cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chimeric constructs between two hepatitis B virus genomes confirm transcriptional impact of core promoter mutations and reveal multiple effects of core gene mutations

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) clone 4B replicated much more efficiently than clone 2A of the same genotype. Introduction of its T1753C, A1762T, G1764A, and C1766T core promoter mutations into the 2A genome greatly enhanced genome replication and suppressed HBeAg expression. Here we show that these effects are mediated by transcriptional up regulation of pregenomic RNA and suppression of precore RNA. Analysis of chimeric constructs suggested that the 5' end of the 2A core gene conferred higher level of pregenomic RNA, but less core protein and genome replication relative to the 4B sequence. Genome maturity of secreted virions was reduced by mutations present in the core protein of the 2A genome but enhanced by mutations found in the 4B core protein. The 4B core protein migrated faster than that of clone 2A. The possible links among the various phenotypes and the responsible mutations remain to be established.
Growth Rate-Dependent Global Effects on Gene Expression in Bacteria

Bacterial gene expression depends not only on specific regulatory mechanisms, but also on bacterial growth, because important global parameters such as the abundance of RNA polymerases and ribosomes are all growth-rate dependent. Understanding of these global effects is necessary for a quantitative understanding of gene regulation and for the design of synthetic genetic circuits. We find that the observed growth-rate dependence of constitutive gene expression can be explained by a simple model using the measured growth-rate dependence of the relevant cellular parameters. More complex growth dependencies for genetic circuits involving activators, repressors, and feedback control were analyzed and verified experimentally with synthetic circuits. Additional results suggest a feedback mechanism mediated by general growth-dependent effects that does not require explicit gene regulation if the expressed protein affects cell growth. This mechanism can lead to growth bistability and promote the acquisition of important physiological functions such as antibiotic resistance and tolerance (persistence).
Panoramic radiographic findings as predictors of mandibular nerve exposure following third molar extraction: digital versus conventional radiographic techniques.

Objective The aim was to compare digital and conventional panoramic imaging techniques for identifying high-risk radiographic markers associated with mandibular nerve (MN) injury after mandibular third molar (M3) removal. Study design The study used a retrospective cohort model. The predictor variable was the presence or absence of radiographic signs associated with MN exposure during M3 removal. The outcome variable was MN exposure. Intraexaminer variability was estimated using a kappa statistic. Logistic regression modeling was used to measure the association between radiographic signs and MN exposure and determine if imaging technique modified that association. The level of statistical significance was set at P Results The sample was composed of 571 patients having 1,017 mandibular M3s removed. The MN was visualized in 66 extraction sites (6.5%). In the adjusted logistic model, radiographic signs were statistically associated with MN exposure ( P P = .4). Conclusion The results of this study suggest that imaging technique does not modify the relationship between high-risk panoramic radiographic signs and MN exposure.
Clinical Evidence of Interaction Between Itraconazole and Nonnucleoside Reverse Transcriptase Inhibitors in HIV-Infected Patients with Disseminated Histoplasmosis

BackgroundItraconazole is the preferred drug for chronic maintenance therapy in HIV-infected patients with disseminated histoplasmosis. Unfortunately, few clinical data exist confirming a presumed interaction between itraconazole and nonnucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs).ObjectiveTo determine whether serum itraconazole concentrations are affected by the type of antiretroviral therapy (NNRTI or protease inhibitor [PI]) being taken concomitantly.MethodsThis retrospective cohort identified patients on antiretroviral therapy and itraconazole for disseminated histoplasmosis between January 2003 and December 2006 at a large HIV clinic in Houston, TX. Available laboratory values were abstracted from medical records.ResultsThirteen itraconazole concentrations from 10 patients were avaitable for analysis: 7 patients were on concomitant Pls, 4 on concomitant NNRTIs, and 2 on antiretroviral regimens containing both Pls and NNRTIs. Six of the itraconazole concentrations during concomitant PI treatme...
Ultra-sensitive fluidic sensors by integrating fluidic circuits and mosfets

Nanofluidic sensors have been developed over the past decade and demonstrated the capability of sensing single DNA molecules. One important and promising class of nanofluidic devices detects single molecules by inserting a nanopore or nanochannel between two fluid cells and inducing an ionic current by applying an electric bias across the nanopore or nanochannel. When molecules are translocated through the nanopore/nanochannel, a modulation of the baseline ionic current can be observed. In this scheme, the ionic current modulation is approximately the same as the channel resistance modulation, requiring the channel size to be comparable to the molecules to be detected. Here we report on a new sensing scheme to detect the translocation of particles through a fluidic channel, which amplifies the resistance modulation by up to 75 times. In this scheme, the device connects the gate of a MOSFET with a fluidic circuit and monitors the modulation of MOSFET’s drain current to detect particles. We demonstrate that amplification can be achieved from both the fluidic circuit and the MOSFET. For a 9.86 μm diameter polystyrene bead that occupies 0.7% of the total volume of the sensing channel, results show that the drain current of the MOSFET is blocked by 30–46%. We also demonstrate the capability of this device to distinguish particles with similar sizes but different surface charges as they translocate through the sensing channel. More interestingly, the experiments with CD4+ T lymphocyte cells show another modulation pattern: the MOSFET’s drain current is first enhanced and then blocked, which is not fully understood and needs further investigation. Although at this moment the device is based on microchannels and the particles detected are micron-size beads and cells, we expect that the same scheme can be applied to nanofluidic circuits for single molecule detection.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Estimation of vorticity from fibrous calcite veins, central Maine, USA

