cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Safety considerations of anesthetic drugs in children.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Great strides have been made in the last twenty years in providing safe anesthesia care for infants and children. Despite a historical record of safety, recent findings have called to question the toxicities of many anesthetic agents. Observations concerning the inherent safety of these agents, their appropriate management in infants, and new findings which suggest overlooked toxicities will be discussed.Areas covered: A literature search using Pub Med identified journal articles relating to the safety of anesthetic agents in infants and children. From this group, representative classical articles, as well as more recent offerings, were chosen that were germane to the topic of anesthetic drug safety in children.Expert opinion: Anesthetic agents used in children in the US are generally safe in the short term and are administered to thousands of children daily without demonstrable harm. The question of a deleterious effect of anesthetics on the developing central nervous system when us...
The Medicaid Rebate: Changes in Oncology Drug Prices After the Affordable Care Act

Prescription drug spending is a significant component of Medicaid total expenditures. The Affordable Care Act (ACA) includes a provision that increases the Medicaid rebate for both brand-name and generic drugs. This study examines the extent to which oncology drug prices changed after the increase in the Medicaid rebate in 2010. A pre-post study design was used to evaluate the correlation between the Medicaid rebate increase and oncology drug prices after 2010 using 2006–2013 State Drug Utilization Data. The results show that the average annual price of top-selling cancer drugs in 2006, adjusted for inflation and secular changes in drug prices, have increased by US$154 and US$235 for branded and competitive brand drugs, respectively, following the 2010 ACA; however, generic oncology drug prices showed no significant changes. The findings from this study indicate that oncology drug prices have increased after the 2010 ACA, and suggest that pharmaceutical companies may have increased their drug prices to offset increases in Medicaid rebates.
Application of zirconium-modified silica gel as a stationary phase in the ion-exclusion chromatography of carboxylic acids. II. Separation of aliphatic carboxylic acids with pyromellitic acid as eluent and with suppressed conductimetric detection

The application of zirconium-modified silica gels (Zr-Silica) as stationary phases for ion-exclusion chromatography with conductimetric detection (IEC-CD) for C1-C8 aliphatic carboxylic acids (formic, acetic, propionic, butyric, valeric, caproic, heptanoic and caprylic acids) was carried out using pyromellitic acid as the eluent. Zr-Silicas were prepared by the reaction of the silanol group on the surface of silica gel with zirconium tetrabutoxide [Zr(OCH2CH2CH2CH3)4] in ethanol solution. An ASRS-Ultra anion self-regenerating suppressor in the K+ form was used for the enhancement of conductimetric detector response of these aliphatic carboxylic acids. A Zr-Silica adsorbed on 10 mg zirconium g(-1) silica gel was the most suitable stationary phase in IEC-CD for the separation of these aliphatic carboxylic acids. Excellent simultaneous separation and highly sensitive detection for these aliphatic carboxylic acids were achieved in 25 min by IEC-CD with the Zr-Silica column (250x4.6 mm I.D.) and a 0.2 mM pyromellitic acid containing 0.15% heptanol as the eluent.
Comment (2) on “Formation of the Isthmus of Panama” by O’Dea et al.

O’Dea et al . challenged the inference that the Isthmus of Panama has been in place for the last 10 million years or more and from “an exhaustive review and reanalysis of geological, paleontological, and molecular records,” they argued for a “formation of the Isthmus of Panama sensu stricto around 2.8 Ma.” I review environmental changes since ~5 Ma throughout Earth, and I argue that environmental changes in the Central American–Caribbean region have been part of a concurrent, worldwide phenomenon that requires a global, not local, explanation. Accordingly, evidence of environmental change from the Central American–Caribbean region does not implicate the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama.
Hydration health literacy in the elderly

Background Inadequate hydration in the elderly is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. However, few studies have addressed the knowledge of elderly individuals regarding hydration in health and disease. Gaps in health literacy have been identified as a critical component in health maintenance, and promoting health literacy should improve outcomes related to hydration associated illnesses in the elderly. Methods We administered an anonymous survey to community-dwelling elderly (n = 170) to gauge their hydration knowledge. Results About 56% of respondents reported consuming >6 glasses of fluid/day, whereas 9% reported drinking ≤3 glasses. About 60% of respondents overestimated the amount of fluid loss at which moderately severe dehydration symptoms occur, and 60% did not know fever can cause dehydration. Roughly 1/3 were not aware that fluid overload occurs in heart failure (35%) or kidney failure (32%). A majority of respondents were not aware that improper hydration or changes in hydration status can result in confusion, seizures, or death. Conclusions Overall, our study demonstrated that there were significant deficiencies in hydration health literacy among elderly. Appropriate education and attention to hydration may improve quality of life, reduce hospitalizations and the economic burden related to hydration-associated morbidity and mortality.
CS Education Infrastructure for All: Interoperability for Tools and Data Analytics (Abstract Only)

