cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes in an Interdisciplinary Diabetes Clinic in Rural Primary Care

Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of an interdisciplinary diabetes team model of care in assisting patients to achieve improved glucose control in a primary care rural setting. Methods A family medicine clinic at a rural university medical center developed an interdisciplinary diabetes team clinic composed of a certified diabetes educator/dietitian, a case manager, a pharmacist, nursing staff, a family medicine resident, a psychologist, and a board-certified family medicine attending physician. Patients were referred if their hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) was ≥9% (75 mmol/mol); patients were seen for an initial consultation and for additional visits as needed. Results A total of 94 patients attended an initial visit and at least 1 follow-up within 6 months. Mean age was 57 ± 13 years, and 54% were female. Median time from the initial intensive diabetes clinic visit to a follow-up visit was 2.8 months. There was a significant reduction in median HbA1c percentage from 10.25% (88.5 mmol/mol) ± 1.4% (range 73-104 mmol/mol) at the initial intensive diabetes clinic visit to 8.7% (72 mmol/mol) ± 1.8% (range 52-92 mmol/mol) at a 1- to 6-month follow-up (z = -7.161, P 0.05). Conclusions An interdisciplinary team approach to glycemic control can achieve significant reductions in HbA1c in the rural primary care setting.
Disentangling Race, Poverty, and Place in Disparities in Physical Activity.

Significant racial disparities in physical activity—a key protective health factor against obesity and cardiovascular disease—exist in the United States. Using data from the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey and the 2000 United States (US) Census, we estimated the impact of race, individual-level poverty, neighborhood-level poverty, and neighborhood racial composition on the odds of being physically active for 19,678 adults. Compared to whites, blacks had lower odds of being physically active. Individual poverty and neighborhood poverty were associated with decreased odds of being physically active among both whites and blacks. These findings underscore the importance of social context in understanding racial disparities in physical activity and suggest the need for future research to determine specific elements of the social context that drive disparities.
Differences in plasma levels of long chain and very long chain ceramides between African Americans and whites: An observational study.

Background Population-wide reductions in cardiovascular disease (CVD) have not been equally shared in the African American community due to a higher burden of CVD risk factors such as metabolic disorders and obesity. Differential concentrations of sphingolipids such as ceramide, sphingosine, and sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) has been associated with the development of CVD, metabolic disorders (MetD), and obesity. Whether African Americans have disparate expression levels of sphingolipids that explain higher burdens of CVD remains unknown. Methods A cross sectional analysis of plasma concentrations of ceramides, sphingosine, and S1P were measured from 8 whites and 7 African Americans without metabolic disorders and 7 whites and 8 African Americans with metabolic disorders using high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry methodology (HPLC/MS-MS). Subjects were stratified by both race and metabolic status. Subjects with one or more of the following physician confirmed diagnosis: diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, or dyslipidemia were classified as having metabolic disease (MetD). Data was analyzed using a Two-Way ANOVA and Tukey’s post hoc test. Results Total ceramide levels were increased in African Americans compared to African Americans with MetD. Ceramide C16 levels were higher in whites with MetD compared to African Americans with MetD (p<0.05). Ceramide C20 levels were higher in whites with MetD compared to whites. Ceramide C20 levels were higher in African Americans compared to African Americans with MetD. Furthermore, whites with MetD had higher levels of C20 compared to African Americans with MetD (p<0.0001). Ceramide C24:0 and C24:1 in African Americans was higher compared to African Americans with MetD (p<0.05). The plasma concentration of Sph-1P ceramide was higher in African Americans vs whites (p = 0.01). Lastly, ceramide C20 negatively correlated with hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in our study cohort. Conclusions Plasma ceramide concentration patterns are distinct in African Americans with MetD. Further research with larger samples sizes are needed to confirm these findings and to understand whether racial disparities in sphingolipid concentrations have potential therapeutic implications for CVD-related health outcomes.
Review Article: Pregnancy and CVD Risk Factors

Elevated concentrations of total cholesterol, particular lipoproteins (e.g., LDL) and homocysteine are risk factors for cardiovascular disease and vascular dysfunction that can adversely affect the health of a pregnant woman and her fetus. Although it has been documented in many populations worldwide that the serum total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, and triglyceride levels increase substantially by the third trimester, there are few reports of the levels of these risk factors in pregnant women in sub-Saharan Africa. We therefore compared the levels of these lipids and homocysteine in the serum of third-trimester pregnant women (n=18) and healthy, age-matched non-pregnant controls (n=38) in Abuja, Nigeria. Relative to the controls, the following substances were significantly elevated in the pregnant women: total cholesterol, 212 vs. 191 mg/dL (p=0.02); triglycerides, 153 vs. 89.5 mg/dL (p=0.004); and HDL, 67.0 vs. 56.6 mg/dL (p=0.004). The mean LDL-cholesterol levels of the pregnant (116 mg/dL) and non-pregnant controls (110 mg/dL) were not significantly different. However, the mean homocysteine concentration of the pregnant women was about 30% lower compared with the control group (7.1 vs. 10.1 mol/L, p Key words: cholesterol, LDL, HDL, lipid ratios, homocysteine, pregnant, and CVD risk factors Highland Medical Research Journal Vol.2(2) 2004: 1-8
The LCD (Lowest Common Denominator) of Language: The Materialist Poetry of Arun Kolatkar and R.K. Joshi

The tumultuous politics of the post-Independence period in Bombay/Mumbai, and the creation of the linguistic states, released multiple and contradictory energies towards a re-examination of the Mar...
Performance of the American College of Surgeons NSQIP Surgical Risk Calculator for Total Gastrectomy.

