cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Systematic Screening for Preschool Behavioral Disorders.

Research in the area of behavioral disorders suggests chronic problems in the underreferral and underrepresentation of at-risk children. Systematic preschool screening procedures for identifying such students are conspicuous by their absence in both the professional literature and actual practice. The present study adapted the elementary version of Systematic Screening for Behavior Disorders (SSBD) to a select preschool Head Start population. Primary modifications of the SSBD were made in the decision rules determining which children pass through the multiple gated system to the next stage. A secondary modification was the elimination of Stage III observation of Academic Engaged Time (AET) because of its developmental inappropriateness for preschoolers. Of the Stage II subjects, 58% passed into Stage III peer social behavior observations and 5% of the Stage III sample was referred to child study teams for further assessment. Implications for further research with this population, utilizing large-scale fie...
Fostering International Collaboration for Food Security and Sustainable Development:A Personal Perspective of M. S. Swaminathan's Vision, Impact and Legacy for Humanity

Arguably, no living person has done more than M. S. Swaminathan to improve the lives of the poor and the marginalized. His monumental contributions to India's Green Revolution are documented elsewhere. In this paper, I focus sharply on two little-chronicled bodies of his work: (1) the IRRI Cambodia programme which guided and supported that conflictaffected country to achieve rice self-sufficiency and exporter status; and (2) the United Nations Hunger Task Force which fundamentally changed global thinking about hunger and food security by going beyond productivity improvement to include nutrition, social safety nets, natural resource management, and an enabling policy environment. Both cases illustrate the power of international collaboration and a commitment to inclusive and sustainable development. The Sustainable Development Goals will carry these principles forward for humanity as an enduring legacy of Swaminathan's vision and life achievement.
Abstract 1518: Mechanisms of bromodomain and extra-terminal motif inhibitor (BETi) sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC)

Triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs) lack expression of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and amplifications in the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). With currently no FDA-approved targeted therapies for TNBC, patients with TNBC have a higher risk of local and distant recurrence, and an overall increased rate of mortality. Recent studies have demonstrated increased sensitivity of TNBC to the anti-proliferative effects of BETi compared to the other breast cancer subtypes. To determine mechanisms of sensitivity to BET inhibition, we analyzed the effect of two BET inhibitors, INCB054329 and OTX-015, across a panel of TNBC cell line models and identified cell lines that were both sensitive and insensitive to BETi. With the intent of identifying biomarkers of sensitivity, we performed RNA-seq and precision nuclear run-on and sequencing (PRO-seq) on both sensitive and resistant cell line models and data generated identified significant differences in key growth regulatory and apoptotic signaling pathways, including notable differences in Myc-dependent signaling. Our data suggest potential biomarkers of BETi sensitivity that may be of value in further pre-clinical studies. Further, our results provide mechanistic rationale for combinations of BETi with select, targeted therapies in a disease that is in need of new therapeutic intervention. Citation Format: Johanna Schafer, Brian Lehmann, Phillip Liu, Matthew Stubbs, Peggy Scherle, Jennifer Pietenpol. Mechanisms of bromodomain and extra-terminal motif inhibitor (BETi) sensitivity in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1518. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-1518
The role of national culture and corruption on managing earnings around the world

Abstract Earnings management involves using managerial discretion to distort firm financial performance in order to mislead stakeholders. Drawing from institutional theory, we argue that national culture dimensions of power distance and institutional collectivism, which are related to how individuals view themselves with respect to others, serve as informal institutional forces that influence earnings management. We also propose that corruption, as an informal institution plays a significant role in explaining cross-national variation in earnings management. Using a sample of firms from 26 countries, we find support for both direct and interactive effects of these important informal aspects of the institutional context.
Characterization of KCNK9 in The Cancer Genome Atlas breast cancer dataset.

1086 Background: Background: KCNK9 is a maternally imprinted and functionally mono-allelic 2-pore domain K+ channel proto-oncogene. It has been posited that loss of KCNK9 methylation (LOM) is assoc...
Commercialization among the Jewish Merchants of Marseille

Chapters 4 and 5 refuted the “economic function of the medieval Jew” with data from the economic, legal, and political histories of Anglo-Jewry. Chapter 6 traced the emergence of the stereotype of the Jewish usurer in the interstices of the ecclesiastical campaign against Christian usury, crusading, and an anti-Judaism program in northern France. It is time to return to the broader question of medieval economic history. For as Part 1 clarified, the “economic function of the Jew” was grounded in a view of medieval European economy as static and agrarian, developed by the German Historical School. Two scholarly currents in the interwar and postwar periods challenged this perspective. One recovered “medieval capitalism,” or what later came to be called the commercial revolution of the High Middle Ages. The other recast early medieval economy as a gift economy, which transformed with the commercial revolution into a profit economy. Yet, the “Jewish economic function” did not wither away. Rather it became more deeply entrenched in response to twentieth-century antisemitism and its stereotypes of Jews and money. The masterminds of the postwar paradigms re-inscribed the Jewish economic function into the paradigms of commercial revolution and gift economy/profit economy. This latent contradiction hampers our historical understanding of both Jewish history and European history.
The Effects of Astym Therapy® on a Child With Spastic Diplegic Cerebral Palsy

