cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of day relative to parturition and dietary crude protein on rumen fermentation in prepartum transition cows

Abstract Twelve Holstein cows and eight heifers were used in a randomized block design to examine changes in rumen fermentation and blood metabolites as animals fed diets containing 9.1 (low protein, LP) or 11.2% crude protein (moderate protein, MP) approached parturition. Animals were blocked by expected calving date and parity. Diets were isocaloric (1.58 Mcal/kg of dry matter), and the difference in dietary crude protein was achieved by the addition of urea. Diets were fed as total mixed rations for ad libitum intake. Dry matter intake decreased from 12.2 kg/d on d −21 to 9.1 kg/d on d −1 relative to parturition and was unaffected by dietary crude protein or parity. Rumen ammonia concentrations were higher for animals fed the MP diet compared with those fed the LP diet (1.8 vs. 3.7m M ). In situ neutral detergent fiber disappearance was not affected by dietary crude protein after 8h of incubation, but it did decrease from 25.8% on d −21 to 23.3% on d −1. After 16, 24, and 48h of incubation, neutral detergent fiber disappearance was greater for animals consuming MP than for animals consuming LP (30.6 vs. 34.4%, 37.0 vs. 44.1%, and 57.9 vs. 65.1%, respectively). There was a parity×treatment interaction after 48h of incubation. Fiber disappearance was 55.7 or 65.9% for heifers and 60.0 or 64.7% for cows fed LP or MP, respectively. The solids rate of passage was not affected by treatment, parity, or day relative to parturition. Concentrations of plasma nonesterified fatty acid (NEFA) increased from 218 μ Eq/L on d −21 to 619 μ Eq/L on d −1. There was an interaction between day relative to parturition and parity on NEFA concentrations. Heifers had plasma NEFA concentrations of 272 and 772 μ Eq/L on d −21 and −1, respectively. Cows had NEFA concentrations of 164 and 467 μ Eq/L on d −21 and −1, respectively. Plasma glucose concentrations were affected by parity (65.8 and 58.8 mg/dl for heifers and cows). Plasma urea, NEFA, beta-hydroxybutyrate, and glucose concentrations were not affected by dietary treatment. In conclusion, heifers tended to have higher plasma concentrations of NEFA and glucose, but did not have elevated concentrations of beta-hydroxybutyrate. Rumen fermentation was relatively unaffected by day relative to parturition, but feeding less than 11% crude protein to prefresh transition cows may limit ruminal fiber degradation.
A critical meta-analysis of all evaluations of state-funded preschool from 1977 to 1998: implications for policy, service delivery and program evaluation

Abstract The number of state-funded preschool programs for low-income children has increased dramatically over the past few decades, and recent research has indicated that these programs vary considerably along a variety of dimensions. By 1998 only 13 of the current 33 state preschool programs (which serve children 3 to 5, provide some form of classroom-based educational service, and are primarily funded and administered at the state level) had completed a formal evaluation of the program’s impact on child outcomes. This paper presents a critical meta-analytic review of these evaluations, providing measures of standardized effects for all significant impacts to facilitate comparisons across differing domains of outcome and evaluative methods. Although several methodological flaws in these studies are identified, the pattern of overall findings may offer modest support for positive impacts in improving children’s developmental competence in a variety of domains, improving later school attendance and performance, and reducing subsequent grade retention. Significant impacts were mostly limited to kindergarten and first grade; however, some impacts were sustained several years beyond preschool. The results of these studies were similar to evaluations of other large-scale preschool programs for low-income children, such as Head Start. Modest outcome goals are warranted for preschool programs serving low-income children, for example, the promotion of school readiness. Suggestions are presented for improved preschool and early intervention program evaluation.
Derivative absorption spectroscopy of GaAs: Cr

Abstract Infrared wavelength modulation measurements at 300K in the spectral range 0.5–1.4 eV on semi-insulating n and p-type Cr doped GaAs have revealed extensive fine structure with variations in absorption coefficient ΔK ∼ 10-1 -10-2cm-1 out of a relatively smoothly varying background absorption of 1–2 cm-1. These results can be interpreted in terms of transitions from (Cr3+ - Cr2+) to the valence and conduction bands and excited states.
Mathematical model for laser ablation to generate nanoscale and submicrometer-size particles

Nanosize particles have several interesting features for synthesizing new materials with improved properties compared to the coarser-grained conventional materials, but the rate of production of such particles in various processes is usually very low. However, laser ablation is expected to give a higher yield. In this paper, a gas-dynamical model is developed for analyzing the plasma formation, and the velocity and particle-size distributions in the plasma during laser ablation. The melting and evaporation rates are determined by using the heat-conduction equation and the Stefan condition. To account for the discontinuity of various state variables across the Knudsen layer, jump conditions are used; the gas-dynamics equations are solved to study the convective flow of the metal particles in the region above the Knudsen layer. The plasma physics is used to model the formation of plasma and to compute the laser-beam attenuation coefficient and ion concentration in the plasma. The particle-size distribution in the plasma is determined by using a droplet-growth theory. Nanosize particles are found to exist near the vaporization front, and the particle size increases as one moves towards the plasma boundary. Similarly, the velocity of the particles is found to be higher at the plasma boundary than that inside the plasma.
Do We Really Need Those Oversized Pencils to Write With

