cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patterns of Fuel use and Storage in Migrating Passerines in Relation to Fruit Resources at Autumn Stopover Sites

ABSTRACT. Fuel deposition rates of migrating birds may indicate the quality of habitat at stopover sites, yet little is known about how diet habits and food availability affect fat and protein metabolism in free-living songbirds at stopover sites. We compared plasma indicators of fat deposition (triglyceride), fat catabolism (B-hydroxybutyrate), and protein catabolism (uric acid) among passerine species that are frugivorous to a variable degree during autumn stopover on Block Island, Rhode Island. We also compared plasma lipid metabolites from 3 of these species that were captured at 2 stopover sites with different fruit abundance. The more frugivorous Hermit Thrushes (Catharus guttatus) had the highest plasma triglyceride, and uric acid was highest in the least frugivorous species sampled on Block Island, but other differences among species were not clearly related to diet. B-hydroxybutyrate was more variable among the species sampled on Block Island. Plasma triglyceride was significantly higher in Hermi...
Raízes de Gilberto Freyre

The centenary in 2000 of Gilbert Freyre's birth occasioned a number of retrospectives on his place in Brazil's history. This article focuses on Freyre up to 1933, the year in which Casa Grande & Senzala was published. Emphasis is given to such formative influences as his undergraduate study at Baylor University, his graduate study at Columbia University and his subsequent travels in Europe. In these years Freyre rejected an invitation to stay in the USA and strengthened his resolve to return to Brazil and make his career as a writer. The theme he soon adopted was Brazil's viability as a modern nation, notwithstanding its supposed defects of race and climate.
Toxoplasma gondii Rhoptry Discharge Correlates with Activation of the Early Growth Response 2 Host Cell Transcription Factor

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous apicomplexan parasite that can cause severe disease in fetuses and immune-compromised patients. Rhoptries, micronemes, and dense granules, which are secretory organelles unique to Toxoplasma and other apicomplexan parasites, play critical roles in parasite growth and virulence. To understand how these organelles modulate infected host cells, we sought to identify host cell transcription factors triggered by their release. Early growth response 2 (EGR2) is a host cell transcription factor that is rapidly upregulated and activated in Toxoplasma-infected cells but not in cells infected with the closely related apicomplexan parasite Neospora caninum. EGR2 upregulation occurred only when live parasites were in direct contact with the host cell and not from exposure to cell extracts that contain dense granule or micronemal proteins. When microneme-mediated attachment was blocked by pretreating parasites with a calcium chelator, EGR2 expression was significantly reduced. In contrast, when host cells were infected with parasites in the presence of cytochalasin D, which allows rhoptry secretion but prevents parasite invasion, EGR2 was activated. Finally, we demonstrate that Toxoplasma activation of host p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase is necessary but not sufficient for EGR2 activation. Collectively, these data indicate that EGR2 is specifically upregulated by a parasite-derived secreted factor that is most likely a resident rhoptry protein.
Evaluation of commonly used rules for detecting “steady state” in computer simulation

A definition of the problem of the initial transient with respect to the steady-state mean value has been formulated. A set of criteria has been set forth by which the efficaacy of any proposed rule may be assessed. Within this framework, five heuristic rules for predicting the approximate end of transiency, four of which have been quoted extensively in the simulation literature, have been evaluated in the M/M/1 situation. All performed poorly and are not suitable for their intended use.
Fundamental Concepts in the Embryogenesis of Dicotyledons: A Morphological Interpretation of Embryo Mutants.

Embryogenesis represents the critical stage in the develop? ment of a plant at which its basic organization and body plan have their inception. Therefore, in the effort to understand the regulation of plant development, molecular geneticists have recently focused considerable attention on the search for genes expressed during the embryogenesis of plant model systems (Mayer et al., 1991; Meinke, 1991b; Lindsey and Topping, 1993; West and Harada, 1993; Goldberg et al., 1994). This molecular approach toward plant embryogene? sis has been given even greater impetus by the significant advances made in the isolation of embryonic genes in ani? mal model systems, such as in Drosophila (Nusslein-Volhard and Wieschaus, 1980; Nusslein-Volhard, 1991) and zebrafish (Kane et al., 1996; Solnica-Krezel et al., 1996). As a consequence of these noteworthy successes in animal embryo? genesis, there has been a natural tendency for plant biologists to follow suit and interpret molecular genetic data in terms of animal developmental models (Jurgens et al., 1991; Mayer et al., 1991). One problem arising from this parallel strategy toward the study of plant and animal embryogenesis is that plant embryos bear a significantly different relationship to their adult forms than do animal embryos. This situation is further complicated by the history of the field of plant embryology, in which certain perspectives have led to less fundamental, even ambiguous characterizations of embryo morphogenesis. For example, traditional studies of plant embryogenesis have placed great emphasis on detailed characterizations of cell lineages in the earliest stages of plant embryogenesis (Johansen, 1950; Natesh and Rau, 1984). This kind of em? phasis was usually at the expense of the more general fea? tures of embryo morphogenesis, such as the time at which the meristems of the shoot and root are first organized and begin to function. We demonstrate that it is the morphology of the embryo that determines the cell lineage patterns rather than vice versa.
Reasons for Condom Utilization Among High-Risk Adolescent Girls