Background To encourage implementation of the American College of Surgeons (ACS) NSQIP Risk Calculator for total gastrectomy for gastric cancer, its predictive performance for this specific procedure should be validated. We assessed its discriminatory accuracy and goodness of fit for predicting 12 adverse outcomes. Study Design Data were collected on all patients with gastric cancer who underwent total gastrectomy with curative intent at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center between 2002 and 2017. Preoperative risk factors from the electronic medical record were manually inserted into the ACS-NSQIP Risk Calculator. Predictions for adverse outcomes were compared with observed outcomes by Brier scores, c-statistics, and Hosmer-Lemeshow p value. Results In a total of 452 patients, the predicted rate of all complications (29%) was lower than the observed rate (45%). Brier scores varied between 0.017 for death and 0.272 for any complication. C-statistics were moderate (0.7–0.8) for death and renal failure, good (0.8–0.9) for cardiac complication, and excellent (≥0.9) for discharge to nursing or rehabilitation facility. Hosmer-Lemeshow p value found poor goodness of fit for pneumonia only. Conclusions For adverse outcomes after total gastrectomy with curative intent in gastric cancer patients, performance of the ACS-NSQIP Risk Calculator is variable. Its predictive performance is best for cardiac complications, renal failure, death, and discharge to nursing or rehabilitation facility.
“I am an atypical mother”: Motherhood and maternal language in Giovanna Cristina Vivinetto’s poetry:

In her debut book Dolore minimo, Giovanna Cristina Vivinetto engages in a reflection on motherhood to recount an autobiographical story of gender self-determination and male to female transition. T...
Finite-time Koopman Identifier: A Unified Batch-online Learning Framework for Joint Learning of Koopman Structure and Parameters.

In this paper, a unified batch-online learning approach is introduced to learn a linear representation of nonlinear system dynamics using the Koopman operator. The presented system modeling approach leverages a novel incremental Koopman-based update law that retrieves a mini-batch of samples stored in a memory to not only minimizes the instantaneous Koopman operator's identification errors but also the identification errors for the batch of retrieved samples. Discontinuous modifications of gradient flows are presented for the online update law to assure finite-time convergence under easy-to-verify conditions defined on the batch of data. Therefore, this unified online-batch framework allows performing joint sample- and time-domain analysis for converging the Koopman operator's parameters. More specifically, it is shown that if the collected mini-batch of samples guarantees a rank condition, then finite-time guarantee in the time domain can be certified and the settling time depends on the quality of collected samples being reused in the update law. Moreover, the efficiency of the proposed Koopman-based update law is further analyzed by showing that the identification regret in continuous time grows sub-linearly with time. Furthermore, to avoid learning corrupted dynamics due to the selection of an inappropriate set of Koopman observables, a higher-layer meta learner employs a discrete Bayesian optimization algorithm to obtain the best library of observable functions for the operator. Since finite-time convergence of the Koopman model for each set of observable is guaranteed under a rank condition on stored data, the fitness of each set of observables can be obtained based on the identification error on the stored samples in the proposed framework and even without implementing any controller based on the learned system.
Young Adult Children of Mothers Coping with Mood Disorders: Maternal Relationship Quality, Family Stigma, and Psychological Well-Being

Family members frequently report experiencing social stigma due to their relationship to a loved one with mental illness. Adults’ perceptions of this family stigma have been linked to elevated feelings of distress and a lower quality of life. The present study examined the mediating roles of maternal responsibility and maternal regard in the relationship between perceived family stigma and psychological well-being among young adult children of mothers coping with mood disorders. A sample of 172 young adult children of mothers diagnosed with a mood disorder (123 women, 49 men; M = 23 years old; SD = 1.8) completed an online survey to assess feelings of maternal responsibility and regard, family stigma, and psychological well-being. Correlational results suggest that higher scores on maternal responsibility were generally associated with higher levels of family stigma. Maternal regard scores were generally associated with lower levels of family stigma and higher levels of psychological well-being. Young adults’ feelings of responsibility and regard in their relationship with their mother served a mediating role in relation to their reports of family stigma and psychological well-being. Mediation findings suggest that young adults’ reports of higher levels of maternal responsibility contributed to a greater sense of well-being in response to higher levels of family stigma. Additionally, young adults’ reduced feelings of maternal regard generally contributed to lower levels of well-being in response to higher levels of family stigma. Implications of findings for family research on social stigma and interventions for adult children of mothers with mood disorders are discussed.
The Problem with Staff Training

