cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Invited Commentary: Epidemiologic Studies of the Health Associations of Environmental Exposures With Preterm Birth

In this issue of the Journal, two different articles present epidemiologic evidence supporting the hypotheses that environmental exposures to particulate air pollution or higher temperatures modestly increase the risk of preterm birth. In this commentary, the author discusses environmental epidemiologic methods through the lens of these two papers with respect to the causal question, measurements, and quantification and interpretation of the evidence. Both groups of investigators present results from exploratory analyses that are at the hypothesis-generating end of the research spectrum as opposed to the confirmatory end. The present author describes in qualitative terms a method for decomposing evidence about the association of environmental exposures with prematurity into components representing different temporal and spatial scales. Finally, reproducible epidemiologic research methodology for studies like these is offered as one way to speed the transition from exploratory studies to confirmatory studies. air pollution; environmental exposure; fetal death; particulate matter; premature birth; stillbirth; survival analysis; temperature; weather
Child abuse and domestic violence

1. Linda Cahill, MD* 2. Peter Sherman, MD† 1. *Medical Director, Children’s Protection Center, Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Bronx, NY 2. †Director, Division of Adolescent Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, St. Barnabas Hospital, Bronx, NY After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Understand the strong association between child abuse and domestic violence. 2. Screen for domestic violence in cases where child abuse has occurred. 3. Discuss how exposure to violence affects the health of children. 4. Refer children who have been exposed to domestic violence for treatment. MR, a bright, chatty 6-year-old boy, disclosed physical and sexual abuse by his father. There is a history of domestic violence in the home, which he shares with his 7-year-old sister and his mother. The children witnessed their father hitting their mother, choking her, pushing her against the wall, and kicking her in the stomach on several occasions while she was pregnant with her third child. MR heard his father say that he wished his mother would die. Once during a physical assault when MR tried to pull his father off his mother, his father slapped him. His mother delivered a stillborn baby, after which MR’s behavior declined. He threatened to kill himself by cutting his wrists to be in heaven with the deceased baby. He attempted to choke his sister and to hurt the family dog and described hearing voices telling him to do bad things . MR reported that his father got into the bathtub with him every day and “washed” MR’s private area with soap and water. At times, his father grabbed MR’s penis forcefully enough to cause pain. He said that his father asked him to touch and kiss his (father’s) penis. His father pulled his ear, slapped him on his buttocks and face, and hit him with a belt. MR said that his father did a lot of things and that he didn’t remember them all . MR’s mother said that she told the father to leave the apartment. According to her, when he …
Molecular, physiological, and growth responses to sodium stress in C4 grasses from a soil salinity gradient in the Serengeti ecosystem

The concentration of soil sodium (Na) is an important factor that influences species distribution in the Serengeti short-grass plains, Tanzania. Experiments were conducted to characterize physiological (growth, photosynthetic, nutrients, and water relations) and molecular (heat shock proteins and organic solutes) responses to high soil sodium in four Serengeti C(4) grasses. The species tested were Andropogon greenwayi and three species of Sporobulus, S. ioclados, S. kentrophyllus and S. spicatus. Andropogon greenwayi occurs on locations with low soil Na concentrations, S. ioclados on low to moderate, S. kentrophyllus moderate to high, and S. spicatus on soils with high Na concentration.Among all four species, short-term physiological and molecular responses to Na treatments (0, 100, and 400 mmol/L Na) were correlated with their field soil Na concentrations. Sporobulus kentrophyllus and S. spicatus exhibited rapid molecular induction of heat shock proteins in response to experimental soil Na treatments within 24 h and had increased levels of proline within 96 h in contrast to A. greenwayi and S. ioclados. Photosynthetic rates and water relations were positively correlated with field soil Na concentrations and Hsp induction was clearly associated with photosynthetic tolerance. Long-term (6 wk) responses of the four species to Na treatment were consistent with the short-term responses to Na. Species that occur on low Na soils in the field did not survive past week 1 when treated with 400 mmol/L Na and exhibited significant reductions in biomass when treated with 100 mmol/L Na. Reduced biomass was associated with increased shoot tissue Na concentrations, and thus Na tolerance correlated with the Na concentrations of field leaf tissue. The results demonstrate that the community distribution of these species reflects their Na tolerance and that the observed physiological and molecular responses in tolerant species may have adaptive significance.
Predictors of ADL Disability Trajectories Among Low-Income Frail Elders in the Community:

In this study, the author examined the effects of psychosocial and health factors on the ADL disability trajectory of low-income frail elders living in the community. She analyzed three-year longitudinal data with a maximum of 15 repeated observations from a cohort of elderly participants in Michigan’s Medicaid Waiver Program (N=3,161), using the hierarchical linear modeling approach. Baseline data of this cohort were taken in 1999; a reassessment was conducted about every three months. The analysis shows that major risk factors for a poor activity of daily living (ADL) disability trajectory include being Black, older, living with nonspouse others, and no confidence in functional improvement. Presence of arthritis, cancer, and cognitive limitation had significant and modest effects on ADL disability trajectories. The findings have implications to community-based intervention programs for frail elderly persons in the community.
Inhibition of Pyk2 blocks lung inflammation and injury in a mouse model of acute lung injury

Background Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2) is essential in neutrophil degranulation and chemotaxis in vitro. However, its effect on the process of lung inflammation and edema formation during LPS induced acute lung injury (ALI) remains unknown. The goal of the present study was to determine the effect of inhibiting Pyk2 on LPS-induced acute lung inflammation and injury in vivo.
Genetics of Adaptive Radiation in Hawaiian and Cook Islands Species of Tetramolopium (Asteraceae). II. Genetic Linkage Map and Its Implications for Interspecific Breeding Barriers

In a study of the genetic mechanisms associated with adaptive radiation in Hawaiian Tetramolopium, a genetic linkage map was constructed in an interspecific cross. A total of 125 RFLP and RAPD markers were mapped into 117 different loci on nine linkage groups for a map length of 665.7 cM. Segregation distortion occurred in 49% of the mapped probes, located primarily in four linkage groups. High percentages of one parental species genotype (Tetramolopium rockii) were recovered in three of these blocks and the second parental species (T. humile) in the remaining block. The high degree of distorted segregation suggests the buildup of internal crossing barriers, even though island plant species are typically characterized as highly cross compatible with few to no internal crossing barriers. This work and a review of previous crossing studies in island plants show that internal (postmating) crossing barriers do exist. The weak crossing barriers have likely been overlooked because the main focus has been on diversification and speciation through adaptation to extremely diverse environments.
Relational place-making: the networked politics of place

Place-making – the set of social, political and material processes by which people iteratively create and recreate the experienced geographies in which they live – is an important but oft-neglected part of political theory. Place-making is an inherently networked process, constituted by the socio-spatial relationships that link individuals together through a common place-frame. While place-oriented scholars have long acknowledged the importance of interaction and communication in place-making, the mutual integration of network concepts, political theorisations and place conceptualisations has been relatively weak. We use case studies in Bolivia’s forests and Athens, USA to explore how integrating these concepts can guide empirical research. This article argues that a more robust and explicit notion of ‘relational place-making’– the networked, political processes of place-framing – positions the concept of place in a way that offers new analytical utility for political and urban geographic scholars.
A review of the use of simulations in teaching economics

Since the 1960s, economists have experimented with incorporating computerized economic simulations into their classes. This article reviews the literature on the use of simulations and describes some of the simulations currently being distributed. In microeconomics, the simulations have taken three different forms: optimization exercises (in which students must maximize profits or utility given some fixed parameters), exploratory environments (in which students try to identify different aspects of a simulated economy), and market simulations (in which prices are determined endogenously). All macroeconomic simulations involve students' selecting policy variables to try to control inflation, unemployment, and, in most cases, interest rates. Supporters of simulations, like proponents of classroom experiments, argue that simulations give students the opportunity to apply economic theory, but there have been very few controlled studies of the effectiveness of simulations. Increased support by publishers of software development may lead to wider use of computerized simulations in the near future.
Students' Perceptions of EAP Writing Instruction and Writing Needs Across the Disciplines

As English for academic purposes (EAP) writing instructors and writing curriculum planners, we need to know the degree to which ESL writing courses have been successful in gauging and providing for ESL students' writing needs across the university curriculum. However, making this determination is difficult because many academic writing requirements may be implicit in the curriculum of the disciplinary course and thus not amenable to ready description by the outsider. Furthermore, we also need to know how much carryover from ESL writing courses occurs with ESL students—that is, what elements of their ESL writing instruction have they found useful and available to them as students in content courses? This article reports on a survey of former ESL students now in university-level content courses that is designed to investigate students' perceptions of the relationship between the writing instruction the students received in ESL writing classes and the actual writing tasks they found in courses across the disciplines. The results of the survey include indications of which writing skills taught in ESL writing courses students found most useful in dealing with the writing demands of other content courses. In their answers to open-ended survey questions, ESL students also described their perceptions of their ongoing writing needs beyond the ESL writing curriculum.
Analyzing Grammar: Lexical entries and well-formed clauses

