cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tidal Peritoneal Dialysis: Kinetics and Protein Balance

Some patients find automated peritoneal dialysis preferable to continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Unfortunately, automated peritoneal dialysis prescriptions are time consuming and can impede rehabilitation. We wished to determine whether an 8-hour tidal peritoneal dialysis (TPD) prescription could maintain the time averaged blood urea nitrogen at 60 mg/dL or less while patients consumed a diet containing approximately 1.2 g protein/kg body weight/d. Ten home dialysis patients previously stabilized on continuous cyclic peritoneal dialysis volunteered for a metabolic balance study conducted at the University of Iowa's Clinical Research Center. A peritoneal equilibration test was conducted and mass transfer area coefficients (MTaCs) were derived for each subject. Nitrogen balance was measured during the last 5 days of a 12-day constant diet while patients underwent a series of monitored nocturnal dialyses. Mass transfer area coefficient measurements were reproducible and independent of the filling volume and ultrafiltration, but varied between subjects (normalized MTaC urea = 33.6 ± 16.3 mL/min, normalized MTaC crt = 16.3 ± 9.5 mL/min). Tidal peritoneal dialysis urea and creatinine clearances could be predicted by these MTaC values (r 2 = 0.70 urea, r 2 = 0.91 creatinine). Nitrogen balance assumptions predicted, and we confirmed, a relationship between dietary protein intake and urea nitrogen generation (r 2 = 0.82) during TPD. A normalized protein catabolic rate of 1.2 g/kg/d resulted in a urea nitrogen generation rate of approximately 100 mg/kg/d. If a patient's protein intake was approximately 1.2 g/kg/d, then TPD with a weekly urea clearance normalized to body volume (Kt/V urea ) of approximately 2.1 (urea clearance, approximately 0.35 mL/kg/min) could maintain a time averaged blood urea nitrogen of approximately 60 mg/dL. This is achievable during high-flow TPD (20 L dialysate for a 70-kg adult) when the normalized MTaC urea exceeds 30 mL/min/70 kg.
Acquisition of Definite Article + Noun Agreement of Spanish-English Bilingual Children with Specific Language Impairment

The objective of this study was to assess the ability of young, bilingual Spanish-English-speaking children with specific language impairment (SLI) to detect and produce grammatically valid "defini...
Plasmid-mediated transmission of chromosomal genes in Pseudomonas glycinea.

Complementing diauxotrophic mutants of P. glycinea were mated in combination in which one or both mutants contained a resistance plasmid. The transfer of chromosmal markers was scored by the appearance of prototrophy at one or more of the auxotrophic loci. The resistance plasmid RP1 was equally or slightly more efficient than R6886 in the transmission of chromosomal genes.
Nephelometric Inhibition Immunoassay for Small Molecules

The use of nephelometry, and especially rate nephelometry (Tiffany, Parella, Johnson and Burtis, 1974), for the measurement of specific serum proteins has become very well established. In nephelometric methods, the marked increases in light scattering which occur as a consequence of the immunochemical reaction between polyvalent antigens (such as proteins) and their antibodies is utilized. Thus, while solutions of protein molecules scatter only a small to moderate amount of visible light, their reactions with their specific antisera lead to the formation of crosslinked three dimensional immuno complexes large enough to scatter a significantly increased amount of light, and, eventually, to precipitate. In rate nephelometry, the rate of increase of light scattering during the course of this reaction is utilized to provide a measure of the protein concentration.
Building mobile apps for underrepresented mental health care consumers: A grounded theory approach

Cell phone mobile application ("app") use has risen dramatically within the past several years. Many individuals access apps to address mental health issues. Unlike individuals from privileged backgrounds, individuals from oppressed backgrounds may rely on apps rather than costly mental health treatment. To date, very little research has been published evaluating mental health apps' effectiveness. This paper focuses on three methods through which grounded theory can facilitate app development and evaluation for people underrepresented in mental health care. Recommendations are made to advance mobile app technology that will help clinicians provide effective treatment, and consumers to realize positive treatment outcomes.
Ectopic lacrimal gland presenting as an orbital mass in childhood.

Ectopic lacrimal gland tissue within the orbit is an uncommon etiology of proptosis in infants and children, although it may be more common in adults. We describe two cases of proptosis in children associated with ectopic lacrimal gland tissue within the orbit and describe the features suggesting this diagnosis on CT of the orbit
Cloning and Expression of Ethylene-forming Enzyme Gene from Pseudomonas syringae pv.glycinea ICMP2189

The efe gene encoding ethylene-forming enzyme was amplified by PCR from Pseudomonas syringae pv.glycinea ICMP2189 and cloned to expression vector pET28a,yielding recombinant plasmid pET28a-efe.Then plasmid pET28a-efe was introduced into Escherichia coli BL21.SDS-PAGE showed that ethylene-forming enzyme with molecular weight of 45 kD was effectively expressed in E.coli.Gas chromatography analysis demonstrated that the E.coli strain carrying the efe gene could produce ethylene efficiently.
Assessment of intestinal stem cell survival using the microcolony formation assay.

