cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Changes in Anger in Relationship to Responsivity to PTSD Treatment.

This study examined the clinical course of different dimensions of anger and their relationship to change in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a sample of 139 female survivors of interpersonal violence suffering from PTSD. Specifically, this study evaluated differences in the rates of change in anger dimensions by responsivity to treatment status (responders, non-responders, and drop-outs). Responders and non-responders did not differ in rate of change on state anger and anger directed inward, suggesting that treatment led to improvements in these dimensions of anger regardless of final PTSD diagnosis. Responders did evidence statistically significantly more change in trait anger and control over one's anger than did the non-responders, suggesting that changes in these dimensions of anger may be related to recovery from PTSD. Individuals who terminated therapy prematurely did not experience the same gains in state anger, trait anger, or anger-in as those who completed treatment. Differences in rates of change (linear versus quadratic growth patterns), particularly with respect to continued improvement in anger following treatment completion are discussed. Language: en
Self-supporting boron films

Abstract A method has been developed by which 50 μg/cm2 self-supporting boron films can be rather routinely prepared. The foils are easily removed from the substrate.
Grains in the Atmospheres of Red Giant Stars

Model atmospheres for cool giant stars are usually computed with detailed equation of state and opacity calculations that include many molecular species. We show that models of oxygen-rich stars with effective temperatures below 3000 K must also include dust grains. The effects of dust condensation in the equation of state and on the opacity must be included to obtain accurate temperature structures and spectra.
Body tensor formalism in finite deformation elasticity part I: Description and constitutive equation

In this work one developes the body tensor formalism for homogeneous, isotropic elastic materials. This formalism is general and not limited to small deformations. One derives the constitutive equation which relates the stress to the strain with the help of the two Lame coefficients and the third order elastic constants.
College level choice of Latino high school students: A social cognitive approach.

Latino students attend 2-year colleges more often than 4-year colleges. This has an impact on the rate of bachelor's degree attainment, because the transfer rate between the 2 levels is low. The author uses national data to identify predictors associated with college-level choice and then uses social-cognitive career theory (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) to frame counseling implications. Los estudiantes Latinos se matriculan con mas frecuencia en estudios universitarios de 2 anos que en estudios de 4 anos. Esto produce un impacto en el porcentaje de obtencion de licenciaturas, porque la tasa de transferencia entre ambos niveles es baja. El autor emplea datos a nivel nacional para identificar predictores asociados con la eleccion del nivel de estudios universitarios, y despues emplea la teoria social cognitiva de las carreras (Lent, Brown, & Hackett, 1994) para formular las implicaciones para la consejeria.
Spatial and temporal patterns of dust emissions (2004–2012) in semi-arid landscapes, southeastern Utah, USA

Abstract Aeolian dust can influence nutrient availability, soil fertility, plant interactions, and water-holding capacity in both source and downwind environments. A network of 85 passive collectors for aeolian sediment spanning numerous plant communities, soil types, and land-use histories covering approximately 4000 square kilometers across southeastern Utah was used to sample horizontal emissions of aeolian sediment. The sample archive dates to 2004 and is currently the largest known record of field-scale dust emissions for the southwestern United States. Sediment flux peaked during the spring months in all plant communities (mean: 38.1 g m −2 d −1 ), related to higher, sustained wind speeds that begin in the early spring. Dust flux was lowest during the winter period (mean: 5 g m −2 d −1 ) when surface wind speeds are typically low. Sites dominated by blackbrush and sagebrush shrubs had higher sediment flux (mean: 19.4 g m −2 d −1 ) compared to grasslands (mean: 11.2 g m −2 d −1 ), saltbush shrublands (mean: 10.3 g m −2 d −1 ), and woodlands (mean: 8.1 g m −2 d −1 ). Contrary to other studies on dust emissions, antecedent precipitation during one, two, and three seasons prior to sample collection did not significantly influence emission rates. Physical site-scale factors controlling dust emissions were complex and varied from one vegetation type to another.
Ewing's Sarcoma and Second Malignancies

Ewing's sarcoma (ES) is a rare tumor that is most common in children and young adults. Late effects of ES therapy include second cancers, a tragic outcome for survivors of such a young age. This paper will explore the frequencies and types of malignancies that occur after ES. Additionally, it will review how second malignancies have changed with the shift in treatment from high-dose radiation to chemotherapy regimens including alkylators and epipodophyllotoxins. The risk of additional cancers in ES survivors will also be compared to survivors of other childhood cancers. Finally, the possible genetic contribution to ES and second malignancies will be discussed.
Case studies in storage access by loosely coupled petascale applications

