cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Longitudinal Behavioral Economic Analysis of Non-medical Prescription Opioid Use Among College Students

Despite the growing opioid epidemic in the US, few studies have identified theoretically based risk factors for non-medical prescription opioid (NMPO) use among young adults. The goal of the current study was to evaluate the behavioral economic hypotheses that NMPO use would be associated with lower levels of reinforcement from substance-free activities and future time orientation. Participants were 71 undergraduate students (62% women, 52.1% Caucasian, 35.2% African American) who either reported past-year NMPO use or demographically similar control participants with no past-year drug use. Participants provided information on alcohol and drug use, completed three measures of substance-free reinforcement (time allocation to exercise and academic activities, hedonic response to substance-free pleasant images, and self-report anhedonia), and a measure of future orientation, at baseline, 6-month, and 12-month follow-up. Consistent with nationwide trends, most NMPO users also reported use of marijuana (94%) and alcohol (80%). Compared to no drug use, NMPO use was associated with lower time allocation to academic activities, lower hedonic response to pleasant images, greater self-reported anhedonia, and lower future orientation across the 12-month study period. Among NMPO users, greater positive hedonic response to substance-free pleasant images predicted less alcohol use at 12-month follow-up, and greater baseline future orientation predicted less marijuana and NMPO use at 12-month follow-up. These findings provide partial support for behavioral economic models that link substance misuse to diminished levels of substance-free reinforcement and lower consideration of the future.
Synaptogenesis: When Long-Distance Relations Become Intimate

Neurons in brain talk to each other at synapses which connect neurons into vast communicating synaptic circuits. Synapses are specialized intercellular junctions that are diverse and dynamic. The number, locations, and distinct functional properties of synapses confer onto synaptic circuits an enormous complexity that is essential for information processing by these circuits. Insight into how synaptic connections in such circuits are specified represents a multifaceted problem that includes four interrelated questions: 1. How does a neuron identify the correct target neurons for synapse formation? 2. How does a neuron form a synapse on specific parts of that target neuron, e.g., distal dendrites or axon hillocks? 3. How is the decision reached, whether to keep or to discard a given synapse after it has been formed? 4. How is the functional diversity of synapses generated and controlled? Clearly synapse formation means more than just establishing contacts, and includes specification of the dynamics and types of these synaptic contacts. Although much remains to be clarified, the available data suggest that axonal pathfinding is a major component in establishing synaptic specificity, that initial formation of synapses is fueled by mechanisms that involve multiple cell adhesion molecules, and that the development of synaptic properties and use of a synapse are crucial in the decision about whether or not a synapse survives.
A robust algorithm for detecting people in overhead views

In this research a human detection system is proposed in which people are viewed from an overhead camera with a wide angle lens. Due to perspective change a person can have different orientations and sizes at different positions in the scene relative to the optical centre. We exploit this property of the overhead camera and develop a novel algorithm which uses the variable size bounding boxes with different orientations, with respect to the radial distance of the center of the image. In these overhead view images we neither used any assumption about the pose or the visibility of a person nor imposed any restriction about the environment. When compare the results of proposed algorithm with a standard histogram of oriented gradient (HOG) algorithm, we achieve not only a huge gain in overall detection rate but also a significant improvement in reducing spurious detections per image. On average, 9 false detections occur per image. A new algorithm is proposed where transforming the image patch containing a person to remove positional dependency and then applying the HOG algorithm eliminates 98% of the spurious detections in noisy images from an industrial assembly line and detects people with a 95% efficiency.
A Systematic Review of the Effects of Polyols on Gastrointestinal Health and Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Polyols are sugar alcohols found in certain fruits, vegetables, and sugar-free sweeteners. They make up a component of the diet low in fermentable oligosaccharides, disaccharides, monosaccharides, and polyols, which is gaining popularity in the treatment of patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). We conducted a systematic review to evaluate the effects of polyols on the gastrointestinal tract in healthy men and women and in patients with IBS. Utilizing PubMed, Ovid, and Embase databases, we conducted a search on individual polyols and each of these terms: fermentation, absorption, motility, permeability, and gastrointestinal symptoms. Standard protocols for a systematic review were followed. We found a total of 1823 eligible articles, 79 of which were included in the review. Overall, available work has shown that polyol malabsorption generally occurs in a dose-dependent fashion in healthy individuals, and malabsorption increases when polyols are ingested in combination. However, studies in patients with IBS have shown conflicting results pertaining to polyol malabsorption. Polyol ingestion can lead to intestinal dysmotility in patients with IBS. Regarding the microbiome, moderate doses of polyols have been shown to shift the microbiome toward an increase in bifidobacteria in healthy individuals and may therefore be beneficial as prebiotics. However, data are limited regarding polyols and the microbiome in patients with IBS. Polyols can induce dose-dependent symptoms of flatulence, abdominal discomfort, and laxative effects when consumed by both healthy volunteers and patients with IBS. Further research is needed to better understand the effects of specific polyols on gastrointestinal function, sensation, and the microbiome in health and gastrointestinal disorders such as IBS.
Re: Editorial by Professors Brodbelt and Flint