Purpose:Limited research exists regarding use of Astym® therapy with neurologic conditions. The purpose of this case was to describe using Astym therapy in treating spastic diplegic cerebral palsy ...
DNA-repair genetic polymorphisms and racial difference of colon cancer risk

1708 Colon cancer (CC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in the U.S. and the mortality disparity between non-Hispanic whites (NHW) and African-Americans (AA) continues to increase. This study tested the hypothesis that genetic variations in multiple DNA repair pathways contribute to racial differences in CC risk. Using the samples/data collected in The North Carolina Colon Cancer Study (NCCCS), a population-based case-control study (40% AA) with 555 cases and 875 controls, we tested 17 non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphisms (nsSNPs) in four DNA repair pathways. Logistic regression and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARS)-logit methods were used to explore gene-gene interactions in CC risk in NHW and AA. In univariate analyses, a nucleotide excision repair SNP ( XPC 939 KK/KQ ) and two mismatch repair SNPs ( MSH3 940 QQ and MSH3 1036 AA ) were associated with increased CC risk among AA and NHW, respectively. In AA, XPC 939 KK/KQ genotypes were associated with higher CC risk (odds ratio [OR]=2.5, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]=1.3-5.0; QQ as referent). Among NHW, CC risk was significantly associated with MSH3 940 QQ genotype (OR=2.4, 95%CI=1.1-4.9; RR/RQ as referent), and MSH3 1036 AA genotype (OR=2.1, 95%CI=1.3-3.4; TT/TA as referent). Using the MARS-Logic model, CC risk in NHW was associated with the combination of MSH3 940 RQ/QQ , XRCC1 399 RQ/QQ , and MSH6 39 GE/EE (OR=3.3, 95%CI=1.4-7.7), or the combination of MSH3 940 RQ/QQ , ERCC2 312 NN , and MLH1 219 IV/VV (OR=6.1, 95%CI=2.13-17.43). In AA, higher CC risk was associated with XPC 939 KK/KQ genotypes (OR=3.3, 95% CI=1.3-8.7; QQ as referent). The data from a previous study showed that AA consumed higher levels of white meat, pan-fried meat, and well-/very well done red meat and had higher meat-derived heterocyclic amine exposures. Therefore, our data suggest that gene-gene interactions of DNA-Repair nsSNPs in multiple repair pathways contributed to CC risk differently in AA and NHW, which may be related to racial/ethnic differences in the exposure to meat-derived heterocyclic amine and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon compounds. In conclusion, future studies should consider gene-gene and gene-environment interactions to explain racial/ethnic differences in CC risk (supported by NCI CA90898 and CA66635).
Meniscus Transplantation and Cartilage Resurfacing

Many knees with articular cartilage pathology have concomitant meniscus loss. I consider four structural factors when evaluating knees with meniscus and cartilage injury: (1) hyaline cartilage condition, (2) ligament stability, (3) lower extremity alignment, and (4) meniscus status. All of these factors need to be considered when evaluating a patient for cartilage repair. Surgical intervention for articular cartilage problems often involves addressing meniscus deficiency and malalignment. In this chapter, I discuss my rationale and approach to meniscus transplantation with concomitant osteotomy and cartilage resurfacing.
The critical first year of life. History, physical examination, and general developmental assessment.

An effective communication style allows the pediatrician to implement optimal health care in a child’s critical first year of life. During each encounter with the infant, the pediatrician should strive to elicit the best possible history and perform the best possible physical examination, to provide parents with timely anticipatory guidance, and to enrich the overall therapeutic health care alliance between himself or herself and the patient and family. The rewards for this effort can be exceptionally satisfying and can ideally be lifelong for both the patient and the pediatrician.
Experimental Study of Impacting Wave Force On Vertical Truncated Cylinder

