surgery applications. This chapter will focus on endoluminal therapeutic interventions for the treatment and management of surgical complications.
Comment on Jiang Y, Zhang J, Xi B, et al. [Degradation of toluene-2,4-diamine by persulphate. Environ Tech. 2015;36:1441-1447].

This paper reports studies on the reaction between peroxydisulfate and 2,4-diaminotoluene. The variables include pH, peroxydisulfate concentration, and the presence or absence of Fe2+. A radical re...
Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease

Abstract Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) refer to mycobacteria other than Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) and M. leprae. The incidence and prevalence of NTM Lung disease (NTM-LD) is rising worldwide and accounts for most of clinical cases. NTM infections occur both in immunocompetent and immunocompromised hosts. The diagnosis is based on an association of clinical, microbiological and radiological criteria. NTM lung disease treatment is challenging due to long, complicated, and difficult to tolerate antibiotic regimens. Clinicians should be aware of the aspects of NTM lung disease, including the need for accurate diagnosis, the availability of advanced molecular genotyping to identify the species, and the benefits and limitations of recommended treatments.
Do Difficulties Regulating Positive Emotions Contribute to Risky Sexual Behavior? A Path Analysis.

Within the U.S., risky sexual behavior (RSB) is the primary mode of HIV transmission. The role of emotion dysregulation in RSB has received growing attention over the past decade. However, this literature has been limited in its focus on emotion dysregulation stemming from negative (but not positive) emotions. The goal of the current study was to extend research by examining the relative and unique contributions of dimensions of difficulties regulating positive emotions (i.e., nonacceptance of positive emotions [Accept], difficulties controlling impulsive behaviors when experiencing positive emotions [Impulse], and difficulties engaging in goal-directed behaviors when experiencing positive emotions [Goals]) to RSB. Participants were 386 trauma-exposed individuals recruited from Amazon’s MTurk (M age = 35.85 years; 57.5% female; 76.4% White). At the bivariate level, dimensions of difficulties regulating positive emotions were significantly positively associated with sexual risk taking with uncommitted partners, impulsive sex behaviors, and intent to engage in risky sexual behaviors (with the exception of Goals to sexual risk taking with uncommitted partners), and significantly negatively associated with risky sex acts. Regarding the unique contributions of difficulties regulating positive emotions to RSB, (1) Accept was significantly positively associated with impulsive sexual behaviors and intent to engage in risky sexual behaviors; (2) Impulse was significantly positively associated with risky anal sex acts; and (3) Goals was significantly negatively associated with risky anal sex acts. Findings suggest the potential utility of targeting difficulties regulating positive emotions in treatments aimed at reducing RSB.
Topological Data Analysis Reveals Principles of Chromosome Structure in Cellular Differentiation

Topological data analysis (TDA) is a mathematically well-founded set of methods to derive robust information about the structure and topology of data. It has been applied successfully in several biological contexts. Derived primarily from algebraic topology, TDA rigorously identifies persistent features in complex data, making it well-suited to better understand the key features of three-dimensional chromosome structure. Chromosome structure has a significant influence in many diverse genomic processes and has recently been shown to relate to cellular differentiation. While there exist many methods to study specific substructures of chromosomes, we are still missing a global view of all geometric features of chromosomes. By applying TDA to the study of chromosome structure through differentiation across three cell lines, we provide insight into principles of chromosome folding and looping. We identify persistent connected components and one-dimensional topological features of chromosomes and characterize them across cell types and stages of differentiation. Availability: Scripts to reproduce the results from this study can be found at https://github.com/Kingsford-Group/hictda
Trauma exposure and post-traumatic stress symptoms among men and women in a substance use and mental health treatment court sample

AbstractThis study examines (1) traumatic incident exposure (TIE) and PTSD prevalence among treatment court clients (N = 294), (2) the relationship between TIE and PTSD symptomatology, (3) the psyc...
Preservice teachers learning to teach and developing teacher identity in a teacher residency

This article reported how five preservice teachers constructed and developed their teacher identity in a year-long teacher residency partnered between a university-based teacher education program a...
Cardiac implantable electronic device infection: Does the device need to be extracted?