Psychiatric rehabilitation programs have been shown to have a significant impact on the lives of persons with severe and persistent mental illness. Unfortunately, effective rehabilitation strategies are infrequently utilized by line-level staff in real-world settings. In part, this shortfall occurs because rehabilitation programs in both community-based and inpatient settings lack well-trained staff who are able to follow through with complex interventions. However, limited resources alone do not account for the poor quality of care in many rehabilitation programs. Research also suggests that employee assets are frequently squandered in treatment settings because staff members lack the required know-how to implement appropriate rehabilitation strategies. Moreover, the inability of colleagues in rehabilitation programs to work together as a functional unit prevents the successful implementation of the interventions. Training staff members in state-of-the-art rehabilitation therapies is one way to more effectively address the needs of this population.
First Passaggio Transition Gestures in Classically Trained Female Singers

Summary Objectives/hypothesis The purpose of this project was to determine the spectral and electroglottograph (EGG) differences exhibited by classically trained female singers when singing through their primo passaggio . The hypotheses were that the singers would exhibit relatively steady EGG levels and minimal changes in speech spectra when singing through their primo passaggio . It also was hypothesized that EGG and spectral measurements at the crest and trough of the vibrato cycles would be similar to each other. Study Design The study is an observational case-control study. Methods Singers at training levels from undergraduate university students through professionals sang an A3-A4 scale using an /ɑ:/ vowel while standing. Contact quotient (CQ EGG ), amplitudes of the first five harmonics (H1–H5), and the number of the harmonics with greatest energy in the frequency region around 3000 Hz were measured at vibrato crests and troughs for each note. Results The data at the vibrato crests and troughs exhibited similar patterns across the notes that differed in the percentage CQ EGG and harmonic amplitude. The mean CQ EGG exhibited a slight decline from the lowest note to the highest, with a few of the singers exhibiting different patterns. The strongest harmonic for the four lowest notes was H3 with a transition to H2 being strongest for the four highest notes. Conclusions The patterns of all the singers' averaged glottal and vocal tract adjustments through their primo passaggio generally followed what was hypothesized for the CQ EGG , harmonic amplitudes, and harmonic of the frequency region around 3000 Hz. However, differences occurred between the measurements at the vibrato peaks and troughs.
Inferring Comonomer Content Using Crystaf: Uncertainty Analysis

We estimate the comonomer content in random copolymers, through the use of semi-empirical models. We extend the model of Anantawaraskul et al. by expanding the number of model parameters from 4 to 9. Using available data on well-characterized ethylene/1-hexene copolymers, we randomly select a subset to train the model, and regress model parameters. We test the ability of the parametrized model to infer comonomer content on the rest of the data. We quantify the predictive ability by exploring the effect of the quantity and quality of the training data. The accuracy and precision of the inference improve as the amount of training data increases, and as datasets span the domain more evenly.
Electrical activity of the opossum lower esophageal sphincter in vivo: Its role in the basal sphincter pressure

Abstract Studies were performed in anesthetized opossums to investigate the electrical activity that may characterize the lower esophageal sphincter. The stomach and lower end of the esophagus were immobilized on a specially prepared stage to eliminate movement artifacts. Extracellular electrical activity was recorded with bipolar needle electrodes. The sphincter pressure was measured with a continuously perfused catheter system. The lower esophageal sphincter showed continuous spike activity with or without phasic variations in their occurrence. The usual frequency of the spikes was 20 to 50 per min, and their duration was 81.2 ± 8.9 msec (mean ± se). The spike potentials ceased with esophageal distention, which also caused a fall in the sphincter pressure. The spikes were abolished by isoproterenol and they increased with bethanechol. Correlation of the spike activity with the pressure revealed that the sphincter pressure was higher when the spike potentials were present, but a major part of the pressure existed in the absence of any spike activity. These studies show that: (1) the opossum lower esophageal sphincter is characterized by continuous spike potentials, and (2) the major fraction of the basal pressure is, however, independent of the spike potentials.
NF-κB and the regulation of hematopoiesis

This review will focus on the role of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) signaling in hematopoietic differentiation. We will also discuss several hematopoietic pathologies associated with deregulation of NF-κB and their potential therapies.
New Media, Civic Learning, and Civic Action Among Young People

Political apathy and ignorance are endemic among young people and many agree that improving civic education is tantamount to improving public awareness. How to go about inspiring engagement among young people, however, remains a topic of debate. For example, students who report on surveys that they were encouraged to express their political views in the classroom were also more politically engaged. But this might occur because students who were already engaged reported more opportunities to express political views. Spurious relationships could also occur because educators are more likely to undertake service learning, for example, when their students come from higher SES backgrounds. Experiments and long-term observation that could provide greater certainty about causal links have been rare. This paper presents results of a classroom-based experiment designed to assess whether students’ enthusiasm for “new media” (e.g. blogs) can be harnessed in American politics courses to stimulate long lasting political engagement.
Single-Parent Families