TLP tether ringing occurs at resonant frequencies due to strong asymmetric wave action on TLP columns (Natvig, 1994). Records of storm seas in wave tanks consist of symmetric and asymmetric nonlinear waves. The latter appear to be elevated and asymmetric with respect to mean water level (MWL), as well as asymmetric with respect to the vertical axis through the crest. The asymmetric waves may be better described using new terms: concave inward, and convex outward of the crest shape (Fig. I). The highly nonlinear wave given by Longuet-Higgins et al. (1976) is a strong asymmetric wave with distinct concaveness in the front and convexness in the back of the crest. The highly nonlinear wave due to Schwartz (1974) is a strong symmetric nonlinear wave with equal distinct concaveness both in the front and back. However, the asymmetric nonlinear waves generated in the wave tank have crests with negligibly small concaveness and convexness. It is difficult to generate strong asymmetric waves contained in the random model seas by the state-of-the-art technique . But it is possible to generate an isolated strong asymmetric wave or transient wave group (TWG). For instance, Kim et al. (1992) investigated a nonbreaking TWG of 25-cm height with 1.2-s period. The horizontal particle velocity in the crest was 1.47 m/s. Kim et al. also studied an equivalent-height regular wave to compare with the TWG. The regular wave is similar to the Stokes 3rdor 5th-order wave. The objective of the present study is to investigate a weak impacting force on a vertical truncated cylinder due to the TWG and use the result for a ringing analysis. Weak impact means an impacting force due to nonbreaking TWG (nonplunging breaker). To reach the goal, wave elevations, horizontal particle velocities below the crest, hydrodynamic pressure and wave-runup distributions over the body surface, and the horizontal wave force were measured simultaneously. From the analysis of the measured data the TWG and impacting force and impacting process were characterized. The action of the TWG on the cylinder produces the hydrodynamic pressure force, fluctuating hydrostatic force and viscous drag. The forces acting above the MWL were estimated using the measured dynamic pressure and wave-run up distribution on the body surface above the MWL, and the force on the submerged body below the MWL was calculated applying the linear Morison equation. The sum of these forces is compared to the measured force.
Nondiffusive electron transport in metals: A two-temperature Boltzmann transport equation analysis of thermoreflectance experiments

We develop a theoretical framework based on the electron-phonon coupled Boltzmann transport equations (BTEs) for the interpretation of nondiffusive thermal conductivity measurements in metals made via frequency domain thermoreflectance (FDTR). The thermal conductivity of a bulk gold crystal was measured over a temperature range of 23--304 K as a function of FDTR's laser spot size. Our interpretation of these measurements by a two-temperature heat diffusion model finds that the thermal conductivity is suppressed when the laser spot size is comparable to electron mean free paths. Using a simplified spherical geometry that enables analytical solutions, we compare the two-temperature diffusion model with the coupled BTEs to identify a thermal conductivity suppression function. We also conclude that over the timescales of our experiment electron-phonon nonequilibrium is negligible, but that the length scale of heat deposition by hot electrons critically influences our interpretation.
Synthesis and Partial Biological Evaluation of a Small Library of Differentially-Linked β-C-Disaccharides1

The synthesis of a small library of differentially-linked β-C-disaccharides has been carried out through the use of a radical allylation-RCM strategy. Acids 6 were prepared by Keck allylation of a suitable carbohydrate-based radical precursor, followed by oxidative cleavage of the formed alkene. Dehydrative coupling of these acids with the known olefin alcohol 5 then gave the precursor esters 7 in excellent yield. Methylenation of the esters 7 was followed by RCM and in situ hydroboration−oxidation of the formed glycals to furnish the protected β-C-disaccharides 10 in good overall yield. Five examples were then deprotected and screened for their efficacy as enzyme inhibitors of β-glycosidase and against several solid-tumor cell lines for in vitro differential cytotoxicity.
Trying Times: Conservation Easements and Federal Tax Law (October 2019)

Since 2006, the Tax Court, District Courts, and Circuit Courts have collectively issued more than one-hundred opinions relating to the federal charitable income tax deduction for the donation of perpetual conservation easements. This outline discusses these court decisions and other developments in the conservation easement donation context.
Telephone Follow-Up for Emergency General Surgery Procedures: Safety and Implication for Health Resource Use.

Background It is unknown whether replacing clinic follow-up visits with telephone follow-up for low-risk core emergency general surgery (cEGS) procedures is safe. We measured the efficacy of telephone follow-up to determine if it could safely reduce the need for routine postoperative clinic visits in this population. Study Design Low-risk nonelective laparoscopic appendectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy, umbilical hernia, and inguinal hernia repair patients received telephone follow-up for symptoms concerning for surgical complication within 10 days of discharge. Clinic appointments were made if critical thresholds were reached. Outcomes of interest included rates of completed telephone screens, clinic visits avoided, and missed complications at 30 days postoperatively. Results Of 402 patients screened, 62 (15.4%) were scheduled for a clinic visit due to threshold responses and 27 (6.7%) were scheduled per patient request, while 275 (68.4%) patients screened negative and did not attend a clinic visit. One hundred sixty-three (59.3%) of the negative screen cohort were contacted after 30 days. Nine (5.5%) patients in this cohort were diagnosed with low-grade complications; no high-grade (Clavien-Dindo ≥ 3) complications were missed by telephone screening. Twenty surgery-related complications were identified in the full patient population; early telephone screening successfully identified the single high-grade complication. Conclusions Post-discharge telephone follow-up in cEGS patients reduced the need for clinic follow-up visits by 68%. Missed complications were infrequent and low grade; telephone screening identified the single high-grade complication. Telephone follow-up for low-risk EGS patients is safe and increases efficiency of postoperative resource use.
Nurse Coaching and Mobile Health Compared With Usual Care to Improve Diabetes Self-Efficacy for Persons With Type 2 Diabetes: Randomized Controlled Trial