Examples (1) and (2) of chapter 4 showed that good Phrase Structure rules can produce bad sentences. We hinted that the solution to this problem was to be found in the lexicon , the speaker's mental dictionary, where information about the unique properties of individual words is stored. This topic is the focus of the present chapter. In particular, we will be interested in the lexical properties of the verb and the ways in which these properties determine the structure of the clause as a whole. Lexical entries Linguists use the term lexicon to refer to the collection of all the words (or meaningful elements) in the language; we often think of it as the speaker's “mental dictionary.” Each individual word is referred to as a lexical item . For each lexical item, the lexicon must specify how it is pronounced, what it means, and how it patterns in the grammar. All of the phonological, semantic, and grammatical information which is specific to a particular word is included in its lexical entry . This lexical entry is somewhat analogous to an entry in a normal printed dictionary, which provides information about pronunciation, meaning, and part of speech. However, the grammatical information contained in a lexical entry may go far beyond the word's part of speech (syntactic category). For example, we noted in chapter 4 that one of the diagnostic features for nouns in English is that they can be inflected for number.
Microscopic pathology of the gray collie syndrome. Cyclic neutropenia, amyloidosis, enteritis, and bone necrosis.

Microscopie changes in tissues of 8 dogs with the gray collie syndrome (GCS) and in 5 related non-gray dogs were described. Three of the GCS dogs died as neonates, 2 as puppies, and 3 (treated clinically) as adults.Clinical signs of disease were abnormal hair pigmentation, cyclic neutropenia, diarrhea, lameness, and chronic ulceration of oral and genital mucosa. Lesions included lymphoid atrophy, amyloidosis, enteritis, aseptic bone necrosis, and acute and chronic purulent inflammation of several organs. Abnormalities in serum included decreased albumin and increased γ- and α-globulin. Electron microscopy of the spleen revealed amyloid fibers deposited chiefly at the periphery of the splenic follicles and within the central artery.Tissues from non-gray related dogs were normal except for laminar malacia of the motor areas of the cerebral cortex in 3 of these dogs which probably resulted from ischemia due to epileptiform seizures.
Characterization of Complementary DNA Encoding the Precursor for Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone and Its Associated Peptide from a Teleost Fish

Reproductive maturity among male African cichlids Haplochromis burtoni is cued by a series of environmental and social interactions and is mediated physiologically by GnRH. A cDNA clone encoding the precursor for GnRH was isolated from this teleost. The molecular architecture of the predicted prohormone is analogous to that of the previously characterized mammalian forms; however, the predicted sequence of the associated peptide is strikingly different. Attempts to isolate a putative second precursor using low stringency hybridization were not successful despite evidence that a second related decapeptide exists in at least some teleost species.
Curriculum renewal and INSET in difficult circumstances

The article supports the idea that curriculum innovation should involve the participation of everyone engaged in the teaching process. This is particu- larly so for those teachers who are working in what the article describes as difficult circumstances. A discussion of the context for teacher training in Burkina Faso is used to illustrate a proposal for curriculum renewal, and reactions to it. The example is intended to show how some of the current thoughts on curriculum innovation can inspire specific action in other cultural and educational contexts. Introduction The idea that classroom teachers should be given a more active role in all aspects of curriculum renewal (syllabus design/revision, methodological innovations, implementation, evaluation, development of teaching materials, INSET) is a current theme in educational literature. Participa- tion is thought to prevent resistance to innovations and to allow a smoother negotiation of the gap between - on the one hand - the idealization of the syllabus (particularly the pre-specified one in common use in institu- tionalized EFL teaching), and - on the other hand - the methodology used by the teacher to materialize it in the classroom. The calls for an 'extended professionalism' and for teachers to be more involved at the highest level of the 'decision-making pyramid' (Brumfit and Rossner 1982) are also justi- fied in the literature by the belief that teaching is not just a set of mechan- ically learnable skills, but is rather an art acquired and improved by the teacher through self-initiated, self-sustained growth and development. This explains the trend towards new approaches allowing for a constant negotiation through bottom-up, top-down, and sideways interaction between the main parties, with the practising teachers given a key role in the process. The GLAFL project in Scotland (Clark 1984) and the Graded Objectives Movement in general (Harding et al. 1980, Buckby et al. 1981, Page 1983) are examples of how teachers are encouraged to participate in the revision, implementation, and evaluation of second-language sylla- buses. New approaches to supervision are also being used which do not seek to impose on teachers the views and the techniques of the expert, but which encourage instead the former to make the best use of their own resources, to share their experiences with peers, and to promote their own development. In the same way, in-service teacher education is tending to be more decentralized, and change and innovations are spreading through gradual networks rather than being imposed from strongly centralized institutions. Rudduck (1982), Hopkins and Wideen (1984), and Day (1981) report on cases of school-based teacher-development programmes. The administra-
Organ of Corti explants direct tonotopically graded morphology of spiral ganglion neurons in vitro