A large number of real-world scientific applications can be characterized as loosely coupled: the communication among tasks is infrequent and can be performed by using file operations. While these applications may be ported to large scale machines designed for tightly coupled, massively parallel jobs, direct implementations do not perform well because of the large number of small, latency-bound file accesses. This problem may be overcome through the use of a variety of custom, hand-coded strategies applied at various subsystems of modern near-petascale computers- but is a labor intensive process that will become increasingly difficult at the petascale and beyond. This work profiles the essential operations in the I/O workload for five loosely coupled scientific applications. We characterize the I/O workload induced by these applications and offer an analysis to motivate and aid the development of programming tools, I/O subsystems, and filesystems.
IKK-dependent, NF-κB-independent control of autophagic gene expression

The induction of mammalian autophagy, a cellular catabolic bulk-degradation process conserved from humans to yeast, was recently shown to require IκB kinase (IKK), the upstream regulator of the nuclear factor (NF)-κB pathway. Interestingly, it was shown that this response did not involve NF-κB. Thus, the mechanism by which IKK promotes stimulus-induced autophagy is largely unknown. Here, we investigate the role of IKK/NF-κB in response to nutrient deprivation, the well-understood autophagy-inducing stimulus. IKK and both the classic and non-canonical pathways of NF-κB are robustly induced in response to cellular starvation. Notably, cells lacking either catalytic subunit of IKK (IKK-α or IKK-β) fail to induce autophagy in response to cellular starvation. Importantly, we show that IKK activity but not NF-κB controls basal expression of the proautophagic gene LC3. We further demonstrate that starvation induces the expression of LC3 and two other essential autophagic genes ATG5 and Beclin-1 in an IKK-dependent manner. These results indicate that the IKK complex is a central mediator of starvation-induced autophagy in mammalian cells, and suggest that this requirement occurs at least in part through the regulation of autophagic gene expression. Interestingly, NF-κB subunits are dispensable for both basal and starvation-induced expression of proautophagic genes. However, starvation-induced activation of NF-κB is not inconsequential, as increases in expression of antiapoptotic NF-κB target genes such as Birc3 are observed in response to cellular starvation. Thus, IKK likely has multiple roles in response to starvation by regulating NF-κB-dependent antiapoptotic gene expression as well as controlling expression of autophagic genes through a yet undetermined mechanism.
Genomic island genes in a coastal marine Synechococcus strain confer enhanced tolerance to copper and oxidative stress

Highly variable regions called genomic islands are found in the genomes of marine picocyanobacteria, and have been predicted to be involved in niche adaptation and the ecological success of these microbes. These picocyanobacteria are typically highly sensitive to copper stress and thus, increased copper tolerance could confer a selective advantage under some conditions seen in the marine environment. Through targeted gene inactivation of genomic island genes that were known to be upregulated in response to copper stress in Synechococcus sp. strain CC9311, we found two genes (sync_1495 and sync_1217) conferred tolerance to both methyl viologen and copper stress in culture. The prevalence of one gene, sync_1495, was then investigated in natural samples, and had a predictable temporal variability in abundance at a coastal monitoring site with higher abundance in winter months. Together, this shows that genomic island genes can confer an adaptive advantage to specific stresses in marine Synechococcus, and may help structure their population diversity.
Processing and modeling genome-wide expression data using singular value decomposition

We describe the use of singular value decomposition in transforming genome-wide expression data from genes × arrays space to reduced diagonalized “eigengenes” × “eigenarrays” space, where the eigengenes (or eigenarrays) are unique orthonormal superpositions of the genes (or arrays).Normalizing the data by filtering out the eigengenes (and eigenarrays) that are inferred to represent additive or multiplicative noise, experimental artifacts, or even irrelevant biological processes enables meaningful comparison of the expression of different genes across different arrays in different experiments.Sorting the data according to the eigengenes and eigenarrays gives a global picture of the dynamics of gene expression, in which individual genes and arrays appear to be classified into groups of similar regulation and function, or similar cellular state and biological phenotype, respectively.After normalization and sorting, the significant eigengenes and eigenarrays can be associated with observed genome-wide effects of regulators, or with measured samples, in which these regulators are overactive or underactive, respectively.
Quality-of-life perceptions of Japanese part-time farmers

Abstract Japanese agricultural policies have come under increasing attack in recent years for being protectionist. These criticisms are in part based on the untested assumption that small-scale, part-time Japanese farm households benefit to an unreasonable extent from governmental protection of the agricultural sector. This assumption is challenged in this paper with an analysis of survey data on the quality-of-life attitudes of individuals living in farm and non-farm households in nine Japanese hamlets. The data indicate that non-farm householders consider their physical quality of life more positively than part-time farm householders do. The data also demonstrate that non-farm residents in Japan do not feel that part-time farmers should be forced out of agriculture. This is interpreted as indicating that both farm and non-farm residents alike recognize there are few viable lifestyle alternatives currently available to most Japanese part-time farm household residents should they be forced completely out of agriculture.
Generalized Attitude Scales