(1980). Do we really need those oversized pencils to write with? Theory Into Practice: Vol. 19, Learning to Write: an Expression of Language, pp. 194-196.
Laboratory simulations of astrophysical blastwaves using intense laser interactions

Using high energy nanosecond and femtosecond lasers, we have studied the hydrodynamics of high Mach number, laser-driven radiative blast waves. These waves can be used to study various astrophysically relevant hydrodynamic phenomena and instabilities.
The Incidence of Enamel Hypoplasia among the Krapina Neandertals

Developmental defects of teeth often appear as a record of metabolic disturbances during growth. One defect in particular, enamel hypoplasia, has been described among recent prehistoric human populations, but few analyses have been made of fossil hominids. This study describes the enamel quality of the dental remains of the Krapina Neandertals. Of the 18 individuals represented by dental arch fragments, 13 showed evidence of one or more teeth with enamel defects described as hypoplasia. This was a high frequency of occurrence when compared to Bronze and Copper Age populations in Central Europe or Woodland and Mississippian populations in North America. The reason for the higher incidence among the Neandertals is not fully explainable given the data available. However, there is a suggestion that fluorosis could be a factor that reduced the expression of enamel hypoplasia in the European populations.
SARA, a FYVE domain protein, affects Rab5-mediated endocytosis

Rab5, a member of the small GTPase family of proteins, is primarily localized on early endosomes and has been proposed to participate in the regulation of early endosome trafficking. It has been reported that phosphatidylinositol 3-kinases and FYVE domain proteins, such as EEA1, can be recruited onto early endosomes and act as Rab5 effectors. SARA (Smad anchor for receptor activation), also a FYVE domain protein, was initially isolated as a participant in signal transduction from the transforming growth factor beta receptor. Overexpressed SARA has been found on EEA1-positive early endosomes. In this report, we show that endogenous SARA is present on early endosomes and overexpression of SARA causes endosomal enlargement. Functionally, SARA overexpression significantly delays the recycling of transferrin. The transferrin receptor distributed on the cell surfaces was also greatly reduced in cells overexpressing SARA. However, the internalization rate of transferrin is not affected by SARA overexpression. The morphological and functional alterations caused by SARA overexpression resemble those caused by overexpression of Rab5:GTP mutant Rab5Q79L. Finally, all SARA-mediated phenotypic changes can be counteracted by overexpression Rab5:GDP mutant Rab5S34N. These results collectively suggested that SARA plays an important functional role downstream of Rab5-regulated endosomal trafficking.
A localized multimeric anchor attaches the Caulobacter holdfast to the cell pole

Summary Caulobacter crescentus attachment is mediated by the holdfast, a complex of polysaccharide anchored to the cell by HfaA, HfaB and HfaD. We show that all three proteins are surface exposed outer membrane (OM) proteins. HfaA is similar to fimbrial proteins and assembles into a high molecular weight (HMW) form requiring HfaD, but not holdfast polysaccharide. The HfaD HMW form is dependent on HfaA but not on holdfast polysaccharide. We show that HfaA and HfaD form homomultimers and that they require HfaB for stability and OM translocation. All three proteins localize to the late pre-divisional flagellar pole, remain at this pole in swarmer cells, and localize at the stalk tip after the stalk is synthesized at the same pole. Hfa protein localization requires the holdfast polysaccharide secretion proteins and the polar localization factor PodJ. An hfaB mutant is much more severely deficient in adherence and holdfast attachment than hfaA and hfaD mutants. An hfaA, hfaD double mutant phenocopies either single mutant, suggesting that HfaB is involved in holdfast attachment beyond secretion of HfaA and HfaD. We hypothesize that HfaB secretes HfaA and HfaD across the outer membrane, and the three proteins form a complex anchoring the holdfast to the stalk.
Amyloid imaging in atypical dementia.