Two hundred forty-eight adolescent girls responded to a list of 30 statements describing reasons for using and not using condoms. For 24 of the statements, most adolescents (>70%) gave the same response regarding why they did or did not use condoms. Therefore, only the six remaining statements were used in further analyses. The relationship between the six statements and psychosexual history, condom use, and sexually transmitted disease (STD) history was examined. Those adolescent girls who had been sexually active longer were more likely to report lack of enjoyment as a reason that they did not use condoms ( P<.03), and those adolescents who had been sexually active less time were more likely to report personal (P < .005) and partner (P <.0006) enjoyment of sex with condoms as a reason for using condoms. Longer relationships before intercourse were associated with having condoms available (P<.01) and partner insistence on their use (P<.02). Partner insistence on condom use was related to fewer episodes o...
High/Low Modulus Si3N4‐BN Composite for Improved Electrical and Thermal Shock Behavior

High-density Si3N4+6% CeO2 composites with 5 to 50% BN were fabricated by hot-pressing. BN remained as a discrete phase. Dielectric constants were 4 to 8 and loss tangents were 0.0008 to 0.06 for the room temperature to 1100°C range for compositions with 10 to 50% BN. Thermal-expansion values perpendicular to the hot-pressing direction were somewhat less than those of hot-pressed Si3N4+6% CeO2. Flexure strengths at room temperature were considerably lower than those of hot-pressed Si3N4+6% CeO2 but values at 1000°, 1250°, and 1400°C in air were only slightly lower. Young's modulus values were found to decrease with increasing BN content at all temperatures. Better thermal shock resistance was found than for commercial hot-pressed Si3N4.
Primary Care Attributes Associated with Receipt of Preventive Care Services: A National Study

Background: Primary care attributes (PCAs) encompassed by patient-centered medical homes may increase receipt of preventive care, though national studies are lacking. Methods: We performed cross-sectional adjusted analyses of self-report data from adults in the 2007 to 2010 US Medical Expenditure Panel Surveys (N 50,457). PCAs were considered individually and as a total score for each respondent and included comprehensiveness (a usual source of care for new and ongoing problems, preventive care, and referrals); patient-centeredness (shared decision making); and enhanced access (night and weekend hours). Preventive care measures included mammography, influenza vaccination, annual exams, colorectal cancer screening, and Papanicolaou, prostate-specific antigen, and cholesterol testing. Results: The total PCA score was positively associated with increased receipt of each preventive care measure. Colorectal cancer screening (18.5%) and prostate-specific antigen testing (20.7%) showed the largest increases across PCA score quartiles. Individual primary care attributes except enhanced access were positively associated with each preventive care measure. Enhanced access was negatively associated with annual examination (adjusted odds ratio, 0.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.77‐0.91). Conclusion: In a nationally representative sample, greater reported exposure to key primary care attributes, with the exception of enhanced access, was associated with increased preventive care. These findings may inform best practices for maximizing preventive care delivery. (J Am Board Fam Med 2015; 28:733‐741.)
Breast Preservation in Patients with Local Recurrence After Breast-Conserving Therapy

Mastectomy is the current standard of care following in-breast local recurrence of breast cancer previously treated with breast-conserving surgery and whole-breast irradiation. Review of the limited world literature on repeat breast-conserving surgery suggests that the risk of secondary local in-breast recurrence may be too high in unselected patients following this approach. Rapid evolution of radiation therapy techniques has brought partial-breast irradiation (PBI) to the forefront as a potential local treatment for women with in-breast local recurrence following repeat breast-conserving surgery. This review gives an overview of the biological rationale for PBI; reviews techniques, potential benefits, and complications of PBI; and describes a new phase II national cooperative group trial evaluating PBI following repeat breast-conserving surgery. Mastectomy may not be necessary in all patients with in-breast local recurrence of breast cancer.
Conjunction reduction in child language

Coordinate conjunction was evaluated in early child language with regard to its structural properties. In a series of four studies, 60 two- and three-year-olds grouped by MLU were studied in an elicited imitation task where in the linguistic form of sentences was varied according to conjunction structure (whether sentential or phrasal) and according to pattern of redundancy deletion in conjunction reduction (whether forward or backward in directionality). Both factors were found to affect children's imitation. The results suggested specific constraints on the structure of coordination in child language.
Space Exploration and the History of Solar-System Volatiles

