cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In vivo validation of the origin of the esophageal electrocardiogram.

Esophageal electrocardiography is a clinical and investigational technique that is useful for determining atrial conduction intervals, analyzing atrial rhythms and mapping conduction pathways. Although the left atrial origin of the esophageal electrocardiogram has long been implied, recently that origin has been questioned. In the present study, the origin of the esophageal deflection is defined by direct right and left atrial mapping studies performed with simultaneous esophageal electrograms obtained from three positions (high, mid and low). Seven patients with normal left atrial dimensions (group I) and five patients with left atrial enlargement (group II) underwent transseptal catheterization during the course of electrophysiologic study. In group I (normal left atrial dimensions), conduction time from the high right atrium to each of the three esophageal positions corresponded to conduction times to left atrial sites ranging from 1 to 3 em lateral to the left interatrial septum. The mid- and low esophageal conduction times were all significantly longer than conduction time to the left side of the septum (p The esophageal electrogram corresponds to atrial deflections recorded within the left atrium distinct from the interatrial septum and right atrium. Esophageal electrocardiography is a valid technique for investigation of left atrial rhythms and interatrial conduction.
Interobserver variability in determining MIB-1 labeling indices in oligodendrogliomas.

Abstract Several studies have shown that MIB-1 labeling indices correlate well with tumor grade and prognosis in a variety of tumor types. Several factors are responsible for some degree of variability in the determination of labeling indices. Interobserver variability is one of the factors often cited as responsible for this variability. A slide from each of 30 oligodendrogliomas, stained with MIB-1 antibody, was distributed to six pathologists. The same set of slides was reviewed by each individual. Each pathologist was instructed to determine a MIB-1 labeling index by evaluating 1,000 tumor cell nuclei from the area of the slide with the most staining. The labeling index record reflected a percentage of positive-staining tumor cells. Interobserver agreement was compared. MIB-1 labeling indices ranged from 0 to 45.7. Overall agreement was good (≥0.75) with a concordance coefficient of 0.832 (confidence interval, 0.700 to 0.909). Variability was greater among tumors with higher labeling indices as compared with tumors with labeling indices closer to 0. The overall agreement of MIB-1 labeling indices, while not perfect, was good. The generally minor variability among observers may be related to differences in the area of the slide evaluated and in differing lower thresholds for interpreting positivity. Further improvement of concordance may theoretically be attainable by further training and discussion among observers. Ann Diagn Pathol 7:9-13, 2003. Copyright 2003, Elsevier Science (USA). All rights reserved.
Amino-acid mutations to extend the biological half-life of a therapeutically valuable mutant of human butyrylcholinesterase.

Abstract Cocaine is a widely abused and addictive drug without an FDA-approved medication. Our recently designed and discovered cocaine hydrolase, particularly E12-7 engineered from human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), has the promise of becoming a valuable cocaine abuse treatment. An ideal anti-cocaine therapeutic enzyme should have not only a high catalytic efficiency against cocaine, but also a sufficiently long biological half-life. However, recombinant human BChE and the known BChE mutants have a much shorter biological half-life compared to the native human BChE. The present study aimed to extend the biological half-life of the cocaine hydrolase without changing its high catalytic activity against cocaine. Our strategy was to design possible amino-acid mutations that can introduce cross-subunit disulfide bond(s) and, thus, change the distribution of the oligomeric forms and extend the biological half-life. Three new BChE mutants (E364-532, E377-516, and E535) were predicted to have a more stable dimer structure with the desirable cross-subunit disulfide bond(s) and, therefore, a different distribution of the oligomeric forms and a prolonged biological half-life. The rational design was followed by experimental tests in vitro and in vivo, confirming that the rationally designed new BChE mutants, i.e. E364-532, E377-516, and E535, indeed had a remarkably different distribution of the oligomeric forms and prolonged biological half-life in rats from ∼7 to ∼13 h without significantly changing the catalytic activity against (−)-cocaine. This is the first demonstration that rationally designed amino-acid mutations can significantly prolong the biological half-life of a high-activity enzyme without significantly changing the catalytic activity.
Basins of attraction and equilibrium selection under different learning rules

A deterministic learning model applied to a game with multiple equilibria produces distinct basins of attraction for those equilibria. In symmetric two-by-two games, basins of attraction are invariant to a wide range of learning rules including best response dynamics, replicator dynamics, and fictitious play. In this paper, we construct a class of three-by-three symmetric games for which the overlap in the basins of attraction under best response learning and replicator dynamics is arbitrarily small. We then derive necessary and sufficient conditions on payoffs for these two learning rules to create basins of attraction with vanishing overlap. The necessary condition requires that with probability one the initial best response is not an equilibrium to the game. The existence of parasitic or misleading actions allows subtle differences in the learning rules to accumulate.
Effects of ultraviolet radiation on murine epidermal langerhans cells: Doses of ultraviolet radiation that modulate ICAM-1 (CD54) expression and inhibit langerhans cell function cause delayed cytotoxicity in vitro