A 55-year-old man presented with a nine-year history of profound behavioural changes, including socially inappropriate behaviour, disinhibition and impairment in executive skills. His score on the Mini–Mental State Examination was 16/30. A dementia work-up, including magnetic resonance imaging of
A classification system of mandibular prognathism

Aim: To provide a classification system of mandibular prognathism (MP) as a guide for proper diagnosis and treatment planning of the various forms of skeletal discrepancies seen in mandibular prognathism and to a communication tool among orthodontists and surgeons. Materials and Methods: Six different types of MP were presented. Recommended surgical procedures for each MP categories were presented. Twenty-three consecutive MP patients were evaluated by a panel of three orthodontists. The panel categorized each patient according to Cho's MP classification system. The recommended surgery by the MP classification system and actual surgery performed for each were compared. Result: The recommended surgical procedure(s) respective to the MP category of each individual corresponded to the actual surgery performed with exception of a few individuals. Conclusion: This MP classification system proved to be a good diagnostic tool and led to an appropriate orthodontic and surgical treatment plan.
Effects Of Personality On Attitudes Toward Academic Group Work

This study investigated the effects of personality on attitudes toward academic group work among a sample of 225 business students. Data were collected using pre-existing scales for measuring personality and attitudes toward academic group work. Specifically, the Neo-FFI scale was used to measure the five personality dimensions of openness, agreeableness, extroversion, conscientiousness and neuroticism. Regression analysis indicated that extroversion was the best predictor of respondents’ attitudes toward academic group work. Individuals with high extroversion scores had positive attitudes toward academic group work. Neuroticism, agreeableness and conscientiousness were also related to respondents’ preference for group work and discomfort with group work. Interestingly, respondents’ level of openness had no impact on any of the work group attitude variables.
Effect of fat-free potato chips with and without nutrition labels on fat and energy intakes

This study investigated the effect on fat and energy intakes of fat-free potato chips made with olestra compared with regular potato chips. Ninety-five participants (unrestrained and restrained males and females) were tested in 2 conditions. In the information condition, participants were given nutrition information about the chips and were aware that the chips differed in fat and energy contents. In the no-information condition, participants were not aware of the differences. In both conditions, participants ate either regular or fat-free potato chips ad libitum for an afternoon snack in a crossover design in two 10-d periods. To assess 24-h intake, participants completed food diaries twice in each 10-d period. The results showed that all groups significantly reduced their fat and energy intakes in the snack when eating the fat-free chips compared with the regular chips (P< 0.0001). Also, potato chip intake did not differ across time for either type of chip. Over 24 h all participants had lower fat intakes (P< 0.05) when eating the fat-free potato chips compared with the regular chips, but 24-h energy intake was not significantly different between groups. When information was provided, restrained participants ate more of the fat-free chips than the regular chips; however, this increase did not negate the reductions in fat and energy associated with eating the fat-free chips. This study showed that substituting fat-free (olestra-containing) potato chips for regular-fat chips can help reduce fat and energy intakes in short-term (within meal) situations and reduce fat intake over 24 h.
The Early Years of Fiber Nonlinear Optics

This paper looks back at the beginnings of nonlinear optics in fibers and some of the subsequent work that forms the basic underpinnings of the modern field. There is a brief look at some of the major applications and current trends.
The short-term and long-term effects of radical prostatectomy on lower urinary tract symptoms

Purpose: We determined the long-term effect of radical prostatectomy on lower urinary tract symptoms.Materials and Methods: Between October 1, 2000 and January 30, 2003, 587 men underwent open radical retropubic prostatectomy. Of these men 453 completed the American Urological Association symptom index at baseline, and 12 and 48 months. Mean changes in American Urological Association total, voiding and storage symptom scores were ascertained between baseline and 12 months (short term), baseline and 48 months (long term), and between 12 and 48 months (natural history of lower urinary tract symptoms without a prostate). Symptom scores were ascertained independently for men with baseline mild vs moderate/severe lower urinary tract symptoms.Results: Clinically and statistically significant short-term and long-term improvements were observed in mean American Urological Association total, storage and voiding symptom scores for men presenting with moderate/severe lower urinary tract symptoms. The previously repo...
On the Treeshrew Skull (Mammalia, Placentalia, Scandentia)

ABSTRACT Skull anatomy other than the ear region of the pen-tailed treeshrew, Ptilocercus lowii Gray, 1848 (Ptilocercidae), is described and illustrated in detail based on 11 specimens from the Carnegie Museum of Natural History and the United States National Museum. Comparisons are made to the common treeshrew, Tupaia glis (Diard, 1820) (Tupaiidae), in a manner similar to the author's treatment of the ear region (Wible 2009). Included are bone by bone treatment of the external surfaces of the skull and hyoid apparatus, and composite treatment of the endocranium for P. lowii with comparisons to an uncertain species of Tupaia Raffles, 1821, and T. glis. The principal cranial foramina and their contents are addressed. Treeshrews are members of the placental order Scandentia, which is nested within the higher-level clade Euarchonta, along with the order Primates and the order Dermoptera (colugos). Relationships among these three orders are controversial in recent molecular studies, and detailed morphological...
A novel mitogen-inducible gene product related to p50/p105-NF-kappa B participates in transactivation through a kappa B site.