The assemblage of volatiles degassed from each planetary object simultaneously reflects the preaccretion history of the solid solar-system material which accreted to produce that object and the internal differentiation history of the object. The key questions are: 1) What are the differences in bulk composition among planetary objects and how did they arise? and 2) How have volatiles within each object been redistributed among its interior, its surface, and its atmosphere?-a) What is the total volatile inventory which was degassed to each surface? b) When did supply occur and what were the energy sources? and c) What was the geochemical fate of each constituent? In comparative studies of planetary-surface and atmospheric volatiles, one of the hardest problems is disentangling differences among planetary-surface volatile inventories which are due to initial differences in bulk composition among objects from those due to differences in subsequent internal differentiation and atmospheric history. In the area of internal differentiation and degassing, the greatest puzzles involve understanding apparent differentiation of surprisingly small objects and surprisingly early differentiation of both large and small objects. The answers to these questions are most efficiently obtained by a balanced program of space exploration which includes strong missionsupporting programs of Earth-based observations, theoretical studies, and laboratory experiments. The study of "planetary atmospheres" cannot be undertaken in isolation from studies of other important sinks for degassed volatiles.
Delirium and Long-term Cognitive Trajectory Among Persons With Dementia.

Background Delirium is characterized by acute cognitive impairment. We examined the association of delirium with long-term cognitive trajectories in older adults with Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods We evaluated prospectively collected data from a nested cohort of hospitalized patients with AD (n = 263) in the Massachusetts Alzheimer Disease Research Center patient registry between January 1, 1991, and June 30, 2006 (median follow-up duration, 3.2 years). Cognitive function was measured using the information-memory-concentration (IMC) section of the Blessed Dementia Rating Scale. Delirium was identified using a validated medical record review method. The rate of cognitive deterioration was contrasted using random-effects regression models. Results Fifty-six percent of patients with AD developed delirium during hospitalization. The rate of cognitive deterioration before hospitalization did not differ significantly between patients who developed delirium (1.4 [95% CI, 0.7-2.1] IMC points per year) and patients who did not develop delirium (0.8 [95% CI, 0.3-1.3] IMC points per year) (P = .24). After adjusting for dementia severity, comorbidity, and demographic characteristics, patients who had developed delirium experienced greater cognitive deterioration in the year following hospitalization (3.1 [95% CI, 2.1-4.1] IMC points per year) relative to patients who had not developed delirium (1.4 [95% CI, 0.2-2.6] IMC points per year). The ratio of these changes suggests that cognitive deterioration following delirium proceeds at twice the rate in the year after hospitalization compared with patients who did not develop delirium. Patients who had developed delirium maintained a more rapid rate of cognitive deterioration throughout a 5-year period following hospitalization. Sensitivity analyses that excluded rehospitalized patients and included matching on baseline cognitive function and baseline rate of cognitive deterioration produced essentially identical results. Conclusions Delirium is highly prevalent among persons with AD who are hospitalized and is associated with an increased rate of cognitive deterioration that is maintained for up to 5 years. Strategies to prevent delirium may represent a promising avenue to explore for ameliorating cognitive deterioration in AD.
Recklessness in Context Individual and Situational Correlates to Aggressive Driving

Traffic-related injury and fatality are major health risks in the United States and worldwide. One contributor to road accidents is unsafe and aggressive driving practices. We examined individual and situational aspects of aggressive driving by having 152 undergraduate students complete self-report measures. Aggressive driving was related to personality variables, such as hostility, sensation seeking, and competitiveness, as well as to social variables such as driving without passengers and characteristics of the target vehicle (e.g., passengers, age, and status of driver), environmental variables (e.g., type of road, traffic, and weather), and temporal variables (e.g., time pressure and time of day).
Hotspots and the Case for a High Viscosity Lower Mantle

There are two obvious forms of convection in the Earth’s mantle: Plate-scale flow with upwellings at mid-ocean ridges and downwellings at subduction zones, and narrow upwelling plumes from the deep mantle which give rise to volcanic hotspots. Hotspots have relative motions which are at least an order of magnitude less than relative plate motions, and these two styles of convection appear to be decoupled on timescales of ~100–200 m.y. Also, hotspot basalts have trace element and isotopic signatures of mantle source regions which have been isolated from the upper mantle mid-ocean ridge source for a significant fraction of Earth history. These observations are compatible with whole mantle convection models which include a viscosity increase with depth. Lower mantle strain (mixing) rates and horizontal motions at, e.g., the core-mantle boundary are sufficiently reduced if lower mantle viscosity is about 1–2 orders of magnitude greater than that of the upper mantle. Such models also explain the depth distribution and focal mechanisms of deep earthquakes in subducted slabs as well as the long-wavelength geoid highs over subduction zones. Relatively isoviscous, chemically stratified convection models can probably satisfy the constraints from hotspot fixity and geochemistry. However, none of these observations has been shown to be compatible with models of whole-mantle convection which do not include a substantial increase in viscosity with depth.
Angle of Attack and Planform Effects on Flat Plate Vortices at Low Reynolds Numbers