The microcolony assay originally described by Withers and Elkind in 1970 (1) has been a useful method for investigating the effects of radiation and various other genotoxic and cytotoxic damaging agents on the intestinal epithelial stem cell population and to assess the ability of a variety of compounds to protect the epithelial stem cell population from the lethal effects of chemical and physical agents (e.g., 2-7). Epithelial stem cells are located near the base of each intestinal crypt and play an important role in normal epithelial renewal and differentiation, epithelial injury-repair, and in neoplastic transformation (8-11). In the adult mouse small intestine these functionally anchored clonogenic stem cells divide rarely to produce a daughter stem cell (self renewal) as well as a more rapidly replicating transit cell. Transit cells, in turn, undergo a number of rapid cell divisions in the proliferative zone located in the lower half of each crypt. Their progeny subsequently differentiate into the mature epithelial cell types found in the small intestine as they migrate away from the proliferative zone in each intestinal crypt (8-11). Following intestinal injury and disruption of the epithelium, epithelial cells adjacent to the wound first migrate over the injured area to reestablish continuity of the epithelium. Stem cells subsequently proliferate to increase their numbers and to give rise to the more rapidly proliferating transit cell population. The transit cell population then expands rapidly to form a regenerative crypt. If the injury has completely destroyed some crypts, the surviving regenerative crypts can subsequently branch and divide to restore near normal numbers of viable crypts (3).
Exploitation, Cultural Appropriation, and Degradation

Cultural appropriation, a new term in popular culture, has typically been discussed as a “profound offense” that is inevitable but not necessarily harmful. Of particular interest is the unapologetic and continued appropriation of black culture. In the twenty-first century, an increasing number of nonblack participants have become representatives of, as opposed to participants in, a cultural aesthetics that is fundamentally rooted in the black American experience. From the return of the booty to the growing population of white rappers and the appearance of decidedly urban apparel in high society, it begins to look as if black culture is increasingly profitable for everyone except blacks. While cultural appropriation is neither new nor unique to black Americans, this phenomenon has not been adequately treated as a form of exploitation, and certainly not as the latest iteration of the exploitative relationship that exists between black America and mainstream America. Keywords: African American; commodity; culture
Adjuvant N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine in blood cardioplegia does not improve myocardial protection in ischemically damaged hearts.

Oxyradicals potentially limit the myocardial protection provided by blood cardioplegia in ischemically damaged hearts. We tested the hypothesis that the addition to blood cardioplegic solution of a new oxyradical scavenger—N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine—would result in improved left ventricular performance and oxygen consumption compared to that resulting from the use of blood cardioplegia alone. Gauges and transducer-tipped catheters for left ventricular minor axis ultrasonic dimension were placed in 17 open-chest dogs, and instantaneous left ventricular pressure-diameter data were acquired by computer. The aorta was crossclamped for 30 minutes during total vented bypass to induce ischemic injury. The heart was reoxygenated and protected by multidose, hypothermic blood cardioplegic solution alone (n = 9) or enhanced with 0.0132 mmol N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine (n = 8) for 1 hour of cardioplegia-induced arrest. Preischemic and postischemic left ventricular performance was measured by slope changes in end-systolic pressure-diameter relations induced by gradual afterload reduction during right heart bypass. When blood cardioplegia alone was used, postischemic left ventricular systolic performance was depressed by 73.2% ± 10.0% (166.8 ± 56.1 mm Hg/mm versus 25.1 ± 7.0 mm Hg/mm). N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine did not significantly attenuate this functional depression (62.7% ± 9.0%, 146.6 ± 67.6 mm Hg/mm versus 33.6 ± 11.9 mm Hg/mm). The postischemic end-diastolic pressure-diameter relation was shifted to the right, whereas chamber stiffness was increased comparably, with or without N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine. Postischemic oxygen consumption in the beating working state, calculated from left ventricular blood flow (measured by microspheres) and arterial–coronary sinus oxygen extraction, averaged 7.8 ± 0.9 ml O2/100 gm/min with blood cardioplegia alone and 7.5 ± 1.0 ml O2/100 gm/min with N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine, and was unchanged from paired preischemic values in both groups. We conclude (1) that N-(2-mercaptopropionyl)-glycine added to blood cardioplegic solution in the dose and delivery regimen tested did not improve ventricular systolic and diastolic performance compared with blood cardioplegia alone and (2) that postischemic oxygen consumption may not parallel the extent of left ventricular functional recovery.
Daytime Blue Light Enhances the Nighttime Circadian Melatonin Inhibition of Human Prostate Cancer Growth