With the increase in the number of single-parent families in recent years, the attention paid to this family form has grown considerably—in both the academic and the public media. This increased concern with single-parent families has, however, often manifested itself as a concern about a growing “problem,” a problem that may threaten the American family.
A method for predicting the ZVS condition for the class E amplifier

A method for predicting the ZVS condition before turning the switch on is presented for the class E amplifier operating with D=0.5. The prediction is obtained in realtime by observing the switch current waveform and the shunt capacitor current waveform with a simple analog-digital circuit. Using this method, a control circuit that ensures ZVS condition becomes feasible.
Comparisons of the 1995 and 1998 coral bleaching events on the patch reefs of San Salvador Island, Bahamas

Coral patch reefs around San Salvador Island, Bahamas have been monitored with the aid of Earthwatch volunteers three times a year since 1992. During that period two significant mass bleaching events occurred: autumn 1995, and late summer 1998. Elsewhere in 1995, bleaching was caused by higher-than-normal summer sea temperatures; in San Salvador, however, temperatures were normal. In 1998 a prolonged period of higher-than-normal sea temperatures preceded bleaching on San Salvador and worldwide. During the 1995 event, one of the monitored reefs had twice the percentage of coral colonies bleached as the other two. Bleaching was more evenly distributed among the reefs during the 1998 event. In 1995 Agaricia agaricites was significantly more affected than other coral species, with almost 50% of all its colonies showing bleaching. Bleaching was more evenly spread among coral species in 1998, with five species showing bleaching on more than 40% of their colonies. Bleaching began on Millepora as early as August during the 1998 event and progressed to other species through the remainder of the autumn. In 1995 bleaching was not seen until late autumn and appeared to impact all affected species at about the same time. Recovery from the 1995 event was complete: no coral death or damage above normal background levels were seen. In the 1998 event, all Acropora cervicornis on the monitored reefs died and A. palmata was severely damaged. Millepora sp. lost almost half of their live tissue, and Montastraea sp. showed significant tissue damage following this event. Phototransect analysis suggests that more than 20% of total live tissue on affected species died during the 1998 event. A. cervicornis has demonstrated no re-growth from 1998 to 2000 on monitored reefs. Monitoring has suggested significant differences in causes and courses in these two events.
Implementing the expert object recognition pathway

Brain imaging studies suggest that expert object recognition is a distinct visual skill, implemented by a dedicated anatomic pathway. Like all visual pathways, the expert recognition pathway begins with the early visual system (retina, LGN/SC, striate cortex). It is defined, however, by subsequent diffuse activation in the lateral occipital cortex (LOC), and sharp foci of activation in the fusiform gyrus and right inferior frontal gyrus. This pathway recognizes familiar objects from familiar viewpoints under familiar illumination. Significantly, it identifies objects at both the categorical and instance (subcategorical) levels, and these processes cannot be disassociated. This paper presents a four-stage functional model of the expert object recognition pathway, where each stage models one area of anatomic activation. It implements this model in an end-to-end computer vision system, and tests it on real images to provide feedback for the cognitive science and computer vision communities.
Rank Determination of Order Statistic Filters for Ultrasonic Flaw Detection

Ultrasonic flaw detection in large grained materials is limited by the high level of coherent grain noise due to interfering and attenuating random scatterers that often masks the flaw signal, leading to difficulties in its detection. Several techniques have been developed in the past to reduce grain noise and enhance flaw visibility. A nonlinear frequency diverse statistical filtering technique, also called split-spectrum processing (SSP), has been used to enhance flaw detection with considerable success [1, 2]. This technique is illustrated in Fig. 1. The wideband input signal x(t), which in general consists of both the flaw signal and the grain noise, is first transformed into the frequency domain using the fast Fourier transform (FFT). The transformed signal spectrum is then split into N narrowband spectra in the frequency domain using parallel bandpass filters. The narrowband spectra are then transformed back to the time domain using inverse Fourier transform and weighted by factors w1 to wN, where the weighting factors wi are chosen such that the amplitude of each narrowband signal is normalized to unity. The N narrowband signals are subsequently processed using various linear and nonlinear operations. In this paper, we concentrate on the Order Statistic (OS) filter, and examine how the statistical characteristics of the narrowband signals (ie., SNR variations) affect the choice of processing order for the SSP technique.
Highly Excited Hydrogen in Strong Microwaves: Experimental Tests for Classically Chaotic Semiclassical Dynamics and for Quantum Localization

In recent years the hydrogen atom strongly perturbed by external fields has become a major testing ground in the development of quantum dynamics, the study of general features for the time evolution of nonintegrable quantum systems. We discuss some reasons for this, using for illustration some recent results for the case of an external sinusoidally oscillating electric field.
Neurotransmitter Release from Presynaptic Terminals