CS Education makes heavy use of online educational tools like IDEs, Learning Management Systems, eTextbooks, interactive programming environments, and other smart content. Instructors and students would benefit from greater interoperability between tools. CS Ed researchers increasingly make use of the large collections of data generated by click streams coming from them. However, we all face barriers that slow progress: (1) Educational tools do not integrate well. (2) Information about CS learning process and outcome data generated by one system is not compatible with that from other systems. (3) CS problem solving and learning (e.g., coding solutions) is different from the type of data (discrete answers to questions or verbal responses) that current educational data mining focuses on. This BOF will discuss ways that we might support and better coordinate efforts to build community and capacity among CS Ed researchers, data scientists, and learning scientists toward reducing these barriers. CS Ed infrastructure should support broader re-use of innovative learning content that is instrumented for rich data collection, formats and tools for analysis of learner data, and best practices to make large collections of learner data available to researchers. Achieving these goals requires engaging a large community of researchers to define, develop, and use critical elements of this infrastructure to address specific data-intensive research questions.
Printed strain sensor based on silver nanowire/silver flake composite on flexible and stretchable TPU substrate

Abstract A novel printed strain sensor, based on metal-metal composite, was developed for applications in the biomedical and civil infrastructural industries. The sensor was fabricated by screen printing a silver nanowire (Ag NW)/silver (Ag) flake composite on a flexible and stretchable thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) substrate in two design configurations: straight line and wavy line. The capability of the fabricated strain sensors was investigated by studying its electro-mechanical response towards varying elongations. Average resistance changes of 104.8%, 177.3% and 238.9%, over 100 cycles, and 46.8%, 141.4% and 243.6%, over 200 cycles, were obtained for the sensors with the straight and wavy line configurations at elongations of 1 mm, 2 mm and 3 mm, respectively. A sensitivity of 21% and 33%, in resistance change for every 1% strain, was calculated for the printed strain sensors with the straight and wavy line configurations, respectively. The results obtained thus demonstrate the feasibility of employing conventional addictive screen printing process for the development of strain sensors for applications that require a flexible and stretchable form factor.
Domain Structures in Heavily Alkali-Metal Doped Poly(p-Phenylene Vinylene)

Conducting polymers are best known for their intriguing electronic and optical properties.1, 2 What is perhaps not so well appreciated is that these materials also may be considered excellent candidates for investigations of intercalation in a “low dimensional” guest-host system. This opportunity results from the anisotropy intrinsic to conducting polymers in combination with their ability to form heavily-doped charge-transfer complexes.
A Multivocal Analysis of the Emergence of Leadership in Chemistry Study Groups

This chapter reflects on the three analysis chapters describing the PLTL Chemistry dataset in two different stages. The first stage focuses on the concept of leadership and contrasts the three quantitative analyses presented by Oshima, Rose, and Strijbos at the workshop on Multivocality at ICLS 2010. Based on these reflections, a multifaceted image of ideal leadership emerges that would not be visible in any single one of the frameworks investigated. This chapter integrates the perspectives discussed within these three chapters, illustrating how this multivocal separation between different leadership constructs allows us to view how it is possible to present ones views as standing on their own without denying others the right to have their own voice. Following up on this integration, a second wave of reflection focuses on the subsequent, more detailed written analyses, including a new qualitative analysis by Sawyer and colleagues, that enable a more in-depth comparison across analytic approaches at both the individual level and the group level. Questions are raised related to assessment of collaborative problem solving that must be addressed in future work.
Combining targeted and immunotherapy: BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib (D) ± the MEK inhibitor trametinib (T) in combination with ipilimumab (Ipi) for V600E/K mutation-positive unresectable or metastatic melanoma (MM)

Dabrafenib, trametinib, and Ipilimumab are each indicated for treatment of patients (pts) with metastatic melanoma (Dabrafenib+trametinib in BRAF V600 mutation–positive metastatic melanoma). Dabrafenib and trametinib can be safely combined and prolong progression-free survival compared with monotherapy. Combining Dabrafenib+trametinib with the CTLA-4 antibody Ipi has the potential to improve treatment outcomes, but the safety profile is unknown. A recent report suggested caution in combining the BRAF inhibitor vemurafenib (V) with Ipilimumab; V+Ipilimumab resulted in G3 elevations of ALT in 6/10 pts leading to study discontinuation (NEJM2013 368; 14). The present study was designed to characterize the safety of Dabrafenib±trametinib+Ipilimumab, select recommended phase 2 doses (RP2Ds), and report efficacy.
Local reflex mechanisms: influence on basal genioglossal muscle activation in normal subjects.