Light controls pineal melatonin production and temporally coordinates circadian rhythms of metabolism and physiology in normal and neoplastic tissues. We previously showed that peak circulating nocturnal melatonin levels were 7-fold higher after daytime spectral transmittance of white light through blue-tinted (compared with clear) rodent cages. Here, we tested the hypothesis that daytime blue-light amplification of nocturnal melatonin enhances the inhibition of metabolism, signaling activity, and growth of prostate cancer xenografts. Compared with male nude rats housed in clear cages under a 12:12-h light:dark cycle, rats in blue-tinted cages (with increased transmittance of 462-484 nm and decreased red light greater than 640 nm) evinced over 6-fold higher peak plasma melatonin levels at middark phase (time, 2400), whereas midlight-phase levels (1200) were low (less than 3 pg/mL) in both groups. Circadian rhythms of arterial plasma levels of linoleic acid, glucose, lactic acid, pO2, pCO2, insulin, leptin, and corticosterone were disrupted in rats in blue cages as compared with the corresponding entrained rhythms in clear-caged rats. After implantation with tissue-isolated PC3 human prostate cancer xenografts, tumor latency-to-onset of growth and growth rates were markedly delayed, and tumor cAMP levels, uptake-metabolism of linoleic acid, aerobic glycolysis (Warburg effect), and growth signaling activities were reduced in rats in blue compared with clear cages. These data show that the amplification of nighttime melatonin levels by exposing nude rats to blue light during the daytime significantly reduces human prostate cancer metabolic, signaling, and proliferative activities.
Oculoplastic Complications of Cancer Therapy

Many modalities exist for cancer therapy, and like most medical interventions, cancer therapies can produce side effects and complications. Ultimately, the goal in treating cancer is to prolong survival, and side effects are often unavoidable. Careful individualized planning is required to limit the risks and side effects of cancer treatment. The incidence and severity of side effects depend on the treatment method and on individual patient characteristics; for a given treatment, the incidence and severity of side effects can vary widely among patients [1].
Fatty acid amide hydrolase–morphine interaction influences ventilatory response to hypercapnia and postoperative opioid outcomes in children

Aim: Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) degrades anandamide, an endogenous cannabinoid. We hypothesized that FAAH variants will predict risk of morphine-related adverse outcomes due to opioid–endocannabinoid interactions. Patients & methods: In 101 postsurgical adolescents receiving morphine analgesia, we prospectively studied ventilatory response to 5% CO2 (HCVR), respiratory depression (RD) and vomiting. Blood was collected for genotyping and morphine pharmacokinetics. Results: We found significant FAAH–morphine interaction for missense (rs324420) and several regulatory variants, with HCVR (p < 0.0001) and vomiting (p = 0.0339). HCVR was more depressed in patients who developed RD compared with those who did not (p = 0.0034), thus FAAH–HCVR association predicts risk of impending RD from morphine use. Conclusion: FAAH genotypes predict risk for morphine-related adverse outcomes.
A Fully-Automated Screening Method for Anti-HLA Antibodies: Implications for Screening Plasma Donations To Prevent Transfusion-Related Acute Lung Injury (TRALI).

Abstract Background: TRALI is a potentially fatal complication of transfusion. Although the pathogenesis is not completely understood, and may involve a “multi-hit” mechanism, transfusion of donor plasma containing anti-HLA and/or anti-neutrophil antibodies appears to play an important role. In previous studies, up to 22% of all blood components were found to contain HLA antibodies (Bray et al, Human Immunology , 65, 240–4, 2004). Based on the possible involvement of HLA antibodies in TRALI, some blood services no longer provide plasma from female donors for transfusion, since these donors are more likely to have these antibodies due to pregnancy. An alternative, more specific approach to prevent transfusion of HLA antibody-containing plasma, and possibly reduce the risk of TRALI, is to screen plasma prior transfusion. However, no automated method is yet available with sufficient throughput to screen blood donors for HLA antibodies. Methods: The 3Ti Aegis is a novel open-architecture automated blood typing platform that uses fluorescence cytometry. The Aegis was readily configured for detecting anti-HLA Class I antibodies in donor plasma by modifying the commercially-available FlowPRA Class I Screening Test (One Lambda, Canoga Park, CA) to include a phycoerythrin (PE)-labeled secondary antibody. Positive and negative control samples, as well as patient specimens previously demonstrated to contain HLA antibodies, were evaluated to determine the accuracy of the automated Aegis method. Results: Positive and negative controls were readily distinguished from one another whether testing was performed manually (according to manufacturer's instructions) and acquired on a BD FACScan cytometer, or performed using the fully-automated method on the 3Ti Aegis. For the Aegis, the mean fluorescence intensities for positive and negative controls were 156.2 and 14.4, respectively. For the manual method, the signal to noise separation was comparable (692.5 and 28.9, respectively). Six additional patient samples, which had previously identified anti-Class I antibodies, also tested positive with the Aegis system. Estimated staining and acquisition times on the Aegis for 96 samples are 2 hours and 1.5 hours, respectively, which is comparable to the times for manual testing Conclusions: The Aegis can perform accurate, high throughput, completely automated screening of plasma donations for HLA Class I antibodies prior to transfusion. Future work will focus on developing combined Class I and II screening beads, as well as beads for detecting common anti-neutrophil antibodies, to produce a comprehensive TRALI antibody detection package for the Aegis platform. The Aegis is the first device to make pretransfusion HLA antibody testing practical, and may reduce the incidence of TRALI and accompanying transfusion fatalities.
Fiery Purification: Artaud’s Theater of Metamorphoses