Resume La technique de Thurstone pour classer les attitudes sur une echelle est theoriquement la plus exacte qu'on ait encore inventee. Elle souffre cependant d'une limitation severe—celle de la grande quantite de travail necessaire pour faire l'echelle. On peut definir et mettre sur l'echelle pratiquement un nombre illimite d'attitudes—dans le sens de Thurstone. N'importe quelle situation, idee, institution, action sociale proposee—n'importe quel phenomene auquel des groupes sociaux peuvent reagir contient les possibilites d'une echelle ou de plusieurs echelles de l'attitude. Il serait tres desirable de rendre pratiquement possible la mesure de beaucoup plus d'attitudes sans sacrifier la rigueur et la precision theorique au fond de la methode developpee par Thurstone. On propose une methode qui n'augmentera pas le travail et qui ne sacrigera pas la rigueur theorique mais qui rendra possible la mesure des attitudes a l'egard de grands groupes d'objets (on emploie ici “objet” dans le sans logique comme opp...
Forecasting stock market prices: Lessons for forecasters *

In recent years a variety of models which apparently forecast changes in stock market prices have been introduced. Some of these are summarised and interpreted. Nonlinear models are particularly discussed, with a switching regime, from forecastable to non-forecastable, the switch depending on volatility levels, relative earnings/price ratios, size of company, and calendar effects. There appear to be benefits from disaggregation and for searching for new causal variables. The possible lessons for forecasters are emphasised and the relevance for the Efficient Market Hypothesis is discussed.
Aspiration pneumonia after chemo-intensity-modulated radiation therapy of oropharyngeal carcinoma and its clinical and dysphagia-related predictors.

Background The purpose of this study was to assess aspiration pneumonia (AsPn) rates and predictors after chemo-irradiation for head and neck cancer. Methods The was a prospective study of 72 patients with stage III to IV oropharyngeal cancer treated definitively with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) concurrent with weekly carboplatin and paclitaxel. AsPn was recorded prospectively and dysphagia was evaluated longitudinally through 2 years posttherapy by observer-rated (Common Toxicity Criteria version [CTCAE]) scores, patient-reported scores, and videofluoroscopy. Results Sixteen patients (20%) developed AsPn. Predictive factors included T classification (p = .01), aspiration detected on videofluoroscopy (videofluoroscopy-asp; p = .0007), and patient-reported dysphagia (p = .02–.0003), but not observer-rated dysphagia (p = .4). Combining T classification, patient reported dysphagia, and videofluoroscopy-asp, provided the best predictive model. Conclusion AsPn continues to be an under-reported consequence of chemo-irradiation for head and neck cancer. These data support using patient-reported dysphagia to identify high-risk patients requiring videofluoroscopy evaluation for preventive measures. Reducing videofluoroscopy-asp rates, by reducing swallowing structures radiation doses and by trials reducing treatment intensity in patients predicted to do well, are likely to reduce AsPn rates. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 36: 120–125, 2014
Stereospecific antennal response by red turpentine beetle, Dendroctonus valens to chiral monoterpenes from ponderosa pine resin.

The antennal response ofDendroctonus valens to host monoterpenes from the resin of ponderosa pine was studied using the electroantennogram (EAG) technique. Male and female beetles were given a single dose of each of 11 different monoterpenes. Response amplitude to the different compounds did not vary between sexes and was generally well correlated with results from field attraction studies. Response to (S)-(−)-β-pinene was greatest. The relative amplitude of the responses to the (R)-(+) and (S)-(−) enantiomers of a-pinene, however, were reversed from their relative attractiveness in the field. A dose-response study was conducted for the (R)-(+) and (S) -(−) enantiomers of a-pinene, plus a reciprocal differential saturation test with successive doses of first one enantiomer ofα-pinene and then the other. Comparison of EAG traces suggests different receptors for the two stereoisomers ofα-pinene. Differential saturation curves suggest that while one set of receptors may respond to both enantiomers, some receptors respond only to the (S)-(−) enantiomer.
scylla and charybde, homologues of the human apoptotic gene RTP801, are required for head involution in Drosophila

We employed robotic methods and the whole-genome sequence of Drosophila melanogaster to facilitate a large-scale expression screen for spatially restricted transcripts in Drosophila embryos. In this screen, we identified a pair of genes, scylla (scyl) and charybde (chrb), that code for dorsal transcripts in early Drosophila embryos and are homologous to the human apoptotic gene RTP801. In Drosophila, both gene products are transcriptionally regulated targets of Dpp/Zen-mediated signal transduction and appear more generally to be downstream targets of homeobox regulation. Gene disruption studies revealed the functional redundancy of scyl and chrb, as well as their requirement for embryonic head involution. From the perspective of functional genomics, our studies demonstrate that global surveys of gene expression can complement traditional genetic screening methods for the identification of genes essential for development: beginning from their spatio-temporal expression profiles and extending to their downstream placement relative to dpp and zen, our studies reveal roles for the scyl and chrb gene products as links between patterning and cell death.
Dynamic data driven coupling of continuous and discrete methods for 3d tracking