Andrew R. Brodbelt & Graham Flint (2017): Ehlers Danlos, Complex Chiari and cranio-cervical fixation: how best should we treat patients with hypermobility? British Journal of Neurosurgery. DOI: 10....
Changes in School Food Preparation Methods Result in Healthier Cafeteria Lunches in Elementary Schools

Introduction The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of a districtwide food best practices and preparation changes in elementary schools lunches, implemented as part of the LiveWell@School childhood obesity program, funded by LiveWell Colorado/Kaiser Permanente Community Health Initiative. Methods Longitudinal study examining how school changes in best practices for food preparation impacted the types of side items offered from 2009 to 2015 in elementary school cafeterias in a high-need school district in southern Colorado. Specifically, this study examined changes in side items (fruits, vegetables, potatoes, breads, and desserts). In Phase 1 (2009-2010), baseline data were collected. During Phase 2 (2010-2011), breaded and processed foods (e.g., frozen nuggets, pre-packaged pizza) were removed and school chefs were trained on scratch cooking methods. Phase 3 (2011-2012) saw an increased use of fresh/frozen fruits and vegetables after a new commodity order. During Phase 4 (2013-2015), chef consulting and training took place. The frequency of side offerings was tracked across phases. Analyses were completed in Fall 2016. Because of limited sample sizes, data from Phases 2 to 4 (intervention phases) were combined for potatoes and desserts. Descriptive statistics were calculated. After adjusting for length of time for each phase, Pearson chi-square tests were conducted to examine changes in offerings of side items by phase. Results Fresh fruit offerings increased and canned fruit decreased in Phases 1-4 (p=0.001). A significant difference was observed for vegetables (p=0.001), with raw and steamed vegetables increasing and canned vegetables decreasing from Phase 1 to 4. Fresh potatoes (low in sodium) increased and fried potatoes (high in sodium) decreased from Phase 1 to Phases 2-4 (p=0.001). Breads were eliminated entirely in Phase 2, and dessert changes were not significant (p=0.927). Conclusions This approach to promoting healthier lunch sides is a promising paradigm for improving elementary cafeteria food offerings. Supplement information This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Community Health.
Adolescent trends in the late 20th century: fad or societal alienation?

Since teens are engaging in a variety of body modifications at increasingly early ages, health care providers should be aware of the extent and the possible harm of these activities. This article reviews the historical context, medical uses, and risks of tattooing and other forms of body modification. There is little historical precedent for the extent of body piercing as carried out by the youth today. Body building is also practiced in excess. There is little legislative control of body modification other than for tattooing. The need for even young adolescents to improve their appearance and self-esteem with such extreme and even risky measures is evidence of a regressive trend in our culture. Language: en
How Confirmation Bias Affects Novice Programmers in Testing and Debugging: Research Strategies and Implications for Tools

Learning to be a skilled programmer involves the acquisition of skills in many areas, such as program design, comprehension, generation, program debugging and program testing. Among novice programmers, testing and debugging appear to be particularly problematic. We believe that software testing and debugging involve processes of hypothesis generation and verification. As such, we feel that confirmation bias is likely to be manifest in both testing and debugging.
Epilepsy and employment: the Americans with Disabilities Act and its protections against employment discrimination

People with epilepsy often encounter discrimination. Some cultures have established prohibitive laws limiting access to employment, restricting marriage, and denying driving privileges. It is not enough to repeal such laws. Legislation, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), is needed to provide protections against discriminatory practices. The definitions and standards of the law provide clear guidance to employers and workers with disabilities regarding their rights and responsibilities in the workplace. The ADA is proving to be an effective means of addressing allegations of employment discrimination brought forward by people with seizure disorders, although it has not increased the number of people with disabilities who are employed. However, in combination with rehabilitation counseling and employer education, legislative protection can assist people with epilepsy to be more successful in their pursuit of employment opportunities.
The Language of Conditional Probability

Statistical terms are accurate and powerful but can sometimes lead to misleading impressions among beginning students. Discrepancies between the popular and statistical meanings of “conditional” ar...
An Evidence-Based Approach to Casting and Orthosis Management of the Pediatric, Adolescent, and Young Adult Population for Injuries of the Upper Extremity: A Review Article.