The idea of purity is a metaphysical, cosmological, political, and religious idea — an idea directed against the danger of chaos and indetermination. Any kind of pollution “offends against order.”1 The purpose of the process of purification is to establish a manageable structure, a system of distinctions, of “degrees” (in Shakespeare’s Ulysses’ words),2 that would prevent a struggle of all against all. A difference of status that leads to limited tension, far from destroying the whole, the “empire,” contributes to its preservation: diuide et impera, the Romans used to say. Various cosmological, political, and religious systems of values unite their forces in order to maintain the cosmos of differences and hierarchies. They all perform their function of connecting and cementing (re-ligare) the world through the rites of separation between the high and the low, the governing and the governed, the pure and the impure. Western philosophy and art, as a part of the cultural process of cathartic differentiation, is inevitably involved in the creation of cosmic and political order. The notion of catharsis epitomizes — from Plato and Aristotle to Freud and Breuer — this involvement in the creation of order in the West. But there are also in the Western tradition traces of another notion of purification, a notion related to alchemical and poetic metamorphosis. This form of purification, an important idea of ancient and medieval, but also modern and modernist poetics, violates the order of strict separation of realms and thus can hardly find a place among the dominant metaphysical and aesthetic ideas. The notion of “metamorphosis” that grounds alchemical and poetic purification should not be understood as a concept, as another binary opposition to catharsis, but rather as a challenge to the order of binary oppositions in general — a challenge to the order of the “proper order.”3
Designing new functional cosmetic ingredients from polyglycerol, a versatile bio-based platform for improved sustainability

Polyglycerol (PG) is a well-known cosmetic ingredient and important precursor for the synthesis of a variety of cosmetic ingredients, such as surfactants, emulsifiers, and conditioning agents for hair and skin. When derived from renewable resources, PG can provide a more sustainable platform for the development of new ingredients with improved performance in cosmetic applications. This paper will discuss recent advances in the utilization of bio-based PG ingredients as alternatives to traditional ethoxylate chemistries for mild nonionic surfactants, substantive humectants, and micellar thickeners.
From self-control to self-improvement: evolving messages and persuasion techniques in weight loss advertising (1930–1990):

This study examines six decades (1930 to 1990) of weight loss advertising in the New York Times, using a combination of qualitative content analysis and textual analysis methods to understand how t...
The changing culture of chemistry.

We all appreciate how chemical knowledge has advanced over the years, but Bruce C. Gibb reminds us that chemical culture has similarly made great advances.
Particle deposition on and reentrainment from coniferous trees: Part II: Experiments with individual leaves

In the deposition of dust on single leaves of coniferous trees, electrostatic effects were of no significance and did not improve adhesion. The latter finding agrees with that ofPenney (1961, 1962), who refers to the electric field to explain the superior adhesion of electrically precipitated particles. Inertial deposition was the controlling parameter, in agreement with the filtration model for single cylinders. The efficiency of a cedar leaf at 1.30 m/sec for a 2.4-micron-surface-diameter dust was 6 and 0.5% for the edge and broadside positions respectively. Collection on the back of the wires or leaves due to wake turbulence did not take place. The scale of the turbulence was too small (Davies, 1960). Bounce-off upon deposition was not observed. Reentrainment did not take place up to the 2 m/sec velocity in the 1.8 cm-diameter wind tunnel, where boundary layer conditions were much steadier as in the large tunnel. In arrays of leaves a shadowing effect was produced by the forward leaves; i. e., the dust-free streamlines produced by one leaf gave a dust-free area on the leaf behind it. This shadowing was also found with small trees in the large tunnel; i. e., the leaves produced a streamlined flow regime in the confines of the tree.
Mutational specificity of UV light in E. coli: influence of excision repair and the mutator plasmid PKM101.

The lacI system of E. coli provides a method for determining UV-induced mutational specificity at a large number of sites (1,2,3). In contrast, earlier studies in other systems have generally relied upon the analysis of reversion at a rather limited number of sites (4,5,6). Often, the mutants analyzed in reversion studies were originally induced by the mutagenic treatment (7) and the possibility therefore exists that preferentially mutable sites or hotspots were selected and that these may have behaved atypically. Alternatively, the original mutation may have removed a DNA sequence target and these sites may be in fact partially immutable! Moreover, in studies of the reversion of nonsense mutations, the majority of “revertants” actually occur not in the structural gene but at suppressor loci which behave unusually in their response to UV light (4,8,9). The lacI system allows the examination of forward mutagenesis at 65† individual sites where nonsense mutations can arise by a single base substitution. Since both the DNA sequence and the location of the nonsense mutations have been established (10), each mutation can be attributed to a specific transition or transversion event.
Percutaneous Vertebroplasty: Procedure Technique

Percutaneous vertebroplasty has been shown to be very effective at relieving the pain associated with compression fractures of vertebra caused by both primary (age-related) and secondary (steroid-induced) osteoporosis. It also has substantial benefit in neoplastic-induced vertebral compression fracture pain but with a higher chance of associated complication. Percutaneous vertebroplasty is rapidly becoming the standard of care for compression fracture pain not responding to conservative medical therapy. However, this simple procedure must be treated with respect, as its application, without appropriate preparation and physician knowledge, can quickly produce increased pain, permanent neurologic injury, and even death.
Stereotactic Computed Tomography