Background: Type 2 diabetes is a growing public health problem amenable to prevention and health promotion. As healthy behaviors have an impact on disease outcomes, approaches to support and sustain diabetes self-management are vital. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a nurse coaching program using motivational interviewing paired with mobile health (mHealth) technology on diabetes self-efficacy and self-management for persons with type 2 diabetes. Methods: This randomized controlled trial compared usual care with an intervention that entailed nurse health coaching and mHealth technology to track patient-generated health data and integrate these data into an electronic health record. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) enrolled at 1 of 3 primary care clinics, (2) aged 18 years or above, (3) living with type 2 diabetes, and (4) English-speaking. We collected outcome measures at baseline, 3 months, and 9 months. The primary outcome was diabetes self-efficacy; secondary outcomes were depressive symptoms, perceived stress, physical functioning, and emotional distress and anxiety. Linear regression mixed modeling estimated the population trends and individual differences in change. Results: We enrolled 319 participants; 287 participants completed the study (155 control and 132 intervention). The participants in the intervention group had significant improvements in diabetes self-efficacy (Diabetes Empowerment Scale, 0.34; 95% CI –0.15,0.53; P<.01) and a decrease in depressive symptoms compared with usual care at 3 months (Patient Health Questionnaire-9; 0.89; 95% CI 0.01-1.77; P=.05), with no differences in the other outcomes. The differences in self-efficacy and depression scores between the 2 arms at 9 months were not sustained. The participants in the intervention group demonstrated a significant increase in physical activity (from 23,770 steps per week to 39,167 steps per week at 3 months and 32,601 per week at 9 months). Conclusions: We demonstrated the short-term effectiveness of this intervention; however, by 9 months, although physical activity remained above the baseline, the improvements in self-efficacy were not sustained. Further research should evaluate the minimum dose of coaching required to continue progress after active intervention and the potential of technology to provide effective ongoing automated reinforcement for behavior change. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02672176; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02672176
Application Status and Economic Feasibility Analysis of Distributed Energy Storage Technology

The customer side energy storage is developing rapidly, which not only brings direct cost-saving benefits to power customers, but also indirectly benefits grid operation. This paper sorts out the relevant policies of customer side energy storage application, and investigates the application status of domestic and foreign customers' energy storage, and introduces the typical demonstration application cases of customer side energy storage in Jiangsu Province. Then, based on the life cycle cost-benefit present value method, the benefit model of the customer side battery energy storage in the whole power system is established, and explores the economic feasibility of customer side battery energy storage through case study. Finally, the market-scale energy storage of the customer side is predicted by combining the break-even point of the economic model.
Active liquid flow control through a polypyrrole-coated macroporous silicon membrane toward chemical stimulation applications

Abstract In this paper, we demonstrate the voltage-controlled flow of organic liquid through a macroporous silicon structure. The demonstrated flow control structure consists of a silicon-based macropore membrane and flow control units formed on polypyrrole (PPy)-coated pores, which are actuated by its electrochemical wetting change. Conformal coating of a PPy layer along macropore silicon walls is achieved with the help of spray-deposited tin-oxide (SnO2) layer on the pores. The transport of organic liquid through the developed membrane is successfully controlled by low-voltage external bias on the PPy layer. Cyclic deliveries of organic liquid were demonstrated using the proposed concept. Considering the highly-ordered fluidic channel structure formed in silicon, which can have multiple separated electrodes, the proposed concept has the potential to achieve an actuated fluidic dispenser in an arrayed form.
Firing Costs and the Decoupling of Technological Invention and Post-Invention Investments

We document the decoupling of invention and post-invention investment in the US. Decoupling began in the 1970s as states adopted employment protection laws that increased firing costs and played a significant role in jobless growth, the vertical and geographical fragmentation of firm activities, and underinvestment relative to Tobin’s Q. Technological inventions lead to employment growth, but employment protection laws almost fully moderate this positive effect, especially in fast-changing and high-offshore industries and for radical inventions. Firms responded to the increased firing costs by pursuing less-novel inventions, factor substitution toward capital, and offshoring through international acquisitions and JVs with manufacturing partners. Our findings suggest that decoupling serves as a critical context under which these drivers of jobless growth emerged in the 1990s and that firms aggressively manage complementary in upstream-downstream resources by adjusting geographical and vertical boundaries of the firm.
Voluntary Disclosures in Earnings Announcements and Coincident Market Reactions