An estimate for the vorticity of a mid-Paleozoic deformation was made using deformed and/or rotated calcite veins as natural vorticity and shear-strain gauges in a northern part of the U.S. Appalachians. The spatial distribution of extended, shortened, and shortened-then-extended elongate fibrous calcite veins in limestone layers were used to construct a Mohr circle for the position gradient tensor H, from which vorticity and flow parameters were calculated. The amount of rotation of large axial-ratio fibrous calcite veins in quartz-phyllite-layer boudin necks and linear veins in limestone layers were used to calculate shear strain as a check on flow parameters calculated from the distribution of deformed veins. These analyses demonstrate that the D3 phase of deformation was characterized by a mean kinematic vorticity number of 0.67. The existence of a non-coaxial fabric defined by reactivated foliation and dextral asymmetric folds is also established. Age constraints suggest that this non-coaxial deformation in eastern central Maine began early in the Devonian and continued at least through regional peak metamorphism. This study represents the first quantitative assessment of the vorticity of Devonian deformation in Maine, and the results suggest that a transpressional tectonic model is appropriate for the area at that time.
Matching Intensity-Modulated Radiation Therapy to an Anterior Low Neck Field

When using intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) to treat head and neck cancer with the primary site above the level of the larynx, there are two basic options for the low neck lymphatics: to treat the entire neck with IMRT, or to match the IMRT plan to a conventional anterior "low neck" field. In view of the potential advantages of using a conventional low neck field, it is important to look for ways to minimize or manage the problems of matching IMRT to a conventional radiotherapy field. Treating the low neck with a single anterior field and the standard larynx block decreases the dose to the larynx and often results in a superior IMRT plan at the primary site. The purpose of this article is to review the most applicable studies and to discuss our experience with implementing a technique that involves moving the position of the superior border of the low neck field several times during a single treatment fraction.
Rotating dotted ellipses: Motion perception driven by grouped figural rather than local dot motion signals

Unlike the motion of a continuous contour, the motion of a single dot is unambiguous and immune to the aperture problem. Here we exploit this fact to explore the conditions under which unambiguous local motion signals are used to drive global percepts of an ellipse undergoing rotation. In previous work, we have shown that a thin, high aspect ratio ellipse will appear to rotate faster than a lower aspect ratio ellipse even when the two in fact rotate at the same angular velocity [Caplovitz, G. P., Hsieh, P. -J., & Tse, P. U. (2006) Mechanisms underlying the perceived angular velocity of a rigidly rotating object. Vision Research, 46(18), 2877–2893]. In this study we examined the perceived speed of rotation of ellipses defined by a virtual contour made up of evenly spaced dots. Results: Ellipses defined by closely spaced dots exhibit the speed illusion observed with continuous contours. That is, thin dotted ellipses appear to rotate faster than fat dotted ellipses when both rotate at the same angular velocity. This illusion is not observed if the dots defining the ellipse are spaced too widely apart. A control experiment ruled out low spatial frequency ‘‘blurring’’ as the source of the illusory percept. Conclusion: Even in the presence of local motion signals that are immune to the aperture problem, the global percept of an ellipse undergoing rotation can be driven by potentially ambiguous motion signals arising from the non-local form of the grouped ellipse itself. Here motion perception is driven by emergent motion signals such as those of virtual contours constructed by grouping procedures. Neither these contours nor their emergent motion signals are present in the image. � 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Frequency and biphase estimation of quadratically coupled sinusoids using cumulant projections

Summations of cumulants (projections) along parallel lines in the cumulant domain are formed. The projection procedure first relies on a change of variables through rotation of the cumulant axes. The cumulants are effectively decoupled. Summing the cumulants reduced the dimensionality of the system from six cumulant terms to one term. An eigenstructure-based method for frequency and biphase estimation is offered as an alternative to Fourier schemes on the slice after biphases have been converted to estimable amplitudes by forming symmetric and skew-symmetric projections. >
Hydrologic Aspects of the Disposal of Oil-Field Brines in Alabamaa

Contamination of fresh-water supplies by the disposal of oil-field brines occurs on a small scale in Alabama. The problems that exist, however, are symptoms of potentially serious problems in the management of oil-field wastes. The sources of contamination are: 1) evaporation pits and 2) leaks in pipelines or well-head connections to disposal wells. The storage capacity and construction of many pits are inadequate for the evaporation of the quantity of brine they receive. Waste overflows during rainstorms, affecting vegetation in surrounding areas. Some of the brine overflowing from the evaporation pits or percolating to the water table from the pits or leaks in pipelines moves to the nearest stream. The base flow of some streams in the oilfield areas is maintained by highly mineralized ground-water inflow. Pits should be used only if: 1) the pit is constructed in an area underlain by semi-impermeable material, and 2) the storage capacity and construction of the pits is adequate for the quantity of brine and storm runoff they receive. The elimination of contamination from leaks in pipelines and wellhead connections can be accomplished through an effective system of monitoring.
Persistence of host dendritic cells after transplantation is associated with graft-versus-host disease.