OBJECTIVE Review the use of upper-extremity orthoses and casts after injuries to the wrist and hand in the pediatric, adolescent, and young adult population. The common injuries reviewed include pediatric distal radius fractures, scaphoid fractures, metacarpal fractures, mallet fingers, volar plate injuries of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joint, and ulnar collateral ligament (UCL) tears of the thumb metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint. DATA SOURCES We conducted a literature review from 1985 to 2016 of upper-extremity orthotic interventions. Non-English language citations and animal studies were excluded. Citations from retrieved studies were used to identify other relevant publications. This review included cases of common injuries to the upper extremity, which required orthotic intervention. MAIN RESULTS Immobilization recommendations for nonsurgical pediatric distal radius fractures, nonsurgical metacarpal fractures, mallet fingers, and UCL tears of the thumb MCP include a removable orthosis. Nondisplaced scaphoid fracture orthosis recommendations include initial immobilization in a nonremovable short-arm thumb spica cast. Volar plate injuries of the PIP joint require buddy straps for healing. CONCLUSIONS The literature demonstrates the effectiveness of removable orthoses in healing, patient satisfaction, and time to return to activity after many common upper-extremity injuries. Removable orthoses should be considered an equal or superior treatment method to cast immobilization, immobilization of additional joints, or longer periods of immobilization.
Hermite Polynomials

We give an elementary proof that a transformation based on the Hermite polynomials preserves the property of having all real roots.
Editorial: Special Issue on Wind Applications Part 1

The 11 papers in this special issue focus on several topics of interest concerning wind energy and wind power generation.
Single-Stage Multiport Capacitive-Link Universal Power Converter as a Solid-State Transformer for Nanogrid and Microgrid Applications

This paper presents a single-stage capacitive-ac-link multiport power converter, which can function as an interface for interconnection of different types of sources and loads, dc or ac, in multi-input/multi-output systems and solid-state transformer (SST) applications. The proposed single-stage converter topology can actively manage the power flow between the sources and loads. This converter transfers the energy through a small high frequency capacitive-ac-link, which eliminates the need for electrolytic capacitors. If galvanic isolation is required a compact high frequency transformer can be added to the link. In this paper, a multiport system with a three-phase ac input source, one three-phase ac load, one photovoltaic (PV) source, and one battery energy storage system is considered to investigate and study different power flow scenarios in the proposed converter. The simulation and experimental results verify the promising features of the proposed single-stage topology as a multiport converter.
Las secciones sindicales en la negociación colectiva: convenios colectivos erga omnes y control sindical

This article's main objective is to address the issue of collective bargaining through trade union sections, as part of the essential content of the fundamental right of freedom to form and join a trade union. To achieve this aim, a legislative and case-law analysis which is based on some examples of problems resulting from this kind of issue has been made. This analysis will be related with information and trade union control rights. From the above, it is concluded that there is a need to foster the trade union control of enterprises using collective bargaining. In order to analyse these effects, a number of different proposals have been shown.
The effects of a brief mindfulness intervention on basketball free-throw shooting performance under pressure

Brief mindfulness training can improve cognitive performance under pressure; however, no studies have examined the effects of mindfulness on athletic performance under pressure. Participants in the...
Laboratory Models of Diseases Altering Ureteral Hydrodynamics

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on several laboratory models of diseases altering ureteral hydrodynamics. The simplest anatomic examples of abnormalities in the ureter that alter peristalsis are the immobile segment, a defect bridged by a plastic tube, a fibrotic segment, and a ureter encased in a periureteral fibrosis. Ureteral stricture is a constricted aperistaltic segment that acts as a physiological dam to increase the resistance through that segment and, eventually, to diminish the maximum flow rate. It tends to elevate the intraluminal pressure above the point of obstruction and to distend the ureteral segment proximal to the stricture. The ureter at the level of the obstruction develops inflammatory edema, followed by proliferative changes to form a ureteral bar, fibrotic inflammatory tissues, and then a scar. Below the calculus, the ureter is empty, unstimulated, and inactive. A model or schema can be synthesized from these various conditions to summarize the factors modifying the pathophysiologic effects of ureteral obstructions with renal, ureteral, and intraluminal factors.
Trade Rage: Audience Costs and International Trade:

Politicians frequently issue public threats to manipulate tariffs but only sometimes follow through. This behavior theoretically ought to generate audience costs. We therefore test the validity of ...
Unstructured tree search on SIMD parallel computers: a summary of results

The authors present methods for load balancing of unstructured tree computations on large-scale SIMD (single-instruction multiple-data) machines and analyze the scalability of these and other schemes. An efficient formulation of tree search on a SIMD machine comprises two major components: (i) a triggering mechanism, which determines when the search space redistribution must occur to balance search space over processors; and (ii) a scheme to redistribute the search space. The authors devised a redistribution mechanism and a triggering mechanism. Either of these can be used in conjunction with triggering and redistribution mechanisms developed by other researchers. The authors analyze the scalability of these mechanisms. The results are verified experimentally. The analysis and experiments show that the novel load balancing methods are highly scalable on SIMD architectures. Their scalability is shown to be no worse than that of the best load balancing schemes on MIMD (multiple-instruction multiple-data) architectures. The authors verified their theoretical results by implementing the 15-puzzle problem on a CM-2 SIMD parallel computer.
Gender Matters: The Effects of Gender and Segmentation Preferences on Work-to-Family Conflict