‡Tip vortices of low aspect ratio wings were studied in a water tunnel at Reynolds numbers of 8000 and 24,000, with dye injection and digital particle image velocimetry in crossflow planes in the ne ar wake, for rectangular, semi -elliptical and delta -wing planforms. The velocity data were used to calculate lift via circulation, and the results were compared with direct force measurements. The objectives of the study were to assess how low Reynolds n umber effects might affect the classical measurement of lift coefficient from tip vortex circulation, how well the measurements fit the slender wing theory lift curve slope, and the extent to which planform shape affects lift coefficient while aspect ratio and area are kept constant. All models were thin flat plates with square edges. For the range of streamwise locations and angles of attack studied, apparent viscous effects on vorticity in the wake were small, resulting in good agreement between lift co efficient values inferred from the measurements, the force balance data, and the classical inviscid formulas.
The 1n expansion

Abstract The validity of the 1 N expansion in field theory is questioned from the point of view of graph counting. A simple ansatz for the value of each graph in the QCD perturbation series makes it possible to estimate the sum with graph counting techniques. It is found that the 1 N approximations are more accurate than might have been expected due to the emergence of a new expansion parameter associated with the graph topology. However, essential non-perturbative features are missed in any order of the expansion.
Ultrafine Particle Removal and Ozone Generation by In-Duct Electrostatic Precipitators

Human exposure to airborne ultrafine particles (UFP, < 100 nm) has been shown to have adverse health effects and can be elevated in buildings. In-duct electrostatic precipitator filters (ESP) have been shown to be an effective particulate control device for reducing UFP concentrations (20–100 nm) in buildings, although they have the potential to increase indoor ozone concentrations. This study investigated residential ESP filters to reduce ultrafine particles between 4 to 15 nm and quantified the resulting ozone generation. In-duct ESPs were operated in the central air handling unit of a test house. Results for the two tested ESP brands indicate that removal efficiency of 8 to 14 nm particles was near zero and always less than 10% (±15%), possibly due to particle generation or low charging efficiency. Adding a media filter downstream of the ESP increased the decay rate for particles in the same size range. Continuous operation of one brand of ESP raised indoor ozone concentrations to 77 ppbv and 20 ppbv f...
Majorization and the Birthday Inequality

(1991). Majorization and the Birthday Inequality. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 64, No. 3, pp. 183-188.
A Study of the Segmentation of the Antennae of the Clover-Flower Midge (Dasyneura Leguminicola, Lintner).

In a letter of January 6, 1920, Dr. E. P. Felt called the attention of the writer to the fact that there is a variation in the number of segments in the antennae of the clover-flower midge ( Dasyneura leguminicola , Lintner). Felt (1908) has indicated the range of this variation in a general way as being from fourteen to sixteen segments, inclusive. Felt (1915) p. 174, further states that the female normally has sixteen subsessile antennal segments while the male has sixteen or seventeen antennal segments.
Application Equipment and Techniques Used in the Evaluation of Granular Insecticides for Control of Western Corn Root worm Larvae

A commercial metering device was adapted for use in small-plot applications. This was accomplished by using a I-quart polyethylene bottle as the granular container, attaching it to the metering device, and developing an adapter to which the unit could be attached and detached rapidly. Commercial applications of granular insecticide for preplanting, planting, and post planting root worm control treatments could be simulated on plots 50-100 ft long.
Long-term solid-phase fate of co-precipitated U(VI)-Fe(III) following biological iron reduction by Thermoanaerobacter

The texture and mineralogy of solid phases resulting from biogeochemical metal reduction of U(VI)-FeOOH slurries was investigated over a period of four years. Solid-phase reaction products were analyzed with EXAFS, TEM, and XRD following fermentative reduction of uranium-loaded ferric hydroxide precursors with 0.01 and 0.05 cation mole fraction (CMF) U by cultures of Thermoanaerobacter sp. strain TOR-39. Only minor changes could be distinguished between 3 and 51 months for most slurries. Magnetite, goethite, uraninite, and minor akaganeite were present after 3 months at both U-CMFs. Akaganeite was not detected by XRD after 3 months, but was still observed by TEM after 50 months. Increasing uranium in the starting slurries led to a greater proportion of oxidized iron in the solid-phase products. Euhedral goethite and subhedral to euhedral magnetite were observed at all times. Uraninite was observed in clusters of
The Influence of Instructor-Student Rapport on Instructors’ Professional and Organizational Outcomes

Students and teachers have relational goals and needs, yet little research has examined the relational goals of instructors and how achieving those goals may affect instructor outcomes. This study examined instructors’ perspectives on instructor-student rapport. Results revealed that instructors who build rapport with students are likely to experience teaching satisfaction, affective commitment to the institution, and enhanced teaching efficacy. However, instructor-student rapport was not related to instructor morale. The findings in this study highlight the importance of positive instructor-student relationships in the classroom and the implications for both instructors and administrators.
Data assimilation in a coupled physical–biogeochemical model of the California Current System using an incremental lognormal 4-dimensional variational approach: Part 1—Model formulation and biological data assimilation twin experiments