Abstract Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) causes significant morbidity and mortality in patients undergoing allogeneic bone marrow transplantation following either a conventional or reduced-intensity preparative regimen. In a murine model, inactivation of host dendritic cells (DCs) was associated with a significant reduction in acute GVHD, suggesting that host DCs may play an important role in the pathogenesis of acute GVHD. The role of host DCs in the development of GVHD following allogeneic stem cell transplantation in humans, however, is unclear. We examined DC chimerism in patients with various hematologic malignancies who underwent a reduced-intensity preparative regimen of extracorporeal photophoresis, pentostatin, and reduced-dose total body irradiation (n = 21) or a conventional preparative regimen of cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation (n = 3). Full donor hematopoietic reconstitution was demonstrated in 19 of 21 patients who underwent a reduced-intensity preparative regimen and in all patients who underwent a conventional preparative regimen. Grade 0 to I acute GVHD and limited or no chronic GVHD were observed in 18 patients who underwent a reduced-intensity regimen and 1 patient who underwent a conventional regimen who achieved full donor DC chimerism at day +100 posttransplantation. In contrast, grade II to IV acute GVHD and extensive chronic GVHD were observed in the 2 patients who underwent a conventional regimen and the 1 patient who underwent a reduced-intensity regimen who had host rather than donor DC chimerism. The persistence of host DCs at day +100 posttransplantation is correlated with the development of severe acute and chronic GVHD (P = .001). Host DCs may represent a therapeutic target for reducing GVHD in allogeneic bone marrow transplants. © 2003 American Society for Blood and Marrow Transplantation Biology of Blood and Marrow Transplantation 9:170-176 (2003)
Parental perception and perceived locus of control in psychopathology

Summary The intrusion of anxiety and disruption of ego functions seen in the more serious forms of psychopathology would seem incompatible with maintenance of an unimpaired sense of personal identity. The present study took the position that the psychiatric patient's fragile or poorly developed sense of his own identity would be reflected (a) in deficient or tenuous identifications with parental norms and values and (b) in the perception of less parental supportiveness and warmth, relative to nonpsychiatric patients, and (c) would lead the individual to perceive reinforcement as contingent primarily upon some external locus of control, rather than upon his own relatively enduring personal characteristics Support was obtained for (b) and (c), above, but not for (a).
Eight years of seasonal burning and herbicidal brush control influence sapling longleaf pine growth, understory vegetation, and the outcome of an ensuing wildfire

Abstract To study how fire or herbicide use influences longleaf pine ( Pinus palustris Mill.) overstory and understory vegetation, five treatments were initiated in a 5–6-year-old longleaf pine stand: check, biennial arborescent plant control by directed herbicide application, and biennial burning in March, May, or July. The herbicide or prescribed fire treatments were applied in 1999, 2001, 2003, and 2005. All prescribed fires were intense and averaged 700 kJ/s/m of fire front across all 12 burns. Using pretreatment variables as covariates, longleaf pine survival and volume per hectare were significantly less on the three prescribed fire treatments than on checks. Least-square means in 2006 for survival were 70, 65, 64, 58, and 56% and volume per hectare was 129, 125, 65, 84, and 80 m 3 /ha on the check, herbicide, March-, May-, and July-burn treatments, respectively. A wildfire in March 2007 disproportionately killed pine trees on the study plots. In October 2007, pine volume per hectare was 85, 111, 68, 98, and 93 m 3 /ha and survival was 32, 41, 53, 57, and 55% on the check, herbicide, March-, May-, and July-burn treatments, respectively, after dropping trees that died through January 2009 from the database. Understory plant cover was also affected by treatment and the ensuing wildfire. In September 2006, herbaceous plant cover averaged 4% on the two unburned treatments and 42% on the three prescribed fire treatments. Seven months after the wildfire, herbaceous plant cover averaged 42% on the two previously unburned treatments and 50% on the three prescribed fire treatments. Before the wildfire, understory tree cover was significantly greater on checks (15%) than on the other four treatments (1.3%), but understory tree cover was similar across all five treatments 7 months after the wildfire averaging 1.1%. The greater apparent intensity of the wildfire on the previously unburned treatments most likely resulted from a greater accumulation of fuels on the check and herbicide plots that also collectively had a higher caloric content than fuels on the biennially prescribed burned plots. These results showed the destructive force of wildfire to overstory trees in unburned longleaf pine stands while also demonstrating the rejuvenating effects of wildfire within herbaceous plant communities. They caution for careful reintroduction of prescribed fire even if fire was excluded for less than a decade.
The DSM-5 and the bereavement exclusion: a call for critical evaluation.