STUDY OBJECTIVES To define the influence of topical nasopharyngeal anesthesia on genioglossal EMG responsiveness to both negative pressure and basal muscle activity. The effects on airway mechanics (resistance and collapsibility) were also determined. PARTICIPANTS 18 normal adult subjects (9 males and 9 premenopausal females) DESIGN AND MEASUREMENTS Genioglossal EMG (GG EMG) was measured with intramuscular electrodes. Basal phasic and tonic GG EMG were defined, in addition to the muscle response to multiple brief applications of negative airway pressure (-10 to 12 cm H2O). Airflow resistance (at 0.2 L/second and peak flow) plus airway collapsibility were also determined. All measurements were completed with and without dense nasopharyngeal anesthesia (lidocaine). RESULTS Following nasopharyngeal anesthesia, peak GG EMG response to negative pressure fell from 28.1+/-4.3 (SE) to 19.6+/-3.4% of maximum (p<0.01). This was associated with a significant fall in both peak phasic and tonic GG EMG under basal conditions (phasic: 20.2+/-3.2 to 15.9+/-2.7% of maximum, tonic: 13.9+/-2.5 to 9.8+/-1.8% of maximum). Falling muscle activity led to a trend of rising airflow resistance and increasing airway collapsibility. CONCLUSIONS Local, topical receptor mechanisms located in the nasopharynx importantly modulate upper airway dilator muscle activity in humans during normal tidal breathing. Therefore, the mechanisms exist for the airway to respond to local events which would tend to compromise airway patency.
Unmet Need and Financial Impact Disparities for US Children with ADHD.

Abstract Objective The 5.1 million US children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have pronounced needs in education, occupational and speech therapy, and medical and behavioral treatments. Given known associations of ADHD diagnosis with race/ethnicity and parent education, this study aimed to assess how measures of socioeconomic status correlate with both adverse family financial impact of ADHD and disparities in unmet treatment need for ADHD. Methods Secondary analysis of children ages 8 to 17 years whose households participated in the 2014 National Survey of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and Tourette Syndrome. Using bivariate testing, we examined associations among measures of socioeconomic status with unmet ADHD treatment need and family financial impact. Logistic regression models estimated the odds of having unmet treatment need, adjusting for demographic factors and family financial impact. Results Among US school-aged children with a current ADHD diagnosis, 44.3% experienced an adverse family financial impact from ADHD, and 11.6% had unmet need for ADHD treatment. Children with younger age at first ADHD diagnosis were more likely to experience adverse family financial impact. Children from non-English-speaking households were less likely to report unmet need compared to those from primarily English-speaking households. The adjusted odds of unmet need were twice as great among those who reported adverse family financial impact. Conclusion Deeper understanding of the influence of the household language is important in ADHD needs assessments. Considering overall family financial circumstances may also be pertinent, particularly as children age, because earlier diagnosis was associated with adverse financial outcomes. These findings could shape future clinic policies for targeting community resources.
Flame development analysis in a diesel optical engine converted to spark ignition natural gas operation

Abstract The conversion of heavy-duty diesel engines to spark-ignition natural gas operation has the potential to decrease the use of conventional petroleum-based fuels and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A better understanding of the fundamentals such as early natural gas flame development in re-entrant bowl combustion chambers can accelerate this conversion. This paper details an optical investigation of flame luminosity inside a conventional heavy-duty diesel engine converted to spark-ignition natural gas operation by replacing the diesel fuel injector with a spark plug and adding a port-fuel gas injector in the intake manifold. Knock-free lean-burn experiments were performed at medium engine load using methane as fuel. Combustion images confirmed that kernel inception played an important role in the subsequent flame propagation. In addition, flame luminosity images of individual engine cycles showed strong flame wrinkling and counterclockwise rotation due to increased turbulence inside the re-entrant bowl. However, the flame front for the mean cycle was relatively circular. Flame luminosity also suggested a thick flame and a high turbulent flame speed for early inside-the-bowl flame propagation, at the operating conditions investigated. Higher surface-to-volume ratio in the squish region increased the heat transfer to the surroundings and reduced flame propagation, which increased the late combustion period. The separation of the combustion process into two distinct zones (i.e., inside and outside the piston bowl) created a secondary peak or “bump” in the heat release of individual cycles. The data suggests that the combustion strategy should optimize the mass of fuel that burns inside the squish region. In addition, the moderate rate of pressure-rise and lack of knocking showed promise for heavy-duty diesel engines converted to spark-ignition natural gas operation.
Extended Abstract: Transforming Your Conference Paper into an Article for the IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication

This workshop is intended to help graduate students and junior faculty successfully prepare a manuscript for publication in the IEEE Transactions on Professional Communication based on a conference presentation.
Atmospheric Cold Plasma Inactivation of Salmonella and Escherichia coli on the Surface of Golden Delicious Apples.

The contamination of fruits with human pathogens is a reoccurring concern in the fresh produce industry. Atmospheric cold plasma (ACP) is a potential alternate to customary approaches for non-thermal decontamination of foods. In this study, the efficacy of a dielectric barrier discharge ACP system against Salmonella (Salmonella Typhimurium, ATCC 13311; Salmonella Choleraesuis, ATCC 10708) and Escherichia coli (ATCC 25922, ATCC 11775) was explored. For each bacteria, a two-strain mixture at 8 log10 CFU/ml was spot inoculated on the surface of Golden Delicious apples, air dried, and exposed to ACP at a fixed distance of 35 mm, input power of 200 W for 30, 60, 120, 180, and 240 s. Bacterial inactivation was achieved in all treatment times with highest reduction of 5.3 log10 CFU/cm2 for Salmonella and 5.5 log10 CFU/cm2 for E. coli. Our results showed that reductions were interrelated to exposure time and ranged from 1.3 to 5.3 and 0.6 to 5.5 log10 CFU/cm2 for Salmonella and E. coli, respectively. Salmonella and E. coli significantly decreased (>5.0 log) at 180 and 240 s as compared to 30, 60, and 120 s exposure. Microbial inactivation data was modelled by using Weibull distribution. These findings demonstrate the potential of ACP as a postharvest technology to effectively reduce pathogens on apples, with reference to Salmonella and E. coli.
Performance implications of global virtual time algorithms on a knights landing processor