Abstract Low doses (100 J/m 2 ) of ultraviolet B (UVB) radiation from sunlamp fluorescent FS20 tubes inhibit the ability of freshly isolated murine epidermal Langerhans cells (LC) to support anti-CD3 MoAb-induced T-cell mitogenesis and selectively inhibit the upregulation of ICAM-1 expression by LC without causing appreciable cytotoxicity in short-term ( 2 ) in the presence of 8-methoxypsoralen (1 μg/ml; PUVA) or monochromatic UVC radiation (20 J/m 2 ) also inhibited LC accessory cell function. Results of survival studies performed with EC that had been exposed to PUVA or UVC radiation before culture were similar to those of studies performed with UVB-irradiated cells, although PUVA- and UVC-induced LC cytotoxicity was much more pronounced 48 h after culture initiation than UVB-induced cytotoxicity. UVA radiation alone augmented LC recovery at 24 and 48 h, but did not influence I-A antigen or ICAM-1 expression. The results of these experiments indicate that levels of UV radiation (UVB, UVC, or psoralen + UVA radiation) that inhibit LC accessory cell function and selectively modulate ICAM-1 expression in short-term (≤ 24 h) cultures are ultimately cytotoxic for LC.
Spectra and energy levels of three- and four-times ionized hafnium (Hf iv and Hf v)

The spectra of hafnium produced by a sliding-spark discharge operating at peak currents of 6 to 1200 A were photographed in the spectral range of 400 to 2100 A. Sixty-three lines of Hf iv were measured in the limited range of ~ 500–900 A, of which 43 were classified. New levels in the 4f14nl doublet term system of Hf iv were found for nl = 6f, 7p, and 8s. In addition, the resonance transition array 4f145d–4f135d2 was interpreted. In Hf v 216 lines were observed. With these data, all levels of the configurations 4f13nl for nl = 6s, 7s, 6p, 5d, and 6d were found except for two levels of 4f136d. Theoretical interpretations are given of all of the above configurations. Values for the ionization energies of both species were derived.
Spectral-element simulations of long-term fault slip: Effect of low-rigidity layers on earthquake-cycle dynamics

We develop a spectral element method for the simulation of long-term histories of spontaneous seismic and aseismic slip on faults subjected to tectonic loading. Our approach reproduces all stages of earthquake cycles: nucleation and propagation of earthquake rupture, postseismic slip and interseismic creep. We apply the developed methodology to study the effects of low-rigidity layers on the dynamics of the earthquake cycle in 2-D. We consider two cases: small (M ~ 1) earthquakes on a fault surrounded by a damaged fault zone and large (M ~ 7) earthquakes on a vertical strike-slip fault that cuts through shallow low-rigidity layers. Our results indicate how the source properties of repeating earthquakes are affected by the presence of a damaged fault zone with low rigidity. Compared to faults in homogeneous media, we find (1) reduction in the earthquake nucleation size, (2) amplification of slip rates during dynamic rupture propagation, (3) larger recurrence interval, and (4) smaller amount of aseismic slip. Based on linear stability analysis, we derive a theoretical estimate of the nucleation size as a function of the width and rigidity reduction of the fault zone layer, which is in good agreement with simulated nucleation sizes. We further examine the effects of vertically-stratified layers (e.g., sedimentary basins) on the nature of shallow coseismic slip deficit. Our results suggest that low-rigidity shallow layers alone do not lead to coseismic slip deficit. While the low-rigidity layers result in lower interseismic stress accumulation, they also cause dynamic amplification of slip rates, with the net effect on slip being nearly zero.
A note on the stability of columnar vortices

Recently, Leibovich & Stewartson (1983) developed a sufficient condition for the instability of columnar vortices with radial shears in both the azimuthal and axial velocities, while others (e.g. Staley & Gall 1984) have found instabilities in numerical simulations which conform exactly to expectations based on the Leibovich-Stewartson theory. The purpose of this brief note is to show that this three-dimensional stability problem is isomorphic to the classical two-dimensional inertialThe instability discussed here is sometimes referred to as ‘centrifugal instability’. stability problem when viewed in an appropriate local coordinate system. The instability is therefore clearly inertial in character, as suggested by Pedley (1969).
Tomographic image quality from E-field and intensity projections

Tomography is an established imaging method used to reconstruct images from projection data. The projections can consist of E-field data (for example, synthetic aperture radar data) or intensity data (e.g., X-ray data). For short pulse length coherent laser radars, however, the projection data is available in either form. In this paper, the signal to noise ratios (SNRs) in the reconstructed images for each type of data are presented and analyzed to determine which type of data produces the best image quality. It is shown that the SNR at any point in the image domain is limited above by one when using E-field data, but can be as high as the square root of the number of projections when intensity projections are used. These theoretical results are illustrated using computer-simulated data.
Battery modeling approaches and management techniques for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles

Batteries play a critical role in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEV) and Plug-In HEV (PHEV) as one of the main energy sources because of their high energy density. Therefore, for designing purposes suitable battery models are necessary. Batteries have very nonlinear behavior and are dependent on many factors such as chemistry, temperature, load profile, charge/discharge algorithm, age, etc. Modeling the behaviors of the batteries can be achieved using different approaches and techniques. The more accurate battery model is, the more reliable results are obtained using simulation softwares. However, increasing the accuracy of the model increases the complexity of the whole system model and also the time of the simulations. In the case of vehicular applications batteries are used as packs of hundreds of cells which adds to the complexity of the model, since some behaviors are exaggerated. Besides, some effects such as the difference in state-of-charge of different cells which leads to the age reductions of the whole battery pack, or for example the temperature difference of the cells in different places of the pack cannot be ignored. For optimal designing purposes there should be a kind of tradeoff between accuracy and complexity. There are various battery models based on various approaches and techniques in the literature which may cause confusion. This paper tries to summarize and categorize different battery models with main focus on vehicular applications.
Wild-type huntingtin participates in protein trafficking between the Golgi and the extracellular space

Huntington disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant neurodegenerative disease caused by an expanded CAG trinucleotide repeat in the first exon of the HD gene, which results in a toxic polyglutamine stretch within huntingtin, the protein it encodes. Understanding the normal function of this essential protein is vital to understanding the root of the disease, yet despite more than a decade of investigation, its role in the cell remains elusive. Identifying the subcellular localization of huntingtin and understanding its effects on global gene expression are critical to this endeavor. While most reports agree that huntingtin is predominantly a cytoplasmic protein, conflicting distribution patterns have been demonstrated at the subcellular level. Here, we examine wild-type huntingtin's localization in cultured cells by expressing the full-length human protein tagged with enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) within its unspliced genomic context. In fibrosarcoma and neuroblastoma cells, huntingtin shows discrete punctate, perinuclear localization overlapping largely with the trans-Golgi and cytoplasmic clathrin-coated vesicles, implicating huntingtin in vesicle trafficking. To determine whether huntingtin is involved in trafficking a specific subset of proteins, we measured changes in global transcription levels in embryonic stem cells and neurons lacking huntingtin. Huntingtin null neurons exhibit a significant reduction in transcripts encoding proteins destined for the extracellular space, many of which are components of the extracellular matrix or involved in cellular adhesion, receptor binding and hormone activity. Together, these findings support a role for huntingtin in the intracellular trafficking of proteins required for the construction of the extracellular matrix.
Partial properness and the Jacobian Conjecture

Abstract A polynomial map of complex n - space to itself is invertible if it is nonsingular and proper on each of a suitable collection of lower dimensional submanifolds. For n = 2, it suffices to have properness along a single connected component of a fiber of a component map.
Social Workers’ Orientations toward the Evidence-based Practice Process: A Comparison with Psychologists and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists

This article describes the results from a large, cross-sectional survey of social workers, psychologists, and licensed marriage and family therapists (LMFTs) in Texas (N = 865) regarding their orientation toward and implementation of evidence-based practice (EBP). All social workers were recruited by e-mail using the state NASW Listserv (analysis was limited to master’s level social workers), whereas 500 psychologists and LMFTs were randomly selected from the state licensing lists for a postal mail survey. The Evidence-Based Practice Process Assessment Scale–Short Version was used, along with 10 background/ demographic questions. Psychologists with doctoral degrees reported, on average, stronger orientations toward the EBP process than did social workers with master’s degrees, but the effect sizes for these differences were typically weak to moderate. Social workers and LMFTs were, for most comparisons, similar in their orientations toward the EBP process. More recent social work graduates had more favorable views of the EBP process than less recent graduates. The results suggest that although the EBP process is not yet widely implemented in its entirety, there are grounds for optimism about master’s level social workers’ engagement in that process and for their increased utilization of research.
Pre-Exercise Ingestion of Pickle Juice, Hypertonic Saline, or Water and Aerobic Performance and Thermoregulation

Context: Ingesting high-sodium drinks pre-exercise can improve thermoregulation and performance. Athletic trainers (19%) give athletes pickle juice (PJ) prophylactically for cramping. No data exist on whether this practice affects aerobic performance or thermoregulation. Objective: To determine if drinking 2 mL/kg body mass of PJ, hypertonic saline, or deionized water (DIW) pre-exercise affects aerobic performance or thermoregulation. Design: Crossover study. Setting: Controlled laboratory study. Patients or Other Participants: Nine euhydrated men (age = 22 ± 3 years, height = 184.0 ± 8.2 cm, mass = 82.6 ± 16.0 kg) completed testing. Intervention(s): Participants rested for 65 minutes. During this period, they ingested 2 mL/kg of PJ, hypertonic saline, or DIW. Next, they drank 5 mL/kg of DIW. Blood was collected before and after ingestion of all fluids. Participants were weighed and ran in the heat (temperature = 38.3°C ± 1°C, relative humidity = 21.1% ± 4.7%) at increasing increments of maximal heart rat...
Learning consensus opinion: mining data from a labeling game