The discipline of social work has long prided itself on taking a holistic view of human suffering and well-being and for advocating for conditions that enhance the quality of life for vulnerable populations. Yet, as others have pointed out (Carney, 2012), social workers have remained mostly silent when it comes to the changes proposed for the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). This is perplexing, given the debate this revision process has sparked in the mental health professions. In addition, social workers provide a substantial portion of mental health services in the United States, typically using the DSM (Frazer, Westhuis, Daley, & Phillips, 2009), and any changes to the manual will likely have farreaching effects on the individuals social workers serve and on the profession as a whole. For this reason, the DSM-5 changes require critical evaluation from social work. Though a wide range of changes has been proposed, we wish to consider just one aspect that has generated heated debate and public outcry: a change to the criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). Whereas DSM-IV offers a bereavement exclusion that discourages the use of this diagnosis within a two-month postdeath period, DSM-5 proposes to eliminate this exclusion and allow a diagnosis of MDD two weeks after a death. We consider this proposal in light of its potential effect on bereaved parents, who constitute an especially vulnerable population socially, emotionally, and even economically (Song, Floyd, Mailick Seltzer, Greenberg, & Hong, 2010), due to the traumatic nature of infant and child death.
Variation-aware performance verification using at-speed structural test and statistical timing

Meeting the tight performance specifications mandated by the customer is critical for contract manufactured ASICs. To address this, at speed test has been employed to detect subtle delay failures in manufacturing. However, the increasing process spread in advanced nanometer ASICs poses considerable challenges to predicting hardware performance from timing models. Performance verification in the presence of process variation is difficult because the critical path is no longer unique. Different paths become frequency limiting in different process corners. In this paper, we present a novel variation-aware method based on statistical timing to select critical paths for structural test. Node criticalities are computed to determine the probabilities of different circuit nodes being on the critical path across process variation. Moreover, path delays are projected into different process corners using their linear delay function forms. Experimental results for three multimillion gate ASICs demonstrate the effectiveness of our methods.
Microbial synthesis of p-hydroxybenzoic acid from glucose.

A series of recombinant Escherichia coli strains have been constructed and evaluated for their ability to synthesize p-hydroxybenzoic acid from glucose under fed-batch fermentor conditions. The maximum concentration of p-hydroxybenzoic acid synthesized was 12 g/L and corresponded to a yield of 13% (mol/mol). Synthesis of p-hydroxybenzoic acid began with direction of increased carbon flow into the common pathway of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis. This was accomplished in all constructs with overexpression of a feedback-insensitive isozyme of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonic acid 7-phosphate synthase. Expression levels of enzymes in the common pathway of aromatic amino acid biosynthesis were also increased in all constructs to deliver increased carbon flow from the beginning to the end of the common pathway. A previously unreported inhibition of 3-dehydroquinate synthase by L-tyrosine was discovered to be a significant impediment to the flow of carbon through the common pathway. Chorismic acid, the last metabolite of the common pathway, was converted into p-hydroxybenzoic acid by ubiC-encoded chorismate lyase. Constructs differed in the strategy used for overexpression of chorismate lyase and also differed as to whether mutations were present in the host E. coli to inactivate other chorismate-utilizing enzymes. Use of overexpressed chorismate lyase to increase the rate of chorismic acid aromatization was mitigated by attendant decreases in the specific activity of DAHP synthase and feedback inhibition caused by p-hydroxybenzoic acid. The toxicity of p-hydroxybenzoic acid towards E. coli metabolism and growth was also evaluated.
Individual and Structural Influences Shaping Pharmacists’ Decisions to Sell Syringes to Injection Drug Users in Atlanta, Georgia

Objective To better understand the individual (e.g., attitudes and beliefs) and structural (e.g., laws and regulations) factors that influence and shape pharmacists' decisions about selling syringes to injection drug users (IDUs). Design Qualitative research. Setting Metropolitan Atlanta. Participants 20 practicing pharmacists who work in or near areas of high drug use in Atlanta, and nine pharmacists who are considered leaders in their profession in Georgia. Interventions Semistructured, in-depth interviews. Main Outcome Measures Individual and structural factors that influence pharmacists' decisions about selling syringes to IDUs. Results Pharmacists reported that they use their professional discretion in making syringe sale decisions and that these decisions are influenced by individuals factors such as their personal attitudes and beliefs about the nature and causes of drug use, and by structural factors such as the Georgia Board of Pharmacy regulation stating that syringes cannot be sold if they will be used for an "unlawful purpose." Conclusions IDUs' access to sterile syringes from pharmacies in Atlanta, would likely be increased by (1) providing practicing pharmacists with professional education programs that describe the broad professional support for IDU access to sterile syringes and why blood-borne infection prevention is a legitimate medical purpose for selling syringes and (2) removing or modifying the restrictive Board of Pharmacy regulation governing syringe sales.
International Networking: Expanded Vistas for Leadership Development.