Abstract A Rel-related, mitogen-inducible, kappa B-binding protein has been cloned as an immediate-early activation gene of human peripheral blood T cells. The cDNA has an open reading frame of 900 amino acids capable of encoding a 97-kDa protein. This protein is most similar to the 105-kDa precursor polypeptide of p50-NF-kappa B. Like the 105-kDa precursor, it contains an amino-terminal Rel-related domain of about 300 amino acids and a carboxy-terminal domain containing six full cell cycle or ankyrin repeats. In vitro-translated proteins, truncated downstream of the Rel domain and excluding the repeats, bind kappa B sites. We refer to the kappa B-binding, truncated protein as p50B by analogy with p50-NF-kappa B and to the full-length protein as p97. p50B is able to form heteromeric kappa B-binding complexes with RelB, as well as with p65 and p50, the two subunits of NF-kappa B. Transient-transfection experiments in embryonal carcinoma cells demonstrate a functional cooperation between p50B and RelB or p65 in transactivation of a reporter plasmid dependent on a kappa B site. The data imply the existence of a complex family of NF-kappa B-like transcription factors.
Behavioural responses of wheat stem sawflies to wheat volatiles

1 Adult wheat stem sawflies Cephus cinctus, pests of cultivated cereals that also infests wild grasses, migrate into wheat fields where they oviposit in elongating, succulent stems. 2 Volatiles released by wheat plants at susceptible stages were analyzed to determine potential semiochemical compounds. Seven major compounds were identified and quantified. 3 A Y-tube bioassay was developed to evaluate upwind orientation of adult sawflies in response to an airstream that passed over elongated wheat plants. The bioassay was also conducted with synthetic volatile compounds. The compounds were tested using a range of concentrations spanning those identified in the airstream passing over wheat plants. 4 A significant number of adult females were attracted to wheat plants when given a choice of either purified air or the air passing over plants. 5 A significant number of female C. cinctus were attracted to (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate, β-ocimene, and (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, but were repelled by 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one. Females did not respond to (E)-2-hexenal, or (E)-2-hexenyl acetate. The behavioural responses were concentration dependent; the highest tested concentration of (Z)-3-hexenyl acetate was repellent to females of this species. 6 Adult males did not discriminate between air passing over wheat plants and air from a purified airstream. Males did not respond to any tested synthetic compound at any concentration. 7 The present study demonstrates for the first time that adult females of wheat stem sawfly display innate behaviours in response to synthetic volatiles. These results provide a basis for the potential development of resistant wheat varieties and for the development of semiochemically-based pest management.
Speech Processing Prerequisites or L1 Transfer? Evidence from English and French L2 Learners of Arabic.

: The article aims at investigating speech processing prerequisite claims made by Pienemann's Processability Theory (1998). Longitudinal data from eight English L1 and one French L1 speaker learning Arabic as an L2 were used to investigate the emergence/processing of demonstrative-predicate gender agreement and verbal agreement structures hypothesized to be processable at the same stage: Stage 4. The findings show that both forms were not processable by the English L1 participants at the same stage, as the participants seemed to encounter more problems with demonstrative-predicate agreement than with verbal agreement. The findings are further supported by cross-sectional data of 53 English and French L2 learners of Arabic, where between-group effects were found with respect to demonstrative-predicate agreement. It is concluded that this is likely due to L1 transfer—a factor not accounted for by Processability Theory.
Forest structure in space: a case study of an old growth spruce-fir forest in Changbaishan Natural Reserve, PR China

Ecologists and foresters are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of spatial information in ecosystem analysis and resource management. An across-scale analysis of forest structure was conducted to characterize the spatial characteristics of a 2 ha spruce-fir forest located inside Changbaishan Natural Reserve (CNR), PR China. The study was designed to develop an approach for assessment of within-stand heterogeneity to increase understanding of the effects of heterogeneity on pattern‐ process relationships in forests. Univariate and bivariate Ripley’s K functions were employed to capture stand heterogeneity in terms of intra- and inter-specific point patterns of tree distributions. Stem-mapped crowns were generated and analyzed as canopy patches within a geographic information system (GIS) to quantify patterns within the strata of the forest canopy. The dominant spruces were randomly distributed within each height class but aggregated when all height classes were analyzed. In addition, spruces had repulsive patterns to other species which exhibited clear aggregation. Canopy heterogeneity, both in terms of composition and spatial patterning, were complex ‐ as expressed within canopy layers and among individual forest species. This across-scale complexity supports a multivariate spatial and across-scale approach to characterizing forest structure, and argues for linked pattern-process experiments. We suggest that joint field and simulation studies be conducted which relate changes in forest stand dynamics to changes in stand heterogeneity. These linked studies are needed to provide a measure of ecological significance relative to statistical significance of patterns. # 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Preparing Future Biology Faculty: An Advanced Professional Development Program for Graduate Students