We present a new framework for robust 3D tracking, using a dynamic data driven coupling of continuous and discrete methods to overcome their limitations. Our method uses primarily the continuous-based tracking which is replaced by the discrete one, to obtain model re-initializations when necessary. We use the error in the continuous tracking to learn off-line, based on SVMs, when the continuous-based tracking fails and switch between the two methods. We develop a novel discrete method for 3D shape configuration estimation, which utilizes both frame and multi-frame features, taking into account the most recent input frames, using a time-window. We therefore overcome the error accumulation over time, that most continuous methods suffer from and simultaneously reduce the discrete method's complexity and prevent possible multiple solutions in shape estimation. We demonstrate the power of our framework in complex hand tracking sequences with large rotations, articulations, lighting changes and occlusions.
Measuring structural complexity in brain images.

Abstract An information theory based formalism for medical image analysis proposed in Young et al. [Young, K., Chen, Y., Kornak, J., Matson G. B., Schuff, N., 2005. Summarizing Complexity in High Dimensions, Phys. Rev. Lett. 94 098701-1] is described and used to estimate image complexity measures as a means of generating interpretable summary information. An analysis of anatomical brain MRI data exhibiting cortical thinning, currently considered to be a sensitive early biomarker for neurodegenerative diseases, is used to illustrate the method. Though requiring no previous assumptions about the detailed shape of the cortex or other brain structures, the method performed comparably (sensitivity = 0.91) to direct cortical thickness estimation techniques (sensitivity = 0.93) at separating populations in a data set designed specifically to test the cortical thickness estimation algorithms. The results illustrate that the complexity estimation method, though general, is capable of providing interpretable diagnostic information.
Isolation of thermophiles from broadleaf tobacco and effect of pure culture inoculation on cigar aroma and mildness.

Thermophilic members of the genus Bacillus isolated from fermented Connecticut broadleaf tobacco included eight strains of B. subtilis, five strains of B. coagulans, four strains of B. megaterium, and three strains of B. circulans. Some of these strains in pure single or mixed culture were employed to enrich the normal thermophile flora of “sweating” tobacco. Three strains of B. subtilis and one of B. circulans, either in single or multiple enrichment, caused the more rapid appearance of a pleasing aroma in Pennsylvania “Wrapper B” filler tobacco. These conclusions are based on subjective reactions of professional testers after numerous blindfold smoking tests.
Nonlinear Compensation Using Backpropagation for Polarization-Multiplexed Transmission

Digital backpropagation (BP) is a universal method for jointly compensating dispersion and nonlinear impairments in optical fiber and is applicable to signals of any modulation format. In this paper, we compare single carrier (SC) versus orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) for polarization-multiplexed transmission. We show that at realistic data rates and transmission distances, polarization mode dispersion does not significantly degrade the performance of BP and can be mitigated by a post-BP linear equalizer. Dispersion unmanaged transmission can significantly reduce nonlinearity, and in this transmission regime, SC and OFDM have similar nonlinear tolerance. Multichannel BP is effective at mitigating interchannel nonlinearity for point-to-point links.
A molecular model to explain paclitaxel and docetaxel sensitivity changes through adduct formation with primary amines in electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

The objective of this study was to adopt a molecular modeling approach to understand changes in signal intensity due to adduct formation with short-chain alkylamines for two anticancer agents, paclitaxel and docetaxel, during electrospray mass spectrometric analysis. We describe a simple and intuitive modeling procedure using a comparison of hydropathic interaction (HINT) scores to explain differences in responses of amine adducts formed with the two analytes. The responses of paclitaxel and docetaxel were generally enhanced considerably (up to approximately 500% in some instances) on adding the amines. However, for the docetaxel adduct formed with added decylamine in the mobile phase, the response dropped by 32%. A mechanistic understanding for this behavior is proposed, and binding scores calculated from corresponding molecular models were found to be consistent with the trend obtained from mass spectrometric data.
Predictive Game Theory

Game theory is used in a variety of field inside and outside of social science. The standard methodology is to write down a description of the game and characterize its Nash or subgame perfect equilibria, but this is only sometimes a good approximation of observed behavior. The goal of predictive game theory is to develop models that better predict actual behavior in the field and in the lab. Core questions include: What determines people’s behavior the first time they play an unfamiliar game? When are social or altruistic preferences important, and what do people believe about other people’s social preferences? How do people update their play based on their observations? What sorts of “theories of mind,” if any, are commonly used to guide play? How do people think about games with a very large number of actions- what sort of “pruning” is involved? When will play resemble an equilibrium of the game, and which equilibrium will tend to emerge? Similarly, in a decentralized matching market, when will play converge to a stable outcome, and which one? To develop answers, researchers will need to combine insights from behavioral economics and psychology with formal modeling tools from economics and computer science.
Child-Centered Group Play Therapy with African American Boys at the Elementary School Level.