I n looking toward the future, it makes sense that we examine international networks and their projected contexts for clues about the kind of preparation educational leaders will need and can acquire for the twenty-first century. International trends and development may offer scholars and leaders more important harbingers of educational futures than do technological trends and other more traditional indicators of change, in part because of the greater scope, complexity, synergism, and outreach of cross-continental influences. How can we, for example, understand the educational and leadership implications of such varying problems as energy, food, and human rights in either their technical or value dimensions without transcending our own national context? That understandings about such phenomena have important implications for leaders of schools and for those responsible for preparing future leaders would seem to be self evident.
The role of ANKH in pathologic mineralization of cartilage.

Purpose of review ANKH is the human homolog of a gene whose dysfunction in a mutant mouse strain results in progressive ankylosis of the spine as well as soft tissue mineralization. ANKH mutations have been reported in inherited human disorders such as familial calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) and cranial metaphyseal dysplasia; however, research into the function of the ANKH protein has been more challenging. Progress has recently been made to understand the role of ANKH in the regulation of physiological and pathological mineralization. Recent findings ANKH expression is regulated by intracellular levels of oxygen, phosphate and calcium as well as by the growth factor TGF-β. In addition, ANKH expression affects chondrogenesis, osteoblastogenesis and osteoclastogenesis. ANKH appears to interact with several cellular proteins, including the phosphate transporter PiT-1, and with proteins involved in NF-kappa β signaling, suggesting that ANKH may play an important non-PPi transporter role. ANKH has also been shown to regulate ATP efflux from chondrocytes. Summary ANKH expression, as well as its potential non-PPi transporter functions, plays a variety of roles in the regulation of cellular events that surround differentiation and mineralization in bone and cartilage. Additional studies are warranted to further elucidate the contributions of ANKH to human health and disease, and to determine if ANKH deserves targeting for the treatment of diseases such as CPPD.
O-010 Reduced Regional Cortical Thickness in Patients With Pediatric Crohn’s Disease

BACKGROUND:Regional cortical thickness, the size of the brain’s gray matter layer and indicator of cognitive function, has been recently found to be altered in adults with a range of chronic inflammatory conditions including inflammatory bowel disease. In adults with Crohn’s disease (CD), structural
A Problem in Perspective

(1917). A Problem in Perspective. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 24, No. 8, pp. 379-382.
Abstract 579: The interaction of ZSCAN4 with TRF1: effects on regulation of telomere elongation in cancer cells.

Telomeres are repetitive sequences at the ends of chromosomes protected by DNA binding proteins of shelterin complex that form capping structures. One of these proteins, TRF1, plays a role in the regulation of telomere length through its interaction with other proteins in the shelterin complex. High levels of TRF1 expression have been shown to accelerate telomere shortening, whereas dominant-negative inhibition of TRF1 leads to telomere elongation. Recently, the newly identified Zinc finger and SCAN domain containing4 gene (ZSCAN4) plays a key role in genomic stability by regulating telomere elongation and was shown to co-localize with TRF1 foci in mouse embryonic stem cell. Here, we show that ZSCAN4 is a TRF1 association protein in breast cancer cells. We hypothesized that ZSCAN4 would affect levels of TRF1expression and correspondingly control the function of TRF1 through negative regulation and dominant-negative inhibition. Using Co-immunoprecipitation and TNT Pull-down assay, we demonstrate that ZSCAN4 binds with TRF1 in vitro. Localization and visualization of interacting protein-protein interactions in living cells are crucial to elucidate between TRF1 and ZSCAN4. Using a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay, we show the directly visualize TRF1 and ZSCAN4 interactions in living cells. Using telomere length assays, we demonstrate that ZSCAN4 is an association protein of TRF1 to regulate telomere and affect in the telomere elongation of cancer. The ZSCAN4 mediated cooperative binding of TRF1 to telomeric DNA has important implications for understanding the mechanism of telomere extension. Citation Format: kyungwoo lee. The interaction of ZSCAN4 with TRF1: effects on regulation of telomere elongation in cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 579. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-579
Intervention Analysis of a Field Experiment to Assess the Buildup Effect of Advertising

The authors study the buildup effect of increased advertising using time series intervention analysis. The data are from an ADTEL field experiment with test and control panels connected to a split-...
Rehabilitating coronary patients through exercise.

Before prescribing an exercise program for a middle-aged or elderly postcoronary patient, the physician should evaluate cardiac work tolerance with continuous electrocardiographic monitoring as the patient exercises on a bicycle ergometer or treadmill. He should also check pulse rate, arterial blood pressure (at rest and during exercise), heart volume and oxygen consumption. Once the program is started, he should regularly reevaluate the patient.
459 AN IMPACT OF DIABETIC KETOACIDOSIS GUIDELINES IMPLEMENTATION ON INTERNAL MEDICINE RESIDENTS' LEVEL OF KNOWLEDGE AND PATIENT CARE.