We consider the problem of identifying the consensus ranking for the results of a query, given preferences among those results from a set of individual users. Once consensus rankings are identified for a set of queries, these rankings can serve for both evaluation and training of retrieval and learning systems. We present a novel approach to collecting the individual user preferences over image-search results: we use a collaborative game in which players are rewarded for agreeing on which image result is best for a query. Our approach is distinct from other labeling games because we are able to elicit directly the preferences of interest with respect to image queries extracted from query logs. As a source of relevance judgments, this data provides a useful complement to click data. Furthermore, the data is free of positional biases and is collected by the game without the risk of frustrating users with non-relevant results; this risk is prevalent in standard mechanisms for debiasing clicks. We describe data collected over 34 days from a deployed version of this game that amounts to about 18 million expressed preferences between pairs. Finally, we present several approaches to modeling this data in order to extract the consensus rankings from the preferences and better sort the search results for targeted queries.
Effect of Cardiogenic Shock Hospital Volume on Mortality in Patients With Cardiogenic Shock

Background Cardiogenic shock (CS) is associated with significant morbidity, and mortality rates approach 40% to 60%. Treatment for CS requires an aggressive, sophisticated, complex, goal‐oriented, therapeutic regimen focused on early revascularization and adjunctive supportive therapies, suggesting that hospitals with greater CS volume may provide better care. The association between CS hospital volume and inpatient mortality for CS is unclear. Methods and Results We used the Nationwide Inpatient Sample to examine 533 179 weighted patient discharges from 2675 hospitals with CS from 2004 to 2011 and divided them into quartiles of mean annual hospital CS case volume. The primary outcome was in‐hospital mortality. Multivariate adjustments were performed to account for severity of illness, relevant comorbidities, hospital characteristics, and differences in treatment. Compared with the highest volume quartile, the adjusted odds ratio for inpatient mortality for persons admitted to hospitals in the lowest‐volume quartile (≤27 weighted cases per year) was 1.27 (95% CI 1.15 to 1.40), whereas for admission to hospitals in the low‐volume and medium‐volume quartiles, the odds ratios were 1.20 (95% CI 1.08 to 1.32) and 1.12 (95% CI 1.01 to 1.24), respectively. Similarly, improved survival was observed across quartiles, with an adjusted inpatient mortality incidence of 41.97% (95% CI 40.87 to 43.08) for hospitals with the lowest volume of CS cases and a drop to 37.01% (95% CI 35.11 to 38.96) for hospitals with the highest volume of CS cases. Analysis of treatments offered between hospital quartiles revealed that the centers with volumes in the highest quartile demonstrated significantly higher numbers of patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting, percutaneous coronary intervention, or intra‐aortic balloon pump counterpulsation. A similar relationship was demonstrated with the use of mechanical circulatory support (ventricular assist devices and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation), for which there was significantly higher use in the higher volume quartiles. Conclusions We demonstrated an association between lower CS case volume and higher mortality. There is more frequent use of both standard supportive and revascularization techniques at the higher volume centers. Future directions may include examining whether early stabilization and transfer improve outcomes of patients with CS who are admitted to lower volume centers.
An approach for assessing hydrogel hydrophobicity

Hydrogel hydrophobicity is an important modulator of mammalian cell behavior, drug payload release, and medical device fouling. Contact angle and protein adsorption measures are two common methods for evaluating hydrogel hydrophobicity. However, protein adsorption is a complex phenomenon which is challenging to interpret in terms of gel hydrophobicity alone. In addition, the permeability of hydrogels can be problematic for contact angle assessment, as this method can only be strictly applied to smooth, solid, and nonpermeable surfaces. Therefore, the development of a technique for measuring hydrogel hydrophobicity which is simple, sensitive, and independent of variations in gel permeability would significantly advance the ability to finely tune this variable. The present technical note develops a method for quantifying the hydrophobicity of hydrogels by exploiting their capacity to swell differentially in solvents of distinct polarities. To validate this technique, hydrogels of varying hydrophobicities were prepared by combining hydrophilic poly(ethylene glycol) diacrylate (PEGDA) with either hydrophobic 3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl methacrylate (TMSPM) or hydrophilic 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The ratio of hydrogel swelling in 70% isopropanol to that in water was termed the hydrophobicity index (H-index) and was determined for each gel type. The measured H-indices reflected known differences in the hydrophobicities of HEMA, TMSPM, and PEGDA and, in contrast to contact angle assessments, appeared to be independent of variations in hydrogel permeability. In addition, the trend in H-indices agreed well with the trend in protein adsorption across hydrogel formulations, although the H-indices appeared to be able to resolve more subtle differences in gel hydrophobicity than protein adsorption measures.
DETACHMENT OF BACTERIOPHAGE FROM ITS CARRIER PARTICLES.