Formal professional development programs for biology graduate students interested in becoming faculty members have come far; however, programs that provide advanced teaching experience for seasoned graduate teaching assistants are scarce. We outline an advanced program that focuses on further training of graduate teaching assistants in pedagogy and mentoring opportunities within a biology department. The Graduate Teaching Scholars Program provides opportunities for individualized instruction and learning while working with a faculty mentor. Graduate teaching scholars attend workshops, have their teaching evaluated, and serve as mentors for new graduate teaching assistants in the department. Students in the program are able to contribute to departmental education initiatives while growing professionally as teachers and future faculty.
On the Rejection of Hotelling's Single Sample T

Multivariate hypotheses regarding the centroid of a single population can be tested using Hotelling's T2. Upon rejection of such an hypothesis, there seems to be no available technique by which the relative contribution of each variable to the rejection can be gauged. An examination of the derivation of the T2 statistic, however, shows that while T2 is the only nonzero eigenvalue of the matrix ND-1(X - μ0)(X - μ0)', the elements of its associated eigenvector define the weighting scheme used in combining the original variables for the purposes of the test. When adjusted to provide dimensionless numbers, these elements reflect the relative contribution of each variable to the rejection of the original hypothesis.
Probable Statin-Induced Testicular Pain

Objective:To describe a case of a patient experiencing testicular pain on 3 occasions after taking 3 different statins.Case Summary:A 54-year-old man with hyperlipidemia was started on lovastatin therapy. His other medications included aspirin, levothyroxine, buspirone, and atenolol. Seven months after starting lovastatin, the patient experienced testicular discomfort that resolved upon discontinuation of the drug. Afterward, he started simvastatin and again experienced testicular discomfort. The simvastatin was changed to atorvastatin, and the pain resolved. However, 3 months after starting atorvastatin, the patient developed testicular pain, which resolved after the drug was stopped. During each of the episodes, the patient's pain increased when he was sitting, driving, or wearing tight clothing. The Naranjo probability scale indicates that statins probably caused the patient's pain.Discussion:Testicular pain is rarely caused by medications. Product labeling for statins does not list urinary adverse eve...
Compressed and Distributed Sensing of Neuronal Activity for Real Time Spike Train Decoding

Multivariate point processes are increasingly being used to model neuronal response properties in the cortex. Estimating the conditional intensity functions underlying these processes is important to characterize and decode the firing patterns of cortical neurons. This paper proposes a new approach for estimating these intensity functions directly from a compressed representation of the neurons' extracellular recordings. The approach is based on exploiting a sparse representation of the extracellular spike waveforms, previously demonstrated to yield near-optimal denoising and compression properties. We show that by restricting this sparse representation to a subset of projections that simultaneously preserve features of the spike waveforms in addition to the temporal characteristics of the underlying intensity functions, we can reasonably approximate the instantaneous firing rates of the recorded neurons with variable tuning characteristics across a multitude of time scales. Such feature is highly desirable to detect subtle temporal differences in neuronal firing characteristics from single-trial data. An added advantage of this approach is that it eliminates multiple steps from the typical processing path of neural signals that are customarily performed for instantaneous neural decoding. We demonstrate the decoding performance of the approach using a stochastic cosine tuning model of motor cortical activity during a natural, nongoal-directed 2-D arm movement.
Statistical mechanics of protein folding with separable energy functions.

We have initiated an entirely new approach to statistical mechanical models of strongly interacting systems where the configurational parameters and the potential energy function are both constructed so that the canonical partition function can be evaluated analytically. For a simplified model of proteins consisting of a single, fairly short polypeptide chain without cross-links, we can adjust the energy parameters to favor the experimentally determined native state of seven proteins having diverse types of folds. Then 497 test proteins are predicted to have stable native folds, even though they are also structurally diverse, and 480 of them have no significant sequence similarity to any of the training proteins. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 74: 214 -220, 2004
Frequency tuning of perceptual templates changes with noise magnitude

Classification-image analysis has proven to be a valuable tool for revealing features used to perform visual tasks in noise. We use this methodology to investigate how the magnitude of noise influences detection mechanisms, and more specifically, to examine whether observers use a consistent perceptual template across noise magnitude as is often assumed in models. The experiments consist of 2AFC detection of a Gaussian target profile in white noise with RMS contrast levels ranging from 1.25% to 20%. Target contrast was manipulated to maintain a performance level of approximately 80% correct at each noise level. The estimated classification images are presented along with a spatial frequency analysis that consists of radial averages of the frequency domain. The resulting frequency weights show significant within-subject differences across noise levels, as do sampling efficiencies derived from these frequency weights. At low levels of external noise, the classification images are attenuated at low spatial frequencies, giving rise to a more bandpass appearance. At high noise levels, the spatial frequency weights have much less low-frequency attenuation, making them closer to an ideal matched filter. Our results provide direct evidence against the notion of a single consistent perceptual template mediating detection across different levels of noise.
Sickle β-thalassemia: Identical twins differing in severity implicate nongenetic factors influencing course