Many employees work under a family sacrifice climate, facing employer pressure to put the demands of work before the demands of family and leading to increased work-to-family conflict. This climate...
Do improved cookstoves save time and improve gender outcomes? Evidence from six developing countries

Abstract Three billion people around the world lack access to affordable and reliable clean cooking energy. The case for clean energy has largely been built around health and or environmental benefits, neglecting potentially sizeable benefit(s): when households have clean energy, they can save time and reduce drudgery. Clean energy can reduce poverty. But how large are time savings from the adoption and use of improved cookstoves (ICS)? Do these benefits accrue especially to women? To answer these questions, we develop a conceptual framework based on household production, and then employ two complementary empirical methods. First, we review the impact evaluation literature that estimates time savings from use of various ICS. Second, we conduct multivariable regression analysis of Multi-Tier Framework (MTF) data from six countries to estimate the impacts of ICS on time spent on cooking. The review and econometric estimation offer consistent evidence that ICS can help households save time, but the estimated savings vary across locations, technologies, and study methods. Time savings (i) are consistent across both rural and urban areas, (ii) are greatest for fuel collection and preparation (rather than cooking), (iii) accrue to both women and men, and (iv) are highest for more advanced technologies and fuels (like electricity, LPG, and biogas). Overall, our pooled econometric estimates suggest that ICS use leads households to save about 34 min per day. Our estimate is lower than the average of estimates in the literature (68 min/day), but not so different from the average among a lower cluster of estimates (29 min/day). While our work illuminates shortcomings inherent in current research on this topic, our results constitute an important first step towards advancing the practice of quantification of time savings from household energy interventions.
The Intersection of Sexual and Racial/Ethnic Identity Centrality and Mental Well-Being among Black and Latinx Sexual Minority Adults:

Studies document how identity related processes, including identity centrality, shape mental well being. More research, however, is needed that considers how identity centrality impacts well being ...
Surplus Ceramides: An Added Twist in the Tale of TREM2 and Insulin Resistance.

Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2) is highly expressed by innate immune cells and has been implicated in a variety of diseases, including Alzheimer disease, cancer, and diabetes. TREM2 binds a wide array of ligands signaling tissue damage (1), including pathogenic lipids, which can elicit highly variable effects (both in terms of magnitude and direction) on downstream signaling pathways in a ligand-specific manner (2). Given the importance of pathogenic lipids and myeloid cells in obesity and diabetes, there has been considerable interest in elucidating the role of TREM2 in disease progression. Metabolic studies in mice globally overexpressing TREM2 (3) or in mice with global TREM2 knockout ( Trem2 −/−) (4,5) both reported increased body weight gain and exacerbated insulin resistance. Thus, the relationship between TREM2 and insulin resistance has proven complicated, and the mechanism(s) underlying its effects on metabolic disease require further elucidation to help develop a therapeutic approach. In this issue of Diabetes , Sharif et al. (6) identify ceramides, a class of sphingolipids, as an important link between TREM2 and insulin resistance (measured by the insulin tolerance test). Ceramides play a role in membrane integrity, cellular stress responses, inflammation, and apoptotic signaling, and elevated ceramide levels have been implicated in numerous metabolic pathologies (7). Using a metabolomics approach, the authors demonstrate elevated serum ceramide levels in Trem2 −/− mice at baseline and during diet-induced obesity (DIO) relative to wild-type …
RNASeq‐derived transcriptome comparisons reveal neuromodulatory deficiency in the CO2 insensitive brown Norway rat

Key points Increases in carbon dioxide (CO2) provide a major chemical stimulus to breathe through activation of the ventilatory CO2 chemoreflex, which is heavily influenced by the brainstem serotonergic (5-HT) system. Brown Norway (BN) rats have an inherent and extremely low ventilatory sensitivity to hypercapnia, which can be augmented with selective serotonin reuptake inhibition. Using mRNA sequencing, we show that BN rats have reduced medullary raphe expression of multiple 5-HT neuron-specific genes, predictive of lower monoamine levels by informatics pathway analyses and confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography measurements. BN rats also showed reduced thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) expression, where injections of the TRH analogue Taltirelin caused greater increases in baseline ventilation, body temperature and the ventilatory CO2 chemoreflex in BN rats compared to control Sprague–Dawley rats. These data establish a molecular basis of a neuromodulatory deficiency in BN rats, and further suggest an important functional role for TRH signalling in the mammalian CO2 chemoreflex. Abstract Raphe-derived serotonin (5-HT) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) play important roles in fundamental, homeostatic control systems such as breathing and specifically the ventilatory CO2 chemoreflex. Brown Norway (BN) rats exhibit an inherent and severe ventilatory insensitivity to hypercapnia but also exhibit relatively normal ventilation at rest and during other conditions, similar to multiple genetic models of 5-HT system dysfunction in mice. Herein, we tested the hypothesis that the ventilatory insensitivity to hypercapnia in BN rats is due to altered raphe gene expression and the consequent deficiencies in raphe-derived neuromodulators such as TRH. Medullary raphe transcriptome comparisons revealed lower expression of multiple 5-HT neuron-specific genes in BN compared to control Dahl salt-sensitive rats, predictive of reduced central nervous system monoamines by bioinformatics analyses and confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography measurements. In particular, raphe Trh mRNA and peptide levels were significantly reduced in BN rats, and injections of the stable TRH analogue Taltirelin (TAL) stimulated breathing dose-dependently, with greater effects in BN versus control Sprague–Dawley rats. Importantly, TAL also effectively normalized the ventilatory CO2 chemoreflex in BN rats, but TAL did not affect CO2 sensitivity in control Sprague–Dawley rats. These data establish a molecular basis of the neuromodulatory deficiency in BN rats, and further suggest an important functional role for TRH signalling in the mammalian CO2 chemoreflex.
Photo‐Induced Ring Expansion of 1‐Triisopropylsilyloxy‐1‐Azidocyclohexane: Preparation of ε‐Caprolactam