The present state of stereotactic surgery is the consequence of more than 80 years of evolution in experimental neurology, neuroimaging modalities, and, computer technology. The need for a method of exact intracranial localization and reproducible targeting was recognized long ago, but aside from the creation of several craniometric systems that were intended to relate different brain structures to visible or palpable cranial reference points, little progress was made until early in this century.
INFERENCE OF GENE REGULATORY NETWORKS BY MAXIMUM-LIKELIHOOD ADAPTIVE FILTERING AND DISCRETE FISH SCHOOL SEARCH

We propose a new algorithm for inference of gene regulatory networks (GRN) from noisy gene expression data based on maximum-likelihood (ML) adaptive filtering and the discrete fish school search algorithm (DFSS). The approach is based on the general partially-observed Boolean dynamical system (POBDS) model, and as such can be used for simultaneous state and parameter estimation for any Boolean dynamical system observed in noise. The proposed DFSS-ML-BKF algorithm combines the ML adaptive Boolean Kalman Filter (ML-BKF) with DFSS, a version of the Fish School Search algorithm tailored for discrete parameter spaces. Results based on synthetic gene expression time-series data using the well-known p53-MDM2 negative-feedback loop GRN demonstrate that DFSS-ML-BKF can infer the network topology accurately and efficiently.
Dry aggregate stability of soils influenced by crop rotation, soil amendment, and tillage in the Columbia Plateau

Abstract Dry aggregate stability (DAS) is an important factor that influences soil erodibility. The purpose of this study was to measure DAS of soil, as well as assess the effect of crop rotation, soil amendment, and tillage on DAS in the main wind erosion area across the inland Pacific Northwest United States (iPNW). The stability of dry aggregates was measured using a commercial penetrometer and was found to be lower for soils in the iPNW than previously reported in other regions. Significant differences in DAS were found between tillage treatments at all locations. Dry aggregate stability was 24 to 114% higher for no-tillage summer fallow than tillage-based summer fallow treatments. Although not significant, DAS for a winter wheat-summer fallow (WW-SF) rotation was consistently higher than winter wheat-camelina-summer fallow (WW-C-SF) or winter wheat-safflower-summer fallow (WW-S-SF) rotations at two sites in central Washington. In contrast, when green manure or biosolids were applied as an amendment, there was no difference in DAS. Dry aggregate stability was more closely related to clay content than other soil properties (i.e. sand content and surface area of primary particles). Clay content, in the range 9 to 14%, can therefore be used to estimate DAS of soils in the iPNW. No-tillage management practices was beneficial to maintain greater DAS, thereby making soil aggregates more resistant to erosion and degradation.
Engineering of a Red Fluorogenic Protein/Merocyanine Complex for Live Cell Imaging

A reengineered human Cellular Retinol Binding Protein II (hCRBPII), a 15 kDa protein belonging to the intracellular Lipid Binding Protein (iLBP) family, generates a highly fluorescent red pigment through the covalent linkage of a merocyanine aldehyde to an active site Lys residue. The complex exhibits ‘turn-on’ fluorescence, due to a weakly fluorescent aldehyde that ‘lights up’ with the subsequent formation of a strongly fluorescent merocyanine dye within the binding pocket of the protein. Cellular penetration of merocyanine is rapid, and fluorophore maturation is nearly instantaneous. The hCRBPII/merocyanine complex displays high quantum yield, low cytotoxicity, specificity in labeling organelles, and compatibility in both cancer cell lines and yeast cells. The hCRBPII/merocyanine tag is brighter than most common red fluorescent proteins.
Case of Irreducible Ileocecal Intussusception Due to Leiomyoma of the Colon.

Intussusception is defined as the telescoping of the proximal segment of the bowel into the distal segment. In most clinical cases, pediatric intussusception is much more common than adult intussusception. Pediatric intussusception is often due to viral or bacterial infections, which lead to the inflammation of lymphoid tissue in the intestine. Adult intussusception is typically secondary to tumors and idiopathic causes. Malignant tumors tend to affect the colon, while benign tumors affect the small intestine. Lipomas are the leading cause of benign tumors which cause intussusception. Conversely, adenocarcinomas are the leading cause of malignant tumors that cause intussusception. Our case focuses on a young adult who developed intussusception secondary to a leiomyoma present near the ileocecal junction of the intestine. The treatment of intussusception caused by tumors is either surgical reduction or excision of the involved tissue. If excised, the specimens are sent to the pathology department for confirmation of the potential cause. If leiomyomas are suspected, staining is used to differentiate them from gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs). These stromal tumors are unusual causes of intussusception, which require further research to determine their disease course and age at presentation.
Untold Stories: Newark’s Burgeoning West African Population and the In-School Experiences of African Immigrant Youth