Recent studies investigated the performance of Parallel Discrete Event Simulation (PDES) on Intel Xeon Phi many-core processors, but generally reported underwhelming performance results, especially at high scales when all cores and thread contexts are fully loaded. While the lack of scalability in an earlier study on a Knights Corner (KC) processor is an artifact of physical limitations of the KC system, performance challenges on a Knights Landing (KNL) system partially stem from a slower global virtual time (GVT) computation algorithm used in that study. In this paper, we re-examine PDES performance on KNL under more efficient GVT algorithms to alleviate the GVT bottleneck. Specifically, we compare a synchronous GVT algorithm based on barrier synchronization, and two asynchronous GVT implementations: a modified Mattern's algorithm for shared memory systems and a recently-proposed wait-free algorithm. Using the ROSS simulator, we demonstrate that minimizing the GVT bottleneck results in significant improvement in scalability, allowing the simulation to scale with performance all the way to 250 threads (per chip). Interestingly, we observe that while for the balanced models the wait-free algorithm is a clear winner, barrier-based GVT provides significantly better results for imbalanced models executed at high scale. We also perform detailed simulation profiling to understand the underlying reasons for these performance trends.
Implementation Science: Lessons Learned From Evaluating Practice Recommendations for the Care of Patients With Spine Injuries.

Health care providers are encouraged to provide care according to practice recommendations because these suggestions should improve patient care and promote optimal patient outcomes. The goals of t...
Automatic generation of reaction mechanisms

Abstract Reaction mechanisms for complicated systems are constructed by systematically applying reaction templates that make and break chemical bonds to molecules known or thought to be important in the system. The application of a template often creates a new reaction, increasing the size of the reaction mechanism, and can also create new product molecules, which themselves can react, growing the mechanism indefinitely until the process is terminated. Some of the fundamental challenges associated with reaction mechanism generation are highlighted. At any point the generated mechanism is only an approximation to the true mechanism, because not all reactions and species are included—mechanism truncation error—and because of the errors in the numerical values of the rate parameters; these two errors are defined. The origins of mechanism truncation errors in existing algorithms are discussed, with a special focus on the rate-based algorithm used in reaction mechanism generator. Mechanism truncation error can be caused by inaccurate rate estimates; both too-fast and too-slow estimates can cause problems. Some possible future approaches to improve the accuracy and reliability of computer-generated reaction mechanisms are discussed.
Assessment and Monitoring of Large Marine Ecosystems

A significant milestone in marine resource development was achieved in July 1992 with the adoption by a majority of coastal countries of follow-on actions to the United Nations’ Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED). The UNCED declarations on the ocean explicitly recommended that nations of the globe: (1) prevent, reduce, and control degradation of the marine environment so as to maintain and improve its life-support and productive capacities; (2) develop and increase the potential of marine living resources to meet human nutritional needs, as well as social, economic, and development goals; and (3) promote the integrated management and sustainable development of coastal areas and the marine environment. UNCED also recognized the general importance of capacity building, as well as the important linkage between monitoring and the achievement of marine resource development goals.
Derivation of the sterile neutrino Boltzmann equation from quantum kinetics

An extensive, growing body of work has been penned on cosmologies that include one or more sterile neutrinos. Early entries in the literature formulated a Boltzmann-like equation describing sterile-neutrino production in a way that bypasses the numerical tracking of high-frequency complex phases, and meticulous quantum-kinetic analyses shortly thereafter put the formula on firmer ground. A new and more direct derivation is given here, showing that the equation follows almost immediately from a quantum relaxation-time approximation and an expansion in the mixing angle. Besides reproducing the desired result, the relaxation ansatz captures to a high degree of accuracy the interlaced dynamics of oscillations, decoherence, and plasma repopulation. Successes and limitations of the semiclassical equation are illustrated numerically and are shown to reflect the accuracy of the approximations employed in the derivation. The inclusion of interactions among the sterile neutrinos is also briefly addressed.
Minimally Invasive Techniques in Trauma: Above and Below the Diaphragm

Once thought to only be of use in elective general surgery specialties, minimally invasive surgery is gaining popularity in the fields of emergency general surgery and trauma. In this chapter we explore the uses of minimally invasive techniques in trauma surgery. Since its acceptance by general surgeons in the 1990s, laparoscopy has become the gold standard in several arenas. Its adoption in trauma patients, however, has been slow to gain traction. Major concerns surrounding laparoscopy in trauma address the increased expenses of laparoscopy, ineffectiveness at visualizing the entire abdomen, increased length of time in the operating room, and missed injuries.
Diplopia in Adults with Myasthenia Gravis and other Myopathies