The spiral ganglion is a compelling model system to examine how morphological form contributes to sensory function. While the ganglion is composed mainly of a single class of type I neurons that make simple one-to-one connections with inner hair cell sensory receptors, it has an elaborate overall morphological design. Specific features, such as soma size and axon outgrowth, are graded along the spiral contour of the cochlea. To begin to understand the interplay between different regulators of neuronal morphology, we cocultured neuron explants with peripheral target tissues removed from distinct cochlear locations. Interestingly, these "hair cell microisolates" were capable of both increasing and decreasing neuronal somata size, without adversely affecting survival. Moreover, axon characteristics elaborated de novo by the primary afferents in culture were systematically regulated by the sensory endorgan. Apparent peripheral nervous system (PNS)-like and central nervous system (CNS)-like axonal profiles were established in our cocultures allowing an analysis of putative PNS/CNS axon length ratios. As predicted from the in vivo organization, PNS-like axon bundles elaborated by apical cocultures were longer than their basal counterparts and this phenotype was methodically altered when neuron explants were cocultured with microisolates from disparate cochlear regions. Thus, location-dependent signals within the organ of Corti may set the "address" of neurons within the spiral ganglion, allowing them to elaborate the appropriate tonotopically associated morphological features in order to carry out their signaling function. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:2182-2207, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Racial Diversity and School Performance: A School Location Approach

This study investigates the relationships among racial diversity, school performance, and school location. Through spatial regression techniques, we find evidence of a positive relationship between achievement score and racial diversity for the fourth grade students in Georgia’s public schools. Direct effects, as defined by the spatial Durbin error model, are stronger in urban schools which are at the lowest levels of racial diversity. In contrast, indirect effects are present at the highest levels of racial diversity, namely in suburban and town schools.
Biological control of aster leafhopper (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) and midges (Diptera: Chironomidae) by Pardosa ramulosa (Araneae: Lycosidae) in California rice fields

The impact of Pardosa ramulosa (McCook) on selected prey species in rice Was evaluated in field experiments where P. ramulosa densities were physically manipulated in small plots. P. ramulosa significantly reduced the number of adult midges collected in floating emergence traps, and when confined in metal rings placed in patches of aquatic broadleaf weeds in the paddy, reduced densities of aster leafhopper, Macrosteles fascifrons Stal, by 84 to 96% compared with the control. No further significant reduction in aster leafhopper density was achieved by adding more than 22 spiders per m2. This was probably the result of greater spider mortality associated with higher spider densities. P. ramulosa may help prevent aster leafhopper outbreaks in rice.
Charged Nanoparticle Attraction in Multivalent Salt Solution: A Classical-Fluids Density Functional Theory and Molecular Dynamics Study

Negatively charged nanoparticles (NPs) in 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 electrolyte solutions are studied in a primitive ion model using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and classical density functional theory (DFT). We determine the conditions for attractive interactions between the like-charged NPs. Ion density profiles and NP–NP interaction free energies are compared between the two methods and are found to be in qualitative agreement. The NP interaction free energy is purely repulsive for monovalent counterions, but can be attractive for divalent and trivalent counterions. Using DFT, the NP interaction free energy for different NP diameters and charges is calculated. The depth and location of the minimum in the interaction depend strongly on the NPs’ charge. For certain parameters, the depth of the attractive well can reach 8–10 kBT, indicating that kinetic arrest and aggregation of the NPs due to electrostatic interactions is possible. Rich behavior arises from the geometric constraints of counterion packing ...
The Gender Pray Gap Wage Labor and the Religiosity of High-Earning Women and Men

Social scientists agree that women are generally more religious than men, but disagree about whether the differences are universal or contingent on social context. This study uses General Social Survey data to explore differences in religiosity between, as well as among, women and men by level of individual earned income. Extending previous research, I focus on high earners with other groups included for comparison. Predicted probabilities based upon fully interacted models provide four key findings: (1) There are no significant gender differences among high earners; (2) high-earning women are less religious than low-earning women; (3) high-earning men are more religious than low-earning men; and (4) differences among women and among men at different earnings levels are just as large as average differences between women and men. Further analyses demonstrate that the relationship between gender, earnings, and religiosity varies by race. The findings demonstrate the utility of intersectional approaches for ...
Research on State Monitoring Technology for Nuclear Power Plant

This paper introduced the research status of state monitoring and fault diagnosis of nuclear power equipment at home and abroad;summarized the methods of state monitoring of large-scale machinery and the common failure of nuclear power equipment;analyzed the existing problems in state monitoring.
Changes in U.S. consumer response to food safety recalls in the shadow of a BSE scare