25-yr old female identical twins of Italian-American origin concordant for sickle β-thalassemia were studied to explain their clinical differences. One of them has been severely affected from childhood with one aplastic crisis, an earlier onset of vaso-occlusive crises, and recent cardiac decompensation; the other twin shows no cardiac decompensation. Similar are their degree of anemia, RBC indices, blood volumes, absence of splenic sequestration, depression of pO2, elevation of p50 and 2,3-DPG, hemoglobin composition, and peripheral blood globin-synthetic rates. Regarding differences, the more severely affected has a shorter 51 Cr RBC life span, a greater menstrual blood loss, and is more overweight, whereas the less severely affected has functional asplenia by 99mTc scanning and a larger proportion of RBC with decreased cellular deformability. We conclude that in sickle β-thalassemia: (1) genotype alone does not determine the clinical course; (2) significant differences in clinical course can occur with almost identical hemoglobin composition and globin synthetic rates; (3) cellular deformability changes do not correlate exactly with clinical course; and (4) functional asplenia and leanness may be advantageous.
Association of HLA-DQ gene with bowel transit, barrier function, and inflammation in irritable bowel syndrome with diarrhea

Patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) with diarrhea (IBS-D) carrying human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DQ2/8 genotypes benefit from gluten withdrawal. Our objective was to compare gastrointestin...
A randomized clinical trial of a peri-operative behavioral intervention to improve physical activity adherence and functional outcomes following total knee replacement

Background Total knee replacement (TKR) is a common and effective surgical procedure to relieve advanced knee arthritis that persists despite comprehensive medical treatment. Although TKR has excellent technical outcomes, significant variation in patient-reported functional improvement post-TKR exists. Evidence suggests that consistent post-TKR exercise and physical activity is associated with functional gain, and that this relationship is influenced by emotional health. The increasing use of TKR in the aging US population makes it critical to find strategies that maximize functional outcomes.
Clinical update: hepatitis B.

Chronic hepatitis B (CHB) remains a global health problem, with disproportionately high prevalence rates approaching 10–15% in the Asian population worldwide and in Asian immigrants in the United States. Chronic infection complications, including cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, occur in 1 5–40% of infected individuals, and important recent data from the REVEAL study have suggested that, independent of other factors, high viral replication may impact long-term disease outcomes. More recent recognition of parameters for defining normal transaminases may also affect decision-making for therapy initiation. Recently, new treatment options have been effective at viral suppression, with lower rates of viral resistance compared to lamivudine. Currently, therapies for hepatitis B treatment include interferon, lamivudine, adefovir, entecavir, and telbivudine. Treatment considerations need to take into account therapy duration and risks, specifically the development of viral resistance. Recently updated guidelines and algorithms use viral replication, alanine aminotransferase levels, and severity of histologic disease as the determining factors for treatment. Therapy length is dependent on hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) seroconversion in HBeAg-positive CHB patients. In patients with the precore/basal core promoter HBeAg-negative CHB, the treatment goal is continued viral suppression. Future options, including new oral agents, therapeutic vaccines, and combination therapies, require further study.
Disease Management Programs

Renewed health care cost growth may create an incentive for health plans and employers to keep employees as healthy as possible by emphasizing wellness, health promotion, and disease management programs. Disease management is defined as a systematic approach to coordinated health care that seeks to identify individuals and populations who have--or are at risk of developing--certain targeted, mainly chronic medical conditions. It offers the possibility of saving money while improving health by reducing employees' need for expensive hospitalizations and other health treatments, and evidence indicates that employers are showing increased interest in disease management programs. This article describes disease management programs, their objectives, their prevalence, their effectiveness and impact, and the outlook for this approach to health care in the future. The PDF for the above title, published in the August 2002 issue of EBRI Notes, also contains the fulltext of another August 2002 EBRI Notes article abstracted on SSRN: "Health Insurance Coverage and the Near Elderly, 2000."
The Equitable Distribution of Marital Debts

The settlement of a couple’s financial affairs at the time of divorce often requires the resolution of debt issues between them. Specifically, responsibility must be allocated between former spouses for repayment of their outstanding debts. This article analyzes the laws in common law property states that govern the judicial authority to reallocate responsibility for the repayment of individual and joint debts at the time of divorce. The topic of debt allocation in divorce proceedings is of great importance to many divorcing couples. However, the rules of law in this area in many common law property jurisdictions are not as well-articulated as the corresponding rules governing asset distribution. Furthermore, the (largely judicial) rules that have been formulated often reflect a reluctance to establish judicial authority to reallocate responsibility for the repayment of debts of the marriage. No clear explanation has been offered for this reluctance to include liabilities as fully as assets within the conceptual framework of the economic partnership of marriage at the time of dissolution. This Article examines the existing rules that govern equitable distribution of debts at divorce in the common law property states and speculates about the reasons for withholding full recognition of debts in equitable distribution law. The Article also analyzes the current state statutes and case law and the provisions of the recently promulgated Principles of the Law of Family Dissolution by reference to the general goals of equitable distribution law in the common law property states, relating to a fair winding down of the spouses’ economic affairs at the end of marriage. It concludes that certain restrictive debt allocation rules, such as the joint purpose doctrine and rules excluding student loans from distribution in all cases, are inconsistent with the basic equitable goals in this area of law.
Probability Distribution of Wave Force (Coastal Engineering Conference in Santa Barbara, California, October 1965)