Diplopia occurring as a result of extraocular muscle limitation in patients with myasthenia gravis (MG), a fluctuating condition, varies with changes in the underlying neuromuscular disease. Other ...
Francis and the Pastoral Geopolitics of Peoples and Their Cultures: A Structural Option for the Poor:

In response to the phenomenon of globalization, which has resulted in the exclusion of entire peoples and their cultures, Pope Francis has proposed a pastoral geopolitics that is in keeping with th...
Insight into the coordinated jetting behavior in periodic lattice structures under dynamic compression

Architected lattices are gaining prominence for structural applications as additive manufacturing technologies mature. Emergent behavior, such as material jetting and wave propagation, arising from the open architecture has been observed under dynamic loading conditions. The origin of the observed jetting and how it might come about across a broad spectrum of lattice types, material compositions, length scales, and dynamic loading conditions is still an open question. The jetting behavior due to lattice structures was studied through a series of dynamic compression plate impact experiments with in situ x-ray imaging. The role of the impact conditions, the lattice spacing, the lattice architecture, and the lattice base material is explored in the context of promoting or suppressing jet formation. A transition from lattice-led to impactor-led jetting is observed above a certain impact threshold. Complementary direct numerical simulations were also performed to compare with the experiments, to study the underlying stress state giving rise to jetting, and to provide insight into conditions not accessed experimentally. We present a geometric argument on the competitive process leading to lattice and/or impactor jetting which incorporates base material properties, the periodicity of the lattice, and basic tunable length scales of the lattice. Using two-dimensional calculations, we further look at how tuning of a single parameter of the studied systems changes the observed jetting transition.
Thermoelectric power of Ba(Fe1-x Co (x) )(2)As-2 (0x0.05) and Ba(Fe1-x Rh (x) )(2)As-2 (0x0.171)

Temperature-dependent, in-plane, thermoelectric power data are presented for single crystals of Ba(Fe1−x Co x )2As2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05) and Ba(Fe1−x Rh x )2As2 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.171). Given that previous thermoelectric power and angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy studies of Ba(Fe1−x Co x )2As2 delineated a rather large Co-concentration range for Lifshitz transitions to occur, and the underdoped side of the phase diagram is poorly explored, new measurements of thermoelectric power on tightly spaced concentrations of Co, 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05, were carried out. The data suggest evidence of a Lifshitz transition, but instead of a discontinuous jump in thermoelectric power in the range 0 ≤ x ≤ 0.05, a more gradual evolution in the S(T) plots as x is increased was observed. The thermoelectric power data of Ba(Fe1−x Rh x )2As2 show very similar behavior to that of Co substituted BaFe2As2. The previously outlined T–x phase diagrams for both systems are further confirmed by these thermoelectric power data.
Skepticism in Early Modern English Literature: The Problems and Pleasures of Doubt

This ambitious account of skepticism's effects on major authors of England's Golden Age shows how key philosophical problems inspired literary innovations in poetry and prose. When figures like Spenser, Shakespeare, Donne, Herbert of Cherbury, Cavendish, Marvell and Milton question theories of language, degrees of knowledge and belief, and dwell on the uncertainties of perception, they forever change English literature, ushering it into a secular mode. While tracing a narrative arc from medieval nominalism to late seventeenth-century taste, the book explores the aesthetic pleasures and political quandaries induced by skeptical doubt. It also incorporates modern philosophical views of skepticism: those of Stanley Cavell, Ludwig Wittgenstein, Roland Barthes, and Hans Blumenberg, among others. The book thus contributes to interdisciplinary studies of philosophy and literature as well as to current debates about skepticism as a secularizing force, fostering civil liberties and religious freedoms.
Association of BMI, comorbidities and all-cause mortality by using a baseline mortality risk model.

Objective The association of body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality is controversial, frequently referred to as a paradox. Whether the cause is metabolic factors or statistical biases is still controversial. We assessed the association of BMI and all-cause mortality considering a wide range of comorbidities and baseline mortality risk. Methods Retrospective cohort study of Olmsted County residents with at least one BMI measurement between 2000–2005, clinical data in the electronic health record and minimum 8 year follow-up or death within this time. The cohort was categorized based on baseline mortality risk: Low, Medium, Medium-high, High and Very-high. All-cause mortality was assessed for BMI intervals of 5 and 0.5 Kg/m2. Results Of 39,739 subjects (average age 52.6, range 18–89; 38.1% male) 11.86% died during 8-year follow-up. The 8-year all-cause mortality risk had a “U” shape with a flat nadir in all the risk groups. Extreme BMI showed higher risk (BMI <15 = 36.4%, 15 to <20 = 15.4% and ≥45 = 13.7%), while intermediate BMI categories showed a plateau between 10.6 and 12.5%. The increased risk attributed to baseline risk and comorbidities was more obvious than the risk based on BMI increase within the same risk groups. Conclusions There is a complex association between BMI and all-cause mortality when evaluated including comorbidities and baseline mortality risk. In general, comorbidities are better predictors of mortality risk except at extreme BMIs. In patients with no or few comorbidities, BMI seems to better define mortality risk. Aggressive management of comorbidities may provide better survival outcome for patients with body mass between normal and moderate obesity.
Social Cost-Benefits