Background Diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) is an emergency medical condition that can be life-threatening if not managed properly. We designed DKA management guidelines based on the current American Diabetes Association recommendations. No previous studies have been done to demonstrate the effects of DKA guidelines on the residents9 knowledge, quality of patient care and financial impact on the hospital. Design Longitudinal case-control study with two arms: educational and patient care/financial impact. An electronic Web-based assessment/educational tool was used to evaluate DKA knowledge level in internal medicine residents. Multiple aspects of patient care, length of hospital stay and hospital charges were compared before and after guidelines implementation. The same measures were used for analysis in a non-teaching local hospital where no DKA guidelines were implemented. Methods A Web-based testing software ( TestWare ) was used for educational/assessment testing before and after DKA guidelines implementation. Resident level of knowledge, reflected by test scores, was compared to residents at the same level of training. All patients admitted during one calendar year were included in the study. Comparisons between two hospitals were done and each patient chart was reviewed to analyze the degree of compliance and changes in patient care cost before and after DKA guidelines introduction. Results The total number of internal medicine residents tested before and after the DKA guidelines implementation was 37 and 65 respectively. Testing scores improved from 48% to 54% after implementation of the guidelines ( p = .06). The total number of patients was 178. Overall, the degree of compliance with current guidelines improved in both hospitals (49% before to 77% after at Community Medical Center [ p Conclusion The Web-based educational/assessment testing tool was effective, leading to improvement on average in the knowledge level by 9%. The introduction of DKA guidelines after Web-based testing significantly improves care for patients with DKA. Web-based educational/assessment testing followed by DKA guidelines implementation can be utilized in any hospital striving to improve quality of care for DKA patients.
Adaptive B-spline-based fuzzy sliding-mode control for an auto-warehousing crane system

Display OmittedDistance-speed reference curve for k direction (k=x, y and z). The B-spline basis functions. (a) Premise and consequence parameters of the AFIC for x and z direction (b) Premise and consequence parameters of the AFIC for y direction. X-directional distance-speed control of the crane system (10m, loaded). (a) Time-speed curve. (b) Distance-speed curve. (c) Error between crane speed and reference. (d) Time-force curve. (e) Distance-force curve. The motivation of this research is conducting control system development for auto-warehousing crane which possesses the advantage of ease to implement.The main controller is a fuzzy-identification-based controller to track the auto-warehousing crane dynamics under various loading conditions along the x, y, and z directions.The proposed B-spline-based compensator provides the advantage of being undertaken by a microprocessor, where the function can be established in a recurrent way based on the given knot vector.The proposed ABFSM is applied to track the distance-speed reference trajectory of the auto-warehousing crane system. With the tuning law of the AFIC and the BCC, the stability can also be guaranteed by the means of Lyapunov function.In the simulation, the performance of the proposed ABFSM matches the specifications for motion control of crane with higher accuracy. In this paper, an adaptive B-splined-based fuzzy sliding mode control (ABFSM) is presented to the application of auto-warehousing crane motion control. The ABFSM comprises an adaptive fuzzy identification controller (AFIC) and a B-spline-based compensation controller (BCC). The AFIC is designed to approximate the ideal controller of a crane system. To alleviate the load of fuzzy rule base construction, only the information from the sliding surface is used as the input of AFIC such that the conciseness and translucency of the control system can be upgraded. On the other hand, the BCC aims to compensate the approximation error of the AFIC. With the introduction of the B-spline function, the boundary of the approximation error can be represented by means of polynomial mapping. Thus, the design of the compensation controller can be achieved based on the characteristics of the B-spline function. In this paper, the objective of the ABFSM is to track the distance-speed reference trajectory of the crane control system. With the tuning law of the AFIC and the BCC, the stability can also be guaranteed by means of Lyapunov function. To validate the performance of the proposed approach, the ABFSM is applied to auto-warehousing crane motion control under various conditions for x, y, and z directions, respectively. From the simulation the advantages of the proposed ABFSM are demonstrated, where the capability to handle the uncertainty with efficiency is verified.
Glutathione Peroxidase 1: Models for Diabetes and Obesity

Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), the most abundant selenoprotein, was initially recognized as only a major antioxidant enzyme against oxidative stress. Strikingly, overexpression of Gpx1 in mice induces type 2 diabetes-like phenotypes and obesity, whereas knockout of the gene leads to metabolic disorders similar to type 1 diabetes. This chapter elaborates the physiological characteristics, molecular mechanisms, and human health relevance of these maladies resulting from alterations of Gpx1 expression levels.
Mirror Neurons, Evolution, and Eco-Empathy

In 2007, the aforementioned nonprofit Edge Foundation asked some of the world’s most eminent scientists, “What are you optimistic about? Why?” In response, the aforementioned neuroscientist Marco Iacoboni cited the proliferating experimental work into the neural mechanisms that reveal how humans are “wired for empathy.”
Cost Management of the High-Rise Buildings in Thailand