In many design problems the sea state is specified as part of the design criteria. For offshore structures it is important to know the maximum probable wave height and the maximum probable wave force which might be experienced during the life expectancy of the structure, for example the 50 yr or 100 yr wave height and period and the 50 yr or 100 yr wave force. Based on previous analysis of wave and wave force measurements, practically no correlation was found between the measured "apparent wave height" and "apparent wave force." Several authors have proposed statistical distribution of drag and mass coefficients, with recommendations for use in design. The statistical distribution of the calculated drag (or mass) coefficients has no relationship to the statistical distribution of the measured wave drag forces (or inertial forces). Borgman (1964) has considered the statistical distribution of wave forces. Methods are presented for predicting the probability distributions of peak wave drag and inertial forces, and a method is proposed which might be used to predict the most probable maximum wave force once the sea state is specified. It is found that there is a good correlation between the probability distributions of wave heights and the probability distributions of peak drag forces. For example, if the most probable maximum wave height is given from a statistical distribution of wave height, then it is possible to predict the most probable maximum drag (or inertial) force, and the most probable maximum force (combined drag and inertial force).
Process Control Model for Tube Hydroforming

Ongoing research has been done to develop control methods based on the simulated loading paths input to the press machinery. This forms an open loop system where the characteristics of the Press hydraulic unit involved delivering the forming agents, i.e. the axial cylinders and valves, are neglected. This process approach leads to most experiments being done by simplifications which is time consuming and expensive, curbs the ability to have feedback control and restricts development of complex machinery response algorithms. Cylinder force control and controller design models have been researched widely such as PID and H∞ but less is known about their application to Tube Hydroforming (THF) process control which is relatively new. This paper focuses on modeling the THF process and developing a Real time PID controller to operate with a prototype model. The position of the cylinder is tracked and compared with reference provided from a database via a dynamic data exchange link showing that control could be achieved with a prototype. Position control with above approach results in efficient and concerted control merging the loading path design flexibility with machinery dynamic response.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Effects of Sugar Consumption on Human Behavior and Performance

It is a myth, disconfirmed by numerous studies, that sugar consumption causes hyperactivity or other behavior problems in children or adults. This myth may be maintained by confirmation bias and social reinforcement. Conversely, numerous studies show that sugar consumption improves athletic, cognitive, and academic performance and may increase self-control and reduce aggressive behavior. These effects may be most apparent shortly after sugar has been consumed. While the brain utilizes large amounts of glucose, the exact physiological mechanisms responsible for the performance-enhancing effects of sugar consumption are still debated. Psychological research and theorizing on the effects of sugar consumption should avoid speculative explanations in terms of “mind” and “willpower, ” and focus on observed behavioral effects. For behavior and academic problems, limiting sugar consumption should not be a treatment focus and may be counterproductive.
An integral equation formulation for rigid bodies in Stokes flow in three dimensions

Abstract We present a new derivation of a boundary integral equation (BIE) for simulating the three-dimensional dynamics of arbitrarily-shaped rigid particles of genus zero immersed in a Stokes fluid, on which are prescribed forces and torques. Our method is based on a single-layer representation and leads to a simple second-kind integral equation. It avoids the use of auxiliary sources within each particle that play a role in some classical formulations. We use a spectrally accurate quadrature scheme to evaluate the corresponding layer potentials, so that only a small number of spatial discretization points per particle are required. The resulting discrete sums are computed in O ( n ) time, where n denotes the number of particles, using the fast multipole method (FMM). The particle positions and orientations are updated by a high-order time-stepping scheme. We illustrate the accuracy, conditioning and scaling of our solvers with several numerical examples.
Augmenting College Students' Study of Speech-Language Pathology Using Computer-Based Mini Quiz Games.