Although Africans have become the fastest-growing migrant group in both the United States and New Jersey, there has not been a commensurate level of research or policy attention to their experiences, particularly the experiences of adolescent African immigrants. This chapter aims to spark further research that deepens the understanding of the contemporary West African experience in urban cities in connection to the social, educational, and workforce systems. The authors briefly provide historical context to explain the exponential growth of the African immigrant population, quantify and document the neighborhood resettlement patterns of African immigrants in Newark, New Jersey, and conduct interviews with one Newark-based high school to highlight the challenges faced by the educational sector in addressing the needs of West African immigrant youth.
Effectiveness of a Question Prompt List Intervention for Older Patients Considering Major Surgery: A Multisite Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Poor preoperative communication can have serious consequences, including unwanted treatment and postoperative conflict. Objective To compare the effectiveness of a question prompt list (QPL) intervention vs usual care on patient engagement and well-being among older patients considering major surgery. Design, Setting, and Participants This randomized clinical trial used a stepped-wedge design to randomly assign patients to a QPL intervention (n = 223) or usual care (n = 223) based on the timing of their visit with 1 of 40 surgeons at 5 US study sites. Patients were 60 years or older with at least 1 comorbidity and an oncologic or vascular (cardiac, neurosurgical, or peripheral vascular) problem that could be treated with major surgery. Family members were also enrolled (n = 263). The study dates were June 2016 to November 2018. Data analysis was by intent-to-treat. Interventions A brochure of 11 questions to ask a surgeon developed by patient and family stakeholders plus an endorsement letter from the surgeon were sent to patients before their outpatient visit. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary patient engagement outcomes included the number and type of questions asked during the surgical visit and patient-reported Perceived Efficacy in Patient-Physician Interactions scale assessed after the surgical visit. Primary well-being outcomes included (1) the difference between patient’s Measure Yourself Concerns and Well-being (MYCaW) scores reported after surgery and scores reported after the surgical visit and (2) treatment-associated regret at 6 to 8 weeks after surgery. Results Of 1319 patients eligible for participation, 223 were randomized to the QPL intervention and 223 to usual care. Among 446 patients, the mean (SD) age was 71.8 (7.1) years, and 249 (55.8%) were male. On intent-to-treat analysis, there was no significant difference between the QPL intervention and usual care for all patient-reported primary outcomes. The difference in MYCaW scores for family members was greater in usual care (effect estimate, 1.51; 95% CI, 0.28-2.74;P = .008). When the QPL intervention group was restricted to patients with clear evidence they reviewed the QPL, a nonsignificant increase in the effect size was observed for questions about options (odds ratio, 1.88; 95% CI, 0.81-4.35;P = .16), expectations (odds ratio, 1.59; 95% CI, 0.67-3.80;P = .29), and risks (odds ratio, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.04-5.59;P = .04) (nominal α = .01). Conclusions and Relevance The results of this study were null related to primary patient engagement and well-being outcomes. Changing patient-physician communication may be difficult without addressing clinician communication directly. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier:NCT02623335
The THRIVE© Program: Building Oncology Nurse Resilience Through Self-Care Strategies.

Objectives To develop an evidence-based program for addressing the concerns of burnout and secondary trauma and building on the concept of resilience in oncology healthcare providers. Sample & setting 164 oncology staff, of which 160 were nurses, at the Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute in Columbus, Ohio. Methods & variables Oncology nurses and other providers participated in the THRIVE© program, which consists of an eight-hour retreat designed to teach self-care strategies, a six-week private group study interaction on a social media platform, and a two-hour wrap-up session. The Compassion Fatigue Short Scale and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale were used to evaluate the program. Results In self-assessments prior to THRIVE, nurse managers demonstrated the greatest degree of burnout, and bedside/chairside nurses demonstrated the greatest degree of secondary trauma. The greatest improvement in average scores from pre- to postprogram assessment was in increased resilience and decreased burnout. Increased resilience scores were sustained for a six-month period after THRIVE participation. Implications for nursing Oncology healthcare providers must identify self-care strategies that build their resilience for long, successful careers.
Phenological Patterns and Seasonal Segregation of Coprophilous Beetles (Coleoptera: Scarabaeoidea and Hydrophilidae) on a Cattle Farm in SE-Michigan, United States Throughout the Year

The seasonal occurrence of species and timing of key events in their life (phenology) affects the ecology and evolution of every species, population, and species community (SC) on Earth. Shifting phenologies and mismatches between species may affect range limits and lead to extinctions and biodiversity loss, which are especially concerning in ecologically and economically important SCs like coprophilous beetles. This study provides phenological data for many species of coprophilous beetles from the Midwestern region of the US, includes the often-missing winter months, and compares the seasonal and successional differences between the “relocator” and “dweller” guilds. Beetles were sampled biweekly throughout the year from a 3.8 ha Farm in Adrian, SE-Michigan using 15 pitfall traps baited with cow manure. Samples were collected after 48 h and again after 72 h exposure time. Over the entire year, I caught 6069 specimens from 24 species of Scarabaeoidea and 13 species of Hydrophilidae. The ROSARIO null model for continuous temporal data suggested a significant seasonal overlap of the SC (p < 0.0001) and a cluster analysis based on Pianka’s niche overlap index identified five clusters at a minimum overlap of 55 % falling into three major phenological guilds. “Relocators” (6 Scarabaeinae, 2 Aphodiinae species) overlapped on average by 48.4 %, whereas “dwellers” (9 Aphodiinae, 10 Hydrophilidae species) overlapped by 36.0 % (Mann-Whitney test, p = 0.055). Small Hydrophilidae dwellers overlapped by 30.9 % whereas large hydrophilid dwellers overlapped by 96.9 %. Individual phenological patterns were compared to other sites in North America and Europe and predictions about geographical and phenological changes due to the man-made climate crisis and habitat loss and fragmentation are discussed. Differences between the seasonal overlaps of “relocators” and “dwellers” as well as small and large Onthophagus relocators and Hydrophilidae dwellers are suggesting profound ecological differences between the guilds and sub-guilds.
Further implications of probable changes in medial rectus muscle innervation after surgery for infantile esotropia.