This study examines the relation between supplemental voluntary disclosures in firms' earnings announcements and the market reactions to these announcements. We find that abnormally high trading volume around earnings announcements is associated with disclosure of balance sheets, segment reports, range forecasts, and length of conference calls. We show that these trading volume findings can be explained by the relation between voluntary disclosures and disagreement measures developed by Kandel and Pearson (1995), Barron (1995), and Barron, Kim, Lim, and Stevens (1998) - disagreement measures already shown both theoretically and empirically to explain trading volume around earnings announcements (see Holthausen and Verrecchia 1990; Kandel and Pearson 1995; Kim and Verrecchia 1997; Bamber, Barron, and Stober 1997 and 1999; Barron, Harris, and Stanford 2005). In contrast to this trading volume evidence, we find that only balance sheet disclosures have a statistically significant positive association with the magnitude of price reactions. This increases understanding of why Cready and Hurrt (2002) observe trading volume reactions around earnings announcements more often than price reactions, because several types of concurrent voluntary disclosures spur abnormal trading that does not coincide with significant price reactions.
Application of Modified mRNA in Somatic Reprogramming to Pluripotency and Directed Conversion of Cell Fate

Modified mRNA (modRNA)-based somatic reprogramming is an effective and safe approach that overcomes the genomic mutation risk caused by viral integrative methods. It has improved the disadvantages of conventional mRNA and has better stability and immunogenicity. The modRNA molecules encoding multiple pluripotent factors have been applied successfully in reprogramming somatic cells such as fibroblasts, mesenchymal stem cells, and amniotic fluid stem cells to generate pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). Moreover, it also can be directly used in the terminal differentiation of stem cells and fibroblasts into functional therapeutic cells, which exhibit great promise in disease modeling, drug screening, cell transplantation therapy, and regenerative medicine. In this review, we summarized the reprogramming applications of modified mRNA in iPSC generation and therapeutic applications of functionally differentiated cells.
Do Analysts Chase Prices When Prices Have No Information

In a recent survey of analysts, 96% claim that returns are not very useful as earnings forecast model inputs. I find, though, that analysts actually do incorporate returns into their earnings forecasts, even if those returns have no underlying earnings information. This leads to forecast error, which is worse among inexperienced analysts and those with reduced attention. Finally, I show that the market is unable to anticipate this error, leading to mispricing that is not resolved until the earnings announcement date. The literature has so far been unable to explore these issues causally. However, I am able to do so by developing a novel identification strategy that isolates the non-earnings component of the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) announcement and separates out concurrent information using intraday and instrumented returns.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors for treatment of periorbital squamous cell carcinoma

Purpose To report on the outcomes of immunotherapy in patients with locally advanced periorbital squamous cell carcinoma. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of seven consecutive patients with locally advanced periorbital cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma treated with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. Treatments and therapeutic outcomes were reviewed. Results Of the seven patients, six were treated with cemiplimab, and one was treated with pembrolizumab. Five patients were treated with immunotherapy as neoadjuvant therapy before planned surgical resection; two patients received immunotherapy for treatment of advanced recurrent lesions deemed unresectable following multiple previous excisions and radiation therapy. In all seven patients, measurable clinical and/or radiologic response was observed. Conclusions Our findings support the emerging role of anti-PD-1 immunotherapy in the management of locally advanced periorbital cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma.
Myocardial buffering capacity and high-energy phosphate utilization during hypothermic circulatory arrest and recovery in the newborn lamb in vivo

The purpose of this study was to measure myocardial buffering capacity and adenosine triphosphate utilization rates in the newborn animal in vivo during hypothermic circulatory arrest and recovery. Methods: These studies were performed with 31p magnetic resonance spectroscopic techniques, which supplied a 12- to 16-second time resolution, to monitor intracellular pH and phosphocreatine and adenosine triphosphate levels. All experiments were performed with a radiofrequency surface coil on the pericardium with the sheep centered inside a 4.7 T magnet. Newborn sheep (n = 5, aged 16 days ± 2.4 standard error) were supported by cardiopulmonary bypass, cooled to 20° C, and subjected to 20 minutes of circulatory arrest. Results: During early ischemia, phosphocreatine hydrolysis progressed at a linear rate, 1.2 ± 0.05 μmol/gm per minute, and was accompanied by intracellular alkalinization. Myocardial buffering capacity calculated from ΔpH/Δphosphocreatine equals 25 ± 3 μeq gm−1 ΔpH−1, a value similar to that obtained from perfused heart studies. After the initial 4 minutes in ischemia, the decrease in phosphocreatine hydrolysis was accompanied by intracellular acidification, which is likely due to late induction of anaerobic metabolism. Conclusions: In these studies, early phosphocreatine hydrolysis rate is nearly equivalent to adenosine triphosphate utilization rate. During the early period of ischemia phosphocreatine hydrolysis serves a buffering function and is associated with intracellular alkalinization. These techniques and measurements can be used to compare effects of myocardial preservation techniques on intracellular pH and adenosine triphosphate kinetics.
Synthesis of luminescent nitroxobenzene oligomers by aluminum chloride catalyzed dehydration of nitrobenzene