Neurotransmitter release from presynaptic nerve terminals is a central component of synaptic transmission, the main process by which neurons communicate with each other and with target cells. Neurotransmitter is packaged inside small vesicles in the presynaptic nerve terminal. When an action potential invades the nerve terminal, voltage-gated calcium channels open and calcium flows into the cell. The influx of calcium triggers the fusion of the neurotransmitter-filled synaptic vesicles with the cell membrane, thereby releasing their contents into the synaptic cleft. In addition to action potential-evoked release, neurotransmitter can also be released ‘spontaneously’ in the absence of action potential firing. Although evoked and spontaneous release share many features, there is growing evidence that they may serve different functions and might be modulated through different signalling pathways, adding richness to the synaptic repertoire. Key Concepts Neurotransmitter release is the main mechanism by which neurons communicate with one another and with muscles—without neurotransmission, we could not sense our environment, think or act. Neurotransmitter release is tightly regulated, and is very rapidly triggered by the firing of an action potential, which depolarises the presynaptic terminal and causes the influx of calcium ions. Neurotransmitter release is probabilistic; only a fraction of action potentials succeed in triggering release of neurotransmitter from any particular release site. Calcium ions are the critical signal that coordinates the molecular interactions responsible for fusion of neurotransmitter-filled synaptic vesicles with the plasma membrane. Because synaptic vesicles are roughly the same size and contain about the same amount of neurotransmitter, neurotransmitter release can be characterised as ‘quantal’, that is, occurring in discrete packets. Neurotransmitter release can occur through three different mechanisms: fast synchronous, slower asynchronous and spontaneous. Synchronous and asynchronous releases are triggered by action potentials, whereas spontaneous release occurs in the absence of action potential firing. Although synchronous, asynchronous and spontaneous neurotransmitter release share many common features, current evidence suggests that different molecules, signalling pathways and/or vesicle pools might be responsible for mediating and modulating these different forms of neurotransmitter release. Keywords: calcium; exocytosis; membrane fusion; neurotransmitter receptor; synaptic function; synaptic vesicle
The Role of Stress in Optimizing Surgical Performance

In their evaluation of a method that assesses surgical workload, Wilson et al. [1] made the assumption that intraoperative stress is necessarily detrimental to surgical performance. However, the Yerkes–Dodson law [2] dictates that increasing levels of stress improve performance up to a point, beyond which further stress causes performance to diminish. Thus, if our objective is to improve outcomes, the important metric is not surgeons’ subjective evaluation of their stress level but an objective evaluation of how different intraoperative conditions impact upon performance, especially given that the stress–performance relationship will differ between surgeons. References
The validity of criminal justice contacts reported by inmates: A comparison of self-reported data with official prison records

Abstract Purpose Existing research on criminal justice contact data has not adequately examined the quality of self-reported timing data, has produced discrepant findings on validity as it relates to demographics, and is limited in its assessment of data quality using a life event calendar method. The study described in this article assessed the validity of self-reported contacts with the criminal justice system gathered using a life event calendar with a sample of incarcerated men. Methods Self-reports of criminal justice contacts (i.e., arrests, jail terms, prison terms) were obtained from over 700 incarcerated men using a structured life-event calendar method. Similarly, data were collected from the inmate's official records for the same events. These reports served as an external criterion for the self-reports. Results Results indicated a significant degree of reporting errors for arrests using the life event calendar approach with better reporting for jail and prison terms. Additionally, individuals with the highest number of previous arrests had the greatest recall difficulties. Conclusions Recall of arrest presents a difficult recall task. The life event calendar method should either be modified to improve recall of specific events for criminological samples or used instead to capture information on more general and extended events.
Image Manifold Interpolation using Free-Form Deformations

An important class of image data sets depict an object undergoing deformation. When there are only a few underlying causes of the deformation, these images have a natural low-dimensional structure which can be parameterized using manifold learning. This paper presents a method to solve for the deformation field as a function of the manifold coordinates ? implicitly optimizing the deformation between all pairs of images simultaneously. Additionally, we provide a mechanism to create images for arbitrary coordinates of the manifold, addressing an important limitation of manifold learning algorithms for the case of images related through deformations. We give quantitative results in an artificial image morphing example and illustrate the method by finding the deformations relating all images of a cardiopulmonary MR image sequence.
Small cell carcinoma of the lung: Staging, paraneoplastic syndromes, treatment, and survival

Thirty-seven patients with small cell carcinoma of the lung were staged prior to therapy. The incidence of “extensive” or extrathoracic disease was 84%. Fourteen percent had CNS metastases. Bone marrow metastases were present in 47%. Laboratory and/or clinical evidence for a paraneoplastic syndrome was present in 26%. The majority of patients were treated with a three-drug combination plus radiation therapy of the lung primary. Eighty-eight percent of the patients treated with cyclophosphamide and vincristine had an objective response. Methotrexate was felt to be superior to Procarbazine as the third drug because fewer instances of progressive disease were noted during that portion of the chemotherapy cycle in which the third drug was used. Of 26 patients treated with both chemotherapy and radiation therapy, 55% had a complete response. The CNS was one of the sites of relapse in 21% of patients, and was involved by tumor in 45% of patients autopsied. The median survival in patients treated with both chemotherapy and radiation therapy was 9.5 months, and was significantly better (p < 0.005) than the median survival of a group of 45 patients from our tumor registry.
INDICES OF PROTEIN METABOLISM IN TERM INFANTS FED HUMAN MILK, WHEY PREDOMINANT FORMULA, OR COW MILK FORMULA