INTRODUCTION The conclusion that setting the eyes of an infantile esotrope (ET) straight with a successful bilateral medial rectus muscle reseccion (MROU) reduces the preoperative hyperinnervation of these muscles almost to normal may have special implications for the best principles of management of infantile ET not detailed in a recent paper by Mimms, III, Miller and Schoolfield. METHODS The same 113 infantile esotropes who provided data for the exoshift under anesthesia study had previously provided data for a dose-response curve. A simple geometric calculation was done to determine the amount of medial rectus (MR) recession necessary to compensate for contracture, and this was substracted from the dose-response value to reveal the additional mm of recession required to the MR sufficiently down the length-tension curve to compensate for the preoperative MR hyperinnervation. RESULTS The result of these calculations yielded a surprisingly narrow range of averaging 3.6 mm (range 3.2 to 3.8 mm) for a broad range of preoperative deviations (20 ET to 80 ET). CONCLUSIONS The conclusions which may be drawn from this analysis include an understanding of why infantiles (and other) esotropias tend to increase in size in a few weeks or months if unteated, verification of the wisdom of the common practice of measuring the deviation no more than a day or two prior to the surgery, and the common observation that unilateral medial rectus recessions of a given amount will generally produce significantly less than half of the effect of a similarly-sized bilateral medial rectus recession. Finally, this understanding explains the poor success rate of surgery in the presence of dense amblyopia with eccentric fixation.
Association of same-day discharge with hospital readmission after pediatric thyroidectomy.

Studies have demonstrated that same-day discharge (SDD) following thyroid resection is safe and feasible in adults but there are no similar studies in the pediatric age group. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the influence of SDD on 30-day readmission rates following thyroid surgery in pediatric patients. This retrospective cohort study used the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program–Pediatric database to evaluate 30-day readmission rates among patients < 19 years of age who underwent thyroid resection between 2012 and 2017. Patients excluded were those discharged more than 2 days after surgery. The main exposure variable was SDD and the primary outcome was 30-day readmission. Secondary outcomes included wound complications, unplanned reoperation and death. Patient characteristics were compared using chi-squared testing and odds ratios for readmission were calculated using multivariate logistic regression. Of the 1125 patients (79% female, median age 15 years), 122 (11%) were discharged on the day of surgery. Total or near-total thyroidectomy represented the majority of operations (714, 63.5%) and patients undergoing these operations were less likely to be discharged on the same day as surgery compared to those undergoing thyroid lobectomy (4.3 vs. 22.1%, P < 0.001). Twenty-nine patients were readmitted within 30 days (3 in the same day group, 26 in the later group). There was no difference in the odds of readmission between the two groups (adjusted odds ratio in SDD compared to later discharge 1.04 [95% CI 0.29–3.75, P = 0.96; readmission rate, 2.46 vs. 2.59%). Wound complications were reported in two patients, both in the later discharge group. Same-day discharge in pediatric patients undergoing thyroidectomy is not associated with an increase in 30-day readmissions or wound complications when compared to patients discharged 1 or 2 days after surgery. In selected patients, SDD may be an appropriate alternative to traditional overnight stay.
Phase 2 study of DRD2 antagonist/ClpP agonist ONC201 in neuroendocrine tumors.

3002Background: ONC201, an imipridone with specificity for the dopamine-like DRD2 receptor and the mitochondrial protease ClpP, imparts anti-cancer effects via up-regulation of TRAIL/DR5, dual AKT/...
Case ReportsThe enteric drained pancreas transplant: another potential source of gastrointestinal bleeding

With most combined kidney and pancreas transplants the transplant pancreatic exocrine secretions are managed with urinary bladder drainage. Because of the associated metabolic and infectious complications, many pancreatic transplants require later conversion to enteric drainage, and the trend in this country is now toward primary enteric drainage. Unlike with urinary bladder drainage when direct cystoscopy can be performed, a disadvantage with enteric drainage is that problems such as bleeding from a transplanted pancreas and attached duodenal segment are not easily evaluated. A case of a cytomegalovirus-related bleeding ulcer in an enteric drained pancreas is presented, along with a review of the possible diagnostic evaluation.
XML-SIM-CHANGE: structure and content semantic similarity detection among XML document versions

XML documents from different sources may represent the same or similar information with respect to content and structure. Being able to integrate similar XML documents is important to query systems and search engines. However, information changes periodically, therefore, it is important to detect the changes among different versions of an XML document and use the changed information to discover semantic similarity among XML documents. In this paper, we introduce such an approach to detect XML similarity using the change detection mechanism to join XML document versions. In our approach, keys in subtrees play an important role in order to avoid unnecessary comparisons of subtrees within different XML versions of the same document. We use relational database to store XML versions and apply SQL for detecting similarities. We show that our approach is highly scalable and has better efficiency in terms of execution time and provides comparable result quality.
Authentic Assessment for English Language Learners: Practical Approaches for Teachers