Abstract Under solvothermal reaction conditions, nitrobenzene is heated in the presence of aluminum chloride to yield a luminescent and paramagnetic low molecular weight polymeric material along with AlCl 3 ·(H 2 O) 6 . MALDI mass spectral analysis demonstrates that the repeat unit consists of the biphenyl moiety ( ONC 6 H 3 –ONC 6 H 4 ). Four distinct fractions are isolated based on differential solubility characteristics. The primary differentiating features of these fractions appear to be their considerably different conjugation and branching characteristics. A radical mechanism, consistent with the formation of Wheland intermediates is proposed to account for the observed mass spec, IR, UV–Vis, EPR and size exclusion chromatographic data. Luminescence spectroscopy data is also provided demonstrating the white light emission exhibited by these polymers.
Molecular forms of chicken embryo acetylcholinesterase in vitro and in vivo. Isolation and characterization

The four molecular forms of chick embryo leg muscle acetylcholinesterase have been isolated by velocity sedimentation; their apparent sedimentation coefficients are 19.5 S, 11.5 S, 7.1 S, and 5.4 S. All four forms are glycoproteins, exhibit the same Km for acetylcholine, and are inhibited to the same extent by specific inhibitors of acetyl- and buryrylcholinesterase. Treatment of the 19.5 S form of acetylcholinesterase with trypsin generates an array of molecular forms, several of which have sedimentation coefficients identical with the naturally occurring forms. Collagenase treatment of the 19.5 S acetylcholinesterase results in a somewhat different pattern of acetylcholinesterase forms including a novel 20.6 S form. Only the 19.5 S acetylcholinesterase is sensitive to collagenase treatment. Our results indicate that the several acetylcholinesterase forms share a common catalytic subunit, and suggest that the molecular forms of acetylcholinesterase in the chick represent different ensembles of a common monomer. In culture, the muscle cells contain only the 11.5 and 7.1 S acetylcholinesterase forms; however, they also secrete substantial amounts of enzyme into the medium. These secreted acetylcholinesterases have sedimentation coefficients of 9 S and 15 S. The relative abundance of the different acetylcholinesterase molecular forms changes during muscle development, both in vivo and in vitro, suggesting that the assembly and distribution of this family of membrane glycoproteins is developmentally regulated.
Production of urinary ethanol after sample collection.

As the interest in urine drug testing grows, ethanol is frequently included in drug-abuse screening. Collection of urine for drug testing is less invasive than blood collection and is used to screen employees in a large cross-section of occupations. Because alcohol can be produced from carbohydrates via fermentation, our interest was to determine: (1) if ethanol could be produced in glucose-positive urine (2) under what microbiological conditions would this process occur, and (3) would the urine ethanol concentration be significant. Fourteen urine specimens were selected from the Urinalysis Laboratory of a large medical center. All specimens were tested for ethanol concentration on the day of voiding and were found to be negative ( or = 2000 mg/dL. Microbiological examinations were performed on all specimens. Storing the samples at room temperature, five of the specimens produced ethanol over the time course of the study (1 to 21 days) in concentrations ranging from 0.036 to 2.327 g/100 mL. Yeast was identified in the five glucose positive urine samples producing ethanol. Six glucose positive urine samples that did not produce ethanol were found to be yeast negative. Findings indicate that significant ethanol concentrations can develop from glucose and yeast positive urine, after the day of voiding.
Antitrust Implications of Competition Without Equilibrium in Multisided Markets

A substantial literature on multisided markets – markets with multiple distinct groups of consumers who care about the extent of participation of other groups in the market – has developed over the past decade. This literature has not given substantial consideration to a critical characteristic of these markets: under competitive conditions multisided markets do not have a unique endogenous equilibrium. This is markedly different from most traditional markets, in which competition tends to push the market into a unique equilibrium – an equilibrium that has the fortunate characteristic of maximizing social welfare. This has potentially important ramifications for antitrust law, which is largely predicated on the assumption that competition causes markets to tend towards a welfare maximizing equilibrium. This paper considers circumstances under which traditional antitrust analysis may predictably be led astray by multisidedness, and factors that we may consider to avoid such errors.Generally, antitrust analysis of multisided markets requires different understandings of market power and competitive effects. Unlike in traditional markets, in some cases multisided market power may actually limit a firm’s ability to engage in anticompetitive conduct; conversely, in other cases reducing a firm’s market power may reduce social welfare. In terms of competitive effects, we need to look at how firms compete in multisided markets and how this process of competition affects social welfare. A central, and unique, element of competition in multisided markets is that firms compete by trying to get each side of the market to identify them with high-value participants of the other sides of the market. In addition, two analytical factors critical to understanding the effects of competition on social welfare are the need to understand the direction (positive or negative) of effects that changed participation on one side of the market has on the other sides, and the need to look at the effect that such changes have on the average (not the marginal) consumer. Each of these considerations stands out as different from both traditional understandings of competition and traditional approaches to antitrust analysis. By identifying these differences and discussing how to think about them, this paper helps to improve how we think about this important class of markets – and hopefully will help to avoid harmful antitrust and regulatory action in them.
Concurrent Acute Necrotizing Adenovirus Hepatitis and Enterocolitis in an Adult Patient After Double Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplant for Refractory Crohn's Disease.