Abstract In December 2003, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was discovered in the United States. This food safety event received extensive media coverage and prompted changes in regulatory controls. Using a panel selection model, we show that prior to December 2003, ground beef recalls had no impact on household purchases of ground beef, even for households that were located in the recall-defined geographic areas. However, we find robust evidence that the 2003 BSE event caused a change in the way people view and respond to recalls of ground beef, a change that persisted for at least two years following the BSE event. The average impact of a ground beef recall in the post-BSE period is a 0.26 lb per person reduction in retail purchases of ground beef. A decline in purchases of this magnitude would result in over $97 million in losses to the beef industry in a two week period following a nationwide recall. This dwarfs the economic impacts of directly removing recalled beef from supply chains and provides FSIS increased regulatory power due to higher overall industry costs associated with food safety violations.
Assessing surgeon behavior change after anastomotic leak in colorectal surgery

Abstract Background Recency effect suggests that people disproportionately value events from the immediate past when making decisions, but the extent of this impact on surgeons' decisions is unknown. This study evaluates for recency effect in surgeons by examining use of preventative leak testing before and after colorectal operations with anastomotic leaks. Materials and methods Prospective cohort of adult patients (≥18 y) undergoing elective colorectal operations at Washington State hospitals participating in the Surgical Care and Outcomes Assessment Program (2006-2013). The main outcome measure was surgeons' change in leak testing from 6 mo before to 6 mo after an anastomotic leak occurred. Results Across 4854 elective colorectal operations performed by 282 surgeons at 44 hospitals, there was a leak rate of 2.6% (n = 124). The 40 leaks (32%) in which the anastomosis was not tested occurred across 25 surgeons. While the ability to detect an overall difference in use of leak testing was limited by small sample size, nine (36%) of 25 surgeons increased their leak testing by 5% points or more after leaks in cases where the anastomosis was not tested. Surgeons who increased their leak testing more frequently performed operations for diverticulitis (45% versus 33%), more frequently began their cases laparoscopically (65% versus 37%), and had longer mean operative times (195 ± 99 versus 148 ± 87 min), all P Conclusions Recency effect was demonstrated by only one-third of eligible surgeons. Understanding the extent to which clinical decisions may be influenced by recency effect may be important in crafting quality improvement initiatives that require clinician behavior change.
Faith and Spirituality in the Workplace: A Jewish Perspective

This chapter provides a brief introduction to some central concepts in Judaism that have relevance for work. Topics covered include the holiness of work, the concept of work as a spiritual gymnasium, the importance of shifting from greed to abundance in the business world, a spiritual understanding of difficulties as the chastenings of love, and the centrality of gratitude and service. This chapter concludes with suggestions for staying on the path through three practices of avodah: work, service, and prayer.
What can we learn from Occupy’s failure?

Occupy Wall Street was the first mass movement in many years to raise the issue of economic equality and political corruption. It spread rapidly through hundreds of American communities and changed the terms of political life. The reasons for its initial success, and for its ultimate failure, are profoundly important for political affairs and for the American left. Its initial success was a direct result of the silence of the nation’s voluntary organizations, political leaders and press in focusing attention on the stagnation of incomes and accompanying upward distribution of wealth that have permanently shaped American society for a generation. The incapacity or unwillingness of the political class, the press and “civil society” to raise this issue in a general and comprehensive fashion left the door open for a vigorous social movement to take the lead. Occupy Wall Street was that movement. But its ultimate failure was a function of its initial strength. Drawing power from a utopian and anarchistic impulse, OWS refused to engage with the established political system. Fearful of being coopted and of engaging with power, its leaders articulated three guiding principles that made it impossible for the movement to follow through on its original positions. Horizontalism, abstention from politics and prefiguration were decidedly antipolitical positions that were rooted in a moral stance and refused to engage with the established institutions of practical life. Having raised the issues of inequality and corruption in a particularly urgent and compelling fashion, OWS deliberately refused to do something about them. In the end, this refusal made common cause with the same forces that it had been denouncing. The Civil Rights, antiwar and women’s movements all understood the importance of addressing society as a whole and proposing comprehensive critiques that could mobilize large numbers of people. Their leaders knew how important political institutions and state power were, and their movement’s successes resulted from their willingness to act politically. OWS’s ultimate failure is an object lesson in how important it is to take positions, engage in debate, and fight for change. There is no substitute for organization, discipline, and authority in public life. Like it or not, existing institutions provide the only context for meaningful public action.
Minimal clinically important difference of voice handicap index-10 in vocal fold paralysis