Culturally sensitive counseling interventions are needed for African American boys in elementary school. Two important components of counseling African American boys are honoring the African worldview and building self-confidence. Child-centered group play therapy is a common intervention for elementary school children. In this article, the authors describe how child-centered group play therapy with African American boys at the elementary school level honors the African worldview and facilitates their self-confidence. Counseling implications and recommendations for research are discussed.
Shrinkage estimation of the realized relationship matrix.

The additive relationship matrix plays an important role in mixed model prediction of breeding values. For genotype matrix X (loci in columns), the product XX′ is widely used as a realized relationship matrix, but the scaling of this matrix is ambiguous. Our first objective was to derive a proper scaling such that the mean diagonal element equals 1+f, where f is the inbreeding coefficient of the current population. The result is a formula involving the covariance matrix for sampling genomic loci, which must be estimated with markers. Our second objective was to investigate whether shrinkage estimation of this covariance matrix can improve the accuracy of breeding value (GEBV) predictions with low-density markers. Using an analytical formula for shrinkage intensity that is optimal with respect to mean-squared error, simulations revealed that shrinkage can significantly increase GEBV accuracy in unstructured populations, but only for phenotyped lines; there was no benefit for unphenotyped lines. The accuracy gain from shrinkage increased with heritability, but at high heritability (> 0.6) this benefit was irrelevant because phenotypic accuracy was comparable. These trends were confirmed in a commercial pig population with progeny-test-estimated breeding values. For an anonymous trait where phenotypic accuracy was 0.58, shrinkage increased the average GEBV accuracy from 0.56 to 0.62 (SE < 0.00) when using random sets of 384 markers from a 60K array. We conclude that when moderate-accuracy phenotypes and low-density markers are available for the candidates of genomic selection, shrinkage estimation of the relationship matrix can improve genetic gain.
TOWARDS A SELF-EXTENDING PARSER

This paper discusses an approach to incremental learning in natural language processing. The technique of projecting and integrating semantic constraints to learn word definitions is analyzed as implemented in the POLITICS system. Extensions and improvements of this technique are developed. The problem of generalizing existing word meanings and understanding metaphorical uses of words is addressed in terms of semantic constraint integration.
A Cost-Benefit Analysis of RSV Prophylaxis in High-Risk Infants

OBJECTIVE:To determine the cost and benefit of using RSV-IG and palivizumab as prophylactic therapy against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)–associated illness in high-risk infants.METHODS:A nonrandomized, retrospective, cohort control study was conducted comparing the outcomes of patients who received either RSV-IG or palivizumab therapy against RSV during the 1998–1999 RSV season with patients identified from the 1994–1995 RSV season who would have been eligible to receive prophylaxis had either agent been available at that time. Medical record reviews were conducted to gather data regarding the costs associated with both the administration of the prophylactic drugs and the treatment of RSV-associated hospitalizations in both groups. Decision analysis was used to determine the average cost per patient for both groups. A cost—benefit analysis was then conducted to determine the return on investment, if any, for the use of these drugs. A sensitivity analysis was also conducted to determine the robustness...
PRESSURE DEPENDENCE OF THE SUPERCONDUCTING TRANSITION TEMPERATURES IN La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 TO 8 GPa

Pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature in La1.85Sr0.15CuO4 has been measured to 8 GPa using a diamond anvil cell. The experimental results are discussed within the conventional electron-phonon model of superconductivity.
Exploring the Role of Communication Competence in Abusive Supervision

In this article, we propose and test a model of downward abusive communication. According to the model, a superior’s display of abusive communication toward his or her subordinates is caused by a l...
Medical Applications of Accelerators

Accelerator technology has been significantly developed and enhanced as a result of the need for better microscopes in physics research. Applications of accelerator technology have also resulted in its enhancement.
Creating and Sustaining Information Networks: The Role of the Professional Association and Learned Society in the United States

Technology has created an exceptionally rich information environment, but the ability of virtually anyone with access to the web to become a content provider is raising important questions for how we value, preserve, and collect information and generate knowledge. In these circumstances, the role of the non-governmental learned society may evolve into becoming a platform provider or moderator so that the user might find assurance that what is being generated is of a sufficient quality to be relied upon. This may not only influence use of the information, but also the sharing of information since potential contributors may also wish assurance that they are part of a sufficiently respected enterprise with which to be associated.
Tight-Binding Initialization for Generating High-Quality Initial Wave Functions: Application to Defects and Impurities in GaN

We describe a new method that allows an efficient construction of high-quality initial wavefunctions which are required as input for iterative total-energy methods. The key element of the method is the reduction of the parameter space (number of wavefunctions) by about two orders of magnitude by projecting the plane-wave basis onto an atomic basis. We show that the wave functions constructed within this basis set are very close to the exact plane-wave wavefunctions, resulting in a rapid total-energy convergence.
Chronic kidney disease in children and adolescents