It has been recently recognized that adenovirus is a pathogen with high morbidity and mortality among immunocompromised patients, particularly after solid organ or stem cell transplant. Confluent n...
Caregiver report of apathy predicts dementia in Parkinson's disease

Abstract Introduction Apathy is a common, troublesome symptom in Parkinson's disease (PD). However, little is known about its relationship with long-term cognition. We sought to determine if a caregiver-reported apathy measure predicts the development of PD dementia. Methods Non-demented PD patients were recruited as part of a longitudinal study of cognition. Demographics, medications, Dementia Rating Scale-2, Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale, Geriatric Depression Scale and the Neuropsychiatric Inventory-Questionnaire (NPI-Q) ratings were obtained. Apathy was defined as an NPI-Q apathy score ≥1. Participants were evaluated annually with cognitive and functional assessments until the end of the study period or a physician consensus diagnosis of dementia was assigned. Cox proportional hazard models were used to assess the effects of baseline apathy on dementia development while controlling for other clinical and demographic factors. Results Of 132 PD patients 12.1% (N = 16) scored in the apathetic range at baseline. A total of 19.6% (N = 26) individuals developed dementia over the course of the study, 8 of whom (30.8% of future dementia patients) had baseline apathy. In bivariate analyses baseline apathy, older age, and worse cognitive, motor, and depressive symptom scores predicted the development of dementia. In a multivariate analysis the predictive effects of baseline apathy were still significant (HR = 3.56; 95% CI = 1.09–11.62; p = 0.04). Conclusions A simple, caregiver-reported measure of apathy is an independent predictor of progression to dementia in PD. This highlights the importance of apathy as a clinical characteristic of PD and could prove useful for the prediction of future dementia.
An Evidence-Based Preoperative Bundle to Reduce Infection Rates Among Women with Cesarean Births

Poster Presentation Objective To address the following clinical questions: For women with cesarean births, does the use of a standardized antibiotic and timing reduce the incidence of postoperative infection? For women with cesarean births, does the use of a chlorhexidine‐alcohol based combination reduce the incidence of postoperative infection compared with a betadine‐alcohol based combination? Design The evidence‐based project was designed to create guidelines for the selection of antibiotics with weight‐based dosing and timing of administration and for the selection and standardized use of an intraoperative surgical skin preparation. Sample Preintervention data consisted of infection rates for 12 months prior to the new practice and postintervention data consisted of infection rates following the practice change. Methods Following an extensive literature search and appraisal of the evidence, a multidisciplinary committee was formed consisting of nurses, physicians, and pharmacists. Decisions based on the evidence were made to implement the use of a chlorhexidine product, and cefazolin was chosen as the antibiotic for use. Another schedule was created for patients allergic to penicillin that included clindamycin and gentamicin. Implementation Strategies The chief of obstetrics communicated the practice changes to all associated physicians. Nurses were educated through a joint effort by the unit clinical educator, the nurse manager, and a nurse representative from the product company. Written and verbal communications from the project leader and management announced the implementation date. Nurses from infection prevention and control monitored the incidence of surgical site infection post implementation. Results Data obtained for the 12 months following the practice change demonstrated a significant decrease in the rate of surgical site infections for women with cesarean births. Conclusion/Implications for Nursing Practice Application of current evidence is needed to establish a guideline designed to improve patient care. A multidisciplinary team is needed to effect a practice change that is sustained. Further work is needed to address surgical site infection rates among obese women.
Aggregation Behavior of Western Spotted Cucumber Beetle (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) in Vegetable Cropping Systems

Aggregation behavior of adult western spotted cucumber beetles (Diabrotica undecimpunctata undecimpunctata Mannerheim) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was examined in six snap bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) fields adjacent to corn fields in western Oregon in 2004-2006. In the 2004 and 2005 studies, sweep net sampling was used to estimate beetle numbers along transect lines running perpendicular to the edges of the bean fields next to sweet corn fields. Beetles were collected from the fields and dissected to determine sex and egg development. Beetles were highly aggregated along the edge of the snap bean field next to the sweet corn, with the highest number of beetles occurring within the first meter next to the edge. Beetles in the aggregation areas were mostly females (average female to male ratio of 8.4 to 1), whereas beetles in the field section away from the edges were mostly male (female to male ratio of 0.6 to 1). Of the females collected in the aggregation areas, an average of 53% contained developing or fully developed eggs. In the 2006 study, beetle densities in the field edges were compared with densities within the fields in 40 bean fields with adjacent corn fields. Linear regression analysis showed that, across fields, nearly two times as many beetles were found in the field borders as in the rest of the field. These data suggest modifying traditional field scouting protocol to include field margins when a bean field is adjacent to or near a sweet corn field. A pest management strategy of only spraying the edges of bean fields containing beetle aggregations shows potential for significant pesticide reduction, as well as reducing risk of economic loss from crops harvested from the highly aggregated areas.
Municipal terrorism management in the United States