E-Caprolactam R 1-Triisopropylsilyloxycyclohexene I 1-Triisopropylsilyloxy-1-azidocyclohexane P E-Caprolactam Keywords: esters, silyl; azides; addition, to CC; esters, silyl; silylation; amides; photochemical reactions; rearrangements; cyclohexanone; triethylamine
Phase-field simulation of interdiffusion microstructure containing fcc-γ and L12-γ′ phases in Ni–Al diffusion couples

Abstract Evolution of interdiffusion microstructures was examined for binary Ni–Al solid-to-solid diffusion couples using two-dimensional (2D) phase-field simulation. Utilizing semi-implicit Fourier-spectral solutions to Cahn–Hilliard and Allen–Cahn equations, multiphase diffusion couples of fcc Ni solid solution γ vs. L12 Ni3Al solid solution γ′, γ vs. γ + γ′, γ + γ′ vs. γ + γ′ with sufficient thermodynamic and kinetic database, were simulated with alloys of varying compositions and volume fractions of second phase (e.g., γ′). Chemical mobility as a function of composition was used in the study with constant gradient energy coefficient, and their effect on the final interdiffusion microstructure was examined. The microstructures were characterized by the type of boundaries formed, i.e. Type 0, Type I, and Type II, following various experimental observations in literature and thermodynamic considerations. Volume fraction profiles of alloy phases present in the diffusion couples were measured to quantitatively analyze the formation or dissolution of phases across the boundaries. Kinetics of dissolution of γ′ phase was found to be a function of interdiffusion coefficients that can vary with composition and temperature.
Student Evaluation of College Teaching Effectiveness: a brief review

ABSTRACT This paper presents a brief review of the existing research on student written evaluations of the teaching performance of college and university instructors. First, a short historical background is given. Next, arguments are presented which have been advanced for and against the use of student written evaluations as a valid indicator of teaching effectiveness, followed by a discussion of various background characteristics which have been thought to influence student ratings. Student and faculty reaction to the use of student ratings is discussed, and finally suggestions for further investigation are given.
Social Estrangement Factors Associated with Income Generation Among Homeless Young Adults in Three U.S. Cities

AbstractThis study examines social estrangement factors associated with 3 forms of income generation used by homeless young adults: formal sources (i.e., full-time, part-time, temporary employment), informal sources (e.g., selling personal possessions, selling drugs, theft, prostitution), and the combination of formal and informal sources. A sample of 601 homeless young adults was recruited from 3 cities (Los Angeles, CA [n = 200], Austin, TX [n = 200], and Denver, CO [n = 201]) to participate in semi-structured interviews. A multinomial logistic regression model is used to assess whether demographic, homelessness history, arrest history, transience, peer substance use, antisocial personality disorder, and substance use disorder variables predict involvement in the 3 forms of income generation as compared with participants who report no work-related income. Homeless young adults who earn income through formal sources are differentiated from those who report no work-related income by 2 variables: gender an...
Obstructive Sleep Apnea Is Associated With Future Subclinical Carotid Artery Disease Thirteen-Year Follow-Up From the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort

Objective— To determine the longitudinal associations between obstructive sleep apnea, carotid artery intima-media thickness (IMT), and plaque. Approach and Results— This is a population-based, prospective cohort study conducted from July, 1989, to November, 2012, on 790 randomly selected Wisconsin residents who completed a mean of 3.5 (range, 1–6) polysomnograms during the study period. Obstructive sleep apnea was characterized by the apnea–hypopnea index (AHI, events/h). Common carotid artery IMT and plaque were assessed by B-mode ultrasound. The mean (SD) time from the first polysomnograms to carotid ultrasound was 13.5 (3.6) years. Multivariable regression models were created to estimate the independent associations of baseline and cumulative obstructive sleep apnea exposure with subsequent carotid IMT and plaque. At baseline, the mean age of participants was 47.6 (7.7) years (55% men, 97% white). AHI was 4.4 (9.0) events/h (range, 0–97); 7% had AHI >15 events/h. Carotid IMT was 0.755 (0.161) mm; 63% had plaque. Adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, smoking, and use of lipid-lowering, antihypertensive, and antidiabetic medications, baseline AHI independently predicted future carotid IMT (β=0.027 mm/unit log 10 [AHI+1]; P =0.049), plaque presence (odds ratio, 1.55 [95% confidence intervals, 1.02–2.35]; P =0.041) and plaque score (odds ratio, 1.30 [1.05–1.61]; P =0.018). In cumulative risk factor–adjusted models, AHI independently predicted future carotid plaque presence ( P =0.012) and score ( P =0.039), but not IMT ( P =0.608). Conclusions— Prevalent obstructive sleep apnea is independently associated with increased carotid IMT and plaque more than a decade later, indicating increased future cardiovascular disease risk.
Renal Replacement Therapies in the Elderly: Part II. Renal Transplantation

The United States end-stage renal disease (ESRD) population is growing progressively older. As a percentage of the overall ESRD population, the number of patients 65 years of age and older approached 40% by 1989. However, the percentage of ESRD patients with a functioning transplant was only 2.7% in this age group. Success of transplantation in geriatric ESRD patients over the last decade is due to improved patient selection as well as the use of cyclosporine A and lower doses of corticosteroids, with the achievement of 1-year patient and graft survival rates of 85% and 75%, respectively. For patients older than 60 or 65 years, the 5-year "functional" graft survival is 55% to 60%. Although overall results are excellent, the management of transplantation in the elderly requires an understanding of pharmacology, immunology, and physiology peculiar to this age group. Since the elderly have a degree of immune incompetence, they require less aggressive immunotherapy. Elderly patients have decreased hepatic enzyme activity, especially the P450 system, and therefore require a lower cyclosporine dose. Although elderly patients experience less rejection episodes than younger patients, graft loss in the elderly transplant recipient is due mainly to patient death. Most common causes of death in the elderly transplant recipient are cardiovascular disease and infection related to peaks of immunosuppression. Shortage of cadaver kidneys and limited life expectancy of the geriatric ESRD patient make allocation of cadaver kidneys to patients over 70 years (and even 65 years) a controversial issue and an ethical dilemma. Use of elderly cadaver donors (over 55 to 60 years) is associated with inferior success rates and is not an optimal solution to shortage of cadaver kidneys.
Maternal perinatal risk factors and child abuse

A retrospective matched pair study was designed to compare maternal perinatal factors such as abnormal pregnancy history and labor and delivery experience in families who subsequently were reported as physically abusive to one or more of their children as compared to non-abusive families. The study population consisted of the mothers of 532 children reported to the Baltimore (Maryland) Department of Social Services as physically abused during the years 1975-77. The comparison group was handmatched to the study group from State of Maryland birth certificates on the basis of the abused child's birth year and sex, maternal race, education and hospital of delivery. The study population was 67% black with a mean maternal education of 10.5 completed years. The abused children were 59% male with 48% less than 2 years of age. Results indicated that selected medical definitions of abnormal pregnancy, labor and delivery did not identify families at differential risk of maltreatment. However, mothers in maltreating families were younger, had shorter birth intervals, less prenatal care and were significantly more likely to have had a stillbirth or reported abortion or a prior child death. Study limitations are addressed as are suggestions for future research.
On the classification of planar monomials over fields of square order

Abstract Let F q be a finite field of characteristic p and F q [ X ] denote the ring of polynomials in X over F q . A polynomial f ∈ F q [ X ] is called a permutation polynomial over F q if f induces a bijection of F q under substitution. A polynomial f ∈ F q [ X ] is said to be planar over F q if for every non-zero a ∈ F q , the polynomial f ( X + a ) − f ( X ) is a permutation polynomial over F q . Planar polynomials have only been classified over prime fields, whereas the problem of classifying planar monomials has only been completely resolved over fields of order p and p 2 . In this article we study planar monomials over fields of square order, obtaining a complete classification of planar monomials over fields of order p 4 .
Free β-hCG Subunit Versus Intact hCG in Down Syndrome Screening

Abstract Objective: To assess the ability of second-trimester maternal serum free β-hCG to detect fetal Down syndrome and to compare free β-hCG to intact hCG in the multiple-marker screening test for Down syndrome. Methods: From our bank of stored maternal sera, we selected 40–50 samples from euploid pregnancies at each week of gestation from 14 to 20 weeks and 31 samples from Down syndrome pregnancies. Free β-hCG was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and week-specific multiples of the median (MoM) were derived. The free β-hCG Down syndrome detection and false-positive rates were determined. Free β-hCG was then substituted for intact hCG in the multiple-marker screening test, and the Down syndrome detection and false-positive rates at various risk cutoffs were compared. Results: The mean (± standard deviation) maternal age of all study samples was 35.6 ± 5.3 years. The mean Down syndrome free β-hCG MoM was significantly higher than the mean euploid MoM (2.4 ± 1.1 versus 1.2 ± 1.0; P Conclusion: Elevated free β-hCG levels identify Down syndrome pregnancies. Replacing intact hCG with free β-hCG in the multiple-marker screening test results in a higher Down syndrome detection rate at a lower false-positive rate.
Cardiac MRI for assessment of myocardial perfusion: Current status and future perspectives