INDICES OF PROTEIN METABOLISM IN TERM INFANTS FED HUMAN MILK, WHEY PREDOMINANT FORMULA, OR COW MILK FORMULA
The quasi-multiplication on rings and algebras

On a ring or an algebra we introduce the quasi-multiplication a ⨂ b = ab + a + b, taking into account the multiplication and addition simultaneously. An example shows that this quasi-multiplication has remarkable and fundamental properties.
Common Songs of the Cultural Heritage of the United States: A Compilation of Songs That Most People “Know” and “Should Know”:

Recently, there have been attempts to identify songs common to the heritage of the United States. Although researchers in previous investigations have studied songs that are common to specific geographical areas, this studys purpose was to determine which songs are familiar to U.S. citizens across several regions and also to uncover various epistemological definitions of what it means to “know” a song. By cross-referencing modern lists with the contents of two songbooks popular during the community song movements of the World Wars I and II, I sought to determine which songs were common across the eras studied. Also important to this study was finding out how many of the 42 songs listed in MENC's Get American Singing … Again! (1996) appeared in previous investigations and in either of the community song movement books. Results indicated that there is a disparity between the songs that Americans actually know and those that experts say they should be learning. Experts seem to be more in agreement with songb...
Chromosomal heteromorphism linked to the mating type locus of the oomycetePhytophthora infestans

The mating type locus of the oomycete,Phytophthora infestans, is embedded in a region of DNA that displays distorted and non-Mendelian segregation. By using DNA probes linked to the mating type locus to genetically and physically characterize that region, a large zone of chromosomal heteromorphism was detected. LocusS1 was shown to represent a tandemly repeated array of DNA that was typically present in a hemizygous state in A1 isolates while being absent from A2 isolates. The analysis of the parents and progeny of seven crosses indicated that the tandem array was linked in cis to the A1-determining allele of the mating type locus. A worldwide survey of genotypically diverse field isolates ofP. infestans indicated thatS1 was present in each of 48 isolates of the A1 mating type that were tested, but was absent in 46 of 47 A2 strains. Physical analysis ofS1 indicated that the tandemly repeated DNA sequence spanned about 300 kb and had evolved from a 1.35-kb monomer. Internal deletions occurred withinS1 during sexual propagation. This and other mutations apparently contributed to a high degree of polymorphism within theS1 array.
Conformation and DNA binding properties of a single-stranded DNA binding region of sigma 70 subunit from Escherichia coli RNA polymerase are modulated by an interaction with the core enzyme.

A derivative of the σ70 subunit from Escherichia coli RNA polymerase with specific fluorescence probes in conserved region 2.3 (DNA “melting motif”) was prepared by replacing tryptophan residues at positions 314 and 326 of the wild-type σ70 with alanine. The remaining two tryptophan residues (Trp 433 and 434) of [Ala 314, 326]σ70 were biosynthetically replaced with 5-hydroxy-tryptophan (5OHTrp), a fluorescent tryptophan analogue with unique emission that can be selectively observed both in free 5OHTrp[Ala 314, 326]σ70 as well as in 5OHTrp[Ala 314, 326]σ70 bound to the core RNA polymerase. Fluorescence quenching experiments revealed that positions 433 and 434 were solvent exposed in free 5OHTrp[Ala314, 326]σ70. The binding of σ70 to core polymerase reduced the solvent exposure of these residues. In the presence of single-stranded oligonucleotides, fluorescence of 5OHTrp at position 433 and 434 was quenched ∼65% and these residues became inaccessible to the solvent. Using fluorescence of 5OHTrp at positions...
Redistribution of cell surface transferrin receptors prior to their concentration in coated pits as revealed by immunoferritin labels.

Immunocytochemistry has been used to study distribution of cell surface transferrin receptors in erythroid, leukemic (K562) cells. The cells were fixed and labelled with monoclonal (OKT-9) anti-transferrin receptor antibodies; the antibody-labelled receptors were then detected by either immunofluoresceinor immunoferritin-antimouse-antibody conjugates. Typically, the immunoferritin labels were distributed diffusely at the non-coated regions of the cell surface as well as concentrated in the clathrincoated pits. To examine further this pattern of distribution, cells were labelled at 0° C and then warmed to 37° C for zero to 30 min prior to fixation. The majority of the immunoferritin labels were initially dispersed in small groups at the non-coated regions of the cell surface (mean = 6 immunoferritin labels/cluster), but larger groups were common subsequent to incubation at 37° C (mean = 13 immunoferritin labels/cluster). However, the size of immunoferritin labels in the coated pits was unchanged (mean = 12 immunoferritin labels/pit). Immunoferritin labels were typical in coated and uncoated vesicles l min after warming to 37° C, but common in endosomes, multivesicular bodies and lysosomes by 30 min. It appears that single cell-surface receptors form large aggregates prior to their concentration in coated pits. Coated vesicles, uncoated vesicles, and endosomal vacuoles may together form the non-lysosomal compartment where the internalized receptors might be dissociated from the ligands (antibodies).
A dual gravity study of the (2+1)D compact U(1) gauge theory coupled with strongly interacting matter fields