In the USA, terrorist threats captured government attention following 11 September 2001. Cities remain the most likely setting for terrorist incidents. Many cities, building on a successful federal program begun in 1997, have developed metropolitan medical response systems (MMRS) to address the consequences of terrorist incidents. The basic system design has been tested both through drills and incidents – including the attacks on the World Trade Center – and appears to function well. This paper describes the philosophy and elements of the MMRS model. The model has considerable value as a readily exportable strategy for responding to municipal terrorist incidents.
Are Army-trained surgeons satisfied with their residencies?

Objective To evaluate the perceptions of training adequacy among surgeons educated in Army general surgical residencies as a tool for surgical program directors and students considering a military surgical career. Design A questionnaire was sent to all general surgeons practicing in the Army during years 1999–2003 (n = 182). In addition to providing basic demographic information, subjects rated their perceptions of training experience in 13 areas on a 5-point Likert scale (1 = very dissatisfied, 2 = somewhat dissatisfied, 3 = neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, 4 = somewhat satisfied, 5 = very satisfied). Respondents were split into 3 groups based on graduation year (1968–1992, 1993–1998, 1999–2003) and thereby roughly on status of military obligation at the time of survey. Scores were compared with analysis of variance. Results A total of 96 (52.7%) questionnaires were returned, 84 of which were included in this study. The average score for all graduation groups and satisfaction areas was 4.37 ± 0.91. No differences occurred among the 3 graduation groups in any of the 13 satisfaction areas evaluated, except for pediatric surgery experience, where the most recent graduates rated their satisfaction lower than the other 2 groups (1968–1992, 4.00 ± 0.61; 1993–1998, 3.96 ± 1.14; 1999–2003, 3.21 ± 1.27, p Conclusion Army trained general surgeons, from the most distant to recent graduates, are satisfied with their residencies. Lower satisfaction scores in the areas of number of cases performed, research experience, and pediatric surgery training do, however, highlight aspects for continued research and improvement.
Staff Opinions About Seclusion and Restraint at a State Forensic Hospital

Objective: The purpose of the study was to obtain staff opinions on the use of seclusion and restraint with acutely psychotic psychiatric patients in a forensic hospital. Methods: A 40-item questionnaire was distributed to 129 staff members who routinely used these techniques. Descriptive statistics, inter-correlations, and analyses of variance were used to examine patterns of response. Results: Of the 109 respondents, 63 percent favored the use of medications over physical procedures, and 65 percent said that they would order seclusion over restraint if medications could not be used. Responses indicated that staff tended to choose to treat patients as they themselves would want to be treated. Staff with more education, including psychologists and social workers, believed that staff other than physicians shouldhave the authority to write seclusion and restraint orders. Female staff believed that patients experienced seclusion or restraint as positive attention, while male staff believed that it was a nega...
Yolk polypeptide secretion and vitelline membrane deposition in a female sterile Drosophila mutant

Ovarian follicle cells of wild type Drosophila melanogaster simultaneously secrete yolk polypeptides (YP1, YP2 and YP3) and vitelline membrane proteins. In order to understand the relationship between these two secretory activities, we have investigated the ultrastructure of a female sterile mutation that alters YP1 secretion and vitelline membrane deposition. Homozygous fs(1)1163 females lay eggs that collapse and contain reduced quantities of YP1. Secretory granules in follicle cells contain an electron-translucent component that is assembled into the developing vitelline membrane in both mutant and wild-type ovaries, and an electron-dense component that disperses after secretion in wild-type ovaries. Mutant ovaries differ from wild-type by (1) having larger secretory granules (2) forming clumps of the dense secretory component within the developing vitelline membrane (3) accumulating more tubules in the cortical ooplasm of vitellogenic oocytes, and (4) possessing altered yolk spheres. Mutant ovaries implanted into wild-type hosts showed no improvement in the secretory granules and slight improvement in the vitelline membrane clumps but amelioration of the oocyte phenotypes. Since genetic evidence suggests that the fs(1)1163 mutation resides in or near the Yp1 gene and biochemical data show that the mutation alters YP1 structure, we conclude that the ultrastructural phenotypes are due to a structurally abnormal YP1 in the mutant. The alteration in vitelline membrane structure caused by the dense clumps could account for collapsed eggs and, hence, the female sterility of the mutant.