Abstract A quadratic formulation for an incremental lognormal 4-dimensional variational assimilation method (incremental L4DVar) is introduced for assimilation of biogeochemical observations into a 3-dimensional ocean circulation model. L4DVar assumes that errors in the model state are lognormally rather than Gaussian distributed, and implicitly ensures that state estimates are positive definite, making this approach attractive for biogeochemical variables. The method is made practical for a realistic implementation having a large state vector through linear assumptions that render the cost function quadratic and allow application of existing minimization techniques. A simple nutrient-phytoplankton-zooplankton-detritus (NPZD) model is coupled to the Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) and configured for the California Current System. Quadratic incremental L4DVar is evaluated in a twin model framework in which biological fields only are in error and compared to G4DVar which assumes Gaussian distributed errors. Five-day assimilation cycles are used and statistics from four years of model integration analyzed. The quadratic incremental L4DVar results in smaller root-mean-squared errors and better statistical agreement with reference states than G4DVar while maintaining a positive state vector. The additional computational cost and implementation effort are trivial compared to the G4DVar system, making quadratic incremental L4DVar a practical and beneficial option for realistic biogeochemical state estimation in the ocean.
Hierarchical, Portfolio Theory-Based Virtual Machine Consolidation in a Compute Cloud

Improving the energy efficiency of cloud computing systems has become an important issue because the electric energy bill for 24/7 operation of these systems can be quite large. The focus of this paper is on the virtual machine consolidation in a cloud computing system as a way of lowering daily energy consumption of the system. In contrast to the existing works that assume resource demands of virtual machines are given as scalar variables, this paper treats these demands as random variables with known means and standard deviations because the demands are not deterministic in many situations. These random variables may be correlated with one another, and there are several types of resources which can be performance bottlenecks. Therefore, both correlations and resource type heterogeneity must be considered. The virtual machine consolidation problem is thus formulated as a multi-capacity stochastic bin packing problem. This problem is NP-hard, so we present a heuristic method to efficiently solve the problem. Simulation results show that, in spite of its simplicity and scalability, the proposed method produces high quality solutions.
The genotypes of human papilloma virus and cervical lesions among women in Yinchuan region

Objective To understand the genotypes of human papilloma virus( HPV) infection in patients with varying degrees of cervical lesions,and to explore the carcinogenicity of different HPV subtypes. Methods Using flow- throw hybridization and gene chip technology( Hybri Max),21 subtypes of HPV in female reproductive tract from 2 884 female patients were detected. The connection between HPV infection genotypes and degree of cervical lesion was investigated. Results Among 2 884 women screened,the HPV- positive rate was 37. 14%. The HPV- positive rate was 89. 22% among those with cervical lesions. The CIN I positive rate was 90. 78%,CIN II positive 96. 30%,CIN III positive 97. 37%,and cervical cancer rate was 100% among all screened women( P 0. 05). The common genotypes among CIN lesions were HPV16,58,18,52,31,33,and 35. The HPV 16,18,58 were found common among those with cervical cancer. HPV16 was ranked highest among those with cervical lesions. Conclusion The main HPV infection genotypes among those with cervical cancer are in line with Chinese population. HPV16,18,58 subtypes show rather strong carcinogenicity,and they can increase the incidence of cervical cancer. The HPV16 infection is the biggest threat of developing cervical cancer.
An interpretation of Michelson-Morley experiment and light aberration phenomenon

This paper illustrates Michelson-Morley experiment, Millar experiment, Airy’s experiment and light aberration phenomenon in a completely new point of view. Experiments are foundations for people probing into the objective world. Through the explanations to these experiments and light aberration phenomenon, we can understand them very naturally, harmoniously and logically. Furthermore, we point out that the propagation of light needs medium. There is No-Shape-Substance as its propagating medium in the space.
128 AN EVALUATION OF THE CLINICAL APPROPRIATENESS AND ECONOMIC COSTS OF ROUTINE MAGNESIUM TESTING.

Purpose Abnormal serum magnesium values are commonly encountered in a wide spectrum of patients. However, except in unique circumstances, it is unclear whether or not minor magnesium abnormalities even require treatment or whether correction of the magnesium level to normal has any bearing on patient morbidity and mortality. During the past few years, there seems to have been a substantial increase in routine serum magnesium testing on patients admitted to hospitals. The primary objective of this study is to document the changes in the quantity of routine magnesium testing done on patients within a large community hospital setting. A second objective of the study is to measure the excess costs of unnecessary magnesium testing. Methods To test the hypothesis that there has been an increase in magnesium testing, two time periods were chosen for comparison: July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000 and July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004. Total magnesium lab tests were obtained from laboratory services and hospital administration at three hospitals in Fresno, California-Clovis Community Hospital (CCH), Fresno Community Hospital (FCH), and University Medical Center (UMC). For each time frame, 100 random patient charts were reviewed by the authors to determine whether or not magnesium testing was necessary. Results The current patient charge for magnesium testing is $98.00 for inpatient and $54.00 for outpatient. Medicare reimbursement is $9.36. For the July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000 time period there were a total of 28,457 magnesium lab tests performed (904 at CCH; 8,637 at FCH; 18,916 at UMC). This compares with the July 1, 2003 to June 30, 2004 time period when 38,830 magnesium lab tests were performed (2,917 at CCH; 15,265 at FCH; 20,648 at UMC). The percent change in magnesium testing for each hospital is as follows: +222.7% at CCH; +76.7% at FCH; and +9.2% at UMC. Based on the authors9 own scoring system, during the 1999-2000 year, 55% of all magnesium testing was unnecessary while for the 2003-2004 year 54% of all testing was unnecessary. Conclusions Even when corrected for changes in hospital volumes, there has been a substantial increase in the ordering of routine magnesium levels. With more than half of all magnesium tests unnecessary, patients could be spared the added costs of such testing.
Revealing the Structure of the Immunoglobulin Molecule