Abstract We consider the D2-brane probe action in the gravity background dual to N coincident D p -branes by treating the separation between the D2- and D p -branes as a non-dynamical parameter for p = 2 , 4 , 6 . The gauge coupling, the core size of a non-BPS instanton and the mass gap of the compact U ( 1 ) gauge theory in the D2-brane are determined as a function of the separation in the type IIA gravity region. The results are interpreted in terms of the ( 2 + 1 ) D U ( 1 ) gauge theory coupled with the matter fields which are also strongly coupled with the ( p + 1 ) D SU ( N ) gauge field. It is shown that strong coupling of the matter fields to the SU ( N ) gauge field can drastically modify their screening of the U ( 1 ) gauge field. The non-perturbative dependence of the U ( 1 ) gauge coupling on the energy scale is obtained.
Morphological variation in shallow‐water octopuses (Mollusca: Cephalopoda)

Whether the study of external morphology can increase our knowledge of shallow-water octopuses and their biology is tested by multivariate morphometric analyses. The extent of morphological variation among 20 species from the Atlantic and eastern tropical Pacific Oceans is explored, and four hypotheses are addressed: (1) that octopuses show secondary sexual dimorphism; (2) that remote, ostensibly conspecific populations are morphologically distinct; (3) that morphometric characters contribute to resource partitioning among sympatric species; and (4) that morphology is predictably associated with habitat. Results of principal components analysis show most species to be very similar in shape. Arm length contributes most shape variation; other characters contribute little. Principal components and size-free discriminant analyses refute each of the hypotheses considered. The morphological similarity of isolated Atlantic populations may be a symplesiomorphy, but information on the planktonic phase of the octopus lire cycle supports the possibility of dispersal across the Atlantic Ocean. Size, not directly treated here, may significantly affect some aspects of octopus biology. Increased female size may evolve due to selection for increased fecundity and intraspecific niche partitioning. Size may also indicate interaction within and among species. Characters of shape, deemed essential to species descriptions, do not appear to be able to identify most specimens, nor to increase our understanding of octopus biology.
Predicted salt film formation effects on stage I stress corrosion cracking of anodically polarized nickel

Model calculations indicate that a resistive salt film can influence the dissolution-controlled crack growth rate during stage I crack extension. Predicted stage I crack growth rate-stress intensity relationships agree with measured rates for nickel anodically polarized to 900 mV(SCE) in 1N H2SO4. Crack growth rates were measured for increasing stress intensities including both stage I and stage II crack growth. An ionic transport model which accounts for both electromigration through the resistive salt film and Fickian diffusion through the aqueous solution in the crack was used to predict crack growth rates. Predictions were consistent with measured crack growth rates, lengths, opening angles and corrosion rates and expected salt film resistivity for the specific electrochemical conditions used.
An All-Fiber Beam Shaping Using Multimode Fiber

A new beam shaping technique has been developed by inverse etching the end face of a multimode fiber to form a concave cone tip. Concave tip fiber can convert a Gaussian beam profile to a flat top beam with a uniform intensity distribution. A flat top beam with intensity variation of approximately 5% and flat top diameter to spot diameter ratio of 67% has been achieved. With this technique one can also change the beam shape from a Gaussian to a donut by moving the observation plane. A flat top multimode fiber beam delivery has been tested for stimulation of prostate nerves.
Enhancement of the phosphorescence of organic luminophores upon interaction with a mercury trifunctional Lewis acid.

The interaction of the trinuclear mercury(II) complex [(o-C6F4Hg)3] (1) and pyrene leads to the formation of the 1:1 adduct 1·pyrene. The crystal structure of this adduct reveals the existence of supramolecular stacks in which molecules of 1 and molecules of pyrene alternate along the infinite chains. Steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements indicate the occurrence of a heavy atom effect which results in red, green, and blue (RGB) phosphorescent emissions for 1·pyrene, 1·naphthalene, and 1·biphenyl, respectively.
Effects of temperature on climbing behavior of Littorina irrorata: on avoiding a hot foot