1. Susan F. Massengill, MD* 2. Maria Ferris, MD, MPH, PhD† 1. *Director, Pediatric Nephrology, Levine Children’s Hospital, Adjunct Associate Professor of Pediatrics, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Charlotte, NC. 2. †Director, Pediatric Dialysis and Transplant Programs, UNC Kidney Center, Founder and Director, The UNC Children’s Hospital TRxANSITION Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. * Abbreviations: 1,25(OH)2 D: : 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D ACE: : angiotensin-converting enzyme CKD: : chronic kidney disease CKiD: : Chronic Kidney Disease in Children CVD: : cardiovascular disease eGFR: : estimated glomerular filtration rate ESKD: : end-stage kidney disease GFR: : glomerular filtration rate HCT: : health care transition MBD: : metabolic bone disease Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a devastating diagnosis with many co-morbidities, increasing the risk of mortality 30 to 150 times that of the general pediatric population. Recognition of at-risk children can lead to earlier screening and risk reduction. Primary care clinicians are often unaware of the comorbid conditions and long-term consequences of CKD, particularly with respect to cardiovascular disease, nutrition and growth, neurocognitive development, and burden of disease. After completing this article, readers should be able to: 1. Be aware of the life course of CKD and its co-morbidities. 2. Recall the risk factors and complications of pediatric CKD. 3. Discuss measures to prevent or delay the progression of pediatric CKD. 4. Optimize the communication between the primary care clinician and nephrologist in treating children, adolescents, and young adults with CKD. A 13-month-old toddler new to your practice presents for his 1-year health maintenance visit with poor growth and developmental delay. He is just now sitting without support and appears to have occasional leg pain. He is pale, weighs 7.9 kg, and has a normal blood pressure. The results of laboratory studies are remarkable for anemia (hemoglobin, 9 g/dL [90 g/L]), profound acidosis (carbon dioxide, 12 mEq/L [12 mmol/L]), azotemia (urea nitrogen, 117 mg/dL [41.8 mmol/L]; creatinine, 2.44 mg/dL [216 μmol/L]), and profound hypocalcemia (calcium, 5.6 mg/dL [1.40 mmol/L]), prompting further evaluation where hypocalcemia was confirmed. Urinalysis revealed a specific gravity of 1.005 and proteinuria (1+). Renal ultrasonography revealed bilateral renal hypoplasia. Renal replacement therapy was initiated with peritoneal dialysis, and the patient is on the renal transplantation waiting list. A previously healthy, 14-year-old, African American girl presents with a 3-month history of facial …
Creating Useful Statistics To Audit Transfusion Services

Federal law and accrediting agencies require comprehensive documentation and review of all transactions involved in the collection, manufacture, testing, transfusion, and disposition of blood products. The documentation results in lengthy reports, some of which are shared with the hospital transfusion committee. The blood bank staff uses the data to manage inventory, track disposition of products, monitor budget controls, and project future needs. The difficulty experienced by the transfusion committee members and the blood bank staff with the lengthy and complex tabular display of data prompted us to develop a concise and meaningful graphic display for the data. “Control charts,” tools used in industrial engineering, were used to present monthly statistics graphically. Staff and committee members found the reports much more meaningful.
Summer Camp Program for Children With Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder: Description and Preliminary Observations

Abstract Summer camp programming has a rich history of promoting childhood development. In the care of children with specific childhood psychiatric disorders, the incorporation of targeted cognitive-behavioral principles provides an opportunity to marry targeted evidence-based practices with broader development, in particular social, emotional, and fine- and gross-motor development. This union is synergistic, providing the practitioner with an opportunity to employ cognitive-behavioral practices in an environment that may overcome common barriers to effective interventions outside the scope of the targeted illness. In this paper, the authors describe the preliminary findings concerning a weeklong, 25-hour summer camp program targeting childhood obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Nine children ages 9–12 years participated in this pilot program. Child and parent feedback alike suggested strong treatment acceptability and efficacy in targeting both core symptoms of OCD as well as associated developmental deficits. The camp’s implementation of exposure and response prevention enables an opportunity to report on the capability of employing these strategies in a summer camp setting. In conjunction with an evidence-based treatment program for childhood OCD, a summer camp program specifically targeted for children with OCD presents a valuable tool for improving child welfare and reducing functional impairments.
Investigation on measles antibody level in Huaning county of Yuxi city in 2010