Antibody is a glycoprotein that binds specifically to a foreign antigen. Antibody simultaneously interacts with effectors, including complement proteins and Fc receptors on cells such as macrophages and NK lymphocytes. The composition of antibodies was described during the first half of the twentieth century, while the structure of the molecule was deciphered during the 1950s and early 1960s. These studies were performed by biochemists as they developed the field of immunochemistry. Enzymatic treatment of intact antibody molecules along with reduction of disulfide bonds resulted in several different products that could be separated by electrophoresis or by molecular weight sieving. Analysis of these products led to the prediction that the molecule contains four polypeptide chains: two identical heavy chains and two identical light chains. This four chain model was used in the discovery of additional isotypes (classes) of immunoglobulin, including IgM, IgA, IgD, and IgE. Enzymatic degradation of intact immunoglobulins demonstrated that the antigen binding site of the molecule includes portions of both heavy and light chains. This four chain model of the antibody was useful in subsequent studies designed to determine the genetics involved in providing the individual with the vast array of specificities available to provide protection against foreign microorganisms.
Mushi: A Generative Art Canvas for Kinect Based Tracking

Using modern technology in the form of body tracking and real-time image processing software, we propound to contextualize abstract art with an experiential system. Overall, our goal was to capture something as ethereal and transitory as movement and translate it into a painterly medium.
Interactive effects of corporate social responsibility and other value-creating investments on corporate financial performance

Research on the financial benefits of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has proliferated in recent years but generated mixed results. Rather than asking if CSR helps or hinders firm performance, it might be more worthwhile to explore conditions impacting relations between CSR and firm performance. That is, given the potential trade-offs between investments in CSR and those in other value-creating activities, it is necessary to examine their interactive impacts on corporate financial performance (CFP). Toward this end, this study explores if, and how, investments in innovation capabilities, branding capabilities and managerial capabilities moderate the effect of CSR on CFP. Testing the hypotheses with a sample of 579 US firms from 1991 to 2010, we found that the positive effect of CSR on CFP is weaker in firms that are more innovative and better at branding, and stronger in firms that spend more on acquiring managerial capabilities.
Patient Inducements — High Graft or High Value?

U.S. law prevents health care providers from using inducements to increase demand for care or encourage selection of one provider over another. But given recent changes in health care, perhaps inducements that support receipt of high-value services should be permitted.
Analysis of Big Data in Colonoscopy to Determine Whether Inverval Lesions are De Novo, Missed or Incompletely Removed

We have created a system that automatically records the inside-the-patient images of each colonoscopy in de-identified fashion. At present this “big data” database contains around 100 TB of de-identified endoscopy data. Interval colorectal cancers (CRCs) are CRCs that develop despite periodic colonoscopy and are due to de novo tumor growth, a missed lesion or incomplete lesion removal. Using a combination of location, date, time and image information we were able to find a video file within our de-identified big data from a prior colonoscopy that belonged to a patient with a recently diagnosed large interval lesion. Analysis of the video file showed that a large lesion was incompletely removed. Analysis of big endoscopy datasets has the potential to resolve the cause of most if not all interval lesions and CRCs and can provide specific, focused education to endoscopists related to their individual limitations.
Alligator Gars in Texas Coastal Bays: Long-Term Trends and Environmental Influences

AbstractRecognition of the recreational and conservation value of the Alligator Gar Atractosteus spatula has spurred efforts to understand its biology, ecology, and status in river-reservoir systems throughout their range. However, Alligator Gar have also been found in the coastal bays that link these rivers to the Gulf of Mexico. Little is known about the species in saltwater environments, or their potential role in coastal fish communities. To that end, we analyzed 37 years of standardized gill net catches (1975 through 2012) of Alligator Gar in ten Texas bays to characterize spatiotemporal trends in abundance and size structure and identify influential environmental covariates. Over 28,000 Alligator Gar (113–2,040-mm total length) were collected during 24,756 net nights of effort. The species was generally omnipresent both spatially and temporally; however, catch-per-unit-effort varied by two orders of magnitude, and was both cyclic and synchronous among bays. Trends in catch and size structure were co...
Fighting For a Seat at the Table: Why Women Can Be Formidable in 2016 Elections