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS The Voice Handicap Index-10 (VHI-10) is commonly used to measure patients' perception of vocal handicap. Clinical consensus has previously defined clinically meaningful improvement as a decrease ≥5. This study determines the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for VHI-10 in patients with unilateral vocal fold paralysis (UVFP) using anchor-based methodology. STUDY DESIGN Prospective cohort questionnaire analysis. METHODS Two hundred eighty-one UVFP patients completed the VHI-10 on two consecutive visits (within 3 months). At the follow-up visit, patients answered an 11-point Global Rating of Change Questionnaire (GRCQ) scored from -5 to +5. Relationship between the GRCQ and change in VHI-10 was quantified using analysis of variance, and MCID for the VHI-10 was determined using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. RESULTS Overall mean VHI-10 change was -3.71 (standard deviation [SD] = 8.89) and mean GRCQ was 1.37 (SD = 2.51). Average interval between measurements was 1.73 months (SD = 0.83). Mean changes in VHI-10 scores were -7.45, -0.53, and +4.40 for patients whose GRCQ scores indicated improvement, no change, and worsening, respectively. Differences between mean scores were statistically significant (P < .001). Area under the ROC curve was 0.80, demonstrating the classification accuracy of VHI-10 change scores. A VHI-10 change of -4 was determined to be the optimal threshold that discriminated between improvement and no improvement (sensitivity and specificity 0.62 and 0.88, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The MCID for improvement in VHI-10 in UVFP patients is a decrease of 4. This information improves understanding of patients' response to treatment and allows comparison between different treatments. Future research should determine MCID for VHI-10 across all voice disorders. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4. Laryngoscope, 128:1419-1424, 2018.
Wrist actigraphy in insomnia

To assess the use of actigraphy in evaluating insomnia, 36 patients with a serious complaint of insomnia slept 3 nights each in the laboratory, where the usual polysomnograms (PSGs) were obtained as well as actigraphic assessments of their sleep. Patients also wore actigraphs for 7 days at home, were extensively interviewed and filled out psychometric tests. Based on all this information, the patients were then diagnosed according to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders. Averaged over the 3 nights for each insomniac, the mean discrepancy between actigram and PSG was 49 minutes per night. In three-fourths of the cases, actigram and PSG agreed to within 1 hour on the total amount of sleep per night. Discrepancies, however, were not random: In patients with psychophysiologic insomnia and in insomnia associated with psychiatric disease, the actigram typically overestimated sleep when compared with the PSG. In patients with sleep-state misperception, the actigram was either quite accurate or it underestimated sleep when compared with the PSG. Comparing laboratory with home sleep, one-third of all insomniacs slept better in the laboratory and two-thirds slept better at home. In addition, night-by-night variability was higher at home than in the laboratory. Based on our study, we now recommend actigraphy as an additional tool in the clinical evaluation of insomnia, but we believe that in complex cases it should be combined with 1 PSG night in the sleep disorders center.
Gamma Imaging-Guided Minimally Invasive Breast Biopsy: Initial Clinical Experience.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our initial experience with gamma imaging–guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy in women with abnormal findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS. A retrosp...
Assessing Liver Function in Critically Ill Patients

Liver function can be assessed by two broad categories of tests – static and dynamic. Traditionally static tests such as bilirubin, transaminases, albumin and coagulation factors amongst others have been used to assess liver function. Static tests are used to determine extent of hepatocellular injury, type of jaundice, monitor function in liver disease or as part of scoring systems such as the Model for End Stage Liver Disease (MELD). Dynamic tests are perhaps appropriate for critically ill patients because of their ability to detect changes in liver function quickly. Dynamic tests assess liver function by determining hepatic ability to eliminate or metabolize defined substances over time. They can be repeated and provide a more global assessment of liver function.
Academic mestizaje: Embracing Hispanicity in the humanities at Hispanic Serving Institutions

Through a combination of large-scale data analysis and analysis of culturally responsive ways of embracing Latino students, we provide insight on the work of three Hispanic Serving Institutions in ...
Evolution in Humans of Macro-level Social Stratification and Language

Modern humans and chimpanzees had a common ancestor, perhaps as recently as five million years ago. We may infer from the behavior of living primates that this ancestor was highly social, living in primary (face-to-face) groups sufficiently small in size — say 100 people — so that members knew and responded to one another as individuals, and they communicated through gestures and vocalizations [Mazur 1973]. Interaction within each group was structured by a fairly stable dominance hierarchy based on age and sex classes, kinship, and individual differences, with high ranked members enjoying more power, influence, and valued prerogatives than low ranked members. Neither material capital nor cultural tradition were very cumulative, so different groups of our common ancestors, living thousands of years and miles apart, looked pretty much alike.
A Data Communication Model with Packets

We consider a storage model for data communication in which (i) the input process (X, J) = {X(t), J(t),t ≥ 0} is a Markov-compound Poisson process on R+ x e, e being a countable state space; (ii) the demand for transmission arises at a rate d(j) when J is in state j; and (iii) the storage policy is to meet the demand if physically possible.
Ballistic Impact Behaviors of GLARE 5 Fiber-Metal Laminated Plates