The active substance (phage) present in the lytic broth filtrate is distributed through the medium in the form of particles. These particles vary in size within broad limits. The average size of these particles as calculated on the basis of the rate of diffusion approximates 4.4 mµ in radius. Fractionation by means of ultrafiltration permits partial separation of particles of different sizes. Under conditions of experiments here reported the particles varied in the radius size from 0.6 mµ to 11.4 mµ. The active agent apparently is not intimately identified with these particles. It is merely carried by them by adsorption, and under suitable experimental conditions it can be detached from the larger particles and redistributed on smaller particles of the medium.
Transmutation and energy production with high power accelerators

Accelerator-driven transmutation offers attractive new solutions to complex nuclear problems. This paper outlines the basics of the technology, summarizes the key application areas, and discusses designs of and performance issues for the high-power proton accelerators that are required.
Inpatient Rehabilitation Facilities: Variation in Organizational Practice in Response to Prospective Payment

When Medicare implemented a prospective payment system (PPS) for inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs) in 2002, a lack of organizational research on IRFs hampered the ability to predict how providers would modify their behavior in response to the PPS. This study consists of 36 key informant interviews that examined the experiences of nine IRFs in the lead-up to and aftermath of the IRF-PPS. Drawing on earlier work by Oliver, the authors develop a taxonomy of the new organizational practices that IRFs adopted in response to the changing payment system. A model of key organizational and environmental characteristics that predict the adoption of these practices based on an IRF's willingness and/or capacity to comply with institutional pressure is then proposed. The proposed model can also be applied to other regulatory changes affecting IRFs.
Groundwater Contribution of Metals from an Abandoned Mine to The North Fork of The American Fork River, Utah

Surface water discharge measurements and metals concentrations in the North Fork of the American Fork River, Utah, its tributaries, and the groundwater in the vicinity of the Pacific Mine were used to evaluate the impact of groundwater on loading rates of metals and As to the river. Fish in the river contain As, Cd, and Pb at concentrations that are hazardous to human health if consumed. The results suggest that dissolved As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, and Zn enter the river when it is a gaining stream. However, the suspended metals load is significantly greater than the dissolved load, and generally decreases through the reach of river adjacent to the mine site. Cadmium and Mn travel as dissolved species while Cu, Fe, Pb, and Zn travel as suspended solids. Arsenic seems to travel both with the suspended solids and in the dissolved state. The geochemical modeling program PHREEQC and a diffuse double layer surface complexation model were used to investigate the chemical controls on metals mobility and attenuation in the surface and groundwaters at the site. Based on the PHREEQC results, the most important process in these waters is the precipitation of ferrihydrite, also referred to as hydrous ferric oxide (HFO). Copper, Pb, most importantly Zn, and to a lesser degree As sorb to HFO.
Serotonergic Agents in the Treatment of Fibromyalgia Syndrome

OBJECTIVE:T o evaluate literature that discusses the treatment of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) with agents that involve the neurotransmitter serotonin.DATA SOURCES:Biomedical literature accessed through MEDLINE (1966–August 2001) and International Pharmaceutical Abstracts.DATA SYNTHESIS:The cause and pathophysiology of FMS remain elusive, although abnormalities in the serotonin pathway have been implicated. Several serotonergic agents have been studied for use in FMS. Trials and case reports focusing on the use of newer agents: the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, venlafaxine and tramadol, were reviewed.CONCLUSIONS:Current research suggests that the serotonergic agents may reduce at least some of the symptoms of FMS. However, medications that act on multiple neurotransmitters may prove to be more effective in symptom management. Additional long-term studies are required in order to validate these results.
Postacute stroke guideline compliance is associated with greater patient satisfaction

Abstract Reker DM, Duncan PW, Horner RD, Hoenig H, Samsa GP, Hamilton BB, Dudley TK. Postacute stroke guideline compliance is associated with greater patient satisfaction. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2002;83:750-6. Objective: To determine if the structure of care or the process of stroke care, as measured by compliance with stroke guidelines published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), is associated with patient satisfaction. Design: Prospective inception cohort study of new stroke admissions including postacute care with follow-up interviews at 6 months poststroke. Setting: Eleven Veterans Affairs medical centers (VAMCs). Participants: A total of 288 new stroke patients admitted to VAMCs. Interventions: Not applicable. Main Outcome Measures: Compliance with AHRQ stroke guidelines and patient satisfaction with care using a stroke-specific instrument. Results: Process of care was positively and significantly associated with greater patient satisfaction even after controlling for patient functional outcome. The most visible (to the patient) process of care dimensions correlated most highly with patient satisfaction. Sixty-four percent (73/115) of patients expressed some dissatisfaction with 1 or more survey items. Conclusions: “What we do” and “how we do it” while providing postacute care to stroke patients was associated with patient satisfaction. This linkage of process to outcome is an important validation of satisfaction as a significant patient outcome. This linkage is further evidence that compliance with AHRQ stroke guidelines may be a valid quality of care indicator. © 2002 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Racial Identity, Self-Esteem, and Academic Achievement: Too Much Interpretation, Too Little Supporting Data:

The current study draws on a hierarchical linear regression procedure to address the problem of overinterpretation in research on racial identity attitudes and academic achievement. The Racial Identity Attitude Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and a background questionnaire were administered to 128 African American students from a Historically Black College & University. Results show that the unique effect of racial identity on academic outcome is minimal. Moreover, over 50% of racial identity’s effect on academic outcome is predicted by individual differences in self-esteem. A model examining the relationship between racial identity, self-esteem, and academic outcome is presented.
Global Optimization of Statistical Functions: Preliminary Results

Many econometric methods, such as nonlinear least squares, the generalized method of moments, and the maximum likelihood method, rely upon optimization to estimate model parameters. Not only do these methods lay the theoretical foundation for many estimators, they are often used to numerically estimate models. Unfortunately, this may be difficult because these algorithms are sometimes touchy and may fail. For the maximum likelihood method, Cramer (1986, p. 77) lists a number of “unpleasant possibilities”: the algorithm may not converge in a reasonable number of steps, it may diverge toward ridiculous values, or even loop through the same point time and again. Also, the algorithm may have difficulty with ridges and plateaus. When faced with such difficulties, the researcher is often reduced to trying different starting values (Cramer, 1986, p. 72 and Finch et al., 1989). Finally, even if the algorithm converges, there is no assurance that it will have converged to a global, rather than a local optimum since conventional algorithms cannot distinguish between them. In sum, there is a poor match between the power of these methods and the algorithms used to implement them.
The Vagueness Doctrine in the Roberts Court: Constitutional Orphan

In the 2010 United States Supreme Court cases, Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project and Skilling v. United States, the Roberts Court addressed the vagueness doctrine for the first time. Those who study vagueness hoped that from these cases the Court would settle some of the longstanding issues within the doctrine, but were disappointed to find the resulting opinions obfuscate more than illuminate this area of constitutional law. This Article first discusses and develops the downbeat conclusion that, following the death of Chief Justice Rehnquist and the retirements of Justices O’Connor and Stevens, and in light the dreadful legacy of the decisions in Humanitarian Law Project and Skilling, no one on the Court cares enough about the vagueness doctrine to think deeply on it. The Article goes on to sketch how a justice who takes the vagueness doctrine to heart might have analyzed those cases, with careful attention to the doctrine’s rationale of limiting arbitrary and discriminatory enforcement and a balancing of impact on protected or desirable conduct against the significance of the legislative goal.
A Flowchart For Evaluating Dairy Cow Freestalls

A flow chart system has been developed to evaluate dairy freestalls. It details 4 critical points: adequate surface cushion, adequate body resting space, lunge room for head thrust and an unobstructed bob-zone, and adequate height below and behind the neck rail. Surface cushion is considered to be the most important factor in determining stall usage. If the stall allows a full forward lunge, the configuration of the stall divider has little importance. If side lunge is required, the exact height of the divider rails is critical. Several clinical problems that result from inadequate stalls are discussed.
Women in the State Legislatures Feminist Identity and Legislative Behaviors

Much of the previous research examining the differences that an increased number of women make in state legislatures has been done by comparing women's actions and behaviors to those of their male ...
Use of positive pressure sampling to minimize viscosity errors in atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

Analytical errors in atomic absorption spectrophotometry caused by variations in viscosities are minimized by the use of a peristaltic pump. This pump forces aqueous standards and simple dilutions of biologic fluids into the premix chamber at the same rate. Results obtained with the peristaltic pump are compared with results obtained without correction for viscosity differences and results obtained by diluting standards in albumin solutions. Recoveries with positive pressure ranged from 97 to 101% with copper and zinc in simple dilutions of serum.
A Learning Behavioral Health Care System: Opportunities to Enhance Research

Sweeping changes in health care financing combined with the increased use of technology across health care systems are making it possible to address long-standing challenges to the behavioral health services delivery system. This Open Forum outlines opportunities and challenges facing health services researchers in this rapidly changing landscape. Inspired by a 2012 report by the Institute of Medicine, the authors discuss innovative research endeavors, promising study designs, and challenges involved in integrating high-impact behavioral health services research within a learning behavioral health care framework. The Open Forum concludes with a discussion of the critical next steps in this process: building consensus around common metrics for high-quality care, relevant outcomes, and contextual factors; connecting researchers to community and clinical settings; creating a data commons to pool information across sites; and designing and evaluating evidence-based decision support tools to drive improved car...
The Marginal Benefit of Monitor Placement on Networks