It’s a matter of general consensus that Hillary Clinton is at the center of the 2016 presidential buzz and speculation. With near- celebrity status, unmatched qualifications and a brand name to boot, many believe that she’s the best candidate for the nation’s highest office and the key to the Democratic Party’s success in 2016. While Clinton is undoubtedly the most talked-about potential female candidate, she’s far from the sole woman in the Democratic Party that could launch a formidable campaign for the Oval Office. Though no female candidate has confirmed a 2016 presidential bid, a remarkable number of women are considered some of the most viable potential candidates for the Democratic nomination. These women are worth discussing not simply because of their gender, but because they happen to be some of the most legitimate candidates other than Clinton.
Improving peer review: What journals can do

Peer review is a shared responsibility intended to enhance the quality of manuscripts published in biomedical journals. Under ideal circumstances, everyone—authors, reviewers, and editors—understands their role and responsibilities, approaching the process with deliberate thoughtfulness. In our
Understanding Thermal Evolution and Monolayer Doping of Sulfur-Passivated GaAs(100)

Monolayer doping (MLD) is an attractive method to precisely tailor dopant profiles for nanoelectronic semiconductor devices. The approach has been demonstrated for a number of different dopant/subs...
Using Hispanic Adolescents to Assess Community Needs

A case study of three research efforts demonstrates how Hispanic adolescents were used successfully as research interviewers in a community needs assessment. The setting and process, the facilitati...
Non-cardiac Point of Care Ultrasound in the CCU

Point-of-care ultrasonography (POCUS) has rapidly emerged as an invaluable tool in the assessment and management of the critically ill CCU patient. Whole-body bedside ultrasound, with evaluation of the heart, lungs, abdomen, and the vascular system, allows for rapid diagnosis and timely treatment of conditions such as shock, acute respiratory failure, and multi-organ dysfunction. Training in POCUS also facilitates improved safety and success of bedside procedures that are routinely performed in the CCU.
INITIAL APPEARANCE OF THE NORADRENERGIC PHENOTYPE IN NEUROBLASTS OF THE RAT EMBRYO

There is striking synchrony in the initial appearance of tyrosine hydroxylase, dopamine-β-hydroxylase and catecholamines in sympathetic primordia of the rat embryo. These noradrenergic characters also appear transiently in neuroblasts of the gut mesenchyme.
Latent Type IV

In our previous studies we introduced the designation of latent Type IV to describe the existence of increased pre-β-lipoproteins with normal plasma triglyceride levels. In the present study, our major focus was to characterize the very low density lipoproteins (VLDL) isolated from the sera of a Portuguese population characterized as latent Type IV. Characterization of the apolipoprotein content in these VLDL by electroimmunoassay showed higher levels (p > 0.03) of ApoB and ApoC-III when compared to controls. A subclass of the latent Type IV patients also showed an altered ratio of C-III2 to C-III1. in VLDL, as characterized by basic Polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. All latent Type IV subjects’ plasma were Lp(a4) positive as shown by immunodiffusion. In addition to studies on VLDL, the potential atherogenecity of this latent form of dyslipoproteinemia was evaluated by determining cholesterol levels in skin biopsies of subjects with cardiovascular disease. There was an increase of skin cholesterol levels in both Type IV (p > 0.01) and latent Type IV ( p > 0.10) subjects when compared to normolipidemic subjects. In latent Type IV, impairment of clearance of VLDL by lipolytic mechanisms may play a role in the appearance of lipoprotein particles with atherogenic properties. Such lipoproteins could be responsible for the reported increased incidence of angiopathy in latent Type IV patients.
Type 2 diabetes mellitus and the risk of open-angle glaucoma the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study.

Purpose To examine the relationship between type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and the risk of having open-angle glaucoma (OAG) in an adult Latino population. Design Population-based cross-sectional study. Participants Latinos 40 years and older (n = 5894) from 6 census tracts in Los Angeles, California. Methods Participants from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES), a large population-based study of self-identified adult Latinos, answered an interviewer-administered questionnaire and underwent a clinical and complete ocular examination, including visual field (VF) testing and stereo fundus photography. A participant was defined as having diabetes mellitus (DM) if she or he had a history of being treated for DM, the participant's glycosylated hemoglobin was measured at 7.0% or higher, or the participant had random blood glucose of 200 mg% or higher. Type 2 DM was defined if the participant was 30 years or older when diagnosed with DM. Open-angle glaucoma was defined as the presence of an open angle and a glaucomatous VF abnormality and/or evidence of glaucomatous optic disc damage in at least one eye. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the risk of having OAG in persons with T2DM. Main Outcome Measure Prevalence of OAG. Results Of the 5894 participants with complete data, 1157 (19.6%) had T2DM and 288 (4.9%) had OAG. The prevalence of OAG was 40% higher in participants with T2DM than in those without T2DM (age/gender/intraocular pressure–adjusted odds ratio, 1.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.03–1.8; P = 0.03). Trend analysis revealed that a longer duration of T2DM (stratified into 5-year increments) was associated with a higher prevalence of OAG ( P Conclusion The presence of T2DM and a longer duration of T2DM were independently associated with a higher risk of having OAG in the LALES cohort. The high prevalences of T2DM and OAG and their association in this fastest growing segment of the United States population have significant implications for designing screening programs targeting Latinos.
Ejaculatory Failure and Urinary Dysfunction Secondary to Labetalol