[Objective]To study the implementation status of measles vaccination and serum antibody levels in Huaning county,provide the data for measles elimination with a target date of 2012.[Methods]With stratified cluster sampling,3 townships were randomly sampled from Huaning county,and 3 villages were sampled from each township.There were 8 age groups(under 1 year old,1-3years old,3-5 years old,5-7 years old,7-11 years old,11-15 years old,15-20 years old and over 20 years old),5 or 6 people were involved into each age groups of each village,and total of 382 people were investigated.[Results]Among 382 people,the immunization coverage rate of measles vaccination(at least one dose-time) was 72.51%,and the antibody positive rate was 95.03%.There were significant differences in the immunization coverage rate of measles vaccination and the antibody positive rate among 3 townships(P0.05).The differences in the immunization coverage rate of measles vaccination and the antibody positive rate among different age groups were significant(P0.01),and those in children under 1 year old were low,which was 44.44% and 77.78% respectively.The immunization coverage rate of measles vaccination and the antibody positive rate in males were significantly higher than those in females(P0.05).[Conclusion]The positive rate of measles antibody among population is high in Huaning county,which can effectively control the outbreak caused by imported cases,and good effect of measles control is obtained.
ManeParse : A Mathematica reader for Parton Distribution Functions

Abstract Parton Distribution Functions (PDFs) are essential non-perturbative inputs for calculation of any observable with hadronic initial states. These PDFs are released by individual groups as discrete grids as a function of the Bjorken- x and energy scale Q . The LHAPDF project maintains a repository of PDFs from various groups in a new standardized LHAPDF6 format, additionally older formats such as the CTEQ PDS grid format are still in use. ManeParse is a package that provides access to PDFs within Mathematica to facilitate calculation and plotting. The program is self-contained so there are no external links to any FORTRAN , C or C++ programs. The package includes the option to use the built-in Mathematica interpolation or a custom cubic Lagrange interpolation routine which allows for flexibility in the extrapolation (particularly at small x -values). ManeParse is fast enough to enable simple calculations (involving even one or two integrations) in the Mathematica framework. Program summary Program Title: ManeParse Program Files doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.17632/knbsccggg4.1 Licensing provisions: MIT Programming language: Mathematica Nature of problem: PDFs are currently read and interpolated via a FORTRAN or C++ interface. No method exist to read the LHAPDF6 or CTEQ PDFs directly in Mathematica . Solution method: A Mathematica package reads in LHAPDF6 and CTEQ PDF files. The PDFs are parsed into a three-dimensional array in Bjorken- x , scattering energy Q , and parton flavor, and are stored in memory. Provided functions give access to the PDF, the PDF uncertainty, the PDF correlations, and the parton–parton Luminosities. The LHAPDF6 info files are converted from YAML format into Mathematica rules.
Pitfalls in the Acute Management of Atrial Fibrillation

The evaluation and management of atrial fibrillation is complex, and errors can lead to patient harm. Pitfalls to avoid are numerous—incorrect diagnosis can lead to improper treatment or omission of appropriate therapies, inappropriate management of anticoagulation in atrial fibrillation (AF) places the patient at risk of debilitating stroke or bleeding complications, and injudicious use of antiarrhythmic drug (AAD) therapy can risk dangerous pro-arrhythmic side effects. Furthermore, direct current cardioversion carries its own unique procedural risks. The astute clinician will be aware of potential mistakes and, by avoiding them, will deliver safe and optimal patient care. This chapter will highlight potential errors in AF care.
Biological Evaluation of Boronated Polyamines as Potential Agents for BNCT

The use of BNCT as a cancer treatment modality has been well documented.1,2 The boron-containing delivery agent should be non-toxic, selectively target tumor cells and ideally localize within the nucleus. Various boron-containing analogues of biologically active compounds, such as amino acids, peptides, nucleosides/nucleotides, porphyrins and DNA binder have been synthesized.1 Polyamines, such as spermidine (SPD) and spermine (SPM) are essential for cell growth and cell differentiation in mammals. They interact electrostatically with DNA in a non-specific manner. Their concentration levels are increased in tumor cells, and within such cells, levels are especially high in the nucleus.3,4 In addition, there seems to be a facilitated transport mechanism operative for polyamines into malignant cells.5 For this reason, boron-containing polyamines have been considered as potential BNCT agents.6
Learning to Thrive: Building Diverse Scientists’ Access to Community and Resources through the BRAINS Program

BRAINS: Broadening the Representation of Academic Investigators in NeuroScience is a national program designed to diversify neuroscience by increasing retention of early-career neuroscientists from...
Identification of Pediatric Patients With Celiac Disease Based on Serology and a Classification and Regression Tree Analysis