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has recently been applied successfully to the assessment of myocardial perfusion. Cardiac MRI offers potential advantages over radioisotopic techniques because it provides superior spatial resolution, does not use ionizing radiation, and has no imaging orientation constraints. Current MRI perfusion approaches measure the alteration of regional myocardial magnetic properties after the intravenous injection of contrast agents. Several studies have validated the ability of perfusion MRI to detect the presence of significant coronary artery stenoses by detecting decreased signal intensity upslope or reduced maximal enhancement in the ischemic territories. Perfusion MRI has also been shown to assess accurately the extent of injury after a myocardial infarction and the presence of myocardial viability. With the introduction of newer contrast media, technologic improvements on MRI hardware and software, and the enhancement of quantitative analysis, MRI is likely to become a clinical tool for assessment of myocardial perfusion imaging in the near future.
The paronym defect and verbal abstraction.

Summary Certain aphasics lose the normal facility of recognizing and correctly associating particular sounds or words that are imbedded in different sound sequences. The manifestation of this failure, which is a form of anomia, is called the paronym defect. The existence of this defect supports the view that although words are fundamental to the conventions of written language, they are not the unitary basic elements of speech from which larger units of spoken language are synthesized. We have also been able to show the relevance of the paronym defect to punning behavior, and suggested certain analogues between visual processes and the mechanism of speech.
The Continuous Rhythmic Mid-Temporal Discharge

This case report is of a 15-year-old male who was sent for an EEG because of possible staring spells and a learning disability. At times written examinations in school were successfully completed and at other times the patient would write only his name. In two EEGs 1 month apart during hyperventilation, Rhythmic Mid-Temporal Discharges (RMTD) were activated and appeared continuously for 84 minutes and in the second instance for 140 minutes. No maneuvers could modify the pattern and no clinical changes were reported by the patient. Discussion includes another similar case recently published and the need to test such patients in some way to see the subtle clinical changes that likely do occur. One compromise for the name of this pattern might be Rhythmic Mid-Temporal Epileptiform Activity (RMTEA), avoiding the term discharge, which implies a seizure state that has not yet been established.
Minimum Bayes Risk t-Intervals for Multiple Comparisons

Abstract The purpose is to develop interval estimates for differences between treatment means which, when used for testing, would be equivalent to the Waller-Duncan k-ratio rule for multiple comparisons. First the intervals are derived from a family of extended k-ratio Bayes testing rules (exchangeable priors and additive linear losses). Then the intervals are shown to be Bayes also (same priors and squared-error losses). Particularly striking is the dependence of width and location on the between-treatments F-ratio rather than the number of treatments. As F decreases the new k-ratio t-intervals shrink in width and shift toward zero.
Effect of adsorbed fibronectin concentration on cell adhesion and deformation under shear on hydrophobic surfaces.

To facilitate tissue integration with biomaterials proteins and peptides frequently are immobilized on the biomaterial surface. In particular, extracellular matrix proteins—which interact specifically with integrin adhesion receptors on the cell surface—can stimulate initial cell attachment by serving both as a ligand for receptor-mediated attachment and as a stimulant of focal adhesion formation and cytoskeletal reorganization. Consequently, the strength of cell adhesion should depend both on the strength of cell/surface contacts and cytoskeleton-dependent properties of the cell (i.e., morphology, compliance). To examine this dual role of extracellular matrix proteins, murine fibroblasts were seeded onto self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) of dodecanethiolate coated with 0 to 0.45 μg/cm2 of fibronectin (Fn) and then detached by hydrodynamic shear using a radial-flow chamber (RFC). Cell adhesion was characterized in terms of the critical wall shear stress for detachment (τwc), and the compliance was evaluated from measurements of cell displacement and elongation as a function of the fibronectin concentration. Critical wall shear stress and cell displacement were found to be insensitive to Fn at concentrations below 0.23 μg/cm2 while above this threshold τwc increased and displacement decreased with increasing Fn concentration. Elongation of the cells in the direction of flow was independent of Fn concentration, but correlated linearly with τwc for Fn densities below 0.23 μg/cm2. These studies show that Fn concentration affects both τwc and cell displacement under shear, and that τwc is sensitive to cell compliance. In addition, they suggest that the dominant mechanism of cell detachment from hydrophobic substrates involves cell displacement. © 2001 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 59: 665–675, 2002
Football and Freshmen Retention: Examining the Impact of College Football on Institutional Retention Rates.