Inferring the structure of an unknown network is a difficult problem of interest to researchers, academics , and industrialists . We develop a novel algorithm to infer nodes and edges in an unknown network. Our algorithm utilizes monitors that detect incident edges and adjacent nodes with their labels and degrees. The algorithm infers the network through a preferential random walk with a probabilistic restart at a previously discovered but unmonitored node, or a random teleportation to an unexplored node. Our algorithm outperforms random walk inference and random placement of monitors inference in edge discovery in all test cases. Our algorithm outperforms both methodologies in node inference in synthetic test networks; on real networks it outperforms them in the beginning of the inference. Finally, a website was created where these algorithms can be tested live on preloaded networks or custom networks as desired by the user. The visualization also displays the network as it is being inferred, and provides other statistics about the real and inferred networks.
Bacteriophage RNA Polymerases

Bacteriophage-encoded RNA polymerase (RNAP) was first discovered in T7 phage infected Escherichia coli cells. It was known that phage infection on host bacterial cells led to redirection of the host gene expression towards generation of progeny phage particles, but a previously uncharacterized “switching event” leading to the expression of late bacteriophage genes was first attributed to a phage-encoded RNAP. This phage RNAP could recognize promoters on the phage genome and express phage genes using a single-polypeptide polymerase of ~100 kDa molecular weight, which is ~4 times smaller than bacterial RNAPs. This was a substantial simplification from the previously known RNAPs from bacteria (5 subunits) and eukaryotes (more than 12 subunits); nonetheless, the single-unit T7 RNAP is able to recognize promoter DNA and unwind double-stranded (ds) DNA to form open complex, and after abortive initiation, it proceeds to processive RNA elongation. The simplicity of T7 phage RNAP made it an ideal model system to study the transcription mechanism and an ideal tool for protein expression system in bacterial cells. In this chapter, we will review the current state of knowledge of transcription mechanism in single-unit bacteriophage RNAPs from the two deeply studied T7 and the N4 phage RNAPs.
Examining EXAMINE for an Interaction With Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibition.

See related article, pp 606–613 Incretin-based therapies for type 2 diabetes mellitus increase glucose-dependent insulin secretion, reducing the risk of fasting hypoglycemia, and suppress glucagon secretion. Whereas stable glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 analogs require injection, dipeptidyl peptidase 4 (DPP4) inhibitors are orally bioavailable. DPP4 inhibitor use has grown rapidly in the United States because sitagliptin was approved in 2006. In April 2016, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added warnings to the labels of saxagliptin and alogliptin, indicating that these DPP4 inhibitors may increase the risk of heart failure. The FDA warnings resulted from a review of 3 major randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trials investigating the cardiovascular effects of DPP4 inhibitors that yielded disparate results with respect to the association between DPP4 inhibitor use and risk of heart failure. The Saxagliptin Assessment of Vascular Outcomes Recorded in Patients With Diabetes Mellitus Thrombolysis in Mycoardial Infarction (SAVOR-TIMI) 53 trial enrolled 16 492 patients with a history of cardiovascular disease or risk factors for cardiovascular disease.1 There were no differences between the saxagliptin and placebo groups in the primary combined end point of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke or the major secondary combined end point of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, hospitalization for unstable angina, coronary revascularization, or heart failure. Unexpectedly, however, saxagliptin was associated with a significantly increased risk of hospitalization for heart failure compared with placebo (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07–1.51; P =0.007).1 The Examination of Cardiovascular Outcomes With Alogliptin Versus Standard of Care (EXAMINE) trial enrolled 5380 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and a recent acute coronary event; there was no effect of drug on the primary composite end point of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, and …
Tools of Propaganda and Recruitment

Any organization seeks to attract more members and followers to achieve its objectives. German neo-Nazi parties and groups, as well as skinheads, have had a checkered record in gaining significant support from their potential target groups such as high school students, apprentices, fraternity members, and soldiers. The right-wing organizations, never too strong when compared to catch-all parties, have used an array of propaganda and recruitment tools in the cultural realm, ranging from their own newspapers, journals, and publishing houses to cultural organizations, television, the internet, rock bands, and even fanzines. In this survey we explore the various tools and attempt to gauge their effectiveness.1 As Armin Pfahl-Traughber notes, right extremists realize that in order to achieve a political victory, be it a street demonstration or an electoral success, an ideological victory must precede it.2 The question arises how successful have such efforts been, especially in the new youth-oriented media, in shaping the minds of others. There is no easy answer.
A problem-oriented approach to resident performance ratings.