Background & Aims Celiac disease is detected using serology and endoscopy analyses. We used multiple statistical analyses of a geographically isolated population in the United States to determine whether a single serum screening can identify individuals with celiac disease. Methods We performed a retrospective study of 3555 pediatric patients (18 years old or younger) in the intermountain West region of the United States from January 1, 2008, through September 30, 2013. All patients had undergone serologic analyses for celiac disease, including measurement of antibodies to tissue transglutaminase (TTG) and/or deamidated gliadin peptide (DGP), and had duodenal biopsies collected within the following year. Modified Marsh criteria were used to identify patients with celiac disease. We developed models to identify patients with celiac disease using logistic regression and classification and regression tree (CART) analysis. Results Single use of a test for serum level of IgA against TTG identified patients with celiac disease with 90% sensitivity, 90% specificity, a 61% positive predictive value (PPV), a 90% negative predictive value, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.91; these values were higher than those obtained from assays for IgA against DGP or IgG against TTG plus DGP. Not including the test for DGP antibody caused only 0.18% of celiac disease cases to be missed. Level of TTG IgA 7-fold the upper limit of normal (ULN) identified patients with celiac disease with a 96% PPV and 100% specificity. Using CART analysis, we found a level of TTG IgA 3.2-fold the ULN and higher to most accurately identify patients with celiac disease (PPV, 89%). Multivariable CART analysis showed that a level of TTG IgA 2.5-fold the ULN and higher was sufficient to identify celiac disease in patients with type 1 diabetes (PPV, 88%). Serum level of IgA against TTG in patients with versus those without trisomy 21 did not affect diagnosis predictability in CART analysis. Conclusions In a population-based study, we found that serum level of IgA against TTG can identify patients with celiac disease with PPVs of about 90%. Predictive values increase greatly when levels are markedly above the ULN or when the assay is used in combination with other variables. Measurement of IgG against TTG or DGP does not increase the accuracy of detection of celiac disease based against TTG IgA levels. There is a low risk of false-positive results from serologic analysis in patients with type I diabetes or persistent increases in antibody against TTG on repeat testing.
Critical Evaluation of Nutrition Research

Despite the increasing focus placed on the importance of nutrition for optimal health, nutrition as a science is often criticized in lay media and casual conversation as constantly conflicting with itself, and experts ridiculed for seeming to change their minds. Although there is much that is uncertain about the effects of foods on health, the seeming contradictions can come from misunderstandings of nutrition science. This chapter is designed to be a primer for readers of scientific literature to identify some of the challenges in evaluating what was studied, determining how it was studied, and interpreting what we can conclude from studies. In this chapter, we will consider: challenges in defining exposures and outcomes, oversimplification of complex concepts, differences in causal inference from a variety of study designs, surrogate and hard endpoints, bias, confounding, letting data speak, logical fallacies, and the differences between scientific conclusions and evidence-based decisions. The points discussed herein should help the reader to look at nutrition research with a more critical and discerning eye, which will aid in distinguishing between when scientific findings disagree and when the studies are actually asking distinct questions.
Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy in the Treatment of Spinal Metastases

Patients with metastatic disease including polymetastatic, oligometastatic, and oligorecurrent spinal lesions have extended life expectancy secondary to improvements in systemic agents, and thus require durable local control of spine metastases. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT), which uses highly conformal treatment planning techniques coupled with image-guided technology, has enabled the safe delivery of tumor-ablative doses of radiotherapy. The NOMS decision framework has been developed as a tool to aid in the determination of the optimal treatment of spinal metastases, incorporating radiosurgery, separation surgery, stabilization techniques, and conventional radiation. Tumor radiosensitivity is critical in determining appropriateness of radiosurgery. In general, higher radiation doses provide significant, more durable tumor control, whether single-fraction or hypofractionated regimens are used. Spine SBRT can provide a high likelihood of durable tumor control with very low rates of serious toxicity, and careful attention should be given to dose constraints of organs at risk. Here, we review the indications for spine SBRT via the NOMS decision framework and provide practical information to the radiation oncologist regarding spine radiosurgery.
Unique genetic characteristics of BRCA mutation carriers in a cohort of Arab American women.

1541 Background: Worldwide ethnic variations in the distribution of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations of breast cancer patients have been recently recognized. This has led to investigations of the epidemio...
Actuality and Actuality as of a Time

Readers of Michael Tooley’s excellent book Causation: A Realist Approach (1987) will rightly predict that Time,Tense, and Causation will also contain many interesting and highly original theses that are supported by some intricate precisely formulated arguments. The main thesis of his new book is that the tensed or dynamic theory of time does not require any irreducible A- properties, tensed concepts, tensed propositions, tensed facts or tensed truth conditions, and implies instead that reality consists only of irreducible tenseless facts, tenseless concepts, tenseless propositions and like. According to Tooley, the thesis that the tensed theory of time is true, that the future is unreal and the present and past are real, and yet that reality consists only of tenseless facts, etc., is neither self-contradictory nor false. He rejects five familiar tenets of the tensed theory of time: (1) Tenseless temporal concepts are analyzable in terms of tensed temporal concepts, such as the concepts of the past, present and future. (2) The concepts of past, present and future are semantically basic. (3) Familiar tensed sentences do not include indexicals and express the same proposition at different times of utterance. (4) There is no conceptually basic, tenseless existential quantifier that ranges over all entities. (5) The classical concept of truth should be rejected in favor of a temporally indexed concept of truth.