Cost–benefit analysis (CBA), when used as it was in the 1930s to measure the social return on public spending, made sense – and still makes sense – as a bulwark against “pork barrel” and other wasteful projects. When expanded to apply the principles and assumptions of welfare economics to social policy more generally, however, CBA imposes its own goal – efficiency – on society and justifies that goal by defining social welfare in terms of it. It then substitutes itself for both markets (which fail to be efficient) and political deliberation (which seeks goals other than efficiency) as an expert method for allocating public and other resources. Keywords: economics; efficiency; cost-benefit analysis; markets; public policy; environment
Benefits of Parallel I/O in Ab Initio Nuclear Physics Calculations

Many modern scientific applications rely on highly parallel calculations, which scale to 10's of thousands processors. However, most applications do not concentrate on parallelizing input/output operations. In particular, sequential I/O has been identified as a bottleneck for the highly scalable MFDn (Many Fermion Dynamics for nuclear structure) code performing ab initio nuclear structure calculations. In this paper, we develop interfaces and parallel I/O procedures to use a well-known parallel I/O library in MFDn. As a result, we gain efficient input/output of large datasets along with their portability and ease of use in the downstream processing.
Review of Research: Do You Speak My Language? Are Behavior Analysts Considering the Needs of Learners on the Autism Spectrum?.

One of the domains most commonly affected by autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is communication (American Psychiatric Association, 2000). Language deficits in children with ASD can be as severe as to...
Meeting the MEMS “Design-to-Analysis” Challenge: The SUMMiT® V Design Tool Environment

This paper describes the SUMMiT® V Design Tools, a suite of CAD tools that enable a SUMMiT® (Sandia Ultra-Planar Multilevel MEMS Technology) MEMS designer to meet the ‘Design-To-Analysis’ challenge. Sandia has developed a MEMS design tool suite integrated with a commercial 3D mechanical CAD tool, AutoCAD® . Designed for use with the SUMMiT® process, it includes in-house written design tools: a 2D Process Visualizer [2], a fast 3D Visualizer, a detailed 3D Model Generator [3], a finite element mesh generator [4], a library of standard components [5], and a Design Rule Check system [6].Copyright © 2002 by ASME
Prediction of Low-Temperature Creep and Thermal Strain in Asphalt Concrete Pavements

Absorptive and nonabsorptive aggregates and different asphalts were used to prepare specimens for indirect tension tests. Fracture and tensile creep tests were used to evaluate the stress-strain behavior of the mixtures at different test temperatures. It was observed that failure strain and stress remained essentially constant when test temperatures were depressed below some critical temperature. Creep strain rates were found to be entirely dependent upon asphalt viscosity and stress ratio. The stress ratio was defined as the applied stress divided by the maximum failure stress below the critical temperature. A creep prediction equation was developed which can be used in predicting thermal stresses and strains of asphalt pavements.
La sémiotique greimassienne et la sémiotique peircienne : Visées, principes et théories du signe

De algumas decadas a esta parte, Peirce vem despontando como referencia para varios semioticistas (pos-)greimasianos. Poderiam a teoria de A. J. Greimas e a doutrina dos signos de C. S. Peirce ser vistas como variantes de uma mesma concepcao designavel como “semiotica” ? Buscaremos certas convergencias entre ambos os projetos que poderiam justificar tal pretensao. A partir dai, identificaremos importantes divergencias em sua disposicao disciplinar e no modo como um e outro administram as tensoes entre a teoria e a pratica, a deducao e a inducao e, por fim, entre a abertura e a completude de sua arquitetura conceitual, levantando a questao de saber se suas diferencas fazem deles metodos incompativeis ou complementares. Para tentar responder a essa questao, esbocaremos um resumo da fenomenologia de Peirce, a qual, situada nos alicerces de sua semiotica, conjuga-se em tres modos, a saber : Primeiridade, Secundidade e Terceiridade. Examinaremos, em seguida, sua concepcao do signo, analisando a definicao precisa e original por ele formulada, a fim de depreender-lhe o sentido, bem como a orientacao e o alcance de seus elementos, tanto no contexto de seu projeto particular como no da semiotica do espaco romanico. O modelo peirciano do signo define o enunciado e a enunciacao, a temporalidade, e aponta para o significante e o significado, embora pretenda questionar esta ultima distincao. Na conclusao, indagamo-nos sobre a utilidade, eventual ou efetiva, de determinados componentes da teoria de Peirce para a semiotica procedente do projeto greimasiano.
Relationship of Ankle Strength and Test Order to Static Balance Performance