Background Cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIED) have become a common treatment modality in clinical practice. The increase in utilization of these devices has been associated with an increase in infection rates. Published guidelines define when a device is deemed infected (CDI); recommendations for the work-up of CDI and criteria for extraction. Few data exist as to adherence to these guidelines. Objective We wanted to o evaluate whether devices diagnosed as CDI fit guidelines, whether clinicians followed work-up recommendation of CDI, and whether CIED was extracted according to the guidelines criteria in our hospital. Methods A retrospective review was performed in our hospital between 2008 and 2017. Adult patients (pts) 18 years and older who had their device extracted (DE) with a diagnosis of CDI were included. A total of 95 pts were identified. Results We included 95 pts who were diagnosed as having CDI and who had their DE. Work-up of patients with a diagnosis of CDI was inconsistently followed. Blood cultures, Echocardiogram, lead cultures (LC), and device pocket cultures (PC) were done in 100%, 90.5%, 75.6%, and 49.3%, respectively. Thirty out of 90 pts. (33%) did not meet guidelines criteria for extraction. Conclusions In our institution, a one third of the pts diagnosed with CDI who had DE had no indication for DE per guidelines recommendations. Clinicians did not follow recommendations for work-up of CDI consistently. Low adherence was seen in obtaining LC and PC. CIED extraction guidelines should be followed to prevent unnecessary complications and cost.
35) An unusual case of acute onset severe uremia presenting as gastrointestinal bleeding

Introduction We report a case of acute renal failure and severe uremia presenting as gastrointestinal bleeding in an 11-year-old girl with VATER syndrome. Case Report The patient is an 11 year old girl with CKD II secondary to solitary kidney with grade 5 reflux, re-implanted at 2 years and mild persistent RTA. The patient had been clinically well apart from a 1-year history of dysuria and ultrasound evidence of a non-obstructing renal cyst. She was being monitored as an outpatient. She presented to her local emergency department with three days of hematemesis, melena, and weakness. …
III-Nitride High-Speed Optoelectronics

III-nitride high-speed optoelectronics are emerging for a variety of applications, including visible-light communication (VLC) in light-fidelity (Li-Fi) networks, optical communication using photonic-integrated circuits, and micro-pixel LED displays. III-nitride materials offer efficient light emission and the potential to route, modulate, and detect light on a single chip. Previous research into III-nitride optoelectronics has mainly focused on developing emitters with high efficiencies and large optical output powers, which are needed for conventional lighting and data storage applications. Here, we present the more recent development of III-nitride high-speed emitters, including planar micro-LEDs, nanowire-based micro-LEDs, and superluminescent diodes. We demonstrate record-high modulation bandwidths by growing devices on nonpolar and semipolar orientations of GaN, which are free from the polarization-related effects that limit the modulation bandwidths of $c$ -plane III-nitride. We also combine a rate equation model with an RF measurement technique to extract the carrier dynamics in the devices [1].
Determining the Cost of Care for U.S. Healthcare Providers: A Hybrid Approach

Many US healthcare providers can’t easily calculate the cost of treating patients. They use simple calculations such as the cost-to-charge ratio (CCR) which Medicare uses for reimbursement purposes and the ratio-of-cost-to-charge (RCC) which allocates costs to patients based on revenue generated from revenue centers. Healthcare providers are unique, provide different services, and use different resources for treatments. A-one-size-fits-all costing system can’t work for all sizes and different specialty practices. Scholars suggested many costing methods that can be used in different healthcare practices, such as the unit cost analysis, the standard costing method, the gross-costing method, the chart of accounts, the resource-based relative value units (RBRVS), the step-down cost accounting (SDCA), and the activity-based costing (ABC). The purpose of this article is to recommend a costing method that can be easily learned and applied by different size healthcare providers. The proposed hybrid costing approach can help providers calculate the cost of care by capturing the cost of routine and standard exams, treatments, services, and procedures using the process costing system, and capture all other costs that are unique to each patient using the job order costing system. Adequately determining the cost of care will help healthcare leaders improve planning and budgeting for target income and achieve organizational efficiency and effectiveness.