Purpose This study examined whether undergraduate college students' immediate recall and longer-term retention of introductory voice disorder concepts improved by using mini quiz games (MQGs; interactive knowledge tests in game format) compared with (a) traditional study alone, (b) MQGs and traditional study together, or (c) a no-study control condition. Method Ninety-three college students participated in proctored sessions in which they were given a pretest, viewed an online lecture on introductory voice disorder concepts, and then engaged in either no intervention or interventions including traditional study, MQG play, or both MQG play and traditional study, followed by an immediate recall posttest and longer-term retention follow-up test. Results Analyses suggested that the effects of all interventions (traditional study, MQG play, and the combination of the 2) were equivalent and resulted in significantly greater improvements from pretest to immediate recall posttest performance than the control cond...
Preoperative cell-mediated immune status of patients with malignant glial tumors.

AbstractThe leukocyte adherence inhibition assay (LAI) was used to measure cell-mediated immunity in 26 patients with malignant glial neoplasms and in 41 control subjects. A significant inhibition of leukocyte adherence was observed in 21 out of 26 (80%) patients with malignant astrocytic gliomas in the presence of a 3M KC1 extract of glioma tissue compared to that of normal brain extract. Among the control group, no significant difference in the percentage of nonadherent leukocytes (NAL) was noted in the presence of either antigen. To study the specificity of the reaction, 3M KC1 extracts of meningioma, pituitary tumor, carcinoma of breast, carcinomas of lung, melanoma, brain, and heart tissues were employed as nonspecific antigens. Such studies revealed significantly lower values of NAL.These data indicate that patients with malignant glial neoplasms manifest a cellular-immune response to glioma-associated antigens that can be measured by the tube LAI assay and that LAI assay may render additional usefu...
Historische Entwicklung der deutschen Kurzgeschichte

Einen ersten historischen Uberblick uber die deutsche Kurzgeschichte unternahm Klaus Doderer in seiner 1953 erschienenen Arbeit; sie geht begreiflicherweise noch kaum auf die Entwicklung seit 1945 ein, doch werden die hier gebotenen Thesen auch in Doderers spateren Arbeiten zur Kurzgeschichte, u. a. im Vorwort zur nachgedruckten Auflage (1969), nicht wesentlich verandert.
Local Political Context and Polarization in the Electorate: Evidence from the 2004 Presidential Election

Political scientists have long examined the degree to which the American electorate exhibits partisan and ideological polarization and sought to explain the causal mechanism driving this phenomenon. Some scholars have argued that there is an increasing degree of geographic polarization of the electorate—that is, a large percentage of geographic units are becoming less politically heterogeneous. In this study, I argue that the two trends are related. Using individual-level data from the 2004 National Annenberg Election Survey, I examine the relationship between local partisan context and political attitudes using multilevel models. I find that, as the local political context becomes less competitive in national elections; those in the local political majority become more ideologically extreme, strengthen their partisan attachments, and hold more polarized attitudes toward the two major-party presidential candidates. These findings suggest that the growing geo- graphic partisan segregation of the electorate is an important source of ideological and partisan polarization.
Effect of lidocaine with and without epinephrine on lymphatic contractile activity in mice in vivo.

A local anesthetic, lidocaine, is known to affect cutaneous blood flow when injected into the skin. However, it is unknown if dermal lymphatic function can also be affected. Therefore, we characterized lymphatic function in response to administration of lidocaine with and without epinephrine. Non-invasive near-infrared fluorescence imaging (NIRFI) with intradermal injection of indocyanine green (ICG) was used to characterize the lymphatic “pumping” function in mice after subcutaneous injection of 2 % lidocaine with and without 1:100,000 epinephrine or saline. NIRFI was performed for 10–20 min immediately after and 1, 3, and 5 h after these interventions. Lymphatic contraction frequencies significantly decreased 10 min after subcutaneous injection of lidocaine and remained plateaued for another 5 min, before returning to baseline. However, addition of 1:100,000 epinephrine to 2 % lidocaine rapidly increased lymphatic contraction frequencies at 5 min post-injection, which returned to baseline levels 15 min later. Injection of saline also increased lymphatic contraction frequency 5 min after injection, which returned to baseline 10 min post-injection. Although lidocaine administration showed a decrease in lymphatic function, the combination of epinephrine with lidocaine resulted in a predominant net effect of increased contractile activity.
A study of long-term static load on degradation and mechanical integrity of Mg alloys-based biodegradable metals

Predicting degradation behavior of biodegradable metals in vivo is crucial for the clinical success of medical devices. This paper reports on the effect of long-term static stress on degradation of magnesium alloys and further changes in mechanical integrity. AZ31B (H24) and ZE41A (T5) alloys were tested to evaluate stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in a physiological solution for 30 days and 90 days (ASTM G39 testing standard). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) were used to characterize surface morphology and micro-structure of degraded alloys. The results show the different mechanisms of stress corrosion cracking for AZ31B (transgranular stress corrosion cracking, TGSCC) and ZE41A (intergranular stress corrosion cracking, IGSCC). AZ31B was more susceptible to stress corrosion cracking under a long term static load than ZE41A. In conclusion, we observed that long-term static loading accelerated crack propagation, leading to the loss of mechanical integrity.