Abstract The relationship of dorsi and plantar flexion strength to static balance performance was determined. In addition, the effect that the order of balance test administration had upon balance performance was established. Fifty-six college females completed tests of plantar and dorsi flexion strength, the Bass Stick Test, the Bass Stick Test without visual cues, and the Bass Stick Test raised to a height of 4 feet above the floor. Subjects were randomly assigned to one of six different test order groups. Strength of the dorsi and plantar flexors of the foot was not related to any of the three balance tests. The Bass Stick Test was performed significantly better by the two groups which took this test as the last of the three, regardless of sequence. The group experiencing the blindfolded test first produced balance performances that were inferior to those of the other groups. In general, the practice effect resultant from taking a balance test last in order facilitated performance more than fatigue inh...
Impact of race and gestational age on red blood cell indices in very low birth weight infants.

Background. Normative data for hematologic values in the very low birth weight infants are limited and inconsistent, with the reported mean hematocrit (HCT) in these infants ranging from 43.5% to 60%. No data are available on the effect of race. Objectives. To establish normative data for hemoglobin (Hb) and HCT by arterial sampling obtained during the first 3 hours after birth in black and white premature infants ≤31 weeks of gestation. Methods. Retrospective chart review of all infants ≤ 31 weeks of gestation born between June 1994 and October 1998. Inclusion criteria: infant ≤31 weeks of gestation who had an arterial blood sample obtained in the first 3 hours after birth. Exclusion criteria: infants were excluded if they had any medical condition that may affect the red blood cell indices (eg, twin-to-twin transfusion or fetomaternal hemorrhage). Results. Of 428 infants, 188 who met both inclusion and exclusion criteria were classified into 3 gestational age groups: group 1 = 23 to 25 weeks of gestation (n = 40); group 2 = 26 to 28 weeks (n = 60); and group 3 = 29 to 31 weeks (n = 88). There were statistically significant differences between groups 1 and 3 in HCT, Hb, mean corpuscular Hb (MCH), and mean corpuscular volume (MCV). No differences in HCT and Hb values were noted in relation to sex, mode of delivery, multiple gestation, antenatal steroids, or maternal smoking. In group 3, the mean Hb, HCT, and MCV values were higher in white infants than in black infants (16.7 ± 1.6 g/dL vs 15.4 ± 1.7 g/dL; 50.0 ± 5.0 vs 45.5 ± 4.6; and 112 ± 5 fL vs 107 ± 8 fL, respectively). Conclusions. Hb, HCT, and MCH values are described for premature infants ≤31 weeks of gestation born in North America. Hb and HCT increased, whereas MCV decreased with gestational age. Hb, HCT, and MCV values are statistically higher in white infants than in black infants.
Synthesis and characterization of potential anticancer platinum(II) and palladium(II) complexes. Infrared, nuclear magnetic resonance studies, structure and binding site determination

Abstract Interactions of Pd(II) and Pt(II) with (4-amino-2-methyl-5-pyrimidinyl-methylthio) acetic acid (AMMPTA) in aqueous medium (pH = 3.5 and pH = 11.9) resulted in the formation of new complexes which have been characterized by elemental analysis, IR, 1H, and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques. Platinum (II) is bound to two ligands through sulphur and oxygen donor atoms to form square planar complexes which in H2O/D2O mixture (3:2) is a mixture of cis and trans isomers as evident from NMR studies. Palladium(II), on the other hand, seems to bind weakly to the sulfur donor atom. In both Pd(II) and Pt(II) complexes, the amino group seems to be in the form N+--C-l and N+H--O-H at low and high, pH, respectively. A complete assignment of 1H and 13C NMR spectra resonances is presented for both the ligand and the complexes.
Effect of mesencephalic lesions on feeding behavior in rats

Abstract Large bilateral lesions in the mesencephalic reticular formation of rats led to severe aphagia and adipsia. Smaller bilateral mesencephalic lesions in the midreticular formation, between the red nucleus and aqueduct in the dorsoventral axis, were most effective in producing alterations in feeding behavior. Lesions restricted to the extreme lateral reticular formation, tectum, central gray matter or substantia nigra had little or no effect on food and water intake. Hyperphagia was observed in one rat with lesions caudal to the red nucleus at the edges of the central gray matter. The syndrome following small mesencephalic lesions was similar to the aphagicadipsic syndrome following lateral hypothalamic damage; most animals recovered within 1 or 2 weeks. Both direct current and radio-frequency current were effective in producing the syndrome. Neurological and behavioral symptoms, other than those related to food and water intake, were transitory.
Measuring quality of surgical care: is it attainable?