The purpose of this research is to study the costs using in the construction project of the high-rise buildings, cost management of the high-rise buildings, the success of cost management of the high-rise buildings and the factors affecting the success of cost management for the construction of high-rise buildings in Thailand. The researcher did a qualitative research by using non-participated observation method, by participated observation and in-depth interviews. Entering into the research field by joining in as a member of data collecting Consultation Board, during October 2016-March 2017. The findings are as followed: 1) Total project cost of the construction project of high-rise buildings consisted of initial project cost, facility management cost, operation support cost, disposal cost. Therefore, the costs should be proportionate according to the height of the building 2) The cost management of the construction of high-rise buildings consisted of project planning, cost estimation, cost budgeting, cost control 3) The success in cost management of the construction project of high-rise buildings consisted of time and cost management, organization and coordination, technical performance, business performance satisfaction, management satisfaction, project termination 4) Factors affecting the success of cost management of the construction project of high-rise buildings in Thailand consisted of internal factors, and external factors. The important internal factors are, for example, the competency of the project administrators, the design of the project, work planning, purchasing, sub-contracting, the using of information technology in the management of the construction work. The important external factors are, for example, environmental conditions of the project site, the fluctuation condition of the economy and society, the changing of the political policy.
Spider Prey of Two Mud Dauber Wasps (Hymenoptera: Sphecidae) Nesting in Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp

Spiders captured by Trypoxylon politum (Say) and Sceliphron caementarium (Drury) in Georgia's Okefenokee Swamp over two nesting seasons represented 5 families and 22 genera (n = 5191). A strong bias for female spiders exists in both species (89.5% of all prey), with immature females comprising nearly half of these (42.6%). Comparison of contemporaneously taken prey at the same site by T. politum using typical mud organ pipe nests or trap nests revealed that the same araneid species of Neoscona and Eustala predominated. However, spiders provisioned in trap nests were more diverse taxonomically, including the first records of Mimetidae and Salticidae as prey for this wasp, as well as a variety of other araneid genera. Seasonal changes in prey composition revealed no particular patterns or correlations with nest type. Sceliphron caementarium displayed a strong preference for araneid spiders, with N. arabesca comprising 53.8% of the total; Thomisidae comprised 10.5%, nearly all Misumenops oblongus.
Parenting in the Age of High-Stakes Testing: Gifted and Talented Admissions and the Meaning of Parenthood:

Background/ContextThis work contributes to the growing body of scholarly and popular literature on middle-class parental anxiety and competition to ensure their children's academic success. Specifi...
Still Life with Rhetoric: A New Materialist Approach for Visual Rhetorics, by Laurie E. Gries: Boulder, CO: UP of Colorado, 2015. $12.99 (Kindle); 336 pp. $27.93 (paper)

Laurie E. Gries has written an accessible, clear model of how to employ new materialist philosophy for the rhetorical analysis of what she terms “visual things.” For scholars and students who are l...
For Better or for Worse?: Education and the Prevalence of Domestic Violence in Turkey

We exploit a change in the compulsory schooling law in Turkey to estimate the causal effects of education on the prevalence of domestic violence. By adopting a regression discontinuity design, we find that the reform increased women's schooling by one year to one-and-a-half years and improved their labor market outcomes, with particularly strong effects for women raised in rural areas. The increase in education among rural women led to an increase in self-reported psychological violence and financial control behavior, without changes in physical violence, partner characteristics, or women's attitudes towards such violence.
Spin asymmetries of the nucleon experiment

The Spin Asymmetries of the Nucleon Experiment (SANE) is a measurement of the double spin asymmetries A1(x,Q),A2(x,Q) and the spin structure functions g1(x,Q),g2(x,Q) over a broad kinematic range of Bjorken scaling variable x, 0.3 < x < 0.8, for range of four-momentum transfer 2.5 < Q2 < 6.5GeV 2. The moments of g1(x,Q) and g2(x,Q) will provide access to the higher twists related to quark-gluon interactions and calculable in confinement models of QCD. The experiment measured inclusive double spin asymmetries using the TJNAF polarized electron beam with energies of 4.7 and 5.9 GeV, which was scattered off the UVa polarized solid NH3 target in both parallel and transverse configurations. The experiment took place from January to March of 2009. We will discuss the physics motivation for SANE and current status of the analysis.
Design and Optimization of Piezoelectric Dual-Mode Micro-Mirror

MEMS micro-mirrors have been widely used in optical communication, projection display, and microscanner, etc. Various MEMS micro-mirror devices have been reported. In this paper, the design of a bulk-micromachined MEMS piezoelectric dual-mode micro-mirror is proposed. The working principle of the dual-mode micro-mirror device is analyzed. Based on the analysis, a set of optimized design parameters of the micro-mirror is suggested. Theoretical analysis shows that the proposed micro-mirror can deflect for a maximum displacement of 2.5 μm in its piston mode, and tilt for a maximum angle of 4.88o in its torsional mode. The fabrication flow of the MEMS micro-mirror is also suggested. The proposed micro-mirror has the advantages of large displacement and large tilt angle due to piezoelectric activation. The PZT actuated micro-mirror (PAM) also leads to improved linearity in tilting angle and piston displacement. Further, fast response of the PZT unimorph on the applied actuation voltage ensures wider operation bandwidth of the PAM in contrast to thermal activated micro-mirrors.
Trends in reported syphilis and gonorrhea among HIV-infected people in Arizona: implications for prevention and control.