In this study, GLARE 5 fiber-metal laminated (FML) plates of dimensions: 152.4 × 101.6 mm (6″ × 4″) with various stacking sequences and thicknesses were impacted by a 0.22 caliber bullet shaped projectile using a high-speed gas gun. The effect of stacking sequence was considered for the GLARE 5 (3/2) panels with cross-ply [0°/90°]s, unidirectional [04°], angle-ply [±45°]s and quasi-isotropic [0°/±45°/90°] lay-up orientations; whereas, the thickness effect was studied for the GLARE 5 cross-ply panels. The experimentally obtained incident projectile impact velocities versus the residual velocities were plotted for each type of specimen. The data were then fitted numerically according to the classical Lambert-Jonas equation for the determination of the ballistic limit velocity, V50. The 3D dynamic nonlinear finite element (FE) code, LS-DYNA, was used to validate the experimental results. Good agreement between experimental and FE results was obtained.
Abstract WP198: Trends of Racial Disparity in Stroke Hospitalization Rate and Hospital Charges in the Buckle of Stroke Belt In the Past Decade (2001-2010)

Background: Racial disparities in stroke patients have been well documented but trends of disparity in the past decade are not clear. This study aims to determine whether racial disparities changed in South Carolina between African Americans (AAs) and Caucasian Americans (CAs) in stroke hospitalization rates and hospital charges from 2001 to 2010. Methods: From the state uniform billing hospital discharge database, patients discharged with a primary diagnosis of stroke from 2001 to 2010 were identified. Age, race, stroke subtype, group-specific stroke hospitalization rates, and hospital charges were compared over the 10 years period. Results: There were 89,357 stroke hospitalizations from 2001 to 2010. Stroke hospitalization rates decreased in all age-race groups but less significant in younger groups. Rates were persistently higher for AAs in all age groups, but the racial disparity was more pronounced in the younger group across all stroke subtypes. The highest disparity exists in the 35-45 year old group with intracerebral hemorrhage. Ten year hospital charges totaled $3.0 billion; 39.0% ($1171.0 million) of this total were attributable to racial disparities, 88.6% ($1037.9 million) is from the Conclusions: Racial disparities in stroke hospitalization rates are more severe in the younger age groups and result in significant economic consequences for the state.
Investigating the Relationship Between Climate and Valley Fever (Coccidioidomycosis).

Valley fever (coccidioidomycosis) is a disease caused by inhalation of spores from the soil-dwelling Coccidioides fungal species. The disease is endemic to semiarid areas in the western USA and parts of Central and South America. The region of interest for this study, Kern County, California, accounts for approximately 14% of the reported valley fever cases in the USA each year. It is hypothesized that the weather conditions that foster the growth and dispersal of the fungus influence the number of cases in the endemic area. This study uses regression-based analysis to model and assess the seasonal relationships between valley fever incidence and climatic variables including concurrent and lagged precipitation, temperature, Palmer Drought Severity Index, wind speed, and PM10 using data from 2000 to 2015. We find statistically significant links between disease incidence and climate conditions in Kern County, California. The best performing seasonal model explains up to 76% of the variability in fall valley fever incidence based on concurrent and antecedent climate conditions. Findings are consistent with previous studies, suggesting that antecedent precipitation is an important predictor of disease. The significant relationships found support the “grow and blow” hypothesis for climate-related coccidioidomycosis incidence risk that was originally developed for Arizona.
Stent-based revascularization for complex lesions in PAD

Peripheral artery disease (PAD) burdens a significant number of adult Americans and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The Transatlantic Inter-Society Consensus II (TASC II) guidelines standardize the degree of disease burden in individual vessel segments by assigning grades correlating to the complexity of lesion intervention. We sought data regarding endovascular approaches to lower extremity PAD in TASC C/D lesions in patients with claudication. Published data in these patients have demonstrated success in terms of procedural success, quality of life metrics, and intermediate to long-term primary patency rates. However, data have suffered from several methodological shortcomings including enrollment of heterogenous patient populations, inconsistent outcome reporting, and lack of appropriate control groups. The majority of data is positive in favor of using stent-based revascularization in both the aorto-iliac and femoral-popliteal arteries. Additionally, continual technological evolution in the field has resulted in a growing armamentarium for the endovascular operator beyond balloon angioplasty that aids in the success of endovascular intervention to these complex lesions.
Assessing Adults for ADHD: A Systematic, Evidence-Based Protocol