Intertidal salt marsh inhabitants, such as the snail, Littorina irrorata, often exhibit vertical migration between the mud substratum and stems of Spartina altemiflora in synchrony with the tidal cycle. However, this behavior, which has been characterized as a predator avoidance mechanism, also occurs at low tide when aquatic predators are absent. Previous studies may have underestimated the contribution of physical factors in selecting for a behavior which reduces mortality in such a population. A positive relationship between substratum temperature and climbing behavior was demonstrated in the laboratory as well as in the marsh habitat. Temperatures exceeding 35°C in the laboratory resulted in either climbing or inactivity. At a substratum temperature of 40°C, snails exhibited a preference for climbing stems of lower temperatures (e.g., stems of ≤25°C exhibited an 0.80 probability of eliciting climbing behavior). In the marsh, a positive relationship between substratum temperatures ≥29°C and snail climb...
Technique of en block laser endoscopic frontolateral laryngectomy for glottic cancer

During the last 30 years, there has been expansion of the role of endoscopic partial laryngectomy procedures since Jako, Strong, and Vaughan explored the possibilities of CO2 laser microlaryngeal procedures. Despite the fact that a number of investigators have verified the validity of endolaryngeal laser resection of mid-sized glottic cancer, there are many who are unfamiliar with the technique and others who are uncomfortable with sectioning the tumor to facilitate its resection. In the past 3 years, 15 patients underwent successful en block resection of mid-sized glottic cancer (T1b 2, T2b 11, T3 2). Because en block resection is more consistent with open oncologic approaches, this method should widen the acceptance of this approach in selected lesions. The nuances of en block endoscopic frontolateral laryngectomy are presented with the hope that more surgeons will adopt this philosophy as an aspect of their armamentarium.
Representation of real particles for DEM simulation using X-ray tomography

Abstract A flexible pavement structure consists of mainly bonded or unbonded granular materials. In the simulation of the behavior of these pavement materials, Discrete Element Method (DEM) treats the two materials similarly with exceptions in contact modeling. A common problem for modeling both materials is the representation of three-dimensional (3D) real particles. This paper presents some recent developments in representing particles of irregular shapes in 3D scheme through two methods, the clustering method and the equivalent ellipsoid method using X-ray tomography imaging and image analysis.
Faster cognitive decline in the years prior to MR imaging is associated with smaller hippocampal volumes in cognitively healthy older persons.

Early identification of persons at risk for cognitive decline in aging is critical to optimizing treatment to delay or avoid a clinical diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease (AD). To accomplish early identification, it is essential that trajectories of cognitive change be characterized and associations with established biomarkers of MCI and AD be examined during the phase that older persons are considered cognitively healthy. Here we examined the association of rate of cognitive decline, in the years leading up to structural magnetic resonance imaging, with an established biomarker, hippocampal volume. The sample comprised 211 participants of the Rush Memory and Aging Project who had an average of 5.5 years of cognitive data prior to structural scanning. Results showed that there was significant variability in the trajectories of cognitive change prior to imaging and that faster cognitive decline was associated with smaller hippocampal volumes. Domain-specific analyses suggested that this association was primarily driven by decline in working memory. The results emphasize the importance of closely examining cognitive change and its association with brain structure during the years in which older persons are considered cognitively healthy.
Rates of Adverse Events Associated With Male Circumcision in US Medical Settings, 2001 to 2010

Importance Approximately 1.4 million male circumcisions (MCs) are performed annually in US medical settings. However, population-based estimates of MC-associated adverse events (AEs) are lacking. Objectives To estimate the incidence rate of MC-associated AEs and to assess whether AE rates differed by age at circumcision. Design We selected 41 possible MC AEs based on a literature review and on medical billing codes. We estimated a likely risk window for the incidence calculation for each MC AE based on pathogenesis. We used 2001 to 2010 data from SDI Health, a large administrative claims data set, to conduct a retrospective cohort study. Setting and Participants SDI Health provided administrative claims data from inpatient and outpatient US medical settings. Main Outcomes and Measures For each AE, we calculated the incidence per million MCs. We compared the incidence risk ratio and the incidence rate difference for circumcised vs uncircumcised newborn males and for males circumcised at younger than 1 year, age 1 to 9 years, or 10 years or older. An AE was considered probably related to MC if the incidence risk ratio significantly exceeded 1 at P Results Records were available for 1 400 920 circumcised males, 93.3% as newborns. Of 41 possible MC AEs, 16 (39.0%) were probable. The incidence of total MC AEs was slightly less than 0.5%. Rates of potentially serious MC AEs ranged from 0.76 (95% CI, 0.10-5.43) per million MCs for stricture of male genital organs to 703.23 (95% CI, 659.22-750.18) per million MCs for repair of incomplete circumcision. Compared with boys circumcised at younger than 1 year, the incidences of probable AEs were approximately 20-fold and 10-fold greater for males circumcised at age 1 to 9 years and at 10 years or older, respectively. Conclusions and Relevance Male circumcision had a low incidence of AEs overall, especially if the procedure was performed during the first year of life, but rose 10-fold to 20-fold when performed after infancy.
Work function of alkali-covered W(100)

Experimental data of the work function of alkali-covered W(100) surfaces have been compared with a recent calculation by Lang. 1 It is found that the measured values follow the general trend of the theoretical prediction, but they are consistently lower than the calculated ones. Using the Kohn-Lang1,2 theory, we can deduce the nature of chemisorption of O on W(100).