Background Global, end-of-rotation evaluations are often difficult to interpret due to their high level of abstraction (eg, excellent, good, poor) and the bias toward high ratings. This study documents the utility of and measurement characteristics of serious problem items, an alternative item format. Methods This report is based on 4,234 faculty performance ratings for 105 general surgery residents. Faculty members reported whether each resident had a serious problem for each of 8 areas of clinical performance and 6 areas of professional behavior. Results A total of 263 serious problems were reported. The performance category with the most total serious problems noted was knowledge and that with the least problems noted was relations with patients and family members. Seven residents accounted for 86.9% of all serious problem reports. Each resident had serious problems in multiple performance areas. Problems were reported most frequently in knowledge, management, technical/procedural skills, ability to assume responsibility within level of competence, and problem identification. Citations of these serious problems were most common in year 3. Traditional ratings of global performance were not an adequate means for identifying residents with serious performance problems. Conclusion Serious problem ratings can communicate faculty concerns about residents more directly and can be used as a complement to conventional global rating scales without substantially increasing faculty workload.
Conformational-Sensitive Fast Photochemical Oxidation of Proteins and Mass Spectrometry Characterize Amyloid Beta 1–42 Aggregation

Preventing and treating Alzheimer’s disease require understanding the aggregation of amyloid beta 1–42 (Aβ1–42) to give oligomers, protofibrils, and fibrils. Here we describe footprinting of Aβ1–42 by hydroxyl radical-based fast photochemical oxidation of proteins (FPOP) and mass spectrometry (MS) to monitor the time-course of Aβ1–42 aggregation. We resolved five distinct stages characterized by two sigmoidal behaviors, showing the time-dependent transitions of monomers-paranuclei-protofibrils-fibrillar aggregates. Kinetic modeling allows deciphering the amounts and interconversion of the dominant Aβ1–42 species. Moreover, the irreversible footprinting probe provides insights into the kinetics of oligomerization and subsequent fibrillar growth by allowing the conformational changes of Aβ1–42 at subregional and even amino-acid-residue levels to be revealed. The middle domain of Aβ1–42 plays a major role in aggregation, whereas the N-terminus retains most of its solvent-accessibility during aggregation, and...
“If You Show Who You are, Then They are Going to Try to Fix You”: The Capitals and Costs of Schooling for High-Achieving Latina Students

Schools are supposed to be places where students learn academic and technical skills while also expanding their social networks. Although much research exists that examines academic achievement from a variety of lenses, schools and educators continue to lack insight into the various strengths—or capital—students bring with them to school alongside the barriers—or costs—they face once there. To help bridge the gap between the extant research and what is practiced in schools, we provide insight into what educators can do to capitalize on students' strengths and minimize the barriers to achievement. This article draws from two theoretical frameworks, Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) and Racial Opportunity Cost (ROC), and two qualitative research projects that examined Latina high school students' academic achievement from a capitals and costs perspective. Although significant research has identified assets-based approaches to schooling, our results indicate that the interplay between the norms of the school a...
Assessment of emergency department efficiency using data envelopment analysis

ABSTRACTDespite the important role of emergency department (ED) performance measurement, commonly used metrics remain disaggregated and are not standardized. The objectives of this study are to develop an aggregated performance measure that enables benchmarking EDs with respect to technical and scale efficiencies, and to investigate significant exogenous factors affecting the technical efficiency of EDs. To our best knowledge, this is the first study that examines the scale and technical efficiencies of EDs and helps to address hospital redesign/reengineering. This study formulated input-oriented data envelopment analysis (DEA) models that involve three inputs and three outputs and derived efficiency scores for individual EDs. The DEA analysis indicated that many EDs may not need to modify the size of their operations to improve efficiency. Instead, they may need to focus their efforts on re-engineering their processes to use their inputs more efficiently. The logistic regression analysis demonstrated tha...
An Evaluation of the Differences between Big City and Small Town Special Education Services for Students with Low Incidence Disabilities in Kentucky

Researchers have suggested that educational programming for students with low incidence disabilities in rural settings may be limited. In the current study, researchers surveyed special education t...
Criatividade em arte-educação: interseção entre design, cultura visual e justiça social

In this article we argue and illustrate with practical examples that creativity can be utilized in art education to promote social justice through an updated interpretation of visual culture and design content that is inclusive and emancipatory in nature. Two experiences in higher education of how research and teaching can promote creative learning within a contemporary conception of design and visual culture art education are examined, including developing skills in research design and in visual culture teaching. These accounts illuminate how creative research and pedagogy can connect with social justice education in K-12 classrooms and other educational settings, concluding that through the intersection of design, visual culture and creativity, art educators can transform injustice toward the creation of a networked world of tolerance, support and equity.
Pulse shaping in the presence of enormous second-order dispersion in Al:ZnO/ZnO epsilon-near-zero metamaterial

A numerical study of the ultra-short pulse propagation in the aluminum-doped zinc oxide multi-layered metamaterial at the epsilon-near-zero spectral point is presented. The Drude model for dielectric permittivity and comparison with recent experimental data predict that damping frequency γD has the highest impact on the material losses and results in enormous second-order dispersion. Numerical simulations using both, the finite-difference time domain algorithm and the split-step Fourier method, show that variations of group velocity across the pulse at the epsilon-near-zero point results in a unique “soliton-like” propagation regime without nonlinearity for the propagation lengths of up to 300 nm.