Foreword Index of Figures and Reproducibles Preface 1 Moving Toward Authentic Assessment * Assessment of English Language Learning Students * Definition of Authentic Assessment * Purposes of this Book and Target Audience * Overview of the Book 2 Designing Authentic Assessment * Approaches to Teaching and Learning * Types of Authentic Assessment * Awareness of Authentic Assessments * Designing Authentic Assessments * Technical Quality of Authentic Assessments * Issues in Designing Authentic Assessment * Conclusion * Application Activities 3 Portfolio Assessment * Instructional Context * What a Portfolio Is and Isn't * Self-Assessment: The Key to Portfolios * Managing Portfolios * Using Portfolio Assessment in Instruction * Conclusion * Application Activities 4 Oral Language Assessment * Nature of Oral Language * Authentic Assessment of Oral Language * Using Oral Language Assessment in Instruction * Conclusion * Application Activities 5 Reading Assessment * Nature of Reading in School * Authentic Assessment of Reading * Using Reading Assessment in Instruction * Conclusion * Application Activities 6 Writing Assessment * Nature of Writing in School * Authentic Assessment of Writing * Using Writing Assessment in Instruction * Conclusion * Application Activities 7 Content Area Assessment * Content Area Instruction in Schools * Authentic Assessment in Content Areas * Using Content Area Assessment in Instruction * Conclusion * Application Activities 8 Examples from the Classroom * Talk Show * Geoboard * Magnet Experiment * Interpreting Portfolio Entries * Reading Response Time * Anecdotal Records * Book Talks: Integrated Reading Appendix Sample Entries from Roxana's Portfolio Glossary References Index of Classroom-based Assessment Techniques
Dimensional analysis of MINMOD leads to definition of the disposition index of glucose regulation and improved simulation algorithm.

Frequently Sampled Intravenous Glucose Tolerance Test (FSIVGTT) together with its mathematical model, the minimal model (MINMOD), have become important clinical tools to evaluate the metabolic control of glucose in humans. Dimensional analysis of the model is up to now not available. A formal dimensional analysis of MINMOD was carried out and the degree of freedom of MINMOD was examined. Through re-expressing all state variable and parameters in terms of their reference scales, MINMOD was transformed into a dimensionless format. Previously defined physiological indices including insulin sensitivity, glucose effectiveness, and first and second phase insulin responses were re-examined in this new formulation. Further, the parameter estimation from FSIVGTT was implemented using both the dimensional and the dimensionless formulations of MINMOD, and the performances were compared utilizing Monte Carlo simulation as well as real human FSIVGTT data. The degree of freedom (DOF) of MINMOD was found to be 7. The model was maximally simplified in the dimensionless formulation that normalizes the variation in glucose and insulin during FSIVGTT. In the new formulation, the disposition index (Dl), a composite parameter known to be important in diabetes pathology, was naturally defined as one of the dimensionless parameters in the system. The numerical simulation using the dimensionless formulation led to a 1.5–5 fold gain in speed, and significantly improved accuracy and robustness in parameter estimation compared to the dimensional implementation. Dimensional analysis of MINMOD led to simplification of the model, direct identification of the important composite factors in the dynamics of glucose metabolic control, and better simulations algorithms.
Anaplastic Thyroid Carcinoma

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare aggressive malignancy characterized by a rapidly progressive clinical course nearly always culminating in the fatal outcome. Rare reports of successful treatment and anecdotal accounts of long-term survivors of ATC contribute to the therapeutic nihilism related to ATC, although promising new treatment approaches are emerging. ATC is a rare malignancy, accounting for only 1–2% of thyroid carcinomas. In the United States, the incidence of ATC is approximately 300 cases per year, and is similar to other developed countries (Kebebew et al. Cancer;103(7):1330–5, 2005; Ain. Thyroid ;8(8):715–26, 1998). Almost all of ATC occurs in individuals above 50 years of age, and most patients present in the seventh decade of life. Slight female to male predominance has been noted, in the 1.5–2 range (Kebebew et al. Cancer;103(7):1330–5, 2005; Ain. Thyroid;8(8):715–26, 1998). The incidence of ATC has been declining in the last 20 years, perhaps reflecting more accurate classification of thyroid neoplasms, higher detection rates, and more aggressive treatment of differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC), which is considered to be a precursor to ATC (Ain. Thyroid;8(8):715–26, 1998; Chiacchio et al. Endocrinol;33(4):341–57, 2008).
An improved polynomial-time algorithm for designing digital filters with power-of-two coefficients

An improved algorithm is presented for designing digital filters with coefficients expressed as sums of signed power-of-two (SPT) terms. Our algorithm allocates SPT terms based on minimizing the filter's approximating error using two l/sup /spl infin// norms, one in the time domain and one in the frequency domain. For any specified filter gain, the time complexity of the algorithm is a second-order polynomial in the filter order. Examples show that our improved algorithm is capable of designing filters with better characteristics while using fewer SPT terms.