Student retention has been one of the more researched topics in the study of American higher education over the past 20 years (Braxton, Hirschy, & McClendon, 2004; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005). Ve...
The toxicology literature of 2011: issues impacting the emergency physician

Annane D, Chadda K, Gajdos P, et al. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy for acute domestic carbon monoxide poisoning: two randomized controlled trials. Intensive Care Med. 2011;37(3):486–492. Carbonmonoxide (CO) is a colorless and odorless gas that is formed during incomplete combustionof carbonproducts. Clinical effects canbe nonspecific and range from malaise, headache, and nausea to more severe effects such as myocardial suppression, coma, and multisystem organ failure. Carbon monoxide is considered the leading cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. Treatment of CO poisoning includes supplemental oxygen, but the use of hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) remains controversial. Prior research regarding the use of HBO in CO poisoning is confounding as patient populations differ as do specific HBO treatment protocols. Hyperbaric oxygen is known to reduce the half-life of carboxyhemoglobin by 5-fold, but the benefit is unclear. A study in 2002 by Weaver et al [1] showed a decrease in delayed neurologic sequelae at 6 and 12months in thehyperbaric group compared with the normobaric (NBO) group. However, other studies have shown nobenefit and even potential harmwith the use of HBO [2]. In an attempt to further define the role of HBO in the CO-poisoned patient, the authors of this study conducted 2 randomized controlled trials to evaluateHBOvsNBOforCOpoisoning. The studywasdivided into 2 trials: Trial A included noncomatose patients, and trial B included comatose patients. Patients were randomized to groups as diagrammed below. Normobaric oxygen was given through a facemask or ventilator with a fraction of inspired oxygen of 100%. Hyperbaric oxygen sessions were of 2 hours' duration in amultiplace chamberwith aplateaupressure of 2 atmospheres absolute. A total of 385 patients were enrolled in the study: 179 patients in trial A and 206 patients in trial B.
Glioblastoma multiforme in a patient with a small cell lung cancer: Case report

Glioblastoma multiforme is the most common adult malignant rain tumor. In most patients, a systemic lesion such as one in the ung in conjunction with a single brain lesion suggests metastatic isease to the central nervous system(CNS) since lungcancers comonly yield metastasis to the brain [1]. Even primary brain tumors uchasGBMcanyieldmetastasis to the lung [2], although this is less ommon. In fact, patients with a known primary malignancy and a NS lesion less than 3 cm are considered for empirical radiosurgial treatment of the cranial lesion [3–5], with an assumption that he brain lesion represents metastatic disease. In this manuscript, e discuss a case of a patient presenting with a single large brain esion and a lung lesion where the pathology of the brain lesion on urgical resectionwas GBM and the pathology of the lung lesion on iopsy was SCLC.
Two active sites for photocatalytic oxidation of formic acid on TiO2: Effects of H2O and temperature

Photocatalytic oxidation (PCO) of formic acid on TiO2 produces CO2 without forming any long-lived intermediates. Formic acid PCO is not limited by surface diffusion of either formic acid or active oxygen species. The formic acid oxidation rate increases significantly with temperature up to 373 K, which was the highest temperature used in this study. At least two types of active sites exist for PCO of formic acid on TiO2 and their activities differ by a factor of at least 20. The more-active sites comprise less than one-fourth of a room-temperature formic acid monolayer. Water, which is produced during PCO, redistributes adsorbed formic acid by displacement. Water readily displaces approximately one-third of a formic acid monolayer but it does not effectively compete for the remaining formic acid adsorption sites.
Finite source Erlang based queueing systems: complementarity, equivalence and their implications☆

Abstract In this paper, numerous complementary and equivalence relationships between various Erlang based queueing systems are established. It is shown that some of the recently reported results are a trivial consequence of the more general results presented here. The implications of these relationships are discussed. It is concluded that these relationships not only facilitate solutions to many Erlang based queueing systems, but also provide greater insight into such systems. An example is also provided.
Lessons From the Past: A Brief History of the Influence of Social, Economic, and Scientific Factors on Infant Feeding

Abstract This paper is a historical review of the social, political, and economic factors that have influenced infant feeding. In addition, the paper traces the development of the scientific evidence used to support infant-feeding practices. The paper concludes with a discussion of current issues that have an impact on infant-feeding practices and provides suggestions for health care providers to consider when working with mothers.
Fretting fatigue behavior in 7075-T6 aluminum alloy

Abstract Fretting fatigue conditions play an important role in a surface degradation and debris formation; sometimes, these conditions are neglected but are important in some applications, such as the aerospace industry and orthopedic implants. The objective of this study was to understand the fretting fatigue behavior in 7075-T6 aluminum alloy by characterization of fretting damage zones to gain insight into the nucleation of crack(s). Results showed that fretting degradation depends on the microstructure of the material. The differences in microstructure between two thicknesses of 7075-T6 aluminum alloy (1.6 and 4.06 mm) seem to hold the key to understanding fretting damage formation, pit to crack transition and crack propagation.