ADHD is a childhood disorder. However, recent research suggests that some individuals have challenges that persist well into adulthood. Some adults may have had ADHD during childhood but were not diagnosed at that time. The need to diagnosis ADHD in adults exists. This article presents a model for the assessment of ADHD in adults, based on the five criteria in the DSM and using documents and other pre-existing childhood information to make the diagnosis during adulthood.
Chapter 13 – Social Behavior, Cooperation, and Kinship

When do animals cooperate with each other and when does each animal act in its own selfish interests? This is the key question underlying the study of social behavior. Social groups include extended families, within which the animals hold genetic interests in common that may shape their social interactions. Other types of social groups include schools, flocks, and herds in which members of many families may come together. Social network analysis is an important tool in identifying how animals in groups interact. Kin selection is a major explanation for why animals might, at times, behave in ways that put themselves at risk but benefit family members. Aid-giving behavior may sometimes be explained by selection acting on the group, rather than individual animals. Eusocial groups, defined as having members that do not reproduce but rather serve as workers to benefit others in the group, are among the most ecologically successful organisms on earth.
A deep convolutional neural network based approach for vehicle classification using large-scale GPS trajectory data

Abstract Transportation agencies are starting to leverage increasingly-available GPS trajectory data to support their analyses and decision making. While this type of mobility data adds significant value to various analyses, one challenge that persists is lack of information about the types of vehicles that performed the recorded trips, which clearly limits the value of trajectory data in transportation system analysis. To overcome this limitation of trajectory data, a deep Convolutional Neural Network for Vehicle Classification (CNN-VC) is proposed to identify the vehicle’s class from its trajectory. This paper proposes a novel representation of GPS trajectories, which is not only compatible with deep learning models, but also captures both vehicle-motion characteristics and roadway features. To this end, an open source navigation system is also exploited to obtain more accurate information on travel time and distance between GPS coordinates. Before delving into training the CNN-VC model, an efficient programmatic strategy is also designed to label large-scale GPS trajectories by means of vehicle information obtained through Virtual Weigh Station records. Our experimental results reveal that the proposed CNN-VC model consistently outperforms both classical machine learning algorithms and other deep learning baseline methods. From a practical perspective, the CNN-VC model allows us to label raw GPS trajectories with vehicle classes, thereby enriching the data and enabling more comprehensive transportation studies such as derivation of vehicle class-specific origin-destination tables that can be used for planning.
Left Atrial Strain Impairment Precedes Geometric Remodeling as a Marker of Post-Myocardial Infarction Diastolic Dysfunction.

Abstract Objectives The aims of this study were to test the magnitude of agreement between echocardiography (echo)- and cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR)–derived left atrial (LA) strain and to study their relative diagnostic performance in discriminating diastolic dysfunction (DD) and predicting atrial fibrillation (AF). Backgrounds Peak atrial longitudinal strain (PALS) is a novel performance index. Utility of echo-quantified LA strain has yet to be prospectively tested in relation to current DD guidelines or compared to CMR. Methods The study population comprised 257 post-myocardial infarction (MI) patients undergoing echo and CMR, including prospective derivation (n = 157) and clinical validation (n = 100) cohorts. DD was graded on echo using established consensus guidelines blinded to strain results. Results PALS on both echo and CMR was nearly 2-fold lower among patients with versus no DD (p 0.05). Echo and CMR PALS yielded small differences irrespective of orientation and similar diagnostic performance for DD in the derivation (area under the curve [AUC]: 0.70 to 0.78) and validation (AUC: 0.75 to 0.78) cohorts. Impaired PALS on both modalities was independently associated with MI size (p Conclusions Echo-derived PALS parallels results of CMR, yields incremental diagnostic utility versus LA geometry for stratifying presence and severity of DD, and improves prediction of AF and congestive heart failure after MI.
Analysis of benzodiazepines by thermal desorption direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (TD-DART-MS)

One of the several classes of novel psychoactive substances (NPSs) that present analytical challenges for forensic chemists is benzodiazepines. Like other NPS classes, the emergence of new compounds within this class continues, creating a need for the development of new techniques and methods that allow for rapid detection and identification of these compounds in forensics laboratories. This work investigates the use of thermal desorption direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (TD-DART-MS) as a tool for the rapid and sensitive detection of benzodiazepines. A suite of 19 benzodiazepines were investigated to determine their representative responses. The limits of detection (LODs) for these compounds were found to range from 0.05 ng to 8 ng. Competitive ionization studies highlighted that the detection of these compounds in the presence of cutting agents and low amounts of heroin was possible. Additionally, the presence of three complex background matrices that are common in trace detection applications (artificial fingerprint residues, dirt, and plasticizers) was investigated and was shown to have a minimal effect on the detection of these compounds. TD-DART-MS was demonstrated as a potentially powerful tool for rapid on-site or laboratory-based screening.