We describe 3 men with moderate to severe essential hypertension in whom ejaculatory failure developed after therapy with labetalol, an antihypertensive drug with alpha-1 and beta-adrenergic blocking properties. No decrease in libido or erectile dysfunction was reported by any of the patients. Previous and subsequent antihypertensive therapy with either alpha or beta-adrenergic blocking agents failed to cause similar symptoms. These findings reveal a unique spectrum of genitourinary dysfunction associated with the multireceptor blocking properties of labetalol.
Noncombatancy and Patriotism: Walla Walla College in World War II

Walla Walla College, a Seventh-day Adventist institution, prepared for United States involvement in World War II by providing military-style basic training for its draftable students. Most declared noncombatancy status, sought a 1-A-O draft classification, and took Medical Cadet Corps training for physical education credit. Like other schools, Walla Walla College experienced drastic demographic shifts during the war. Afterward, returning veterans made a significant long-term impact on institutional demographics because of their large numbers, their status as older students, and their interest in reshaping college policies on an adult level. WWC students continued taking MCC training during the Korean War, but when the U.S. military armed medics during the Vietnam War, students sought noncombatant roles such as Project Whitecoat, a biological warfare research program.
Symbolism, signs, and accounts of electric vehicles in California

Abstract Conceptual frameworks regarding the spread of new ideas and products through a relevant social group posit communication is necessary between those few group members who are first to act upon the new idea or product and the many more potential later actors. In the case of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), achieving potential social goals regarding human health, climate, air quality and energy requires many more households become PEV owners and users than have so far. Workshops were convened with PEV owners and owners of internal combustion engine and hybrid vehicles (collectively, non-PEVs) in three regions throughout California representing different levels of PEV sales and charging infrastructure deployment. Participants guided the creation of their workshop’s agenda: non-PEV owners stated their questions about PEVs; PEV owners added more they wanted to tell about PEVs and about themselves becoming and being PEV owners. In the subsequent conversations, PEV owners constructed “accounts”—both in the sense of (informally) tallying the costs of buying a PEV and in the sense of telling a story of their lives with PEVs. Their storytelling conveyed the signs of PEVs: how PEVs, charging infrastructure, and incentives are (to PEV owners) an obvious suite of symbols and what those symbols mean (to PEV owners). In effect, the PEV owners teach the owners of non-PEVs a new symbol system and in doing so enhance the non-PEV owners’ ability to see, hear, and interpret the signs of PEVs. Routinely, but not universally, among the non-PEV owners learning the symbol system of PEVs produces more positive evaluations of PEVs.
Physical activity, benefits, and barriers across the aging continuum.

Abstract Background A growing body of evidence indicates the importance of physical activity during midlife period linked to the likelihood of healthy aging, while the likelihood of an individual engaging in physical activity depends largely on their perceived benefits and barriers to being physically active. Aim This study was to examine physical activity levels of midlife Korean American adults and their perceived benefits and barriers to physical activity compared with young and older adults. Methods We conducted a secondary analysis of data collected for a larger descriptive, cross-sectional study that was conducted with a sample of 517 Korean American adults in a Midwestern city. Data were collected using a survey questionnaire. Results A little more than half of the sample were women (57.1%), with a mean age of 41.6 (± 13.4). The study sample met the current guidelines for physical activity far less than the general U.S. population (30.4% -34.6 vs. 51.7%). Less midlife adults met the guidelines for moderate-intensity physical activity than older adults (34.2% vs. 57.4%), while less midlife adults met the guidelines for vigorous-intensity physical activity than young adults (24.8% vs. 40.6%). Midlife adults perceived fewer benefits than did young and older adults. Conclusion The findings indicate that midlife adults are less likely to engage in physical activity and probably more at risk for unhealthy ageing than young and older adults. Understanding benefits and barriers of target population is the first step in developing culturally and age-appropriate intervention to promote physical activity.
Abstract 210: Transcriptomic Changes During Induced Pluripotent Stem Cell-derived Neural Crest Cell Differentiation Highlight Genes Involved in Endocardial Cushion and Cardiac Outflow Tract Development

Rationale: Neural crest cells (NCCs) play a critical role in normal cardiac development, and defects in NCCs likely cause congenital heart disease (CHD). NCCs are transient and multipotent migrator...