OBJECTIVE HIV and sexually transmitted disease (STD) surveillance patterns in Arizona suggested the need for integrated data analyses to identify trends. METHODS We compiled all HIV/AIDS cases diagnosed from 1998 to 2008 that were reported in Arizona and syphilis or gonorrhea cases diagnosed from 1998 to 2008 in Arizona. We used deterministic matching to identify individuals who were diagnosed with HIV and one or more STDs, and calculated time intervals between diagnoses. RESULTS Of 23,940 people with HIV/AIDS reported from 1998 to 2008, 1,899 (2.6%) had at least one syphilis or gonorrhea diagnosis from 1998 to 2008. Approximately 85% of these cases reported male-to-male sexual contact. Among males with syphilis, HIV coinfection increased from 0.5% in 1998 to 29.1% in 2008. Among males with gonorrhea, HIV coinfection increased from 2.0% in 1998 to 3.1% in 2008. Among HIV cases diagnosed from 2004 to 2008 and reported with at least one syphilis or gonorrhea diagnosis, the majority of syphilis cases (76.1%) were diagnosed at or after HIV diagnosis, whereas a majority of gonorrhea cases (54.9%) were diagnosed prior to HIV diagnosis. CONCLUSION Use of the deterministic matching method identified increases in STD infections among HIV-infected people. The routine performance of this cross-matching method may be a useful tool in identifying these high-risk individuals so that targeted partner services and appropriate care referrals may be used in a timely fashion.
Other Multivariate Techniques

In chapters 3 and 4 we considered multiple regression, a common technique for exploring the relationship between a number of independent variables and a single dependent variable. In this chapter we consider two procedures to use when we have several dependent variables and several independent variables (all of which are equal interval): multivariate multiple regression and canonical correlation. The latter will be dealt with only briefly.
Eukaryotic Circular Rep-Encoding Single-Stranded DNA (CRESS DNA) Viruses: Ubiquitous Viruses With Small Genomes and a Diverse Host Range

Abstract While single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) was once thought to be a relatively rare genomic architecture for viruses, modern metagenomics sequencing has revealed circular ssDNA viruses in most environments and in association with diverse hosts. In particular, circular ssDNA viruses encoding a homologous replication-associated protein (Rep) have been identified in the majority of eukaryotic supergroups, generating interest in the ecological effects and evolutionary history of circular Rep-encoding ssDNA viruses (CRESS DNA) viruses. This review surveys the explosion of sequence diversity and expansion of eukaryotic CRESS DNA taxonomic groups over the last decade, highlights similarities between the well-studied geminiviruses and circoviruses with newly identified groups known only through their genome sequences, discusses the ecology and evolution of eukaryotic CRESS DNA viruses, and speculates on future research horizons.
Orbital Volume Increases With Age: A Computed Tomography-Based Volumetric Study.

Objective The aim of the study was to determine whether the bony orbital volume (BOV) changes with age in males and females. Methods This case-control study reviewed high-resolution ( Results A total of 240 orbits from 120 patients were used for this study. Each age group contained 30 patients. There were no significant differences in the ages between males and females in each age category (P = 0.88 for ages 20-30 years and P = 0.74 for ages 60-75 years). The mean (SD) BOV for females aged between 20 and 30 years was 19,153.69 mm (3776.21), whereas that for females aged between 60 and 75 years was 20,939.38 mm (2837.34). The difference between the groups was significant (Pr(>|W|) = 0.05). The mean (SD) BOV for males aged between 20 and 30 years was 22,2721 mm (2977.35), whereas that for males aged between 60 and 75 years was 22,892.92 mm (2389.46) (Fig. 1). The difference between these 2 groups was not significant (Pr(>|W|) = 0.40). The mean BOV was significantly greater for males than females (P ≤ 0.01) across both age groups. Conclusions This study found that female orbits expand with age, whereas male orbits showed no significant changes. Changes to the orbital volume in females may contribute to the appearance of aging.
Development of a Community-Based Lactation Support Program

Background. Despite the recommendations from leading health organizations and the documented health benefits for both mother and infant, breastfeeding success rates continue to be suboptimal. Design. A program development design was used for this Community-Based Lactation Support Program. This pilot was the first step in accomplishing the long term goal of
Identifying Digital Literacies to Build Academic Literacies

Many students matriculate into college feeling confident in their abilities to make meaning when using digital devices, though recent research suggests these students are not necessarily digitally ...