Healthcare issues are again a hot topic in this year's elections. U.S. healthcare spending is among the highest in the world, averaging $7,026 per person, or $2.1 trillion in 2006 and is growing at a rate of over 6.7% per year.(1-3) (Figure 1) The U.S. now spends approximately 16% of her Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on healthcare.(3) Despite this ever-increasing spending, it has been consistently shown that healthcare quality indices in the U.S. lag behind that of other industrialized countries.(2, 4) Furthermore, a growing segment of the U.S. population cannot afford healthcare; in 2007 nearly 15% of Americans did not have healthcare insurance.(5) This unsustainable increase in healthcare spending, coupled with a looming recession, has the potential to have great repercussion on the well-being of the nation. The unrestrained consumption of healthcare will eventually hamper the provision of other essential services, such as education, infrastructure, and defense. Figure 1 National Health Expenditures by year, 1960-2006 (billions of dollars) Many nationwide experiments have been performed in an effort to decrease this growth. Most notably, the health maintenance organization (HMO) movement in the 1980s temporarily slowed the growth of health care through limiting access. This dip in the growth of health care consumption was made possible by cuts of services to the consumers, while managers of these healthcare plans raked up huge profits at the expense of the American people.(6) Capitation is an even more controversial way that has been used to try to contain costs.(7) At its heart, capitation is an agreement entered into by health care providers and payers to preset which services are covered and the agreed upon reimbursement rates for those services. The most notable capitation experiment has been the Oregon Health Plan, which began operation in 1994.(8) The plan expanded Medicaid benefits to more residents, but did so by reducing covered services. This was done by means of a prioritized list of more than 700 diagnoses and treatments. The Oregon State Legislature decided on a cut-off point on the list in which services below the cut-off point would not be covered. The plan saw early success in reducing uncompensated hospital visits and increasing the number of residents with health insurance, but it was hypothesized that this success could not be sustained.(9) As predicted, the program was not able to withstand inflation of medical costs and cuts to the plan, and eventually resulted in the closing of the program to new enrollees. In March 2008, enrollment was begun again with a lottery to fill 3,000 available enrollee spots, and more than 80,000 people applied.(10) Despite the short-coming of the Oregon Health Plan, Donald Berwick, MD, an authority on the quality of health care, theorizes that capitation can be beneficial to the American healthcare system, provided that reimbursement and covered services decisions are made in a collaborative way by encouraging the examination of provider decision-making processes.(11)
Strategy for sequencing peptides as mono‐ and dilithiated adducts using a hybrid tandem mass spectrometer

A strategy for sequencing peptides using the mono- and dilithiated quasimolecular ions is proposed. Low energy collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the monolithiated species produced primarily [An+LiH]+ and [Bn+H+OLi]+ ions while that of the dilithiated species produced [An+LiH]+ and [Yn+Li+H]+ ions. The precursor parent ion in the monolithiated adduct is proposed to be a mixture of lithiated neutral peptide (1) and protonated lithium salt (2). Mechanisms for the formation of the [An+LiH]+ and [Yn+Li+H]+ ions are proposed. Four peptides of known composition but unknown sequence were successfully sequenced using the combined data from the CID spectra of the mono- and dilithiated species.
Estimation of Moisture in Turkey Meat by Refractive Index

Abstract RAPID estimation of the moisture in meat is desirable, particularly in instances in which the meat is to be used in emulsions. In contrast to the traditional oven method of analysis (A.O.A.C., 1965), moisture has been estimated in meats with the Brabender apparatus (Bloemer, 1964) and by spectrophotometry (BenGera and Norris, 1967). Other techniques include gas-liquid chromatography as applied to grains, cereal products, fruit and fruit products (National Bureau of Standards, 1963; Schwecke and Nelson, 1964; Brekke and Conrad, 1965) and infrared heating of gelatin (Jones, 1966). Because of the relatively low cost and simplicity of operating the refractometer (Bolin and Nury, 1965), this study was undertaken to test the adequacy of refractive index as a measure of the moisture content in meat. EXPERIMENTAL METHODS White and red meat samples were taken from the breast and from the leg and thigh parts of previously frozen turkeys. The samples were trimmed . . .
Tarsal navicular bone size in diabetics: radiographic assessment.

Objective To test the anecdotal observation that isolated navicular collapse is associated with diabetes mellitus, we quantified the size of the tarsal navicular bone in subjects with and without diabetes and tested for association of size with age, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), gender, smoking, bone mineral density (BMD), duration, and level of control of diabetes.
Level and stability of self-esteem as predictors of depressive symptoms

Abstract In a recent study, Kernis, Grannemann and Mathis (Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 61, 80–84) reported that stability of self-esteem (SE) moderates the relation between level of SE and depression. Specifically, level of SE predicted depression more strongly in persons with temporally stable SE. We attempted to replicate this finding across three independent data sets (total N = 504). Although level of SE was a strong prospective predictor of depressive symptoms in all three studies, in none were significant interactions obtained between level and stability of SE in the form suggested by Kernis and his colleagues. Overall, our results suggest that Kernis et al.'s finding is unreliable. Given recent theory suggesting that instability in SE (Roberts & Monroe, Clinical Psychology Review, 14, 161–181, 1994) and neuroticism (Martin, Personality and Individual Differences, 6, 353–365, 1985) predispose to depression subsequent to life Stressors, these findings are not surprising. Data are presented that demonstrate that stable SE and affect measured ‘on-line’ through daily assessments are, in fact, associated with lower levels of neuroticism.